How Long Can Any Of Us?

 

Nice Work If You Want It...

 

This beauty was caught just west of Naples, Florida.  Naples!

A 215 pound, 18 foot behemoth of a Burmese Python.

And every year they have a "python hunt".

The winning team gets $2,500.

And usually teams are made up of good ol' Florida boys - and lately, girls.

Just wandering through the swamps and Everglades with a stick.

Holy geez, I don't even like to step off the sidewalk when I'm in Florida.  There's a reason whey there's the expression "a snake in the grass." 

But this year there's a different team out 'a hunting them there things.

So rather than just literally beating the bushes with that stick....

...they's using something called teck noll ogee to track and capture the critters. 

They implanted a few males with tracking devices, and what do males track - females!

But there's some folks who just like to go old school (although I doubt many of them have ever been to school) to track 'em down.

Holy cow.  Look out behind you!

But I think I would like one of them there tracking devices if I ever get forced off the sidewalk.  Maybe wave it around like a Geiger counter.

'allo.  You called?

 

"Put My Mind On Permanent Vacation"

Cool idea.

Build a floating city.

To counteract the effects of sea level rise, The Maldives, with more than 80% of its area less than one metre above sea level, are building a floating city in the ocean.

Designed in a pattern similar to brain coral, the city will consist of 5,000 floating units including houses, restaurants, shops and schools, with canals running in between. 

With the technology they are using, they are supposed to be affordable for the masses.

Great idea.  

What could go wrong? Besides maybe waves. So you buy some Gravol.  No biggie.

And I guess you have to hope you don't have noisy - or nosey - neighbours.

But if you ever do go to the mainland, you'll probably look like one of those drunken sailors who have been at sea for months. Can't walk straight.

Better than having your country underwater, I guess. 

P.S. Of course, "Put My Mind On Permanent Vacation" is a line from the Zac Brown/Jimmy Buffett song "Knee Deep".

Nice Work If You Can Get It

So our Governor General and her staff took a trip to the Middle East for Expo 2020 in Dubai. 

29 of her key staff, and 17 crew, boarded a CC-150 Polaris and proceeded to, well, eat.

A lot.

$80,000 for in-flight catering.

Now I hear you saying, Wait a minute, UC, there were a lot of people on that plane.

You're right, so let's do the math.

So 46 people had three breakfasts, three dinners and two lunches on board.  Can't be that bad.

So let's see, $80,000 divided by 46, divided by 8 meals is.....$217 per meal.

That can't be right.  $217 per meal!  And that doesn't include any booze.

I don't think I've ever had a $200 meal in my life.  Let alone eight in a row.

And, of course, this doesn't include the cost of the flight, hotels, and meals for the eight day boondoggle fact finding mission.

I guess if you've been in government long enough you think you are, what's the word?

Entitled. 

It's Not The Message, It's The Hypocrisy

So this is German F1 driver Sebastian Vettel arriving in Montreal for this weekend's F1 race....

...sporting, well you can read it, an anti Oil Sands T-shirt.

"STOP mining tar sands.  Canada's Climate Crime."

This from a guy who will be burning almost two litres of fuel every lap around the track.  These celebs' hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Another commentator said, Right about now I'll bet there are a lot of Germans who secretly wish they were importing oil from a democratic, human-rights observing ally like Alberta rather than arch enemy and world pariah Russia.

Another said, this from the country that shut down all their nuclear plants to go renewable, only to have to import oil and gas from Russia.  And when that wasn't enough, start burning coal again.

They are the fourth largest consumers of coal in the world!

And I see he is sponsored by Aramco.  The Saudi Arabian national oil company.  That bastion of human rights, women's rights and LBGTQ rights. 

So save us the lectures, bub.

Nothing Says Fun Like Funeral Centre!

[Click picture to read sign]

Come for the music, stay.....forever!

Huh?

To all my music loving friends......

Stolen shamelessly from Jennifer Hunter.  And, of course, Stephan Pastis.

Where's The Buzz, Tell Me What's Happening

50 years ago this September.  What happened?

Paul Henderson scored......

..."The Goal!" ....that all Canadians will remember forever.

That got us out of a very deep hole the Canadian team had dug for themselves during the Canadian leg of the 1972 Canada/Russia Summit Series.

This was the series Canadians thought would be a cake walk over the hated commies.

But the Ruskies embarrassed us on home ice, taking three of the first four games.

We were in shock.  And angry at Team Canada.

And no one will forget the interview that Phil Esposito gave after Game 4 in Vancouver.  A listless 5-3 loss for Canada.

That was one angry dude.  And angry at Canadians for booing his guys.  On home ice!

Espo lit into the fans.  

"We're disillusioned and disappointed. We cannot believe the bad press we've got, the booing we've got in our own building," he barked.  

"I'm completely disappointed. I cannot believe it. Every one of us guys ...we came because we love our country. Not for any other reason. We came because we love Canada."

And I think that's when he decided to take Team Canada on his shoulders and will them to win.

He took on all comers.

Whether they were dressed in red....

...or in black and white.

But in the end it was Paul Henderson's miraculous last minute goal that won the series.

I remember it like it was yesterday.

But it wasn't yesterday.  It was 50 years ago!

50 years ago.  September 1972.

And I've heard zero talk of a celebration?  Come on, trot out some of the old stars.  Have Don Cherry interview them. Replay some of the games.

Come on, man!