This was passed to me by someone this weekend. A wickedly catchy song, and a truly brilliant idea for a video.

Current Mood: dancing
Current Music: Here It Goes Again - OK Go

In just under two weeks, I'm hopping on a plane and flying into that supposed den of high security, London Heathrow Airport. This, of course, has me thinking of the hell I'm going to have to endure in order to get me and my stuff through a couple of airports and across an ocean. I'm not looking forward to that part of the trip.

Much like the early period of airline high security in late 2001, when it was likely for a traveller to be forced to dispose of his nail file while boarding, and then be handed a metal fork with his meal, I think the various bodies responsible for airport security are currently creating headaches for travellers in the name of security, without actually protecting us from anything. Many of the new set of restrictions have been handed down with the intention of preventing specific types of attacks, when in fact they leave gaping holes for those same attacks to occur in other ways. Not that I'm suggesting these sorts of attacks are likely, mind you; I'm just pointing to the ridiculousness of the new restrictions.

Let's take the new ban on beverages, for example. I've heard varying reports on the specifics of this ban, but here they are as I believe them to be right now:
• No containers of liquid may be carried through security into boarding areas except baby formula, and then only if the parents are willing to taste it
• No beverages may be sold in secure areas of an airport

The reason for the first is obvious; they don't want someone trying what was tried in London recently. Rather than banning substances that might look like liquid explosives, officials are making it easy on security staff and simply banning all liquids. However, the (unavoidable) exception for baby formula leaves a gaping hole. What suicide bomber is going to refuse to taste something that might make him or her sick, before blowing up a plane they plan to be on?

The reasoning behind the second restriction might be less obvious. I'm making an educated guess here, because I haven't heard anyone official give an explanation for this rule, but here's how I see it: since passengers (supposedly) can't get explosive liquids through security, officials fear the risk of "the inside man" planting something dangerous in beverage shipments being delivered to airport vendors. They might be able to visually inspect each box, but individual containers can't be opened and tested, so the risk (however slight) exists that someone could tamper with the contents of one or more beverage containers in preparation for the inside man at the airport variety store to put them aside to be handed over to the would-be terrorist.

Or perhaps officials just don't want to be bothered inspecting all those crates. Either way, the same problem persists: What about the beverage containers being loaded onto the planes? Refusing to allow people to drink for the four or five hours they might be in the airport is one thing, but there's no way the airlines are going to allow officials to ban beverages on the flights. But can't the same principles that would get a dangerous substance into an airport store be used to get the same substance into an airplane's galley?

I won't even get into the craziness of banning laptops, and even cell phones, from carry-on baggage. Business travellers won't let that one stand for long.

This type of meaningless over-reaction, now becoming typical of western governments, is serving to generate more fear, uncertainty and doubt than the threats it is meant to prevent. If the goal of terrorism is to cause unreasoned fear in a population, and the goal of our governments is to stop that terrorism from being successful, then shouldn't our governments be doing concrete, practical things to reassure passengers of the real dangers, rather than engaging in these knee-jerk reactions that only heighten people's sense of fear and confusion?

I think Ze Frank expressed this sentiment well in last Thursday's issue of The Show.

Current Mood: perplexed
Current Music: Have You Got It In You? - Imogen Heap

I'm in Montréal this week for an IETF conference. I wound up looking for dinner rather late tonight, and on my own since most of the colleagues I know here are stuck in meetings, so I just wandered into Old Montréal intent on finding some place that looked like the kitchen was still open, and seemed cozy enough to sit and read while I ate.

By chance I happened to stumble upon Casa de Matéo, and had what I think is probably the best Mexican meal I've ever eaten. You should stop in if you're ever in the neighbourhood.

Also, as much as I love the LCBO, and as much as I think it really is the better way to deal with liquor sales, there's something very cool about popping into the local dépanneur at 22h00 to pick up a couple bottles of beer, and a bag of pretzels.

Current Mood: full
Current Music: Kjellingen - Hoven Droven

I popped into Toronto on the weekend to catch a couple of Fringe Festival shows. Saturday night I made it to Art is a Cupboard by Melissa Major, which is being put on by The Sweat Company. Really good show! It took a while for Major's point to crystallize, but it did eventually. The direction and acting were both also excellent. Three and a half stars out of five, easy.

Disclaimer: My brother directed this show, and a good friend of mine is in it. I'm really being honest about how good it is, though.

I also caught Richard 3, Queens 4 which was a re-write of Richard III for an all-female cast by Jennifer Par. It was incredibly ambitious, but ultimately not a great show. The playwright managed to maintain iambic pentameter, which is an excellent technical accomplishment, but just couldn't keep up with the very excellent writing from the original play. In addition, I thought there were some weak choices made by the director, and the actors. For example, Richard couldn't seem to decide between masculine and feminine body language. Either would have been very interesting, but waffling between the two was distracting. i was also unsurprised, but disappointed by the (very cheesy) choice of Carmina Burana to accompany the closing battle. Two stars.

Current Mood: content
Current Music: Kate - Ben Folds Five

It's crazy how quickly time passes sometimes. But, all of a sudden, my niece is a year old!

[Actually, her birthday was on the 8th, and the party was on the 10th, but because of some personal shit I haven't really been in the mindset to share properly.]

Watching her grow up from a distance has been weird and wonderful. I generally get to see her for short periods of time a month or two apart, and the changes that take place in between are just incredible. The last time I saw her in the middle of May, she was just starting to use the things around her to pull herself upright and stand (very still) balanced against whatever she could hold on to. This time, she was full-on walking.. though any time she noticed she was walking she'd get freaked out and sit down. So cute!

It's a bit depressing to think how much I'm going to miss (and how much I've already missed) living in Ottawa, but I take solace in the knowledge that I can be that cool uncle that swoops in to spoil the hell out of her when she needs it, and then disappears again into the sunset.. er.. wait.. Ottawa's East of Toronto. Well, whatever.

Oh, and before you ask, yes there ARE photos! I just haven't finished sorting/cropping/correcting and all that jazz. I'll post soon.

Current Mood: proud
Current Music: How To Explain? - The Cat Empire

I'm thinking of putting together a mix CD, entirely of good pop tunes in odd time signatures (yeah, I know, I'm a bit odd myself). But I'm stuck... I've got three.. and that hardly makes a CD. Anyone have any suggestions? So far I've got:
Song of Flight - The Rheostatics
Spin The Bottle - Juliana Hatfield
7/4 (Shoreline) - Broken Social Scene

Update 2006/04/01: Found another one! The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul by XTC.

Current Music: Plea From A Cat Named Virtute - The Weakerthans

So, it's been a long time coming... but it's finally done. I've been planning this major event for a month or two, and somehow managed to only tell two people, one of whom was an indispensable part of the plan.

Many, many thanks to Sarah for helping out with the photography aspect, and for putting me in touch with someone who could refer me to just the right place to go. Also, I've gotta thank Dave for providing encouragement.

For the complete photo essay, visit my Flickr set.

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: Indie Hair (with Edward Kowalczyk) - The Heads

There's been a bit of riduculousness going on, and it's in my favour so I'm not actively complaining to anyone, but I thought it was silly enough to comment.

At work we've started using this new supplier -- Wizbang Distribution -- for most of our new hardware and software. We followed our sales guys there when they changed employers, because they know us and do a good job. They can get some good deals, and periodically we'll use them to get personal items as well as stuff for the office. I used them for such a personal item recently, when I had them get me a new external drive for my home computer... I got a good deal, and got a nice fast firewire drive from Digital Amusements and Future Technologies Corp..

Wizbang goofed though, and accidentally billed the company instead of me. No big deal... One phone call and they rescinded the invoice, updated the billing info, and said they'd get a new invoice out to me promptly. So far, nothing. It's been a month, and I've still got a $350 drive sitting on my desk for free.

It gets better though... or worse, depending.

A couple of weeks after I started using the drive, I started noticing that sometimes it wouldn't come online. It got worse, and eventually the firewire connection didn't work at all. The backup USB port worked still, so I copied all my data off the drive, and called up DAFT Corp's tech support. After some fiddling and testing and re-testing, they eventually told me to RMA the drive. They would send me a new drive, my RMA number, return instructions and a return shipping label, and all I had to do was box up the old drive, attach the label, and send it back. Great!

A few days later, a new drive arrived... no shipping label, no RMA number, no return instructions. That was two weeks ago... I'm waiting for them figure out something's wrong and call/email. But in the mean time, I've got two drives and haven't paid anyone anything.

Current Mood: loud
Current Music: The Jazz Butcher - Caroline Wheeler's Birthday Present

NASA discovers water on mars.

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax

I went to the climbing gym for the first time in four years tonight... I forgot how badly the first few visits fuck you up. I CAN'T MOVE MY FINGERS! It doesn't hurt (much)..they just don't respond. I'm typing this with my elbows; thank dog for spell checkers.

Current Mood: ow!
Current Music: Holly Go Lightly - Not the life