Highlights

Cytoplasmic Writings - January 2007 Archives

Winter finally hits us and what a winter it is. It felt extra cold especially after the warm spell we had during the holidays.

Tuesday, January 30th 2007

Microsoft Windows Vista was released today. I don't know how many different versions there are but there seem to be lots of them. I can't believe how expensive operating systems are. I understand that Microsoft has to make money but if they really want to combat piracy, make Windows cost 50 bucks. I think people would go out and buy a copy of Windows for 50 bucks. I've seen some videos and screenshots of Vista. Pretty. But I don't need all those fancy menus and such. I just want something stable where the extra add-ons will cause headaches for the operating system. The minimum requirements for Vista are a joke. Why does an operating system need so many resourcs? Eye candy is not worth it.

I've been so tired lately. I'm not sure why but it's been taxing to the body. I think I've really gotten used to only getting around 6-7 hours of sleep. There are days that I want to sleep longer but I end up feeling gross and tired all day long. Well hopefully if I get a position at RIM that doesn't have shift work, I'll have a more relaxing sleep schedule. Don't get me wrong, this is way better than the 12-15 hour days I used to pull at Second Cup. Of course, once I open the hobby store, the 12-15 hour days might come back. Maybe not, hobby stores don't open at 5:45 in the morning. Hehe.

Went to the Bricks and Blocks Outlet at St. Jacob's and they told me that they're completely out of Star Wars LEGO. Unreal. They weren't going to have stock until late February/March. Those new sets are definitely exciting to see. I've seen a few more of the 2007 sets at a toy fair. They're all Episode 1-3 sets but they're pretty amazing. I might have to pick them up anyways to put into the collection. Speaking of the collection, I need some sort of display case to show off all the different sets I've got. I think my eventual home will have a really nice "trophy" room. Off limits to the kids of course :p.

DRAGONCRYPT 1/30/2007 11:30:25 AM

Thursday, January 25th 2007

I get the day off tomorrow since I'm working the weekend. It's gonna be running around day. I need to renew my Costco membership and go run some errands. My room is mess once again. I can't believe how quickly receipts can accumulate. Time has been flying by though, it is already the last full week of January. I've been such a lazy ass these past few weeks. Totally unacceptable. Maybe I've got too much on my plate and I can't concentrate on one project. I'm gonna go with lazy ass with no real work ethic at times.

So next week is my mini-vacation. I'm going to be off for five days and the majority of it will be spent in Toronto. So that means quality time with Jenn, bubbles with the boys, maybe a visit to the card distributor, perhaps visiting a few other old friends and my stupid corporate taxes, dental appointments, etc, etc. Just way too much crap that it may not be a vacation at all. Hopefully it doesn't snow like crazy and I'm stuck in the house all day long. The good thing is that my parents now have a computer that they can use so I can use it too. The computer is fast and furious so I can get some work done in Toronto as well.

With all the new trading card sets, LEGO sets, comic book series and tons of other stuff coming out in 2007 and really excited about the whole year. I've managed to sell a few items off so I have a little bit of cash to work with on Ebay. I'm definitely looking forward to another shopping trip down to the States. I should start saving now for the trip. Maybe New York this time around? I've got relatives and free sushi to eat! That would be sweet!

DRAGONCRYPT 1/25/2007 11:54:25 PM

Wednesday, January 24th 2007

One more car payment and my car is mine! Woohoo! I think. I've spent almost twenty grand on that car. It's scary when I think about it. That one year I paid over five thousand in insurance was killer. Now that my insurance is manageable in Waterloo and my car payments are done, it's a little more reasonable to own a car. Hopefully the few things I have to fix up won't eat up the extra cash freed up from the car payments.

The 2007 Star Wars LEGO sets are out and they are AWESOME! LEGO has released some quality sets of late and I'm glad to see them bounce back from troubling times. The new guns in the sets are amazing. There is a debate about the megaphone guns and these custom guns but I prefer the custom guns. They make the minifigs all the more enjoyable. The Clone Trooper Battle Pack is a tad expensive so I'll try to pick them up during sales. The AT-ST set is gorgeous as is the new Y-Wing. I'm dying to see if LEGO releases a Stormtrooper Battle Pack. Those are the ones I'm waiting for. I've been trying to get box pics for the sets to post in the Star Wars LEGO section, but none are readily available. We'll just have to wait a few more weeks.

DRAGONCRYPT 1/24/2007 9:13:48 PM

Tuesday, January 16th 2007

Never cook the beef for your stew in the same pot as your stew and then add the rest of the ingredients. Well, don't do it unless you want a TON of oil in your stew. I had the pleasure of doing this twice. Didn't learn from my mistakes I guess. The only positive thing is that the meat was really tender this time around. I didn't use too much of the cinnamon bark and anise. It almost tasted like how my mom makes it but hers still kicks ass. I gotta pay more attention to her cooking.

The funniest thing I've heard so far this week was when a radiohost said that the weather we've been happening is directly due to climate change. The other radio host said the effects of Global Warming is clearly evident. The first radiohost then goes, it can't be Global Warming because it's snowing in places that aren't supposed to have snow. Sigh. Too funny.

I was talking to a co-worker and he was saying how he really wants to live off the land and be self-sustaining with his family. I love the idea of it but I know it's not for me. We did talk about environmentally-friendly housing. I was thinking of a house that would consume as little conventional power as possible. That is, having multiple renewable energy sources and having systems in place that would keep the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter. There are plenty of eco-friendly projects out there and hopefully, the price of these houses will be affordable. I think I could justify spending ten to twenty thousand more on a house if it will save at least that amount in energy bills. Dare to dream.

DRAGONCRYPT 1/16/2007 10:53:08 PM

Saturday, January 13th 2007

Lots of interesting things have happened over the last five days so I'll recap a few of them here and my take on them.

American President Bush's new plan in Iraq

Another can of worms has been opened by President Bush. His plan to send over twenty thousand more troops to Iraq, be "tough" on Iran and Syria, provide more funding for reconstruction and improve Iraq self-governance is a total sham. More troops will not solve anything. More troops will most likely result in more civlian and American casualties. Now bear in mind that the United States Army had more troops in Iraq in 2005 and 2006 so Bush is really just sending troops back to Iraq to provide "security" in Bahgdad. This is merely an attempt by Bush to deflect criticism at his inability to find a solution to Iraq. Bush had the opportunity to come out with a good solid plan based on countless recommendations by various groups, his own army commanders, and even his own allies. Instead he chooses a path of uncertainty. It is clear that the situation in Iraq will only get worse before it starts to get better.

David Beckham will play for the Los Angeles Galaxy next year

David Beckham will leave Real Madrid and play for the North American Major League Soccer Club L.A. Galaxy. Beckham has signed a five-year contract that is worth approximately $250 million in salary and endorsements. Beckham and Major League Soccer hope that this will bring more attention to the game and that soccer will become just as popular in America as in the rest of the world. Not going to happen. Basketball is a high-scoring game. Football is a high-scoring game. Hell, even hockey had to "adjust" for a higher scoring format before it could become more successful in the smaller American markets. Soccer is too boring for most North Americans to enjoy. One popular star will not change that as the hype will slowly die down as it did when Pele signed in '75 with New York. One good thing is that Toronto FC will play LA Galaxy so Toronto fans will get to see Beckham in action.

Apple announces the iPhone

One reason why Apple is NOT the innovator that everyone thinks it is. Is there anything new in this? Sure it looks pretty, but there's nothing new. It's an MP3 Player phone. With touchscreen capabilities. Wow. Not really. I love the fact that iPhone is already a trademark of Cisco. I love how Apple blatantly announces a product using someone else's trademark and thinks that they are in the right. Trademark negotiations broke down and now Cisco is suing Apple. Even Cingular and Apple, supposed partners, are snipping at each other. Hardcore Apple fanatics will buy this and perhaps mainstream will initially. But when consumers realize that there are cheaper and better alternatives out there, Apple will fall off that pedastal. Perhaps Steve Jobs will finally lose some of that ego.

Okay, not the greatest week in terms of positive news, but news nonetheless. As always, these are my opinions of events and if you disagree and would like a rebuttal, feel free to add a comment!

DRAGONCRYPT 1/13/2007 12:59:32 PM

Monday, January 8th 2007

Went Comic Book Shop hopping on Saturday with Jenn. It was so much fun! What is Comic Book Shop Hopping? Well, it's when you take a bunch of cash and just visit a whole slew of comic book stores and see if there's anything interesting to buy. Interesting stuff really depends on the prices, the atmosphere and how the comic book store employees treat me. It gives me an opportunity to really check out stores and their clientele and how they really survive in this day and age.

I think Toronto doesn't have enough comic book stores. However, that's due to the overall readership in the industry declining and with Chapters and Indigo carrying trade paperbacks with discounts, many fringe readers buy their books online or at the big box stores. It's a shame because the comic book experience can be really fun. I only frequent one comic book store and it has very little in terms of a store front. However, whenever I go, I love talking to the owner and chatting about various comic books and stories. I'm sure if I became a regular at some of the other stores I would have the same conversations, but the unfriendly atmosphere was very evident in many stores.

Comic book shops have yet to lose their geekiness and the Comic Book Guy in the Simpsons is still an somewhat accurate portrayal of the modern day comic book owner. Most stores are a mess it can be overwhelming to new readers. In busy shops like the Silver Snail, I really disliked the employees there. I was buying Star Trek cards and the counter girl said to her friend "I used to collect Star Trek cards...it was so uncool." LOL. That was right in front of me. I almost busted a gut trying not to laugh so hard. How can the employees just insult the customer who just bought a product that your store sells? Too funny. Silver Snail has always been one of my least favorite stores as it has lost that comic store appeal and is mainly a place where snobby comic goons hang out.

There were a few other stores out there, but only one that I really enjoyed going into. That was Cyber City Comix. The owners are young and very friendly. They talk to everyone like they know them and are knowledgable. I loved how the clerk recommended some books to a customer when he said his girlfriend wanted to get into comic books. The books weren't your typical super-hero books either. That's how you bring new readers in. They also stock a lot of stuff at reasonable prices. I want to post reviews of the comic book stores I've gone too, but it will take some time to write them up (surprise surprise). If your interested in visiting one, stay tuned in the Comics section.

DRAGONCRYPT 1/9/2007 12:40:15 AM

Thursday, January 4th 2007

Thursday morning here on my shift. It's not very busy right now so I have some time to quickly write something up. I'm working extra hours to help out and that leaves me very little time for sleep, food and anything else. So have all of you made your New Year's resolutions? I know I completely forgot to make one. I'm sure I'll think of resolutions throughout the year though.

Today I had a conversation regarding what the number one issue is in the world today. I know there are a lot of things that are happening around the world that people would consider to be important. Poverty in the Third World, the AIDS Epidemic, the Middle East crisis, Global Terrorism, Tsunamis, Floods, etc. All these events and issues are very important and should be dealt with high priority by the leaders of the World. However, I think that one issue is above all other issues and it's not receiving the attention it needs. I'm talking about Global Warming. Global Warming doesn't affect only one region, or one country or even one species. Global Warming affects every living organism on this planet and we are already seeing the effects that it is producing.

I'm glad to see that countries (excluding Canada and the United States) that are willingly participating in the Kyoto Accord to reduce emissions. I wince whenever I hear politicians complain about how the drastic changes to emissions regulations would destroy economies around the world. Guess what? If we destroy the Earth, who cares about the goddamn economy?! Would some of the natural disasters that have happened over the last decade have happened if the world had addressed Global Warming? Look at how much damage Hurricane Katrina caused. That's a hit to the economy isn't it? I despise politicians who make excuses about short-term losses that would ultimately be recuperated and instead push ahead with the long term damage a 50 year reduction plan would bring. Global Warming isn't the issue of the re-election campaign. It's now a harsh reality (because humans are dumbfucks and ignored the early signs) and it will continue to get worse. Glaciers are receding and the water levels are rising around the world. Entire eco-systems are being destroyed and our leaders are worrying about how their CEO friends will lose money due to emissions reductions. Bleh.

So if the world leaders are not doing their part, what can the average citizen do? I think we all need to be more aware of our dire situation. We should be saving energy whenever we can. We shouldn't be buying gas guzzling cars and reduce our dependence on transportation. Let's tell our governments that the number one issue is Global Warming and that we'll vote them out until we find a party that will make it their primary mandate! Is this all possible? Sadly no.

I'd love to be optimistic about the human race but we are a selfish race. Our feeble minds cannot get past the short-sighted views we have about our universe. Dinosaurs rule the Earth for over 200 million years. Humans are not even past a few hundred thousand years. If you don't understand that, perhaps if we all viewed it in monetary value (which all humans seem to covet) then we would see the big picture.

Humans have done more damage to the Earth than any other species during the Earth's existence. Sure there have been countless species that have killed themselves. However, when Humans finally cause their own extinction, I'm pretty sure we will be taking Earth's ecosystem with us. Now, I'm also fairly certain that once the Earth has rid itself of the Human pestilence, it will start the rebuilding process and other organisms will rule the Earth.

Well, I'm probably taking this too far into the science fiction realm here so I'll cut it short (active imagination...sigh). If there was one issue that we all should be fighting for, it's Global Warming and how we can stop the damage we're doing to Mother Nature. AIDS, terrorists, cancer, oil, all these things are secondary if the Earth becomes inhabitable. Try to remember that the next time you think about buying a car, buy overpackaged items, leave lights on or computers running, or even fly away for vacations. Our short-term gains will ultimately be the end of us.

DRAGONCRYPT 1/4/2007 8:56:32 PM

Monday, January 1st 2007

Happy New Year!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin’ auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin’ auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gies a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie-waught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Robert Burns

Worked the graveyard shift so my mind is numb from being numbed. I'll post something non-mind-numbing later. Until then...

DRAGONCRYPT 1/1/2007 11:13:46 PM