Gold Rushin'

Cash when you need it

2009-10-13T10:56:00.002-05:00

It's easy to forget that people aren't always flush with cash. I've been in that position before, and likely will in the future. Normal people with families, car payments, and mortgages, end up short on cash flow from time to time.

In the city where I live, advance and payday loan outlets are everywhere. However, they are located in parts of down that are, let's just say, less than desirable. People may not always feel safe entering these businesses.

Still, the services provided are valuable. When you're short on cash flow between paycheques, you need cash from somewhere. It's that simple.

Going online is a solution to this problem. Instead of waiting in line in sometimes unseemly locales, you can get cash in minutes. This service allows you to apply completely online, and instant approval is promised.

I haven't yet tried the service, but I can assure that should the need arise, I'd be much more inclined to go with the online option than a local payday loan outfit. The advantages of doing this online are too many to count, but include convenience, privacy, no credit check, no hidden fees, faster loan approval, and the like.

If you're short on cash between paydays, I highly recommend you try eCash in Minutes.

Over before it's over

2009-10-13T10:55:00.001-05:00

I'll admit it. I had given up on this year's CFL season.

The Bombers were 3-8, their coach was a bald-headed moron, constant sideshows distracted (mercifully) from merely impotent on-field performances.

Three wins in a row change things. Now the team is 6-8, tied for second in the division, and if the season ended today, they would be in the playoffs.

Stay tuned.

Electrifying ride

2009-08-31T11:26:00.002-05:00

I make no secret of the fact that I like to get around town by bicycle. Part of the reason is that I am too cheap (or maybe too poor!) to throw money around at a car, but there are other reasons as well.

However, unlike some, I'm not so attached to my bike that I wouldn't consider options. One of the options I've been looking at lately is an Electric bike.

Typically, one of the biggest drawbacks of electric bikes is that they look like something thrown together by a nutty professor in a dingy garage somewhere. However, at this site, the electric bikes for sale are all attractive models that look much the same as their non-motorized cousins. The various designs and colorways are all appealing and I'd ride any of them with pride.

The price point of these bikes, at just around $1,000 for some of the cruiser models, aren't really that much higher than what you might pay for the same bike without a motor. When you consider all the human energy you'll be saving, or the fact that you won't roll into work drenched in sweat every morning, it seems more and more as if these bikes might be worth every penny.

The company is even developing a program where you can meet with a satisfied owner of one of the bikes to kick the tires, so to speak, and get a feel for how the bikes ride before you plunk down the cash to buy one.

If you browse the various electric bikes for sale, I'm sure you'll be able to find a model that is to your liking.

Vuelta

2009-08-31T11:23:00.001-05:00

After the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, the Vuelta a Espana race is the biggest on the cycling map. And since the first three days are taking place in the Netherlands, my erstwhile homeland, I am especially interested in following developments.

Also, 4 Canadians are in the field of nearly 200 riders: Dominique Rollin (Cervelo Test Team); Ryder Hesjedal, Svein Tuft, and Christian Meier (Garmin-Slipstream).

SecureKey to your home PC

2009-08-26T09:46:00.003-05:00

I've been using a USB stick for some time to carry my data around. It's handy, and sure beats emailing attachments to yourself and opening them at some other location, which was what I had done previously. And with the rapid advance in storage capacity, you can trundle some pretty big files about: the 16gb USB key that I have now only cost around $30.

But there is another use for the USB port. The latest and coolest project takes the idea one or two steps further. The I'm in Touch remote access USB stick from SecureKey allows you to take control of you home PC from a remote location!

The I'm InTouch SecureKey

Here's how it works:

The SecureKey is a flash drive that has software on it that, when plugged in to the USB port of any PC, by connecting over a network to software installed on that home PC. Once you've logged in once, that login information is stored on the stick
Any PC with an internet connection can be used to control the home PC once the secureKey has been inserted.
Since the USB stick itself is necessary in order to take control, it acts as a physical authentication tool
You don't need to remember any passwords after the first time you've logged in, since the SecureKey handles that for you.

I've actually been using this product for a bit and have been surprised at how easy it has been to use. It essentially eliminates the need to carry around any other kind of USB stick as well, since it also includes a gigabyte of storage space. To put that amount of storage into perspective, it is equivalent to about 200 songs, or perhaps two hours of TV shows or movies.

Great night for a ride?

2009-08-26T09:41:00.001-05:00

This summer, my hometown has been experiencing miserable weather. Relatively speaking, of cousre. Which is really too bad, since winter already brings with it 6 months of meteorological misery.

So I was excited when I could take advantage of the reprieve of yesterday evening by enjoying a bike ride. And enjoy it I did: a short 12 kilometre jaunt westwards, and about 2-3k on the return until I flatted.

I thought it was the broken windshield glass strewn about a bike path (not sure how it got there) but it turns out to be a staple that I must have picked up a bit earlier.

Needless to say, I did not much enjoy the 10k walk home, pushing my bike. It would have been much worse had I not had the comedic stylings of Gervais, Merchant, and Karl Pilkington on my ipod to keep me company.

Lesson: If there is one, it is that you should always have some wrenches and a patch kit with you.

Best web hosting

2009-08-22T11:33:00.002-05:00

I've been running this blog on blogger for some time, but with my various blogs and other projects, I'm always on the look out for deals on web hosting. Features that are important to me include database support, like MySQL, and the ability to access a UNIX style shell account.

Shopping around often involves reading a lot of fine print, when ideally all the information about the various services would be collected in one place. There are a few sites out there that attempt this, but none are of such quality as you find with Web Hosting Geeks. This web hosting reviews and ratings service collects information into such categories as 'Best Unix Hosting' and 'Best PHP Hosting'.

What I find most informative, though, is the site's blog, which goes beyond the details of web hosting, and delves into such topics as search engine optimization and the sort which are the lifeblood of anyone who strives to make money online. On top of finding some pretty decent deals on web hosting, I've spent a good deal of time reading this blog. The most interesting topic recently was a discussion of security measures one should take to protect their site in light of recent hacking incidents.

Overall, if you're interested in web hosting, make sure to check out this site.

Politics

2009-08-19T10:45:00.001-05:00

I don't often have much to say of politics. It's there, and it's important, but the level of discourse on the subject is typically so low that it is hardly worth breaching it.

However, I just wanted to draw everyone's attention to the following website: Just Visiting. This is a site from Canada's Conservative Party with the sole purpose of sustaining a personal attack against Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff. Is there any value to this whatsoever?

I think not.

Rapidshare search

2009-08-17T11:32:00.002-05:00

Downloading is a fact of life for those of us who spend a significant portion of time online each time day. With the increases in bandwidth and speeds across the board in recent years, the actual time spent downloading files, whether it's the latest music video, or some vital application, have been reduced.

What has begun to occupy a more significant share is the amount of time it takes to locate the file you need.

Rapidshare has always been an excellent for hosting and downloading files online. Free and premium service options each have their own benefits.

But a new feature is what I'm really excited about. Rapid4me - Rapidshare Search Engine really helps a person to narrow down their search to exactly the files they need. It is functional, well-designed, and most importantly of all, it works. In the short time it has been around, its popularity has exploded.

To find the files you need, I suggest giving rapid4me a try.

NHL playoff dilemma

2009-05-12T12:21:00.001-05:00

So, Vancouver lost out to Chicago in the 2nd round of the playoffs. These were my two favourite teams coming in, so it would make sense for me to throw my support, such as it is, behind the Blackhawks. But I invested a lot of emotion into the Canucks these past few weeks, in it may take a few games for me to be able to see the 'Hawks as my favourites.

Then again, a quick scan of the alternatives (Wings/Ducks? Barf. Pens/Caps? Hell, no. Bruins/Canes? I guess I could get behind one of these, but hardly worth caring about) and perhaps I'll be ready for the Blackhawks bandwagon for the start of Round 3.

The bikes we ride . . .

2009-05-12T09:43:00.004-05:00

The bicycles that I have tended to ride over the last few years are old ten-speeds reclaimed from the scrap heap. It might seem like a cheap way to get around town, but inevitably I end up spending more on new parts and tools than I would save by buying something new.

There are plenty of high-end bicycle manufacturers out there charging top dollar, but it is hard to find something new and affordable. If you're looking to save money on discount bicycle parts, look no further than Sage Cycles.

The selection of brands and types of parts is impressive, and from the research I've been doing elsewhere on the web for things like hubs and cranks, the prices are pretty competitive too.

Today's weather

2009-05-08T11:05:00.002-05:00

April showers bring May flowers? Or May snowflakes.

Today's weather.

Some of my hardier friends and still thinking of camping this weekend, and I'm not disinclined to join them. Still, the cold weather has put me in the right frame of mind for hockey, which is nice since my home team is off to the semi-final round of the playoffs.

Mountain trekking

2009-05-08T10:54:00.002-05:00

No, this isn't a reference to the new Star Trek movie coming out this weekend. . . .

What I am talking about is heading into the mountains for a wilderness adventure. Although you wouldn't know it from looking at today's weather, the season for getting out and enjoying the outdoors is nearly upon us.

I recently received a gift of a few outdoor items, including a new collapsible camping stove, and a new tent. This has me in the mood for more outdoor gear. Among other things, I have acquired a bit of a taste for living dangerously, or at least living with a perceived sense of danger.

I've found a website that seems to have some of the best deals on Mountain Climbing Gear as well as other products. In addition to all the climbing stuff like ropes, harnesses, and other safety equipment, the website carries accessories and equipment from a number of big names in outdoor recreation.

The Petzl shop features a lot of great deals on harnesses and other climbing and belay equipment.

For climbing in comfort, there is also a great selection of climbing and mountaineering footwear from La Sportiva, one of the best names in the business.

If you have as much of an appetite for outdoor exploration and recreation as I do, then these links are some of the best for you to get some great deals.

No Ryder for Giro

2009-05-06T11:48:00.001-05:00

Straight from the horse's mouth:

Christian Vande Velde, the first American rider to wear the Maglia Rosa since 1988, will be joined by Bradley Wiggins, Cameron Meyer, Danny Pate, David Millar, David Zabriskie, Julian Dean, Tom Danielson and Tyler Farrar.

When asked about the difficulty of choosing the list, White added: “Narrowing down a Grand Tour list is always difficult, especially when guys like Ryder Hesjedal have been having a tremendous season. But we need to keep our goal of helping Christian at the Tour de France in mind, and preserving someone like Ryder now could be a huge benefit to us later.”

So it is.

Investment Forge

2009-05-06T11:44:00.002-05:00

In these tough economic times, any opportunity to earn a little bit of extra money is deserving of some attention. Investment Forge provides investment management services that can help you to build a steady income working from home.

I'm the kind of guy that likes to earn money online, so I'll be watching this very closely.

I'm back

2009-05-06T11:41:00.002-05:00

The cycling season is rolling into high gear with the Giro d'Italia coming up soon. I'll be paying close attention to the Garmin-Slipstream team, to see if Canadian riders Ryder Hesjedal and Svein Tuft make the grade.

If you're interested in following the race, which begins this weekend, you'd do well to read this excellent preview.

A Tuft of Greatness

2009-02-14T10:31:00.004-06:00

One of my hobbies is cycling. Not cycling itself, so much, although I am a pretty regular commuter on my stripped down, broken down, formerly 10- now single-speed.

Rather, it is following of professional road cycling that I find myself enjoying more and more. The Tour de France is the zenith of the sport, and Lance Armstrong its hero, but I dig the Garmin Slipstream team for a few reasons. Its approach to the sport: making every effort to show that their riders are clean. And their riders, among them, two prominent Canadians: Ryder Hesjedal and Svein Tuft.

The latter was recently profiled in the New York Times. Read it. Seriously. It is that good.

Putting your feet up after a long day . . .

2009-01-09T16:39:00.003-06:00

My hometown recently announced that after years of people complaining, we'd finally be getting an IKEA. Personally, I don't know what the fuss is about. The Swedish giant (now Swiss-owned, apparently) is inexpensive in large part because the quality is lacking. And because they make you put everything together yourself.

I enjoy putting my feet up at the end of a long day as much as anyone. Furniture is an important part of my life and I'd guess the same is true of yours. I do a fair bit of shopping online for the best quality and deals, and I haven't found anywhere better than Conservatory Furniture. The prices are impressive, no doubt, with full suites coming at under the price that I would expect to pay for a single sofa.

My own preference is for a lot of wicker pieces. I find that these feel sturdy without seeming heavy or dominating a room. Conservatory has wicker furniture, and in spades. I have confidence in the quality of this furniture, and am well-versed enough to know that the price is tough to beat. And I know that I won't be bent over on the floor trying to assemble the items using some godforsaken interlocking screwdriver wrench that has snapped or fallen down the vents.

If you're looking for new furniture, I'd recommend Conservatory.

Big stories of 2008

2008-12-29T13:45:00.002-06:00

3. The Beijing Olympics

The Olympics seem like eons ago, even if they wrapped up just over 4 months ago, but following the happenings was one of the highlights of my summer. Chinese officials were no doubt glad that the games went off without any major problems.

2. US election / Barack Obama

I'm not American, nor do I ever wish to be, but November's election was a big deal. Obama's election is historic, while the election process included interesting angles like Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin.

1. Economic meltdown

The greed of big banks and corporations has resulted in our current economic malaise, something I hope isn't overlooked in the months and years to come. .

Private student loans

2008-12-06T12:22:00.001-06:00

I am a student. For only a few more months, granted, and then I'll enter the tremedously lucrative world of classroom teaching. I've been fortunate over my years in university, with the help of my parents, scholarships, and occasional employment, that I haven't had to rely too heavily on loans. This year, in fact, I took out my first and only loan: a government student loan. There is a certain amount of hassle and red tape associated with these, though, that I would have liked to avoid.

Private student loans offer many advantages over institutional offerings. Lower interest rates and flexible repayment terms are chief among these advantages. Convenience of applying for and securing this credit are also key benefits. If I had known of this option a few months ago I surely would have chosen it.

Stephen Harper: Worst PM ever?

2008-12-06T12:12:00.001-06:00

If you haven't been paying attention, Canada has been experiencing somewhat of a constitutional crisis over the last few weeks. The culprit in all of this is bully and minority prime minister Stephen Harper. Lately, he opined that a coalition government was undemocratic, choosing instead the ever-so-democratic option of suspending parliament so that the opposition can't vote against his government.

Two straight minority governments, constant parliamentary bully tactics, probably the most right-wing government in the western world these days now that Bush II is out. I'm embarrassed to have this man as PM.

PC error messages

2008-11-23T15:47:00.002-06:00

Windows users who aren't computer experts are often confronted with a bewildering array of error messages. These messages are usually attached to a number that means nothing to all but the most seasoned of PC users. For instance, do any of you know the first think about error 5080? I don't, but after consulting pc-library.com, I at least have some idea of where to start looking to find a solution to this problem.

That web site is a library for PC users like myself who may become confused by error messages or about security settings for different ports when engaging in different kinds of activities online. It is reassuring to check on a connection to a certain port on your computer from a remote machine and ensure that it is some kind of legitimate activity, and not some kind of denial of service attack or other nefarious purpose.

It is unfortunate that Windows is as prone to errors and security flaws at it is. But pc-libary.com is an excellent first place to turn when some of the seemingly random numbers and messages appear. I may not know much myself about what a file pointer error or some such gobbledigook means, but at least I can look it up and learn what I need to do to fix the problem.

Grey Cup Sunday

2008-11-23T15:42:00.002-06:00

I'm not as excited about the Grey Cup this year. Last year, my hometown Bombers were playing, and ultimately lost. This year, 2 of my more hated teams in the league (in an 8 team league, you end up hating most of them) are playing: Montreal and Calgary.

I don't much care who wins, but I do care about being right. I'm prediction a Montreal win, 35-27.

Affordable eyeglasses

2008-11-18T20:48:00.002-06:00

My friends are always complaining about the high cost of prescription eyewear. I have been fortunate to have retained good eyesight so far, but I can see myself going down that road. I don't like spending money at the best of times, and especially not on necessary evils like glasses.

I've been doing some research, and there is one place online that offers excellent prices on eyeglasses. Optical4Less is an excellent online store that provides such services as free worldwide shipping, a virtual try system, fast delivery speed and stylish frames. In addition, their range of product offerings is also impressive. Among the products they offer, you'll find: complete prescription glasses, tinted sunglasses, bifocal reading glasses, progressive reading eyeglasses, photochromatic sunglasses, and prism correction.

If you had told me before I had ever visited Optical4Less that I could pick up a pair of prescription glasses for less than $15, I would have said you're crazy. Yet that's a real possibility. The convenience of shopping online combined with excellent services for personalizing, styling, and fitting, make for an excellent online store.

I'm still looking, but it is looking less and less likely that I'll find a better place to shop online for eyewear. I'll definitely be telling my friends who are in more immediate need of their services.

iPod's aren't so tough

2008-11-16T15:44:00.002-06:00

I keep hearing stories about people who dropped their ipods out a second story window or into a lake or something, but the devices survived unscathed. I guess I was not so lucky. I ran my Shuffle through the wash (normal cycle), and it hasn't returned to health. I'd call it an expensive paperweight, but at 0.55 oz, it can barely fulfill that function. I don't know what the story usually is with refurbed ipods, but I just placed an order for a Black 8GB refurbished number for just over $100 in Canadian bills.

It should help make the walk to school a touch more interesting.

Online degrees

2008-10-25T10:51:00.002-05:00

As a student currently working my way through a traditional university degree program, I know how frustrating and painstakingly slow the process can be. However, online education enrollments now outnumber normal college students by nearly 5-to-1. Clearly, the amount of choice out there is staggering. Edvisors is an excellent search tool for narrowing down the incredible range of online degrees to those that suit your interests and needs.

Dollar shock

2008-10-25T10:48:00.002-05:00

The Canadian dollar is tanking, not because the economy is doing that terribly, but because investors in the U.S. are ditching stocks and loading up on U.S. dollars.

That would normally be bad news for me, being Canadian, but on the bright side, my PayPal account, which is mostly in U.S. funds, is growing in its Canadian dollar value.

Web Hosting Rating

2008-10-20T13:43:00.003-05:00

I was recently involved on handling some of the technical/administrative issues for a candidate's website in Canada's recent federal election. To be honest, the whole process was a hassle, as a member of the campaign team had already signed up for hosting on a poor provider with limited options, and I ended up using Wordpress to host a bare-bones campaign site.

The smart thing to do would have been to consult Web Hosting Rating first. This website is a clearinghouse of reviews for a wide range of web hosting services available online. Key comparisons include price points, space, traffic, and services like easy-to-install content management systems (Drupal, Joomla, Wordpress, and the like). If I had been in on the ground floor of the campaign, this all would have been quite useful information.

The website also features an interesting articles section, with details on all kinds of subjects related to web hosting. I particularly enjoyed the article on Linux hosting. This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Like the author, the shell-based structure and lack of ASP.net facilities is a key impediment to some new users to using a Linux host. But ultimately I think that the advantages to Linux outweight the drawbacks.

If you've ever been in a similar fix trying to find a decent web host, I'd recommend that you check out webhosting rating.

Used books

2008-09-15T14:08:00.002-05:00

I've got a handful of used textbooks for sale on Amazon and was wondering if anybody had any experience, positive or negative, with either side of this kind of transaction. What I'm most interested in is what percentage of your listings actually generated sales. If this isn't a good avenue to get rid of books, I might find a less lucrative, but quicker, way to dispose of this less than valuable reading.

Green light

2008-09-10T16:40:00.004-05:00

So it looks as if Elizabeth May, leader of the Canadian Green Party, will be allowed into the election debates after all. Let me say unequivocally that I think this is great. Imagine how it will look to see Stephen Harper on a stage with 4 other leaders, all of whom represent a party with a better environmental plan than him.

Maybe they'll even get a seat this time around (if they earned seats in proportion with their share of the popular vote, the Greens would already have 14!)

Reverse lookup

2008-09-08T23:10:00.003-05:00

One of my biggest frustrations (and perhaps this is a sign that my life isn't so bad after all) is being called by telemarketers. During dinner. About some product or service I have absolutely no interest in. Often I have half a mind to hang up, call back, and ask to speak to some higher up and tell them to stop. But half a mind is all it's really worth, but entering an endless maze of automated messages and unhelpful staff is hardly worth it. You want a name and address so you can write them to quit their monkey business.

I've tried a few services, but the best is the reverse lookup database from Callerbase. It's confidential -- nobody will know you've been peeping on their 411 -- and you'll find a name and address for any unknown phone number. It's good for going through a phone bill and figuring out a mystery call, and it works for landline and cell phone numbers in Canada and the United States.

Callerbase is the best service I've tried so far, and a useful solution to some annoying problems.

Le Tour

2008-07-18T12:12:00.002-05:00

I got hooked on the Tour de France 3 years ago. I was living in Amsterdam at the time, and my after-work routine during most of July consisted of flipping through channels in 5 different languages (only 3 of which I understood) covering the race.

It's harder to follow here in North America, since the racing is completed in early-to-mid morning, our time. Still, I do the best I can.

Ricardo Ricco, an Italian rider who calls himself "the Cobra", and his entire Saunier Duval have been kicked out of the race for doping. Good riddance. The race looks good this year, with a close yellow jersey chase, and even a Canadian in the field for the first time in 11 years.

Shutters

2008-07-13T21:35:00.004-05:00

I've been helping out my parents with some home renovations over the past week, and it is hard work. The big project has been re-habbing hundreds of interlocking bricks (chiseling off hardened mortar, etc.) from an old patio to lay down a new one. Let me tell you, it's not fun!

One of the products my folks had installed on their house was a new set of shutters. They had to look long and hard to find the right exterior shutters for the job. It turns out it would have been much easier if they had first consulted the excellent website of the Larson Shutter Company.

Besides offering a great price, Larson also promises quality and an excellent selection far beyond what you'll likely find at your local Home Depot or other big box home renovations store. If you will be buying shutters for your house in the near future, I highly recommend the Larson product line.

Euro 2008 Predictions

2008-06-06T11:23:00.002-05:00

No time for explanations really, but here is how it will shake down:

1st and 2nd place group finishers:

Group A: Portugal, Turkey (talk about a cupcake of a group)
Group B: Germany, Croatia
Group C: Italy, Netherlands (the group of death, France and Romania miss out)
Group D: Spain, Greece

QF #1: Portugal beats Croatia
QF #2: Germany beats Turkey
QF #3: Italy beats Greece
QF #4: Netherlands beats Spain

SF #1: Germany beats Portugal
SF #2: Italy beats Netherlands

FINAL: GERMANY 2 - 1 ITALY

You read it here first.

Optics Planet

2008-06-05T17:19:00.002-05:00

Summer is here and that means camping season is upon us as well. I love the outdoors, and I find myself more and more enjoying some of the lower intensity pursuits like bird watching and star gazing. Maybe I'm getting old.

Those hobbies require a few toys, like binoculars and telescopes, and the best place to shop for those items online is Optics Planet. Since it caters to a specific market, unlike a big box behemoth like Walmart, or and online equivalent like Amazon, there is a great deal of product knowledge and expertise. Deals abound as well, with free shipping available on most purchases over $30.

One of the neatest product offerings are the laser sights the store has for sale. These can be mounted to sport rifles or used for a variety of other purposes. These high-tech gadgets might be beyond my budget for now, but not by as much as you would think.

Stanley Cup finals

2008-05-25T18:12:00.003-05:00

I'd love for there to be two more weeks of edge-of-your-seat, white-knuckle NHL action. But if yesterday's first match of the Stanley Cup finals is any indication, the series won't be close, and it won't be long.

The beginning for Pittsburgh was inauspicious; Marc-Andre Fleury faceplanted as he ran on to the ice for player introductions. Fleury ended up being one of the few Penguins that played well in their 4-0 loss to Detroit.

I earlier thought that this would be a tight battle, but now I am convinced otherwise. Crosby doesn't appear ready quite yet to handle this level of pressure, Malkin seems to have given up, and players like Max Talbot and Brooks Orpik who had overachieved throughout much of the season are falling back to earth.

Wings in 5, write it down!

Shopping.com UK

2008-05-24T10:59:00.002-05:00

I'll admit to being not much of an online shopper. If I need to buy something online, I typically have a plan to get what I need and place an order quickly.

However, great shopping sites have the potential to change my habits. One such is the Shopping.com UK store. The range of products they offer is available at different stores online, but rarely all in one place, and never in such a convenient way.

The most useful feature of the site is how searchable it is. Whether you are looking for clothing, iPods, furniture, or computers, great deals on a range of products are only a search or a few clicks away. Besides offering great prices, the site also provides product reviews that are informative and interesting at the same time.

I'll be sure to check in with this site first any time I'm looking to shop online.

Cycling maps

2008-05-15T16:56:00.003-05:00

I was checking in with some online coverage of the Giro Italia the other day (think the Tour de France, but smaller and pinker) when I came across a like an awesome site.

Google Maps is more or less the coolest, but MapMyRide, which piggybacks on the Google Maps API, is even better. After loads of playing with the Google version to find the exact distance of my regular cycling routes, I was able to pinpoint that my route from home to former home is 10.9 km. It's important because I'm anal about numbers.

By the way, it's two months away, but I'm exciting about the Tour already.

Make custom invitations, win friends

2008-05-12T17:19:00.004-05:00

Call me old-fashioned, but I still like to send out invitations when I'm going to have a big party. The kids these days would probably just send out an invite over facebook or something, but that lacks the personal touch that I prefer.

The unfortunate thing is that a lot of the pre-fab cards out there are boring or worse. Often you're faced with a choice between a card with a picture you like, but the words printed aren't quite what you'd like to say, or the right message with the wrong picture.

What I've found online is a great resource to customize your own Photo Card Invitations. For example, if I was planning a killer pool party to help my friends beat the summer heat, I might want to choose the art from the 3 Wisemen Card. Here's the picture:

I might want to include a caption like "Looking for an Oasis from the summer heat? Just follow the star to my Poolside Bash!". A bit sacrilegious, perhaps, but my friends all have a pretty decent sense of humor about stuff like that.

The best thing about this website is the selection. There are a variety of themed cards, whether they are for birthdays, weddings, religious holidays, and the like. And the creative way that the service is offered allows you to select a picture and provide the text so that it sends exactly the message that you want.

Football feeding frenzy

2008-05-12T09:40:00.003-05:00

In the world of international soccer, Canada is a relative minnow. Because of this, the national teams don't often get the chance to line up against the best in the world. The month of May, however, provides two notable exceptions.

On May 31st, the senior national team will take on Brazil in Seattle, a match that should make for excellent preparation for the beginning of qualifying for World Cup 2010.

And yesterday, the U20 side that will attempt to qualify for the U20 World Cup in 2009 in Egypt played against Argentina, the champions of the 2007 tournament. There was no TV for this one, and not many fans in the stands at BMO Field in Toronto either, but there were enough witnesses to confirm that Canada earned a respectable 1-1 result.

Reality

2008-05-08T17:51:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I do enjoy a fair bit of reality TV. I've been a fan of Survivor since it started, and I'd list reality shows shows like The Bachelor and America's Next Top Model among my guilty pleasures.

Often, just watching the shows isn't quite enough. To keep on top of things, you need a good source of Reality TV News. That link will take you to the motherlode, where all things reality-tv are reported, discussed and analyzed almost to death. It's a great site.

A beautiful transformation

2008-05-07T16:22:00.002-05:00

In two days, my beautiful, old, beater Norco Avanti 12-speed bicycle will become a beautiful, old, beater single-speed. The gear has been chosen (42:13), the work order written up, and the wait begun. (Yeah, I don't have the tools or skills to complete such a simple repair job myself).

I am worried about feelings of superiority and overwhelming coolness I might experience, in relation to all those losers riding Canadian Tire mountain bikes, but I doubt I'll ever turn into this.

Still, the bike snob is a tremendously entertaining read, and I've added it to my feeds.

Stylish web design

2008-05-06T11:02:00.004-05:00

It's hard to conceive of something as technical as managing a website in terms of being stylish. Mundane topics like downtime, lag, search engine optimization, security and server backup are germane to the field of web site management.

I recently read a blog that manages to marry the seemingly discordant worlds of web design and style. Stylish Design bills itself as "the blog where web design and style have met". It is difficult to take issue with this claim. Posts cover important web design topics like CSS, website templates, and others in an informative and engaging manner.

The authors/designers of the blog seem to "walk the walk" as well. Their blog is well laid out, incorporating the key elements of design that they so strongly advocate. A recent post identified 3 web design basics: contrast, balance and rhythm. All three seem to form an important part of their visual design approach. As I manage a few blogs/websites myself, these are important suggestions to take to heart.

April showers bring ...

2008-05-05T21:14:00.004-05:00

A planned trip to see writhing dens of mating snakes was thwarted by that all too common of events in my fair city: a May snowstorm.

Can someone remind me what it is I like about this city again?

Great teeth

2008-05-03T21:04:00.003-05:00

When I was younger I had braces. Like most kids, I wasn't a big fan, and I am certain my parents weren't big fans of paying for them. They were for a specific dental reason beyond getting a perfect row of teeth, but the end result was good nevertheless.

But to keep getting compliments about a good smile, you need take care of your teeth. Teeth whitening systems are all the rage these days, but most of them you see end up seeming quite gimmicky.

I was skeptical about the Beverly Hills tooth whitening program, but after doing a bit of research, the claims appear legit. His dentist office seems to have a great reputation, and his customers generally seem satisfied. I'm not in the L.A./Beverley Hills area very often, but residents should definitely be aware of Dr. Maddahi's services.

Snakes!

2008-05-03T16:03:00.002-05:00

Had to postpone a planned visit to the Narcisse Snake Dens this weekend because of poor weather. We'll try again next weekend. But these dens are some kind of awesome:

"Manitoba's red-sided garter snake dens are world famous for being the largest concentration of snakes in the world. During the spring mating and the fall pre-denning periods in excess of 50,000 snakes congregate at the dens in the Narcisse Wildlife Management Area (WMA) which contains four major wintering dens. The dens are a network of crevasses and caverns extending to the earth’s surface which were formed by underground water that eroded and collapsed the limestone. It is only by amassing below the frost line that the snakes are able to survive the harsh Manitoba winters."

Sweet!

Used cars

2008-05-03T10:00:00.004-05:00

Shopping for used cars often feels like more hassle than it's worth. Finding a deal means consulting Blue Books and Lemon Guides and essentially becoming a self-made expert in all matters automotive.

One solution is to stop by BuyYourCar.co.uk, a one-stop shop for online used car sales. The selection is great, with cars at great price from private sellers and major dealers. Not only do you have a chance to save money, but shopping online is also a great way to save time. The search feature allows you simply to enter the make and model you're interested in, as well as other options including colour, price range, and location. By sorting by price, distance or other metrics, you can zero in on exactly the right car for you.

If you're not sure what you are looking for, the Buying Advice section of the website has great suggestions on what kinds of questions to ask the seller: Why are you selling the vehicle? Are you the original owner? What's the mileage? etc. Answers to these questions can help to reveal if the seller is taking you for a ride and trying to sell you a lemon. This section also includes tips on what to look for in an inspection and what to pay attention to during a test drive.

The next time I'm in the market for a used car, I'll do some research online, and this website will be one of the first places I check into.

Mayday

2008-05-01T11:07:00.002-05:00

A dash to the university and back brought the cycling odometer (OK, I don't have one, it's a spreadsheet instead) up to 600 km for the month of April. It's nearing the point where I need to fish or cut bait with this bike. That is, I need to make some repairs and changes if I want the experience riding it to be at all comfortable. That's in the cards for the next few days.

Meanwhile, the playoffs are going about as poorly as I could hope. All of the least likeable teams in the league (Pittsburgh, Detroit, Dallas) are hanging around with only one team I could bring myself to cheer for (either Montreal or Philadelphia) expected to make it to the next round.

C'est la vie.

Air cleaners

2008-05-01T11:04:00.003-05:00

I often joke that my bedroom smells pretty bad, but I've been in plenty of other houses where the problem is a lot worse. Whether it is due to pets, smoking or some other factor, the air quality in many home can be quite poor. Air cleaners / purifiers are products that are designed to remove allergens, pollutants and other impurities from the air. Unfortunately, like most of you, I know very little about this kind of product.

Aircleanersguide.com is a site that collects information about these products. For instance, you might want to check out a comparison of ultraviolet air purifiers. You may think I'm kidding, but that was actually a pretty interesting read.

Here's to smelling and breathing better air.

Hockey pool

2008-04-28T10:11:00.002-05:00

Hockey playoffs are in full swing. A playoff pool is more or less a requirement, and this year I hacked together a little Python script to keep track of how badly I am losing to my friends. Combined with a bit of rudimentary CSS/HTML, I produced a somewhat pleasing result. The only thing that is not pleasing is how poorly the California teams that I hitched my fortunes to (Anaheim and San Jose) are doing.

Online coupon deals

2008-04-27T20:09:00.002-05:00

Online shopping is a fantastic pastime for some. Spending hours online looking up products, comparing features, and dreaming about certain items can fill up the hours of the day. Often, however, there simply isn't enough money to make these dreams reality. I can think of many hours spent longing for expensive bicycle parts which for the time being remain out of reach.

There are ways to bring those dreams a step or two closer to coming true. Coupons are just as important for shopping online as they are for getting a deal at the local grocery store. And there are tons of exciting savings on offer. For example, you can get last minute travel deals on airline tickets, hotel rooms and car rentals by using the appropriate code.

One product I will definitely be looking at buying in the near- to medium-future is a new computer. The old one has been working diligently for the past 4 and half years and surely isn't long from kicking the bucket. It would be great to find savings on a new desktop or notebook PC.

With spring in full swing and summer around the corner, it may also be time to look at some new outdoor equipment. Never fear, as you can save big on shipping for items like bicycles or tents. Before you do any shopping online, be sure to track down a coupon first.

Books are one of the biggest-selling items online. Stores are hyper-competitive, and sometimes prices are already pretty good. But by choosing the right retailer, and getting a great coupon deal, books can be even cheaper. Follow the link and see for yourself.

Summer reading

2008-04-23T18:35:00.002-05:00

I read War and Peace once, about 7 years ago. But I don't think I could tell you the first thing about it. So my summer plan is to have another crack at it.

That said, I'm not sure "summer" really applies to the weather that is heading our way.

Ink Jet Deals

2008-04-19T10:44:00.002-05:00

Running out of ink on your home printer can be a real pain. For me, it means I often print off some personal stuff at work, or try to find ways to avoid printing entirely. It's not that I can't be bothered to go out shopping, although a long trip to some big box retail outlet isn't very appealing either. It's the price. Replacement cartridges are expensive, often prohibitively so.

Online is often the best place to go. And the best place to go online is InkJetDeals.info. To find deals on an Hewlett Packard Laser Jet printer cartridge, this outfit is your best bet. I checked out this page and there were great deals on ink refills, much better than I would find at my local computer shop or at some big box monolith like Best Buy.

This website isn't only about brand names. It also contains great info, like a page on printer tips. The most valuable set of tips in this section are the Seven Tips for Saving Ink. Among these nuggets of information: use economy mode, print only the document portions that you need, sway your ink cartridge, don't turn off your printer in mid-cycle, use black-only, and the use of ink-saving software.

And HP isn't the only brand they carry; popular brands like Brother, Canon, and Dell are also available. So save yourself a trip to the store, and save yourself a bundle of money but replacing your used up ink cartridges at InkJetDeals.info

The century mark

2008-04-08T19:28:00.002-05:00

The weather is beginning to cooperate (11 beautiful degrees celsius), the streets are messy and potholed as ever, which means biking season is in full swing. I didn't have much reason to get around the first few days of this month, but I've begun my daily commute in earnest and have managed already to clock 100 km on my bicycle. I'm feeling it in the legs a bit, but that's to be expected as I whip myself into shape.

Onwards.

Got Pants?

2008-04-08T19:25:00.003-05:00

Practical, sturdy, work clothing can be hard to find. I can't count the number of jeans that I've worn through, or cargo pants that became stained beyond recognition. One great option I found while shopping online are the BDU Pants from LA Police Gear. Advantages include:

self pocketing for extra durability
keyhole button hole
reinforced seat and knee patches (a great feature!)

If you're in the market for some heavy-duty pants, be sure to check these out!

Open source

2008-04-04T23:50:00.003-06:00

There are plenty of reasons to use open source software. Here are some common ones:

it is free (no cost)
you are free to customize or modify the programs in any way
the programs are often better than the competition
some really dig the whole ethic of open source

Whatever your reason, you may not know where to start. Here are some programs you should have installed on your computer, if only to give them a try.

Productivity Suite
OpenOffice - this suite fills the same functions as the components of Microsoft Office, and it is definitely ready for prime time. I guarantee it. Office is actually one of Microsoft's few good offerings, particularly Excel and Word, but OpenOffice is just as a solid.

Web browser
Mozilla Firefox - if you're not using Firefox then you're doing something wrong. Especially if you've got Internet Explorer as your default browser.

Image manipulation
GIMP - short for GNU Image Manipulation Program, the GIMP is a Photoshop wannabe. Some don't like the interface, but if you get past that, you have a sophisticated image manipulation application, for a 100% lower price.

There are so many other great open source applications out there it is hard to know where to begin. So I won't. But check these out and see where that leads you.

Rating ISP service

2008-04-04T09:03:00.002-06:00

I don't know anyone who has never complained about their ISP. Sometimes service is spotty, other times downloads are throttled when they really shouldn't be. And that's not even mentioning the big one -- price. But if you want to find broadband access deals from Verizon, Qwest, Bellsouth and AT&T Yahoo, there's a place to do it.

The listing of service providers is comprehensive. Heck, there's even a page listing free providers (sadly, not as abundant as they once were). The publishers of this site balance reviews of providers with valuable tips on subjects like avoiding spam, or how to choose the provider that is right for you. If you don't have an ISP (somewhat unlikely, I suppose, if you are reading this post), or are looking to change, GetISP.info is an excellent resource to consult.

It is upon us

2008-04-04T08:59:00.003-06:00

I don't usually like to admit it, but I am a bit of a baseball fanatic. Don't get me wrong: I'm not one of those fantasy baseball guys that will find a reason to tune into a game between Kansas City and Tampa Bay, but I do like my Blue Jays.

Blogs are a good way to follow sports teams, especially when they play in a different city, and I have a couple of favourites when it comes to the Jays.

Drunk Jays Fans is an entertaining read, with plenty of colourful language and characters. I should think they don't even know the meaning of 'reverent'. And with a large readership, the comments section of any post is always worth dipping into.

Tao of Stieb is another quality blog. It's got personality, but also buttloads of good baseball insight.

Only 160 games until playoffs.

Bad Credit Loans & Credit Cards

2008-04-02T10:49:00.002-06:00

For many of us, bad credit is a reality that makes any financial proposition a lot more difficult. Loans and credit cards, in particular, are difficult to acquire. This means a lot of living paycheck to paycheck, or having to go without certain big ticket items until enough money can be saved. One solution is to go apply for bad credit loans. Using this product, you can obtain a loan even if your credit history is poor. The same goes for bad credit credit cards. If bad credit is a problem for you, I recommend that you check out both of these products.

Cycling season

2008-04-01T09:46:00.002-06:00

I've had the ol' Norco out a few times in the last week or so, and with the temperature forecast to reach 11 C by Friday, it is apparent that cycling season is now upon us.

With that, I need to compile a list of priorities to fund some needed repairs/improvements to the bike. In order of importance, these are:

Free my seatpost. Currently, it is rusted/fusted to the inside of the vertical tube of the bike, which would be fine, if the level it's fused at wasn't 2 inches too low. Approximate cost: $40.
"New" wheels. My bike currently has the old 27 in wheels, but any knobby/winter tires are available only for the newer 700 mm wheelset. New wheels are unlikely, but a good used set would be nice. Willing to pay: up to $100
Single-speed conversion: The best time to do this would probably be when I replace the wheels. I could do this on the cheap, or the super-expensive but I'll try to find some middle ground.
Replace handlebars. There are cooler systems out there. Very low priority.

I'm funding all of this with money set a site from this online money making stuff, which is good motivation for me to get back into it.

Snowboards

2008-03-14T21:00:00.003-06:00

As I mentioned in my last post, it seems like winter's grip on my fair city is weakening. But it's not done yet, with some serious snow predicted before April.

One of the great things about Canada is that the snowboarding season is pretty darn long. Well over half the year if you live near mountain hotspots (or coldspots) like Fernie, Whistler or Sunshine. Gear can be expensive, but smart shopping can help you avoid a money sinkhole. Burton snowboards have a reputation as the best ones out there, and Christy Sports has great deals on all kinds of Burton gear.

The nice thing about this online shop is that they sell the clothing and accessories without which any snowboard trip isn't complete. I haven't bought a new board in a long time, but I will seriously consider this shop when that time comes. A decent design, good prices, etc. It has the goods.

A good week, but...

2008-03-14T20:57:00.002-06:00

I've been enjoying my week so far. But I'm into soccer, Canadian soccer specifically, and the under-23 team that is trying to qualify for the Olympics really screwed the pooch tonight. I don't mean to bore you with my thoughts, but if you're interested, check out the live blog I posted at my soccer site.

Otherwise, I'm well. Winter seems almost to be coming to an end, and it is nearly cycling season.

Insurance quotes

2008-03-08T13:00:00.000-06:00

Insurance is a competitive business, but it can be difficult to find a deal that is good for you. Salesmen aren't interested in finding you the best deal, but instead are on the hunt for getting the highest commission for themselves. Customers rarely have the time to investigate the plethora of options that are out there.

Thankfully, there are services to take care of some of these headaches. Autonet insurance group will offer you the best deal and guaranatee it. If you can find a better deal, they'll refund you the difference! They have great deals on all kinds of insurance, but they specialize in car insurance, motorcycle insurance, truck and haulage insurance, home insurance and courier insurance.

Courier insurance is designed for vehicles providing courier services; these perform multiple drops on a daily basis. It can be particularly hard to get insured for this line of work, but Autonet has some particularly good offers. Introductory rates and group policies are available, making them a certain one-stop shop for insurance needs.

The website is attractive, and information on all different types of insurance is easy to find. I am not currently in the market for insurance products, but will be soon, and Autonet is one company that I will look to first.

It's the same every day...

2008-03-08T12:57:00.000-06:00

Groundhog Day is a bit of a silly idea, but it is meant to determine whether there will be 6 more weeks of winter, or that spring is on its way. This is particularly silly here in Winnipeg, where only six more weeks of winter from the beginning of February would be a blessing. It's 5 weeks now since G-Day, and it's been snowing heavily all morning after a couple of days of -25 C weather, so winter is far from over.

Il fait froid, mais c'est la vie.

Mortgages

2008-03-03T17:00:00.003-06:00

I'm at the point in my life where friends are beginning to buy houses, get married, start families, and making all sorts of related 'adult' decisions. Perhaps I'm a bit behind the curve, because I've yet to get fully started on my own teaching career (I'm 1 year away, realistically, from a teaching job), but it's good to think ahead.

The one thing that I'm excited about for when I start drawing a salary is owning a house. The housing market in my city, like many places in Western Canada, is pretty hot right now, with prices having nearly doubled in the last 5 to 10 years. This seems likely to continue for at least a few more years. My current financial state is pretty unimpressive, so I'll need some help getting that dream going.

Mortgages are often the key to starting as a homeowner. The mortgage market is rather competitive these days, so it is possible to obtain favourable terms. Those who object to the high cost of servicing a mortgage would be wise to think about the financial costs and rewards. I have a lot of experience as a renter, and in many cases, a mortgage payment replaces a rent payment and everything else is equal, except you own the house, a substantial piece of equity.

I have to keep things realistic, and I know my first mortgage is likely more than a few years away, but it is best to keep informed. The site linked is a valuable resource with information on best mortgage deals, and other answers to important questions. The future is exciting!

Browser wars

2008-03-01T09:25:00.003-06:00

This past week, there was news that the Netscape Navigator browser would no longer be supported. That browser battle, however, was won long ago by Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser. The browser war, on the other hand, as very much alive.

Firefox is the current combatant with Microsoft's offering, and to most objective observers, a superior opponent. Yet on my sites, over 50% of users continue to use Internet Explorer, and overall rates of use are much higher.

If you're one of those still using IE, consider these reasons for switching:

better pop-up blocking
download manager
faster response
proper and consistent HTML formatting
smaller download size
many more

Make the switch!

Inform before you invest

2008-02-26T20:17:00.003-06:00

The vast quantities of information available online haven't made investing any easier. In fact, sifting through the piles of tips and quotes and trying to judge which pieces of information are valid can make the whole process a lot more difficult than it should be.

Wikinvest simplifies investing. Like wikipedia, it allows people to combine their research on various companies and stocks and provides comprehensive invest information. The site's research on Nintendo goes into great detail about the company's history, including product offerings, trends, competing consoles, and design issues.

The content that wikinvest provides is unique. While most sources of financial data will provide you with whatever you need to know about market capitalization, price-earnings ratio and all of that market gobbledygook, this site goes beyond. Knowing details about different product offerings and how these contribute to the company's success offers the kind of detail required to get ahead in our competitive investment climate. For example, the article on Nintendo explains that the company traditionally earned high margins (80%) on the production and sale of game software, but poor results with the GameCube have led them to work with third-party companies to produce the software.

These are the kinds of inside details you get with wikinvest. If you are thoughtful about your investments, and want to know the company behind the stocks, then it is in your best interest to check the site out.

Web site statistics

2008-02-25T11:47:00.004-06:00

I run several blogs and web sites, and monitoring statistics and logs about site traffic is a hobby of mine.

The main two services I deal with are Statcounter and Google Analytics. I had been using Statcounter exclusively (the free service), but I began to suspect that overall pageviews/visits were being under-reported. Having added the Analytics service to some sites, this suspicion has been confirmed.

Has anybody else had this problem? I am using both services in combination with Blogger.

It's not a huge issue, as the comprehensive information gathering of Google Analytics appeals more to me anyway.

Cosmetic surgery

2008-02-25T11:39:00.003-06:00

A lot of people have attitude's that are downright oppositional and indignant on the topic of plastic or cosmetic surgery. This kind of attitude may be valid when considering someone going in for their 5th facelift, or yet another nose job.

However, cosmetic surgery can have real benefits to a person's health and self-esteem. Read the article "Nurse 'happy' with cosmetic surgery" -- it's a story of a health care professional who struggled to keep the pounds off, even with dieting and exercise, and chose cosmetic surgery as a last resort. The story tells of real improvements in quality of life as well as an overall reduction in size which she has been able to maintain.

.. Breast Enhancement UK is an outfit that offers consultations and procedures for plastic surgery. If this kind of thing interests you, be sure to check it out.

Winter riding

2008-02-23T16:58:00.002-06:00

I had my first real winter ride on my bike in the last while yesterday. Just a few stops in the neighborhood, about 10 km total. It was -15 C or so, but to be honest, cycling never felt so good. I'm not sure if the local groundhog or gopher or woodchuck saw his shadow, but I'd sure like it if winter was over and done with and I could be back on the streets.

That said, the streets are pretty clear right now and I might try a longer ride (on my narrow, slick tires tomorrow).

Clocks

2008-02-15T20:15:00.002-06:00

For some people, clocks are just boring old boxes that tell time. Other people can wax poetic about the various clocks that have special meaning in their lives, whether because they are family heirlooms, or some other sentimental reason. In other words, some do and some people don't care much about clocks.

What I am really interested in are clocks with phenomenal accuracy. Internal computer clocks need to keep chugging, and pretty accurately at that, but nothing beats an atomic clock. These are recognized as the most accurate clocks in existence, and most people don't even know how they work! (I can't claim that I have the exact science down either, something to do with decaying atoms.) But they're not just for nerds who want the time precisely down to the pico-second. There are plenty of atomic clocks available with sleek and unique designs.

I can be a bit nostalgic as well. One of the nicer furniture pieces in my parents' house is their grandfather clock. What makes it special is that it was actually made by my grandfather, who has a way with woodworking. But any grandfather clock that is hand-crafted is worth having: they are beautiful and timeless (pardon the pun). Grandfather clocks bring a touch of class to any room.

Until next time.

Louis Riel day

2008-02-15T20:11:00.003-06:00

Here in Manitoba we will soon be enjoying our first ever Louis Riel Day holiday. Tired of being left out of the group of other Canadian provinces that have mid-February statutory holidays, a law was passed creating the holiday.

Who is Louis Riel? Well, to some he was a traitor, and he was hanged for treason related to his role in the 1885 rebellion in what is now Saskatchewan. But he is also a key figure in Manitoba's history, being a key figure in the Provisional Government which was the precursor to the provincial government upon Manitoba's entry into confederation into 1870.

Do you care about all this? Probably not. Neither do I, really. I'm just glad for the day off.

Flop River

2008-02-07T16:37:00.000-06:00

I've recently got into playing online poker. There are a lot of sites out there, but I tend to ignore most of them. Gaudy flashing banners, shady pricing schemes, make most of these sites unappealing. I signed up to Flop River with the Full Tilt referral code, and am happy with what they have to offer.

There's also a Ladbrokes Bonus avaiable for the time being, which can help to make signing up worth your while.

I won about $30 the other day, then blew it trying to bluff with a 2-7 off suit. That's the kind of money losing action you can experience if you sign up with the Full Tilt Poker referral code.

Try it out.

Good riddance to bad rubbish

2008-02-07T16:34:00.000-06:00

I don't intend to bore anyone with my soccer-related thoughts (if you'd like to submit to this sort of thing, go here).

But this sort of thing really gets my blood boiling.

Jonathan de Guzman, 20-year-old Feyenoord phenom, one of Europe’s best young attacking midfielders and, oh, by the way, Canadian, announced Wednesday he will pursue his international soccer career – with the Netherlands.

Is there any point to international competition if players choose a country because it represents a better career move? How terribly mercenary!

I wish Jonathan the worst of luck in his career.

Massage chairs

2008-02-03T22:26:00.000-06:00

I just finished watching the Superbowl, and as much as the result of the game got me angry, what was even more frustrating was how uncomfortable I was. Each Brady overthrow was made worse by the fact that I was sitting in a bad chair, and my back hurt.

I recently tried out the Human Touch Massage Chairs. Even without the massage feature, this would be a great recliner. But the way that this chair mimics massage professionals by kneading, rolling and applying pressure to your body it really quite something. The massage is also full-body, reaching from head to foot. Automatic programs seem to know all the right spots and save you the trouble of fiddling with the puts, even though the controls are quite intuitive.

The chair can't fix the Superbowl, but it could have made the loss a bit more palatable. I recommend you check out these chairs.

Screw you, Ottawa!

2008-01-26T10:45:00.000-06:00

Ok, that's a little harsh. But this story says it all:

IT won't be official until later today, but the "dweebs in snowsuits'' have beaten Ottawa's record of having the longest skating rink in the world. In fact, the deep-freeze race between Winnipeg and the nation's capital isn't even close as the Rideau Canal, the current Guinness world record holder, has only just managed to open up a 1.2-kilometre stretch of its 7.8-kilometre trail.
By comparison, the skating surface featuring both the Assiniboine and Red rivers is having the final touches applied to what will be a record-breaking icy trail that will be at least nine kilometres long when the measurements are officially taken today. Winnipeggers have already been enjoying the more than seven kilometres of trail that have been lovingly groomed and flooded.
"We were fine doing our 4.5-kilometre trail but when it got personal last year, we said 'OK, the gloves are off,' " said Paul Jordan, The Forks' chief operating officer nicknamed a 'dweeb in a snowsuit' by an Ottawa writer.
"I'm a hockey player and when someone calls you a dweeb in a snowsuit and you've got your skates on, you drop the gloves."

I'll be heading out to skate the full length of the rink (and back) today

Web Hosting Choice

2008-01-22T22:33:00.000-06:00

I run several blogs, and while the Blogger/Blogspot setup is rather handy, I sometimes think of taking the professional step of having my stuff hosted elsewhere. The problem is that there are far too many services out there, many of dubious quality.

Web hosting choice made easy: follow the link and you'll find loads of resources on picking the host that is right for you. Need SQL? Unix? Limited to a certain price range?

This site will let you know which company can meet your needs.

Riddle me this

2008-01-19T16:49:00.000-06:00

I don't pay that much attention to politics. That said, our city's mayor, Sam Katz, is a moron.

He has been in the news recently, crying poor about crumbling infrastructure, an inability to fund community centres and the like. Then he goes and cuts the business tax, and is ready to hand out $7-million dollars to any private company that would like to build a waterpark downtown?! Can somebody tell me how this makes sense?

Has he done anything worthwhile in his 4 years as mayor besides putting heaters into bus shelters?

Upright vacuum cleaners

2008-01-15T18:19:00.000-06:00

Vacuum cleaners tend to be a difficult thing to shop for. Since they generally last a long time, one only buys a vacuum every 5 or 10 years, so it can be hard to determine what's on the market, and where the best deals are.

Some of the best upright vacuum cleaners can be found at the newly designed Dyson website. The site offers a good selection of models for different uses, and at different price points, and the design offers a pleasant and streamlined shopping experience. It is easy to use with a wide selection of products.

Perhaps the most useful feature of the website is the parts & accessories section. It can be a pain to find a specific replacement part for an otherwise functioning machine, but finding it on the web is a breeze. As a consumer, Dyson parts help you save by not having to replace your vacuum cleaner as often.

I invite you to consider Dyson when you make your next vacuum cleaner purchase.

New Year's resolution #2

2008-01-10T21:15:00.000-06:00

Another resolution. This one might be a little harder to accomplish than the last. It clearly represents a large step on the road to self-improvement.

Res 2008.002

Be it resolved that I will refrain by pronouncing judgment upon the intelligence of persons I overhear while riding the bus. Although their conversations may be inane, this is not necessarily a reflection of their personality or intellect.

If you've been on the bus before, you probably know that there is an inverse proportion between the volume of a person speaking, and the quantity of intelligent words spoken.

It's been one of those days.

Web Site Downloader

2008-01-07T11:12:00.000-06:00

We are living more and more in an online world, but there are times when we just can't be connected to the Internet. Working offline with cached sites can only go so far.

Thankfully, there is a product out there that makes it simple to copy web sites. This software is available at:

http://www.web-site-downloader.com/

The features of this software are impressive. With a single click, you can download an entire site, including pictures, sound and video. Using multiple connections, the software optimizes your download speed.

This software is free, with a small distribution charge, and I strongly encourage you to at least check out the site. It can make browsing offline, or copying web archives, or any such task, a more rewarding experience.

New Year's resolution #1

2008-01-05T11:46:00.001-06:00

New Year's resolutions are rarely kept, and in my case, somewhat infrequently made at all. Still, self-improvement is somewhat of a worthwhile goal, and on the off-chance that resolutions work, I'm willing to give it a shot.

I'm not going to hit you with all of them right now, as I favour instead a form of progressive revelation.

Res 2008.001

Be it resolved that, in the year 2008, I, [withheld], will forgo the viewing of a downloaded television episode as a means of inducing sleep, and instead invite slumber through the reading of a book or periodical.

That shouldn't be too much to handle.

The book I'm on right now, picked up at a used bookstore, is Dicken's Pickwick Papers. A little more levity than Hard Times and A Tale of Two Cities, both of which I slogged through in high school. I'm knocking off about 60 pages a day, though we'll see if that keeps up next week once university is back in session.

The art of buying a business

2008-01-04T15:46:00.001-06:00

Do you think Donald Trump got rich by wearing bad toupees and marrying models? Of course not. He made shrewd business decisions, including choices about which businesses to buy.

There clearly is an art to buying a business. You want to choose a company that is profitable and offers a good return on investment.

The online site Trump University was founded by Donald Trump to help people learn the art of making smart and lucrative real estate and business decisions. The latest course teaches the art of buying a business, which includes:

finding the right business for you
putting together a good deal
identifying potential snags or problems
avoid rookie mistakes

All of these are key to making a good business decision. If you're in the business of real estate or buying businesses, who better to learn from than Trump himself.

Web contests

2008-01-03T11:02:00.001-06:00

Paid posting and Adsense income are two ways to earn cash with your blog and the time you spend online, but unless you have a real powerhouse operation going, the money trickles in rather slowly.

There are other more lucrative, but less likely options out there. I'm talking about the plethora of web contests from different companies, but primarily media outlets.

I like to keep an eye on a few of them, in case something interesting pops up.

CBC Contests: The Mother Corp. has a few contests from time to time, and while there are rarely cash prizes, trips or other such things are often up for grabs.

Globe and Mail Contests: Canada's leading national newspaper usually has something good going, including their impressive, $1000-a-day, $50,000 summer contest.

National Post Contests: Nothing to report here right now.

Canada.com Contests: The National Post points its online readers in the direction of its affiliate site, Canada.com. They run a few contests as well.

If you know of some other good contests from reputable sources, let me know.

Meet Singles

2008-01-02T18:37:00.000-06:00

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season wrapping up, loneliness inevitably sets in. With no more visiting family to keep company, thoughts turn to dating.

Dating sites are big business on the internet. But which is the best, and gives you the best chance to find a partner? Dating is definitely something where you don't want to find out by trial and error.

With reviews of sites like Perfect Match and eHarmony, Prime Dating Sites has a lot to offer. Their reviews include such important information as: the type of clientele (those interested in casual dating or serious relationships), and breakdowns of key features like compatibility tests or search abilities.

Not every dating site is for everyone, and consulting these reviews makes it easier to avoid a bad experience. I recommend that you check it out if you are in the (meat) market.

The above is a sponsored post.

2007 Earnings Report

2008-01-02T10:32:00.000-06:00

I started this blog with the expressed purpose of trying to earn a little bit of coing. As a university student, I don't exactly have a lot of spare cash, so every little bit helps.

I only started this blog in the summer, and didn't start earning real cash from paid posting until the fall, so this doesn't represent a very complete picture of what one can earn in a year. In addition, as you can see from my posting history, activity on this blog is pretty sporadic. With a dedicated effort you are sure to make much more.

That's enough pre-amble. Here are the numbers:

Earnings 2008

PayPerPost	$90.50
Smorty	$34.80
Bloggerwave	$26.00

Blog contest	$10.00

Other
AdSense	$121.54
Paid surveys	$50.00

Total	$332.84

The AdSense income is tied in part to another project I have, while the cash from the paid surveys was earned over a period a little over a year, but otherwise those are as accurate as I can make these numbers. This data, by the way, is in US dollars which, in September, would have meant my take in Canadian funds is a little over the amount listed, but with the rise of the Canadian buck, I probably earned just a tad less.

I had originally planned to use any web-related income to pay for some bicycle upgrades, and I still plan to get some work done on my bike once spring rolls around, but I've already spent down the PayPal account a little bit. I bought an iPod shuffle on ebay, to replace the minidisc player I've been rolling with for the last 5 years.

CashAdvance1500.com

2008-01-01T10:31:00.000-06:00

Sometimes it can be hard to make it until the next paycheck. Bills, or unforeseen expenses, don't always happen on your schedule, and often payday is too far away. There are plenty of options available for short-term financing, but most of these money marts are exploitative, with usurious lending rates.

Thankfully, CashAdvance1500.com lists different sites where you can obtain up to $1500 in emergency payday loans. These payday loans are a better option than other forms of short term credit, like uncomfortable borrowing from family, bouncing checks, or pawning property for less than it is worth.

The site also lists important information. For example, cash advance loans do not require a credit check, an advantage if you have a poor credit history. Approval criteria is based on employment status and an active checking or savings account.

If you are in need of emergency short term financing, I encourage you to check out CashAdvance1500.com to see if it is right for you.

Best music of 2007

2008-01-01T10:20:00.000-06:00

2008 has begun, but I still have a bit of 2007 housekeeping to take care of:

"1996 called, they want their awesome back"

That's all I really have to say about it ('it' being Daft Punk Alive 2007).

Well, not quite. Daft Punk's dance beats may not be the most sophisticated or subtle (although I always get pretty jazzed up when I hear the arpeggiating guitar-synth riff in "One More Time"), but they seem like they'd be pretty great live. This, being a live album, proves that point.

Plus, who wouldn't be witness to this kind of spectacle?

Choosing the right web host

2007-12-27T23:50:00.000-06:00

The following is a paid post:

Managing websites can be a tricky business. Sites come in many shapes and sizes, large and small, and have a variety of requirements. Selecting the right hosting option from the thousands of services available can represent a major headache for a person just looking to get the most from their website.

Thankfully, there are ways to make this arduous process of selecting a host a little easier. http://www.webhostingchoice.com offers is an advertisement-free guide to finding the host that is right for you. Sites are broken down into categories based on specific features available (things like Unix or SQL), and you can perform searches based on price, bandwidth and disk space available. The FAQ is also handy for website novices who need help with the basics of starting a website.

If you're still hunting for the perfect host for your web site, consider giving the site above a look or two.

MNT Player of the Year

2007-12-27T23:48:00.000-06:00

Cross posted at Out of Touch:
Over at the Voyageurs board, there is a thread debating which player should be named Canadian MNT Player of the Year. Whether or not it is an actual award, the question is still an interesting one to think about.

For our part, the winner should be a player who:

contributed positively to Canada's performances in important matches (in 2007, the Gold Cup would represent our most important set of matches)
had a strong season with their club sides

We insist on reasonable scores on both of these, which would rule out a player like Ali Gerba (great tournament in the Gold Cup, but a barely a club career to speak of) and Jim Brennan (great year as the leader of Toronto FC, but hardly an impact at all on the MNT scene in 2007).

Here are our top 3, in reverse order.

3. Rob Friend (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany)
MNT resume in '07: 4 appearances (3 starting, 1 sub), 290 minutes, 0 goals.

This third spot was difficult for us to choose, as for me there was no clear winner. Pat Onstad, winning another championship with Houston Dynamo was a strong contender, especially given his outstanding emergency appearances for Canada, and we also considered Atiba Hutchinson. But we continue to be impressed by Friend who is leading his team, currently the top candidate for promotion into the 1. Bundesliga at the mid-point, in goals, and is second overall in scoring. This outweighs his less impressive contribution to the national team in 2007, with 4 appearances, most of which were impressive but didn't yield any goals.

2. Dwayne de Rosario (Houston Dynamo, MLS)
MNT resume in '07: 8 appearances (all 8 starting), 698 minutes, 5 goals

Dwayne had a very impressive year in 2007. Since the MLS season runs in a single calendar of year, it is easier to look at it as a single body of work. His regular season output wasn't as impressive as other years, but he did come through when it was most important, putting in another MLS Cup MVP performance and scoring the winning goal against DC United. He also had a nose for the net while representing Canada, scoring 5 times and closing in on the all-time leaders Califf and Mitchell at 19. He is emerging as a leader for Canada, and is already a leader for his club side, who are repeat champions in MLS (I believe this year was Dwayne's fourth championship overall, and the second time he scored the winning goal).

We had a hard time putting him in second, but our #1 clearly earned his spot

1. Julian de Guzman (Deportivo la Coruna, Spain)
MNT resume in '07: 10 appearances (all starting), 868 minutes, 2 goals

Those of us who watched Canada's Gold Cup match against Costa Rica will never forget that performance. We have never seen a Canadian midfielder take over the game in the way that Julian did that night. His two goals were first rate, but there was plenty of fine work besides, as this youtube video shows. Julian has always been a solid performer for Canada, but this was the year that we saw him take the next step and become the leader on the field for Canada. Whether it was getting up from an atrocious Bocanegra tackle (how that wasn't a straight red is beyond me, thanks Archundia!) or scoring key goals, De Guzman was the man for Canada. If we add in the fact that he is a regular starter in the world's best league, we are entirely comfortable naming Julian our player of the year.

Now if only he can get his brother on side...

Travel in Italy

2007-12-27T11:20:00.000-06:00

At this time three years ago, I was travelling in Italy. I spent a few days after Christmas in Naples, explored Rome for a handful of days, celebrated New Year's Eve in Florence, and then capped off the trip with a visit to Venice.

I'd recommend the trip to anyone. Italy is full of history, food, and other forms of excitement. If you're planning such a trip and in need of a place to stay, then check out some italy hotels. This site provides information about affordable accomodations in several of these places.

Rome, in particular, was a highlight. Attractions like the Vatican, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and Trevi Fountain make the city a fascinating place to visit. There are plenty of places to stay, of varying quality, so doing research on rome hotels is pretty important.

Venice is a stunningly beautiful place. I ended up spending the night at the train station because we didn't plan ahead. A better move would have been to check out some venice hotels in advance and avoid such an uncomfortable sleep.

CBC: Fall in Love 7

2007-12-14T19:54:00.001-06:00

This week's question in CBC's Fall in Love contest, with prizes including MP3 players, LCD TVs and tickets to hockey games and tapings of CBC shows:

Q: What returning hit comedy show on Friday nights will now be live? *

A: Air Farce

(Enter here)

CBC: Fall in Love 6

2007-12-04T17:40:00.000-06:00

This week's question in CBC's Fall in Love contest, with prizes including MP3 players, LCD TVs and tickets to hockey games and tapings of CBC shows:

Q: There are five entrepreneurs in this season’s Dragon’s Den on Mondays at 8:00pm How many are female?

A: 1

(Enter here)

Massage chair

2007-12-02T16:58:00.000-06:00

This post is sponsored.

I was making out my Christmas list the other day and one of the items on the list was a chair.

Sure, I have plenty of chairs, but not the chair, something that is comfortable beyond belief, to rest all my aches and pains after a long day at work.

I'll be editing my Christmas list tonight -- not to add anything, but to specify that the chair should be from the line of Human Touch Massage Chairs. This product line includes the HT 7450 Zero Gravity Massage Chair, which offers impressive massage features such as percussion, compression, rolling and kneading.

Options like heating or foot massage make the package darn near irresistible. Best of all, the chair adjusts to your body type, so it should fit like a glove.

I'm sure if one of these is under my tree, there won't be much surprise in unwrapping it but I don't think I'll care too much.

Best video ever?

2007-12-02T16:30:00.000-06:00

You be the judge.

Logic prevails

2007-12-02T16:14:00.000-06:00

I here sportscasters talking about .500 teams all the team. In most sports, it's pretty easy to figure: if you have the same number of wins as losses, you are a .500 team. In sports, with ties, if your number of wins and losses are equal, it's .500 for you.

The NHL has thrown a wrench into this with their single points for shootout and overtime losses. I think this is good for the game, but writers and broadcasters don't seem to understand the implications, vis-a-vis the .500 designation.

To wit, the Toronto Maple Leafs, a dreadful team by any account, might be described as "one game under .500" with their record of 10-11-6, but in strict wins and losses, they are a far less successful, and nowhere near .500, 10-17.

Steve Simmons, as he is apt to do, expresses things a bit more effectively:

The term .500 needs to re-defined in the what is still the new National Hockey League.
With three-point games and two-point games and no more ties, what once was considered a .500 team can't be considered that anymore.
In baseball, it's easy. You determine percentage by the number of games won.
But it is ever-changing in hockey, with team such as the Maple Leafs claiming to be two games under .500 when they've actually won just nine of 26 games.
Now, what has to be taken into account is how many three-point games alter the equation and how many total points are available. If you play 10 three-point games, you need 15 points to be a .500 team.
It's confusing -- and would less confusing if wins and losses were all that mattered and points weren't available for losses in overtime and by shootout.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Save Buckets!

2007-11-26T20:38:00.000-06:00

The holidays are approaching and I'm starting to get my list together. Besides some necessities which I hope 'Santa' can provide (new winter jacket, pillows, and the like), I have some more interesting gift wishes. In particular, I need to get some kind of new music player, as I've been rocking the minidisc player for far too long.

MP3 players and iPods can be pricey if you don't know where to look. I tried to compare prices and ended up at a site called Save Buckets. For MP3 players, they listed models at prices as low as 3 or 4 pounds, so I know that they can be had cheaply. But even quality products can be found at a good price there. They have other categories too, like laptops, or digital cameras, so this might be a good place to start your Christmas Shopping.

CBC: Fall in Love 5

2007-11-26T20:31:00.001-06:00

This week's question in CBC's Fall in Love contest, with prizes including MP3 players, LCD TVs and tickets to hockey games and tapings of CBC shows:

Q: The new show, Who Do You Think You Are?, is sure to capture your interest every Thursday at:

A: 7:30pm

(Enter here)

Top USA Online Casinos

2007-11-20T16:46:00.000-06:00

Top united states online casinos is a free guide to online gambling destinations. They rank the sites based on such parameters as selection of games, speed, payout percentage, bonuses, trustworthiness, and the like.

I'm not much of a gambler myself, but I can see how this would be a helpful resource. There are some shady players in the online gambling industry, and knowing about them in advance would be helpful. With Top USA Online Casinos, you can easily avoid the dirty players and head to the credible sources.

The design of the site is simple, but not primitive. Unlike a lot of casino-related sites, there is not a lot of unnecessary and annoying flashing text or gaudy colors. If all you need is information about online casinos, then this is a good site as it presents it to you in a simple and easy to read fashion.

CBC: Fall in Love 4

2007-11-19T17:05:00.000-06:00

This week's question in CBC's Fall in Love contest, with prizes including MP3 players, LCD TVs and tickets to hockey games and tapings of CBC shows:

Q: Sex, drugs and espionage make Intelligence a compelling show on Mondays at:

A: 9:00 pm

(Enter here)