Mortal Combat

I had seen a video some time ago of UC Berkeley's deCadence performing some great a cappella music. Today is the first time I have come across this, an musical ambush of two guys sparring in a park that are given accompaniment in the form of the Mortal Combat video game theme song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOYjtSumBRo

Hilarious.

Would a day of rest reduce carbon emissions?

Would a day of rest reduce carbon emissions? Closing businesses on Sundays and other suggestions like closing stores earlier and not allowing students to park cars at school are some of the things suggested at the Burton Front blog to reduce the amount of carbon we produce.

Less lighting and less electricity usage in general might be a useful start.

Bees!

Anyone with a large pile of sugar should be aware: the bees have escaped!

In northern New Brunswick a highway was closed due to a transport truck full of bees was in an accident releasing the bees that were being used to pollinate blueberry plants.

Guerilla Marketing

I received a reminder on Facebook today that the Canada Day Countdown was this evening. The invite came from Craig Allen, who recently ran for Saint John city council using some guerrilla marketing techniques (chalk drawn website refers on side walks, and apples with stickers with his URL).

While Mr. Allen isn't on council, his techniques were commendable (less waste than big signs stuck about town), and led me to search for some other interesting street level marketing campaigns.

Weburbanist.com has a post with 15 interesting guerrilla marketing examples. The coolest one on the list involves a sign that simulates a car jumping over a drawbridge.

Still, by far my favourite guerrilla marketing campaign has to be one that went horribly wrong: the mooninite Boston bomb scare.

No Vendors

I realize that when a group of vendors selling random nicknacks and junk congregates in front of Rockwood Park, city parks officials might think this makes the city look less than sparkling, but today when I drove up to the park for a walk I was less than impressed that this was the first sign I saw.

I find this a bit less than inviting.

Randy Bachman

I was disappointed to hear that Randy Bachman isn't coming to Saint John in July. I would love to see him play - especially if his performance was full of stories like an episode of Vinyl Tap.

I was going to try to hold a grudge but then I listened to his CBC show this evening and heard him refer to himself, Burton Cummings Fred Turner and Neil Young as the "Four Horsemen" of Canadian rock. He went on to explain and play songs that featured this artists that shaped Canadian rock in 1960's Winnipeg.

I love Bachamn's ability to bring up how prolific he is. Bachman's style of self promotion has led me to refer to him as the Gene Simmons of Canadian music.

Rhetorical consultation

I recall some time back that Barack Obama was being called eletist. John Stewart of the Daily Show gave a good commentary that essentially said that he wanted an elitist president - a president that was better than him and could govern better than him.

I think in Saint John, 20% of the voting population voted for our non-elitist candidate in May, which was enough to make Ivan Court our mayor, and we're starting to feel the results.

Our "down-to-earth" mayor and his cronies are opposing (or stalling) a major development proposed for the city's waterfront because they are "looking out for the little guy" (in this case the little guy is a union that thinks maybe one day the port might expand its industrial operations back into the downtown) and standing up to the corporate elite (in this case a large local company that wants to invest in a city-center modern, attractive, LEED standard-built, headquarters).

We are seeing the bitter folks that didn't want an elite leader - or an elite city that moves forward - say things in the local news like "the Irvings have too much" and writing letters to the editor criticizing the city manager for completing a report on the proposal "behind closed doors."

Openness can be good, and considering all options is prudent, but we can't expect those who lead to ask our advice on every micro detail, this clearly isn't leadership. And just because we're "poor workin' folk" doesn't mean a bitter anti-business mindset is good for our city - in reality it is clearly not.

So mayor Court, get on your high horse (it comes with the robe and chain) and lead our city into an elite future.

Google Maps for cyclists

An interesting thought occurs to me as I prepare for a bike trip to a family member's cottage. I am printing off Google Maps directions that have estimated travel times between various points. These are often eerily close to the actual time it takes to get from point A to B to C.

I think it would be good if Google Maps or another mapping tool allowed for you to put in you estimated travel speed (say 17.5 km/h) and then output your directions based on how long you should expect to take between various points on the map.

If this exists already and I've just missed it, please let me know.

George Carlin

George Carlin died yesterday. A discussion of Carlin's death and works on the CBC this evening introduced me to this quote, that was part of Carlin's Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television routine:

• “We have thoughts, but thoughts are fluid. You know, [humming]. And, then we assign a word to a thought, [clicks tongue]. And we’re stuck with that word for that thought. So be careful with words. I like to think, yeah, the same words that hurt can heal. It’s a matter of how you pick them.”

I really like the quote, its a good thought expressed with good words.

Shaq attacks mortgage problems

An article at the Consumerist talks about a plan by pro basketball player Shaquille O'Neal has to help some families in Orlando who are facing mortgage difficulties. While details are sparse, Shaq plans on using his wealth to take over mortgages and provide advantageous financing terms to some Floridans in need.

How to complain for fun and profit

I read about a book that teaches about writing effective complaint letters that will get attention and empathy from readers who can respond effectively. How To Complain For Fun And Profit sounds like a good read. There is a free chapter online and the book can be purchased in PDF form. I might download it and learn to complain more effectively.