Didn't think that would happen

So I was scraping ice from my window trying to get it open. I was using my scissors. I hear a tiny *snap*, and the end of my heavy metal scissors breaks off. Lovely.

This has surprisingly upset me. Will my scissors still work with a bit of the sharp end gone?

...

After a quick test, yes my scissors will still in fact work.

...

Hi, again

Haven't posted much in the last.....3 months. Been busy. Been enjoying this teaching thing, actually. If you took off the pressure of being planned, it would be fun. Weird. I'm over half done. But the worst begins next week.

Many things to talk about, so little time.

Comics for sale

I'm getting rid of a lot of comics. I just don't have the room. These all have to go.

The Alan Moore, Jim Lee, Grant Morrison, and Warren Ellis books are up on Ebay at the moment.

Trades
Transmetropolitan vol. 1
Whiteout
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 2
Batman Mad Love (Dini/Timm)
Incredible Hulk Future Imperfect OGN (PAD)
Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

Singles
Sin City: Silent Night (Miller)
Quantum and Woody # 1-5 (Priest)
Tick’s Back #0
The Shade # 1-4 (Robinson)
Starman: Almost complete run (except for #3 and 51, I believe) (Robinson)
Spider-Girl # 0-3
Supreme # 41-56 (Moore)
Judgement Day # 1-3, and Judgement Day Aftermath (Moore)
Awesome Universe Handbook
Supreme the Return # 1-6 (Moore)
Superman: Man of Tomorrow #1 (signed by Grummet)

Buffy the Origin 1-3
Chase #1
Terminal City 1-9
Terminal City: Aerial Graphitti 1-5
Kane 1,2, 5-7, 11-17, 19-31
Jack Staff #1
Detective Comics #0, 678, 689,690
Shadow of the Bat # 37,38

Channel Zero #1-5
Lucifer 1-3 (mini series)
Avengers 1-4 (Heroes Return – Busiek/Perez)
Death #1-3 (mini series – Gaiman/Bachalo)
Astro City vol. 1 # 1,3-6
Astro City vol. 2 #1-6
Marvels (2nd Print) # 1-6
Alpha Flight vol. 1 # 1,11, 130
Alpha Flight vol. 2 #1-3, 12-20
Heroes for Hire #1
Moon Knight # 1, 60
Iron Man vol. 1 #324-332, & Age of Innocence
Iron Man vol. 2 (Heroes Reborn) 1-11
Iron Man vol. 3 (Heroes Return) #1-4
Tales of Suspense feature Iron Man & Captain America - Robinson and
MacNeil
Daredevil (Marvel Knights) #1 (Smith/Quesada)
Thor (Heroes Return) #1 (Jurgens/Romita Jr.)

New Teen Titans #1-5 (Wolfman/Perez)
Tales of the Teen Titans #42-44 & Teen Titans Annual #3 (complete Judas Contract)
Green Lantern #48-51, 76, 81, & Final Night: Parallax
Green Arrow -#0, 100-102, 110-111
Man of Steel #1-3, 6 (Byrne)
Clerks: The Comic Book; The Lost Scene; Holiday Special
Jay & Silent Bob: 1-3
Oni Double Feature #1,2
Sam and Twitch #1-9 (first arc by Bendis)
Barry Ween vol. 1 #1-6
Barry Ween vol. 2 #1-3
Fortune and Glory #1

Transmetropolitan #7-10, 12-60, & Transmetropolitan: I Hate it Here
Inhumans #1 (Pacheco/Ladronn)
Midnight Nation #1,2 (Stracynski)
Hawkman #1,2 (Johns & Robinson/ Morales)
Whiteout: Melt #1-3 (Rucka)
Powers #7 featuring Warren Ellis (Bendis/Oeming)
Jenny Sparks 1-5
Stormwatch vol. 1 # 38-50 (Ellis/Raney)
Stormwatch Vol. 2 #1-11) (Elli)
Stormwatch: Team Achilles #1
The Authority: #1-12 (Ellis/Hitch)
Catwoman #1-2 (Brubaker/Cooke)

Point Blank #1 (Brubaker)
Scene of the Crime #1-4 (Brubaker/Lark)
Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #1-3 (signed by Mike Grell and Laurene
Haines)
Seven Guys of Justice # 2-6, 7-10
Avengers vol. 3 Rough Cut #1 (script book)
New Avengers #2-3, Avengers Disassembled #501
Punisher #1 (Ennis/Dillon)
Unknown Soldier 1-4 (Ennis)
Astonishing X-Men # 1-11 (Whedon/Cassaday)

Ultimates vol. 1 # 1-13 (Millar/Hitch)
Ultimate Fantastic Four #1-4 (Millar & Bendis/Kubert)
Ultimate War #1-4 (Millar/Bachalo)
Ultimate Six #1-5 (Bendis/Harsinine)

Identity Crisis #1-7
Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1 (Rucka/Johns/Winnick)
The OMAC Project #1 (Rucka)
Day of Vengeance #1 (Infinite Crisis tie-in)
Adam Strange (mini series) #1-3 (Diggle/Ferry)

Marvel Boy #1-6 (Morrison)
Seven Soldiers #1 (Morrison)
Seven Soldiers: Zatanna #1 (Morrison)
Seven Soldiers Klarion #1 (Morrison)
JLA #1-41 (Morrison/Porter)
JLA Classified #1,2 (Morrison)
Doom Patrol #19-25, 31, 35,36 (Morrison/Case)
New X-Men #114-154, New X-Men Annual 2001 (Morrison)
Invisibles vol. 1 #1 (Morrison)
Invisibles vol. 2 #1 (Morrison)

Superman/Batman # 6-8
Batman #608-619 (Loeb/Lee)
Flash vol. 2 #1 - around #120)
Impulse #1-12 (Waid/Ramos)
Flash # 166, 170-175, 177-180, 182-190, 195-207 & Flash: Iron Heights
Ruse #1-5 (Waid/Guice)
Captain America vol. 1 #444-454 (Waid/Garney)
Captain America vol. 3 (Heroes Return) #1 (Waid/Garney)
Kingdom Come 1-4 (Waid)
Superman: Birthright #1-12 (Waid/Yu)
Legion of Super-heroes #1 (Waid/Kitson)
Hunter Killer #0 (Waid/Silvestri)
Underworld Unleashed 1-3 (Waid)
The Question #1 (Veitch/Edwards)
Superman #204 (Azzarello/Lee)
1602 - #1,2,4-7 (Gaiman/Kubert)
House of M Sketchbook #1

Ugh.

So we lost 44-18 to Calgary. We were soundly beaten. Unfortunately, some injuries on the defence really hurt the Riders, as they couldn't get a push up the middle to put some pressure on Burris, and stop the run. From there, Burris got into a rythym and then things got ugly.

It didn't help that our offence was making mistakes. And for the record, it wasn't Nealon, who played pretty good. Some of the run play calls were questionable. Dropped balls killed also hurt. The Riders have to play mistake-free football when they are on the road.

On the bright side, this was a good kick in the pants early in the season for them. They've mostly played crummy teams so far this year, so this is a good wake up call for them. Their intensity has to be kept up. And it's still really early.

Next: Ottawa at home.

This Man Wants To Be Prime Minister

I think Harper really wants to be Woody from Toy Story.

Ah, Woody.

So many memories.

Finishing it right

We managed to beat Hamilton 32-13, while still missing 6 key starters. Macallum played well, which was nice to see, and the defence came up big at the end of the game when things were on the line. The defence delivered when they had to. This marks a major turning point for the Riders, I think. Their defence can now stop people late in the game. They haven't been able to do so for years, and that's why I think this just might be a championship-calibre team.

We get it

TSN is currently riding a euphoric high. Yes, we know the NHL is back on. You can stop giving it wall to wall coverage. There ARE OTHER sports. Even while the lockout was on TSN managed to devote at least one hour a day to the lockout, which just goes to show how much of TSN's bottom line relies on the NHL.

Also, and this applies to all CFL broadcasters, why is no one televising the best game of the week - Toronto at B.C? Another rematch between two of the best teams in the league, and instead somebody chose to televise Calgary and Ottawa?

Doesn't make sense.

Too much water means not enough

The river has been extremely high due to run-off from Alberta. Problem is, silt is clogging up the city's filtration system. We're not supposed to use water other than for drinking. Yes, that means no showering.

It even made national news today in the Globe and Mail.

Must have been a slow news day.

We lose

A loss miraclously snatch from the jaws of victory. A very well-playd game on the part of the Riders. Nealon was near perfect and probably had one of his best ever games, but we still lost.

Another game, another 2 starters gone. This getting to be a terrible pattern. Jeremy O'Day is hurt, and so was Karsten Bailey. We can't forget Nate Davis who left with back spasms. Our biggest loss so far this year is Matt Dominguez, who most likely is out for the season. Then there's Kenton Keith and LaDouphyous McAlla who are week to week. I mean, that's 6 players and only 3 games in. If only this team can stay healthy for the rest of the year.

And Paul Macallum is on the bubble, as far as I'm concerned. If he performs poorly in the next game, he has to be cut. In any other position with that poor a performance, that player would be replaced.

Motion Soundtrack

Go here.

Watch. Listen. Thank me later.

My favourite song of the last couple of months.

Another Win

Make that 2 in a row for the Riders. They beat Hamilton in the Hammer (Hammer? I've seen this used recently for the first time) 23-21. This is their best start in....well... ever, probably.

Macallum better pick up his game though. Those missed field goals are not acceptable, new holder or no. Hopefully it's the motivation he needs to get out of his slump and get back to being his regular 74% accuracy self.

Dominguez is out next week. Hopefully Keith is back.

Late June music list

I've FINALLY found some good music to listen to. For the last year or so I've been trying to find some new music. Nothing really grabbed me until the last 3 months or so. Here are some of my favourite albums currently on my playlist.

Stars - Set Yourself On Fire
Tegan and Sara - So Jealous
Weezer-Make Believe
The Postal Service - Give Up
British Sea Power - Open Season
Arcade Fire - Funeral

What are you listening to? Put the Comments thing to good use. Share with everyone your most listened to album right now.

Attention Alan Moore fans

I'm currently selling some comics. Right now on Ebay.ca I've got Alan Moore's famed run on Wildcats.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=377&item=8314203754&rd=1

3 days left in the auction.

Football Season

It's now football season and the Roughriders have started it by destroying the Bomber 42-14.

I really need to figure out how to post pictures to this thing.

Movies

Haven't posted in awhile, but I've managed to see some flicks.

Star Wars Ep. 3 - Okay. Horribly woodern dialogue, but otherwise okay. One large hole no one seemed to notice though. Why not attack Sidious when he is giving his speech announcing the empire? He either A.) defends himself, revealing himself to be Sith, or B.) gets killed allowing the Jedi to take over and re-establish the republic.

Batman Begins - Ok, for the most part. Ra's Al Ghul did not have to be in it. It could have just been Scarecrow and there could have been more emphasis on how the two are similiar yet different in that they both use fear as a means to an end. Plus, tying Ra's into Batman's origin was dumb. Katie Holmes was out of place, and the movie was ruined for me when Batman revealed who he was to her. I hate to sound like a fanboy, but Batman doesn't go around telling people who he is. He has relegated himself to a life alone. This is a fundamental aspect of who he is. A psychologically disturbed lonely man.

Bewitched - While Nicole Kidman was great and cute and everything, there really wasn't much point to this movie. Some suit got up and said, Hey! We still own Bewitched! Why don't we do something with it before the copyright runs out!

Blah. Summer movies suck. I hope to not see Fantastic Four for as long as possible.

Renegades

Memo to the CFL:

Shut down the Renegades franchise before handing it over to the Gliebermans.

Good god. Does no one remember them and the animosity they created 10 years ago? It almost seems like an April Fools joke.

One other thing. There seems to be some discontent among the owners regarding Commissioner Wright. If they sack him, it will set the league back a good 10 years. Between this and the Gliebermans, it's almost as if the CFL wants to forget its recent successes and go back in time to when things sucked.

The Corporation

I've been meaning to post this for several weeks now, but I'd like to suggest the documentary The Corporation to everyone. It really is an enlightening film and show the degree to which coporations have achieved ascendancy in our culture. Definitely worth viewing. Excellent interviews with people like Noam Chomsky, Noami Klein and Maude Barlow. As an added bonus, you get to see a rep (I forget his name) from the Fraser Institute hang himself with his own rope. The link to the official website is under Links over to your right.

Also, sorry for liking Everybody Loves Raymond. Wow. That created some kinda shit storm with my friends.

Confession Time

I have an unholy love for Everybody Loves Raymond and I don't know why.

Well, maybe I do. It's sort of the idyllic family suburban lifestyle, isn't it? The biggest problem is that your mother in law thinks you can't cook.

I guess it's also funny.

Stephen Harper is from Outer Space

It's interesting to see that he thinks getting rid of big business tax cuts and investing in social programs is seen as making a deal with the devil.

I wonder what the response would be if one polled ordinary citizens and asked wether it was a good thing or a bad thing that more money was given to social programs, and multinationals weren't getting tax cuts.

It's a strange world.

Stick a fork in me

I'm done with the John Byrne Forum. I only ever bothered for a laugh. The man is insane on a level comparable with Dave Sim.

Not only that, but his little sychophants eat up everything he says, almost as if they don't have functioning brains of their own.

It all makes me think comics are sad.

Great. Another Rascist

I found this from Warren Kinsella's blog.

This concerns a woman from Saskatchewan named Catherine McMillan, who maintains a popular far right, anti-aboriginal web site called Small Dead Animals, and was hired by the Western Standard magazine to be its blog site administrator.

This is her blog entry:

"The Most Politically Incorrect Question You'll Read All Day
Is there a point where we are allowed to stop feeling sympathy for these people, seal off the borders and just let nature take its course?"

McMillan then links to a Reuters story, found here, which details the spread of the Marburg virus in Western Angola. The virus has killed nearly 200 people.

So it would appear she's rascist and supporting genocide. She's from Saskatchewan.
and she works for Western Standard.

...

I guess it means I'm writing another letter.

Two rhetorical questions: Who the fuck are these people, and where do they come from?

Mikey Likes It! He Loves School!

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/index.php?ntid=35174&ntpid=1

This guy is my new hero. He's been at university for what will be 12 years.

Fight!

http://p2punite.net/

Not a bad idea. Kinda like AdBusters' Buy Nothing Day, which more people should support.

Saying Goodbye to Paul

From Monday Report.

It's just about perfect. Just a needs a highlight reel of the stupid things he's said over the last few years.

Jeff Gannon

The New York Times has an interview with Jeff Gannon. Yeah, him.

He not so cleverly manages to side step all the important questions directed at him.

Coward.

More Lies

http://www.dailykos.com/

Taken from the Washington Post:

"In an effort to increase pressure on North Korea, the Bush administration told its Asian allies in briefings earlier this year that Pyongyang had exported nuclear material to Libya. That was a significant new charge, the first allegation that North Korea was helping to create a new nuclear weapons state.

But that is not what U.S. intelligence reported, according to two officials with detailed knowledge of the transaction. North Korea, according to the intelligence, had supplied uranium hexafluoride -- which can be enriched to weapons-grade uranium -- to Pakistan. It was Pakistan, a key U.S. ally with its own nuclear arsenal, that sold the material to Libya. The U.S. government had no evidence, the officials said, that North Korea knew of the second transaction."

Uh oh.

Your Conservative Party's Great Idea

Interesting note from the Conservative policy convention this weekend. Straight from the Globe and Mail:

"Delegates voted in favour of two-tier health care, for instance."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

What exactly does that involve, two-tier health care, and who in their right mind would vote for such a thing?

This stood out for me, moreso than the typical Alliance/Conversative notions on how to fix the country. This is a great example of a party that consists of old, white rich men, who don't actually give a shit about anyone other than themselves. The Conservative party is clearly out of touch. Good luck winning an election when two-tier health care is part of your election platform.

Look at this

http://mediamatters.org/

Likely the best (and only?) website that tracks misleading (well, lying) politicians, websites, and news stories. It keeps everything together in one handy place, sort of as an evidence gathering website useful for quick reference.

Today, reports of bribes and corruption by Tom Delay, and the lastest moronic evidence-free rant by Bill O'Reilly.

If you haven't seen Media Matters before, check it out.

It's depressing though.

Paul, It's Time to Go Home

U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci, today on news that Canada won't support ballistic missile defence.

“We simply cannot understand why Canada would in effect give up its sovereignty – its seat at the table – to decide what to do about a missile that might be coming towards Canada.”

Actually, Paul, what we're doing is asserting our sovereignty in not giving America control of what comes into our air space. It boggles my mind how you can twist that for your own selfish pruposes. Also, I defy you to point out any missiles that are pointed at Canadian cities. The fact of the matter is, we don't need your defence.

You also seem unaware of what your country is constructing. This type of missile defence has been described by Chinese and US analysts as a "sword," not a "shield." This will impel the Russians and Chinese into a renewed arms race, effectively wiping out the non-proliferation work of the last 30 years.

And if you could bring your self-righteousness under control for a minute, let's not forget the big picture. If anyone sends up a missile, it's GAME OVER for everyone, missile defence or no.

And so Paul, for continually butting into Canadian domestic policy several times during your stay here, it's time for you to go.

Let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Distressing news

I share the same birthday with Bill O'Reilly.

Bill, if you're reading this, GET THE FUCK OFF MY BIRTHDAY!

Oh, and try this George Bush quiz.

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blgeorgewbushquiz2.htm

So I lost...Redux

To give you an idea of the insular clique that is the E.S.S, candidates in the election were emailed a notice to stop campaigning at 11:15 Monday morning, which also meant all of your posters had to come down by that time. It must have been over the weekend, or on Monday night that the E.S.S decided they would allow posters to stay up until even today (and probably for the rest of the week). The problem is, they never bothered to tell anyone else of this policy change. Only those with positions on the E.S.S executive knew. And yep, you guessed it, most of them were running in the election.

So I lost

I actually breathed a sigh of relief when I found out. I didn't actually want the responsibility. My main job as V.P. Internal would have been to organize grad while on my internship, and our grad is so big we apparently spend about $25,000 on it every year!

Then there's the issue of having to deal with the clique at the E.S.S. and frankly, it's not worth it.

I got a chance to get up and voice my opinion, and that was good enough for me.

It'll be interesting to see what the fallout is, if anything, of the email abuse that was happening during the campaigning by the person who won the Presidency. Some people got her email five times! In any event, it came to light that students' email addresses are wide open to anyone who wants to abuse them. The Dean and the university's students' union have been informed. I doubt much will happen though, but that's me, the cynic.

One other note on the election, in the unethical emails that were sent out by the person who is now President, she also campaigned for her friends who were running for other positions. Once I find out tomorrow who else won, I'll compare who she campaigned for, and who actually won. But I imagine they'll be the same list.

Hunter S. Thompson R.I.P.

"Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived, or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?".

-Hunter S. Thompson, 1955

I can't...talk

So I gave my speech today. I was nervous for some reason and I forgot the joke I was going to say.

So anyways, it was great. There was like a grand total of 12 people there. Yay democracy!

Saskatchewan Party likes its copyrights

I was perusing the Saskatchewan Party's (a right-wing provincial party) website, when I came across their claim their Sask Party "has the fastest growing youth association in the province".

Well hug me tightly and call me Betty! Personally, I'd like to check their facts, but what I liked most about their website is that they prevent you from right-clicking and copying text from their pages. A window pops up saying Copyright 2003 Saskatchewan Party. Exactly what are they afraid of? Their views spreading?

It's very curious.

Those Powerline doods are funny!

Powerline is at it again.

In the February 18th edition they quote someone who was at the Richard Perle (a Republican) and Howard Dean (a Democrat) debate. Evidently someone through a shoe at Perle, which evoked this reaction from Powerline:

"There is simply no plumbing the depth to which the American left has fallen."

It's meant in jest but nice one guys. We all know every single shoe-throwing kook is a member of the Democratic Party. And you have to get your laughs where you can.

The real State of the Union Address

Courtesy of blacklisted comics writer Micah Wright and Derek Iverson. Wright is also well-known for his very funny propoganda posters.

http://www.micahwright.com/downloads/SOTU2005.MP3

Click on it, or right click to save it to your hard drive

It's quite funny.

Thank you, and may God destroy the will of the Iraqi people.

Elections

Oh yeah. I'm running for Vice President Internal of the Education Students Society.

No, I don't know why.

Actually, there are a couple of things that bother me. Some of the faculty have gotten away with murder in their treatment of students, and it needs to stop. Also, if you've ever been to the Education Building's student lounge, you'd know it has the atmosphere of a funeral home. The nicest room in the building (lots of windows) and nobody wants to go in there. Mainly though, I just want it to have a big ass tv.

I'm supposed to give a speech this Monday. I have it all planned out. I'll say I was going to do an interpretive dance to express my feelings, but that I forgot my tape.

I know I'll lose to some elementary 19 year old keener who got 12 of her friends to actually come out and vote. But what the hell. You only get to do these kinds of things once.

Die Mega Man

I rented the Mega Man Collection in order to play the single most frustrating game of my life, Mega Man 2. My friends and I in grade 8 would have sleepovers and play this game for hours on end, taking turns trying to get past each boss. We could never finish the game, even though we rented it several times and put God knows how many hours into it.

Playing it again for the first time in 15 years, I am shocked at how difficult and unforgiving it still is. Maybe it's because of the difficulty setting which on this disc is set to hard (I can't remember if the original had difficulty settings but according to faqs I've read it did). Did they not know back in 1988 that they should have ben making games easier, especially since they were played by kids? Airman is the level you're supposed to start with, and it's unbelievably hard for an opening level. Anyway, I've just beat Airman and Crashman and am stuggling to beat Flashman. It's been brutal. I've never thrown my controller this much. I'm dreading the Heatman level with the horizontal lasers that come at you as you free fall. That was some difficult shit when you're 12 years old.

I wanted prove to myself that I could finally beat this irritating game. I am a capable gamer, or so I thought, and MM2 should be no problem. But I have to admit that 15 years later, it has defeated me once again. For that, I will hate you forever Mega Man. And it's a really, really true and pure hate.

Interestingly, I checked out the other versions of Mega Man on the disc (it has up to Mega Man 8) and basically 1 through 6 are the same game. Same designs and game mechanics. All that really changes are the bosses' names. Having never played past MM3, I thought the game would have evolved. It didn't. Mega Man 8 improved the difficulty settings by making it more first-timer friendly, but since one of the weapons is a soccer ball you kick at your enemies, it ain't a great game.

So, to sum up, DIE MEGA MAN DIE.

Starting Out

Well, here I am. Creating a dumb blog that no one will read. Who really cares about blogs anyway? Who has the time to read them (let alone post to them).

Let's see what this thing looks like.