Favorite CDS

Here it is the dawn of 2008 and the world of music is yet to change again,. I was at work today and we got into a discussion about what music we liked and we were tossin out name like Aerosmith, ZZ-Top, Panteraand Motley Crue to name but a few, and as I was on the bus commin home I started to to think of what my top 10 list of favorite cds was and i couldnt think of a few but then i got home and it hit me like a ton of bricks, so here it is. My top 10 CDS

1) Black Label Society's "Kings Of Damnation 98-04 "

2) Black Label Society's "Alcohol Fueled Brewtality

3) Static-X 's "Machine"

4) Trivium's " The Crusade"

5) Fear Factory's "Obsolete"

6) Fear Factory's Demanufacture"

7) Megadeth's "United Abominations"

8) Ozzy Osbourne's "Live at Budokan"

9) Rob Zombie's "Hellbilly Deluxe"

10) Type-O-Negative's "Least Worst Of"

Canadian Money

THE CANADIAN CURRENCY

AND

ITS PRETTY COLOURS

From left to right:

1st row : $2 ( Toonie ) $1 ( Loonie ), 50-Cent piece

2nd row : the quarter, dime, nickle and penny

The $1 coin, first issued in 1987, is colloquially called the "loonie," for the common loon on its reverse, and the name is frequently applied to the currency unit as well. It is made of nickel plated with aureate bronze The $2 coin, carrying a polar bear, introduced in 1996, is called by analogy the "toonie". the toonie is a bi-metallic coin, and has two sections differing in colour. The new coins were quickly accepted by the public, owing largely to the fact that the mint and government forced the switch by removing the $1 and $2 bills from circulation.

THE CANADIAN PAPER BILLS

The Canadian five-dollar bill is one of the most common banknotes of the Canadian dollar. It is the lowest denomination banknote currently issued in Canada. The current five-dollar bill is dominantly blue in colour. The front features a portrait of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the coat of arms, and a picture of the West Block of the Parliament buildings

The Canadian ten-dollar bill is one of the most common banknotes of the Canadian dollar. It was the first bill printed when Canada changed its banknotes in 2001.The current ten-dollar bill is dominantly purple in colour. The front features a portrait of Sir John A. Macdonald, the coat of arms, and a picture of the Library of Parliament.

The Canadian $20 bill is the most common banknotes of the Canadian dollar; it is the main banknote dispensed by ABMs. The current 20-dollar bill is predominantly green in colour. The front features a portrait of Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, the Royal Arms of Canada, and a picture of the Centre Block of the Parliament buildings.

The Canadian $50 bill is one of the most common banknotes of the Canadian dollar. It is sometimes dispensed by ABMs, but not as commonly as the $20 bill. The current 50-dollar bill is predominantly red in colour. The front features a portrait of William Lyon Mackenzie King, the coat of arms, and a picture of the Peace Tower of the Parliament buildings.

The Canadian $100 bill is one of five different banknotes of the Canadian dollar. It is the highest-valued and least-circulated of the bills. The current 100-dollar bill is dominantly brown in colour. The front features a portrait of Sir Robert Borden, the coat of arms, and a picture of the East Block of the Parliament buildings.

http://blog.theavclub.tv/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/canadian-coins.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/76/Canadian_bills2.jpg

and now a VERY RARE known coin.

On May 3, 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled Gold Maple Leaf a coin with a face value of One Million Dollars. The weight of the coin is 100 kilograms and the artist was Stanley Witten. The coin is mainly a promotional product to give the RCM a higher international profile. The 100-kilogram coin was conceived as a showpiece to promote the RCM's new line of 99.999 per cent pure one ounce Gold Maple Leaf bullion coins. The coin is only made to order and so far 5 have been produced as of September, 2007. It is not 'struck' like a conventional coin but is instead cast then machined to the right size and shape.

sources: wilkopedia and the royal candian mint

What Im watchin on TV these days

A few people are asking me what I'm watching these days on TV, so I thought I would share with you all what I like to watch when I'm either offline, my net connection is down of if I just wanna relax, so here they are, my favorite television shows in NO particular order

CTV and CBC:

CBC Hockey Night in Canada, CSI: Las Vegas, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York

Space Channel or Sci-Fi Channel:

Farscape, Battlestar Galatica (original), Battlestar Galatica (new version) , Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Star Trek ( classic series )

Discovery Channel:

Dirty Jobs, Mythbusters, Future Weapons

The Food Network:

Everyday Italian, Chef at Home, Sugar, Iron Chef
Home and Garden TV:

Holmes on Homes

FOX:

The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad

These are a few of my fav shows that i enjoy and I know you may be a bit shocked but that's the idea after all

"Life's like a transformer...there's more than meets the eye"

Calgary...The city that gives from the heart !

Direct from the City of Calgary website........

"The secret’s out. Santa Claus takes the bus! Calgary Transit buses have been transformed into “reindeers leighs” just in time for Christmas Eve. This is the heart warming story the media have been waiting to tell on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24 beginning at 7:45 a.m., 10 Calgary Transit buses driven by volunteer transit drivers, will pull out of the “Magic of Christmas”registered charity warehouse located at 7220 Barlow Trail S.E. (NE corner of 72 Avenue and Barlow Trail). Each magically-decorated “reindeer sleigh” bus will carry Santa Claus and his many Elves. Buses will be filled with Christmas gifts provided by the generosity of both private and corporate citizens of Calgary. The volunteers will make deliveries of toys, food, clothing and other necessities, to Calgary's less fortunate, all day and all night long, to their homes, hospitals, nursing homes and shelters, in an effort to ensure no one is left out during the Holiday Season. The “Magic of Christmas” will visit about 3,000 people on Christmas Eve spreading the joy of the season. The “Magic of Christmas” will visit about 3,000 people on Christmas Eve spreading the joy of the holiday season.

Calgary Transit is once again partnering with Calgary Co-op to assist the local food bank to help take care of hungry families in our community. Please join us tomorrow Saturday,December 8th for the “Stuff a Bus” food drive. Calgarians are encouraged to stuff city buses with non -perishable food donations on Saturday, December 8th from 9:00a.m. – 4:00 p.m. A bus will be parked at all Calgary Co-opCentres.Volunteers from Calgary Transit and the Calgary Interfaith-Food Bank will be on-site to collect food and cash donations,and can issue tax receipts.All money and donations raised will go directly to theCalgary Interfaith Food Bank. Calgary Co-op stores in Airdrieand Strathmore will also be accepting donations for food banks in their communities. "

ALSO

From the Calgary Flames website the following news

"The Calgary Flames made their annual Christmas visit to the Alberta's Children's Hospital Thursday distributing toys to over 300 kids who may not be as fortunate this holiday season. The event, which has been a tradition since the Flames came to Calgary in 1980, is a favourite among the players since they able to give back in a time of need. Although a majority of the Flames' players visited children bedside, one group made a special stop. Rhett Warrener, Dion Phaneuf, Miikka Kiprusoff, Adrian Aucoin, and David Moss stopped in the Arts and Crafts room to paint Christmas ornaments and make cards with patients. As each player sat down and starting interacting and joking around with the children, it was clear that this day was sought after for a long time. "

Calgary, The city that gives back !!!!!

For more information on calgary, check out the city website at http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server.pt?

The US Postal Service VS Canada Post !!!

The christmas parcels were shipped and arrived safely at both households. My parcel from my folks in Iowa arrived yesterday all intact and no damage. US Customs didn't open it this year so thats really good of them. Mom mailed her parcel off on Dec 6th and it arrived here yesterday ( dec 19th ). Not bad for a parcel for the USA, 10days. On the flip side I shipped mine down there to Iowa on dec 14th and it arrived today (Dec 20th). 6 days later, and yet once again US Customs didn't open the parcel. It makes one wonder why it is that when I send something to the USA it only took 6 days and why it took almost 2 weeks to go from Canada to the USA. Wierd isn't it, but by the same token it only takes 3 days to go from where my parents live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to here in Calgary, Alberta a mere 386 miles away and where sis lives, Maquoketa, Ia is 1534 miles away. Time to find out how long it takes to goto Europe !!!!!!

Stupid Ass Shoppers !!!!!!!

Ok people listen up. I am sick and frickin tired of hearing people bitch and bitch and bitch about grocery prices. I bugs the crap outta me to no end to hear " ohh I can get that cheaper at walmart" or "wow that's expensive, well goto superstore and get it there". Well if ya can then go shop there and don't come back. So I thought since most people don't have a grasp of what's going on those those two companie, i'll explain it to ya. It all comes down to the simple idea of this " the more you buy, the more you save" . THATS IT PURE AND SIMPLE !! It all comes down to the fact that the more of a product you buy the more of a discount you get. So for example I buy 5 palettes for toilet paper, the supplier will give me a deal if I buy 5 more. So this way I get a big deal on them, so being the greedy, I buy 5 more and I get a deal, so now I can lower my price, sell more and make more money. Same thing applies to everything from cat food all the way down to diapers, The more ya buy, the cheaper it is for the consumer . Sure the shelves will be full with the product on a sunday or monday, but will it still be full on say thursday or friday, not a chance in hell. Once its gone, its gone so your screwed.

Is this unfair in the grocery industry. HELL NO!!!! Sure some canadian grocery companies like IGA, Sobeys, Co-op, and Safeway carry the same products and get them in everday and have stock on hand. The same situation also applies to our counterparts in the american grocery industry like A&P, Mejier, Kroger and Vons. It is happening no matter where you go, even into other countries like great britian, spain and even france.

So to those who wine and bitch about varying pricing on groceies, I saw take your business and go else where. It bugs us all all to hear "ohh I can get this cheaper at walmart" or "ohh thats too expensive, i'll get it at superstore". You WILL come back to our stores for the simple fact that we carry exactially the same products, but you won't get special deals like buy one get one free, bonus airmiles, customer appreciation day and carry out service

Whats in YOUR mp3 player !!!

Whats on your mp3 player??? well on mines only about 633 songs form the VERY of "Balls To The Wall "by Accept all the way down to ZZ Tops " Sharp Dressed man". Mostly its the new stuff from bands like Black Label Society, Fear Factory, Static-X, OZZY, Megadeth, Motley Crue and Rob Zombie. Recently I added a few new ones into the mix. hey are Nightwish, Trivium and Hell Yeah.

NIGHTWISH : Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal/power metal musical group, formed in 1996 in the town of Kitee, in eastern Finland. Nightwish is considered one of the bands responsible for the development and rise in popularity of symphonic metal at the end of the 1990s. The band recently released a new album, Dark Passion Play, which features the charity single "Eva", the single "Amaranth", and the single "Bye Bye Beautiful" on September 28, 2007.

TRIVIUM: Trivium is a metal band from Orlando, Florida. They formed in 2000, and after three years, released a demo. The demo helped them to get signed to Lifeforce Records, where they released Ember to Inferno. Following on from this, they were signed to Roadrunner Records and released Ascendancy. Their popularity grew, as their next, and most recent album, The Crusade

HELLYEAH: Hellyeah is a heavy metal supergroup, consisting of Mudvayne vocalist Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett, Nothingface guitarist Tom Maxwell, Damageplan bassist Bob Zilla, and former Pantera and Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul. The idea to form a supergroup originated in 2001 on the Tattoo the Earth tour, although plans were constantly put on hold due to scheduling conflicts. The summer of 2006 allowed the band to take the project seriously and record its first album.

2008 brings the return of new cds by Fear Factory. Fear Factory's eighth studio album will be produced by the band. BurtonC Bell has confirmed that Fear Factory has recently parted ways with Liquid 8 Records, and it is currently unclear which label the new album will be released on. As well as Static-X. The band will begin recording their sixth studio album in December after returning from the Operation Annihilation tour in Australia.

So those are very anxiously awaited by me and my kind!

Seasons Beatings

2007
The Year in Review
-----------------------------------------------

Well another years come and gone and its time too look back at the year that was 2007. Started off a bit rough on the rough side with the apendix removal and week of holidays in jan, but after my 1st xmas here in calgary, and working a insane christmas week deep down, i actually needed it *lol*. Then no real big things untill june and the Stanps season opener against Hamilton. That was killer. see my other posting about it. After that it was in september when i went home for my best bud Barrys wedding. That was a huge eye opener. Its a big thing to go from where you were a mear 10years ago in a small place of barely 2500 to a city of 1.2 million people where you are now. Sitting at the aiport waiting to board the plane home was kinda wierd and humbling knowing that in 6 hours i'll be home in nova scotia for the 1st time in 10 years. And commin down that escolator and seeing Barry made me realize that I was truely home. Once that smell of salt air hits ya, you know your home. Driving to Greenwood from the Halifax airport sure brought back a flood of memories and it was all good. Such things as driving to the airport to pick up Colleen when she came for to visit back in the early 90's. That was such a fun visit when she came for that week. To this day we still talk about it. Sometimes I talk to her for advice shes really good about givin her 2cents about things. You may not like what shes tells ya but she'll give it to ya straight, no bull, and no sugar coating. I guess that why we will always be, and are such close friends to this day.

We made a few quick stops along the way. firstly in at Windsor for a pee break and a timmys coffee. Then the next stop was in Coldbrook. After that the next stop was Kingston aka exit 17a. That was wierd and yet framilular. It is true what they say when they say "the more things change the more they stay the same" . I guess the real shock was comming up bridge street and seeing the new shoppers, sobeys and canadian tire stores. Then theres the old haunts like tim hortons, pizza delight, mcdonalds, and needs. Those places have never really changed but the people sure as hell have. Take Bruce for example, he has a daughter, Trev whos married and has two kids Willow and Gabriel ( both who are cute as hell) , steve who looks alot like red green ( google it people) and tascha who hasn't changed and steve's son Alexander. Theres a guy who was only a pipsqueek when I left. And of course Rob. He has not changed at all in the last 10years. Hes still a crazy wildman like he always was.

The base hasn't changed much but the real shock was going down past the new pmqs. Totally gone. All that remains is a empty lot with alot of trees. That was wierd like it never existed. The wedding was a blast, it was really good to catch up and see everybody again. the reception was fun too, some framilular faces. That whole week was a time I will never forget. Almost didnt come back to Calgary, but I had someone here that I cared alot about and would miss alot. The trip to the airport was rough. All the way I was thinking to myself " I gotta come back soon and the next time for 2 weeks, not the one that, but I wont be comming back alone" Once Barry and Michelle dropped me off and I picked up my lobsters it was off thru security and up to my gate. Sitting there all I could think of was the next time I would be home and I decided that I will come back in 09. The real wierd part was when i heard "westjet fight to calgary now boarding at gate 18. " last time i left nova scotia was in 97 and it was to Saskatoon, only then i had a stop in Toronto. This time it was non-stop home and home was Calgary.

The MAJOR event of the year is the arrival of my 2nd neice. Brieanna Lynn Rixen. She was born on Oct 20 2007. When she was born sis called me at work to tell me and thats the news everybody loves to hear. Shes something else. She already recognizes me voice thur the webcam talks I have with mom and dailyn. The theres little miss muffet dailyn. She is a very big help looking after her little sister. she tells lala (mom) and poppa ( dad) when bri is hungry, stinky or is crying. She even looks for me online and has on several times acording to mom has gone to the computer, looked at it, pointed to it and said "where ubba jim???" and sure enought there i am just watching her play with her toys and showing me all sorts of things like books, her feet, her barbies. So needless to say a trip to iowa is on order for next year.

And that bring us up to now. Here it is december 8th, theres snow on the ground, the temps are a tad chilly, and all my presents are wrapped, and all I have to do now is find a box for them and ship them out. I can do that at work. Just bring home a couple of apple boxes, wrap them up and them off to the post office. That i'll do on wednesday morning.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS:

1) Get to Iowa to see my nieces, D and Bri.

2) Buy a house.

3) Goto the mountian is Banff, Canmore or some place like that for a weekend.

4) Do alot more mountian biking.

5) TOTALLY give up junk food like potato chips, and pop.

So on that note I bid you a merry christmas, and a happy new years

May 2008 be full of new memories and new adventures