You did it Richie, you're Top Chef.

...but no Dale or Angelo. And Curtis Stone is the host of the next Top Chef Masters? Not impressed.



OK fine, I liked Take Home Chef.

Looks like I'm also playing slo-pitch this summer.

So I finally got into the company league and I like the way how the captain responded to my registration:

... I will put you on my team to ensure you are in the league this year. I hope you like going for beers :)

Just my luck. On a related note, I was also reading over the league rules (part of the Slo-Pitch Ontario Association)...any ladies want to comment on this?

• Batters preceding female batters get awarded 2nd base automatically if they get a walk. The female may choose to bat if she wishes, or may take 1st base. However, all players are encouraged to bat. This right is forfeit if the batter does not indicate that he/she precedes a female batter and the female batter is not "on deck".
• Teams fielding no females in their lineup only get 2 outs per odd-numbered inning (1,3,5,7).
• Outfielders can't come in closer than 2 paces from the edge of the grass when a female bats. The infield must remain behind the baseline.

Looks like ballin' is my hobby...

Slut Walk Toronto...achieves nothing. "Because we've had enough"...of you.

I guess it's time to weigh in on something...

slut   
–noun
1. a dirty, slovenly woman.
2. an immoral or dissolute woman; prostitute.

You know, they seemed to have a pretty good point on The Dean Blundell Show this morning when they were talking about that Slut Walk TO. I heard about it in the news and read about some of the backlash in the paper, but all in all it does seem like a pretty big waste of time and a poor reason to cause traffic.

I think that in the end, a whole lot of people are going think a lot less of these women after parading around town wanting to be called sluts without actually achieving anything or helping anyone. It's like someone making fun of my spare tire, then apologizing to me, but then I protest it by eating a cannoli in front of them.

I guess it might have been a better idea if they collected donations for women's support groups (or cancer or anything) while on the walk or even named the event more appropriately (think of the children, muah), but the way its setup now it seems like just a reason to show off somehow in public.

On their site it says: "Any financial contribution would be greatly appreciated. All proceeds will go directly to SlutWalk and its efforts." Which re-worded could be, "We didn't really think this out, we need help covering our costs (cause we're poor university students) and we aren't actually affiliated with any legitimate organizations or have official supporters." I don't know, maybe just a weird situation and I don't understand it (probably not). The only way that this could possibly work out is if all their signs say "Haters gonna hate" since they seem to be doing whatever they want to anyway.

Update 4/4/2011: Confirmed a comment with an update on their official website: Proceeds over and above any out-of-pocket costs will be going directly to the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre. They also have a new Allies section listing supporters.

Sure the guy was wrong to speak candidly and share his thoughts, but at least he apologized for it (somewhat I hear). Other than making "reporters" write overblown stealth brag articles I don't see what good would come out of this.

This event belongs down the drain of my new stunning toilet described as having "Bold. Power."



Also, thank you jack knifed tractor-trailer for blocking off all the traffic on the highway starting at the on-ramp just before mine. Made some pretty sweet time this morning.

Black people talking is always entertaining

Man I can listen to this guy talk everything and nothing all day. His "haha" track is now my incoming text message sound, heh. Anyway Chris Smoove talks about ridiculous lawsuits, I encourage you to listen.

Am I weird? Yeah. But so what? Everybody's weird.

Rule #32: Enjoy the little things.

Call of Duty: Black Ops - First Strike DLC ain't so bad

I've been playing a lot of Black Ops lately especially with this new DLC that just came out (pre-order $13.50 booya!). Unless you've played COD before I'm guessing this post might be a little foreign to you, so go ahead and watch the new episode of TC instead where they hit up Quebec and Ontario!

So except for Berlin I'd say that the new levels are pretty fun but I haven't been able to run into anyone and get a decent game of Ascension going yet. From like the 4 times that I've played it, that level is kind of like "Five" and no one knows it too well - so a little too big for my liking and I haven't figured out a decent plan for it yet.

I'm glad they patched all those ridiculous cheats for Zombies though but I'm pretty sure that it's too little too late since that game mode is already RIP in my books. Anyway, I've been playing a ton of multiplayer lately...like a lot. Here's the proof - it's the first time I ever hit 10 on Steam so you can do the math.

The way I see it, it's better than watching TV or looking at porn surfing the net because at least it stimulates your brain right? RIGHT?!?



In retrospect I shouldn't have played so much Nuketown because with that quick XP I'm a pretty misleading level 42 when when the teams auto-balance (I suck). But that map is just so fun.

When it comes to FPS I'm not exactly a strategist either and my motto is pretty much "be a hero". This basically involves me sprinting around solo with marathon and dolphin diving onto objectives (hoping someone will cover me long enough to capture it) or until I finally run into an enemy and then it becomes a game of who can react faster.

Like most of these twitch shooters it's pretty much if you see the other guy first he's dead. Sneaking around or camping is just lame.

Unfortunately, my favorite class doesn't translate too well outside of Nuketown but at least it's pretty embarrassing when that dude with the dual wield and crossbow kills you.



Aside from TDM and FFA, the other game modes are more fun but really mess with your KDR. Dolphin diving onto flags or next to bombs just laying there while hoping you don't get waxed is probably not the best strategy, but that's how I roll. I'm currently sporting a pretty pathetic 0.83 KDR.

It's crazy how the game keeps track of every metric from every game you play. I think the only people who don't make a big deal of KDR are guys like me who are below 1.0 but hell just play the game and don't sweat it. It's fun either way because I wouldn't be playing so much.

The people who do like to make a deal out of it are usually those who create stealth brag topics on forums just to show theirs off. FYI, going 10 and 8 while sitting back and doing shit for your team makes you a coward.



Like I said, bum mode is fully engaged.

Anyway, floor hockey playoffs tonight. Hopefully we can start off fresher than the regular season...

LINE Traveling Circus 3.5 East Coast Hardcore Real Stuff

I'll stick to skiing! Blue Mountain and Mt. St. Louis make an appearance!

So I bought a pair of Crocs...baller/not baller?

You know, I used to be a pretty big hater when it came to Crocs - they look ridiculous and people wear them in public like they're actual shoes. So then I bought a pair...

When it comes to dragon boat friendly footwear there aren't really that many options. Id say it boils down to water shoes and flip flops, but both are just too gay for me to handle (and I can't stand that damn slapping noise). Those slide on type sandals are good too but they also slide off just as easy (and hit people in the foreheads shins) or get eaten by the lake monsters all the time.

On a side note, I'm not quite sure why guys would wear bike shorts when paddling other than to show off their compressed wangs when they walk back/forth from the docks. I mean if they were on one of those kneeling kayaks then fine, but there's not going to be much of an aerodynamic advantage when you're sitting surrounded by 20+ people in a huge canoe.

Anyhow, I wore my Birkenstocks for a season or two until the combination of stank water + my feet + cork sole + hot summer produced such a bad smell that I became so paranoid wearing them that I just threw them out and bought another pair. I even bought some fancy flip flops last year thinking that it would make some sort of difference. What a fool I was.

So then I just bought some Crocs and I get it: they're comfortable and convenient and that back strap can keep them on your feet if you need to. They are also barely socially acceptable and shouldn't be worn out of context or casually in public under any situation.



Just walk up and punch me in the face if you ever see me wearing these in public with jeans. Thanks.

Home renovation sucks...until it's done, then it's awesome.

Man. This whole home renovation thing is really disrupting my general flow of life. I haven't done laundry in like 2 weeks, I can't cook any food or wash dishes, and I have to share a washroom with my entire family. Takeout 3x a day is making me broke, I don't want to go to the gym because it doubles my laundry load (which I can't wash), and when I need to take a shower I have to sit around all dirts because someone else is probably using the washroom. Like really really inconvenient. It'll be nice though when all this is done and the house looks jacked. I just hope I can hold out that long.

On a different note, we did it. I'm still not sure how we managed to get there but I think we are the fist team ever to make -100 points in the regular season. It's kind of shameful but also pretty impressive (probably).



Making ball hockey history so haters can hate all the way home.

Mount Fuji, Japan & Microsoft ICE Panoramic Photos FTW!

My whole plan to finish editing the last of the Japan videos isn't exactly going according to plan because I'm such a bum. I got about half of the footage chopped up and the songs picked out (even I'm impressed by this selection) but being the conclusion of it all I want to make it half decent a good one...so it's taking a while.

Anyway, here are some awesome panoramic photos from the parking lot at Station 5 on Mt. Fuji to tide you over until then. It's not quite at the top but the views are still pretty spectacular.



In flickr be sure to view all sizes and check the original file to get a better view.



Those are the low resolution versions - the full resolution ones are 13 MB and 26 MB (and make for one hell of a wallpaper across my two monitors)!

Can't get no gratisfaction

A veal sandwich that makes mothers cry...

Seriously the biggest veal I've ever eaten - there was at least 3 breaded cutlets in there and weighed at least as much as a large burrito. You know the place must be good when all it sells is 5 or 6 different types of sandwiches and that's all. And it was good. Very good.



I wish I had something as reference here in this picture but take my word for it that it was big and I had sauce all over my face. I literally had to squish it as much as I could just so I could fit it in my mouth.



Just like in most dives all you get is a pile of those thin 1-ply napkins to help you deal with it. All part of the experience...although I felt like I should take a shower afterwards too.

I Whip My Hair Back and Forth

Love? That's what this all comes down to?

No, not just love. I'm talking about the cycle of life. I'm talking about finding some alien creature and deciding to marry her and stay with her forever, no matter whether you even like each other or not a few years down the road. And why will you do this? So you can make babies together, and try to keep them alive and teach them what they need to know so that someday they'll have babies, and keep the whole thing going. And you'll never draw a secure breath until you have grandchildren, a double handful of them, because then you know that your line won't die out, your influence will continue. Selfish, isn't it? Only it's not selfish, it's what life is for. It's the only thing that brings happiness, ever, to anyone. All the other things - victories, achievements, honors, causes - they bring only momentary flashes of pleasure. But binding yourself to another person and to the children you make together, that's life. And you can't do it if your life is centered on your ambitions. You'll never be happy. It will never be enough, even if you rule the world.

Greensboro just got super-heavy right about now.

I don't want it unless it's brand new, you might see me in my brand new whip, with my brand new...

Big balla K-DAWG went pro this weekend and moved into his brand spanking new house. Not that I would know or anything but owning your first home is a real big deal and I'm even excited for him.

Anyway, we helped him "move in" to the house all weekend (and I use the term lightly) but like most things in life it will need a woman's touch (*wink*wink*guns*guns*)...unless you're a dude who wears blouses and silk scarves. When it comes to colors and decorations and stuff like that I would probably just make all the walls beige and all the furniture and floors rich mahogany and call it a day.

I can imagine though that when I do eventually get my place the living room, master bath and gaming room office will be designed by me (and pretty pimp tight). The wife can have the rest of the house to do as she pleases. I can also imagine every other room in the house but those being completely empty for the first 4 years too...

Moving along, despite our pretty hung over lazy state and general inability to eat anything the next day (ok fine, some of us) we lumbered over to watch Battle: Los Angeles since I wanted to avoid the tile layers we had nothing else to do. It didn't exactly get the greatest ratings ever but it was pretty entertaining though. What did you expect? Oscars or something?



Movie coupons FTW! Sucker Punch on Friday anyone?

On a side note I hate the fact that Boston Pizzas seem super inconsistent with their no/reservation policy for sporting events - even when full, watching stuff in the dining area just ain't the same...and holy crap Jon Jones.