Ellen Ullman's new book, Bug, is finally coming out soon(ish). Her other book, Close to the Machine, is a must if you're any kind of computer-related geek.
Bruce Springsteen tickets are $115.
That's one hundred and fifteen. Insane.
New features for 2.6. Coolest thing is the ability to upload files with XML-RPC, a feature I intend to add to mt.el. The new text formatting stuff will be great to have as well.
Currently listening to: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Otherside.
My SkyTrain ride takes me by this pillar every day:
I still haven't quite figured out why someone chose to tag a pillar with Larry Wall's face. I'll start worrying about an incipient East Side geek gang war if I see Guido, Bjarne, or James Gosling tags.
(By the way, if none of the above makes any sense to you, it just means you aren't a massive geek. Be glad.)
New Harry Potter will be released June 21st! The title is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and it's one third longer than the last book, which wasn't exactly brief (for a kid's book).
Currently listening to: Art of Noise - Moments In Love.
So I took my own advice and took my camera with me again today. They were out in serious force today. Very impressive. Click on the crow head for a mini-gallery:
There is a publication ban on Canadian media during preliminary hearings in the murder cases against Robert Pickton. Better hope prospective jurors don't know how to use Google News.
As the BBC notes:
[T]he case has drawn international press attention, and some foreign reporters say they will ignore the ban and give full accounts of the evidence in their own countries.Many of those reports are likely to be available on the internet, leading to a legal debate in Canada about the point of a press ban in the age of global communications.
Currently listening to: Tom Waits - Who Are You.
So today there are about 3 or 4 times as many crows compared to Friday. Did I bring my camera? Of course not!
Let this be a lesson to me.
Every day at sunset, hundreds of crows flock around the building where I work. For the longest time I've been saying I should bring my camera and get pictures. Yesterday I finally did, and they didn't show up. Today they did.
What the hell is in the water in Victoria? Premier Campbell charged with drunk driving. (Yes, I realize it happened in Hawaii. There does seem to be something that turns off BC Premier's judgement though. It'd be nice to have one that didn't resign in disgrace.)
Update: And he made it onto yahoo!. Not to judge (oh who am I kidding), but smiling in mug shots just makes you look incredibly guilty.
Salon has a track from godspeed's latest available for download.
Currently listening to: Nitin Swaney - Migration.
Half-assed attempt at a best of list:
Music
Best song: No One Knows, Queens of the Stone Age. This song should be regulated as a mood elevator.
Best album: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips. Great cohesive collection of songs.
Best Bill-is-late-to-the-party "discovery": Low. Sure, they've been making records for 10 years, but they're new to me, and they are fabulous.
Best record label you should buy every release from: Constellation. The home of Godspeed You Black Emperor, Fly Pan Am, and Do Make Say Think.
Best gig of the year: Sigur Ros.
Other stuff that made me happy: The White Stripes, Sigur Ros, Mum and Eels.
Biggest disappointment: Moby's 18. Snore.
Movies & DVDs
Best Movie: Tie between The Two Towers and Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner.
Worst movie I paid to see: Reign of Fire.
Best DVD: Fellowship of the Ring.
Best TV Series on DVD: Tie between Buffy: The Vampire Slayer (Bring on Season 3!) and Mystery Science Theater 3000. High rewatch value for both.
Most annoying DVD Navigation: Simpsons Season 2 DVD. Please hit enter 4 times to spin the wheel before you can pick an episode? You can't skip it? That's just brilliant. (Otherwise, nice release. Commentary on every episode is great.)
Books
Best: Tie between Atonement by Ian McEwan and The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (yes, it's a 2001 book, but I read it this year.)
Best Bill-is-late-to-the-party "discovery": Neil Gaiman. Coraline, American Gods, Neverwhere, Sandman, etc. After years of being told I should read his stuff, I finally did, and I'm totally hooked. Read Coraline aloud to someone.
Best non-fiction: Fast-Food Nation - read this if you need convincing to eat less fast food. Also really enjoyed Guns, Germs and Steel.
Currently listening to: fly pan am - arcades-pamelor.