-1:00-I'm reading jPod.
When I get into a book I tend to just read it until I am done. I get this from economics text books where its boring so you want to get it over with. But thats not the real point of this blog... I got to page 289 in jPod. This page Coupland talks about how Cowboy is searching on chokingforit.com.
Looking for a break I went to the website only to find this message:
There really should have been something here. Who mentions a domain name to an audience that is certainly curious enough to check it and doesn't put ANYTHING there?
(this site not by D. Coupland, just by a frustrated reader)
Like this reader I felt kind of ripped off, yet humored in a weird way. The novel is really interesting and don't fret I will have my full review up when I'm done. (joke)... Next step is to find that number which isn't prime.
Edit:
-3:00-
Done... amazing book. However, never found that O in the place of a 0, I am convinced like the website it isn't there. That would be the best joke, to challenge people to look for something which isn't there.
And for Mat's information, I got through it without sticking your pages together... amazing I know. I will drop it off tomorrow.
-JP
The new advertising Apple is putting out for there Macs is just amazing. The two guys discussing the pros of a Mac in comparison with the cons of a PC is really smart on Apple’s part. However one of the seven commercials bothers me, the one about viruses. Apple states that there are no virus problems on a Mac computer… this isn’t all that true. There are no viruses on Macs because they have a much smaller install base. If you were making a virus and wanted to be well known, it is much better to produce something which most businesses and homes run on (I looked for exact numbers but I couldn’t find any good ones).
Also Apple has always been very non confrontational with ‘hackers’. Microsoft for years has been with its software and hardware stating there new releases cannot be compromised… look at the new operating system Vista they say that will be almost unbreakable. This makes people want to prove Microsoft being wrong and people can actually break the system. By Apple stating that they are literally invincible against viruses this might make people want to create the first big Mac virus. So by promoting a virus free system they might actually be inviting people to try and create one.
Will Apple be ready for a virus if one does hit? Especially if it is a big one? Well I think yes they will handle it no problem… But the negative media buzz resulting from a large virus could kill all this positive advertising Apple has now established, and hurt much more then the advertising is helping.
Wouldn’t you be pissed if you bought something that was supposedly virus free, only to have one hit your computer and wipe everything off of it… I know that this would seriously make me reconsider if I wanted to buy a new Mac next time I needed a new computer.
Listening To: Arctic Monkeys - Still Take You Home-JP
How It’s Made is a program on the discovery channel which shows how everyday items are created. It’s actually very interesting but more importantly it makes me want to stay in school. You see all those people who work on those lines and they always look so depressed. I’ve never seen one person smile on How It’s Made… but really why should they. I’ve seen people who’ve had a job rubbing off dirt from the top of screws… which they do for 8 hours a day 5 days a week.
So I’ve compiled a list of the 5 worst jobs from How it’s Made:
-Person who sprays potato chips with seasoning
-The person who is responsible for de boneing salmon before it was smoked
-Person who puts all the pieces of a 3D puzzle in the box
-Quality control for cheap hockey sticks
-Shaving down fake teeth to fit into dentures
Listening To: Every Time I Die – Kill The Music
-JP
Freakonomics was a book released in 2005 by an economist S. Levitt and author S. Dubner. Being an economics student people ask me on a very frequent basis if I’ve read this book, which covers topics not covered by ‘traditional economics’. I sat down a few months ago and within a few days I plowed through the book. I thought it was a very good read and had a lot of really interesting points. However it applies much more to just plain old common sense then it does to economics
For anyone who hasn’t read it the book covers: Cheating as applied to teachers and sumo wrestlers... Information control as applied to the Ku Klux Klan... Economics of drug dealing... Connections between abortion and crime... And the economics of naming children
The authors tend to connect there examples to economic theory with very questionable variables. Yes children with certain names will make less money throughout there lives but that has more in common with race & naming then naming &. future output.
For example, technically I can prove that the number of speed bumps on a street determines the price of a house residing on that street. This is possible because houses on side streets are more expensive then ones on main roads. However, this is only a correlation not really causation, there is no real connection between the two. This is the same problem I have with the book, they make connections which are true, but in reality have very little to do with each other.
The book is a very entertaining read and should be bought if you enjoy thought provoking literature… However, if your looking for real economic connections this isn’t your book, it’s just entertainment.
Currently reading A Scanner Darkly still looking for a few other good books before the end of the summer.
Listening To: City And Colour - Missing
-JP
At the start of the year MTV Canada was launched with a new look and available to everyone with cable. There was an MTV Canada around for years... however, it was a specialty channel and just replayed many half assed MTV2 shows. Today I finally sat down and had a real chance to see the new MTV Canada and check out MTV Live and some other programs which they had to offer. I didn’t really enjoy them all to much, except the guy from Buzz he is fucking hilarious. However, I thought the growth of MTV Canada might finally make Much Music worth watching again.
Before MTV came to Canada they lost a battle in court to be able to play music videos on their channel. This means that they have had to stick to established shows which have been on MTV… very good for the viewers because we finally get to see some ‘talked about’ shows from the States. This gives Much Music a monopoly over the music videos in Canada. Over the past 10 years Much Music has been attempting to copy MTV (U.S.) by producing non music based shows and creating that interactive 'on demand' feel. However, due to low budgets the shows produced have been terrible and strayed away from interesting music... Much Music became very commercial and boring.
With MTV playing much better shows and not able to show music videos, Much Music might actually have to start playing more music videos… and producing quality interviews and better Live At Much. It may be the only way to retain viewers, because putting on crap versions of MTV Canada programming can only last so long before people change the channel. Much Music might also start showing different types of music to get different viewers to get a wider audience.. straying away from that commercial music they show, all of which is very interesting.
Much Music will always be around, but it is time for them to choose a business model and try to take first place representing the Canadian Music scene. Over the next year it should be very interesting to see how they change… and I’m all for change when it comes to Much Music.
Listening To: Brand New - The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot
-JP
Today I went and got my 3rd tattoo on my leg. I can't take off the bandage until tomorrow morning but I am very happy with the end product and will post a picture tomorrow. Its amazing how you forget about the pain after a few years... and anyone who tells you tattoos don't hurt is a fucking liar. It hurts like a bitch, 2.5 hours with a needle running against your skin, is never pleasent. Thanks again to alison who went with me today, it helps having someone to talk to while your getting needle raped.
There was a women at the shop talking to the tattoo artist about what she wanted to get. She was worried what people might think about her design. If you're worried about what other people think about a tattoo you really shouldn't be getting it... or you will regret it. One day someone who doesn't like it will come around and tell you that its not good... and for the rest of your life you will second guess yourself. So before anyone gets something, don't give a shit what other people think about it.
Also went to the Brand New concert, which was really fun. However being an all ages show there tends to be a lot of idiot kids who go not for the music but for punching someone in the face. Even when the artist stands on stage and tells everyone to relax because they are acting like idiots you would think that would be a big hint that this isn't the way you act at a show. If your coming to a punk show like ours then jump and punch your way for the harsh songs but respect the slower ones... or the bands who just want you to enjoy the music.
Incase you didn't get the Best Bands You've Never Heard of list here it is again.
The FormatJonezettaThe Early NovemberThe WeakerthansThe Hush SoundGatsbys American DreamThe Black MariaEmery
Waking Ashland Chasing Victory-JP
Here is a list of bands which over the past month I can't stop playing on my mp3 player. Most are Indie or Alternative and a nice change of pace to the type of music and concerts i've been listening and attending recently. I've also been listening to a lot of older music from my favorites like Jimmy Eat World, Matt Good and Rage Against The Machine... and if you read any of those 3 names and don't know who they are please just leave my blog, I don't want to be associated with you.
So check them out... they are in no specific order.
The FormatJonezettaThe Early NovemberThe WeakerthansThe Hush SoundGatsbys American DreamThe Black MariaEmery
Waking Ashland Chasing Victory-JP
Hello, thanks for joining me here... My old blog is now gone and I’ve transferred to this new easier layout. The old blog became like that dorm room you spent first year university in, you’ll always love it but after a while everything about it bothers you. The blog switch was really made for no one other then myself.
The name for this blog is from the new alexisonfire cd (track three). The song is about people lighting fire to mailboxes because they are sick of living in a shitty old town, they just want to leave. So I thought this would be a fitting name for the new blog, starting something new.
The content will not be all that different except for the fact I will focus less on my personal life and my band. More focus will be spent on rants and other things which are happening around here. Hope everyone enjoys whats to come.
Listening To: Alexisonfire - We Are The End -JP