things that bug me

I have an older pocket PC device with windows mobile made by HP. I COULD upgrade to a 3G phone and combine my phone and pocket PC into one device, but I can't. Why can't I?

Because most iphones or google phones or whatever do not have a plastic cover to protect the screen. Why would it be so difficult to design a plastic cover that protects the screen for when you put the device in your pocket?

I just don't understand.

CBC

So I always check to see whats being discussed on CBC's Cross Country Checkup program, just out of curiousity. I'd say they have a 3% success rate in getting me to listen. Heck I've probably blogged about this before, but today the topic was Haiti. The topic last week was also Haiti.

I can take one week of Haiti. Not that I'm particularly concerned about the place (I'm not, but in my defense I'm a bit of a sociopath) But two weeks?

I didn't listen to the damn show.

I predict they're going to talk about Stephen Harper perogying parliament next week

When you get paid either way, why produce anything that's actually interesting?

The CBC is its own worst enemy.

The CBC are whores who waste your taxpayer funding.

I'm not going to start on the fact that the CBC has not yet even given a date as to when they will be converting to digital ATSC broadcasting. While it'd be nice to be able to actually watch something my taxes go to (I refuse to pay for cable, and their analogue signal is complete shit) I can always watch things online on websites like youtube or even ctv has a website where I can watch some shows. While its not as good as the idea of having HULU sites work in Canada, mostly because the same corporations that don't produce canadian content want to spend billions on american content and replay it here, and have the CRTC in their pocket, at least its something. But the CBC can't even do THAT right.

The CBC, I've come to learn, uses Flash and offers some of their television shows online to watch. Beautiful. At least thats what I thought until I realized their flash implementation somehow doesn't allow for Linux users to use the site. Whats Linux you ask? It's a third option, different from Windows and Mac. Firefox started with Linux. Open Office essentially started with Linux. Linux is to operating systems what the aforementioned are to web browsers or office software. Completely free. Many Canadians use Linux, and for the CBC to not allow linux users on their website is disgusting at best and grossly insulting at worst.

Now, some intrepid Linux users have made Reddit posts and bug reports but the response to Linux users from CBC (As shown in that bug report filed by Paul North) was:

"Dear Paul,

We have checked with our technical staff, and unfortunately, as you point out, the new Flash player we are installing does not work on Linux systems. However it
does work on almost all other systems, including Windows and Mac. The number of systems that could not see the video in our new player is likely around the 1%
or less range.

We are not in a position to develop any workaround that would prevent revenue from being generated when users watch video on cbc.ca. Funding for CBC from
the government of Canada has not been growing, and the funds from Parliament (less than $40 per Canadian taxpayer per year) only cover part of the Corporations
broadcasting operations. I'm sorry you did not get an earlier response from CBC."

Parker Bishop
Communication Assistant
CBC Audience Relations

Paul North goes on to blame the Conservative government for underfunding the CBC, which was probably the CBC's goal all along for acting in this pathetic manner, when in reality CBC television has acted like CTV and Global for years. They even seem at times to resent having to produce Canadian content.

I like CBC Radio and the CBC radio side of things is brilliant. They even offer a tech show called Spark which I quite enjoy, and all of their shows are free to download as mp3 podcasts, non encumbered by drm.

However CBC TV is acting in a petulant and almost retarded manner, and the worst thing is it took one Linux using person 15 minutes to bang out a workaround for their problem here

they could easily fix this. Both the BBC and PBS have shown great efforts to work with and enhance their offerings to as many people as possible. The CBC however seems to think the audience will change their whole damn operating system however to suit them.

I suppose its better than if the CBC used fucking Microsoft Silverlight like TSN, however. Now those guys are worthless douchebags.

It's still not right to waste taxpayer money and then not give anything back, though. CBC TV. You worthless whores.

You know what the funniest thing about this is?

The CBC's website (like most of the internet) runs on Linux.

yeah.

Maybe if the CBC wants to continue being Canadas public broadcaster, they should consider broadcasting to the public. Free to Air, over the internet, whatever way possible.

Enough of this bullshit.

Call CBC audience relations at 1-866-306-4636. Even if you aren't a Linux user. This sort of bullshit shouldn't be tolerated by these pieces of garbage.

On the subject of Portable wireless routers for USB 3G Cards

I was at London Drugs the other day, as I found myself in St. Vital somehow, an area of the city that seems to be getting grubbier than I recall, but maybe it was just the slushy day that made it seem as such. ANYWAYS, I noticed they had an item for sale for $129 called the Aluratek 3g Portable wireless cellular router. heres a picture.

now, the first problem is they inexplicably chose to make it green. Black or at least beige should be the default colour of your computer peripheral. Maybe grey or red. but not green. Are they trying to imply that its environmentally friendly? Yeah whatever.

I originally thought that you could place your 3G modem inside the device somehow, sort of like a portable hard drive you place the hard drive inside, and you can use it like a novatel MIFI device with the battery charging up via the external USB port. I was so excited that I almost bought the device then and there, but then I realized I was wrong. You carry this thing around with the 3G modem sticking out the USB port. Really couldn't they have designed this somehow better? USB sticks are not so big that they couldn't come up with a solution.

I saw another similar device on ebay that was black, and it has the same problem. It was aesthetically more pleasing, but it suffered the same problem of having the USB 3G modem hanging out externally.



Do I believe some company will come out with a version similar to a portable hard drive where you can place the 3G card internally? I do. Which is why I will not buy one of these devices until they do. And it has to be black.

FACEBOOK WINNIPEG BLOGGERS OMG

ChrisD is reporting that a group for Winnipeg Bloggers has been started up for Winnipeg bloggers who wish to throw away any sense of privacy and use a proprietary social networking method to post (and assign free ownership to facebook of) pictures of their cats and vacations and to compare how they fare against each other in "what kind of Jedi are you" online tests. The group was started by a random person who realized anyone can start a facebook group of anything.

Call me when you all start a twitter feed. So I can kill myself.

Winnipeg DTV update

cost for winnipeg stations to switch to DTV according to the CRTC

CKY-TV on channel 7 $442,338
CKND-TV channel 9 $442,338
CIIT-TV channel 35 $235,594
CBWT from channel 6 (VHF-LO) to UHF channel 27 $4,327,838
CBWFT from channel 3 (VHF-LO) to UHF channel 51 $3,226,194

It's oddly ironic that the government run stations have the highest cost for conversion. Yes they'd probably need a new UHF transmitter, and being run by the government they're not going to pick one up used. Still you'd think CBWT and CBWFT could share a transmitter in the meantime to get their signal up that much quicker. Or SOMETHING. How big of an audience does CBWFT really have. You know what I'd love though? if they had optional English subtitles on things. Seriously, it'd probably be a helpful learning aid. God knows I haven't spoken any French since graduating Grade 12.

CHMI channel 13 isn't listed, but I assume it would be in the half mil range for the conversion.

All of which makes me wonder, why aren't they flash cutting to digital right now? What is the benefit in staying with NTSC? Half a million dollars in the grand scheme of things when operating a station isn't as big of an investment as I thought they were in for.

I heard rumours Global Winnipeg might be flash cutting to digital soon, but if they were you'd think they would be advertising it somewhere. On their commercials, on their website... They aren't.

Theres a year and a half left until the deadline. I'm not saying I expect them to start broadcasting, but you'd think they'd have a plan in place and start getting word out as to their plans.

Pretty poor public communication. How odd that they are in the business of communication.

The Conan Conundrum

I think its time I weigh in on the whole Tonight Show debacle happening at NBC.

I'm firmly on Conan's side. He has been screwed over for having a poor lead in (Jay Leno in prime time)

I blame baby boomers. Screwing over Generation X yet again.

Some people say Leno was forced out, but Leno had the tonight show for almost 17 years. Johnny Carson had it for 30, but Jay Leno is no Johnny Carson (And besides, he was guest hosting for at least 5 of those years). The show Leno had going was geared ONLY towards sedated baby boomers and the mentally challenged.. Nobody else could find that brand of humor palpable. Leno watered down the tonight show brand almost immediately after he stole it from David Letterman. Frankly, NBC negotiated with Leno and Conan to AVOID this scenario. They asked Jay if he'd be ready to retire by now, and he had to have agreed. It speaks to how big a douche Jay Leno is that he's even considering taking his old job back. Leno made his bed, and thats why the backlash is hitting him so hard. This is like built up karmic retribution for his past actions.

I remember Carson, I was a little kid but I remember him, I remember his show. Leno's tonight show was nothing compared to Carsons show. Conan, if allowed to build his audience, would have a much more engaging show similar to what Carson had, as opposed to the banal living death that was Jay Leno's tonight show.

Jeff Zucker perhaps has no choice with how in the toilet NBC is right now, he can't afford to wait it out I guess. But the right thing for the network is to keep Conan on the tonight show. Old people can't hold late night comedy hostage forever. Especially as they're finally dying off.

GLOBAL WARMING or COMMON SENSE

So I'm watching the news for some reason, and I learn that WINTER has completely incapacitated Great Britain. Apparently, a once in a 100 years snow storm is not something to be budgeted for. Who needs snow clearing trucks or whatnot (nevermind that you can repurpose construction trucks for snow clearing..)

Yet Great Britainites sure seem to have money to put into Global Warming carbon credit initiatives, to send people to Copenhagen in limousines to negotiate pointless cap and trade policies.

Great Britain is for the most part on the same latitude as much of Canada. Surely they could have used some of that global warming money to insure themselves against Canada-like weather.

American weather

I hate American weathermen.

They say things like "Oh this Canadian cold front is coming down from Canada" ITS COMING FROM THE GODDAMN ARCTIC. Which may be in Canada for the most part, but its not OUR FUCKING FAULT.

Fucking stop blaming us for the cold weather. Or at least add us to your goddamn weather map of North America. You're not a fucking Island.

fucking annoying.

Further on the subject of the Olympics, cheaply made collectors glasses

I hate collectors glasses. Theres the rare occasion where they're decent quality. McDonald's has made a few that I still have to this day despite the occasional minor drop from a meter or so. Petro Canada's Olympic collectors glasses don't appear to be quite so sturdily built, at least at first glance. I wonder if this is just profiteering, or if they think people won't use the glasses so they don't have to hold up to even .02 on the Richter scale.. I dunno. I feel bad for the gullible saps who buy these things.

First of all, if you make a glass, it shouldn't be so thin that it breaks. Otherwise its worthless. Secondly the proceeds go to the Olympic AND paralympic games. What if I'm a douchebag who doesn't want to support the paralympics? Which I am. Then again I don't really support the regular people Olympics either. Finally, I will give them credit that they look nice enough, design wise.

Anyways, let this be a lesson to the rest of you collectors glasses makers. Or even any old dollarama glasses or glasses from who knows where, wal-mart, sears. whatever.

Who would even buy thin glasses? Do they look nice or something? Theres no functionality to them.

Olympic Torch

The Olympic Torch relay went through Winnipeg today. Festivities slowed down traffic by at least half an hour. Buses were delayed, no extra express buses were added as far as I can tell, the LCD signs made no sense, all in the name of celebrating the genetically gifted, or at least those who are one step ahead of the drug screening process.

Did everyday Manitobans carry the torch? Somehow I doubt it. I'm sure in my mind only "special" people were chosen. So why should everyday Manitobans care?

I will say that I can get into Winter Olympic sports more than I can Summer Olympic sports. But really, how much hockey do we need? I don't know. But we really don't need any more Olympic Cities. Although I bet Toronto won't stop trying.

I hated the Olympics already, and the relay justified my hatred.

Pokerface by Lady Gaga.

One of the more popular tunes of late is the song Pokerface by Lady Gaga. I shall attempt to analyze the lyrics of her song for meaning. First however, a commentary on lyrics websites that don't let you highlight the lyrics. Fuck you. Don't waste my time, go and die.



Anyways, Lady Gaga begins her song with this refrain

Mum mum mum mah
Mum mum mum mah

She is clearly calling for her mother. Why, it is not yet determined. Let us continue.

I wanna hold em' like they do in Texas Plays
Fold em' let em' hit me raise it baby stay with me (I love it)
Lovegame and intuition play the cards with Spades to start
And after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart

Lady Gaga is playing cards. She has bet everything on this hand, which is a straight flush. Including a small baby that she loves. Her target is someone else who is trying to win with a pair of aces. Lady Gaga sees through this charade.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh
I'll get him hot, show him what I've got
Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh,
I'll get him hot, show him what I've got

Lady Gaga plans to get a hot streak, and show the opponents at the table her awesome poker skills.

Can't read my,
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)
Can't read my
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)

Lady Gaga is confident in her poker face. She is a mask that betrays nothing to her opponents.

P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)
P-p-p poker face, p-p-p poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)

The stuttering here seems to imply that even though her poker face is supreme, underneath it all she is infinitely nervous about her cards.

I wanna roll with him a hard pair we will be
A little gambling is fun when you're with me (I love it)

she's using her breasts to hypnotize her male opponents into making beginners mistakes.

Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun
And baby when it's love if its not rough it isn't fun, fun

She plans to commit suicide if she loses all of her money by playing Russian Roulette. She believes in tough love.

I won't tell you that I love you
Kiss or hug you
Cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin

No idea.

I'm not lying I'm just stunnin' with my love-glue-gunning
Just like a chick in the casino
Take your bank before I pay you out
I promise this, promise this
Check this hand cause I'm marvelous

She has a killer hand and is telling her opponents that they should probably cash out.

All in all, one of the better songs about playing poker I've ever listened to.