Mind_the_gap's Musings

[lenaitch]

This seems sad and disheartening to me...

Some awesome Arctic footage!

I saw my first OLG 'self service lottery machine' (vending machine) at a local Canadian Tire.

 

[Mind_the_gap]

No kidding...

Robot grocery delivery in Finland:

Order robot delivery with the S-Market app:


What is robot delivery?


Available across the country:

Source

I couldn't resist... screwing with a delivery robot in LA:

Robot part starts at 3:10

It's scary the headlights/"eyes" turn from white to red when they're in "trouble".

 

[Mind_the_gap]

As a Finnish person, there's one disturbing "Finnish" song I've been troubled by ever since it was presented at the start of Covid.

Anna Puu and Olavi Uusivirta:

2020 (- Sony)

I wanted to translate this for you all:

I came far from the future
From where there is nothing
I'm the little boy in a capsule
I came to find life

Hold on tight so you feel it
Hold on to my hand right now
Before we disappear
Now everything's changing
I'm yours'
In the year 2020

A moment before the lights went out
A moment before the birds disappeared
Across the sky your song echoes
That's how I knew to return here
Ooh, ooh (phoenix)
Across the sky your song echoes
That's how I knew to return here

I came far from the future
Amsterdam is at the bottom of the sea
But our love won't be worn out, it's on the locks on the sides of Paris' bridges.

Hold on tight so you feel it
Hold on to my hand right now
Don't save your words until the morning
Love me
In the year 2020

A moment before the lights went out
A moment before the birds disappeared
Across the sky your song echoes
That's how I knew to return here
Ooh, ooh (phoenix)
Across the sky your song echoes
That's how I knew to return here
(x2)

To the bottom of the sea I'll follow
To the bottom of the sea I'll follow
Source

Many other examples also... since Covid.

Then there's this:

 

[Mind_the_gap]

So back in 2019, I took my new to me 2015 Jetta TDI for a roadtrip:

I drove Toronto-Sudbury-Sault Ste. Marie. That rail line paralleling 17 made me wish for so much more...

After being harassed by CBP, I continued my way through Northern Michigan. I loved the State Trooper lights!

Source

There was a fascinating city at the Michigan/Wisconsin border: Menominee, MI/Marinette, WI:

It felt like our Ottawa/Gatineau combo! The traffic lights are different on both sides too.

After 15 hours I finally reached Green Bay. The next day onward to Minneapolis brought surprises.

First I tried paying at the pump with a credit card, and realized that isn't possible without a US zipcode. The gas station attendant was very helpful, but this decided the rest of my journey.

There was this rock station too in Wisconsin:

Once I reached the Twin Cities, this song on 93X ushered me in. It set the stage for a totally awesome weekend at X Games.

I got to meet Felipe Nunes, the legless skater:

After an awesome weekend, I had to rush back to Canada via Minnesota/Thunder Bay.

My one regret, not riding the light rail, but I loved the busway along Nicollet Mall.

The scenery along Lake Superior made me slam my brakes, it was just too amazing!

If anyone ever gets to stop in Grand Marais, MN, it's a slice of heaven.

Ps. Two highlights were a hand-written sign in Finnish in Minnesota advertising a market I didn't have time to stop at, and a Canadian and Finnish flag above an LCBO outpost south of Thunder Bay.

I've also seen a hand-written Finnish sign in Sudbury advertising fresh eggs along Panache Lake Rd.

So glad I got to see all this before America went to sh**.

Lol, Canadians were such arseholes between Duluth and the border, speeding past Minnesotans doing the limit on a two-lane road.