Phendrana Drifts

My constituency, Edmonton-Meadowlark, has a new candidate in Dr. Raj Sherman. He's a great guy, committed and full of integrity. He also knows how to get things done, obviously in his professional life as an emergency room doctor, but on the policy front taking the lead in reducing emergency wait times across the province.

He will make a fantastic MLA - his speech demonstrated he has his finger on the pulse of our community and is ready to make a difference. When I get back from Vegas, I'll do my best to help him.

You can visit his webpage at www.drrajsherman.com to learn more.

Labels: alberta politics

Graham Thompson once called the teacher's unfunded liability unsexy, or something like that - the stuff only policy wonks (and of course the teachers themselves) would pay attention. I guess that makes me a policy wonk, because I follow the issue with rapt attention.

Today Premier Ed Stelmach and the Alberta Teachers Association announced a positive step towards solving this $6.4 billion issue. What's good about it? Well, first the previously announced $25 million is no longer a ploy to divide the teachers. Second good move - the ATA is coming to the table. A crucial step to getting the problem solved.

And this problem needs to be solved - we can't call ourselves debt free until we settle the two-thirds that is assumed by the Government of Alberta. And I don't think we will attract the calibur and number of teachers we need until a solid plan is in place that doesn't punish newcomers to the profession.

A $6.4 billion issue doesn't have a handy solution just sitting, ready for implementation. Even in Alberta, that kind of money isn't just lying around in bags in a Scrooge McDuck-like safe. Not even the $4.3 billion we owe to the liability. As for the $2.1 billion assumed by teachers, it's hard to come up with that kind of cash when you're a junior high teacher. Even more difficult to wrap our heads around is the fact that this isn't really money for education per se - paying it off won't reduce our classroom size, make our teachers more productive, or necessarily make our children any smarter. But I believe it is an issue we need to put behind us.

The first step is done - the political will to solve the problem exists. Despite a decade of huge surpluses and a steady stream of accomplishments, this was left for the future to deal with. The second step - getting the right heads together in a room - is now done too. Now let's see what those heads come up with.

Labels: alberta politics, teachers

Sometimes, I simply look forward to vacation, vaguely aware that it is there for me at an appointed time. Perhaps I am slightly miffed that it will cost hardearned money (unlike when I was a kid, when vacations just seemed to come at a randomly appointed time).

Other times, I count the seconds until it arrives. I burn to head off, and resent every last second until it comes.

Rarely do those times come in the same day however... man, I can't wait for Vegas.

But this new little blogger post window on his new MacBook Pro is pretty sweet.

Just as I am pretty sweet.

Oh, and Vista... you suck.

- Allie

My new notebook for work arrived, and wow is it fast. Everything is so zippy and works rather well. Some obvious changes given a whole new OS (from XP to OSX) but so far it is pretty awesome.

After a tumultuous couple of weeks, it seems that a brief holiday in Las Vegas is closer. It still isn't quite close enough to "call it" but close enough to request leave for a vacation from work. Pretty exciting...

Since it isn't my first time in Sin City, there is no need to request ideas on what I need to do while I am there, but I am pretty excited to see some stuff I missed first round and see some things for a second time. And Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian should be pretty nice.

Labels: vegas

I like both versions of Ocean's Eleven, but the Soderberg version especially. It is just so cool. The camera shots, the actors who know how awesome and hip they are, the caper itself, and of course - Las Vegas (which might be my favourite spot on Earth, but I've never left the continent).

I was kind of sad when they announced they were making a sequel - and viewing Ocean's Twelve validated that assumption - not that Ocean's Twelve is that dreadful, but it missed a lot of the magic that was in the first one.

Watching Ocean's Thirteen last night I thought Soderberg found some of the magic, maybe one box of it but the rest sadly was lost when it was sent to Solaris and Lost in Translation and never returned. What was missing? Ensemble cast - this one focused far too heavily on Danny, Rusty and Linus (a flaw left over from Ocean's Twelve) and the caper itself was lacking in believability and comprehension (something which was thrown at the first one, but the first one's caper was just perfect in my mind).

What has returned? Well Vegas, baby! That's the big one. And the villian of Al Pacino's Willie Bank is pretty darn good (not quite to the sublime level of Garcia's turn as Steve Wynn... I mean Terry Benedict in Ocean's Eleven). As the definitive fan of the first one (it would make my top 10 movies of all time), I am glad I went, glad I was taken on a date but am hoping that Soderberg and Clooney will leave well enough alone and collaborate on something new - their other work together is also pretty fantastic.

Labels: movies

After approval for a new notebook to replace my existing work notebook (which after three years of valiant service, is dying a slow yet painful death) I had to think of a name for the replacement. I thought and thought and came upon the perfect choice - Dignam. He's the guy who does his job. The current notebook, he's the other guy.

Labels: mac

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