On The DEWLine

Weather News: Jet Stream is AWOL

2010-01-07T13:15:01Z

Calling seanhtaylor, hamnerartist and hawkward:

Word from matociquala: Apparently, the jetstream's decamped to Greenland/Kalaalit Nunaat for the winter.

Hoping you're all safe and sound at the moment...?

Two bits of good news: Books, Planes and Comics

2010-01-07T13:02:30Z

At least I hope it's all good news.

Yesterday or the day before, I spoke of an apparent ban on books, magazines and newspapers by Transport Canada.

Seems they've since backed off. (The link ties to the updated edition of the original posting at the National Post's literary weblog, the Afterword.)

Next item is what I trust to be better news for a continuity hound like myself amongst the comics fandom: Who's Who in the DCU is back as of May. And Bob Greenberger's part of the team on that.

So...a hopeful start to this day.

WTH: Books and Airplanes

2010-01-05T23:44:48Z

I do not normally truck with the content of the National Post, but in this instance, I might well make an exception for the sake of our dignity as humans and my own petty career ambitions as both writer and illustrator.

Read on and react as you will.

Kepler's First Five Finds!

2010-01-05T01:15:48Z

Go.

Read.

Now.

http://kepler.nasa.gov/news/nasakeplernews/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=16

http://kepler.nasa.gov/Mission/tableofdiscoveries/

Cars? Me?

2010-01-03T17:42:37Z

Blame/praise fajrdrako for this: she succumbed to the LJ Writers Block meme, after all.

So...if I were inclined to finally go get my driver's license, what kind of car would I prefer to drive above all others?

Probably a Smart ForTwo or a Prius if I could possibly afford such a beast. Unless something closer to ecologically sound with similar or better performance levels were to hit the market by the time I was able to decide upon the subject.

Shoe leather and buses and the occasional train still manage to meet most of my travel support needs, though.

Well...one less good thing. But.

2010-01-03T00:40:46Z

The comics project I vaguely referred to on 24 December?

I'm afraid it fell through.

Not saying what it was, how it happened, who's involved. Because I want to see the people who hoped to bring me aboard succeed at what they're making.

So that's it. Back to what I've been doing.

Wish me luck.

Greetings of the New Gregorian to You All...

2010-01-01T14:35:49Z

...as well as specific greetings on particular milestones to two of you in particular.

To itsokimasenator, I wish you many happy returns of your Day!

To staylor104 and Lisa on your wedding anniversary, may you both enjoy this Day as well for many, many years to come!

A good way to close out the year...

2009-12-31T21:40:47Z

...and start a new one with what I hope will be a helpful idea:

http://spacingottawa.ca/2009/12/31/orleans-town-centre-cinema-a-possible-future/

New Week, New Movie

2009-12-29T13:25:26Z

Okay, you've got spacingottawa.ca bookmarked or RSS-subscribed now?

Good. Moving on...

Yesterday, more day-job hunting, basement-cleaning, general networking and skills-practice time in the morning. In the afternoon, I took up the invitation of another OSFS member to go see Sherlock Holmes - the new edition with Downey and Law as Holmes and Watson - at the Rideau Centre. It was a fun two-hour stretch, both for the effort to take the Holmes canon and crossbreed it with what the writers, Mr. Ritchie and co. considered some of the better elements of the Indiana Jones and 007 franchises. Also, it looks like they decided to try their own approach to filling in a gap in the canon while they were about all those other chores. (Anything further on that point will constitute spoilers for those who haven't already seen the film.)

It worked well enough.

In the ecological good news category...

2009-12-25T18:56:37Z

Summerside, PEI - a town I visited two summers ago - has got a wind farm going now.

Looks promising, judging by this CBC News item!

One more gift of the Season to the world at large...

On the morning of the Day...

2009-12-25T15:43:08Z

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...

Season's Greetings - the 2009 Edition

2009-12-24T22:14:18Z

It seems as if this edition of the Season is determined to make itself as comfortable - perhaps even joyful at times - as it possibly can for me.

There's two items of good news in particular. One I can probably blab about right now with no harm. The second is something I'll have to be vague about until the particulars are nailed down.

The former: Effective next week, I'll be a contributing blogger on spacingottawa.ca, a blog devoted to urban infrastructure, culture, and other related issues facing the Ottawa-Gatineau region. My first contribution is expected to go live there sometime next week.

The latter...involves comics work. More as I'm able to share. Sorry, but I do not want to jinx this thing.

In the meantime...best of the Season to you all.

See you later...

Hey, chipzdarsky!

2009-12-22T03:45:03Z

Hoping your Day was a good one!

Linkage on Canadian Media and Politics

2009-12-19T15:28:17Z

Some of you may recall Justin as a founder of the original publicbroadcasting.ca and the organizer of nxew.ca. If you didn't know, he's got a new blog and here's the feed on LJ for it:

justinbeach

A question on bio-comics

2009-12-17T00:59:59Z

Strictly as a hypothetical:

Would anyone be interested in buying a bio-comic about Edward R. Murrow?

The latest press release from Bluewater Comics about an upcoming installment in their "Female Force" series devoted to Barbara Walters got me thinking about the man again. You may recall my endorsement of the movie Good Night and Good Luck a few years back, dealing with Murrow as well. The idea's been preying on my mind awhile.

About HAMMER?

2009-12-15T13:42:30Z

You may recall that since Secret Invasion, the Marvel-616 version of the USA has been going it alone, forcing the breakup of SHIELD and creating its own wholly-owned version of that venerable cloak-and-laser outfit called HAMMER, led by Norman "Uniroyal Head" Osborn. Up to now, Marvel's had no answer to the question of "what does the HAMMER acronym stand for?"

I may have an answer, recently cobbled together by imagination...

Homeland Agency for Metahuman Management and Emergency Response

Marvel is, of course, free to use or ignore this as they wish. HAMMER's their trademark, after all, as SHIELD also is.

What do you think, though? While we're waiting for their press release...?

Keeping One Eye on København

2009-12-13T23:04:28Z

Seeing as everyone else who gives a damn one way or the other on the summit therein this week, I thought I'd throw my two cents in with those who don't want my nation's federal government to act as the Alberta oil industry's "firewall"...particularly where climate derangement's concerned.

Birthday Shout-Out

2009-12-13T18:04:29Z

To tammy212 and to matociquala's "Giant Ridiculous Dog", specifically! May your Day of Days be the best it can for the both of yez!

Obama at the Nobel Ceremonies

2009-12-10T21:34:03Z

Go read this.

Please.

On the recent LJ glitches?

2009-12-10T01:24:26Z

I must admit to some small confusion over receiving several notifications of replies to my postings and comments twice over during the last day or so. If it weren't for the complaints of those about not receiving any such notices from their accounts at all over the same period, I'd likely be even more confused.

Oh well. Technology, huh? Human inventions, human frailties.

Some notes of the day: Weather, Anniversaries and a Birthday

2009-12-09T20:39:08Z

First off, I am not happy with the weather today. It would have been convenient had the snowfall happened overnight rather than during the day. But the Appropriate Forces are not bound by the need to provide convenience for we mortal souls, are they?

Didn't think so.

Second, I've been reminded that this is the first anniversary of the launch of the OC Transpo Drivers' Strike of 2008-'09. That night, I remember my last trip home on the bus before the strife took hold: I was on my way home from Saint Brigid's after seeing Gwynne Dyer hold forth on topics covered in Climate Wars. To say that it threw a monkey wrench into all aspects of my life would not be an exaggeration. Shopping, job-hunting, networking with friends and relatives, the whole works.

It was not fun. No.

May we never, ever suffer a repeat of that mess, people.

Third, to alexjay? Hoping you're having a good one today, with many, happier returns to come in the future!

Back to you!

Happy-News Notes

2009-12-07T18:00:16Z

Noticed a couple of pieces of good news...

gumprich and querldox both have birthdays today, and I'm hoping that this year's installment has been good to the both of them!

On the job front, steve_roby landed one that he's comfy with! Hoping it lasts a good long while for you!

More notes to follow on other stuff...

And before I forget...whoever sent that v-snowflake? Thank you!

Another exercise in map design

2009-12-06T19:14:07Z

Seeing as strangemaps is on my friendlist feed, and alasdair was speaking of how and why he valued maps, it seemed a good moment to post this particular work in progress and training exercise...

From Mythical Maps

Speaking of friends...

2009-12-03T02:06:11Z

elaynetoo, I hope you had a good day today!

My Ashcan Samplers

2009-12-02T18:48:12Z

My Ashcan Samplers
Originally uploaded by dwight_ew

The 2008 and 2009 editions, now on sale at Canteen Books on Dalhousie Street, Ottawa!

Other locations to follow as they're negotiated, so keep your eyes open!