Currently reading: The Tiger

First and foremost, this is not a book about Tiger Woods, as most assume.

Driving around and listening to CBC Radio one day, they had an author on who wrote about a tiger in Siberia who was injured by a poacher. The tiger, apparently a very vengeful and intelligent creature, stalked this poacher for the better part of a year.

The tiger followed the hunter's scent back to his remote cabin and just circled the area, forcing the the poacher and his companion dog inside until forced to come for food. The beast finally left for a day, so it was assumed the coast was clear.

The man and the dog were both eaten.

Keep in mind that generally tigers won't kill humans for a food source. Usually a tiger attack in the wild is just a show of dominance and a warning that this is their territory. This story is different because the tiger had a vendetta.

Not only did it kill and eat the man and his dog, but it went out of its way to completely rip to shreds anything that had the man's scent on it. His tools, weapons, clothing, and even a part of his cabin were all mangled by the tiger.

A really interesting story.

I'm also learning a great deal about the Siberian landscape and the history and culture of the far east of Russia, something I've always been interested in.

John Vailiant is the author, by the way. This book can be picked up in most stores now for $20.

These are a few of my favourite things - Black Currant Tea

This could turn into a regular feature on the blog. I tell you about things I enjoy, just like Oprah. That sounds just as fun for you as it is for me!

I've liked tea for a long time, before I started drinking coffee, even. Like anything else when you are just starting out, I stuck to the generic Earl Greys and Orange Pekoes. But then those became boring.

Much like beer, I like to try a lot of different flavours of tea. Last year, in one of the variety packs I had, I came across the black currant bag.

I grew up on a farm, with several currant bushes scattered around the property and I can remember tasting them as a kid and finding them rather bitter, so I wasn't too eager to try them in tea form.

Much to my surprise, it was the best tea I've ever had, and remains so to this day. I'm not stuck on any one particular brand, but the best I've had so far is Twinings. I just came back from the Tea Garden here in North Bay with a canister of loose leaf black currant tea and an infuser... my first attempt at going the non-bag route. Yuppie-ness attribute, + 1.

Funny tea story: I can remember sitting around with my buddies Wes and Jamie on a Friday night in the summer of 2004. We were all in our early twenties and probably should have been out enjoying something more strong than tea, but there we were, three guys in the prime of their partying lives, sitting around my parents kitchen table sipping on tea and playing Rummy. I just find that hilarious.

Four sites you should be wasting your time on

If you procrastinate as much as I do, and enjoy it as such, well then these four websites are right up your proverbial alley.


Of the four, drop everything you are doing and spend your entire morning/afternoon/evening laughing and crying at http://www.whenparentstext.com/ The title speaks for itself. Here is a little taste of what you can expect:

You're welcome!

The others:




Look at This F#%$'in Hipster

This site has now produced a must-have book, sold wherever quality books are sold.

Got a pair of black rimmed nerd glasses? Have ironic facial hair? Skinny jeans? Love Vampire Weekend? Well I hope not, because this site makes fun of all those things. Hysterically.


Texts From Last Night

We've all done it. Drunk texting. This site exposes all sorts of drunken mishaps that people for one reason or another decided to share with someone else through the wonderful world of cell phones.

Added Bonus: The texts are tagged in area codes and you can search your very own. Here is one that came up from a 705 area code search:

"(705 - Ontario)

Woke up with a chicken parm sandwich in my clutch. Aaaaand I'm eating it."


Awkward Family Photos

Last but not least, another one that is pretty self-explanatory. Just some awe inspirng family photographs on display here. Not just mullets, either.

My problem with protests

Originally from June of 2010, this is re-posted from my older, now defunct blog.

What a mess in Toronto this weekend. While it's not completely unexpected, when we actually see it come to fruition, it is still a significant black eye on our great country.

What ever happened to peaceful, hippy-esque protests? Today, it seems people with an issue with authority sink to violence far too soon. Harvey Milk is rolling in his grave.

You know that guy with the Ed Hardy tee shirt and six different tribal tattoos, none of which he knows the meaning of, thus making him completely full of shit? That is what the majority of protesters are today. Like I said yesterday, I doubt half the people in downtown Toronto\ on Saturday even know what they were protesting. I would LOVE, LOVE for a reporter to ask a protester "Hey, what are you here protesting for today, what do you have an issue with?" The answer you get back would be comical.

For the life of me, I'll never understand the violence associated with protests today. Why bother smashing windows to Subway? Are you anti-subsmarine sandwiches? If you are, you really shouldn't be. They are delicious. Hell, most people smashing windows in Toronto yesterday probably work in retail themselves. Hypocritcal morons.

If you were a politician at the G20 or G8, which type of protest would be more willing to listen to: The calm, peaceful, marching, singing type, which started off so innocently yesterday? Or the mob-mentality, let's burn a cop car, flip off every cop we see, candy ass type?

If the "Black Bloc" even know what they have a problem with, how do they think their point is going to get across to anybody of significance by pulling the type of bullshit they did yesterday? Real tough, those Black Bloc members too. Dressed in black, hiding their faces (just like the KKK mind you), and then retreating and changing into normal civilian clothing so they blend it. Gutsy. Then they likely go back to their retail job where they peddle clothing made in Taiwanese sweat shops to earn a living. Again, making them COMPLETELY FULL OF SHIT.

Look, a protest done right is a powerful thing. It can be moving and can have a real purpose. Just look at what Harvey Milk did in San Francisco in the 1970's. Just look what the flower children did a decade before that.

Throwing a brick through an Eatons Centre window or throwing rocks at police officers is not going to accomplish anything. Pussies.