This coming weekend will be a long one, with the civic holiday July 1st being Monday. We'll be spending the occasion at the camp, so it seems appropriate to do a repost of some of our previous Canada Day celebrations from that neck of the woods!
Here's a little photo essay of my Canada Day weekend. I'll let the pictures do the talking :)
A wild Wood Lily by our camp
I got whupped in this game! Darn kids!!
A sun shower that lasted about an hour
These little beauties were done up on the BBQ. Scallops directly from Nova Scotia! Amazing!!
A little rain storm forced us inside, where we played Scrabble, enjoyed some Banded Peak brew, and chowed down on bacon wrapped scallops from Adams and Knickle in good old Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Paul ruled the Scrabble board too!!
Burger ( the dog!) loved being outdoors all day and most of the night too!
Did I say earlier.... "most of the night!"
So dog tired after a day of play that he didn't even finish his cookie!
It was cookin' hot, so a dip in the creek was in order.
I love this tree at the creek, proof that Mother Nature is resilient
I know how to make a splash! yuk yuk
Crokinole is a game many people don't know but is a good bit of fun.
Currently, cyber risk losses are considered "negligible" in the grand scheme of things, but insurance experts are predicting that it will soon overtake natural disasters as the number one cause of losses in the world.
While the estimate for world wide insurance losses for natural disasters currently sits at about U.S.$230 billion annually, the rate of cyber risk losses is growing exponentially and the prediction is that it will soon hit U.S.$ 600 billion per year.
Yes, there's insurance coverage for cyber risks but just like everything else that can be insured, mitigating risk factors is always the best and first steps one can take to avoid the many hassles of being the victim of this crime.
"Knowledge Is The Best Insurance" is a saying we use a lot at BlueCircle, so check out the following links to learn more about Cyber Crime and what you can do to protect you and your family.
After seeing numerous deer on the sides of the road during a recent drive home from our camp near the mountains, it would seem appropriate to review some of the best tactics for avoiding animal encounters and collisions while driving or riding.
Deer, elk and moose are crepuscular animals, meaning they are most active in the twilight hours of the day, crossing the road as they move to and from water and food sources or heading back to the areas in which they sleep. This is why the most likelihood of animal strikes while driving in a vehicle or riding on a motorcycle will be with deer and other ungulates and will typically occur around dawn or dusk,. It's also the reason why we'll focus our attention on this specific type of wildlife .
7 Tips To Help Avoid Hitting Deer On The Road
Be attentive to the road and surrounding area at all times, and extra alert when driving or riding at dawn or dusk
Be extra cautious when in the habitats of animals, like in the countryside or in the mountains, near lakes, rivers and streams.
Observe signage that indicates animal crossings, as these are placed in areas often frequented by the animals in question.
Remember that deer and elk are herd animals and though they may run alone across the road they'll probably be a part of a larger group and others may follow.
Keep to the speed limit, especially in Parks or Recreation Areas, as they are often set lower to accommodate wildlife movements.
Use your headlights and turn on your high beams when possible, to get a wider view of the road and surrounding areas.
Watch for the illuminated eyes of animals, all the more easily done when using your high beams as recommended in the last point.
While we all want to avoid hitting an animal on the road, we also need to consider that avoiding a more serious accident is important too.
If a deer runs out in front of you....
brake firmly and stay in your path.
do not swerve, as this runs the risk of causing you to lose control and possibly end up in the ditch, hit a pole or tree, or cross into another lane where you could be struck by other vehicles.
it's the law anyway, but remember that buckling up will help.
If you do strike an animal...
get to a safe area, off the road if possible, as soon as possible.
be cautious, as the animal may be in a place that could cause other vehicles to strike them or swerve, especially if it is dark and difficult to see properly
turn on your 4 way flashers and use an emergency flare if you carry one.
call 911 and stay in your vehicle.
Stay away from the struck animal, especially if the creature is still alive. An injured and frightened animal can be very dangerous and possibly inflict injuries.
Only 2 days to go before the 19th annual Calgary Motorcycle Ride For Dad sets off on their fundraising poker run, with all proceeds going to the Prostate Cancer Fight Foundation.
The ride has been taking place in Calgary since 2000, with a few different venues over the years, but this year marks quite a different set up in many ways.
First a foremost, the rally point is going to be in Balzac
Ralph’s Motorsports 262117 Balzac Boulevard, Balzac, AB Secondly, the Calgary Ride For Dad will blend with the Rural Alberta Ride For Dad and start out in Balzac, riding on a totally new route, heading into the north west and swinging back around to the wrap up in Didsbury. Saturday June 22, 2019 Ride Day Registration 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Kickstands up 9:30 a.m. sharp
Murmuration isthe phenomenon of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of starlings flying in sweeping, intricately coordinated patterns through the sky.
First, watch the video about the flight of the starlings, which is actually the short version of a film by Jan Van Ijken titled "The Art Of Flying". Go to full screen and ensure the sound is turned up, as you will be able to hear the rush of the birds' wings and shrill chirp of the the starlings as they fly overhead. Stunning!! After you watch the video the first time, watch it again but this time, start the second video, the official music video for Burial's "Forgive". Then start the first video "The Art Of Flying" at full screen again, but ensure the sound is turned down so you get the Burial soundtrack playing, so to speak. Another eerie but beautiful experience.
Someone already posted something similar on YouTube, using the Burial music for a video of murmuration, but the quality of the filming is no where near that of this version I've suggested.
Here's a repost that came about after I read a facebook post from my Kiwi Kuzzin, who is involved in the flat track roller derby community. The original blog story below was from 2013 and it seems that the action is still going strong today, based on the fact that there's Flat Track Fever 2019.
We had quite a hoot, checking out all the action at the Chinook City Roller Derby today. We were following the action of the Sugar Skulls, an all star team comprised of players from various clubs in and around the Regina area, but also caught some play with a couple of different teams in the derby.
I thought the days of "Skinny Minnie" Miller and the T-Birds were over and never realized there was still such still an active community of leagues and skaters, including a fairly large one in the west. This Derby expects over 500 skaters with teams from Alberta, B.C. and the North West U.S.. And just as much fun as the action are the player and team names...The Kill Jills, The Glenmore Reservoir Dogs and the Youthanizers ( a junior team) to name a few of the locals.
Good blocking lets the Jammer get by
Gone are the days of the banked track, as well as the scripted violence and WWF antics. It's called Flat Track now and the rules are more or less the same when it comes to the team tactics and scoring. There's a pretty interesting documentary, "This Is Roller Derby", done in 2011, that looks at the phenomena of the growing interest and participation of women in the sport and why it appeals to them, and explains the rules too.
Lead Jammer "ends the jam" by tapping her hands on her hips
The pack bottles things up on the turn
Don't mess with these gals
After bout comes the traditional celebrations
My buddy Tom with "Beata Bitchdown" from the Sugar Skulls
Behind in the score, the coach talks strategy with Jammer "Janesaw", Piper Peach and T-Bag
View from the bench
TAB-RRR-KNUCKLE
As for the action at "Flat Track Fever", it continues on Sunday so check it out if you want to see something different! And if you're a movie buff and want to see a little roller derby action, check out "Whip It", directed by Drew Barrymore and starring Canadian Ellen Page, or go even further back in time with the somewhat more violent "Rollerball".
I've done a couple of posts on Average Rob ( "Absent" and "Average Rob 2" ) but here's another photoshop artist who's used his talents to create some funny images with album covers.
Russian artist Igor Lipchanskiy has reimagined the inside flap of album covers, placing himself into the scenes with some hilarious results.
I'll let the pictures do the talking....
Pretty funny stuff and well done, so watch for a future post or two where I'll feature a few more examples of this Russian talent!
Everyone knows that shiftwork is tough on a person, but what happens when you add in some involvement in high-risk incidents and the subsequent aftermath of a fire, an auto accident, a drug overdose or some sort of violence?
Yes, the shift work, or deployment in the case of the military, can be strainful on any person and when adding in the aforementioned high risk activities you quickly realize that this combination can really have a profound affect on one's well being.
Added stress, family issues, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other related challenges affect Police, Peace Officers, EMS, Firefighters and Military personnel due to the unique situations they all face and for which most of cannot even fathom.
The good news is that there are groups out there who want to help keep our first responders and protectors in a good place and support their wellness needs. But just like so many other agencies that do this type of important work, there is serious underfunding and they often rely on private donations to implement and maintain their programs.
That's why we want you to consider joining the 2019 Honour Ride, a motorcycle poker run and BBQ that raises funds to donate to several good causes in our community. The ride takes place June 15th out at the Calgary Military Museums just off Crowchild Trail SW. Pre-register here or come down to 4520 Crowchild Trail SWat 8:30 and get set up before the opening ceremony at 10:00.
The following is the list of the worthy charities that this ride supports and includes links to each one, so you can see just where your much appreciated donation goes when the funds are tallied.
It's tourist season, which means something different to just about everyone but certainly makes me think of one thing, as highlighted by this poster I saw in Banff.
Yes, when I think of tourist season I think of gangs of tourists, getting off a bus or clambouring out of their rental car ( another issue unto itself!) and jockeying for position to get a photo of some wildlife. The key word here is WILDlife, yet too many tourists are blissfully unaware of just how dangerous these critters can be, even those that appear to be quite docile.
The cow elk and calf in the above photo might look Disney cute but get too close and Mama might just run you over, cut you up with her hooves, or trample your head!
An Elk is one thing, but check out this video below, shot in Janff National Park. Hey, let's all get out of our cars, crowd around a bear with a cub, and see what happens. I like the guy in the video, asking people to get back in their vehicles, saying "I'm not here to protect you, I'm trying to protect the bear". Fact is, that 100kg bear can reach a speed of 60 km an hour and would cover the distance between her and those tourists in a flash. Unfortunately, the bear would end up paying the ultimate price and probably get shot later on by a Park Ranger, just for doing what it does naturally when protecting her young.
There's an adage "a fed bear is a dead bear", meaning that the only recourse for bears that get used to people food and become too habituated is being shot. The same would apply to animals who protect themselves and their young and attack idiot tourists who seem to think it's okay to approach and encroach on the wild life.
