Pairing Beer And Cheese - A Brief How To

http://www.slashfood.com/2010/03/23/cheese-and-beer-pairings-101-cheese-course/

Captain Hunter Visits The Cold Wastes of K7M-8X7

 My friend Chris visited Ontario this last fall. We got together at my friend Doug's House and had some good times, except Doug kept the house at a Canadian Temperature which left poor Chris, a hothouse plant from the South, shivering all the time.

Notice Derek wearing a 'Periodic Table of Ammunition' T-shirt. Only one of my friends (or I) would consider that acceptable dress...

The New Job

 

Well, I'm back among the ranks of those expecting to pay taxes.

I am working on a five month contract with Alcea, who has me contracted to bitHeads, who've placed me at Bridgewater Systems. Bridgewater makes hardware and software that supports provisioning of 3G and 4G data networks. I'm working on post-sales support for some major US cell data carriers - feature implementation, bug identification and repair, etc.

It's a big, complex environment with lots to learn (oh boy, is there ever!) and a large degree of customer-focus. There are lots of technologies involved and a lot of internal business processes to grok as well as understanding the technical architecture and who is who in the company and how I relate to them.

Still, it promises to be interesing and challenging. And busy. But it will help keep a roof over my head.

I did also manage to come down with a bronchial infection, but so far its mostly just been 'drag' on my level of function. I've managed pretty much full work weeks and crash out for a sleep after work. I'm taking loads of vitamins, but it isn't showing much sign of shifting... last one lasted seven weeks. This one is heading into its second now.

Still, I'm a lot better off than a lot of folks, so I'm not going to complain.

Good to be back at it.
 
 

For St. Patrick's Day: 10 Guiness Recipes!

 

http://www.chow.com/stories/10971

The Guiness Cupcakes.... Braised Beef.... all sorts of other goodness!
 
 

1980: Canadian diplomat runs CIA operative and funnels intel to US

 

In 1980, the US Embassy in Iran was taken by Islamic fundamentalist terrorists. Some of the US students hid out in the Canadian Embassy. What was not known publicly was a Canadian diplomat, with concurrence of the Canadian government, agreed to run an intelligence gathering operation for the USA on the situation in Tehran and at the US Embassy.

The diplomat and the mission's head of security (CF Sgt) and a CIA operative worked together to gather intelligence and it was passed by way of External Affairs (through very few hands, though shown to External Affairs Minister and the PM) to the US.

This intel helped prepare for the failed US rescue attempt (the failure was not the fault of the intelligence, for those who don't know).

The situation in Tehran also had an odd Canadian political dimension. Flora McDonald (Minister of External Affairs for the Clarke Government) was busy conducting affairs related to this situation in Europe when she missed her flight home and missed the close vote that toppled the Clarke government.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/canadas-man-in-tehran-was-a-cia-spy/article1441545/