Firefox Pitch!

Well, this may not be the most literate post I've ever made, but I have exciting news: the latest version of the Firefox browser (2.0.0.4) includes a built-in spell checker!



My posts will no longer be the mess that they have been in the past! Consider downloading it today.



http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/



B.

Soccer Night #7: Lions and Tigers and Goals, Oh My... (July 17, 2007)

Wow- that's all I have to say- wow...  Two saves, two balls that got past her in the net, and two goals!

 

What a great night...  My parents were able to come and watch Action Girl (age 6) play AND SCORE.  Did I mention the goals?  It was also a nice place for them to hang out with Super Girl (age 3.5).  At one point, I had this "snapshot" of what Under Six Soccer can be all about.  Late in the game, a younger (5?) player from Action Girl's team was lining up to take a shot on the other team's net.  He almost scored- the most interesting part was that he did this with a large green leaf in his hand that he had obviously just picked up and wanted to keep (and probably take home).  A-Girl is her team's usual starting goalie (most games)- when she does, she stays in for 10-20 minutes of the 30 minute game.

 

Most importantly, she's enjoying herself and feels she is a part of her team.   One difference I've noticed from last year is that she is much more supportive of her team mates' play.  To illustrate: last year if she was in the net for practice and one her  team mates scored, she could be frustrated that she hadn't stopped the shot.  This year, she says things like "way to go" or "great goal" to them.

 

Also, our neighbour "A." had a great night, staying up with his older team mates and learning even more about the game.

 

Pictures to follow,

B.

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My White Stripes Review

 Last Wednesday night was all stripy and white... We went to see the
White Stripes at the Civic Centre- I have to admit that never in my
wildest draems did I imagine that they would play HERE. It was a great
show and great evening, with a band I both love and respect as artists.

This was an amazing concert. Like perhaps no other rock act, their
actual music and musical style/perspective translate beautifully to a
live venue.
Also part of the experience for me were good seats (in section 8E), and
good company. It was an almost perfect night with a good meal
beforehand.

Dan Zidan was the opening act. I have a theory about opening acts.
Through it, I think I can picture what a contract for an opening act
must look like. It probably contains sections like "ways in the which
the opening act can only use the crappy coloured lights, " "ways in
which the sound board tech can/must throw the muddled sound switch," and
"don't sing as clearly as the main act." I'd like see Dan Zidan in a
solo show. Then I'll decide whether or not I like him/them.

Back to the Stripes... There's something about Jack and Meg that make
them more real in person...
Throughout the show, Jack's vocals were very strong. Meg's drumming and
signing (a little back-up and one song) were strong, as expected.

Here are some thoughts on specific songs:
- The opening of Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground then Icky Thump was
unbelievably strong and both were finished before Jack opened his mouth
to talk to the crowd.
- Jolene (actually a Dolly Parton song), is more pleading live, even
desperate live. I'm no longer put off by the fact that Jack is singing
the part of a jilted wife.
- Wild Orchid was sizzling- better than the recorded track.
- Cold, Cold Night sung by Meg. Wow... Far better live. Wow...
- Seven Nation Army- Jack did the bass line on his guitar- how? That
song is the masterpiece live that it is pre-recorded.
- Missing tracks: (that I would have liked to hear) Hardest Button to
Button, Little Ghost, and My Doorbell. I AM NOT COMPLAINING! The set
list was amazing.
- They ended the show with De Ballad of the Boll Weevil (a Lead Belly
song) with a good amount of crowd singing.

In a White Stripes-ish way there was a good amount of "showman-ship."
Jack's last words were "I thank you and my 'sister' thanks you." Jack's
relationship with Meg is well-known. She is actually the "White." (He
is a Gillis by birth). I'm uncertain about how to feel about Meg's
position with the band, for two reasons: 1) Jack is so dominant within
the band. Meg is indispensable, but Jack is the vocalist, guitar player
(and really the sole instrumentalist aside from the drums) and
spokesperson. 2) They are each other's ex-spouse and their jobs involve
a high degree of intimate collaboration and huge amounts of time spent
together on the road.

Meg's role within the band seems to exist along a continuum from
essential musical collaborator to very junior partner. Perhaps, I'm
being over-sensitive to gender in this case as I am a fan of their music
(and career), nothing more.

A great night with a truly great band. Blues based guitar-drums hard
rock as high art. Yay.

The White Stripes concert July 11-07 Pic 7

DSC02027

Concert review to follow, soon...

B.

The White Stripes concert July 11-07 Pic 6

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The White Stripes concert July 11-07 Pic 5

DSC02024

The White Stripes concert July 11-07 Pic 4

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The White Stripes concert July 11-07 Pic 3

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The White Stripes concert July 11-07 Pic 2

DSC02011

The White Stripes concert July 11-07 Pic 1

DSC01999

Soccer Night #6 July 12-07

Soccer Night #6 July 12-07

The rain held off tonight! She spent most of the game in the net and had a great save, as well as some great compliments from her coach.

B.

Soccer Night #4 July 5-07

Soccer Night #4 July 5-07
Originally uploaded by Binky

Amid the deluge...

B.

Noah's Other Son

Noah's Other Son
Originally uploaded by Binky

Here is the cover of my cousin Brian Brown's new book.

B.

My Cousin Brian's New Book! NOAH’S OTHER SON: Bridging the Gap Between the Bible and the Qur’an

My first cousin, Brian Brown has published a new book.  Brian is my Aunt Margaret's son and has had very successful parallel careers as a United Church Minister and author.  Here's his publisher's description of his new work:

______________________________________________________

 

NOAH'S OTHER SON: Bridging the Gap Between the Bible and the Qur'an
By Brian Arthur Brown / Salman Rushdie contributes to the Foreword
Book launched at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, April 16, 2007
Published simultaneously by T&T Clark (UK) and Continuum Group (USA)
Contact John Mark Boling, Continuum, 212.953.5858   $21.95 US hardcover / 256 pp 

In these troubled times of religious extremism, interfaith relations between Christians, Muslims, and Jews are increasingly important. A minister of the United Church of Canada, ministering in communities where  Christian majorities interface with robust Muslim and Jewish minorities, Brian Arthur Brown began to ask questions after 9/11, and what he found fascinated him.

 

The Qur'an says Jesus was the Messiah, born of the Virgin Mary, rose
on high, and will return prior to Judgement Day? Biblical women had names preserved in the Qur'an?  The coming of Muhammad was prophesied by both Moses and Jesus? Who knew these things?  Then there is the story of Noah's other son, a story not found anywhere in the Bible. 

 

In the Qur'an, Noah is described as a "warner" and his youngest son, Canaan, was among those who failed to heed the warnings in this cautionary tale.  Canaan derides his parents for making an ark and refuses to get on board, even as the rain falls, and he drowns. Brian Arthur Brown uses the story of Noah's Other Son as a parable for our time. Al Gore and Michael Moore are famous warners in the twenty first century.  Will we listen or perish.  This book is itself a warning about internecine strife, particularly among the members of what Brown calls "Abraham's dysfunctional family."

 

Noah's Other Son examines twenty-five familiar figures who play major roles in the Qu'ran and in the Bible, revealing how understanding the characters in these texts can point the present-day Muslim, Jew, and Christian toward a more mature concept of religion. Noah's Other Son also serves as an introduction to the place of the Qur'an in Muslim and world culture, as well as a tool to help equip moderate religious people to deal with extremism wherever it may be found.

 

BRIAN ARTHUR BROWN received theological training at McGill University in Montreal, completed his doctorate at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, and did postdoctoral work at Harvard. He is an established author in the fields of French-English relations and Native-White tensions in Canada, Canada's relationship with the USA and Canada's role in peacekeeping around the world. He and his wife, Jenny, now live in Niagara Falls, Canada, in a rambling old house frequently filled with their children and grandchildren.

______________________________________________________

 

We have a copy - bought it through Indigo.  You should be able to get it through both Indigo and other booksellers.  I'll write more as I start to read it.

 

B.

 

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Soccer Night #5: No Rain, One more goal, One more friend (July 10, 2007)

Last night I stayed home with Super Girl (3) and was happy to help her load the Barbies up in their little jeep (and two in a tractor) for their big trip to the living room/someone's birthday. We had fun.  I'm probably not the best judge of this, but the girls are beginning to build up a good quality Barbie collection.

Meanwhile, Action Girl (6) scored another goal, was not rained out, and the little boy next door ("A.")  joined her team (The Eagles).  Every week, Action Girl can get her shin pads on quicker and quicker.  We sometimes play a little game where after she gets them on, I (gently) kick her in the shins to make sure they're working.

 

Onward to soccer glory!

 

B.

 

 

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Soccer Night #4: At least no one drowned-ed *CORRECTION*

It has been respectfully pointed out to me that I MAY have mis-outed the number of ears that 4 people would have , in the preceding post. Conventionally, four people (like our family) would have EIGHT ears, not 16. I maintain that I was counting both inner and outer ears. However in the interest of clarity, I correct the number of ears mentioned in the preceding post.

Ears to you all,

B.

Soccer Night #4: At least no one drowned-ed

Last Thursday was a soccer night like no other.  It had been cold and threatening to rain/pour all day.  We ate supper with 16 ears glued to the notices on the radio station.  Funnily, while switching rooms/radios we had missed the first part of an announcement, only to hear "[click]... under 6 and under 8 soccer canceled for this evening."  What to do?  Was this (possibly wise) announcement for our club, or another club?  Should we just call it a night on our own?  What would responsible, mature parents do?  Who are these parents and how do we reach them?

 

I called the club president and asked.  [Pause for suspense...]  She said that yes, we were on for tonight.  From the nature of her response, I may have NOT been her first such call of the evening.  The day before, I had promised Super Girls (Age 3), that she could go to watch her sister for night #4.  In expectation that we might freeze to death or drown, Super Mom did not go in order to keep our family history and traditions alive, in our memory.

 

It was drizzling as we arrived at the field at 6:30.  The coaches looked uncertain.  Soon they (and we) looked wet, instead of uncertain.  Action Girl (age 6) kept her jacket on for the entire game as did most of her team.  The cold was worse than the rain.  For a good part of the night, I had Super Girl on a lawn chair with a hat and jacket on AND a towel over her head (and most of the rest of her).  Even I wore a jacket (and shivered).

 

At 7pm, the game itself started.  At 7:10 the coaches called the game.  The main reason for this was not the rain or the cold, but the slippery field.  Even in that short time, Action Girl scored another goal!  We went victoriously home in search of dry towels.  By the end it was raining so hard that the water on my glasses was making it hard to see.

 

I have a big soft spot in my heart for a sport that stresses that rain and extreme cold shall not keep small children from having fun and learning the value of team.  The possible lightening may be another matter, but sport shall prevail!

 

We need a team song....

 

B.

 

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Second Night of Soccer Pic 2

June 28 Action Girl Soccer
Originally uploaded by Binky

Second Night of Soccer Pic 1

June 28 Action Girl Soccer
Originally uploaded by Binky

As promised, a picture from the second night of the sesaon.

B.

Night Three of Soccer

Another goal last night! I took a night off to stay home with Super
Girl who was under the weather. Apparently. said goal was in some kind
of exhibition game with the coaches. A goal against an adult should
count double!

I have a picture from last week that I'll try to post tonight.

B.

Canada Day Weekend-ing

Before we had kids, Canada day was a holiday when we had friends over and spent that day with them. Sometimes, I miss that tradition and hope to get back to it, in time. That said, we had a wonderful weekend with (and without) the kids. We all worked/went to daycare on Friday. Friday night we went to Super Mom's cousin's house (M. and D.) to meet a cousin who was "home" from Alberta. The four of us had a great time. "M." lives in a beautiful, large old farm house. The girls spent some of the time in their bedroom watching TV. Because they have an en-suite washroom, the girls compared the room and the house to a hotel (and a nice one at that).

On Saturday, we spent the morning around home then took the girls to my folks for an overnight visit. My dad's sister is visiting and they were able to spend some special time with her as well. Amid the dark clouds that only rained a bit, we went out to dinner with some friends (I surprised Super Mom). Sunday we picked the kids up and had a visit with my folks and with Super Mom's folks, out on the farm. We went home for supper intending to head back in town for the fireworks. The girls made other plans. After a couple of exciting nights, they were TIRED! Super Girl (3) fell asleep in the car (at about 5:15PM) and was down for the night! Action Girl (6) was tired but at least managed to have supper. No fireworks for us, this year (but that's fine).

Yesterday was a quiet day at home. This was just as well as Super Girl was under the weather. Today is the first day at home for S-Mom and the girls and will hopefully be a good one for recovery.

B.
[Please excuse the tag here, but I am writing this on my coffee break at work.]

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