My girlfriend is a member of the Harper-Collins website's "First Look" book club of books. She handed me the due to be released book Clinton in Exile: A President Out of the White House by Carol Felsenthal. She wasn't that interested in the book, but knew I had a liking for political books and sometimes the life and times of interesting people.
Clinton in Exile: A President Out of the White House is a decent read about Bill Clinton's life after leaving the most famous address on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. The book is written by Carol Felsenthal who is a journalist who writes in depth magazine and newspaper articles about politics. This is perhaps why the this particular book is only a "decent read."
The main problems with the book is the way it is written and the sources of the information. The book is obvious to the reader that is was written by a journalist because throughout the writing their are quotes here and there. This prevents the prose from getting into a good narrative flow that most books have. The reader cannot get over that the author insists on noting who said what in terms of proof of where the author got their source from. In some cases this would have easily been resolved by utilizing more endnotes stating the different interviews and only inserting the quotes when it advances the story or can't be written any better. The author failed to do this adequately, leaving the narration to stop and start in quite a number of places. This book should not be an ongoing interview with the characters, but be as a result of many of interviews to gather and then present the information in a succinct well written way.
The second issue is the sources of the information. In a blog entry at the Huffington Post, the author admits there were times when some sources refused to talk to her. A prime example of this is:
"People who hoped for a job or a state dinner invitation or a diplomatic posting often did not want to talk to a writer whom the Clintons did not select and could not control." - Carol Felsenthal
Felsenthal admits that she was not an authorized biographer of Bill Clinton. This means she probably did not get to interview Bill or even Hillary Clinton herself at anytime or, at times, some people even close to the ex President who may want further employment in the future in relation to the Democratic Party. An interview with Bill on how he was living his life after leaving the White House may have been of great assistance to this book. Because the author is missing these key sources, the reader is left to wonder who exactly did the author interview? Sure there were key sources quoted, but the reader can't help but wonder how much speculation was made by the author in order to fill in key points due to some sources, like Bill and others, were refusing to talk.
There are quite a few good points about the book. The relationship between former President Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, interesting anecdotes about Bill Clinton noted by those close to the former President, how Bill felt about Hillary's campaign trail towards the Senate and the White House as well as other similar interesting stories make the book fascinating. Felsthenthal relays an interesting story as to how Bill Clinton, at first, seemed hesitant about advancing his post Presidency career by holing himself up in at his and Hillary's new digs in Chapaqua, New York to eventually starting a speaking tour and writing his personal memoirs.
Felsenthal's book is a decent read. The would be an "excellent read" if the issues with the writing and the sources were a corrected. But it is at least a decent read if one wanted to answer the question "Whatever happened to Bill Clinton after leaving the White House?"
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Marvelous Montana's
On Friday night, I went out with a friend of mine for a dinner and a movie in Richmond Hill.
We met at Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. Since we were there anyway, we decided to go to Montana's (located at: 8735 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, ON). Now I haven't been to a Montana's in ages, so I wasn't sure what to expect.
We were greated and seated fairly quickly for a Friday night shortly after 6 P.M. as the place was, at most, half full.
The waitress, Vanessa, was friendly and quick with the drinks, appetizers (Garlic Bread with Cheese) and serving our meal hot and fresh. I had the Big Sky burger with fries and this was perhaps one of the best burger meals I had in a long time!
Also, the menu it is listed as all soft drinks have "free refills." Normally like at a place like Swiss Chalet where there are "free refills" the waitress takes her sweet time at refilling your glass. Most of the time with this offer, you have to end up asking for a refill before the waitress even notices. Not at this Montana's location, Vanessa had the glass refilled three times without me having to request it.
This particular Montana's is also in a great location for dinner and movie out with friends as there is a major movie theatre next door. All in all, the dinner was well priced (forty dollars an under which included one alcholic drink) and in a prime location next to a movie theatre.
We met at Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. Since we were there anyway, we decided to go to Montana's (located at: 8735 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, ON). Now I haven't been to a Montana's in ages, so I wasn't sure what to expect.
We were greated and seated fairly quickly for a Friday night shortly after 6 P.M. as the place was, at most, half full.
The waitress, Vanessa, was friendly and quick with the drinks, appetizers (Garlic Bread with Cheese) and serving our meal hot and fresh. I had the Big Sky burger with fries and this was perhaps one of the best burger meals I had in a long time!
Also, the menu it is listed as all soft drinks have "free refills." Normally like at a place like Swiss Chalet where there are "free refills" the waitress takes her sweet time at refilling your glass. Most of the time with this offer, you have to end up asking for a refill before the waitress even notices. Not at this Montana's location, Vanessa had the glass refilled three times without me having to request it.
This particular Montana's is also in a great location for dinner and movie out with friends as there is a major movie theatre next door. All in all, the dinner was well priced (forty dollars an under which included one alcholic drink) and in a prime location next to a movie theatre.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Great Graystones Batman!
Last night my girlfriend and I headed out for dinner to Graystone's Restaurant (14889 Yonge Street, Aurora). Now I admit, I have lived in Aurora for almost thirty years and have never set foot in this place. Not sure why, but sadly to say, I'm dissapointed I didn't eat here sooner!
When we arrived, the hostess took our jackets and hung them up herself. She didn't even say, "you can hang up your coats of there" like some other restaurants would.
The hostess then showed us to our table and offered us the menues. The waitress quickly followed up by taking and serving our drink order. She then took our food order of Lemoni Chicken and Fucilli.
The food and service were excellent! The food came within ten minutes of us ordering and was well presented with garnishes included. The waitress even refilled our water glasses and was very attentive to our table without being to intrusive in our meal.
I still can't believe I've never visited this place for dinner! Warning to Graystone's Restaurant....WE WILL BE BACK!
When we arrived, the hostess took our jackets and hung them up herself. She didn't even say, "you can hang up your coats of there" like some other restaurants would.
The hostess then showed us to our table and offered us the menues. The waitress quickly followed up by taking and serving our drink order. She then took our food order of Lemoni Chicken and Fucilli.
The food and service were excellent! The food came within ten minutes of us ordering and was well presented with garnishes included. The waitress even refilled our water glasses and was very attentive to our table without being to intrusive in our meal.
I still can't believe I've never visited this place for dinner! Warning to Graystone's Restaurant....WE WILL BE BACK!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Where do they find drivers like this?: PART 2
On Wednesday March 26th the same thing happenned again at Richmond Hill Centre on my morning commute.
This time, however, I couldn't prevent the idiot driver (this time on VIVA bus # 5153) from pulling out as he had already pulled out and was on his way to Highway 7. He was at least two minutes early leaving Richmond Hill Centre.
So I waited the 12 minutes for the next bus to arrive. We got packed on like sardines on this one. I pointed out the problem to the driver of this bus that every Wednesday the idiot driver ahead of him races from stop to stop in order to get to York University as fast as possible in order to read his newspaper. This means the next driver is left to pick up the pieces of missed connections and upset passengers who get crammed onto the next bus. This driver on the later bus called his supervisor and explained the problem on his cell phone.
Once we arrived at York University, I pointed out to the second driver who the idiot driver causing all the problems was. A Veolia Supervisor showed up about a minute later and I explained the problem to him and that every Wednesday this occurred. I also pointed out that the rest of the week everything worked fine.
The Veolia Supervisor then talked with bus driver who had called in the issue on his cell phone then boarded the bus to talk to the idiot driver. After a chat with the driver for five minutes he disembarked the bus and came over to me.
The Veolia Supervisor said to that this guy would be tagged to be watched for the next little while and that issues like this would be taken care of.
I replied, I hoped so as it seems lately the only way for Veolia to resolve issues, even with their own drivers, was to go to the press (that even was reported nationwide!). I said that this driver was has a chronic issue of leaving stops early but, as far as I knew, this was the first time it had become such a major issue of missing major connections like the one at Richmond Hill Centre between two major VIVA lines.
The supervisor replied that this issue would be taken care of.
We will see next Wednesday at Richmond Hill Centre at 6:55 A.M. whether this problem will be taken care of or not.
This time, however, I couldn't prevent the idiot driver (this time on VIVA bus # 5153) from pulling out as he had already pulled out and was on his way to Highway 7. He was at least two minutes early leaving Richmond Hill Centre.
So I waited the 12 minutes for the next bus to arrive. We got packed on like sardines on this one. I pointed out the problem to the driver of this bus that every Wednesday the idiot driver ahead of him races from stop to stop in order to get to York University as fast as possible in order to read his newspaper. This means the next driver is left to pick up the pieces of missed connections and upset passengers who get crammed onto the next bus. This driver on the later bus called his supervisor and explained the problem on his cell phone.
Once we arrived at York University, I pointed out to the second driver who the idiot driver causing all the problems was. A Veolia Supervisor showed up about a minute later and I explained the problem to him and that every Wednesday this occurred. I also pointed out that the rest of the week everything worked fine.
The Veolia Supervisor then talked with bus driver who had called in the issue on his cell phone then boarded the bus to talk to the idiot driver. After a chat with the driver for five minutes he disembarked the bus and came over to me.
The Veolia Supervisor said to that this guy would be tagged to be watched for the next little while and that issues like this would be taken care of.
I replied, I hoped so as it seems lately the only way for Veolia to resolve issues, even with their own drivers, was to go to the press (that even was reported nationwide!). I said that this driver was has a chronic issue of leaving stops early but, as far as I knew, this was the first time it had become such a major issue of missing major connections like the one at Richmond Hill Centre between two major VIVA lines.
The supervisor replied that this issue would be taken care of.
We will see next Wednesday at Richmond Hill Centre at 6:55 A.M. whether this problem will be taken care of or not.
Not quite Revelling at The Rivoli
Yesterday my girlfriend and I headed to downtown Toronto for an afternoon with my sister.
We headed to Indigo Books at the Eaton Centre for a while and then off to the "Blue Banana" for a little artisitic browsing.
We headed to Indigo Books at the Eaton Centre for a while and then off to the "Blue Banana" for a little artisitic browsing.
Following that we walked down Spadina Avenue to Queen Street for a little dinner at The Rivoli Restaurant (334 Queen Street West, Toronto). The three of us arrived and were seated by 5:15 P.M.
The waitress took our drink order (1 Coke and 2 glasses of tap water) as we perused the menues. When the waitress returned with our drinks we were informed the kitchen doesn't open for dinner until 5:30 P.M., so if we wanted to order anything off the dinner menu, we would have to wait fifteen minutes to place our dinner order.
What type of kitchen at a downtown Toronto restaurant opens at 5:30 P.M. on a Saturday night for dinner? Apparently this one. One would figure the kitchen would open at 5:00 P.M. for dinner in order to take advantage of the people who are out enjoying the downtown nightlife with a dinner followed up by other activities. But I digress....
Once 5:30 P.M. rolled around, we placed our orders:
2 orders of Rivoli burgers (topped with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato and dill pickle served with choice of salad or hand cut fries or sweet potato fries).
1 order of PAD THAI - rice noodles stirfried with chicken, shrimp, sprouts, scallions, egg, peanuts and chilies, in a sweet and sour sauce.
Once the food arrived, there were issues with my sister's Rivoli Burger order. She had requested no pickle (there was a pickle) and the wrong fries were included. The waitress quickly replaced the fries and I removed the pickle.
Other than the wait for the kitchen to open at 5:30 P.M. and the screwed up burger order, the dinner was quite nice and the food was well presented.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Where do they find drivers like this?
This morning I was headed for work doing my usual routine of switching VIVA buses at Richmond Hill Centre Terminal.
The VIVA Blue Southbound and VIVA Purple Westbound buses both arrive at same time (6:53 A.M. ). I'm the third person out of the middle doors on the sixty foot articulated VIVA Blue bus destined for Finch Station.
The VIVA Purple, at the next bus bay ahead of the bus I'm disembarking from, opens its doors, allows one person to board and then abruptly closes its doors and pulls away. The VIVA Purple driver, the brilliant driver he is, misses the two people railing on the just closed back doors even before the buses moves. To make matters worse HE LEFT EARLY! Normally on your average ride into work making this connection with at least ten others, there is a three minute wait at Richmond Hill Centre between buses arriving and leaving.
Not Today! The driver of bus # 5135 decided it was more important to make record time in finishing his route to York University rather than provide decent customer service by waiting a minute. However, I had other ideas. I ran accross the platform to the opposite side. The bus had to drive all the way around the end of the terminal. I stood out in the middle of the bus way and guided him into the local bus bay. This was the only way to make this connection! Five other people saw what happenned and boarded the bus with me.
I chewed out the driver for YRT/VIVA having the audacity for raising fares a quarter per ride every year for the last two years and then provide such terrible customer service in cases like this. I also got a good look at his GPS unit which indicated he was FOUR MINUTES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE! The driver responded that "he only drives the bus". Talk about being out of the loop on what his job is. A public transit driver should also be aware of the pedestrians/customers around his bus which obviously was not the case considering he never checked his right hand mirror or noticed the two passengers ranging on his back passenger doors wishing to board the bus BEFORE he pulled out of his spot earlier than scheduled. Also, like his other fellow drivers, he should also be watching for the connecting VIVA Blue bus headed southbound to unload its passengers for possible connections.
Our bus, after leaving Richmond Hill Centre left at least another ten people standing on the platform. How do I know? A text message came in to the cell phone of one of the other passengers on the bus from a friend who was on the VIVA Purple bus that arrived 10 minutes later to Richmond Hill Centre, and it received the leftover passengers from the missed connection and other the regular passengers from the next two VIVA Blue Southbound buses. So it was standing room only on that particular bus.
Meanwhile on our bus, we never picked up anymore passengers at Promenade Terminal, Dufferin Street, or Keele Street stops which is abnormal. Perhaps this is because our bus arrived at York University, the final stop, five minutes after the one ahead of it arrived. Normally there is a ten minutes between buses arriving.
Did I call in and complain about the poor customer service? No because when you call YRT Customer Service you get the run around with "all times are approximate" and "connections cannot be guarenteed". What a load of hughey! How about dropping the script and providing proper customer service by listening to what is going on the phone.
On the plus side, the bearded and balding Russian accented driver of bus # 5135 driver is abnormal for VIVA drivers at this particular station when making this connection. Most drivers, like the balding bearded driver of the VIVA Purple bus operating 15 minutes behind bus # 5135, who operate do a check to see if the passengers disembarking from the bus directly behind them have made the transfer and nobody else is coming. Most drivers also are aware of other arriving buses to the terminal and go out of there way to hold for the connection whenever possible. This should be the policy to provide proper customer service instead of forcing us to stand out in the cold at one of the most poorly designed transit terminals in terms of protecting one from the weather (e.g. wind, snow, etc.), even in the "sheltered"area of the terminal.
So in order to raise the calibre of the VIVA service, the driver of bus 5135 needs to be pulled off the road for a while. He is notorious for not providing possible connections, looks dumbfounded when asked simple questions or pointed out the connections between buses at a major terminal like Richmond Hill Centre and often arrives way ahead of schedule at his end stop. Come on Veolia (the private contractor who provides the drivers and maintenance for VIVA) and YRT, get this guy off the road! One last worry, if this driver cannot see a 60 foot blue articulated VAN HOOL bus behind him in the mirror, what is the driver of VIVA Bus # 5135 doing on the road?
I cannot wait to see what happens next Wednesday at Richmond Hill Centre for this same connection. Perhaps an improvement will be made and this driver will realize his mistake. Naww.... I really don't have high hopes on this one, I better be dressed warmly as I think I may have to wait over ten minutes in order to climb aboard the overcrowded VIVA Purple bus that arrives after this idiot driver.
FYI to YRT/VIVA: This is one of my biggest pet peeves of riding the VIVA system...idiot drivers who don't wait a minute to make connections forcing passengers to wait ten to fifteen minutes for the next bus. No wonder "the car" is king of the road in York Region.
The VIVA Blue Southbound and VIVA Purple Westbound buses both arrive at same time (6:53 A.M. ). I'm the third person out of the middle doors on the sixty foot articulated VIVA Blue bus destined for Finch Station.
The VIVA Purple, at the next bus bay ahead of the bus I'm disembarking from, opens its doors, allows one person to board and then abruptly closes its doors and pulls away. The VIVA Purple driver, the brilliant driver he is, misses the two people railing on the just closed back doors even before the buses moves. To make matters worse HE LEFT EARLY! Normally on your average ride into work making this connection with at least ten others, there is a three minute wait at Richmond Hill Centre between buses arriving and leaving.
Not Today! The driver of bus # 5135 decided it was more important to make record time in finishing his route to York University rather than provide decent customer service by waiting a minute. However, I had other ideas. I ran accross the platform to the opposite side. The bus had to drive all the way around the end of the terminal. I stood out in the middle of the bus way and guided him into the local bus bay. This was the only way to make this connection! Five other people saw what happenned and boarded the bus with me.
I chewed out the driver for YRT/VIVA having the audacity for raising fares a quarter per ride every year for the last two years and then provide such terrible customer service in cases like this. I also got a good look at his GPS unit which indicated he was FOUR MINUTES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE! The driver responded that "he only drives the bus". Talk about being out of the loop on what his job is. A public transit driver should also be aware of the pedestrians/customers around his bus which obviously was not the case considering he never checked his right hand mirror or noticed the two passengers ranging on his back passenger doors wishing to board the bus BEFORE he pulled out of his spot earlier than scheduled. Also, like his other fellow drivers, he should also be watching for the connecting VIVA Blue bus headed southbound to unload its passengers for possible connections.
Our bus, after leaving Richmond Hill Centre left at least another ten people standing on the platform. How do I know? A text message came in to the cell phone of one of the other passengers on the bus from a friend who was on the VIVA Purple bus that arrived 10 minutes later to Richmond Hill Centre, and it received the leftover passengers from the missed connection and other the regular passengers from the next two VIVA Blue Southbound buses. So it was standing room only on that particular bus.
Meanwhile on our bus, we never picked up anymore passengers at Promenade Terminal, Dufferin Street, or Keele Street stops which is abnormal. Perhaps this is because our bus arrived at York University, the final stop, five minutes after the one ahead of it arrived. Normally there is a ten minutes between buses arriving.
Did I call in and complain about the poor customer service? No because when you call YRT Customer Service you get the run around with "all times are approximate" and "connections cannot be guarenteed". What a load of hughey! How about dropping the script and providing proper customer service by listening to what is going on the phone.
On the plus side, the bearded and balding Russian accented driver of bus # 5135 driver is abnormal for VIVA drivers at this particular station when making this connection. Most drivers, like the balding bearded driver of the VIVA Purple bus operating 15 minutes behind bus # 5135, who operate do a check to see if the passengers disembarking from the bus directly behind them have made the transfer and nobody else is coming. Most drivers also are aware of other arriving buses to the terminal and go out of there way to hold for the connection whenever possible. This should be the policy to provide proper customer service instead of forcing us to stand out in the cold at one of the most poorly designed transit terminals in terms of protecting one from the weather (e.g. wind, snow, etc.), even in the "sheltered"area of the terminal.
So in order to raise the calibre of the VIVA service, the driver of bus 5135 needs to be pulled off the road for a while. He is notorious for not providing possible connections, looks dumbfounded when asked simple questions or pointed out the connections between buses at a major terminal like Richmond Hill Centre and often arrives way ahead of schedule at his end stop. Come on Veolia (the private contractor who provides the drivers and maintenance for VIVA) and YRT, get this guy off the road! One last worry, if this driver cannot see a 60 foot blue articulated VAN HOOL bus behind him in the mirror, what is the driver of VIVA Bus # 5135 doing on the road?
I cannot wait to see what happens next Wednesday at Richmond Hill Centre for this same connection. Perhaps an improvement will be made and this driver will realize his mistake. Naww.... I really don't have high hopes on this one, I better be dressed warmly as I think I may have to wait over ten minutes in order to climb aboard the overcrowded VIVA Purple bus that arrives after this idiot driver.
FYI to YRT/VIVA: This is one of my biggest pet peeves of riding the VIVA system...idiot drivers who don't wait a minute to make connections forcing passengers to wait ten to fifteen minutes for the next bus. No wonder "the car" is king of the road in York Region.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Being Sick Stinks
Being sick stinks! I was off work Thursday afternoon and Friday. I had to leave work on Thursday as my stomach felt like it was doing somersaults.
I visited the doctor at the local walk-in clinic who looked in my nose and throat and then did some poking and prodding of my midsection. He confirmed what I thought, I had the flu. He said I would be ill for a couple of days.
So I stayed home Thursday afternoon and Friday "to veg" with my aching muscles, stomach rumblings and the like. By Friday afternoon I felt decent but tired. My stomach was thinking about recuperating.
I think I'm doing well recuperating because of my faith in my belief of how to solve cold symptoms might also work for the flu. It did! Thursday, Friday, and this morning I had orange juice, milk, water and chicken noodle soup. Sure at first my stomach didn't like the Orange Juice. But I believe in the power of vitamin C to resolve "body bugs"that keep me down. Milk? I find regular milk helps to sooth my stomach and eventually helps the bones feel less achy. Of course water helps to rehydrate and my mother always served chicken noodle soup whenever we were ill.
The above also adheres to the Doctor's advice: drink lots of liquids and stay away from everything greasy. So far the I've adhered to both, but the greasy thing might bite the dust on Sunday. My stomach is fine today with some bran flakes and a vegetable sandwich from Subway, but tomorrow night for dinner I might try some hamburgers to see how well it goes.
As of today, all I have left are some aches in my back between my shoulder blades. But I believe curling up early tonight for a good rest should be help to resolve this issue so I will be fit as a fiddle tomorrow.
But nonetheless, I HATE BEING SICK
I visited the doctor at the local walk-in clinic who looked in my nose and throat and then did some poking and prodding of my midsection. He confirmed what I thought, I had the flu. He said I would be ill for a couple of days.
So I stayed home Thursday afternoon and Friday "to veg" with my aching muscles, stomach rumblings and the like. By Friday afternoon I felt decent but tired. My stomach was thinking about recuperating.
I think I'm doing well recuperating because of my faith in my belief of how to solve cold symptoms might also work for the flu. It did! Thursday, Friday, and this morning I had orange juice, milk, water and chicken noodle soup. Sure at first my stomach didn't like the Orange Juice. But I believe in the power of vitamin C to resolve "body bugs"that keep me down. Milk? I find regular milk helps to sooth my stomach and eventually helps the bones feel less achy. Of course water helps to rehydrate and my mother always served chicken noodle soup whenever we were ill.
The above also adheres to the Doctor's advice: drink lots of liquids and stay away from everything greasy. So far the I've adhered to both, but the greasy thing might bite the dust on Sunday. My stomach is fine today with some bran flakes and a vegetable sandwich from Subway, but tomorrow night for dinner I might try some hamburgers to see how well it goes.
As of today, all I have left are some aches in my back between my shoulder blades. But I believe curling up early tonight for a good rest should be help to resolve this issue so I will be fit as a fiddle tomorrow.
But nonetheless, I HATE BEING SICK
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