QUOTE OF THE DAY : "No I'm sorry, I don't think so." -Snooty Englishman's response when I asked if I could get by him on the train.

SONG OF THE DAY : Rob Dougan - I'm Not Driving Anymore

LINK OF THE DAY : The Generator: Where I'm staying for the next 3 days.

Now I am alone. O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!

Arrived back in London last night. One last night of relative nicety, and then I become a bottom feeder. My Uncle put it best... I am now a transient youth. I am what I'm wearing and have in my backpack.

I don't feel worried or scared. I'm enjoying this. I'm just taking everything as it comes.
I'm doing touristy things, but don't act like a tourist.

I see so many people, who are obviously from out of town. Fanny pack, giant camera around there neck, and map in hand... Squinting as they look to the street signs to find out where the hell they are. It's like saying to thieves and pickpockets

"Here I am. Please rob me !"

I think I'm the opposite. I just walk around with the shirt on my back, camera and utility knife attached to my belt. I do have a fanny pack of sorts, but it's meant to be worn under your shirt. I keep all the important stuff in there, so if I were to be mugged I could just casually hand them my wallet and not worry about losing my ID.

I really think more people should travel like transient youth. I've met many other people like myself, and we all laugh at the hardcore tourists.

The only way I would really be distinguishable from the average Briton were if I opened my mouth. They would hear my ever present Canadian accent with a tinge of Maritimer. That and the fact that I don't wear my jacket very often. The poor Brits call this weather cold. They obviously have never lived in Halifax(Nova Scotia that is).

So the lesson is. See as much as you can, experience as much as you can. Take it all in stride, no need to get all worked up over something that will probably work out in the long run anyways.

My Uncle is bringing back some pictures from his digital camera. I'll get my hands on them somehow and post them here or send them out to people.

I wish everyone the kind of experience I'm having.

Signing off.

-Will   Thursday, October 30, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "Ich hätte gern ein grosses bier!" - Me. By far the most useful expression in Germany. I would like a large beer.

SONG OF THE DAY : Beethoven's 9th Symphony. In honor of my visit to Germany.

LINK OF THE DAY : KaDeWe. The greatest store in the world.

And thus I clothe my naked villany
With odd old ends stol’n forth of Holy Writ,
And seem a saint when most I play the devil.

So here I am. In the heart of Berlin.

Quite a town. Admittedly, my German needs work... but I can get by with what I know. Plus a lot of people speak english. So when in doubt just say 'Sprechen sie Englisch ?', works like a charm.

Explored the city a bit last night. Went bar-hopping, met some fellow travellers and had one to many grosses biers. Then I came to this internet cafe to talk to people back home. Between 11 and 1 at night seems like a good time to contact people. The time difference can be a little annoying at times.

Berlin is disturbingly historic. If you think about it, this city was the geopolitical cog that kept the world turning in the 20th century. From World War I, to the depression. During World War II, and the Cold War. It was also where the Cold War ended, and the Soviet Empire collapsed. Yes indeed, a great deal of history.

Visited the Siegessäule last night. It's a massive monument that Hitler had erected after Germany's victory in France. Very beautiful monument dedicated to a very bad thing.

This morning I walked around old Berlin. The Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie.

Checkpoint Charlie in case you didn't know was the only link between East and West Germany for 50 years. It now sits amidst commercial developments and apartment buildings. Prisoner exchanges, international espionage, human smuggling all took place there. It was very unique to stand where that had happened.

One thing I've learned about Germany, is that I don't like their keyboards. Certain keys are reversed like Z and Y which makes it very hard to type coherently if you're used to a North American keyboard. However I rectified that situation by using a knife to pry out Z and Y and reversed them to what I'm used to. I knew that knife would come in handy hehe.

Today I've just been wandering around the city, aimlessly but with purpose. Just want to see what I can and absorb it all. I've already met a lot of great people, and I haven't even been gone a week.

This evening I'm going to meet up with my Uncle and we're going to search out the location of Hitler's Bunker. It's obviously not a big tourist draw, but you can find it if you look hard enough. Ironically, it's now a childrens playground.
I'll stomp the Führer's grave a few times for you all.

This one's for the Kaiser !

-Will

P.S. For the love of god somebody post comments. I want feedback and I miss everyone back in Toronto... leave a message for your old buddy Will.   Monday, October 27, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "There's an old saying where I come from. You can fool me... Fool me once... Shame on..... ...... ..... Shame on you..... ..... You can fool me but younot gonna fool me agin." Dubya

SONG OF THE DAY : The song from the funny beer ad I saw today. You had to be there.

LINK OF THE DAY : 20 Minutes of Darkness.

The weight of this sad time we must obey;
Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
The oldest hath borne most: we that are young
Shall never see so much, nor live so long.

It takes 20 minutes to do, and it's black as night. Yes I'm talking about the Chunnel (Channel-Tunnel). Not much to see when you're going through it. Kind of cool to think that just 10 years ago... travelling by train between Europe and England was impossible... now you can, very cool. The train is bloody fast too. Goes about 200 km/h. Dang fast.

So now I'm in Brussels, Belgium. Kind of scuzzy, but charming at the same time. Seems to have a cool nightlife from what I saw... checked out the pubs and the sites for about an hour and a bit tonight. Going to check out more before I leave tomorrow. It's very old and I'd like to stay longer... but at least I can say I've been here now.

Tomorrow off to Berlin. Should be fun. I'm really interested in WW2 stuff... but the Germans are not too keen to talk about it, it seems. Can't really blame them though. Admittedly the Nazis were horrible and evil. But they united Germany and accomplished incredible feats for a nation of their size. It's kind of not fair that there are no memorials to the German war dead in Germany. They weren't all Nazis. Most were just brave young men who wanted what was best for their country... most didn't know they were acting in the name of evil. History is written by the winners though, and that's just the way it is.

This is not pro Nazi or anything just to let you know... just expressing my thoughts on the matter. Germans seem pretty tight lipped on the subject... I'll have to explore it further.

So for now I will go chill and then sleep. My legs kill, I've been walking so much and so often... feels like my shins are about to split in half.

Let the good times roll.

-Will
   Saturday, October 25, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "Who are you and what are you doing in my home?" -Lionel Hutz

SONG OF THE DAY : Moonlight Sonata - That's what I woke up to today because someone in the next room was blasting it at 7 AM.

LINK OF THE DAY : Westminster Abbey. Very cool place.

And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on th' other -.

Too much to see. Too little time.

Walked around London all day yesterday. And I do mean all day. Got up at 6 am. Got back to the room around 11 pm. My legs were killing me, but it was well worth it.

Started the day off with a visit to Westminster Abbey, continued on to The Imperial War Museum, had lunch at the historic Geoge Inn Pub, checked out the Tower of London. After that I made my way over to the British Museum, which was so huge I had to leave because it took so long, I didn't even see half the museum !

I left the museum and walked around for 3 hours, just exploring the city. Checking out cool shops and places throughout the city. I love just walking around Toronto, so London is like a dream for me. Buy a day pass for the tube and you're all set. You can get anywhere.

Westminster Abbey is perhaps the most extraordinary place I've ever been inside. The age of the building and the city itself boggles the mind. There are tombs of people who died 1000 years ago in the Abbey. Incredible. You'll want to be careful where you step too. I stopped at one point to just look up and admire the ceiling, only to realize I was standing on Rudyard Kiplings grave. "Oops sorry Rudyard!" I said as I backed up onto Laurence Olivier's grave. Everywhere you stand there is history right underneath you. A very cool experience.

When I walk around London, I don't have a backpack on, and my camera is safely inside my jacket. I don't advertise the fact that I'm a tourist. I was mistaken for a local 4 times yesterday. "Do you know how to get to the tube from here?" A fat American asked. "I'm as lost as you buddy hehe." I said... He looked surprised that I didn't have an accent.
I suppose I do look like a British person though, considering that's my primary lineage... maybe I'll pretend to be a local the next time someone asks me for help.

Went to some pubs last night. The places the locals hang out, not the tourist haunts. It really gives you a feel for the city, I've already met a lot of cool people.

Later today I'm headed to Berlin for a week, and then it's back to the UK. But not without stopping in Belgium and Amsterdam. I've heard Brussells is pretty boring, but Amsterdam is... well you know, crazy. Should be a fun little trip.
Plus I get to go through the Chunnel.

My next post will probably be from somewhere in continental Europe.
So until then... Keep watching the skiis! I mean... skies !

-Will





   Saturday, October 25, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "Shift 2 = " ? Damn crazy UK keyboards !!!"

SONG OF THE DAY : Kelly Osbourne - Pappa Don't Preach. Only Because it's the first song I've heard today. Horrible.

LINK OF THE DAY : LONDON!

What would he do,
Had he the motive and the cue for passion
That I have? He would drown the stage with tears
And cleave the general ear with horrid speech,
Make mad the guilty and appal the free,
Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed
The very faculties of eyes and ears.

18 hours of travelling. With a non existent night... I am so confused right now. My watch says 5:30 in the morning... but it's clearly 10:30 am outside. The bleary eyed traveller has arrived in London without a wink of sleep in nearly 24 hours. And I still have 3 more hours to kill.

London... London... What to say about London? Well Considering I just got here I can't say much. That's why when I'm finished this I will go for a little walking tour.

Just checked my bag at the hotel that my Uncle and I will be staying at for the next few days. Damn space bar ! Work !
This internet cafe is located right across the street from Victoria station. Which in relationt to the rest of London... is somewhere in the middle.

Took the tube from Heathrow. That is a big frigging airport. Counted 23 jumbo-jets on our way in. The tube was unique. Not like the subways in Toronto... nice and smooth. The London underground is a jarring, bumpy, stop and go experience. I'm sick of moving vehicles for now... so I will walk.

First stop: The British Museum. It's free... and supposed to be incredible. We can all gawk at what England raped and pillaged from so many countries during it's imperial reign.

Anyways, I'm so very tired and confused right now. So I will leave you now.
More... Later.

-Will   Thursday, October 23, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "Like a midget at a urinal, we will have to stay on our toes." -Unknown

SONG OF THE DAY : Saves The Day - Anywhere With You.

LINK OF THE DAY : Canuck Abroad

Good night, good night!
parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow

My journey will begin at 5:30 AM tomorrow. It will complete sometime on December 14th. That's a long time.

It's going to be one hell of an experience. All packed and ready to go... I think. Obviously, I'm excited. People seem to think that I should be nervous... I'm not. Anyone who knows me, knows that I take everything in stride... I'm very laid back. I'm sure there will be some pitfalls, but there will also be some great times. But enough blabbering, it has been a busy day and I am very tired.

So for now, I will go and sleep. My next post will probably be from some internet cafe in London.

-Will

P.S. If I die promise me you will avenge my death. And avenge it good. I would do the same for you.   Tuesday, October 21, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "Based on what you know about him in history books, what do you think Abraham Lincoln would be doing if he were alive today?
A) Writing his memoirs of the Civil War.
B) Advising the President.
C) Desperately clawing at the inside of his coffin."
- David Letterman

SONG OF THE DAY : Sloan - Rest of My Life

LINK OF THE DAY : All About Shakespeare

I will not yield,
To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet,
And to be baited with the rabble's curse.
Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane,
And thou opposed, being of no woman born,
Yet I will try the last. Before my body
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff,
And damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'


Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood

Saw this film for the first time tonight. Throne of Blood is Kurosawa's retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth. I thought it was a great film. The direction was classic Kurosawa, and the cinematography was amazing. On top of that you had an incredibly disturbing performance by Toshiro Mifune as Washizu, the Macbeth character. It's by no means a feel good movie.

The end of the film is by far the most memorable part. His castle under siege, his sanity gone, and defeat soon at hand; Washizu's men turn against him brutally kill him with a hail of hundreds of arrows. He is determined to live and it takes an arrow through the neck to finally kill him. This scene was obviously the inspiration for the famous "SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND" scene at the end of Scarface.

Kurosawa was a very influential director. Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas idolized him as film students and subsequently produced two of Kurosawa's later films. Sergio Leone's 'Fistful of Dollars' and the Clint Eastwood 'Man With no Name' character were based of Kurosawa's film 'Yojimbo', also starring Toshiro Mifune. The 'Seven Samurai' was also the basis for the famous western: 'The Magnificent Seven'.

He's a hell of a director and I highly recommend you check out his movies if you can. Among them I can personally recommend The Seven Samurai, Stray Dog, Ikiru, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Ran, Kagemusha, Red Beard and of course Throne of Blood.

If you're more into action check out The Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro and Stray Dog. If you like Shakespeare, Ran and Throne of Blood are retellings of King Lear and Macbeth. The rest are dramas, and I recommend them as well.

Yes I am a Kurosawa fanboy, but if you haven't seen any of his stuff... you really should.

Anyways,

I'm a frequent poster on Fark.com. Like most online communities we have our share of cliches and inside jokes, Like Admiral "IT'S A TRAP!" Ackbar, Mustard Guy, and the squirrell with the huge nuts.




Take the "Which FARK Cliche Are You" quiz!

Catch you on the flip side !

-Will   Friday, October 17, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "Lies are the only ultimate Truth." - Ruddiger von Epplestinger

SONG OF THE DAY : U.N.K.L.E. - Eye for an Eye

LINK OF THE DAY : My DVD Collection

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,--
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.


Is Will ready for Europe?

And is Europe ready for Will?

So my Uncle emailed me last night. The plan was to tag along with my Uncle on a business trip to Europe, and then I would just stay over there for about 2 months. The exact date of departure has been up in the air... But the email I received last night confirmed when I would be leaving.

One week from today. One week from today I will depart on a trip that will last two months. Talk about time to plan... This next week will be insanely busy for me. Organizing... Planning.... Packing... Chilling... Fretting... Anticipating. DAMN this is gonna be sweet!

I purchased my Eurorail Youth Flexi Pass today. It lets me travel anywhere in the EU for 15 days in a 2 month period. I am going to see as much as I can in that time frame.

I know I'm going to run out of money... But I can be thrifty when I need to be.

New people, New places... Good times. You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to this.

The plan is to update my blog from various web cafes while I'm over there. So check back to see my progress.

In the next week I have to : Get my Youth Hostel card, Outline where I want to go, Get a credit card, Make amends with my lady friend, Have a going away party with numerous people, And somehow grasp the fact that I'll be on my own for 2 months. As pathetic as that last one sounds I've never been away from family and friends for more than a month... Sue me.

Now if you'll excuse me all this talk has made me hungry.
*Takes a bite out of a lemon*

-Will

   Thursday, October 16, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "Only a gamer knows what it feels like to be out of mana." - Greg Kasavin, Executive Editor Gamespot.com

SONG OF THE DAY : Peter Kruder - Who Am I

LINK OF THE DAY : Some crazy white kid freestyling. Funny.

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.


Just another face in the crowd.

The meaning of Life: To perpetuate ones own existence, while ensuring that your seed is passed on.

That pretty much sums it up. If you really think about it, life is kind of boring. I mean, I like being alive, hell it's better than being dead... But in the end really what is the point of existence.

You're born. You learn from the environment and people around you how to interact socially. You get older. You go to school to be educated. You work your ass off in school so you can go to a good college/university. You get older. You work your ass off in college/university so you can get a good job. You get older. You get married, maybe have a couple of kids. You get older. You work your ass off at your job so you can provide for your family and retire. You get older. You retire and bask in the so-called meaningful existence that you've carved out for yourself. You die.

That is your life. Billions of people have done it before you, and billions more will after you die.

Aww HELL! I love life, and I hate pointing out its frivolity and pointlessness. Life isn't precious... It's a product of itself. An unending cycle unto itself. What you do may mean a lot to you... But in the long run... You're just another person... Another mouth to feed... Another person to bury. We work so hard... but for what? To what end?

Ahhh to be so cynical at such a young age.
I'll end on a high note.
Life is good, make what you want out of it. If you're enjoying yourself that's all that matters.

And now for something completely different.


You are Form 8, Demon: The Destroyer.

"And The Demon took advantage of the chaos
and seized civillization. With grace and
style, Demon slit The Goddess's belly and
drowned the world in her blood. The Goddess,
The Demon, and the world were no
more."

Some examples of the Demon Form are Seth (Egyptian)
and The Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Christian).
The Demon is associated with the concept of
destruction, the number 8, and the element of
earth.
His sign is the full moon.

As a member of Form 8, you are a very strong willed
individual. You don't let others' opinions
sway your own and you're usually not afraid to
speak your mind. However, some may see you as
a bit overly passionate but it's just because
you never back down from your values. No
matter what, you always do everything with
style. Demons are the best friends to have
because they will back you up.


Which Mythological Form Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Heart still beating. I'm still here.

-Will
   Tuesday, October 14, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "God Bless America, and God help Canada to put up with them." --Unknown

SONG OF THE DAY : Mos Def and The High and Mighty - B-Boy

LINK OF THE DAY : Newgrounds: Fun Flash Games

Let them come:
They come like sacrifices in their trim,
And to the fire-eyed maid of smoky war
All hot and bleeding will we offer them:
The mailed Mars shall on his altar sit
Up to the ears in blood.



Ahh... It's good to be back in Nar Shaddaa. Only 30 people here? I remembered this place when it was full constantly and you had to fight to get in.

Nar Shaddaa: A fictional den of scum and villainy that doubled as a place for 12 year old newbies to say how gay things were, and for seasoned vets to say how stupid the newbies were; And then promptly whoop their collective asses. I am of course talking about a now derelict meeting place for gamers.

I'm a gamer. I'll always be a gamer. I enjoy playing games, both online and offline. I've had a lot of good times playing games. Back in my junior high and high school days, I played a game called Jedi Knight : Dark Forces 2. Sequel to the popular Star Wars set first person shooter Dark Forces... 1.

This was a great game. One of the best games of all time in my opinion. I played it online and I met a bunch of great people through it, many of whom I've known for almost 7 years. We were in gaming guilds/clans. Pretty self-explanatory... We were part of the clan, we stuck together, and we fought other clans.

They were good times, and unlike anything else that has been before. A group of people around the world, strangers, come together in the name of fun, without ever meeting in person. Online gaming is a very unique experience. And was even more unique in 1997, which in terms of the internet was a long frigging time ago.

It's just kind of mind boggling. I've known these clanmates longer than some of my real life friends. Yet I haven't, and probably will never meet any of them. We weren't computer geeks who couldn't even talk to a woman, some of us probably were... But we all for the most part were normal guys and girls who just enjoyed competition. I only know the real names of a few of my clanmates. Most though I only knew by their internet alias' ; DE_Exar_Kun, Admiral_KsD, KDE_Euphoria, Jedi Master_KsD, Surge_KsD, Gordakarn, DE_Rebel1, HecRol, etc. The list goes on, you know who you are.

Call it the ramblings of a washed up hardcore gamer... But we were the best. We were respected in clan circles. Our clan Dark Empire probably had some of the best players in the world in it, and I'm not exaggerating that fact. What is internet respect worth though ? In '97... Not a hell of a lot. As time goes on though, I think that will change. Already there are professional online gamers, albeit few and far between. They will multiply though, as gaming comes to the forefront of public consciousness.

I think in retrospect, 25 years from now, people like my former clanmates and I will be seen as trail blazers. My friends-who-are-strangers and I had a lot of good times, and whether or not I ever meet them in person doesn't matter. We shared an experience that we'll all probably remember for the rest of our lives, and you can't ask for more than that.

So to all the great people I've met in my online gaming travels...
Thanks for the good times... It was fun.

Logging off the Zone.

-Will
   Sunday, October 12, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "In the beginning, there was nothing. And the Lord said: 'LET THERE BE LIGHT' and there was still nothing but now you could see it." --Unknown

SONG OF THE DAY : The Trews - Take What You Can

LINK OF THE DAY : Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.



I'm invincible when I'm drunk. I can do anything, I can say anything, I feel no pain and I do not hesitate.
I'm vincible when I'm sober. I could do anything, I could say anything; But I don't.
I can feel pain and I will hesitate if my conscience tells me to.

Ahhh alcohol. How I love thee. I'm no alcoholic... But I do enjoy a good booze fest. As many people of my age do.
It dulls the senses, and makes everything seem so good.

It robs you of your little Devil and Angel, you can't hear those little bastards perched on your shoulders. It steals your self-conscious. This can be a good thing... It puts you in a state of I-Don't-Give-A-Fuck-The-World-Is-Mine.

I've had a lot of good loaded-times. I've had a lot of good sober times. Why can't there be some sort of middle ground? Hmm... I guess that would be buzzed. I enjoy answering my own questions.

Of course you all know this, unless you are one of those non drinkers. To the non-drinkies I say, You don't know what you're missing.

I know in the long run alcohol is bad. A friend once described the state of inebriation as your body saying
"WHOA ! What the fuck are you doing to me? This is wrong !"
And that's what it is... You're pumping toxic chemicals into your body, and your body is reacting the only way it knows how.

But enough about the vices of rotgut; In my opinion spirits can be a great thing, but only in the company of friends... Or ladies. ;) Alone is ok... If it's just a beer, or a glass of wine to relax. However if you find yourself drinking a bottle of vodka every night... You either have a drinking problem, or are a former President of Russia. Eh Boris ?

So to all you people out there in internet land, A Toast !
Good times, Good Company and Good Drinking for All !

-Will

P.S. Go see Kill Bill. Tarantino at his best. I loved that movie. Saw it on Thursday at a sneak peek, and saw it on Friday with my Dad. It's a total throwback to classic martial arts movies. Quality, Top Quality.   Saturday, October 11, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "We are not retreating - we are advancing in another Direction."
--General Douglas MacArthur

SONG OF THE DAY : The Strokes - 12:51

LINK OF THE DAY : The Governator

We have seen the best of our times.
Machinations, hollowness, treachery,
And all ruinous disorders follow us disquietly to our graves.



Well, any second now it's going to start raining frogs. All the first born sons will die and the Four Horsemen will ride again. I think the world is going to end soon. Arnold Schwarzenegger is now the Governor-Elect of California. Or CALIFOURNIA as he would say.

I can't say I'm surprised. I mean if I had to choose between Gray Davis or Arnold... I'd have to go with Arnold. As the lesser of two goofballs. I wish Mr. Schwarzenegger all the best, and I hope he helps fix California.

Since I'm a socially moderate, fiscally conservative Tory, I think Arnold is my kind politician.

I'm not going to discuss all that groping and Hitler envy talk that came up in the past few days. I think most of it was just dirty politics.

As for the other candidates, it was quite a circus. Surprisingly Gary Coleman came in 6th... with over 5000 votes.
And Pornstar Mary Carey got almost 4000 votes.
I'm just thankful that Arianna "Demi-bitch-Liberal-Idiot" Huffington dropped out and spared all of California.

I knew too much about this California Recall... That's what happens when you're a news junkie.

What else can I say ? Hmmm... What else IS there to say ?
This is pretty fucked up... for lack a better expression.

Odd times we live in... truly odd times.

-Will   Wednesday, October 08, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "A man exists for a generation, but his name lasts to the end of time." --Yamamoto Tsunetomo from The Hagakure

SONG OF THE DAY : The Trews : Fleeting Trust

LINK OF THE DAY : Gamespot.com : If you are a gamer, this is the site for you.

Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.



True change can only be affected if everyone takes part in it. When it comes to voting, a truer outcome will result if everyone takes part. That was not the case however in the Ontario Provincial election held last week.

I was disgusted by the low turnout. Especially in my age group. I was only too happy to vote, I was supporting my party and what I believed in. Yet people seem to think that it's ok if they don't vote. If you don't vote... You let others speak for you.

Voting is your democratic right, nay your duty. People take this freedom shit for granted. We should be thankful we even have the right to vote, many people in the world don't.

People my age in Ontario, seem to support the NDP and Liberal parties. Poor NDP... They didn't achieve official party status, they only got 7 seats out of a possible 103. You need 8 seats to be considered an official party and get the funding and perks that come along with party status. It's just a shame to see that happen. If the voter turnout in my demographic had been higher, then maybe the NDP would actually be a valid political body in Ontario. Sadly that was not the case.

That's not to say I support the NDP, I'm just a strong believer in a fair political process.

I'm a supporter of the Progressive Conservative Party(The ultimate Oxymoron according to Max) and a member of the PC Party of Canada. I voted for the PC party in my riding... Which is an NDP stronghold. Some would say I was just throwing my vote away, but every vote counts.

The Tories (conservatives) have been in power in Ontario for 8 years. That's a long time. People just wanted change... And not too much could change that. As a result the Liberals won the election. And led by the Pencil necked, Pipe Dreamer Dalton McGuinty they hope to improve the quality of life in Ontario. Should be interesting to see what happens.



Admittedly, The PC leader Ernie Eves looks like an even more washed up version of Mickey Rourke... But damned if that man and his predecessor Mike Harris didn't do some good for our province. One million jobs were created. Ontario's economy is the strongest in Canada, and one of the stronger economies in North America. All this while having to deal with terrorism, SARS, West Nile virus, Mad Cow, a blackout, and strained relations with the US. We're doing pretty well all things considering.

When you prosper in some things, invariably you will suffer in other things else. People were overly critical of the Tory failures, and overlooked their incredible triumphs. They did a lot of good for our province, but times are a changing... And I'm sure the Liberals will do some good too. I just prefer the PC way of government.

For the benefit of non-parliamentary system/non-Canadian readers. The PC party is the equivalent of a moderate Republican party in the US. The Liberals are basically Democrats. And the New Democratic Party(NDP) are the closest you can to communism without kissing Karl Marx's ass. A biased opinion no doubt... But hey you want unbiased opinions... Don't read what I write hehe.

So to sum it up... I was disgusted by low turnout in my age group, and disappointed by the result of the election.

On to more pedestrian subjects. Scarface and Pulp Fiction are now my two favorite films, and I'm seeing Kill Bill on Thursday night. Quentin Tarantino is a talented bastard.

"Mmmmm... This is a tasty burger."

-Will




   Tuesday, October 07, 2003

  QUOTE OF THE DAY : "One may know how to win, but no one can be sure of victory." -- Sun Tzu

SONG OF THE DAY : Jurassic 5 : Quality Control

LINK OF THE DAY : Rogers: My Favorite People right now.

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York.

Yes Richard III, you said it... This son of York(North York) has returned from his internet banishment to bring some light back into your lives. Did you miss me ?

This damn cold weather has been killing me... It's not meant to be this cold at this time of the year. Warm weather is coming soon... No worries.

So where have I been ? I've been feeding chimpanzees in a third world nation of your choice for the past week. Yes... That's the ticket.

No I was actually suspended for a week from the internet by my internet service provider. Good old Rogers Hispeed... Masters of public relations. Somehow... A Trojan horse virus made it's way on to my computer. It was in a file downloaded by either my brother or myself.... I'll wager it was my brother... But this isn't the blame game.

Anyways... This Trojan allowed some fuck to use my computer and internet connection to send unsolicited emails (SPAM) to people. Rogers received a complaint, several in fact.... And rather than helping me correct the situation they just cut of my connection. I spoke to their tech people, on numerous occasions in the past week... They assured me that it wasn't my fault and that many other people were in the same boat as me... But they couldn't turn my connection back on, or else their servers would get black listed by others... It's all a rich tapestry of techno-babble that I will spare you from... But they were justified.

Still... It was a little unfair... That I their loyal customer of 4+ years is made to suffer... Internet-less for a week. While some Spammer fuck profits from my misfortune. Well not this time MOFO ! I've outfitted my computer with the latest and best antivirus and firewall technology money can buy. It ain't gonna happen again:

#1. Because it angered me beyond belief.
and
#2. Because if it happens again Rogers will suspend my account for a month.

I don't want to take my business elsewhere... Because this is the first problem I've ever had with Rogers. I've been a very satisfied customer up until now... But if they suspend me for a month... Punish me like a child who has misbehaved when I'm not the one at fault... I'll be forced to switch to another ISP.

Now some of you are saying... A week... Big fucking deal. But when the internet is a primary means of communication with people, and a prime source of entertainment and news... It kind of sucks. I missed out on a lot of stuff... And I wasn't able to update my precious blog.

And that is that.
Check back to hear me discuss my disgust with the Ontario Election.

-Will

   Monday, October 06, 2003