Categories
It Happened to Me

The Weather Right Now…

…is rainy. Very, very rainy, as this photo taken from my balcony (I’m working from the home office today) shows:

Heavy rain falling on a garden courtyard

Categories
Life

Business Hours [Updated]

I had a housemate who would never enter a time in the microwave that ended in “0” – she’d always reheat something for 38 seconds or defrost something for 8 minutes, 22 seconds – never 30 seconds or 9 minutes. If she weren’t a lawyer with a prestigious firm here in Accordion City, I’d swear this store – given the hours posted – was hers:

"Business Hours" sign with times that don't end on the hourr, half-hour or even quarter hour, such as "Monday: 12:12 - 7:07".

Update: The eagle-eyed Estelle H. pointed out in a comment that she recognized those store hours – they’re those of the Conspiracy Culture bookstore on Queen West.

Categories
Music The Current Situation Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

The Toronto Garbage Song

The Toronto Garbage Strike of 2009 may be over (as might be David Miller’s reign come election time next year) and garbage collection is resuming today, but that’s no reason not have a song about it. The Toronto Star posted a story today about The Toronto Garbage Song (a.k.a. Flush Your Garbage), which was written and posted to YouTube by Ian Kelk.

This isn’t the first strike song to gain exposure through the internet. London Underground is still my favourite. It’s a reworking of The Jam’s Going Underground by British comedy singing duo Amateur Transplants (Adam Kay and Suman Biswas).

Here’s a homemade video that someone made for the song – be warned, it’s a little sweary:

Categories
Uncategorized

On Second Thought, THIS is the Sign of the Day

Billboard that reads: "Illiterate? Write for free help." Found via Certified Bullshit Technician.

Categories
funny

Sign of the Day

Sign: "Danger - The dog has a gun and refuses to take his medication"

Categories
Internet Finds

Force by Northwest

I love Jim Hance’s painting that adds a little Star Wars to the Hitchcock classic North by Northwest, titled Force by Northwest:

Jim Hance's "Force by Northwest" (Cary Grant running from a TIE fighter) Click the painting to see it at full size.

On the painting’s page on the Artbreak site, it says “Acrylic on wood board painting, scanned and digitally manipulated.” Signed prints are available!

In case you don’t recognize the scene, here’s a still from the scene that inspired it:

The "Jimmy Stewart running from the crop duster" scene in "North by Northwest"

And here’s the scene:

Categories
Geek It Happened to Me Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

Toronto Coffee and Code: Friday, July 31st at the Dark Horse Cafe (215 Spadina)

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If it’s Friday, it must be time for another Toronto Coffee and Code! This one will take place at the usual location – the Dark Horse Cafe, 215 Spadina – and will run from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m..

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Coffee and Code is my Friday afternoon ritual (a phrase that my classmates at Crazy Go Nuts University will find hauntingly familiar) in which I work out of a cafe and announce that I’ll be there. I’m making myself available as both a Developer Evangelist working for Microsoft Canada and a member of the Toronto Tech Community to answer your questions, take your comments, bounce ideas off or just chat with. Come on down, have a coffee (or tea, or juice) and say hi!

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