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Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Belinda Switches Sides

Belinda Stronach, former CEO of Magna, whose inital foray into politics last year was to run for the leadership of the Conservative party, has now switched over to the Liberal party in a surprising upset. The Conservatives were planning on voting against the budget later this week in order to force new elections. Now that Belinda has switched sides, it makes it more difficult for the Tories. What is also interesting is that Belinda was also dating Peter Mackay, deputy leader of the party. Well, I guess she has her baggage now.

Monday, May 9, 2005

Forty Two

Last night, my wife and I celebrated Mother's Day by leaving the kids with my mom and went out to see The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It was pretty good. It is not every day when you see a movie in which two nuclear missiles turn into a whale and pot of petunias and aliens torture their captives by reading them poetry.

A while back, someone asked Douglas Adams if the number 42 (the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything) meant anything or not. He replied that he just picked the number at random and did not mean anything.

However, even though 42 does not mean anything to him, however, the number does have some significance in Judaism. For example, the number of the cities of the Leviim (Levites) that were not designated as Ir Miklat (Cities of Refuge for people who killed accidentally) was 42. The prayer Ana BeKoach which is said before the start of Shabbos (the Sabbath) contains 42 words. Also, the prayer Ata Chonantanu which is said at the close of Shabbos, also contains 42 words.

To borrow a line from the movie: "Impossible? No, not impossible, just improbable."

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Finger On The Button

Last night, I watched an episode of Doctor Who on CBC. In this episode, the British Prime Minister, an alien in disguise (hey, its sci-fi), asked the UN Security Council for the access codes to nuclear weapons which only they had the authority to grant permission. The UN Security Council having access to nuclear weapons? Now that's scary.

Monday, May 2, 2005

Main Chain

On the last day of Pesach, at Neilas HaChag, they served Mayim Chaim Old Fashioned Seltzer. Old Fashioned? I couldn't see what was particularly old fashioned about it. Then, at the bottom in tiny print, they had a blurb where they said something like (I'm paraphrasing here): "When you serve Mayim Chaim seltzer at your table you are making a statement. You are demonstrating to everyone that you won't settle for less." Then, "Do not be fooled by imitations that sound like our name. Drink Mayim Chaim, the original and the best." (An obvious reference to Be'er Mayim another commonly available Passover brand.) For crying out loud... its carbonated water!