Just when you thought you’d heard it all…

In the “let’s make a few bucks out of this fiasco” department, young(ish) Julie Couillard (referred to in the CTV article as a “bombshell”) is now “penning” her autobiography.

That’s right, the woman who no one knew just weeks ago is now important enough to warrant a - what will surely be marketed as a “tell-all” - autobiography.  The article, unfortunately, fails to mention whether this will be hardcover or paperback, which only leads me to wonder whether she has enough ’stuff’ in her background that could even fill a coil-bound paperback - saddle-stitched if we’re pushing it - maximum eighty pages.

Now, she’s either had the ideal childhood and perfection-personified young adulthood (now marred by this awful incident) or she’s had a rough life and been in therapy for years, the awful incident only exacerbating her hardships.

Which one are you betting on?

I had to laugh reading the CTV article this morning, a piece that - without saying as much, but in my mind at least - falls 1mm short of comparing Couillard to Wallis Simpson, the American divorcée.  You remember Wallis… she was the one who eventually married King Edward VIII, the same blueblood who abdicated the throne in favour of the love of his life - and, no, readers, I’m not thinking of England in this instance.  

I can see the agents and booksellers queuing at Julie’s back door now - anything to hopefully set the cash registers on fire in time for this year’s retail ‘holiday’ season.  Methinks the unmistakable smell of the buck is far too strong for the ‘literary’ hounds (and I use the term loosely) to let this one go.  Could this be another instance of money well-earned, at least from Julie’s point of view?  

Honestly, though, I can’t imagine the average Canadian wanting to read the detailed events of Couillard’s life.

But ching-ching, as they say.

I guess it was the second paragraph in the CTV article that had me chuckling.  It read…

“The life and times of the woman who brought down a cabinet minister will be chronicled in an autobiography due out in the fall.”

Holy crap, forget the king and Mrs. Simpson, could Julie be our version of Monica Lewinsky?  Will there be a big official hearing at taxpayers’ expense if Maxime pathetically attempts to define, Clinton-like, the word, “is?”  Will there be lewd and vulgar cigar references in our Canadian political future, or will the former foreign minister simply be offering the stogies to his buddies after the act?  And once again, fellow taxpayers, I’m not referring to the sexual act, of which I think Monsieur Bernier has seen the last with former inamorata Julie “feel-free-to-compare me to Mrs. Simpson” Couillard.

I can see it now, can’t you? Julie’s birth, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, the alleged biker gang involvement, all drawn out to fill blank white paper before the ink is bled, before the price (lower in the U.S. of course) is stamped on the back, and an orange 30% Off sticker is slapped on by Reisman’s minions.  Give it a few months, I say, and we’ll see it lining the bargain racks at Chapters, right next to the Grandé decaf, hold-the-fat, Arabian Mocha Sanani pickup counter at $tarbucks.

(Starbucks?  Ching-ching again…)

No offence, Julie, but I think I’ll pass on your life story.

Read the short CTV article here.

 

What they call a justice system

Even though this is a local story, all Canadians ought to be outraged at Wayne Ryczak’s so-called “one-day sentence” handed down in the Stephine Beck murder case. Sometimes, it takes someone like Peter Kormos to get the official ball rolling at Queen’s Park - God forbid we should have to rely on Bradley to upset the Liberal cart.

read more | digg story

Pic of the Day - Sable D’Or

This is a small cafe in Muswell Hill Broadway, London (England, not Ontario) that serves delicious food and coffees.  It was too cold that December to sit outdoors, but inside it’s bright and airy.  The crepes (one of my weaknesses) were as good as those in Paris.  

I’d love to know what shop this used to be in the late 1960s.  Anyone?

Saturday Morning

6:30 a.m., Saturday morning.  I’m outside on the deck in the garden, laptop, strong coffee, and manuscript editing at page 103.  Birds chirping, dogs sleeping beside me, and no rabbits to torment them.  The wave petunias on the table in pots are bright and their scent is amazing.  The sun isn’t quite up over the trees yet, but it’s quiet - everyone in the neighbourhood most likely still asleep.  

This is the best time of the day.

The Loss of Dr. Sheela Basrur

 

Ontario’s former chief medical officer of health dies at 51. A woman who should be remembered for her outstanding accomplishments.  Please read the June 3rd Toronto Star article by clicking on the Read More button below.

read more | digg story

Back to the land of Normal

After another mad spring (every spring is like this,) I think we are back to almost a normal routine as of last Sunday evening.

Steph passed her G1 driver’s test yesterday and now has her G2, which means she can drive alone in a car. Lucky girl, she has just inherited the ‘96 Caravan, but when you’re 16 and want to drive, anything that has a motor and runs is worth driving. (Though, she won’t be driving my car on her own!)

This past week, Ellen and I drove over the River for a shopping day in the States. I picked up one of the Flip Ultra Videocams that I’ve wanted for some time, as you may have read from my previous post, and have been trying it out. The videocam is about the size of a deck of cards and it’s very cool. (I’ve read that it’s the best-selling videocam on the U.S. market, but not yet available in Canada.)

While other companies are adding gadgets, bells, and whistles to their videocams, Pure Digital, the company that makes the Flip, took the opposite direction and made a videocam that’s all simplicity.

I’ve read comments lately from people who complain about the Flip’s lack of this and that, but realize that those who complain about its lack of features are entirely missing the point. This is a video camera under $150. for people to tote around - and don’t want the hassles of memory cards, re-charging a battery unit, rewinding a tape, and all the other necessary requirements of a full-blown video camera. It’s akin to comparing a digital point-’n'-shoot with a digital SLR. Many of us have more expensive videocams, but people who enjoy the Flip are enjoying it for its simplicity - when they don’t want to lug around a camera bag and accessories.

As you can see from the picture, it has a red button on the back to start and stop recording. It has a zoom feature, replay, and plugs into either a Mac or a PC with the “flipped out” USB key. The software is pre-loaded on the Flip only, is super-easy to use, and designed to upload to the ‘Net or to send in an email. It works like a charm.

The major drawback - and I’ve emailed the company - is that it doesn’t work seamlessly with Mac’s iMovie8 or iMovieHD, even though it is Mac compatible. You don’t need to use it with either app, of course, as the pre-loaded software does everything, but I often like to add effects, titles, transitions, etc., to some of my videos. It all has to do with the compressed format of the raw video file, though anyone familiar with computers and file formats shouldn’t have much trouble manipulating the files if they really want to use iMovie8 or iMovieHD.

I’ve exported a movie from the Flip to iMovieHD and to my personal website. As well, if you take the video directly from the Flip using its own software, you can simply drop it into iPhoto and upload it to a website or Mac Web Gallery from there.

If you want to read up on the Flip, visit Pure Digital’s site HERE. Rumour has it that the Flip may be available in Canada this Christmas.

A Break

No new posts as things are busy.  Taking a break for a few days.

U.S.A.F. Niagara Falls, New York

We spent the entire day in Niagara Falls, New York, and on a break, I made a quick run to a Wendy’s restaurant. In front of me in line were four young Air Force men who looked to be in their late teens, or very early twenties. Behind me was a young couple with a baby, and behind them more Air Force men.

As I stood there waiting in the queue, I chatted with the couple beside me who said their baby had been fussy in the car. As we were talking, the Air Force lads were playing with the baby and keeping her entertained, and it struck me that these boys, dressed in fatigues and black boots, are like all the other American boys being sent to Iraq, many of whom never return.

It reminded me that wars are fought by the young men, those barely out of high school and, at that moment, it seemed wrong that the men standing near me should be sent where too many others have lost their lives. It also reminded me of the American Cemetery in Normandy, France, where I saw field after field of white crosses with the names and ranks of fallen soldiers of the second world war; those buried in France the same age as these Air Force boys. I marvelled at their camaraderie, their courtesy, and couldn’t help but wonder what their futures held.

I hope there is an end to the war in Iraq.

Kudos to… JetBlue Airways

Yet again, JetBlue Airways impresses me with its service.

A friend and I flew to New York a while ago, my first time on JetBlue and I must say I was extremely impressed overall.  Yesterday, I collected my daughter and her friends at Buffalo Airport when they returned from Florida, their flight fifteen minutes early.  (Yes, early-arriving flights still happen.)  One of the girls had to speak to a customer service rep about a (late-boarded) bag that had gone astray at JFK, but within one minute (I shit you not, Terry…) the employee located the suitcase online, knew exactly where it was, and arranged to have it delivered that evening.

This may sound trivial and par for the course, but the JetBlue employee was extremely polite and helpful, not to mention the epitome of efficiency.  I’ve stood in line at baggage counters over the years like most travellers, only to have a page of suitcase pictures shoved in front of me and a few terse instructions barked in my direction… “…fill this in and sign your name.  We’ll see if we can find it, but we can’t promise anything.”

JetBlue was the first airline to make lost baggage a quick and painless exercise.

Niagara Life Magazine: A Lesson in Vanity

I clicked a link this morning to Niagara Life Magazine’s website.  (**Not to be confused with the interesting and informative Niagara Magazine, which can be found here.)

The first blurb I read was this:

“Niagara Life magazine enjoys one of the most affluent consumer demographics of any publication in the Niagara Region. Niagara Life appeals to readers who have discriminating tastes and are able to afford the things about which they are truly passionate.”

The second was this:

“Niagara Life celebrates the uniqueness of the entire Niagara Region. Features promote Niagara’s culinary venues, wineries, culture, arts, entertainment and more. Niagara Life enjoys one of the most affluent demographics of any publication in the region, distributing 50,000 copies to readers who are able to afford the finer things in life.

Award winning photography, editorial and graphics make this a MUST HAVE for those with discriminating taste.”

Now, what impression are you left with after reading this rather imperious introduction? I daresay it should have added, “…readers who are not up to snuff need not waste their time, or the magazine’s.

See, I’m of the opinion that in today’s struggling economy, self-serving magisterial comments like these are teetering on the dangerous side, able and ready to skid down the slippery slope to where other defunct publications have already met their end.

Isn’t it marvellous that Niagara Life Magazine is so assured of continued success that it need only appeal to readers having discriminating tastes and those able to afford the finer things in life?