I'm somewhat amused that this video of the first 24 hours in an embryo's life was released the day before Henry Morgentaler receives the Order of Canada today.

I want the US Election to be over. Four years ago I was so tired of hearing about John Kerry I actually pledged allegiance to George Bush, solely in hopes of seeing an irate media try to deal with their lack of power over people. It happened, hilarity ensued, I slept fine. Here we are again and I can't look sideways without hearing about Obama this, Obama that. I hope McCain wins, so hilarity may ensue once more. I know he won't, but a man can have dreams.

A couple rays of light shone on me yesterday when I moved east of Woodbine during the lunch hour. First, the 12th Fret is a great little music store located close to the office, and houses some authentic vintage Strats and Teles. Second, there may be an independent cafe opening. Of course, they could be independent and selling swill, but in the absence of anything resembling good coffee I'll cross my fingers and hope. I'm so close to just bringing in a french press but then I'm setting myself up for taunting.

Have a great Thanksgiving weekend, everyone!

Today's Random Links
Clint Malarchuk is bound and determined to injure every part of his head.
10 reasons to care about this new NHL season.
The secret to a long life? Celibacy!

Now Playing
Matt Nathanson - Some Mad Hope

No way of scaling down pictures at the office yet so I can't post anything pretty for us this morning. If I could post something, though, it would totally be this one. Today marks day two and I'm typing this from my desk at 58Ninety on the new company laptop. I was second in this morning but as a commuter from Bolton I've got to leave before 7 if I have any hopes of snagging a parking spot at Kipling Station. There's free street parking down here so it is in my head that it might be worthwhile to start driving straight down at some point, but I'll likely wait until the TTC charges for parking to start that.

So this area is a little bit on the remote side at Woodbine and Danforth, and as I was warned a few times in the days leading up to my start, there's almost no decent food to be had. My boss took me across the street to Melanie's Bistro, which was actually quite nice, but indicated it was the only nice restaurant within walking distance. I'm hitting up Restaurantica, OurFaves, and Chowhound in hopes of securing a couple more regular haunts within a km or so. Yesterday was dark, dreary, and drab, and coupled with my job effectively being reading all day it put my brain in neutral. It was certainly a nicer commute in this morning, what with sunshine and all, and I was second in the office so I've got a little time to myself to type this.

The coffee from the automatic machine is not good. No Starbucks within three TTC stops. This may cause trouble.

Today's Random Links
10 new ways to eat bacon you may not have thought of.
A list of over 25 useful Twitter tools and Firefox apps.
21 Nintendo facts.. they own the Seattle Mariners?!

Now Playing
Brett Dennen - So Much More

I finally found some pants. So new pants, new shirts, two new water bottles, two boxes of granola bars, and I'm just about ready to go tomorrow. My attempts to buy a Metropass were thwarted when I found out they don't sell them after the fourth business day of the month, save for two stations that are nowhere near me (or anyone, for that matter). Looks like I need to sneak my way in tomorrow, jump off at Islington, use the automatic machine there, and finally have a Metropass for the rest of the month. This will work for three months at least at which point the TTC is going to stop offering free parking to Metropass customers, and likely force me into driving downtown on a daily basis. I'm a big TTC fan, but man they have no clue how to run a business.

Nobody else here uses Twitter, eh? Oddly enough it's become somewhat of an addiction, making random text updates while I'm out and about. I've been using it to keep up on the few friends I have that are on it, and to check out the industry experts who use it to offer up random links. Strange enough, even the Canadian Electoral Candidates are using it: Stephen Harper, Stephane Dion, Jack Layton, and Elizabeth May. Think of it as blogging in 140 characters or less - and tie it into your Facebook status - and you'll probably find yourself getting addicted as well.

Thanks to Justin for this one, which deserves a place above the random links - www.sendbarackyourbaby.com: Barack Obama travels a lot, but many babies live in places he hasn’t been. That’s why he’s now accepting babies by mail. Send him your baby, and he’ll kiss it and send it back to you.

Can I keep (mostly) daily updates going with the new job? Only time will tell..

Today's Random Links
Gmail users may enjoy Mail Goggles, for those late night mistakes.
The secrets of 'Survivor' revealed, like why so many actors?
Woman saves a man's life by placing her bra on his head.

Now Playing
Dog's Eye View - Tomorrow Never Comes

Every year I enjoy throwing myself out there with some hockey related predictions, and this year is no different. Last night was my first live Yahoo! draft where I competed with eight others to build a team to carry us through a rotisserie scoring season. I drafted third overall and went a bit off the grid to secure my goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov. I'm confident in the Sharks this year, and in Nabokov starting between 75 and 80 of their games. I quickly solidified my defence with Nicklas Lidstrom, Dan Boyle, and Andrei Markov, which should give me the best blueline in the contest (with Craig Rivet added a little later). Marian Hossa and Alexei Kovalev make me solid at RW, and the rest of my team is a bit of a hope and a prayer with Derek Roy, Marc Savard, Chris Kunitz, Dustin Byfuglien, Shawn Horcoff, and Jonathan Cheechoo. Should be fun!

On to the issues that count - Rick's predicted order of finish in the NHL this year.

Keep in mind the 3rd team has to be a division leader, and I've put in brackets where their point total would put them. Following that, the top 20 forwards, top 10 defence, and top 10 goalies. Post your thoughts and own lists in comments!

Today's Random Links
Will Google use Chrome to index the password-protected web?
Apple threatening to shut down the iTunes Store?
10 creepiest old ads (Thanks, Rob!)

Now Playing
Brett Dennen - So Much More

October 8th will mark my eighth week of unemployment, save for the fact I've accepted a job and will launch a new career on that day with 58Ninety, a digital ad agency in downtown Toronto. My role will be as a Client Engagement Manager, which I've been attempting to describe as a cross between an account and a project manager, working on the CTVglobemedia account. Those close to me know I've longed to work in an agency as long as I've been into marketing, and seeing as they focus on the internet it truly does appear to be a great role for me. I actually had the good fortune to receive two offers this week from two great companies, and I was forced to make a purely selfish decision on where I wanted to go. I believe I've picked right as 58Ninety has an incredible reputation and I've heard nothing but good things. Incidentally, as many have asked, it was seven weeks from sent home to offer sent and almost everything was done via networking. I'm beginning to notice that the more networked you become the smaller this world gets.

As noted here I have begun to perform guitar on stage, and the decision process for the new guitar is very close to conclusion. Paul met me at Long & McQuade in Cambridge yesterday afternoon to sample some Telecasters and it helped narrow the decision down to two. Hopefully, if my world turns as expected, I will shortly own one of a Fender Telecaster Highway One or Fender Stratocaster XII. Priced identically, but significant differences in sound.

Oh, the picture? Today is BlogACatMas, aka Post a Picture of a Cat to Your Blog Day. Thanks to Kate for the heads-up. I seem to recall Cliff using that phrase here once so it seemed appropriate.

Today's Random Links
eBay seller wiggles out of an auction by claiming a killer bee attack!
Woman wins eBay auction on a new house for $1.75.
Levi's wants you to Unbutton Your Beast. Sexy.

Today's Returning Shows Not on CBC
Everybody Hates Chris (Citytv, 10:30 p.m.)
Ghost Whisperer (CTV, 8 p.m.)
Life (Global, 8 p.m.)
Numb3rs (Global, 10 p.m.)
Supernanny (CTV, 9 p.m.)
The Game (CW, 8:30 p.m.)
Wife Swap (ABC, 8 p.m.)

Now Playing
Old 97's - Blame it on Gravity

Usually before I pick sports I do a lot of research. That said, at the beginning of the MLB season my pick to win it all this year were the Cubs. The Bosox broke their curse a few years back, time for the last of the truly, inexcusably long curses to end. I'll stick with them because I have no reason not to.

On the topic of sports picks I've gone ahead and created some leagues for us again this year pertaining to NHL regular season pools. As usual, there is one single "official" pool, and it is the only one that offers true bragging rights for victory:

These others are for decorative use only:

In other news AC/DC have pretty much guaranteed their next album will be the most downloaded in Internet history. I'm a big music fan, and a big supporter of musicians, but not when the greed becomes so obvious it slaps you upside the head. Mind you, since AC/DC stopped being relevant in the mid-90's, I don't really plan to download this one either. I'll just skip it.

Today's Random Links
Josh Groban belts out the TV Theme classics at the Emmy Awards.
Google Project 10¹⁰⁰ wants you to change the world.
Posterous = The place to post anything.

Today's Returning Shows
Dirty Sexy Money (ABC, 10 p.m.)
Private Practice (ABC, 9 p.m.)
Pushing Daisies (ABC, 8 p.m.)

Now Playing
Ray LaMontagne - Till the Sun Turns Black

SHABAZ! Today marks the day the Do Not Call list finally arrives in the frozen tundra of Canada, after some time successfully in use by our American brethren. My history with telemarketers is long and storied, and involves many levels of hilarity and douchebaggery, depending how I felt at the time. I've been outright ornery when the time wasn't right, but more amusing were the times I treated them to stories as to why I couldn't engage in their services. Whether it was building a bomb in my basement or recovering from the sex change I've frequently had a perfectly acceptable reason why I couldn't buy their fine product. I once cried on the phone to the cops who wanted me to buy circus tickets because a clown had killed my father and gotten away with it. Shortly thereafter I was tipped that telemarketers weren't allowed to hang up on you.. big mistake. Now I would attempt to keep them on the phone as long as possible. I once told one of them that Survivor was on and they really should be watching it, then said I'd put the phone to the TV and we'd talk when it was over. I checked back in 15 minutes and they were gone. Foiled!

Then, I turned 30. And somewhere around age 30 I was no longer amused by random phone calls from people looking for Mr. or Mrs. Jaysoup. In fact, I wasn't amused by the phone at all and stopped answering it. If I don't recognize the name or number, it goes to the machine. If I check messages you have mere seconds to gain my attention or you get the 3-3-7. So you can imagine that today comes with internal fanfare as I prepare to enjoy life on the other side of a do not call list.

Here's the official Government link: www.dncl.gc.ca. At press time here it's already unavailable, evidence that I'm far from the only Canadian who doesn't want to be called. If you're one of those rare birds that doesn't trust the Government there's Michael Geist's www.ioptout.ca, promising a wider-ranging blanket, and some key advice, to get around a few of the exemptions.

Ah, yes.. exemptions. Our Government saw fit to offer a few of them, meaning that after you register on the Government's website you will still receive calls from: registered charities, businesses with prior business relationships, political parties, survey companies, and newspapers. The good news? Each company is still required to have an internal Do Not Call list, one which they must add you to on request and provide a confirmation code. If they continue to call you afterwards, you can complain and they're subject to stiff fines or the removal of their telephone lines. So should you receive a call from a company simply state you wish to be added to their Do Not Call list, and demand a confirmation code. The Toronto Star is the only company I've spoken with that refused to do this, and I threatened a phone call to the CRTC if I received another call from them. I haven't received one.

So, while not perfect, it's a new dawn for the privacy-enjoying Canadian. Assuming, that is, these sites go back up. Enjoy!

Today's Random Links
Trafalgar Brewery is once again allowing you to "Vote With Your Throat".
Kuku Klock, the free Swiss-made online alarm clock!
Franken Berry flavoured Fruit By the Foot!

Today's Returning Shows
Rick Mercer Report (CBC, 8 p.m.)

Now Playing
FAN590 Live Stream

Ok, so the picture - drawn years ago in MS Paint - is slightly outdated. It was probably oddly appropriate that while my minister was preaching the third sermon in his How to Live Like You're Dying series that I finally, after 18 years of playing guitar, got up on a stage in front of a couple hundred people and played some music yesterday morning. I was first in the band to show up for practice, fingers raw from a week of frequent practice, and was given a place to stand and get my gear ready. All four songs I would be playing were new to me at the start of the week, and one in particular was driving me into fits trying to get through as the chords were rather elaborate. The team were great, quickly making me feel welcome and answering questions as they came. For the most part, however, I was thrown into it without a parachute and just tried not to mess it all up. After practice, and while waiting for our time on stage, I found a surprising calm washed over me and I was just ready to go. The word came and we bounded up on stage, grabbed our instruments, and were soon tearing through the first song. 30 minutes seemed like 10 and when it was done I couldn't wait to be doing it again. I guess this means I've got the bug now, and October 12th is my next opportunity to get up and play. I'll try to remember to pre-announce that in the days leading up so any of you that want to catch it would be welcome to attend.

'Survivor' is getting some publicity for their gratuitous blurring on last Thursday's premiere episode, including this YouTube video that's actually quite amusing. That said, there's more publicity for what they failed to blur, namely one male contestant's unfortunate wardrobe malfunction. I'm totally not linking to it directly, but head over here for starters if that's your thing.

This YouTube video showcases Ortega's new taco ad with famous US Olympians. Send it to your friends now so you can be in the early stages of the next viral phenomenon, as you only have to watch it once to know that their idea of having Shawn Johnson talk about how Ortega makes her taco pop is so highly inappropriate that people can't help but tell all their friends about it.

Today's Random Links
The anthrax letter suspect was apparently plotting to kill 'The Mole'.
AC Slater interviews Zach Morris for 'Extra'; popculturelicious!
Robert Plant is sticking a knife in Zeppelin reunion rumours.

Today's Returning Shows
Chuck (Citytv, 8 p.m.)

Now Playing
Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience