Katrina - some thoughts

What's to say at this point about Katrina that hasn't already been said? There are so many points of view, and so many people that have politicized what has happened to meet their own ends. In the Edmonton Journal the last few days there has been a debate between the radio DJ's supporting a teddy bear drive for the kids of the Gulf Coast, and the columnist who pointed out that they probably need more than just our teddy bears...

For me, the following two items summarize things the best:
1) a webcomic (actually my favourite comic anywhere at the moment, other than the temporary return of Calvin and Hobbes for the rest of the year) called Todd and Penguin - in this one, the child-like Penguin shows his concern at not knowing how to help (you can follow the next few comics to see what he tries), and cynical Oscar the cat shows the indifference of many, "it didn't happen to me so why should I care?".

2) National Post columnist and blogger Colby Cosh has an interesting recap on his website.

Macleans Magazine's Ranking of Best high schools in Canada

...and the first listed under "Top Overall" is the school I graduated from 17 years ago, Jasper Place. My friends and I always thought it was good - it was amusing how as a newcomer to Edmonton (moved in January of Grade 9) various people I met expressed shock that I would choose to go to JP, because it was "too rough". How times change ...

Loyal royal Girl Guide - a Crown Princess!

The VP of the Girl Guide Association of Malaysia is also the Crown Princess of Pahang, but has participated actively in Guiding according to this article

Guiding lights in Ottawa

Two Senior Branches members from Ottawa were chosen to go on international Guiding trips this summer and were profiled in the Ottawa Sun.

Environmental Tragedy at Wabamun Lake

A CN train derailed on August 3 near Lake Wabamun , just west of Edmonton (and where I've taken 2 sets of sailing lessons in the past), spilling oil and a hazardous chemical into the lake. Our next door neighbours have a cabin at Wabamun (usually go there every weekend) and state "the summer is over".

Interesting how today in the Edmonton Journal a full-page ad of apology from the CN Rail CEO includes a link to the above site, which includes information on how to take legal action/get compensation from CN.

What I've been listening to lately ...

Ed and I both really like the newest radio station in Edmonton, SONiC 102.9 (Modern Rock) (though of course now that they're more established there are getting to be more commercials...). Which led me to realize that I really like Billy Talent, a band that we heard live at the 2004 Junos in Edmonton (and on TV at the 2005 Junos) - neither time were we at all impressed, so I now figure they must have had an exceptionally bad sound mix at the Junos or something.

I got a new phone!

My husband has been bugging me to get a new wireless phone - this week Rogers started bugging me too, with a special deal in the mail (it looks like they're really trying to upgrade everyone to GSM rather than TDMA. So, now I have a Motorola v551 - I didn't really need a video phone, but I wanted Bluetooth (so I can connect from my PDA), and the phone ended up being free with a 3 year plan.

And just to bug my husband, I put a photo of Robbie McEwen as my wallpaper.

Amusing perspective on the Tour de France

... from one of the cyclists, Australian sprinter Robbie McEwen in a column for the BBC.

World Masters Games right here in Edmonton - and Triathlon World Cup.

I've spent a lot of my weekend at the opening ceremonies and my husband's volleyball games at the 2005 World Masters Games, currently taking place here in Edmonton. It was really a neat experience seeing so many people coming here to participate. I had seriously contemplated entering the sprint triathlon, but in the end was reluctant to have my first open-water swim in Hawrelak Park's lake/pond and at such a large event. In the end, it was so windy yesterday for the triathlon I was glad I was only a spectator for the Masters Games.

I did go down to watch the World Cup triathlons, as last year we were gypped out of a men's triathlon by the freak hailstorm and flooding (last year it took several hours to get home from Hawrelak Park on our bikes, mostly had to walk through knee or even thigh-deep hail while pushing/carrying the bikes). My favourites did pretty good overall:
Emma Snowsill (AUS)- 1st in the women's
Laura Bennett (USA) - 4th
Sam McGlone (CAN) - caught Morrison for 6th on the run

Greg Bennett (AUS) - 4th in the men's
Simon Whitfield (CAN) - 2nd best run for 9th overall

Tour de France

Well, the Tour de France is over for another year, Lance Armstrong has won his 7th and is now retired - unlike many who only seem to know Lance, over the last few years I've become hooked on the strategies and the multiple "races within a race". So, two of my favorites now among cyclists are on the Davitamon-Lotto Cycling Team: Robbie McEwen, a sprinter who won 3 stages this year; and Cadel Evans , who came 8th overall in his 1st Tour de France. (Interesting that they are both Australian - maybe I'm in the wrong country given that another favourite sport of mine, triathlon, seems to be dominated by the Aussies ... and I really don't actually care that the NHL/NHLPA strike was settled).

My Next Goal

I've just signed up to do a 5-day backpacking trip at the end of August on the Chilkoot Trail, in between Skagway, Alaska, and Whitehorse, Yukon. Seeing as I'm always much more motivated to exercise when I have a particular goal in mind (e.g., a triathlon or a running race), this should keep me going for a while.

(US National Park Service Site about the same trail)

As always, Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC) has good checklists and articles about preparing for such a trip, plus I found a good Backcountry Trip Planning form at the BC Provincial Emergency Program website.

Date with an Astronaut - for Brunei Darussalam Guides

The Guides of Brunei Darussalam recently had the opportunity
to meet with an American female astronaut.

Girl Guides of Canada Investigation of Rafting Incident in May

The report from the Guiding investigation into a sad rafting incident in May is available on the national GGC website.

HIV testing urged for all pregnant women (by US Task Force)

Hmm, this is something we've done in Alberta for years.

Why I'm a Star Wars fan, part 2 ...

Obi-Wan Kenobi: Jedi sex symbol - MSNBC.com