Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy

…A Montreal man has come up with the idea to sell his unwanted snow, on eBay… several years after I made the same attempt. I couldn’t get anyone to bid after they realized that the auction stipulated that they had to pick up the snow and remove it themselves, rather than having it shipped to them in mint condition.

UPDATE: The snow sold!
–
Hat tip to Huffb1

Question from: repairsinsa:
i may also be interested in some of the snow. . snow is such a novelty here in texas, im sure some of the mexicans will pay top dollar for it. . . if i can get it resold in time.

——————–

I replied:
The auction is for the whole lot only, sorry, I hate to break up the set. Someone else recommended I set up a dutch auction of snowballs, but I don’t think I will.
I’m afraid it is a little too warm for snow to survive a trip south of Kansas right now, so I think you’re outta luck on this idea.

——————-

Is this snow guaranteed not to melt?
What size truck will I need for local pickup and would I need a front end loader? Will they be someone there to load the truck by hand if I cant afford a front end loader?
Have you been the only owner or did some of the snow belong to family next door and blow over into your yard, if so did you get permission to sell there snow?
Did this snow come from Siberia? What do you think I can sell it for down in the Florida Keys maybe a road side stand in Keywest and sell by the Lb.
Thank You
Snowing South
——————–

Question from: ka8drg
Title of item: All of the SNOW in my yard. Local pickup only
Seller: computer_saskboy
Starts: Jan-30-04 11:29:48 PST
Ends: Feb-09-04 11:29:48 PST
Price: Starts at EUR 1.95

——————-

Have you considered a dutch auction for individual snowballs? Some of us lack the yard space for such quantities.
And you should really reconsider on the shipping issue–I don’t think the US Postal Service minds transporting packages leaking unkown fluids. Of course, I could be wrong…

Question from: kwickdraw9

——————
Can you please describe the snow? Is it the fine, dry type or the wet sticky type. I’m in need of the wet sticky type for snow fort building.

Question from: leonzliss

–
Hat tip

==

I watched a few movies while on vacation the last few days. “Music and Lyrics” [6/10] was a Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore movie which was an entertaining romantic comedy. Canadian made “Like Mother Like Daughter” [4/10] was a made for TV film about a mother who seeks to solve her daughter’s murder. “Stranger than Fiction” is a great Will Ferrel drama which I’ve seen before, but it was worth rewatching. Pun intended for those who’ve seen it. “Hairspray” [8/10] is a musical and had John Travolta as an overweight mother of a feisty ’50s teenager fixated on racial integration and dancing her days away on a local TV show.

==

Oh Dear II

On the trip back from Wood Mountain after Boxing Day dinner, Ashley and I encountered a massive buck a few meters from our vehicle’s headlights. I think she saw it dart out of the ditch first from my side, even though I was driving, and yelled out something like, “look out!” before I swerved into the left lane. We were a few kilometers north of Assiniboia, and no traffic was anywhere near us, but I saw a large three post sign in the ditch ahead, and we were fishtailing out of control as I tried to regain control of the car. We sailed past the deer still going at least 90km/h, but our speed and the frost on the highway was making my steering corrections fail with every attempt. About three times the rear of the vehicle was moving perpendicular to where I was trying to drive to, and we ended up in the ditch, tail first, on the other side of the road. Fortunately we went in perfectly angled (albeit backwards) so I was able to brake and both miss the sign, and stop the car at the bottom of the decline without rolling.

The car had stalled, and I was unsure of tire damage, but a high five was in order for avoiding catastrophic bumper failure (and animal/human death). I checked the tires which were still inflated although burnt slightly from the 180 degree abuse, and drove out of the nearly snow-free ditch when the highway was clear. I hope that deer pooped himself, or was thankful for the effort I made to save its life. Can deer be thankful?

I had hoped that I wouldn’t ever have a deer encounter to top this last significant one, but at least none have made contact. Still, I don’t like the direction my near misses are moving in. I do think a video of the event would have been awesome, but I’m happier not having the wrecked car/body photos to go with the blog post. Wonder what a camera installed in the car would cost though… ;-)

==

I’ll be on TV with this person next month:

Word Press bought Gravatar, I completely missed this important blogosphere news. Gravatar was a nifty, but often offline, Internet service which displays a picture next to a comment, based on the email address given with the comment. This gave blog owners a way to personalized the comments section without adding much complexity to their blog underpinnings.

Any Saskatchewan Roughrider fan will remember 2007 as the Best Christmas Ever, when the best gift came in November instead of December ;-)

This video has some first row video and photos of the Grey Cup and winning CFL football team, at the Saskatchewan Legislature. I had the same perspective for that parade finale.

Here’s a little song recommended to me by my sister in-law. Recommended that I don’t listen, that is :-)

==

And here’s a fun looking movie about activism, and apathy.

An eBay auction to teach pot smoker a lesson will backfire on the Dad. I agree that smoking needs to be punished, but the media and web surfers have turned the act of punishment into a joke.

==

As a side note, I played Guitar Hero for the first time this December, and on easy was able to be a Rock Star while playing Paint It Black by the Stones. It seems easy to hurt your hands/wrists playing, however. I had to loosen up half way through after I noticed I was creating pains.

This news is huge! I wonder what result it will bring. It could have significant implications for the First Nation people who live just a few kilometers from my Canadian childhood hometown.

Freedom! Lakota Sioux Indians Declare Sovereign Nation Status

Threaten Land Liens, Contested Real Estate Over Five State Area in U.S.West Dakota Territory Reverts back to Lakota Control According to U.S., International Law

Lakota are the First Nations people who partially fled the American west after the Battle of Little Big Horn, where General Custer was soundly defeated (and killed). Sitting Bull and approximately 5000 of his followers moved to Canada, where the bulk of them remained for quite some time. In what is unofficially Canada’s first “peace keeping mission”, the newly created North West Mounted Police were dispatched to greet and control the influx of Lakota Sioux refugees.

The NWMP mission was a success, as Walsh (for whom the Fort Walsh in the Cypress Hills is named after) befriended Sitting Bull, and the Lakota accepted the Queen’s offer to remain in Canada peacefully. Western settlement of Canada was still in its infancy at that time. As time passed, fires were rumoured to be set by the American military in order to keep the buffalo from migrating north into Canada where they could be hunted by the Lakota. The refugees were sustained by a kind Metis man named Legare for as long as he could manage, but most of the Lakota surrendered to the Americans. Sitting Bull returned as well, under the American promise not to harm him, but he was murdered in a fight.

Lakota Sioux remain on the Wood Mountain First Nation Reserve to this day. Some of the original refugees went to the Fort Qu’Appelle area to live, rather than returning to the United States in the 19th century.

–
Hat tip to NBCDipper

Space Weather News for Dec. 23, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

MOON AND MARS: Please don’t miss this: At sunset on Sunday, Dec. 23rd, the full Moon and Mars will rise in the east less than two degrees apart. So close together, the two brightest objects in the evening sky look absolutely dynamite. The display will be visible all night long, even from brightly lit cities, and requires no telescope to enjoy.

URSID UPDATE: Observers in Europe report a modest outburst of Ursid meteors last night. The intensity and timing of the flurry is in good accord with predictions that Earth would run into a stream of dust from Comet 8P/Tuttle on Dec. 22nd. Now that the meteor shower is over, attention turns to the comet itself. After a 13.6 year absence, 8P/Tuttle is once again traveling through the inner solar system. At closest approach to Earth on Jan. 1st and 2nd, 2008, the comet, will brighten to 5th or 6th magnitude–a fine target for backyard telescopes and digital cameras.

With Christmas just on the other side of this weekend, I suppose I should get my wish list written for the big guy in a red suit.

Chucker Canuck inspired the list.

Dear Santa,
For this Christmas I’d like you to find those hose-bags who sent phony letters in your name to children, laced with dirty language. Then give them some lumps of coal, but not if they are going to burn it for the sole purpose of creating green house gases and soot.

I’d also like a box of Christmas oranges that don’t come “pre-spoiled” from the store even though their brand name is “fresh - in every way”.

For Ginger, I think she wants her own bed. A queen size ought to do, as she’s having trouble staying on the guest bed which is only twin size.