tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33833712012-02-16T14:46:15.103-05:00Al's Archive BlogAlnoreply@blogger.comBlogger781100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-70874157420258825322007-04-14T20:53:00.000-04:002007-04-17T18:49:35.546-04:00

I ran across this unusual backyard art display in an unusual place, in a backyard at 695  Sheppard Ave W in Toronto. Titled Meeting The Shadow - Baggage Unclaimed, the artist describes it as a social comment about "...how individuals handle and most often disown their negative personality traits, their denied shadows".More photos here at Flickr.The artist asks for feedback at papor@sympatico.ca

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-33323359236904740052007-03-03T12:33:00.001-05:002007-03-03T12:49:39.921-05:00

Icy Car Originally uploaded by DeafDJ.It's always interesting which photos other people like. It's not always the shots you expect. This recent picture of my car in the morning after Toronto's snow and ice storm on March 1, has rapidly become my most popular with viewers.I was lucky that I forgot to take out my recycling blue box the night before. I had to do it in the morning before the garbage

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-39425741748199824302007-02-25T21:43:00.001-05:002007-03-03T12:49:03.503-05:00

Snowy Fill-Up Originally uploaded by DeafDJ.Filling Up at Wilson Heights and Sheppard as the lastest storm blows in. Don't ya just love the prices! And Canada is an oil exporting nation, eh!

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-34243835048166617792007-02-07T21:16:00.001-05:002007-03-03T12:50:49.194-05:00

Ghost Dog Originally uploaded by DeafDJ.Pretty much every time I leave the house or arrive back home, Sasha is watching through the window. Often not moving, just watching, watching for those signs and clues that let her know she's going for a walk! She has a really comfortable couch to rest on while she watches, but she'd immediately give it up for a chance to run outside, no matter what the

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-41898103626287008012007-01-05T21:25:00.000-05:002007-03-03T12:42:59.293-05:00

The local, grassfed Bison Sirloin Tip Roast was promoted as being the highlight of the meal I was preparing for my mother's birthday. All care was taken in it's sourcing, transportation and preparation. I even bought a digital meat thermometer to make sure I cooked it correctly. But all that was in vain, as I cut into a less than tender, and fat veined roast.Luckily I had a couple of backup plans

Alnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-43822301082599985992006-12-31T00:46:00.000-05:002007-03-03T12:53:58.778-05:00

These old fashioned, sugar shack style butter tarts are the liquidy kind that I love. And if the repeated requests 'to make some more' are any indication, there's a lot of runny tart lovers out there! Here's the recipe:Alan's Maple Syrup Butter Tarts1/3 cup pure maple syrup1 egg1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted1 tbsp half & half cream (10% MF)2/3 cup brown sugar, packed1/2 cup raisins1/2 tsp

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1166571134408836892006-12-19T16:55:00.000-05:002007-03-03T12:46:28.860-05:00

Michael Schmidt, the Ontario farmer currently on a 4-week hunger strike to protest the government's shutdown of his raw milk business, has another press conference/rally in front of the Legislative Building at Queens Park tomorrow, Wednesday December 20, 1996 starting at 10:30am (inside and out of the Blue Bus). Along with support of Toronto's top chefs, Michael will announce the end of his

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1166477621833339982006-12-18T15:59:00.000-05:002007-03-03T12:52:57.446-05:00

Green website TreeHugger has concerns about some of the conclusions reached in Voting With Your Trolley (trolley=British supermarket cart), a recent article in The Economist that looks critically at the practices of the Organic, Fair Trade, and Local Food movements.What does seem clear is that using only economic logic to analyze real-life problems leaves much out of the equation.

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1164516491830395642006-11-25T23:22:00.000-05:002006-11-26T16:48:14.480-05:00

The original 100 Mile Diet was created in Vancouver, Canada.I've always tried to have a edible garden, use pick-your-own farms, and make preserves when local produce was in season, so this plan really appeals to me.When I draw a 100 mile circle around Toronto I get a big chunk of New York State and Lake Ontario. Since I don't think there's anything in the lake that I'd want to eat, and NY State

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1162952470668534002006-11-07T20:54:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:08:56.966-05:00

We all need shaking up every so often.Well I've been shaken and stirred! And I like the results...Old sites are being renovated, and new one are coming online.This blog (In Service To My Selfish Meme) will focus on sustainable local food, photography, travel, music, science and technology, plus my overflow repository of stuff that I can't fit anywhere else.Photo journals, both family and other,

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1141182411784121632006-02-28T22:02:00.000-05:002006-11-26T16:56:59.036-05:00

Just too funny not to post!An ANAGRAM Map of the Toronto subway system.

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1136349385136223272006-01-03T23:36:00.000-05:002006-01-03T23:39:59.120-05:00

Bothers On The Ledge Originally uploaded by DeafDJ. A snowy winter day outside, but Sims & Shrimper have a warm viewing ledge.

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1133641627014276602005-12-03T15:27:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:00:57.033-05:00

Blustery Madawaska Lake Originally uploaded by DeafDJ. Well, Irate Radio was disappointing.First it saved all the mp3s it played on my harddrive. Now this is ok, but now I have to manange them!I rated the music I heard, but the system didn't seem to be able to find anything that I really liked.SO... off it goes into the land of forgotten uninstalls....MUCH BETTER is Pandora!Enter a

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1127190116110456252005-09-20T00:08:00.000-04:002006-11-26T16:59:12.063-05:00

Thanks to a suggestion from Steph The Geek I've been having loads of fun with iRATE radio.The program automatically downloads legal mp3 files. You listen and rate them. Over time the server chooses music similar to tracks you've previously highly rated.I'll let you know if it really picks music I like after I've spent a week or two training it.PHOTO: Sims Eyes

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1123643991361537482005-08-09T22:34:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:11:06.340-05:00

If you've been browsing my pictures you may have noticed that I cohabit with a number of cats.That results in a surplus of empty cat litter containers.Here's a couple of uses that I've found for the plastic cat litter containers with handles.1. Plant Containers.Rip off the top, pull off the litter logo, and punch a few holes in the bottom with a hammer and screwdriver. Fill with potting soil and

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1123033322606329722005-08-02T21:37:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:11:58.906-05:00

Is anyone else getting *%$!@@ off by the Canadian Tire guy?How about the commercial where his ATV is 'just a summer toy'!For most people it would be a struggle to afford, a major purchase.But the CTC guy, who has everything, his smug attitude just annoys!And with his exclusive contract, perks, and salary, he probably does have all the 'toys'.Sorry, just had to let that one out!

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1110597366185373172005-03-11T22:09:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:16:22.640-05:00

I've been busy posting, but mostly to Flickr.com.There's a set from the Internet Retailing conference that I attended in Palm Springs, and kittens everywhere you look!Use the MY FLICKR PHOTOS link at the top of this page, or just click the link in this post.

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1106882993875162872005-01-27T22:25:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:13:53.020-05:00

If you take digital photographs and want to see them at their best, try the excellent FREE photo management program from Google, PICASA.This is a really sweet program. Besides the organizational benefits, the image manipulation tools are both extremely easy to use and first rate.Even your worst photos can suddenly look like works of art!

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1105316583154903972005-01-09T18:50:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:15:12.686-05:00

One of my recent distractions has been FLICKR.It's filled a need I had for sharing photos that didn't warrant the work of creating a web page for GlobeUrban, my Home Site, and were not 'serious' enough for my account at Deviant Art.My Flickr photos are for friends, relatives, and other social communications.Others are pushing Flickr into new uses. Where else can you find 44 great pictures of

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1096948592870526222004-10-04T23:43:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:17:35.810-05:00

47 years ago today was the dawn of the space age, when when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I.Now, on the anniverary of that amazing day, SpaceShip 1, the first private rocket ship wins the X-Prize.The backyard spaceship, like the garage microcomputer, is destined to change our expectations of the future.

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1088385688335874412004-06-27T21:15:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:24:58.816-05:00

A quick cold front storms through and leaves a sunset with rainbows and dramatic skies.

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1087257036895787852004-06-14T19:20:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:27:28.373-05:00

The long, slow journey to ringed Saturn is over, we're in the neighbourhood! And the view is amazing! On the way to a landing on Titan in January 2005, the Cassini plutonium powered spacecraft is passing by Phoebe (see photos below), one of Saturn's 31 know moons. You can see the underlying ice of the crater wall shining white in the weak light from the far away sun

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1085236671630235452004-05-22T10:13:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:37:29.623-05:00

Music without big business, what a concept.Even when I find music that I like, if it's managed by a major record company then I somehow feel abused,manipulated and overcharged.Music produced by people who have signed a contract with the mainstream labels makes for a more stressfullistening experience than hearing music directly from the creators.The decaying ethics of the majors devalues and

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1084855877488563862004-05-17T23:23:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:38:28.050-05:00

I like listening to new music.I don't enjoy hearing the same song over and over again.So being both tired of the hassles involved in just listening tonew 'copyright' music and seeing little value in buying mp3 music files,I've been receptive to new sources for my musical satisfaction.Here's the 1st of a couple links that you might want to try.Whole Wheat Radio originates from a 12 x 12 cabin in

Alnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1082518142721496182004-04-20T23:28:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:42:55.646-05:00

Early Spring in the Land of Sasha's Dacha

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1079827032925701592004-03-20T18:55:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:44:11.666-05:00

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1079758750113029882004-03-19T23:37:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:44:56.823-05:00

The 'Selfish Biocosm Hypothesis'; with a name like that, it must be embued with at least the essence of interesting.James Gardner brings together ideas from edges of the scientific specialties, then links and translates those concepts into the common language. the universe is an organism that is born, grows, and reproducesCool!

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1079582494103501342004-03-17T22:51:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:46:45.203-05:00

Tired of finding nothing new or interesting to listen to on the peer-to-peer networks, and the thought of actually buying low quality, and often crippled, mp3s is just too distressing to consider?Here's a couple of alternate options to check out.The Gotan Project is worth a visit. Audio and video from Argentinean musicians exiled in Paris playing ultra modern tango. Yummy!Or maybe a trip into

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1078552001612915332004-03-06T00:44:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:48:10.603-05:00

The wonders of Internet grocery delivery on a bright, crisp winter day.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1078202158636382022004-03-01T23:35:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:50:40.890-05:00

Sashaaka: Slash, Slasher, Slashie

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1075065211779051482004-01-25T16:13:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:51:14.906-05:00

THE SOLAR SYSTEM BECOMES A NEW BACKYARD FOR HUMANSVisit the surface of MARS in 3-D (hope you saved your old cardboard 3D-glasses), look down from orbit from the MARS EXPRESS, flyby the comet WILD-2 (some of the tail material is being brought back to Earth), and marvel at the surface of VENUS (great new pictures from the Russian Venera Landers! Look Below!)

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-107223789970909742003-12-23T22:51:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:53:39.836-05:00

Before it's sued out of existence, Visit this very slick parody of Paul Martin's (Canada's prime minister) official web site.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1071723413046433352003-12-17T23:56:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:54:13.030-05:00

This is so cool!Climbing at a 60 degree angle and flying near 1.2 Mach, SpaceShipOne made history today.A privately financed, passenger carrying, piloted rocket plane has successfully completed it's first powered flight and controlled landing.This gives me new hope that we may yet survive to fully become an extra planetary species.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1071039644563135582003-12-10T02:00:00.000-05:002006-11-26T17:55:50.113-05:00

Back To Ten Point Lodge. For a too short week this October I stayed by the lake.Come and SeeJudy's studio and craftsPreparing for the deer hunting seasonTurning trees into logsEvidence of beaverLatest stage of the lodge construction

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-1062477368599639612003-09-02T00:36:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:57:08.890-05:00

Join Sasha on her 4 day tour through Ontario's near north.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-959336282003-06-22T23:59:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:57:54.400-05:00

If you enjoy quality websites and haven't had a chance to review the Webby Awards, it's a great source of worthwhile links. Take 10 minutes soon and try some of the winners and some of the nominees.A couple of my favourites include the Visual Thesaurus Online Edition and Cockeyed.Com

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-953970872003-06-07T00:23:00.000-04:002006-11-26T17:58:28.036-05:00

I've always wanted to create gallery web pages, you know, the ones with the thumbnail pictures that you click to see enlarged. The concept seemed fairly straightforward, but time consuming if you have to write all that HTML code by hand. Through a TUDOGS referral, I found a great solution. Try J Album. It's FREE, it works well, and it's fairly intuitive to use.I published a test page using

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-942466572003-05-13T01:04:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:00:12.420-05:00

May 2003 Toronto:Cuzin Carol's in town! Bringing not only great videos of her growing Mud River Ranch wild boar herd in Northern British Columbia, and exciting stories of a newly hatching wild turkey project, but also a small keepsake that's revealed greater depth than expected.Just a simple keychain, made from a piece of thinly sliced pine cone, either Jack or Lodge Pole.Yet I keep seeing the

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-933771552003-04-27T23:47:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:02:45.340-05:00

This is no Weed!Don't kill this beautiful and useful creature.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-927603002003-04-17T00:57:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:06:11.406-05:00

HREF="http://www.cbc.ca/news/features/martin_paul_inc030311.html">Paul Martin, formerly of Power Corp., has encouraged his family's business, Canada Steamship Lines, to avoid paying Canadian taxes and wages by registering his fleet offshore, operating under a 'flag of convenience'.This man expects to be the next Prime Minister of Canada.Maybe we'll run Canada under a 'flag of convenience' and

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-924710402003-04-12T01:27:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:11:37.370-05:00

Why does Canada's Prime Minister fail to support the removal of a greedy, evil dictator?Why would the government support the continuation of such a brutal regime?Could it be that money, power, and the family imperative have some influence?Check this out and then you decide:The Western oil company with the closest ties to the late Saddam is France's TOTAL FINA ELFTOTAL FINA ELF's largest

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-922612882003-04-08T22:21:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:13:12.380-05:00

The worst of the weather forecasts failed to materialize.But we're still frozen in place.So far, April in Toronto has stayed below freezing.Very Cool.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-919538992003-04-03T21:38:00.000-05:002006-11-26T18:14:53.873-05:00

It looks nasty! Here it is, April 2003 in Toronto, and the media is hyping the worst storm of the Winter! ...IN APRIL!Radar shows it stretching from Regina to the Atlantic Ocean.Currently we're getting alternating freezing rain and ice pellets.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-917609532003-04-01T01:15:00.000-05:002006-11-26T18:15:21.006-05:00

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-898201712003-02-27T00:17:00.000-05:002006-11-26T18:16:58.680-05:00

"Irrelevance is the Canadian position, and it enjoys the overwhelming support of the Canadian people."Andrew Coyne

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-893526012003-02-18T23:37:00.000-05:002006-11-26T18:18:44.416-05:00

This is my best muffin recipe. It really works, and will use up bananas nearing the end of their prime!AL's BASIC BANANA MUFFIN3/4 cup all-purpose whole wheat flour2/3 tsp baking powder2/3 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp salt1 small egg, beaten1/2 cup maple syrup (or 1/3 cup granulated white sugar)1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted2 bananas, mashed1/2 cup or more of raisinsoptionally add other fruit such as

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-880564072003-01-26T14:17:00.000-05:002006-11-26T18:29:47.556-05:00

Now this is a project that has been well thought through!Here are a couple of FAQs from their website Human Shield dot Org.Q. What happens when we get to Iraq?A. Back to TopQ. How do we get back?A. Back to TopOn second thought, maybe it's better not to answer them!

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-857650012002-12-09T23:20:00.000-05:002006-11-26T18:26:33.410-05:00

Beautiful images from the Landsat 7 satellite.The high-resolution versions of these photos make soul satisfying wallpaper.You can find these pictures, and more, at theEarth As Art site.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-808047432002-08-27T22:29:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:33:38.800-05:00

Apparently Fraunhofer Corp has quietly eliminated the few exemptions they had allowed, from paying MP3 royalties. Expect the selection of freeware MP3 players to decrease. The survivors will likely be those financed by larger corporate entities that have the money to buy compliance. Winamp, owned by AOL by way of Nullsoft, will probably remain the dominant freeware player, with it's licence fees

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-796239502002-07-30T23:28:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:38:21.970-05:00

I found a useful site while researching our upcoming vacation trip.United Van Lines has a very handy Canadian Distance Guide.You select 2 Canadian cities and the site returns the road distance between the cities.Simple and useful.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-793276372002-07-23T22:21:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:40:42.596-05:00

A Canadian neighbourhood agressively blockaded their streets last weekend!On one side, a bureaucratic initiative to save us from the West Nile Virus, Genus: Flavivirus Japanese Encephalitis Antigenic Complex And on the other, neighbours scared of the unknown risks of fogging the air with Malathion (Dimethoxy Phosphino Thioyl Thio Butanedioic Acid Diethyl Ester (C10 H19 O6 P S2)).This, Alloway

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-792408882002-07-21T23:45:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:41:57.366-05:00

OGG VORBIS Releases v1.0And that's excellent news!Remember, if you save your music as MP3s, that the encoding technology is owned by the MPEG Consortium. Why not try saving your WAV files as OGGs?Most current players support OGG files and the sound is better.The Ogg programs are released under the GNU Public Licence, which means they are free, including the source code if you want it.I tried the

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-786108332002-07-06T03:01:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:44:22.970-05:00

This is CHEEKA.She lives with me.In return for feeding her, she gets to leap out from hiding places to attack my leg.She's the cat with the combination lock collar.A fantastic gallery of feline ferocity can be found at www.mycathatesyou.com

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-786105722002-07-06T02:50:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:51:58.466-05:00

Does anyone else have trouble pronouncing WARCHALKING?For urban laptop hobos. A chalked symbol on a wall identifying the presence of an accessible wireless network.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-784921432002-07-02T23:45:00.000-04:002006-11-26T18:54:27.493-05:00

Here we are, immersed in the content of the global infosphere. Ideas, Brands, News, Memes, all being manipulated, twisted, selected, both with intent and with ignorance. How to decide which to pay attention to and which to take action on? My Guide: 1. Be sceptical. 2. Research diverse viewpoints. 3. Trust the scientific method.Before taking action and making a fool of yourself, check out Truth or

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-779656652002-06-20T00:28:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:30:58.306-05:00

I was standing on a bridge over the white noise roar of multi-lane Hwy401 in Toronto circa 1968, looking west with a very long lens.I would have been using my, forever lost, fully manual, Nikon-F. Probably an 2x extender between the telephoto lens and the camera body. The medium was an extemely fast, high contrast, 35mm black and white recording film from Kodak, home developed and printed for

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-778720352002-06-17T22:48:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:32:02.356-05:00

Miyazaki in Southern Japan (1980): A test maglev track and train.The magnet levitation transportation meme has a long history. In 1957 Robert Salter envisioned the PLANETRAN, a 6,000 mph maglev subway train. The subway tunnel would support a vacuum, eliminating air friction. Very low fuel requirements, no pollution, silent, But Very Expensive to build.The train would carry a superconductive loop

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-777582732002-06-14T19:14:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:33:18.700-05:00

MAGLEV UPDATE (with pictures) ...The first maglev in the USA, being developed by American Maglev Transporation, is getting ready for trial runs in Virginia. (Thanks to SLASHDOT for the tip)

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-776836862002-06-13T00:19:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:35:21.286-05:00

I've always had a special fascination with trains. I can still recall the exciting smell of the big London train stations of my youth. After having endulged myself later in life by travelling across the Canadian Rockies in a 'dome' car, taking the Polar Bear Express to Moosonee, and riding the NYC Subway to Coney Island, I still dream about monorails and magnetic levitation trains.These fast,

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-775958192002-06-11T00:15:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:37:39.670-05:00

To The Power Of Ten is such a simple sounding phrase, but with profound implications.This is particularly true when an imaginative journey through logrithmic space and time is presented visually. Many years ago I remember seeing a short movie that started in a boat in a lake, and then moved, by powers of 10, out into the universe, followed by a rapid return to the boat, and then a further journey

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-775463402002-06-09T21:45:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:39:29.893-05:00

Find out what Human Memetic Viruses you have been infected with.My scan shows that I'm primarily infested with Junk Food and Sci-Fi memes.And make sure you try TILE MACHINE!It's an easy way to make colourful and pratical computer image tiles. The best part is that you can save them locally as GIFsIf you don't have shockwave installed, there's a link on the Tile Machine site for downloading the

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-774040202002-06-05T23:44:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:41:23.963-05:00

Because of the shrinking size of technological gadgets, it's been difficult for us fat fingered humans to find and push the buttons. In some wilder moments I had considered that genetic engineering would enable us to shrink our fingertips to keep pace. But now, here's a less messy solution. Beams of light, which detect the user's movements, make up a virtual keyboard which can be projected to a

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-774014882002-06-05T22:35:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:42:48.750-05:00

"...my blog frees me up from having to remember the minutae of my life, storing it for me in handy and contextual form."Cory Doctorow

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-768841592002-05-23T11:00:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:43:58.793-05:00

Many thanks to Suzanne for finding this fascinating psychological profiling test at Colorgenics.By picking rotating coloured cubes in the order that you find yourself attracted to them, the program returns an analysis that reads a bit like a horror scope, but the results seem to be a little more timely and focused. It's a relaxing process. Make sure your speakers are turned on so that you hear

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-765266142002-05-14T01:44:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:45:08.720-05:00

If you're at all like me, you probably use Google for 'first try' searches. Here's a link to a fairly new Search Engine named TEOMA. Both personal use and feedback from friends has been positive.Founded in 2000 by a team from Rutgers University and acquired by Ask Jeeves in September 2001, Teoma determines the relevance of a site by 'same subject' links rather than just by any linkage. Google

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-758741892002-04-27T00:29:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:47:14.530-05:00

It's hard to know what to believe, especially when it comes to science reporting in the popular media.The latest HEALTH SCARE comes from Stockholm University researchers who claim to have shown that baking or frying carbohydrate-rich foods, such as potatoes and cereals, formed acrylamide, a substance classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a "probable human carcinogen."To

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-757943312002-04-24T23:19:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:50:08.963-05:00

"It smells musty and jungle-like green, but it roasts up real nice." RICHARD KARNOKOPI LUWAK - The most expensive coffee in the worldIndonesian tree dwelling civet cats eat ripe coffee fruit as part of their normal diet. The fruit passes through the digestive tract, and finally exits, with bean intact! The combination of digestive fermentation and scent from the musky anal glands give this

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-754425522002-04-15T20:16:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:53:49.093-05:00

More Engrish HereWhen it comes to creativity, humans are far superior to computer translation programs.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-752342422002-04-10T00:48:00.000-04:002006-12-04T01:59:21.160-05:00

I recently needed to find a family doctor for a relative who had just moved to a new home in Ontario, Canada. I eventually found an incredibly useful website designed just for that purpose. The College of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario have made it easy to FIND A FAMILY DOCTOR. You provide your preference of male or female doctor and a postal code (or select from a dropdown of town names). In

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-751259402002-04-07T01:38:00.000-05:002006-12-04T02:00:30.056-05:00

If your musical interests have a global reach, you may be as fascinated as I was to browse through hundreds of lists of best-selling music from around the world. Have a look at CHARTS ALL OVER THE WORLD, an organized portal to over 800 music chart web pages.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-113336982002-04-01T00:59:00.000-05:002006-12-04T02:01:33.523-05:00

Exciting, but a little scary! The ITER project might turn me into a NIMBY.ITER will be the 1st Fusion Device to run as an electrical generating station. It has a good chance to be built in Canada, just outside Toronto (my home). It will be in an area that already has 2 nuclear power plants, a fuel fabrication facility, and a uranium processing facility.The ITER device is an experimental fusion

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-112831892002-03-30T12:58:00.000-05:002006-12-04T02:02:35.996-05:00

Here's a great personality test. A modern ENNEAGRAM Provide an email address and you gain free access to the test. With roots traced back to Gurdjieff (1866-1949), this tool has the potential to provide some fascinating self analysis. See the ENNEAGRAM FAQ PAGE for a brief and clear history of the Enneagram.Turns out I'm mostly Type 5, with a significant percentage of Type 9.Try the test and

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-109979902002-03-22T00:36:00.000-05:002006-12-04T02:08:11.650-05:00

Music Media Network of Toronto, a radio promotion business, runs the JAZZPROMO.COM site. Joining basically consists of providing a valid email address. Once logged in, there is a large library of good quality music here in MP3 format, available for free download.It's the only place I've ever found tracks by Sonny Greenwich, the guitar genius from Montreal.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-109166842002-03-19T21:59:00.000-05:002006-12-04T02:09:43.116-05:00

If you enjoy taking online surveys and hopefully learning more about yourself, then you must try the ones published by Canada's ENVIRONICS RESEARCH GROUP.In the 1st quiz, I found myself part of the 9% of the population labelled Pioneer Technophiles by the Technology Survey. This was a pretty simple set of questions and I wasn't surprised at the results.The 2nd quiz dealing with Canadian Social

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-108150042002-03-16T23:40:00.000-05:002006-12-04T02:10:43.200-05:00

From my photo archives:THE UGLY circa 1976.An era when the Toronto punk scene created itself.

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-107228052002-03-14T00:58:00.000-05:002006-11-26T19:00:59.223-05:00

Reggae has run through much of my life.Some mp3s worth checking out at EEK-A-MOUSE

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-107218782002-03-14T00:28:00.000-05:002006-11-26T18:59:43.940-05:00

"The whole is essentially a dynamic pattern rather than the static sum of its parts. The parts only exist as we create them, as we define and limit the inexpressible whole in order to communicate. We divide our continuous encounter with Reality by way of our symbol systems, such as language and mathematics, in order to exchange ideas and information about our individual experiences." From an

Alnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3383371.post-107162712002-03-13T21:42:00.000-05:002006-11-26T18:58:46.253-05:00

"Freedom is the natural state arising from an understanding of our nature, our condition as transitory, unique individuals within a universe whose essence is constant, rhythmic change. This process of understanding should not be interpreted as the equivalent of knowledge, which is little more than the accumulation and classification of facts, but more as the power to apprehend relationships and

Alnoreply@blogger.com