Tuesday, May 31, 2011

NHL returns to Winnipeg for a new season

When the NHL's Jets ended its series with Detroit approximately 15 years ago, nobody expected it to ever return.. However it looks like they're back, baby! Strong DVD sales and consistent ratings on cable tv have convinced netwo... oh wait, that's Family Guy and Futurama... whatever, I'm not redoing this blog post.  GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! The NHL turned its car around and is going back to Winnipeg! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fatwah on Bettman is off, everybody.  I repeat, fatwah is off.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Mission Accomplished Darren Ford


Osama Bin Laden captured, Jets back to Winnipeg.. all in the same year. Coincidence?.. or is Darren Ford just that good.

All silly photoshoops aside, I'm happy for him. I've been on his side from day one. As one of the individuals at the save the Jets rally, I'm glad to see someone who truly put his name out there succeed. To all the doubters out there, you're whats wrong with Winnipeg. Dreamers like Darren Ford are what's right.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Misleading headlines

I saw a headline at http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/1408703 titled

Eagles would love to see an NHL rebirth in Winnipeg

to which I thought, wow, who would have guessed the band behind Hotel California would care?

but yes, if you read the article, it was a different Eagles.

But I got a blog post out of it so yay me.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

IT BEGINS

Sunday May 22. I head outside to the back yard for 5 minutes. Trees are starting to get leaves. Flowers are starting to blossom, a bumblebee with a single red stripe on its Thorax buzzes from flower to flower. I stop to take a picture of the strange flowers growing amongst the grass and surprisingly large amount of clovers (none of the 4 leaf variety of course) using google goggles on my cell phone. Results are inconclusive, but it is known that it is a small flower of a purple variety that grows amongst dandelions and seems to enjoy a bit of shade.

And I get a mosquito bite.

And I kill it.

It begins.

Summer in Winnipeg.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Is that a cell phone in your back yard skyline

Or are you just happy to hear me.

Heres a link to a website that tells you if theres a cell phone tower nearby where you live, and even who runs it. If you're in Winnipeg or even Manitoba and not using MTS or Rogers, your coverage is crap.

Link here: http://www.loxcel.com/celltower. Pretty neat. Interesting to see where they put them. If I were in an apartment with a cell tower I'd ask for a rental discount.

When was the last time you saw a Tim Hortons close down?

They're tearing one down on Main Street. I can't believe they'd do that and not rebuild it, but who knows.

I don't see the room there for a drive through though.. Perhaps they'll build somewhere down the road?

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Division by zero

I think if the Jets return they should be put either in the Smythe or Norris divisions.

Yes that's how long it's been since the Jets last played.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Cell Phone legislation in Manitoba

Quebec has had cell phone legislation for a while now. Manitoba regulators, seemingly looking at the pure consumer rage in the cell phone space, and the inability of the cell phone industry "competition" to come to any solutions, asked for comments about what people think about the cell phone industry and whether it needs regulation.

Results of the probe indicate that Manitoban's desire this legislation. Manitobans generally do not like the cell phone companies their contracts and BS, and in fact wish to hurt the cell phone companies.. and go on.. hurting them. And bury them alive in the center of a dead planet.

The mobile phone industry for their part believe that the free market and self regulation are sufficient and are greatly against provincial regulation. Only one consumer respondent was on their side. Only one. The cell phone industry believes that regulation would be costly, ineffective, and hamper business innovation. Unfortunately for them, it already is costly, ineffective, and lacks business innovation. (Unless you define business innovation as finding new ways to screw the consumer, which they almost certainly do)

For the most part I agree in the concept of the free market and I dislike government over-regulation. But screw the cell phone companies. Screw Rogers, F%@K Bell, F*@k Telus. You made your bed. Y'all done goofed, and the consequences will be interesting.

*I left MTS out because they were supportive of the legislation, and have really been impressing me lately.. but if you have any lingering hatred of MTS for past wrongdoings, I do sympathize.

Thrashing and Jetsetting

This looks like a good site to keep an eye on for the next couple weeks:

http://www.didthethrashersmovetowinnipegyet.com/

excellent web site design might I add.

Of course, With all the NHL in Winnipeg speculation, my favourite line was from a poster on the Globe and Mail saying "Keep the name Thrashers, but make the logo a drawing of a combine"

Brilliant.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Whats to be done with all of this DiHydrogen Monoxide

One thing about the flood situation that makes me angry is all the abuse heaped on Manitoba's flood fighting specialists. You are NOT an expert. THEY are. I understand there are a decent amount of people who are angry and frustrated and looking for someone to blame or to vent on. People are even saying that Greg Sellinger might lose because of this issue. He may just lose anyways, but I doubt it will be because of the flood. I doubt anyone could have handled it any differently anyways. People always seem to thank God when good things happen, and blame humanity when bad things do.

Some people are saying that communication could have been better. Perhaps so, but it's interesting to me that with all the communication available to me I'm less informed on a local level than I ever have been. How often do I check the city of Winnipeg's website? How often do I check my mail and filter our the junk from important information? Do I get text messages or email from the city of Winnipeg? that's opt-in, as well. I don't often buy the newspapers so I never get informed that way. My phone numbers are unlisted.. And these are mostly rural people. Even less communication available to them. Should we or do we have some sort of radio station to inform people about various situations in Manitoba? What would be a good solution? It's easy to complain, but I'm genuinely intrigued by the fact that it has become so difficult to spread genuine information. Disinformation spreads as rapidly as ever, however.

This is unprecedented flood levels on the Assiniboine. Hopefully we make it out with minimal damage, and learn from it and adjust accordingly. I personally think it's amazing how well the flood protection is operating already. And I want to say good job to all involved, the volunteers, engineers, the army, and even the inmates helping with the sandbagging. When push comes to shove sometimes instead of getting depressed by humanity I actually feel a bit uplifted. It's nice.

Also, I hope all those farmers end up getting bumper crops in the next couple of years thanks to all that fertile sediment deposit.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Bell's and Thistles

You would think after Bell bought CTV, CTV's online streaming service would get better, not worse. You'd think that, but you'd be wrong. Guess CTV reached their 20 gig cap already and have been bumped down to dialup.

Why is Bell allowed to continue as a company and not dismantled immediately as a criminal enterprise/terrorist organization?

Saturday, May 07, 2011

Google or Facebook rumored to want to purchase Skype


From: http://hothardware.com/News/Skype-Rumored-To-Be-In-Talks-With-Facebook-And-Google/

Google or Facebook are looking to acquire Skype, the first and arguably most popular video chat program. Personally, I hope Google buys it. Skype fits in perfectly within the Google eco-system of apps. Like Google Voice for one. And the Android OS for two. Already Android tablets with front facing video cameras can be found for less than $150.00. Sure they're of questionable quality often with resistive touchscreens, but as single purpose video phones/kitchen terminals they're at just the right price to mount on the wall, and it can easily be seen that a single purpose android device home phone solution could drive the cost down significantly more. Google might just usher in the era of the video phone after all. Granted the biggest problem are the incumbent carriers. Google could, however, strike a deal with them should they acquire skype. Plus with internet connectivity being included in most modern TV sets, adding a front facing camera to a TV's bezel shouldn't be particularly difficult. Although I admit I do see the Big Brother/1984 type concerns included with that.

Facebook might have a number of smart reasons for wanting Skype, but Skype would achieve more with Google than it ever could with Facebook. Now if only Google could get me my flying car and hoverboard, I'd be set.

Thursday, May 05, 2011

dear kern-hill

I'm sorry but I refuse to participate in anything called "the money saving rock"

Monday, May 02, 2011

A Section for Election Reflections

Well that election turned out like my last Lotto Max ticket. Complete shit for me, but I'm not especially surprised. Man Liberals are idiots. Ontario.. way to give Harper the keys to your wallet. I hope he shows some more fiscal prudence than he has shown in the last few years. I also hope he doesn't sell out this country at every opportunity to every American Lobbyist that knocks on his door. I hope his party sticks to its commitment to put their foot down on anything resembling UBB on the part of internet service providers. But I sincerely doubt he will. I want to believe he'll actually live up to the ideals espoused by conservatives. If he doesn't, in four years the NDP could take over.

I am surprised Rod Bruinooge won so handidly. I thought it'd be closer. I'm surprised nobody outside of Quebec knows how to vote strategically.

For once I'm glad Quebec is around to keep things interesting. Maybe Stephen Harper will stop trying to buy Quebec's vote now that he knows its impossible.

I'm not so disappointed in the Conservatives winning so much in how they won. It kills me that such a by the books campaign can win. Are people so easy to manipulate, so numb to critical thinking?

Though lets be realistic. He got 39% of the vote. IF there were runoffs, would things be different? Probably so. Maybe the Liberals can consider that now that they're in third place once again.

I am glad that we won't have to put up with the freakin Bloc Quebecois nonsense all the time. It's a shame, because Gilles Duceppe is an intelligent man and if he used his powers less obstructively he could have achieved a lot more.

In any case, should be an interesting four years. Stephen Harper gets his majority.. but I think it's more tenuous than he knows. People are certainly watching for him to screw up and take advantage of the majority to become as corrupt as the Liberals have been. We'll see.

A post In which I prognosticate the politicical possibilities

Well I decided to vote NDP. I live in Kildonan - St. Paul so fat lot of good that'll do for anybody, but what the heck. Good luck to Jack Layton and whatserface that I voted for.

Based on my voting NDP, I have to assume that the election results will be CON:64 LIBS:18 NDP:9001, BLOC:3 and GREEN:1 and OTHER:1. Leading to a Jack Layton majority, and puppies and "free" candy and full release massages for everybody. Except corporations. They get to clean out their desks on Friday.

Seriously, I have no idea what is going to happen. I do like the premise that if the NDP actually pull off an upset they'll actually do something about election reform. That'd be nice.

I don't like how Stephen Harper has taken that he's going to win for granted. I don't like his painted on grin. I don't like how he claims he has anything to do with fiscal responsibility when all evidence points to the contrary.

John Kerry Michael Ignatieff.. I applaud you for going into politics. I don't know why you did, you had a good job and no reason to bother, but hey, you gave it your best and failed utterly. It's not your fault. Now you know you lack charisma. Stephen Harper does too, but he doesn't act like he thinks he has any. He at least knows he's a robot.

Green Party.. I hope you can win a seat for once. You keep your chins up!

Realistically though, I think the NDP vote won't materialize. It's probably all internet hype. Its like all those people who say "Yeah man, I'm going to your facebook meetup!" Then 2 people show up out of 2000 who said they would. I hope I'm wrong. I just want to see the smug look punched out of Stephen Harpers fake face.