Baneworld - the Free Online Fantasy RPG

Published on March 28, 2008 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

www.baneworld.com, the Free Online Fantasy RPG has launched. It’s pretty cool, you can play anywhere you have a net connection on any computer. That’s because it’s run on on your web browser - so no downloads, or patches or messy stuff like that.

The graphics are pretty simple, but the game is really detailed with over 6000 items, 100s of monsters and lots of quests. It launched Mar 1 but is adding about 50 new player a day now.

And yup, I was involved in the game but it’s mainly the project of my brother Greg and his friend — good work guys!

CBC Blows It; JPod Canceled

Published on March 18, 2008 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

The only show on TV that I am passionate about has been canceled. Now I’m not a TV guy - I get two channels … fuzzily. Yeah I’m one of those. So for *ME* to care about a TV show is pretty strange. But JPod hits it on all notes, Quirky yet somehow Relevant Plotlines, Interesting Characters that I actually care about, and . Basically it’s the dog’s bollocks. And it’s being canceled by CBC. Great, so we have shows about a teen horse whisperer (HeartLand), another wanna be Ally McBeal (Sophie) and the one that’s interesting is being cancelled. Nice work guys.

Evidently the problem is that geeks are watching the show online and this doesn’t count towards the numbers. OK, so if you put a show aimed at geeks why the hell would you NOT update your counting system. We watch shows online -> get used to it. And we have spending bucks so figure a way to integrate product placement in there. We don’t mind - as long as it’s cool techie stuff, not a random McDonald’s plug.

Anyway, you can watch the shows here on the CBC website (or download it on a torrent)
http://www.cbc.ca/jpod/ –> click the “Watch Full Shows” on the top

If you think the CBC’s antiquated metrics are leading them to BDZ (Butthead Decision Zone), then sign the petition here:
http://www.savejpod.ca/petition/

God Hates Tweed

Published on March 12, 2008 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

True Story: So I was in the “Irish” pub just opposite the European parliament in Brussels. I was at a table with my back to the wall. Had a tweed jacket on (I know but at one time it was trendy). I started feeling warm and asked my friend, “Is it warm in here?”. He said, “hmmm”. I then calmly turned my back to him and asked, “Am I on fire?”. He said, “yes”. So I calmly took off my jacket, put it on itself to put out the fire and then finished my drink. The fire was real and about the size of a bun plate.

So the deal is that there were candles on the ledges all around the bar. I assumed that people had thought through where these things were placed and so there was no danger. I had concluded this walking in. Silly Colin.

Saturday A Meteor Landed on Peru

Published on September 19, 2007 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Carancas, Peru - In what could be a scene out of a bad disaster movie, a meteor smashed into a very rural area near Carancas. Happily since it fell in a rural area, no one was killed, by the 6 meter deep and 30 meter long crater. The incoming meteroid was visible from the capital Lima over 1000 km away.

The crater spewed what officals said were “fetid, noxious gases”. Local villagers and other early invegators fell ill from this the gas generated by the event. Many others have irritated eyes and sinuses.

Investigators were soon on the scene, ” went off to investigate and found a lake of sedimentary deposit”, said Dr Caroline Smith, a Natural History Museum meteorite expert, “which may be full of smelly, methane rich organic matter had been mistaken for a crater.”

Experts are not exactly sure why the villagers, and others, fell ill. Tests are being conducted now as to the matter in the crater and surrounding are. Until then locals are avoiding using the watertable for their flocks or themselves.

Full Story is abilable many places on the web but also on Canada.com

Canadian National Exhibition

Published on August 31, 2007 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

The CNE is on. In fact, it’s literally right down the road from my office.  If you’re not Canadian I might explain that CNE is Canadian National Exhibition.  Part of that is an air show with Jets etc.  As I write this they are practicing for the air show tomorrow.  We just had a flyby now so the windows are rattling, and monitor is shaking earthquake-style.

It’s a beautiful sunny day so people are just stopping on the street to watch, and chatting with each other.  Quite cool.  As for the planes, it’s amazing the “stalling” in midair, the barrelrolls, and the NOISE and VAPOUR trails as they roll and flip as tightly as possible.  Cool.

The End of Summer is the Start of Spring for Businesses in Canada

Published on August 29, 2007 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

The air is tainted by melancholy in Canada.  Kids have started going back to school, and families have taken all their summer vacations.  Some might get a few more weekends at their summer cottages until those too are boarded up for the Canadian winter.

But if you think about it, while the Summer is the season of fun and grown for people and nature, it’s inverse for business.  Really summer is a time of hibernation, where businesses run on skeleton staffs and decisions are delayed.  Well at least decisions more complicated than stapler refilling.

But it would take a true optimist to say “Hey great summer is over, now the Business Spring starts!”

Random Story; But Quite Neat

Published on August 22, 2007 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

http://www.shigabooks.com/strips/fleep/scrollindex.html

It is almost a detective mystery. But I don’t want to spoil it.

Hockey, the Internet And Friendships

Published on August 22, 2007 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I’m in a hockey league called the EMFHL. Except for a two season break, I’ve been playing in it since university, well over a decade now. How Canadian is that?

It’s allowed me to stay in touch with friends, and build new friendships while going through my first decade of work — and while living overseas in London, Brussels, and Atlanta. I could play everyday even when I was in exchange programs to universities in Singapore and Mexico.

Well that sounds like a pretty weird Hockey League - I mean how do we play when we’re not in the same town, let alone the same country? Well it’s actually an Internet Hockey League. What happens is the commissioner (one of the 16 people in the league), runs the games every night and then either emails the results or posts them to the - EMFHL Website - www.emfhl.com. The people in the league, General Managers and Coaches, then review the results and either make changes to their lines, make trades, or send out mails to each other bragging about wins or whining about losses. These mails are called Press Releases and written in the style of an official Press Release in the sporting pages.

The question asked by all our girlfriends and wives is — why? Well part of it is the competitive fire that we all have. It’s a safe way to vent it. The other reason is we like hockey and games in general. You take a team and manage it with the horizons of years, not just a night. Lastly though is I think the real glue behind it all - friendships.

See while I’ve been travelling I’ve happened to stay in touch with some childhood friends because of this. As you hit your 20s and 30s a lot of people find those friendships fade. Not intentionally but from lack of time and interaction. Add different time zones and continents into the mix and the odds of staying in touch diminish. I guess in many ways this was a precursor to Groups on Facebook and other now mass-market Social Networking sites.

Well due to this, I’ve stayed in touch with one of my best friends, Quinn Carter. And he’s kept me hooked into the crowd we grew up with. I think the friendship that grew from this was one of the large reasons I became MC at Darren and Elizabeth Hall’s wedding. I’m good friends with dudes that I’ve not met! The list goes on.

In fact, last night I met up with two GMs from this league who I knew but who hadn’t seen each other in ages. But since we talk all the time it was just fun to go watch a baseball game together. And annoy everyone around us discussing hockey :)

Jedi Squirrels

Published on March 26, 2007 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

starwars_smaller.jpg

YMCA - Village People Change Lineup

Published on December 11, 2006 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Street Music - Motzart Style

Published on November 21, 2006 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I could describe this but it’s best to watch from the very start — if you like alternative, funny performances then it’s for you.

Video : Mozart Street Music

Dotcom Naming Mistakes

Published on November 2, 2006 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

It sucks when you name your child something   But when it comes down to it, who cares about your child’s feelings?  After all they are not you.  But to many a busy business professional your business *is* your identity.  And these losers birthed loser URLs.
http://www.nextwebgen.com/2006/08/02/top-10-worst-company-urls/

Actually if they were really smart they’d give up the original purpose of the site and just sell them to porn-kings for the URL alone.

Love it or Leave it - Toronto the Good

Published on October 27, 2006 in Uncategorized. 1 Comment

Friend of mine wrote this.  She’s been living away from TO for ages then decided to come back.

**
I LOVE TORONTO, DAMMIT!!

I am sick and tired of people bitching about what a crappy city Toronto is.
I’ve lived elsewhere and moved back ayear ago, so I have another reference.

I love the fact that apart from a couple of neighbourhoods, you can stumble home from partying safely, pretty much any time, night or day.  Common sense is always good, but apart from that- you’re good.  I love the factthat I own a car and hardly ever drive it.  I love the 15 minute walk to work and that regardless of where you work in the city, living close to work is ALWAYS an option.

People are always nice, and you can be nice to people too.  Nobody takes it badly.  There is a huge variety of fashion and people on the streets, and because everyone is so different, nobody sticks out or merits a stare.  Sure there are some people out there a little more daring in dress, tattoo art and hairstyle, but that is exactly the thing that makes neighbourhoods like Queen West such a fun place to experience.  I love the fact that you can get any type of food, and that there are so many hidden gems- cheap eateries, eclectic second hand stores, and avant garde jewelry and clothing stores.
In Toronto, you can be as original as you want to be.

I love the fact that a stroll in any given area will introduce you to gorgeous tree lined streets with different types of architecture, quiet oases of calm surrounded by downtown streets.  I love the fact that lake Ontario is at the foot of the city- for everyone to enjoy, and that you can take a ferry to the Islands to just chill (or nude bathe, not my thing, but
hey!)  I love that there are so many  places to buy ice cream, and non-franchise places to eat breakfast, and that on any given day, you can hear between 10 and 15 languages spoken on the city streets.

I love the street fruit markets with excellent prices, I love Kensington with influences from all over the world.  I love the hot dog stands on the corners, I love the matinees, anywhere.  I love that I can go to matinees alone, and nobody bats an eye in this city.

I love st. Lawrence market, I love the opera, I love the snowy nights where everything is quiet, I love just hanging out with my friends at the $5 martini place.  I love the fact that deals are to be had everywhere, I love the antique shops on King east and west, I love the symphony, I love the music scene- or I would if I got out to experience it more.  I love the fact that I am 33 and this city still makes me feel like I am 20.

I love the fact that there is a bar called el Convento Rico where straight people, gay people, drag queens etc. all hang out and party together.  I love the fact that every now and again, I still get asked for ID.  I love College street, I love Queen Street, I love the ROM, i love my mom, I love the fact that everyone else hates the city.  All the more of it for me to love!
Susie sunshine…

Real Life Force Field being Marketed

Published on October 27, 2006 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

General Dynamics has just released a new video demonstrating its Trophy Active Defense System, which is basically an invisible force field for military vehicles that disables incoming RPG rounds.  Check out the forcefield’s demonstration video.
Sadly for the SciFi fans, it doen’st provide protection vs. lasers.


US Congressional Page Scandal - “Don’t Read it” Video

Published on October 27, 2006 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

The US Congressional Page Scandal has unleashed a bit of good old creativity. Check out the “Beat it” remiix video by Walt Handelsman. Slightly different than Weird Al’s “Eat it” from 22 years ago.

Telepathy in the Age of Blogs

Published on October 27, 2006 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Ratbert (below) hit it on the head that, although there are many great websites and mess o’ good blogs, a lot of self-published stuff on the web can be kinda useless. Compile it together though and you can find some interesting trends. Ergo why I’ve spent years setting up www.imagebarometer.com.

First Post

Published on October 18, 2006 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

What does one choose as your first post? Especially as my groups of friends all seem to have interseting, but non-overlapping interests.

Well maybe something that everyone can dig into.

I’m not religious but I almost died in Jerusalem. Three times. In the same day.

1st) got arrested by PLA, passports taken and screamed at in Arabic. Evidently we were Jewish spies. A Canadian, and American and an Aussie. Thankfully May 2001, pre 9/11.

2nd) Young naive Adam first insults the Jewish Soldier guarding Rachel’s tomb. Then when we’re done he starts taking photographs of all the guard towers and sandbagged sniper emplacements. But that’s fine because they only shoot at each other from these at sundown. Oh wait, did I say this was sundown. And we had a 15 minute walk to border point on roads that could have doubled for the moon with all the bullet holes?

3rd) Well once it dawned on the crew that we had been very lucky, we all felt a bit burnt out and in the end avoided getting out to one of the 4 pubs that night. Which is lucky because 2 of them were blown up by suicide bombers that night.

Yeah, so basically if Adam hadn’t have taken the pics we’d have been blown up (50%) or scarred (50%) one way or another.

Jerusalem. Bethlehem. Yea, fun.