Categories
Miscellaneous

Jeff Milner Movie Review – American Splendor

Anna and I rented American Splendor (IMDB link) DVD over the weekend. I can’t really say whether I give this movie a positive or negative rating overall. I’m glad I saw it, but I felt that at times it was slow and never, throughout the film, had a point. It just sort of told the story of Harvey Pekar and his comic books and then ended. It did pick up midway through the film with scenes of Harvey’s actual appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman, and I found his nerd friend pretty funny with his love of all things nerdy – especially “Revenge of the Nerds”.

Overall I think you have to be a person that either loves underground comics, independent films, or just loves to watch movies to really enjoy this film. My recommendation: get it if you think you will like it, if you’re not sure, then you probably won’t. I know that seems odd, but based on my own reaction and the reaction of others that I know who have seen it, I think that’s a pretty fair way to put it.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Washer & Dryer

I finally sold my old washer and dryer. I am very happy to have them out of the house. I’d like to say I am going to do something particularly special with the money, but in truth it will be going to my monthly bills. I am very happy though, to have the washer and dryer gone.

More importantly than my Washer and Dryer (boring) is the fact that Anna-Maria has made a triumphant return to Lethbridge and has no plans to leave again anytime soon. Anna-Maria was on tour for the last two months doing theatre performances in the French immersion and francophone schools all over Alberta. I’m so happy she’s back – I was wasting away and already I’m feeling (and looking) much better.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Impossible Japanese pencil carvings

Since wood carving is my dad’s favorite pastime, I figured I should point out this interesting pencil carving site I found (via BoingBoing) about carvings made out of number 2 pencils.

“To take carving in the wood of a pencil”, is certainly what pencil carving is all about. But we are required to be skilled enough for delicate woodwork in carving out a pattern like some kind of a tracery without making any miscut on the naked lead inside.

Categories
life

My Day at School with Professor Mathew Kabatoff

It was another incredible day at Production Management. Weird things happen in that class, its like entering the Twilight Zone. Anyway despite the tension and insanity, I think I at least learned a couple of important lessons.

  1. There is a time and a place for criticism directed at an instructor. This time and place is not in class even though in this case he specifically asked each student for their opinion. I don’t know why I didn’t just button up.
  2. Since I couldn’t keep my mouth shut, I wish I would have at least made a comment about something that mattered.
  3. Since I felt the dire need to speak up, and since I picked something that didn’t mean anything anyway, I could have at least bowed out a little more gracefully when he started to yell.

I did my best and realize my mistake. Well after everything is said and done I can at least say I learned something in Production Management today.

Update: It looks like my prof, Mathew Kabatoff, took the concerns I shared to heart. He updated his web page outline, and in doing so rectified my concerns. That seems so weird given his hostile reaction in class.

Categories
download

Host File – There’s No Place like 127.0.0.1

Here is a copy of the host file that I use. (Right click Save As) and then save it over your old host file (making sure it has no extension). The old host file can be found at:

Windows XP = c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc
Windows 2K = c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc
Win 98/ME = c:\windows

This file contains a list of web sites you’d rather your computer not bother to look up. For example a site that uses advertising from the DoubleClick advertising network would show it’s own content but not the ads if you had the line 127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net in your hosts file.

The host file can also prevent tracking which sites you use. I can’t tell you what a big difference a good hosts file can make in your browsing experience. Find out more about host files.

Update: By default, if you try to modify your hosts file in Vista, it will not let you save it. It tells you that you don’t have permission. To successfully modify the hosts file, run notepad.exe as an administrator and open the file.

  1. Browse to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories
  2. Right click “Notepad” and select “Run as administrator”
  3. Click “Continue” on the UAC prompt
  4. Click File -> Open
  5. Browse to “C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc”
  6. Change the file filter drop down box from “Text Documents (*.txt)” to “All Files (*.*)”
  7. Select “hosts” and click “Open”
  8. Copy and paste the text from my hosts file into yours. Save and close Notepad.

The above instructions also work for Windows 7.

Also note that I try and update my hosts files from time to time so even though this post is old, the file may not be.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Top 100 April Fools Day Hoaxes

The Museum of Hoaxes has the Top 100 April Fools Day Hoaxes of all time. The picture here is ranked number 1 and it comes from the BBC news show Panorama. As part of the April 1st, 1957 broadcast they announced that because of very mild winters and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper crop. I remember my dad telling me that he saw this during a news clip when he was a kid going to see a movie. I guess in those days you got news at the theatres instead of worthless ads before the show.

With April 1st coming right up, I’m thinking of some possible pranks to pull, but alas I’ve come to the conclusion I’m not much of a prankster. Plus I’m going to Calgary with Anna-Maria to see the BareNaked Ladies or BNL, if you prefer. I saw their show the last time they were in Calgary and I must say – they put on a great performance. I’ll have reviews of this upcoming show posted here in the first week of April.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Ping Pong Meets The Matrix

See what appears to be a comedy show where ping pong meets the matrix.

Categories
Art culture

Old Sailor Social Theory Trading Card

Social Theory Trading Cards are making a comeback in the blogosphere lately. Here is an unofficial card that I produced. If you don’t know Old Sailor, then I recommend reading some of his posts. I wonder what the folks over at Plastic will think of this. I would make more of them, but I’m not good at writing up people’s social theory.

Old Sailor Trading Card

Update: Old Sailor responds.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Swiss Army Knife with USB

Victorinox has created a version of the classic Swiss Army Knife that has a USB key as one of it’s tools. This, for those that don’t know about USB devices – like my parents, would allow you to connect your knife to your computer and transfer data to and from your knife. So if you’re thinking about burning your favorite MP3’s to CD to take to a friends house, with this invention all you would need to do is download the files onto your knife and then plug it in to your pals computer. I already carry my knife with me everywhere anyway; this would be way more useful than say a corkscrew or nail file.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Beware Dihydrogen Monoxide Can Be Fatal If Inhaled

I’m glad somebody is finally (almost) doing something about the dihydrogen monoxide threat. Think about that the next time you buy Styrofoam cups and think you’re not putting yourself at risk.