reformat

[reformat: nerd] Photo Printing

2005-10-10T11:04:00.000-06:00

This New York Times article questions the economics of printing photos at home. Long story short; get them done at a lab, they look better and they’re cheaper.

Now playing: Eels - Rags to Rags

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Posted by Paul to reformat: nerd at 10/10/2005 10:04:34 AM

[reformat: personal] iPod Nano

2005-09-08T14:39:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally joined the iPod generation. Now I too can be one of those annoying guys on the train that has his music far too loud so that all of the non-iPod types are forced to listen to whatever crap I happen to be rocking at the moment.

I placed my order for a black iPod Nano last night. More updates when it arrives.

Now playing: Bettie Serveert - Attagirl

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 9/08/2005 01:39:15 PM

[reformat: personal] But I Want to Print in Colour...

2005-09-04T14:47:00.000-06:00

Yet another reason to never buy another inkjet printer.

For the record, printing digital pictures on an inkjet makes them look like ass…

Now playing: Rheostatics - The "You Are Very Star" Journey

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 9/04/2005 01:47:43 PM

[reformat: personal] Too Little, Too Late

2005-09-04T12:59:00.000-06:00

An interesting article on Slate talking about how the media is no longer automatically swallowing everything that the politicians are telling them.

Where was this skepticism in the run-up to the Iraq war/debacle/distraction?

Now playing: Headstones - Oh My God!

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 9/04/2005 11:59:17 AM

[reformat: cars] Automobile mag posts lukewarm Jetta Review

2005-08-17T15:40:00.000-06:00

Interesting to read Automobile Magazine’s 2006 Jetta review. They seem a little lukewarm toward the new Jetta.

Their summary talks about “superb interior quality”, “numerous safety features” and “lots of standard features”. They complain about “dull styling” (really?), that the car is “pricey with options” and that the performance is hampered by weight.

“Pricey with options”? Didn’t they just say that there were lots of standard features and safety equipment?

They then go on to say that other cars in the category are:

Honda Civic
Mazda 3
Toyota Corolla

Sorry guys, but a Civic hasn’t been in the same class as a Jetta for about a dozen years now. As for the Mazda 3, the size of the car alone should disqualify it from being mentioned in the same breath as a Jetta (or a new Golf). Hell, the Mazda 3 barely compares with the old Jetta.

Don’t get me started on the Toyota Corolla.

Now playing: Ass Ponys - The Big E

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Posted by Paul to reformat: cars at 8/17/2005 02:40:07 PM

[reformat: cars] How to do a Proper Test Drive

2005-08-17T14:17:00.000-06:00

Forbes (via Autoblog)has an interesting article on how to do a proper test drive.

Seems like all of the advice they give is fairly sound. However, they mention that you shouldn’t spend too much time fiddling with the gadgets, yet it is the gadgets that I’m most annoyed with in our new Mazda 6 wagon. Of course, I’m comparing it to our Golf (and to the Jetta that it replaced), so that may be unfair.

Now playing: The Charlatans - The End Of Everything

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Posted by Paul to reformat: cars at 8/17/2005 01:17:12 PM

[reformat: personal] You Lost, Deal With It

2005-08-10T16:55:00.000-06:00

In the neverending saga that is the softwood lumber dispute, the American government was handed yet another setback. Of course, they refuse to admit any sort of defeat.

Funny to read the reactions of the Canadians involved. They all seem to acknowledge that they won the court case, but that it won’t change anything.

Now playing: Spinanes - Heisman Stance

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 8/10/2005 03:54:59 PM

[reformat: cars] No Mini Touareg?

2005-08-10T09:02:00.000-06:00

The AP is reporting (via Detroit News) that VW may be delaying or possibly cancelling altogether plans for an upcoming compact SUV.

Personally, having never considered pretending to think about possibly purchasing a small SUV (or a large one for that matter), I think this is a wise decision.

Now they can get back to planning that Jetta Sport Wagon for me. 4MOTION please.

Now playing: Richard Buckner - Daisychain

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Posted by Paul to reformat: cars at 8/10/2005 08:02:33 AM

[reformat: cars] Slightly Sweet Golf R32

2005-08-09T11:17:00.000-06:00

How would you like to drive a Golf with:

A 250hp V6 engine
DSG transmission (dual clutch paddle shifted manual/auto)
4MOTION AWD

Yeah, well me too. Take a look at this article at Dubspeed Driven.

Now playing: Kool Moe Dee - I Go To Work

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Posted by Paul to reformat: cars at 8/09/2005 10:17:39 AM

[reformat: nerd] Use Firewire to Record and Change Channels in Media Centre

2005-08-04T13:36:00.000-06:00

This was news back when all it let you do was change channels with the firewire connection to a set top box that supported it, but now it will actually also record the raw high-def stream using firewire.

Now that’s news. HD in Windows Media Centre Edition. Outstanding.

Now playing: The Smalls - Horse Thief

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Posted by Paul to reformat: nerd at 8/04/2005 12:36:28 PM

[reformat: nerd] Block More Popups with Firefox

2005-08-04T13:16:00.000-06:00

By now, you should be using Firefox for all but the most stubborn websites, you’ve got Greasemonkey installed, you’ve added the IMDB search plugin, and you’re making full use of the various extensions out there, right?

Well, now you can tweak Firefox to block the latest type of popup.

Now playing: Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Braver Newer World

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Posted by Paul to reformat: nerd at 8/04/2005 12:15:59 PM

[reformat: cars] New Passat Launched

2005-08-03T09:56:00.000-06:00

Jalopnik has a story outlining the worldwide launch of the new passat. Looks nice, and the 3.6 litre VR6 putting out 280 hp with 265 foot pounds of torque sounds very nice.

Now playing: Odds - Wendy Under The Stars

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Posted by Paul to reformat: cars at 8/03/2005 08:56:51 AM

[reformat: cars] Jetta Wagon Rumours

2005-08-02T11:28:00.000-06:00

Auto123 is reporting on a bunch of rumours surrounding the next generation Jetta wagon. The picture at right is an artist’s rendering.

Some highlites:

Possible name change and image differentiation from the Jetta sedan. This would fit with other rumours that I’ve heard regarding a sport wagon based on the Jetta platform.
4Motion all-wheel drive.
A new, direct-injection engine that is both supercharged and turbocharged.

They also talk about potential delays (‘07 or ‘08) in bringing this car to market due to re-tooling at the VW plant in Mexico. The plant is ramping up for the new Golf/GTI as well as the facelift for the New Beetle. This doesn’t bother me a whole lot as my lease on the p.o.s. Mazda6 Wagon (don’t get me started) isn’t up until March of ‘08.

Now playing: Bettie Serveert - Ray Ray Rain

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Posted by Paul to reformat: cars at 8/02/2005 10:28:03 AM

[reformat: nerd] How to smoothly reformat:

2005-08-02T10:04:00.000-06:00

PC World (via About.com) has posted a great tutorial on how to reinstall Windows without trashing your data. I haven’t tried it, but it looks like it might actually work.

Now playing: The Okra All - Stars - Conqueror's Song

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Posted by Paul to reformat: nerd at 8/02/2005 09:04:55 AM

[reformat: personal] Irony, Slippery Slope and Hell in a Handbasket

2005-08-02T09:46:00.000-06:00

A day before George Bush announced that he would sidestep the elected representatives of his people and appoint John Bolton (USAToday) as the US Ambassador to the UN, the Department of Homeland Security announced that they would be using RFID tags to track foreign visitors.

Of course, they would never use those devices to track people after they have entered the US, would they? Why must they be RFID? Could they not be simple paper documents that you would present upon demand? The spectre of having the RFID tags scanned without the subject’s knowledge is slightly (extremely) disturbing.

Doing things in the name of (supposed) security is quickly becoming the “won’t somebody think of the children” of this decade.

Now playing: Tobin Sprout - The Natural Alarm

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 8/02/2005 08:46:05 AM

[reformat: cars] New VW Toys

2005-07-29T10:14:00.000-06:00

According to the German Car Blog, the new Golf will be outfitted with an optional iPod dock, allowing you to control your iPod through the steering wheel controls.

Add to that the fact that it looks like the Jetta will be getting some sort of telephone prep system (not sure exactly what that means, although the Passat and the Phaeton both have a Bluetooth option), and it looks like the Jetta will play nicely with your electronic gadgets.

Now playing: Jonathan Fire Eater - I've Changed Hotels

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Posted by Paul to reformat: cars at 7/29/2005 09:13:57 AM

[reformat: nerd] Sooper nerd music

2005-07-27T09:28:00.000-06:00

MC Frontalot
Nerdcore hip hop. Outstanding. Lovin' on "Romantic Cheapskate", a song about songfight.

MC Plus+
A little more hardcore computer nerd (some of the references I don't understand), but sweet nonetheless. C++ (see plus plus) is a computer language. This guy is MC++. Frontalot's rhythms and rhymes are better but MC Plus+ gives me the ROTFLs. "Blunt Code" is especially good, and "Dear Engineer" is a dis against engineers.

Monzy
Decided that the CS rap game needed a good east coast - west coast feud, so he wrote a dis against MC Plus+. Funny as all get out (to me).

Great stuff, although you may have to be a sooper nerd (like myself) to appreciate it.

Now playing: MC Frontalot - Front the Most

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Posted by Paul to reformat: nerd at 7/27/2005 08:28:12 AM

[reformat: cars] Gimme, gimme, gimme

2005-07-26T10:57:00.000-06:00

The new Audi Allroad looks like it might surpass the Volvo XC70 at the top of my dream car list. The old one was neck-and-neck already, but the new style takes the badass wagon factor to new heights. Besides, the Volvo has been around for quite a while now and could use a makeover.

Of course, a Jetta wagon is much more likely in my future.

Now playing: Architecture In Helsinki - Where You've Been Hiding

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Posted by Paul to reformat: cars at 7/26/2005 09:57:03 AM

[reformat: personal] Marty and Tina's Wedding

2005-07-26T10:39:00.000-06:00

A few photos from the wedding out in BC last weekend. If you have any of your own put them up on Flickr and let me know.

Now playing: Spoon - 30 Gallon Tank

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 7/26/2005 09:39:42 AM

[reformat: personal] Land of the Free

2005-06-29T13:17:00.000-06:00

In the wake of the recent US Supreme Court decision to allow local governments to seize private property for commercial development in the name of eminent domain (as opposed to the old rules which basically only allowed this for infrastructure purposes), a group in New Hampshire has petitioned their local government to begin the process of seizing the house of one of the justices of the Supreme Court.

The group wants to build the “Lost Liberty Hotel” on the land currently occupied by the house of Justice David H. Souter.

link: (from BoingBoing)

Now playing: Eels - Going Fetal

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 6/29/2005 12:17:08 PM

[reformat: personal] Stop Making Sense

2005-06-24T08:40:00.000-06:00

Good site with a list of rebuttals when talking to people that are against gay marriage.

http://web.morons.org/feature/marriage.jsp

Now playing: Husker Du - One Step At A Time

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 6/24/2005 07:40:18 AM

[reformat: personal] Rick Mercer's Blog: Jason Kenney: Marxist Leninist

2005-06-23T16:28:00.000-06:00

Rick Mercer's Blog: Jason Kenney: Marxist Leninist

Hypocrisy, idiocy and straight up ignorance. God bless Rick Mercer. Thanks for the link Hammy.

Now playing: Guided By Voices - Idiot Princess

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 6/23/2005 03:28:31 PM

[reformat: personal] Rosey Grier's Needlepoint for Men

2005-06-23T13:16:00.000-06:00

This is the best link I’ve seen in a long time. Looks like the real deal to me…

Now playing: bright eyes - gold mine gutted

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Posted by Paul to reformat: personal at 6/23/2005 12:16:39 PM

[reformat: cars] Entry Luxury AWD

2005-05-09T18:41:00.000-06:00

A certain relation of mine is seemingly always just a few months from the expiry of his lease. Every three years or so (although the process itself seemes to go longer than that) we start to narrow down the choices for his next car.

His criteria are not that particular, he wants an nice sedan with all-wheel drive, leather, and some nice creature comforts, preferrably an import. The last few times we've gone through this exercise, we've arrived at VW Passat V6 4Motion. Very nice car. However, in the last three years, a couple of things have happened:

More marques are offering AWD sedans
My relation's wife has expressed interest in her own Passat
As a follow-on to (2), my relation has become interested in slightly more up-market vehicles (whether in truth or simply in perception)

Here's our list so far:

Audi A4
BMW 3 series
Mercedes-Benz C320
VW Passat (an oldie, but a goodie)
Infiniti G35x
Lexus ES 300
Volvo S60

All of these cars come in 45K-60K nicely equipped. What does nicely equipped mean? Well, the aforementioned leather and AWD in addition to some cold weather gear, sunroof, and a package or two.
Cars not on the list but in the same category (or at least, they seem to think they are):

Jaguar X-Type
Acura TL
anything domestic

More on each of those models on the list (and those that missed the cut) later.

--Posted by Paul to reformat: cars at 5/0/2005 06:41:21 PM

[reformat: nerd] Sober Up

2005-05-08T09:12:00.000-06:00

This article explains how the latest worm/virus/whatever called "Sober.P" is now accounting for 4.6 percent of all email traffic. The interesting thing is that updated computers cannot be infected.

Simply keeping your security patches up to date will completely protect you from this threat.

Windows Update

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Posted by Paul to reformat: nerd at 5/8/2005 08:08:00 AM