On the DEWLine 2.0: Dwight Williams

Apparently, next week's installment "T.R.A.C.K.S." will include Carlo Rota as one of the guest performers.

Yes, I know: Stan Lee's already pre-emptively upstaged Rota. So what?

Now left wondering how Yasir Hamoudi and Coulson's crew would cope with each other...and what the titular acronym of next week's episode should mean.

Perhaps: Train Reconnaissance, Acquisition, Containment for Knowledge Security?

Inspired by this post:

http://defcons-treklit.livejournal.com/142946.html

Surely you already have an agent? ;-)

Wondering what you'd do with the Agents of SHIELD if you had the chance, though...

Ladies, gentlemen and respected others: the wit of Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

I went to see Paul Dewar speak at First Baptist Church on the legacies of Tommy Douglas and Martin Luther King Jr. tonight. Officially, the program guide for the Martin Ivison Lecture Series this year referred only to Douglas, but Dewar felt that both were of a kind in terms of the influence they had as men of faith on their respective societies.

My motive for going was partly historical study, partly political-mindedness and partly to visit places I'd never been before; First Baptist of Ottawa is one of the old standing places in town, and it's seen a lot over the decades.

After the main remarks and Q & A session, I went with many of the rest of the attendees to the basement for refreshments and informal conversation. It's at this point where ttallan will be interested.

Mr. Dewar happened to notice a button I'd bought from Tara at CAN-CON over the weekend. I was wearing it on one of the shoulder straps of my backpack. It's got the character "Mal" from Galaxion and a most particular quote from his science lab. Check the last panel of p. 44 to find it if you're not already a reader of the series:

"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be research."

Anyway, Mr. Dewar noticed the quotation, and promptly suggested that Stephen Harper should get one of the buttons. I wasn't even remotely interested in faulting the suggestion.

...and I'm still here.

Looks like I'm "on" to watch Doctor Who later tonight.

...and I thank davidbrin for pointing it out to me:

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/12/top-10-things-sci-fi-promised-us-that-didnt-happen-in-2010/

I'm glad to have avoided items # 1, 5 and 8 - so far - but as for the rest? I'd like to see some of those predictions come true before I die!

Strangely, I don't feel too much melancholy on this particular anniversary. I do feel some amusement at some of the stories and images shared so far.

Take this one. We may be seeing more pop culture depictions of Saint Nicholas under his multiplicity of aliases along such lines in the years and decades to come.

Or this one about the dietary habits of New Brunswick's squirrel population. That's got to be one of the more painful dietary modifications of the habits of Canadian wildlife I've read of in recent years. *winces in sympathy*

Also, heartened by this one more local in scope on animal adoptions. Good in particular to see the due diligence being carried out beforehand.

Oh, and in case anyone's wondering: assorted clothes, proper hangers to store them in the closet, and copies of Extreme Vinyl Cafe by Stuart McLean and The Age of Persuasion by Terry O'Reilly and Mike Tennant. CBC Radio shows gone to print editions, yes, the both of them. Worth your time, both.

And that's the under-the-tree tally so far.

Be well, one and all...

I just saw one of the new Witch Mountain ads.

A Disney movie. With the following line:

"Don't go into the pimped-out fridge, Jack."

*snickering for several minutes*

After tonight's Galactica, I needed that.

Courtesy of John Rogers:

This was compounded by an eerie emotional quiescence I experienced during my first weeks in Canada. I caught myself thinking: "Is this apathy ... or is this just what being relaxed actually feels like?" I just wasn't so angry. But anger, of course is part of what fuels the typing.

Lovely Wife developed an excellent theory. The coffee at Tim Horton's, Canada's ubiquitous coffee chain, is heavily drugged. Canada would be a non-stop raging 28 Days Later apocalypse if not for the fact we're kept sedated. She's working on the screenplay now.

Were it not for the fact that I never drink coffee, I might be inclined to think Mrs. Rogers has a working theory.

Then again, who's to say that the tea brands I regularly enjoy haven't been similarly spiked?

Keep writing, Mrs. Rogers.