A Wii Revolution

So, Nintendo has officially named their next console, which had been using the codename "Revolution". The new name is, wait for it... "Wii" (pronounced "we"). Seriously? Wii? I had thought since it had been referred to as "Revolution" for so long, that the name would stick. I kinda liked "Revolution", but "Wii"? I just can't imagine saying things like, "I'm going to play some Wii", or "Want to have a game on my Wii". Just something not right about that. Oh well, I'll still buy it.

Move Along... Nothing To See Here

I love my new TV.

Maybe I'm Being Told Something

You may remember this post from a couple months ago announcing that I had bought myself a new 50" DLP rear-projection HDTV. After all that fanfare and excitement, it sure is weird that nothing has been said about it since. Well, as most of you know by now, I had some problems with the TV and to make a really long a bitter story short, I ended up returning it to Futuresh**.

Of course, I still wanted a TV, but I took a step back to evaluated just the type I wanted. After going around to local electronic stores after my ordeal, I found a general low opinion of DLP technology, which convinced by to go another route. Then Dave got his plasma, and it all started to come together for me. Plasma was the way to go. Of course, these sleek sets are a bit more expensive than the DLPs, so to stay in the same price range I'd have to get a smaller size, or to stay with the same size, I'd have to add a considerable amount of money to the budget.

After consulting the latest Consumer Reports for plasmas and noticing a sale, I decided to go with the 42" plasma HDTV from Dell.

So, after ordering it on Wednesday, April 12 I was sent a confirmation email indicating the approximate delivery date to be Thursday, April 20. A few days went by, and checking the order status on Dell's website, I saw the date had been pushed back to Friday, April 21. No big deal. So, on Friday I was quite excited, however no TV came. The Dell site still says Friday as the delivery date, and the delivery company's site (Canadian Freightways) doesn't recognize the tracking number. So, I might get a TV tomorrow... I might not... I have no idea. I'm a little frustrated with this whole ordeal, going back to the Futuresh** incident. Sometimes I wonder why things don't just go as planned. Maybe I'm being told something along the lines of "you shouldn't be buying a TV", and the Dell will break down 4 days after owning it. I know, I know... there are worse things in the world to be frustrated with, so I'll just stop now that I've sufficiently vented. Well, if it eventually works out, you can come over and watch some quality HD programming like 24 or Lost.

UPDATE - I was just surfing the web, checking out my Air Miles balance. I noticed that if I had clicked on a link from the Air Miles site to buy my Dell TV, I could have had upwards of 147 Air Miles. So yeah, I'm totally kicking myself now. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Update 2 - Oh, I'm definately being told something. Something along the lines of "bend over".

Curling Champions

Tonight was the championship game for the B Division for our Thursday Night Curling League. We were able to ride our recent wave of success and win the game and the title. However, like the past 2 games, it wasn't easy.

We started off great... after conceding a point in the first, we went on a tear scoring 7 point in the next four ends. Up 7-1, we decided to play a defensive, take-out style game. That turned out to be folly. We weren't as good with our takeouts as we were with our draws, and we ended up letting them score two 3 point ends in a row... tying the game up heading into the last end. Luckily we got it back just in time to score one point to win the game.

What is the trophy one gets for being on the B Division Championship team? A 750mL bottle of Jamaican Rum, that's what! Boo-yeah!

Census Records 92 Years Later

I got an interesting e-mail from my friend Laurie, who works for the County of Lambton as an historian, about the census coming up next month. Apparently, census records are kept confidential for 92 year, then are made public record for uses like historical research and geneology. This year, you'll be required to give consent for the release of your information in 2098. The following is a message sent to increase awareness about the issue.

The next National Census of Canada is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 16 May 2006. For the first time in the 340 years Censuses have been conducted in the territory that was destined to become Canada, respondents will be asked to provide consent for the release of information they provide, 92 years after collection. Until now, no such consent was required. The question that will appear on the Census questionnaire is as follows:

The following question is for all persons who usually live here including those less than 15 years old.

If you are answering on behalf of other people, please consult each person.

53. The Statistics Act guarantees the confidentiality of your census information. Only if you mark "YES" to this question will your personal information be made public, 92 years after the 2006 Census. If you mark "NO" or leave the answer blank, your personal information will never be made publicly available.

Does this person agree to make his/her 2006 Census information available for public release in 2098 (92 years after the census)?

_ Yes _ No

Inclusion of this 'informed consent' provision in Censuses to be conducted from 2006 was the price forced upon genealogists and historians seeking to regain public access to Historic Census records to which existing legislation already stated we were entitled. We had been advised that unless this provision was accepted the government would not present the Bill (S-18) to end our seven-year campaign to regain public access Historic Census records in accordance with provisions of the Access to Information and Privacy Acts.

In my post of 18 March 2006 I copied my letter to the Chief Statistician of Canada and his response advising what steps would be taken by StatCan and LAC to encourage a positive response to the 'informed consent' question on the upcoming Census. The fact is that we cannot depend entirely on these government sources to spread the word regarding the need for EVERYONE to answer YES to this question. It is time now to start spreading the word ourselves about this question.

Our goal is a 100 percent YES response to the 'informed consent' clause on the upcoming Census. Realistically speaking it is likely a goal that we cannot achieve. However, with some effort we can hopefully achieve something close to it. The question that arises is 'how'?

Start now by advising friends, relatives and neighbours to answer YES to the 'informed consent' question. Ask them to help pass the word along by likewise advising their friends, relatives and neighbours. Advise them that if this question is not answered YES, or is left unanswered, their descendants will be unable to find information on them in Census records in 2098 (92 years in the future). For all intents and purposes, so far as the Census is concerned, they will not have existed. If significant numbers of respondents answer negatively, or do not answer this question at all, it will destroy the completeness of the records, and thus their value to genealogical or historical researchers will be forever destroyed.

Genealogical and historical societies can publicize the need to respond YES in their various publications. They can advise their membership at their regular meetings. One might think that all genealogists are aware of the value of Census in developing their family trees. You might think that after a seven year campaign to regain public access to Historic Census records they would be aware that starting with the 2006 Census on 16 May, they must respond positively to an 'informed consent' question to earn their place in the history of the future. Sadly, from correspondence I receive, it is obvious that many of those who use Census in their research today are not aware of this. It is therefore up to us to advise them.

Genealogists and historians can be expected to be more aware of the need to answer YES to the 'informed consent' question than are the general public. In fact, the general public's knowledge of the issue is probably non-existent. They must be made aware. This can be done by word-of-mouth, by writing letters to editors of newspapers and by calling radio talk shows.

There are many ways to educate the public, and I mention here only a few.

The important thing is that we all do our part to 'spread the word'. If you think of other ways to get the news out please respond to me directly.

On Census Day 16 May 2006, make sure you answer YES to allow your information to be made available to your descendants in 2098. Make sure everyone you know does as well.

Enjoy the Census!

Gordon A. Watts gordon_watts@telus.net
Co-chair, Canada Census Committee
Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Read my column, 'Gordon Watts Reports' at
http://globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/authors/authgw.htm

Permission to forward without notice is granted.

Yeah, so I'm not gonna tell you what to do... you have to do what you want to do. I just figured that I'd spread some information.

Win And You're In...

So, tonight was semi-final night at curling. After winning last week against the 5th place team in an extra end, we played the 1st place team this week to determine who goes on to next week's final. We've played these guys twice this season, and twice we had lost. So I guess you could say we were underdogs. On top of that, we were missing our regular lead, as he somehow thought going to Cuba was more important than semi-final curling. For shame! Anyway, it was a good close match, back and forth. After scoring 2 in the first, we gave up 3 and then let them steal 1. We got 1 back and then took the lead by stealing 2 of our own in the fifth end. We stole another in the sixth, but then they tied it up by scoring 2 in the seventh. We were able to hang on for 1 point in the final end for the win.

In case you skimmed over that last paragraph and are now here, let me say again... WE WON! We're heading to the B division finals next week at a special 6:00 game on Wednesday. Thank goodness for my PVR, so I won't be missing Lost.

Yeah, it was stupid, sure.

I love my April Fool's Day. However, I got a bit lazy this year and didn't actually decide to do something until about 11:45pm last night. I'm sorry. I promise to do better next year. For those that missed it, I saved the comments, and here's a screenshot...

Matt's Blog Is Great! at least it was...

I don't know where all these rumours started that my blog was stupid. But things obviously got out of control. I put my life's work into this, for only a nominal charge, and this is the thanks I get? I was a freakin' cultural icon! But you people just couldn't see that could ya? So, I'm putting a stop to it once and for all. This blog is done. Screw all y'all.