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November 30, 2002
Return of the WebCam
I borrowed back my kritterCam from Rochelle today. I was wondering if I could get it working with Mac OS X, which has been infamous in its lack of support for USB cameras. But I have succeded. And now I have Dr J Cam! Ya, it is ugly, but that's just me. It is the technology that's important."
Posted by jason at 10:39 PM
November 29, 2002
Kernal Panic and other military adventures
It is amazing how difficult it is to figure somethings out that you should really know. Kernal Panics. No problem. Had them with linux years ago when I had a faulty machine. But Yuka's lovely and talented flatpanel iMac gets a strange screen once a week or so with a research message and FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF at the bottom of the message. It reboots fine and works for a week. But today, since I should be doing other important things, I called apple. They told me it was Kernal Panic and his entourage. Gotta swap out her 256 meg dimm and put it in my puter, and put mine in hers. To see if my puter starts to panic. You'd wish that when the machine does something strange that they'd bother to tell you. Like the put the restart message in 4 languages. Wouldn't have been too much harder to say what had upset it so. Right?"
Posted by jason at 02:50 PM
November 28, 2002
Duh!
Capitalism as Stifling as Stalinist Communism. But unlike Stalin's world, the marketting is better."
Posted by jason at 08:37 AM
November 27, 2002
It's free for staff and students.
I just found out that UofT has free NAV. But you have to use your utorid login and password to get it: Norton Anti-Virus Software at U of T"
Posted by jason at 01:14 PM
Blake's fault
When you hang with blake, strange thing happen. Started with he and Yuka for Thai at the Queen mother. Then we walked down queen street. Looking for a club to visit. After passing the Riv, noting that Ric Emmet would be there, I asked blake what Emmett was up to. Blake turned to the person walking up behind us, and asked him. It was, of course, Ric Emmet. And he told us something. Then off down Queen. Blake noted that a women in a second story window was naked, and brushing her hair. I nodded and walked on. He dragged me back there 3 minutes later to watch. And she was still there. So we went into the ""Ancient"" for a pint. And he watched out the window as a crowd gathered to watch. Not us, but outside the women's window. Then an ambulance appeared. In front of her window. Our pints were finished and everyone was gone. But not before Ben Johnson walked by the window. So we went to the Horseshoe. As something was happening. No cover, but there were many people who seemed to know eachother. So we stayed. And had many Scotches. And waters. And then Scotches, with beer. Some how something was happening that we were not privy to. Musicians played who were not announced. Such as: Spirit of the West, Sarah harmer, gordie Johnson (big sugar), the headstones, staggered crossing, stabbing westward, some folks from tragically hip. We were taken abak. This sort of serendipity was beyond our collective ken. But it was the sort of thing that happens when you hang out with blake. Would that Salmon were there."
Posted by jason at 01:40 AM
November 26, 2002
Blake
I'm out rocking with cosmetic boy tonight. Hangover to follow.
Posted by jason at 04:59 PM
You must watch this video!
If you've seen the APPLE 'switch' videos, then you'll love this: John's Switch to Canada. And ifyou haven't seen them, go here Apple - Switch first. Thanks to TabiWallah for sending this to me."
Posted by jason at 12:49 PM
November 25, 2002
The Spam King
Now you know. If you open it, he'll keep sending it. If you buy from an unsolicited email, you're part of the problem. MIKE WENDLAND: Spam king lives large off others' e-mail troubles Ralsky has other ways to monitor the success of his campaigns. Buried in every e-mail he sends is a hidden code that sends back a message every time the e-mail is opened. About three-quarters of 1 percent of all the messages are opened by their recipients, he said. The rest are deleted."
Posted by jason at 09:01 AM
STrange Mix
Yesterday was movie day, for some reason. Actually, I showed up at Kat's (for pancakes!) to talk to Lao about his Unicode moo implimentation. Very impressive, just figuring out ways to test it. Then back to hook up with Yuka and off to the movie. Smuggled in some real coffee and saw James Bond. I wasn't a big fan of the post-Connery bonds, until I saw ""Mars Attacks"". When Pierce Bronslin (or however you spell his name) was a severed head, cracking bad jokes, everything changed. Now every Bond movie has an element of Mars Attacks for me, and it is all funny forever. Then we come home, have dinner, very nice, and put on a DVD we got last week. ""Reservoir Dogs"". BLOODY MESS. But so beautiful. Much more horrific and much better cinematography. A joy to watch, and suffer through, but too much movification for one day. Saw ""The Hunger"" on Saturday night, if anyone cares."
Posted by jason at 08:53 AM
November 23, 2002
Edmonton folds under pressure.
O Canada will be sung in French at the Grey Cup. By an Edmontonian woman. The sun shines slightly brighter.
Posted by jason at 09:01 PM
"Oh, Canada. The shame"
THE GREY CUP is being held in dEadmonton this week. The national anthem will be sung only in English. Not to shocking when it comes to Alberta, USA. But Edmonton is playing against Montreal. AND right on the above web page it actually says ""Proudly supported by the Government of Canada. Call 1 800 O-Canada"" Now I ask you. Is this remotely Canadian?"
Posted by jason at 08:06 AM
November 22, 2002
The Bloofer Lady!
Just in from Elizabeth ""The bloofer lady"" Miller. If you don't know her, check out her home page: Dracula's Homepage - Fact and fiction. ""A reminder that on Tuesday night Nov 26 on the Learning Channel, watch ""Vampires Among Us"". Hmmmm... One of those featured on the program is the Vampire Bloofer... :) Program is at 10pm Eastern. Hope they don't butcher my interview..."""
Posted by jason at 12:01 PM
For only $7500 CDN
Segway Human Transporter -- First come, first served for delivery starting March 2003. Buy it now at Amazon.com "
Posted by jason at 10:22 AM
Free Journal Software
John Willinsky is talking at RCAT on Monday about his Open Journal Systems Journal environment software. It is a total online refereed journal tool, including editorial and review components and the works. I wanna try it with a journal soon. Any takers?"
Posted by jason at 08:50 AM
November 21, 2002
Holidays
I set up an Amazon Wish List finally. Been resiting it for two reasons: no one buys me presents in my family who uses the internet, and no one in my family uses the internet. But it may make sMom happy, as she will have to get me something from my sisters. And it is another chance to explore extremely bad web site design... Amazon that is. Ugh."
Posted by jason at 07:47 AM
November 20, 2002
News of the Day
Would Jesus buy an SUV?. That is the question of the day on CNN. CNN also asks ""Does religion have any place in your purchases?"" Silly d00ds."
Posted by jason at 05:52 PM
Did something happen?
Yuka just commented that I hadn't updated my blog... and I was forced to reflect. Has anything happened yet this week? What did I do so far this week? I think I have an answer, or more likely an excuse. A cold. Not that it's cold, but that I have one. Ah. the memory comes clear. Met with Jasjit and to talk about grad school options. Over brekkie at Maggie's on College. Hmmmmmm. Brekkie. Then Salmon showed up (I'd emailed her to say I'd been there) to drag me off to an AoIR 2003 conference planning meeting. Then met with some students, and sent off some more job application information. Then came home, crawled into bed for 12 hours. I think I'll spend the rest of the day there, marking papers. Sniff."
Posted by jason at 10:27 AM
November 18, 2002
Paying for Moveable Type
I went to movabletype.org : Donate and donated $30 CDN for my MT software that we all have been using this year. With 20+ blogs of Rogers, and the 25 of my students, plus all the other odds and ends, I figured that we're getting our money's worth out of it. The Trott's have done a great job with their software, and I'm happy that it has been so serviceable to us all. Anyone wanting to donate to me, can buy me a beer. Hmmm... maybe I should put a paypal donate icon on this site, and let users donate to me.... wheeeee.
Addendum: I did add a 'pay pal' link at the bottom of this page. If anyone wants to help with the costs of running the various blogs on edublog or jasonnolan.net, please feel free to do so. If you're a student in ENG3150, however, I'm already being compensated by Roger and Yorku. Thank you very much. And if you're at KMDI, I think of it as part of my teaching duties. As well, I will accept beer in place of donations. Prefer it actually."
Posted by jason at 10:52 AM
Clone of the Attack
This is a great GulfWars/Starwars spoof, compliments of Mad Magazine. I'd forgotten about MM. I can't believe that they're still doing current satire. And doing it well. Frank Magazine, eat my shorts."
Posted by jason at 10:18 AM
November 16, 2002
"Osborne Collection event"
Edward Wakeling Wednesday, November 20, 2002, 8:00 pm At the Community room (basement), Lillian H.Smith branch, Toronto Public Library Together with members of the Lewis Carroll Society of Canada, members of the Friends are invited to attend an informal talk delivered by one of the foremost Lewis Carroll evperts, Edward Wakeling. Mr. Wakeling has compiled and editied a number of volumes of the writings of Lewis Carroll, including _Lewis Carroll Diaries_, and is, with Roger Taylor, co-author of _Lewis Carroll, Photographer: THe Princeton University Library Albums_."
Posted by jason at 09:50 PM
Sankai Juku Review
Doing less, but doing it very well Japanese butoh dance troupe receive standing ovations is from the Ottawa Citizen, and gives a review of the Sankai Juku performance that Yuka and I saw in Ottawa last week. I think that the show was just not that good, and that makes me very sad, as Sankai is the only troupe that I've ever liked in any form of dance. That is they're the only group who could hold my attention for more than a second. I got the sense that the reviewer didn't know Sankai's previous work... like ""The Egg Sands Out of Curiosity"" which nearly fried my cortex. I can't remember the first performance I saw of theirs back in the late 80s, but it too was so completely overwhelming that time stood still, and the only thoughts in my head were those of the movement of the dancers. No meta-conceputalization. No consideration of the narrative and construction of the piece. Just movement. Each turn of a wrist was an explosion. Butoh is often said to be the child of Hiroshima,and is as post-apocalytic as possible. And post modern without being european. This time, I was recognizing the vocabulary of motion from previous shows, and it seemed overly self referential. And that's death for dance. And I guess that's the death of Sankai Juku. They're now performing themselves. As yuka said, after 27 years, perhaps the founder Amagatsu, need to pass the cowl to someone else."
Posted by jason at 04:06 PM
The Royal
Went to The Royal Winter Fair this morning with Yuka. Froze our butts off going down there, somewhat better coming back. I watched and clicked pictures as yuka fed, and was slobbered on, by various and sundry animals. We did not get to touch any pigs, but I think yuka was satisfied by the tactile variety that the Royal presented, and we moved on satisfied. I was able to buy 3 Bromeliads to compliment my collection of one. And we hit the st lawrence market on the way home. I, however, am coming down with a cold. So I'm cleaning up my email, and going to take a nap."
Posted by jason at 03:51 PM
November 14, 2002
Off to NYC
Yuka and I played host to rochelle late last night. She flew in, on a bus. The only person I know who can do that. It has something about karma and attitude. Then she and I wizzed over to the bus station to buy her ticket for NYC. Now (7:15 am) she's doing her morning ablutions, Yuka is sleeping, and I'm making tea. The bus leaves in an hour!"
Posted by jason at 07:15 AM
November 13, 2002
Proper Backups!
I finally have proper backups running for the edublog server. I've been doing them by hand since forever. And that always leaves one in a panic. Thanks to Peter Wolf, I've not got Retrospect for Mac running, backing up all data nightly. One less thing to bring nightmares in my sleep."
Posted by jason at 01:52 PM
Hanging out with Wojar
Had fun today helping Roger rebuild his OS. Got him up to 10.2 the same day that 10.2.2 came out. But I'll try that on my computer first, before doing it to anyone else. I feel soooo rusty when it comes to using OS9.x now. I forget where everything is, and I feel like a bit of an idiot searching for extensions that I used to know by heart. I figured this out as I was up at the Carley's, getting James to write me a letter of recommendation for my York job application, and helping Ann back up her computer to James'. Eeek. Appletalk, Apple Share, Chooser!?!? Ghosts from the past returned to haunt me. Luckily it was a comedy of errors rather than an Jason XXIV horror movie."
Posted by jason at 07:55 AM
November 11, 2002
Teaching and AIM
I taught Suzanne Hidi's course tonight on Academic Writing at OISE. She's away somewhere, and I was filling in. Mostly to talk about technologies and whatnot. That is Blogs. In the middle of it I found that I had ICQ and AIM going and was chatting with Cosmo and Rochelle, while teaching! That's got to be a first, when the prof's IMing while teaching. I think I should set up a special plack or something. Actually, I was asking Rochelle questions about on-screen editing, but I thought it was neat to use instant messages in a teaching situation."
Posted by jason at 10:21 PM
"Oh, was it bad? Yes. It was."
Danger. Danger. Gasthaus Switzerland Inn has fallen so far off my recommended list that I think a long descriptive letter to the Ottawa Tourist Board is in order. And yes, I had two (2) major blowups with the owner. Needless to say, it put a bit of a slant on the trip. And needless to say as well, I'll give a full report."
Posted by jason at 01:59 AM
November 08, 2002
Off for the weekend
Masako's cat sitting for us this weekend as we rush to Ottawa to see Sankai Juku: Hibiki Sankai Juku: Hibiki: On their long-awaited return visit to Ottawa, Japan's Sankai Juku performs Hibiki (Resonance From Far Away) an internationally-acclaimed, award-winning work of unparalleled simplicity and beauty."
Posted by jason at 10:26 AM
November 07, 2002
The Funny Woj
Roger sent me this. And since I'm all over this English text and writing thing, I figured that we could include humour. Subject: final word on nutrition and health Here is the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all of those conflicting medical studies: 1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than do the British or Americans. 2. The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. 3. The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. 4. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. 5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is what kills you."
Posted by jason at 09:31 AM
November 05, 2002
Puter Fixed!
Walked into the puter shop repair room. No one there. Out doing a delivery I'm told. So I snoop. My puter's there. Almost. paper work says it is mine. I can't recognize it. So I put it back and go looking at books until they return. Yep it is mine. But not what I sent in. Only the motherboard, ram, HD, battery and DVD player are mine. They replaced everything else. EVERYTHING. New keyboard, back case, main case, track pad, wireless network card and screen assembly. That means that every part you'd ever touch is new. Wow. I knew I didn't abuse the puter, but didn't know if they'd believe me. It was cracked, and bent, and broken. Ridden hard and put away wet just one time too many. Thanks apple."
Posted by jason at 11:49 PM
What is it this time?
Julia sent me this interesting little flash movie that I thought you might enjoy: Why the US must Invade Iraq"
Posted by jason at 01:53 PM
November 04, 2002
Another Award for E2K
The mag that RR founded, Rhonna runs, and I cause editorial mayhem on E2K: a journal for the new literary paradigm just won the award at Digital Literature Festival, November 1-2, 2002 in Santa Barbara, California Announcing the Winners of the 2002 Independent e-Book Awards Favorite e-Zine - The WinnerNet Author's E2KRhonna Robbins-Sponaas, Editor-in-Chief Robert Marcom, Publisherhttp://netauthor.org/e2k"
Posted by jason at 08:47 AM
"Welcome to 100 Words"
Found Welcome to 100 Words from Joots' post ""Learning Curve Five - 100 Words and Then Some"" And it had the best warning: ""PS: 100 Words is not a blog."" Blog-in-denial."
Posted by jason at 08:31 AM
November 03, 2002
Still no computer
It is now 11 days without a computer. And I can't believe that. I'm enjoying not really being connected, and only getting online in spurts and moments. At least my data's in tact. And thanks to yuka for letting me on momentarily. Like when she's asleep or in the shower."
Posted by jason at 08:37 AM
November 01, 2002
Bamkero Halloween
Now, this is halloween... pumpkin cutting by Yuka Shimada and Bamkero: "
Posted by jason at 10:17 AM
Happy Halloween!
My halloween present to myself was to send out 5 job applications yesterday. As someone around here says, Yay me! And such applications I've never seen. Thus I must share, without going into details of the actual content. But here's what goes in some of these things: 1) letter of application showing that you know who you are, what job you're applying for, and why you think you have a hope in hell of getting it. 2) Statement of research interest that implies that not only have you done things in the past, but hope/plan to do things in the future. And these things aren't your normal things, like ""I hope to finally learn the history of the word grommet,"" but things of lasting and enduring cultural value and significance, like ""I plan to conduct inquiry into the hegemonic and sociopolitical influences surrounding the insitutions from which the grommet first came, and track its influence on the maritime cultures of Nebraska."" 3) A curriculum vita(e) of ponderous weight and importance. It should be an alzheimer's special, covering everything you ever did in nice neat easily ignorable slots. I swear, I know what I was doing november 15, 1986 because of my CV. 4) Proof of effective teaching is the most dangerous. How can you prove you're an effective teacher? Well, I... I'm not going to say. Suffice it to point out that I sent photocopies of all the course evaluations of my last two grad courses, the anticalendar entry from one of my ENV321 classes where I got to do things my way, and 6 (six) apprasials of my teaching from when I got my teaching degree back in 1992. I don't remember what else was in each of these packages, but there was more. And STILL, I have to send transcripts of every post-secondary course I have ever taken, going back to 1982!!! AND 3-4 letters of reference. This isn't enough to decide if I should get an interview. It is enough to reconstruct me completely. I think I just sent out 5 golem construction kits, just add incantations! Bah. I think I'll go get a blood test or something."
Posted by jason at 08:32 AM