Category Archives: Uncategorized

Whitehorse YK: the only city evacuated on 9/11

Not the work of the author, though the author would like to thank the photographer

A pleasant little mystery from the CBC. Why was Whitehorse evacuated on 9/11? And why were two Korean Air Lines 747s emitting a ‘hijack’ signal despite everything being a-ok on board? And why were they diverted to the evacuated city of Whitehorse when they could have landed at a multitude of Canadian or American military facilities nearby?

See this CBC article on Whitehorse’s bizarre 9/11 connexion.

What I’ve been addicted to lately

Bar none the finest example of the police procedural drama, ever

So I’ve been quite occupied lately, but I’ve also devoted a fair bit of time to watching the first two seasons of Homicide, in addition to reading the book it’s based on by David Simon.

Long story short I’m downloading Treme right now. What can I say? Most television sucks donkey choda these days, which makes the rare shining examples of excellent TV that much more enjoyable, and as far as plot lines and character development is concerned, it really can’t be beat. Admittedly, Breaking Bad, though more fantastic, is giving Homicide a run for its money, but I doubt it’ll last as long.

In any event, more actual blog posts are coming soon, and as of Sunday I’ll be in a new neighbourhood in the city. Can’t wait to share the experiences with y’all.

Did I miss something?

Macdonald Monument -Place du Canada
Monument to our first Prime Minister, a drunken, witty miscreant - work of the author

Clearly not a recent picture, since the statue is no longer there. I thought it was removed for renovation work, but all the reno work seems to be over.

Can anyone tell me what’s going on here?

And while I’m thinking about it – didn’t there used to be two canons here as well?

Who’s stealing this stuff?

Perspective on the city { no.1 }

Cloudscape - work of the author, August 2010

From the rooftop terrace of a friend’s Plateau apartment. I sat in the early morning dew mesmerized by the quick degeneration and regeneration of these massive, beautiful clouds. When the sun broke, some shone with this ethereal golden orange glow. At times, it looked as though the light of the sun was slicing the clouds into smaller forms. They danced for hours across the sky.

Remember when we used to dream? {Expo Hovercraft edition!}

An expo hovercraft (!)

This is an SN.R6 hovercraft developed by the British Hovercraft Corporation and demonstrated at Expo 67. You will also notice the British Petroleum logo in addition to the Man and His World logo on the rear fin. I don’t know if this would have been used as part of Expo’s general water-borne transit system, but either way, back in the 60s, hovercrafts and hydrofoils were being developed at a frenetic pace at home and abroad, particularly in the UK. Makes me wonder whatever happened, as it seems it what was just one of those technologies that never really took off, despite a rather prolonged period of research, development and use.

The hydrofoil HMCS Bras d’Or, built here in Québec and to this date the fastest warship ever built, was a project realized after a joint Anglo-Canadian study. Events like Expo 67 solidified international partnerships and created a milieu for cultural exchange, the kind which would in turn produce stronger relationships and the chance for business and political partnerships. The expo hovercraft and the hydrofoil are examples of daring innovation and the will to collaborate on development and share knowledge. Expos in general ought to do this, and ours was an excellent example of an Expo done right – it fostered development and strengthened Canada’s relationship with the participating nations. It put us on the map.

Remember when we used to strive for events of this type? So we could maintain our global prominence and push forward to the future, by experimenting and creating the moments of exchange?

And wouldn’t it be neat to float on a cushion of air over the choppy St-Lawrence, through the remaining canals of Ile-Notre-Dame before disembarking at the marina near La Ronde?

Just sayin’…

HMCS Bras d'Or, the fastest warship in the world