Headlines

Some fine headlines this week in the Calgary Herald:

Barrel racer fulfils dying cowboy's dream

Alberta hospital waits growing

Shell taps oilsands brakes

Energy review closed to public

Updated snow strategy coming

Chinglish

A nice glimpse of how Chinese speakers put ideas together is offered by some of the instructions for use of a recently purchased "rubber heat water bag" aka a hot water bottle:

"After filling water, must let the air in the heat water bag out and let the screw tight. Check if there is leak water phenomenon. When the heat water bag is used or storage must avert it to be weight on or stabed, not touch sour, alkali, oil and sunlight shoot."

Sunlight shoot. Nice. We are also warned "The heat water bag should not be put in the display window so long time, especially the display window in the sunlight shoot."

Ah! Retirement...

The BBC reports that "People approaching retirement age find their work becomes more enjoyable, research has suggested, but the effect is greater amongst men than women. [Different explanations have been proposed...] A third possible explanation is that whilst men look forward to retirement, and see it as an opportunity to spend time doing things they like, women may not relish the prospect of being at home with their husbands."

Clips

The world's oldest sheep has just died. At 23, it was twice as old as is normal for a sheep. (BBC World)

Jalon Market

So where were you? Why did you take so long? I was talking. Talking? To who? Well, to the people, of course. The people selling things? Mm. So you know some of the sellers? Well, yes. I've known some of them for years. Pause. Some of them died, of course. Pause. There was a man called Richard. He used to be known as Dirty Dick. Laugh. Because he looked all dirty, as if he never washed. Heh, heh. But he died, quite a few years ago. So you didn't talk to Richard then? No, of course not. He doesn't respond. Not often, anyway. No, I spoke to Ann though. Haven't seen her for years. She has a boyfriend. I was so happy for her. She's my age [61] and she has a boyfriend. I was so happy for her. She was married to a gypsy once. You know: a real Romany gypsy, and his mother used to bake hedgehogs in the oven. Bake hedgehogs! I wonder what they taste like. His mother used to bake hedgehogs. No, no, not her mother, his. Hedgehogs. I think you do them in mud.