Monthly Archives: July 2010
♫ MELANIE- LAY DOWN (Candles In The Rain) WOODSTOCK
I love this so much, just had to post it again! 
Cita
▐ DOG TALES, LOL :-D
If I didn’t have animals . . .
I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety. My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated. All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair. When the doorbell rings, it wouldn’t sound like a kennel. When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading through fuzzy bodies who beat me there. I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable. I would not have strange presents under my Christmas tree — dog bones, stuffed animals, toys, treats nor would I have to explain to people why I wrap them. I would have money … and no guilt to go on a real vacation. I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grandkids thru college.
My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers. My house would not look like a day care center, toys everywhere.
My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash. I would no longer have to Spell the words B-A-L-L-, F-R-I-S-B-E-E, W-A-L-K, or T-R-E-A-T. I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside. I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties them down too much. I’d look forward to spring and the melting of snow instead of dreading mud season. I would not have to answer the question “Why do you have so many dogs/animals?” from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get. . . . How empty my life would be.
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DOG RULES
From “My Dog is the World’s Best Dog” by Suzy Becker.
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I love thee agreeably – enough to let your stinky rawhide on the bed after a run through damp leaves, mud and slug infested gardens. I love thee steadfastly – enough to devote a year to raising you from a wobbly speck into a strong healthy adult (who promptly attempts to seize control).
I love thee madly – despite the various bodily functions you have performed at inappropriate moments – in inappropriate places. I love thee constantly – despite the dog “bladder curfew” I have lived by for many years.
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Why Dogs don’t use Computers 1. Can’t stick their heads out of Windows ’98. 2. Fetch command not available on all platforms. 3. Hard to read the monitor with your head cocked to one side. 4. Too difficult to “mark” every web site they visit. 5. Can’t help attacking the screen when they hear “You’ve Got Mail.” 6. Fire hydrant icon simply frustrating. 7. Involuntary tail wagging is dead giveaway they’re browsing www.pethouse.com instead of working. 8. Keep bruising noses trying to catch that virtual Frisbee. 9. Not at all fooled by Chuckwagon Screen Saver. 10. Still trying to come up with an emoticon that signifies tail wagging. 11. Three words: Carpal Paw Syndrome. 12. Saliva coated floppy disks refuse to work. 13. Distracted by cats chasing the mouse. 14. TrO{gO HyAqR4tDc TgrOo TgYPmE WeIjTyH P;AzWqS,. (“Too hard to type with paws!”) 15. Smell U – Smell ME still in beta test. 16. Butt-sniffing more direct & less deceiving than online chat rooms.
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The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest. The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help because I fall faster than you can run. I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.
The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat’s butt. I cannot stress this enough! To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door: To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About MY Pets 1. They live here. You don’t. 2. If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That’s why they call it “fur”niture.) 3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people. 4. To you, it’s an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted angel who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn’t speak clearly.
1. Eat less 2. Don’t ask for money all the time 3. Are easier to train 4. Usually come when called 5. Never drive your car 6. Don’t hang out with drug-using friends 7. Don’t smoke or drink 8. Don’t worry about having to buy the latest fashions 9. Don’t wear your clothes 10. Don’t need a gazillion dollars for college, and 11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children. | |||
Glossary for Dogs LEASH: A strap which attaches to your collar, enabling you to lead your person where you want him/her to go. DOG BED: any soft, clean surface, such as the white bedspread in the guest room or the newly upholstered couch in the living room. DROOL: Is what you do when your persons have food and you don’t. To do this properly you must sit as close as you can and look sad and let the drool fall to the floor, or better yet, on their laps. SNIFF: A social custom to use when you greet other dogs. Place your nose as close as you can to the other dogs rear end and inhale deeply, repeat several times, or until your person makes you stop. GARBAGE CAN: A container which your neighbors put out once a week to test your ingenuity. You must stand on your hind legs and try to push the lid off with your nose. If you do it right you are rewarded with margarine wrappers to shred, beef bones to consume and moldy crusts of bread. BICYCLES: Two-wheeled exercise machines, invented for dogs to control body fat. To get maximum aerobic benefit, you must hide behind a bush and dash out, bark loudly and run alongside for a few yards; the person then swerves and falls into the bushes, and you prance away. DEAFNESS: This is a malady which affects dogs when their person want them in and they want to stay out. Symptoms include staring blankly at the person, then running in the opposite direction, or lying down. THUNDER: This is a signal that the world is coming to an end. Humans remain amazingly calm during thunderstorms, so it is necessary to warn them of the danger by trembling uncontrollably, panting, rolling your eyes wildly, and following at their heels. WASTEBASKET: This is a dog toy filled with paper, envelopes, and old candy wrapper. When you get bored, turn over the basket and strew the papers all over the house until your person comes home. SOFAS: Are to dogs like napkins are to people. After eating it is polite to run up and down the front of the sofa and wipe your whiskers clean. BATH: This is a process by which the humans drench the floor, walls and themselves. You can help by shaking vigorously and frequently. LEAN: Every good dogs’s response to the command “sit !”, especially if your person is dressed for an evening out. Incredibly effective before black-tie events. BUMP: The best way to get your human’s attention when they are drinking a fresh cup of coffee or tea. GOOSE BUMP: A maneuver to use as a last resort when the Regular Bump doesn’t get the attention you require…..especially effective when combined with The Sniff. See above. LOVE: Is a feeling of intense affection, given freely and without restriction. The best way you can show your love is to wag your tail. If you’re lucky, a human will love you in return.
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These are ‘real’ breeds of dog, as collected from license applications and want forms at a US dog shelter: Westminster Terrier Rhode Island Ridgeback Palmeranian Copper Spaniel Cocker Spaniard Black Labrador (from a license app, dog’s color was yellow) Shit Sue Dorky Terrier Lopso Apso El Paso (attempt at Lhasa Apso) Highland Heeler Alaskan Malibu Belgian Manawa Belgium Malenoise Basket Hound Bagle Welch Corgi Wild Haired Terrier Carrion Terrier Wineamimer Rockwelders Rottenwiler Great Pekingese (supposed to be Pyrenees) Great Pyramid Miniature Datsun Irish Settler Jack Daniels Terrier German Police Man Chesapeake A Retriever Borderline Collie Chevy King Charles (Cavalier) | |||
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The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE.
I love thee passionately – despite your repeated efforts to probe my ears, eyes and mouth with the same tongue you use for various other atrocities.
I love thee well – despite the amazing odours you produce. 
I love thee deeply – though you use me as a napkin at every opportunity.
I love thee absolutely – because you never (well, hardly ever) hog the remote 
battle the indomitable flea on your behalf.
I love thee totally – more than free time, excess cash or a predictable life
For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, bark, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years–canine or feline attendance is not mandatory.
Remember: Dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
Filed under Entertainment
▐ ANOTHER CANADIAN SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN!
Canadian soldier killed in second encounter with an IED
Sapper Brian Collier, 24, fought to overcome his earlier injuries to return to the field
Adrian Morrow
From Wednesday’s Globe and Mail Published on Tuesday, Jul. 20, 2010 2:21PM EDT Last updated on Wednesday, Jul. 21, 2010 7:45AM EDT
He hadn’t been in Afghanistan long, but Sapper Brian Collier had already earned a reputation as a competent combat engineer, survived a blast from an improvised explosive device and beat his injuries to return to duty.
Early Tuesday morning, the 24-year-old soldier was killed by another IED while on foot patrol in the Panjwai district. He had stepped out of his vehicle and was walking in the village of Nakhonay, 15 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city, when the bomb exploded.
Sapper Collier was born in Toronto and grew up in Bradford, a small town in the northern reaches of the Greater Toronto Area.
He shipped out in early May for his first tour of duty in Afghanistan.
“Any Canadian who could have seen Brian in action would have been proud of him and proud of our country for the work being done with and for Afghans,” said Brigadier-General Jonathan Vance, the commander of Task Force Kandahar. “Previously injured in a separate IED strike, Sapper Collier fought hard to overcome his injury in order to get back to doing his job with his comrades.”
He said the young soldier was a car enthusiast with an easy-going personality and a good sense of humour.
Based at CFB Edmonton, he was a member of 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. In Afghanistan, he was posted to the 1st Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group.
Tyler Paul, who went to Bradford District High School with Sapper Collier, remembered him as an athletic student who played hockey and liked to socialize.
“He was a popular guy, he knew everyone in the school,” the former school friend recalled. “His personality was kind of infectious.”
Mr. Paul recalled Sapper Collier once telling another student that, if he was picked on, he would defend him.
“He was a protector of people and that’s what he did in Afghanistan,” he said.
Reached at their home in Bradford, his family declined to speak with the media.
He is the second member of his regiment killed in Afghanistan this year. On June 6, Sergeant Martin Goudreault, a veteran of three tours of duty in the country, was killed by an IED while on foot patrol in Nakhonay.
At the time, Sapper Collier memorialized his colleague on his Facebook page: “R.I.P. Sgt. Goudreault, you were a damn good soldier and an awesome section commander,” he wrote. “Have a safe trip home and watch over us as we complete the rest of our mission in this unforgiving land.”
During his deployment in Afghanistan, Sapper Collier kept in touch with friends through his frequently updated Facebook profile. Photos on the account show him patrolling villages, posing with Afghan children and playing with a German shepherd.
In a post about his birthday earlier this month, he joked that the “surprise” he received on his birthday was getting shot at by the Taliban. In others, he discussed the rigours of life in Afghanistan, including sandstorms and intense heat.
“Already sweating at 5 a.m. … sweet,” he wrote on May 8, in his first post after arriving in the country.
In a statement, Defence Minister Peter MacKay offered his condolences to the soldier’s family and friends.
“Sapper Brian Collier was a remarkable Canadian and a dedicated soldier. He made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and has earned the recognition and the respect of us all,” he said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper praised both the young man and his fellow soldiers.
“The bravery and remarkable commitment of Canadians like Sapper Collier are bringing safety and stability to the people of Afghanistan,” he said in a statement. “Sapper Collier’s sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
Brig.-Gen. Vance said Canadian troops are determined to push on with their mission to clear the region of insurgents.
“Canadian soldiers are in a constant struggle with insurgents in places like Nakhonay and elsewhere in the Panjwai district,” he said. “We are working so diligently in the Panjwai district so that we can bring about the sort of positive changes that have resulted from our operations over the past year in neighbouring Dand district. We seek to do the same in Panjwai over the next year.”
Representatives for the Department of National Defence had no details on the arrangements for the return of Sapper Collier’s body to Canada, but said they would be announced soon.
Since Canada’s mission in Afghanistan began in 2002, 151 Canadian soldiers have been killed in the country, along with diplomat Glyn Berry and reporter Michelle Lang. Ninety-two of those soldiers were killed by IEDs.
The most recent deaths before Sapper Collier’s were Master Corporal Kristal Giesbrecht, 34, and Private Andrew Miller, 21, both medics, whose vehicle drove over an IED on June 26.
With a report from The Canadian Press
Filed under News and Politics
♫ FACES, STAY WITH ME (Fun! ;-) :-D)
Filed under Music
♫ THE GRASSROOTS, LIVE FOR TODAY (Golden Oldie! ♫)
Click on first line to view. Great song AND video! 
Quote
YouTube – The Grass Roots – Let’s Live For Today
…LET’S LIVE FOR TODAY…The Grass Roots are a U.S. rock band that charted between 1966 and 1975 as the brainchild of songwriting duo P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri.In their career, The Grass Roots achieved one platinum album, two gold albums, one gold single and charted singles a total of 21 times. Between 1967 and 1972, The Grass Roots set…
Filed under Music
▐♫ SANTANA & WINWOOD, TORONTO, (More Accurate Review!)
Steve Winwood and Carlos Santana sock it to Toronto!
Monday, 12 July 2010 16:02
Written by bambai ka babu
On July 11, 2010 at the Molson amphitheatre in Toronto, fans were treated to a mind blowing double bill experience as master musicians Steve Winwood and Carlos Santana gave Toronto a lot of good lovin’ and plenty of jingo.
The evening started off with a one hour show by Steve playing some of his favourite songs getting the crowd into the mood. He ended his set with “Higher Love”, then “Dear Mr. Fantasy” and culminating in a high energy rendition of “Gimme some lovin’ “from his early days with the Spenser Davis group.
Then came on living granddaddy legend Carlos Santana opening up with “Maria , Maria” and about 20-25 minutes into the show, his drummer and bass guitarist slammed into a mind-blasting duet that sent the audience into ecstasy with the bassist streaming out after about 5 minutes, leaving the drummer to continue his pounding solo! This was as tremendous as it gets!
Carlos, el hombre de la guitarra, came back on, sporting his Woodstock t-shirt, and wowed everybody with some real kick ass fingerwork on his guitar. He played many of his well known songs riding right through ‘Black Magic Woman’, ‘Jingo’, ‘Oye Como Va’, ‘Vamonos Guajira’, ‘Evil Ways’ plus many more and sending the crowd even higher with his own heart and soul rendition of Cream’s classic ‘Sunshine of Your Love’. During the show he even introduced the crowd to his future wife to whom he had proposed to just the day before. In the backdrop, on the screen, one could catch images from his early days at Woodstock, on through his collaboration with the Mahavishnu Orchestra (John Mclaughlin, who was part of Shakti with Zakir Hussain) and onto the present. He also requested the crowd to ask President Obama to end the war in Afghanistan and to legalize marijuana for the better good of everyone (he stressed it was not for him, as he had been high since Woodstock!), prompting hoots of approval from the crowd.
Yes sir, on that fateful evening, the totally engrossed audience was sent to nirvana!
Check out some great videos from the show:
Santana- Black Magic Woman, Toronto live!-11
Filed under Entertainment, Music
SANTANA & STEVE WINWOOD CONCERT REVIEW (Toronto, July 11)
Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto, July 11, 2010 By JASON MacNEIL, special to QMI Agency |
3.5 Stars It’s been more than a decade since Carlos Santana released his uber-selling and Grammy-winning album ‘Supernatural.’ And while he’s managed to carve a niche with each subsequent studio effort having several guest artists, it’s the man himself who stirs a very hip-shaking, Latin-saturated brand of rock. Such was the case Sunday night at Toronto’s Molson Canadian Amphitheatre before a sizable crowd that didn’t quite go gaga over him compared to his ‘Supernatural’ high. Yet seeing how the guitarist, 62, says he’s still high from three days at Woodstock, it didn’t really matter. Dubbed the Universal Tone tour, Santana and his seasoned 10-piece band featuring horns, keyboards and percussions were passionate throughout despite the majority of fans preferring to dance while on their derrieres. Beginning the nearly two-hour show with ‘(Da Le) Yaleo’ – an enticing Latin party-starter – Santana told the crowd how this night felt different from previous gigs here “in an uplifting way.” And it was that theme of love which was consistent throughout, even perhaps at the cost of a song when Santana rambled on following the solid ‘Oye Como Va.’ However, considering he just proposed to girlfriend Cindy Blackman over the weekend, it’s understandable how the subject was definitely on his mind. Santana even brought out Blackman and kissed her. Thankfully, Santana let his fingers do the talking most of the night, whether it was on the infectious ‘Foo Foo’ that had singers Tony Lindsay and Andy Vargas briefly getting the crowd to its feet or the equally strong ‘Maria Maria.’
Part of what works for Santana though is his way of steering the musical ship, routinely letting his band shine on solos but then lending a hand in his own unique way. Such was the case following ‘Corazon Espinado,’ which had percussionist Raul Rekow show his chops (and bandaged fingers) before drummer Dennis Chambers did part one of his solo, toweled off while working his drum pedals and then wrapped things up frantically. As for his own guitar solos, Santana was front and centre during ‘Jingo’ as images of African sunsets and dancing was displayed on the video backdrop. But he saved his best for ‘Black Magic Woman,’ which segued into ‘Gypsy Queen’ and especially for a cover of Cream’s ‘Sunshine Of Your Love,’ putting his own spin on Eric Clapton’s signature riffs. If the whole vibe of peace and love wasn’t apparent by the time ‘Smooth’ was performed, Santana’s sweaty “Woodstock Festival” t-shirt gave way to video from his legendary 1969 set while he performed the encore. Opening for Santana was Steve Winwood, someone who has found his own niche as a stellar special guest on recent tours by Tom Petty and Eric Clapton. Winwood’s soulful pipes were fantastic as he weaved his way through ‘Higher Love,’ ‘Dear Mr. Fantasy’ and ‘Gimme Some Lovin’ among others for over an hour.
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Filed under Entertainment, Music
▐ ♫ HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY, RINGO STARR! (How old do YOU feel now, LOL?)
Ringo Starr (AP)
NEW YORK (CBS) Ringo Starr turns 70 on Wednesday, and he doesn’t want any presents.
Instead, the famous Beatles drummer is making it clear, via his website, that the ideal gift to him would be for everyone to throw up a "peace" sign with their fingers and say aloud, "Peace and Love" right at 12 p.m. on his birthday.
Starr first started this tradition when he was in Chicago back in 2008 and hopes to make it an annual ritual.
Joining The Beatles in 1962, Starr gained worldwide fame as the group’s replacement drummer. He has lent his signature voice to megahits like "Yellow Submarine," "Octupus’s Garden" and "With a Little Help from My Friends."
Starr will also celebrate the big milestone by performing two shows in New York on Wednesday. In the morning, he will perform at a private event at the Hard Rock Cafe in Time Square and will later perform a concert with his All Starr Band at Radio City Music Hall.
Filed under Entertainment, Music
▐ CANADA: DOING SOMETHING RIGHT (Proud to be Canadian!)
Doing something right
Despite views that Canada’s prestige has dimmed, it has never been as bright
By PETER WORTHINGTON, QMI Agency
As Canada marks its 143rd birthday in the first decade of the 21st century, is the country headed in the right direction?
It’s a question asked, in different ways, on virtually every anniversary since Confederation in 1867 when we shed our initial designation as part of “New France” and emerged a dominion.
A century ago, Canada’s population was around 7 million, Toronto’s population was about 300,000 and Montreal’s 400,000. The Boer war was still fresh in minds (242 Canadians killed), and the Great War was four years ahead, with no hint of its cost in lives (some 66,000 Canadians killed).
When one looks at what Canada was, and what Canada is today, the changes have been enormous. And change seems to be speeding up.
What we are today is largely because of Pierre Trudeau, our 15th prime minister (1968-79) and 17th PM (1980-84), who imposed a written constitution on the country, gave us the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and changed us from a bi-bi country (bilingual and bicultural) into a multicultural country that is officially bilingual. Positive or negative, we are stuck with it. It’s just the way it is.
Arguably, Canada has become one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, and certainly a country where various cultures get on reasonably well. We remain more a mosaic country than a blending of cultures as in the U.S.
But where are we headed in this 21st century — right direction or wrong?
It’s an academic question, because the path is unknown, unexplored.
What can be said is that despite all our domestic bickering and differences, we are doing something right. Among the big changes since the Second World War is the influx of citizens from the rest of the world. There are growing pains, as some more than others are reluctant to shed past customs and adopt Canadian traditions.
It was mostly Europeans — East and West — who made Canada what it was during most of the 20th century. Today, we belong to the world. And that takes some adjusting.
The world faces tough social and economic times, but the way ahead for Canada looks brighter than for most countries. Credit must go to our cautious approach to change — and our banking system which, is among the world’s steadiest and most responsible. For that, we should be eternally thankful, even while we grumble at rising service charges from banks.
Despite the views of some that Canada’s prestige declines, reality is that it has never been so high. Our small, oft-deprived military has regained the stature that had been eroded since the end of the Second World War and Korea. UN peacekeeping has evolved into peacemaking, and our soldiers are an example for others.
Where Canada lags is in the political fixation that we must protect our cultural identity. That’s a hangover from the past. We don’t need the protections we once felt were important else the Americans would smother us with their aggressive cultural dynamism. We can hold our own, if given the chance.
Yes, we still are encumbered with elites and the CBC fretting about our cultural identity, but “ordinary” Canadians have few doubts about who and what we are.
We have more confidence in ourselves than do many of those who have access to the microphone or who have political clout.
We worry needlessly and foolishly about how others will view us — witness the recent G20 summit in Toronto that was a magnet for demonstrators, among whom were a few criminals who vandalized, looted and did damage. They made Canadians angry more than fearful.
If the 21st century doesn’t exactly belong to Canada (to paraphrase what Laurier is alleged to have said at the beginning of the last century), it’s fair for say that Canada belongs to the world in this century.
Whatever we think of ourselves, the world thinks kindly about us.
According to the UN, Canada repeatedly wins as one of the world’s best places to live.
More significantly, Canada is a top choice for refugees and immigrants from all over the world — and these are people who cannot afford to make mistakes.
So are we on the right path for the future? Yes, but only if we keep our national common sense and recognize that the greatest enemy of the 21st century is international terrorism, and if we have the resolve to oppose those who would make our country unsafe for whoever wants to live in security, peace and prosperity.
Filed under News and Politics
