Archive for February 12th, 2008

Here's what you're hearing on the radio today:

    - Steven Cojocaru is on with Nat and Drew Wednesday morning at 7:20.

    - Mariah Carey's new song, Touch My Body, was leaked today.

    - Valentine's Day is Thurday (like you need reminding).  If it's a quiet night in, maybe the two of you cooking Jamie Oliver's Favourite Valentine's Menu is an option.

    - Want some homemade card inspiration? Check out these Love Banners that are hanging in Times Square.

    -Britney is the kettle. Amy Winehouse is the pot.  They're both black, yes?

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

Twitter. Email. Blog.

I write for a local newspaper, 24hrs, and a local magazine, Vancouver View.

The odd thing is, I don’t really read newspapers or magazines, I get most of what I need to know from the web.

Now that model doesn’t work for everyone, I get that, so I believe there is a place for print in our world - but that place is getting smaller.

SOME WORK, MOST DON’T

Free dailies, like 24hrs, are brilliant. They are tightly packaged commuter papers. You get the headlines, some features and basically just enough information to be able to read the whole thing cover to cover before you get to your stop.

It’s the big newspapers that are feeling the pinch. In the US, newsrooms are laying off staff as circulations shrink and revenues plummet. Craigslist’s free service is sucking the revenue out of the Classifieds, while the web is getting people their information as it happens, not a day or two later.

But there is a way for big daily newspapers to become relevant again. They have the staff, they have the resources, they have the content - they’re just not using it properly.
Read the rest of this entry »

Warning, this is a story about baby poop.

When babies are born what comes out is gluey and sticky and much like tar. Then it gets a little wetter and grainier, kinda like mustard. These first phases may be tough to clean up, but they don’t really smell.

Once they started eating real food, the smell comes, but the clean up is easier. The #2 is solid little log that easily rolls out of the diaper and into the toilet - but you need a hazmat suit to get close enough to roll it out.

Today, while cleaning Zizou, I saw the log and was reminded of this fun song from Ren and Stimpy:

Yes, everyone loves a log.

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

Memo to Crazy Dog Lovers from Crazy Baby Lovers:

I know it’s an off-leash park. I know you and your canine love the ability to galloping through the wilderness without tethers.

But you’re not the only one in the park. There are those of us who like to run with our babies, or hike with our toddlers or stroll with our grandparents through these parks.

Vancouver’s well-behaved canine population can take part in special off-leash privileges … not exclusively for dogs but are to be shared with all park users. Owners are responsible for the actions of their dogs. [source]

Yes, there are big signs that say “Off Leash Dog Park” when you enter the area, but they do not also say “Dogs Will Jump On You and Eat Your Baby Park.”

I run along Lynn Creek a couple times a week. Jen doesnt like it because it’s an off leash park, I don’t mind it, I’ve never had a problem with a dog or owner. They usually run right past me, chasing after a stick, of the owners call them back and they listen.

Now dogs are particularly freaky when you have a baby in a stroller. The head height of the dog is pretty much even with the head height of your baby. So to think that a nasty flea bitten varmint could lunge and rip your child’s skull to bits is not totally unreasonable.

Today, on my run with Zizou, a pit bull looking pup ran towards us. I turned the stroller around and looked at the owner as if to say “come on, call your dog off.” She yelled, the dog didnt listen, it kept right up at us, jumped on me at which time I started yelling and cursing at the owner to get her mutt down.

She took issue with me bringing my baby in an off leash dog park.

Like I said, I know it’s an off leash area. I expect dogs to run around, I just don’t expect them to jump on me or get in my child’s face.

If you can’t heel your animal, I suggest you stick to the leashed parks for a while. Yes, the sign says Off Leash Dog Park, but if your dog attacks me and my child, you’ll have to look for my number, call me up and ask “Why Did You Kick My Dog?”

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?