Major blog re-design -coming- here... · Sunday January 21, 2007 by colin newell
Yup.
I am sick of this look.
Ground control to Major Blog,
your circuits dead, there something wrong…
Can you hear me major Blog?
Can you hear me major Blog?
Stay tuned loyal reader.
Addon: Ok, so what I am going to do is create a theme for each section. I think this homepage is quite unique and should not remind anyone of anything
Am I right?
Comment [2]
Rankin Family live in Victoria - a short concert review · Wednesday January 17, 2007 by colin newell
Ok. I love the Rankin Family. From the moment I saw them on stage in Victoria in the mid-nineties, I knew that the Rankin Family were the real deal.
I bought all the albums. Still play them.
It was with much rejoicing that I had the chance to see them on the first leg of their reunion tour.
Apparently I was not the first in line to buy tickets. I think I waited a week.
As a result, our seats were up in the ceiling somewhere.
No problem. The Royal Theatre in Victoria is designed in such a way that there are no bad seats. It is true. There are none.
This concert was to be stop 3 for the Rankins – Nanaimo was the first. I think they had two gigs up there.
Because of the loss of a sister in Calgary, they attended the funeral and cancelled the first 2 of the concert dates.
Victoria B.C. was stop one for the Rankin’s 22-city tour.
Some details:
Tragedy struck their family a week ago when one of the Rankins died in Calgary. The Rankins are a large family – Raylene, John Morris, Jimmy, Cookie and Heather, began touring together professionally in 1989. But they are 4 of 12 kids. On September 17, 1999, the band officially broke up to pursue their separate careers and lives. One of the anchors of the band, John Morris Rankin, died in a car accident on January 16, 2000.
Anyway – back to the show.
With our luck (of 1500 seats in the Royal Theatre) we were seated directly in front of a row of young, ex-Pat Cape Breton trailer trash – they were pumped, half-drunk and ready to party.
Now, do not get me wrong. I like to party. Really. At concerts, I get crazy.
But correct me if I am wrong, but I think you have to sing and scream when the band is actually playing.
I did turn around and glare a couple of times at Trailer Park Boy behind me after he yelled: “I lav youa Jammmy!” one too many times. These are the worse kinds of concert goers.
Anyway. The Rankins kicked ass. After a slow start (they seemed road weary or grief weary and this was stop #1!) they wound the audience and themselves into a Celtic-Breton frenzy.
They played the new stuff. They played the old stuff. They trotted out some new Rankin talent; John Morris Rankins surviving teenage daughter – a crack step dance and fiddle player. She sang once. It was rough, but the Rankin magic is in her voice and blood. Ah. Just like old times.
Welcome back Rankins!
Comment [2]
More attacks on freedom... · Sunday January 14, 2007 by colin newell
The Conservative government has announced plans to institute a no-fly list to bolster aircraft security.
The Passenger Protect program will require all passengers to show a government-issued ID to board commercial flights by 2007.
Photo left: None other than JetSki riding Stockwell Day who is our trusted Public Safety Minister.
“Recent events such as the alleged terror plot in the United Kingdom highlight the importance of a program like Passenger Protect,” Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said Friday. “We must remember that Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism and we must remain vigilant.”
The creation of the “specified persons list” will be made according to guidelines focused on aviation security, and include:
* Individuals who are or have been involved in a terrorist group, and who, it can reasonably be suspected, will endanger the security of any aircraft or the safety of the public, passengers or crew. * Individuals who have been convicted of one or more serious and life-threatening crimes against aviation security. * Individuals who have been convicted of one or more serious and life-threatening offences.Passengers will need one piece of government-issued photo identification that shows name, date of birth and gender — such as a driver’s licence or a passport — or two pieces of non-photo government ID, with at least one piece showing name, date of birth and gender. link
Why is this happening? Well. America (Right-wing corporate and Christian America) wants it to happen. The Canadian government moves lock-step in whatever whim the American government might be feeling at the time.
Unfortunate enough to end up on the no-fly list by mistake?
You can apply to the Canada Office of Reconsideration
Good God! Does that not sound scary?
It should. The rights and freedoms of all Canadians are under attack.
And the more people that clue into this the better!
Wake up everyone. Here. Have a coffee!
Mussels Marinara... goodbye my salty friends! · Saturday January 13, 2007 by colin newell
I know that my readers from CoffeeCrew.Com think I am a swarthy tough guy that catches bullets with his teeth, busts international drug cartels completely alone and roams the mean streets of Victoria at night, in an annoying scratchy man-outfit from Lululemon maintaining law and order…
But no. I am just like you. and you. and you and you.
Except for one minor detail.
This is the first time I have cooked with truely live ingredients.
Mussels. From Saltspring Island – a Gulf Island near Victoria.
Sure, I work with coffee all the time and I think of coffee as a truely living entity… but that is not the point. This is live food.
I bought them. I cleaned them (re-cleaned them actually) and prepared them for their glorious moment.
As I held each mussel in my hand, checking their integrity (liveliness I guess…) and bathing them in a soothing and cool final bath of water, I apologized and thanked each one for the briny goodness to follow…
Mussels with Marinara Sauce
A warming dish to serve on a dreary winter day.
Makes: 3 to 4 servings
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium purple onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 to 4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 cup dry red wine
14 oz can diced tomatoes and 2 tsp. tomato paste
pinch dried oregano and sugar
pinch chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs fresh mussels*
chopped chinese parsley (cilantro)
Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions, and garlic. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add wine, tomatoes, oregano, sugar, salt, chili flakes and pepper. Turn heat to medium-high and simmer sauce 5 minutes. Add mussels, cover and cook until mussels open (discard any that do not). Sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve as is with lots of warm crusty bread. Serves 3 to 4, depending on appetite.
Note: Rinse mussels in cold water before cooking, removing any beard-like material from their sides. Discard any that do not close when tapped.
This dish goes down extra-well with a very tall glass of Red Wine.
It helps ease the guilt…
