It’s the way of the world, people do it everywhere, if you’re going to do it over here, then usually they do it over there, too. Symmetry is the way things have to be. So sings Jane Siberry. One of the delightful things about Charlottetown’s layout is that it is the very embodiment of symmetry, having been laid out in a pattern of four civic squares which surround Province House (“…firmly rooted in the City’s earliest plans, and… an integral part of Charlottetown’s image and identity.” says A Vision for Charlottetown).

The four quads of the City are bisected by University Avenue and Grafton Street and each is the core of its own neighbourhood. Reinvented’s new World Headquarters falls in the heart of this geographic confluence. You can’t chop down a symmetry.

Much is being said about Richard Wood these days, given that it’s East Coast Music Awards time. Most notable: he’ll be playing at Carnegie Hall (which my father pronounces Car-Nay-Gee Hall) on St. Patrick’s Day with The Chieftains. Back in 1994, when Richard was barely a teenager and I was working with Victoria Row in Charlottetown, we hired him to play for our opening ceremonies. He pulled up in a car with his parents in tow and fiddled up a storm. The Charlottetown Parking Cops were obviously not moved by his performance, and ticketed his dad’s car while he was playing.

I’ll be making a presentation at the 2001 conference of the Atlantic Provinces Library Association on June here in Charlottetown.

I need to rent a car for a week in mid-February, so I visited the websites of all of the major car rental companies. After looking in detail at all of them, I must say that Alamo comes out the best. They responded quickly to my online request for a Quicksilver Number — their “bypass the counter” program — while other companies wanted me to print out a form, fill it in, sign it, and fax it to them (or fill it out online for $50 at Hertz). Their new reservations system is dead simple to use: it took me about a minute to make a reservation. And, at least in theory, once I get to their facility at the airport, I just stick my QuickSilver card in, print out the agreement, and I’m on my way. Wish me luck.

Apparently, the ~ symbol, to which I have heretofore referred to as a squiggle, is official known, at least in the U.K. as a twiddle. Addendum: several correspondents in the guest book have called this into question; I direct you to this page as evidence.

The marketing tagline for Midland Courier is more than just on time. I wonder what they mean by this? Is it a suggestion that they won’t deliver your package all smashed up? Do they offer chocolate bars with every delivery? As far as I’m concerned, if couriers were just on time, I’d be happy.

You can read the tale of Scratch, the Anarchist Cat. Still looking for more good anarchist children’s literature.

It’s interesting to follow the progress of the DNA Lounge, currently under construction in San Francisco. If nothing else, it’s a lesson in how to deal with contractors.

Our roof is covered with snow, which melts and makes icicles, which are getting very long. Our driveway fills up with snow every couple of days, and the only place to pile the snow is in the front yard. Soon the ice will meet the snow and we will have a cool Burgess Meredith house.

Earlier this week Angela Walker interviewed Catherine Hennessey about her website for CBC Main Street. Today Main Street aired a piece about the Very Long Baseline Array that I put together (after stumbling across a giant telescope in rural New Hampshire).