Good-bye Leslie Nielsen

It’s true. Leslie Nielsen, funnyman and Order of Canada recipient, died earlier today in a Florida hospital.  He was 84.

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:-(

Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia is unfair. And it makes blogging seem pointless.

Bell Canada is laughing at us all

Once again, the telecomunications gods have announced a raise in prices. As of January 2011, all of their ‘calling features’ will cost $2 more each month.

• Caller ID and Voice Mail will cost $10.95,
• Call Waiting will cost $8.95, and
• Visual Call Waiting will cost $16.95!!

If you’re feeling a little deja vu, it’s because this is the second time this month that Bell has made a price increase annoucement – although last time they were stickin’ it to internet customers instead.

The incredible part is that these features cost the company nothing. Once the system is set up, which it has been for years, it is completely automated. Displaying caller ID information cannot possibly cost the company more today, than it did last year. And Bell is certainly not struggling to make a profit.

So why the increase?  Simple – people have come to rely on these features, and won’t give them up just for the sake of a few dollars each month.

And that is why Bell is laughing.

This is how you get me to pay for music

Since the demise of the CD (yes, I’m calling it officially ‘demised‘) artists have been looking to package music in ways that give something special to people who actually pay instead of just download. Back in the day liner notes were good enough, but today you need more. Quickly run through any music store (no, not iTunes, I mean an actual store – remember those?) and you’ll see CD packaged with all sorts of stuff – t-shirts, books, toys…

But once in a while, someone will come up with a really cool idea.

Like, SONOIO.

SONOIO is an electronic solo project of Alessandro Cortini (ex-NIN). Like every other artist, you can buy his music online.  But in addition to the standard mp3 download SONOIO offers a package that comes with a tiny synthesizer (SuONOIO) already packed with samples that were used to create the music on the album.

This thing is cool and, for the geekier people in your life, would make a great gift.

Doctors don’t work in bars, typically

Kristina B. Ross was recently arrested in Idaho for ‘unlicensed practice of medicine.’ It seems she was pretending to be a plastic surgeon and giving out fake information about a practice that does exist, but that she has nothing to do with.

Okay, so this happens all the time right? So what?

Well, what caught my eye was the part about her conducting breast examines to multiple women in local bars.

Yes, that’s right… she was pretending to be a plastic surgeon so that she could feel up women in bars. 

I can’t decide if she is dispicable, or my hero…

A word of advice for women out there: plastic surgeons generally work in offices, not bars.

Killer’s uniform burned?

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/11/19/russell-williams-uniform.html

CBC is reporting that the military uniform of former Canadian Forces Commander Russel Williams was purposely burn, by the military.

I freely admit that the man is a disgrace – to the military, to Canada, to his family, to humanity.  And I can understand that in an angry moment many of his victims’ family members would likely feel the urge to do more than just burn his uniform.

But, somehow, having the military itself burn his uniform just seems … I don’t know, overly dramatic.

It’s Rememberance Day, but not at the mall

I pass through the Rideau Centre most mornings on my way to the office, and I’ve noticed that more and more Christmas decorations have been going up this week.  But somehow I was still taken by surprise this afternoon when I walked by and realized that the Santa Claus chair is already set up.

Today is November 11th!!!  NOVEMBER!

It’s too damn early for Christmas decorations, and it is WAY too early for Santa’s chair!!!