About Those Non-US Crayon Brands?
Apr. 1st, 2025 06:47 pmWallack's got back to me with an answer about the options they have either in stock or available to order:
Holbein (Japan)
Colleen Pencils (Thailand)
Bruynzeel (Holland)
Faber-Castell (Germany)
Caran d'Ache (Switzerland)
Derwent (UK)
Lyra (Germany)
Holbein (Japan)
Colleen Pencils (Thailand)
Bruynzeel (Holland)
Faber-Castell (Germany)
Caran d'Ache (Switzerland)
Derwent (UK)
Lyra (Germany)
RIP: The Slater-Laurier Parking Garage
Feb. 26th, 2025 02:45 pmYeah, I noticed that this morning.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/slater-laurier-parking-garage-ottawa-collapse-closure-1.7468706
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/slater-laurier-parking-garage-ottawa-collapse-closure-1.7468706
Housing: Arguments Over the Wallack Block
Apr. 19th, 2024 07:26 amWell, that's what I'm calling it, since that art supply shop called it home since before my family moved here to Ottawa in 1985.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/plan-to-revamp-downtown-ottawa-block-sparks-debate-over-intensification-1.7172642
Not saying that the new housing shouldn't be built. I do think the current tenants deserve better-arranged supports, for starters, though...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/plan-to-revamp-downtown-ottawa-block-sparks-debate-over-intensification-1.7172642
Not saying that the new housing shouldn't be built. I do think the current tenants deserve better-arranged supports, for starters, though...
Writers Loving Their Towns
Feb. 15th, 2024 10:37 amSome day, I want to do something like this for Ottawa:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/first-person-ode-to-montreal-mile-end-1.7092013
I've lived here since the summer of 1985, so...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/first-person-ode-to-montreal-mile-end-1.7092013
I've lived here since the summer of 1985, so...
Comics: Communities II
Dec. 10th, 2023 04:51 pmFollowing up a bit on local comics creators and suchlike.
One friendly acquaintance of mine from the long-dissolved Orléans Comic Jam sessions, Dominic Bercier, has a Kickstarter fundraiser/project going at the moment. Timing might be tight for you if you're interested, I understand that...
Anyway, here's the link.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/renaissancebp/exclusive-holiday-card-delivered-by-santa
If you're interested in Dominic's published work to date more generally:
https://www.bercier.ca/
The local publisher that Dominic's more recently tying in with:
https://pressesrenaissancepress.ca/
One friendly acquaintance of mine from the long-dissolved Orléans Comic Jam sessions, Dominic Bercier, has a Kickstarter fundraiser/project going at the moment. Timing might be tight for you if you're interested, I understand that...
Anyway, here's the link.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/renaissancebp/exclusive-holiday-card-delivered-by-santa
If you're interested in Dominic's published work to date more generally:
https://www.bercier.ca/
The local publisher that Dominic's more recently tying in with:
https://pressesrenaissancepress.ca/
Comics: Communities
Dec. 10th, 2023 11:03 amSteve Lieber mentioned on BlueSky recently that the comics artform and industry alike can benefit from an updating of this page:
https://web.archive.org/web/20150415200242/http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/lists/lists_and_links/30269/
I mentioned in reply that I could probably make some time to update the Ottawa-Gatineau section. Sadly, we lost Suzanne Marsden three years ago, and the Ottawa Comix Jam sessions were her Big Project of keeping the community connected to itself and the larger city and comics creators' community of North America.
Writers, artists of all branch-disciplines, and so on...
More on this to come, I think.
https://web.archive.org/web/20150415200242/http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/lists/lists_and_links/30269/
I mentioned in reply that I could probably make some time to update the Ottawa-Gatineau section. Sadly, we lost Suzanne Marsden three years ago, and the Ottawa Comix Jam sessions were her Big Project of keeping the community connected to itself and the larger city and comics creators' community of North America.
Writers, artists of all branch-disciplines, and so on...
More on this to come, I think.
I think we can declare that as having happened for my region overnight. The school buses on the Ontario side are officially cancelled.
Transit Disaster 2024?
Nov. 5th, 2023 01:13 pmI think we're going to have a Problem despite our attention to the details in recent years:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bus-route-changes-ottawa-1.7018834
The networking to counter this plan is already underway, partly because we were already talking amongst ourselves and with city council. This is a good thing. We need to keep building on this.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bus-route-changes-ottawa-1.7018834
The networking to counter this plan is already underway, partly because we were already talking amongst ourselves and with city council. This is a good thing. We need to keep building on this.
City Hall: After-Action Report
Oct. 23rd, 2023 09:41 pmWell, it wasn't a deputation. That's apparently not until next month, which is going to...not complicate at least one other appointment at the end of November. I am going to have to deal with lost income for however long I have to be ready to deliver it on that day, I think.
What did happen was further training, as well as face time directly with three city councillors. Leiper, Troster and Devine. Also, contact with some of the staffers of other members of city council.
Focus is still on mental health, poverty reduction and housing, because the city budget-building for 2024 is underway, and the staff's under direction to keep the rate increase to 2.5 %.
What I could have felt better about? More than a half-dozen of the 50 attendees masking up, for one. Seeing working air purifiers in the room for another. Neither of those things happened, though, so...
What did happen was further training, as well as face time directly with three city councillors. Leiper, Troster and Devine. Also, contact with some of the staffers of other members of city council.
Focus is still on mental health, poverty reduction and housing, because the city budget-building for 2024 is underway, and the staff's under direction to keep the rate increase to 2.5 %.
What I could have felt better about? More than a half-dozen of the 50 attendees masking up, for one. Seeing working air purifiers in the room for another. Neither of those things happened, though, so...
Off to City Hall...
Oct. 23rd, 2023 07:53 am...to advocate for extra municipal funding for mental health support programmes this morning. I've printed out three drafts of my "deputation" - city hall slang for a speech expected to last no more than five minutes - and am not sure that I'm properly set up for this.
I am, of course, terrified of being reinfected by COVID-19 by way of public transit. Not that I have any realistic alternatives to that to resort to right now for various reasons and excuses.
I haven't visited the downtown core of Ottawa-Gatineau in over a year. There have surely been additional changes to the neighbourhood that I don't know to expect.
I am, of course, terrified of being reinfected by COVID-19 by way of public transit. Not that I have any realistic alternatives to that to resort to right now for various reasons and excuses.
I haven't visited the downtown core of Ottawa-Gatineau in over a year. There have surely been additional changes to the neighbourhood that I don't know to expect.
Some News of Interest - 7 October 2023
Oct. 7th, 2023 10:32 am1. Some ways to better communicate with deaf people:
https://www.theguardian.com/shared-moments/2023/oct/06/shouting-doesnt-help-10-things-i-want-hearing-people-to-know-about-deaf-people?
2. Concerns about access to vaccines for seniors in Canada:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/covid-vaccine-seniors-fall-1.6988082
3. The WGA won. Here's why it matters, from at least one perspective:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/07/screenwriters-won-a-historic-victory-against-ai-the-rest-of-us-should-follow
4. Cult of Didulo vs. Richmound, SK:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/cult-of-self-proclaimed-queen-of-canada-threaten-sask-village-with-public-executions-1.6988680
5. Landsowne 2.0 disputes:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lansdowne-2-0-green-roof-1.6990040
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lansdowne-2-0-price-tag-jumps-to-419m-3rd-tower-dropped-1.6988602
https://www.theguardian.com/shared-moments/2023/oct/06/shouting-doesnt-help-10-things-i-want-hearing-people-to-know-about-deaf-people?
2. Concerns about access to vaccines for seniors in Canada:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/covid-vaccine-seniors-fall-1.6988082
3. The WGA won. Here's why it matters, from at least one perspective:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/07/screenwriters-won-a-historic-victory-against-ai-the-rest-of-us-should-follow
4. Cult of Didulo vs. Richmound, SK:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/cult-of-self-proclaimed-queen-of-canada-threaten-sask-village-with-public-executions-1.6988680
5. Landsowne 2.0 disputes:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lansdowne-2-0-green-roof-1.6990040
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/lansdowne-2-0-price-tag-jumps-to-419m-3rd-tower-dropped-1.6988602
Animation Festivals and Star Maps
Sep. 14th, 2023 09:43 pmYes, there still is such an event. The Pandemic hasn't killed it. I hope everyone who goes, is careful and has fun. In that order, please?
https://apt613.ca/tips-on-what-to-see-at-oiaf-2023/
Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out an alternative to epsilon Eridani for Axanar's host star. This leaves me with a history question: how much of the local galactic region was already charted out by the Vulcans before first contact with Earth?
I don't think they knew about Axanar - the planet or the species - going by "ENT: Fight or Flight". So, while the first contact between Earth and Axanar may well have happened at epsilon Eridani, I don't think that species' homeworld should be there as well.
https://apt613.ca/tips-on-what-to-see-at-oiaf-2023/
Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out an alternative to epsilon Eridani for Axanar's host star. This leaves me with a history question: how much of the local galactic region was already charted out by the Vulcans before first contact with Earth?
I don't think they knew about Axanar - the planet or the species - going by "ENT: Fight or Flight". So, while the first contact between Earth and Axanar may well have happened at epsilon Eridani, I don't think that species' homeworld should be there as well.
News Notes: 13 August 2023
Aug. 13th, 2023 09:50 am1. Thwaites' Glacier is no more.
2. I'm not living in any of the affected houses. I've learned from my circles of family and friends, though, that basement window wells are...problematic as well during such rainfall.
3. Another side effect of recent rainfall here. One of the buildings affected houses a past employer of mine. I want to check in with them on Monday morning out of concern.
4. And yeah, we may have voted badly last year.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/residents-councillors-flash-flood-1.6933278
2. I'm not living in any of the affected houses. I've learned from my circles of family and friends, though, that basement window wells are...problematic as well during such rainfall.
3. Another side effect of recent rainfall here. One of the buildings affected houses a past employer of mine. I want to check in with them on Monday morning out of concern.
4. And yeah, we may have voted badly last year.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/residents-councillors-flash-flood-1.6933278