I've been a Vista user now for about three months - those three months have been characterized somewhat by disappointment and frustration (Duncan even managed to break Vista in the first week). Don't get me wrong, the Northern Lights screen saver is AWESOME (I could stare at that for hours) but a screen saver does not an OS make! Everything else, even the new Office 2007, has presented it's own challenges. It's slow, it's not compatible (whose brilliant idea was that?), something (I'm not sure what) is sucking my ram, sometimes I have trouble connecting to the internet, and the security features (as illustrated so well in the ad above) drive me crazy. I don't need all these extra steps in order to get something done or sent, and to be frank the things that Vista decides on it's own to disallow bugs me more than you can know.
I almost bought a printer last month, it was 50% off. I asked the salesperson if it would work with Vista and she shook her head sadly and said "No." I found myself quipping in apology "thats okay, my laptop doesn't work with Vista either..."
Now it seems that a Mac will be joining our previously PC only home. I am sure the side to side comparision will be documented.
Allie Wojtaszek, Special to the Journal
I was surprised to see a local news story I had recently participated on the front page of the Edmonton Journal this morning. A pleasant surprise, though, and my picture looks great. Don't forget to look at my other Listen pictures in the Journal's Photo Gallery. I am becoming a real photographer!
See also my Listen Bird Group on Flickr. I uploaded a bunch of new Listen pics.
My friend Daveberta had an interesting post yesterday where he tries to imply that somehow the PC Party actually controls the Premier and that by voting down policy at our AGM to consider rent controls we are forcing Premier Stelmach's hand on the issue. That's an interesting argument but it's (thankfully) not accurate.
The way the policy discussion was structured at this AGM illustrates how important an issue this is to our Party membership. 83 Constituencies submitted Policy Resolutions and then the membership voted on the five most important that would be discussed at the AGM. The mere fact that this was one of the five policies that made it proves how important an issue this is to us.
The fact remains though, that when everything is considered, Rent Control is not a solution to Alberta's Housing Crisis.
As a renter I struggle with this issue, but I do try to see it from the view of the Albertan property owner as well. If you have a property that you rent out, I assume that you do so not as a service to Albertans but to make a profit, to secure your families lively hood, or to create a safe future for your retirement. With rising costs, utilities, property taxes, higher wages for maintenance workers, higher contract costs for upkeep and the legal fees associated with renting - what would motivate someone to continue to rent (especially with property prices at an all time high) if they could not meet all these new needs, rising bills AND still support their families and the goals they set out to achieve when deciding to invest in rental properties?
Further, why on earth would any developer or potential owner even build new rental units if rent controls were in place? Why not just build condos or houses and sell them - at least you will get market value for them.
Nothing is cheap in our province, and I suspect (knowing a few) that most landlords are good people who have families to support and bills to pay, just like us. We do need to find a solution - one that works for all Albertan's - and in the mean time find a way to support the lowest income members of our province who are having the hardest time dealing with these rising costs. But rent control is not the answer.
Paul Well's has a great post about the continuing saga of Elizabeth May trying to staunchly defend her ill-thought comments comparing the Prime Minister to Neville Chamberlain. He first jokes (great Simpson's reference here) "She has a point. If people accused Elizabeth May of talking about Nazis every time she talks about Nazis, where would we be?" But then continues, more seriously, to the heart of the matter, saying "What is thuddingly obvious to any serious observer is that May cannot have meant anything by the Harper-Chamberlain comparison except what she is accused of having meant. If I say somebody's action is "a grievance worse than Neville Chamberlain's appeasement of the Nazis," ... I mean that in the face of a greater moral danger than the one Hitler represented, he is showing instincts of appeasement. What is also clear is that May meant every word of it." Go to Inkless Wells and read his entire post on the subject.
Thanks to Shaw I'm blogging live from the PC AGM and Convention here in Edmonton. I wanted to mention a few thoughts that arose from the heated discussion at our AGM earlier this evening regarding raising our membership fees, which our Provincial Party Executive had attempted to do already (and without consultation) at an executive meeting.
The strength in our Party lies within it's core - at the grassroots level - with it's constituencies and their members. These members have long resisted raising membership dues, especially as a method of fundraising, and with good reason: a $5.00 fee makes membership in our party available to anyone and everyone who wants it. I think it is of utmost importance that everyone who wants to participate in the democratic process be able to do so, and the price of a membership to a political party should never be a barrier to this.
In attempting to raise our fees in a closed meeting (and inform us of it later), our executive forgot about the most important people in our party - us. Today, the grassroots members of the PC Party of Alberta sent a clear message in voting down the proposed fee elevation... we know that power lies within our voice, our vote and we will not tolerate anyone trying to take this away from us. Power to the People.
Dinner tonight at Old Spaghetti Factory (WEM) provided additional entertainment as we watched the filming of a scene for the movie "Christmas in Wonderland" which is in production right now at West Edmonton Mall. The scene (performed by a couple of stunt doubles Jodi Stecyk and Troy Dorchester, filling in for actors Chris Kattan and Preston Lacy) involves a race through the mall on small motorbikes with some well placed mishaps on the way; culminating with a spectacular crash through a glass window overlooking the Waterpark - and a wet landing.
I found it very interesting to see first hand the amount of work and effort that goes into a production like this, especially the amount of time that it takes to set up for a scene that is actually only a few seconds long.
I've been trying to figure out what to say about the Stéphane Dion/Elizabeth May "Deal" that hasn't already been said on other blogs and then I saw this. I think it says it all!
Having both been a soldier and a parent in my life the stories from CFB Petawawa, where it is reported that many children are "on the brink of suicide," have weighed heavy on my heart.
A Canadian childhood is supposed to be full of fun and carefree times, an opportunity to explore your world in safety and discover who it is you would like to be when you grow up. For the children of Petawawa, where many of Canada's Afgahnistan related deaths and injuries have had the largest impact, stress, anxiety and fear is more dominant. Their flags at school fly at half mast often, once for 49 days straight!
It's been reported in the news that the children are afraid of being called out of class in case they find out their mother or father are dead and that others hide in their homes with all the lights off, reasoning that if they can't be found when a military official comes to tell them their parents are dead, it won't be true.
We expect our soldiers to be brave (and they are), but thats a little too much to ask of their kids. These children need help - and I am happy that it appears they will now be getting it - but I am at a loss to understand why the support took so long to get into place when we knew this would happen.
Part of supporting our troops is making sure we look after their children and keep them safe until they return. It's the least we can do.
"... We do not inherit this Earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from Megatron. Lastly, I seek to eradicate unnecessary fees that burden our students. I speak of the portion of SU fees that are paid to CAUS. The Council of Alberta University Students. This external advocacy organization cannot match my superior intellect and brute force!"
In case you're wondering, Stephen Dollansky did indeed win. And so did us humans.
This is what happens when I don't alot myself enough time to blog; I fall behind and I make myself feel better with a hefty helping of "blog-catchup." So, without further ado:
Duncan's Lobby Conference is this week and he's been very busy recently putting everything together to ensure a great conference for all involved. Thankfully he wasn't too busy to take me for green beer on St Patrick's Day - a first for me! Being a religion scholar means St Patrick isn't my favourite Saint, so I'd hadn't yet indulged!
When my darling "little" boy all of a sudden told me he needs a haircut and new dress shoes (he wears a size 11 mens now!) I suspected something was up - turns out he had a big concert band competition - the very next day. They did wonderfully, of course, and the Ajudicator awarded his Band with a "Superior" and a "Very Excellent," top marks!
My lovely daughter has always been a straight "A" student, with the lone except of PE, where she always seems to get a "B." While I don't think a "B" in PE class is anything to be upset about, it has become an obsession of hers to increase this mark (she does remind me of myself at times). I do suppose it could be worse, she could discover Facebook! 
Duncan was invited by the ATA to be part of thier Political Action conference by being part of their Blogger Panel. Ken Chapman, Nicole Martel, Daveberta and of course, Duncan, spoke to the Political Action Officers about blogs as alternative media, as political tools and about how to have influence in the blogosphere. I was happy to be there and I enjoyed the dialogue. It was interesting to hear the personal motivations and stories behind each of their blogging and some of the questions that the teachers asked are still rattling around in my head, daring to provoke some non work related thoughts. The horror!
As Bush sends more troops to Iraq in an attempt to regain control in Baghdad, and as Congress considers alternate measures to bring their troops home, world wide protests mark the fourth anniversary of the Iraq invasion and occupation. It's a not so happy kind of anniversary, one you hope doesn't have to come next year.
There are all these books out there about parenting with Love and Logic. I know this because I have read my fair share of them, and up until this exact point of time in my parenting career I would say that they have been helpful and welcome.
I believe that teens are perhaps the most endearing, challenging and important group of people in our society - our strongest critics, our future leaders and eventually, our caregivers. This belief, combined with the memory of my own teenhood challenges and the fact that I love my children, lead me to figure the parenting teenagers "stage" would be easy. Or at least, easier for me. Because I am just that good.
Boy, was I wrong. And it really has nothing to do with Logic...
What do you get that wannabe Wise Guy who already has everything? The plush severed horse head! Same effect - no mess!
After playing the Wii for the better part of the day we decided to watch the Flames/Oilers game last night over at our pub. Turns out they were showing something called "UFC" instead. I wish I could say I am more cultured for the experience, but somehow I doubt it. I prefer my fights on ice.
Today has been Wii, Wii and even more Wii. I know time is a luxury and we have taken a lot this weekend to relax and have fun, but damn, this Wii is way more fun then I could have thought! Nintendo has outdone itself, and it's not just the games. We are also enjoying the little extra's like our Mii's, surfing the internet and looking at our pictures on the TV.
Since I have my new camera now too I have also spent some time surfing through the many pages of Flickr, trying to get some ideas for shots I would like to try. I've added some brilliant pictures from all over the world to my Flickr Favourites, which I am hoping you can see if you click on the link. It's hard not to be inspired by these pictures - we live on a beautiful planet with a lot of interesting people.
The kidlets come home this evening and I am really looking forward to having them home again. I and hoping they enjoyed their weekend as much as we have ours.
We saw Bridge to Terabithia today. The story of Terabithia is one of my favourite childhood experiences, one I shared with each of my children as soon as they were able to read. We really enjoyed it on the big screen, they did a good job with it.
My guy has been carefully painting his Warhammer 40K Army (Sisters of Battle) for almost two months now. This involves their careful construction, precise priming and then the creation via painting of each tiny character - with a considerable amount of fussing I might add. Then when they are dried I am made to admire each one, first paying homage to the newly painted ones and then all the ones that came before her. It has become my favourite part of his newest hobby, this love making... but sometimes Duncan does enough for the both of us!
The Alberta Legislature Buildings
Built entirely out of Lego!
Today we hung out at the Edmonton Science Centre, which the kids found very amusing. We partook in Imax's Hurricane on the Bayou and I must admit, seeing Hurricane Katrina on the Imax screen was slightly frightening. I learned that it is the Bayou and surrounding wetlands that usually protect inland cities like New Orleans from hurricanes (the storms lose force as they travel over land) but that Louisiana's wetlands have been disappearing at the rate of a football field sized swath every 35 minutes - and along with it a natural barrier of defence.
It was also the opening day for the lego exhibit "Secrets of the Pharaohs." The Pyramid was still under construction and we were able to spend some time building the pieces and adding them the the pryamid, which will eventually be four feet high.
I was a big fan of the giftshop - the kids got science kits, Duncan got a stuffed alligator and I got Tim Flannery's book The Weather Makers. So far my book is good - giving my brain even more to think about.
If I hear one more person exclaim in a really loudly obnoxious voice "Whomever believes in global warming obviously can't see how cold it is here right now" I think someone might get slapped. Is the basic science of weather so beyond them that they honestly don't understand how it works?
Here's a quick and dirty lesson (my apologies for its simplicity):
He makes me smile with my heart.
I am looking forward to this long weekend and Family Day. This past week has been somewhat difficult to juggle with the flu deciding to visit each one of us separately and in different ways, but I think now that it has finally gone on it's way life will return to its normal bliss. It's hard to believe that February is almost over, two months in this new year almost done. I need to refocus a bit so I don't start missing things. Perhaps then I can find my blogging groove again as well; I'm really missing that.
In other news wojtaszek.ca is up.
A friend greeted me today over msn: "Hello friend who has reason to celebrate."
Yes, I do think that about says it all!
Anymore snow and the dog's going over the fence!
Right now the weather channel says our temperature "feels like" -29°C, which is the same as saying "OMG it's cold." It's been like this for over a month now, which is too long in my books. At least the weather is supposed to return to "normal temperatures" next week - although thats been said before...
I think it might be time to book a trip to the Motherland, where it's about 10°C, for relief (wonder if I can apply for refugee status while there?).
As I sit here listening to my husband struggling to wrap my gifts in the adjacent room (he mutters a lot under his breath) I read this on Larry Johnsrude's blog. It is perhaps the most hilarious thing I have read in some time, and Duncan is in stitches as I read it out loud to him. Thanks to Larry for a laugh this early Christmas Morn!
Thanks to Cora for inviting us to enjoy their last night of Hanukkah with them - the Latkes were delicious and we had a lot of fun getting a good spin on the dreidels - playing for chocolate money of course!
First day in California - we went from Anaheim to Long Beach to walk along the water front and visit Hooters, Long Beach. More pictures HERE.
Not quite yet... I will still be busy with campaign related stuff until I leave for Disneyland. I haven't even given a first thought to Christmas yet (as some one said to me yesterday "Allie, you're running out of time!") but I am confident I will pull it together. Received a great blog related message in a Christmas card a couple of days ago (thanks Lilly). It said:
"Can't wait until after Dec 2nd for you to resume normal posting. Local Politics make my eyes glaze over - Sorry!!"
Hmmmm... Normal. Not sure I remember yet what normal is!
"Ed was everyone's compromise second choice" said Liberal Leader Kevin taft. "That's why he won."
Last Totals, before counting the second choice votes had Ed Stelmach in first place - with 482 votes ahead of second place Jim Dinning. Calculating the second choice votes gave 25,813 to Stelmach for a total of 77,577 - keeping him in first place by 22,068.
Here's another number Taft should count - 144,022 Progressive Conservatives came out yesterday to elect a new Leader. How many voted for him in his "Leadership" election?
And who invited Taft to our party anyway?
Running Total:
With 81 polls reporting:
Jim Dinning — 49,440
Ted Morton — 38,167
Ed Stelmach — 45,890
Total Votes Cast: 133,497
PS. Believe it or not, I am blogging from the ladies washroom - it's the only place I could find with a plug in.
When you go to the polling station in your constituency today to vote you will be given a preferential ballot listing three names (Ed Stelmach, Jim Dinning and Ted Morton). You will be asked to rank the two candidates that you prefer by placing a "1" beside your first choice and a "2" beside your second choice.
You can opt to only select one candidate (your ballot will be considered valid), but I wouldn’t recommend it. If your preferred candidate does not make it into the top two after the first count then your second choice will be counted instead; if you have neglected to make a second choice your vote just won’t count, meaning you won’t have an influence on the outcome (if no one candidate gets a clear majority on the first count then second ballot choices will decide the leadership). It’s worth noting they only count the second choice votes of the third place candidate, and not those of the top two.
You can not vote twice for one single candidate. You must make either one or two selections, indicating your choice with a number 1 and 2 respectively. Do not mark a third choice – if you do your ballot may be considered spoiled.
You can still vote even if you didn't vote in the first ballot last Saturday. Buy a $5.00 PC Alberta membership at the Polling Station in your constituency between 9:00am and 7:00pm today.
If you don't know your constituency you can find it using this link.
"Stelmach demonstrated a clear ability to listen and be inclusive while he never played down his ideas: a supplemental Alberta pension or money for municipalities were strongly advocated for. Plus both Jim and Ted thought so too - they were agreeing with Ed most of the time."
"All three echoed their same lines. Dr. Morton talking about Ottawa, Mr. Dinning offered broad visions and platitudes, and Ed offering an inclusive and effective government. I'm voting for Ed."
What I am going to do when this Campaign is over...
This morning I sat at the major intersection of Edmonton's 170th Street and 87th Avenue, watching with some surprise as both red light camera's flashed repeatedly at traffic flowing normally on a green light.
As most people consider they have no options to fight a ticket they recieve in the mail (traffic offences are absolute liability offences - unless you can prove your car was being used without your permission) this really is quite scandulous. Red Light Camera's and Photo Radar bring in millions of dollars every year.
So, a few Edmonton drivers are about to get a notice with a picture and a fine that they will have no choice but to pay - and they'll likely be pretty sure they actually didn't do anything wrong.
Wonder how long this has been happening?
So I am on my way now to the PC Party Office to get my Nomination Package.
Kidding.
Premier Ralph Klein handed in his letter of resignation today. All sorts of things are going to happen now... and if I thought I didn't have time to blog before this, well... this might be the beggining of a 2.5 month hiatus - but I'd like to blog through the Leadership race so we will see if I can't make some time.
At the Roast last night this was one of the things he said:
"Because the premier can't be seen supporting one team over another, I've had to sit in the stands at the Labour Day Classic and the Battle of Alberta hockey games cheering like an idiot for both teams. It's unnatural. It's like living in Red Deer."
- Ralph Klein
Nice.
This little movie made in commemoration by a NY City citizen shows the raw face of what happened 5 years ago today. I remember - as I am sure everyone does - the images burned forever into my soul. I remember exactly how I felt as I watched the second tower fall.
I didn't need to cry and oddly I was not overcome by anger or rage. But the warrior inside of me was awakened, alerted to the new world that I was observing. In my mind I tiptoed to the edge of the world I had known, where a huge crack had just suddenly appeared, and I looked into it knowing that everything had changed. Obviously I was observing an Act of War, something I had been trained to respond to and this instinct felt strong. I thought I was going to have to re-enlist.
I was not a huge fan of the new President but when he said "Freedom was attacked today by a faceless coward," I knew he was right. And when he said "Freedom will be defended," I knew I was ready. I knew if this could happen so close to us that it could happen to us as well. I knew that I would protect whatever world my children, who stood watching the Towers fall with me, lived in.
As circumstances would have it Duncan talked me out of the re-enlistment and as time went by it was evident that would not be required of me. Actually as time went on a lot changed... and as Duncan so eloquently put it... actions taken by the President and his administration forced a change in my feelings and opinions. Enough so that and I must admit I have come to believe, especially with and since the onset of "Operation Iraqi Freedom," that my definition of "Freedom" is different than that of President Bush's.
Freedom. To the very core of my being it means everything. These past five years I have been unsure how to defend it.
Renewing the One Party State today has a post entitled "You'd think Dave would do something."
Reading through the post I came to realize that the post itself was an attack against Ken Chapman and what rights he has to express his opinions freely on his own blog. Well, being a blogger myself, I think Ken's personal blog is Ken's personal blog - where he writes about his own opinions and thoughts like any of us do on our blogs - and he has enough guts to express himself under his own name, therefore actively engaging and encouraging the dialogue that we party members need during this Leadership Race.
To clear up a big misconceptions central in this attack, Ken Chapman is "not on staff" as is suggested – rather Ken is a volunteer with an opinion and a high regard for free speech (he has already clearly expressed on his personal blog that his ideas are NOT the ideas of Dave or of his Campaign. It's a personal blog).
Freedom of speech is both a powerful right and a powerful tool. People are allowed to have a different opinion or point of view than others and I know that Dave Hancock is more than able to develop his own policy that falls well within his own values and convictions regardless of the personal opinions of his volunteers.
I am slightly disturbed/shocked by the suggestion that Dave should muzzle his volunteers/supporters or even dictate what their publicly expressed opinions should or could be. What kind of leader would that make Dave Hancock? What kind of party would that result in?
The fact of the matter is that Dave Hancock IS an inclusive guy. He believes that EVERY Albertan has a valuable place in the diverse future of OUR province. He has an amazing sense of integrity and everything he does, including his very real loyalties, comes from his own strong moral code of values. That's the kind of guy Dave Hancock is.
Yes Dave is a leader for everyone, even Ken Chapman.
If the other candidates are allowing someone else to create their policies for them - then shame on them. Dave Hancock has an honest vision for the Alberta he wants to live in and it is from that passion that his policy comes - not from anyone else.
Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention is considered the universal minimum standard of treatment for civilian detainees in wartime. It requires that people be treated "humanely," barring "violence to life and person," (including murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, torture), "outrages upon personal dignity" (humiliating and degrading treatment) and sentencing/execution by courts that fail to provide "all the judicial guarantees … recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples."
The US Supreme Court recently determined (Hamdan v. Rumsfeld June 29) the Bush Administration's policy of not honoring the Geneva Convention (US ratified 1949) was illegal and that even prisoners in the "War on Terror" are entitled to the protections allowed in the Geneva Convention.
According to reports in the Washington Post, US officials have since responded in three ways:
