Playlist for this week

http://www.live365.com/profiles/theeternalkenaz-profile

This is a list of the show titles and episodes uploaded to my OTR station over at live365. Please use the above links over the ones over in the side bar.

Green Valley Line

The Green Valley Line is "the story of a back-country railroad in the early years of the 20th Century". Not much is known about the people or history of the Green Valley Line radio show. It was probably a single radio station production, since it doesn't even have credits. There's a real live quality to the show, since there's mis-reading of dialogue, and skewed inflections, but that's a great deal of the charm with this rarely-heard local show. It has simple, direct dialogue and almost no sound effects except for the great sounds of the trains and some random railroad office sounds such as typewriters and such.

Bill Reed is the hero who is developing the growing Green, using a telegraph and telephone to keep track of train orders and runs. He's managing railroad hands, the trains themselves, managing freight shipments and unfortunately, a gang of operatives who are intent on destroying the growth of the line But his father, Jacob Reed, may be a big business man with a deceitful plan. Seems there's a family quarrel brewing here.

Kerry is Bill's Gal Friday, and together he's trying to manage the mounting problems that come roaring down the tracks on the Green Valley Line. The actress doing Kerry has a sweet, sincere dialogue delivery. Her Pop sounds like a real duffer, but he's a lot smarter than he makes out. He figures out what Bill's up to along the way.

The railroad hands seem to be mainly Irish, judging from their names and brogues. Most enjoyable about this show are the details on railroad equipment and operation that spices nearly every conversation. It's a sure thing that railroad buffs and lovers of regional history of radio will enjoy this adult serial series.

ep 10 - Tradgedy Strikes
ep 11 - Family Matters
ep 12 - Foul Play

X-Minus One

PointOfDeparture - 571017
The discovery of ancient writings,
"The Poseidon Tablets" that contain
formulas for atomic energy and rocket
travel. The script is by Ernest Kinoy.
The cast includes Dean Lymon Olmquist,
Ron Dawson and Jin Stevens. Writer:
Vaughn Shelton

The Coffin Cure - 57-11-21
The discovery of a cure for the common
cold leads to other problems. The
script is by Ernest Kinoy. The cast
includes Raymond Edward Johnson, Joe
Bell, Harvey Hayes and Betty Kane.
Writer: Alan E. Nourse

Shocktroop - 57-11-28
Aliens of microscopic size conquer a
human. The script is by George
Lefferts. The cast includes Bernard
Lenrawl, Edwin Cooper, John Thomas,
and Ralph Camargo. Writer: Daniel
Galouye

CBS - D-Day News - 44-06-06
Crisis on News - D-Day - 44-06-06
Cross Country Reaction To D-Day - News - 44-06-06
D-Day Ship Attack - news - 44-06-06
News - D-Day Kalmer, Quincy Howe - 44-06-07
News - Kate Smith Prayes for Our Troops - 44-06-07

John Coltrane
(September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.

Though he was active before 1955, his prime years were between 1955 and 1967, during which time he reshaped modern jazz and influenced successive generations of other musicians. Coltrane's recording rate was astonishingly prolific, such that many albums did not appear until years after they were recorded.

He is regarded as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians, and one of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century. Along with tenor saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Sonny Rollins and Stan Getz, Coltrane fundamentally altered expectations for the instrument.

Bob's boys - The Prestige Recordings CD 02
Mating call - The Prestige Recordings CD 02
Just you, just me - The Prestige Recordings CD 02
I love you - The Prestige Recordings CD 06

Billy Holliday-Blue Moon
(April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959), also called Lady Day, was an American singer, generally considered one of the greatest jazz voices of all time, alongside Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.

Louis Armstrong part 1 and 2
(July 4, 1900 – July 6, 1971) (also known by the nicknames Satchmo for satchel-mouth and Pops) was an American jazz musician. Armstrong was a charismatic, innovative performer whose musical skills and bright personality transformed jazz from a rough regional dance music into a popular art form. Probably the most famous jazz musician of the 20th century, he first achieved fame as a trumpeter, but toward the end of his career he was best known as a vocalist and was one of the most influential jazz singers.

Tommy Dorsey w/Duke Ellington
w/ Rita Hayworth
at the Hollywood Paladium

(November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was a jazz trombonist and bandleader in the Big Band era.

Thomas Dorsey was born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania and is the younger brother of Jimmy Dorsey.

He worked with many bands in the New York City area starting in the 1920s, including the bands of Rudy Vallee, Vincent Lopez, and Paul Whiteman. With brother Jimmy, he led the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra until they split up (with some acrimony) in 1935. The brothers also appeared as session musicians on many jazz recordings.

Tommy Dorsey formed his own band, which was very successful, scoring 137 Billboard chart hits, including his best-known song, I'm Getting Sentimental Over You (which showcases his phenomenal range, reaching up to the high C #). The band featured trumpeters Bunny Berigan and Charlie Shavers, arranger Sy Oliver, and singers Jo Stafford, Dick Haymes and Frank Sinatra. Sinatra achieved his first great success as a vocalist in the Dorsey band and claimed he learned breath control from watching Dorsey play trombone. Dorsey said his trombone style was heavily influenced by that of Jack Teagarden.

Dorsey married Jane New (1924??- August 24, 2003) in 1948 and she remained his wife until his death. She had been a dancer at the world-renowned Copacabana. After Dorsey's death, Jane obtained the rights to her late husband's band and renamed it The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, which is conducted by Buddy Morrow. Jane Dorsey died of natural causes around the age of 79 in 2003.

In 1956, Tommy Dorsey died at age 51 in his Greenwich, Connecticut home in his sleep, choking on food. Dorsey and his wife Jane New are interred together in Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York. Sinatra released a tribute album to Dorsey in 1961 entitled I Remember Tommy with arranger by Sy Oliver.

Greatest Story Ever Told
The Greatest Story Ever Told is a religious dramatization about the life and times of Christ. It is “the greatest story ever told from the greatest life ever lived,” and includes a 16-voice chorus and full orchestra. The stories chosen were simplistic and popular. It was the first show to star Jesus Christ, and have him as a continuing character. So the directors decided to have Warren Parker play the part of Jesus in anonymity, with no casting credits. They also decided that there were to be no photographs of the performers, no studio audience, and no commercials. Guided by an interdenominational advisory board, this timeless show was very popular in its day.

He That Loseth His Life 52-10-12 224
A Cup Of Cold Water 50-04-30 148
The Tree and the Fruit - 1952-05-04

Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke, on radio from 1952-1961, is perhaps the greatest radio drama of all - not just the best western radio drama. It is a perfect example of all the elements of creative broadcast radio coming together week after week to create a place and time in your mind (Dodge City, mid-1880's or so), populated with living people who you grow to know personally and care about. Chester, Doc, Kitty and Matt Dillon, US Marshal, "the first man they look for, and the last they want to meet." become as real to us as our neighbors. All text on OTRCAT.com are ©2006 OTRCAT INC - All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

The cast featured Parley Baer as Chester, Howard McNear (who went on to be Floyd the Barber on TV's Andy Griffith Show) as Doc, and Georgia Ellis as Kitty, The weekly supporting casts were always well drawn and believable. Producer/director Norm Macdonnell, the creative genius who made the show what it was, always took care that everything sounded just right.

Cheap Labor 56-06-17
The Photographer - 1956.05.06
The Pacifist - 1956.06.03

Duffy's Tavern
Duffy's Tavern was first heard in 1940 and became a regular feature. It was hailed from the start by critics and whole neighborhoods of working-class listeners alike…a duo that doesn't often see eye-to-eye!

Duffy's Tavern was a place on Third Avenue and 23rd St. in New York City, where the "elite meet to eat, Duffy ain't here, Archie the Manager speakin'…" Anyone who loved old time radio probably knows that phone patter by heart! Ed Gardner played Archie, the manager of Duffy's Tavern, and he was as "real" sounding as any character on radio, as he had grown up in the Big Apple. His use and abuse of language was "exempulary" - the same type of local "parlese" that made The Damon Runyan Theater a favorite with New Yorkers everywhere. Gardner was a theatrical veteran, whose wife, Shirley Booth, well-known stage and screen actress, began on the show with him

Audition Show - 1940.07.29
Clifton Fadiman - 1943.06.01
Duffy's tavern - 1940.04.11

Box 13
Alan Ladd plays Dan Holiday, retired newspaper man turned fiction writer and adventurer extraordinaire. To gain ideas for his books, he places an ad in the paper “Adventure wanted – will go anywhere, do anything – Box 13.”

Needless to say, box 13 becomes jammed with adventures galore, from psycho killer letters to birds carrying secret messages beneath their wings.

Suzy (played by Silvia Picker), Holiday’s scattery secretary, adds touches of humor to this mystery-adventure seat-clinching program.

ep 16 - Look Pleasent Please
ep 17 - The Haunted Artist
ep 18 - The Sad Night

Jerry at Fair Oaks
The show follows Jerry Dugan, the orphaned hero, and his adventures away from the circus that he grew up in, at Fair Oaks School. Jerry was raised by his uncle, and owner of the circus, Sam Randall since he was orphaned by the unfortunate deaths of his parents. Come follow Jerry on his jam-packed adventures at Fair Oaks! See also Jerry at the Circus!

ep 10 - Harold Almost Drowns
ep 11 - Runaway Horse Stopped
ep 12 - 25000 Turned Down

Jerry of the Circus
Jerry at the Circus, a 15 minute series for children, was syndicated in 1937. Taking place after the death of his family, the show followed the life and adventures of young Jerry Dugan raised by the circus owner, Sam Randall. In the premiere episode after the death of his father Jerry brings a note from his father saying that Jimmy "has circus in his blood." From then on he and his dog, Rags, were a member of the circus. This series was followed by Jerry at Fair Oaks.

ep 10 - Lorenz and Decker Leave
ep 11 - Both in the Hospital
ep 12 - A Possible Relation

Leatherstocking Tales-The Deerslayer ep 7,8,9

The set of five historical novels known as The Leatherstocking Tales is a complex and adventure-packed trip into the lush and unpredictable wilderness of 18th Century America. The thread which ties the five books together is the life story of a rugged and untamable hunter, Indian fighter and American scout for the British military. Each book of The Leatherstocking Tales showcases a different phase of the myriad struggles to settle and control this vast and resource-rich land.

The Deerslayer takes place on Otsego Lake, the current site of Cooperstown, New York. Set in 1743, long before James Fenimore Cooper's family established the first settlement at the southern end of the lake, the story brings the young hunter, Nathaniel Bumppo, and his Delaware brother, Chingachgook, to the lake to rescue Chingachgook's bride-to-be from a Iroquois war party. They enlist themselves in a bloody battle to protect a family of settlers from the Iroquois, and the resulting scenes are dramatic and suspenseful, as loves and scalps are won and lost.

Diary of Fate
Diary of Fate is a mystery and horror program where “Fate” narrates and always wins by the end of the story. Get out your goosebumps for stories of femme fatale hitchhikers and their truck driver saviors committing joint murders, a stray dog that leads to the murderous accusation of an innocent man, and rich honkers in Mojave desert roach motels.

Matt Cooper - 48-07-20
Stanley Becker - 48-07-27
Rollie Andrews - 48-08-03

Later,
Kenaz

Justice served for little Jeffrey

Two grandparents convicted of second-degree murder after they left five-year-old Jeffrey Baldwin to wither and die in a cold, fetid room were sentenced Friday to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 20 years.

Elva Bottineau, 54, was ordered to serve 22 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole, while husband Norman Kidman, 53, will get his first chance at early release after 20 years behind bars, said Superior Court Justice David Watt.

During his sentencing, Watt told the couple they would be allowed to apply to have their sentences reduced after just 15 years, although he had few other positive words for Bottineau in particular, whom he described as ''morally bankrupt.''

Her ''self-perception . . . is at odds with reality,'' Watt said as Bottineau shook her head in apparent disagreement.

''She thirsts for control, but flees from responsibility.''

Bottineau and Kidman were supposed to save little Jeffrey and his siblings from a life of abuse at the hands of their birth parents.

Instead, the pair used the children as a source of income, collecting government support cheques in their names while confining the young ones to a dank, cold room in their house.

It's a little comfort to know that these two animals will probably die in a 'cage' where they belong. Please click on the link for the full story or visit my previous posts on the subject.

Later,
Kenaz

Killing will only bring more problems

I have to agree with he father of an American believed to have been beheaded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said Thursday more killings will come out of the militant leader's death.

"I see more death coming out of al-Zarqawi's death," Michael Berg, the father of Nicholas Berg, told the Associated Press after learning the al-Qaeda in Iraq leader had been killed by a U.S. airstrike on Wednesday.

"His death will incite a new wave of revenge. [U.S. President] George Bush and al-Zarqawi are two men who believe in revenge," Berg said.

Later,
Kenaz

Tabby by the tail

Cats new, white helmet and logo just for Labour Day







It's seems with the Cats, nothing appears taboo.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats unveiled a new and rare white-based headgear featuring a new logo. The white helmet with an aerodynamic tiger head that replaces the traditional leaping tiger will be worn just once this season, on Labour Day against the Toronto Argonauts.

The white helmet with new logo will be combined with white jerseys and pants for the Labour Day contest as part of the club's 'Never Wear White After Labour Day' promotion.

After the Labour Day contest, the Ticats will auction off the helmets with the proceeds going to charity, similar to the plans for the third jersey, which will be worn Aug. 12.

This is the first time in club history that the team's traditional leaping tiger logo has been significantly altered and for good reason, it's a great design. This is an ugly bad idea. Not all big guys look good in white. The Michelin Man comes to mind right now.

The club says it may encourage fans to wear all white to the stadium on Labour Day to create a white-out effect similar to that employed in the past by the former hockey Winnipeg Jets. The Cat's may want to reconsider or hook up with a sunglass company as part of its promotion.

The new logo isn't much new, it has a similar look to the New England Patriots design as well as that of the Nashville Predators of the NHL. It's the work of designer Dan Simon of Studio Simon of Louisville, Kentucky. Simon was responsible for the re-designed leaping tiger logo unveiled last season.

Provost, the clubs Vice-President admits the new logo could offend some of the team's traditional fans. That is not the intent, he insists.

"So far the reaction has been really positive, the coaches and players really like it," Provost said.

"We don't want to offend our traditional fans, we just want to introduce something a little bit different and if the fans from our traditional fan base don't like it, there are pretty decent odds that it will just go away," he said.

I'm sorry I have to admit I am one of those traditionalists I like the black and gold, and the leaping tiger. You would never see the Steelers try something like this, the owners would be linched.

Other Ticat promotions include a classy tribute to former Ticat Travis Claridge, who died of pneumonia.

Later,
Kenaz

Vandals and terrorists walk the same path to hell

The vandalizing of a Toronto mosque on the weekend is believed to be part of a reaction against Islam after police arrested 17 Muslim men and youth in southern Ontario amid accusations of an al-Qaeda-inspired bombing plot.

In the largest anti-terrorism operation ever undertaken in Canada, more than 400 police officers conducted a series of raids in southern Ontario on June 2, 2006, detaining 12 men and five youths. They alleged the suspects adhered to a violent Islamic ideology linked to al-Qaeda and accused them of planning to attack targets in southern Ontario with bombs made from the fertilizer ammonium nitrate.

Why would some misguided moron or morons do this? This was a place of worship, a food bank and day care, not a terrorist training camp. What good did further polorizing a community with this act of complete ignorance. I hope this gang of idiots realize that their actions where as callous as the punks who believe that terrorism idiology is a good replacement for family values. These two groups need to get a life.

Later,
Kenaz

Harper and Bush have lost touch on gay rights

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promised to re-open the issue of gay marriages, in a cheap attempt to reverse the hard faucet legislation that allowed those of the same sex to live in dignity.

A decision that has a growing number of Harper's Conservative cabinet ministers and MPs even questioning.

Harper made the commitment to hold the vote in response to complaints from many that the Liberals rushed through the law that legalized same-sex unions.

But now that his party is trying to make inroads in Bloc Quebecois and Liberal ridings in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, wading into the debate might seem like a no-win situation.

Add to that the fact that thousands of gay and lesbian Canadians have married since the law was passed, and you find cold feet in Conservative quarters.

Woefully Harper will get the message that at the end of the day Canadians are much more interested in how the federal government is going to tax them, what our stance is on the increasing crime on our streets, what's the role of the military . . . and not same-gender marriage.

In the United States the gay rights issue has hit an even bigger low, due to the fact that Bush is an idiot. President George W. Bush on Saturday called again for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

George W. blamed 'activist judges' for changes to the definition of marriage.

"Unfortunately, activist judges and some local officials have made an aggressive attempt to redefine marriage in recent years," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

"An amendment to the constitution is necessary because activist courts have left our nation with no other choice," he said.

Bush said he believed marriage should be defined as a union between one man and one woman. He even had the gaul to add to his McCarthyistic rant,

"Marriage cannot be cut off from its cultural, religious, and natural roots without weakening this good influence on society," he said.

A vote on the proposed amendment is scheduled next week in the U.S. senate, but it is not considered likely to pass. Unless, Bush can dig out the support from the 19 states he says have approved amendments to their state constitutions aimed at protecting the traditional definition of marriage. Right! I think these are among his 35% of supporters who believe guns in the hands of children is a good thing and believe that they have had sex with Aliens.

Bush and his throw back to another era playmate Harper both need to leave this issue closed and deal with the issues that matter to their voters.

Later,
Kenaz

Hamilton Falcon program has earned it's top gun wings

Perched on an 18th floor ledge of the Sheraton Hamilton hotel, he dodges "Madame X" as the screeching peregrine falcon circles and dives about his helmeted head.

And "Albion," "Webster" and "Sherman" -- cute, white, fluffy and just 25 days old -- try to sink their talons into his leather-gloved hands.

The young triplets waiting to fly from their Sheraton Hotel nest and other peregrines are coming off the province's endangered species list.

Peregrines have been on the list since 1973.

But nesting programs at urban highrise buildings in Hamilton and other cities have been so successful, the falcons will be delisted down a notch to only "threatened" next spring. This is the first time ever that has happened, usually we hear about another species being added.

Biologist's carried out the annual banding, weighing, sexing and health checkups of this year's brood in the Sheraton ledge nest.

A fourth unhatched egg belonging to "Madame X" and "Mr. E" was collected to be examined for contaminants.

The 36 chicks hatched or fostered and fledged at the Sheraton nest since 1995 boast a greater than 80 per cent survival rate compared to a 50 per cent rate for peregrines in the wild.

That's primarily because of the dedicated Peregrine Watch volunteers of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club which has a constant web camera http://www.hamiltonnature.org/hamfalcam.html trained on the nest.

In the fledgling weeks ahead, as the chicks learn to fly, volunteers will wait below to rescue them as they fall or float to the ground.

This year's chicks are all female and their christening followed the tradition of using landmark Hamilton names.

It's the sixth year "Madame X" has nested at the Sheraton. "Mr. E" was her fourth mate in Hamilton.

She was named "Madame X" because, for some time, her origins, in Pennsylvania, were unknown.

The origins of "Mr. E," who was a new mate this year, will be known in a few days because binoculared volunteers caught sight of his leg band numbers for the first time.

Peregrine falcons disappeared in Ontario in the 1960s because of the effects of the pesticide DDT on the eggs and and young.

Captive breeding and release programs gradually increased the breeding pairs in the province to 56, mostly along cliff ledges in northern Ontario. Six years ago, there were only 23 pairs.

City buildings and urban sites in southern Ontario are home to 12 of the 56 pairs.

Bald eagles are also starting to make a comeback in southern Ontario.

There are two nesting pairs; one pair with triplets at Navy Island on the Niagara River and another with twin eaglets at Dunnville.

It's fun to walk downtown stairing at the highrise bank towers and then hear the distinctive cry of the falcons. It gives you a sense of pride too know your city cares.

Later,
Kenaz

Denninger's Coke Sign

From the May 16th weekly `You Asked` Segment of CH Hamilton`s evening news comes this gem of a find. The Denninger`s store on King Street in Hamilton is located on the sight once the home of Andrew Ross Carriage and Wagon Builders.



Ross opened in 1888. His carriages where used to transport Coca-Cola around Hamilton. The sign had been covered up for 95 years.

It has only been visible recently when the dilapidated eyesore of a building next door was demolished.



The sign was believed to be painted on the building in 1906, the year Coca-Cola began bottling in Canada and introduced the slogan `relieves fatigue`.

link to video

Later,
Kenaz

Bush Should Be Put Behind A Fence

Bending to right wing democrats demands to shore up the southern U.S. border to prevent illegal immigrants from freely crossing into the country, the Senate voted Wednesday to build 370 miles of triple-layered fence. Senators voted 83-16 to add fencing and 500 miles of vehicle barriers along the southern border.

This sets in stone that George Bush is a complete lunatic. It has been a joke for years that the solution to the American self imposed isolation from the world would be to build a giant wall around the country. And now they will, or at least part of it. Sure the reasons being tossed out, include; keeping out illegal Mexicans who take millions of dollars out of the US economy by living off welfare or taking cheap US jobs. Mind you these jobs are ones that Americans won`t do!

The world cheered when the Berlin wall fell, it should weep when the American erect this American tragedy.

And now the comedy, here`s a couple Pat Oliphant takes on the situation.




Later,
Kenaz

Please Not Another Oka

...For the sake of mankind.

The hotter things get at Caledonia, the more I fear something will happen to force an Oka or Ipperwash style incident. The more this standoff continues, the more the permanent stain of an Oka and Ipperwash threatens to surface.

I'm referring to the violent confrontation at Oka, Que., in 1990 and the wrongful shooting death of Dudley George, a native protester at Ipperwash in 1995.

Something is terribly wrong, first the barricades where taken down and it appeared that both sides where ready to talk. Then in a matter of a day they went back up and the roads where closed again. What the hell happened?

The provincial leader and negotiators on both sides are standing around scratching their heads and pointing fingers at one another, mean while a tempest is being allowed to brew.

Understandably the non-natives are upset, the roads are their life line to the community, their businesses and their lifestyle. They paid for them and they can`t use them.

Along with frustration over the road blockage, there is also concern about some of the area's other land. Native protesters have been occupying a 40-hectare piece of land slated for a housing development since Feb. 28, saying it is rightfully theirs.

They say they agreed to lease the property for a road in 1835, and disagree with government arguments that it was later sold to the Crown.

I don`t believe in paying for the sins of our fathers, I`m sorry but the solution needs a modern answer. The land needs to be shared with adequate compensation being given to both sides.

Where do we stop? Do we return every piece of land, even if a person has owned it for five generations back to it`s original owners. I`m not European, I`m a damn Canadian, just like these natives. We need to learn the lessons of all our fathers. Quit fighting and make up.

Later,
Kenaz

St. Andrew's Face Morpher

The School of Computer Science, University of St. Andrews, have made a great Java applet program that lets you upload a photo of your face and transform it into a different race, age or artwork.

http://www.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/%7Emorph/Transformer/

Me now

baby
child
teen
older adult

They say we all have a double some where in the world, these could be mine.

afro-caribean
west asian
east asian

Have fun,
Kenaz

Emily is Annoying

I wish I could meet the techno whizzes who invented the annoying "voice" you hear when you phone Bell Canada's "interactive" phone line -- so I can strangle them.

"Hi my name is Emily, how may I help you?" How about a real freakin person to talk too! You annoying heartless piece of nano technology.

Emily -- if you haven't had the pleasure -- is the interactive voice Bell Canada employs to seduce callers into doing the work receptionists and customer service agents used to. They will tell us it's better for us.

Ya right! They're downloading work onto customers, and then charging us for the pleasure. Evil geniuses, they are.

Call me crazy, but I don't like to have two-way conversations (as opposed to leaving a message) with machines. That's why I press zero a gazillion-times-per-second while screaming, "can a human please answer!"

But the multiplying machines are not moved: Instead a mechanical voice, which sounds suspiciously like my Grade 2 teacher, says: "I'm sorry, I didn't understand." Or, worse: "I'm sorry, that is not an option. Goodbyyyyeeeee!"

Click.

Yes, that is the sound of the line going dead after you've been on hold for 20 minutes, listened impatiently to five sets of options -- delivered s-l-o-w-l-y -- pressed your way through everything but "if you'd like to make funeral arrangements press one," and listened to a recording of the "Privacy Policy" for the 100th time!

I remember the message from Terminator movies and I refuse to let The Machines win!

Companies, in their efforts to eliminate positions that don't bring in revenue, may have forgotten just how many sales are made by, god forbid, humans.

Take banks. They got us onto ATMs, the web, and debit cards. But they lost easy access to us for the big sales: mortgages, loans, RRSPs.

This only creates distance and alienation between customers and themselves. And possibly creating a new form psychosis. Can you say: "phone rage?"

And you can bet managers making these decisions are not forced to talk to Emily -- or any of the other docile-toned (until you press the wrong button when they get downright cranky) voice systems. That's what their secretaries (live ones, I presume) are for -- and they're probably billing a lot of overtime these days!

So how much does a "date" with Emily really cost?

How much production is lost when you have thousands of employees across the country pleading with robots for a person to make a sale to, clicking on websites -- because The Voice directed them to -- for contact info, wasting 15 minutes in voicemail hell to book an appointment, or caught on "hold" at a call centre where the person can't actually answer a question anyway -- because they're not contracted to. Or is that "programmed.

Factor in lost sales, alienation of customers, and lost productivity when will they realize this has not been a good investment.

Emily? Don't you mean HAL? Remember the computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey who gave the ominous warning "I know you were planning to disconnect me, and I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen"

To borrow another line from the movie, I say to the creators of Emily "This conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye."

Later,
Kenaz

Warning! Warning! System Overload!

Planning to head this Victoria day weekend, you better read this first from the Hamilton Spectator.

Oh, the hazards of the Victoria Day weekend!

Don't even bother to get out of bed.

You've been anticipating this, the first long weekend of the summer, for months now.

There are flowers to plant, beer to drink and maybe a cottage to open.

But beware: there are tigers on the loose, mosquito-bitten crows falling out of the sky, gas pump prices being jacked up and vehicle parts flying about.

And you'll be hit with an onslaught of dire warnings from every conceivable authority, safety council and special interest group if you dare enjoy yourself.

Ontario Minister of Transportation Harinder Takhar is the lead spoiler.

He warns us he has imposed new fines for mirrors, mufflers, windshield wipers or tires falling off your car or trailer.

"Flying vehicle parts can cause fatalities, injuries and property damage," his statement warns. "About 33 per cent of road debris is vehicle- related."

That means fines up to $2,000 for passenger cars and $20,000 for commercial vehicles and a possible licence suspension.

Motorists seeing a flying vehicle part are asked to call the OPP who will be out with their usual holiday weekend blitz against unsafe drivers.

Do we not get a weekend off from OPP Sergeant Cam Wooley's hyperbole?

The OPP detachment in North Bay is warning motorists to keep an eye out for moose and other animals on the roads in resort country.

There were 1,225 collisions involving deer, moose and bears in northeastern Ontario last year. "Bears can move quickly and bolt into your path," the OPP warns.

The Toronto office of the World Society for the Protection of Animals is warning about tigers mauling you at various roadside and tourist zoos.

Since last July, there have been five escapes by captive wildlife reported in Ontario.

And now's the time to stock up on mosquito repellent and start looking for dead crows infected by West Nile disease.

Fire departments are warning about the dangers of careless use of fireworks.

Not that there's much risk of setting the sky ablaze with a 70 per cent chance of rain on the weekend and forecasts of cloudy conditions.

The forecast is better for Monday on the highway-congested drive home, but not until Tuesday, when people are back at work, is there no chance of rain.

Sarah Wong, the warning preparedness meteorologist at Environment Canada, says it's going to take a few more days for the current cold, low pressure system with its grey clouds and rain to clear. "Eventually, conditions will improve by the end of the weekend," she said. "We have to suffer a bit."

With the wet weather, conservation authorities warn people to be on the lookout for swollen creeks.

The Ministry of the Environment is forecasting good air quality and no serious pollution on the weekend.

But don't fall off the roof while cleaning your rain gutters at home or at the cottage.

And avoid straining your back lifting flats of flowers that you waited to plant because of the traditional warning of frost up until Victoria Day.

Just about everybody, including the Aussie wine-hyping folks at the LCBO, are warning about drinking and driving.

"The Victoria Day long weekend has become synonymous with partying, outdoor activities and drinking, a combination that could be potentially dangerous for guests and hosts alike," says the joint statement from the Ontario Public Health Associations, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Their sober warning says that despite a recent ruling by Canada's Supreme Court, there are circumstances where an irresponsible host can still be held liable for alcohol-related injuries and deaths.

And Ontario's Provincial Parks warns no alcohol is allowed this weekend in their most popular party parks.

Keep those bed covers pulled up, too.

Even the Better Sleep Council of Ontario has hired pollsters to survey people about their plans this weekend so that they are aware of sleep-deprivation hazards associated with travelling, renovating and partying.

Those pollsters found that in Ontario this weekend, 5 per cent will travel a long distance, 15 per cent will visit a cottage or cabin, 15 per cent will host or attend a party, 17 per cent will eat and drink too much, 22 per cent will attend fireworks or other events, 27 per cent will garden and 27 per cent will renovate.

But 34 per cent of Ontarians expected to sleep in and get extra rest.

Kathryn White, an expert on risk communication, is part of those weekend statistics.

She will be driving to a family reunion but plans to leave early from her eastern Ontario home because it's "a risky weekend with more of us on the road."

There is a risk of giving people too many warnings, because the warnings may end up being ignored, said White, the president of Black and White Communications.

Research has found that the best approach is to give people affirmative "Do's" rather the "Don'ts," she said.

In a storm, people are likely to ignore a warning to stay off the roads, but they will heed requests to check for fallen wires and to check on neighbours to see if they are OK, White said.

And getting on the highways to go to a reunion is also affirmative, she said, "because there is a grave risk to human beings when we don't connect and create bonds with families."

"Have a great weekend," she added.

SOME 'DO'S' FOR SAFE PARTYING FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATIONS

* Avoid dangerous activities such as boating and swimming if you are drinking.

* Check the premises for potential hazards. Even minor changes, such as locking the gate to your pool, can significantly reduce risks .

* Make food available. Guests who have eaten absorb alcohol at a slower rate than those who have not eaten.

* Offer your guests non-alcohol drinks and low-alcohol drinks.

* Be attentive of your guests.

* Arrange for safe transportation for someone who has been drinking.

* Prepare for overnight guests. Arrange for a guest who may be intoxicated to stay the night.

Ah crap, I might as well stay home and enjoy my weekend off, got to work Monday(time and a half! cha ching!). Oh waite, I'm sure there's a grim statistic and warning for deck chair and BBQ accidents. Oh well, have fun.

Later,
Kenaz

Ashamed of our Government

Flags for our federal leaders should be lowered to half-mast.

What kind of government is ruling our country if soldiers who have selflessly dedicated their lives to protecting us are not allowed one last show of respect?

The flags at Parliament Hill should be at half-mast for the Canadian soldiers who have lost their lives in Afghanistan, and also for governments that are unwilling to respect the sacrifice they have made so the rest of us can live freely.

The Canadian government lowers the Parliament Hill flags for unelected senators who have passed away, but not for the men and women serving overseas for our safety and liberty?

Families of the fallen soldiers have voiced their outrage and no official response has been made.

Why?

Because our government is too ashamed that the death toll in Afghanistan for 2006 alone has already matched the death toll for all of 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005?

I am ashamed of the actions of our government and demand that changes be made to honour those who have fallen, so the rest of us can stand united.

Later,
Kenaz

Michael Gardiner, Burn in H*ll

Michael Gardiner laughed uproariously as he told a police detective about repeatedly stabbing a Jackson Square store manager who courageously fought off his attempted rape, in a sickening interview given to police on May 27, 2004, about six hours after the 27-year-old federal parolee, who admitted to having fantasies of rape, walked across York Boulevard from the Hamilton Community Correctional Centre to Jackson Square.

Inside the mall, Gardiner randomly selected an attractive blond woman who had passed him in the hall with a takeout coffee cup in hand. He waited until she opened Picture Plus for business, then he casually walked into the store with a jackknife in his pocket.

Police asked Gardiner what happened after he followed her into the rear office/stockroom and began to stab the woman.

I don't know, she stood up, I couldn't figure that out, so I thought ... I'd better stick her again so she stays the (expletive) down, so I could do what I want to do (rape her). Said Gardiner.

Then, with the police video camera rolling, Gardiner slowly began to grin and then to laugh out loud.

The detective doing the interrogating then told him the severely wounded woman had survived surgery and asked Gardiner what he would say to her if he could.

Well, first of all, that I'm sorry for what I did, you know, I don't know. I hope God ... kills me soon 'cause I've had enough of this ... jail, jail, jail, jail, jail ... All my life has been jail, eh? And each time you come out, the ... angrier you get at society and everybody else, you know.

In contrast to her assailant's cold-blooded manner in relating the crime to police, the survivor gave a deeply emotional impact statement yesterday in court. The woman, who suffered 22 stab wounds, including lacerations to her throat, upper chest, abdomen, left hand, elbow, arm, back and left knee, told the court the scars were constant reminders of the terrifying ordeal and all that she has lost.

She had resisted the rapist with all her might, fearing that if she stopped fighting she would die. Gardiner finally gave up and the severely wounded woman managed to stagger out of the office and make her way out into the mall. As she walked out of the store, Gardiner ran past her, fleeing in the direction of the Hamilton Public Library. He was later apprehended by security staff with the library.

I'm a survivor, not a victim

the woman said.

This brave soul can look forward to a lifetime of emotional trauma, complete with bouts depression, anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia. She already displays short-term memory problems, a symptom of post-traumatic stress, which made performing household chores difficult, let alone finding work outside the home.

The severe injuries to her left hand, which was dominant before the attack, left the artist unable to draw or sketch for more than an hour at a time. Her saving grace is a dog that she and her fiance picked out at the pound. They had the animal trained as a personal-security dog.

In contrast, the devils reject who will most likely be declared a dangerous offender is set for life to be kept "safe" in prison by the same system that let this women be hurt.

This is another case of system incompetence does the people wrong. When will it stop? When is enough, enough? It's about time the people of this great city say we are mad as hell, we want a safe city to work, live and play in. Now!

Later,
Kenaz

Ever have dreams like this?

Just finished up another long week down at the Cadbury factory. Put in sixety hours this week boxing and packing enough "Gummy Bears" and all their friends to start an army of the little guys. Anyway, I'm off to bed, but I thought I'd share this picture to illustrate how I feel right know.



PS. I hope everybody treated their moms right on their special day? For me, the memories of all the great things that my mother did for me was enough to fill everyday. Remember that living for today is better than saving it for another, that day may never come.

Later,
Kenaz

Good News For Hamilton's East End

Shoppers stroll in Centre Mall in 1959.

For a change...

Hamilton's Barton Street will look radically different in 2008 as it was announced that the aging shopping dinosaur the Centre Mall is getting a whopping $100 million transformation its owners say will make it a regional shopping destination.

The largest single retail investment in east-end history will transform the 51-year-old mall on Barton Street East into an 800,000-square-foot complex. Developers would not reveal yesterday if it will be a power centre mall (an unenclosed shopping centre) or a conventional mall -- or a combination of both. I wish would be for a place mostly enclosed wish areas open for a farmers market or bazaar type shopping area. Something along the lines of the Downtown Farmers Market.

They'll break ground this fall and expect to open the doors in 2008. I agree with city Councillor Sam Merulla for a change when he called the project a rebirth. The East end has gotten a bad reputation over the last twenty years as a place for the destitute and punks to hang out and beg. Done right this new mall will give a much needed injection of pride back to the area citizens.



Centre Mall, once the largest in Canada, is co-owned by the CPP Investment Board and Osmington Inc., a private Canadian real estate firm. The CPP Investment Board is a Crown corporation that invests funds from the Canada Pension Plan. It has a $4 billion real estate portfolio, mostly in office and commercial real estate properties. It also owns Eastgate Square.

The developers are counting on the Red Hill Valley Parkway to bring business their way. While the east end has a strong consumer base, officials say they want to attract shoppers from across the region.

Big-box stores? Or a mixture? Is the $100 million dollar question. An all new building from scratch needs a fresh look to go with it. A mixture of enclosed and free-standing buildings. Sears and Canadian Tire already own property on the site. Sears Canada has no plans to change and Canadian Tire is currently exploring its options which could mean it plans to revamp it's dated outlay.

Some of the other tenants will stay like Grand and Toy and hopefully the buzz will lure the likes of Walmart, Home Outfitters and TGIF. Once you have the larger tenants and set them on the site, then the rest of the pieces fall into place. Details are slim but it's clear who ever hitches up and comes east, the change will be profound.

The mall is now at about 600,000 square feet after the demolition of the old Kmart and food court at the back of the property last month. The city says when complete at 800,000 square feet, it will be comparable to Ancaster's Meadowlands project, which is about 980,000 square feet, or Lime Ridge Mall at 850,000 square feet. And cash like $100 million goes a long way, of course.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, for example, spent $65 million upgrading and building 40 stores last year. It plans to spend another $40 million upgrading the rest of its property.

Each day as I ride the bus past the little shops in Westdale to work I dream about how great something like that would look great in contrast to the bleak grayness of the east end, and with this announcement the east will once again shine!

Later,
Kenaz

For my mother

May 7,1999 a piece of me was taken when my mother passed away. Here's a home movie taken from her viewing. Her eternal glow will forever keep me warm.



Later,
Kendall

Rest in Peace Aunt Lorraine

OLIPHANT, Lorraine Velma - Peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on May 4, 2006, Lorraine Oliphant, in her 74th year. Beloved wife of 56 years to Albert. Loving mother of Albert (Rebecca), and Keith (Heather). Dear gramma of Matthew, Aaron, Spencer and Curtis. Dear sister-in-law of Eileen (Bob), Eleanor (Johnny), Delores (Bill), Lorraine, Carol, and Sherrylyn. Predeceased by her mother Velma, brothers Victor and Bob, brother-in-law Ken (Bernice), and sister-in-law Doreen.

My fondest memory of my Aunt goes back to August of 1977. My parents where in Europe, veiwing the great sites. My sister Cherlyanne and I, the two youngest children had the opportunity to visit the country side for the month.

My Uncle and Aunt where great hosts, offering plenty of stimulation for your average seven and eleven year olds at and around their Binbrook, Ontario home. I worked on a paint by numbers picture of a horse that they bought for me with the intensity of one of the great masters. A "great job" was all I needed, I think I kept that "treasure" for years later as a momento of that summer.

To most August 1977 was the year the "King" died, and I remember the shock on everyone's face. For me it was the summer of watching Beretta, summer thunder storms and my Aunt and Uncle.

Memories are forever and those of that summer and every day spent in the company of my Aunt Lorraine will forever be remembered.

Thank you, and serve the lord well.
Kendall

Hamilton Waterfalls Video

"Hamilton - The City of Waterfalls"

Later,
Kenaz