Sunday
February 29, 2004
Leap day it is
Were you, by any chance, born on February 29th? If so, happy birthday to ya! I wouldn't want to have my birthday on today's date, mind you... makes it tough when you have to wait for 4 years, no? I wonder how people celebrate when their birth day is missing from the calendar 75% of the time... On March 1st? mmm....
Oh well, we're going to spend the day out, and photo it... another cute photography project from Tracey. Joe was supposed to work today, but I asked him to change his day off, so we can have fun with some shooting, hehehe.... Crazy hobby we have ;-)).
Got to go and get ready... We start with some delicious brunch that we're not going to pay for. A friend of ours gave us a gift certificate for Christmas... and now's the best time to use it!
Lorien said it @ 10:55 PM MT
|
Thursday
February 26, 2004
What would you do to save your life?
What would you do if you were a squirrel trapped on a burning roof? A squirrel on the roof of a burning building in St. Louis on Wednesday didn't stick around to watch it burn down. Boy, the little guy assessed the situation and decided to jump for his life, though he was not one of those "flying" squirrel. He made it to a nearby building, and then to the ground... saved by will power and immeasurable desire to live.
Click the link above and check the video. Amazing window to yet another one of nature's miraculous shows!!!
Lorien said it @ 07:00 PM MT
|
Monday
February 23, 2004
A story behind the news
I like to watch Calgary's local TV station news for the little stories behind the scene they tell (not that I'm not aware of the big news... I do. But right now, they're too painful to deal with...).
So today the local CFCN news told the story of a 7 year old, Brant Theriot from Louisiana, who was diagnosed with Leigh's Syndrome a year and a half ago. Sadly, this is a terminal neuro-muscular disorder with no cure.
Brant has never seen real snow in his life, but watching some old home videos his parents made while visiting Canada years ago made him wish for one thing: Brant wanted to see snow.
This week, the Make a Wish Foundation and Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise helped make Brant's one wish come true. Brant and his parents came to Canada, to visit the beautiful Lake Louise, and from watching the footage it seemed they had a wonderful time. Brant was enjoying lots of activities around and on the lake, and his parents said he has enjoyed his visit tremendously, and so did they.
Before the family left Louisiana, Brant's condition had gotten worse, but somehow it became better just in time for the big trip. It's so amazing, isn't it, what will power can do? Sadly, though, his condition continues to deteriorate... daily...
Seeing the little guy having his moments in Lake Louise was heartwarming, though at the same time heart breaking. So sad that such a young soul is going to be no more soon... but so wonderful that he had his last wish come true.
No wonder that was his wish, though... After all, Lake Louise is the most beautiful place on earth!
Lorien said it @ 07:32 PM MT
|
Wednesday
February 18, 2004
No words... only sights
Life's random act of kindness - The mighty Anne gave me a linky love the other day, because she has a loving generous soul, and for that, I can't thank her enough. She did send people my way, but I fear they didn't have much to find here.
I don't know... I don't have many words to share these days. Somehow they escape me, the elusive buggers, and whenever I want to write something here, I try to focus - but stay on the blurry side. I guess I can't force the words to come out. I should patiently await their will to come out...
But meanwhile, I do have an healthy urge and passion to capture sights. And mostly, those are the sights of my city. Amazingly enough, Calgary has become a source of joy for me, by the wonderful sights it presents to me every time we go out. I discovered I fell in love with this city that I finally can call "home". No matter what time of the day it is, or where in the city we are, it always has some spectacular scene to reveal. It's a huge city compare to the ones I've known in Israel, but it doesn't have the feel of a big city... It still leaves the impression of a small, quiet town.
I love this city... a lot! It has a warm loving place in my heart... and... I guess I did manage (Wow!!!) to find few words to share this little bit of my life with you after all ;-). Go check the photolog. Lots of gorgeous city photos there.
Lorien said it @ 02:25 PM MT
|
Saturday
February 14, 2004
Time to celebrate love

Joe mentioned to one of his coworkers he still has to buy me a gift for Valentine's... "What for?", she said... "As much as it sounds from the way you tale about her, for you guys it's Valentine's day every day of the year"...
Nice *s*... (Tfu, Tfu Tfu... Knock on wood ;-))
Lorien said it @ 07:55 AM MT
|
Friday
February 13, 2004
New Penguin mania
David from A Picture's Worth links to a new version of the Penguin mania. Fun game as well, and here is mine so far (only the second game). I'll get better ;-))

And yes! Today is Friday the 13th. Scary!!! ;-))
Lorien said it @ 10:28 AM MT
|
Friday
February 6, 2004
When computers go berserk... The Impark scandal
It happened right here in Calgary the other day. Comes to show you how computers can mess up some times... big time!!! *s*.
Thousands of Calgarians received one or more very unwelcome wake-up calls on Wednesday night.
An error in a computer system run by Impark's collection agency sent thousands of automated calls out to people with parking tickets in the middle of the night.
When people answered, they heard a recorded message informing them they owed money.
Some people received a call every hour on the hour.
Both Canadian Bonded Credit Ltd., the collection agency contracted to Impark, and Impark issued apologies for the calls.
Impark says it will cancel fines for the people called and issue a personal apology letter.
In Alberta, credit agencies can call debtors any time between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
There are steep penalties if collection agencies call outside of those times - up to 100-thousand dollars in fines or up to two years in jail. Agencies may also have their licenses revoked for serious offenses.
|
Hehehehe... Major screw up!!! I find it totally funny *s*.
Update on February 11:
Alberta government takes action against Impark ( CFCN.ca)
Alberta Government Services has terminated Impark's contract with its motor vehicle registry. Impark had a contract with the government to access information about the registered owners of vehicles parked in its lots. The information included driver names and addresses and was used to collect on parking tickets.
But that contract has been canceled because of hundreds of consumer complaints about the company and its affiliates. The province says it has received more than 800 complaints in the past year-and-a-half. Roughly 350 of those came after Impark's collection agency sent out automated calls in the middle of the night for unpaid tickets.
Impark says it is hoping the government will reconsider the decision. If not, the company says it will have to increase towing at lots and may have to reconfigure lots and pass the cost on to users.
|
The government sells citizens' private information? What's the hell with that??? What about our privacy???!!!
Update on February 12:
Decision could send private parking rates soaring (CFCN.ca)
Impark says the government's decision to stop it from buying information from the motor vehicles registry will end up costing Calgarians. The parking company is threatening to hike parking fees, close some lots and tow more cars.
Wednesday, Alberta Government Services canceled Impark's contract to get registry information about the people parking on its lots. The company spent about $600-thousand dollars a year to buy the names and addresses of people who failed to pay for parking so it could issue tickets.
Now, the company says it may have to close smaller lots because they won't be viable if Impark has to pay for an attendant. The company says it is hopeful that it can work out a new deal with the province.
Impark is not allowed to tow vehicles from its lots. It must notify the city, which can then issue a ticket and tow it to an impound lot. The $103 charge from the ticket and tow go to the city, not to Impark.
|
What a mess! I wonder how it'll all end.
Lorien said it @ 11:58 AM MT
|
Thursday
February 5, 2004
Bang the penguin
Oh hell... Everyone else and their friends are doing it, so why not moi???
Here's my best result so far. Not bad, hey??? *s*.
Wanna play? Go here.
Lorien said it @ 11:47 PM MT
|
Tuesday
February 3, 2004
A little coward varmint just came for a visit
A little varmint left me a comment on the left side bar (It's not there anymore... I hate the house when it stinks!), letting me know he hates Israelis because of the way they treat the poor Palestinians. That was a good laugh, little varmint. I'm sure you'll come back to check what shit you've stirred, so let me tell you:
YOU'RE A LITTLE COWARD VARMINT, WHO SPEW HATE BUT DON'T HAVE THE DECENCY TO LEAVE AN E-MAIL BEHIND. Want to stay anonymous? Be my guest... but know that all you get from my is contempt.
And if I wasn't clear before, I'm gonna be now. I'm a proud Israeli, and nothing you say can take my pride - or dignity - away!!! You have your opinions you'd like to share, do it with respect. If that' not your way - don't let me know you've been here, because I dislike little coward varmints.
Have a nice day in the swamp :-).
Lorien said it @ 01:56 PM MT
|
All content within this weblog (unless otherwise stated) is copyright © 2002 and on to reborn-by-design.com. All rights reserved. All other copyrights belong to their respective holders. No material is to be copied and used elsewhere!
Thank you
|