Era goes to the Park

Catch up

Ugh.
It's been about a week since i blogged last. And since then, the Raptors and Mavs have fallen into near insurmountable holes in this years NBA playoffs first round. Gah. At least the Suns are doin' awesome. How about Nash being one shy of the NBA playoff record for assists in a game. The way this is all going, see you next week.
I've been driving a bit. Drove to Hilda Alberta... then over to Tompkins Saskatchewan... Lots to talk about.

NBA Round UP

Round one of the NBA playoffs are underway.
Today was a good day for me. Mitchell (Toronto Raptors) was awarded Coach of the Year honors. The Raptors won game two, making up for their sluggish start in game one (which they lost...)

Oh, and as of right now, the Suns are up over kobe and his lakers by 30 after 3 quarters. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that tonight the Suns will be up 2 games to none over the hapless lakers... any time Kobe loses a playoff game is all right by me. And with Nash winning. It's all good.

/Now, if the Mavs just get past Nellie.

Warrens Musings

Warren Kinsella has this profound comment to make regarding politics. (i love it - the quote i mean, politics, not so much)

"April 20, 2007 - In politics, big graves are dug by small shovels. Around the watercoolers of nations, they don't talk about standing committee business."

/Warren is polar (tons of folks LOVE to hate him), which is one reason i love him (he's real)... the other reason? he's a no - holds - barred blogging punk rocker - politico. It really doesn't get much better than that.

NBA Round One Set

Define Karma:

Vince Vs. Bosh:

"New Jersey, which won eight of 11 to finish at .500, will now face the Atlantic Division champion Toronto Raptors."

Angus Votes on Vallely

The internets is a big place. Look what i found:

Angus Reid Forum has the following question:

"IS GARTH VALLELY DOING A GOOD JOB AS MAYOR OF MEDICINE HAT?"

YES 33%

NO 67%

So far. NO idea how many folks have voted. No, i didn't put this up... but i did find it on the Ads By Google links on this site. I suppose Angus Reid is paying google to advertise, and my content triggers relevance. Go ahead and vote now... or not. Just be sure to vote this October in our civic election. Get out to VOTE!

***** UPDATE *****
The same site is polling for approval ratings of Ed Stelmach as well (Ed being our current Premier)

Cremona Rivers Edge

ROAD TRIP!

Renee and i took the gaffer to Cremona this weekend. He's a great guy to travel with. For real.
We spent the weekend at Rivers Edge Camp & Recreation Centre. Our Sports Ministry team went of up there for some speakers & some r&r. It was all good.

Good friend Harold Cooper (whom i've traveled with 3 times to Africa) & his wife Mary are running the camp. Harold is now serving as the executive director. He is the 5th E.D. in the last 8 years i think? So he has his work cut out for him. Looks like they are doing a remarkable job. The site is beautiful and full of visitors. That is always a good sign.





What a view. If Harold & Mary decide to allow home building on this 300 acre site... i'll be one of the first in line. Cremona is a little town located North West of Calgary, Alberta, within driving distance from our home here in the hat.

Drop-In Basketball

Tonight was drop in basketball. Just about every Monday night is drop in basketball.




/The CotC is not showing up again in the blog roll i have on the lower right hand side of my page. It is out there, i'm sure... i just haven't made the time to go looking for it. In fact, it has been a few weeks, and i am really starting to miss it. :)

Philanthropy

Heh.
There is a happy medium:
Slim "...has derided Gates and Buffett for giving away so much of their wealth, reportedly saying: "Poverty isn't solved with donations," according to Forbes.

Building businesses, he reportedly said, did more for society than "going around like Santa Claus." - Mexican Magnate becomes world's second richest man (behind Gates, but just ahead of Buffett)

/Seems to be a topic i've been tracking recently. Subconsciously at best. (as posted here, prior to that post, this commentary on spending 90 followed by six more zeros. There was this uber rich guy giving away houses and then: Then there was this local politico who takes a decided "us vs them" stance on finances within the community (here's a tip, she selected the WRONG side).

Let me give you an example of what i call a happy medium to the rich mans philanthropic plight (as Slim alludes to): (thanks to Mr Martin for the link), Kiva.com lets you lend to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world - empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty!"

Era Goes on a Trip

Tonight we took era to visit his great grand mother Betty. She lives in the Hat, so it's close by, but i drove around and around anyways... makes it seem farther that way. Era enjoyed the drive just like he enjoyed the visit (lots)





The real fun started on the drive home. Era is in the backseat, and he's having a hard time settling (which is unusual for our little traveling baby). His hat is mis adjusted... so i fix it. And he goes quiet. I'm a dad with Skillz. Baby hat fixing skills. I don't bother to take my eyes off the road while i drive... i just know i did a great job fixing era's hat.

Or maybe not.



Renee got this pic when we got home, seems we didn't notice before then. And era kept his little mouth shut. Maybe we hurt his feelings?
(look at that pout)




Gosh, i hope he doesn't think i put his hat over his face on purpose. Heh (it was an eerily quiet drive home). My fatherhood skillz are now if full review. I guess i didn't do such a great job fixing era's hat after all.

Open Letter re Downtown Revitalization

Dear members of the City Centre Ad Hoc Committee;

I read this press release from the City of Medicine Hat (Media Release 3 April, 2007) with mixed response (another Downtown Study?) i'm weary, and i hate to say that.

Downtown Revitalization is close to my heart. Not merely due to the personal investment i made in owning and operating a retail business for almost 10 years in our City core, nor the fact that i was blessed to sit on the Downtown Business Revitalization Board for almost five years (or was it six?). Those were great years...

I find it interesting (and it may be the lack of sleep talking) but, this article asking "Can Aid bring an end to poverty?" (BBC Africa) regarding Africa juxtaposes well our current City options, or at least the options as this press release leads me to believe.

""The best tonic for poverty is growth, and the growth has come where the government has de-controlled and allowed competition and enterprise to flourish." - Comments from the above linked BBC Africa article. (there are lots more, and it is definitely worth the read, for a mix of viewpoints if nothing else)

"The Committee’s recommendation includes:
• The City redeveloping an existing property or developing a new project in the city centre using “Smart Growth” principles. In addition, the Committee encouraged the City to consider partnerships, incentives and/or alternatives to ensure the project proceeds.
• The City implementing specific physical development guidelines that will provide direction to future development projects in the city centre.
• The City moving quickly on its commitment to do a Downtown Redevelopment Study." (lifted directly from the above linked Media Release)

I'll cut and paste a couple brief talking points from the above text:

"City to consider partnerships, incentives and/or alternatives"
- Please do this rather than spending more City money on redeveloping existing property. Merely throwing more City money at this issue is a sort of pandora's box which is best left alone from a civic political stand point (Please head this opinion). Further, from a marketing stand point, if we could, as a community (or at least as City leadership) drop from our vernacular this all to common perspective that the City needs to save us (us being those vested in downtown revitalization) we might further separate the concept of Downtown Revitalization from one current view: That Revitalization is merely a hand-out for the (apparently) slowly diminishing business' within the Core. We would do well to consider the perspective of the City at large, and address this perspective (if it isn't already to late for most). This is specifically where i bridge the comments made about Aid within the above BBC article and our City's Revitalization process. (i fear i'm rambling, it is late)

"The City implementing specific physical development guidelines"
- With these guidelines you intend to present, it is (in my humble opinion) imperative that you also bring to the table concessions of some sort. Not hand outs... but open dialog with developers & current building owners. Make their lives a little easier (it does not need to be merely a dollar and cents issue). My fear would be driving away honest free market interest in our Core by adding to the red tape. It's worth it, in the end (read above quote taken from BBC article regarding the opportunity to flourish.

My points may not be new to the Ad Hoc Committee and her members, regardless, i appreciate your taking the time to read them. Our City Centre is close to my heart, and i do look forward to when it has been truly revitalized. Another mere strategic building may not do the trick, but honest, wise diligent leadership can... and that is, in fact what we hope to see here.

MedHatBlog has an ongoing conversation regarding this issue. I'll go now and read that.

Bugatti Veyron

Bugatti Veyron at top speed
Uploaded by Flabber

407 KM/hour


Krickey!

/"Look for the acceleration point then give it the beans down the point!" Heh.

//Big thanks to O. for the link!

Janke & Joost

Chatting about the intarweb the other nite, the topic of Joost came up.

"The magic of television, with the power of the internet built right in. Joost puts you in control, and TV will never be the same again." is the Joost marketing verbage.

Joost is in Beta i said (then added some glowing comnmentary) and left it at that.

Seems that Steve Janke (of Angry in the Great White North internet infamy) is a Beta Tester. Sweet.

"This is where things get really interesting. Television is a "lean back" medium. You consume the data stream with virtually no control besides selecting the channel.

The internet, on the other hand, is a "lean forward" medium. The data is modified and filtered by your active participation in how the data is consumed.

But now you've got television on the internet in an implementation that is stable enough to really begin thinking about what will result from the convergence." - Steve Janke's blog post.

Joost is designed by the same smart folks that came up with the concept for Skype, there is a lot of expectation on their latest offering.

Paul Goes to Spain

While i have never played any sport professionally, i have traveled some. So, in some way, i can really relate to the latest blog post by Blog Shirley: (at least his travel rants, heh)

"This particular entry may or may not make any sense, for two reasons:

1. I am sick and so am processing information at Apple IIe speeds.

2. I've already begun to speak in a mutated form of broken Spanish and pidgin English, resulting in sentences like, "Me go store now."

The second will become clear in due time.

What follows is an approximation at the time line of a portion of the last week." - Paul Shirley - ESPN.com

/ Paul wrote a book. A book only he could: Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond

//Pauls myspace page is a friend of my myspace page. (This fact does not count for much, but i felt is was reasonable to mention)

Opening Tanks

Heh.

Looks like i am not the only one skipping this movie.

Faith in humanity restored... momentarily.

Armstrong Colbert

Watch this video, if you have a spare couple of mintues. Good for a laugh.

"Isn't that like being retired from recess"

"i'm not taking anything away from you, other than that you didn't win"

Livestrong

/i can't believe i missed this (it was published in Feb 2007) A bicycle race with a spoon with an egg on it!

South African Great Whites

"This is about the dumbest this i've ever done and, uh... anything for a good picture" - Strong



Six minutes i guarantee you will not regret using to watch this video.
/Rather the above Whites, than these.

How Do You Spend 90 Million?

Social housing is of interest to me. i look forward to seeing what the Alberta Housing Task Force recommends.

The province of BC just stepped up and committed $80,000,000 to buying buildings in downtown Vancouver for social housing. I've spent a little time in downtown Van... there is a definite need there (frankly, there is a definite need right here in Medicine Hat, although we don't see it as readily - like that means it doesn't exist, or something) This $80,000,000 will provide single room housing in 15+ buildings for over 1000 people (almost half of the homeless believed to reside in East Van). People who've been marginalized. This is good. Contrast will definitely help put this in context:

The City of Medicine Hat is adamant to spend that same amount of money (more or less) to the tune of $90,000,000. Keep in mind the PROVINCE of British Columbia has earmarked 80 MILLION dollars for investing SIGNIFICANTLY in housing needs for the greater mainland area. Medicine Hat's noble gesture; (for appearances sake) push thru a 90 MILLION dollar investment in a new arena. This is not so good. Contrast makes this look as selfish as, in fact it really seems.

You read that right... and i'm embarrassed too.

/ for those of you who may be numerically illiterate (and i don't hold it against you...) $90,000,000 is NINETY MILLION DOLLARS. Which, frankly, is a lot, isn't it?

Kenyan Prince Era

First: A thumbs up from our young Kenyan Prince: era




Then, second: Era hangs out with a new little buddy Ira. How cool is that. It's almost like the parents planned it. Or something.


Ira is younger, and smaller, but it doesn't stop him from winding up like he's gonna throw a haymaker. (RH could be heard in the background "Show'em the ways Ira, show'em the ways") Or not.


For the final two pics, the explanation can wait till the end:


It seems that we've taught little Elijah how to stick out his tongue. He does it a lot now.


And he thinks that it is pretty darn funny. Almost the most funnyist. Evar.

Final Four, CotC & Brent & Tawm

I can't find the CotC... maybe later. i do have some great pics of era to post tho. i just need a few more minutes to rip them off the digi-cam. i'll be right back. Go read something, and then come back in about 20 minutes. I know, go read Brent & Tawms blog. Good stuff.

/Brent, congrats on picking Florida over Ohio State. Great bracket selection this year.

Mortgage Company Bankrupt

"April 2 (Bloomberg) -- New Century Financial Corp., overwhelmed by rising defaults from borrowers with poor credit records, became the largest subprime mortgage lender ever to fail as it filed for bankruptcy today."

Ouch: New Century Financial Corp. is"in the process of contacting customers and brokers to inform them that we’re returning their loan applications, and to assist them in obtaining funding for pending loans." That would not be a nice phone call.

"Hey, you know that very first mortgage i said you got approved for, you know the one, for that house you just fell in love with. Yeah, no.

The American Real Estate continues it's break up & shake up. Glad this isn't a predicator for the Canadian Market.

Toronto Raptors

Canada's NBA presence, the Toronto Raptors continue their rise.
After being graded A+ a little while back the Raptors secure something that has eluded them:

"TORONTO -- Chris Bosh has the Toronto Raptors in the playoffs for the first time in five years." - ESPN

Not just "in" the playoffs, they are fending off challengers for the 3rd Spot in the East. For real.