I ran into a dilemma in the last week. I really do support my Blue Jays, and want to see them do well. In a division with Baltimore and Boston and New York, even a winning record is a plus, but right now the best I can hope for is a .500 record. That said, the Jays played Boston this week, and did a decent job of playing the spoiler role.
I almost wish that they hadn't. Going into the final 3-game series weekend, Boston sits 1 back of the Yankees, and tied with the Indians for the wildcard spot. In that position, Boston has to win all 3 in New York, or win 2 of 3 in New York, and then win the tiebreaker between them, which I believe is their record against one another. Or they have to hope that the fading White Sox pull their shit together this weekend and lay it to the Tribe.
However, my hope isn't to see Boston make the playoffs, as a Jays fan, I hate everyone else in the A.L. East. Ideally, Cleveland sweeps the ChiSox out of Jacob's Field, and Boston manages to beat NY some how, some way. We all counted them down and out in the ALCS last year. Hopefully they can twist the thorn further in.
Nothing this weekend would satisfy me more than to see the Yankees left out of the playoffs entirely.
September 30, 2005
September 29, 2005
Alcycling
Yoga? Sounds like a forgotten Starwars character.
Pilates? Pontius and family? or a Hollywood fad taken abroad?
Zone diets, Atkins, fuck all that shit...what you need is a good bike ride. Not just any bike ride. Find yourself a buddy and a couple friends, and drink it up at their place while re-running the hilarity of The Life of Brian. Have 1, or 2, but ideally 8 beers. Then hop on your bike, and ride your loaded, bloated, beer swilling ass home into a good headwind from an oncoming cold front. Don't pussy out and take the flattest, easiest way you can.
Instead, take the most circuitous yet direct, hilly route you can find, and ride all out. I guarantee, you'll be sober, and feelin like a million bucks after 20 minutes of workin your system as hard as a Roman with a whip who hasn't seen the bright side of life.
Pilates? Pontius and family? or a Hollywood fad taken abroad?
Zone diets, Atkins, fuck all that shit...what you need is a good bike ride. Not just any bike ride. Find yourself a buddy and a couple friends, and drink it up at their place while re-running the hilarity of The Life of Brian. Have 1, or 2, but ideally 8 beers. Then hop on your bike, and ride your loaded, bloated, beer swilling ass home into a good headwind from an oncoming cold front. Don't pussy out and take the flattest, easiest way you can.
Instead, take the most circuitous yet direct, hilly route you can find, and ride all out. I guarantee, you'll be sober, and feelin like a million bucks after 20 minutes of workin your system as hard as a Roman with a whip who hasn't seen the bright side of life.
September 26, 2005
Monkey Business
**Warning: Long Post/Rant Ahead**
A couple weeks ago the Daily Show brought to more public light the battle between Creationists/Intelligent Design'ists' and Science in their 'Evolution Schmevolution Week'. Its something that, coming from a science background, and scientific thinking as I do (and so yes this post will infact have a bias to it), I have seen a lot of in the past. Particularly in studying the earth sciences, where all of a couple hundred years of scientific study, predictive models and hypotheses lead to the earth being on the order of 4.6 billion years old, and not truly forming in any habitable way until about 600 million years ago.
Now there are groups of people that exist that believe in catastrophism theories, that suggest that what we currently observe in terms of natural processes of sediment deposition (that is 'making rocks') and erosion (that is 'destroying rocks') used to happen much faster. Infact, nearly instantaneously in a 3000-4000 year calendar for the entire Earth. And fossils that are discovered, and can be dated using the same knowledge that now allows for nuclear power, and nuclear weapons proliferation, back to 100 million year time scales, by methods frequently tested, and replicated under strictly controlled conditions have been placed there by 'demonic powers' to 'throw us off'. Most logical minds, not even particularly scientific minds recognize that things like this cannot be simply thrown away as 'blasphemous'. These tend to be the same people that realize Holy books as roughly translated, non-literal literature.
But the most widely spectated battle for the past 80+ years has been the theory of evolution and its implications against certain religious beliefs, particularly in North America. When Darwin came along and identified 'survival of the fittest' as a means for living beings to better themselves, it offended some people. Now, futher research has only added to the validity of Darwin's evolution theories, there is still some opening to uncertainty, and I'm not claiming it to be 100% accurate...there aren't many things that ever ARE completely right. Nothing is always black and white, mostly just lighter and darker shades of grey. That said, scientists have been taken to task over this theory since the 1925 Scopes Trial, trying to abolish the teaching of evolution in the United States. Most recently, in Pennsylvania the Intelligent Design community has actually forced a trial to deliberate over the teaching of evolution and non-inclusion of Intelligent Design as a plausible alternative.
In the past Creationism was seen by most as a religious belief system imposed as pseudo-scientific explanation. Unfortunately for them, even the politicians in the past looked through the rough, and certainly unproven hypotheses, and recognized the teachings as religious, and thus not allowed by a particular clause somewhere in the U.S. Constitution (hey, I'm not a law student, let alone U.S. law). But with a dying following, a lot of this group has reinvented itself into the Intelligent Design movement who suggest that anything they deem unfathomable within a short timescale must have been put in place by some higher power (i.e. God). And now somehow, despite the complete religious overtone of their belief, it has actually made it to trial to have it be taught formally as a possible alternative.
As I said, no-one in the scientific community is going to swear by evolution as Darwin described it 100%, that's simply not how the scientific process of checking, rechecking and checking theory again works. And I completely agree that, particularly for younger children, it should be emphasized that evolution is a THEORY. While it is reproducable, and fits an explanation with very few wild leaps of faith, it is not a certain concept and should be taught as such. On the other hand, you cannot just decide to emplace some belief system with very many leaps of faith just as something for an alternative.
If there was a founded, logical progression to ideas, and not simply the suggestion that anything we cannot currently understand is too complex for us to ever know, and thus must be the result of some higher power, then by all means teach it. Human knowledge in the past has only benefitted from controversy, difference of theory, and the drive to establish more accurate, thorough descriptions of the way things all around us behave. It makes us get our shit right. We know the earth isn't flat because we've gone around it on planes, trains, and aeroplanes, along with spaceships and the satellites that give us Fox News, CNN et al. 24/7. We know the Sun isn't a god in the sky, because we've sent physical, tangible objects there, and had them give back information on what happens there. We've been on or at least around many of the other chariots in the sky now too, again with objects, that people could touch here on earth, enhanced with technologies like those that let millions walk through malls with annoying ringtones, and take pictures with the same phone.
Somehow though, we are supposed to disregard all the technologies that science has brought us because a couple hundred years has only gotten us wireless technologies, and so we can't possibly understand how a mushroom, tree, or we ultimately came to be. It has been the same all along. When planets and stars were too difficult to understand, they became gods because people could relate. When we needed a way for the earth under our feet to hold us up, and give us food, and for the clouds above to drop rain and fill our rivers, it was Gods. But slowly logical thought and problem solving came along and we had the ability to predict how things would occur.
If its not become apparent in my posts in the past, I'm not a particularly religious person. I take issue with some of the absolutely arbitrary rules and obligations placed on the religions I know a little bit about. And while I digress that I do only know a little of each, I know enough to recognize that the core principles of each are almost the same; they come down to common sense really, but religion serves as an organized means to bring these principles across. I have no problem with people practicing their faith, as long as they don't push it on me, or don't start killing others because of it simply because of their interpretations of many times translated pieces of literature. But when that does start to happen, and when people start trying to force these beliefs on children, or knocking on your door, calling you a sinner, then I start to get pissy, and get ranty like you see here.
Pray to your god of choice, practice the peaceful way of life you choose, have your beliefs about the place in the universe for heavenly influences, or the belief they may not exist at all, but do not start forcing them on groups of people, particularly in the public school system where people of this wide assortment of culture are going to come together.
A couple weeks ago the Daily Show brought to more public light the battle between Creationists/Intelligent Design'ists' and Science in their 'Evolution Schmevolution Week'. Its something that, coming from a science background, and scientific thinking as I do (and so yes this post will infact have a bias to it), I have seen a lot of in the past. Particularly in studying the earth sciences, where all of a couple hundred years of scientific study, predictive models and hypotheses lead to the earth being on the order of 4.6 billion years old, and not truly forming in any habitable way until about 600 million years ago.
Now there are groups of people that exist that believe in catastrophism theories, that suggest that what we currently observe in terms of natural processes of sediment deposition (that is 'making rocks') and erosion (that is 'destroying rocks') used to happen much faster. Infact, nearly instantaneously in a 3000-4000 year calendar for the entire Earth. And fossils that are discovered, and can be dated using the same knowledge that now allows for nuclear power, and nuclear weapons proliferation, back to 100 million year time scales, by methods frequently tested, and replicated under strictly controlled conditions have been placed there by 'demonic powers' to 'throw us off'. Most logical minds, not even particularly scientific minds recognize that things like this cannot be simply thrown away as 'blasphemous'. These tend to be the same people that realize Holy books as roughly translated, non-literal literature.
But the most widely spectated battle for the past 80+ years has been the theory of evolution and its implications against certain religious beliefs, particularly in North America. When Darwin came along and identified 'survival of the fittest' as a means for living beings to better themselves, it offended some people. Now, futher research has only added to the validity of Darwin's evolution theories, there is still some opening to uncertainty, and I'm not claiming it to be 100% accurate...there aren't many things that ever ARE completely right. Nothing is always black and white, mostly just lighter and darker shades of grey. That said, scientists have been taken to task over this theory since the 1925 Scopes Trial, trying to abolish the teaching of evolution in the United States. Most recently, in Pennsylvania the Intelligent Design community has actually forced a trial to deliberate over the teaching of evolution and non-inclusion of Intelligent Design as a plausible alternative.
In the past Creationism was seen by most as a religious belief system imposed as pseudo-scientific explanation. Unfortunately for them, even the politicians in the past looked through the rough, and certainly unproven hypotheses, and recognized the teachings as religious, and thus not allowed by a particular clause somewhere in the U.S. Constitution (hey, I'm not a law student, let alone U.S. law). But with a dying following, a lot of this group has reinvented itself into the Intelligent Design movement who suggest that anything they deem unfathomable within a short timescale must have been put in place by some higher power (i.e. God). And now somehow, despite the complete religious overtone of their belief, it has actually made it to trial to have it be taught formally as a possible alternative.
As I said, no-one in the scientific community is going to swear by evolution as Darwin described it 100%, that's simply not how the scientific process of checking, rechecking and checking theory again works. And I completely agree that, particularly for younger children, it should be emphasized that evolution is a THEORY. While it is reproducable, and fits an explanation with very few wild leaps of faith, it is not a certain concept and should be taught as such. On the other hand, you cannot just decide to emplace some belief system with very many leaps of faith just as something for an alternative.
If there was a founded, logical progression to ideas, and not simply the suggestion that anything we cannot currently understand is too complex for us to ever know, and thus must be the result of some higher power, then by all means teach it. Human knowledge in the past has only benefitted from controversy, difference of theory, and the drive to establish more accurate, thorough descriptions of the way things all around us behave. It makes us get our shit right. We know the earth isn't flat because we've gone around it on planes, trains, and aeroplanes, along with spaceships and the satellites that give us Fox News, CNN et al. 24/7. We know the Sun isn't a god in the sky, because we've sent physical, tangible objects there, and had them give back information on what happens there. We've been on or at least around many of the other chariots in the sky now too, again with objects, that people could touch here on earth, enhanced with technologies like those that let millions walk through malls with annoying ringtones, and take pictures with the same phone.
Somehow though, we are supposed to disregard all the technologies that science has brought us because a couple hundred years has only gotten us wireless technologies, and so we can't possibly understand how a mushroom, tree, or we ultimately came to be. It has been the same all along. When planets and stars were too difficult to understand, they became gods because people could relate. When we needed a way for the earth under our feet to hold us up, and give us food, and for the clouds above to drop rain and fill our rivers, it was Gods. But slowly logical thought and problem solving came along and we had the ability to predict how things would occur.
If its not become apparent in my posts in the past, I'm not a particularly religious person. I take issue with some of the absolutely arbitrary rules and obligations placed on the religions I know a little bit about. And while I digress that I do only know a little of each, I know enough to recognize that the core principles of each are almost the same; they come down to common sense really, but religion serves as an organized means to bring these principles across. I have no problem with people practicing their faith, as long as they don't push it on me, or don't start killing others because of it simply because of their interpretations of many times translated pieces of literature. But when that does start to happen, and when people start trying to force these beliefs on children, or knocking on your door, calling you a sinner, then I start to get pissy, and get ranty like you see here.
Pray to your god of choice, practice the peaceful way of life you choose, have your beliefs about the place in the universe for heavenly influences, or the belief they may not exist at all, but do not start forcing them on groups of people, particularly in the public school system where people of this wide assortment of culture are going to come together.
Words Without Words
Skimming the news between classes today across I came across this book on the BBC. There are some great words defined just within the article, and I might have to pick up the book itself.
My faves of the bunch in the article:
My faves of the bunch in the article:
"The Japanese have bakku-shan - a girl who appears pretty from behind but not from the front."
"...a Backpfeifengesicht - a face that cries out for a fist in it."
"Which brings us back to de Boinod's title: tingo is an invaluable word from the Pascuense language of Easter Island meaning "to borrow objects from a friend's house, one by one, until there's nothing left"."
September 25, 2005
(Old) Man On!
I just got in from the first campus rec soccer game I was able to make this year. I figure if I commit to a team sport, I have to show up, and thus get in shape. But in the mean time, 20 minutes of full field play just rocked me. I only played in the field for the first half and chilled in net for the second half, but wow. Muscles have tightened up that haven't been used since the years as a kid when I played football or baseball 5 times a week.
As a team we played awesome, no-one takes to overly seriously, but everyone knows when to play hard...like bein 2 people down in the first half (and that's my excuse for the first half)...hopefully the remaining two games this week whip my old man body into slightly younger man shape.
At least I didn't make any Paul Scholes like blunders costing my team the game, like yesterday's ManU vs. Blackburn game. Although I racked up some more points for havin van Nistelrooy on my fantasy roster. Yes, sometimes the mildest things in life amuse me.
As a team we played awesome, no-one takes to overly seriously, but everyone knows when to play hard...like bein 2 people down in the first half (and that's my excuse for the first half)...hopefully the remaining two games this week whip my old man body into slightly younger man shape.
At least I didn't make any Paul Scholes like blunders costing my team the game, like yesterday's ManU vs. Blackburn game. Although I racked up some more points for havin van Nistelrooy on my fantasy roster. Yes, sometimes the mildest things in life amuse me.
September 23, 2005
There's an IV Keepin' Time Beside My Bed
Last night destroyed me. I'm so tired and out of it today, its unreal. I finally dragged my ass out of bed at noon to haphazardly finish off an assignment, and then run in for a class and a field lab.
While looking at partial derivatives is never particularly fun, I learned today that its far worse while hungover. I also read last nights post and realized I should invent some kind of filter to keep me from posting while I'm too drunk to form two coherent sentences in a row.
While looking at partial derivatives is never particularly fun, I learned today that its far worse while hungover. I also read last nights post and realized I should invent some kind of filter to keep me from posting while I'm too drunk to form two coherent sentences in a row.
Road Map to Nowhere
Alright, so lets see how this goes...
Today was the earth sciences department "get wrecked day". I got sufficiently wrecked, and am now sitting here trying to put up with the over the top Nancy Grace, 'O'Reilly' style reporting on CNN Newline. In the mean time I had tons of fun watchin a repeat of the ManU Liverpool draw from last weekend, and watchin other people make asses of themselves...
granted I made a similar ass of myself...c'est la vie.
As for the disasters in the south...I don't have the monetary means to do anything, but I feel I have a bit of common sense and understanding of water contamination on my side....but there's not really much I can do about it to get there and help, except cheer for American stubborness and resiliency...
No matter what the results of elections or failed movements, no-one should have to suffer the inevitable, yet avoidable consequences of nature.
Sure people will attempt to call this year a statistical anomaly....but such anomalies I believe will end up relating back to poor use of resources, and overall gluttony of the first world lifestyle, and desire for the scenic paradise way of life, and those less fortunate left in the wake of those with money's departure...
And the same people who call on some divine power, and others, will expect some new miraculous invention of science to save them....but while the oil industry holds back certain advances in the interest of profit, and while funding is witheld, and while we sit rotating on our thumbs...this spinning glob of dirt, gas, and liquid, will be further fucked into the future by pride and ego.
Today was the earth sciences department "get wrecked day". I got sufficiently wrecked, and am now sitting here trying to put up with the over the top Nancy Grace, 'O'Reilly' style reporting on CNN Newline. In the mean time I had tons of fun watchin a repeat of the ManU Liverpool draw from last weekend, and watchin other people make asses of themselves...
granted I made a similar ass of myself...c'est la vie.
As for the disasters in the south...I don't have the monetary means to do anything, but I feel I have a bit of common sense and understanding of water contamination on my side....but there's not really much I can do about it to get there and help, except cheer for American stubborness and resiliency...
No matter what the results of elections or failed movements, no-one should have to suffer the inevitable, yet avoidable consequences of nature.
Sure people will attempt to call this year a statistical anomaly....but such anomalies I believe will end up relating back to poor use of resources, and overall gluttony of the first world lifestyle, and desire for the scenic paradise way of life, and those less fortunate left in the wake of those with money's departure...
And the same people who call on some divine power, and others, will expect some new miraculous invention of science to save them....but while the oil industry holds back certain advances in the interest of profit, and while funding is witheld, and while we sit rotating on our thumbs...this spinning glob of dirt, gas, and liquid, will be further fucked into the future by pride and ego.
September 21, 2005
Time and Money Well Spent
I sure am glad that two fifths of my tuition money this term are going towards learning difficult concepts like "how to find an average" and "how to change a page orientation". I know I'd be lost without these borderline rocket science concepts. The problem is that courses that have been mandatory for my program for some time have evolved over the years and tend to be geared towards other disciplines, except perhaps my statistics course which so far seems to be focused toward about a Grade 5 curriculum.
There are much better things out there I could be spending my money on; more topical courses would be a good start, but not necessarily even for myself. Unfortunately there's not much I can do to buck the system at this point, so I'll just have to bend over and take it.
On the bright side, tomorrow is Logan Day, where the Earth Science department gets together to celebrate one of the godfathers of the Earth Sciences in Canada. In other words, the profs, staff and students from all levels get together, play some games, and then move on to the bar for the real fun to ensue, and I'll attempt to find temporary happiness at the bottom of a beer bottle (pictured).
My signed copy of Matt Good's In A Coma came in today, complete with bloggers in the liner notes. The interweb has been embraced to yet greater extent again. And the album so far is extremely solid, not that I expected any less. Its partially a greatest hits album, so all of you out there that only enjoyed him a little, but not enough to buy a full album should check it out.
September 19, 2005
Autumn in the Air
Brisk evenings and cooler and cooler days. The smell in the air as a haul my less than rested ass off to school. The leaves of the maples starting to turn from green to that distinct purple. The pennant races. The NFL Sundays. The NHL training camps. The season premieres of all the good shows. The fact that I'm back in school, and that less than rested me is one year older, and supposedly wiser. It all adds up to one thing, fall.
Every year at this time I get this weird feeling of nostaligia as I think of goin back to school as a kid, and watching the Jays (before the 94 strike) make a run at the championship. The years gettin to know new classes, and new schools. The excitement involved with both the sports and the new chances, and yet, eventually all the leaves fall. The excitement recedes...and the temperature keeps falling, and exams come knocking, and my birthday comes rollin up in the driveway tellin you to get out and party it up, only for ice storms or Christmas celebrations, or exhaustion to ruin all that.
The grass and leaves, and squirrels foraging for walnuts on the lawn all too quickly falls to 2 feet of snow, slushy roads, and excessively cold air.
And once again I get caught looking too far into the times ahead, while thinking about the experiences past.
Every year at this time I get this weird feeling of nostaligia as I think of goin back to school as a kid, and watching the Jays (before the 94 strike) make a run at the championship. The years gettin to know new classes, and new schools. The excitement involved with both the sports and the new chances, and yet, eventually all the leaves fall. The excitement recedes...and the temperature keeps falling, and exams come knocking, and my birthday comes rollin up in the driveway tellin you to get out and party it up, only for ice storms or Christmas celebrations, or exhaustion to ruin all that.
The grass and leaves, and squirrels foraging for walnuts on the lawn all too quickly falls to 2 feet of snow, slushy roads, and excessively cold air.
And once again I get caught looking too far into the times ahead, while thinking about the experiences past.
September 16, 2005
Coming Soon....
Right now I'm looking at coding a new small page with links to my fantasy sports teams incase there's anyone out there that's as addicted to the games as I am. Apparently I'm missing something in the coding right now and it looks like shit (as do old entries of mine if you click on them individually). If a buddy of mine and I can't figure out what I've managed to fuck up though, I'll just design something new and make the masses deal with it. Because I can.
In other news, the vote on the book covers over at Busblog is done, and cover 5 won. Cover 5 wasn't mine, but was one of my faves. For those paying attention, mine was numba 3. Tony however decided that he's gonna make all 6 of those covers available, which is a pretty sweet deal. I'll have no official credit out there, but I'll know, and so now will you, and that's all that matters. I'll post a link when he's got the books available for sale...
Matt Good posted a show for Kitchener at Elements October 20th...I think I have a midterm the next day, but fuck it, I bailed on the shows near here earlier this summer, no excuses this time around. Its an all ages gig, which means I might end up having to contend with the dumbass young kids that decide they want to mosh to an acoustic version of Apparitions and to Can't Get Shot in the Back if You Don't Run, but a couple well placed elbows will solve that.
School's on in full force now. I know this because I've taken a look at my first large assignment, and skipped my first class (of many to come) for the term....I've settled in.
In other news, the vote on the book covers over at Busblog is done, and cover 5 won. Cover 5 wasn't mine, but was one of my faves. For those paying attention, mine was numba 3. Tony however decided that he's gonna make all 6 of those covers available, which is a pretty sweet deal. I'll have no official credit out there, but I'll know, and so now will you, and that's all that matters. I'll post a link when he's got the books available for sale...
Matt Good posted a show for Kitchener at Elements October 20th...I think I have a midterm the next day, but fuck it, I bailed on the shows near here earlier this summer, no excuses this time around. Its an all ages gig, which means I might end up having to contend with the dumbass young kids that decide they want to mosh to an acoustic version of Apparitions and to Can't Get Shot in the Back if You Don't Run, but a couple well placed elbows will solve that.
School's on in full force now. I know this because I've taken a look at my first large assignment, and skipped my first class (of many to come) for the term....I've settled in.
September 14, 2005
Googlogger
Well, Google has now released a Blog search engine that supposedly goes beyond its own Blogger engine and Technorati. Between the scholar search for educational/professional papers, google earth, gmail, and now this, these guys are on fire. I recognized that when they first put stocks on the market, but I'm one of those who's not left with the money to buy into solid prospects.
The rich get richer... etc etc. blah blah. woof woof.
In the end it comes down to this: Google is offering some kickass free services, and driving Microsoft itself to rewrite search algorithms. Yes I bitch with no end about Microsoft, only because it has run seemingly unchecked for so long. But competition like this, and that from other alternatives for various services (web browsers, e-mail, word processing, etc.) only serves to increase the quality of the product we're getting, while keeping prices down.
The same goes for processing with battles between AMD and Intel over who can produce the most efficient, reliant, fast, and yet affordable PC computer chips (no disgrace to Apple, who've done some awesome things on their own in the past few years, and have me thinking about getting one simply to play around with laying tracks in ProTools). Or nVidia and ATI who have battled for the past several years over the video processing market.
Without competition, there is no motivation to do better, to better serve the customer, and give them the most effective, no frills version of a product possible. Political parties here in North America should have a read from the digital electronics notebook on this one....there has to be a significant challenger waiting in the wings, pounding down the door, waiting for you to slip to take over the reigns.
In Canada we have our two 'big boys' and then the NDP...the more the merrier, but even then, no one ever really causes enough of a fuss to get real shit done. In the U.S. it only seems worse, with only two parties, and the Democrats not very visible at all besides the occasional jabs here and there.
Unfortunately the 'customer' in politics case doesn't have a 1-800 line to dial and lay into and demand better, save for approximately every 4th year, and even then, specific demands are never truly heard, things need to be changed.
The rich get richer... etc etc. blah blah. woof woof.
In the end it comes down to this: Google is offering some kickass free services, and driving Microsoft itself to rewrite search algorithms. Yes I bitch with no end about Microsoft, only because it has run seemingly unchecked for so long. But competition like this, and that from other alternatives for various services (web browsers, e-mail, word processing, etc.) only serves to increase the quality of the product we're getting, while keeping prices down.
The same goes for processing with battles between AMD and Intel over who can produce the most efficient, reliant, fast, and yet affordable PC computer chips (no disgrace to Apple, who've done some awesome things on their own in the past few years, and have me thinking about getting one simply to play around with laying tracks in ProTools). Or nVidia and ATI who have battled for the past several years over the video processing market.
Without competition, there is no motivation to do better, to better serve the customer, and give them the most effective, no frills version of a product possible. Political parties here in North America should have a read from the digital electronics notebook on this one....there has to be a significant challenger waiting in the wings, pounding down the door, waiting for you to slip to take over the reigns.
In Canada we have our two 'big boys' and then the NDP...the more the merrier, but even then, no one ever really causes enough of a fuss to get real shit done. In the U.S. it only seems worse, with only two parties, and the Democrats not very visible at all besides the occasional jabs here and there.
Unfortunately the 'customer' in politics case doesn't have a 1-800 line to dial and lay into and demand better, save for approximately every 4th year, and even then, specific demands are never truly heard, things need to be changed.
Tony Pierce Book Cover Contest
The cover I designed made the final six of Tony Pierce's book cover contest. I'm not gonna say which is mine though...any guesses?
Infact, four of my favourites are in the top six, I don't really care if I win, there were some cool covers.
Infact, four of my favourites are in the top six, I don't really care if I win, there were some cool covers.
September 11, 2005
Provincial Government Stands Up
I just came across an article from the CBC on the Shariah law movement in Ontario. There were protests this weekend around the world against adopting legislation that would allow Islamic law to be used as a proxy in Ontario. Now from what I've read, when practiced properly these laws are generally fair to all parties, but I agree fully with not allowing religious practice into the judicial system. Yes we here in Canada live in a very multicultural society, with many different religious backgrounds, but in order to maintain a society that is fair to all those parties, the central bodies should not have a whole bunch of different separate laws that are applicable to the church bodies in the province. I understand that there are currently other bodies afforded the same special privilege to impose their own law, and I think those too should be abolished.
The fact is that Canada is the cliched mixing pot of the world, and that everyone should respect all the other beliefs in the society around us. But I also feel that once you have become a member of a new society, in most cases to escape the practices of an old culture, one central system of law should be followed.
I've always believed that the central ideas of all religions are on the right path, but I also feel that there are far too many openings to misinterpretation, and arbitrary 'rules and regulations' in each religion. To start allowing each and every group that comes along to provide their own variations, while being the neighbours of people of completely different belief is unfair to everyone.
Feedback and debate on this is welcomed, maybe I'm missing some key points?
The fact is that Canada is the cliched mixing pot of the world, and that everyone should respect all the other beliefs in the society around us. But I also feel that once you have become a member of a new society, in most cases to escape the practices of an old culture, one central system of law should be followed.
I've always believed that the central ideas of all religions are on the right path, but I also feel that there are far too many openings to misinterpretation, and arbitrary 'rules and regulations' in each religion. To start allowing each and every group that comes along to provide their own variations, while being the neighbours of people of completely different belief is unfair to everyone.
Feedback and debate on this is welcomed, maybe I'm missing some key points?
September 10, 2005
Cable versus A Dollar Well Spent
Its come to my attention a couple times in the past few days that I am missing some particularly interesting television. A couple different bloggers out there have posted links back to Crooks and Liars with at the very least humourous, and usually quite relevant discussions or quips by those in media. I sit here with the basic cable package and the next step up which basically gives me coverage of the big broadcast networks in the U.S. and some iffy Canadian cable (along with some admittedly good stuff). And while I'm sure there's stuff on the networks that I feel I'm missing that I really should miss, there's some stuff I'd love to see without either downloading, or staying up all hours of the night to see.
The Daily Show on Comedy, and Bill Maher on HBO in particular, and at times MSNBC even. The only 24/7 news network I can actually get 24/7 here seems to be CNN and the CNN Headline News. Aside from being generally redundant there are just certain personalities I can't take. With the CBC being on strike they've been carrying more BBC news lately, and I try to watch that when I can.
But there is a whole assload of shit on my cable that I don't want or need....American and Canadian Idol are everything that's wrong with music, most of the new sitcoms on TV are tired, and the old classics are only so funny the first 10 or 20 times.
I guess what I'm basically asking for, while knowing that it will never happen in a fair way financially, is that I could pick and choose the 10 channels I actually watch and forget about the rest.
Maybe the internet has just done too good a job of taking over and offering me almost everything I want to see at a couple clicks, and a file transfer's notice.
The Daily Show on Comedy, and Bill Maher on HBO in particular, and at times MSNBC even. The only 24/7 news network I can actually get 24/7 here seems to be CNN and the CNN Headline News. Aside from being generally redundant there are just certain personalities I can't take. With the CBC being on strike they've been carrying more BBC news lately, and I try to watch that when I can.
But there is a whole assload of shit on my cable that I don't want or need....American and Canadian Idol are everything that's wrong with music, most of the new sitcoms on TV are tired, and the old classics are only so funny the first 10 or 20 times.
I guess what I'm basically asking for, while knowing that it will never happen in a fair way financially, is that I could pick and choose the 10 channels I actually watch and forget about the rest.
Maybe the internet has just done too good a job of taking over and offering me almost everything I want to see at a couple clicks, and a file transfer's notice.
September 09, 2005
Wrapping It Up
Today marks my last true day of freedom for a while. Classes start Monday morning, and from then until I drop the pen on my last exam I'm gonna be tied down with the wide assortment of academia that will get thrown at me with due dates. In there I also have to try to find a worthwhile co-op job for the 8 months following this term, and if nothing decent turns up (which is usually the case) I'm going to have to make a decision on whether to find myself something elsewhere, or just plug on and get the remaining courses I need done.On a brighter note, we are now in prime time of the year for sports. The pennant races are coming around the final bend, the NFL and College Football seasons have opened, with the CFL being in the thick of the season. The european football leagues are all a couple weeks in, and adding to the excitement are the World Cup international qualifiers taking place. The NHL and NBA will follow in a month, along with all the junior hockey leagues, and suddenly we will go from watching the same baseball highlights package twice an hour, you'll get a taste of something new at every turn. I've embraced it with 12 Yahoo fantasy and pick em teams so far, as well as a couple fantasy european football teams elsewhere. I'll probably pick up a couple more yet, likely in hoops, just to fill the void that will be left by baseball in a month.
I should probably consider going out and involving myself in some of these sports on a field, court or diamond somewhere, but the issue these days is always getting people together with the random schedules most students have. And on that note, I have a ton of laundry and books to get shelved and washed irrespectively, or I'll start off my term poorly by using those as excuses not to do my 'learning'.
Once that's done, I'm gonna soak some sun and hope monday doesn't hurry along too quickly.
September 06, 2005
Boys and Their Toys
I ultimately had to turn down the amp stack that Matt Good was selling a couple weeks back after tossing it around in my head for a while, and eventually having my co-op job opportunity starting in January fall apart. Instead I went out today and bought myself a slightly cheaper toy. It sounds incredible, and I got it for 60 bucks cheaper than tag price. Its not a tube amp like I was hoping for, but its stereo and has a built in digital effects module that doesn't sound like ass like on more lower end stuff.I went for a 5 hour trail ride yesterday, and today I'm having issues going up and down stairs cause of the muscle soreness. But then I didn't get hurt as bad as a buddy who took a couple spills yesterday and now has to refrain from eating solid foods for a week. I can tell you if that was me there'd be a lot of barley meals.
The rest of this week needs to consist of getting my remaining texts for school, putting my notes from two terms away in a box somewhere, and playing with the new amp. In a perfect world I'd find the time and good weather to hit the beach for a day too...
September 04, 2005
Here I Sit
Well, here I am again. Weekend. Cruising blogs. Chattin it up. And honestly, aside from bein on a beach somewhere, I'm not bothered by bein here. And I certainly have way less to bitch about than people elsewhere.
Everyone by now has seen the countless reports on CNN, CBC, BBC, et al. on New Orleans, and all the tragic circumstances taking those people victim. And more and more reports coming forward on the inadequacy of the governing power. I'm far too lazy right now to link some of the reports, they are easy enough to find. I listened to the interview with Ray Nagin, yesterday, and I have to say it was one of the most heartfelt, honest thing I've heard from a person in power. In no way was he concerned with the demographics of the next vote, or any of that bullshit, he just wants what is right for the people of his city. Even as a historical Republican, at times of crisis, natural leadership qualities should take over political posturing, and this guy seems to be true. Regardless of his beliefs, this is the kind of personality that should lead a nation. Not one preoccupied with money in the oil industry, or finishing what daddy couldn't, etc etc.
The fact is, the current administration turned down outside assistance from numerous nations/parties (see Tony Pierce for an abridged summary) out of what I can only understand as an issue of pride. The Bush administration could not take assistance from elsewhere before providing help themselves, even if that help was to come days after the fact. Studies have been done for decades on the vulnerability of New Orleans to high waters and storms, its the kind of thing that one learns in a low highschool level geography class....deltas are unstable and are guaranteed to settle under excess pressure...and even after declaring the area a disaster area it took days to get shit done. But they wouldn't accept outside help because, after all, they are all powerful and can take care of their own business. But all's fair in love and war....minus the love.
For more commentary seek:
Daily Kos
Tony Pierce
MBlog
Tony + Matt Podcast
For more news:
Google Is Your Friend
Everyone by now has seen the countless reports on CNN, CBC, BBC, et al. on New Orleans, and all the tragic circumstances taking those people victim. And more and more reports coming forward on the inadequacy of the governing power. I'm far too lazy right now to link some of the reports, they are easy enough to find. I listened to the interview with Ray Nagin, yesterday, and I have to say it was one of the most heartfelt, honest thing I've heard from a person in power. In no way was he concerned with the demographics of the next vote, or any of that bullshit, he just wants what is right for the people of his city. Even as a historical Republican, at times of crisis, natural leadership qualities should take over political posturing, and this guy seems to be true. Regardless of his beliefs, this is the kind of personality that should lead a nation. Not one preoccupied with money in the oil industry, or finishing what daddy couldn't, etc etc.
The fact is, the current administration turned down outside assistance from numerous nations/parties (see Tony Pierce for an abridged summary) out of what I can only understand as an issue of pride. The Bush administration could not take assistance from elsewhere before providing help themselves, even if that help was to come days after the fact. Studies have been done for decades on the vulnerability of New Orleans to high waters and storms, its the kind of thing that one learns in a low highschool level geography class....deltas are unstable and are guaranteed to settle under excess pressure...and even after declaring the area a disaster area it took days to get shit done. But they wouldn't accept outside help because, after all, they are all powerful and can take care of their own business. But all's fair in love and war....minus the love.
For more commentary seek:
Daily Kos
Tony Pierce
MBlog
Tony + Matt Podcast
For more news:
Google Is Your Friend
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