Chocolate sculpture

Oh my goodness, this is so fantastic!

http://pingmag.jp/2007/07/27/sweat-designs-with-cocoa-in-mind/
Visit this site. Beautiful sculptures made of chocolate.

Distributor - Organic & Fair Trade

I am having an ongoing adventure learning about fair trade and importing, distribution and sales. Loads of fun.

I look forward to sharing dulce de leche con mis amigos!

Interrupcion

Scientists solve Checkers...I still have a ways to go

U of A Professors have proved that they can beat any human being in Checkers

Chinook Proof

You can even play Chinook
Alberta researchers solve checkers

SHANNON MONTGOMERY

Canadian Press

July 19, 2007 at 2:54 PM EDT

EDMONTON — It's taken dozens of computers humming away for almost 18 years, but a University of Alberta team has finally solved every possible game of checkers and concluded that as long as no mistakes are made, the game will end in a draw.

The popular game may be simple to play, but it holds a potential 500 billion billion positions. That's one million times more complicated than any other game solved before, says Jonathan Schaeffer, the computer science professor who began the project in 1989.

“In hindsight, it was ludicrous. Why tackle something a million times bigger?” said the wiry-haired academic. “Maybe there's a little bit of craziness there.”

A conversation on the street - Buerger's Disease

I never would have asked him if he wasn't on the street: "what happened to you?"
He told me his story tonight and a bit about his family. I gave him some money and returned home.
It was one of the better conversations I have had recently. What a life he has led!
He has lost some appendages and doesn't play the guitar anymore.

I wasn't sure what to believe but he said he had burger's something...well that is what I thought I heard. But he was actually saying BuErger's disease, which cuts off the blood flow to parts of the body which hurts like hell and can lead to gangrene and eventually amputation (23 times in his case).

Here is some information about Buerger's Disease and a website of a guy who got it really early. I hope that I am not exploiting a man that I met on the street. I hope that he can at least appreciate that he had an impact on another human being.

Wikipedia: Buerger's disease
Brandon Carmichael has Buerger's disease

And a lesson...
You know how in the movies they slam beer bottles and guitars onto people, well my buddy one time snuck up on his friend and slammed a guitar (acoustic) onto her head. It broke and twanged like nobody's business. She recovered and joked, "you always wanted to do that."
I hope that everyone can find someone who will understand the importance of slamming guitars onto other people, just to hear the sound. Not that I would ever do it...

Paul Potts an opera singer for today and tomorrow

Yes Paul Potts rocks. Enjoy the opera. Tim enjoys a good portion of Paul Potts!

Paul's Official site
Awkward interview with a performance on NBC Morning Show...Meredith Viera we love you but chill out...
Moreover, Paul wins

Zambian workers, Chinese bosses

What if Canada got everything right in CSR, but our companies couldn't compete with other country's companies? Is this just a way of hiding behind the old excuse of "Johny doesn't have to make his bed, why do I?"

I may come up with an actual answer to this but I thought I would just point out two examples that raise the issue:
from the BBC: BBC - Zambia miners 'see little reward' By Orla Guerin BBC News, Zambia

from the Talisman Sudanese controversy:

• The sale
• China's purchase
  
• Talisman's home

Sudan divestment / Student action: Standnow in the US and Stand Canada
More info on CSR, Genocide and activism at Corpobligation.com

Bluesfest - Manu Chao, Spearhead, White Stripes

The greatest music I have ever heard. Can't say enough about these bands. Jack White is a genius on the guitars and rocked the blues this Sunday in Ottawa at Bluesfest. I also got down to the celtic music of Leahy.
The political messages of peace, love and understanding were clear and received well by the crowd. It was fun to feel a sense of hope and community as we cheered on activists and artists: Manu Chao, Spearhead and Sarah Harmer. Keep on rocking in the free world!

Sustainability standards

I look forward to delving deeper into this website:
Sustainable Measures. Take a look if you like.

Another use for a Burka!

Head of Pakistan's Red Mosque captured

ZEESHAN HAIDER

Reuters

July 4, 2007 at 4:30 PM EDT

ISLAMABAD — The head of a radical Pakistani mosque at the centre of a bloody stand-off with security forces was arrested on Wednesday while trying to escape clad in a woman's burka, officials said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070704.wmosk0704/BNStory/International/home

Happy independence day USA - It's hard to be a Muslim on the 4th of July!

Humour, music, religion, understanding...

It's Hard to be a Muslim on the 4th of July
Uploaded by snovision

You can support Tommy Wallach
Buy his CD at Buy CD

Rickshaw injury / hiatus

I regret to inform the fans that a rib bruise/break has sidelined men for the next few days. This will allow me to go further into debt and to spend more time on activism. Keeping my eye on the bright side. wink and groan...boo
Stay tuned for pictures of the rickshaw!

onwards and upwards

On the go, up to Olympus. I am working away diligently on corpobligation.com, transferring news from TCBCO to corpobligation, getting ready to launch a fair trade importing business, starting rickshawing, and generally staying cool when the heat rises!
Where are you going to be on Canada Day? Taking a rickshaw ride with Tim!
Drop me an email or call me if you know my number. You can also call Ottawa rickshaws: (613) 853-0012 and ask for me.

Ideas for a better world

Buying less giving more
Composting - not as bad of smell as expected...Compost now
Chocolate being good for you
Love making across barriers

And minibuses...stay tuned

Paul Potts is in the semis and is a youtube phenomenon

It turns out I was not the only person to enjoy Paul Potts' take on opera. A video of his is at the top of youtube at this moment and he seems poised to go ahead to the finals!



Yes He WON!

Frisbee

Hey folks,

So more frisbee is underway tonight at 6:00 (friday)

At Strathcona park - walk on Somerset East towards the rideau river until you hit water, then take a few steps back and you will be in frisbbee land. Hope to see lots of folks there.Bring friends. Drinks after at the house ("Le maison" pub).

Bienvenue a tous,

T
PS I don't care where you are living now, please make an effort to make it out!

Highschool redux

Remember when you had to ask for permission to go to the washroom? Remember when you had to go to school and sit still no matter what they were talking about?

Well, 9 years later, and seven years spent earning 6 letters after my name, I find myself back in highschool redux. A term I use to describe the re turn combined with reflux, that lovely stuff that they show in pepto bismol commercials.

Have to remember to wake up for those 1:00 classes, where we review common sense / the lessons we knew in kindergarten but have had drilled out of our heads.
Namely,

don't hit your friend, don't steal from your friend, be nice and the whole world will smile

See the neighbor rant and carl sagan movie below

Paul Potts - Salesman to Opera Star

I don't like opera, except Paul Potts. The only times I have gone to it I have been bored despite the directors best efforts (Salome - Atom Egoyan) or just bored (efforts (Die Valkarie - Toronto, Ring Cycle 2005).

But the way Paul Potts sings in this brief clip was inspirational. The way he expresses a feeling through singing opera absolutely blew me away! I will try to follow along with his development, and career, but he is appearing on "Britain has talent" at the moment and I do not have a TV.



The song is "Nessum dorum":

Verses (from the original libretto)[1]

Il principe ignoto

Nessun dorma!... Tu pure, o Principessa,
Nella tua fredda stanza
Guardi le stelle
Che tremano d'amore e di speranza.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
Il nome mio nessun saprà!
Solo quando la luce splenderà,
Sulla tua bocca lo dirò fremente!...
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
Che ti fa mia!...

Voci di donne

Il nome suo nessun saprà...
E noi dovremo, ahimè, morir!...

Il principe ignoto
Dilegua, o notte!... Tramontate, stelle!...
All'alba vincerò!...



Score text[2]

Il principe ignoto

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma! Tu pure, o Principessa,
nella tua fredda stanza
guardi le stelle
che tremano d'amore e di speranza...
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò,
quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
che ti fa mia.

Voci di donne
Il nome suo nessun saprà...
E noi dovrem, ahimè, morir, morir!

Il principe ignoto

Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle! All'alba vincerò!
Vincerò! Vincerò!

Translated from the score.

The Prince Let no one sleep!... Let no one sleep! Even you, o Princess, in your cold room, watch the stars, that tremble with love and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me, my name no one shall know... No!...No!... On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...

The Chorus of women No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.

The Prince Vanish, o night! Set, stars! At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!


Apparently Pavarotti sang it with the three tenors...a bit over the top in my opinion

Carl Sagan says "everyone I know is from Earth"

A lovely message to all. We are all born here. On a planet. We worry about how to get over racism, religious strife, sexism, class, good vs bad hair...but we are all from here...

Contrary to popular belief, I am not an organizational genius

This is a picture of a corner of the dining room...the rest of the apartment was cleaner than this...at least after Iain's help

banana hands

This is the best video on youtube:

This dark German techno tells the tale of a young man und his appealing attributes. Completely produced in Helena Montana!
Milky Pirate Shirts, Steins and Boxers!!! - www.cafepress.com/nandrews
My MySpace Page :)
www.myspace.com/nandrewsproductions