Reubenspot

Why is ACTA Bad?

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

ACTA is the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. A new intellectual property enforcement treaty being negotiated by the United States, the European Community, Switzerland, and Japan, with Australia, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Mexico, Jordan, Morocco, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada recently announcing that they will join in as well.

Why should you care about ACTA? Initial reports indicate that the treaty will have a very broad scope and will involve new tools targeting “Internet distribution and information technology.”

Even if your country is not listed above you should care because this will spread worldwide after it passes and even if your country doesn't sign it will indirectly affect you.

1) ACTA isn't the European SOPA. Its nearly Global, and will apply to every country that signs the treaty.

2) ACTA is far more aggressive. ACTA will not simply affect websites and have them blocked out of the internet - it's measures go as far as to surveillance of anything you share through private channels.

3) ACTA doesn't have a campaign against it that is as widespread and organized as SOPA. This is DANGEROUS, as there is less time between now and the final signing of ACTA.

4) ACTA has effects on healthcare, trade and even tourism.

The biggest problem right now is that your ISP's (Internet Service Providers) can report you for anything that "could" be copyright infringement and they will monitor you constantly.

- ISPS will now watch what you download, and tattle on you if you download a music track/ any data / rapidshares / torrents etc.
- ISPS will tattle on you, when you do anything which goes against "Governments policy".
- ISPS will be able to document and store EVERYTHING you do online. nothing will ever be private again

What this all means for you is no privacy whatsoever

Say NO to ACTA. It is essential to spread awareness and get the word out on ACTA.

New GoPro Hero2 Advertising

2011-10-26T18:03:00.000-04:00

If you want to see the new GoPro camera get some serious action.....

Trampoline off a Wall

2011-10-26T08:07:00.000-04:00

This looks like really good times.

Also, it is the only acceptable instance for filming in portrait orientation.

Dare to Fight the Ninja!?

2011-10-24T07:56:00.000-04:00

One of the best Urban Improvs ever (and it is from Toronto).

So you accept the sword to fight the ninja.....? Better be ready for his secret weapons or make sure you are drinking coffee.

Guy jumps over a Lamborghini

2011-10-13T07:57:00.001-04:00

I don't know who is dumber: the guy driving (who could end up with blood and dents all over his sweet car) or the guy jumping (who could obviously get pretty hurt if he is taken out at the ankles).

You decide.

Mountain Biker vs Buck

2011-10-11T06:50:00.000-04:00

"Mountain Biker, Evan van der Spuy of Team Jeep South Africa got taken out by a RED HARTEBEES at amountain bike race at Albert Falls Dam. Check out this crazy footage which was taken by team mate Travis Walker."

Space Saving Furniture

2011-10-03T07:50:00.000-04:00

Well designed quality products that are really useful. So what do they cost?

I want to move into a one bedroom apartment right now just so I have a reason to buy this stuff.

(Thanks CvP)

If this guy missed.....

2011-09-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago this video was making the rounds (please excuse the annoying music):

I never posted it because it seemed like everyone had already seen it. Anyway, if you think that one is nuts (which it is) at least he has a chance to turn away if he isn't going to make it. In the next video he doesn't have that luxury. Please excuse the annoying announcers.

Floating

2011-09-15T19:54:00.000-04:00

Check out this awesome free falling video. The slo-mo shots near the sides of the mountain are spectacular.

I love that those GoPro cameras have become so cheap that videos like this are starting to pop up everywhere but the editing on this one is pretty epic.

Where's Waldo? Movie Trailer

2011-09-15T07:48:00.001-04:00

This has got to be the best Where's Waldo faux movie trailer yet.

I love the ending.

The Loudness War

2011-09-14T22:47:00.000-04:00

This is interesting.

It might explain some of the appeal of regular pop music over remixed classic old school music. Also, I am sure that most professionally recorded but independently released music is probably done the right way.

This Tablecloth Magic Trick Goes Right

2011-09-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

I feel like this might be staged but it's still really funny.

Way to go kids.

Serious Surfing: TEAHUPOO Tahiti

2011-09-09T19:26:00.001-04:00

These guys are not messing around. Apparently these waves are 40-50 ft high. I don't want to know what that feels like when it crashes down on you. This location is quite dangerous because of the shallow reef too. It seems pretty stupid to me but it does look cool.

Also if you think these waves are big, apparently there are guys like Laird Hamilton who surf waves closer to 90 feet.

The Accidental Sea: An Apocalypse

2011-08-30T18:57:00.001-04:00

Here is a video of a failed city in a barren wasteland. I love this stuff....I always feel like that is how all of north america will look in 100 years if we continue on with our obsession with suburbia and walmarts.

"There but for the grace of God go the rest of us"

In any case, the future is going to require more people to join the "maker" culture and join communes. This guy knows what I'm talking about:

I'd better practice my welding skills.

Kilian Martin: A Skate Illustration

2011-08-30T07:30:00.000-04:00

This guy can skate. He is doing freestyle tricks I have never even imagined were possible and I have played a lot of Tony Hawk back in the day.
I love the slo-mo parts in the puddle.

TED Talk: Origins of Pleasure

2011-08-29T20:28:00.000-04:00

I love listening to TED talks. Here is a great one that gets into artwork, wine and other things people really enjoy. I especially like the parts about expensive artwork versus forgeries.

Ultimate Motorcycle: BMW Adventure Bikes

2011-08-29T07:55:00.001-04:00

If I had unlimited money I would get a bike like these BMW Adventure bikes. This vid gives you a good idea of what it is like to take these monsters off-road and ride them the way they were designed. Watch for the drifting near the end of the video. That is seriously hard on a bike that size.

I'm pretty sure that these BMW GS 1200s are the bikes that Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman use when they go around the world. Awesome series btw.

via Scooter in the Sticks

Jetman Flight at Grand Canyon

2011-08-28T22:46:00.001-04:00

You have all seen those vids of the guys in wing suits but check out this video of a guy in a wing suit jet pack.

What makes this vid even cooler is the awesome backdrop of the Grand Canyon. Gotta check it out sometime....

What is up with Noises?

2011-08-22T18:50:00.001-04:00

For all you music pros out there this is probably old had. However to little ol' me it blows my mind. Seriously if you have 10 minutes give this a watch.

I'd like to have some discussions about notes with someone. What's interesting is that I find it very VERY hard to hear some of the things she is pointing out. That is what I blame my lack of musical skills on: Bad hearing ability. It all sort of blurs together for me.

The other interesting thing is how she ends the video. She is saying that we naturally find order in all the sounds that are coming into our ears. I find this to be a loaded statement. First of all, are some people better at creating order from sounds? Is this why I have trouble hearing someone talk to me when I am listening or reading or focusing on something else? Also, what about modern classical music? Does this mean that if you try hard enough you should be able to find beauty and order in dissonant music? I certainly can do that better than some people. Sometimes I love the sounds of modern Sigur Ros and other post-rock bands while my dear wife just wants to shut it off. This is all just so fascinating.....

Danny Macaskill - Industrial Revolutions

2011-08-16T19:17:00.000-04:00

I loved the last Danny Macaskill video and this one features even more serious skills in an industrial train yard somewhere in Scotland.

Also the music is pretty good (very sad lyrics....).

Night Riding

2011-08-12T07:34:00.000-04:00

Here is a sweet vid of some guy riding a bike late at night. I know the feeling - just you and the city lights. Ah it is so good.

Lossa Engineering's short film "Solus" from Jay Lossa on Vimeo.

Also, that is a very cool looking bike.

Freaky Randomness

2011-08-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

I don't usually see the faces of anyone (let alone Jesus) in those random foodstuffs.
Who knows what he looked like anyway. But this video looks like some sort of wind god from a movie or something. Pretty random anyway. Starts around 1:25.

YoYo Insanity

2011-08-08T04:22:00.000-04:00

Anybody remember those kids in the yoyo club back in high school.....? Well apparently this is what they were up to.

Those aren't toys anymore. They are weapons.

EdgeWalk is Here!

2011-07-28T12:01:00.000-04:00

Edgewalk at the CN Tower is here. Check out the vid in full screen for a taste.

I don't know how much it costs but it sure looks like fun.

Why I Don't Live in a Desert

2011-07-06T07:15:00.000-04:00

This just happened yesterday. I thought these things only happened in the movies or books like Dune.

The Phoenix Haboob of July 5th, 2011 from Mike Olbinski on Vimeo.

Super Low Fly-By

2011-06-07T17:26:00.000-04:00

Want to see what it looks like to have a jet come flying straight at you right at ground level? Yes? Well watch this video.

Now check out what the pilot's view looked like. The flyby starts at 0:55.

Longboarding near Madrid

2011-05-30T17:57:00.000-04:00

This looks like an awesome time. Scary but awesome.

Also it features a pretty cool Decemberists song.

Piano and Cello Like You've Never Seen

2011-05-19T07:00:00.001-04:00

This is some fantastic music....
...with a great ending.

Tintin Trailer is OUT!

2011-05-17T07:19:00.000-04:00

Finally the first trailer for the Tintin movie!

Yeah this thing has a lot of potential.

My Favorite Apartment Ever!

2011-05-11T13:55:00.000-04:00

If I could find a place like this it would be amazing.
Too bad no one in North America can grasp the concept of being small, efficient, sustainable, clean, simple, modern etc. All of those concepts are hard to find in North American residences.

One of the best parts is that there is no yard to take care of. Also, the view is amazing and the lack of an elevator makes for some seriously good exercise.

Snowmobile Up, Roll Down

2011-05-06T17:30:00.001-04:00

This looks like tons of fun if you have money to burn!
You don't realize how steep that mountain is until he gets to the top....and then the bottom.

Ant vs Spider WOAH SPIDER!

2011-04-27T16:41:00.000-04:00

Check out this awesome video of a spider taking care of an ant....and watch out for the ending.

Yeah I don't like spiders either.

LCD Soundsystem's last show

2011-04-05T18:30:00.000-04:00

Check this out: The final LCD Soundsystem show at Madison Square Garden. These guys combine so many genres and influences to produce some pretty epic tunes and this is one serious party to celebrate all that.

It's almost 4 hours of glorious music and features some incredible collaborations not the least of which is Arcade Fire. Check the summary on Youtube for the set list.

Radiohead Fan Speaks Out

2011-03-25T17:30:00.001-04:00

This is so hilarious but for some reason I want to stop short of saying I agree with him....is it because I truly actually like OK Computer or is it because I might be rejected by all my friends who are such huge Radiohead fans.

And I know a lot of huge Radiohead fans......

Avalanche Whoops

2011-03-22T19:30:00.001-04:00

I think that if they were intending to create an avalanche this is probably a bit more than they were counting on..
You can see how they are all getting more and more nervous as the avalanche gets closer. I guess this is how they roll in Russia.

Next Viral Baby Video: Fear or Laughter

2011-03-15T17:30:00.001-04:00

The way the world is going this week, this video is very needed.

The look of utter fear on this baby's face is priceless. And then he just starts laughing....

Awesome.

Arcade Fire: Scenes from the Suburbs

2011-03-14T18:30:00.000-04:00

Check out this sweet trailer from Spike Jonze's "Scenes from the Suburbs" made in collaboration with Arcade Fire.

Yup looks pretty apocalyptic. Right up my alley.

A Hiker's Dream

2011-03-11T18:55:00.000-05:00

This video captures the Appalachian Trail in 4000 photos.

Green Tunnel from Kevin Gallagher on Vimeo.

If this doesn't make you want to get out there and hike I don't know what does. I know for myself, I want to do more hiking (and possibly biking) in Gatineau this summer.

The New iPad

2011-03-04T17:25:00.000-05:00

So Conan recently unearthed a little promo video for the iPad. Yeah I think Apple is getting a little cocky too Conan....

I love the 'non-specific ethnic accent'.

Extreme Downhill Biking

2011-03-02T23:45:00.000-05:00

Check out this extreme downhill biking video from Valparaiso, Chile. You are going to want to make this full screen when you watch it.

It looks like tons of fun but I think I'll stick to snowboarding for now.....

Sign of the Times

2011-03-02T20:30:00.000-05:00

This five year old has her whole life planned it seems. I wonder where she got these ideas.....

Either way, the Gregory Brothers of 'Bed Intruder Song' fame got ahold of it and turned the video into a little song.

Good times!

Why Snowboarding is Safer than Skiing

2011-03-02T17:45:00.000-05:00

This is just insane. Make sure you put it on full screen and you will be blown away by this footage. It makes me nervous just thinking about that view let alone what happens.....

So that's what it would look like.....

2011-02-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

Of course you have wondered what would happen if you blew up hundreds of thousands of firecrackers at once. Well these guys went and found out.

Apparently this is a dedication to some family member who died.

Horses Save a Milk Truck

2011-02-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

This one is for all my farmer friends....

That is some serious horsepower eh?

Anti-Abortion Billboard

2011-02-25T16:45:00.001-05:00

So a few days ago this billboard went up right in New York City just down the road from a Planned Parenthood office.
It didn't last too long before being removed. But it did get a lot of press.

I'm not really well versed enough to comment on what they are saying but I have read some stuff that clearly shows that the abortion rate is much higher for African Americans than the rest of the population in the States.

In other abortion news, I noticed (thanks reddit) that when you search "Murder" on google, the wikipedia article for abortion shows up as the second item. I am sure that will get shut down pretty quickly but it sure does seem that the abortion issue is in the mainstream news a lot lately. It's not a bad thing because I really think that people need to be forced to think through this issue and discuss it.

Cat Laser Bowling

2011-02-18T23:45:00.000-05:00

Here is the best argument for having pets I have seen yet:

Anybody want to get some cats together and start a bowling league?

Danny MacAskill - "Way Back Home" - NEW street trials riding short film

2011-02-18T18:17:00.000-05:00

Best travelling bike video with some awesome tricks. Danny MacAskill riding home and doing tricks throughout Scotland.

This isn't your standard bike tricks video. Think incredible views and ancient architecture.

Prank on a Call Centre

2011-02-17T19:00:00.001-05:00

I wonder if someone can duplicate this with the Bell call centre here in Kanata. This is an insanely elaborate prank on a Belgian call center which is apparently notorious for it's poor customer service. Stick around for the ending - it is priceless.

Escher's Waterfall (In Real Life)

2011-02-16T23:00:00.000-05:00

This is Brilliant!

Most Epic Gang Fight of this Galaxy?

2011-02-16T17:58:00.000-05:00

There is some swearing but trust me, this video is worth it.

Its like trapping a baby with candy

2011-01-24T19:54:00.000-05:00

So funny!

I bet this would work with one of my nieces or nephews.....

Water to Steam in -30deg

2011-01-23T17:11:00.002-05:00

So we replicated that youtube video that has been going around the internet for the last little while of those people in Yellowknife. Thanks to some insanely cold weather in Ottawa we had the privilege of experiencing it first hand.Thanks for the idea Heidi.

Beyond Black Mesa

2011-01-22T13:28:00.002-05:00

Remember the old game 'Half-Life'? It's possibly the best game ever made along with the second one. I never had a good enough computer for the Half-Life 2 but I spent hours playing the first one. The game engine was really what allowed those games to flow and have really decent graphics. They weren't ultra realistic but were just enough to make it incredibly immersive. The other thing was the perfectly timed 'surprises'. Even if you were expecting it the alien creatures and the commandos could jump out at you so fast you'd be left swinging your crow-bar aimlessly.

Anyway, some fans loved the games so much that they made a fan-made short movie with a couple extra bucks they had lying around. Actually it was only $1200 which is what makes the quality of this movie so incredible. This movie has been a long time coming (I remember reading about it a couple years ago) but man is it worth it.

Inspiration In The Parking Garage

2011-01-18T18:30:00.000-05:00

This is pretty cool. Taking those impromptu concerts in malls to another level.

"Coming out of a music educators' conference in the Eugene Hilton, I heard some beautiful voices as I walked to my car. Some choir kids had located a place with good acoustics, and they were just making beautiful music. The lights over their heads only made the moment more angelic."

Oh Japan, the Harbinger of Doom

2010-11-10T21:00:00.004-05:00

At first I was shocked but then I realized that how is this any different than watching Britney Spears or Nickelback? It isn't different at all. Both are marketed commodities that are polished and set up in order to make everyone involved a bunch of money.

Oh Japan - why do you always have to be the harbinger of doom. And why do you always make it seem so innocent.

Insects vs Mini-Pies

2010-11-01T21:30:00.002-04:00

I don't know who came up with this idea but I think we can all agree that is a great use of the the latest slo-mo filming technology.

Brilliant!

Tintin is coming!!!!

2010-11-01T19:29:00.003-04:00

As I posted back in April of 2008 the Tintin movie is becoming more of a reality or at least a CGI reality. This magazine recently got an exclusive look at what is in the works.
There are a ton of big names involved in this movie (Spielberg, Peter Jackson - producers, Jamie Bell - Tintin, Andy Serkis - Capt. Haddock, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost - Thompson twins, Daniel Craig - Red Rackham). I know names don't always make a movie good but I sure hope it works out in this case.

Here are a couple screen shots from The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn.

This is one of the first Tintin books I can remember reading. Can you tell I'm excited?

Banksy on Advertising and Modern Art

2010-10-27T22:33:00.006-04:00

The thing I hate the most about advertising is that it attracts all the bright, creative and ambitious young people, leaving us mainly with the slow and self-obsessed to become our artists.. Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little.
-Banksy (Wikiquote)

Ottawa's New Mayor

2010-10-26T00:37:00.003-04:00

So Ottawa just voted in a new mayor today. Out of a huge group (the largest ever, I think) Jim Watson basically had to defeat the incumbent, Larry O'Brien. It was really a landslide win in the end though.

Personally, none of the candidates really spoke to me. I just want to see them take a serious look at the budget and start cutting extraneous things. We can't fund every little thing by over taxing people and then still end up in the red.

The problem with Jim Watson is that he comes from the provincial liberal party and we all know how well those guys are doing. These are the people who are subsidizing green energy by raising our energy bills 3 times. They are also instituting full day kindergarten and they almost pushed through a motion to teach little kids about sex ed. Yeah, I'd really trust the government to teach the kids about sex.

Anyway, his track record isn't so hot - so why did he get in you ask? Well it's complicated but Larry had several gaffes and really latched onto the wrong issues which Watson used against him. Watson also used the classic obama move by pushing the "change" word around.

The only plus side to these elections was that 10 new councillors were voted in which was the opposite of last time when all the incumbents were re-elected. That was, in my opinion the main reason Larry couldn't get what he wanted to get done. In my ward, Jan Harder got in again (no surprise). She is a fighter for our area which is great in many ways but she never has "cuts" on her mind. She only cares about what she can get for her constituents. I suppose there could be worse things, and people always tell me that, but I just wish these councillors could band together and cut a good bunch of programs city-wide.

So we shall see where this all goes.....

1 million fps Slo-Mo Bullet Impacts

2010-10-22T21:30:00.000-04:00

Thanks to those awesome cameras they have now for filming stuff in ultra slo-mo for videos like Planet Earth they can now film other cool things...

This something I have always wondered about. What exactly happens when a bullet hits, well, pretty much any material. Sorry about the annoying techno music though.

The Rent Is Too Damn High Party

2010-10-22T17:00:00.000-04:00

So this is what happens when you open up elections to everyone and their cat. This is a clip from a debate in New York for people running for Governor. This guy is unbelievable.

The video has been getting tons of views over the past week so naturally somebody had to do the awesome parody / follow up:

Climbing a 1768ft Broadcast Tower

2010-09-15T18:00:00.001-04:00

If you want to know what it is like to climb to the top of a 1,768 ft broadcast tower but you don't want to risk your life then watch this video.

That is a job that I do not think I could do. You would think as they go higher they would be more concerned about safety but it looks like near the top they decide to forget the harness because it is too slow. Yes, too slow.

Remix the News: Part 2

2010-09-07T17:55:00.001-04:00

A couple posts ago I listed a bunch of "music" videos that spawned from a remix of a news story by the Gregory Brothers.

Well they are at it again. Here is the original news story.

and here is the Gregory Brothers Remix:

The Best Music Video Ever!!!

2010-09-03T15:30:00.000-04:00

I am completely serious. Nothing like this has ever been done.

Go to this website (http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/) and you can view the latest Arcade Fire video for the song "We Used to Wait" off of their latest album 'Suburbs' (which is amazing).

I found it really intense and it becomes very personal. So amazing.

Especially if you grew up in the suburbs.

Oh and I almost forgot. You need the Google Chrome browser to make this work. If you don't have it you are seriously missing out. If you don't have it and you also like The Arcade Fire then there is no question that you simply have to download it now and watch this video.

The Bed Intruder Video Evolution

2010-08-12T12:24:00.000-04:00

If you have been living under an internet rock over the past couple weeks you may have missed this latest internet meme. So I will attempt to keep you up to date because it keeps getting funnier.

Here is the original video which is actually quite serious:

Then some guys added some auto-tune and introduced music and voila, a the bed intruder song:

They invited everybody to do parodies of it and people responded instantly

The indie-folk version:

The piano version:

The Japanese guitar version:

And naturally the full band version:

The Video Website ('Social Network' Parody)

2010-08-04T19:25:00.001-04:00

Maybe you have heard of that Facebook Movie that's coming out soon. Well here is the movie about the founding of Youtube:

This one was put together by the same guys who did the Wes Anderson Spider-Man trailer which is pretty epic too.

Darth Vader and the Holy Grail

2010-08-03T21:00:00.002-04:00

This is so awesome since it puts together two of the best movies ever:
This is Darth Vader on his first job after switching to the Dark Side.

Making Fun of TV MegaChefs

2010-07-26T19:49:00.001-04:00

Here is a Youtube chef poking fun at TV Megachefs while showing us how to boil an egg.

She has got all the bases covered.

Behold: Our new Pancake Flipping Overlords!

2010-07-23T17:30:00.001-04:00

Watch and be scared as this robot learns how to flip a pancake.

A robot learning to flip pancakes from Sylvain Calinon on Vimeo.

It's only a matter of time before they learn how to do other things.....

Maybe in an Alternate Universe

2010-07-12T18:16:00.000-04:00

After our crazy episode yesterday while trying to watch the Netherlands and Spain battle it out for the World Cup I would have loved to be reading this in the evening.

And apparently I could have because good ol' CBS news had posted this and left it up for several hours after the game ended.

Just think, I could have been under the assumption that Oranje beat out Roja for the World Cup title if all I had read was this pre-written article congratulating The Netherlands for defeating Spain “by a score of SCORE to SCORE”

Representing my Roots

2010-06-30T23:00:00.000-04:00

I recently received an awesome little package in the mail from a close relative on Irene's side of the family in Holland.
I can now represent the Netherlands whenever I'm driving. I've always wanted these Euro-stickers even though they are not being used in Europe anymore. Of course trends always take several years to change on this side of the pond.

Thanks Ina!

District 11 in Joburg: With Football Fans

2010-06-30T17:45:00.001-04:00

Here is the original trailer for District 9 the movie (which is actually pretty good).

But this is phenomenal! If you have seen the movie you will LOVE this spoof trailer which ties in world cup fans to the alien presence in the movie.

Spoofs
Tags: Atom.com,Atom Originals,Atom Blog,Upload Videos

So Awesome!

Lenny Kravitz randomly joins a Choir in New Orleans

2010-06-29T23:15:00.000-04:00

Lenny Kravitz was something I listened to back in High School but he still has a bit of that cool factor. Now imagine if he randomly walked up to your choir and joined in with singing one of his most well known songs.

He was just sitting up on a terrace in New Orleans having a drink, and he heard the First Baptist Church in Lewisville’s The Voice of Praise Choir singing “Fly Away” so of course he joined them.

Devastation from Earthquake in Toronto!

2010-06-28T18:15:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Fred.

Don't hold your iPhone like that!

2010-06-25T17:00:00.000-04:00

Some interesting news coming out about the iPhone recently. The latest iteration seems to have issues when you hold it a specific way. It just so happens that it is the most comfortable way to hold the thing.

Check out this hilarious article which shows Steve Jobs telling people to just "not hold it that way". This is a serious problem for Apple because you can't fix it with some software patch. I don't know how it would have got past their testing stage.

But apparently this is the best way to hold the new iPhone:

Thank you Yoda!

Thank You, Internet

2010-06-24T17:30:00.001-04:00

Has anybody else heard of this Zach Anner guy? Apparently, he posted a video on Oprah's website to pitch a TV show for a contest she was financing. Thanks to on-line voting and the power of forums like Reddit and Digg his pitch is now in the lead by a good margin.

Here is a video of his thanks to the internet.

What a funny guy!

Go Holland!!!

2010-06-24T11:45:00.001-04:00

I'm out to watch the Dutch play Cameroon this afternoon.

But has anybody else noticed the vuvuzela button on youtube yet?

In honor of that I present my favorite vuvuzela photoshoped picture yet.....

Oh Maradona - I know you will probably win it too. What a punk.

Fresh Prince of Middle Earth

2010-05-21T18:50:00.001-04:00

Some guy doing an Ian McKellen impression of the Fresh Prince intro. Does it get any better than this?

This guy is good!

You're Gonna Miss Me - Lulu and the Lampshades

2010-05-20T18:00:00.000-04:00

This must take insane coordination skills and pretty good voices too.

How do you even get into something like this?

Slo-Mo of Fastest Animals on Earth

2010-05-20T11:05:00.003-04:00

Here is an awesome BBC video of some of the fastest animals on earth. They have slowed down the speed and the effect is pretty cool.

The most impressive thing I found was that the water essentially boils just before the snail gets hit. Incredible.

Serious Weather Stuff

2010-05-19T17:30:00.000-04:00

If you want to see what golf ball/baseball sized hail looks like - check out this video. It will blow your mind at around the 1 minute mark. I'd hate to see what your car looks like after this.

Is it just me or is the only really annoying part about this video the guy saying 'I've never seen anything like this before'. But I guess it's true - I've never seen anything like that before either.

Eyjafjallajokull

2010-05-17T18:30:00.001-04:00

If you want to see an epic video of the Icelandic volcano set to some epic music then watch this one:

Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull - May 1st and 2nd, 2010 from Sean Stiegemeier on Vimeo.

It is a time-lapse video by Sean Stiegemeier set to a tune by Jonsi of Sigur Ros called Kolniður. I have always wanted to go to Iceland - now I do even more.

Ironing Man

2010-05-05T22:50:00.001-04:00

I can't wait for Ironing Man 2!!!!

Star Wars Day

2010-05-05T17:30:00.002-04:00

Apparently May 4th is the unofficial Star Wars Day. Since I found this out on May 5th I am posting this video a little late in honor of yesterday.

If you have never watched Star Wars then you can watch this as it covers the complete first trilogy in about 2 minutes. It should give you enough to carry a quick conversation with the average Star Wars fan.

Working on the Vespa

2010-04-26T20:18:00.002-04:00

A couple weeks ago I decided to switch the rear tire and change the oil on the bike.

It went pretty well except I relearned that having the right tools makes every job more enjoyable. It would be nice to own a tool store......

A New Niece

2010-04-25T00:29:00.001-04:00

This is a little late but I now have a new niece named Julia!

And here is her sister Elyssa looking all rock-star.

She has to walk around at night with sunglasses on and an umbrella even if it's barely raining (I wonder if she got the umbrella thing from Irene).

2010-04-24T23:35:00.003-04:00

Earlier in the spring we had started to notice that a piece of soffit on our shed was starting to come off. I couldn't really think of why but it seemed to be slowly coming off more and more. There also seemed to be something coming out.

So when I finally got to check it out I realized that it was a pinecone jammed in the soffit. But as I started to pull it out I realized that there was several pinecones. They were totally jammed in there and I had to peel off the wood to get them out.

So I started to pull them out and I ended up with this crazy pile. My guess is that some squirrel stuffed the soffit with them in the fall and they all expanded in the warm spring weather.

That is my exciting life.

The Wheel of Death

2010-04-23T10:25:00.003-04:00

I have never really had any real desire to see Cirque de Soliel but after seeing this video my mind has officially been blown. This is some serious acrobatics.

Yeah I think I'd want to go see that live too.

If that vid doesn't work you can go here.

The Most Useless Machine Ever

2010-04-17T11:29:00.001-04:00

If this pic doesn't work - you can see it here.

Conversations with Jehovah's Witnesses

2010-03-10T07:11:00.000-05:00

I recently have been having a few conversations with the Jehovah's Witnesses. They have come to my house 3 times in the last couple weeks so I must really be in their system.

Anyway, the big opening line was "Do all good people go to heaven?" to which I said "No" and then they launched into this talk about the new heaven and new earth. I had never thought about the fact that it was mentioned that way and so they had their opening to try and prove to me that there is going to be this separation. But it was all quite vague and I kept trying to push them to see what the main point of their argument was.

I was also insinuating that whatever eternal life is going to be like I did not think that it was a salvation issue and therefore what is your point with this argument. They kept claiming that it was important to study the Bible to see what it really said and since we both agreed the Bible is the final authority then whatever it says must be important to know. Therefore if it said there was a new heaven and new earth then we should know that.

So I said I would look into it and talk to people at my Bible study. This didn't really happen and so I brushed it off like everyone else when I mentioned it at Bible study. Basically you can't argue with people who have their own customized version of the Bible. But it was still eating at me because there has to be an answer as to whether they are right or wrong regardless of if I think it is a salvation issue.

So I searched online and this video popped up. This guy gets to the heart of the matter and really shows what they were working towards with me. It is just a simple funny conversation that demonstrates what they really believe about the final authority of the scriptures.

Water Consumption vs Gold Medal Game

2010-03-09T17:45:00.002-05:00

Here is an awesome graph showing water consumption in Edmonton during the gold medal hockey game a couple weeks ago. I wonder if some people's toilets refilled a little slower than usual although you can guarantee that nobody would have been to concerned about that at the time.

Can't you just imagine a whole nation of people holding it in till the end of the period?

Look: I'm on Google Streetview!

2010-02-24T17:45:00.002-05:00

I knew I was going to be on Google Maps Streetview. I just noticed that they posted North Kanata so I immediately checked and there ya go!

View Larger Map

I remember this happening because I was about to put my helmet on and then I saw this car going by with a huge round thing sticking out the roof. I caught on pretty quick though I am sure it was after this picture was taken.

Here is the first picture:
Here is my reaction in the second picture....

Yeah pretty lame - I wish I struck some sort of crazy pose. This is taken outside my office by the way. Doesn't the Vespa make the office look stellar?

Fleet Foxes in Stop Motion

2010-02-23T17:45:00.001-05:00

This is a fantastic little home made stop-motion video that my brother made for my other brother for Christmas. He bought him the cd, made him a custom case and then made this video.

Given that he has never done a video like this before I think it turned out pretty awesome. All the artwork was done by hand and then photographed and then adjusted in Photoshop. Also it helps that the song is one of the best modern indie folk songs out there. It is called 'Blue Ridge Mountains' and was written by one of the members about his love for his brother.

A Book Club Update

2010-02-22T22:00:00.000-05:00

Yes I have finally joined a book club. I actually joined it late last year when a friend set it up. I have always wanted to do this to force me to read interesting books and then get some great discussion out of it.

The result has been pretty good so far. My favourite book picks have got to be 'Brave New World' (because it was such a defining book for me when growing up), some short stories by Franz Kafka (for the word Kafkaesque) and 'My Name is Asher Lev' (for the great discussion about art and other stuff). That last book really turned out some far better conversation than I expected. If you haven't read it and you are interested in art and artists this is simply put a must-read.

The next book we are reading is more of a return to traditional book club books I think. I am a little torn as to whether or not I will like 'Shantaram' by Gregory David Roberts. I mean I know I will like the book because it is one of those exciting books that spans continents, has interesting characters and has lots of action. But will it make me think the way those other books did? Does it have the same lasting presence? And what's with the author's weird spiritualism which feels like a cross between Hulk Hogan and Madonna's personal religions.

Well I guess there is only one way to find out......read it.

20 Interesting Apartments

2010-02-15T04:30:00.000-05:00

Here is a great list of cool/strange/wierd apartments of the world. Just as a side note can you guess which album features these neat honeycomb buildings on the cover?

Why am I blogging about a rapper?

2010-02-11T23:10:00.005-05:00

This has got to be a first. I have never posted a rap/hip-hop video or even blogged about it from what I can remember. However here is a Canadian rapper who has been making the rounds on the CEEB and seems to be getting more popular. What is separates him from all the other mainstream rap is his lyrics and attitude. I can't stand the rapping about getting shot and drugs and pimps. It is such a strange culture to be glorifying. This guy is totally down to earth and this song really shows it. Basically he is talking down on how mainstream rap music (at least partially) has created a new form of blaxploitation which has just been encouraged by the average black rapper. Now I can never say something like that because I am as white as they come. I mean I listen to indie-folk and read Kafka. So I really have no credibility.

Shad, however, has much more credibility. Take a listen:

Here are the lyrics Brother (Watching) by Shad:

I try to hold some hope in my heart
For these African youths
Coming up where im from
Many traps to elude
Surrounded by
Mostly white and affluent dudes
And somehow, you expected to have
Mastered this smooth
Swagger and move
With the right walk, the right talk
Fashion and crews
Souls subtly attacked and abused
And whats funny's being black wasn't cool
Where im from til suddenly
you started hearing rap in the school
Hallways
Admist this madness I grew
With knack for amusing through this little skill
For rappin at dudes
An' we all like to laugh at the truth
But when you young and same facts
Pertain to who you rappin em to
Well, I opted not to bring
That to the booth
But after a while, it sort of starts naggin at you
The crazed infatuation with blackness
That trash that gets viewed
And the fact that the tube only showed blacks
Actin the fool and I was watching...

(saturated with negative images and a limited range of
Possibilities is strange...)

And its sad cuz that naturally do
Sort of condition your mind and over time
That's whats attractive to you
So young blacks don't see themselves in
Scholastic pursuits
Or the more practical routes
Its makin tracks or its hoops
Or God-forbid movin packs for the loot
Even with this music we so limited - its rap or produce
And that narrow conception of whats black isn't true
Of course, still we feel forced to adapt to this view
Like theres something that youre havin to prove
Now add that to the slew
Of justification the capitalists use
For the new blaxploitation
Many actions excused
In the name of getting cash
That's adversely impactin our youth
With mental slavery, the shackles is loose
And its hard to cut chains when they attached at the roots
So what the new black activists do
For our freedom is just being them
Do what youre passionate to
Not confined by a sense that you have to disprove
Any stereotypes, so-called facts to refute
Or match any image of blackness
They've established as true
Perhaps we'll break thru the glass ceilings
Shatter the roof and emerge
From these boxes that they have us in cooped
And grow to smash the bold that they casted of you
I'll keep watching...

3rd Annual Enjoyment Awards

2010-02-06T21:00:00.000-05:00

It is the new year and although it started more than a month ago I figure that I should continue my annual tradition which was started in 2007 and miraculously also happened for 2008. So this is my most enjoyed random stuff of 2009.
Once again, I am not confining my list to music and it is not necessarily only from this year. My list is all about the stuff I got the most enjoyment out of in 2009.
Anyways, here it is:

My most enjoyed artist of 2009 was:
I gotta say Bon Iver. His album came highly recommended to me and I definitely did not regret spending the money on that one.

Some runners up were Sufjan Stevens (of course - after seeing him live), Joel Plaskett and Andrew Bird.

My most enjoyed album of 2009 was:
It is a 3-way tie between 'Noble Beast' by Andrew Bird, 'For Emma, Forever Ago' by Bon Iver and Joel Plaskett's album 'Three'.

Some runners up:
Jenn Grant - 'Echoes'
Great Lake Swimmers - 'Lost Channels'
M. Ward - 'Transistor Radio' and 'Post-War'
The Welcome Wagon - 'Welcome to the Welcome Wagon'

My most enjoyed compilation album of 2009 was:
'Dark Was the Night' which features Sufjan, Iron & Wine, Bon Iver, My Brightest Diamond and Canadians Feist, Arcade Fire and Buck 65 (among many others). It was put together mostly by the guys from The National as an AIDS benefit album. If there is one indie album you should buy this year it is this one because it gives you a great slice of the sounds and bands who are really doing cool stuff right now.

My most enjoyed song of 2009 was:
I always find this one so tough because it bounces around so much. I have to make a list:
'In the Blue Moonlight' - Joel Plaskett
'Tough City' - Oh Susanna!
'You'll Go Far' - Jenn Grant
'White Winter Hymnal' - Fleet Foxes
'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa' - Vampire Weekend
and so many more.....

My most enjoyed live performance of 2009 was:
Sooooooo many to choose from! Joel Plaskett, Jenn Grant, Sufjan Stevens. Nope I can't really choose between those three.
The spring was a good time for concerts in Ottawa.

My most enjoyed Local Band (Greater Ottawa Area) of 2009 was:
I guess I haven't got into to many local bands this year but as far as Canadian Indie acts go I'd have to pick Octoberman and Dan Mangan - and both have strong ties to the west coast.

My most enjoyed music venue of 2009 was:
It's a tough choice between the First Baptist Church downtown and the Black Sheep Inn out in Wakefield. I'm going to the Church again in a few weeks to see Basia Bulat so maybe that will make up my mind.

My most enjoyed quote of 2009 was:
"I've downloaded hundreds of records....why would I care someone downloads ours? That is such a petty thing to care about. I mean, how much money does one person need?"- Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes when asked when asked whether he minded if people 'stole' his albums.

My most enjoyed beer of 2009 was:
Well I have enjoyed Beau's Lug Tread several times this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Here is a picture of me enjoying said beer!

My most enjoyed TV show of 2009 was:
Firefly. I know it was made several years ago but I didn't get to watch it until this year. I absolutely love it. Don't think you have to be a sci-fi nerd to watch it either.

Also, I can't remember if I watched Battlstar Galactica this year or last year. It should be a close tie.

My most enjoyed movie of 2009 was:
Maybe the Where the Wild Things Are adaptation. It was pretty cool.

Maybe Serenity, because the finale to that Firefly series sure is better after you watch the series.

My most enjoyed proud uncle moment was:

When my neice, Elyssa, got over her fear of the Vespa (if even for an afternoon) at the Nepean Sailing Club!

My most enjoyed technology of 2009 was:
The continuing world domination by Google which just so happens to be extremely convenient for me since I use almost all their products.

Or maybe the news that foreign owned cellphone companies are coming to Canada. Hopefully I can get the Google Nexus One!!!!

My most enjoyed purchase of 2009:
The new kitchen even though it isn't done yet.

My most enjoyed city of 2009 was:
Kingston, ON Canada - Lots of history, tons of awesome restaurants, small enough to walk around, big enough to spend money on the downtown. Yes I was impressed. Don't judge it by the view you get from the 401.

I have to say that Memphis could have won this. Maybe if I spent more time there and got a better feel for the city.
The other close second had to be Boston. That is definitely a city I could live in (if I could afford it) if not drive in. The roads are insane - almost as bad (read: awesome) as an old European city - but there is lots of beautiful coastal spots and some fantastic architecture. Kingston just won because I really felt like I understood the city after staying there. Boston would take a little longer - must go back!

My most enjoyed architecture of 2009:

It has got to be MIT in Cambridge by Canadian Frank Gehry.

My most enjoyed book of 2009:

It was probably 'Brave New World' by Auldous Huxley which we read for our book club. I have read it before but getting to discuss it was just fantastic.

Other than that I'd have to say 'Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss which is a remarkably well written fantasy story that I picked up on a whim on my way home from Memphis. I say remarkable because usually fantasy books are not all that well written.

Either way this year promises to be great for reading thanks to the Jubilee Book Club I joined.

My most enjoyed Jubilee Church event of 2009:

Probably the Soup'n'Socks initiative that we have going on right now. We run around downtown handing out free soup and socks to anyone who needs it (especially homeless people).

My most enjoyed news item of 2009:

Climategate.

My most enjoyed sport of 2009:
Definitely snowboarding, I don’t have any other regular sports.

Most enjoyed website of 2009:
Definitely xkcd but Neatorama is pretty close. Yup, I'm a geek.

And last but not least my most enjoyed person of 2009 was:
Irene - she wins it again!?! incredible!!!! I'm sensing a trend, is this rigged you think?

Foolishly Seeking True Love

2010-02-02T18:30:00.002-05:00

Here is a great short film in the vein of 'Happenstance' or even that other Audrey Tautou film 'Amelie'. It has the fantastic narrator who almost seems to influence the story. It has the that subdued bit of humour. And it has that class that comes only from something foreign (or at least non-hollywood). So if you are a huge fan of Transformers don't bother watching this. :)

Foolishly Seeking True Love from Jarrett Lee Conaway on Vimeo.

For anybody with kids.....

2010-01-26T22:30:00.000-05:00

This animated short is for anybody with kids but it's maybe not quite for the kids themselves. It is about Gary who doesn't want to go through the door....

Get Out
by Esma-Movie

Very well done!

Another Epic Animal Battle

2010-01-26T17:30:00.000-05:00

This clip is brilliantly narrated and has some fantastic slo-mo footage. It isn't for the squeamish kiddies though - it is a full on massacre. Thirty Japanese hornets take on a nest of 30 000 European honeybees and destroy it.

If you want to know more about this insect you can check it out on Wikipedia of course.

Some interesting facts:

These things can and will chase you for 3 miles.
Each year in Japan the human death toll exceeds that of all venomous and non-venomous animals combined.
It's body length is approx. 2" and the wingspan is 3"
The Japanese honeybees have a defense mechanism in which they swarm the hornet and heat it up while pumping CO2 at them which kills them.
The European honeybees (which have been imported into Japan) do not do this at all and are consequently destroyed.