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This is the end...
RadioFreeG needs to ride off into the sunset.<br />
<br />
Hopefully this blog has entertained you over the last 6 years, and made you think about things differently.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, the podcasts will likely be available forever, so enjoy them until technology makes them inaccessible. [The reason books will always be cherished is that they are technology-free, but this sounds like the start of another article, so let's wrap it up.]<br />
<br />
Thanks to everyone that listened and read and laughed along with me over the years.<br />
<br />
"END TRANSMISSION."
Stop the Meter!
This is a call to all Canadians - STOP THE BIG TELECOM COMPANIES FROM PRICE GOUGING YOUR INTERNET SERVICE!!<br />
<br />
Go to this site and put your name on the petition:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://openmedia.ca/meter">http://openmedia.ca/meter</a></b></span></div><br />
<a href="http://stopthemeter.ca/"><img src="http://openmedia.ca/sites/default/files/UBB_Button_110118_0.png" /></a><br />
<br />
This site will send your concerns to the decision makers in Ottawa who can finally tell Bell and Rogers to change their terrible pricing policies for 3rd party Internet Service Providers.<br />
<br />
Bell and Rogers have a conflict of interest here. They provide content that competes with content you can download over the Internet for free. Bell and Rogers want you to pay for every bit of bandwidth you use to download material because that means you are not watching their crappy TV services.<br />
<br />
Do the right thing - hit the link to <a href="http://openmedia.ca/meter">Openmedia</a> and make your opinion count!<br />
<br />
"END TRANSMISSION."
Apple, iTunes, the Beatles, oh my!
Apple is not just a computer company. They have their tentacles in software, hardware, pop culture, the Interweb, and it all comes down to their brilliant marketing. Yes, Apple has engineers that are masters of industrial design, but if you don't find a way to cut through the noise your product will fail.<br />
<br />
Billy Mays was always "shouting with a smile". He cut through the noise, making you aware of some desire you didn't even know you had, and told you about some wonderful product that could fill the void in your soul. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TSdmxDnocGI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/wXugziBzNh0/s1600/billy_mays.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TSdmxDnocGI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/wXugziBzNh0/s320/billy_mays.png" width="289" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Back to Apple, Steve Jobs and company make great marketing materials. The "I'm a PC I'm a Mac" commercials spawned a cottage industry of parodies. The iconic "1984" Superbowl commercial is a touchstone of modern advertising, and the "Think Different" campaign got all the Grammar Nazis in a tizzy.<br />
<br />
Here is the latest example of their genius. I walked (as opposed to parachuting) into an Apple store for some gift cards to iTunes. iTunes, another masterpiece of distribution and paying premium dollars for premium product, but we won't get into it here. On the first table I found these brand new cards with pictures of the Beatles on them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TSdn0IuE4BI/AAAAAAAAAVY/vkLhJmlyJLs/s1600/IMG00117-20101211-1921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TSdn0IuE4BI/AAAAAAAAAVY/vkLhJmlyJLs/s320/IMG00117-20101211-1921.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The gift card was really a little booklet that, one purchased, allowed a music fan to go online and download the entire Beatles catalogue from iTunes. This was much more than I wanted to spend, but the package was simply phenomenal. So clean in design, perfect images, excellent use of white space, even the card stock made the entire package feel great to hold, open, and flip through the trifold design.<br />
<br />
I bought some other gift cards and asked the cashier if I could have one of these special Beatles packages, since they were worthless unless activated by the cashier.<br />
<br />
She said no.<br />
<br />
I asked if I could just buy one of the packages outright and she again said no. She told me that people were coming in every day, seeing that packaging, and asking to take one just as I had done. For some reason Apple does not want to let people have it, and the Apple store was on alert to make sure no one took one without activating the card! I found this shocking, but she did give me the chance to take some terrible quality pictures on my non-iPhone.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TSdp1YO7bKI/AAAAAAAAAVg/UYogxh-QiNI/s1600/IMG00118-20101211-1921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TSdp1YO7bKI/AAAAAAAAAVg/UYogxh-QiNI/s320/IMG00118-20101211-1921.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So lets recap here: I am not the biggest fan of the Beatles or Apple. Apple released some 50 year old music, from a band that has not existed for 40 years, for download. They made some fancy packaging for a plastic card that gives you the chance to get the music on your own and put it on your mobile device. The plastic card which gives you easy access and makes the download procedure idiot proof is now a commodity. The case for the plastic card itself is an object of desire. If Apple chose to sell the trifold marketing pamphlet "as is" for $7.99 I bet you $7.49 would be pure profit and it would sell out in about a day! <br />
<br />
Is Apple scared that without these cards the sales of Beatles songs on iTunes would suffer?<br />
<br />
<b>Apple sold <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/11/24/the-beatles-2000000/">2,000,000 individual Beatles songs</a> in the first week these files were available for download on iTunes. </b><br />
<br />
Apple, I bow to your greatness.<br />
<br />
"END TRANSMISSION."
Rogers is EVIL!
Rejoice! We no longer have to couch our accusations using that weaselly lawyer term "allegedly" - Rogers Communications Inc is an evil company that lies to its customers and tries to bully competitors out of the marketplace. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TOg2CTY940I/AAAAAAAAAVA/A2jBIgqKgvM/s1600/rogers+is+evil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TOg2CTY940I/AAAAAAAAAVA/A2jBIgqKgvM/s320/rogers+is+evil.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>(Photo from <a href="http://crackberry.com/">Crackberry.com</a>, 2009)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Full text of the Toronto Star article is available here <a href="http://www.thestar.com/business/companies/rogers/article/893883--rogers-faces-10-million-penalty-on-ads">"Rogers Could Face $10M Fine on Ads".</a></b></span><br />
<br />
In a nutshell, Rogers blatantly lied about the number of dropped calls for its new "Chatr" line of discount mobile phones for talk and text without expensive data plans. "Chatr" is a direct response to the new mobile offerings in the Ontario cellular market by companies like <a href="http://www.windmobile.ca/">Wind Mobile</a>. <b>Rogers' unlimited talk and text plan will still run you $45 per month plus tax to use crappy handsets, and only if you stay within certain "Chatr ZONES"; move 3 feet to the left and Rogers is waiting to screw you for roaming charges!!</b> <br />
<br />
Rogers, you were found guilty by the Canadian Competition Bureau of lying about your product and your competition. Everything about you stinks of rotting death. How you manage to keep your virtual monopoly on cable television service to line your pockets and fund the super-greedy tactics of all the other revenue generating arms of your Hydra-like organization is beyond me. <b>Cable TV delivery is the one thing you actually do reasonably well - get the hell out of all your other lines of business and leave the Canadian consumer alone!!</b><br />
<br />
To the Canadian Competition Bureau, I say hit them with a $100M fine and make them finally pay for screwing the Canadian consumer for all these years. $10M fines won't teach Rogers anything. Ted Rogers himself was likely buried with more than that amount of cash stuffed in the lining of his coffin. <br />
<br />
<b>In conclusion, Rogers Communications now a CONFIRMED lying organization without a whiff of integrity. Thank you Wind Mobile and Canadian Competition Bureau!</b><br />
<br />
<br />
"END TRANSMISSION."
Windows 7 and "The Cloud"
Microsoft is really trying to squeeze as much juice from the fruit of Windows 7 as they can. Nothing wrong with that, but now they are implying falsehoods and maybe even outright lying to the consumer. The current marketing initiative for Windows 7 is an example of why marketing is the sweet science of lying by another name.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.technospot.net/windows7r-Cloud-wallpaper.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://img.technospot.net/windows7r-Cloud-wallpaper.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
First some history about what Windows 7 replaced; that almighty sack of fecal matter that is Windows Vista. Windows Vista is a piece of flaming garbage for the experienced and non-experienced user alike. [See my prior post "<a href="http://radiofreeg.blogspot.com/2007/12/to-whet-your-appetite-for-next-show.html">Vista Be Shita</a>". This is an older link to when the podcast was still up and running, so have a listen to hear about all the craptacular goofiness that is Windows Vista.]<br />
<br />
Companies refused to upgrade from Windows XP, and the masses ran in terror. Microsoft tried to fix something that wasn't broken, and the people told them to shove it sideways. To this day I have small suspicions that Vista was made poorly on purpose. Think about it - Windows 7 saves the day and gives people a reason to upgrade from Windows XP to something that actually works. Glowing reviews for Windows 7 <i>as compared to ugly smelly pox-riddled Vista, not the mature product of Windows XP!</i> Then I come to my senses and realize no one at Microsoft would ever come up with that plan... right?<br />
<br />
Microsoft has this shiny new Windows 7 product that works well and people actually want; it flies off the shelves to the surprise of no one. Windows 7 breaks all sorts of sales records in its early days on the market. How do you keep this sales momentum rolling?<br />
<br />
<b>Now the lying begins.</b> To keep consumers buying Windows 7 as the product life cycle trudges along, Microsoft is making not so subtle references it its advertising to Windows 7 having some magical connection to "the Cloud". Check out the video below:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/mjtqoQE_ezA/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mjtqoQE_ezA&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mjtqoQE_ezA&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
<b>Fanny Housewife is taking a lame picture of her family and "needs" Windows 7 to get her "TO THE CLOUD"! </b><b>Microsoft, please stop with this nonsense! </b><br />
<br />
<b>Anyone using Gmail or online storage or even Hotmail for the past DECADE has been using the cloud! </b>The "Cloud" is just another name for off-site processing and storage of information. My Gmail account is stored somewhere else, and the operating system or browser I have makes no real difference to accessing that data. The protocols for accessing information elsewhere are Internet based, not based on an operating system. Windows 7 has no special connection to the cloud, nor in itself does it offer any special advantage over using Mac, Linux, or any other operating system to employ cloud computing.<br />
<br />
Yes, there is a definite advantage to pairing your Windows 7 powered machine to an Xbox gaming console, and possibly using the Microsoft branded online "<u>xxx</u> LIVE" applications with the new Win7 mobile phones. But that should be expected as synergies across branded products for greater productivity and ease of use from a company like Microsoft.<br />
<br />
<b>Microsoft, all the stuff you show people doing in the cloud has been done for years. </b> Granted, it was likely done by advanced users, but it has been done. Most people will buy a Windows 7 machine and do no more than check their email, check facebook, buy a book, skype a friend or two, listen to some music, and maybe send a photo for printing at the local supermarket. That's it in a nutshell. That is the experience of baby boomers learning about the interweb and calling their kids for IT support when they forget to turn the screen on after hitting the power button on the big box under the desk. These people are not going to be streaming video across different rooms in their house or care one whiff about the cloud! The majority are going to do a few things over and over and over and call it a day.<br />
<br />
Plus, doing the things you show people doing in the commercials is not as easy as plug-and-play. I consider myself a intermediate user with years of PC experience and I know it always takes more to get something done than the zero-effort solution marketers love to plaster on the screen.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Microsoft, you are lying. Stop it.</b> Build something that is actually better and people will love it enough to make a purchase. Make improvements like you did to the Office Suite of programs which is miles ahead of all competitors. The "Office Ribbon" was new and bold and shocking at first. After using it for a bit, the ribbon made so much intuitive sense continuing to use a version of MS Office WITHOUT the ribbon is a mark of insanity.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Microsoft, again, stop lying, and do what you can to make your product better to service the REAL needs of your customers. Don't have your marketing teams try to generate needs in consumers that are not there, and then fill those desires with products advertised on the backs of thinly veiled lies and half-truths!</b><br />
<br />
Consumers bitch-slapped you once Microsoft, by calling out Windows Vista as a cesspool of toxic waste. Don't give up all the good will you manged to regain by lying to the consumer about the capabilities and advantages of Windows 7.<br />
<br />
<br />
"END TRANSMISSION."
Convert .PPSX to .PPT Easily !
This is a handy-dandy little trick I stumbled upon purely by accident and hope it helps some of you out there dealing with PowerPoint files.<br />
<br />
Some PowerPoint files that you receive come with the extension ".ppsx". This means the file is a "slideshow" and you cannot get at the underlying data in the individual slides. The file name looks like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TNl0SwR11aI/AAAAAAAAAU0/3n2-szsjd2U/s1600/ppsx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TNl0SwR11aI/AAAAAAAAAU0/3n2-szsjd2U/s1600/ppsx.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b> To open this file as a normal PowerPoint file, simply change the extension from ".ppsx" to ".ppt", and you can open and edit the slides to your heart's content! </b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TNl0jcIezCI/AAAAAAAAAU4/Vpm42zEvo_8/s1600/ppt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TNl0jcIezCI/AAAAAAAAAU4/Vpm42zEvo_8/s1600/ppt.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Such a simple trick. And, you can mess with people that send out "protected" .ppsx files next time you get one!<br />
<br />
<br />
"END TRANSMISSION."
Everyone's a Critic
So, I was listening to the <a href="http://www.nerdist.com/">Nerdist podacst</a> a while back, and the host came up with a great observation. With the invention of sites like Twitter, Facebook ,and even good old Blogger, people are free to jump all over something and criticize in little soundbites.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blonde2dot0.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/social_media_starfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://www.blonde2dot0.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/social_media_starfish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
On this blog I try to temper immediate feelings and really get a good rant going against someone or something that happens to Crush my Cheetos. ("Crush my Cheetos"? Think it will catch on like "Grind my Gears"? Highly unlikely since I don't have a TV show.) There is some effort given to make a structured case with examples to support the conclusion after a logical analysis of the situation. Space is not an issue on a blog post, but time is a factor. That's why some posts come in bunches, you need time to make a good post and think about what you want to say.<br />
<br />
Compare this to Twitter and Facebook status updates. Many people use these services exclusively on their mobile device. There is an instant capture of judgement where praise or blame is foisted upon the Interweb for all to see. There are a bunch of things going on in that instant, let's break them down:<br />
<br />
1) A new idea is presented. There is nothing new under the sun. If something is TOTALLY new we would not be able to relate to that thing. There has to be some commonality to human experience for us to interpret a thing. Some of us like the new thing, some don't, based upon our immediate interpretation of what the thing presents to us as similar to our past experience. <br />
<br />
2) People make a judgement about the thing based on their first perception and immediate feelings.<br />
<br />
3) Conceit. People somehow decide they have to let that first-cut interpretation based on feelings be shared with the world!<br />
<br />
4) The complex chain of events involving memory, physical stimuli, and cognitive processes gets transmitted after being distilled to 140 characters or less.<br />
<br />
5) The substance of those 140 characters, regardless of the words used, boil down to "Yay!" or "Boo!".<br />
<br />
Where is the chance for reasoned debate? Where is the cooling off period so our rational faculties can temper the heat of immediate sense perception? It is lost. It is lost once our "Yay!" or "Boo!" decision is made public. It is a rare breed of person that will easily recant their immediate position. By making that first snap decision, it helps ground your future mindset on the issue, thing, movie, advertisement, youtube clip, website, etc. The position you hold first is the hardest one to change, so why jump to it so quickly?<br />
<br />
<b>Give your thoughts time to breath! </b> In a world where everyone is not only a critic, but an <i>instant critic broadcasting for a global audience, </i>DON'T BE SUCKED IN BY THE FIRST OPINION THAT IS SCREAMED AT YOU THE LOUDEST!! <br />
<br />
You have a mind, you have rationality, you have the forum; use them correctly and let's try to tone down the debate volume and turn up our capacity for free thought and open minds.<br />
<br />
"END TRANSMISSION."
OTA HD
If you are new to over the air high definition TV, check this out for a basic understanding of OTA HD:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://otahd.blogspot.com/">otahd.blogspot.com</a></div><br />
Have fun!<br />
<br />
. "END TRANSMISSION."
CBC World Cup Online Coverage
Most regular readers of this blog will know I am the first one to call out the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation [CBC] for being a complete waste of time and money, an anachronism from a different century that should die following a period of everlasting withering, but lives to fight another day for some inexplicable reason.<br />
<br />
Not this time.<br />
<br />
I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SING THE PRAISES OF CBC FOR SOMETHING THEY FINALLY DID RIGHT! <br />
<br />
I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M WRITING EITHER!<br />
<br />
WHY AM I SHOUTING!?<br />
<br />
<b>So, Let me say Kudos to the CBC for their online presence and broadcasting of ALL World Cup 2010 Matches LIVE from South Africa!</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cbc.ca/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TBZuDdNUxWI/AAAAAAAAATc/cp_LI85YMys/s320/cbc-logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Unlike some services online, like ESPN3, or Rogers Communications Inc, (fuck them all to hell), CBC requires no login and password combination. Go to CBC.ca, click the link to watch the games live, and there you are! Simple is best when it comes to online, and thank heaven CBC did not make the site look like a bad parody of some "YAHOO!" web page with ad after ad after ad strewn across my page in text and flashy-blinky form. <br />
<br />
CBC has a small 10 second car ad at the beginning of the stream, and that is it for advertisements taking away your enjoyment of watching the big game. The page design is simple and easy to navigate. There is a "matchtracker" feature similar to FIFA.com, except this one is pleasing to look at and gives you the tale of the match in an instant detailing time of penalties and goals and substitutions. Other well thought out links are easily found for nation groupings, upcoming games today and later in the tournament, and the required news, photos, chat, etc., one would expect on a modern website trying to foster some sense of community.<br />
<br />
The genius lies in the media player itself and the options to view the match. The media player for the live stream is very nice with a minimal look, highlighted progress bar that always remains on the bottom of the screen, and the easily found MUTE button for those watching at work like yours truly. There are also other video feeds available to focus only on one or two star players from the match in progress, or the wide overhead view of the stadium.<br />
<br />
The overhead view is wonderful, as it makes the pitch look like a video game. If CBC is trying to lure more kids to their main site through this dedicated portal they are doing a great job of being somewhat non-traditional and presenting the game in a way many older viewers dislike, (up-down instead of left-right). The chance to focus on star players only is a great addition. Imagine having the ability to follow Maradonna with the infamous "Hand of God" goal, right on your desktop!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://fifa.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TBZo3X8g_bI/AAAAAAAAATU/BK44aXptZCk/s320/149.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><br />
Finally, the way all the elements work together is fantastic. Tune in at any point in the match and the quick load time means you are in the action right away. Look at the "matchtracker" scorecard to see which minute a goal was scored. Use the progress bar to go to that minute of the match and watch the goal, then hit the "back to live action" button to join the match in real time. See if your favorite player is available on one of the isolated camera feeds and open a second window that remains in sync with the main game window to follow that player.<br />
<br />
<b>CBC, the fact that you did not get the Olympics in Vancouver and wasted buckets of taxpayer cash fawning over yourselves was truly a blessing in disguise. Missing those Winter Olympics gave you the chance to grab the right to World Cup South Africa 2010. You have put forth an excellent website, a wonderful, clean, easy to use website that anyone broadcasting live sporting events would do well to emulate in the future. </b>Congratulations on not fucking this up!<br />
<br />
Man, I just praised the hell out of the CBC, my second greatest enemy next to Rogers Communications Inc, (fuck them all to hell). Maybe I'm just mellowing with old age...<br />
<br />
<br />
"END TRANSMISSION."
Why is 99% of Television Crap?
<div class="MsoNormal">99% of television is crap because of how the system works to get new shows on the air. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So, before investing years of your life watching stuff like LOST, HEROES, GLEE, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, SPARTACUS, or a host of other shows that inevitably spiral down the drain to unwatchable, unsatisfying, and dismal shells of their earlier episodes read this post and save your precious time!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Before a show is put into production there is a contract in place for X number of shows. Take GLEE for instance. That show began with a 9 episode contract. Those first 9 shows have the best stories you will likely see in the series as the producers must place their best foot forward to gain an audience and obtain that next coveted contract to produce more episodes. Those first shows are big on story, moving the plot forward, and not wasting time with character “backstories” or “mythology” episodes that serve no real purpose, besides filling another hour of contractual obligation to the network, and which inevitably kill the series.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Those first episodes set the scene and are plotted before any cameras start rolling. Actual care is put into the story at this stage as there is time to make a compelling story and think through where the producers want the characters to be at some point in the future. The producers know that if the show is a hit, they will establish a fan base and be given more episodes by the network to tell the story of these characters. <b>The seeds of future mediocrity are ironically planted at the point of greatest success when the show is extended to another 9 episodes by the netwrok. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If the show is a hit, the producers must bring in more writers because now they have hours of television they are contractually obligated to fill! This leads to many “throwaway” storylines that only serve the function of filling time to get to the ratings-week blockbusters which generate high ratings and more ad revenue.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>There is nothing wrong with making money, but the STORY must be there from the very beginning to ground the television production. It is terribly backwards when the demand for television hours is what drives the generation of the story! </b>Once the story goes through a bunch of hands, (e.g. different writers coming in and messing with the original vision to build their reputation off the show, finding out that certain characters test well with audiences so the focus shifts towards them to appease the netwrok, etc.), then the overall quality of the show suffers and the fan base inevitably is disappointed in the results.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The prime example of this base method of television production taking precedence and <a href="http://thelittlestwinslow.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/lost-sucks-let-me-tell-you-why/">killing a story is LOST</a>. (Thanks to <a href="http://thelittlestwinslow.wordpress.com/">thelittlestwinslow.wordpress.com </a>for the graphic. Check out their great review of the LOST finale.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TAKdCj-ysHI/AAAAAAAAAS4/XbkROCpQLmc/s1600/lost-logo-fucking+end+already.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TAKdCj-ysHI/AAAAAAAAAS4/XbkROCpQLmc/s320/lost-logo-fucking+end+already.jpg" border="0" height="212" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">LOST started out as a sci-fi show which seemed to be going somewhere. Then the producers realized they wrote themselves into so many corners they would never be able to put together an ending that tied everything together into a satisfying conclusion. The final episode introduced even more mysteries that were never explained to try and put a cap on the series. The producers took a good sci-fi show, watched it turn into a mess of something that kind of resembled a drama piece, turned it into some fantasy character study, and ended as a garbage Disney movie with no mention of the original sci-fi elements. What else could they do after abandoning the initial premise so many years ago?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TAKdRL5EGII/AAAAAAAAAS8/OwTOEDp-VUA/s1600/glee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TAKdRL5EGII/AAAAAAAAAS8/OwTOEDp-VUA/s320/glee.jpg" border="0" height="316" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">GLEE is heading down that same road of not knowing where to go next with their story. GLEE chews through story like Gary Busey through dialogue. There is no way they can keep up the pace of their storytelling. Glee story arcs completed in 1 hour are enough for 4 or 5 episodes on some other television series. I can see that show burning out very quickly due to viewer fatigue.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">HEROES- what a joke. It started out well in season 1 and again spiraled into a mess that is no longer part of the zeitgeist. This is the fate of 99% of television shows because story does not matter, only the mass production of more and more product. The reason is because <b>people forget a good story has 3 SATISFYING parts to be considered a real story – Beginning, Middle, and End. The aim of producing these shows should be to tell a story, not sell CDs of the cast singing pop hits or moving “Blerg!” coffee mugs.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TAKdadJD_JI/AAAAAAAAATE/uAFnOnt2nU0/s1600/mad-men-logo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TAKdadJD_JI/AAAAAAAAATE/uAFnOnt2nU0/s320/mad-men-logo1.jpg" border="0" height="169" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">As a contra-example, look at shows like MAD MEN. Mad Men produces 13 episodes per year, each season takes place at a given point in time after the preceding season, and most of the plot lines are wrapped up within the same season. It is on every week at the same time on the same channel, so the viewer can find it, appreciate it, and knows when the next chapter will be available. THIS is how you build viewer loyalty! <b>The slogan of the AMC network that presents Mad Men is “Story matters here.”, and I say thank you AMC for doing what most of television cannot – give me a good story with satisfying BEGINNING, MIDDLE, and END!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TAKdi6r3tfI/AAAAAAAAATI/i5jJ-KveFlM/s1600/babylon+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/TAKdi6r3tfI/AAAAAAAAATI/i5jJ-KveFlM/s320/babylon+5.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The last great television show that was scripted from start to finish was <st1:city><st1:place>BABYLON</st1:place></st1:city> 5. This show was fully written and fleshed out by Joseph Michael Straczynski<b>. </b>He had a vision for a story taking 5 television seasons, and that is exactly what he produced. Yes, there were some TV movies added on and some attempts at brand extension of the <st1:city><st1:place>Babylon</st1:place></st1:city> 5 universe, but those were not part of the original vision. One does not need to watch anything other than the television episodes to enjoy a satisfying story.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Of course my theory only holds for these 1 hour “event” shows try to reel you in with “Answers are coming next week to the MYSTERY”, which never come because another hack writer was given the reigns for 3 episodes and needs to put his own spin on things. Sitcoms don’t follow this pattern because they have no overarching story. If a sideline character like Steve Urkel gets over with the fans, make him the centerpiece of the show! Sitcoms exist in a world of consistency where everything is the same as last week, and will be until someone dies or moves in the final episode. They are throw away television, mindless empty mental calories that can serve a purpose for mental distraction after a hard day. (Of course, every once in a while a really great show like SEINFELD will come along, but that is another topic for another time.)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Tell a good story and you will have all the “Blerg” coffee mugs you can handle flying off the shelf, along with other endorsed products, for fans to purchase over the long haul! <b>Tell a good story, and your audience will RISE over time instead of shrink with disappointment! </b> The point is be prudent with your time and look at television shows that are on the way up instead of falling into the vicious circle of making more episodes for the sake of making more episodes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>To all those people that wasted 6 years of their lives watching LOST, hey, that is truly your loss! </b></div><br />"END TRANSMISSION."
1 King West : Hotel Review
I recently had the (dis)pleasure of staying at 1 King West Hotel in downtown Toronto. It looked nice in the brochure, but I certainly did not expect so many things to go wrong. Maybe I received a lemon of a room. If anything I saw was indicative of the service of the hotel as a whole, this place needs a complete overhaul of staff and facilities. Pictures follow below for most incidents.<br />
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To give a fair and balanced review, the hotel does have some good things going for it: location and food. It is located in the heart of downtown Toronto and the financial district, so business travellers should take note for its walking convenience and position on the underground PATH system linking many corporate offices and shops for winter stays. The food is surprisingly good given the deficiencies elsewhere, and the attached street level bakery has fine coffee and sweets to start your day lightly if you're not in the mood to sample the breakfast buffet in the lobby.<br />
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As a converted bank heritage building some things are in odd places, (<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;">eg</span>. elevators are behind the concierge desk, accessible by room card swipe only). Access to your vehicle is an issue making check in/out somewhat more complicated than it should be if you are driving or plan to rent a vehicle while staying at 1 King West. More on needless guest annoyance and poor planning later. Specific failings are as follows:<br />
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Being a converted building, they could have sprung for new windows in the suites. The old ones do nothing for climate control. Upon check-in the room was freezing. Not uncommon, so I pumped the heat to 76 Celsius to make it comfortable. The cleaning staff, however, moved the thermostat DOWN so the following night I had to pump the heat back up to sleep! Why are the staff touching the climate settings?! Major annoyance! Change the towels and make the bed, then get out!<br />
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Having to pump the heat to run all night does very little, since during the retrofit these geniuses put the heat registers ON THE CEILING! That means they need a powerful and LOUD fan to force the warm air down, making for lots of noise overnight while the room struggles to reach a nice temperature. All the heat collects right under the registers, so the bed itself is only slightly warmer than the rest of the room which remains cool. 3 temperature zones in a space that is about 300 square feet is ludicrous. Add to this old windows that do not block a lot of noise, and you have to sleep through a droning fan, traffic noise, and crane construction noise! I was on the 11th floor, and STILL heard traffic outside, I feel sorry for those closer to street level. This is just poor planning for creature comforts on the part of the the hotel and should not be tolerated when paying luxury suite prices. <br />
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The furniture in the room was "distressed". Noticeable stains on the desk chair, an office chair with a broken armrest, and knobs on dressers that were loose and askew are the little details that make a difference and people notice when they pay premium prices. This should not be tolerated. Any good service establishment knows that if the customer can SEE it, it should look RIGHT. This makes one take a much more careful view of the hotel and places people in a sour mood as the first thing they see upon entering the room is something that looks chintzy, cheap, and gives the impression the hotel doesn't care that much about doing things the right way.<br />
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It is 2010, and this place is geared towards the business traveller. Why then do patrons have to go down to the lobby to use the wireless Internet connection? If you want to use the Internet cable in the room you have TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $10 PER DAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF ACCESSING THE INTERNET IN YOUR ROOM! IN 2010! WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PLACE?! Talk about cheap and chintzy, this makes it look like the hotel is nickle and <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;">dimeing</span> their guests for a service any respectable MOTEL gives away for free. Paying over $200 per night and a businessperson has to go down to the lobby to check their email after being in all day conferences and meetings? Weak.<br />
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$200+ per night and they find it necessary to subject guests to single-ply 40-grit toilet paper. Not cool, man, not cool at all. This is the kind of stuff you notice when there are stains on the furniture and extra charges for Internet access in your room. (See what I mean about looking for more deficiencies when you get alerted?) This is something minor, but the creature comfort is not there. How can someone be expected to go to high power business meetings and sit comfortably with captains of industry when their asshole is red and raw from sub par toilet paper? Major fail on a simple fix. Buy better toilet paper you <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow;">cheapos</span>! It can't hurt your profit margins per room that much when some poor schmo is going to pay you $10 to access the Internet at midnight because they don't want to get dressed to go sit in an uncomfortable lobby to answer emails.<br />
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Another gripe for the cleaning staff. (I'm sure their are good staff working at this place somewhere, but maybe not on the 11th floor and not the days I stayed there; to them I apologize.) Below is a picture of the hallway outside my door, and it remained this way for 12 hours! 12 hours of garbage in the hallway! How does this reflect well on the customers' opinion of the conscientiousness and professionalism of the staff?<br />
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Lock up your wallets when the cleaners come to turn down the bed and the thermostat!<br />
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Here's an idea. Open up the parking garage to everyone in the downtown core and make some rent money from the concrete box you built underground. Then use the profits to buy better toilet paper. See how doing the right thing leads to other right things? <br />
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Any one of the above items could be the straw that breaks the camels' back and causes business patrons to not recommend this hotel. I certainly don't and will not stay here again. I give a hearty recommendation to the SOHO Metropolitan Hotel. A little further out on King Street, but as a hotel/condominium complex everything about the SOHO is leaps and bounds beyond 1 King West.<br />
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In summary, don't stay at 1 King West Hotel if you want value for your dollar. They have a long way to go to to earn a luxury reputation to match their luxury prices.<br />
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"END TRANSMISSION."
Mark Saltzman - Superdouche!
Marc Saltzman is a Superdouche. Here he is now:<br />
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Don't you just want to pull back and slap him into next week? <br />
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I don't say this because I am insanely jealous that he gets to play with technology and review cool toys on the bleeding edge of home computing for a living. (I am insanely jealous, but that's besides the point.) <b> I say this because he does a terrible job and I've never seen <i style="color: black;">a review of Saltzman's reviews</i></b><b> calling him out for doing his job in such a douche-baggerly manner!</b><br />
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What makes me qualified to critique Saltzman's verdict on the iPad being the portable gaming machine champion? I've been gaming since Coleco-vision; that's what. Saltzman has no insider information, or history in the video-game field. He can review hardware one day, tv cables the next, and desktop computers to round out the week, and have totally bland, unhelpful, and vanilla reviews on all three. He is the average user and his reviews in magazines, TV, radio, and on the web are aimed at the average user BECAUSE he is not an expert in gaming, tech, or anything else for that matter besides self-promotion! <br />
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Lets take a look at one of his latest douchey review masterpieces where he defends the Apple iPad as a wonderful GAMING machine. Are you fucking kidding me?! (Links to the article discussed provided by fellow blogger <a href="http://salstavern.blogspot.com/">Sal.C</a>, follow him on Twitter as well <a href="http://twitter.com/Saviour_C">here</a>.)<br />
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The Saltzman collection of brain dead observations, which says the iPad is the best handheld gaming machine, is available here <a href="http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/games/article/757253--for-a-gamer-ipad-exceeds-expectations">http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/games/article/757253--for-a-gamer-ipad-exceeds-expectations</a>. Saltzman lets the verbal douchery fly in this article,<br />
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"Right out of the box, the iPad works with most of the 140,000-plus downloadable applications from the App Store, of which nearly 30,000 are games. This selection is far greater than offered by the two other portable gaming devices put together, and the games cost a fraction of the price of Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable titles (most games at the App Store are less than $2). It might not be quite as portable as the DS or PSP but, if you're facing a long flight or a lazy Sunday afternoon on the couch, I know which device I would grab. Control freak friendly: Understandably, many gamers prefer real buttons over virtual ones – and if you've played the new <i>Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars </i>on the iPhone, you know it can be a tad tricky to control – but because the iPad is big enough to place on your lap, it doesn't require you to hold the device and play at the same time, as is the case with the iPhone and iPod touch."<br />
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Where to start dissecting this bullshit? <br />
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<b>Yes, there are a lot of apps for the iPad, but most of the games are free or 99 cents. You get what you pay for. Those budget games do not offer the complexity or value of games available for the other hand-held systems. </b> Some older NES titles are currently available for the iPod, but anything using virtual d-pad and buttons has terrible controls. Try playing "MEGA MAN 2" on the iPod touch and you will throw your iPod at the wall! This is one of the best examples of virtual button games, from a great developer, and it is still terrible. The tactile sense of buttons cannot be replicated, and it is always lacking when compared to real d-pads and buttons. (The only game that has come close is Street Fighter 4 for iPod touch, and even that is more of a novelty at $10 a pop with only 4 action buttons and radically restructured gameplay combos from the original 6 buttons in the arcade. Replicating 6 button gameplay on the Super Nintendo console made that system THE system to have back in the day!)<br />
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The iPad is not as portable as a DS or PSP. <b>The whole point of the iPad is to take it with you, douche-o. </b> <b>Why is it a "feature" that you don't have to hold the system while you play it? </b>Who the hell will work a d-pad with anything but the thumb on their left hand?! Think about the ergonomics of playing an old school button mashing game on the iPad and working a virtual d-pad with your index finger. It makes no sense.<br />
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What does make sense is to say the iPad does some game types VERY well, (like the current "We Rule", or quick puzzel games like "Peggle"), where a touch screen is a definite advantage for gameplay. <b>To say the iPad is the overall champion of portable gaming, that it is the "one you would grab for a lazy Sunday on the couch", is Saltzman giving a favorable review to make sure he gets his douchey fingers on the next piece of Apple hardware and not get cut off by Steve Jobs.</b> You can be fair without fawning over the hardware. Apple is a master of displaying strengths while cleverly avoiding weaknesses. You, Saltzman, have drunk the kool-aid and been fooled.<br />
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<b>[In Mr. T voice] "You been fooled, fool!"</b> Now douche your way out of here, Superdouche, and never douchen my doorway again.<br />
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"END TRANSMISSION."
What Makes a Good Manager?
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/S8PSFr4x-MI/AAAAAAAAARw/bKx9_3RYhV0/s1600/management-style.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/S8PSFr4x-MI/AAAAAAAAARw/bKx9_3RYhV0/s320/management-style.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459438168425232578" border="0" /></a><br />I feel like I've worked every crappy job under the sun. I've also had every range of management type tell me what to do on a daily basis. Some I liked, some I hated, and others I hated but came to like. <span style="font-weight: bold;"> So what is it that makes someone a good manger? Speaking from the point of view of an employee that's experienced every style of management under the sun, not what you might think.</span><br /><br />The accepted wisdom is that you should look for a manager that fits best with your "work style".<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />I call bullshit on that human resources high school guidance councillor pablum. Sell that crap to someone else!<br /></span><br />Depending on your maturity, level of experience, comfort in your job or field, and pressures of life at home, your work style can change like the seasons. At age 15 you are pretty much consequence free and might be working part-time simply for cash to screw around with. At 25 you are looking to find a great place to plant roots and build your career. At 35 you are building that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">nestegg</span>, maybe have a kid or three, and a mortgage to pay. At 45, you are looking to keep things simple and hopefully getting ready to wind up your working life with more punched-clocks behind you than ahead. <span style="font-weight: bold;">How can anyone have the same work style at all these points in their life, and be happy with a manager that only knows one management style?</span>!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A good manager for you at age 15 is likely a terrible manager for you at age 35!</span> At age 15 you likely need someone looking over your shoulder micro-managing you so you don't stick a limb in a deep-fryer. At age 35, micro-managing is the last thing you want, it will drive you crazy to not have a chance to use your experience and change your position to suit you.<br /><br />So given that there is no one management style that suits everyone at all points in their working life, what traits can one look for in a manager to judge if that person is a good manager? <span style="font-weight: bold;">The key is to evaluate how adaptable that manager is at making you a better employee.</span><br /><br />My current position changes every three months. That is the exciting part of working for a young company. It is also what makes some days terrible. As soon as you know what you are doing the job duties change, new relationships are formed, and information that was valuable becomes useless. Procedures that appeared optimized and took many hours of hard work to implement become redundant, automated, or wiped off the map. Since starting at this company I've been in situations where I felt supremely confident, scared my job was being cut, and went through some life changes that don't really allow for the "I'm not scared, I'll find a new job" attitude from back in 2008 before the economic global meltdown.<br /><br />Through all of this, my manager, and really the entire department I'm part of, changed how they managed me by observing how I came into work, my enthusiasm for tasks, level of initiative, and general demeanour. They changed their style to give me what I needed. If that was a kick in the ass or a pat on the back, they did their best to make me a better employee. This filters down from the owner, through the upper management team, down to me at the bottom of the totem pole.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't get me wrong. Every day is certainly NOT a picnic!</span> I'm not in a union, and this same management team lives by the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mottos</span> of "Add Value in Everything You Do", and "Job Security Comes From Doing a Good Job". I've seen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">VPs</span> let go because the position changed, the company took another direction, and their services were no longer needed. I might already be out the door and just be too dumb to notice.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">So, to me a good manager is one that helps the employee become a better employee, no matter what type of work-style that employee happens to have today! </span> If the company lets you go, they should at least have given you something that you can take to another firm in exchange for the work you did while in their employment. No matter the job, the pattern of work is rarely 25 years of service, a gold watch, and a handshake. That is last century thinking. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">The majority of people will change CAREERS 4 or 5 times in their lives! </span>That means starting over a few times from the bottom. That means growing in several positions to quickly and efficiently move up and earn a similar level of pay amongst all these positions to combat the pressures and duties of life at all its stages. That means you can be 35, but easily feel like you are 15 when starting a new position. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Good management gives you the chance to quickly become confident in your abilities, to see work as an opportunity to grow and enhance your life; not a death sentence where you perversely wind up paying for your <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">paycheque</span> with your life.</span><br /><br />"END TRANSMISSION."
Not April Fool's item
I just realized that my last post stating the podcast of "RadioFreeG" was over went out on April Fool's Day. People have sent me emails asking it is was a joke, and sadly it is not.<br /><br />I've spent some time stripping down the blog and taking out any of the iTunes "subscribe now" items, sidebars with pictures that are no longer relevant, icons, pretty much everything I did to the old blog. All the formatting and colour selection that I was really proud of, but now it seems very superfluous.<br /><br />Still trying to find a home for this blog in the post-podcast era. I like having some sort of creative space to mess around in and getting opinions out to the world to see how people interact with them.<br /><br />And, Blogger has CHANGED a LOT since I was in messing with the CSS to widen columns, and make my own links, (to stuff like iTunes for subscriptions). It is nice to use the built-in functionality and not be scared of it disappearing when changing a template. That certainly helps keep things fresh and fun whenever there are a few minutes to play with the site. The new ability to put some static "pages" on the blog as tab links across the top seems interesting. <br /><br />However, a static page is only so useful. It would be nice if those static pages were like separate "mini-blogs" with rolling posts so that someone could put, say, a new photo a day under the "pages" heading of "Photos", and it would show up on that page in order, but also show up on the "Home" page with all postings for the blog in chronological order that deal with all topics, including photos. I guess that is hard to incorporate on the back end, but that would be awesome - blogger would really be a viable one stop shop for putting up a new website and being able to customize and compartmentalize the site flow right out of the box!<br /><br />Come on google/blogger, get cracking! And while you're at it, PLEASE post some new templates, the ones you have are from 2004. The 3rd party ones you can get for free are nice, but to have the google/blogger stamp of approval and know none of the "gadgets" will stop working would be a big plus.<br /><br />"END TRANSMISSION."
Time to change.
Listenership, this podcast ride is over... Thank You for everything over the years.<br />
<br />
44 Episodes of love, hate, music and dangerous thoughts; 4 YEARS in the making, listenership interaction, Linda Ellis feuds, and new Twitter friends - memories I will never forget.<br />
<br />
I want to say thank you to everyone that took time to listen to the show and offered feedback. I appreciate all the comments, cartoons, music submissions, and goodwill everyone has sent over the past years.<br />
<br />
This podcast has seen me through some really rough times. Now, you get a little older, (hopefully) get a little wiser, and realize the times are a-changing. I find I don't have the time to devote to making this the great podcast people have come to expect. I take pride in every podcast I put out, even the painfully hard to listen to early episodes where I was experimenting with intros, equipment, bits that didn't get over, and trying to find my voice.<br />
<br />
Now, I need to experiment again and figure out the place of this blog in the world. Maybe get back to actually WRITING some posts, instead of using this as a storehouse to publicize the podcast. Time to experiment again, and if I find something to consume my creative energies that is as satisfying as the "RadioFreeG Podcast", I will have won the lottery again.<br />
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Thank you Listenership, for everything. And Linda Ellis, fuck you sideways.<br />
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"END TRANSMISSION."
Great Short Story
I found a great short story online, check it out here: <a href="http://writings.mike-combs.com/eyeshine.htm">Mike Combs - Eyes Shining in the Dark</a>.<br /><br />Short and sweet sci-fi with a great style, take 10 minutes and pass this author some thanks for making it available!<br /><br />"END TRANSMISSION."
RadioFreeG-Episode44-TwitterNewMusic
All new Music is here for you, compliments of the TWITTERverse! Check out great new music by clicking the link below:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.archive.org/download/RadioFreeG-Episode44-TwitterNewMusic/RadioFreeG-Episode44-TwitterNewMusic.mp3"><span style="font-size: x-large;">RadioFreeG-Episode44-TwitterNewMusic</span></a></div><br />
This episode has some great new music submitted by users of Twitter.com, a wonderful service for promoting your band or just being entertained by funny people with time to spare. We have two ambient submissions for your listening pleasure. The first song is "Cocktails in Paris" from <a href="http://innerlightspectrum.com/">Inner Light Spectrum</a>, and the second is "Getting Safer", the latest release from <a href="http://synoiz.com/">Synoiz</a>. Our "commercial track" is a great throwback to the 80s hair metal scene, <a href="http://steelpantherrocks.com/">Steel Panther</a> with "Community Property". <br />
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For BONUS CONTENT, we rake the owners of "COOL SITE OF THE DAY" over the coals for being a bunch of twats! FUCK YOU ASSWIPES!!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Click the links, click the pictures, get to know these artists and BUY THEIR STUFF!! Tell them you heard them on RadioFreeG, and send in your own submissions to be played in a future podcast!!</b></span><br />
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Click the show title to download, get listening, and get submitting for the next episode. As always, SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE, in iTunes. Thanks for listening!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Inner Light Spectrum:</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/S2jRXDO89pI/AAAAAAAAAQs/IAh-V81FVIw/s1600-h/innerlightspectrum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/S2jRXDO89pI/AAAAAAAAAQs/IAh-V81FVIw/s320/innerlightspectrum.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Steel Panther:</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/steelpantherrocks?blend=1&ob=4&rclk=cti" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/S2jR9ID8VGI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/R81SuO3FJCo/s320/steel-panther.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/steelpantherrocks?blend=1&ob=4&rclk=cti">Steel Panther Official youtube Channel!</a> </span></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Synoiz:</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/S2jSb9MhMSI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/F-QQG81x0sc/s1600-h/Getting+Safer+-+Advert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/S2jSb9MhMSI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/F-QQG81x0sc/s320/Getting+Safer+-+Advert.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://synoiz.com/"><b>http://synoiz.com/</b></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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"END TRANSMISSION."
Listen:
RadioFreeG-Episode43-AllNewMusic
RadioFreeG-Episode43-AllNewMusic is here avavailable for download:<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.archive.org/download/RadioFreeG-Episode43-AllNewMusic/RadioFreeG-Episode43-AllNewMusic.mp3">RadioFreeG-Episode43-AllNewMusic </a></span><br />
</div><br />
This show features music from Allen Toussaint "Sweet Touch of Love", Stone Walters "Trouble", and Rev Theory "Hell Ya"! Get out there and buy some music from these great artists. Click on the picture of the artist below to get more information on these great musicians! Support them,<b> BUY THEIR STUFF!<br />
</b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Help make your opinion count by sending your MP3 song submissions for Episode 44 to radiofreeg@gmail.com!</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>And don't forget, Subscribe, Subscribe, Subscibe in iTunes!</b><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STtwgzujFS8" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SwXg2u-supI/AAAAAAAAAQA/Jf31u7CGQL4/s320/toussaint_allen.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.stonewalters.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SwXg7OyfLHI/AAAAAAAAAQI/iNfYAoMjZPI/s320/stonewalters-trouble.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.revtheory.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SwXhCGQWuZI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/83pQzX67D94/s320/rev.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>"END TRANSMISSION."
Listen:
Microsoft Synctoy 2.0
Now people, this is why Microsoft is lambasted when it comes to operating systems. <br />
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I belive in having a religious backup routine for my data as I've lost everything in the past. I like to have all my data on hand so I can go from one computer to another incase the HDD fails or a virus is caught, or heaven forbid, the laptop is lost. So, I've taken to backing up my personal data once a month.<br />
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I used to burn to CR-RW, then moved to DVD-RW, and currently use an 8GB USB stick to backup one folder on my HDD that has all personal files on it. It takes a while to erase the old data off the stick and put a fresh copy of the current folder on their for safe keeping.<br />
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Lo and behold, Microsoft has a "toy" that allows for syncing any number of folders and directories to any removable media! <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=c26efa36-98e0-4ee9-a7c5-98d0592d8c52&displaylang=en">Synctoy 2.0!</a> To get it you have to go to the microsoft website and download and install it. It works great, is free, and lets you sync anything to anything else with loads of syncing options and no restrictions on number of files/folders/ect that come with most free options. Like the iPod, it only transfers any changes made to the home folder, not the whole damn thing. Convenient as all hell, but why should I have to go out to another website to get it?<br />
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Now I ask you Micro$oft, why did you not just put this little gem as part of the operating system?! Windows is so bloated with crappy underpowered versions of software (Movie Maker? Defrag? WinZip?) I can find for free on the internet that do a much better job. I am still devoted to XP, fucking HATE Vista, and MIGHT go to Windows 7 after they release the first major service pack. <br />
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So Microsoft, what else are you holding back? You have a bad history of keeping the really good stuff (Microsoft PLUS! pack for XP), so why not let it all come out, streamline the install size and time of the operating system, and let people use/ know about all the good stuff you have?<br />
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"END TRANSMISSION."
RadioFreeG-Episode42-DeadCelebrities
Episode 42-DeadCelebrites, of RadioFreeG is up and running! Get it now by clicking on the link below:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.archive.org/download/RadioFreeG-Episode42-DeadCelebrity/RadioFreeG-Episode42-DeadCelebrities.mp3">RadioFreeG-Episode42-DeadCelebrities</a> </b><br />
</span><br />
</div>This Episode looks at the new "Michael Jackson" song "This Is It". Yes, the quotes are around "Michael Jackson" becasue it was put together through studio magic after his death! It is not a true reflection of Michael Jackson, and has nothing to do with the body of completed work he left this world. It is part of a disturbing trend in music, movies, and life in general to manipulate the dead through the technology of the day instead of using that effort to create the next batch of artists and make the memories of tomorrow.<br />
<br />
To buck this trend, we have the new song from our friends "I Am Three", and the song is called "OLDER". They were gracious enough to grant RadioFreeG Permission to play this great new music for you! SEND YOUR NEW MUSIC (in mp3 format) to <a href="mailto:RadioFreeG@gmail.com">RadioFreeG@gmail.com</a> and it will be featured in an upcoming episode! Tell your friends, tell your family, and tell your enemies to submit their favorite new music to RadioFreeG!<br />
<br />
Join the discussion by listening to the show, SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE in iTunes, and call TOLL FREE ACROSS NORTH AMERICA 1-888-494-2263 to make your opinion count!<br />
<b><br />
Links mentioned in Episode42-DeadCelebrites:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/michael-jacksons-voice-will-go-on-and-on/article1323572/">RUSSELL SMITH, "Globe and Mail" Article</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.myspace.com/jesuistrois">I Am Three official Myspace</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/jesuistrois">I Am Three youtube Channel</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.thisisit-movie.com/%20">Micheal Jackson Movie</a> <br />
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<a href="http://incompetech.com/">Royalty Free Music!</a><br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/St-mAgqKVkI/AAAAAAAAAP0/dxToPFfH0WQ/s1600-h/iamthree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/St-mAgqKVkI/AAAAAAAAAP0/dxToPFfH0WQ/s320/iamthree.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
"END TRANSMISSION."
Listen:
RadioFreeG-Episode41-Words and Music
After a summer hiatus, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">RadioFreeG</span> is back for the rest of 2009, and bringing a whole bunch of new friends along for the ride! Get the latest show by clicking on the link below:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.archive.org/download/Radiofreeg-episode41-wordsAndMusic/RadioFreeG-Episode41-WordsAndMusic.mp3"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">RadioFreeG</span>-Episode41-Words and Music</span></span><br /></a></div><br />Some of the Faithful <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Listenership</span> may remember <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">RadioFreeG</span> was part of another fantastic podcast "<a href="http://climaxradioshow.blogspot.com">Climax Radio Show</a>". That was a podcast for music lovers, by music lovers. I've decided to take a piece of that show and incorporate it into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">RadioFreeG</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">So, I'm putting out the call to anyone in a band, friends of people in a band, and anyone that knows of new music that NEEDS to be heard - send me an mp3 and a short note as to why you love this music, and I'll send it out on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Interweb</span> for you!</span><br /><br />This show we have the debut of the UK group "I am Three", and I'll be playing their track "Not Sick of Summer". I am Three vitals -<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.myspace.com/jesuistrois"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 194px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SpFdejhA3NI/AAAAAAAAAPs/EpAYrrYYHbs/s200/iamthree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373178609940880594" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">website: <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jesuistrois">www.myspace.com/jesuistrois</a><br />Email: iamthreemanager@googlemail.com<br />Phone: 07588371197<br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Get your submissions in by email. (See radiofreeg.blogspot.com for all contact information).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lets make this podcast a place for the angry words you know and love, and the new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">kickass</span> music you WILL come to know and love!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't forget SUBSCRIBE,SUBSCRIBE,SUBSCRIBE in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">iTunes</span>!</span><br /><br />"END TRANSMISSION."
Listen:
Stop the HST - RFG Episode 40!
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SeIB_ARWnZI/AAAAAAAAAOk/M9POJ1FpG88/s1600-h/stop+the+hst.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SeIB_ARWnZI/AAAAAAAAAOk/M9POJ1FpG88/s200/stop+the+hst.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323819891421519250" border="0" /></a>This is a special episode dedicated to shedding light on the facts of why HARMONIZED SALES TAXES only work to SCREW the CONSUMER - AND YOU ARE THE CONSUMER!<br /><br />Download the latest show by clicking below, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE using </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">iTUNES</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>by clicking on the show logo!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.archive.org/download/RadioFreeG-Episode40-StoptheHST/RadioFreeG-Episode40-StoptheHST.mp3"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">RadioFreeG</span>-Episode40-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">StopTheHST</span>!</span></span></a><br /></div><br />The province of Ontario will be moving to an HST structure in July of 2010. The current Liberal government cannot really be blamed for making this move, as it is to their benefit, helps businesses, and broadens the provincial tax base all in one fell swoop.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BUT, IT IS NOT IN THE INTEREST OF THE TAXPAYER! YOU WILL BE GETTING SCREWED SO HARD AND FAST BY THIS BLATANT CASH GRAB IN THE NEAR FUTURE YOUR HEAD WILL SWIM!</span><br /><br />Long time listeners will know I have no leanings towards one political party. The Provincial Liberals, Conservative, and even New Democratic Parties are all playing a role in this disaster. We take them all to task. We call upon you to think about the effect the terrible HST will have on you, and make your voice heard!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://stopthehst.com/">Tell Ontario NO ON THE HST!</a><br /><br />Links from the show:<br /><br /><a href="http://thedurhamreport.com/?p=258">Durham Report </a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/english/budget/ontariobudgets/2009/bk_tax.html">Minister Of Finance<br /></a></div><br />"END TRANSMISSION."
Listen:
RadioFreeG-Episode39-ExecutivePay
After an extended holiday break RagioFreeG is back with episode 39! Download by clicking on the link below, or SUBSCRIBE in iTunes by clicking on the show logo in the sidebar:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.archive.org/download/RadioFreeG-Episode39-ExecutivePay/RadioFreeG-Episode39-ExecutivePay.mp3"><span style="font-size:180%;">RadioFreeG-Episode39-ExecutivePay</span></a><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SY4B0rZlfAI/AAAAAAAAAOA/LypdzkJpL3o/s1600-h/obama_superman_awesome.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 235px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SY4B0rZlfAI/AAAAAAAAAOA/LypdzkJpL3o/s200/obama_superman_awesome.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300175815976516610" border="0" /></a>Today we look at the executive pay capping taking place in the United States. President Barack Obama recently initiated the process that high level executives cannot be properly compensated for their work. No one is going to shed tears over bankers having to take a pay cut, but the overarching issue here is <span style="font-weight: bold;">DEADLY</span>.<br /><br />How can companies be expected to retain talent when those with talent know they cannot participate fully in the gains they create for the firm? This is terrible for firms everywhere. The consequences are dire. Oddly enough, they best example to illustrate this is not in the United states, but right here at home in Canada. Specifically, the fiasco of the compensation of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce CEO Mr. Gerry McCaughey.<br /><br />We have a quick recap of why the financial mess began with an explanation of Asset Backed Commercial Paper, the fundamental interconnectedness of banks through their assets, (YOUR mortgage DEBT), and finally to the extension of this economic turmoil by not adhering to the basic principle of Western Capitalism: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bad companies making bad business decisions SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FAIL!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">All the best, All for you, SUBSCRIBE,SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE to RadioFreeG!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Articles referenced in the show by Sinclair Stewart:<br /></div><br /><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090204.wbanks05/BNStory/Business">“Obama Targets Wall Street Excess”</a><br /><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090203.RBANKS03/TPStory/?query=cibc++pay">“Canada’s Top bankers Taking Pay Cuts”</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">"END TRANSMISSION"<br /></div></div>
Listen:
Auto Insurance drive you to Suicide?
My goodness, time marches on, and so does RadioFreeG! Episode 38 is waiting for you by clicking on the link below, (or, <span style="font-weight: bold;">make it easy and SUBSCRIBE in iTunes!</span>),<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.archive.org/download/RadioFreeG-Episode38-AutoSuicide/RadioFreeG-Episode38-AutoSuicide.mp3"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">RadioFreeG-Episode38-AutoSuicide</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">This is a crazy show and may be the one that gets me finally thrown off the G-Band. Why? Because I advocate blatant non-observance of the law for your own self-interest!</span><br /></div><br />I start by examining the silly car insurance laws in Ontario, Canada, and why those bastard insurance companies have you over a barrel no matter what you do. YOU CAN'T WIN WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES, UNLESS YOU SUBVERT THE FAULTY SYSTEM! I tell you about my personal history, and what NOT to do, if something terrible should befall you in the future. With so many bad drivers out there it is not a question of "IF" you will be involved in an incident with your car, but "WHEN"!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SSjDxjsN7II/AAAAAAAAAM0/cvczZ0yZFEA/s1600-h/Car+insurance+cartoon.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SSjDxjsN7II/AAAAAAAAAM0/cvczZ0yZFEA/s400/Car+insurance+cartoon.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271678619998874754" border="0" /></a>Second, the latest installment of "Tech Talk with Soundwave" is here! (Catch him at <a href="http://dontcrossthestreams.blogspot.com/">dontcrossthestreams.blogspot.com</a>.) Soundwave delves into the alphabet soup that is digital picture formats. If you post photos anywhere online (e.g., Facebook, Flickr, Picasa), you NEED to hear this!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Bodybuilder_commits_suicide_live_on_web_while_viewers_abuse_him&in_article_id=413621&in_page_id=34"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 166px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SSjEOhFDC-I/AAAAAAAAAM8/_PxwyleMHHY/s200/suicide6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271679117513919458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">(<a href="http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Bodybuilder_commits_suicide_live_on_web_while_viewers_abuse_him&in_article_id=413621&in_page_id=34">Click to read the article on Abraham Briggs and justin.tv.</a>)</span><br /></div><br />I ran across a news item that is one of the saddest I've read in a long time. A young man took his own life for no apparent reason. <span style="font-weight: bold;">He did it live on the </span>interweb<span style="font-weight: bold;"> while people mocked his cooling corpse until police broke down the door and turned off his </span>webcam<span style="font-weight: bold;">!!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Holy shit! You need to LISTEN NOW!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS THIS, THE BEST, (AND POSSIBLY</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LAST EVER EPISODE), OF RadioFreeG! </span><br /></div><br />"END TRANSMISSION."
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RadioFreeG #37 - EllisTechTalk
Once again, another super-fantastic episode of RadioFreeG is available for your listening pleasure! Download the show by clicking on the link below, or SUBSCIBE in iTunes by clicking on the show logo, or searching for “RadioFreeG” in iTunes, and make new shows show up AUTOMATICALLY! Never miss another show again!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.archive.org/download/RadioFreeG-Episode37-TechTalk/RadioFreeG-Episode37-TechTalk.mp3"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >RadioFreeG-Episode37-TechTalk</span></a><br /></div><br />LINda Ellis, LinDA Ellis, Linda ELLis, LINDA ELLIS!! Why does this name keep coming up when I make a new show? RadioFreeG Episode 37 deals with my continued attempts to enlighten the WORLD about how this person conducts “business”. Her poem, "The Dash", is a wonderful piece of writing, examining the fleeting nature and beauty of life. Too bad it makes some people pray for death.<br /><br />Yet another email has come to my attention stating Ms. Ellis is once again HARRASSING some poor soul that had the misfortune of admiring a piece of poetry and did not have the chance to properly credit the author and give credit where it is due.<br /><br />I take Ellis Corp. to task and ask for some recognition of my own! (To document the history of this show, please see the links to prior episodes at the bottom of this post. Also, check out <a href="http://www.quantumenterprises.co.uk/">quantumenterprises.co.uk</a> while listening to this episode to see why Ms. Ellis should take some of her own advice when it comes to doling out recognition!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dontcrossthestreams.blogspot.com/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wXobLGax7Co/SPuqN43BrCI/AAAAAAAAAKs/4Jd8fDAbqDg/s400/Tech+Talk+Tongue.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258984145463389218" border="0" /></a><br />Also, this is the WORLD PREMIERE of “TECH TALK with SOUNDWAVE”! EXCLUSIVE TO RadioFreeG, the soon to be #1 podcast for all your technology needs. Find out more about the show by hitting <a href="http://dontcrossthestreams.blogspot.com/">dontcrossthestream.blogspot.com</a>.<br /><br />Only the best, only for the Faithful Listenership – Soundwave, welcome to the RadioFreeG family! Excelsior!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Links to prior shows dealing with Ms. Ellis: Please scroll down the right-hand side of this page and click on the show tag "Linda Ellis".</span><br /></div><br />"END TRANSMISSION."
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