The Squamidian Report – Jan. 21 / 06
Also in this issue:
A Note From Wayne
The Ontarion
Hi All,
Well, according to the ‘powers that be’, we didn’t break the consecutive days of rain record. Now we have to start all over again. But what a crock! The only place it didn’t rain one day short of the record was at the YVR weather office where they take the measurements. It rained everywhere else on the west coast. It was kind of like when the puck goes into the net but the light fails to come on. The weather officials have declared that it did not rain but everyone who lives on the coast saw it rain, felt it rain and knows that it did rain. So we all feel very gypped.
Come to think of it, we have been gypped on the snow end of things all winter too. While there has been tons of the stuff (or should that be tonnes) up in the mountains and on the ski slopes, there has been virtually none on the coast. Our lawns are green, stuff is coming up in the flower beds and the rhododendrons in the valley are in bloom.
So that begs the question, why haven’t we done any dirt biking lately? Well, for starters, the weekends have been wet, make that very wet. And I’m still nursing this dislocated shoulder thing so riding a dirt bike over our rather rugged terrain is still not an option. However, by the time our weekends have dried out my shoulder should be ready to ride. There are other things we can and have been doing on the weekends but I’m keeping that under my hat for now, maybe forever. Who knows?
One interesting side effect of a bum shoulder and arm is that it has forced me to get comfortable using the computer mouse in my left hand. Now I can use either hand on the mouse quite well. Another unexpected thing is that while I can still play my mandolin, I can’t play my guitar. It hurts too much to force my elbow out over the guitar body. But I can play my old base with its solid, thin body. So I’ve dragged it out of the closet. You should see all the dust on it. Its been packed away since before we moved here so both it and I are rather rusty at making base music. There is an event coming up in February where I plan to be playing base so perhaps I should practice a bit. Wouldn’t hurt but who knows. But I’m looking forward to it, haven’t been at one of these in over 4 years.
Anyway, as you can probably tell, it’s been a pretty quiet week out here. Not much out of the ordinary has happened. But there are the interesting articles below to read so enjoy.
d
****
David Brubacher To Be in Jordan for 18 weeks.
By Wayne Brubacher, January 20, 2006
Doug said that Squamidian readers might be interested in my son David’s assignment in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
About 20 years ago my survey company branched into geographical information systems (G I S), a process that links textual databases to “smart maps” for more easily aggregating information from very different sources, analyzing it and presenting a report, all of it web-based. As a result we played a significant role in the automation of the Registry Office in Ontario. Either directly or jointly in consortium with others we converted more than half a million properties from paper to digital. David’s own consulting firm, “Geomatica” finished its last assignment only weeks ago.
David's experience in this field was not unnoticed. Bearing Point, a Dutch GIS company, hired David and two other Canadians as a team of three consultants to set up the GIS for the Kingdom of Jordan. Their first task is to complete an inventory of the hardware, software and data as well as to determine which applications the country expects and which additional applications the team will recommend. The actual implementation of the GIS may go to tender or Bearing Point may simply be asked to continue and see it through to completion. David would move to other countries if the company wins more contracts rather than stay and do the grunt work.
It was a bit scary when the Canadian, Australian and British embassies were shut down for about two weeks due to terrorist threats. They didn't reopen until the day David arrived which was last Monday. He will be home for a couple of weeks in late February.
He keeps in touch with the family using a Web-cam. He has to stay up after midnight Jordan time to talk to and see the family when they get up at 7:00 local time. Weekends will work much better.
Here is a link to a picture of David sitting in the empty Ministry of Information office in Jordan. It will be his job to make it busy.
****
Hello
everyone!
With
Christmas and New Years over for another 12 months it’s time to turn our
thoughts to Spring. I for one can’t wait to get back on the motorcycle and try
out my new tires. I got them from Adam for Christmas and I’m sure they’ll make
a world of difference in how the bike sticks to the road. As Doug said, the knobby
tires that are on the bike are great for off road stuff but aren’t the safest
on the street. The type of riding that he and Ryan do in the mountains requires
tires with a more aggressive tread but big square knobs of rubber tend to slip
more when used on dry or wet pavement. The new tires I have are designed to
stick to the road even when it is wet. I’m looking forward to riding down the
road without having my tires give off a hum like a Mack truck. My bike is
designed to do either on or off road riding but most of my travels are done on
road. I could have bought a bike that is strictly for the road but I’ve gotten
attached to this style and want to keep it for a while yet. Who knows, I may
find an open trail in southern Ontario some day and decide to see what’s at the
other end. Then the nimble machine I’ve got will come in handy.
*
With the
winter half over (wishful thinking on my part) thoughts of warm weather are
affecting everyone. If people aren’t heading south for a winter break, they’re
heading to the tanning salons. Canadians are pretty adept at putting up with
the winter snow and ice. Those that don’t ski or snowmobile have other hobbies
to keep them busy. I passed by the Family Fitness Centre on Victoria St the
other day and the place was packed. It’s hard to believe but it was around 2 in
the afternoon and there didn’t seem to be an empty machine in the place. I
guess everyone is gung ho to wear off the holiday season fat over the next
couple of months. With all the people that attend fitness clubs it’s a wonder
North America is still having a problem with obesity. They say we are the
fattest people in the world living in Canada and the US. I heard that the
problem is worse south of the border but then again they have more people than
Canada does. It probably wouldn’t hurt most people to take off a few pounds. We
tend to over eat during the Thanks Giving, Christmas, New Years Eve stretch and
then many of us just sit around watching TV till the snow melts and of course
that’s not good for us. Oh well, where would the diet and exercise industries
be if we didn’t over indulge? Let’s hope that we’re all enough aware of our
health to do something to improve it this year. It would be nice to be known
for having one of the healthiest societies in the world. Not to mention it
would take a load off our health care system. I say “Get out and walk a block
each night and do something good for yourself this year!” There’s no need to
spend thousands on health club memberships when it’s free to walk as far as you
want just outside your front door and there’s no exercise better for your
general well being than walking.
I’d
better go for now.
Thanks
for tuning in and I look forward to talking to you all again next time in The
Ontarion Report.
Bye for now… GREG.
PS:
Something To Think About>
To
lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.
B
Franklin
****
The Family and the Squamidian sites:
http://members.shaw.ca/doug_b/ and http://www.thedougsite.ca
Have a good one..
the
doug
The Fine Print!
The articles in these issues are the sole property of the persons writing them and should be respected as such.
