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Nuk’em!

Supposedly you can microwave sponges to get rid of all the bacteria crawling around on it. Coolness!

http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070122_microwave.html

iplaying: Neighbourhood #1(Tunnels) – The Arcade Fire (Funeral)

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Let There Be Light

So I was thinking the other day of what I will do when I take over the world. Granted, it won’t start out with the whole world, so I’ll have to start thinking of changes that I will implement while I’m controlling a nation.

Then President Bush beats me to the punch and comes up with the coolest idea in the world of ideas. This is the ultimate form of power, not this piddly manforce which is the invasion of Iraq. I’m not talking about the control of a major superpower’s Nuclear weapons. I’m talking about something affects every living citizen of the nation…we’re talking something on the Dr. Evil scale of eeeevil. Something to do JUST BECAUSE I CAN.

That’s right folks – Daylight Savings Time is changing this year. Who would have thought? Clearly not I. I was surprised to actually see it happened. I believe I read about this a few years back and laughed it off saying “Who does this guy think he is? The King of the World? No one can change Daylight Savings Time!!!”

There you have it, he proved me wrong. I am must admit I am impressed. This could definitely be some plot from a great Bond flick. “Wazat? Good Lord, he changed daylight savings time by 12 hours! How will we live?!”

I send my two handed clap to you President Bush. You’ve achieved only what Greek Gods achieve. Something that directly affects everyone not only in your nation, but in the WORLD. Except for Saskatchewan – those blokes are either really dumb or really, really smart.

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Now THAT was cool…

Nine Inch Nails released their multi-track files for a few songs off of their With Teeth album so you can import them into GarageBand and play around with this mix.

This gives me a whole new knowledge set to recording. You see EVERYTHING that is added to this song – ambient noise, toms, other percussive instruments. It’s pretty wild.

If any of you out there have GarageBand, download the files from this page and give it a listen!

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I’m Dating A Star!

So, if some of you don’t know it already, Vero is a star in everyone’s minds. But more importantly, she is starting the transition from school life into work life this year.

What better way to start it off than with a part-time job on Rogers Cable Television show called RegArts?!

Vero applied for a position over at Rogers TV on a whim. She had to go do a few interviews and did some on-screen videotape auditions and she got picked!

Here is the website of the show she will be on: http://www.televisionrogers.com/option.asp?lid=12&rid=5&sid=21.

Here’s the description:

Chaque semaine, Mylène Laurin et l’équipe de RegArts vous fera découvrir les artisans de notre ville et vous plonge dans un monde hors du commun. Des gens, des voix, des paroles et des gestes qui sauront démasqués une ville qui nous semble parfois dénudé et uniforme. En passant par les salles de spectacles, les galeries d’art, les musées, les théâtres et la littérature, RegArts promet de vous divertir et de vous faire découvrir un centre culturel pas comme les autres.

Supposedly, she would be responsible for doing a little segment on the show that would profile something in the arts world…like going to a play and interviewing people for it. AWESOME!

I must admit that I am proud of Vero as she is becoming one of those people that we all dream of being with…you know…the ones that will make so much cash that you won’t have to work? Ha ha, I’m kidding! I am super pumped to see what is in store for this show. She goes for training in a few weeks and they said they would work around her schedule while she is in school. That’s a beauty job.

Congrats babe! I like how Vero will be downplaying this as not a big deal. Well, to people like me who won’t have a chance to be on TV until I’m caught for smuggling smoked meat across the Quebec border, it is a big deal!

iplaying: Tear – The Smashing Pumpkins (Adore)

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Review: Silversun Pickups (Carnavas)

Lately in life, I’ve made it a point to open myself to a lot more music to fuel the creative beast in me. Sometimes, this isn’t a good thing as it makes me disappointed in my severe lack of ability to make sonic landscapes (but this will change over time). Anyhow, I’ve gotten into the habit of just downloading albums that people recommend to me and if I like it, I purchase their album.

Alright, this is what I would LIKE to do, but sometimes I just download a slew of stuff and then never get around to purchasing it. This is a BAD thing in the my personal views of supporting the artist. I’m putting it on the shelf for a day where I have a little extra cash on me and I can pick up a discounted album (like the new Metric album). Sigh…the Internet is WAY too easy to get music in my life.

A band I’ve been really digging is Silversun Pickups. I had originally heard of them on the Smashing Pumpkins MySpace website (YES, THEY ARE BACK TOGETHER, I AM IN LOVE ONCE AGAIN! THEY WILL MAKE YOUR EARS BLEED WHEN THEIR NEW ALBUM IS RELEASED.) as the Smashing Pumpkins like to highlight some of their favourite music at the time. I listened to the track and enjoyed it. But then my buddy Clive told me about this amazing album by the band that I had to listen to. That sealed the deal as he and I share the same musical tastes. I downloaded it and it is a killer album.

I am digging the bands of late that can create this other-worldly sonic masterpiece which just has you riding the music wave it creates. Think Mogwai, some Broken Social Scene…Silversun Pickups have some excellent fuzzed out guitar work which has you moving your body to it. James, I’m sending this review out to you as you enjoy the music I like. Pick up their album Carnavas and you will not be disappointed.

I have also perused their tour scheduled and they toured with WOLFMOTHER (awwww yeah!) but they are coming out on tour with Snow Patrol at the end of March in Montreal. I may have to check this out as Snow Patrol is…well, they are alright. I dig a few of their tunes, but I think I would be going more for Silversun Pickups.

Iplaying: Dream at Tempo 119 – Silversun Pickups (Carnavas)

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Hockey Star!

A woman at work just dropped by and said she had dreamt that I was a hockey star last night. She was part of a team who were watching me play and wondering why I wasn’t a professional hockey player.

I would like to think that dreams are doorways into alternate universes and that there is a ‘me’ out there that can skate.

On the note of dreams, they are funny creatures. Let’s take this example – I don’t even really know this woman but she has a dream of me. Why is that? Why does our mind plant images into scenarios? Is it all random? Is there a higher power at work?

iplaying: – The Dartmouth Soundsystem – Matt Mays (…When The Angels Make Contact)

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Price Protectr

If you are a smart shopper (not like me), you keep an eye out AFTER you make a purchase to see if anywhere has reduced the price. A lot of stores have a policy that you have so many days to go back to the store and say “Hey! That other store just put their item down by $50!” and they will refund you $50.

Maren pointed this out to me the other day and I think this little tool will help her out immensely. It is called Price Protectr. You just plug in the item you ordered (by finding it on their online catalog) and they will let you know within ‘x’ amount of days if another competitor has reduced the price.

Coolness! Obviously, it can’t cover all merchants websites, but I’m sure it has a few you shop at.

May I just point out that I find it amusing that everyone with a cool idea wants to get on the Flickr bandwagon and leave a letter out of their name at the end and even take the same colourscheme as Flickr? Granted, maybe this tool is MADE by Flickr and I don’t even know about it!

iplaying: Why Bother – The Trews (House of Ill Fame)

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Best Unknown Mac Apps

This is mainly for my own reference, but feel free to explore yourselves!

http://dbachrach.com/blog/2006/02/the-best-unknown-mac-apps-1/

iplaying: Octopus’s Garden – The Beatles (Abbey Road)

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Review: Chicken Cordon Bleu

By far, the best thing that happened to me yesterday was arriving home, and after shoveling the snow in the driveway, being treated to an amazing supper by Mike’s sister who is staying with us for the week! She made chicken cordon bleu which was a first for me. I was mesmerized by its succulent taste and I couldn’t figure out what I like better – the ham or the cheese! It was the best of both worlds! Topped off with a salad, this was the supper of kings after a long hard day of rocking.

I was also impressed by the actual formation of the chicken cordon bleu which deals with cutting the breast down so you can roll it back up. I can’t say I fully understood it and will need to see it in person to believe it, but the end result was divine and it topped off my day.

Samantha, you are allowed to stay as LONG as you like!

May I also say that Sammy has the most amazing job in the world right now? So far, her work trip to Ottawa has consisted of one day off due to snow, and supposedly she goes into work around 11 today. AS IF!

iplaying: Be Yourself – Audioslave (Out of Exile)

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Review: Thunderball + Ultimate Edition James Bond

Hey hey! I finally went into Best Buy to pick up my James Bond DVDs as their warehouse still hadn’t sent them from my Boxing Day purchase. Sure enough, the store honoured the price I ordered them online for ($45 bones each!!!, down from $80) and I managed to get Volume 2 with a bonus 007 Scene It disc! Excellent day yesterday was.

So after realizing that my Xbox wasn’t making the cut in the DVD playing department (the Special Features disc had Japanese menus and I couldn’t figure out how to get rid of them) I switched my old DVD player on and it worked! I then rewired my entire home theater system so I don’t use my Xbox for watching DVDs anymore. It will only be used for gaming and watching files on the network (read: TV shows we download).

I was thinking of watching them from the beginning but am toying around with the idea of having ‘Nights of Bond’ again so I decided not to start with Dr. No, but to watch Thunderball as I had just read the novel last month and wished to see how it related.

Considering the novel had ideas from the producer, Kevin McClory, it stayed pretty true to the novel. I was very impressed and have realized that I’ve only seen Thunderball one other time in my life back in Long Sault with my buddy Regan. That was…13 years ago? Wow, it’s been awhile.

What’s the big deal with the Ultimate Editions of James Bond films I picked up? The digital restoration my friends! It was amazing. The picture…oh my…it looks like something created in 2007. The sound…the glorious DTS soundtrack…the bombastic horns when an action scene in in full tilt. This is what James Bond is supposed to be like.

Thunderball is an epic Bond film (actually the first filmed in Widescreen) and it makes use of the new technology (1965ish). The spanning vistas create a painting of exoticism. I never realized how great of a film Thunderball really was. It may be up there in my Top 5 Bond films. I believe From Russia With Love takes the Number One slot but I’ll have to watch it again to see if it holds true today.

The special features disc was pretty great also. Chock full of documentaries, I watched what the world was like back in ’65 when the movie was released – commercials spawning James Bond ‘Action Slacks’ for purchase were hilarious, as well as other oddities.

I am most impressed with the Ultimate Editions of James Bond and no doubt will have rave reviews for the rest of the series.

iplaying: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is – JET (Shine On)