Get Inked

The Calgary Tattoo and Arts Festival is on this weekend at the Roundup Centre. While the $20 admission fee is a little too rich for my blood, I think it'll be an awesome spectacle, and wouldn't mind getting a sneak peek somehow.

I'm reminded of an amazing shoulder tattoo that I saw on a waitress at Maguire's back on March 25th (it was the day before I chopped all of my hair off).

Now, I'm usually not a fan of the HUGE tattoos you see on people (while I appreciate the amazing artistry that goes into them all). I don't mean HUGE in size, but the ones that are like big scenes that take up your whole back, ones that are full of colour and are so busy that they're almost hard to look at. My cuz has a big tattoo of delicate cherry blossom twig-type wings on her back, which I love, so I don't mean something like that, just the ones that take you a minute or two to focus on to even figure out what's going on.

The waitress at Maguire's had this gorgeous tattoo of a fairy, with some scenery on her shoulder. It was amazing. I loved everything about it, it was feminine and pretty, and not too busy. I really should have asked her where she had it inked. Hindsight.

Son of a GUN!

Wouldn't you know it.

We buy a house on a bus route, and I get really excited about the fact that a bus stop is RIGHT outside our front door. Literally, steps away.

AND ... what do I read today in the Star Phoenix?

THE route right outside our door will be eliminated.

AURGH! YES, I know that I really will only need to walk two blocks to grab the direct bus to the U of S, but I was looking forward to being spoiled on REALLY cold days by waiting inside for as long as possible.

Sigh.

I just checked the overall route map at Saskatoon Transit that reflects all the route changes in September, and it's really only a block and a half that I'll have to walk. Sniff. I guess I'll be OK. Yeah, I know I'm whining, but I'm sick with a cold, and I'm dreading the move that will quickly ensue. So ... yeah. Whining is on.

Last Day of August, and My Last Day of Work

I'm sad that August is done, since September will likely be the most chaotic month this year for me. Moving and school will most likely take up everything that I've got.

August also signals the end of my time with the Alberta Cancer Board. It's been a great job for me, I've learned a lot, and gotten some great insight into some legal issues that I'm super interested in. I've gotten to work with some great people, and I even got a great goodbye lunch yesterday.

Walking into work today for the last time, I was even treated to the hospital (and Tom Baker Cancer Centre) lit up prettily by a red and colourful sunrise. Sigh. Spesh.

Hopefully All My Friends Have Places to Stay

Luckily, a friend of mine in Saskatoon has graciously offered me a bedroom in her condo until the possession date for the house that we bought, so I'm set.

As for the rest of the people in my classes, I sure hope they've got something set up too.

The Star Phoenix reports today that:

Gov't response to housing crisis 'totally inadequate'
Affordable housing shortfall estimated at 3500 units in city
by: Darren Bernhardt (excerpts below, click the link for the full article):

"Minister (Kevin) Yates' announcement falls far short of an adequate response to what is now a housing crisis and, furthermore, it signals that the government doesn't seem to understand," said CHSA president Cheryl Loadman.

On Wednesday, Yates, the community resources minister, announced a series of changes to the social assistance allowance, transitional employment allowance, rental housing supplement and provincial training allowance in response to the financial pain caused by a booming real estate market.

There was nothing for low-income workers who don't quality for provincial assistance programs, other than the establishment of a help line for people struggling to find housing in their price range or facing evictions and large rent increases.

CURRENT HOUSING NEEDS IN SASKATOON:
- 9,000 families whose housing is unsuitable, inadequate and unaffordable
- 26,000 post-secondary students
- 18,000 people with special needs
- 6,600 new immigrants and 240 refugees
- fast-growing First Nation and Metis population
- 40 per cent of First Nation and Metis renters have core housing needs
Source: Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP)

Yikes, hey?

This Article Caught My Eye

In the Star Phoenix this morning:

Crown prosecutor wants top court to hear appeal
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/story.html?id=5b948f4a-6ac0-43a4-ac55-ab649c94b73a

Brings up some interesting issues, but caught my eye because this case was one of the cases that was included in the research for my open memo/moot last year. Really brings home the point that the cases that we work with are like living, breathing entities that are always changing.

Exciting.

This Is What My Prof Meant

One thing I remember my Constitutional Law Prof saying is that as law students, we should hope to be better at interpreting the law than the media is.

Here's a story on the CBC website:

Convicted hit-and-run driver granted full parole
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/08/29/bc-hitandrun.html

A man convicted of a hit and run that killed a tourist in Vancouver gained full parole Tuesday after serving less than five months of his sentence.

I urge you to read the rest of the article by following the link above (it isn't very long).

NOW ... when you look at the actual case as posted on CANLII, it says that the victim in this case was crossing the street at an intersection against the lights, and that witnesses testified to the fact that there did not appear to be any dangerous driving, and that likely the accused was trying to SWERVE TO AVOID the pedestrians crossing the street illegally.

If you read through the case there is a huge psychological component for the accused that explains why he fled the scene, and even goes on to say that the accused was at one time diagnosed with a case of high functioning autism.

NOT exactly the story that you get from CBC, non?

CBC seems to feel that it is very important to highlight that Zhang is an immigrant, although a Canadian citizen. Why? My guess is that they're mongering some kind of response here. In the case, it reads that Zhang came to Canada when he was 7. Why is this piece of information relevant? Your guess is as good as mine.

Tragic, that in a case like this, the media puts out an article painting the big evil driver killing a pedestrian, and the failing justice system that lets him out without doing enough time. Can't you picture him cackling like the Joker while walking away from the remand centre? So sad that CBC is so misleading.

This is not to say that what happened is excusable or justified, leaving the scene of a crime like this is of course a big no-no, but CBC doesn't really paint an accurate picture about the whole thing, especially omitting to mention that the pedestrian was crossing against the lights, instead opting to vilify someone they feel necessary to point out as an immigrant. This isn't to say that Zhang should have been portrayed as some poor innocent sap that was taken advantage of by the justice system, as this isn't necessarily the case, but CBC certainly could have done a better job here.

This is truly a tragic case of loss and unfortunate circumstance, but we can really do without CBC creating villains for us. Don't you agree? I have no problem with them reporting the news and the facts, but this kind of spin makes me sick.

We can all learn from our mistakes, and perhaps the case of Zhang can point out for us the danger in not obeying the pedestrian traffic controls; a worthy spin on the story, but ... I suppose, not nearly as provocative as the direction that CBC decided to take.

Sub-issues of this story include (perhaps) the shortfall in support for those with a diagnosis of autism (I don't know if this is true or not, but it could be explored), or even that perhaps there are changes necessary in dealing with people who are charged with a hit-and-run for the first time; some kind of follow-up, a more thorough examination as to why they would run to try and prevent future occurrences. These sub-issues, though, deal with the running aspect of this case, not with the fact that someone was killed.

I'm so disappointed with CBC.

Happy Birthday Patty!

It's Official

Lisa and Jason bought a house in Saskatoon (well ... actually, Jason and his brother Chris bought the house ... but since I'm a non-owning spouse I have a stake either way ... yay Homesteads Act)! Over the last week I haven't posted much since we've been finalizing all the details, but all of our conditions were lifted on Friday.

Exciting.

We're going to try and have a basement suite developed and ready to rent by November 1st, so hopefully we'll be able to help with the renting crisis that is plaguing Saskatoon right now.

There was an announcement put out through PAWS pleading for people to put students up as boarders, and the Globe and Mail reported the following last Monday:

Mr. Pepler [president of the Student's Union] fears students may take for granted that they can find accommodations and will be in for a shock when they realize the place they were going to live has been converted into condominiums.

He said he's already heard stories of students being forced to live in tents because they can't find places to live. One member of the students' union staff recently took someone in who was sleeping in a car.

"The big crunch is going to happen in September - in Sept. 1 and the week after - when students come in from out of country and out of province and realize there is nothing for them," Mr. Pepler said. "We're preparing. We're trying to put together contingency plans for a crisis. We know there will be one. We don't know the extent of it."

Another issue is affordability.

Brittany Holderness and her four roommates are locked into a lease at a townhouse and pay $855 a month. But she has been told that will jump to $1,200 a month when it comes time for renewal.

"Right now my colleague in Calgary is paying less rent than I am," said Ms. Holderness, who is president of the students association at the Saskatoon campus of the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology.

Also, we paid under list price, which seems to be somewhat of a rare occurrence in Saskatoon ... although not a unique one, if you follow Norm Fisher's real estate blog:

http://www.teamfisher.com/blogs/norm_fisher/default.aspx

That's about it for what's happening in my world. The house thing is a little all consuming right now.

We got to spend the weekend with Jason's family, in celebration of his Mom's B-Day. There was some Guitar Hero, and some karaoke, all in all it was pretty much a rock-star weekend.

Jason's brother Glen was in Wyoming competing in the Long Drive competition there, winning a ticket to the Re/Max Long Drive World Championship Tournament in Mesquite Nevada this October.

This site lists him as the Open Division Winner. Pretty awesome and amazing. I look forward to his progress through the 14 rounds that it takes to win the Championship in Mesquite.

HAPPY 25th BIRTHDAY KRISTIN!!!

The Schedules Are Up

So ... as far as I can tell without looking back at what I originally balloted for, the only class that I didn't get (that I wanted) was the Alternate Dispute Resolution limited enrollment course. Luckily, I can try again for it next year, and as a 3L I should have some kind of priority over the lowly 2Ls ... ahahahaha.

I'm so impressed and excited, and realized that I even set myself up to have the recommended courses to take Psychiatry and the Law next year.

Also - my exam schedule rocks. This is what I was the most worried about, but I have nice spaces between each test! WOO HOO!


Lisa's fall line-up is as follows:

Wills
Calendar Long Description: "This course examines the law surrounding the execution, construction and revocation of wills, as well as issues of probate, survivorship, intestate succession, dependents' relief, and family issues as they relate to wills and estates."

Debtor-Creditor
Calendar Long Description: "The issuance of a judgment does not, in itself, enable a successful claimant to reach the financial resources or property of the judgment debtor for purposes of satisfaction of the successful plaintiff’s claim. The enforcement of a judgment for the payment of money entails resort to the specialized system of law that constitutes the subject of this course. The various methods of judgment enforcement are examined."

Evidence
Calendar Long Description: "Examination of the foundations of the law of evidence in civil and criminal trials in Canada. The principles, rules, statutes and procedures are examined from a critical perspective with emphasis on the history, rationale and reform of rules and statutes affecting the admissibility of evidence. The topics examined are admissibility, relevance, character evidence, opinion evidence, hearsay evidence, competence, privilege and confessions."

Business Organizations
Calendar Long Description: "Examination of the basic features of business corporations. The following topics, among others, are considered: corporate personality, the process of incorporation, the powers and duties of directors and officers, shareholder rights and remedies."

Health Law
Calendar Long Description: "This course introduces students to the basic principles of medical law and their application to common issues in health care. It also explores the legal framework for the health professions and the health care system."



Lisa's winter line-up (starting in January) is as follows:

Taxation
Calendar Long Description: "Deals with federal income taxation which focuses on basic tax principles and underlying theoretical concepts. The taxation unit concentrated upon is the individual. Topics normally covered in the course include procedure, statutory interpretation, the tax base, measurement of income, deductions, exemptions, and capital gains."

Trusts
Calendar Long Description: "This course covers the creation, administration, variation and termination of express trusts, including charitable trusts. Breach of trust, trustee defences and beneficiary remedies are examined. Resulting trusts and constructive trusts are also addressed."

Gender and the Law
Calendar Long Description: "This course examines the social construction of gender and critical and feminist perspectives on law."

Oil & Gas Law
Calendar Long Description: "This course introduces students to oil and gas law. Topics addressed will include: the nature of interests in oil and gas; rights of mineral interest holders inter se and the operation of the rule of capture; acquisition of freehold interests in oil and gas; the freehold oil and gas lease; estoppel, waiver and involuntary termination; disposition of minerals by the Crown; oil and gas conservation (pooling unitization and shut-in wells); and, surface rights."

Professional Responsibility
Calendar Long Description: ": This course introduces students to i) the roles, responsibilities and authority of the legal profession and ii) the legal and ethical duties of lawyers in the practice of law. The regulation of various aspects of the profession – admission, regulation of the practice of law, lawyer discipline, etc. are critically examined. As well students will learn the elements of a lawyer’s duties to client, the court and others, including himself or herself. This involves an understanding of the lawyer’s role in the adversary system, the nature of lawyer-client confidentiality, integrity and conflicts of interest in various roles performed by lawyers."

While I Was Perusing ...

... this real estate blog for Saskatoon, I happened upon this Star Phoenix article from April of this year:

City of the future
Saskatoon in North America's Top 10: U.K.'s Financial Times
Janet French

Hopefully this bodes well for anyone that's investing in real estate, you know, that topic that I'm thinking about sometimes. Real estate in Saskatoon.

Word of the Day

sisyphean

As per Dictionary.com:

1. of or pertaining to Sisyphus.
2. endless and unavailing, as labor or a task.



As in ... Lisa's sisyphean search for housing in Saskatoon.

Seriously Scarce

Available rental units in Saskatoon, they're few and far between. Jason and I called almost every one in the paper, every one that we found online ... and they were all already rented.

I'm not sure what will happen to students that don't have accommodation yet.

Many places that I talked to stated that there weren't any openings for October either.

I know that Calgary is going through a similar crunch, especially with the SAIT residence building being behind schedule.

Yikes.

Looks Like I'll Miss Taking A Look

... at the new Calgary Courts Centre. It was supposed to open today, but has been postponed until September 4th. Too bad.

Calgary Courts Centre opening re-scheduled to September, an Alberta Information Bulletin

Privacy Props for my Summer Employer

Nice to see this news release from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta.

NEWS RELEASE
August 14, 2007

Commissioner applauds Privacy Impact Assessment of Alberta Cancer Board

Alberta’s Information and Privacy Commissioner says advancing electronic health records and protecting privacy is not a zero-sum game. Frank Work was responding to a recent advancement in e-health by the Alberta Cancer Board.

The Board has introduced a new reporting tool, developed by Alberta surgeons, which will gradually replace the standard narrative operative report. The Alberta Web Surgical Medical Record (WebSMR) allows surgeons to access the system immediately after a surgery and, using a survey style electronic template, enter an operative note which replaces the need for transcription and provides timely reporting for care purposes. The system collects only the minimum information needed to meet the program’s goals, and individual surgeons only have access to their own patients’ records.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner is pleased that the Alberta Cancer Board completed a comprehensive Privacy Impact Assessment prior to launching the system. “I am very encouraged to see a Privacy Impact Assessment which means the Board is serious about protecting patient privacy. I have been talking about the need for Privacy Impact Assessments for quite some time, and I think other agencies and public bodies can learn from this”, said the Commissioner. “This is the kind of patient benefit we want from electronic information systems. By doing the Privacy Impact Assessment, we believe the Alberta Cancer Board has proven the need for the program and has taken reasonable steps to address privacy and security issues.”

The Privacy Impact Assessment was submitted to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for review, and Work likes the cooperative approach. “We were able to review all of the privacy measures of this new system, check to see whether custodians are using the least amount of health information needed, whether users of the information will gain access on a need to know basis and whether information security is in place. In this case we are satisfied the Board took proper privacy measures”.

Weakly Lawyer Has Been Updated

Check out their new material:

http://www.theweaklylawyer.com/Index.htm
(link is always on my sidebar)

Doesn't This Remind You of Dr. Evil ...

... for some reason?

Taming Tornadoes to Power Cities by Tyler Hamilton in the Star

PS.

Congrats Cocoa Locoa on the Modern Bride mention - how exciting!!! Mmmmm ... dangerous looking at Cocoa Locoa's website ... drool factor is high.

I've Been Thinking A Lot ...

... about where we'll end up living in Saskatoon. Seeing as, right now, we have no idea ... we may find need for this product:


Revenge CD and Ear Plugs from WishingFish.com


How freakin' hilarious is that? Ahahahahaha.

We Need to Understand More

... about why people do the things they do.

The Beltline Rapist from here in Calgary is undergoing his dangerous offender hearing right now. I don't want to comment AT ALL on this guy, but it makes me realize how very important psychological research is, not only for prevention, but for rehabilitation and appropriate treatment and sentencing within the criminal justice system.

This reminds me of a news story from back in May of this year.

The University of Lethbridge (which is a leader in criminal etc. psychology) announced a study they were doing (with U of Toronto) which paid ex-convicted pedophiles to participate in a research project that would monitor their reaction to sexual images. They received huge public outcry at the fact that they'd be PAYING these ex-cons to participate in a study.

Paying people to participate in studies is normal practice. I've been paid to participate in a study before. I got $20 for about 10 minutes of my time (and I got to play computer games with another user ... it was a study on transparent GUIs and multi-user processing on one machine). These ex-cons were getting paid $60 for 2 - 3 hours of their time. So ... pretty standard.

Even though some subjects may make us uncomfortable, they're still worthy and necessary research topics. As long as research is conducted in an ethical and customary way, I say bring it on. It's not like you're rewarding these people for being pedophiles, I'm sure the stigma they carry with them everyday is in no way eased by getting $60 for participating in a study that focuses on their illness (is that even the right word? Illness? I'm no psychologist ... Wikipedia says that pedophilia is considered a mental disorder ... hmmmm).

Maybe when I'm rich and famous one day, I'll kick in money for criminal-psychological research.

There's a law class at the U of S called "Law and Psychiatry", which I did not ballot for. Now that I think about it, maybe I'll try for it for next year ... I bet it would be really interesting. Here's the course description from the academic calendar:

Introduction to psychiatric theory; the methodology of psychiatric diagnosis and modern psychiatric treatment; the role of psychiatrists in the legal process. Psychiatry and the criminal process: remand for mental examination, fitness to stand trial, sentencing, automatism, insanity and dangerous offenders. The concept of competency: contractual and testamentary capacity. Civil commitment of the mentally ill: a comparative study. The psychiatrist as expert witness. Selected problems.

AND ... one week and one day ... it's an important day for two reasons. 1. It's my Sister's birthday. 2. I find out which classes I successfully balloted for, so I'll get my class schedule. EXCITING!

I HEART Beverley McLachlin

Most of the "Lawyers are Rats" hullaballoo has settled down, but it's nice to know the Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin has the backs of her peeps (read here at the Globe and Mail).

Also - the interesting tidbit that I commented on in July seems to be a theme for our CJ. Hmmm ... very interesting indeed. Definitely something that could make for interesting papers this year.

Don't Know Which Career Path is For You?

Check out this program at Brandon University:


Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies


Looks pretty neat - only program of it's kind in Canada.

As per an article in the Star Phoenix (Saskatoon), looks like there's lots of work in the field.

What A Lovely Weekend

Friday Jason took me to the Harry Potter movie!!! WOO HOO! Yes, I loved every second, yes I'd see it again in a heartbeat, and yes, I want to re-read the book RIGHT now.

If I hadn't read the book, I could see how the movie may appear slightly disjointed. There were parts that wouldn't make sense without the background, or the ENTIRE plot of the book (obviously, a lot had to be cut out). When Neville tells Harry that he isn't ready for everyone to know about his parents, it seems out of place without knowing that in the book Harry saw Neville's parents in the hospital (and they skipped that part in the movie). Stuff like that. The parts that were done in the movie, though, were awesome. I loved every second. SOOO cool that we get to see them doing more magic. Oh MAN! I could go on forever about this, so I'll stop myself now.

Saturday, we started to get organized for moving (which was pretty much exactly as you picture it).

Sunday, we had a grand day. It was our second wedding anniversary, and we took to the streets.

We started off by running a few errands, and grabbing a bite to eat on 4 St. Then, we hit the Big Secret Theatre to take in one of the offerings of the Calgary Fringe Festival which is on right now (until August 19th - check it out, but don't expect it to be anything like the Edmonton Fringe, Calgary was very sedate, and really seemed like a secret ... if you weren't already aware, you'd wonder what all those crazy people with buttons were doing hanging around the theatre disctrict).

We saw the Deer on the Highway show put on by Red Deer College Theatre, which consisted of two shows; Young Marrieds at Play and The Blue Note Lounge.

Next, we went to Marda Gras at Marda Loop, and did a tour of that festival. There was music, merchant booths, and a big beach volleyball tournament that we watched for awhile.

For dinner, we checked out GlobeFish (recomended by a co-worker of mine) for sushi. We went to the Marda Loop location, and tried a bunch of their rolls, including the FABULOUS Vancouver roll, and the sweet and sexy Mango Paradise roll. This place reminded us a lot of Sushi Samba in NYC, there is a huge variety of sushi, and many choices are put together a little differently than at your regular neighbourhood sushi joint. We'll definitely be heading back to this one.

Finally, we rented Casino Royale. According to the Blockbuster dude, we must be the last two people that haven't seen it. Definitely, I would say that it's the best recent Bond flick. The movies with Pierce Brosnan were so cheesy, it was hard for me to take. This flick definitely brought back the sexy, and laid off the cheese.

Also - I was surprised the Chris Cornell did the opening song. I don't really remember hearing about it when the movie first came out. Weird, didn't really sound like him. It was such a big deal when Madonna et. al. did their Bond songs, and I seriously don't remember any hype over this one.

It was a great day, puts me in a reminiscing kinda mood too. Last year, for our anniversary, we drove home from our Oregon vacation. Of course, the year before that was our amazing wedding. Makes me excited for where we'll be a year (or two, or three) from now.

Thank you to everyone that called to wish us congratulations on Sunday. It means a lot to us, and makes us feel ever so loved!

And ... of course, it wouldn't be me without doing a rant of some kind, so here it is. I know that a lot of people love that you can now have Blockbuster movies for a week, so late fees aren't such a big issue anymore etc. etc. etc. BUT ... there are NEVER any movies on the shelves anymore. No wonder we never rent movies. Earlier this summer, we had a certificate for one of their guaranteed movies (where they guarantee that the movie will be in, or you get a credit on your account that is good for two weeks to rent that movie for free). We had this credit for, like, 6 weeks in a row because the movie was NEVER in. AURGH. How frustrating. What a waste of time to go in there. I guess you have to hit Blockbuster mid to late week to even get a choice of anything. No wonder Netflix is so huge. And ... rant over.

Consumed by Something

We did end up playing beach volleyball in the rainy/misty/miserable weather last night. We got a full team to come out, which was awesome. It turned out to be a lot of fun, although cold on the feet (as I was later lying in bed, I could pinpoint the exact moment that my toes finally warmed up).

I think in the next few weeks I'm going to have to scale back on my sports participation, and really focus on the issues that have been CONSUMING MY LIFE.

Time to start sorting out the house; packing, cleaning, laundry, and organization in general. Once we secure a place to live (hardy har har), a huge stress should be lifted. I'm almost SICK of looking at listings in SK.

PS. Why are so many of the listings empty houses? What the heck is going on? Alien abductions of furniture? Are we saying that, if furniture is worthy of alien abduction, our couches and chairs are alive? They have feelings? Yeah ... I know, but I'm on a sugar high, and I am so tired about talking about SK real estate and evil Albertan investors and flipping and scams and fraud and all the rest of it. I much prefer a story about aliens. In fact, I'll take a story about aliens over a story about pretty much anything else.

I STILL haven't seen the next Harry Potter movie, either. That's really been getting me down. Why, oh why can't I find the time to go? Jason and I are NOT late movie people (we sleep through late movies), and between mini-vacations, trips to Saskatoon to sort out our lives, and soccer, volleyball and ultimate frisbee, we've had nary a minute to spare for floofy entertainment like movies (although, I have managed to keep current with Big Brother 8, and even though he'll try to deny it, I think Jason loves watching Evel Dick as much as I do ... AND ... how about a guy as normal as Zach being in the house with all those other crazy personalities - not that I don't love them all - but Zach seems SOOOO straight-laced in comparison, non?).

Last night, since our volleyball game wasn't until 8:00, I even managed to actually cook dinner for once (I've been a sandwich girl so far this week). What a luxury.

An Update That Shocks Me

So ... that house that we looked at in Saskatoon about two weeks ago?

It was listed at $X.

We were told by our real estate agent that it's market value was probably more like $X+10K or $X+15K (i.e. that's what she thought it would actually sell for).

It SOLD for $X+30K.

YUP. $30K over the list price. AND ... this place needs work.

I know. I'm as shocked as you are. I don't understand why people are paying so much. BUT ... I didn't understand when it was happening in Calgary, either.

Winning Streak is Over

So sad. We played like troopers in the overcast/rainy weather last night, but an Ultimate Frisbee victory was not to be had.

We lost by 1 point in each of the games that we played ... they were neck and neck, so close, which makes it even more heartbreaking.

On the plus, we seemed to have some really nice plays, a few people even pulled out some new tricks (Joey, Chad with their quick pass backs), and we were pretty strong on our defensive plays, when we made them, we pulled them off well.

Sigh.

There's always next week.

Tonight, I'm wondering if we'll be playing beach volleyball (which is outside in this Calgary rain). Yikes.

Word of the Day

mencsch

As per dictionary.com, mensch = "a decent, upright, mature, and responsible person."

Reverse Sexual Discrimination

Well ... not that it's "reverse" discrimination, but the focus is in another direction from what we're used to seeing.

This article (Rona building bad blood with TV ad by Chris Cobb) at the National Post discusses a Rona commercial on TV that depicts all husbands as lazy guys who don't help around the house.

I'm glad that someone is making a stink about the discrimination aspect. Discrimination isn't right, no matter what form it takes. I think it's a real step backwards to keep throwing sexual discrimination around ... it really undermines the serious issues that so many people face when we're making jokes about it on any level.

It Isn't Just the Real Estate BUYER Market

Looking at rentals, there seem to be many people out there that share my concern over the affordability in Saskatoon housing.

When rental units are listed at $1200/month for a 1-bedroom place - who are they marketing to? Students? Hardly.

Here's a CBCnews article about this:

Saskatoon housing crunch putting squeeze on students

With school starting in about a month, thousands of post-secondary students heading to Saskatoon are having to deal with a rental housing crunch.

"Our housing registry is two pages long; the people that need housing is eight pages long," said James Pepler, president of the University of Saskatchewan's student union.

"This doesn't include international students who are coming from overseas, who come here and find out they have nowhere to live."

Saskatoon's red-hot housing market in recent months has meant skyrocketing purchase prices and booming sales. On the rental side, some people have been hit with double-digit increases.

Pepler said something needs to be done soon to find more affordable housing for students.

Across town at the Kelsey campus of the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, things aren't any better.

Loans don't cover rent costs: student groups

Brittany Holderness, president of the Kelsey student association, said several members of her executive can't find apartments and are storing their possessions at her place.

Holderness said she plans to track the situation.

"One of the projects we're hopefully going to be working on in the fall is actually get students to list what they're actually paying in rent, if they're having trouble, what the general outline of their budget is," she said.

Both groups said student loans haven't accommodated sharp rises in rent either. Pepler said the student union plans to hold a tent city rally at the university this fall to draw attention to the housing problem.

Earlier this week, dozens of people camped out in a Saskatoon park to protest the lack of affordable rental housing for low-income and working people.

Macleans.ca has a similar article (click to read it, although I think I should still be mad at Macleans for their "Lawyers are Rats" debacle).

As does the StarPhoenix, published this morning, by Lori Coolican (most detailed account - read this one if you're going to read any of them).

Not only is this entirely scary, I wonder how long this can last. Those of us looking to buy a house are being thwarted (expensive, offer presentations as opposed to classical bidding, people paying WAY over list price), those of us looking to rent won't be able to afford it/won't find any available? Seems like a dicey situation.

Sustainability should be a word at the front of everyone's mind (well ... those that live in Saskatoon for sure ... for others, I suppose, it wouldn't hurt ... well ... as long as we don't get our wires crossed and start debating about being "green", since that's a discussion that I don't want to get into ... today, anyway).

Wow.

Wow is all I can say, and not a good or excited wow. A flabbergasted and disappointed wow.

A woman in Ohio shot and killed a homeless man that asked her for 25 cents.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/13845999/detail.html

Looks like the lawyer is setting up for a shot at a defence in mental illness, maybe to show that Geraldine Beasley actually believed she was in danger and was acting in self-defence? Would love to follow this case and see what happens.

How sad. Makes you wonder if there is a back story. One thing about most cases/media stories etc. is that you never get the whole back story.

Like I Need Another Reason to Feed My Addiction

If you read this blog regularly, you'll know that I have a little problem with Dairy Queen. I can't say no to the stuff. I'll never seek it out on my own, but if anyone ever says ... "Hey Lisa, do you wanna go to Dairy Queen?" I am incapable of forming the word "No." This lead to a bit of a pudge gain around exam time in April, which I'm still trying to work off.

This Thursday (August 9th ... yeah, that's right ... tomorrow) is Dairy Queen's Miracle Treat Day. What does that mean? Proceeds from every Blizzard sold goes to the Children's Miracle Network.

Here's the press release from CNW Telbec:

Country singer Carolyn Dawn Johnson named honorary spokesperson of annual Dairy Queen(R) Miracle Treat Day

BURLINGTON, ON, Aug. 7 /CNW/ - When is a mass of summer blizzard activity throughout Canada and the United States a good forecast? On Thursday,August 9, because it's not about the weather; it's about helping kids in need.That's the day Dairy Queen(R) will host the 2nd-annual North American "Miracle Treat Day" to benefit Children's Miracle Network. Miracle Treat Day began as a Canadian initiative to raise funds five years ago and was so successful that the concept was adopted by Dairy Queen locations across the US.

During Miracle Treat Day, participating Dairy Queen and DQ Grill &Chill(R) locations will donate proceeds from every Blizzard(R) sold to Children's Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for 14 Canadian children's hospitals, and a total of 170 children's hospitals across North America.

Carolyn Dawn Johnson, a national goodwill ambassador for Children's Miracle Network, is this year's honorary spokesperson for Dairy Queen's Miracle Treat Day. Johnson, a popular country pop singer, was raised in Deadwood, Alberta. She has worked with the Children's Miracle Network since2003. Johnson will be part of this year's Country Music Association Awards in September, where she won last year's Female Artist of the Year Award.

"Miracle Treat Day is about raising funds for children's hospitals across Canada," said Johnson. "If you want to do something for your local children's hospitals, buying a Blizzard on August 9th is an easy and delicious way to make an impact."

Dairy Queen has been a supporter of Children's Miracle Network since1984, raising more than $65 million during that time.

"Carolyn's songs and voice have been inspiring her fans for years," said Jean Champagne, COO for International Dairy Queen. "We are proud to have her as our honorary spokesperson. Canada raised $1.5 million through last year's Miracle Treat Day and Carolyn's here to help us beat that amount this year."

Instead of snow-filled blizzards, Dairy Queen will serve up a variety of Blizzard Flavour Treats during Miracle Treat Day including the August Blizzard
of the Month, Oreo(R). The Oreo Blizzard debuted in late 1985, the Blizzard's inaugural year, and to this day remains the most popular flavour.

For more information about Dairy Queen or to find a location, visit www.dairyqueen.com. To join the Blizzard Fan Club, log on to www.blizzardfanclub.com. The DQ site for kids 13 and younger is www.thedqcentral.com.

So ... if you ever needed a reason to get a blizzard, this is it. Oh - and be careful about asking me to go with you ... I won't be able to say no.

My Dreams ...

... they may be unconventional, or maybe not ... but awhile back I posted about Star Trek dreams of mine coming true.

WELL ... never more so has this been true!

I was listening to QR77 on the radio last night, it was Rob Breakenridge's show The World Tonight. Rob was talking about ... yeah ... FLYING (freakin') CARS!

Here's a link to the show's blurb on the web about it.

How awesomely cool is that?

Here's a link to the website of Moller International, the company making the Skycar.

and a link, on their website to video of these cars (and other stuff, like interviews).

Some callers/Breakenridge had some very interesting comments on the radio program ... namely that they don't see this type of vehicle becoming accessible to the general public anytime soon, but that people trained properly would pilot others around (seeing as the whole FLIGHT thing is pretty complex, especially when variables like weather are factored in).

It's about as Jetsons as you can get.

Here's the June 28, 2007 press release from the Moller International website:

MOLLER INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES PRODUCTION OF JETSONS-LIKE GROUND-EFFECT VEHICLE

Davis, CA, [June 28, 2007]--Moller International (OTCBB: MLER) has completed tooling and has begun producing parts for its Jetsons-like M200G volantor, a small airborne two passenger saucer-shaped vehicle that is designed to take-off and land vertically (see http://www.moller.com/).

The M200G is the size of a small automobile and is powered by eight of the Company’s Rotapower® rotary engines. This vehicle is intended for operation continuously in “ground effect” up to approximately 10 feet altitude.

Dr. Moller calls the M200G, “the ultimate off-road vehicle” able to travel over any surface. “It’s not a hovercraft, although its operation is just as easy. You can speed over rocks, swampland, fences, or log infested waterways with ease because you’re not limited by the surface. The electronics keep the craft stabilized at no more than 10 feet altitude, which places the craft within ground effect where extra lift is obtained from operating near the ground. This lets you glide over terrain at 50 mph that would stop most other vehicles” he continued. While the Company does not foresee the requirement for significant training or licensing to operate the vehicle, it is prepared to offer demonstration sessions in Davis, California once the vehicle is ready for market.

Production on the initial six airframes started earlier this week using hard-tooled molds with the capability of producing one fuselage per day.

Depending upon engine production volume the M200G price could start as low as $90,000. The key component in determining the M200G production price is the cost of its Rotapower® engines. The Company is working with a strategic partner to produce this engine for a number of different applications in order to obtain the cost benefits of high volume production.

Persons interested in purchasing a M200G volantor may reserve a delivery position by making a refundable escrowed deposit.

For more details please contact Mr. Bruce Calkins, email: bruce@moller.com , Voice: (530) 756-5086 ext. 33, Fax: (530) 756-5179

Safe Harbor Statement:

Except for historic information contained in this release, the statements in this news release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause a company's actual results in the future to differ materially from forecasted results. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the company's ability to attract qualified management, raise sufficient capital to execute its business plan, and effectively compete against similar companies.

Skycar® and Rotapower® are registered trademarks of Moller International, Inc. in the US and other countries.

Oh yeah, and we won our soccer game last night (woo hoo). In the league that I play in, there must be two girls on the field. When we were just starting to get going, there were only two girls there period, myself being one of them. Yikes, I thought, this is going to be a long game. Luckily, two more showed up, so it was a nice pace. I got lots of play time, but got to drag my butt off the field when my lungs were trying to collapse on themselves.

Long Weekends are Awesome

I LOVE long weekends. Ever so much.

I was lucky enough to tag along on a weekend family adventure to Whitefish, Montana. My parents, Julie, Joe and I (Kristin had a baseball tournament in Revelstoke, and Jason went to the lake to visit his family) left right after work on Friday, and leisurely wound our way down around Glacier National Park to a condo rental in Whitefish.

(all the pics below are my Sister Julie's)

What really struck us, when we started to get close to Browning (in MT), was the heavy smoke that seemed to be hanging over everything. Suddenly, as we cleared one area of mountainous terrain, we could see the forest fires blazing. They were way off in the distance, and looked immense, ominous, and kinda scary (especially in the twilight).



As we drove along the southern border of Glacier National Park, we passed one spot where there was a small fire blazing ... we could feel the heat from it on our faces as we drove by.



Soon after passing this small fire spot, we passed the fire camp where all of the forest fire fighters were based. There were tons of tents, meal trucks, and lots of equipment parked in a clearing where there were a lot of people and lots of activity going on. It was kind of exciting to see.

Soon after we got to Whitefish, we heard that the fire camp had been evacuated to the town of Whitefish, and that the highway that we had been travelling on had been closed.

Dramatic!

In Whitefish, we got to have an excellent and relaxing weekend. We stayed at Ptarmigan Village, in a very nice condo. It was pretty fancy, with a neat loft, and a steam shower. There was both an outdoor pool (super close to our condo) and an indoor pool (a short drive away) that Julie and Joe took advantage of. Only thing that sucked, was that it appears that a cat sometimes lives there, since there was what looked like a cat door, and Julie and I stuffed up pretty quick in there.


There was also private beach access, which we did check out, but "beach" here referred to a rocky shoreline, so we didn't really hang out there for too long, just long enough for Julie and Joe to take a dip. From the pictures below, you can really see how smoky it was (it was so smoky that we'd wake up in the morning to ash on the vehicle).




We checked out the town site where we shopped and partook in some grub from the Red Caboose cafe (service was not good, food was decent, you could get yam fries, which is kinda fun). Here's Joe, Julie, ME, and Dad sitting on the moose bench outside some Whitefish shops.


We also took a spin down to Kalispell to check out the shops (yeah Famous Footwear and TJ Maxx ... I got shoes, shoes, shoes! And ... a Tinkerbell t-shirt at Target ... I do love Tinkerbell ... even dressed as Tink for my T-Party back in March (of which there are far more embarrassing pictures ... the one I posted on my blog is pretty tame, though).

Down by Kalispell, we took a look around Flathead lake, and watched people launching their boats for awhile. It looked pretty, but because of the ever pervasive smoke, it was hard to get a true appreciation for where we were at. Not much we could do about that.

On the way back to Calgary, we drove through Glacier National Park. We stopped at Lake McDonald Lodge, which was just gorgeous. Really reminded me of Crater Lake Lodge, where Jason and I had breakfast on our Oregon vacation last year. Same feel to it. It'd be a neat place to spend a weekend (either Lodge, really).

We took the Going to The Sun Road to Logan Pass to get through the rest of the park. MAN ... is that ever trippy. I don't remember as much about this part of the journey from the times we did this trip when I was young, but as an adult, I'm glad that I sat in the furthest seat from the edge of the road. It is really something that everyone should do. The narrow road drops off to NOTHINGNESS as you climb up a mountain.

In this pic you can see the line of the road across the side of the mountain:


The drive was surreal, it was absolutely beautiful, with gorgeous waterfalls on the way up and down.


At the peak of the road, there is a stop at Logan Pass. They have an interpretive center there, with a boardwalk hike up to some views. I remember this boardwalk from when I was so little that Julie and Joe didn't even exist yet. Mom has a picture of Kristin and I sitting on the stairs when we were knee high. Funny. There were lots of mountain sheep up there, posing for tourist pictures, and even a mountain goat with a wee baby.

Here's Julie and I, at Logan Pass:

And ... Joe and I, same place, different view:

The entire drive through Glacier National Park was a haven for motorcyclists. They even have specified motorcycle parking at Logan Pass. Hilarious.

All in all it was a pretty awesome weekend. I actually do feel relaxed and refreshed, and ready to tackle my moving adventure.

Now ... if only I had a place to move to.

Another Book I Have to Read

Something that may go along with ideas that I have for writing school papers:

Misconceptions: Truth, Lies, and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood by Naomi Wolf.

Here's the Publisher's summary (as per Chapter's):

In The Beauty Myth the fearless Naomi Wolf revolutionized the way we think about beauty. In Misconceptions, she demythologizes motherhood and reveals the dangers
of common assumptions about childbirth. With uncompromising honesty she describes how hormones eroded her sense of independence, ultrasounds tested her commitment to abortion rights, and the keepers of the OB/GYN establishment lacked compassion. The weeks after her first daughter’s birth taught her how society, employers, and even husbands can manipulate new mothers. She had bewildering post partum depression, but learned that a surprisingly high percentage of women experience it. Wolf’s courageous willingness to talk about the unexpected difficulties of childbirth will help every woman become a more knowledgeable planner of her pregnancy and better prepare her for the challenges of balancing a career, freedom, and a growing family. Invaluable in its advice to parents,

Misconceptions speaks to anyone connected–personally, medically, or rofessionally–to a new mother.

What Do You Think?

Negligence? Or ... a story put out there by Air Canada (I have no proof that this is the case ... but how funny is the thought)?

http://www.casemp.com/

Scary, either way.

We Won, We Won, We Won - Part Deux

So ... at beach volleyball last night we won both of our games (woo hoo)!!! Exciting. For this sport, as well (like ultimate), the first three weeks were a seeding round, so now that we're playing newbies (like ourselves), it's a little more fun.

I think bringing beer helped as well, but who's to say?

This wasn't the first win for our volleyball team, they won both games last week, but due to a migraine, I wasn't there to witness the glory first hand. Let me tell you, it was glorious this week baby.

Yesterday, I had pretty much one of my grumpiest days ever. I think it was a combination of hormones (heh heh heh ... PMS and I were fighting for supremacy over my body, it was a back and forth venture all day), stress (I hate moving ... so much more than I can even talk about), and sadness (I hate saying goodbye to people too ... I'm REALLY going to miss my friends, even if it is only for 2 years).

Luckily, I was able to drag my butt to volleyball. When I'm grumpy, volleyball is the last thing on the list of things that I want to do, but last night, it snapped me outtta the grump so fast, it was awesome.

As for the MacLean's/CBA "Lawyers are Rats" debacle, that's still ongoing with more opinions/rebuttals/responses being wagered back and forth ... I'm getting a little bored with it already ... I'm ready for some new drama.

I need to buy some jeans. I hate jean shopping more than anything in the world. But ... it has to be done.

We Won, We Won, We Won!

Our first Ultimate Frisbee win. It was last night ... it was spectacular ... and in Chad's words ... it was ... ultimate.

In both of the games that we played last night, I played in a marathon round that really had me running my caboose off. Each half of a game lasts about 20 minutes (so in a night, we play 4 halves - two games) ... and last night, I played two rounds that SEEMED like they were almost an entire half (in reality, they were probably only about 12 minutes or so, but holy crikey Batman).

But ... in our second game, we won 4-3 ... it was a great, close game. Sure makes a difference to be done the seeding rounds, and to be playing against other teams that are a lot closer in experience and skill level (i.e. at the bottom ... the newbies ... the unskilled ... inexperienced).

Sigh. I really love Ultimate Frisbee ... just wish I was a little better at throwing/catching the friggin disc. Must practice that up ... perhaps this weekend.

Balloting for Classes

So ... the balloting deadline was Monday at 07:00 AM, and I entered my selections, as best I could. I'm still utterly confused about how balloting works, so I'm hoping that when I get my class schedule (August 22nd), I can shed some light onto how this process works. Hopefully I'll get it down pat for next year.

In the meantime, it's killing me to wait for my class schedule. AURGH. Three more weeks, still? Why ... oh why ... so much waiting??!?!??!

To distract myself, I've downloaded a copy of BlawgWorld07 as put out by TechnoLawyer, it can be found here:

BlawgWorld07

Law Society of Upper Canada Means Business

Here's their press release regarding the infamous Maclean's article:

http://www.lsuc.on.ca/media/jul3007_macleans_article.pdf

Maclean's = a tabloid ... hunh? How dramatic! This keeps getting better and better!!!

YCJA Poll

I've decided to remove the poll that I posted on July 11th about the Youth Criminal Justice Act, since BLOGGER now has a poll feature (woo hoo).

My old poll can still be viewed here, though.


As you can see, I had 7 total votes:

2 votes for "The YCJA needs reform, but just the more serious offences, like murder."
5 votes for "The YCJA needs reform all over the place!"


My original post can be read here ... and there's some great commenting done at the bottom.