We Saw a Chicken …

Blog

  • Free the Laserjet 4!

    I love the HP LaserJet 4+. Built like a tank, good print quality, and now available used/refurb for pennies. Sure, they weight about as much as a Sherman, and suck power like there was no tomorrow, but one of my 4+s has nearly a million on the page count, yet prints crisp and clean.

    Last weekend I scored a 4+ with built in duplexer from eBay for very little. It didn’t want to print at first (giving a cryptic 13 PAPER JAM error), but removing the rather beat-up full-ream paper tray fixed that. It may need a new cartridge (at almost twice what I paid for the printer), but I’m happy.

    Wonder if I can direct-connect one of them to the ethernet port on Catherine’s eMac? I know my router won’t talk AppleTalk, so we can’t network just one printer.

  • no standard offer goodness for WindShare

    Tallking to the OPA today, it seems that WindShare doesn’t qualify for SOC because it’s behind ExPlace’s meter. Aargh!

    Update: I got a call from the OPA; they were wrong. Grandfathered embedded generation such as the WindShare turbine will be eligible after all.

  • Landscape – “Einstein A Go Go”

    And we thought this was teh k00l v1d in 1981: Landscape – “Einstein a Go-Go”

  • Ontario SOC is here!

    Standard Offer Renewable Energy contracts were announced in Ontario today. I’m reserving my third cheer for when I see the pricing and terms.

    … Third cheer is definitely go. I’ve been having a think about this, and some words with the folks at the OSEA reception, and I think it’s good. Very good. There are still some details to work out, but this is pretty much exactly what I could hope for.

  • run to the LCBO

    Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer

    … for they have Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer. I haven’t had this since I was back in Scotland.

  • a wee corner of Scotland at Ellesmere & McCowan

    Serendipity: took a wrong turn coming out of the
    federal building, and found ourselves in Scottish culinary heaven (which is not an oxymoron, I assure you). At the corner of Ellesmere & McCowan is The But ‘n’ Ben Butchers; they sell all sort of quality Scottish foods. So far, we’ve sampled and can approve their butcher’s pies, plain bread and empire biscuits. They’ve also got a supply of UK Heinz Beans, which knock the gummy North American beans into a cocked hat.
    Next door but one is St Andrews Fish & Chips. They’re amazing. I think the chips (hand cut, of course) are deep fried in some unhealthy, but tasty, animal byproduct. And they have Irn Bru, too …

  • SCO – The Campaign For a .SCO Internet Domain

    This is good: SCO – The Campaign For a .SCO Internet Domain

  • my home and adopted land

    I became a Canadian citizen just after 10:00 today. I was the only Scot out of 107 new Canadians.

    My planning’s excellent; my UK passport expires today…

  • mailbox fool

    Can you believe the Outlook mailbox limit at work? 60MB. Yup. I’ve been forced to tidy up every week.
    I can’y believe a program as widely used as Outlook has so many critical limitations. Storing mail in binary archive files of limited size? Please; so 1989.

  • This wind study brought to you by the Canadian Nuclear Association

    So there’s a new report on wind integration in Canada, written by The Conference Board of Canada. People are picking up on it, and even the doughty Refocus quotes “… electricity from onshore wind is uneconomic in comparison with traditional alternatives“. Hmm.

    So I read the report, and what do I find in the Preface?

    As part of an ongoing initiative to investigate energy policy options and the future of the Canadian energy system, the Canadian Nuclear Association contracted The Conference Board of Canada to conduct a comparative study of various countries’ experiences with supporting and implementing large-scale wind projects.

    So we’re expected to believe that the CNA would wish to have an objective and non-partisan report written on wind power, eh?

  • v. poor joke

    Q. What does Edward Woodward have so many D’s in his name?
    A. Cos’ if he didn’t he would be “E-war Woo-war” !

  • no use UPS

    I inherited a big UPS for my NSLU2 backup system. It’s all hooked up, and should be providing protection. I don’t think the power went out today, but I find this evening that the NSLU2 is off — what’s that all about?

  • upgrade

    Upgraded to WordPress 2.0.2, and did the same for Catherine’s blog. It must’ve been one of the very few 1.2 to 2.0 upgrades still out there.

  • kotthu roti night in Canada!

    Yeah! Amma is back open after the fire. Had my first kotthu roti in months, and it’s as great as it ever was. The place was jumping, and the Sri Lankan bachelors (reluctant) were looking forward to their first square meal this year.

    Poondy Bread is back, too, so the neighbourhood smells just like it used to; bread and curry, mixed in with occasional candy (from the Cadbury plant) and biscuits (merci, Peak Freans).

  • on avon

    We’re in Stratford. It’s real purty.

    There’s a lot of local opposition to putting a Wal*Mart here. Putting a wal*mart in Stratford would be like putting a fart gag in Hamlet.

  • Standard Offer is Go – March 21

    From OSEA:

    The moment we have all been waiting for has arrived! The Ministry of Energy, the Premier, David Suzuki and OSEA will be announcing the Standard Offer Program on March 21st. We are organizing a celebration and press event in partnership with the Ministry of Energy that will take place at 3 pm at Exhibition Place, Toronto, home to Ontario’s first community wind turbine.

    Please mark this date in your calendar and watch for further notices (via email and at www.ontario-sea.org) on details regarding location, speakers and entertainment.

    This is a celebratory event – please everyone, let us celebrate the positive role the Standard Offer Contract program will play in Ontario for renewables, for community power, for cost effective power, and for our air quality and health!

    Thanks to everyone for their efforts!

    If the province has got this right, we really will see a lot more wind power in Ontario.

  • they’ll let just anyone in these days

    Further to my citizenship test, I have my ceremony on the 18th!

  • second place

    … but not very surprisingly, the Raptors came in second. Again.

    I don’t think we have enough tall Lithuanians on the team.

  • court

    I’m at a Raptors game. Unusually, they seem to be ahead…

  • “Imperfection is an end; perfection is only an aim”

    Ivor Cutler, 1923—2006, mensch; rest in peace.

    Obituary from The Guardian.