Podcast – John Ralson Saul

Posted on December 17, 2009 by bigsnit

“We start to accept that ridiculous language in which citizens are referred to by politicians and administrators as clients.

We’re not clients of government.

We own the government, it’s our government.

There isn’t a single thing of government which we don’t own, how could we be clients ?

And we aren’t buying shoes, we’re talking about the rights of citizens within their own society.

We’re not stakeholders, we’re citizens.”

- John Ralston Saul, speaking at the PLAN 20th Anniversary evening at Christ’s Church Cathedral in Vancouver, November 20, 2009.

John Ralston Saul is an award winning novelist and essayist, and one of Canada’s most outspoken champions of freedom of expression.

His most recent book is called The Collapse of Globalism and the Reinvention of the World. It’s just the latest in a series of best selling works that have been translated into 22 languages and sold in over 30 countries. Earlier this year he become the first Canadian to elected president of International PEN, the association of writers devoted to defending freedom of expression.

John is also the patron of PLAN (Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network), and he was the featured guest speaker at PLAN’s recent 20th Anniversary celebration in Vancouver.

I was asked to record the evening, and you now can hear the John’s keynote on the Tyze.com website, or listen to it here.

A Simple Little Photo Gallery

Posted on December 14, 2009 by bigsnit

For ages now I’ve been meaning to set up a simple web site to display photographs.

Last year I used a WordPress template to create this mostly photo site for my sailboat Madsu.

This time, I wanted something super simple.

I’ve been using Slide Show Pro for a while now. It’s real strength comes when you combine it with Slide Show Pro Director, which is a content management system. I use it on the main page of this blog, but also for client sites where I need a rotating banner that’s going to get changed often. Adding new images to the slide show is simply a matter of uploading them to the CMS, and nothing needs to be changed on the website itself.

For this little gallery called I Love North Shore, I’m also using the Thumbgrid for navigation.

Twitter Phishing Site

Posted on November 28, 2009 by bigsnit

The newest phishing scam showed up today – maybe it’s been around a while?

First you get the Direct Message – this one forwarded to my email:

The link in the DM/email takes you to a site that is a perfect replica of the (old) Twitter logon screen.

But wait.

ALWAYS check the URL before you type in your username/password.

They even bothered to include the Twitter favicon, but the url is…

And here’s who owns THAT URL, via a public Whois search…

Registrant Contact:
   jiang wen bin
   jiang wen bin jiang wen bin lixing688@gmail.com
   +86.0517757813719 fax: +86.0517757813719
   jin hua chang jiang lu 125 hao5zhuang 603
   jin hua ZJ 345634
   CN

Administrative Contact:
   jiang jiang lixing688@gmail.com
   +86.02163883527 fax: +86.02163883527
   jinghua Changjiang east street 1255603
   jing hua SH 345634
   CN

Technical Contact:
   jiang wen bin jiang wen bin lixing688@gmail.com
   +86.0517757813719 fax: +86.0517757813719
   jin hua chang jiang lu 125 hao5zhuang 603
   jin hua ZJ 345634
   CN

Billing Contact:
   jiang wen bin jiang wen bin lixing688@gmail.com
   +86.0517757813719 fax: +86.0517757813719
   jin hua chang jiang lu 125 hao5zhuang 603
   jin hua ZJ 345634
   CN

DNS:
ns1.4everdns.com
ns2.4everdns.com

Q Revelation

Posted on November 26, 2009 by bigsnit

Listening to that Q show this morning on the kitchen radio, it finally dawned on me.

It’s The Radio Show with Jack Farr, revisited for 2009.

Guests being hyped this week in include Howie Mandel and Anne Murray, peppered with indie Canadian bands and pop culture ‘stars’ from the US.

It sounds like every story meeting at Jack Farr’s The Radio Show in 1982, right down to David Suzuki (who was Jack’s bemused guest more than a few times).

This might not be that surprising, considering that the Q guy was a guest on the The Radio Show back then, when he, that Q guy, was touring with Moxy Fruvous (insert your own umlauts at will).

I think I know what happened. While he was busy photocopying band bios on the CBC’s Xerox, he must have stolen all our secrets.

Bastard.

The only difference is that in those days, Executive Producer Jim Millican insisted all items be short – like 3-and-a-half to 5 minutes maximum.

Which is about as long as that Q guy’s guest intros.

There were a lot of things wrong with the mid 1980′s.

Almost all of them are encapsulated in this photo.

Yours truly, CBC Winnipeg Open House – circa 1984

Trucks, Dogs and Hair

Posted on November 25, 2009 by bigsnit

A friend asked if I could help out by scanning in some of her family’s old slides – the output will be a DVD slide show for her siblings.

Since I’ve got the slide scanner out, I figured I’d do a few of my old negs, and I’m having way too much fun.

70′s Hair.

It’s the real thing – 1979, San Francisco

On that same trip, I spent tons of time hanging around the working docks at Fisherman’s Wharf.

It was a precursor (I guess) to what I’d end up doing when I finally moved to Vancouver. In any event, loved this boat.

As if the dogs aren’t enough to bring joy to your heart, check out that funky clock on the bulkhead.

All Dogs on Deck

One page later in the negatives binder, and we’re back in Manitoba. Home of the mighty…

Fargo Anywhere Truck

My late-ex-father-in-law Neil (that’s my ex-wife’s late dad if you’re trying to figure it out) gave me this old Fargo truck.

He worked for Trans-Canada Pipelines, and this truck worked the line for years before he bought it, drove it into the ground, then gave it to me. When I drove it the 90 miles from his house to mine, it went through 2 quarts of oil. I know his neighbours were happy to see it go.

My dad rebuilt the motor and did his best to weld the body back into shape. I drove this thing everywhere and anywhere in Manitoba in the early 80′s, including to my job as the morning show host on CKWG-FM in Winnipeg – “Ouimet in the Morning”.

This is near Falcon Lake, Manitoba.

Podcast with Peter Block and John McKnight

Posted on November 22, 2009 by bigsnit

I recently had the opportunity to interview John McKnight and Peter Block – the first time these two men have been interviewed together.

The interview was done for Tyze.com and PLAN Institute for Caring Citizenship, and was released this week as part of the newly revamped Tyze website, which also features video content I created for Tzye.com

These two men are known around the world for their work in community development and citizenship empowerment. Having the opportunity to meet with them was extra exciting for me. When I was first started out as a consultant, Peter Block’s book Flawless Consulting was in invaluable resource – and I return to it when I’m finding challenges in my work.

Here’s the podcast created for Tyze.

John McKnight’s landmark books on community development include Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s Assets, and his series of articles collected in The Careless Society. He’s a professor of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University in Chicago, and co-chair of the Asset-Based Community Development Institute at Northwestern.

Peter Block is best known for his book Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used, and is the author of number of other best selling books including Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest and The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work.

Peter’s most recent book Belonging: The Structure of Community, has been called “the most important intergenerational book of our time”.

Runs 19:05

For more on John McKnight’s work, visit the Asset-Based Community Development Institute website. You can also read more about his work on the Northwestern University website.

You can find out more about Peter Block’s work on his website.

New Podcast Series – BrainPicker

Posted on November 4, 2009 by bigsnit

BrianPicker is a new podcast series I’ve started.

The idea is simple: interviews with people who’s brains are worth picking, sparked by something they’ve Tweeted or posted on Facebook or other social networking site. It isn’t brain surgery, just a quick chat with someone who’s fun and interesting.

Hear episode #1 now – featuring Vancouver actor and director Jay Brazeau.

Perfect Gift for Your Scuba Diving Friend(s)

Posted on October 27, 2009 by bigsnit

Here’s the deal:

I’ve been doing some work with Sea Dragon Charters over the last few months, and I’ve got a limited number of gift certificates available for scuba dive trips in Howe Sound.

If there’s someone in your circle of family or friends who dives, this is a perfect gift.

Each gift certificate is for 1 person/2 dives aboard Sea Dragon, and includes filling their tank after the 1st dive so they don’t need to bring (or rent) 2 tanks.
Each dive trip is customized to the experience of the divers, and the location(s) in Howe Sound are determined on the dive day.

Each gift certificate is $ 99.00 Canadian. You save on all taxes.

Buy in packets of 2 and save an additional 25%
That’s a 2 pack for $148.50

You don’t have to commit to a date, the recipient can book their dive at a date that’s convenient for them, based on availability on that date. Gift certificates must be used before August 31, 2010. Divers need to bring (or rent) their own equipment as the dive charter does not include scuba dive gear.

You’ll get a personalized gift certificate, custom printed with the name of the recipient(s).

email me if you’re interested info@bigsnit.com

And you can read more about The Sea Dragon on their website.

-Robert Ouimet

Things You Figured Were True, Are.

Posted on October 14, 2009 by bigsnit

20091014_surprise

Sometimes a news story just jumps out at you as being so obvious that it’s hard to believe someone’s actually doing a story about it.

Two today from CBC.CA.

First story. It’s only surprising it’s taken this long for someone to turn up evidence that big tobacco knew ages ago that cigs are bad for you…

Imperial Tobacco Canada destroyed up to 60 early studies that linked cigarettes to addiction and carcinogens, according to a review published Wednesday in the online Canadian Medical Association Journal. (full story here)

Perhaps not surprisingly, Imperial Tobacco makes no mention of this on their web site, but proudly proclaims this:

We’re an international tobacco company focused on creating value for our shareholders.

Imperial Tobacco products are available in over 160 countries worldwide. Our geographic diversity and versatile multi-product portfolio provides business resilience and a strong platform for future growth.

Future growth ! Shareholder value !

Well guess what ? All the future growth and shareholder value is based on a product that will kill you.

My sister, a 2 pack a day smoker, died of lung cancer in her early 40′s. I was with her when she died.

Not a lot of future growth there, fellas.

Second story.

It’s surprising someone gave university researchers a $150,000 car to do this study, proving that fast cars and testosterone are linked.

Well, duh.

Researchers at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business in Montreal took 39 willing young men and let them take a cruise in a $150,000 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet.

The men were then asked to drive a 16-year-old Toyota Camry. (full story here)

According to the lead researcher, “just put a guy in a Porsche, and his testosterone levels shoot up”.

Well, duh again.

But hang on here.

Every time I get in our Toyota Yaris, I most definitely have a little testosterone thing going on. Fully loaded, the Yaris clocks in at under 20-grand and even used to get a gas-miser rebate from the feds.

Maybe the John Molson School of Business should come out here and do a little study on us West Coast Men.

The North Shore’s Edible Garden Advocate

Posted on October 1, 2009 by bigsnit

Heather Johnstone runs the Edible Garden Project on Vancouver’s North Shore.

Just wrapping up its 4th year, the the project encourages residents to share their bounty with people in need, as well as putting together a variety of urban agriculture and community garden projects.

This week, Heather and team opened the Queen Mary Community Garden, located in the City of North Vancouver. Those of you who aren’t from the North Shore may not be aware that there is both City of North Vancouver, and a District of North Vancouver. Heather’s project involves both municipalities.

I spoke to Heather about the project and where things are going with urban agriculture on the North Shore. We met up at the Lower Lonsdale Community Garden…

Runs: 11:01

Newlyweds and Dill Pickles

Posted on September 17, 2009 by bigsnit

The Lower Mainland called in the big guns today – Sunshine.

After yesterday’s winter-like-but-not-yet-winter-rain-here-to-remind-you-what’s-coming rain, it was sensational to soak up the sun today.

I had wonderful session with my RMT at Complement in the West Van Rec centre. I’ve been seeing her for a couple of years now, and today was one of those magic sessions where I left feeling like a different person. Nice.

My newly-married-sister-in-law and her new husband are returning from leg 2 of their honeymoon in Quebec City, so thoughts of heading out on the boat to chase the sunshine for a couple of hours, had to be put on hold. They’re here overnight then head back to Portland Oregon, having now spent more of their married time in Canada than in their home country, the grand old USA. Ha!

With a small early afternoon window, I decided to do up some dill pickles. I’ve got a seemingly endless supply of fresh organic cucumbers in my garden. I love an old fashioned garlic dill pickle, and found what looks like a promising recipe/post called Dillicious! Homemade Dill Pickle Recipe the Mennonite Way.

The thing is, I’m trying this recipe with a bunch of lemon cucumbers, and a couple of Suyo Long variety – not exactly dill material, but what the heck.

I love the smell in the house – that’s awesome combination of vinegar and pickling spices that reminds me of when I was a kid, watching my aunt Simone in the kitchen. I spent most of my summers hanging out at her house with my cousins. She somehow always managed to do wonders in the kitchen while holding a cigarette in one hand and a Black Label beer in the other.

There always seemed to be an endless supply of chips and pop, which we’d get after helping her in the garden. We’d pull fresh corn and peas for dinner, then shell what seemed like bushels of peas (for freezing) while sitting in the living room watching daytime TV. I can’t eat fresh peas from the garden without being reminded of The Price is Right, The Dating Game and the Newlywed Game.

Hmm. That gives me an idea. Maybe tonight over dinner with my sister-in-law, I’ll have to give them a Newlywed Game quiz.

I know, when we open up one of these pretty little jars of dills later this winter, that the memory of my aunt Simone will be right there as well.

Bigsnit Blog

by Robert Ouimet

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Podcast – John Ralson Saul

“We start to accept that ridiculous language in which citizens are referred to by politicians and administrators as clients.

We’re not clients of government.

We own the government, it’s our government.

There isn’t a single thing of government which we don’t own, how could we be clients ?

And we aren’t buying shoes, we’re talking about the rights of citizens within their own society.

We’re not stakeholders, we’re citizens.”