I’m not sure what the latest weirdness is supposed to mean. Maybe a time stamp, perhaps a couple of random dreams come true or more of those incessant dots.
It all started yesterday while chatting with a couple of co-workers. As we all admired a map of earthquake zones in Greece cascading from the new plotter, one of the workmates mentioned his wife had an opportunity to work in Algeria. I didn’t think I heard right so I asked, “Algeria”? No answer. I asked again a little louder, “Did you say Algeria”? Still no answer. One more time, a lot louder, “DID YOU SAY ALGERIA”? He finally answered yes.
This seemed strange for many reasons and I made a mental note to look up Algeria when I got back to my desk. I’ve known lots of people who’ve lived and worked in exotic and faraway places, but Algeria was a new one for me.
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As usual by the time I made it back to my desk Algeria was all but forgotten. Until just now when BWB read me this local and current news story:
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Feb 12, 2009 09:15 PM
THE CANADIAN PRESS
CALGARY – Bystanders in downtown Calgary looked on in horror Thursday as a man doused himself with a flammable liquid, then set himself on fire.
An ambulance that was transporting another patient happened to drive by and attendants jumped out with extinguishers and put out the flames.
They called another ambulance to take the man to hospital.
"Our paramedics worked very aggressively to treat him on the way to hospital," said EMS spokesman Stuart Brideaux.
"About 40 per cent of his body had been burned with second-degree burns along his back."
He was listed in serious but stable condition.
Witnesses said the man appeared to be upset and said something about being deported before he set himself alight.
A source told CTV Calgary he was about to be deported to Algeria.
Former president George W. Bush is coming to Calgary for his first confirmed speaking event since leaving office last month.
The private event, which is being called “A conversation with George W. Bush,” will be held March 17 at the Telus Convention Centre.
Bush will share his “thoughts on his eight momentous years in the Oval Office” and will discuss “the challenges facing the world in the 21st century,” according to the event invitation.
BWB’s never read one of our blogs. Often it’s not until an occasion such as this that I even mention what a blog was about. That’s why him reading me two news stories back-to-back, sounding remarkably similar to the last two blogs, is weirding me out a bit. I was half expecting to hear “...will be accompanied by Waylon Smithers”.
BWB gets his news from the CBC which allows for readers comments. Almost all have the same opinion...WTF???? Here’s the consensus so far:
I'd love to hear the guy. I might not agree with him but I still think that, like this forum, exposure to other points of view expands your horizons or at least clarifies your own points of view.
Well, how about that. Bush is on tour with his comedy act. (I wonder if Smithers will join him?)
Throw your shoes at him en masse.
How can Bush come to Canada, he is a convicted felon in his country? He should not be allowed across the border, or is this law for a select few?
What? Canada is inviting one of the BIGGEST TERRORIST the world has ever seen to cross its border?
I am dumbfounded. Never in a million years would I have ever thought George W. Bush would come to Calgary for a speaking engagement (or any other reason). We’re hardly small town but on the world stage we would certainly be considered just that. You don’t see stickers on suitcases saying Paris, London, New York, Calgary. And not only is he coming here, it’s the first stop on the Oval Office Eight Tour ’09. Freakin bizarre.
Just thinking out loud, but the scientist in the last blog died on Elvis’s birthday. The blog before that was inspired by a dream of Bush who showed me a coin imprinted with Elvis’s head and some 45’s. I tried to find a date when production on 45’s began and all that came up was February, 1949. Other things that happened in 1949:
All the King’s Men swept the Academy Awards with an Oscar for best picture, best actor (Broderick Crawford) and best supporting actress (Mercedes McCambridge). It won golden globes for best picture, best director (Robert Rossen) and best actor.
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Plot:
The rise and fall of a corrupt politician, who makes his friends richer and retains power by dint of a populist appeal.
Synopsis:
All The King's Men is the story of the rise of politician Willie Stark from a rural county seat to the spotlight. Along the way, he loses his initial innocence, and becomes just as corrupt as those who he assaulted before for this characteristic. Also included is the romance between one of his "right hand women" and the up-and-coming journalist who brings Stark to prominence.
Another thing that happened is James Forrestal died in 1949. He was the first Secretary of Defense but that only lasted two years.
“The decline and death of Forrestal is an unresolved problem of history. There is no question that he suffered from a spectacular mental breakdown during 1948 and 1949. Exactly why he did so is less certain, but the answer may have relevance to American national security – and the pesky topic of UFOs.”
There’s an interesting account of the death of James Forrestal at the link above, which contains all the basic elements of the phenomenon known as “being suicided”. Government employee goes mad, finds himself locked up and administered questionable treatments, dies under mysterious circumstances deemed to be suicide.
60th anniversaries being celebrated this year are the founding of the People’s Republic of China, NATO and Australian Citizenship. They’ve even minted a coin for the occasion:
The 2009 $1 Citizenship coin design features the smiling faces of the very first Australian citizens in 1949, each as individual as the country they originate from. Their raised hands symbolises their pride in becoming an Australian citizen, now linked symbolically to create the star of Federation.
http://www.coinnews.net/2009/01/12/2009-coins-for-60th-anniversary-of-australian-citizenship-4680/And finally George Orwell’s 1984 was published in 1949:
Winston Smith is a middle-aged, unhealthy character, based loosely on Orwell's own frail body, an underling of the ruling oligarchy, The Party. The Party has taken early 20th century totalitarianism to new depths, with each person subjected to 24 hour surveillance, where people's very thoughts are controlled to ensure purity of the oligarchical system in place. Figurehead of the system is the omnipresent and omnipotent Big Brother.
http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/1984/
So there’s just a few things that went on in 1949. Gee you’d almost think that year was psychic.
