Calamari Tastes Good.

This is just too 2000-Leagues Under the Sea. Even if you weren't afraid of sea-creatures before, come on, you've GOT to be just a little nervous about being attacked by a 100-pound freaky giant octopus.

C B C N e w s - F u l l S t o r y :
Video captures octopus attack on sub in B.C.

Rare video footage shows a giant octopus attacking a small submarine off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Salmon researchers working on the Brooks Peninsula were shocked last November when an octopus attacked their expensive and sensitive equipment.

The giant Pacific octopus weighs about 45 kilograms, powerful enough to damage Mike Wood's remote-controlled submarine.
Wood's first reaction was to panic, knowing the marine creature can exert a powerful bite.
"I go full reverse and blast him with all these seabed particles," said Wood, describing the attack shown in the video. "Finally, he lets go and disappears off into the gloom.
"It was desperation. It's a $200,000 machine, and it's not insured," said Wood, who runs SubOceanic Sciences Canada in Duncan, B.C.
The rare footage, which has just been released, is believed to be the first documented attack of an octopus on a sub.
"It was only afterwards when I replayed the video and I thought, 'Oh, yeah, that's pretty neat.' But at the time, it was just scary."

No one knows what caused the octopus to attack. It may have been curious, looking for a meal or a girlfriend, said Jim Cosgrove of the Royal B.C. Museum.
"It's certainly a mature male from what I can see in the video," said Cosgrove. "Old octopuses become what we call senescent, or senile, reaching the end of their life. And sometimes their actions are very inappropriate."
Such large, powerful animals deserve respect, Cosgrove said.
The octopus left unscathed. The submarine's only defence was its thrusters, but the machine survived the attack.

Fearing the Fearless Leaders

So it's come to this. I can't believe one of the reasons I am looking forward to living in the States is to get away from this guy. It looks pretty likely that Steven Harper will be our next fearful leader. I know it's time for a change blah blah blah. I know we can't have the Liberals in anymore. And sadly, I know that our good buddy Jack isn't going to win. But it's just a bit of hard pill to swallow. Harper is just so frikin yucky. Despite all the crap we've put up with from the Libs over the past few years, I am really proud that we do live in such a progressive country. And it's so disappointing that this guy is going to come in and ruin all that. Take away our Gay pot smoking weddings as seen on CBC!
Granted, I cannot WAIT for his first official visit to Russia. Seeing him standing there with Vlad Putin in their matching mock turtlenecks and blazer outfits will be fabulous.


Of course, the fact remains that I am going to the place led by this guy.
Maybe that will make coming back to Harper in two years more palatable. What a world.

Uhn-Huh

I just got back from a few days in Deecee. I was there trying to sort out a place to live, making sure my work Visa was in order, applying for a social security card and making sure my future coworkers seem normal enough. I think I managed to do all that. Finding the apartment was the hardest part. I spent the two days walking around, buzzing building managers, and hearing that cats can't live there. One place I saw allowed kitties, but in addition to charging $250 pet deposit, a $25 monthly PET RENT was also required. Now that just won't do. The Weeg would always be late with her rent. She's a total slacker when it comes to work....falling asleep on the job, showing up late, you know. And as much as I love her, I would hate to get in a situation where I resent always paying her rent. I don't want money to come between The Weeg and me.

Anyway, I think she'll be pleased with her new accommodations. There are lots of windows where she can monitor the birds and squirrels of Deecee.

The one thing that bugged me even more than the Pet Rent issue is this little habit a large number of Americans seem to have. Saying Uhn-Huh instead of "you're welcome."

Seekay: Thanks for the coffee.
American: Uhn-Huh.

Why, why do they do that? I'm sure they don't mean to be rude, but to my polite little Canuck ears, it's so jarring! It drives me nuts and everytime I hear it I want to say "I beg your pardon?" And in that adult tone of voice too. I know it's a cultural thing and they really don't intend for it to sound that way, and to them it obviously doesn't, but I imagine if I said that to someone here it would not go over very well.

I'll keep y'all posted.

Pearly Whites

First, Happy New Year.

The Weeg recently had five teeth removed. She's had bad teeth her whole life. Something about kitty saliva reacting badly with her kitty food. She had one or two removed a few years ago in Montreal as well. So when the vet told me they'd taken five out this time, I was a little concerned that she'd need dentures.

But no. They sent us away with a little kitty toothbrush and some poultry flavoured toothpaste and told me to brush them regularly. That's got to be my New Year's Resolution:

I must brush The Weeg's teeth more often.
I must not spend another $900 dollars on cat dentristry.

But I fear brushing Weeg's teeth will be much like flossing my own. I tell people I do...but really, I could be a hell of a lot better at it....like more than once in awhile...so that I don't spend hours after flossing complain that my gums are aching. The Weeg and I clearly have some oral issues to address in 2006.




In the meantime, I am happy to say she has some teeth left.

And I still don't have any cavities.