http://www.canadaka.net/blog/view/random_blogs_feed-ATOM_limit-10.html 2012-02-12T00:25:08-08:00 http://www.canadaka.net/blog/Blue_Nose/how_to_cook_a_steak_b-846.html 2006-10-24T15:00:00-07:00 2006-10-24T15:00:00-07:00

"I just bought a bunch of steak, and I'm wondering if you have any good tips on how to cook it"

Now, culinary arts happens to be an area in which I'm particularly an expert, so here are a few things to consider:

First of all, a disclaimer: I realize this was somewhat of a time-critical question to be answered, but in case you've been holding onto that steak waiting for this, throw it out. If it's been in the freezer this whole time, it'll taste like MDF, and if you didn't even think to freeze it, you may need a new refrigerator.

Second of all, it's fall, and I don't particularly think standing outside in the cold is fun when I'm hungry. Hence, we're staying focused on cooking inside. Use a pan - it's warmer, it's quicker, and you don't have to worry about empty propane tanks. You've been barbequing all summer, give it a rest.

Next we consider preperation: I don't, to be frank. Marinade makes steak taste like something other than steak, and we don't need that. That doesn't mean you need to buy the higher-end cuts, though - if you do it right, it'll taste good on its own.

I use a non-stick pan to cook my steaks, with a very small amount of oil. I also make sure I have some sort of cover, which I'll discuss in a minute. Make sure there is a lot of space, because you con't just cook a steak by itself.

That's because (and this is unbreakable rule #2) you need some sort of so-called "fixings" - this is what makes or breaks your steaks. This is what you'll cook along with your steak in the same pan, and usually consists of some sort of fruit/vegetable mixture. Anything from the onions and mushrooms to apples and raisins. You need something in there or your steak will be dry. The extra moisture from the vegetables serves to keep from drawing the...

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http://www.canadaka.net/blog/bootlegga/movie_review_vantage_point_b-2421.html 2008-02-21T20:59:00-08:00 2008-02-21T20:59:00-08:00

In this movie, eight different characters viewpoints of an assassination attempt are examined to see what the truth really is. In that sense, it is similar to Rashomon. Vantage Point uses a gimmicky ‘rewind’ (just like rewinding a tape on a VCR) that is annoying after the second time it happens. Bit by bit, we see the event from several different sets of eyes and the plot unfolds.

While the action sequences are intense and exciting, the plot sadly is formulaic. While the ending is next to impossible to decipher until it is presented, the series of events are mostly routine and odds are you’ve seen at least some of them before. Still, the movie has its redeeming qualities and several actors (Quaid, Fox and Whittaker) perform quite well. Quaid in particular shows that he can still lead an action movie.



http://www.vantagepoint-movie.com/index.php]]>

http://www.canadaka.net/blog/wolfwithin/why_i_only_foster_not_adopt_right_now_b-1466.html 2007-02-12T15:46:00-08:00 2007-02-12T15:46:00-08:00

The youth figured they would teach us (the newcomers) a lesson on how things were done around here and no one seemed to appreciate that I brought 5 animals with me (2 dogs and 3 cats)
While they thought it was funny, my family cried - the 15 yr old female was ours and she passed on my grandson's birthday - now at 12, he still remembers her on his birthday. She was an awesome creature who had survived the streets of Montreal, then Calgary, but didn't last 6 months in our "rural Village" of 358 people!!!
In 2002, I had kids coming to me, crying because they'd found 4 dead kittens at the recycling depot, others shot in the back lanes, others that were poisoned (their bellies were huge) In 2002, my big old Bud, a Shephard Doby cross was poisoned with anti-freeze left in a 2 ltr milk carton with the lid just off enough for it to drip out. He died a slow and painful death.
I only found the jug after he died!
Unfortunately, my female shephard cross, had also gotten into the anti freeze and while she didn't die right away, so much damage had been done by the time I found the carton, that I had her put down 6 months later!
Again, my family cried!
Then one day, kids brought me 5 black-red long haired kittens in a box, begging me to take them before someone hurt them - so I did.
With pain in my heart, I use to walk with my camera, looking for something to catch my eye (wildlife, sunsets, silouettes, nature) but found hideous sites of dead or virus ridden cats - so I took pictures and presented them to the Village folk - "and so" was the response and "you're crazy to care" - well those comments truly inspired this "crazy" ol' gal, especially since my family...

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http://www.canadaka.net/blog/Arctic_Menace/can_you_believe_this_sick_fuck_b-114.html 2006-07-11T19:56:00-07:00 2006-07-11T19:56:00-07:00

http://www.canadaka.net/modules.php?nam ... 815#344815



Mr_Canada: WHAT THE FUCK...? Used as a mop for his own urine?

They should just close that bloody prison down.


grainfedprairieboy: Close it down? Screw that! We should be using it as a model for our own prison system.



Is this man not sick? Can you believe that people like this exist?! I can only hope our good friend Dayseed has something to say about this....No doubt it will be good. ]]>

http://www.canadaka.net/blog/LittleBastard/1500_of_your_favorite_80s_videos_b-627.html 2006-09-20T05:06:00-07:00 2006-09-20T05:06:00-07:00

If you didn't have the chance to see my original post with the link... here it is:

80's Videos Post On CKA



Check it out when you have a chance and let me know what you think... there's a lot of good ones there that bring back some GREAT memories!!!

The only suck part is that you can't down load the videos!?

Enjoy!!! ]]>

http://www.canadaka.net/blog/Hester/still_at_sea_one_month_down_b-730.html 2006-10-10T13:48:00-07:00 2006-10-10T13:48:00-07:00

As of today, it's been one month since we left. Feels more like three, and we have five more to go. We have left Pearl Harbour a couple weeks behind us and we will be in Singapore in a couple days. It's taken us this long to cross the Pacific - with some stops and exercises thrown in as well. We are still enroute to the 'box' where we will be deployed and are still training and preparing for when we arrive in theatre, so other than that I can talk to you about life on board. I won't bore you and drive you insane with the lingo - such as "I usually do my dobey on Fridays and I try to avoid duff - usually unsuccessfully." Dobey is laundry and duff is dessert. Blah, blah, blah.
I didn't get to spend any time in Hawaii, other than the airports, but Hawaii is one of my favourite ports. Either take the bus or rent a car and get out of Honolulu/Waikiki. Honolulu is another big American city, so get out and see the rest of the island; it's a beautiful place. I'm not sure how many times I've been here - I would guess 16-20 times. Same as San Diego, it's easy to lose track of the number of times I've visited. If you can get to Maui or Kauai you should because they are even better than Oahu.
Crossing the Pacific means crossing the International Date Line. It's not like flying where you just set your watch for the correct time at your destination. The Pacific is huge; your destination might be two weeks away. When you travel west across the Pacific you set your watch back one hour every couple days. Crossing the International Date Line is a little mind-boggling though. For example when it's noon on Monday on the east side (Western Hemisphere) it is noon on Tuesday on the west side (Eastern Hemisphere). When you're sailing west you...

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http://www.canadaka.net/blog/Tricks/a_true_pissed_off_rant_b-1017.html 2006-11-18T18:47:00-08:00 2006-11-18T18:47:00-08:00

Oh, and it's another work rant too

So, we just got James Bond Casino Royale, and Happy feet. So a kids movie, and an adult movie. Both hyped and popular. Fucking busy as hell, easily the busiest two nights ever (I worked last night). Let see if I can all the fuckups in the past two days said.

Number one. They fucked up the schedule. I was supposed to work 6-10:15 last night, and 3-10 tonight. Nope, now I work 6:30-10:30 and 2-8. Without telling us they change the god damn schedule. So if It hadn't worked in my favour I could have been late, and written up. Now my best friend works with me. His schedule didn't get changed in his favour. He went from 6-10 two days ina row, to 6:30-12:30 and 6-12:30. He made plans with his girlfriend, which he had to cancel. That's alwaus good.

Number 2. Not only did they fuck up the schedule, they fucked up the movie times pretty good too. They made it so that we barely had time to prepare for the next rush. That's always nice which leads into my next one

Number 3. I. Didn't. Have. A. Fucking. Break. I am 99% sure that if you work for 6 hours, you are entitled to a 15 minute break. It is against Canadian labour laws if I am not mistaken. So 2 days in a row I was denied my breaks because my managers can not make a schedule, or plan ahead for movie times.

Number 4. since I worked 2 -8 today, I ate lunch at 11, and planned to have something to eat at 4. Well, no break, no food. So I didn't get home until probably 8:30. 9 and a half hours.

Number 5: I have one asshole manager who so clearly hates me it's rediculous. But whatever, the feeling is mutual, I just deal with him as little as possible. Well he decides to sit around and chat while 5 of us are busting our ass, and one of the other managers...

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http://www.canadaka.net/blog/Brenda/dual_citizenship_b-1608.html 2007-03-24T03:57:00-07:00 2007-03-24T03:57:00-07:00

Of course there is a but. It is not the Canadian Government which makes me say "but", it's the Dutch Government. The Dutch Government does not allow dual citizenship for her citizens. That means, that if I want to become Canadian, I will loose my Dutch nationality.

It is kinda tricky... My kids will become Canadian Citizens and stay Dutch, when they live more than 5 years in Canada before they turn 18. They will not have to do a test or something. For us adults, it's a different thing. When you are a PR for 3 years, you can apply for Citizenship, study, do a test, and be Canadian when you pass that test. So far so good... But when I would do that, the minute I become Canadian, I will not be Dutch anymore. Hubby will stay Dutch though, because he then is married to a Canadian Citizen, which allows him to have dual citizenship. So when I pass the test, he stays Dutch and automatically becomes Canadian too... He can go back to The Netherlands to live whenever he wants. I won't be able to do that, because I'm not Dutch anymore, and I will have to apply for a visa when (if ) we should want to go back, for whatever reason. I don't know, sick parents, you name it. But of course that visa might not be issued... Then we have a problem...

Immigrants who come to The Netherlands however, can be dual citizens. It is up to the country of origin... Turkish people can choose, but Moroccan people are not allowed to give up their nationality.

So I'm considering... I have some years to think about it... ]]>

http://www.canadaka.net/blog/bootlegga/weekend_box_office_b-2877.html 2009-02-01T18:23:16-08:00 2009-02-01T18:23:16-08:00

Taken took top spot with $24.6 million, knocking the previous champ, Paul Blart: Mall Cop into 2nd ($14.1 million). The mystery thriller, The Uninvited, opened in third with $10.5 million. Hotel for Dogs, moved to 4th with $8.7 million, and Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino rounded out the top 5 with $8.6 million.]]>

http://www.canadaka.net/blog/Istanbul/gus_goes_ovarian_b-1359.html 2007-01-20T23:18:00-08:00 2007-01-20T23:18:00-08:00

Gus goes ovarian.

It has snowed so much I am at my wits end. Gus is not here if that is what you were thinking.
I am leery about driving in snow and icy conditions as I am a reborn Protestant who was literally and retro-actively reborn around this time of the year. That makes me an Aquarius by the Zodiac sign. I guess I will have to hoof it down to the welfare office under my own steam. I have always prided myself for being able to make these independent lifestyle decisions, unshackled by the pressures busy bodies tend to apply on people.

I can't recall when I first started carrying some water around with me. Lately I have had to adjust my flight travels.
Last year I was denied entry to the security area at gate 51 Vancouver International Airport.
"No liquids allowed past this point" the Security Guard informed me.
"But Sir, I am a water carrier so it is OK, sort of universally recognized Zodiac folklore" I replied.
"You cannot pass through with the liquid, Orange alert you know?"
"How much do you want to bet a dollar?" I said. Little did he know that the positive traits of Aquarians included: Self absorption, rude and without tact, prone to eccentricity, unwilling to share beers or fight for SSM, voyeuristic curiosity about virgins.

Aquarius have a difficult relationship with: Taurus, Leo and Scorpio.
They have a turbulent relationship with: Virgo!

To make it short I advised him not to give adverse advice just because he was a Virgo Intacta Virgin, or vice-versa, a Virgin Intacta Virgo. He lunged for my water, I feinted, he zigged, I zagged, withdrew behind a lady in a wheelchair and drank the water, then gave him the empty and boarded my air-miles flight to Abottsford Int airport.

I just noted...

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