Harper the “New Human Welfare Czar

2010 World Economic Forum in Davos – Harper the “New Human Welfare Czar” ?
Harper as quoted stating "Going forward, I believe the smaller, but still influential, G8 will focus on security concerns and human welfare. " (January 27, 2010)

“Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, will deliver a special address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. Canada is G8 President this year, and Prime Minister Harper will set out his country's agenda for its presidency, which will focus on security concerns and improving human welfare.” (World Economic Forum, 2010)

What is meant by human welfare, "the governmental provision of economic assistance of persons in need."
Sounds all warm and fussy, but with the deterioration of productive capacity and the erosion of jobs it seems that they are right on coarse with creating the fascist state where state ownership of capital and the state ownership of industry is the order of the day. Thus creating the mechanism by which the government provides the economic assistance to persons of need.

electric cooled pony harness

Should I write about the shit I am going through. Will it help. I think some writing about the issue will help, even just thinking about writing about it and not actually writing anything seems to help. Well anyway it's a pain in the ass, I hate being in this position.

Someting to write

Well a lot has happened but I seem reluctant to write about it. So I'll ramble on a bit to appease some desire I feel, or maybe it is that I am totally bored with the internet experience it's just kinda boring. It's not like being outside fresh air and all that.

In the days before Charlottetown

Time is now to collect up the tools and mental ideas for the upcoming project. The multitude of weather changes the panic. Constantly covering and repairing things. But we learned things last year so we will change things up. I wonder if I will get my gloves back.

The trip to Dubai

Well that was something else. Dubai is really quite amazing, so much has changed since last visit in 1998. Beyond the Burg Dubai, well there is so much more. The new Metro system should be up and running next year. It's going to connect the city to everywhere. There are whole new areas that have popped up from the desert.
The weather was much nicer this time. It was comfortable and walking took me everywhere. The beaches were very nice like the Jumeria Beach Park, and the open beach close to it. I spent a lot of time in the Souks checking things out as well as walking through many neighborhoods, that continue to sprout up.
Coming from Vancouver I didn't find the amount of building overwhelming. There was even more continuity with the construction of the Metro system which blocked many major thoroughfare's in many locations throughout it's route.
I was here during Ramadan and then into Eid. It was great to see and be part of the two celebrations and the change between the two.
With the exception of the hotel, which I found quite cheap for the quality, my daily expenses were low. My hotel worked out to be around ninety dollars per night, with breakfast. The hotel was the Arabian Park Hotel. I would recommend this establishment. Food is inexpensive if you stay out of the hotels and labeled restaurants. Street food and fruit and vegetables are close to or just less then the prices I am used to paying. Taxis are very reasonable and clean and safe. Dubai on the whole is very safe

As so many days go by

So it has been a while. Summer is slowly fading away, it has been very busy. The work continues. With Ice Sculpting in Prague for a commercial shoot. Then off to Dubai for Marina development promotion with four sand sculptures at different locations.

What's all this then

Well there seems to be changes to Blog world. I was not aware.
I type click publish and review, not much different.
Busy winter in the cold, snow sculpting. Waiting for an indeterminate amount of time to get off to relief work. My arm hurts from the shots.

Europe 2006

Now into week eight of the 2006 European sand tour.
The tour started in Brighton (UK) then proceeded up to Great Yarmouth.
A few days holiday in London and then on to the continent where I traveled up to Travemunde in Germany.
Then it is on to Brugge. First I am spending time in Amsterdam and with a beautiful friend Charlotte in Breda.
Besides the hard work the job of producing sculpture for public display most gratifying. The time off is filled with adventure.

Jack Frost and PEI

This latest trip is to Prince Edward Island on Canada's east coast. I am here as part of a team producing a winter children village for the Jack Frost festival. The weather is cooperating although the first day gave us rain and the second was unseasonable warm. The cold is very welcome and it sure helps to keep the ice and snow from melting, the man made snow. It seems that the warm weather has depleted most of the snow from a storm that blew through the area just a few days before our arrival.
It's great to be on the other coast of Canada. The people I am meeting are fantastic and I'm very excited to finally be on the opposite side of the country from where I live.

Korea

Well I'm sitting in the lounge close to leaving from Seoul Korea. This was an awesome trip with many new friends. Team Canada sculpted in Taebeck, north South Korea. The snow pile was not the greatest but all teams were dealing with the same stuff so we all persevered. The four teams from Canada, Japan, Hong Kong and the Netherlands all worked together on one piece which was praying hands. Each team also completed their own sculpture.
The experience was excellent and the people were fantastic. I would definitely recommend coming for a visit, which can be made quite inexpensively if you travel light and stay at the many saunas around the country.
Big cities like Seoul are a trip to be in. The shear volume of people and the freedom which they actually enjoy is a change compared to the repressed freedom we in North America have to deal with. There is so much activity, so much bustle and so much to see do and shop for, that weeks are really needed to make the most of it. None the less it was without question one of the best places I have been. It's a shame I have too leave, I will get used to the lack of freedom back home soon enough I'm sure.
I wish North American's weren't so easily swayed to think that there is freedom in these countries. Get out and see what freedom and choice are all about. The rest of the world has more freedom and they don't have too try to sell it.

Long time coming

I would have to say it has been a long time between updates. I am now doing sculpture full time. I have just spent eight weeks in Germany working in snow and ice. After the new year I will be off to Korea contest in for a snow sculpture event. Then back to Canada for a contest in Ottawa/Gatineu, followed by a trip to the Yukon for contest in Whitehorse.

Winterlude been there now back

Well winterlude was excellent.
We met new friends and created a piece that was worth some accolades.
The chain saw could help now that we have worked in the region and they let you use one.
Our block was a layer of ice between 8 and 12 inches thick on two sides. The chain saw would have mowed right through this like nothing. The sharp tools required that much more work to accomplish the same task of removal.
But we have finished and we are back home now.
Where will the next adventure be.

Winterlude

No it has nothing to do with anti-depressants nor running around naked in the snow. It is a winter carnival in the Capital region, Ottawa/Gatineau.
I will be joined by Craig Mutch in this competition, our other teammate is staying home with a bad back.
We have our flaky theme, and a big block of snow to sculpt.
Rules abound at this event, I guess because the government or capital region is in charge. All the rules however seem to deal with the use of a chain saw, which I can not see being of any real use. But some seem to think there is an advantage.
The regular sharp hand tools do the job and it allows the team to work together instead of one guy working with a chain saw and the others watching him.

And that's my comment.

Preparations

Well now we prepare for Chicago, The bagpipe player.
We will be working with a new guy from the Chicago area that would like to learn.
I hope we don't drive him nuts. We are a bit eccentric.
Well at least I am.
The holidays were good a primer for being in the cold all day while working.
I don't get much of that cold stuff where I live, it gets cold but not that cold.
Everyone has had a good holiday I trust.
Oh where is that summer thing that we love so much.

Back from Europe

Well that, I will say, was a lot of fun. We sculpted the story Kabouters. The gnomes of Lapland.
I have a copy of the book in Dutch, and will find the English version to compare the visual content. To see just how much it was edited for North America. Maybe not at all.
The gnomes were fun and I think the public will react very well to the sculpture. This now leads us to Christmas and then snow sculpture in Chicago , followed by Gatineau Quebec.
Then it's back to Belgium, Holland, Belgium, Germany.

Almost finished

It's been a few days now, I have almost finished what I have set out to do. The end of the month is coming soon and with that a whole lot of travel is in store. Yes I may also do some shopping.
I will be purchasing tickets to the homeland after I arrive back from Belgium. The land of beer and chocolate. Chocolate. It is so good. Like I do not know what exactly they do, but it is good, and the beer, well don't get me started. They take some simple ingredients and produce a range of beer styles and flavors not to be found anywhere else. If the taxes weren't so high I might like to live there. But alas I am a humble Canadian.