moving

the blog is over here now. not sure why. i guess just because i was paying for a typepad account and not using it, so i might as well use it. and i forgot my flickr password, so it was a pain in the ass to upload photos.

the friendly skies

i'm sitting at the airport, waiting to catch my flight to saskatoon. then it's onto calgary for the Juno Awards, possibly the lamest of the lame awards. that's a bit harsh, but the people who run the Juno have shown in recent years that they know not what they are doing, so it's hard to take them too seriously. it's great for the artists and i like that they move them around the country, but it's like the process is run by your high school yearbook committee.

throwing rocks

while working right now, i have the world women's curling championships on. i have a thing for watching curling. and since when did china become a curling power? and japan? i'm used to seeing canadian and nordic teams battling it out. it is kinda cool to hear "hurry hard!" in chinese, though.

day one

today: 20 minutes. 4.25 miles. this week: 20 minutes. 4.25 miles.

girth reduction plan.

today i start riding my $800 exercise bike that i bought three months ago for at least 15 minutes a day. i'd shoot for more, but i'm still feeling jupiterious. i plan on being up to 30 minutes by this time next week. and even though i really really really don't feel like doing it now, this is exactly when i need to start. wish me luck.

if i were a planet...

today i would be jupiter. huge and gaseous.

if only he were younger

from the very exciting scatterplot, a quote from the worst president ever as he spoke with troops in Afghanistan.

"I must say, I'm a little envious," Bush said. "If I were slightly younger and not employed here, I think it would be a fantastic experience to be on the front lines of helping this young democracy succeed." "It must be exciting for you ... in some ways romantic, in some ways, you know, confronting danger. You're really making history, and thanks," Bush said.

Yes, you read that correctly. Despite his doing everything he could to get out of active duty when he was in the Texas National Guard, GWB wishes he were younger so he could join in the romantic excitement of war. Today the 4,000th US troop was killed in Iraq.

blue pills

my internet connection this morning is suffering from ED. It's limp and does not last very long. Is there a viagra for wifi?

battery swap

i can't explain it and i have tried to figure it out. sometimes when i swap batteries on my macbook pro the computer restarts. sometimes, like just now, it does not restart, but continues working as if nothing happened when the new battery is inserted. i don't even lose my internet or vpn connection. I have noticed no pattern at all for how this happens. it is confusing. yet i am happy each time i don't need to restart. it's like a little gift.

crash, bang, distortion, bliss

for fans of repetitive, orchestral, noisy indie rock (a small demographic to be sure, but one which i am a charter member), Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band have a new album out on March 25th. Four songs, all between 13 and 17 minutes, 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons is perfect for just zoning out to or doing speedy programming of your favourite iTunes store. But really, don't go near it if you aren't into droney, crashing, shouting, smashing sounds. i love it. UPDATE: okay, i don't just love it, i LOVE it. the title track, all 16 minutes of it, is worth listening to over and over. and since it's 16 minutes long, you don't even notice that you are listening to the same song.

hockey update

while i am still standing, my teams are not. the massive underdogs, the Senators, could not move past the semi-finals this week. It started off promising as we finished off the #1 team with a 2-0 win in game three of the best of three. We moved on to face the Shipway Stairs and had a decent enough first game, losing 4-2. But with our season on the line, we only had five players able to show up for the game. Still, we put on a valiant effort, but with no subs we lost 6-2. as for the porucpines, well we had a very disappointing Exclaim Cup. we lost our two games on Friday 4-3 and 3-0. We then pulled it together to win 5-2 on Saturday, but we needed a win from the Morningstars to advance. In what looked like a pre-arranged tie, the Morningstars and the Groove tied 0-0 to both advance to the next round. Coincidence? On the bright side, we made it to Kathleen's show on time last night and she rocked the place. I love seeing her live. The crowd at the show agreed.

spaces (again)

After using Spaces in Leopard when it first came out and really liking it, then being frustrated with it, i'm back at it again. it's not ideal, but it sure is nice to manage 10 applications across four screens instead of cramming them all on one. Window 1: Safari and Numbers Window 2: Mail, iChat, iCal/Meeting Maker Window 3: iTunes, Audio Hijack Pro and BBEdit Window 4: Radar, MarsEdit, Word

Salute Your Solution

Just listening to the new Raconteurs single "Salute Your Solution." It rocks. i like it better than anything on the first album. i haven't heard the other tracks, but this is a good sign. Plus, if you play it on repeat, it sounds like one endless song.

hockey hockey hockey

it's tournament time. in my men's league, our 8th place team upset the number 1 in game three tonight with a 3-0 victory. thank you very much. we beat them in game one 2-0, lost in game two 5-3 while i was in texas, and then won tonight. So now we play the #4 team tuesday and thursday. plus the exclaim cup is this weekend. this is what the schedule looks like: Senators vs Shipway Stairs - Semi finals Game 1: Tuesday 10:45pm Appleby 1 Game 2: Thursday 7:15pm Copps Colesium Game 3: (if necessary) Tuesday 8:45pm at either Copps or Nelson Porcupines - Exclaim Cup Game 1: Friday 11:15am vs Morningstars at Canlan E Game 2: Friday 2:45pm vs Dufferin Groove at Canlan C Game 3: Saturday 11:15am vs Jokers HC at Canlan D Playoff 1 (if we make it): Saturday 4:15pm at Canlan C or D Playoff 2 (if we make it): Sunday 12noon at De LaSalle College Arena I'll get through it, because that's what i do, but i may never walk again.

client 9

from the New York Times:

After her encounter with Client 9, the prostitute told the booker for the agency that it had gone well, and the booker told her that he, in an apparent reference to Client 9, sometimes asked the women “to do things that, like, you might not think were safe.”

it's official

our dog walker likes cocoa puffs. we need a new dog walker. she is craaaaaaaaaazy.

please buy these songs. now.

Body in a Box - City and Colour The Cheapest Key - Kathleen Edwards the aforementioned Jigsaw Falling Into Place - Radiohead Hafsol - Sigur Ros Happiness - Goldfrapp There will be more. But these are what are getting me through the day today.

so much good music

the problem with there being so much incredible music out right now is that have such low tolerance for anything that isn't absolutely mind blowing. it's a nice problem to have, but it makes it pretty easy to dismiss songs/artists that i otherwise might listen to a little more. i suppose this would be a good time to list some of those mid blowing albums, but not right now. i'm on a working roll.

favourite favourite favourite song at the moment

Jigsaw Falling Into Place - Radiohead. it actually has been since the album came out. i just feel like dancing every time i hear it.

the ultimate threat

"Dad you are hurting my feelings so i am going to pee and poop on you." i was carrying maxwell at the time and all i could do was laugh. fortunately his ammo was nothing but gas.

back to back

random music listening of your iTunes library sometimes turns out some real gems. If you have these two songs (what are the odds?) play them one after another. Check and Double Check - Stereolab (aluminum tunes) (not available on iTunes Canada!) U.O.R. (original version) - Electrelane

i love tilda

did not know that she was in this 1996 video from Orbital, a band i had been tour managing a few years earlier. very cool video. and despite what the commentators post-Oscar said, i thought she looked better than anyone that night.

should you watch the grammys?

obviously the answer is no. it's the least relevant of the major award shows, hands down. but this flow chart (!) really puts it into perspective.

best quote of all time

"dad, will you shave tomorrow so i can lick your face?" - Maxwell at bedtime.

oh michael vick, you bastard.

Your 23 months are not enough after reading this story.

A quick survey of Georgia, a caramel-colored pit bull mix with cropped ears and soulful brown eyes, offers a road map to a difficult life. Her tongue juts from the left side of her mouth because her jaw, once broken, healed at an awkward angle. Her tail zigzags. Scars from puncture wounds on her face, legs and torso reveal that she was a fighter. Her misshapen, dangling teats show that she might have been such a successful, vicious competitor that she was forcibly bred, her new handlers suspect, again and again. But there is one haunting sign that Georgia might have endured the most abuse of any of the 47 surviving pit bulls seized last April from the property of the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick in connection with an illegal dogfighting ring. Georgia has no teeth. All 42 of them were pried from her mouth, most likely to make certain she could not harm male dogs during forced breeding.

Perhaps when you are out you should have to spend time with each of your dogs. If you are lucky, they won't want to tear your face off by then, but maybe, just maybe, one will recognize you for what you are. Audio slideshow from the New York Times. If you ever hear anyone defend Vick or dismiss what he did, send them these stories.

customer of the week

spend enough money and they'll eventually make you the customer of the week. the featured drink at the Ancaster Starbucks this week is venti soy no water chai. with a dash of cinnamon. free drinks for me!

radiohead's tiny london show and new years eve film

i love this band. London show Scotch Mist - New Year's Eve 2007 update - sorry they seem to have taken this down.

mmmmmm music...

i am listening to my Favourites playlist while i'm working today. It's anything rated four or five stars. i just have to say that i have excellent musical taste.

scruffy

i'm going to see Hayden tonight. I probably should have shaved two or three days ago, but i wanted to have cool-indie-rock-cred-scruff.

back up for your life

no, i haven't lost anything. yet. but everything i have is digital. my iTunes folder is now over 250GB. that includes music, movies, and tv shows. and podcasts. my pictures folder is 25GB, and full of precious maxwell photos. i have a couple of back ups that take place when i work upstairs in my office. but i feel like i need more. and to coordinate them. back ups are the kind of things that you need to take care of now, not later. but since i at least have everything backed up, although not perfectly, i'll wait to come up with my perfect strategy.

note to self

stop undoing my pants when walking to the restrooms in a public place.

i heart yo la tengo

radiohead may be my favourite band, but there is no one more fun/enjoyable/intimate/sweet than Yo La Tengo. Seeing them live, you feel like you are seeing them in your living room. like they are your friends who have come over to play some songs for you.

Yo La Tengo knows how to make music that’s inherently sentimental and close to the vest, whether whispering or screaming. Wednesday’s set had intimate songs with a keyboard (“Nowhere Near”), sweet guitar pop (“Beanbag Chair”) and built-to-last rock songs (“Deeper Into Movies,” “Upside Down”). But it also had heavy-gauge freakouts, which seemed just as careful and mindful. After 23 years this band can pace a show brilliantly; the 90-minute set started with a soft, wordless instrumental and ended with the Beach Boys song “Little Honda,” a “Roll Over Beethoven”-style three-chord wonder fitted with a long and lavish insurrection of feedback in the middle. (Every member, even Ms. Hubley, the drummer, made violent noise on guitar for five minutes.) But then, smoothly and by degrees, they all returned to the verse of the song, and brought it home with precision.

took kathleen down in court, kicked maxwell's butt, shredded colin, and then knocked him out with a right hook to the body.

just another day of playing wii and guitar hero with the neighbours. nothing like getting a higher score in guitar hero than the best guitar player in canada. and i also knocked kathleen out in wii boxing but that would have made the headline even longer. and as for wii tennis, don't mess with master as both kathleen and maxwell discovered. and in case you are wondering, yes, there is a small amount of satisfaction in defeating your three year old at tennis. not a lot, but some. especially if you make him happy by "letting" him win the second game. he has a pretty good serve for a three year old.

another one bites the dust

i'm certainly not celebrating, but i'm definitely not mourning.

Former Rep. Henry Hyde, the Illinois Republican who steered the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton and championed government restrictions on the funding of abortions, has died. He was 83.

see you in hell, henry.

we are mean (but in a very good way)

i have a solution

From the New York Times:

At halftime of the Jets’ home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, several hundred men lined one of Giants Stadium’s two pedestrian ramps at Gate D. Three deep in some areas, they whistled and jumped up and down. Then they began an obscenity-laced chant, demanding that the few women in the gathering expose their breasts. When one woman appeared to be on the verge of obliging, the hooting and hollering intensified. But then she walked away, and plastic beer bottles and spit went flying. Boos swept through the crowd of unsatisfied men.

Maybe they could jack each other off.

indie rockers aren't the only ones with whiny, thin voices

dear starbucks, your playing of james taylor nonstop is going to result in me either putting a bullet through my head or going to second cup. either way - not good for business. maybe i'll just put my headphones on.

favourite band covers favourite song

really. it doesn't get much better than this. but someone should have paid for a non-trial version of flip 4 mac.

the grande soy no water chai diet

does not work. but it sure makes you want to brush your teeth a lot.

high speed internet access isn't

the high speed internet access i have had at hotels this week has been a joke. except it's not funny. and i really need it. Cypress Hotel in Cupertino, our hotel of choice when heading to the mothership - 54 kb/s Comfort Inn just outside Ithaca NY - 5 kb/s Yes, 5. oh, it's up to 6 at the moment. oh, just a spike. back down to 4.0. It's like 1991. Except with webpages and email messages that are content rich like it's 2007.

travels

off to cupertino tomorrow morning. too early of a flight again. i'm not sure why i keep doing that. flying back to buffalo and then going to ithaca for a couple of days with the family. i need to go to sleep.

pocoyo

my favourite kids show. and maxwell is developing a taste for it, too. here's a trailer for the upcoming season two.

God Hates Fred Phelps (to the tune of $10.9 million)

I spent some time one day interviewing some of Fred's grandkids (or perhaps wives) while they were picketing in Iowa. It took everything i could muster not to smack them very hard. From the Guardian Unlimited website: A fundamentalist church that picketed a US soldier's funeral because it believes military deaths in Iraq are punishment for American tolerance of homosexuality has been ordered to pay almost $11m compensation. Albert Snyder, the father of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq last March aged 20, sued the Westboro Baptist church claiming that the protests ruined his son's funeral. The church, based in Kansas, routinely pickets funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs with messages including "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags". Writing on a website dedicated to the late Lance Cpl Snyder, the family said: "Using innocent children to deliver their twisted message of hatred and fear, the defendants in this suit have sought to attack the memory of our departed heroes, to strip their loved ones of their dignity, and to use abuse and intimidation as a tool for preventing surviving family members from reaching closure over their loss." Mr Snyder's lawyer, Craig Trebilcock, had urged jurors to award an amount "that says don't do this in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again." A Baltimore federal jury awarded Mr Snyder a total of $10.9m (£5.2m) after ruling that the group had violated the family's privacy and intentionally inflicted emotional distress. The church's leaders reacted defiantly to the verdict, saying it was "an act in futility", and pledged to continue to picket military funerals. The church's legal team had argued that the burial was a public event and that the protests were protected by the first amendment of the US constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion. Fred Phelps, the church's figurehead, said he was confident the verdict would be overturned on appeal. "Oh, it will take about five minutes to get that thing reversed," he said. The assets of the church and its three leaders are less than $1 million. Before the verdict was announced yesterday, Mr Phelps had stood outside the court holding a sign reading "God is your enemy", while his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, stood on an American flag with a sign proclaiming "God hates fag enablers". Supporters sang "God hates America" to the tune of God Bless America. The church, whose 75 members are largely composed of Mr Phelps' relatives, is regarded by some as a cult and blames natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the September 11 attacks on lax morality.

Lots of Listening

I was about to post a list of the songs that i have been listening to the most in the past 10 days, but the top of my iTunes Most Played playlist is full of just three artists: 1. Radiohead 2. Kathleen Edwards 3. Buck 65 The Radiohead album you know about. Kathleen's album isn't out until early in 2008. Buck 65's new album is available October 30. It's really good.

why don't they like us?

why?

dropped bottle

a little girl, maybe six or seven, just dropped her juice bottle at Starbucks. she just stared at it. you could tell she felt really bad. her dad didn't do anything to tell her it was okay. the staff didn't come out and offer her another drink. then she and her dad left. as they were going out she said "but dad, i'm really sorry." must be more understanding of the little things maxwell does. even more understanding of the big things, too. he's just three-and-a-half.

in rainbows

there is no other band like them. i mean, who else can announce on their website:

Hello everyone. Well, the new album is finished, and it's coming out in 10 days; We've called it In Rainbows. Love from us all. Jonny

And then, offer two versions for sale. One, a deluxe boxset with what looks like to be lots of amazing artwork and other bonus material, including the digital download two months before the album comes out, for 40 pounds, including shipping anywhere in the world. Or two, a digital download of the album for whatever you are willing to pay!. Well, i paid the forty quid and would have paid more. Holy crap. I can't wait until October 10th.

i dare you

5.1 Suspension/Termination… In addition, AT&T may immediately terminate or suspend all or a portion of your Service, any Member ID, electronic mail address, IP address, Universal Resource Locator or domain name used by you, without notice, for conduct that AT&T believes … (c) tends to damage the name or reputation of AT&T, or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries.

AT&T, you are terrible. So are your affiliates. And especially your parents. Your parents just plain stink. I wish they had never had you.

next

I think I have lost interest in the Internet. Can someone invent something else for me?

oh mets...

Breaking News Alert The New York Times Sunday, September 30, 2007 -- 4:49 PM ET ----- Season Ends for the Mets An 8-1 loss to the Florida Marlins, coupled with the Phillies' 6-1 victory against Washington, eliminated the Mets from postseason contention.

today's lessons

1. All the Starbucks pastries are laced with fat. They are fat with various bonding agents holding them together. Stay away. 2. I don't like country music. But, the new Lyle Lovett album is fabulous. Kathleen, you are not country, so don't send me hate mail.

spacemen 3

every now and then i get in a mood where i just want to listen to the droning noise of Spacemen 3. Perfect Prescriptions is one of my favourite albums of all time. So easy to get lost in. Sound of Confusion ranks as one of the best debut albums by anyone. Except for maybe Britney.

today's test

Quick - name someone cuter than this? Time's up! It's just as well because the answer is no one.

choices

it's time. yoga. eating better. less sugar. cut back on the chai. it's now or never. i either make the effort now to get in shape and lose weight or i get used to being an overweight middle aged guy who let himself go to waste. what would you choose?

my friend adam

someone from my past that i really do miss.

airport immigration wisdom

really, the best thing you can do is play dumb. fortunately, i realized that just in time.

skitch

i'm trying out skitch while waiting for the very, very slow iTunes servers to access the data i need.

here's my first photo. really, it's just an excuse to put a photo of maxwell on the site.

Rebellion (Lies)

i will hang up on the next label that tells me their a new band sounds like Arcade Fire. Having a violin and more than four people does NOT make you sound like Arcade Fire.

playing with the MyiTunes widgets

Cheney, you asshole

In 1994 Dick Cheney accurately predicted what would happen if the US had gone to Baghdad in the first gulf war. If only he had taken his advice the second time around.

avril vs. the child bride

is it just me, or does avril look just like the child bride, rhonda, from big love? either way, both give me the creeps.

presentation ass

One reason that i have a hard time continuing to play hockey is that when i have a bad game (not very often, i know) i get so down on myself that it literally takes a week, or longer, to recover. In the past i have been able to deal with it because i would play four games a week, so i could get back on the horse, so to speak. but now, as i'm older and busier, the games are further and further apart. Today i gave a presentation to some people who work with us. It went okay, but i was not happy with it at all. So, i guess what i'm saying is, does anyone need to have a presentation done? i'll have to gather some people together just to talk to them so i feel better. Maybe i should find a self-loathing support group that is interested in music.

John Lennon

I'm listening to the John Lennon Working Class Hero collection. It's making me cry. Such beautiful, meaningful music. Fuck you Mark David Chapman. I just can't do anything whenever "Watching the Wheels" comes on. I can't even finish this thought.

Universal kicks sand in our face

So Universal is going to sell DRM-free music to nearly everyone it can find to give it to, except for iTunes. I'm going to keep a sharpened pair of scissors around to hand to them so that when they cut their nose off to spite their face, it's at least a clean cut.

Maxwell v. Dad

It's an epic battle tonight. Will Maxwell go to bed or will he stay up all night? After nearly two hours of "dad i have to go pee," "dad, i love you," "dad, can i have a snuggle," maxwell seems to have decided that it's bedtime. although, i probably just jinxed myself. secretly, it's awesome to be loved so much and i'm enjoying it. perhaps too much. i'll have one tired kid tomorrow.

kidzapalooza

maxwell and i are going to lollapalooza tomorrow. we went last year, too. even as a two year old he loved it. just now he came running downstairs from bed, too excited to sleep. he needed to tell me what was to go in his carry-on luggage (lollipop and toy snake), what videos he wanted to watch and when he was going to watch them, and to ask what time the Flaming Lips were playing. Sadly, no Flaming Lips this year, but we agreed to listen to them on the airplane.

miracle fortress

Favourite new album: Miracle Fortress - Five Roses.

Coincidentally, they are the single of the week this week. Funny how that works.

maxwell writes...

at least we think it's him...

Clearly, a mistake has been made. For whatever reason, I have been singled out and wrongly characterized by the adult world as a "real handful." In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

and

It is the "terrible twos" all over again. A whole year boiled down to being "terrible," despite many notable achievements during those 12 months. I made huge strides in shape recognition and speech acquisition. Plus, need I remind you, I learned to walk while carrying a stuffed animal in my hands.

Really, he's very advanced for a three year old.

to build a home

i'm not saying that it's the best song of the year (yet), but The Cinematic Orchestra's "To Build a Home" with Patrick Watson on vocals is the most beautiful song i have heard in a long time. That Patrick Watson, he's going to be a superstar soon. Jump on the bandwagon now. As an added bonus, beginning Tuesday, the edit of this song is the single of the week in Canada. Not as good as the full version, but definitely worth the download. i like the space that the album version has. it's not in a rush to go anywhere.

new albums

love the new pornographers album. it's called Challengers. some great great songs on there. i may have to rethink the automatic #1 album of the year slot that has already been awarded to arcade fire. not loving the new tegan and sara album, The Con. i'd say i need to spend more time with it, but i don't want to listen to it again. it did nothing for me.

dear indie hipster coffee shop

Not that i go to an indie hipster coffee shop... this link pooped up via scott's twitter. none of you know scott. your loss. his twitters are the best.

Dear Indy Hipster Coffee Shop Near Where I Work, I think our relationship is broken. It's not a two-way street. It's not about OUR needs. It's become only about you. You and my money, that is. I know you have a lot on your mind lately, what with the play you're directing at the tiny theater, the band you may or may not be in, and your busy scowling schedule, but maybe when I come by you could sometimes look at me with a hint of welcome. Like I'm not a burden. Maybe you could treat me like the one bringing the money, and really the activity, into this relationship. Because that's what I am.

Read it all. It gets better.

must read this later

i love john gruber. not the cornell college classics professor, although, he's a great guy.

Regarding OS X-Based iPods

The simple truth is that the iPhone user experience doesn’t just blow away the experience of other companies’ cell phones – it blows away the experience of Apple’s own iPods. The biggest question, as I see it, is whether Apple plans to introduce iPods that are more or less just the iPod app from the iPhone (i.e. just music and video players), or iPods that are everything but phones, with Wi-Fi networking for email, web, and more.

ELO

i don't know why, but i feel like listening to ELO today. So I am. Weird.

My 5 favourite ELO songs:

1. Don't Bring Me Down
2. Sweet Talkin' Woman
3. Strange Magic
4. The Diary of Horace Wimp
5. Telephone Line

Hard to believe that I am responsible for iTunes Canada.

update: although it is fairly embarrassing to be caught singing ELO songs while in public. damn you Jeff Lynne for writing such catchy songs! and i forgot Livin' Thing from the top five. put it in at #5.

touching

you know, i don't care if i can't make any calls from Canada with it, i freakin' love my iPhone. the interface is unbelievable and the things you can do with it... it's the most elegant piece of technology i own, and i own a lot. when iPods come out with this interface it will be a day to celebrate. and buy another iPod.

Kid A

We were listening to music at dinner last night, amid all the boxes and items awaiting packing. A song comes on and Maxwell, who is 3, says "Dada, who is this?" i say i'm not sure, but it might be Radiohead. It sounded like a b-side from the Kid A era. Then Thom Yorke's vocals kick in. And Maxwell turns to me and says "It IS Radiohead!" I love my kid.

no, really

why do people still smoke? how can you trust the judgement of anyone who smokes? no, really.

repeat (over and over)

it's not that starbucks plays bad music (although they often do), it's more that they play the same music all the fucking time. i love the new feist album, but if i hear it in a starbucks one more time i'm going to puke.

chai flies

you'd think with all the money i give starbucks that they could do something to prevent the army of flies that is swarming the store at the moment. and by at the moment, i mean everyday. i'm scared to open my mouth for fear one will take up residence. maybe i'll bring a frog with me next time.

i got me an iPhone

it's beautiful. it's jaw dropping. the naysayers are just bitter that their phones aren't as good. they aren't even close to as good.

small talk

just had the most boring conversation of my life with someone in the office. how much small talk is one person capable of?

answer: 21 minutes.

more early reviews

this time on the new single of the week - Ces journées-lá by Quebec band Censia.

stop with the terrible free downloads *
come on, itunes, this stuff is TERRIBLE! Listeners, save your ears.

why the hell guys? *
french pop?

what the....? *
Give me a break! Do you think because we are Canadian we are going to like this garbage? Give me some real music to download please!

the first reviews are in

Walt Mossberg - Wall Street Journal

We have been testing the iPhone for two weeks, in multiple usage scenarios, in cities across the country. Our verdict is that, despite some flaws and feature omissions, the iPhone is, on balance, a beautiful and breakthrough handheld computer. Its software, especially, sets a new bar for the smart-phone industry, and its clever finger-touch interface, which dispenses with a stylus and most buttons, works well, though it sometimes adds steps to common functions. The Apple phone combines intelligent voice calling, and a full-blown iPod, with a beautiful new interface for music and video playback. It offers the best Web browser we have seen on a smart phone, and robust email software. And it synchronizes easily and well with both Windows and Macintosh computers using Apple's iTunes software.

David Pogue - New York Times

The phone is so sleek and thin, it makes Treos and BlackBerrys look obese. The glass gets smudgy—a sleeve wipes it clean—but it doesn’t scratch easily. I’ve walked around with an iPhone in my pocket for two weeks, naked and unprotected (the iPhone, that is, not me), and there’s not a mark on it. But the bigger achievement is the software. It’s fast, beautiful, menu-free, and dead simple to operate. You can’t get lost, because the solitary physical button below the screen always opens the Home page, arrayed with icons for the iPhone’s 16 functions.

God, i want one.

repeat listening

my most listened to songs for the past week.

crazy. on a theremin. awesome.

proof that you don't have to know anything to be an analyst

The iPhone will kill children and be impossible to hold, says Rob Enderle, who has never touched one, but likes to make shit up about Apple.

The phone will also feature a glass touch screen, instead of a plastic one. Robert Enderle, the principal analyst at Enderle Group, believes this move, intended as an improvement, could be a mistake. "They did correct one of the problems, but they may have created another one in the process," he said. "Now we have glass screen with a metal case." Because metal doesn't absorb shock, Enderle contends, anyone who drops their precious iPhone will end up with a broken screen and a ruined piece of equipment. "This is a pretty slick phone," he said. "I think dropping it is likely." But, according to Enderle, design isn't the iPhone's only problem. He says that he believes the company could be opening itself up to class actions. "A lot of kids are going to get this phone. Kids do a lot of ['blind'] texting on their phones" without looking at the screen, sometimes while they're driving, Enderle said. "With a touch screen phone, you have to look at the screen." Enderle believes it's possible that teenagers could get into accidents while using the phone and, rightly or wrongly, many parents could end up blaming the manufacturer. "One of these children is going to end up in someone's trunk," he said. "Often it's the vendor that's held accountable."

Enderle continued saying that terrorists already had plans to insert explosives inside every iPhone and that Apple was now the largest provider of abortions in America. Immediately after the analysis, Enderle's head exploded, revealing that instead of a brain, his head was filled with fecal matter.

a rare post about the iPhone

There is a great tour of the capabilities of the iPhone on the Apple website. You should really have some tissue nearby to wipe off the drool that will pour out of your mouth.

another reason to dislike air canada

"hate" is such a strong word. i'm going with "dislike." for now.

Air Canada puts pets on no-fly list
Canadian Press June 21, 2007 at 6:43 PM EDT
TORONTO — There's bad news for Air Canada travellers who want to bring their cherished pets along with them on the plane for their summer vacation. The airline says today that as of July 15th, Bowser and Muffy won't be allowed on its domestic passenger flights. And pending approval from the Canadian Transportation Agency, pets won't be accepted for flights to the U.S. or other international destinations. Dogs, cats and other pets will have to be shipped on cargo planes.

not that we needed another reason, but it helps to have a long list.

not the browser

i'm listening to opera! i don't recall ever having done this before. other than the soundtrack to Amadeus. and even then, i mostly skipped over the opera pieces. wow, i haven't turned into a frog yet. i thought for sure i would. or a unicorn or something. Tonight's opera of choice: Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier maybe i'm just getting old.

just the facts

according to a sociology research paper i was just reading (everyone needs a hobby), 50% of swingers voted for Ronald Reagan while just 23% voted for Jimmy Carter. Sadly, the source quoted by the author was a 1970 article. one other "fact" from a different paper - 40% of women under the age of 20 have been pregnant. That would be almost true if the 5% who have been pregnant were pregnant 8 times before turning 20. which leads to today's bit of wisdom: if you are going to make shit up, at least make an effort.

absolute best headline of the day

thank you associated press, thank you!

Bush Beats Twins to End 6 - Start Slide

favourite lines...

and if i spare your life, it's because the tide is leaving.

- Stephen Malkmus, "The Hook" from the album Stephen Malkmus i could do a whole blog just on Pavement and Stephen Malkmus lyrics.

did you know...

from ella fitzgerald's wikipedia entry:

Already blinded by the effects of diabetes, Fitzgerald had both her legs amputated in 1993. In 1996 she died of the disease in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 79. She is interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.

i know. there is no real reason for posting this, but some people didn't know.

saturday music report

a day late, but still just as exciting.

Johnny Cash - Sunday Morning Coming Down: This is done so well that i didn't even realize it was a live version until the applause at the end.

Supertramp - Take the Long Way Home: nuh-uh, your mom is. i know you are but what am i.

Arcade Fire - Funeral: the most exhilarating album EVER. as one of my friends who saw the San Francisco show said, they play like every show they do is going to be their last.

Caribou - Andorra: the new album. it will blow you away. unless you are dead when it comes out. then it won't do anything for you.

Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings: Out Tuesday through Sonic Unyon. "Wham City" may just be my favourite eleven-minute-forty-five-second song. Check that. it definitely is.

confession

i have to confess, i love Supertramp. Not in a guilty pleasure kind of way, but in a i would listen to them anywhere, anytime kind of way. unless someone else was around. so i guess i do feel guilty about it. hence, my confession. but that kind of FM-ready, pop/prog-rock forms the foundation for much of what i love today: Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Spiritualized, New Pornographers, Hidden Cameras... i could go on.

more from my friends at air canada

today's flight: San Francisco to Toronto, leaving at 12:05pm

but wait, it's air canada. there has to be a problem. the flight is overbooked AND... AND... there is a mechanical problem with our plane, so we are getting another one, but it's smaller. So, people are going to be bumped. To the 10:30pm flight, which gets into Toronto at 6:15am Sunday.

Knowing how this is going to end, i volunteer. At least i can get a chunk of work done and fly executive class on the redeye.

so thanks again, air canada. here's wishing you better luck in the future. and thanks for putting the "mer" back into "customer service." UPDATE: so i'm back at the airport for my new, improved departure time. and guess what? it has been pushed back an hour and a half. new departure time 11:55pm. which we all know isn't real because the inbound flight arrives at 11:30.

hall of fame commentary

best single of the week comment so far this week, but it is early. from the always positive alexmac, who i suspect is a 55 year old man who beat his children and eats the neighbourhood dogs:

Who selects the stuff we get for free, gezz, fire the person , let server process do it or a chimp either way , would be better.

Whom ever rates this above a 2 is a family member

Now that's hall of fame commentary.

funkier than a mosquito's tweeter

i am having one of those periods where i am frozen sitting in front of my computer. i can't leave it, but i can't get any meaningful work done. that has been the last three hours. just think of all the great things i could have accomplished in that time. instead, all i have to show for my time is this post. oh, i did run some cleaning scripts on my macbook pro. and i ran disk first aid. and i discovered that i really like nina simone. yeah, that's about it.

the low standards of Albania

from Toronto's Globe and Mail:

People waiting on the sidewalks Sunday gave Mr. Bush a rapturous welcome, shaking hands with him, grabbing him by the arms and wrists, reaching out to embrace him and even ruffling his hair.

Albania issued three postage stamps with Mr. Bush's picture and the Statue of Liberty, renamed a street in front of parliament in his honour, awarded him the highest National Flag medal, and the Fushe Kruje town council declared him an honoured citizen.

In a related story, Dick Cheney was named Albania's "Hunter of the Year."

avoiding all media

jesus christ. i was on a plane last night so i did not watch the last sopranos episode. so far today i saw a report on tv about it (i covered by ears and looked away), the front page of the NY Times website has a photos of Tony and Carmela, and some people at Starbucks were talking about it (i waited outside until they left - then killed them). i don't know how i'm going to make it through the week, especially since i'm going into the office today with a bunch of media junkies.

thanks air canada

seat booked: 11F, window in the economy plus section with a little extra leg room. seat given at the airport: 25E, middle seat near the back of the plane.

stink level alert: red

i'm getting on a plane to go to Cupertino tonight. it will be right after i finish playing hockey this afternoon. yes, i will shower, but i apologize in advance to the person in 11E. it usually takes two showers until the hockey stink goes away. mostly. i don't think it ever really does.

wii tennis

i just might be the best wii tennis player on the planet. i wish i could make it to wiimbledon and kick some brooklyn ass. i'm definitely not a very good wii boxer. and i think i can take most anyone in mario karts. especially any singer-songwriter types.

is this bad?

my local weather...

SEVERAL OBSERVATIONS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS STORM. THIS IS A WARNING THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORNADOES ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS. TAKE IMMEDIATE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.

update: house still standing.

friday music report

music that has caught my attention this week:

Kathleen Edwards - The Cheapest Key: It won't be out for awhile, but i think this will be at least as popular as an even bigger hit than "Back to Me." It's a great song, especially live. I listened to it 29 times the other day. In a row.

Tegan and Sara - the con: New album. wasn't going to be out for a couple of months, but then thanks to filesharing and leaks, it's coming out digitally on June 19.

The White Stripes - Rag and Bone: Second track to be released off Icky Thump. 100% fun.

Paul McCartney & Wings - Wingspan: It's easy to forget that Paul wrote many great songs throughout the 70s and 80s. Before he starting hanging out with Michael Jackson.

Wil - Wedding Dress: It's the single of the week in Canada next week. Really good. Can't wait to see the iTunes reviewers tear it apart. They are ruthless on the free stuff.

The New Pornographers - My Rights Versus Yours: First track off their upcoming album. They do keep getting better and better.

Battles - Atlas: I believe i may have said this on the iTunes site last week or the week before, but holy crap. This is mind blowing.

uh huh... zzz... wha? uh huh... zzz... sorry!

having an argument with your s.o. is not very productive when you have recently taken a double dose of benadryl. there are no winners.

ty

when chatting with someone and they type "ty" to mean "thank you," i find it hard to accept their gratitude with any seriousness. if you can't type out thank you, really, don't say anything. "thanks" is shorter. maybe you could try that. "word" is just four letters and conveys thanks and a certain retro street hipness.

they deserve one another

possibly the worst interview ever. on one had, we have a self-absorbed pop star (avril) whose career may be over at 22. on the other hand, she is being interviewed by a conversational midget who is equally self-absorbed. not that there is anything wrong with being a midget.

democrats are corrupt, too. maybe just a little less. except in this case.

From today's New York Times:

WASHINGTON, June 6 —Automobile executives are making progress in their resistance to tougher fuel economy requirements, an issue that sharply pits powerful Congressional Democrats from Michigan against party leaders who want to pass energy legislation by the end of this month. The chief executives of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler met with Senate lawmakers today, less than a week before Democrats plan a vote on a sprawling energy bill, and asserted that the bill’s proposed increase in mileage requirements would be impossible to meet and would gravely damage the industry. The bill would raise the average mileage requirement for passenger cars to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, up from the current 27.5 miles per gallon, and it would include light trucks and sport-utility vehicles in that requirement. But key House and Senate Democrats are pushing a softer standard, and they appear to have a good chance of getting what they want. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, both of Michigan, are drafting a bill that would raise mileage requirements but give car companies opportunities to escape the requirements if they appeared to be too difficult to meet.

This is what is wrong with politics. Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, crap like this makes all politicians seem like they are beholden to special interests and the short-sighted needs of their "constituents." The good people of Michigan are going to be breathing the same polluted crappy air as the rest of us. It's in everyones best long term interest to get inefficient cars off the road. Unless, of course, the automakers are funding your campaign.

1 down, 12,141 to go

looks like i'll be crossing at least one starbucks off my list. i ordered my grande soy chai (no water) in a mug, and for the second time in a row they put it in a tall mug. the baristas and i had a healthy debate over this, which resulted in them putting my chai in what i believe to be a grande mug, but only filling it up 3/4 of the way. in effect a win for both of us, except for the fact that i paid for 16 ounces of delicious sugary chai and got about 12. i think the baristas and i have come to a mutual agreement that it would be best if i frequented one of the other 12,141 starbucks worldwide.

flies

i think i have killed about 15 flies today. is it just me or do they seem to be slower and fatter this year. oh wait, that is me. my rule on bugs - in the house, you are dead. outside, i leave you alone. any bugs reading this, you have been warned.

greetings. this is me.

i listen to music. i read the news. i don't stress about the little things, but worry about the big ones. i'm liberal. i have little use for conservatives. i believe in basic human kindness. i think people are good but can easily turn into republicans. i don't like a lot of people, but the ones i like, i like a lot. i use a mac. i don't drive an american car. i like things that are well designed and are easy to use. i have a three-year-old son. i don't like capital letters. this is the start of my blog.