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Thrift Shops
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Thrift Shops
- Hits: 4456
Thrift shops are something that Calgary doesn't have enough of. When the Interfaith chain of thrift shops closed it's doors about 2 years ago, Calgary lost one of the best things it had going. Since then there have been a few new arrivals, but none of any real merit. The Salvation Army, despite it's wonderful reputation for good works, has seldom had anything worth purchasing since the downtown location closed. (*Note: The Salvation Army locations in other towns and cities around Alberta are much more promising). The Interfaith Furniture Store in the North East (no relation to the other, out of business, Interfaith) is about as economical as going to an Antique Dealer and paying him double what he's asking, if only he'd bang it up a bit first. The Women in Need is generally a good bet, but, like all of the thrift shops, selection and price vary from store to store. Anyways, find at right a round-up of some of the best (and worse) thrift shops Calgary currently has on offer, and a few notes on each. And good luck.
Tips:
- It's bad form to barter in charity shops. If you don't like their prices, leave.
- Tuesdays and Thursday's seem to be the best days to go on a tour. Go early in the morning, as dealers from the flea markets also make their rounds, and the best treasures will otherwise be gone.
- Plan a route and take a friend. And maybe, just maybe, take something with you to drop off as well.
- Some shops have sale days and mark down their merchandise. Great bargains can be had if you make note of the days....
2 I Missed
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Link of the day
- Hits: 1233
Both of these topics I've covered before, but in different links. The link below is a color Cellular Automata program, based (loosely) on Conway's game of life.
http://www.collidoscope.com/modernca/
And this follows some speculation I've done as to the future of technology, and imagining additional senses. While I couldn't find the associated video on TED it's sure to be interesting....
Punch and Judy - Jan Svankmajer
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1863
A short film by Jan Svankmajer - 1966. I know, I've recommended him before. But it's too good not to include here.
The Cave of the Condom Stalactites
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Dreams
- Hits: 1449
I'm riding somewhere through South-East Asia in a Tuk-Tuk, speeding through the mountains. We go through villages, then speed up again, circling the mountains - there are many tunnels, or caves, rather, with roads built through them. We're getting smaller as we go, our size reducing, but everything else is getting smaller along with us, so it's hard to notice. Passing through a village we enter another cave, speeding up and driving on the left side, on the ceiling of the right side there hang all these condom stalactites, they look to be used, the driver won't stop to let me take a look, they seem large but that's only because we've been shrinking. It's like some sort of sacred alter hewn into the mountain. I think I remember an explanation from National Geographic for this, the condoms collect water.... Leaving the last of the light behind us we're plunged into complete darkness before rounding a corner, the exit is ahead and light streams through it, there's a motorcycle coming straight at us, it loses control and goes off the edge of a precipice. We pull over to look, the bike and driver are lost somewhere far below, the sunlight doesn't reach into the depths of the cave. It's an abyss. We've seen a lot of accidents on this road, he doesn't want to stop and help, there isn't time, we get back in the tuk-tuk and speed off. I don't know where we're going.
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