Happy New Year!
Dec 31, 2006 Brainwaves
I’ve been in Toronto this weekend, and Yvonne and I are headed out the door to a New Year’s Eve party shortly. Here’s wishing my readers (both of you)* a happy new year and success with any and all New Year’s resolutions you make!
Best “Saddam hangs” story title EVER…
Dec 31, 2006 In The News, Teh Funny, War On Terror
…comes to us from the Russian newspaper Pravda: Saddam Hussein thrown in the garbage of history.
Meanwhile, some whack-job on NBC’s Orlando affiliate sees the whole scenario as less an execution and more an assassination.
(Pravda hat tip: BMEWS)
Three reasons why the fast ferry failed
Dec 30, 2006 In The News
Mark Hare pretty much nails why the fast ferry project didn’t work in Rochester, pointing out that an infusion of public money wouldn’t have been as bad if we’d known it was coming up front, and if CATS had been more open about its finances. Additionally, he details two ideas I’d mentioned previously — not enough marketing and a ship too big for its task.
Super Top Secret Ford funeral plans REVEALED!!!
Dec 28, 2006 In The News
Weird wording on this RSS article link to the BBC website. Were we keeping them a secret?
In all serious, condolences to the family and friends of the late President Gerald Ford.
In other news, Tuesdays with Cory is taking bets on who’s going to complete the James Brown/Gerald Ford/????? trifecta.
In My Sights #2
Dec 24, 2006 In My Sights
A few weeks ago, the news world was all aflutter in reports that Mary Cheney, the lesbian daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, was having a baby. Half the world is saying, “how can you be part of this conservative administration and allow your gay daughter to have a baby,” and the other half is saying, “how can you love your lesbian, pregnant daughter and be part of this conservative, gay-hating administration?”
Truth is, there’s only one relevant question: “Who gives a shit?”
Godspeed, fast ferry
Dec 24, 2006 In The News
Farewell, Spirit of Ontario I — we hardly knew ye.
Rochester’s fast ferry has set sail for Shelburne, Nova Scotia, so that if its sale is finalized over the winter, it can depart for its new home port and not be trapped by the St. Lawrence Seaway, which closes for the winter next Friday.
Two things stood out when I read the article, one amusing, and one more interesting. First…
Mayor Robert Duffy said Friday that if Euroferries Ltd. fails to close on the ferry purchase over the holidays, he will consider sending a city contingent to Dover, England, to get to the bottom of things with the British buyer.
I can imagine a handful of large guys, all named Guido, with tire irons and baseball bats. “We’s thinkin’ yous guys owe us some money, and if yous value you’s kneecaps, you better be payin’ up.”
On another front, Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport, said she planned to pursue the idea of getting a small, privately owned and operated ferry back to Rochester.
“I still think it’s a great idea,” she said. “I’ve got some friends in Canada. Maybe we want to talk about something like that.” She declined to name to whom she would be talking.
Slaughter, poised to become the first woman to lead the powerful House Rules Committee, said throwing taxpayer money at another ferry venture is not the answer.
“We need something that’s well-run and privately owned and we don’t have public money in it. I’d like to see a smaller (ferry) that goes back and forth three, four times a day,” the congresswoman said.
While on one hand, I’m no fan of Louise Slaughter, and on another, I thought the trip I took on this ferry was really cool, I’ve got to agree with her here. I think a ferry between Rochester and Toronto is an awesome idea, but the way this one was implemented didn’t work the way it needed to work — as a private venture. If a private company isn’t making any money on it, what’s to think the city government is going to do any better job of managing it?
The way I understand it, while there were a number of things that financially broke it, one of the key shortcomings was a plan to attract commercial traffic (i.e. tractor-trailers), which would have significantly increased revenue. However, paperwork that would have allowed the ship to carry this traffic across an international border was never completed, and a large portion of their anticipated income never materialized. Thus, a huge ship was being wasted on a small passenger/automobile ferry run, and wasting millions of both private investor dollars, followed by millions more taxpayer dollars. A smaller ferry, designed primarily for passengers and cars, privately and properly managed, would probably do well, and would generate some business, and I look forward to the day when a more reasonable ferry enterprise returns to Rochester and Toronto.
Cool it, Tarzan
Dec 19, 2006 Brainwaves
Turning in to my apartment complex following a RATS game night, I suddenly spiked the brakes. Crossing the street in front of me were a man in his late 20s and a little girl, couldn’t have been more than 2.
The man gave me an extremely dirty look, and mouthed what I can only assume were rather profane comments at me, as if to say, “how dare you nearly hit me and my little girl?”
Well, I’ll tell you what, buddy. I was driving slowly enough to give you plenty of room, and I would have seen you a lot sooner if you hadn’t been jaywalking, so chill out.
Next time, stick to a crosswalk.
Christmas Tree
Dec 18, 2006 Photos
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
Seriously. Not only is there a tree, but some gifts have appeared.
If I get ambitious, maybe I’ll take some shots of my decorations from outside the apartment, and/or maybe some of the neighbors or other displays.
Google-vations
Dec 17, 2006 Brainwaves, Cool Links, Geek
One of the neat things about Google Maps is the way that people can adapt it to make new services. Two that have come across my plate recently are a map of the Toronto transit system and a pedometer that lets you track where you walked and see how far it was after the fact.
(Hat tip for Toronto map: Transit Toronto)
I’m Person of the Year!
Dec 17, 2006 In The News
Check it out! I’m TIME Magazine’s 2006 Person of the Year!
Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, China’s President Hu Jintao, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Iraq Study Group head and former SECSTATE James Baker were all in the running, but I pulled it out and won in the end.
Don’t be too jealous. Odds are, you won, too. Go have a look.
(Hat tip: Instapundit)
UPDATE: John Kerry is humbled to have won as well.
