The Squamidian Report – Jan. 3 / 09
Issue #345
Including:
The Ontarion
Hi All,
Well look at that, its next year already. Has been for a couple of days now. Do you ever give that kind of thing any thought? What I mean is, we give names in the form of numbers to our planets orbits. Ever really think about it? The ‘number name’ we give is actually quite arbitrary as far as to when we started goes, this one being ‘2009’ and based on one interpretation of one religion’s idea of when we started down a particular path. But that really doesn’t matter. What is fascinating is that we have been ‘naming’ our planet’s orbit segments around our very own star, which we have also named…. The SUN. We sure like to name things.
Anyway, each year, including this new one being arbitrarily called ‘2009’ is simple one orbit or journey around our star. That is really cool when you thing about it. Here we are, out there in our solar system, third planet out if you’re counting, speeding through space on a circular trip that takes a fairly predictable amount of time. We’ve named each circular trip a ‘year’, and each year for the last couple of thousand of them have been given their very own number as a name. I know, I’m kind of going in circles here with the name thing but its all part of the way we do things.
But think about that year-long journey around the sun. We hang out at about 91-million miles (one astronomical unit) out from the sun. Far enough to enjoy it’s warming and lighting radiations, and yet far enough not to get fried by them although we can thank our ‘shields’ for most of that. You know how in Star Trek the captain always calls for “shields” whenever the Enterprise needs to be protected from some sort of energy weapon, well, our planet, which we’ve named ‘Earth’ has it’s very own home grown shield. We’ve named it ‘the magnetic field’ and it has been with us in various forms and strengths for as long as we’ve had a rotation iron core. And it protects us from the harsher spectrums of our sun’s energy.
So here we are, starting out on a brand new orbital trip around the sun, traveling though space in our little corner of our galaxy. As this orbit called 2009 transpires we will view sections of our galaxy that can only be seen at specific locations on each trip. The night sky will be ever-changing yet ever-familiar. And we can view our ever-changing yet ever-familiar lives and all things related thereto as well. The journey will be spectacular. Just make damn sure that you have a window seat. Happy New Year everybody.
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This year we’ve just finished up, appropriately named 2008, went out on a rather snowy note for most of the country. While the last few days were marked with pouring rain in some parts, the piled up snow will take a while to leave no matter what the weather is doing. The last day or so here saw some rain and showers but one morning a few days ago was highlighted by a nice fresh 10 or 12 inches of snow. We took some pictures just for the fun of it and I’ve posted them at:
http://www.thedougsite.net/F&F/Pictures/House/winter08.htm
doug
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Hello everyone!
Well, here we are into another new year and I’m
wondering just how quickly this one will pass. If it’s anything like 2008 for
speed it’ll be over before we know it! I sure hope it takes a nice leisurely
pace to get through 2009. These quickie years are taking their toll on me! If
they must pass so darned quickly they could at least be “all summer”! LOL!
Adam and I started the New Year off with a visit to
the Toronto Motorcycle Show at the International Centre in Toronto on Friday
and it was a good one for a change. Other years we’ve attended it seemed to be
nothing but black leather clothing and junk in booth after booth. This year at
least they had a good display of very well built custom motorcycles along with
many displays of New bikes for the 2009 year. It was a fun day not expensive at
all as long as we stayed away from the food court! LOL! For two slices of pizza
and two drinks of pop or water it would have cost me about $16.00. Pretty heavy
if you ask me!
We waited until we got home and then the three of us
went out to dinner. Of course that set us back $82.00 for the three of us at
the Mandarin Chinese Buffet so it wasn’t cheap either! At least at the Mandarin
we could pig out until we figured we had our money’s worth! LOL! Luckily we
only do that about twice a year!
I managed to get through the show without buying
anything. I was looking for a Kawasaki tee shirt but they only had them in that
loud LIME GREEN and Black that are the Kawasaki official colours. I hate that
combination and intensely dislike all the logos and patches they have all over
their shirts so I’ll just have to have my own tees made up with Kasasaki
embroidered on them to my taste and design. I’ll have a better chance of
picking up some quality shirts in the spring so I’m going to wait until then to
have them made up.
I received a picture via e-mail from Doug the other
day. It was a shot of him standing in the middle of his street in all that snow
wearing his new BRIGHT Orange winter jacket. He said he wears it when he’s
walking the streets of Squamish so he can be seen by car drivers in all the
snow and darkness they’re having out there this year. Judging by the picture
they’ve got a lot more snow than we have on the ground this year. Makes me ask
“Where’s all that Global Warming they’ve been talking about on the news
lately?”
Looks like a normal winter here in Ontario and the
rest of Canada is not much different either, with the exception of Squamish and
surrounding area! At least Doug is still prepared for such weather while his neighbours
suffer in their skimpy clothing and look upon Doug with great envy when he’s
out tooting around the driveway with his beauty of a TORO snow blower! I bet
they truly are jealous!
Speaking of TORO snow blowers I wonder how Sus is
doing with her new TORO? I hope you’re managing to clear that long long drive
of yours Sus! Did you take delivery of your new blower yet? If so how is it
working? I hope you’re as impressed with it as Doug and I are! By the sounds of
the weather reports we’re hearing from the Maritimes you will be able to make
good use of that new machine this year and for years to come! I hope you and
Peter like the new Toro.
That’s about it for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I look forward to talking
to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report!
Bye for now… Greg.
PS: Something To Think About>
What was your New Years resolution for this coming
year?
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Have a good one..
the doug
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