It's a raspberry!

If you find farts funny - you have to try the farting dot.

Movies that tanked

Howard the Duck (1986) - budget: $37 million - earnings (US): $16 million
Hudson Hawk (1991) - budget: $60+ million - earnings (US): $17.2 million
Ishtar (1987) - budget: $55 million - earnings (US): $12.7 million
Inchon (1981) - budget: $50 million - earnings (US): $1.9 million
Battlefield Earth (2000) - budget: $73 million - earnings (US): $21.5 million
Heaven's Gate (1980) - budget: $44 million - earnings (US): $3 million
The Postman (1997) - budget: $100 million - earnings (US): $17.6 million
Town & Country (2001) - budget: $90 million - earnings (US): $6.7 million
Cutthroat Island (1995) - budget: $100+ million - earnings (US): $9.9 million
The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) - budget: $100 million - earnings (US): $4.4 million

Bernard Pivot Questionnaire

These 10 questions came from a French series, "Bouillon de Culture" hosted by Bernard Pivot. It is probably more familiar to many as the questions James Lipton asks his guests at the end of "Inside the Actor's Studio" on Bravo.

It's amazing what the answers to these questions reveal about a person. Here are mine:

What is your favourite word? absolutely
What is your least favourite word? impossible
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? people who bare their soul
What turns you off? closed-mindedness
What is your favourite curse word? holy fuck!
What sound or noise do you love? a woman singing
What sound or noise do you hate? a child crying
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? actor
What profession would you not like to do? doctor
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? how long will you be staying this time?

Mona mia!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Enough already...

They are just about ready to wrap up renovations at our local Safeway. As part of the facelift, they've installed a mini Starbucks coffee shop at the front of the store. Great idea. I mean coffee shops are in such short supply as it is......

Blimey!

I realize the posts have been few and far in between the past couple of days. Just not seeing much interesting to report I guess.

Oh! I know - have any of you seen that ultra cool British sitcom "The Office"? They made 2 seasons of it then quit. The Brits know comedy and this is no exception. It's about the manager of a paper merchant in Slough, just outside of London. He is a character beyond description. Anyway, I bought both seasons and am craving more. Well, news has it the Christmas special they made of the show is due out next month - I'm looking forward to that I tell you. If you've never seen the show, I urge you to rent it from your fave video store, starting with season one of course.

America, land of the free

Free to do what exactly - we're not sure. This article on Homeland Security agents bothering a toy store owner in Oregon is just the beginning, I fear.

Music to go

For people who don't yet own a hard drive based mp3 player - this post is for you. A while back I decided to buy one of these babies. I decided against the iPod and went for the Creative Labs Zen. It was cheaper than the iPod and has exquisite sound. With 20GB of storage space, you can fit a lot of songs on it (4000+). I just put the thing on random play and if a song comes on that I'm not in the mood for, I just skip to the next song. I love listening to it at work, but it's in the car that the Zen has revolutionized my music enjoyment. Whenever Darlene and I would go on long car trips, we'd rarely come to an agreement on what CDs to bring for tunes. Now with the Zen, we bring everything! To interface the Zen with the car stereo, I bought an iRock FM transmitter. This just plugs into the headphone jack of the Zen and broadcasts the music on one of 4 selectable FM frequencies. The Zen's battery lasts about 8-10 hours, so it's good for a whole day of driving. The iRock runs on 2 replaceable AAAs which are good for about 2 days' worth of driving.
Update: I bought a newer Zen in January 2005. $170 cheaper than the original, 24 hour battery capacity and smaller, more iPod-looking case. The software is better too.

So if you're into music as much as I am but hate having to choose what tunes to bring on trips, or to work - consider the Zen as an option.

Another tribute to our vets

In a world first, Canada unveils a coloured coin - the new quarter. The colour will wear off eventually, but the poppy will remain.

Speak!

I may just be paranoid, but there's a chance my friend Squid whom I visited while I was in Kingston may have good reason to be upset with me. He has 2 lovely dogs - a Jack Russell Terrier and a German Pinscher. I decided in my infinite wisdom to try to teach the Pinscher (his name is Naximus von den Haflingeren) to speak. It only took about 5 minutes.

I am so bad.

To boldly go where he only pretended to go before

William Shatner's accepted an offer from Richard Branson to go up in space on Branson's latest venture, Virgin Galactic. Shatner is excited about the prospect, and when asked whether the US$210,000 price tag would be make this a non-starter, Shatner replied that he could probably get 60% off the trip by booking through priceline.com.

(contribution by Ernest Pedersen)

Did I save your life today?

If I ever get a video camera (believe it or not, we do not have one), one of the first things I'm gonna do with it is bring it for a ride in my car. Why? So I can document once and for all a phenomenon that happens to me on a regular basis.

I'm talking about people putting on their seatbelts. When I first noticed it, I thought it was just a coincidence. When I told Darlene about it, she thought I was crazy. But I swear to you, as I drive around town, I observe people looking at me in my car - then scrambling to put on their seatbelts. Maybe I look like a cop to them - I don't know. Whatever it is, I see this activity several times a day. No, they're not putting them on because they've just gotten into their cars - I'm talking about people who've been driving around, glance at me, then suddenly scramble to put their belt on. Now Darlene actually notices it too and will ask me, "did you see that one?"

So here's the deal. I seem to be having more of an effect than any public service campaign. I'm probably saving lives too. So I will graciously accept any law enforcement organization's offer to drive around all day scaring people into putting their belts on - for a nominal fee. Operators are standing by.....

Do you hear that?

In the days before radar, Britain used concrete ears to focus the sound and listen for approaching enemy aircraft. This is shot is taken in Dungeness.

New not always better

You know how some new versions of software really end up crappier than the versions that came before it? It's enough to make you want to go back in time and use an older version. Of course the companies that make software don't want you using their older stuff, so you're stuck - until now. Check out oldversion.com

The Mars pic NASA doesn't want you to see

He is there! Just like I knew he would be!

Confide at your own risk

Overheard in the mall today:

One teenage girl to another: "By the way, you're the only other person who knows that, OK?"

Not for long.......not for long.

Number one or two?

OK, so what exactly does this mean?

1. It could mean you can pee in the sink, but not poo.

2. It could mean guys can pee in the sink, but not women (note the apparent mammaries).

Qu'est que c'est?

What is this? Answer as a comment and be specific.

I will give the answer in due course.

Welcome to the Mental Health Hotline

If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly.
If you are codependent, ask someone to press 2 for you.
If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6.
If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want. Stay on the line and we will trace your call.
If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be transferred to the Mother Ship.
If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a small voice will tell you what number to press.
If you are depressive, it does not matter which number you press, no one will answer you.
If you are dyslexic, press 9696969696969696.
If you have a nervous disorder, please fidget with the pound key until the beep. After the beep, please wait for the beep.
If you have a short term memory loss, please try your call again later.
If you have low self esteem, hang up. All our operators are too busy to talk to you.

Canada quiz

How well would you do in a quiz on Canada? Click here to find out, eh.

Hack this!

Music bosses have unveiled a revolutionary new recording format that they hope will help win the war on illegal file sharing. Nicknamed the 'Record', the new format takes the form of a black vinyl disc measuring 12 inches in diameter, which must be played on a specially designed 'turntable'. "We can state with absolute certainty that no computer in the world can access the data on this disc," said a music industry spokesman. "We are also confident that no-one is going to be able to produce pirate copies in this format without going to a heck of a lot of trouble. This is without doubt the best anti-piracy invention the music industry has seen."

So corny I had to post them

Knock knock.
Who's there?
The interrupting cow.
The interr--
Mmooooo!

Q. What's orange and sounds like a parrot?
A. A carrot!

Have you heard about the international restroom? When you go in, you're Russian. While you're inside, European. And when you leave, you're Finnish.

Q. What do you call a woman with one leg longer than the other?
A. Eileen.

Q. What do you call a Chinese woman with one leg longer than the other?
A. Irene.

There should be a law

There is a fashion trend that's been around for a while now that has to stop soon. I'm probably not qualified to be telling anyone how to dress, but this particular fashion statement is a bald-assed lie. I'm talking about low rise jeans - on women.

There are probably a lot of people who want to tell you this, but are afraid to hurt your feelings. I don't suffer from this failing so I'm gonna give it to you straight. Low rise jeans look awful. Worse, they make you look awful. They take what would be a feminine butt and make it look like a boy's, complete with ass-crack and everything. That's not what you want, is it?

An extension of yourself

Which file extension are you? Take this quiz to find out. I'm mp3 - but you already knew that, didn't you?

Maybe it's Maybelline...

I'm prefer the natural look over tons of makeup any day - but the after and before pictures from this makeup school are something else. Choose the 'gallery' link once you're at the site.

Frozen in time...

Yes, I know - I haven't posted anything in days. I was away. Company business took me to Kingston Ontario. This is where I spent 15 years of my life in the military and where I met Darlene. I was looking forward to going back if for no other reason - than I would likely run into many old friends from my military days. This was almost gauranteed because the Branch of the service I served in (Communications & Electronics) was having their re-union. It sure was nice to see these people. In particular, I found out by chance that an old buddy of mine was living there again. His nickname is Squid. His last name is Squires. You do the math...

I was a bit disappointed in Kingston. Many of my favourite places to eat or hang out were gone. The city has not seen much growth in the ten years I've been gone. What a contrast to Calgary. There was a time when I was naive enough to imagine that Kingston was 'it' - that I was destined to stay there forever. Little did I know. I realize that some people love the place - and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm just doubly glad I got booted out of there (long story - military career planning) 10 years ago.

No soup for me!

Have you ever seen things in stores in the US (or other countries) that you wish they sold here in Canada? For me, I'd like Campbell's to sell these 'Soup At Hand' things in stores. They'd be great for work - no need to find a bowl. I think Darlene would like to see Reese's Nutrageous chocolate bars.

How about you? Seen anything you wish were in Canadian stores?

Update: These soups are available in Canada now. My fave is the creamy tomato.

Stupid cinnamon buns...

I have one thing to say to the owners of places like CinnZeo - You're EVIL! Evil I tell you...

Wear what you feel

I'm a sucker for good t-shirt/bumper sticker slogans. Yeah we've all seen the trendy, geeky ones: 'I don't work here'; 'I read your e-mail'; 'Got root?', etc. There are a few that have recently caught my eye, new to me - and no, they are not politically correct.....

• Dyslexic agnostics - there is no dog
• (On a biker babe) I'm the bitch
  
• (On the biker) If you can read this, the bitch fell off
• I've got nothing against god - it's his fan club I can't stand
• I give evolution two opposable thumbs up!
• I'm not totally useless - I can be used as a bad example!
• Sarcasm - It's only one of the services I offer
• Cancel my subscription - because I don't need your issues
• I do whatever the voices in my wife's head tell me to do
• I run with scissors
• Dyslexics of the world untie!
• Please tell your boobs to quit staring at my eyes
• Dip me in chocolate and throw me to the lesbians!
• I'm not anti-social - society is anti-me
• I don't understand why I haven't gone blind yet...

Some of these are available at WickedJester.

Change through first-hand experience

I have an idea - I've had this idea for a long time, but I just remembered it. Better late than never.

If the City's administrators and politicians think our transit system is nothing to complain about, they should put their money where their mouth is. I challenge all of the above mentioned people to take transit to work for one whole week - in the dead of winter. Then we'll see if they think the system is just fine the way it is......

Election Rhapsody

OK, I've been holding off posting the numerous spoofs regarding the US election - but this one is just too damned funny to pass up.

Who's to blame?

Regarding our submarine debacle - the next few months will determine who is to blame for the fire that injured many and killed one submariner in the Canadian Navy. I blame the government. There is no reason why we should be buying used military equipment like we were a third world country - except that we fund our military as if we were a third world country. Having served 20 years in said military, I have seen enough to substantiate that remark. Case in point - did you know that when our soldiers were sent to Quebec from Alberta to help during the ice storm, we had to wait days for airlift from other countries to get us there? Nuff said.

Big business steamrolls another little guy

A business that recycles old Sport Walkman housings into iPod cases has been bullied into shutting down after Sony accused them of:

clear infringement of the SONY and WALKMAN marks because it is deceptive. Consumers likely will be misled and deceived into believing that Sony is somehow connected with the iPod personal stereo when in fact it is not. Moreover, they will be misled into thinking that Sony is backward in its design of products and is going away from miniaturization, as the size of the tape player housing is quite large by today's standards.

Yeah, I guess anyone still using an old Sport Walkman is giving Sony a bad name too. People - throw out your ancient technology. I suppose Sony has no problem with their old technology piling up in land fills versus being recycled.

Oh yeah - don't be using your backpacks to carry your laptops either kids. The laptop manufacturer may accuse you of insinuating that the laptop is so huge it needs to be carried in a big-ass backpack........bad for business.

I'm gonna mess you up

The last movie to mess with my mind (in a good way) was Vanilla Sky. I guess the whole alternate reality thing is something that fascinates me. The soundtrack rocked too.

Well, Vanilla Sky now has a contender - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Messed me up good. Nice work...

Behold - the white stuff

Today was our first snowfall of the season. We are getting off lightly based on the original forecast. What's really strange about this weather is the fact that most people I've spoken with are actually looking forward to the snow. After a wet, cool summer you'd think people would be madder than hell about an early preview of winter.......go figure.

You're named after what!?

Sometimes I stumble across music trivia that I find intriguing. Like the origins of band names. For example:

10CC - from the metric total of semen ejaculated by the average male
3 Dog Night - from an Australian expression describing low nocturnal temperatures in the outback (the colder the night, the more dogs needed to keep warm while sleeping)
B-52s - from the Southern slang for the mile-high bouffant wigs sported by their female singers
Crowded House - a reflection of their living conditions in LA
Devo - from their concept of "de-evolution" -- the idea that instead of evolving, mankind has actually regressed, as evidenced by the dysfunction and herd mentality of American society
Everything But The Girl - from a sign placed in the window of a local furniture shop, which claimed "for your bedroom needs, we sell everything but the girl"
Foreigner - due to Mick Jones being the only non American in the band
Guess Who - when the Expressions (as they were known before) recorded an album, its record company listed them as "Guess Who?" on the jacket, hoping to fool buyers into thinking that the British Invasion influenced music was actually by a more famous group in disguise
Kraftwerk - German for power station
Luscious Jackson - from a '60s basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers
Pink Floyd - from the first names of two ancient bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council
REM - settled on the name after flipping randomly through the dictionary
Steely Dan - from a dildo in William Burroughs' Naked Lunch
Tears For Fears - from Arthur Janov's primal scream therapy

More Flash genius

If you are into great web design and want to see what can be done with Flash animation, check out the Flash Film Festival 2004 NY entries.

Even kids could get this...

Remember School House Rock? If you do, you'll get a real kick out of this send-up. Thanks to Boing Boing.

Music industry out-bullied by Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart wants every CD you buy to cost less than ten bucks (in the US). Wal-Mart has quietly emerged as the US's biggest record store, now selling an estimated one out of every five major label albums. Wal-Mart willingly loses money selling CDs for less than $10 after buying for around $12. Bargain CDs to lure consumers to the store. Less-expensive CDs are something consumers have been demanding for years. But now Wal-Mart is tired of losing on the CDs. It wants the record industry to lower the prices. Wal-Mart hinted that they could reduce CD stock in favour of more lucrative DVDs and video games. The music industry is worried because if Wal-Mart cut back on music, industry sales would suffer severely while Wal-Mart's shareholders would barely bat an eye. While Wal-Mart represents nearly twenty percent of major label music sales, music represents only about two percent of Wal-Mart's total sales. "If they got out of selling music, it would mean nothing to them," says a label executive. "This keeps me awake at night."

Read whole article

Hosers from a lost age

Here's a couple of characters I miss. Good day, eh?

Keep your eyes on those fries...

There's a relatively new restaurant in town called The White Spot. No, not the White Spot that Calgarians might know from the last couple of decades, the one based in British Columbia. Anyway, they have some good food - their burgers are pretty fantastic, but the thing that really drew my attention and made me a loyal new fan was their home fries. Well my friends, I fear this honeymoon is over. We went for dinner there a couple nights ago and the home fries have been replaced by frozen. I can only hope that this was an anomaly, an aberration, a huge mistake due to the potato peeler being broken or something. Otherwise, The White Spot may have just lost a valuable customer.

Oh no! A surplus! [scream]

You know, in my house - if we had predicted a $1.9 billion surplus and at the end of the fiscal year we ended up with a $9.1 billion dollar surplus - we'd be really happy about it! But that's just me...

Grab life by the ovaries

Dodge owners are perhaps showing their feminine side...

These could be practical

Leave these cards with the......ummm.....asshole who did something.......uh.....asshole-like. The back of the card explains why they have been branded an asshole. With choices such as:

• Creating your own parking space
• Not tipping
• Leaving kids in car

There's even a blank spot to put an unlisted infraction. At US$7.50 per 10 pack, I'm thinking......this could be the best Xmas present you ever got me!

Mmmm...........twenties....

Have you seen the new $20 bill? It is a superb specimen of technology and has some very cool security features.

Annie finally comes to Cowtown

Darlene and I went to see Annie Lennox and Sting in concert last night. It was the Annie part of the show I was looking forward to the most - she was great. She actually got back on stage during Sting's bit and helped him out with 'We'll be together'. It was her very first time to Calgary and I think the crowd gave her a warm welcome. I hope she comes back and gives us a show where she is the headliner.

That's bull! Bulldog you say?

Have you heard of Tyson, the skateboarding dog? I didn't believe it either - this dog is cool.

Out with the old....

Darlene and I were a little later than we wanted buying our first house. It was mostly our own fault. We never imagined we could afford a house of our own while I was in the military and moving around. But since 1998, we've had our little piece of paradise and it is only becoming clear to me now what that commitment entails. It boils down to this: Nothing that originally belonged to the house can stay. Our mission (as it turns out) is to replace everything that came with the house. Every piece, every colour, every accessory - the whole enchilada.

It started innocently enough. The previous owners left us with no washer, dryer, stove or fridge and a crappy dishwasher. Done, done, done, done and done. All new stuff. Next (and I know I'm forgetting stuff - it's not my plan) was painting the walls in our master bedroom (it was horrid), then the guest bedroom and the den. The hot water heater was the next thing to go (too small and not functioning well). Sink and taps in the kitchen (stainless steel out - black ceramic and brushed aluminum in). All drawer and cupboard handles. Repaint the walls in the hallway, the reading room (it's really a dining room, but we've transformed it into a room suitable for lounging, what with all the windows and skylight). Now the main bathroom is getting a paint job, new toilet, new lino and towelbars, with new lighting coming any time now.

Will it ever end? Probably not until every original feature of the house is gone. I've already had a glance at pictures of the house we moved into back in 1998 and this is not that house. You have been warned - this will happen to you too. Right now, Darlene's standing in the doorway of the workshop looking very intently at something.......oh jeez! Gotta run!

Shake your head

You know what really gets my goat? I live in a neighbourhood that complains about drivers short-cutting through it to get to the area north of us (which has a big mall, etc.). Meanwhile, the main road you would take to go to this same area north of us has a small impediment - to turn onto it, you have to fight oncoming traffic due to the lack of a left turn signal at this major intersection. During afternoon rush-hour, this traffic is practically non-stop.

The City's answer? Their studies have shown that not many people turn at that intersection, so a left turn signal is not needed. Of course not many people turn at that intersection dopey - they all drive through our neighbourhood! Ever heard of the old "path of least resistance" rule?

Holy crime stats Batman!

Here's something to consider:

Number of murders in the US (1999) - 12,658
Number of murders in Canada (2000) - 489
Number of murders in Chicago (2003) - 599
Number of murders in Toronto (2003) - 65

(inspired by Bacon and Eh's)

Dad loses it

I have no words to describe this animation - you'll just have to see it for yourself...

Didn't he say factcheck.com?

Yeah, I know we keep makin fun o ya George. But you make it so easy...

Wish you were here...

Remember the Beatles' "When I'm 64"? Well, if John were still alive, he would be 64 today.

We miss you John...

Dick Vader

"Join me, and together we will rule the galaxy as father and son."

(thanks to defective yeti)

I'm out of the closet

I'm a Liberal. That's right - and I live in Calgary Alberta. Horror of horrors! Now, I have to admit, I was not born and raised here. In fact I grew up as a minority in my own province - I am a Quebec-bred Anglophone. That may help you to understand why I am a Liberal. Unlike many of my Anglophone brethren, I did not run to Ontario or Alberta in a panic in the late 70's when the Parti Quebecois came into power. I ended up in Alberta courtesy of your Department of National Defense, sent in as a spy from Eastern Canada. But seriously, I love it out here save for the day long drive to get anywhere by car. Spare me that Edmonton is only 3 hours away - it's really not worth the drive (sorry Edmonton).

But back to my original topic. I'm a Liberal and I'm proud of it. My minority government in Ottawa needs all the support it can get in the coming days, weeks, months - whatever. And I'm not alone. There's another blog "from the mind of one of the few Liberals in Calgary who haven't been hunted down and driven out of town yet". I feel your pain and you are not alone.

Top 20 weird celebrity kid names

1. Moon Unit (Frank and Gail Zappa)
2. Fifi Trixibelle (Paula Yates and Bob Geldof)
3. Satchel (Mia Farrow and Woody Allen)
4. Apple (Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin)
5. Daisy Boo (Julia and Jamie Oliver)
6. Rumer (Demi Moore and Bruce Willis)
7. Peaches (Paula Yates and Bob Geldof)
8. River (Arlyn and John Phoenix)
9. Rocco (Madonna and Guy Ritchie)
10. Nell Marmalade (Helen Baxendale and David Eliot)
11. Maddox (adopted by Angelina Jolie)
12. Tiger Lily Heavenly Hirani (Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence)
13. Dweezil (Frank/Gail Zappa)
14. Brooklyn (Victoria/David Beckham)
15. Eugenie (Sarah Ferguson/Prince Andrew)
16. Zowie (Angie and David Bowie)
17. Rolan (Gloria Jones and Marc Bolan)
18. Phoenix Chi (Mel C and Jimmy Gulzar)
19. Coco (Courtney Cox and David Arquette)
20. Romeo (Victoria and David Beckham)

Don't believe everything you read

Well, it's everywhere. On big-ass posters at work, on the news, commercials - you just can't get away from it. "Flu season is coming!"

Only if you want it to my friends........only if you want it to......

I see your spam and raise you 3 hurricanes..

Apparently, spam traffic eased off significantly on the days of and immediately following the last 3 hurricanes, when they hit Florida. [church lady voice]Hmmmmm.........is God angry with the naughty spammers?

Out of the mouths of babes

How can a stranger tell if two people are married?

They are yelling at the same kids - Derrick, age 8

Nice debate screen capture

Ex - cellent!

Thank heaven for 7-11

One of the numerous things I'm thankful for:

The free flavoured creamers for your coffee at 7-11.

Get a clue Dick

Here's what happens when you refer to a resource you don't understand:

During the debate, Vice President Cheney urged viewers to go to "factcheck.com," which he claimed would back up some of his assertions. But he meant "factcheck.org". Factcheck.com is a totally different site and the owners have made it so if you visit it, you'll be forwarded to George Soros website, which is highly critical of the Bush administration. To make matters worse, Fox News made the same mis-quote in one of their articles. No wait - it gets better. The owner of "factcheck.info" offers:

I own the domain factcheck.info, for reasons I can't remember. I don't have time to do anything with it, or any ideas really. But if you do, and your idea is malicious, contact me and I'll give the factcheck.info domain to you.

Lesson: All those web address thingies don't all end in dot com.

So many ways to use AMA

I guess we really got a good deal on those British subs, eh?

"AMA? We need a tow about 370 klicks off the coast of Scotland.........yeah, that's right - well, it's a sub actually...........yeah, that's right........HMCS Chicoutimi.............yes, I'll hold........."

Update:

Since this post was written, a sailor from the HMCS Chicoutimi has passed away. Our thoughts go out to the family and friends.

Puppet sex gets NC-17 rating

The boys behind South Park are at it again. "Team America: World Police" is the latest from Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The MPAA wants to slap an NC-17 rating because of a puppet sex scene in the movie. By the way, the puppets have no genitalia. I predict this movie will separate a lot of young men from their money.......just a hunch.

Well blow me down!

The gauntlet's been thrown. Quebec just announced they are building 8 wind farms by 2012 that will produce 1000 megawatts of electricity, versus Alberta's current paltry 201 megawatts. Are we gonna take that Ralph? We've got some of the windiest spots in the country! Come on dude, let's build wind farms capable of 2000 megawatts! Then we could sell more natural gas to those greedy Americans...

Incredibly, Quebec's future 1000 megawatt farm will still only contribute 3% to the province's needs. Denmark gets 16% of its power from wind, Germany 6%.

As decided by whom exactly?

I just stumbled across the Rolling Stone Magazine's top 500 albums of all time list. They put Dark Side of the Moon at #43. I guess there's just no accounting for taste. Wish You Were Here was #209. That's just dumb. The Sun Sessions (Elvis Presley) was #11. Who are you kidding?

I just remembered why I don't read Rolling Stone anymore....

Something I'd appreciate

It's times like this that I wish I could get to Toronto fast and cheap. There's an outfit called 'Classic Albums Live' that gather some of the best singers and musicians and perform classic rock albums live - cut for cut, note for note. Apparently, they're quite good. I would love to see them do Dark Side of the Moon...

Thanks to Jeff for telling me about this.

The big question

A cute animation regarding the US election...

200 things to do

Yeah, it's another list. I've bolded the things I've actually done.

01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula.
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree(an old growth tree no less)
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped(never gonna happen)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise(on top of Mount Royal!)
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg(less than 500km from the North Pole)
20. Slept under the stars
21. Changed a baby’s diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states (or all 10 provinces)
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan (but I want to dammit!)
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret it.
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog (this could never happen - there's no secrets here)
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight (how about never?)
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn’t have (no such thing IMO)
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage (Karaoke - so sue me)
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music (does singing count? then yes)
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your political representative
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
134. …more than once? - More than thrice?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane (only on my PC)
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone’s heart
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle (3 of 'em)
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol (rocket launcher and machine gun too)
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157. Ridden a horse
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than states or provinces
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor(for our own test tube baby attempt)
170. Eaten sushi(and will never again)
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad
181. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them (Army mess hall actually)
183. …and gotten 86′ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions.
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196: Dyed your hair
197: Been a DJ
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199: Written your own role playing game
200: Been arrested

Long distance love affair

Message to the owner(s) of Romano's Macaroni Grill:

Open a restaurant in Calgary for crying out loud! These trips to the US just to eat at one are getting a bit much...

Juvenile Felis Catus review

This article on a kitten was written as if it were a piece of computer hardware. Funny stuff.