A(a)ron(o)

Whence Vancouver

2007-06-22T15:50:48Z

I've wondered about the etymology of the name Vancouver (beyond the fact that the city is named for the English explorer George Vancouver). Here's the answer!

New wheels

2007-05-20T04:44:36Z

Check out my new ride!

It's a Specialized Langster. Some features:

- Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum frame, fully manipulated tubing, compact design, integrated headset
- Specialized carbon fork, carbon fiber legs, aluminum steerer
- Specialized Sport, 3D forged alloy stem and Specialized Comp, 6061 alloy
- Shimano 16t Freewheel plus 16t fixed gear cog
- 42T CNC Zen Messenger chainrings

I'm very excited finally to join the wonderful world of fixed-gear cycling. I got a sick deal on my sweet wheels, and so far my heart's all set aflutter. It's light, responsive and nimble. It's awesome for climbing; it just blew me away how it darts up hills. I'm not super impressed with the saddle or the wheels, so I may swap those out soon, but otherwise I'm a very happy fixie newbie.

Dancing Animals in Love

2007-04-30T15:03:50Z

I came across Dancing Animals in Love last night. I hadn't laughed so hard in a good while!

Specifically, sonjaaa and kvarko came to mind as people who have to see this. Now it's going to be in my head all week.

The sequel is Binge and Purge.

arono @ 2007-04-20T23:26:00

2007-04-21T06:27:53Z

vaginal wedgie = vedgie?

edit: Hm. Apparently so.

Work Less Party - Trailer for "Alarm Clocks Kill Dreams"

2007-03-25T03:55:07Z

I'm not sure whether I'm ready to vote for them yet, but Conrad's book "Workers of the World Relax" is pretty convincing, and they sure do throw fun parties.

Battlestar Canadiana

2007-03-24T16:28:38Z

Wow. I just found out that 9 of the 15 main actors in Battlestar Galactica are at least partly Canadian. With the show filmed in Vancouver, you can bet that most of the minor actors and extras are Canadian as well. It's a wonder I haven't bumped into any of them. Then again, I'm so unobservant that I very well may have already.

Veige

2007-03-22T03:21:55Z

Sigh. Once again I somehow owe Ottawa most of a paycheque's worth. Yes, I'd rather gripe and be called a bad socialist.

I have to look on the bright side. After all, now I can "Aspire to a Stonger, Safer, Better Canada". That and maybe turning a few séparatistes into neo-cons.

Six million wasted votes - That's not democracy

2007-03-18T19:07:36Z

Representative democracy is a simple concept. Citizens elect their representatives. The majority win the right to make decisions.

But do Canadians actually have representative democracy?

In the 2006 federal election, more than 650,000 Green Party voters across the country elected no one. Meanwhile, fewer than a half-million Liberal voters in Atlantic Canada alone elected 20 MPs. In the prairie provinces, Conservatives won three times as many votes as the Liberals, but were given nearly ten times as many seats. But more than 400,000 Conservative voters in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver couldn't elect a single MP. The NDP attracted a million more votes than the Bloc, but the voting system gave the Bloc 51 seats and the NDP 29.

What about majority rule? Canadians are usually ruled by majority governments that the majority voted against. In some provincial elections, parties coming in second in the popular vote have won majority control of the legislature. In other cases, the opposition is sometimes reduced to a seat or two (and in one case, none at all) despite representing forty percent of the electorate.

Check out Fair Vote Canada and please sign the petition si vous êtes canadien(ne).

Edit: This post has generated a lot of discussion over in canadakicksass.

spy-fi soonerism

2007-03-16T03:16:42Z

I do enjoy Stattlebar Lagactica.

That's a bad thing?

2007-03-16T02:18:49Z

I've often heard the supposed disparagement "rats with wings" when referring to pigeons. All I ever think is "awww... that would be cute."

Probably because Swedish isn't in the list

2007-03-15T15:15:50Z

You scored as Danish.

</td>

Danish

63%

Spanish

50%

Polish

50%

Belgian

50%

Dutch

38%

Irish

38%

Swiss

38%

Italian

38%

Turkish

38%

German

25%

French

25%

British

25%

Molvanian

25%

Russian

13%

Which European nationality should you have
created with QuizFarm.com

Aqua?

2007-03-14T16:15:01Z

Could someone explain to me why personal/hygienic products usually list Aqua in their ingredients rather than Water? Is water not exotic enough or something?

Americans are NOT stupid

2007-03-14T01:32:21Z

I haven't decided if this is funny or painful.

(Warning: protect your forehead while viewing.)

Incredible beatboxing

2007-03-10T18:26:41Z

Greedy Rats / Avaraj Ratoj

2007-03-05T15:13:32Z

Charlene teasing Crikey and Chowder with cash (don't worry; they preferred the Cheerios)

Karlina incitetas ratojn Crikey kaj Chowder per monbiletoj (ne zorgu; ili preferis la Cheerios-cerealaĵojn)

Edges of my so-far world

2007-02-26T07:21:04Z

Ooh, ooh! My turn.

The northernmost place* I've been in the world is the Sognefjord in Norway. In North America, Edmonton, Alberta.

The southernmost place I've been in the world is Davis, California. In Europe, Provence, France.

The easternmost place I've been in the world is Serbia (either Belgrade or somewhere on the way to or from Čačak). In North America, Cape Spear, Newfoundland -- as far east as you can go!**

The westernmost place I've been in the world is Tofino, British Columbia. In Europe, London, England.

* on land; my recent flight from Frankfurt to Vancouver took me over Greenland and the high Canadian arctic.

** unless Greenland counts.

Gates vs. Jobs

2007-02-23T06:22:56Z

"I'm just reminding everyone that PCs are for fart huffers and Macs get you laid."

Binger Dining Trough

2007-02-19T05:24:18Z

For those who haven't already seen it, here's an infomercial parody that I helped make back in school:

Miracle fruit

2007-02-07T15:20:44Z

Have you tried miracle fruit? Sounds fascinating...

arono @ 2007-02-04T16:57:00

2007-02-05T01:02:18Z

A young fellow from Newfoundland moves to Calgary and goes to a big everything-under-one-roof department store looking for a job.

The manager says, "Do you have any sales experience?"

The kid says, "Yeah, I was a salesman back home in Newfoundland."

Well, the boss liked the kid so he gave him the job. "You start tomorrow. I'll come down after we close and see how you did."

His first day on the job was rough but he got through it. After the store was locked up, the boss came down. "How many sales did you make today?"

The kid says, "One."

The boss says, "Just one? Our sales people average 20 or 30 sales a day. You're going to have to improve considerably or look for another job! How much was the sale for?"

The kid says, "$112,237.64."

The boss says, "$112,237.64! What the hell did you sell?"

Kid says, "First I sold him a small fish hook. Then I sold him a medium fish hook. Then I sold him a larger fish hook. Then I sold him a new fishing rod. Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he said out at the lake in BC, so I told him he was gonna need a boat, so we went down to the boat department and I sold him a new bass boat. Then he said he didn't think his Honda Civic would pull it, so I took him down to the automotive department and sold him that new Ford pick-up. I asked him how long he was going to be out at the lake and after he said 5 or 6 days I took him down to the RV department and sold him a slide-in camper for the truck."

The boss says, "A guy came in here to buy a fish hook and you sold him a boat, a truck and a camper?"

Kid says, "No, he came in here to buy a box of tampons for his wife and I said, 'Well, your weekend's shot, you might as well go fishing.'"

arono @ 2007-02-04T16:52:00

2007-02-05T00:55:21Z

Another rainy Vancouver day... can't complain though, we had a good run.

Charlene and I went boarding with Jamie on Friday after work. The snow was too grainy and the runs scary-ass icy, but it was just the right temperature, there was zero wind and we had unlimited visibility of the city lights - and of a full moon like a cherry on top.

Yesterday we got together with some friends for a birthday dinner for Andrea. We took advantage of the Dine Out Vancouver promotion. A bunch of restaurants offer a limited menu for a fixed, significantly discounted price. It's a great opportunity to try a restaurant you couldn't normally otherwise afford. We ate at an Italian place in Gastown, Al Porto, just down the street from where I work. Delicious seafood and good company.

Laying low today, except that I managed to drag Charlene out for a seawall ride in the rain. I really enjoy riding in the rain when I'm dressed for it. And you can claim so much more territory when everyone else is seeking shelter. :)

SDP - Anfang Anzufangen

2007-02-03T20:21:04Z

I can't get enough of this song/video!

Kiam aŭtoj helpetas

2006-12-01T02:54:23Z

Although I'm a firm believer that cars are inappropriate in an urban centre, I guess I have to admit that when a winter storm hits Vancouver, they're not all bad. (Their tires carve a path in the ice for my bike.)

Kvankam mi havas firman kredon ke aŭtoj estas maltaŭgaj en urbocentro, mi tamen konfesu ke kiam vintra ŝtormo trafas Vankuveron, ili ne estas tute malbonaj. (Iliaj pneŭoj ĉizas vojeton el la glacio por mia biciklo.)

When the clouds lift

2006-11-25T17:44:53Z

Vancouver seduces: it leads you along, sullenly taunting you with its seemingly endless grey, introverted days of rain and dankness. Then, just as you feel that you can't stand it anymore and are about to forsake it for another, the clouds lift, the sun breaks through, smiling beatifically on the land, that seductive mountain panorama reveals itself once more, and your heart is captured all over again ...

- Lance Berelowitz, Dream City

arono @ 2006-11-21T22:43:00

2006-11-22T05:43:35Z

Video: You Never Bike Alone (teaser)

Gush!

ruckachoni and I are part of the Critical Mass every month, rain or shine. I can't wait to see this film. So many familiar faces!

If you're ever in Vancouver on the last Friday of the month, bring your bike to the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery for 6:00pm and meet us there! There's nothing like it that I've ever experienced.