Brian Hampson - Life and Other Things

The Steveston Judo Club had their annual tournament on Feb 25, 2006 and there were competitors there from across Canada and the US as well as Tokai University, Japan.  There was some excellent judo to behold!

I have captured some of the tournament, but of course with 4 mats going simultaneously there were quite a few moments when you turned just AFTER the action

All the pictures were taken at ISO 1600 on a Canon Digital Rebel D300.  Post processed for levels and noise in PS CS2.

The whole set is available at:

http://www.slacker.ca/brian/webpics/showpix.aspx?20060225Judo

It’s tough with that lighting!

This dude needs to get out see the sun more often. Apparently he has bet his friend that he can get 1 billion page views.  While I doubt it, check out his page and help him along.

Summary:

1. Person travels to Hawaii

2. Person loses camera

3. Park Ranger calls saying someone reported finding a camera

4. Call to stranger results in “Yeah we have your camera - We’re keeping it”

5. The Internet explodes with disbelief.

OH MY GOD!  Ack!

We had a spectacular sunset today in Vancouver - A little reminder of God’s beauty - all around us.

You need the brrreeeport.  It’s a made up word.  The search engines love it when people “googlebomb” them!

Check out this video.  It’s like a crude version of the device Tom Cruise used in Minority Report.  Coming to a computer near you?

This picture was taken in the Forbidden City, Beijing China in January 2006.  I cast it to a sepia tone to give it an air of an old newspaper clipping:

More of my photos are available at my photo blog

I live in a puppet dictatorship, or so it seems.

The Conservative party of Canada was recently elected as the governing party for our country.  Their leader, Mr. Stephen Harper was elected as an MP, and, as of yesterday, is our Prime Minister.  Thankfully the win was a “minority government” which means that they will have to build some degree of consensus in order to be able to pass laws.  This is good, as the three other major parties in Canada are somewhat more left leaning, which will put a check on the far right views of this party. 

Things sound pretty good…  $100/mos for each kid under 6.  More money to farmers.  (Sounding almost socialist giving away all that money Mr. PM), but then we come to the cabinet ministers - the people that shape the policy that the government wishes to pass as law.   In this we find TWO major oddities.

1) David Emerson

      Mr. Harper had talked about the importance for accountability and integrity in politics.  In his first day in office, he names Mr Emerson as a cabinet minister.  Mr Emerson campaigned vehemently against the Conservatives and had promised his electorate that if the Conservatives were to win he would be a thorn in the side of any Tory minister.  Before he even does any task as an elected Liberal representative of his riding, he joins the Conservative Party, snubbing all the voters that voted for him as a Liberal candidate.  Mr Harper has the total lack of ethics and integrity to take this man, and make him a cabinet minister.  Shame.

2) Michael Fortier

      Mr. Fortier did not run in the federal election, he was not elected, he was not even a close second.  He chose not to be put to the “vote of the people” at election time.  Mr. Harper appointed him to the senate, and made him a minister.  The senate appointment (despite the conservative desire to have an elected senate) isn’t unusual, but having an UNELECTED cabinet minister forming the laws of the land - RIDICULUS.  How can he respond in question period?  From the visitors’ gallery?  Accountability?  Integrity?  Our parliamentary system is based upon the ability to question in public, and to receive an answer from the government regarding policy.  If the policy maker can’t even sit in the House of Commons how will that be achieved?   Shame.

Mr Harper - You’ve been in office one day, and you’re starting to run this country like a little puppet dictatorship.  The electorate doesn’t like to be fooled.  Ask the Liberals.  They can tell you.  If you don’t learn to do your job correctly- QUICKLY you will find yourself campaigning again, much sooner than you’d like.

Oh Canada, what have they done to thee?

No - it’s not a baby.

It’s a brand spanking new 2006 Toyota RAV4

Goodbye old CRV.  Hello Style!

I stitched this panorama of Kowloon together from 4 shots taken from the Government ID building in Hong Kong (4/F)

Click on it for HUGE version (5MB -  8Kpx x 2Kpx)

WE KNEW IT HAD TO HAPPEN ONE DAY STOP
WITH THE ADVENT OF CELLPHONES AND THE INTERNET TELEGRAM USE HAS DECLINED STOP
THE END OF AN ERA STOP

Western Union, sending telegrams since 1851 has ceased all telegram operations.

FADE TO BLACK STOP

It rained 29 of 31 days in January 2006

It rained 283mm in January 2006

These are all time records for Vancouver!  We are a record setting city!  W00t!

If the sun would come out sometime soon, I’m quite sure we’d all shrivel up and die from fright.  It’s been so long since we’ve seen it!

Well, at least the air is fresh.