Monthly Archives: March 2007
Surreal weekend: eggs, wind and dogs
Last weekend we spent a surreal weekend in Cadaqués. This is up the coast from Barcelona an hour-and-a-bit, and features the spectacular rocky landscape of Cap de Creus, which is the easternmost point of the Iberian peninsula. Why surreal? Well, … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Travel
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Quebec politics on a new tack — Minority Report
Well, the election results are in from Quebec’s provincial election last night. And what a change! We have our first minority government in 130 years…and what a miscalculation by Jean Charest, the Liberal leader (who just squeaked through in his … Continue reading
Posted in Canada, Montreal
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Shocking new research
Wow, imagine that…a new study has shown that exercise may be key to helping reduce childhood obesity. Even just 15 minutes per day helps. I know it sounds ridiculous, totally counter-intuitive, but apparently it’s true! This is ground-breaking stuff. Okay, … Continue reading
Posted in Just...life!
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Intelligent controversies…
…or controviersial intelligences? This Sunday (at 8pm), the CBC will host a “nation-wide intelligence test” called Test the Nation. They will pit various groups (surgeons, fitness instructors, tattoo artists, millionaires, DJs, etc.) against each other. And against you! You can … Continue reading
Posted in Canada, Just...life!
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Viewer mail… Barcelona, guitars, flamenco
This is the first time I’ve responded to a “viewer mail” on the blog. Mind you, it’s practically the first time I’ve received any “viewer mail”… (-; JS (from U.S.A., I’d guess from the email address) writes some nice things … Continue reading
Posted in Music, Spanish, Travel
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What Is the What?
[Side note: Interestingly, ¿El qué? -- which literally translates as "the what?" -- is an expression I hear often in Spanish (perhaps because of the way I speak?). It essentially means, in English, "What?" (or perhaps: "Say whaaaaaat?" ;-) Used … Continue reading
Posted in Books
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Festivalissimo under way
(Aaaargh! I just was writing a lengthy post and for some reason my browser died so I lost the whole thing…so I’m not going to re-write it all, just a quick summary.) I went to a few films at Festivalissimo … Continue reading
Posted in Montreal, Spanish
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Call me Bill…Better Aid Bill
Then call your MP! The Official Development Assistance Accountability Act (aka Bill C-293) is going for a final vote in the House of Commons on March 22. It will help ensure Canadian foreign aid is effective, and is focused on … Continue reading
Posted in Canada
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Zen Poets Society
My Montreal neighbourhood (the Plateau) will host the first ever Zen Poetry Festival, from March 16 to 18. From their site: Poets, translators, story-tellers, scholars, musicians, and Zen monks will come together to explore how Zen embraces a paradoxical relationship … Continue reading
Posted in Montreal, Writing
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Snow, blankets, city…
…three things that define Montreal’s winter, or a news item? Well, today it’s a single news item. We had a shot of freezing rain overnight, and now have received 30cm of snow in the past 12 hours — and it’s … Continue reading
Posted in Montreal, Travel
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