Live From Toronto......It's Wade's Blog

Polar Bears Found To Have Developed Written Language

2008-12-17T21:58:00.001-08:00

Generally thought to lack the mental capacity to exhibit complex behaviour, scientists at the Online University of Argentina have surprisingly found that polar bears have their own distinct language, sporting up to 2,400 words and phrases.

This phenomenon was first postulated in 1998 when graduate student, Obamo Baracko, observed polar bears making unusual paw movements in the snow while in the company of other bears. Baracko placed stop-motion cameras at various locations around communal feeding ground areas, and slowly uncovered their unique paw scripting patterns.

"Over the past 10 years, I've determined the bears have their own vocabulary and grammar that I call Barium", said Baracko. Some of the more complex phrases he's deciphered so far are "it's windy", "big fish below", "snow coming", and "humans fucked our climate".

Baracko's next study will involve studying the interactions of polar bears with other cold weather animals, such as penguins and sea lions, to determine if the polar bear language can be understood by other species.

Lapre Pkg

2008-02-27T18:25:00.001-08:00

Oh Boy !

2007-05-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

Prerelease Screen Capture From New Movie, "White Chicks 2"

KFC - 0 Trans Fat ?

2007-05-16T15:32:00.000-07:00

I'm confused with the colonel over at KFC. First off pronunciation. How do you get "ker-nel" out of colonel? But more importantly, what does 0 trans fat mean? Is this it, or are they going to get rid of completely?

Check out this link explaining it.

Is PayDay rigged?

2007-05-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

Chart of PayDay lotto results

I recently read on redflagdeals that if you buy 3 PayDay tickets, you get the 4th for free. I don't play the lottery much, but a free ticket sounds like a nice deal.

So I got curious, cut and paste the PayDay lottery results into a spreadsheet, and made a graph. The y axis is the frequency, the x axis is the actual number. FYI, PayDay has 77 numbers, of which, they draw 4.

Does the chart look a little funny to you? It does to me. Up until 35, it looks like a fairly flat distribution with some irregularities, as to be expected. But from 36 to 77, it looks different. I see a series of waves. And it looks as though the highest frequency numbers all peak within these waves.

It could be a fluke, but if I were playing, I'd pick the peaks of these waves, and anything in the middle...

My numbers are....

37, 38, 39
44, 45, 46, 47
52
60, 61, 62, 63
71, 72

Unfortunately, that's still 14 numbers, way too many to play in all combinations. Good luck.

Piano Playing Cat

2007-04-26T16:49:00.001-07:00

I Like Ferrets

2007-04-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

Black footed ferret

Yahoo posted a slideshow of these ferrets they found recently that were thought to have gone extinct. Click here to see the full slideshow.

Yeah Right

2007-04-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

And I thought I was the only one who made up fake online stories!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070408/ap_on_fe_st/glf_ace_at102

Coyote Quiznos

2007-04-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe :) See link below.

Coyote Story

Ten Things Your Restaurant Will Not Tell You

2007-04-03T18:55:00.000-07:00

Unlike most net fluff, this article is pretty good. See link below.

10-Things-Your-Restaurant-Will-Not-Tell-You

Monkeys

2007-04-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

Or are they orangutans? No clue.

I've got nothing to say lately, but I found this picture I took a couple of years ago that actually doesn't look like shit. The colors are so bright and separated, almost looks like I photoshop'd it.

Life At Google

2007-03-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

I've talked about perks before, but here is a great set of 11 pictures that sums up what's it like to work at Google.

http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2006/inside_google/index.html

Tara Conner Prepares To Hand Off Crown

2007-03-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

Tara Conner Or Suzanne Sommers?

Fifty-one new hopefuls are gathering in Los Angeles in preparation for this Friday's Miss USA 2007 pageant. So far, this year's pageant has been largely overshadowed by last year's titleholder, Tara Conner. Conner hung on to her crown after Donald Trump, who owns the Miss Universe and Miss USA contests in a partnership with NBC, decided to give her a second chance. She underwent a stint in rehab in Pennsylvania for her drinking.

"I'm really happy with the way the rehab went, and my addiction to gin has been completely eliminated.", said Conner. Conner's amazing success has been attributed to substituting scotch and white wine for her former master, gin. "I find the scotch and white wine combination quite relaxing". Asked if she felt any pressure being a role model to millions of young American girls, Conner said, "Not really. But I do hope that young girls around the country will realize that alcoholism can occur at any age, and that there are other things to drink besides gin."

The 56th Annual Miss USA Pageant will be televised Friday live from the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.

Zoom Zoom Boom

2007-03-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

My car broke down again, 3rd time in 4 months. I have a 2001 Mazda 626....I bought it (used) because I thought Japanese cars were reliable? What's the deal?

No Chance In Quebec

2007-03-12T19:15:00.000-07:00

I've always wondered why contests are never open to Quebec residents. In case you are curious too, here's the answer.

Michael Moore Exposed - A Documentary About Him !

2007-03-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Read link --> Documentary Questions Moore's Tactics

Thank god someone finally called bullshit. I should start off by saying that I like Michael Moore, and I think he's made some great films. (Roger & Me is one of my favorites) Plus Moore was the only guy on the planet saying don't go into Iraq after 9-11. Remember his brilliant 2003 Oscar quote, "we live in fictitious times, with a fictional war led by a fictional president for fictional reasons" (his microphone was basically disabled at that point). Now that was an interesting Oscar show!

All that said, I can get uncomfortable watching his movies, because some of the scenes in his movies smack of being "staged". And some of the "facts" seem just a little too perfect. Of course, I could never prove it....I'm just a cheese eating Canadian boy.

But I always got the feeling that Moore would rather go for the big impact at the expense of telling both sides. So essentially, I think of him as an entertainer, but not necessarily a reliable source. I haven't actually seen this documentary yet, but I eagerly await it's Toronto debut.

Wow, technology !

2007-03-10T18:37:00.000-08:00

SEE THRU CONCRETE !!!

Optical fibers are mixed with the concrete to let light pass thru

AND BONUS TECHNOLOGY....check this out!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZNTgglPbUA

Perk Followup - Google

2007-03-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

I last posted about Facebook.com's perks for employees. Now I see why their perks are so good at Facebook, they have to compete with Google.

Story On Google Bus

Facebook Has Great Perks

2007-03-08T21:47:00.000-08:00

Katrina (you may know her as Little Miss Sunshine) made me join Facebook.com, so I was reading their Jobs page. Check out these benefits!

Facebook rewards its engineers with great salaries and options packages, plus numerous benefits and perks:

* Medical, dental and vision plans with no premium for employees
* 401(k) plan
* 21 vacation days per year, plus 8 company holidays and 2 floating holidays
* Complimentary catered breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
* Complimentary beverages and snacks
* Dry cleaning and laundry service onsite
* Free downtown parking permit
* Subsidized gym membership
* Catered Friday Happy Hours at the office
* $600/month housing subsidy if you live within one mile of the office
* Standard-issue 24" LCD monitors and your option of 15" Apple MacBook Pro or IBM ThinkPad
* Worldwide notoriety by having your face on sample Facebook flyers

Filler Time

2007-03-07T20:31:00.000-08:00

I have nothing to say, but I need a new post. So how about them Raptors? Ummm, that won't work, I don't watch basketball. So here's some random crap....

Aeroplan sent me an email telling me that my 16,000 points are going to expire if I don't use them by July 1. In case you're not familiar, 15,000 points is enough for one, short haul flight. So I can go as far south as Georgia, or to New York, or to Newfoundland. So that's cool, but I'm not sure I want to go anywhere. Any suggestions?

I will be doing yet another inner city move at the end of May, but I know I'll end up paying more rent than where I am now. Not that I can change my mind, I already told my landlord. I would buy something, but all I could afford is a newer, tiny condo that's way too small, an old condo with ridiculously high condo fees, or something not in Toronto. All 3 choices, I find non-appealing. Plus I keep waiting for this recession to hit, dammit.

I found out that I like cross country skiing quite a bit by going out with a local outdoor club a few times. Plus x-country is cheap, and a lot more challenging than one would think.

The government announced $1.5 billion for a new Toronto subway expansion. Who plans cities? They suck cock. The subway expansion plan blows almost as bad as the dedicated St. Clair streetcar plan, or how about the "let's tear down the Gardiner and put traffic lights" idea. The problem with the subway expansion is they're assuming everyone wants to go from the suburbs to downtown, and back again. But people ain't goin' downtown. Ask anyone who works in a business park. The one I work in Mississauga is expanding like a mofu, and people are driving to it from places like Orangeville, Barrie, and Ajax. How's this subway going to help them? Oh yeah, it'll ease the congestion. Right.

I find that actress from Grey's Anatomy, Katherine Heigl, to be the hottest new chick going. She's the quintessential blonde bombshell. Heigl, what is that....German? Maybe she should change it to Himler.

Heigl Pic

Well, that's enough filler. Have a nice day.

Talking Stock Chart

2007-02-22T20:41:00.000-08:00

It's saying "Wade" !

Sometimes my stocks talk to me. I own some shares in this company, and today the stock chart spelled out my name. I had to add some lines (in red) to make it more clear. Ironically, it's better than my own handwriting.

Funny Flow Chart

2007-02-22T18:06:00.000-08:00

I think the computer geek in me found this funny.

Muchmusic VJ, Sarah Taylor, In Coma

2007-02-20T22:24:00.000-08:00

Is it me, or is this the most underreported story in Canada? I saw her in person about 3 months ago at the Drake Hotel.

Read more about her condition here.

Sarah Taylor Update From Muchmusic.com
Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 5:45pm EST

We're happy to report that Sarah was brought out of the coma, late yesterday. Sarah remains in intensive care and her doctors are observing her closely to determine how soon she can come home. We are continuing to pass on your emails to Sarah's family and will post new information as it becomes available.

David Kines, VP Music & Youth Services, CHUM Television

How To Avoid Identity Theft

2007-02-18T20:52:00.000-08:00

In this internet age, we all need to think more about protecting our personal information. That's why I spent the entire weekend pouring over research to compile this list. Please share with your loved ones.

Ways To Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

Do not use your social insurance number as a password for porn sites.

Shred all fully completed Sudoku's before throwing in the trash.

If someone is standing closer than 5 feet behind you while using an ATM, put your shirt collar straight up to block their view.

If singing the 1982 Tommy Tutone classic "Jenny,867-5309", do not substitute your home phone number. If your actual number is 867-5309, limit your rendition to shower only.

Do not hand out copies of your credit card statement at the library.

During sexual intercourse, refrain from screaming your mother's maiden name.

Another Ticketmaster Robbery In The Name Of Norah

2007-02-16T22:26:00.000-08:00

Norah Looking Cute

I'd say for the past 10 years, I may have gone to 2-3 concerts. I probably would've gone to 10-20 if it wasn't for Ticketmaster and their insane fees. Only Pearl Jam has had the balls to try and stand up to them, and they lost that battle.

I'm telling you this because I discovered Norah Jones is coming to Massey Hall and I really like her. In all ways possible. She very stalkworthy.

So I ask the web site for 2 tix, Best Available. What kind of dream world do I live in anyway? Yeah sure, I'll just pick up some Norah Jones seats, probably weeks after they went on sale. Maybe no one knows she's coming!

Of course, the site said "None Available". But....I read on the Fuck You It's Sold Out page....."Try changing your setting to Best Available, or reduce the number of seats asked for."

Reduce the number of seats to 1? Hmmm, ok. I mean, it's Norah Jones bitches. So I did, and a seat came available!

PRICE LEVEL 1 - OBSTRUCTED VIEW SEATING

An obstructed view, single? Full price? Hmmm, ok. You only live once, right?

So check out the fees I'm paying.....for this obstructed view, single seat.
Full Price Ticket      $57.50 x 1 Facility Charge        $ 2.50 x 1 Convenience Charge     $ 6.50 x 1 Delivery (Pickup)      $ 0.00 Order Processing Fee   $ 3.50 TOTAL CHARGES CA       $70.00
Facility charge  -  Yeah, I'm sure.
Convenience charge  -  Ok, that's Ticketmaster's cut.
Other Processing Fee  -  Come again? What? Other? Fuck! They couldn't even come up with a bullshit name? Those assholes.

So in summary, I'm shelling out $70 to sit behind a pillar to listen to (but not see) Norah Jones, by myself. Cool.

Snow Day

2007-02-14T08:13:00.000-08:00

Pigeons take a novel approach to the snowstorm. Ignore it.

An hour of snow later.

Cool "snow cone" formed on my BBQ

Anna Nicole Smith - Sneak Peek At Coroner's Report

2007-02-13T20:18:00.000-08:00

Anna Nicole Smith just hours before her death

It's not often I get to break an exclusive on my blog...but today is an exception.

Through one of my hollywood connections, I was able to get a leaked copy of Anna Nicole Smith's coroner's report. I expect this will be announced by the major news sources sometime on Friday afternoon. Enjoy.

Broward County Medical Office (Confidential)
===========================================

Name Of Deceased - Anna Nicole Smith
Chief Medical Examiner - Dr. Joshua Perper
...
Cause Of Death - Excessive Coal Mining
...

Don't Piss Off A Web Designer :)

2007-02-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

Click on picture to animate it.

Stolen without permission from colabtees.com

How To Waste Time - Tip #1

2007-02-08T11:25:00.000-08:00

Looking to waste time? Check out this anagram server.

http://wordsmith.org/anagram/index.html#

Put in any name or phrase, and it'll give you all possible anagrams. The generated list is so long, it could take your an hour or more to sort thru it.

I put in my name, and these are a few I noticed that were funny. Well, funny to a sick person such as myself.
A LAD RAM WELSH HARD MALES LAW A WALLED MARSH A SWARMED HALL DRAMA AH SWELL ALARMS WHALED WARHEADS MALL WASH ALL MA RED

Pan's Labyrinth

2007-02-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

The best and worst experiences happen when you go into a movie knowing nothing. I am very disorganzied, so this happens to me a lot. Well, I think I experienced a little of both when I saw Pan's Labyrinth yesterday.

I was expecting some light, whimisical fare like Ella Enchanted or maybe even the original Labyrinth movie. Well let me tell you....this ain't no Labyrinth and Anne Hathaway is not getting tied to a tree while wearing a low cut blouse.

This movie is violent. And depressing. And in Spanish for fuck's sakes! Layered on top of this dark setting is some magic shit, but it's not even nice magic shit. And there is a sorta happy ending (which lasts 2 mins), but it doesn't really fit, and it's so late in coming it hardly makes up for the 2 hours of despair.

All that being said, I've never seen a movie like it and was on the edge of my seat at times. Just don't buy the DVD for your 11 year old niece.

Crazy Japz

2007-02-05T17:50:00.000-08:00

I don't post links very often, but this one was pretty funny.

Note - It will get a bit repetitive around the 3-4 minute mark, but hang in there because the last 2 minutes is *definitely* worth it.

Lite Brite Cripples Boston

2007-01-31T21:09:00.001-08:00

My cousin is the Kool-Aid jug guy who goes thru the brick wall

Quick summary....the Cartoon Network (subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting) is in hot water after their marketing campaign to promote the TV show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" backfired. They decided to promote their animated series by deploying little blinking light boards in various outdoor locations across 10 major U.S. cities, including Boston. They've been in operation for 2-3 weeks already. But I guess no one in Boston noticed them until today.....when someone mistook the LCD man giving them the finger as a bomb.

CNN - "A commuter spotted one of these blinking light boards in a Boston bus station. Soon, there were reports of other blinking light boards throughout the city, some near bridges and highways. The discovery of the light boards led state, local and federal authorities to close the Boston University and Longfellow Bridges and block boat traffic from the Charles River to Boston Harbor. In addition, the Pentagon said U.S. Northern Command was monitoring the situation from its headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but said none of its units were dispatched to assist."

So now the you've got the Boston mayor, the Boston police force, the FBI, a Mass. congressman, etc, etc all pissed off and threatening legal action because of all the resources used on this screw up. Well, they're right...someone should be in shit. But shouldn't it be the retard who ordered the calvalry without checking it out first?

You know, sometimes at night I hear noise from the alley that sounds a lot like Ayman al-Zawahiri. Should I call Mel Lastman? Noooobody gets away with terrorist activity in Toronto's back alleys. Noooooooooboooodddddddy !!

UPDATE - Feb 1st!
Looks like the situation is getting even more laughable. They're putting the two guys on trial who were paid to put up the signs. See story...

Two plead not guilty to Boston hoax charges

Check out their picture, they look perfect for the sequel of "Dude, Where's My Car?". Yeah, let's make these two potheads pay....that makes A LOT of sense. Like it was their idea. I see in the article I wasn't the only one who thought it looked like a Lite-Brite.

The Art Of Being Frugal

2007-01-30T19:17:00.000-08:00

I've read/heard a lot about becoming wealthy by spending less or generally being cheap. For example, forego your daily Starbucks fix, pack a lunch (as opposed to eating out), open an ING savings account for an extra 1/2% interest, threaten to cancel your cable to get $20 off the bill, etc, etc, etc.

Well, I'll never do any of these things! I think the only solution is to make more money. And as soon as I figure out how to do that, I'll get back to you.

My Top 40 Comedies Of All Time

2007-01-12T21:11:00.000-08:00

I've always thought I should compile a list of movies that have made me laugh over the years, so tonight I sat down and did it.

I can hardly call it comprehensive or scientific, as there's lots of movies I haven't seen and I probably forgot some too. Nor is it an intellecutal list, I seem to enjoy dumb comedies more than smart ones. But comedy is subjective, and so is my list :) Enjoy.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off - This movie bombed big time when it came out, but I think it was a monster on VHS :) I didn't know anything about it, we only picked it because the poster looked so lame. Ironically I was skipping school at the time with 2 buddies. We caught the matinee, and no one else was in the theatre!

Stripes - Made for underacheivers like me.

Something About Mary - Best line - "My passion is my hobby—I work with retards." I had the hugest crush on Cameron Diaz after watching it. I heard she's single again.

Caddyshack - Has to win the award for most funny guys on screen at one time.

Airplane - "You have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?"

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles - This movie made me cry. What can I say?

Dumb & Dumber - I don't like this movie, I love it! Non-stop laughing.

Throw Mamma From The Train - Maybe I'm just giving Danny DeVito props for Taxi, but it's still my #8.

The Wedding Singer - You have to be from the right generation to appreciate it. And Sandler really can sing.

The Jerk - Steve Martin at his peak.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High - Besides being really funny, it's a great movie too. One of the first high school movies, and still the best.

Election - I know, you probably haven't even *seen* Election. Do yourself a favor and rent it.

Vacation - The best road trip movie EVER. Although maybe I should revisit Smokey and the Bandit just to be sure.

Mrs. Doubtfire - Robin Williams as a middle-aged, female housekeeper....how can it not be on the list?

Austin Powers : The Spy Who Shagged Me - Call me a simpleton, but I like the second one better because of Mini-Me. There's also more Dr. Evil too, which I like-y.

Groundhog Day - Funny AND smart. You won't see many of THOSE on my list. I keep thinking I hate Bill Murray, but he sure shows up a lot.

The Naked Gun - It's no Airplane, but still classic enough to crack my top 40.

Ruthless People - Despite have the worst name in Hollywood, Judge Reinhold actually CAN be funny. And you thought he was just a close talker.

Blues Brothers - Why this movie works I have no idea? It just does.

This Is Spinal Tap - Another generational thing....kids today probably wouldn't get it.

Back To School - Rodney at his best.

Borat - I know what you're thinking, am I crazy? But I laughed so hard.....this movie is 'very nice'

The Witches Of Eastwick - Might not be considered a comedy by some. Love the cherry scene.

Clerks - Who knew black and white could be funny? Shot on a budget of $27,575!

Analyze This - Most people would pick Meet The Parents, but I like this one better. Sopranos totally ripped it off (they ripped off Good Fellas too).

Night Shift - Keaton and the Fonz are a classic pairing. Great movie, I'm actually going to move it up in my list after I finish typing this line :)

Finding Nemo - Not much for animated movies, but Ellen makes me laugh. Sorry Shrek.

Dragnet - Comedy is pretty easy actually. Just pair two opposites together with a common goal.

Raising Arizona - I can't remember anything about this movie except I died laughing.

The Longest Yard (1974 version) - The ultimate guys movie. Too bad they tainted the legacy with the Sandler/Rock sellout.

Legally Blonde - Ok, ok, we are getting to the B class here. But TBS Superstation can wear a man down.

Midnight Run - Or pair two opposites with the opposite goal. :)

Clueless - Wow, it was all downhill for Silverstone after this one. And all uphill for Britney Murphy, did you even know that was her???

The Couch Trip - Walter Matthau is hilarious. I heard a rumor he was a bit of a pompous ass to work with though.

Arthur - What's funnier than a drunk? Nothing!

Ace Ventura – Pet Detective - Driving a car with your head out the side window can't be topped.

Bananas - Like Raising Arizona, I can't remember much except laughing a lot. Where in the world would I find a copy, anyway?

Spies Like Us - So why not Fletch instead? I guess I didn't see that one as much. I'm surprised to see Dan Aykroyd in my list so much.

Zoolander - Pure dumb. That's why it's here. I think the Mulder scene is what put it over the top, and into the coveted #39 position!

Summer School - No, this isn't a mistake. With star power like Kirstie Alley and Marc Harmon, how can it be denied? :)

Putting 1 and 1 Together

2006-12-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

Ever since I saw Borat a couple months ago, something was bugging me about his name, Sacha Baron Cohen. Today I finally figured it out, he shares the same name with US figure skater, Sasha Cohen. I heard she's 4th busiest prostitute in all of Kazakhstan.

You Can't Argue Science

2006-12-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

According to a new report out today by the American Medical Association, Miss Teen USA is exactly 4.7 times hotter than Miss USA.

2000 Flushes

2006-12-17T21:07:00.000-08:00

I bought this for my toilet as a diversionary tactic. I think it's working, you can't see brown thru blue.

They should invent a product based on the same idea for the whole apartment....like a blue gel that oozes out of a closet or something and covers the floor. I would like the blue gel to be higher than countertop level to take care of the kitchen, but it should be have a low enough viscosity so I can wade thru it to get to the couch.

Funny eBay Feedback - User andy46477

2006-12-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

Feedback msgs.....all from andy46477

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedbackMemberLeft&memberid=andy46477&items=-1&item=-1&de=off

He's Moving, He's OK

2006-12-06T22:25:00.001-08:00

Playing Dumb Pays

2006-12-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.local6.com/news/10469771/detail.html

5 Signs That The Apartment Isn't So Clean

2006-12-03T20:12:00.000-08:00

The ironing board turns into permanent "kitchen island".

Pigeons try to get into the apartment to eat off the carpet.

Bathroom mirror looks like a Jackson Pollack painting.

Shower floor becomes a solid grey color from it's original "tile look".

Fruit flies extend range from kitchen and colonize the living room.

Drake + Coffee Time Muffins

2006-11-18T08:52:00.000-08:00

I went to the Drake Hotel on Friday night for the first time, and it's quite fun. Everyone there was friendly and even Sarah Taylor and that other blonde fudgepacking guy VJ from Muchmusic were there.

And then the weirdest thing happened. On my way home, I stopped in at the Coffee Time. I had a craving for one of their chocolate chip muffins. At 2:30 in the morning, I'd expect they might not have any muffins left at all.

But to my surprise, the display case was packed with muffins of every kind. So I bought one and get this.......it was fucking warm. I almost fainted. I always thought Coffee Time just went around to the other donut shops and took the muffins the other places were going to throw out.

So the lesson to be learned.....if you want fresh muffins from Coffee Time, go at 2:30AM.

Iraq - At Least Another 10 Years Of Violence

2006-11-16T21:47:00.000-08:00

So many opinions on Iraq....here's what I think.

Now that it's begun, nothing will can stop violence between these different religious groups. Not more US troops, not training an Iraqi army with US troops, not a pullout of US troops, not anybody else's troops, not Oprah, not a plan to segregate the country, not an airdrop of 2 for 1 coupons at Fallujah Falafel, not talks between the tribe elders.......I mean nothing will work.

The only thing that stopped this from happening before was the Hussein government. So Saddam gets the death penalty for oppressing the Kurds during an uprising, but didn't the US gov't kill 70 some odd people in Waco for similar reasons? If you're running a country like Iraq, a show of force might be necessary sometimes. I mean, look what has happened without the strong gov't....it's civil war.

So I think at a minimum, we'll see at least 10 more years of violence. Hopefully they'll get it out of their system by then.

Quiz Site

2006-11-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

I had been talking with a couple of people about making a site where people can make/share their own quizzes. I found a site that does it, so this is a test.

Take My Quiz on
QuizYourFriends.com

Oh no...Starbucks!

2006-11-06T20:20:00.000-08:00

Why is everyone so down on Starbucks? Apparently they represent globalization.....run for your lives! I can think of a lot worse things to have in your neighbourhood. Residents should be happy....they found that property values go up by a certain percentage whenever a Starbucks enters the neighbourhood.

But the real fact of the matter is....Starbucks has always treated their employees extremely well, buy as much coffee as they can thru the Certified Fair Trade movement (i.e. farmers don't get ripped), and they collect revenue from people who can geniunely afford to give it away.

And yet there's a Starbucks on Queen West that has been the target of multiple vandalizations. Now Magazine doesn't help with their ridiculously left slant....these guys make Jesse Jackson seem wishy-washy. I bet they'd encourage a little window smashing if the could run a cross-promotion with the Drake Hotel. Urban games!

Just seems to me like there are other more deserving corporate bullies to pick on.

Signs You Live In A Slum

2006-11-04T10:30:00.000-08:00

The nearest Starbucks to my apartment is 6.1 km.
The nearest Second Cup to my apartment is 5.5 km.
The nearest Timothy's to my apartment is 5.9 km.
....
The nearest Coffee Time to my apartment --> 100m.

Signs You Have A Dead End Job

2006-10-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

Google ads that popped up in my browser today

My Trip To The Dollar Store

2006-10-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

I went to the dollar store to get some dry erase markers, you know, the ones for white boards. So they had them, but it was a full dollar for each one. Somehow I thought this was a good deal, so I bought 5, and they were ALL DEFECTIVE!!

Oh yeah, so at the cash register I saw a pregency test. Is this an impluse buy? And is it something you want to trust to the dollar store? I dunno about that....

So the best thing I got was this huge can of Arizona Fruit Punch. The can was huge, 695ml. It was red and tasty. I drank 1/2 of it one day, and the other 1/2 the next day.

Old Expressions

2006-10-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I got reminded of a dumb expression my parents used to say. They don't make much sense in 2006, but here's a few my parents used to use.

Grinning like a fox eating shit through tall grass.

They had to tie a pork chop around her neck to get the dog to play with her.

He's three sheets to the wind. (drunk) - explanation

If you're looking for sympathy, you'll find it in the dictionary between shit and syphillis.

I'm off, like a Jew's foreskin. (when leaving)

Stanley Meyer & His Water Powered Dune Buggy

2006-10-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

On Digg.com, I read a post about a Canadian company called Xogen claiming to have a (likely bogus) device that extracts reams of hydrogen from water by running a small amount of current thru it.

I followed a few related links, and found out that the idea of a "Water Fuel Cell" was first proposed in the 1990's by a fellow named Stanley Meyer. The most interesting thing I saw was this video.

"It Runs On Water" - Watch This Video, Very Interesting!
(actually from an old UK science show called Equinox, not that crappy 'lantern' web site that branded it)

As authoritative as the documentary comes off, an Ohio court found Meyer guilty of "gross and egregious fraud" in a case brought against him by disgruntled investors. His water powered dune buggy failed to work during a required demonstration of the water-fueled car in a 1990 court case. (source=wikipedia)

Meyer died in 1998. Another bizarre part of his story is that, according to an autopsy report, the cause of death was poisoning. (source=wikipedia)

I find this story incredibly facinating, because it has a lot of elements that interest me. (fraud, solution to the world's energy problem, gov't conspiracy, dune buggies, and possibly insanity). I think someone should make a movie about this dude......I know I'd go see it!

Related Links
See The Water Powered Dune Buggy Go! - Actual News Footage
Wikipedia - Water_Fuel_Cell
Waterfuelcell.org

Dray Play III

2006-10-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

I spoke too soon. I completed the circle level and that was the end of the game. Thank god. I don't know why people play video games, it stresses me out.

Draw Play II

2006-10-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

This level got my goat. Those spikey things move, real fast, in a sideways fashion. I did eventually clear it, but it took 20 minutes.

And I have a feeling this level will send me into Draw Play retirement in my first day playing. Yes, those circles spin around.

Draw Play

2006-10-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a game that will frustrate you and cause you to become even more unproductive at work. Enjoy!

Link To Draw Play Game

Update: I learned that if you hold down the mouse button, you can "push" the player straight up w/ your mouse. That made the early levels I was struggling on a piece of cake.

Pressure Cooker

2006-10-05T21:18:00.000-07:00

I do everything my friend Joe tells me to. And Joe said I should get a pressure cooker, so I bought one. Now I'm wondering, what the hell am I going to do with a pressure cooker? I don't cook!

And what's up with the warranties on cookware? I've got a 25 year warranty on my pressure cooker. So it's guaranteed to last until I'm 61 years old. Will I be throwing together a split pea soup in 2031?

Amnesty International

2006-10-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

A recent report by Amnesty International has concluded that Hizbullah committed serious human rights violations by firing 900 Katyusha rockets filled with a combination of explosives and ball bearings directly into Isreali neighbourhoods.

Gee, I'm glad they cleared that up for us.

Link To Press Release

Bachelor

2006-10-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

I know a million other people have said this, but what's one more time going to hurt....

The TV show The Bachelor is on again..."The Bachelor Rome". I'll admit I only watched 5 minutes, but I feel so bad for these women. Like what are they thinking?

These accomplished, tall, gorgeous women haven't even met the guy yet and they're all swooning because the guy is a prince. In this day and age, I would've figured the royalty tag would be viewed as archaic, and even worse, a clear marker that you aren't self-made.

I guess what bugs me the most is the pure capitulation of it all....just to win. How is this viewed as romance? And is it really worth it to make a complete ass of yourself? It's not like the odds are good either, only a 1/27 chance of "winning".

Especially these women....these doctors, these lawyers, and these teachers.....with genes most of us could only dream of having. Is this how they want to be remembered?

Juliet

2006-10-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

After I did my Stu post, I realized another friend of mine deserves a post too. My friend Juliet has successfully gone thru a career change (from IT to environmental science), and she's landed her first real job in her new field. (she wasn't happy working in IT, go figure!)

So I think it's fantastic she had the will power to follow thru with her plan (as I know it wasn't easy), and it's another lesson for all of us that we can change our life if we really want to.

Unfortunately, she's leaving Toronto so that's one less (local) friend for me. But I'm happy for her, wish her all the luck in the world, and I know we'll keep in touch.

p.s. last week i found out she knows about this blog...that's why i'm sucking up :)

Stu

2006-10-01T20:06:00.000-07:00

Often I feel trapped by my job or my life, but occasionally something will remind me that's it's really my choice to live they way I do.

What I'm talking about is I got a great email from my friend Stu today. See, he's managed to talk his company into letting him work in Costa Rica this winter by telecommuting (he's a copywriter). This is something that a lot of people wouldn't even consider trying, but he asked and they said yes.

Not that this is out of the ordinary, I remember when Stu got laid off from his marketing job a few years ago....the first thing he did was go to Mexico for 3 months. Again, most people wouldn't conceive of taking a long vacation just after losing a job, but for him, it was an opportunity.

So I know I'll never be like Stu, but he's invited me to come down and visit (which is better than spending all winter up here!). So maybe I can share a bit that independence....

Asian Fusion

2006-09-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

I saw this story buried in the Reuters newsfeeds, apparently China did a successful test of a fusion reactor.

I figured that kind of a story would get a bit more attention, but then again, who has time to worry about the planet's energy needs when Tie Domi is boning Belinda Stronach.

China Fusion Story

Net Creeps

2006-09-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sure other people have talked about this already, but the internet could be a bit creepy in 100 years. What I mean by that is.....if a person has a level of internet participation, their legacy could be a search and a mouse click away.

(assuming web browsers, google, and mice are even used 100 years from now!)

Blogs, home pages, and social networking sites contain a tremendous amount of personal info. Will people start to study "the old net" like palaeontologists dig for fossels? Will lives be reconstructed by *really* bored futuroids?

Ah, the planet will probably self-destruct before that happens, so I guess it's dumb to think about it.

Telemarketers

2006-09-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile I'll complete reverse my opinion about something, and this is one of those topics.

I used to feel bad for telemarketers, because let's face it....they have probably the worst job in the world (next to a TTC bus driver). And people must yell at them every day. My policy was always to wait for that first pause, and tell them in a nice way that I'm not interested.

Well, things have changed. Now they'll call your cell phone, at any time of day seemingly. At you can't interrupt them anymore. Even if you manage, they won't let you hang up. It's like they have morphed into bacteria resistant tuberculous!

I was letting them get me mad, but now when I get one of those calls....I feel calm because I know it's ok to hang up on them.

Shavers

2006-09-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

The electric shaver business is kind of frustrating for the consumer.

Everytime I go to buy replacement blades for my shaver (usually once every year or two), the blades always end up costing as much as a new razor (in this case, around $47). I know what you're thinking....."Wade, why do you buy such cheap razors?", but still, I don't think a replacement blade should cost anymore than $20, do you?

Fox

2006-09-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

I saw a fox. No, not a hot chick. A real red fox. In the city! Right around Lakeshore and Parklawn (Toronto). I was on the Queen streetcar and I saw it go thru a parking lot and behind a building. And it was big too, for a fox that is. No one else on the streetcar seemed to care.

Suri

2006-09-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

Not that I was really interested, I was browsing magazines today and spotted the Vanity Fair issue with 22 pictures of TomKat's new baby.

As I was flipping thru the magazine trying to find the shoot, I was hoping it'd be some freak of nature with one eye and a curly tail. But, of course, the baby looked perfect, just as you'd expect.

Oh well, maybe I'll pull for a flood in Guatamala instead.

Autopsy

2006-09-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

Autopsy is a funny word, it sounds like topsy-turvy. (thx for the spell check EasyJ)

Anyway, I was reading a follow up article about Anna Nicole Smith's 20 year old son passing away. The article is about how she wants a 2nd autopsy done....

"It's nothing unusual for families to want their own pathologist to confirm or look for something that may have been overlooked," head coroner Linda Virgill told the Associated Press.

Who has their own pathologist? And did Anna Nicole Smith look over the pathology report and become concerned that the science wasn't sound? Just wondering....

Link To Original Article

Perspective

2006-09-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit down lately, but recently something made me realize how lucky I am to have a roof over my head, heat, food, spending money, etc. I just wish there was a way I could have this perspective more often.