Harvest season

Harvest time, originally uploaded by Cody la bière (shadygrady).

I should be heading to bed already, and wow.. two blog entries in one day.. *gassssp* what's going on?!

With it being middle of September already, it's harvest season. Usually this time of the year feels, and looks like autumn. The weather starts to get chilly, the frost damages the crops if not harvested in time, and all in all.. it's a stressful time of the year for any grain farmer.

This September has been insanely hot.. it is supposed to be a high of 27C or so for all weekend long.. and this is middle of September!

These hot temperatures this late in the year will allow for the grain farmers to get their crops finished, without having to rush themselves like most years.

It's times like this I'm glad I decided I wasn't going to become a grain farmer. Then again, it would be neat to be able to make your own bread from scratch (including wheat from your very own field), make your own butter from your own cattle, and bacon from your very own pigs! Saves lots of money that way. If only I had the energy and time like my family did only a few decades ago! Everything's better for you, down on the farm!

Pop Shoppe Sodey Pop!

The Pop Shoppe!, originally uploaded by Cody la bière (shadygrady).

I remember being 5 years old in rural Manitoba, sipping down a nice cold glass bottle Coca Cola, back when glass bottles were standard for all beverages. As laws changed, plastic bottles became the norm for non alcoholic beverages (and now starting to be accepted by alcoholic beverages too). Glass bottle soda is slowly returning to Canada, but I doubt it will ever be as common as it used to be.

One Canadian company that makes their beverages exclusively in glass bottles is The Pop Shoppe, they're a premium soft drink company from Ontario, which traces its roots back almost 40 years.

I have tried a few different varieties of Pop Shoppe's soda, such as Grape, Cola, Root Beer and Orange. Personally, my favourite of the bunch would have to be the grape, I don't know why but it reminds me of being a small child. The Orange beverage reminds me of Crush orange, but slightly sweeter, but doesn't compare to the oldschool Manitoban Orange drink by Pic-a-Pop from the late 80s. I enjoyed the root beer, but it has a slight bitter aftertaste, and the Cola.. ah the Cola. The Cola was very decent compared to the alternatives, but it just needs to be sweeter. All in all, all of their beverages give a nice sweet taste, with close to no longterm aftertaste (compared to most other beverages out there).

I recommend checking out Pop Shoppe's soda if you can find it, it's available at places like Zellers and 7-Eleven. The nostalgia factor alone makes you stop what you're doing and enjoy the awesomeness!

I just wish glass bottle drinks were still the norm... mmm! Oh... and all Pop Shoppe soda bottles are 355ml, the glass bottles Coca Cola uses are only 237ml!!!! That's enough for a small child, but for someone who wants a refreshing Coke.. thats nowhere near enough!

Cheers!

Edit: P.S: Apparently the Pop Shoppe is starting to sell their beverages in STUBBY bottles now!

Times are a-changin'

Well I started this blog.. THREE years ago as a "me ranting about politics" blog, but I found it irrelevant, because I'm fed up with politics.

1) Stephen Harper is NOT a leader, he's like the wizard in Wizard of Oz, he's just all smoke and curtains. He calls his opposition the Socialists and Separatists planning on a coalition against him, but then a week later forms an unofficial coalition himself! HARPERCRITE

2) Iggy knows he won't win the next election, keep getting to know your electorate first

3) Layton's got to go, he's old news, also needs some "Just for Men"

4) Duceppe's in it just for himself.. but then without him, who would replace him?

Also, for Manitoba politics, I'm fed up with this shit, firstly, the PCs are no longer the party I supported since I was a kid, they're trying to be too conservative for their own good, a wannabe-Harper party. If the NDP can get a leader who is competant and doesn't screw up every few weeks, the NDP will win the next election with a majority. Also, Jon Gerrard is getting old, they need fresh meat for leadership, this is why he's not relevant. He likes to complain just for the sake of complaining. I hope in the next election the Liberals (who will obviously not pick up any seats), should give him the boot and select a new leader, someone who has new ideas and the possibility to actually pick up seats. This reason alone is why I'll vote PC in the next provincial election, yet again. That and the guy who will probably be candidate is someone I enjoy talking to.

So all in all, I'm focusing on other stuff instead, instead of politics, I may bitch/complain about politics, and how Harper is a Harpercrite, but hopefully stick to talking about stuff that doesn't stress me out as much, ie music, beer, and um.. beer!

A bientôt!

Harper's French Sucks

Soon-to-be former leader of the federal Liberal Party, Stéphane Dion was criticized by Harper and the Conservatives (and Conservative media) for not being able to "speak English" in a recent pre-election interview. Now a few French people have exposed Harper's french from being far from perfect, especially for not being able to understand a simple question in French. This is a few years too late though, but still interesting. In the video, he basically says "The question is not clear", "I'm not certain, but I don't understand the question" and "French is not my first language" yadda yadda yadda. He needs to work on his french.

Manitoba Chamber of Commerce survey

The Manitoba Chamber of Commerce has released a survey for all Manitobans to fill out on what they feel should be done in Manitoba to achieve economic success and become a "have province." I recommend all Manitobans, or former Manitobans to check out the survey. It will take approximately 10-20 minutes to fill out.

Link: http://www.haveprovince.com