Since I last wrote a bunch of stuff has happened or is about to happen. For a start the Senators lost the final series - a bit of a whitewash in the end (4-1 to the Anaheim Ducks), but that one win was celebrated big time, as I mentioned in the previous post (see pics - guy on the banjo, and young 'n' old celebrated Sens win). So the city is back to 'norm', although all the summer events are on, including the Italian Festival (see pics of Ferrari's) West Fest, Hip Hop 360, International Jazz Fest, Rib Fest, Franco Fest, Blues Fest, Fringe Fest, and of course the big Canada Day celebrations on July 1 (150th anniversary of Ottawa) when apparently everyone is out on the streets and in the bars!
We are one week off finishing up our weekly Adventure Sport nights - which included white water kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking, and next weeks 'scrambling' (whatever that is - I think it's running up steep hills;). We both enjoyed last weeks mountain biking in Gatineau Park (Miriam enjoyed it so much that she wants to take it up as a professional sport) even though it was raining bucket loads with thunder and lightning and the mosquito's were biting. We need to get used to the mosquito's here - they are big and will bite through your pants - I have had a few bites in places that you wouldn't expect them to bite (places that you wouldn't itch in public) - nasty little buggers! We have met a few people from the course in which we will stay in touch with and have even joined the summer league of 'all-sorts-of-sports' - which includes ultimate and dodge ball - all social stuff, not (too) serious - ie meet for a pint (vino) after the matches.
We have done a few more trips around the place. Went up the North end of Gatineau Park (the park that starts 10mins from our place) and went canoeing in the Lake there. Last weekend we went to one of Canada's biggest Parks - Algonquin Park - 3hr from Ottawa (highway 60 - Ontario). Algonquin Park is massive. It has an area of over 7800 sqkm, in which you can canoe over 1600km (that is the length of NZ!) through all the channels, lakes and rivers (in which you have to portage some of the way). The only road that goes through it (which is at the Southern end of the park) is Highway 60 - the rest you have to travel by shanks', canoe, bike or skis. The park is set up for camping and canoeing - where the map shows canoeing areas (like roads on a map), and signs are in each inlet so that you don't get lost. The park hosts many wildlife like cougars (b.t.w. a cougar was spotted in Gatineau last week - the 3rd siting in 25 years); wolves (you can go out with groups at certain times of the year at night (around October) and howl - the wolves howl back); moose (See pics); raccoons (nasty little things - have no fear of humans - will take your food from you) bears (apparently the bear and cubs I spotted in Gatineau was quite rare for the Southern end - I told the visitors center about it, and they wanted to know exactly where I saw it -for their records); deer; otters; turtles (see pic - poor little thing, he was about to cross the road - we got out of the car and directed him back off the road, in the process he got a such a fright that he 'pissed (his pants) on the ground'); groundhogs; chip monks; etc. We only went to the park for the day, but will get back there and canoe into a camp spot - will also need to get the right gears like 15m of rope to tie up our food above the forest floor, so that the bears don't get at it - it's going to be a lot different to the NZ back country - what with bears, wolves, cougars and raccoons!
Our tennis is going well. Once a week with the Aussie/American coach who likes to talk like Borat. We have met a few people there - off to bbq on Friday night somewhere out West, Miriam might make it after her dinner with big bosses - I'm not invited - work talk;)
Speaking of work, I'm still waiting on my social insurance number so that I can work. Anyways, it looks like I will be starting soon at the same outfit I worked for in Wellington - on a contract, as the person in the position I will take over, has gone on indefinite sickleave. I have also got other interviews lined up with a recruitment agency - but they take a cut of ya salary, so will stick with the first choice. Also, still waiting on my acceptance to the P.G. Policy diploma in Sustainable Development - very big on this side at the moment - did you know that Canada was ranked the 28th worst (out of the 30 OECD countries) for sustainable development strategies (SDS) - hard to believe really when you don't live here - but it is noticeable when here (although Ottawa, being the Capital, has some good SDS for the city itself). New Zealand was the 25th worst (we are not as green as we think - the small population makes it seem OK) - guess who topped it (ie the worst) - Yep, USA. The leading countries for SDS's were in Europe - like Denmark, Sweden etc. A good site to visit - and reports to read is the website of the David Suzuki Foundation, here in Canada.
Have read a few interesting books of late. The first - 'Connected - 24 hours in the Global Economy' by Daniel Altman - it look at the world economy on a particular day (June 15th) - good book. But an even better book, and a complete contrast to the first is - 'An illustrated short history of progress' by Ronald Wright (#1 Bestseller here in Canada) - it tries to answer the 3 questions Where do we come from, what are we and where are we going? It is a must read - is quite scary where we might be heading - The book A Short History of Progress, written by Ronald Wright and published in 2004, grew out of the 2004 Massey Lectures. It describes in particular how four historical civilisations – those of Easter Island, Sumer, the Maya and Rome – self-destructed due to a lack of foresight and to wrong choices. Wright argues "each time history repeats itself, the price goes up".
Here are a few thoughts/questions for you (a bit of a David Brent moment) from the book and various other dudes like Aristotle (also Tragedy of the Commons - a good read):
Economic Growth (so called progress) - when is enough enough? 'The myth of progress has sometimes served us well - those of us at the best tables, anyway - and may continue to do so...[But] Progress has an internal logic that can lead beyond reason to catastrophe. A seductive trail of success may end in a trap.'
Specialists - People who know more and more about less and less, until they know all about nothing. Specialisation brings short term rewards but can lead, in the long run, to an evolutionary dead end. When the prey of the sabre-toothed cat died out, so did the cat. Our Specialisation is the brain.
Two-thirds of us have lived during the last one thousandth of the human career, and about a fifth of sixth of all are living now.
Extremely complex societies can evolve in the absence of much technological change, an idea that is very counterintuitive to us because our lives are so affected by rapid and powerful innovations.
The reform that is needed is not anti-capitalist, anti-American, or even deep environmentalist; it is simply the transition from short-term to long-term thinking.
The world has grown too small to forgive us for any big mistakes.
"That which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it".
Phew!
Saw the All blacks v Canada reply last week - was on an American sports channel. They play this weekend? South Africa?
OK will end blog entry there. Much to do.
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