Matt's Information Production Facility

You know what's better than Spring?

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:38:29 -0500

Spring that comes late February instead of April :D

davez: fuckyeahcanada: blownspeakers: The sound of Vancouver...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:16:23 -0500

fuckyeahcanada:

blownspeakers:

The sound of Vancouver when Team Canada wins gold. Crosby scores about 1:18 in.

Awesome!

One of those thousands of voices was mine and it was pretty much the best thing ever :D It pretty much was the best party in the history of the world.

You know what else is awesome about these mitts? They were NOT...

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:38:33 -0500

You know what else is awesome about these mitts? They were NOT made in Canada! Way to go, HBC: Keeping the Canadian spirit alive!

mapoftheworld:

Since the Games began last week, online lookups on “olympic mittens” have been soaring. Related searches on “red olympic mittens,” “canadian olympic mittens,” and “where to buy olympic mittens” surged from nothing into breakout status in the Buzz. And, really, it’s easy to understand the appeal. The mittens have a playful classic look, with the Canadian maple leaf on the palm. Plus, they cost only 10 Canadian dollars.

Well, they were only $10. Now that they seem to be sold out at most traditional outlets (or at least very difficult to come by), enterprising individuals have raised the price to double or more. The fact that celebrities like Cindy Crawford and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden have been seen sporting the mittens has only added to their appeal.

An AP writer recounted a quest to find a pair of the mittens around Vancouver. Everywhere the writer went, the “must-have accessory” was sold out. There are even reports of gloves being snatched up before they reach shelves. As another writer put it, everyone is “smitten for red mittens.”

Millions of pairs have been sold so far, with no sign of the fervor slowing down. It’s too bad the supply can’t keep up with the demand. A USA Today article explains that the net proceeds from the mittens go toward supporting Canada’s Olympic athletes.

If the sales keep going, expect Team Canada to rock some fancy equipment at the next Olympiad.

Is this what passes for customer service? Why does US Airways...

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:28:00 -0500

Is this what passes for customer service? Why does US Airways feel it necessary to insult my intelligence. WHEN IT’S THEIR OWN FAULT. English fail, customer experience fail, and technological competency fail = #USAirways fail

I want Poutine. Stat. Off to vancouver I go?

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:57:51 -0500

I want Poutine. Stat. Off to vancouver I go?

Congratulations to the Waterloo Engineering classes of '10 on getting ringed today!

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:09:22 -0500

notthatindie: Composite image of the sun’s corona, taken during...

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:08:55 -0500

notthatindie:

Composite image of the sun’s corona, taken during the total solar eclipse last July.

Via Scientific American

Pretty

I’m back from outer space. I mean San Francisco. Read about the journey...

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:03:01 -0500

I’m back from outer space. I mean San Francisco.

Read about the journey here: http://twitter.com/marreka

I am here

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:51:47 -0500

I am here

Also pretty.

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:27:20 -0500

Also pretty.

Pretty.

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:16:00 -0500

Pretty.

bruvark: Conan gets back at NBC with the most expensive comedy...

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:25:11 -0500

bruvark:

Conan gets back at NBC with the most expensive comedy clip of all time, featuring my favourite car, the Bugatti Veyron. (Sorry about the ad at the beginning!)

Haha yes! Awesome

fuckyeahtoronto: jssca: (via risingtensions) lulz

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:21:46 -0500

fuckyeahtoronto:

jssca:

(via risingtensions)

lulz

Don't give money [just] to Haiti

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:20:00 -0500

Don't give money [just] to Haiti:

cassandraw:

marreka:

This article says something that needs to be said. Don’t give money just to Haiti.

Sure, donating money in a time of need is absolutely useful and will no doubt be helpful when catastrophe strikes. Charities like Médecins Sans Frontières and the US Red Cross get lots of money out of telethons, SMS donations, etc. but all with one unfortunate string attached. The string being that money donated can only be used in Haiti. This presents a problem, especially when large sums of money are donated, much more than what is needed for a disaster. For example, since the 2005 Tsunami, the US Red Cross has only been able to spend 83% of all its donations, money which could be used to help the people of Haiti now.

By donating to general funds, you give the charities freedom to use your donated money most effectively by allowing them to use it where it is needed the most. Haiti is in trouble now, but who knows who could be hit next.

Now, go read about Médecins sans Frontières (always do your research first!) and then donate to MSF’s Emergency Relief Fund (if you’re a US resident) or here for Canadian residents.

However, though the Tsunami in 2005 received lots of aid at the time of the disaster, the nations that were affected are still suffering today and do not have the aid they need anymore. When something drastic like the Tsunami in 2005 or the earthquake in Haiti occur, people everywhere will feel like they’re helping by donating to all these causes towards the area hit. It’s all over the news and fresh in everyone’s mind. But soon enough, the news stories will die down, people will start to forget, and the aid needed to rebuild these nations begins to disappear. It takes a long time to restore a country, especially a country like Haiti. By all means, I do agree that people should donate to causes other than Haiti, but the reality is, Haiti is what people automatically care about the most at this time. It was a serious disaster. Bigger than most we’ve seen in a while due to the extreme conditions these people lived in. Thus, we automatically want to donate our funds to what we feel needs it most in this desperate time.

The money you donate to Haiti (or any disaster) is strictly for disaster relief, not development. As far as I can tell, charities such as the Red Cross/Crescent, Medecins sans Frontieres, Mercy Corps, etc. are primarily emergency aid agencies. Money should go into development assistance, but that’s not what people donate to when they see “DONATE NOW!!!!” in ads and when celebrities tell them to.

Don't give money [just] to Haiti

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:22:17 -0500

Don't give money [just] to Haiti:

This article says something that needs to be said. Don’t give money just to Haiti.

Sure, donating money in a time of need is absolutely useful and will no doubt be helpful when catastrophe strikes. Charities like Médecins Sans Frontières and the US Red Cross get lots of money out of telethons, SMS donations, etc. but all with one unfortunate string attached. The string being that money donated can only be used in Haiti. This presents a problem, especially when large sums of money are donated, much more than what is needed for a disaster. For example, since the 2005 Tsunami, the US Red Cross has only been able to spend 83% of all its donations, money which could be used to help the people of Haiti now.

By donating to general funds, you give the charities freedom to use your donated money most effectively by allowing them to use it where it is needed the most. Haiti is in trouble now, but who knows who could be hit next.

Now, go read about Médecins sans Frontières (always do your research first!) and then donate to MSF’s Emergency Relief Fund (if you’re a US resident) or here for Canadian residents.

lhard: j-pal:datavis: What’s changed over this decade? via...

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:40:30 -0500

lhard:

j-pal:datavis:

What’s changed over this decade? via i.imgur.com

This really puts things into perspective. How can we be changing so fast? It’s pretty scary.

Looking at the technological statistics in this image (and the fact that we’re communicating in this way today), the amazing progress shows why we need to protect the neutrality of the internet (not just to computers but to the mobile as well). It shows that in the last decade we’ve given the ability for the majority of people to receive more information at any time and any place to facilitate better judgement, which leads to greater personal freedoms and paves a path to a more prosperous future for all. It’s why we need to protect the internet from grubby hands who, for the sake of short term gains, want to stifle long term innovations and knowledge by creating different tiers to protect sectors and industries that are failing as a result of natural redundancy.

May the 10’s be as (if not more) innovative as the 00’s.

GPOYW - ghost of me in my window at work.

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:39:17 -0500

GPOYW - ghost of me in my window at work.

Why do you keep asking yourself questions?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:07:48 -0500

I’ve gone crazy.

Is this useful at all?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:05:11 -0500

I’m not too sure.

What can I ask you?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:40:37 -0500

Anything.