Newscoma » 2008 » June » 19

Ice On Mars?

Posted by newscoma | Posted in Newscoma | Posted on 19-06-2008

I’m moving and you can’t stop me.

I want a lovely condo by the beach.

If they have ice then they have beaches. Trust me on this.

We can bring the beer.

Things like this give me a happy.

A View From My Desk

Posted by newscoma | Posted in Newscoma | Posted on 19-06-2008

I have the messiest desk ever. I know. I know.

Just Go Read It

Posted by newscoma | Posted in Newscoma | Posted on 19-06-2008

I really can’t expand any more on this post by Vibinc other than go read the whole thing.

The truth of the matter is that Lasting Change™ doesn’t happen overnight, it happens in stages. The trick to Lasting Change™ is that in order for it to work there has to be enough institutional memory to avoid the bad ideas and implement the good ones, lest we see saw back and forth ultimately achieving no Change™, which is exactly what’s happened in America for the last 40 years. We have to put our blood, sweat and tears into every contest that can affect the kind of Lasting Change™ we want, all the while knowing that making that Lasting Change™ happen will take the sheer effort and will of a large group of people for a sustained period of time. We have to be dogged, diligent, and determined, all while lovingly shepherding those who are more reluctant, and carefully culling those who just plain won’t. It’s a tall order, and two years ain’t enough time to make it happen.

The key is continued drive and saintly patience. At some point we have to recognize that politics isn’t Burger King, we can’t always, immediately, have it our way.

Canada’s Digital Freedom At Risk

Posted by newscoma | Posted in Newscoma | Posted on 19-06-2008

I lived in Montreal when I was a wee teenager. One of the happiest times in my life. I used to bum around a bit in Toronto too.

Campers, this is a big deal. A very big deal not only for Canada but for everyone.

I read this over at Dave Delaney’s and my heart sank about the latest  DMCA laws being introduced in Canada. I’ll hit the highlights he hit but you really need to go over there to get the whole gist of what’s going on.

Here’s a few notes on what happens if the law gets introduced:

  • If you share anything (by uploading or downloading) it’s illegal
  • You can’t unlock a phone if you take it overseas and want to use it
  • You can’t copy your CDs to MP3s to listen to on your MP3 player
  • It is illegal to download a song to your iPod and play it at a party
  • You can’t play a DVD you purchased in Europe
  • It will be illegal to purchase ink cartridges that are not made by your printer manufacturer
  • If you cars computer is “locked” it is illegal for an independent auto shop to diagnose it

Steve Austin

Posted by newscoma | Posted in Newscoma | Posted on 19-06-2008

Scout and I have both had interesting things happen this week at our jobs.

To be honest, it’s been a nightmare. I won’t expand further but let’s just say it’s yell at Newscoma week. In public. Is it the solstice? Is it the water here? Am I getting too old? (Well that would be an absolute yes.) I have decided to just stay inside away from the crazy people.

Anyhoo, Scout has this:

Staring at my hand and my scribbling as if she were studying some sort of new strain of Salmonella under a microscope, she got the interview off with a bang before I’d even had the time to ask one question.

“You obviously were never taught the Palmer method,” she deducted before going back to studying me and, this time, evaluating my posture.

“Um, no. Is that a type of writing? The Palmer method..” I answered and before I could get out another word, she came out of studying with another deduction.

“Look at how you’re holding your pen. Like a dagger,” she remarked with great disdain.

Who’s interviewing who here?

When I asked her about this, she looked a bit beat up.

It ain’t all cupcakes and kittens, campers.

But I should have my car, Steve Austin, back this week which is of the good. If you were wondering, the car’s name is Steve Austin after The Six Million Dollar Man not that wrestler dude. Since June 1, I’ve been without a vehicle. Squirrel Queen starting calling it Steve Austin because it basically has had to be rebuilt. (They had the technology. And, yeah, all my money.)

I guess I’m Oscar Goldman.

Peeing On The Wheels Of A Bus

Posted by newscoma | Posted in Newscoma | Posted on 19-06-2008

No, I’m serious.

Cosmonauts have a tradition that is quite unique. They pee on the wheels of the bus that takes them to the launch pad.

No, I’m not lying. And I realize this post is not necessary but I thought it was interesting. More useless trivia from Newscoma.

From English Russia

The Voices In Your Head

Posted by newscoma | Posted in Newscoma | Posted on 19-06-2008

I’ve read a few posts lately, where people are asking their lurkers to unmask, comment, and I’m kind of puzzled as to why?  Why do you need to know who’s looking at you?  Are you worried about stalkers?  Well, if so, then I guess I’d have to tell you that you probably should have thought about that issue before you started blogging.  You know, before you threw your life out there on the intarwebz, for all the world to see.  It’s really the equivalent of allowing random strangers to come into your house and root through your undie drawer, in a mental way.  You know that, right?

Missy goes on to write about her perspective on how blogging opens up the world and how she welcomes everyone. That they read her posts and then they move on. That’s true. I have found that blogging is doing just that. It’s bright and shiny but then it’s moving on to something else bright and shiny.

I’ve met a lot of bloggers and I hope to meet some more. With that said, I dig comments. I don’t really worry about stalkers in my virtual world.

It’s the ones in the real world that make me take pause.

Best Advertisement Ever

Posted by newscoma | Posted in Newscoma | Posted on 19-06-2008

John had this on his blog last month and I’ve gone back to see it about 200,000 times. I decided to swipe it for my own amusement.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z70zNOSZ160]

If this isn’t the most brilliant commercial ever, I don’t know what is.

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