The Prodigal Buddha has Returned!

Greetings Kids,


I hope everyone had a great summer. My summer was very interesting and one of immense personal change. I have moved out of my hometown of Toronto to beautiful Montreal in order to start my graduate studies in English. I've never been more excited/terrified. Anyway, I know no one particularly wants to hear about my personal life but I thought y'all would enjoy this little tidbit from my first week in Montreal.


I thought you'd enjoy this tidbit from my life. So, I was walking home late at night after having a few drinks with an old friend from high school whom I hadn't seen in years. Now, my neighbourhood is very nice but it has a certain criminal element that I love because it livens things up a little and gives me oodles of street cred that otherwise I would go without. My neighbourhood is called Notre Dame de Grace aka N.D.G. aka No Damn Good.

Anyway, like I was saying, I was walking home and I decided to cut through a dark alley for some reason. So, I'm strutting around like I own the town feeling pretty proud that I'm assimilating so well to my new surroundings. Then, as I round the corner onto my street I walk headlong into the handsome gentleman pictued below:


Yes, that is a grown man with a skull tattooed on his face. Needless to say, I promptly crapped my pants. The pants crapping was then followed by a fear induced vomit. After I scampered home like a little girl, I was on the internet and came across a list of the "10 of the Most Insanely-Modified Human Beings in the World." This skull faced gentleman, who lives in Montreal, was listed as #4. Weird, eh? I still have nightmares.
Anyway, I hope enjoyed that tale of my cowardice. Come back for some more posts.

Gone but not Forgotten (Hopefully)

Hello disciples,

The Samurai Buddha is on Summer Hiatus.

Check back in September.

Stephen Harper: "We don't break contracts"

I love this story concerning the ongoing battle between the federal government and the governments of Nova Scotia and Newfoudland about allegedly broken accords aimed at protecting the economic security of the two eastern provinces. The best part is Harper's rebuke;

"It's a contract. We don't break contracts. We respect contracts. Normally, I expect, if someone says you've broken a contract, they are going to follow that up by going to court to make you abide by the contract. But I don't see that happening."

"We don't break contracts." Hmmm.... I guess he doesn't count the Kyoto Accord. OOOPS!

Thanks Dad!

Another reason why the United States is stuck in Iraq

President George W. Bush does not know how to pour a beer.



Poor Form, indeed.

There is a reason why I'm against homeschooling

And here it is:

Evan O'Dorney, winner of the 2007 spelling bee and grade A oddball. This kid is in desperate need of some social interaction.

Crystal

I checked out the recently revamped Royal Ontario Museum yesterday and I must say that I was quite impressed. I know a lot of people are going to be hating on the new design but I just ask that you reserve judgment until you actually check it out from the inside because I think the museum will be world class once they get all the exhibits in there. The architect, Daniel Libeskind, did an excellent job combining the new building with the old. Check out the new Michael Lee-Chin crystal.

Hotter than a Pistol

Pistol Pete Maravich is generally believed to be the best college basketball player ever. While at Lousiana State University, Maravich averaged an amazing 44.2 points per game under the tutelage of his father Press Maravich who trained him in ball handling and shooting from a very young age sometimes making him dribble two balls outside of a moving car. It is difficult to fathom the artistry and grace with which he played the game. Pete went on to have a very successful career in the NBA playing with the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans/Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics. A leg injury forced him retire in 1980, at which point he became a recluse for two year practicing Yoga, studying Hinduism and UFOs.

In 1988, while warming up to play a pickup basketball game, the Pistol collapsed and died of a heart attack due to a congenital heart defect fulfilling a prophecy he had as a young man. At age 23 Pete said, "I don't want to play 10 years [in the NBA] and then die of a heart attack when I'm 40."

A fascinated new biography about Maravich was published recently by Mark Kreigel. If you're a basketball fan, pick up this excellent look into a very interesting character.

Here's a great highlight mix so you can get an idea of what I mean: