A few weeks ago, I received a free trial offer for Sirius Canada, or Sirius XM Canada if you prefer. I took full advantage of it, mostly because I had little to nothing else to do at the time. And because it was free, but y’know. The service itself is pretty nifty. And, surprisingly enough, useable with a minimal amount of headache. I thought very briefly about paying for it. Except, small problem. I don’t see anywhere you can go to purchase just an online subscription. I have no use for one of their radios, and in fact don’t even listen to the radio I do have–any music I listen to will more than likely be streamed over the internet by a site similar to Jango. I did receive a special promotion email offering me a discount on their services if I were to purchase a certain radio. Which would rule, if I was looking for that. I’ll make you a deal, Sirius. You give me an option for strictly online listening, and we’ll talk. ‘Til then, thanks for the free trial.
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My thoughts on the Sirius Canada trial.
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Ontario’s generous provincial government strikes again.
The budget for 2010 came out on thursday. And, expecting to see a slight improvement in areas that actually matter, I read things over as they came in–because, you know, I’m like that. Sure enough, slight was probably the best way to describe the improvements. Very slight, in some cases. One improvement in particular I was looking out for, since it affects me directly–at least until such time as I can find something I can call work, is Ontario’s disability support program (ODSP). They’ve already drawn my irritation for being among the cheapest of the out of work options currently available to anyone not currently managing just fine through the recession–second only to welfare in its cheapness. And now, they’re managing to become only very slightly less cheap.
In 2009, we saw an increase of approximately 2 percent in payments through ODSP. Which, for me, amounted to a grand total of $20 more on my check. Woopdy do–I can now aford to more easily pay for my hot water tank rental. Go me. This year, and not until fall of this year at that, we get an additional single percentage point increase. Which amounts to another $10. Yay–now I can aford my hot water tank rental, and maybe stuff for sandwitches!
In contrast, at the end of march minimum wage is going to go up roughly 75 cents more per hour–the seventh such increase since 2004. For those keeping score, that leads to a roughly $500 gap between what someone like me who can’t go find a gig flipping burgers on account of not being able to see the grill is making, versus what someone doing the said burger flipping job is making. And yet, they claim ODSP is designed with independence in mind for those who can’t do things like flip burgers or work in construction until something more to their liking comes along. I’d like to see where they get that from.
To their credit, everyone not currently a member of the liberal party is sort of trying to say things of a similar nature–1 percent, is that all? Not that I expect that to do a whole lot of good, so I wrote and sent an email to Ontario’s premier, the minister of community and social services–who oversees the ODSP situation, both opposition party leaders and Pembroke’s MPP–also a member of the conservative party. Those conversations, or what they think passes for conversations, are about to become open letters on this blog. As will every other correspondence that gets sent their way–and there’s going to be others.
I took the advice of another Ottawa area blogger and did the math, and could very easily live on a minimum wage style budget–believe it or not, quite luxuriously actually. I’m in Pembroke, which automaticly means subtract at least $100 from the price tag on just about anything related to actually living–rent, for starters. So my overly luxurious habbits aren’t exactly cause for concern, here. The overly generous habbits of our government, however, now there’s a cause for concern. Can we hit minimum wage before I hit the point of flat busted, please? That’d be appreciated.
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Earth hour cancelled on account of hockey.
In just less than 2 hours, we’ll be encouraged to turn our lights and probably anything else electrical off to conserve energy and save the environment. Because, you know, the whole global warming thing hasn’t already been kicked about a hundred times in the gonads. In this apartment, however, the only thing being conserved is a love for hockey. And it will be displayed in approximately 10 minutes in the form of a louder than usual television broadcast. Since the two are mutually exclusive, unless I’d like to miss approximately an hour of hockey, Earth hour has been cancelled for this year. Sorry, climateists. Can we reschedule for a non-sports day?
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Got some spare change? There’s a tax for that!
This is clearly the year of the overtaxed Canadian, nevermind what the Chinese say it is. And as always, it starts from the top down.
first off, Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) wants to tax any and all new MP3 player purchases. Or purchases of iPods, possibly external hard drives and laptops. Because, you know, everyone who buys one’s a bloody criminal. You’ll note the MP who’s pushing the bill in question calls it a levy. Which, really, is just another way of saying pirate tax. We already have one on blank CD’s and casette tapes, just in case we’d dare buy one and use it for all those songs we legally bought off iTunes. And people wonder why I’m of the opinion free shit’s good shit.
Relatedly in the WTF column, everyone’s favourite Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has decided to allow broadcasters and cable/satelite providers to negotiate a fee for carriage. Which, escentially, means cable and satelite subscribers will be paying for the local TV stations we’d be watching anyway. Because, you know, Rogers and company won’t be letting it cut into their profits if they can help it. I don’t know that I’d call it a straight out and out tax, like some of the advertisements I’ve seen about it proclaim, but it’s definitely at the very least an unneeded user fee. And, well, very naive to think any price the two sides agree on won’t be transfered to the consumer. Tax or not, though, it’s not doing a thing to change my mind about watching most of my television for free. But then, maybe that isn’t the point. Oh well.
Not to take the spotlight entirely away from our friends over there in Ottawa, though, but over in the other direction–in Toronto–we have even more reason to scratch our heads and give serious thought to going just a little tiny bit insane. Ontario’s liberals, not exactly known for being easy on our already taxed–literally–wallets, are up to their usual tricks again. This time, in the name of conservation and green energy programs, they’re instituting a tax on electric bills to the collective tune of $53000000. No, my finger didn’t get stuck on the 0. That’s how much they’re thinking will be pulled in by this new hydro tax. The reason for it?
Ontario electricity customers will soon be slapped with an additional tax to cover $53 million of the Liberal government’s new conservation and green energy programs, the Star has learned.
So, it was Dalton McGuinty’s idea to go all energy conservation on us in the middle of a recession, and now residents of Ontario get the bill. Meanwhile we’re still watching the course of the HST torpedo, which is scheduled to hit both Ontario and BC in July and do I have no idea what to the usual household budget. On top of the fact that someone living on a disability pension budget because multiple dozen attempts to get employed somewhere doesn’t make close to minimum wage–there’s a rant in there for another entry later. And people wonder why I’m not a very big supporter of the natural governing party at the moment.
I get that Ontario’s in a little tiny bit of deep crap financially–I have no idea what the NDP’s motives are federally, beyond their favourite word is “tax” (sorry, “levy”). But this just stinks of wicked cheap. Yes, our government’s in the poor house. So are the voters. This one in particular would love a break. Say, like an equal playing field financially. How ’bout it, Dalton? No, didn’t think so. Thanks for trying, though.
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Maple Leafs 2, Thrashers 1.
It wasn’t much of a high-scoring affair. And, in fact, if Atlanta was actually up to its usual level of halfway decent play, we’d of probably been sunk. As it is the difference between the narrow margin and how the game should have gone, given Atlanta’s state during Thursday’s game, was their goaltender. Otherwise, overtime would have been something they wished for. No matter, though. One of us still has a shot at the playoffs. And it won’t be Toronto. I’m gonna go cry now.
Last time
We managed to lose the last game against them in January, albeit barely. And even then, it probably should have been a whole lot different. But, as they say, that’s how the cooky crumbles in Toronto. There’s always 2010-2011. Maybe. Say, Boston, can we steal another player?
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Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 1.
Well, we tried to stay semi-awake. Tried, that is, for all of about 5 minutes. At least it wasn’t a shutout, I guess? Yeah, we’ll go with that. Our shutout-less streak has been extended. Hey, when your team’s hanging out in last place, you find your highlights where you can.
Last time
We didn’t do any better last time, either. In fact, we didn’t do anything last time. We were shut out in January, 2 nothing. And back then, I still felt like there might be the smallest of chances. Yeah, definitely holding on to our shutout-less streak.
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Yes, but does it have a place to put my eyebrows?
Why I should not be awake at this hour: I end up getting sideswiped by amusing things posted to Youtube. Like this from “Who’s Line Is It Anyway”, the UK edition, that was tossed at me on a chat server. By the way, Lea, I still can’t breathe. Here, have a video.
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Best. Week. Ever.
Some of you already know Jessica was up here for the week, having escaped back to Rochester this past Sunday. Mostly, we had her up here because we could, but a small part of it had to do with the fact it was the week of St. Patrick’s day. Naturally nothing overly spectacular was planned, but there was still fun to be had.
Saturday and Sunday were pretty much written off, on account of she just got here Saturday and well, needed all the rest she could get. Monday meant time well wasted with the family–we killed part of the afternoon over at mom’s, which has become pretty much routine for me anyway. We got to spend some quality time with my nephew at the same time, which is never a bad thing. I still need to post pictures up here–somebody needs to prevent me from forgetting. Or I need to stop being lazy, whichever. Tuesday was more of the same, except minus the nephew and plus a much needed trip to what passes for a grocery store in Petawawa.
Wednesday was when the party really got started. We got together for food and booze with mom, my aunt and uncle. A few beers and a couple vodka and cokes later, and we weren’t quite feeling it. So we came back to the apartment afterwards and picked up where we left off. There was music, the occasional slow dancing, we decided to pick right around that point to start fiddling with Gold Wave–because learning to edit audio is the thing to do when you’re buzzed. And, of course, there was interesting/amusing/entertaining conversation to be had. Although, it’s very likely it was only really interesting/amusing/entertaining to us, but oh well. We threw on Minority Report (2002), seeing as I hadn’t seen it and she liked the general description of the movie. And I’m considering seeing it again just because it’s on the computer now.
Thursday was our recovery day. We slept in fairly late, got up, and took it easy all day. Neither of us were hung over, but we weren’t about to pick up where we left off the night before either. We’d save that for Friday. And, naturally, we did just that. On Friday we cracked open what was left of the vodka, finished most of it, and I introduced her to 50 First Dates (2004). Because really, no Adam Sandler fan can make a claim of being just that without having seen that movie.
Saturday we took her into town so I could show her one of my favourite things about living where there isn’t really a whole lot of anything–the local pizza place, who’s quality I’ve not been able to match anywhere else. She took the opportunity to pick herself up a book as well–not knowing it was abridged, which still cost her damn near $40. I’ll be making an attempt to exchange that particular novel tonight hopefully. Then, because I kept saying I would, I took her to the local Mexican restaurant, the Santa Fe. As usual, I skipped dessert. Needless to say, the only thing we were considering doing when we got back was flaking out, relaxing, thinking about packing her up to leave on Sunday, then going to sleep. So we did.
Sunday was departure day. We got her packed and ready to go by 10, more or less. And we were gone by 11. Her bus didn’t pull away until 2:30, but we had no idea what to expect trafic-wise, and Ottawa has a nasty little habbit of always being worse than we plan for. Not an issue if I’m living in Ottawa. A huge issue if I’m just visiting temporarily. We did manage to get to the station just fine, though, and she got off with no problem whatsoever–at least until she got to Toronto, but that’s a whole other rant for another time and probably on her blog. I went to mom’s for supper, then back here to keep an ear to the ground and make sure she got to Rochester in one piece. She did, and after that point, it became pretty much back to business as usual for both of us. But, we did manage to learn something halfway interesting–again, probably only to us–in the process. The next time we do this, we really aught to not make it another 3 months from now. A week is just too little time to catch up.
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The trekky in me just squeed. A lot.
I’ve been a Star Trek fan since I was, like, tiny. Not entirely sure exactly how old, but I do remember coming home from school, watching the usual cartoons, then changing the channel to CHRO–this was obviously way way back before things like A Channel and the like–to watch TNG. I caught my fair share of flack for it–“Star Trek? Again? You’re not grown out of that yet?”–but I didn’t really care. Hell, I still don’t. Which is why I have an external hard drive with everything from TNG to Enterprize sitting on it. Well, okay, that, plus I have an interest in commercial free TV.
Still, with all my interest in Star Trek, it never occured to me to do anything beyond watch the shows, play a video game or two, and later–meaning in present day–take up roleplaying in the genre. So I didn’t do the trivia thing until recently.
Now, though, I’ve decided I might as well go about the doing of that. And, in just an hour of doing so, I discover Vulcan does actually exist. No, not the planet, per say. But rather a town in Alberta that was originally founded in 1910, 50 or so years before the concept of Star Trek was even a theory on a piece of scrap paper. And it’s now Canada’s Star Trek capital.
Holidaymakers are being urged to ‘boldy go’ where they’ve never gone before with a visit to the Star Trek Capital of Canada.
The town of Vulcan in Alberta was granted the official title earlier this month and is now being billed as a ‘logical year-round destination for science-fiction enthusiasts and Star Trek fans from across the galaxy’.
The trekky in me is having a very small heart attack. Excuse me for just a minute. Okay, that’s much better. Now, to go see if I can’t bribe someone into taking a vacation.
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Maple Leafs 3, Canadians 2.
I had to read the score twice to make sure. And a third to make double sure I wasn’t losing my mind. We actually managed to pull off a win. In the shootout. Against a team that tries very hard not to suck. We still don’t have a chance in hell at a postseason, but I think I’m starting to find a little tiny bit of that excitement again.
Last time
We played them back in December, when I’d originally thought we might still have a chance at playing at least into the first round of the playoffs. We lost. By the same score, though–that has to count for something, right? Work with me, here. If I’d known then what I know now, that loss might have felt a little differently. No, no it wouldn’t. It was against Montreal. Nevermind.
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