Prairie Dog Blog

CEASEFIRE: VIRTUAL MARCH ON THE UNITED NATIONS:
"You can become part of the May 1st world-wide day of action for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Please can send your own letter to the leaders of nuclear-weapon countries and the United Nations, and join our mass demonstration on-line through our virtual protest for a nuclear-free world."
CEASEFIRE: VIRTUAL MARCH ON THE UNITED NATIONS

Arizona Border Patrol Looks to Canada

Protecting the USA from Canada and the great white horde!
Arizona Border Patrol Looks to Canada

CBC News: Sunday:

Check it out! I am going to be on CBC News Sunday doing a (what they call) a rant. They called me from Toronto after I sent them an e-mail with regards to a Paul Martin interview they did last Sunday. I guess they were impressed by my obvious clarity and wit and they thought "surely we would be remiss in not having this learned gentleman espousing his thoughts and views on our show". So there I was standing in front of the CBC building right on Portage avenue at 10 bells this AM doing my rant! (thats what they call it...a rant) I had been lying in bed half the night going over in my mind what I was going to say. I was instructed to use the 'meaty' part of my, clearly stunnming e-mail and commit it to memory. I was still going over it as I waited in the CBC lobby for my camera crew. Prepared, I walked out into the 3 degree temp of this dastardly chill (not sultry) morning and stood alone in front of the camera. My knees a little weak, I got through the first line and then....as if anticipated, my mind went blank. I tried again but stumbled, saying 'sovereignty scandal' instead of 'sponsorship scandal'....crap, at 4 AM while lying in bed I had anticipated a gaff just like that! Well, the third time was the charm, the cameraman stood beside the camera and said look at me and just tell me what you want to say. It worked. I am a star. I expect that they shall place my star right on Portage ave., on the Portage Avenue 'Walk of Fame' . What now??? Where will my television career take me??? Maybe the stage...STELLA,.. STELLA! YOU TALKIN TO ME? I COULDA BEEN A CONTENDA! HEY ROCKY, WATCH ME PULL A RABBIT OUT OF A HAT! I'M COMIN MA! The mind boggles. Well, its goodnight from you and its good night from him!
(soon to be) Sir Dennis.

"CBC News: Sunday airs on CBC-TV at 10:00 am,
on CBC Newsworld at 9:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m. (ET)

CBC News: Sunday Night airs on CBC-TV at 10:00 pm,
on CBC Newsworld at 9:00 p.m., 12:00 a.m., and 3:00 a.m. (ET)"
CBC News: Sunday

Still supporting the Iraq war?? Have a look at this. It was filmed in March/April of 2005.

http://www.bushflash.com/y2.html

They found no weapons of mass destruction, they found that Iraq was not complicit in 9/11 and Iraq did not pose a threat to the USA.

It's been bloody cold today. Looks like the huge Low pressure area that was hanging over Ontario and giving them cool temps (and snow even!) has backed into Manitoba. Now that rarely happens....weather coming from the east. Yes, we get lots of wind blowing out of Ottawa but its usually HOT AIR.

I went to the golf dome with Paul and we hit a couple of buckets of balls. No I didn't rip the fabric at the end of the driving range! I did hit a few good balls tho.....few and far between. My back was OK...dore now but OK then. You use a whole nother set o muscles golfing!

Catherine is all excited cause she sold a couple more sets of Numero cards this afternoon. Margot....she has a marketing plan...first Louis Riel SD, then Pembina Trails SD, then Winnipeg 1 SD......then the World! She is having fun doing this and its a joy to see.

Well, we got some US dollars for the cruise....MAD money. Gee in three days we can say that we are leaving for our trip THIS MONTH!...May 31. Still don't have our tickets though!!!??? Think that's a problem? Looking forward also to seeing Carol in 10 days or so? We had Pat and Paul and Al and Janine over for a candle light dinner and light entertainment on Saturday night. We cracked the 'Cloudy Bay' sauvignon Blanc from NZ.....s'aright wine Mate! We dined on roast capon with pineapple Yams and a side of wild rice....andandand RED VELVET CAKE for dessert. We also polished off two other bottle of some red stuff that the friends brought!....you know those guys!..very pedestrian plonk! ha ha.ha

Well better go ....pork chops for dindin mmmmmm

Peace my children Rev Dennis

Iraq-Weapons-Hunt:

"In his final word, the CIA's top weapons inspector in Iraq said Monday that the hunt for weapons of mass destruction has 'gone as far as feasible' and has found nothing, closing an investigation into the purported programs of Saddam Hussein that were used to justify the 2003 invasion. "

Repeat after me: There were NO weapons of mass destruction in Iraq....period! When is someone going to apologise?
Iraq-Weapons-Hunt

I know, I know. Every blog in the world is showing this picture and you'd have to be pretty disconnected to not see it. But if there was ever a picture which sums up the Bush administration without having to add a single word, this is it.
 

CBC News: Gagliano accuses Martin of destroying Canada:

"MONTREAL - Former public works minister Alfonso Gagliano has accused Prime Minister Paul Martin of wrecking the country and the Liberal party. "

Poor Alfonso! He should have thought of the possibility of the "Sponsorship" deal bringing down the government! This man blames everybody but himself!....Wasn't he in charge?
CBC News: Gagliano accuses Martin of destroying Canada

Fla. Gun Law to Expand Leeway for Self-Defense:

"The Florida measure says any person 'has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm.'"

Shoot first...ask questions later! Back to the Wild West!
Fla. Gun Law to Expand Leeway for Self-Defense

Hijacking Christianity . . . (washingtonpost.com): "Americans of faith -- and those lacking one -- ought to vigorously resist attempts by power-hungry zealots to impose their religious views on the nation. That means standing up to them at every turn. "
Check this out. This guy is great. Karl Rove started the whole 'religion in politics' thing when he promised them that if the 'religious right' put Bush back in the White House they would have an 'inside track' on their religious agenda.
Hijacking Christianity . . . (washingtonpost.com)

Ghosts:
A visiting professor at the University of Alabama is giving a seminar on the supernatural. To get a feel for his audience, he asks: "How many people here believe in ghosts?" About 90 students raise their hands.
"Well that's a good start. Out of those of you who believe in ghosts, do any of you think you've ever seen a ghost?" About 40 students raise their hands.
"That's really good. I'm really glad you take this seriously. Has anyone here ever talked to a ghost?" 15 students raise their hands.
"That's a great response. Has anyone here ever touched a ghost?" 3 students raise their hands.
"That's fantastic. But let me ask you one question further... Have any of you ever made love to a ghost?"
One student in the back raises his hand. The professor is astonished. He takes off glasses, takes a step back, and says, "Son, all the years I've been giving this lecture, no one has ever claimed to have slept with a ghost. You've got to come up here and tell us about your experience."
The redneck student (remember, this is Alabama) replies with a nod and begins to make his way up to the podium.
The professor says, "Well, tell us what it's like to have sex with a Ghost."
The student replies, "Ghost?!? I thought you said 'goats.'"
Ghosts???

Historical gas price charts - Winnipeg Gas Prices

check it out....even when you take into account the US exchange rate and the smaller US gallon, those whiner Americans are still paying a lot less for gas! In US dollars we Canadians are paying damn close to $3.00 US$ per US gallon. Imagine the hubub that would cause in the US!
Here in Winnipeg, I am still getting gas at the Super Store and we get 71/2 cents off each litre making it come out to about 80 cents per gallon.
Historical gas price charts - Winnipeg Gas Prices

belugacam

Chgeck out the Belugacam at the Vancouver aquarium.
belugacam

MT. St. Helens continues to spew ash, while it is forming a lava dome in the crater and still having minor tremors. Here, in this sunrise shot, she appears to be blowing smoke rings.
What forms the "smoke rings" is the air flowing over the mountain getting pushed up higher as it goes up and over the top. The moisture content and initial temperature are just right so that the moisture condenses from a vapor to small particles at the higher altitude. When the moving air moves past the peak and comes down again, the particles evaporate back to an invisible vapor. The two "pancakes" describe that there are two layers of air for which this is happening, thus making this awesome picture possible.


 

I got my Cerificate of Appreciation award at the museum yesterday. Yessir, 319 hours (or over) of dedicated volunteerism. Gee, some guys gave almost 1000 hours. Too bad you don't get a tax deduction for those hours. They are going to have to do something about that. Say $1000.00 deduction per 100 hours of volunteer work. Someone would have to keep track of the hours, just as the museum does. With the price of gas and all, it seems only fair that we should get a tax break. I think that there will be lots of volunteering in the years that baby boomers (like me) are going to retire.

Got a miserable cold today. Started a few days ago with a sore throat. bleeeech!

Went to see the endocrinologist Dr Woo yesterday. I see him so often he has taken to calling me Den. My boodsugars are real good, holding at <7.0 avg. (long term).....believe me thats good. My creatinine is still high at 225 but holding...avg is <150. So all in all pretty good. I got some samples of a new medication for cholesterol called 'Ezetrol'. Its very expensive but its got to be better than any of the statins which make my back muscles ache terribly. Anyways, the Doc will keep me supplied with it. By the way, Gary even Pravochol is a statin drug and that may be the cause of your aches and pains. I think at first the Lipitor or the Crestor was OK and I could tolerate them but after a few months the pain became unbearable. Anyhow, we'll see if this works. My cholesterol is <5 so I am not too concerned but having had heart problems they would like it to be even better. sheeeeesh. Anyways enough bitchin and bellyachin....ya got it ...live with it.

Well, it looks like going to the gym is out for today...better stay home and rest up and try to get over this. So later, Shalom, Peace, keep yer stick on the hice (an old Quebec saying). Bye from Fra Dennis...your only hope for salivation. Send me all your money and I'll put in a word for you!....a local call for me! TATA
The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.

George W....the hypocrite

Got a cheque in the mail...my tax rebate! woohoo. Now I can go to Tim Hortons for that new chicken'n bacon sub with honey mustard sauce.

Gee, the Catholics of the world can rejoice.....a new Pope. Ratzinger? The German rotweiller? Let's see, he was a German soldier....but he deserted, so thats OK. He was a Hitler Youth....but that was mandatory , so thats OK. He's an Ultra Right wing conservative Catholic.... and thats OK because it doesn't affect me in the least, except that it helps the Humanist cause, so thats OK! I was hoping for Father Ted OR Father Guido Sardouchi (find the Pope in the pizza contest....SNL) but we got Ratzinger....thats OK . Enough with the News from the really isolated community of Vatican City, lets have some real news! How about the new bankruptcy law George W signed yesterday. Did he sneak it through? Written by the big credit corporations and guess who benefits the most....gee, those same large credit companies! What kind of government do they have in the USA?...is it run by the multinationals? The NRA? At least in Canada when the government does something that stinks, they open the can and let everyone get a good whiff!

Well, better get to bed, tomorrow is Volunteer appreciation day at the Museum. We get cake and everything!

Later, PEACE, Shalom Aleichem, und Frieden zu allen meinen katholischen Freunden!

Catherine and I just finished putting together about 10 boxes of books to donate to the Childrens Hospital book sale (on now at the St. Vital Shopping Centre). We had to drop them off at the Salsbury House restaurant, which was very convenient because it was lunch time...an they have this great red velvet cake there.......Anyhow, that takes care of around 1/2 of our books, some of which were dusty, old university texts, but most of which were Catherine's fiction books what she didn't want to part with but......there were just too many! Its a beautiful day, about 25 deg c and sunny. Last night we had a terrific thunderstorm, a real window rattler! It woke me up and since my blood sugar was low, I got up and ate something....switched on the TV and there was a cruise ship limping into port. Seems it was on the way back to NYC from a Bhamas cruise when it got hit by a ROGUE wave. It inundated portholes on the 10th deck! Now I am kinda glad we opted for the inside cabin! I went back to bed and pulled the covers over my head. nyuknyuk
Well, since it is so nice out, I will take the beagle out for a walk and then rake some leaves in the backyard.
So...later and PEACE. Love from the Vatican Conclave where the vote for Pope is in a dead heat between some Ratsenberger guy and Father Ted Crilly of Craggy Island. My money is on Father Ted!
Books, books, books.

Boston.com / News / Nation / Cruise ship returns after wave damage
"it was like the Titanic!" said one passenger. NyukNyukooooooooo

"Woof, Woof" (translation: You got a cookie?) 

The Australian: Reports undercut Iraq, al-Qaeda link [April 16, 2005]
New report released undercuts Iraq, Al-queda link

iiiiicegerg magnoot.....assbrg magnit.....iceberg Magnet!!???!!! 

I just got in from washing the car......and waxing it too. Looks good for an old Toreass....I think I'll keep it for a while.

Spent the AM at the Museum. There were 4 birthday parties and two tours. I did both tours. The marketing GURU is planning on squeezing in 6 birthday parties on each Sturday, but thats a bit too much! Not enough horsepower on the ole volunteer front. Most of the volunteers take the better part of the summer off, and some take the whole summer off. Me? I will be off cruising in June.....going on a rather large boat to a foreign land, mayhaps to see a polar bear or two, or at least a calving glacier. I will also be summering at the lake with my sweatheart by muh side....chopping down trees!....Like a lumberjack ...OHHHHH I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK I work all night and I work all day...OH he's a lumberjack and he's OK.......etc. Picking wild flowers.......

well better go.....plan to BBQ a steak er two and break open a bottle of 'Goats do Roam'...in Villages. mmmmmm May it slide down yer throat like the devil wearing velvet pants! wahey....

Later, peace, take care and all that...don't do anythin' I wouldn't do , better still don't do anythin'. Shalom Aliechem from Rabbi Denny at the ole cinnygog on the corner of Logan and Arlington (LA).
Almost Retread but not Retread

Here is a picture of the winning design for the Human Rights Museum to be located in Winnipeg with a scheduled completion of 2009. It will be situated at the Forks. The architect is Antoine Predock. 

wednesday.....Beautiful, sunny and 19 deg c. Got to get over to Mammy's place to deliver her groceries. Mammy can't do without her bananas now can she?

Catherine sold a deck of Numero cards and a 'users key' the other day. She is quite excited as it is her first sale. I expect that the commission on that is around $4.00, but the main thing is that ITS A SALE! Catherine is realistic about it though, and since she used the Numero cards for years in her classroom, and thinks that they are great for kids to be using, she is a believer and that is a plus when selling something but you can't get rich doing it! However, I am sure that the deductions will offset her planned earnings from sales, so that is a good thing, as Martha would say.

I have been invited to become a sustaining member of the aviation museum (probably heard that I was a member of the clergy...oh yeah, it opens doors! as Billy Graham would say). This means that I will get to vote at board meetings. Should be fun. So things are going swimmingly at the museum, as Marylin Bell would say.

Looking forward to the cruise to Alaska. There are no icebergs in that area of the ocean are there?...only there was this ship the Titanic, and...
Better take the workout clothes, because if they have food on board, we shall have to work it off. I want to keep my svelt 127 kg figure! Honest to goodness, I am so skinny that if I turn sideways (a good movie) and stick out my tongue I look like a zipper! And Oh yes, I really have to work at keeping that figure! Reminds me, Catherine is taking Yoga at the Reh-fit starting tonight, so I shall have to go and watch her, I mean work out of course. I should have gone yesterday (our regular day) but my afternoon nap lasted longer than it should have and Catherine says that I looked so cherubic sleeping that she didn't want to wake me, so she wiped the drool from my face and left me to sleep while she went for a workout. So you see I shall have to go tonight!.....right after my nap!

Well better go for now so later, ya'll and peace.
Rev Dennis from a long line of Rev Dennis's....well starting with me, any ways. Catch my service this Sunday.... "why God's only son had to die so we can go to magic happy land when we croak!" Wine will be served.

Here it is Tuesday...still raining. Its been raining for two days....not a heavy downpour but a steady drizzle. Well, it will make the grass grow and I can hardly wait to start cutting the grass again.....NOT!
We heard from Margot recently and she said she is starting a course ...was it Monday night?...anyhow, the course is a business course, Marketing. I took that course as part of a series of courses involved in obatianing my certification in purchasing. It was a fun course but I'll be damned if I can remember much about it. It was given by one of those teachers who teaches for half the time and then breaks you off into groups the other half so you can argue about who will be the two people who will do all the work and credit can be claimed by all (don't ya hate that!). I think it was at a time when I was getting tired of taking courses, as it seemed a long row to hoe. Anyhow, good luck on the course Muffin....er Margot dear!
Tomorrow I have a tour at the museum for a group of mentally handicapped kids, so I have to KISS them! (Keep It Simple Stupid!) Works out well because i have to be there on Wednesday mornings anywho.
Yesterday we took our pet Beagle (should have called her smeagle!) to the vets to get her shots and her eyes checked out. She has a problem with her left eye, the white bit in the centre corner of her eye seems to want to move up and cover part of her pupil. It makes her look real odd, like she is s bit possessed or something! Anyhow it was a real struggle to get her to keep still for the vet. It ended up the both Catherine and I had to hold her down and she had to be muzzled so the vet could poke and probe her eye. The vet looked at all possibilities but could only suggest that it might be infected so she gave us some anti-biotics and some crap for her ears because she has a bit of a yeast infection in both ears. That, combined with her license renewal and associated shots cost us $250.00. Sheesh, dogs. Oh well we love her dearly and she is worth it because she is such a good companion.
Well better go. Got to take Catherine to school, she is subbing this afternoon.
Later from Rev Dennis, of the Church of No Redeeming features, City of Angles....er Angels.

Hello from Winnipeg. It is 10 deg c and rainy. It has been been nice and sunny until today. Everyone was out and about in their shorts and sandals. The river is high but the the floodway is open and there is no flood threat.

He won...He won...his fourth Masters! 

hee hee 

Another beautiful day here. Very sunny and what looks like 22 deg C., albeit a little windy with a SE wind. Looks like a nice weekend too. But it won't mean much to those counting palm trees now will it? Not many snowmobiles out either!....hard going, so we will have to get out the dune buggys and roller-blades!
52 days 23 hours and 17 minutes until we leave for our trip......read cruise Dahling! Caught just the tiniest bit of the sinking of the Andrea Doria last night. Seems she hit an ice-berg....no wait that was another ship....large one. But that can't happen to a ship called the Seranade of the Seas can it? I mean Seranade.......after all, its such a bootiful name, and a bouyant name too! How big are those portholes? Can I get through? Not worried. What is the marine forcast for the week of the 5th of June? will they have enough food?
Tomorrow is the 'Planes, trains, and sails" at the Museum and it should be REAL busy, but looking forward to it! Its all about the hobbyists and their hobby.
We had a Humanist exec meetng last night. Be sure to support the Global Day of Reason on May 5th. The same day. Reason Rules- Science Rules! See www.nationaldayofreason.org
Anyhow, Peace out.
Rev Denny of the Denny's chain of churches, confessions half-off when tea or coffee is ordered. Try some of our 'Passion of the fruit' for dessert....scrumptious.

Happy anniversary Gary and Carol!!! 44 is it? or ? 1961 wasn't it? 

Some people truly understand life better...and they call some of these people "retarded"...
At the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestents - all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 yard dash. At the gun, they all started out - not exactly in a dash but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over acouple of times and began to cry.
The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back ... every one of them! One girl with down's syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story...Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win - even if it means slowing down and changing our course.

... a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
Priceless...a story worth reading

Captain's Quarters

Read all about the recent testimony at the Gomery commission here. Its getting real complicated!....but fun!
Captain's Quarters

Just got a call. Our taxes are done. We shall have to go and pick them up. I wonder if we are getting anythong back??? Perhaps we shall have to pay.....????

Went to the Aviation Museum at 11:00 this AM to do a tour for some 'home-school' kids. Looks like they booked two of us to do it. Turned out just as well because I had to pick up Catherine at 11:45. She was subbing at George McDowell school. Where do they get these names? Who in the hell was George McDowell anyways?? Probably some obscure government minion or a long gone school division head.

Well, I had my nap and now what? Why is it that since we decided to go on this cruise that the only ships I see on TV are sunken or sinking or hit by a wave and then sunk??? How close do they get to the glaciers anyway?? Why is it that when you buy a '62 Ford Falcon then all you see is '62 Ford Falcons all over the road??? Questions to ponder.
Well, its too nice to be sitting indoors. Its 25 deg C and sunny so I think I'll take the little doggie for a W-A-L-K (I have to spell it because she recognises the word)!

Peace

This puts it in a nutshell for me. It is an open letter from Tony Matthews in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia:
-------

On the death of Pope John Paul II
While certain groups of people around the world mourn the passing of this Pope, let's not forget the pain, misery and death that this papacy and the Catholic Church in general have caused.

Although Pope John Paul has been described as a great man by some, his main purpose was to enforce the antiquated views held by the church, views which discriminate against women, gays and divorced couples, a policy on birth control that has led to millions of unwanted pregnancies and abortions around the world, and whose views on condom use is partially responsible for the increase spread of aids and deaths to millions of innocent Catholics. Let's not forget the attempted cover-up of the physical and sexual abuse suffered by children under his watch, only when this scandal was bursting at the seams did the Church act.

Pope John Paul may have been a great Catholic and I wish death on no one, but my tears will be shed for the future and current victims of a church whose policies have just made it to the 17th century when this Pope declared that Galileo was indeed right in that the Earth revolves around the Sun, and not the other way around.
Tony Matthews
Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
In a nutshell

CBC Manitoba - Junos take care of business

Tum tum...diddle liddle lee...ta leddle ta dumtadum.....diddle liddle lee
Taken care of business, everyday. Taken care of busness everyway
taken care of business ....thats alright, taken care of business and workin overtime!

Everybody! Shamus! Mordecai! Linda-lou!

That's how the gala Juno awards ended for this year. Mommy!.....the partys over!!

Back down on earth....Catherine is the new Winnipeg representative for NUMERO cards. This is an Australian card game invented by a guy who was diagnosed with alsheimers disease and he wanted something to help, as long as he could, with his memory. Turns out, it is an excellent tool for Mathematics. Catherine used to use it in her classroom and she said that the kids enjoyed it and even though they did not know it, they were learning.....Sneaky Catherine! Anyhow, we just whipped around this morning taking letters of intro round to the schools in Riel SD. She already has some meetings/demonstrations set. Check out the web site at www.fdc.com.au/numero

Not much else new here. I got a tour tomorrow in the morming. This weekend at the aviation museum we have the "Planes, Trains, and Boats" show....should be fun. No one is more keener at these things than hobbyists!

All this frofraw about some old man in a dress and a pointy hat. He believes that he is with his maker...good luck to him. To be honest I thought that it was some kind of April fools joke. But alas, no.

Well TTFN. Sayonara and all that......time to go to for a workout!....Peace
CBC Manitoba - Junos take care of business

The party is over for another year. The Junos were a smash hit. Here is a picture of the Tragically Hip accepting their induction into the Hall of Fame. They are a great group but I don`t care much for the newer stuff. The finale was great with The Wailin Jennies, Burton Cummings, Randy Bachman, The Waking eyes, and other locals doing Taking Care of Business and Share the Land. Brett But was a good host....funny. Its too bad that Neil Young could not make it but he was ably replaced by K D Lang, who got a real long standing ovation. Winnipeg done the awards proud and hopefully it wont be years before they come back again! This coming week its the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. CBC will be taping those and probably will be shown on TV in the fall or next winter. Well TATA for now. Oh yeah, almost forgot, we saw a cute show on CBC called Fungus the Bogeyman. Its a British kids (well Im a big kid!) show and its a hoot. Fungus has a boy named Mold and they live underground and Fungus has to go uptop to spread germs,etc. every night but he must not be seen! Watch for it next Sunday at 7, maybe. Peace.