I really can't wait.

October 10, 2010 will be a great day for those of us geek-types who seek "The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything".

Why, you ask? Well October 10, 2010 in shorthand is 10/10/10, the binary of which is 101010 or 42.

Jelly Fish

On a recent family trip to the West Coast we stopped in at the Vancouver Aquarium for a day of aquatic fun. Our family has always loved the ocean, despite our prairie roots, and it was certainly a marvelous day that did not dissapoint.

I would highly recommend a visit for anyone who finds themselves in Vancouver with kids and a need for something to do. Make sure to check out the Jelly Fish exhibit and don't miss the hands-on with the sea anemones,...gloriously gushy fun for everyone!

What's that smell? Oh its a General Election

I received this from a colleague asking if I thought it was just political spin...

Here is my reply:

It’s all spin. Both parties have flip-flopped on the issue of Income Trusts. To be honest I think that the both the Government and Opposition Finance people are just experimenting,… it’s scary but I don’t think they have the slightest clue of how things work. I thought I’d never say this, but I really miss the days when Paul Martin was the Finance Minister and things felt stable and just worked.

I have been a regular reader of the Market Guy, he is a Econ Prof and sporadically produces newsletters about his investment strategies and the financial market. He wrote an article on the Conservatives decision back in January that is still a good read today: http://www.marketguy.ca/

What worries me about the email? It’s the line that says:

"the Liberal plan will return at least 2/3 of investors’ money by replacing the 31.5% tax with a modest 10% tax paid by companies"

Just what in the hell does that mean? Do the Income Trusts have to pay that 10%, or is it the US companies that have purchased the trusts (smacks of G.W. Bush himself!). Or worse, do all Canadian companies have to pay a “bail out” fee through corporate taxes to all the investors who were too greedy to make sure that their portfolios were diversified enough?

Hmmm, I feel a rant:

I guess I am getting fed up with the blatant partisan political machinery here. Are party supports so closed-minded that they can’t see they are being taken for fools? I do not support any parties financially, I have had PC and Liberal signs on my lawn, I have voted for Yogic Flyer's, Marxist-Leninist's, Reformers, Blue Tories and Passionate Liberals. I have a Political Science degree, which if nothing else, has made me politically skeptical and put me in the “most un-likely to vote category”. But I am sorry Mr. McCallum, you’re scary email won’t do the trick…, if you want $100, or even $400 from me your going to have to do more than show a declining red line superimposed over a well fed Stephen Harper peppered with ominous undertones of "American Takeovers”. If you are really interested in scaring potential contributors to the Red Machine might I recommend some devil horns on the First Minister next time, or maybe a bonfire with Mr. Harper forcing senior citizens to empty their wallets and purses into the pyre (think Lord of the Rings bleakness).

Don’t get me wrong here, I am not saying that the Liberals are the only perpetrators of this low-brow campaigning,.. all parties, yes even the lowly NDP and the wayward Green’s. Stop treating us like idiots. If you would like to work for us, take a serious look at how you are spending our money, tread lightly and please do not insult our intelligence with this asinine drivel. The majority of Canadians are NOT party faithful, we are reluctant participators in a wonderful democracy. Get it wrong at your own peril.

Here endeth the rant.

Photo Blog: Home

Home is safe, warm and familiar.

Home is love, laughter and life.

There is no more important place in your heart, in your life, or in your mind's eye.

Photo Blog: Car-Car

OK, so my almost-two-year-old boy is nuts about cars, trucks, trains and airplanes. Which is so very different from his sister, despite recycling all of her old books and toys for him. So what gives?

I'd have to check, but I swear his first word was "car", and for several weeks he would finish a blathering sentence with the word "car", like it was some form of universal punctuation. However, above all motorized methods of transport, to him the Car is King.

We were out walking this weekend and every car that he could touch he would, feeling the fenders, running his fingers over the tires, and tapping the lights with his little knuckles. It was really cool to see this tactile relationship form.

I like cars, and I was nuts about them for a good ten years before realizing that other things like paying for groceries and having heat were probably more important that owning the fastest Porsche in the world. But hey, maybe this little guy has helped to rekindle that lost love of wheeled things, and maybe you'll find us working together on a classic someday not too far down the road. Car.

How to Fish in Advertising

I was speaking with a colleague the other day trying to explain my thoughts on a print ad when I came up with an analogy that seemed to work. At issue were the competing ideas of including all the available information into a print ad in order to inform the reader about all of her choices, versus leaving the print ad intentionally vague so as to entice the prospect further into your net (i.e. website) where you could provide a more immerse and information rich experience to her.

So the scene is set, and no this really isn't the forum to debate the merits of print ads, suffice it to say that our audience is both tactile and largely traditional engineering,.. although even that is changing. Where was I,.. oh yeah the analogy,... fishing.

I said to my colleague, "you would never show the frying pan to the fish, would you? You show the fish the worm, and keep the frying pan to yourself for the time-being".

Now I am not advocating frying your prospects, or even clubbing them with a frying pan, and to be honest the end result for the fish isn't in his best interest. What I am advocating within the narrow bounds of a print ad is that it is a bit of a risk-reward game. You want to provide enough information for the prospect to take the next step down the path, or to say "Yes!". What you do not want is to provide so much information that they are able to make a snap decision in the "No" direction. Or loose their interest, a truly cardinal sin!

The great thing about my work is that it involves no absolutes. We are all beings with unpredictable emotions, despite what pollsters and economists tell you!

Things I’ve Learned

I saw this in a Veer catalog and really, really liked it:

Things I’ve learned:

• There’s no shame in a house, a car, a picket fence.
• The world’s the size of a fingernail – if you want it to be.
• Expensive food just tastes better.
• Whether the glass is half full or half empty, it’s best to shoot it all back.

Check out Veer, very cool company... remeber ImageBank or EyeWire?

aka Eddie: A question of faith

I've got a buddy who has just started his first personal blog after doing one for his softball team for a year or so. His first foray into bloging was no small matter as he decided to tackle the subject of organized religion and faith. It's worth a read... aka Eddie: A question of faith

Chuck Taylor's & 501's

As I approach 40, well it's a few years away still, I find myself reminiscing about the "good old days". You know when I listened to CKXL on my clock radio well into the wee hours of the night waiting for that one special song, when a Lada Niva was a new vehicle, and when we were all freaked out by the Cold War.

Well times are much different now, not worse mind you I would argue much better! And with kids of my own I am able to see how my perceptions of the world, and my reactions to things, shape their own perceptions and help, or hurt in forming their own opinions. It's both a huge responsibility and and exciting adventure all wrapped into one.

For those of you who remember the 80's, I leave you with this great link. Be advised it's a time-waster!

Prime Minister Paul Martin

Prime Minister Paul Martin
Originally uploaded by PBryden.

The Gomery inquiry has tabled its report, and found Prime Minster Paul Martin free of any of the unscrupulous dealings that plagued the Liberal Party of Canada during the tenure of Jean Chretien. See the CBC website for more details.

This now brings into question the effectiveness of Paul Martin himself. As Minister of finance under Jean Chretien, if he was not aware of the Party financing, then he was evidently more "out of the loop" than most Canadians had previously thought.

One should then ask, "how in-the-loop in Paul Martin as Prime Minister"? This is a more revealing question as we head towards another Federal election in Canada.

Churrascaria in Calgary

According to Calgary's top restaurant critic John Gilchrist;

"Calgary's first Brazilian-style churrascaria is slated to open early in 2006. This is the ultimate meat-on-a-stick experience with whistle-blowing waiters wielding huge hunks of meat on nasty-looking skewers. They slice off as much as you want and keep on bringing it until you say uncle."

I can't wait! After being in Brazil and hearing my wife go on and on about churrascaria, I can't believe we'll be able to experience it!
Does anyone know where the restaurant will be located? I want to line up now!

People Who Dump on SUV’s

I am reading "An Accidental Canadian" by Margaret Wente. Its not a bad book, but I until I read this passage below, I really hadn't had a outright laugh. Unfortunately it happened to occur on a city bus at seven A.M. and I consequently received a few strange looks.

To tell the truth, I like this sort of thing when it happens. If I can make even one person on the bus smile to themselves and think "that was funny", then I am happy in my knowledge that I’ve spread a little unanticipated cheer.

Here's the quote, the italics are mine:

“Deep down inside, these people really believe all cars are wicked. They think all of us should get around on bikes and public transit. In their view, people who love cars for the freedom and mobility they bring (to say nothing of the six CD-players and heated seats) are like people in the olden days who had sex for fun – dangerous and immoral.

By the way, what would Jesus drive? It’s not hard to figure out. Jesus was a country carpenter. So if he lived in Canada, he’d drive an old beat-up F-150 pickup, which is the vehicle of choice up in our neck of the woods. If he was a really successful carpenter, he’d drive an F-250. And some of his disciples would turn them into mudders with gigantic tires and extra strong suspensions, and in winter they’d dig out the Pharisees from the big city for fifty bucks a pop.”

What I'm Reading

I am currently reading A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews, and I am struck by how her writing is so easily able to paint vivid pictures in my mind. The writing is tight and full of great imagery, here is a taste...

"I looked straight into the sun to give me something painful to concentrate on".

It simple, yet rich in meaning and symbolism.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the book. Its a tale about a teenage girl breaking away form a Mennonite community in Manitoba, it includes all of the typicall teenage angst that one might expect, along with a dose of religious fundametalism.

Labour as a Commodity

I am reading Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton, and I ran across a nugget that I want to share.

On the two divergent imperatives: the economic imperative, which dictates that the primary task of business is to realize a profit; and the human imperative, which causes employees to hunger for financial security, respect and tenure.

de Botton correctly points out that for long periods these two imperatives can coexist happily, however when a company is faced with uncertainty, the economic imperative will always win out.

So if labour is just another input, like raw materials and machinery, the only thing that actually separates it from say a computer, is labour's human quality.

Ahhh Summer

Vancouver Island Summer Holidays 2005 073
Originally uploaded by PBryden.

Well I've been on hiatus for a few weeks from the blog, enjoying a much needed family summer holiday on Vancouver Island. It is a truly spectacular place to visit, one that every person with a love for the outdoors should venture to discover.

After finishing an intensive two-year MBA at the Haskayne School of Business, endlessly plowing through textbooks and sinking in cases, the last thing I thought I would do is read. To my suprise I have just devoured books of all kinds since the trip to South America. I have a few that I'd like to write some comments on so I will do that over the next few days.

Santiago – Day 10 (May 11)

Conch y Toro Vineyard - Main House & Gardens
Originally uploaded by PBryden.

Groggy due to lack of sleep! Packed up for flight back to Canada, but first we have a tour of the Conch y Toro Vineyard!

The vineyard, which was my first, was absolutely spectacular! The fall colors were really evident at the vineyard and we tasted a Chardonnay, a Carmenere, and a mixed blend named Trio. The cellars of the old house were very neat, spooky almost, with a very musty smell. The mortar between the bricks was made of a raw egg mixture, and seemed to be holding together very nicely. I bought a hat, thinking that I should have bought a few bottles of wine, but wasn’t willing to plunk down US$200 for a few bottles of the good stuff.

We said our good-byes to our classmates who were staying on in Chile and Argentina, and hopped on the bus for our return to Canada via Santiago, Buenos Aries, and Toronto. Things were very quiet on the bus on the way home as we were all sad to be ending out trip.

We had to de-plane in Buenos Aries and “lost” Rolf and Brenda for thirty minutes. Things were looking grim as we were about to board again when someone spotted them sitting quietly by themselves at the gate. It turns out that they were the first off the plane and were sitting there the whole time!

The flight back to Canada was routine, and other than customs clearance for Jon, everything was as expected. Back in Calgary it was a really great feeling to be home at last!

========================================
Picture: Conch y Toro Vineyard - Main House & Gardens

Santiago – Day 9 (May 10)

Chestnuts in Chile
Originally uploaded by PBryden.

Early breakfast and transfer to Transelec for a business visit. They seem to be the government power provider, but also compete in the open market. An interesting visit and overall good to see. Back to the hotel for the Placer Dome presentation, which was very informative and well done.

The afternoon was set aside for shopping and so I went off the Artisan Market and also a hellish trip back the the University of Santiago’s Business School for a too-small golf shirt. We all met back in the lobby of the hotel and took a bus to San Cristobal’s Hill, the highest point in Santiago and the smallest of the Andes. The view of the city was extraordinary and the top of the hill was graced with a thirty-foot statue of the Virgin Mary. Quite a spectacular sight and very unexpected. We didn’t get to ride the funicular, which would have been great, as it was a “real oldie”.

The meal was fantastic with many great speeches and “Gampei’s”. There was a group from New York beside us that was also on a school tour, but unfortunately they arrived a few hours after us and the head professor was a grumpy old snot. I played a bit with him and apologized for the Yankee’s performance, in the end we parted ways in good company and I hope that he was able to modify his opinion of us and much as I did of him.

We hopped of the bus in the new district and went to Louisiana Bar for a few half-price pitchers of beer. I managed to escape with Luc before the rest of the crew went off to a disco,…they didn’t return home until 4:30am. Unfortunately we learned that the Chinese guys will need to fly back through Sao Paulo as they don’t have entry visa’s for Argentina. Sadly we said our good-byes for maybe the last time, I will especially miss Guozhen.

Santiago – Day 8 (May 9)

modern building2 in santiago
Originally uploaded by PBryden.

Early morning departure for the University of Santiago's Business School this morning for a presentation on "Doing Business in Chile". The presentation was good and attended by a large number of faculty, there seems to be a connection between on of the professors and Rolf Murius. Oscar Uirbe made a memorable presentation about constructing the gas pipeline between Chile and Argentina, and some of the issues that Chile now faces with curtailed production from an economically depressed Argentina.

We transferred to our bus for a visit to Methanex: a very interesting company that might be worthwhile investing in.

Sea bass lunch {isn't it endangered?) at a very nice restaurant and then a visit to Abongoa, which is a Spanish civil construction company specializing in the power industry among other things. Might be a potential customer, however they seemed a little non-technical and mostly concerned with financing or projects and sharing of ownership/revenue.

Back to the hotel in the afternoon, a quick call back home and then out to the artisan market for a little shopping. Dinner at Isla Negre, mostly seafood but I had a steak and egg that was pretty good. Grabbed a cab back to the hotel and hit the hay early.

Santiago – Day 7 (May 8) Mother's Day

church in santiago1
Originally uploaded by PBryden.

Woke up too damn early, 4:20AM to get the bus to the airport for check-in. I had lost my entrance ticket to Brazil somewhere but I was able to sweet-talk the check-in agent to fill in a replacement for me so I could exit the country.

A great flight over the Andes with spectacular scenery as we landed in Santiago, the bus ride to the hotel was very nice and the weather was sunny with temps at 20C. After a roast beef and egg sandwich at a local diner we had an afternoon city tour by bus. We saw many Colonial buildings, some of which were copies of European buildings such as Notre Dame and the Arc de Triumph.

We visited the Pre-Columbian art exhibit, what a great collection of rare antiquities, never before have I seen such a subtle exhibition of such magnificent early art. The collection was over 7000 pieces and one could spend a week easily scratching the surface.

Later on we walked through a major square and saw a balloon clown entertaining the kids and a slapstick team that reminded me of the Marx Brothers. I returned back to the hotel and slipped into the Church right next door. It was one of the few really older Spanish churches left in Santiago since the earthquake on the 80's. It was of wooden construction with an adobe-like exterior, it had some amazing paintings and some over-the-top statues of Christ and the crucifixion. Dinner was at the hotel and into bed early at 10:00PM.

Thoughts:
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Santiago is a clean and vibrant City.
Saw a few gypsies in the street and many performers and street artists were about.
Traffic is pretty crazy, particularly the city busses who compete per passenger for fares.

Rio de Janeiro – Day 6 (May 7)

Still a little groggy this morning from last night's festivities at Platforma 1. We had a tourist visit to the Christ Statue, what fantastic views of the whole city and a fun little tram ride up to the top. Despite the many flying ants at the top of the mountain, the statue and views were awe inspiring!

After descending from the mountain on the same tram we were dropped off at Impanema beach for our first real R&R. A group of us went for a quick lunch at Bob's Burger Bragazio (Bleah!) and then hit the beach right away. What a beautiful beach full of beautiful people who are always running, jumping and being generaly athletic in the hot. hot sun...

A few of the boys played beach volleyball for a while and felt very much like the Icelandic Olympic team, no tans and very little volleyball talent! We got pretty warm pretty quickly and decided to direct our remaining energy to saying "No Obrigado" to the various vendors, who were a lot less persistent than the ones on Impanema. We met "Scott" from Winnipeg who has been living in Rio, teaching English and PhysEd, and operating a small eco-tourism operation. He chatted with us for about twenty minutes and gave us a good primer on Rio, the crime and what was real vs. Inflammatory stories. He was a very nice guy and I really enjoyed meeting him. We had dinner at Top Beer and packed for our departure to Santiago.

Thoughts:
==============
Everyone of all ages in Rio are fitness crazy!
A little kid tried to get into Scott E's backpack on the walk back and was dissuaded by the linebacker brothers!
The walk back from Ipanema to Copacabana was a real highlight, even though it was way longer than the promised 40 minutes.