The Obama Team's Drink of Choice? Coke, Not Pepsi - TIME

The Obama Team's Drink of Choice? Coke, Not Pepsi - TIME:

"On Thursday, the recycling bin outside White House spokesman Robert Gibbs' office contained six cans of Diet Coke and one can of Sprite Zero, which is also a Coca-Cola product."

why is this news?!

How Ottawa could've helped name the presidential pup

How Ottawa could've helped name the presidential pup

I absolutely cannot believe this is a story in the real Ottawa newspaper. They went to the records office and looked up the dog registrations! I'm not sure I would want the weird name I gave my dog printed in the newspaper.

About 100 Ottawa dog owners have already settled on original names for their Portuguese water dogs, according to dog license records obtained by the Citizen from the city. All but 10 of the animals have unique handles, the records show.

Ottawa's ranks of PWDs include two Scubas, two Nellies, and a pair of Maxes.

Other names chosen for water dogs in the city include the gender-neutral Actium, Guinness, Diesel, Fitzwallace and Django -- apparently a nod to either gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt or the web development framework that shares his name. There's also a Bailey, the overwhelming most popular name for all dogs registered in Ottawa.

this is my news now

turned to ctv for the daily show and caught the end of the news. olney, newfoundland: "a woman was late to church so she ran out of the house wearing her apron and still carrying her frying pan. a pancake was in the frying pan." an annual race is apparently held annually to commemorate this event.

if we lived in olney, i would try to trick m into participating so that it wouldn't just be all women wearing aprons and carrying frying pans.

daily show is covering obama day now. hey- martha stewart makes all her guests sign a guest book too. and that is the end of the obama day in canada coverage.

Ontario expands access to weight-loss surgery

Ontario expands access to weight-loss surgery

I completely disagree with this. The article says that people are being sent to the U.S. for the surgery now though, so it will save Ontario $$.

I haven't been here long enough to have an informed opinion about the state of nutrition in Ontario BUT I haven't been able to find any products containing HFCS so that is a good sign.

Of course, my response was to pick up a case of Coca-Cola. It's amazing how quickly my craving for Coke returned. After about a week I began to crave Coke whenever I was thirsty. I wonder if that comes from all the Coke I drank when I was growing up or if it is something about the ingredients themselves. Must be those "natural flavors".

dilemma of the day

do I follow Karl Rove on twitter?

www.twitter.com/karlrove

martha stewart also just started twittering.

i love twitter, but i am sort of glad i don't have cell phone access to it anymore. up until my phone was stolen in december, i spent a lot of time rudely typing on my phone rather than actually do whatever it was i was twittering about.

winterlude

walked by the 12th annual Black & White Opera Soirée at the National Arts Centre yesterday after we realized Milk was sold out. we saw the desserts being prepared and they looked good. Citizen says 720 guests dined on oven-roasted rack of lamb with mint crust and fresh mint sauce and a dessert of frozen chocolate-chestnut soufflé with berry compote.

then we stopped on the bridge to see part of the lightshow. it was hilarious. i couldn't quite figure out the theme- it seemed to be based on "things that move in the wintertime". zambonis, ice scrapers, snow shovels, etc.

now i am waiting for the oscars to start....

ouch!

Governor General Michaëlle Jean discussed the plight of her native Haiti with U.S. President Barack Obama, who invited her to come to Washington – an invitation that was not extended to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

via sibliant intake of breath: Apparently, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is considering Canadian content requirements for the internet.

There are many things that I know are going to drive me crazy about Canada and this will be one of them, I predict.

although, if the internet starts producing content as good as the heritage commercials that feature reenactments of historical events, I am all for it.

image via flickr (i searched for creative commons "no god" images)

The Freethought Association of Canada is trying to get those anti-religion ads on Ottawa buses. I'm glad the transit committee has resisted so far, because I think the ads are juvenile and sanctimonious but I don't really think there is a good legal justification to keep the ads off (although, I haven't figured out Canada's First Amendment situation yet). I don't mind the idea of the campaign, but it is a bit in your face!

Obama Day round-up

reader comment on cbcnews.ca: "I was really surprised to see Obama going down to the market to get a Beavertail. It shows us as Canadians that Obama is aware of our culture."

so cute but really just means he was smart enough to ask what ppl in Ottawa eat- still shows he cares, in a way. also an example of how Obama is a superb politician.

Obama's visit to Ottawa tomorrow

image via Ottawa Citizen

I am a little bummed there is no plan for Obama to even wave to the public, but Parliament grounds are not really fenced, so I guess announcing anything like that would make it tough for security. Will probably head down and take a look at the crowds.

favorite REM song

up there at least: Half a World Away

also: Catch Me if I Fall which might be (barely) more wedding appropriate

capitialism pays

Two Pennsylvania judges were sued in federal court this past week for allegedly taking $2.6 million in kickbacks from private juvenile detention facilities. In exchange, they sentenced hundreds of youths to the centers over the past 5 years.

I'm not surprised by this at all.

via consumerist

ctv.ca

I've watched the first three episodes of Season 2 of Mad Men on CTV.ca. Fantastic. But episode 3 ended and CTV automatically loaded a show called, I think, "Flashpoint" that is exactly like every other police action show on tv right now. Who actually watches these things- do tyhey watch them all, or do they perceive some as being better (or even different) than others?

rainy days

it's been grey for the past three days. cozy at first, but i'd like to see some sun now. drip drip drip as the snow and ice melts.

melting

still on my quest for a decent pair of rainboots. I'll soon be entering the phase where I accost people on the street asking them where they got their shoes.

Spendings

$2.56 on perogies with sour cream, eaten as I walked around the market
$5.09 on a new container for olive oil to replace the not very stylish ikea one I threw out in the move
$4.99 on coffee and a cupcake at xpresso

$50-100 on new boots?!! we will see.