Friday, January 02, 2009

Battlestar Galactica 4.5 Webisodes 4-7 "The Face of the Enemy, Part 4-7"

Okay, back to business. So far seven "webisodes" have been released as new Battlestar Galactica content, the first since last spring. Here are my links to the first three episodes. The last 10 episodes begin to air this month. These are a prequel of sorts to those episodes.

Webisode #1
Webisode #2
Webisode #3

And, here are the next four.

#4

#5

#6

#7

New Blog I'm Following: Dawn and Joe's Excellent Adventure

My friend Dawn and her husband Joe have a new blog. Their adventure is not off to a great start, but they will prevail.

http://dawnandjoesexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/

B.

Snow...

51 cm of snow at once is a lot of snow... That's all I have to say about that. B.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

All Ready!

Phew... Presents are out and wrapped... Cookies and milk, out for Santa. Kids asleep.

Merry Christmas to all of you out there. May your Christmas be as magical as mine!

B.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

New Battlestar Galactica Content! -- BSG 4.5 Webisode 001

Oh blessed day- this intially missed my attention but NEW Battelstar Galactica content has been released prior to the show's return in Januray.

Battlestar Galactica Season 4.5 Webisode 001 - The Face of the Enemy

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Decision Made

For the past few weeks, I've been trying to sort out a very difficult decision: whether or not to switch jobs. Yes, its the kind of decision people make every day. We make them and then we live with them.

Basically, I was faced with staying in my present position or moving back to a different job in our system, doing very different work. I had this job from January 2007-March 2008 (but was unable to get it permanently due to a really crappy, half-arsed interview I did- never assume you have a job "in the bag," kids).

The issues for me seemed to come down to the prospects of returning to a more glamorous job with slightly less pay as the bottom guy on the org chart. Or, I could continue where I am (and have been since 2001) given progressively more specialization, responsibility and leadership.

I'm staying put. I feel pretty good about this decision. After thinking about it until my head hurt and getting no where but a continuous set of flip flips back and forth, I had to go with my gut. I'm pushing forty and I need to continue on my path to be an expert in what I'm doing. I have a an utterly unique position in the province. No one else does exactly what I do and I'm doing new things all the time. I'm in a good spot to grow into a position of leadership in my team and my other option was to return to a place that had already rejected me. It was gratifying doing a decent interview this time- makes up for the humiliation I caused myself last time. But, I'm off (for now) to be an expert.

B.

Blogger's family confirms his arrest

Here's a broadly similar story from Iran...

Blogger's family confirms his arrest
The Globe and Mail Dec. 9, 2008

B.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Unabahsed Cuba Bashing

At different points in my life I've been close to people who were prepared to excuse away Cuban repression because Cuba:

1) Has reasonably good health care and education systems,
2) Is anti-American,
3) Is an affordable place to have to sun-cation in (if you're from the True North Strong and Free, not the True South Stronger but not so free), or
4) Was co-founded by Comrade Che.

As much as I disagree with 45 years of the American embargo, lets remember that even post-Castro, Cuba is a still in a state of Stalinist repression. If people have no ability to criticize their government, they have no ability to be protected from it. If they have no ability to be protected from it, it can do anything it wants to them. That's wrong.

Here's a story to remind us all that Cuba is far from a free or open society.

Read this article from the Globe and Mail "Cuba says blogger ran afoul of the law"
.

B.

Monday, December 01, 2008

What I'm Watching... (Dec. 1, 2008)

Here's what I'm watching lately:
1) How I Met Your Mother: Still one of the funniest things on TV.
2) Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I know a few of you may think less of me for really liking this show, but this is one of the best dramas of the last few years. Its better than the three Terminator movies. Its a family drama about a family that's trying to stop the world from ending.
3) Season Two of Heroes: Yeah, I know- I'm waaaay behind and season two is not all that great, but I want to get caught up and watch season three.
4) House: It still rocks.
5) Bones: Its our new "watch it together" show. B.

New Car, Eight Months Later


New Car, Eight Months Later
Originally uploaded by Binky's Photos

So far, our Corolla has over 16,000 kms on it and no problems.

Its averaging 7.5 L/100 km or 37.66 miles to the gallon Imperial or 31.362 miles to the gallon U.S.

About 99.9% of the time I ecstatic that we bought a car and not the Mazda 5 "Microvan" that we also test drove. I'm always happy that we paid just a little bit extra and bought the LE trim with keyless entry, keyless ignition, wood trim, cruise control, and automatic climate control.

I think we'll get a brand new car every ten years, "whether we need it or not" :-)

B.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Busy Week Past

This week has flown by in some kind of confusing flash... It wasn't a bad week just a busy one.

I have a big decision to make (I think) about work. A while back I took a temporary position in a job and held it for about 15 months. I had decided to stay permanently and then under-performed in the job interview because I thought I had it "in the bag." You can guess what happened.

Now, six months later I've interviewed for that job again after six months spent back on the job I've held since 2001. Its been a happy time, but frustrating with respect to some things in the organization with which I disagree strongly. At the same time, I probably have more future opportunity where I am, organizational warts and all. If I'm offered the second job, I'm not sure what I should/will do.

Decisions, decisions...

B.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Possible Outcomes of Madagascar 2

I recently saw Madagascar 2. I was pleased it was as funny and witty as the first (although some jokes are now fully over). Here's where I think things are going from here:

1) Mellman and Gloria struggle through years of a "physically" uncertain but ultimately happy relationship.

2) Giving in to the real reason for the tension between them, Marty and Alex struggle through years of a "physically" uncertain but ultimately happy relationship.

3) King Jullian thrives in Africa and Lemurs become the dominant species on the continent (through a weird Jullian-Penguin-Chimp Alliance). Stranded New Yorkers thrive and in time become number 2.

4) There will be a Madagascar 3...

B.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Two Clans of Seven Year-Old Girls

Ordinarily I'm not one for categories with people. Individual differences always trump any groupings inn which we humans attempt to fit ourselves. Aside from gender, they all break down in the end.

That said, there are two categories of seven year-old girls. As a parent I have not come to this conclusion easily or without thought. Enough equivocation. The tow types are 1) Hannah Montana Fans, and 2) Sponge Bob Square Pants Fans.1) Hannah Montana Fans: Much more than being fans of Ms. Cyrus and her work, they are much more likely to have pierced ears, makeup, and large blond wigs. High black boots and matching clothes are common. They assume that everyone likes Hannah Montana just as much as they do, to the point of giving Hannah Montana wigs to other little girls as birthday presents (irrespective of which of the two types the recipient may be).2) Sponge Bob Fans: Much less likely to hold on to a con-temporized little girl look: clothes don't match as much, fewer pierced ears, far, far fewer dresses and skirts. They wear pretty brown and blues.

As you might have guessed, we have a Sponge Bob fan. She is happy and well-adjusted and doesn't like Hannah Montana, whom she thinks is silly. She likes the Beatles, the White Stripes, and once came to breakfast signing Paradise City by Guns 'n Roses.

Culture is a funny thing.

B.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008