Ubuntu GOOD!

I'm preparing an introduction to Ubuntu Linux which I'll be delivering in the fall (through Chinook Learning Services - if anyone in Calgary is interested) and decided - OK- was convinced by a good friend to upgrade the version of Ubuntu I had been using (5.10 Breezy Badger) to the latest version now available (6.06 Dapper Drake). Perhaps I am conditioned not to enjoy upgrades thanks to my long history with Windows, so forgive me if I approached this task with trepidation. Well, my worries were completely unfounded. As part of Ubuntu's regular 'hey - you have updates waiting for you!' feature, a.k.a. the update manager application, I simply hit the upgrade button and let Ubuntu do its magic. Ubuntu downloaded all the files it needed (a high speed connection is a must here), installed the new stuff and got rid of the chaff. All by itself. No problems. I am now the happy user of Ubuntu 6.06! The best part.......... all the little personalized changes I had made, like upgrading to Firefox 1.5..... preserved. That was slick.

I don't have to think................ Ze does it for me

I consider myself to be an honourary member of the league of awesomeness. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then you obviously do not watch the show with Ze Frank.

That's barely .09% to China.........

Did you know that the Russians managed to bore 12.262 kilometres into the earth's crust over a period of 24 years? Ok then - now you know......

P.S.: Yes...... I know that China isn't on the other side of the world from Russia......

Credit trivia

What were Mastercard and Visa called previously?

The answer appears in the comments.....

Can you digg it?

Digg, a social bookmarking web site, is now putting notices on some entries to help identify them as parodies or hoaxes.

This may not be a bad thing. Maybe now I won't get so many emails warning me about flashing my high beams at gang members............

Burg disappointment

If you know me well or are a regular reader of this blog, you know I'm a big fan of good burgers. I'm always on the lookout for the next great burger - and I'm not talking about fast food chain stuff either.

Based on other peoples' reviews, I have discovered yet another potential place to indulge my favourite food........... Buchanan's Restaurant on 3rd Ave SW. The thing is, Darlene is very particular about her food (not that there's anything wrong with that) and there are very few things on Buchanan's menu that would likely meet her standards. Except maybe the steak. At $36.50, this ought to be some steak....... I'll probably get to go sooner or later, but why do I have to attend a chop house restaurant to get a decent burger?

Update: Heh. As it turns out, I spoke too soon. We went to Buchanan's tonight since Darlene was in the mood for a steak. The burger was a definite 9/10 (pure ground sirloin). Now if they could only make home cut french fries...........

Maybe it is better.............. but is it too different?

Microsoft has begun the spin for the up-and-coming Office 2007. Part of that spin includes a wonderful web-based test drive of their new user interface. Oh......... don't bother trying out this test if you use Firefox......... or anything else besides IE. Oh - and you'll need to install a Citrix plugin. Oh - then you'll need to register with Windows Live ID.......... It's a pretty slick demo once you jump through all the hoops. You may actually want to give this demo a try. Why? Because word has it Microsoft has thrown convention (and backwards compatibility) to the wind and made Office 2007 so different, that all the conditioned Office users will be a bit or even a lot confused on how to do all the things they've grown accustomed to doing. It's a crap shoot. Either people are going to love the changes or they're going to despise them. Oh............ and they just announced it's been delayed - again.

Enter Open Office. The open source, free, friendly productivity suite that you get to download in its entirety............ try it out............ and if you like it.......... keep it! For free. Why bother with an online demo when you can just get a whole new productivity suite - right now? This could be an easier upgrade than the one to Office 2007. Wouldn't that be funny?

"Name a show where people really get dumb...."

Here are some really bad answers given on the game show Family Feud.

Question: Name the best month to schedule a wedding.
#1 Answer: June
Worst Answer: Summer

Question: Name something you need to play Scrabble.
#1 Answer: Letters
Worst Answer: Dice
Louie Anderson's Response: Where did you learn to play Scrabble?

More here.

Fantastic ideas for 2006

I present to you.................... the IDEA 2006 award winners. Check out this ultra-cool SD memory card with the built-in USB connector! Whoa!

The calm before the spanking....

"Exactly how large are these snakes....?"

I haven't come across many movies that have created such a buzz over a film's plot even before the movie is released. I am of course referring to Snakes on a Plane. Don't take my word for it - do a Google search on "snakes on a plane" and see what you get. Or you could just save some time and read the story on wikipedia. One of the funniest (supposed) developments is that among the script changes in the film, is the addition of a line that originated as an Internet parody of Samuel L. Jackson's traditional movie persona: "Enough is enough! I've had it with these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane!". I don't recall any other instance of a film being influenced by its cult following, while still in production.

Meanwhile, here's a guy who made a clip of early auditions for the part that of course eventually goes to Samuel L. Jackson. Outrageously funny impressions. NSFW.......

At the end of the day, these metrics are bang-on!

The most annoying or over-used buzzwords in the workplace today:

• Solution
• At the end of the day
• Thinking outside the box
• Synergy
• Paradigm
• Metrics
• Take it offline
• Redeployed people
• On the runway
• Win-win
• Value-added
• Get on the same page
• Customer centric
• Generation X
• Accountability management
• Core competency
• Alignment
• Incremental

Are you colour blind?

If you are, you'll be able to pass these tests.......... People who are not colour blind will fail.

What? No 'freedom to blow stuff up'?

How would you do on an American citizenship test? Try these sample questions yourself!

I got 60%. Not bad for a Canuck, eh?

Only 10-20 years away..........

Behold the potential future of cars. GM's Hy-Wire is unique in that the car's guts (based on hydrogen technology) are all in the floor. This makes it possible for the whole body of the car to be exchanged (such as changing a sedan into a pickup) in 30 minutes by your dealership. Watch the video (the good part starts around 1:15).

"Heck.............. he's urban"

Here's a vintage game show clip that certainly doesn't paint blondes in a great light. She is a wife who is asked if her husband will say he's more 'urban' or 'rural'. She's not quite sure what that means, but she goes along anyway.............. to hilarious result.

Once more................. with feeling....

The first time I saw this Telus commercial, there was instant 'spewing forth of beverage from mouth'. Silly? Yes.

And we wonder why they turn on their masters......

I can't get enough of dogs in stupid costumes. More here.

Whoa.........

Here's a nice 'before they were stars' clip. Check out Keanu in the Corn Flakes commercial........... dude! Make sure you watch it through the end. See a young Britney too. Priceless.

10 signs of blog addiction

10. You check your blog stats a LOT. You occasionally get up in the middle of the night and sneak a peak.

9. Your significant other suspects you are having an affair with your blog. Even when you’re alone with your special person, you do find yourself thinking what your blog might be doing right then…

8. You “mental blog” while driving or on the train, and sometimes even when you are alone in the shower.

7. You filter everything through your post-writing. You can’t watch a movie, see a play, read an article, or share a sweet moment with your child without thinking of whether it’s blog-worthy.

6. You suffer from “blog envy” when another blogger posts something juicy before you do. You suffer “comment envy” when said post gets 40-something comments – the jerk!

5. You “binge blog” 3 or 4 posts at once—only to feel guilty and empty afterward.

4. You ditched all your real friends for blog friends, because, well, “they understand.” You bypass Bowling Alone at the bookstore (who really cares?) while you reach for Naked Conversations.

3. You think, “I can stop at any time.”

2. Your lunch hour has become your “blog hour.” You keep a few posts tucked in your desk in case you need them during the day.

1. After 5 minutes of meeting someone really interesting you ask, “So - do you blog?”

Thanks to Bloggers Anonymous

"Is this safe?"

"Listen, I'm tellin' ya - it's perfectly safe with this cat. He just sits there and stares, but he wouldn't hurt a flea."

More animal pics here.

".....filled with insane jackasses...."

This Daily Show with Jon Stewart clip is hilarious. About 2 minutes in, he begins poking fun at the congresscritters who are concerned about violence in video games. My favourite part is when he segues into the Elvis song.... In the Ghetto. Classic.

Noooooooooo!

What genius decided to name the next version of Nintendo - "Nintendo Wii"? People are going to start going around calling it Wiiiiiiii! (pronounced weeeee!). Don't believe me? It's already started.........

It's not our fault.............

This is a supposed clothing label from a small American company that sells product in France. The French part of the label says everything the English part does with the following added:
We are sorry that our president is an idiot. We did not vote for him.

"My tree!" "No it's not!" "Mine too!"

Like a scene out of some horror movie, these European Starlings are so stubborn about getting on this particular tree that they almost take it down. Great video.

Courtesy the presurfer.

And how much to pay my speler and grammer checker?

I belong to a website that allows people to post any kind of questions on any subject and wait for others to post answers. I typically ask for computer-related questions to get sent to me in case I know the answer. Today, I am greeted with this query: How much should I charge for creating a menu and business card for a resturant? Plus making copies.

Would anyone like to predict what I suggested for starters? Anyone?

I see him thru the peephole..... I open the door, he's gone!

Now this is a case of clever advertising methods. A sign that sticks to your door right under the peephole. Makes it look like a Papa John's pizza is being delivered.

Explore space for free..........

Anyone who suggests that there is no such thing as great free software hasn't tried Celestia. I haven't taken the time yet to explore the interface, but you can download a user guide. The program basically allows you to explore the solar system - hell, even the galaxy!

Message to my sister Heidi: get Jessica on that!

Funniest ad seen this week

Don't try this at home.........

Choose your Jetta here. Then click 'watch safe happen' and get ready to crash various things into the Jetta........... like a rhino, or a UFO.....

Rock'n on the free stage.

One of the things about Calgary that is really cool is the world famous Calgary Stampede. Rodeo, exhibitions, rides, corn dogs, mini-doughnuts! But the thing that blows me away is the free concerts. You read that right - free. For the price of admission to the park ($12), you can do all the people watching you want, then settle in for a decent show. This year the acts include Melissa O'Neil (of Canadian Idol err....fame), April Wine, The Philosopher Kings, Sam Roberts, Gino Vannelli and Nelly Furtado. Calgary has also agreed to run the C-Train 24 hours a day during Stampede.

It's elemental (hehe... I never tire of that joke)

How well do you know your elements? Try this guess the elements quiz and find out.

They're in cahoots with each other

I went looking for some replacement screen protector sheets for my Palm PDA. The first 2 places I looked wanted $30 for a package of 13 sheets. Holy shit! $30 frickin dollars for 13 palm-sized (no pun intended) sheets of plastic that will probably outlast my PDA itself. I stormed out of the stores thinking that was a total ripoff.

[mumble /grumble] $30 for some pieces of plastic.........

In a desperate move, I went into the Bell phone store and asked if they had the screen protectors. They had a pack for $20. The same pack of 13 sheets. So I bought them.

I have a theory. All the retail stores get together once a month and plan this shit out:
Store A: OK, you guys make sure to price the PDA protectors at $30.
Store B, C, D and E: Yeah, no problem.
Store A: We'll price them at $20. Whatever losers come into our store will think we're a bargain.
Store B, C, D and E: Yeah................... losers!
Store C: We wanna sell Zen mp3 players for $40 off this week.
Store A: Don't get sassy.........

You're our bitch now........

AT&T has revised its written privacy policy to let customers know that the information they hold about them constitute "business records that are owned by AT&T. As such, AT&T may disclose such records to protect its legitimate business interests, safeguard others, or respond to legal process." This revision follows in the wake of allegations that phone companies have been supplying the National Security Agency (NSA) with records of calls made in the US. AT&T says it has not changed its policy regarding customer information, just the policy's wording to make it clearer to customers. Customers now must agree to comply with the policy before using AT&T's services.

Translation: you can no longer sue us for giving your information to the government, because it is now part of our business practises - which you must agree to if you want to use our services - BITCH!

Big Brother finally showed up America.

If I were a VJ.............

I love good music videos, which is basically why I don't watch the music channels anymore (they're too busy having contests for new VJs and playing episodes of 'the history of Elvis). So I was very pleased to stumble upon this site, collecting 100 Awesome Music Videos (from the 80s /90s). Watch them all while they're still alive on YouTube.......

Home

I tried a couple panorama stitch experiments today. This one is of my immediate neighbourhood. Mine is the house the blurple car is in front of.

The whole panorama is on Flickr.
Click on 'all sizes' to access the bigger pic.

Ingenious

Now this is what I call an entrepreneur.

This is what happened. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, the commutes in certain sections are absolutely horrendous. This guy was sitting in a traffic jam one morning watching all the people in the carpool lane drive by while he was moving at snail’s pace. He decided that he needed to get someone else in his car so that he could get to work in a timely manner using the carpool lane, and at first thought that his only option was to start a carpool.

But he comes up with a much better idea.

Go Karts!

Now this looks like fun, no? To view the 4 minute video, go here and download the video labeled "Buckle Up".

P.S.: I do not condone dangerous illegal activities like racing vehicles unfit for travel on public highways................ you know....... just in case CSIS (Canada's FBI) are watching......

Embroiled in conflict

Planning a trip to Springfield, Missouri? Better not wear that bandana to Battlefield Mall......

Read this story about a 10 year old girl who was told to take a bandana off because of "failing to be fully clothed or wearing apparel which is likely to provide a disturbance or embroil other groups or the general public in open conflict." Mall rules yo!

Latest poster creation

I hope you weren't thinking this was a family-oriented blog.....?

I've always wanted to be a mapper........

Finally someone came up with the perfect use for the Google Maps API........ Wikimapia! You can label things yourself! Know of an important landmark / store / institution that should be labeled in your neighbourhood? Just add a new place, place and size the box, then label and describe the place as you see fit. It's got tags and it's searchable! This is so awesome!

I may be busy for a while.......

Firefox cheat sheet

Are you new to the Firefox web browser? Even if you've been using it a while, some of the things on this cheat sheet may surprise you. Good stuff.

Venus to Mars: "Does this colour make me look fat?"

If you ever wondered how big Terra Firma is compared to the other bodies in our solar system, wonder no more. It even goes on to show how big our sun is compared to other suns. You know what they say.............. the bigger the sun............. the bigger the sunburn.

Welcome summer

How did you spend your summer solstice (June 21st)? I spent mine watching a wicked hailstorm. If hailstorms are rare where you live, here's some interesting facts about hail:

Calgary has hailstorms quite often, usually 3-6 major storms per year. The insurance industry used to pay out so much money in claims for damage to houses and cars that they began investing in cloud seeding. When a storm with the potential to produce hail is spotted heading for Calgary, they send a plane up to seed the clouds with silver iodide. This helps reduce the amount and/or size of hail that will rain from these clouds, saving the industry millions of dollars each storm.

The picture isn't suffering from white splotches - those are hailstones.

No wonder

This site lists the supposed 100 wonders of the world. I've seen numbers 6 (from the air); 88; 98 and 99.

I guess I better get crackin'........

More Music Trivia

What world leader, while a university student, was the lead singer of a group called Ugly Rumours?

No cheating! Try to guess, then check the answer in the comments.............

Music Trivia

Q. What pop star's birth name is Yorgos Kyriatou Panayioutou?

No cheating! Try to guess, then check the answer in the comments.............

Tequila!

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Tequila® may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Tequila®. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity,
delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister.

Stolen from here

Big limo + city of hills = trouble

Thanks to The Travelling Tiger for putting this on the blogosphere.........

Some people would get it............

Wouldn't this be the ultimate t-shirt to wear to work on casual Friday? I gotta get me one of these.

Anyone who does not know what NSFW means, please cancel your Internet right now....................
Just kidding - please go to your fave search page and look it up.

What's in your eye?

Darlene was pointing out to me today that I had that white stuff that collects in the corner of your eye......... collecting in the corner of my eye. Of course, we refer to this 'stuff' as eye hockey. I don't remember where we got that term from - I just know we overheard it somewhere and decided to adopt it because it was funny-cool.

What the hell does the rest of the world call it? What do you call it?

If women were completely in charge

I thought this was cute, even if it is stereotypical. More here. My second fave was the Tool kit.