Neat little ad...

Much to my wife's delight, I enjoy the occasional bit of gaming every now and then.  When I'm not following nerdy topics like politics, and the news in general, I follow other nerdy topics like video games.  Sigh...

I came across this neat ad for upcoming game for Wii.  I won't spoil the surprise so do check it out for yourself...

A brief thought on culture...

I like to think of myself as someone who appreciates good culture.  I love to travel and experience what I can of the world around me.  I love good music in its many forms.  I like to read when I have the time.  I've even gone to the Opera and ballet a few times with my wife... although I'll admit its been her 'suggestion.'

Perhaps I'm a bit dated in this position but I'm of the opinion that real culture sells itself.  If an experimental rock band from Toronto called 'Holy F--k' can't afford to travel to the UK on its own, why is that my problem?

Maybe I'm wrong and other significant aspects of culture the world over thrive only because of government handouts.  Things like Oktoberfest, Carnivale, and Apple Pie are saved by the divine providence of generous tax dollars.  Phew... what a relief.

If there are artists who are disappointed by a decreased availability in funding, than perhaps you should look at this as a new opportunity to promote what it is that you do.  And if you find that people still don't care, well, maybe there will be some job openings you can consider in the coming weeks.

Where did everybody go?

I got a chuckle out of the picture on the front page of today's Edmonton Journal.  While many have made a big stink about her campaigning via rail, what I found funny was this pic of her waving to all her loyal supporters while stopping in Jasper.

Probably not the effect they were going for.

Big-time Backfire...

I'm not always the most up-to-date on the American election but I do try to keep as informed as I can.  One topic of particular interest has been the demonization of VP pick Sarah Palin.

I came across this lengthy article via Small Dead Animals.  Its a very detailed read suggesting that some particular 'viral' ads criticizing Palin weren't so amateur after all.  With that, though, comes a number of other issues that might be a bit embarrassing for the Obama campaign.  

If you've got a few minutes to kill, sit back and enjoy. 

And on an unrelated note...

With all the attention transit seems to be getting lately in Edmonton, you have to be thankful we aren't quite at this level yet.

Wow.

Oh, its on like Diddy Kong!

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced a new election campaign and already my wife is making fun of me for geeking out and reading/watching every scrap of news I can find on it.  I happen to enjoy election campaigns in this country, especially if they turn out the way I like.

I will admit that I was a bit disappointed that the Conservatives are initiating the call.  I really liked the idea behind fixed election dates and knowing that we would be able to avoid frequent bouts of political opportunism.  That being said, I do think that the PM has a point when he says that this parliament has reached its useful end.

I have no idea what the party leaders talked about during their meetings at 24 Sussex Drive.  But at least they were able to meet and say whether or not they could support a Tory agenda.  Recent months have shown that the opposition, and particularly the Liberals, were gearing up for a vote anyways, so I don't really see how this comes as a surprise.  I personally think that what Dion and company are really peeved about is that they got blindsided by Harper and couldn't pick the date for themselves.  Tough noogies.

I honestly have no idea what to expect for this campaign.  At this point, there don't seem to be too many key issues that have captivated the public.  People in my neck of the woods seem to be pretty content with life in general... the only political chat I hear, which is very rarely, has to do with a proposed Liberal carbon tax which no one I've met wants.  Apart from that life moves along.  For that reason I'll place my bet on yet another minority.

I'm eager to follow this campaign and see what the parties have in store.  I'll be volunteering extensively with Rahim Jaffer's campaign here in Edmonton Strathcona when I'm not catching up on my news.  Here's hoping that this campaign can ignite people's imaginations once again.