Metric - Gold Guns Girls
Published February 8, 2010 @ 21:55 in SLS ~ Smells Like Sour

I'm submitting a song for SLS23 consideration. I'm submitting "Gold Guns Girls" by Metric.

Another great single from Fantasies...

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Farewell Odeo, iMeem and Houndbite, Hello SoundCloud
Published February 8, 2010 @ 16:15 in Technology

I've been searching for the YouTube of audio for years. I'm just looking for a place where I can upload an MP3 and embed the player on my site. I used to like Odeo for this, and then Odeo dropped the ability to upload. Then I started using iMeem, until iMeem was bought by MySpace and disappeared completely. Then, I discovered Houndbite, but it too has bit the dust.

Once more, I was on the hunt for the YouTube of audio. That's when I discovered SoundCloud. SoundCloud only gives you two hours of space for free, but it's exactly what I need to share old Blue Jays songs and Tom Cheek calls.

To demonstrate this new discovery, here's Lloyd Moseby's Shaker's Rap.

Here's hoping SoundCloud sticks around for a while. And if you liked the sample above, you'd love this page.

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Simpsons Coke Commercial We Didn't See
Published February 8, 2010 @ 10:17 in The Simpsons

We in Canada don't get to see all the new Super Bowl ads. CTV paid for the rights to broadcast the game, and if Coke didn't want to pay CTV to air their Simpsons ad, then we don't get to see it.

But wait... we do get to see it. In fact, I'm going to share it with you all right now, and it won't cost Coke a dime.

Here's the Simpsons Coke advertisement that aired last night.

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You Have to Root for the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV
Published February 7, 2010 @ 17:46 in Sports

Unless you live in Indianapolis, or are related to a member of the Indianapolis Colts, you must root for the New Orleans Saints in today's Super Bowl XLIV.

Four and a half years ago, I wondered how they'd ever play football again in the Louisiana Superdome.

How will they return to playing football in the Louisiana Superdome? The official site of the New Orleans Saints only just put up a reference to the disaster plaguing their home city and tickets are available to see the Giants come to town on September 18. The Superdome, currently a hellhole, will soon return to its normal function, but how can it ever be the same? How can one go there to witness something as frivolous as a football game when is has become home to such unspeakable horrors?

The day I wrote that entry, The Seattle Times ran an article describing the hell that had become of the Louisiana Superdome.

At least two people, including a child, have been raped as the arena darkened at night. At least three people have died, including one man who jumped 50 feet to his death, saying he had nothing left to live for.

There is no sanitation. The stench is overwhelming. The city's water supply, which had held up since Sunday, gave out early yesterday, and toilets in the Dome became inoperable and began to overflow. "There is feces on the walls," said Bryan Hebert, 43, who arrived at the dome Monday. "There is feces all over the place."

This city needs a break. Go Saints.

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Herb Tarlek with Don Daynard and Erin Davis on CHFI
Published February 7, 2010 @ 15:51 in Radio

YouTube user Retrontario frequently uploads fantastic retro-Toronto-centric gems. These clips never fail to bring back a ton of memories for me, so I feature them from time to time.

As a kid, I loved WKRP. I think that's how I first fell in love with radio. One of the many great characters on WKRP was Herb Tarlek, the plaid suit wearing advertising account executive who couldn't score a big account or with Jennifer Marlowe.

Back in 1997, the character Herb Tarlek was resurrected for a television ad campaign promoting the CHFI morning show with Don Daynard and Erin Davis.

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The Google Chrome Extensions Challenge
Published February 7, 2010 @ 13:02 in Technology

Yesterday, I wrote about web browsers. I've been a Firefox user for as long as the Mozilla browser has had that name, and part of the reason I've resisted the switch to Google Chrome is my reliance on the Firefox add-ons. The fact is, Chrome extensions have come a long way over the past six months, and Elvis convinced me it was time to give Chrome another shot.

This entry is about how I configured Chrome to give it a fair shot against my trusty ol' Firefox. I'll concede that Chrome is faster, and that's what has me rooting for this test to be successful.

The most important extension as far as I'm concerned is Adblock+. I simply can't search the web without it. Thankfully, Adblock+ is available in Chrome, so the test may begin.

The other significant change I had to make is how I manage my Twitter account. I love Twitter, and I've been reading and tweeting from a Firefox extension from Echofon. Echofon doesn't make this extension for Chrome, and I hated every Twitter extension for Chrome I tried last night. As a result, I'm giving TweetDeck another shot.

Now let's look at the Google Chrome extensions I installed and why.

AdBlock+ Element Hiding Helper - This is a must have extension. Use it for one day and you won't be able to live without out.

Bit.ly (shorten, share, and track your links) - When I tweet URLS, I shorten them with Bit.ly. It lets me measure clicks.

Copy Without Formatting - Sometimes I need to copy text from the web, but I just want plain text without markup. This extension does the trick.

Docs PDF/PowerPoint Viewer (by Google) - I hate it when I click a link on the web to a PDF and it opens in the browser.

Facebook for Google Chrome - Just a nice way to check my FB news feed and wall without going to Facebook.

Forecastfox Weather - I liked this extension in Firefox and I'm glad it's available in Chrome.

Google Calendar Checker (by Google) - I live by my Google Calendar.

Google Mail Checker - This is the heartbeat of my digital world.

Google Reader Checker - Like Calendar and Gmail above, I read all my RSS feeds in Google Reader.

IE Tab - Some sites require IE. It's nice to be able to see them without changing browsers.

Pendule - This was my find of the day. I love this extension. It does a number of the things the developer toolbar in Firefox would do, and more. It handles pixel measurement, colour picking, CSS viewing and so much more. Many of the Firefox add-ons I needed for work are satisfied by this single Chrome extension. If you're in web development or management, you have to try Pendule.

Picnik Extension for Chrome - A nice extension for taking and editing screen caps.

Now I just need a way to better handle my bookmarks. I've exported them from Firefox and imported them into Chrome, but I don't love the way Chrome handles them. There's gotta be an extension that'll make me happy.

The great Google Chrome extensions challenge begins!

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Maple Leafs 5, Senators 0
Published February 7, 2010 @ 00:05 in Toronto Maple Leafs

Chatting with Mississauga Blogger earlier today, we agreed that the Leafs fans love to hate the Habs but just simply hate the Sens. There's no love to hate about it. I just despise that franchise and wish them nothing but failure.

This 5-0 shellacking reminded me of the four playoff series we had against the Senators over the past 15 years. All four ended with justice prevailing. Tonight, the same justice was evident in spades.

There were several things to get excited about. Jean-Sebastien Giguere became the first goaltender in franchise history to open his debut season with back-to-back shutouts, both Phil Kessel and Luke Schenn had three-point nights, and, most importantly, we ended Ottawa's 11 game winning streak.

Sens suck.

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What Your Web Browser Says About You
Published February 6, 2010 @ 15:14 in Technology

Using data in Google Analytics, here are the browsers visitors to this site are using. This data was collected over the past 30 days.

Internet Explorer is used by the majority of you, Firefox is a strong second and Safari is a decent third place with a little over 10%. Chrome is the new kid on the block and comes in fourth. No other browser is used by 1% of you.

Here's what your browser says about you.

Chrome - You're a speed freak, looking to get from A to B in as few parsecs as possible. Add-ons be damned, faster is better.

Safari - You're a Mac user and that makes you feel superior to the other 90% of us. Your arrogance is astounding.

Firefox - You hate IE, and that led you to discover Firefox back in 2004. By now you're so dependent on Firefox add-ons you'll never switch, no matter how fast Chrome gets. Your web standards sensibilities and loyalty to the Mozilla Foundation makes you rather endearing.

Internet Explorer - You use the browser that came by default with Windows, and you don't try another browser because you're lazy, disinterested in excellence and without a soul. Yes, I just called 52.39% of you soulless.

The other 1.78% of you using browsers like Camino or Blazer, you're anti-establishment and you frighten me. CSIS has already been notified.

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Brendan Burke, Dead at 21
Published February 6, 2010 @ 00:08 in Toronto Maple Leafs

The news hit me tonight like a tonne of bricks. Brian Burke's son, Brendan, had succumbed to injuries he suffered in an auto accident. Brendan was only 21-years old.

The first thing I thought of was my James. I'm sure all fathers can relate to this reaction. I felt the extraordinary love I have for my son, and realized that's how Brian felt about Brendan. Even thinking about losing my son hurt so much I cannot fathom the sadness Brian is feeling. My thoughts are with the Burke family at this hour.

In November, there was quite a bit of coverage here in Toronto about Brian Burke coming out in support of his openly gay son Brendan. I purposely didn't write about that story. Instead, I wrote about the Leafs win over the Lightning. In the comments of that entry, someone asked me why I didn't write about Brian and Brendan. Here's what I wrote.

Brian Burke's son is gay. Brian Burke supports and loves his son regardless. That's how it should be. There's no story there.

As a father, I was seeing it from Brian's vantage point. I didn't want Brian's love and support of Brendan to be a story. I didn't want that to be newsworthy. I wanted that to be commonplace, unexceptional and completely expected.

In retrospect, I should have seen it from Brendan's vantage point. There was in fact a story there. Brendan showed a great deal of courage, coming out as a homosexual male while pursuing a hockey career as the son of a hard nosed "tough guy". Brendan was the inspiring story, not Brian. I was wrong.

That day, I recapped the hockey game instead of giving Brendan the credit he deserved. Tonight, for the first time in almost a decade, I'm not recapping a Leafs game. Instead, I honour Brendan's memory.

Rest in peace, Brendan.

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13-Year Old QB Commits to USC
Published February 5, 2010 @ 19:03 in Sports

David Sills of Bear, Delaware made a verbal commitment to Lane Kiffin to play his college football at USC. Sills can't play until 2015, however. You see, Sills is only 13.

When I was 13, I was just figuring out how to throw a spiral. Sills is slightly better than I was. Check out this video.

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