Matt's Information Production Facility

Good news, everyone!

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:11:47 -0400

I’ve been extended an offer to work at Google in Seattle and I’ve accepted!

Tomorrow I leave North America for the first time ever.

Thu, 06 May 2010 22:51:23 -0400

(via j-pal)

Stay safe, have fun!

life lessons at the toy store

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:39:00 -0400

pmanda:

4-year-old Lindsay: I like this baby bottle. I want to buy it. How much is it?
Amanda: It’s $5.99.
Lindsay: Can I buy it?
Amanda: You should ask your dad.
Lindsay: Dad, can I buy this?
Dad: I don’t have any money.
Lindsay: My dad doesn’t have any money but I want to buy this.
Amanda: Maybe you can come back another time?
Dad: What do we do when we don’t have money Lindsay?
Lindsay: …
Dad: We use the credit card!

Yes, Lindsay. Let’s go use debt to buy unnecessary things that immediately deprecate in value. Parenting fail. Parents should be teaching their children fiscal responsibility. Doing otherwise is just going to raise another generation of mindless consumers who don’t understand the full ramifications of short-term, high interest credit usage. This was clearly evidenced in the 2008 global financial crisis, where a lack of personal financial resilience prolonged the recessionary period.

(Although to be fair, he might actually have had the money to pay for it but just uses the credit card as a charge card. And yes, I do realize I butchered the cute value of the above post).

Grebel deposit: check

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:55:27 -0400

urbanpringle:

theseer:

abp:

I forgot what it was like to pay large amounts of money at one time.

FUUUUUUU-

-NNNNN!!!!

Recommend: Get a credit card that gets you points every time you spend. Then use it to pay for Grebel. An enjoyable event every time!

Grebel loses a bit of money on each credit card payment.

So?

kathfitz: Early morning Toronto skyline (via torontoist) Wow....

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:36:07 -0400

kathfitz:

Early morning Toronto skyline (via torontoist)

Wow. Just wow.

Awesome poster of Toronto. Seattle is in there, too (click...

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:12:53 -0400

Awesome poster of Toronto. Seattle is in there, too (click through)!

fuckyeahtoronto:

Ork Posters! City Neighborhood Posters

finally done up… for sale soon!

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

davez:

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.