If any more proof were needed that the American economy is about to go very very badly down the pipes, then check out my (currently) beloved Canadian dollar. Now, while the "Loonie" and Canadian economy are much stronger than throughout the last forty years or so, whats happening now is just ridiculous! Thanks to my friends at XE.com One Canadian dollar now gets you 98.65 US cents. In other words, its almost ONE US DOLLAR to the CANADIAN DOLLAR! It was only a few years ago the Americans would scoff at the thought that a Loonie was worth more than HALF a green-back.
And to further prove my point, the wonderful British Pound is now worth OVER TWO US $!!! That means that we British are now TWICE as valuable as one American! (Sorry to any Yank readers)
Apologies for the brief economics lecture, but its quite funny (in one way) to realise that while most of the world understands its all about to get very messy in the US, no-one has actually told the President. Either that or "Mr. President" is having too much fun looking for "currencies of mass destruction."
Back to reality soon I promise!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Friday, September 07, 2007
Happy Birthday Amanda!
Amanda gets the "Montana's Birthday Special"!
Just a quick one this time to wish a very Happy Birthday to a special someone today!
Sadly we're apart this week by the "small matter" of half of Canada, and my empty bank account, but we managed to have a small celebration before today. Hope you're having a great day out there!
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Luciano Pavarotti
Its funny where the death of someone famous (actually, anyone, not necessarily famous) can send your mind wandering to. If its someone who has actually done something worthwhile to be given celebrity status, that is, rather than those current vacuous, unnecessary, self-loving, media-obsessed "celebrities" who seem to be famous for just being, well, famous.
Previously forgotten memories come rushing back, and you are carried away into a parallel world, where everything around you seems more electric, more sensitive, brighter, sharper and more intense than it first was. This is kind of where my mind has wondered to today anyway.
I'm not used to giving tributes to celebrities who finally pass away, but sometimes these people do actually influence you more than you realise at the time. Luciano Pavarotti passed away last night in Modeno in Italy, aged 71, due to Pancreatic Cancer. A hugely talented opera singer, with a magical, captivating and engrossing voice, known for being one of the Three Tenors, he will forever be remembered by most people (including me) for his renditions of Nessun Dorma, which became associated with the Italia '90 World Cup. The BBC titles to this event (and the closing ones I remember, but couldn't find anywhere) being true bottled emotion, wrapped up in a sporting event.
This was the first World Cup I remember, and one of my first real footballing memories (sadly, alongside Hillsborough, and more happily the classic FA Cup final where Liverpool beat Everton 3-2 in extra time on a roasting hot May afternoon). I remember being just 9 years-old, and at Cubs on the first Friday evening, hearing that Cameroon had beaten favourites Argentina 1-0 while being down to 10 men. The shock, joy, and amazement that someone under ten cannot understand that the defending champions had LOST to a minnow African nation. I barely knew where Cameroon was back then!
There was Cameroon's iconic Roger Miller and his hip-swaying goal celebration, Toto Schillachi and Roberto Baggio for Italy, the absolutely bizarre hair-do's of Colombia's Rene Higuita and Carlos Valderama, of course Gazza's tears for England, the football genius (if flawed personality) Maradona and Claudio Cannigia from Argentina, Klinsmann and Lothar Matthaus in a really very good Germany team, and so many special goals.
But it wasn't just the football that opened up to me that summer. That was probably my first real exposure to any form of classical music, and I wonder how many others there were in that position. That's not to say it converted me and all I listen to now is something written 400 years ago, but it opened up the mind of a 9-year-old to hear something both new and old at the same time, and that can't be a bad thing at all. So I now count most of my (slightly limited) inspiration for listening to classical music to that date too.
And all these Latin memories, influences and passion then led me to maybe the epitome of Latin, and even footballing passions, all in one second. Has any one image ever captured the vast, unintelligible emotion built up into just a simple game of football, as Marco Tardelli's celebration after scoring for Italy against Germany in the 1982 World Cup Final? A great goal, the greatest celebration of all time, and on those famous BBC titles, all married together perfectly by Luciano Pavarotti.
Previously forgotten memories come rushing back, and you are carried away into a parallel world, where everything around you seems more electric, more sensitive, brighter, sharper and more intense than it first was. This is kind of where my mind has wondered to today anyway.
I'm not used to giving tributes to celebrities who finally pass away, but sometimes these people do actually influence you more than you realise at the time. Luciano Pavarotti passed away last night in Modeno in Italy, aged 71, due to Pancreatic Cancer. A hugely talented opera singer, with a magical, captivating and engrossing voice, known for being one of the Three Tenors, he will forever be remembered by most people (including me) for his renditions of Nessun Dorma, which became associated with the Italia '90 World Cup. The BBC titles to this event (and the closing ones I remember, but couldn't find anywhere) being true bottled emotion, wrapped up in a sporting event.
This was the first World Cup I remember, and one of my first real footballing memories (sadly, alongside Hillsborough, and more happily the classic FA Cup final where Liverpool beat Everton 3-2 in extra time on a roasting hot May afternoon). I remember being just 9 years-old, and at Cubs on the first Friday evening, hearing that Cameroon had beaten favourites Argentina 1-0 while being down to 10 men. The shock, joy, and amazement that someone under ten cannot understand that the defending champions had LOST to a minnow African nation. I barely knew where Cameroon was back then!
There was Cameroon's iconic Roger Miller and his hip-swaying goal celebration, Toto Schillachi and Roberto Baggio for Italy, the absolutely bizarre hair-do's of Colombia's Rene Higuita and Carlos Valderama, of course Gazza's tears for England, the football genius (if flawed personality) Maradona and Claudio Cannigia from Argentina, Klinsmann and Lothar Matthaus in a really very good Germany team, and so many special goals.
But it wasn't just the football that opened up to me that summer. That was probably my first real exposure to any form of classical music, and I wonder how many others there were in that position. That's not to say it converted me and all I listen to now is something written 400 years ago, but it opened up the mind of a 9-year-old to hear something both new and old at the same time, and that can't be a bad thing at all. So I now count most of my (slightly limited) inspiration for listening to classical music to that date too.
And all these Latin memories, influences and passion then led me to maybe the epitome of Latin, and even footballing passions, all in one second. Has any one image ever captured the vast, unintelligible emotion built up into just a simple game of football, as Marco Tardelli's celebration after scoring for Italy against Germany in the 1982 World Cup Final? A great goal, the greatest celebration of all time, and on those famous BBC titles, all married together perfectly by Luciano Pavarotti.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Causing a Storm Online!
So it's Labour Day weekend, which means a nice long weekend, day off on Monday, and more gorgeous, glorious, clear blue skies and warm sunshine... don't you just hate that!
It also means that I'm trying to get the chance to catch up a bit on this 'ere blog thing. So just how much can I squeeze into post. Well lets see shall we......
Firstly we have more fun on the "Inter-web" for everyone, and proof that I am in fact... FAMOUS! Ok, maybe not "David Beckham famous", but that is surely just a mere formality now that I've become almost a regular on the Guardian website.
This was my first appearance last year.
And now this summer, in the surprisingly rivetting, compulsive and actually very entertaining one-day series between England and India, I've had THIS, and THIS, and infact a bit more to say for myself. Have a look on the OBO website and say hi yourselves.
Yes, my path towards a media empire is starting to take shape now!
Next up we have something of a fascination of mine, but I think seems to interest everybody I mention it to. Its currently hurricane season in the Northern Hemisphere, which is both incredibly fascinating to study and follow the storms as they develop, but also sad and scary to see their outcomes on the often under or ill-prepared populations that they hit.
The agency charged with tracking these monstrous beasts around the shores of the Caribbean and North America is the National Hurricane Centre, and their excellent website. Particularly interesting is the satellite image section, where you can see the latest images, and put together a track over the last few hours. Currently Hurricane Felix is force FIVE and heading straight towards Honduras, while over in the Eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm (a step down from Hurricane) Henriette is getting its act together and heading North towards the Baja of Mexico.
And finally for today, to finish on a happy note, I saw Amanda Martinez perform at one of the open-air concerts in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, and very good she was too! Her Latin sound and musical basis actually made me a bit "homesick" for South America. So go to her site, have a listen to her lovely voice, and I dare you not to buy a CD.
Cheerio everyone!
It also means that I'm trying to get the chance to catch up a bit on this 'ere blog thing. So just how much can I squeeze into post. Well lets see shall we......
Firstly we have more fun on the "Inter-web" for everyone, and proof that I am in fact... FAMOUS! Ok, maybe not "David Beckham famous", but that is surely just a mere formality now that I've become almost a regular on the Guardian website.
This was my first appearance last year.
And now this summer, in the surprisingly rivetting, compulsive and actually very entertaining one-day series between England and India, I've had THIS, and THIS, and infact a bit more to say for myself. Have a look on the OBO website and say hi yourselves.
Yes, my path towards a media empire is starting to take shape now!
Next up we have something of a fascination of mine, but I think seems to interest everybody I mention it to. Its currently hurricane season in the Northern Hemisphere, which is both incredibly fascinating to study and follow the storms as they develop, but also sad and scary to see their outcomes on the often under or ill-prepared populations that they hit.
The agency charged with tracking these monstrous beasts around the shores of the Caribbean and North America is the National Hurricane Centre, and their excellent website. Particularly interesting is the satellite image section, where you can see the latest images, and put together a track over the last few hours. Currently Hurricane Felix is force FIVE and heading straight towards Honduras, while over in the Eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm (a step down from Hurricane) Henriette is getting its act together and heading North towards the Baja of Mexico.
And finally for today, to finish on a happy note, I saw Amanda Martinez perform at one of the open-air concerts in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, and very good she was too! Her Latin sound and musical basis actually made me a bit "homesick" for South America. So go to her site, have a listen to her lovely voice, and I dare you not to buy a CD.
Cheerio everyone!
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