Did you know…

… that a Canadian toonie (a 2-dollar coin) actually has two pictures of the Queen?
One — the side-view (see here), and the other — the group photo with princes William and Harry (see here).

=)

Canadian Roosters Keep Their Heritage!

Here’s an interesting story.

There is a place somewhere in the northern part of southern Ontario (and no, it is not called “mid Ontario” or something similar), where a Tim Hortons (the most popular cafe franchise in Canada) borders an animal farm. Every morning, same time, a rooster walks into the Tim Hortons. They feed him donuts and he leaves back home to the farm. Even more, he only likes particular kinds of donuts.

Just what you would expect from a Canadian rooster! :D

Source: my brother told me this story after he saw it on TV or somewhere else, I’m not too sure. If someone could point to the original story, that could be great!

NHL Stanley Cup Finals 2009

I have to tell you, I really want to see the Penguins holding that cup up above their shoulders. Detroit had it last year and — most importantly — Pittsburgh have gone through some bad times shortly after the trade deadline with long lasting loosing streaks, and yet they’d managed to climb out of the hole, land in the playoffs and crawl up top once again in a very hard-working way.

But then you have to look at the Detroit and how they play. They play so well, I haven’t an idea of what can possibly beat the Detroit Red Wings. Especially today with the comeback of Pavel Datsyuk they had a blast, and I’m not just talking about the scoring.

Anyways, it looks like the cup is going in the same direction. But, needless to say when talking about hockey, anything can happen in the last little bit.

I’m just really glad that the series has gone for at least 6 games.

92.5 Jack FM Toronto is history…

Yesterday, while cleaning around the house, I was listening to the radio, 92.5 Jack FM as always. It was Jeff and Carly show along with all sorts of great rock tunes, when — as usual — the 3 o’clock news came on, traffic. Then, all of a sudden, as if out of nowhere, this monster comes on: some hip-hop music about ladies and all the rest.

I thought I accidentally switched to a different channel. I was wrong. It was 92.5 exactly.

My next thought was that Jeff and Carly decided to make a cruel joke. But after that song was finally through, another similar piece of overly exaggerated art immediately came on. My ears were bleeding heavily by then.

After a moment of confusion and puzzlement, my next thought was that supporters of Q107 decided to hack Jack FM and pull a trick of inserting noise into the radio band. And when I say `noise’, I really do consider (predominantely most) hip-hop songs simply noise. But after yet another few songs were emitted by my speakers, I figured that, if it was true, someone would already do something by now. [Note: I have nothing to do with hatred among Jack FM and Q107; I personally thing it is quite dumb, the whole thing; moreover, I enjoy both radio stations very much a lot.]

It seamed like a tiny bug slowly crawled through my ears into my brain, bit off a bunch of stuff on its way, laid a whole bunch of dynamite and it let it go off. It is certainly a traumatic experience.

Anyhow, later I have discovered the following note in many places around the net:

At 3pm on June 5, 2009 Rogers Communications announced that effective immediately Jack FM would be re-branded (back) to KISS 92.5. The new format is Top 40, and as a promotion the station will play 10,000 songs uninterrupted by commercials to pique interest and build listenership. The main reason of the change was because of the low ratings JACK-FM was getting in the Greater Toronto Area market.

Source: wikipedia

This is sad. This is more than just sad. This is beyond sad. This is preposterous!

Jack FM Toronto was my favourite radio station. I occasionally listen to Q107 and 102.5 The Edge, but Jack was always there, certainly. I was away in Edmonton until a few days ago, and guess what: I used Jack FM Listen Live every morning and every day. It was something I used to wake up to.

And now it’s gone! Like a doubly nilpotent matrix that was accidentally squared.

I am now looking at various other Jack FM stations, for example that in Vancouver and that in Chicago. I guess my radio is now located far away from where I live.

Sad…
Update [June 9, 2009, 16:00]: In the comments below, Charlene has kindly provided a link to an online petition to bring Jack back:

http://www.petitiononline.com/bbjack92/petition.html

Sign it, maybe it’ll help!

Will the Maple Leafs get into playoffs this year?

Despite being a true Leafs fan, I will still have to say “no”.

The Leafs right now have 52 points in 56 games that they played. Only 26 regular season games remain.

The last playoff spot is currently occupied by Buffalo (whom they host tonight) that has 64 points in 57 games they played. Buffalo’s winning percentage so far has thus been 0.561. Given the fact that every team that’s close to be out of or in the playoffs makes that last push to stay in the race, I say the last playoff spot must have a winning percentage of at least 0.570%. Therefore, to get that last playoff spot, the Leafs are going to have to push for 94 points. That is, they will need to gain 42 points in the 26 remaining games. They will need to win at least 21 out of the 26 remaining games.

Unless Brian Burke has something special in mind (starting tonight) and Ron Wilson knows what to do with that something special, Houston we have a problem.

Alexey Prokurorov, rest in peace…

Sad news from across the ocean. Alexey Prokurorov, famous Russian professional cross-country skier, died on the morning of Friday, October 10, on his 44-th year of age. While crossing the road towards a rail station, he was hit by a car. The driver was under a heavy influence of alcohol and was (already) driving without a license.

Prokurorov was truly among the best cross-country skiers. I definitely know that, because I always looked up to him, when I competed. Just to list a few things about him: he participated in 5 Olympics, the last one being Nagano 2002, where he was a flag-bearer. He has won two olympic medals: one gold and once silver, both in Calgary 1988. He was evidently a significant figure in the world of cross-country skiing, and sport in general.

It is a pity that someone so high has to go, but something so low has to stay. It is awful that anyone or anything has to go, but in the course of a crude choice, that’s how it stands.

Here

Here (in Russian)

“Americans versus Canadians” or “How I am so happy and proud to be Canadian!”

The turn to answer the long lastingly annoying question of “who is better: Canadians or Americans?” has fell upon my fiancee and myself today. Little did we know, the answer was right in front of us.

Now, as it is customary to say, “viewer discretion is advised”, because the text contains intricate subject matter. Rated as SN (Somewhat Nationalistic). Before I make any further remarks, I would like to say that I certainly do not generalise the following image of an American person to the entirety of masses, for I happen to know plenty of people, who carry an American passport of their own, who at the same time happen to be extremely intelligent, interesting, educated and all in all very nice people and who deserve my deepest respect.

In our trip to the Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory (which you can read about here), which is located here
I shall direct your attention that it is located very well on the Canadian side — this fact will come in handy in the discussion below.

Photos from the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games

Fergus Scottish Festival

Olympics: Cuban fighter banned for life after attacking judge

Angel Valodia Matos, cuban taekwondo fighter, has ruined his entire life, as well as the life of his coach.

Read the story here.

I wonder what he is about to do now? Of course, he might re-specialise in some other fighting class, which is surely about to be very hard. Even then, I highly doubt any success.

He has also ruined the life of his coach, who is not a very young man anymore and will not be able to adjust as quickly and successfully.

Very funny indeed…

Olympic Medals for Canada! Gold, Silver and Bronze!

Gold, Silver and Bronze! Finally!

Great going!

Congratulations to Carol HUYNH with gold medal for women’s wrestling in freestyle 48 kg category,

Congratulations to David CALDER and Scott FRANDSEN with silver medal for men’s pair in rowing,

Congratulations to Tonya VERBEEK with bronze medal for women’s wrestling in freestyle 55 kg category!

Congratulations to all Canadians!

I think there’s more to come!