Hiking / Skiing Banff March 2024

On By Rick McIn food, friends, hiking, travelLeave a comment

For the 4th year in a row, I stayed at the Samesun Hostel in Banff.

Alternated days of winter hiking and downhill skiing.

I skied one day with Kelly from Canmore. Two days with Rocco.

Click PLAY or watch Rocco on YouTube. Footage from my new Insta360 Ace Pro action camera.

April 1, 2024 conditions were PERFECT for me.

I opined that this was the best ski day at Sunshine for 10,000 years. 😀

Me and Assiniboine

Kelly introduced me to happy hour at Hello Sunshine Banff Sushi. Fantastic.

I’ll be posting 2024 hiking videos on BestHike.com.

Here’s a hike from the past that gives a good idea what it’s like to get on the trails in the Spring.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

MORE videos from Banff.

related – Spring Hiking/Skiing Banff 2023

I’m already looking forward to 2025 in Banff.

International Fact-Checking Day

On By Rick McIn bad news, climate change, ethics, Facebook, GOP USA, government, internet, product complaints, TwitterLeave a comment

International Fact-Checking Day was introduced at a conference for journalists and fact-checkers at the London School of Economics in June 2014.

… officially created in 2016 and first celebrated on April 2, 2017. …

It rose in importance after the 2016 elections, which brought fake news, as well as accusations of it, to the forefront of media issues. …

The invention of the Internet ➙ and Social Media made it much easier to circulate disinformation and misinformation.

What that means for YOU and ME is that we need check everything with sources we trust.

FactCheckingDay.com

Trump Announces his Campaign is a JOKE

On By Rick McIn GOP USA, government, humourLeave a comment

Click PLAY or watch FAKE NEWS on YouTube. 😀

A (2016) video purportedly showing the presidential candidate saying that his campaign had been an April Fool’s Day prank all along was actually created for a comedy TV show.

Snopes

Hello Sunshine Banff Sushi

On By Rick McIn food, friends, travel1 Comment

Kelly — a BIG Sushi fan — lives in Canmore.

His favourite restaurant in Banff is Hello Sunshine Sushi during Happy Hour.

50% off many Sushi platters.

As well as beer and other menu item specials.

I’m hoping to go 3 times this week. 😀

Kelly introduced me to Hello Sunshine after a GREAT day skiing powder at … Sunshine.

HIGHLIGHTS ➙ Parksville / Qualicum Beach

On By Rick McIn travelLeave a comment

Every tourist enjoys Vancouver Island. Much to do. Much to see.

Here’s a good starting point for someone planning to visit our area, north of Nanaimo.

17 Best Things to do in Parksville Qualicum Beach

I Only Read Murder – by Ian & Will Ferguson

On By Rick McIn books, humourLeave a comment

Will Ferguson is a Calgary based humorist and writer.

He and his older brother, Ian Ferguson, another funny writer, published this book in 2023.

The brothers were working together remotely during the pandemic on what would become their first fiction co-write, a comedic mystery featuring a sleuthing has-been actress named Miranda Abbott. …

Their heroine is a delusional actor whose fame has mostly faded. When she is recognized, it’s for playing the “crime-solving, karate-chopping” Pastor Fran, the titular character in a 1980s TV show called Pastor Fran Investigates.  …

…  part of the dynamic during those over-the-phone work sessions was simply to make each other laugh. …

Calgary Herald review

Out of work. Out of money. Miranda Abbott somehow lands a tiny role in an amateur theatrical production Murder Mystery called Death is the Dickens.

The book is amusing. A light read.

Inside Man – season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

I recommend this 4 episode drama — though it’s only 67% on Rotten Tomatoes.

VERY intense, at times.

I’d call it a black comedy. Very funny at other times.

A twisty thriller.

Inside Man is a thriller drama television serial developed by Steven Moffat.  (Sherlock, Doctor Who 2010–2017).

Stanley Tucci as Jefferson Grieff, a former criminology professor on death row in an Arizona prison. Always excellent on screen.

David Tennant as Harry Watling, a British vicar forced into a difficult situation

A prisoner on death row in the US and a woman trapped in a cellar under an English vicarage, cross paths in the most unexpected way. 

Atkins Estimond as Dillon Kempton, a serial killer on death row in Jefferson’s prison who acts as Grieff’s assistant, is excellent, too. Very memorable.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Inspired by Bikepackers

On By Rick McIn cycling, travelLeave a comment

One thing I like about bike touring is that almost ANYBODY could do it.

Almost ANYBODY can ride a bike.

For example, Giant Cheerio decided to take off on a bike for a month. …

After over 2 years, she’s still on the road.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

DANCE ➙ Somebody That I Used To Know

On By Rick McIn Art and beauty, music, videoLeave a comment

by Gotye.

Fantastic.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Here’s the original — and original — music video.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Grammy for Record of the Year.

The Dead Zone by Stephen King

On By Rick McIn books, movies, TVLeave a comment

The Dead Zone by Stephen King was published 1979.

He was already an excellent story teller.

The story follows Johnny Smith, who awakens from a coma of nearly five years and, apparently as a result of brain damage, now experiences clairvoyant and precognitive visions triggered by touch. …

The novel also follows a serial killer in Castle Rock, and the life of rising politician Greg Stillson, both of whom are evils Johnny must eventually face. …

… the first of his novels to rank among the ten best-selling novels of the year in the United States.

Christopher Walken played Johnny Smith in Cronenberg’s film adaptation.

In the book there is a new politician who acts like a clown. Says outlandish things. An evil guy.

King was already predicting Trump in 1979.

As we did in my High School in the 1970s, they debate whether they’d be willing to go back in a Time Machine to kill Hitler in the crib.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Anthony Michael Hall played Johnny Smith in the TV adaptation. It had 6 seasons starting 2002.