I got a new MacBook laptop yesterday and I am very very pleased with my purchase.One of the many fun features of the MacBook is the cool camera at the top of the screen... hence my vainess being exposed through the ten minute self-photo session in my office... the only picture not being deleted ending up in this post.
It's also really light - so it will be great to bring around when I'm in Ottawa and Toronto next week. Oh yeah, btw, I'm going to Ottawa and Toronto next week...
I was invited to Environment Minister Rona Ambrose's Clean Air Day Celebration of Love in the Rain today. As you can imagine, it was pouring rain the entire time. Ambrose rode up in the train to Health Sciences Station and sped through a ribbon. I'm still not sure what the event was even for... maybe they were offering tax credits or something useless like that...
There were lots of RCMP everywhere. Ambrose jumped off the LRT, scrumed for 2 minutes, and then was swept off in a MiniVan to the Jubilee Auditorium as to not be lowered to the level of having to walk through the 100 or so environmental activists who gathered outside the station.
The most ironic part is that the Jubilee Auditorium was only a block away. Yes, Canada's Environment Minister needed a MiniVan to travel one city block on Clear Air Day... uh huh...
UPDATE: The Edmonton Journal covered Ambrose's minivan adventure... Fleeing Minister Takes Van over LRT.
Far be it from me to question your interpretation of events, but perhaps the issue didn't lie so much with the fact that there were protestors, but in that the protestors have been acting with such disrespect and childish behaviour (name calling, insults, etc...) that maybe the Minister didn't feel either safe to walk through them, or see any benefit to meeting with them.
ReplyDeleteActually it was a great protest, very well organized, good visibility. James Rajotte and Rahim Jaffer walked through the protest I believe.
ReplyDeleteWell she didn't want to get her hair messed up in the rain of course.
ReplyDeleteShe wouldn't let herself be seen in the Regina airport where protesters gathered to sing songs for her.
ReplyDeleteAs bad as this Minivan story is it's still lightwight compare to the PM needing 3 GM-Tahoe (one of the most polluting SUV) in his "cortège"
ReplyDeleteHave they heard about hybrid cars?
Hi Daveberta,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new MacBook purchase. It seems as though Steve Jobs was right when he commented while demoing the new "photobooth" application, "I think a whole lot of productivity will be lost because of the app."
I look forward to seeing your new machine. How well does Microsoft Office run through Rosetta?
I can't specifically comment on this protest (I didn't see it) - my comments were regarding other protestors the Minister has encountered while travelling.
ReplyDeleteIf this one was organized and polite, then I congratulate them - I think the message comes through more clearly if there is a certain level of respect.
I know that for Ministers there are also security parameters that are beyong their control. As someone who has occassionally driven a Minister on non-governmental business, the rules and regs get set by the RCMP and security in Ottawa - even the Ministers don't get much say.
Still, I don't know the situation in this case, so I won't push it anymore - fair's fair.
"hence my vainess being exposed through the ten minute self-photo session in my office... the only picture not being deleted ending up in this post."
ReplyDeleteAn I the only one who thinks this sounds a little risque? ;)
I hope you're not the only reader that caught on to that...
ReplyDeleteI dunno, I know if I were a cabinet miniter I wouldn't want a hundred, or 99 people for that matter, questioning my integrity loudly for a half an hour, calling me criminal, saying that I was corrupt or incompetent without having the facts to back it up. Yeah, I can see how a crowd like that would not be deserving of a minister's or, for that matter, the people's respect...
ReplyDeleteI'll leave you to get the subtle subtext in that one.
Most protestors I know will not engage in protest unless they have done their research. Most times they're protesting precisely because they have done the research and found the situation to be unjust. Often I find it's more common to sit on your ass when you don't have the information. I tire of the stereotypical protestor that is perpetuated. Protestors are often educated, organized and engaged in both boardroom lobbying and direct action techniques.
ReplyDeleteOh come on Sam... You are not the typical protester (and neither are your friends). You're not even the typical anything - you are educated, motivated and passionate about issues that you have identified yourself as being important and you pursue these issues in all avenues available to you. You seek certain outcomes and devote your time to working towards them.
ReplyDeleteMost people who fill out the bulk of a protest are not like this at all. And I think you know that.
Brett: It's running pretty smooth so far. Other than the 10G of music on it, I don't think I've taken up much of the RAM yet... :-P
ReplyDeleteHow's your mac?
It's getting older, but still running well. I'm running 768 MB of RAM, which is critical amount for most applications I'm using. I notice a few performance deficiencies from time to time; I suspect by the time Mac introduces its new OS, it will be a good time to invest in the MacBook Pro. And I'm looking forward to that. :P
ReplyDeleteSam, most protesters don't have the protection of the house either...
ReplyDeleteCould you tell me the battery life your getting on your macbook. Mine is comming in on Teusday and I'm dieing to find out.
ReplyDeleteI'm returning my macbook pro because of poor battery life, and heating issues.