Air travel rant #8 Too dangerous to fly - too innocent to arrest · Wednesday June 25, 2008 by colin newell
People speak about Canada’s no fly list…
“hastily and ill considered national security initiatives which are essentially aimed at managing perceptions more than they are in really addressing legitimate and manageable security concerns are not harmless. In fact, they cause disproportionate harm in return for very minor gains in terms of intelligence and law enforcement. “
Air travel rant #6 milk of human kindness - tossed in the trash · Sunday June 22, 2008 by colin newell
According to a CBC report this morning, approximately 20,000 pounds of stuff was confiscated at Vancouver International Airport in May 2008 – Yup. 10 tons of virtually unopened tooth-paste, hair gel, personal lubricant, ointments and unguents – put in a landfill – so you can fly safely… Or yea, and breast milk – gallons of it apparently.
Call me crazy – but wouldn’t it make more sense to collect this stuff to be recycled to a shelter, food bank or something. Except for the breast milk of course. I’d take a pass on that.
Actually Colin… (bad sign – talking to self) – In the U.S. you can actually buy confiscated swiss army knives for $10 a pound. link
I am not sure why I find this so funny. But I am smiling.
The TSA took 13 million items from travelers in 2006 alone.
13,000,001 if you include human dignity as an item.
But I digress.
Here in Canada, it just seems to tragically wasteful and foolish.
Readers: Please e-mail me if there is something positive coming from all this waste.
Victoria B.C. Canada - Sunday around town - Beer burgers etc · Sunday June 22, 2008 by colin newell
It’s late in the afternoon. The chores are done. And you haven’t had anything but breakfast.
What do you do on a late June afternoon in Victoria B.C. Canada when the Sun is shining down and there is a thirst and a hunger that needs to be quenched?
Well. Heck. You head to the Irish Times Pub that’s where!
This cavernous joint on Government at the head of Bastion Square is a favorite of locals and visitors alike. On a day like today the patio was popular so we tucked inside at one of their cosy tables. We were immediately attended to by a bubbly young waitress – you know the type; about 6’ 4” tall, fashion-forward type with a pocket-square sized mini-skirt… made of a sample swatch of, you guessed it, a red tartan. Oddly, all the gal wait staff are dressed identically. The male staff wear… kilts – knee length by the way.
The Irish Times has about 32 beer on tap – which might be a record for Victoria. We quickly zeroed on the Kilkenny . It is a significantly lighter version of Guinness – that is because Guinness is a stout and Killkenny is an Irish Cream Ale, yea?
The Irish Times has been open for a couple of years now – this is our first visit. The owner of the I.T. also has the Penny Farthing in the oak Bay Village and is working on a 3rd outlet on Government called The Bard and Banker if I am correct – opening next Friday – June 27!
Oh yea. The Burgers were spot on. We had them with Chips – all dressed.
The holy trinity: Burgers, Beers and Tartan skirts. Good as it gets.
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Victoria B.C. Canada - Saturday around town · Saturday June 21, 2008 by colin newell
A Saturday walk downtown. If it is a 2.5 km walk from our perch in Rockland (a chi-chi neighborhood up the hill from downtown Victoria…) I would be surprised. But since it is largely downhill, it is a breeze.
This stroll takes us down Fort Street right down Antique Row past bustling cafes, lunch spots into the heart of the city.
Today we walked directly to Paradiso de Stelle… paradise of stars… a neat Italian gelato-cafe that features a wonderful selection of panini, illy coffee, liquor and Café Correcto… oh yea and lots of fresh Gelato produced on site. Paradiso de Stelle is below Bastion Square in Victoria and it wins points on the quality of its food and drink, the professionalism and beauty of its staff (yea, I get warnings from my editor about using words like beauty) and the great people watching.
From there it is off to Habit Coffee and Culture on Pandora Avenue – the 600 block just below Government Street (Photo above). Habit Coffee and Culture is ground zero for the 3rd wave coffee scene makers in Victoria. Their espresso based beverages are always spot on – and the vibe is not unlike many of Portland and Seattle’s grooviest coffee joints like Stumptown.
If you live in Victoria B.C. Canada and think you know great coffee – unless you have been to Discovery, Cafe Fantastico and Habit… all in the same day… oh yea, and Buon Amici’s over on Tyee road on the West side… you have not experienced what truly great coffee is.
So put down that Folgers, get on your bike or put your runners on – and get going!
