Tom's Outbursts

Why you'll never see car reviews like this in Canada...

2009-06-19T00:54:00.001-04:00

Insurance.

Fascinating...

2008-12-08T21:36:00.010-05:00

Now that Michael Ignatieff will likely be the next Liberal leader, it's good to learn a bit more about him besides the random snippets of fact found in the media. I thought I would share this exceptionally well-written article about Michael Ignatieff in the Globe and Mail. Am I a fan of him? Not really. But his story is definitely interesting.

A plague on all your houses!

2008-12-04T00:45:00.010-05:00

I've been watching the developments in Ottawa closely for the past few days, and like many others, I've been thoroughly disgusted by the conduct of Canada's Parliamentarians. Instead of putting the good of the country ahead of their political ambitions, the Conservatives, NDP and Liberals are locked in a short-sighted death match for power. At the end of all this, it'll probably end poorly for everyone involved. Why?

First of all, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been continually demonizing the separatist Bloc Quebecois. While I have no sympathy for the Bloc, he has effectively employed a scorched-earth policy and burned his bridges in Quebec. This has destroyed whatever goodwill he worked hard to attain in the past few years. This has strengthened the Bloc and has effectively removed the Conservatives as the federalist option in Quebec.

Secondly, the Liberals and NDPs are playing with fire by taking power from the western-backed Conservatives. Preston Manning's battle cry 20 years ago was "the west wants in". However, if the Liberals and NDP take power, it would be symbolic of kicking the west out. They would destroy what little inroads they've made with the western provinces in the past few decades. There hasn't been a Liberal MP in most of Alberta in a generation, and this action will guarantee that this would continue for yet another generation.

Thirdly, both the Conservatives and the "Unholy Alliance Party of Canada" both lack credible leadership. Stephen Harper's conduct has damaged his credibility as a leader who can bring cooperation and consensus in Parliament. Both are essential qualities required in a minority government but his character and his recent actions were far too toxic. Stephan Dion is no better. He has been overwhelmingly rejected by the electorate and is not fit to lead. Both of them are a liability to the country in their current positions, and will not be able to lead their respective parties in the next Parliamentary session.

IMO, the only way we can get out of this mess is to find strong leadership. We need to get out of this string of successive minority governments. The Conservatives need to ditch Harper, and the Liberals need to replace Dion - fast. Once we get those two out of the way, we'll need to find someone who can bring consensus and reconciliation. And most importantly, they should concentrate with the bigger task at hand - the economy.

It's not easy being green

2008-08-22T22:08:00.010-04:00

Sorry to steal the quote from the famous amphibious philosopher, but I couldn't think of a better title. M* and I had the opportunity to see Wicked, a musical "prequel" to the Wizard of Oz. Normally, I thought musicals were simple, light entertainment. Nothing to make you think, nothing to push the boundaries, nothing but a nice, warm and fuzzy story sung with show tunes. This is probably why I was so impressed with Wicked. It had it's joyous moments, but many sad, nuanced and intelligent moments that made me respect musicals a great deal more. This was the first musical I found truly satisfying.

Wicked, based on a book by Gregory Maguire, offers a more sympathetic view of the Wicked Witch of the West. She was the basic run-of-the-mill the evil villain in Wizard of Oz, but the musical gives an explanation how she came to be. Did she have parents? A childhood? How did she grow up? She even was given a name in the musical (Elphaba). The musical serves as a little biography of that misunderstood green woman.

(Spoiler Alert! Plot details ahead.)

I was surprised at how well the musical worked on so many levels. M* really enjoyed Glinda's character where we watched her grow up from being a ditzy blonde (a la Clueless) to being the polished Good Witch of the North. I was taken by the unfortunate upbringing of Elphaba and her struggle to do what's right (perhaps I'm a sucker for sad stories). But I'm sure others would be taken with the token love story, while others would relate to the musical's statements on governments that rule by fear.

Despite the fact that the songs were rather generic (with the exception of "Popular" and "Defying gravity"), and that the second act was much weaker than the first, the underlying story was more than strong enough to compensate. All in all, I was much more statistfied by this musical than Rent or Phantom of the Opera. Highly recommended.

Farewell to HNIC theme on CBC

2008-06-12T19:26:00.002-04:00

Humbled but happy

2008-05-25T15:37:00.005-04:00

"They're already running up the other side?!" we all said in astonishment.

About 15-20 minutes into our 10k race on Ottawa Race Weekend, my friends and I were feeling pretty good. Having just past the restaurants on Elgin street that were taunting us with smells of food, we hit the long stretch along the Rideau canal. The weather was beautiful, and the crowds were enthusiastic. We were warmed up and were just easing into our race pace when we saw a truly humbling experience.

We spotted the elite runners coming back in the opposite direction. Wow. In the time we covered only 3km, these guys covered more than twice the distance and were already on the homestretch. It was humbling, yet impressive to watch, and gave us amateur runners something to aspire to. They ran at a pace similar to me at a full sprint, but for 30 straight minutes. Phew.

At the end of the race, we didn't post a good time, but what the heck - it didn't really matter. We finished a 10k in one piece, and we're looking forward to doing the next 10k, either on Canada Day or in September. So who's in?

Dumbest exercise machine. Ever.

2008-02-28T22:14:00.001-05:00

Pork Chop of Despair

2007-12-22T21:55:00.000-05:00

Don't you hate it when it happens? Normally when I cook for myself, the food usually turns out fairly well. (Not to brag, but some of my dishes are even edible!) Anyways, I was hoping to put together a decent dish for my parents, and dispel their belief that my cooking was only fit for animal consumption. I dug around for a nice simple recipe for Vietnamese pork chops that a moron couldn't screw up.

Well guess what. I managed to screw up pork chops, and thus made a dish that was (drumroll please) only fit for animal consumption. Sigh.

As my sister said, food usually comes out okay when you cook for yourself, but it never works out when you try to impress...

FOB it up

2007-11-16T11:24:00.001-05:00

My sis and I at Aberdeen mall

Oh! I have a random thought! After being in Vancouver this week, I feel awfully white. Well, at least non-chinese.

This was keenly felt when I decided to visit the infamous Aberdeen Mall in Richmond. This is a ginormous beacon of Asian consumerism in BC. Normally, I'm able to blend into the crowd, but everyone here seemed to be dressed so fashionably that my technical clothing stood out quite a bit. Who wouldn't notice a MEC-clad guy in a forest of Prada? How can you be inconspicuous when driving a bright red PT Cruiser in the midst of BMWs and Lexuses? And the differences go far deeper than clothing or cars. It also goes down as deep as body language and mannerisms. For example, my mannerisms are highly western, and can sometimes be too assertive for some other cultures.

I think this is something that 2nd generation immigrants encounter, especially in the Chinese, East Indian and Arabic communities in Canada. We sometimes have a hard time integrating with the first generation (such as our parents) because we may be too "White". Many of us have problems speaking our parent's language, or in my case, I don't speak it at all.

Yet, on the other side of the coin, how many of you have encountered this situation?

"Blah, blah, blah. So where are you from?"
"Canada"
...pause...
"No, I mean, where are you ORIGINALLY from?"
"Uh... Canada"

It's fascinating. Our parents don't accept us has Chinese, yet other people don't accept us as Canadian. It's like we're in between. We're not small in number either. In Vancouver, there was actually a "lifestyle magazine" called "Banana" geared towards 2nd generation Chinese lifestyles. Until I saw it, I had no idea "2nd generation Chinese lifestyle" existed.

Which leads me to think, can I make a successful business and get stinking rich out of this phenomenon?

Okay, okay... that was my Chinese side kicking in.

Currently reading: The Tao of Pooh

"Today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way. " - Dr. Seuss

2007-09-25T23:29:00.000-04:00

Barring any crisis at work, sickness or accidental dismemberment, I'll be heading down to New York state this weekend for a hiking trip. Every year, my friends and I take part in this masochistic tradition where we:

1. Spend ridiculous amounts of money on gear at Mountain Equipment Co-op
2. Drive 3-4 hours in the dark through upstate New York to a little motel in Lake Placid
3. Attempt to hike 9-10 hours up a mountain the next morning, typically in rain or snow
4. Trudge our way back to our hotel room and hose off the mud, snow and whatever else is smeared on our aforementioned gear
5. Stagger back to Ottawa with our egos bruised after being defeated by yet another mountain
6. Brag to our friends about the awesomeness of it

This year, we're planning on conquering Algonquin Peak, one of the few peaks in the Adirondacks to go over 5000ft. I'm pretty excited about the trip this year, since the weather forecast doesn't call for any snow or rain. Also, the fall colours should be near peak, so there should be some spectacular views once we get above the treeline. And unlike the past two years, we'll have a decent chance at making it to the summit. Boo yah.

Another thing I'm looking forward to is our motel, the Schulte Lodge. From the looks of it, it's awfully quaint with a faux-little-German town look. When I called, I spoke with a very gracious innkeeper who had a thick German accent. After making our reservation, she excitedly told me about their Oktoberfest events that would occur this weekend. She was so excited that I didn't have the heart to tell her that we were all Asian. You see, after one beer, we would simply turn red and go all giggly. Somehow I don't think we'll get the most out of Oktoberfest.

Lastly, one of my friends (who coincidentally shares my name) pointed out that whenever we go on these trips, we always learn a lesson. And we usually learn it the hard way. So to finish off this entry, here's what we've learned so far:

Wool socks make the world go round. Seriously. I trudged through mud and snow in light hikers. The water just soaked right through, and it got really chilly as we reached the top. The only reason my feet stayed warm was the nice reliable pair of wool socks I wore.

Breathable fabrics are your friends Getting wet through precipitation or sweat is unpleasant if you're walking for just a few minutes. It can be really nasty on a multi-hour hike with the risk of chaffing or even hypothermia. Dressing properly with breathable fabrics is important for comfort, and in more extreme conditions, safety.

A frozen water line is not funny. Some of us used the water bladder hydration systems that use a rubber water line to deliver water. Unfortunately, water can easily freeze in the tube in cold conditions. Always clear the line by blowing on the tube before continuing on the hike. That will prevent the water from freezing and blocking your tube.

Proper Footwear. Nice dry, warm and comfy feet make a big difference. Or so people say. I got a new pair of boots this year to test this theory. No more 10 hour hiking trips through snow with just a pair of sneakers.

MacDonald's Big Breakfast Deluxe. This available-in-America-only breakfast is 1070 calories of pure processed goodness. I normally don't like McDonald's, but this really hits the spot before a long hike. If you want the most calories in an affordable breakfast, this is it.

I'll fill you in on our adventures when we get back, and hopefully we'll have some good stories to tell.

To celebrate 10 months of not blogging...

2007-09-03T21:40:00.000-04:00

... I've decided to write a totally unoriginal entry - restaurant critiques. Yeah, this theme has been done before, but I thought it would be fun to write this list. I've eaten at quite a few restaurants in the past year and probably spent way too much money along the way. However, I think I've done a decent sampling of what's good in Ottawa and what's crappy. Amongst the vast numbers of mediocre restaurants are a few gems. Here's my list of places that I think are worth trying and others that are worth avoiding. I've also added a list of restaurants I want to try.

Note: These are simply my opinions, and I'm sure some people will disagree. I'd love to hear what other people think about these restaurants.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Issac's
M and I went here a few months ago, and were really impressed by the quality of the meat and pasta dishes. The entrees were in the $30-40 range, and the food was simply wonderful. And as exceptional as the pasta and meat dishes were, they said their specialty was their vegetables. Good stuff all around. Highly recommended.

The Village Cafe
A nice little cafe/bistro in Westboro. The menu is unadventurous with a selection of pasta and meat dishes. However, the quality of the food is very good. I was very impressed, and I'm jaded enough that it's hard for me to be impressed by pasta.

Caribbean Flavors
It's a great Caribbean restaurant that specializes in jerk meats and rotis. Everything is made from scratch, so expect to wait 40-60 minutes to receive your food after ordering. But trust me, it's worth the wait. If you have a lot of time on your hands and love spicy food, give this a try. I had a chance to eat here at their old location before it burned down. They've recently reopened on Carling Ave, and I look forward to trying them again.

Nokham Thai Restaurant
Slightly cheesy decor is offset by the solid Thai food. I really enjoyed the fish dishes.

Dick's
It's an old style diner that specializes in Burgers and nothing else. Luckily for customers, the burgers have patties that taste like actual meat (Whoo!). The burgers may be basic but they are very good and the onion rings are fantastic. Dick's doesn't offer the staggering amount of toppings like The Works, though. If you want a good bacon cheeseburger, go to Dick's. If you want a freakish bison burger with feta cheese and peanut butter topped with salsa and guacamole, go to The Works.

Restaurants I want to try

Restaurant Joy
A Japanese and Korean restaurant on Somerset and Bank. It looks interesting. M and I have been eying this one for a while.

East India Company
Recommended by many friends as a great Indian restaurant in the downtown area.

Chez Nam
I walk past this Vietnamese restaurant every time I go to Chinatown on the weekend. The funny thing is, I've walked by for almost 3 years, and have never stepped in. Perhaps it's time to give it a try. Various on-line reviews seem to rate it highly.

Aroma Maze & Wine
A highly rated Greek and Tapas restaurant.

Cyranos Restaurant
A co-worker keeps raving about this Italian restaurant in Bell's Corners. I usually find Italian food a bit boring, but I'm very willing to try this out.

Sushi Kanata
Rumor has it that amongst the faceless chain restaurants that blight Kanata, therein lies a decent Japanese restaurant tucked away in the Centrum. That's right, you heard me. Decent. Sushi in Ottawa is a tricky proposition at the best of times, and I've been consistently disappointed. Friends of mine have told me this place is decent. For Ottawa, that's high praise indeed for sushi.

House of Commons Cafeteria
Yes, that one in Parliament. But I'll need an invitation. And supposedly, I have to wear a suit. Those soup and sandwiches must be pretty amazing to justify wearing a suit.

Ging Sing
A relatively new Chinese restaurant on the far western fringes of Ottawa's Chinatown. I've heard good things about it, and I'm clamoring for any decent Chinese food in this city. Driving to Toronto just to have good Chinese food is a bit expensive. :)

Oz Kafe
This is a new cafe on Elgin street, and supposedly has a good menu. I'm game for this one.

Ikea Cafeteria
Ok, don't laugh. I've never tried their $1 breakfast or the Swedish meatballs. And after Ikea's recent Swedish meatball commercials on radio, I'll give them a try for giggles. It can't be that bad, can it?

Thanks, but no thanks. Hey, is that Wendy's around the corner?

Montana's
Overpriced. Grim quality. Worst of the chain restaurants. If you're in an unadventurous mood, and want a boring restaurant, try Boston Pizza, Applebee's or Kelsey's. They're not great either, but they're much better than Montana's.

Cathay Restaurant Downtown
Third rate Chinese food for the sweet-and-sour-deepfried-something crowd. Ottawa's Chinese restaurants are quite poor, and this is one of the worst. Amazingly enough, this place has been a mainstay of office workers in downtown Ottawa and has been in business for literally decades. I even know people who go 3 times a week. I'm sorry to say this, but I have a feeling they've never tried real chinese food before. Heck, I doubt they have even tried second-rate Chinese food.

Royal Cafeteria
Think back. Think WAY back. Do you ever get nostalgic over the old cafeteria at Woolco? After cruising the aisles for the 12-pack of sport socks and underwear, did your mom ever bring you to the cafeteria for some fountain juice, cold apple pie or maybe even a dry meatloaf? Well, you're in luck. The downtown Royal Cafeteria does a fantastic job at preserving that intangible Woolco mystique.

Not only do the peas and gravy come from a can, the staff are still dressed in the 1970's white uniforms, aprons and hats. The tables, chairs and benches absolutely NAIL the "department store cafeteria" look. And yes, who can forget the life-sucking beige walls? Forgive me if I get all weepy talking about it.

So what's this I see???

2006-11-21T09:17:00.000-05:00

Is it the sun? Whoa!

It's amazing how just a couple of hours of sunshine can lift your mood. It's been freaking cold, cloudy and rainy for the past several weeks. I really dislike Novembers in Ottawa, since it's so glum and depressing. All you see is cold rain and clouds.

However, I can't complain TOO much. At least this isn't Vancouver. Isn't it like this during the summers?

Random question: Do British Secret Service agents really have the license to kill?

2006-11-16T23:33:00.000-05:00

Yes. Read here.

So many mountains, so little time

2006-11-11T15:57:00.000-05:00

I should mention a trip some friends and I took a few weeks ago. We headed down to the Adironidack mountains in upstate New York hoping to see some spectacular fall foliage. However, what we got instead was Narnia-esque winter wonderland. Not that we complained. This picture below was typical of the scenery throughout the entire day.

The conditions were perfect for winter hiking. While it was icy and snowy, we were able to make it to the top of Wright Mountain, one of the 46er's in the Adirondacks. Here's a pic of G. near the summit. I wasn't able to make it up much further than the treeline due to cold, but G and T ventured on.

Now, this is the first of the 46's peaks that we successfully hiked. We made an attempt last year on Giant Mountain but were turned back by a nasty stream turned "raging torrent over a freaking 300ft waterfall". Sigh, I just realized that at this rate of one mountain per year, we'll have completed the 46's when I reach 75. Great.

On a side note, let me talk about pants. Yes, pants. During these types of hikes, moisture control, breathability and wind resistance are essential. Otherwise, you end up like a sweaty, soggy, wimpering mess (like I was once last year). In wet, cool conditions, hypothermia is a real possibilty, even in summer. That's why I can't recommend these pants enough. The MEC Ferrata Ultra pants look a bit dorky, but they performed very well during the winter hike. Highly recommended. They'll work great for cross-country skiing too.

Remembrance Day

2006-11-11T00:03:00.001-05:00

El Comandante

2006-11-08T22:55:00.000-05:00

Yikes. It's been a whole month since I've last posted something. So I guess my loyal readership (hi Mom) is wondering where I am. Did I:

1. Get run over by a bus
2. Win the lottery and buy my own secluded Caribbean Island
3. Successfully overthrow the government of some small country, and install myself as Comandante for Life.
4. Get busy with real life, and never had time to post anything.

I'm afraid my life's not that exciting. Pretty ho hum, if you ask me.

So if you chose #3, you're right. Give yourself a pat on the back. Military marches are held in my honor every Tuesday. Be there.

Some photos

2006-10-01T15:06:00.000-04:00

Here's a few shots I took on Saturday morning. Some really thick fog rolled in, so I thought I would take the opportunity to take some photos in the Gatineau Hills. The photo below was the only one I was pleased with.

Once the fog lifted, I managed to get some fall colour pics. As you can see, it's just about to peak in the Ottawa area. We probably have another 1-2 weeks before it's all gone.

[Photograher's note: The angel was cropped, blurred, toned and converted to B&W with Photoshop. The rest of the photos were cropped and corrected for levels and contrast. Equipment: Pentax *ist DS, with Pentax FA31/1.8 limited and Tamron 28-75/2.8]

Farewell, Ralph

2006-09-20T15:17:00.000-04:00

"Because the premier can't be seen supporting one team over another, I've had to sit in the stands at the Labour Day Classic and the Battle of Alberta hockey games cheering like an idiot for both teams. It's unnatural. It's like living in Red Deer." - Ralph Klein

It's the end of an era. Alberta premier Ralph Klein resigned yesterday as party leader. I haven't always agreed with his policies, such as the brutal budget cuts during the 1990's. However, I've always respected his candor. You never had to guess what his real opinion was - he always said it straight and to the point. I guess that's why he appealed to so many people. That part of Ralph was refreshing in the world of politics.

So while it's about time he left, his shoot-from-the-hip style will definitely be missed.

Toys, toys, toys

2006-09-16T16:54:00.000-04:00

[Photography geek mode on]

Photokina 2006, a bi-annual European photography show, is coming up at the end of September. And, my photo-geek friends, what does that mean? Yup, new toys! There's been a series of pre-show announcements, and there's been a couple that have caught my eye.

I'm saving my pennies for this new digital SLR from Pentax, the K10D. It's a mid-level DSLR meant to compete against the Nikon D80/D200 and the Canon 30D. However, it's got a few tricks up its sleave, including:

Self-cleaning CCD, like that found in Olympus DSLRs

In body shake reduction, similar to Konica-Minolta's 5D. Effective up to 3-4 stops

Weather Sealing

Support for Pentax's new 'supersonic' lenses that should greatly improve AF speed. I guess Pentax has decided to compete against Canon's USM lenses.

I'm rather chuffed at this camera. I'm able to get shake reduction with my manual focus lenses from the 1970's! Whoo hoo! Also, it's price of $919US makes this a relative bargain. I don't think you get this set of features anywhere else below $5000. If you want more details, you can look at the insanely detailed preview at DPReview.com.

And for you well-monied traditionalists, here's the new Leica M8. It looks like another M-series rangefinder, but it's not a rehashed M7. They've put in a new viewfinder to adapt to the new CCD. It has all the film rangefinder quirks we know and love (or hate) for 'only' $4800 US. Ouch. Must be the 'Leica' name. This uses all the M-series lenses made since 1954.

The weather was rainy and the wine sucked, but at least the tour guide was hot

2006-09-11T00:08:00.000-04:00

How ironic. I visited a well-known winery in Niagara-on-the-lake over the weekend with a buddy of mine. The wine tour was fun, the winery staff were pleasant and the food was awesome. So how come the wine sucked?

(If you're wondering, we tried a variety of white wines, and the only one I can recommend is the Hillebrand Estates 2004 Reisling. Everything else was pretty flat and boring. Perhaps we tried the wine from a mediocre year?)

I'm by no means a wine expert, and since I lack a good sense of smell, I can never be. With that said, even with my unrefined tastes, I can still appreciate a good glass of wine. Which is why I found Hillebrand Estates a bit disappointing. This winery has a good reputation but I'm wondering if it's for the right reasons. The staff was definately hired based on looks, unless they happened to hired a whole series of young blonde bombshell sommeliers by accident.

But otherwise, it was fine. I'm definately willing to give them another try since the restaurant is well worth another trip. Their cornmeal-crusted halibut was impressive, and it wasn't overpriced either.

Bottom line: Go for the food. Was disappointed with the whites - such as the 2004 Guwerztraminer.

Random movie review

2006-09-10T23:34:00.000-04:00

Yikes. I never thought I would start off a blog entry mentioning child beauty pagents. These pageants make young kids look way too artificial and mature for their age. These pageants are weird and creepy, and for those who've seen 'Little Miss Sunshine', you know exactly what I mean. I saw this film over the weekend in Toronto, and this is the first time I've ever seen a movie where I was simultaneously horrified, offended, and cringing in my seat with discomfort. Yet I was laughing my head off.

And thus I highly recommend this movie. Two opposable thumbs up.

I won't give any more details since I don't want to ruin the movie. I came into the movie knowing nothing about it, and for that reason, I think it was all the more enjoyable. Although they use the tired formula of stuffing a dysfunctional family into a van for a cross-country trip, the writing and the strength of the characters makes this movie refreshing, quirky and smart. The bizzare world of child beauty pageants makes a hysterical backdrop to this movie. This is a rare gem in this otherwise disappointing summer at the movies.

Well this could be soggy

2006-09-05T23:38:00.000-04:00

Yeah.

It was a wet weekend.

No surprise here.

Spent the weekend soaking up nature.

Literally.

How wet was it?

Well, let me put it this way.

I'm still drying out my stuff.

Learned some cool stuff with tarps and duct tape.

Helped dig a couple of drainage ditches.

Luckily, no tents were flooded.

So yeah.

Very exciting weekend.

And these are very short sentences.

Because, you know.

I'm sure this is all very exciting.

Otherwise, this would have been a limerick.

Or at least in iambic pentameter.

Just to spice things up.

And oh yeah.

Coleman tents rock.

Well this should be interesting

2006-09-01T00:28:00.000-04:00

I'm off camping again this weekend to Bon Echo, which one of my favourite parks in Ontario. There's plenty of canoeing and hiking available and it's also a haven for you rock climbers out there. So why should this blog entry be interesting? Well, the remnants of Tropical Storm Ernesto are due to hit the area this Saturday. Whoo hoo! Let's see how well my Canadian Tire tent holds up. This weekend should be interesting indeed.

All this gives me another reason to miss Alberta. We never had to deal with tropical storms and hurricanes. :)

Have a fun Labour Day long-weekend!

I'll have that with a Diet Coke, please

2006-08-23T19:36:00.000-04:00

I ran into this article in the Guardian newspaper the other day. It introduced me to the monstrosity otherwise known as the "Quad Stacker" at Burger King. This monstrosity, ladies and gentlemen, is made of four beef patties, four slices of cheese and four pieces of bacon all served on a tasty sesame bun. I was shocked, yet became somewhat peckish, at seeing such a thing.

For laughs, I decided to check BK's 'nutritional' brochure. (I find the term 'nutritional' rather optimistic in this case). Now, the Whopper itself is pretty bad at 650 calories and 39 grams of fat. For your reference, a typical chocolate bar is only between 100-150 calories. [Aug 25: Correction - make that 200-300 calories]

But if you try BK's 'Build a meal' tool on their website, you'll see this info for the Quad Stacker:

Yum! This baby is packed with 1000 calories and 68 grams of fat. Oh yeah, and it meets your daily fat intake allowance for one and a half days. So... who wants to try one with me? We can get some fries and a milkshake with that too. (Yes, I'm serious)

But let's say you're in the mood for breakfast. We don't have this in Canada, but in the US, McDonald's carries the Deluxe Breakfast. It's basically like a regular Big Breakfast, except, well, bigger. I've actually eaten one of these, and they're pretty good... if you're planning to hike up a freaking mountain (right, G?). This puppy is packed with 1200 calories of wholesome processed goodness. And on top of that, it has a mere 160% of your daily recommended cholesterol intake.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against McDonald's and BK serving these meals. I think it's a matter of personal responsiblity to monitor what you eat.

But wow... that burger is INSANE. I'm sure your arteries will appreciate it.

And on that note, it's time for dinner. Sigh. Rice and asparagus again.

Brand new name. Same poor taste.

2006-08-16T20:30:00.000-04:00

After moving my old blog from MSN Spaces to Blogger, I noticed someone already uses 'Random Outbursts'. So now it's Tom's Outbursts.

Enjoy.

The Best Photo Assistants in America

2006-08-14T22:17:00.000-04:00

For you photo nuts: American Photo magazine has an article on some up-and-coming photographers in the U.S. It chronicles a few promising photographers who are doing stints as assistants. Most photographers need to get some real-life experience, and they gain that by assisting established pros. This is well worth the read if you're considering a career in photography. And check out their galleries. There's some pretty good stuff there.

International AIDS conference

2006-08-13T22:16:00.000-04:00

This is something that really caught my attention lately.

The 16th International AIDS Conference has opened up this weekend, and there's been plenty of coverage on CBC. In particular, there was a facinating interview with Stephen Lewis, one of the best known UN Special Envoys for HIV-AIDS. I especially admire this man in his fight to bring more recognition to the effects of this global disease. He's earned much respect in the world, and has also garnered many enemies for being outspoken against South Africa and the United States on their policies towards controlling HIV-AIDS.

We in Canada have been fortunate enough where the growth of AIDS has slowed (but not stopped) in North America, but it's still spreading wildly throughout Africa. During the CBC interview, Stephen Lewis identified how African women in particular are in acute risk. Due to a highly male-dominated society, women have very little say in refusing sexual advances by men and have no control whether contraception is used. The statement that surprised me was that married women, who were often married to much older men, were at greater risk of contracting HIV. Males would often have many partners throughout their lives, and would continue to spread HIV to their wives. People have identified that greater empowerment and education of women in their society would greatly reduce the incidents of AIDS. But due to the huge problems in Africa right now, such as war and famine, it's a daunting task to establish these education programs. This is made even more daunting in countries like South Africa, where they won't even acknowledge how HIV is transmitted from person to person.

Due to the huge scale of the problem and the enormous resources required to fight this disease, I'm truly puzzled (and a bit angry) that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has chosen to skip this conference. Instead, he has chosen to go to the north, and concentrate on announcements on Arctic soverignty. I've given our Prime Minister a lot of slack, since this government is fairly new. I was willing to put up with some hiccups as the new government minsters got more experience in running a government. But the PM's decision not to address the AIDS conference is an outright embarrassment to the country. Canada needs to do its share to fight this disease. I'm saddened to see that this issue isn't considered important by the government.

Some cool Apple stuff... and not-so cool Apple stuff

2006-08-08T22:11:00.000-04:00

I continue to be impressed by Apple. Time and time again, they lead the way in computer design. They know how to design hardware and software, and they know how to make it simple and intuitive. Take for instance, Leopard, the next version of Mac OS X. This was just unveiled yesterday at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. Among other features, they've implemented built-in backups. "So what?" you say. Well, check out how they present the backup mechanism to the user. They use a 3-D 'time machine' metaphor to handle timestamps for files, which is simple for the everyday user. This is far cooler and simpler than anything Microsoft has come up with lately.

On the other hand, I continue to be staggered at the wide array of, ummm, "odd" accessories for the iPod. These are often made by 3rd party manufacturers. Take for instance, the iPod jeans...

...or the iPod toilet paper dispenser.

Vegetarian's Nightmare

2006-08-07T22:10:00.000-04:00

This weekend, I had the opportunity to try out a Brazillian Churrascaria in Montreal. Le Milsa is located just off Rue Ste. Catherine and Rue Bishop. This Brazillian-style steakhouse offered us an all-you-can-eat array 10 grilled meats, including various types of beef (sirloin, filet mignon, etc), pork, lamb and turkey. These were served on swords right at the table and were carved right onto our plates. The Brazillian way of grilling meat only involves using good beef and rock/sea salt, and its simplicity allows the flavour of the meat to come out. For those who live on 'meat-lovers' pizzas, 'meat-lovers' pastas and 'meat-lovers' salads (yes, there's such a thing!), I strongly recommend you try this. And no... there is no vegetarian menu. :)

I really have to say, Montreal is a great place to eat. It has a fantastic restaurant and cafe culture and I have yet to be disappointed with my meals there. Le Milsa is yet another restaurant on my list of recommended places to eat. For me, a restaurant excursion on a Friday night is well worth the 2 hours of driving required to get there!

"Canada is cold". Yeah right.

2006-08-01T22:10:00.000-04:00

I was chatting with a Swiss co-worker last week, and he was surprised how hot it can get up here in the Great White North. Well, he ain't seen nuthin' yet. It's supposed to be 35 degrees Celsius today in Ottawa, but with the freaking humidity, it will 'feel like' 48. Ouch.

Maybe I should go to someplace cooler. Like Hawaii.

What would you do with two extra seconds?

2006-07-25T22:08:00.000-04:00

Before going out the door in the morning, do you ever think "Boy, I sure spend a lot of time tying my shoe laces. I could be doing so many other things right now!" Umm, OK. Me neither. But since most of us can't bear to wear velcro, there is another way. Check this video out on Rocketboom.com. (Quicktime player required)

Wedding photography for fun and profit?

2006-07-19T22:05:00.000-04:00

Well, the wedding season is in full swing with the bridal hordes flocking to the altar in massive numbers. I've been privileged to attend a few weddings this year and I'm happy for all of my friends who tied the knot. It's indeed a joyful time. Now I've been experimenting with wedding photography this year and I've learned quite a few things. I felt I should share them with my regular readers (the both of you).

Being successful with a wedding shoot requires complete competance with photographic technique, equipment, and most of all, people skills. That means I'll never do wedding photography as a full time job, since I'm rather lacking in these skills - especially those involving fellow human beings. "Hey you, in the white dress! Move over there! Now smile, and look happy!"

You need to pick out a good location beforehand. For instance, Parliament Hill in 35 degree weather during a protest march is a good example of bad location. So is a park infested with mosquitos.

Poses are very important during formal shots. Watch out for wierd hand positioning and 'unbalanced' placement of subjects. Be careful to avoid situations where a tree in the background appears to stick out of the grooms head. Most of all, be very, very careful when the bride wears a strapless dress. They look very nice, but when the bride is posed behind a bush or a low wall, only the shoulders and head will be visible. This in turn makes it look like she's wearing nothing. Unless the bride is an exhibitionist, she won't be pleased.

Techie tip: If you're using a DSLR, shoot RAW. During the fast-pace of weddings, I guarantee that YOU WILL SCREW UP. There will be times that you will mess up the metering mode or the exposure compensation. Or you may have set the wrong ISO. Or even worse, you left your camera at the wrong white balance setting. In these cases, RAW can save your butt. It's hard to recover from these mistakes when shooting JPEG, especially white balance errors, but RAW allows you to easily correct these mistakes. RAW files are big, so you'll need lots of memory card capacity. Don't have 2 Gigs? Well, beg, steal or borrow more cards. You'll be glad you did.

Storing wedding photos on cheap CD-Rs is not a good idea. Wedding photos are supposed to be memories that last a lifetime. CD-Rs only last for 2-5 years. If there are any pictures you want to keep, PRINT THEM OUT. I don't mean on a photo printer either, but at your favourite film processing lab. Those prints will last for decades. CD-Rs won't.

This isn't an exhaustive list, but it's the best I can do at 12 midnight! Feel free to suggest more tips.

Fight AIDS and Malaria at home

2006-07-18T22:07:00.000-04:00

Some of you may have heard of SETI@Home, a project that puts together the computing power of thousands of computer to help compute the signals from the SETI program. The SETI program (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) utilized the screensavers of thousands of computers to create a virtual super computer. This type of technology is now being used for some worthy humanitarian purposes. Sure beats looking for little green men! :)

World Community Grid
This is an effort by IBM to create the world's largest computing grid, and is used to design new HIV drugs based on molecular structure on the Fight AIDS@Home project. It has also been used to predict the shape of human proteins for the Human Proteome Project. I've been running this on my home computer for about a year.

Africa@Home
This is a new grid computing project aimed at humanitarian causes in Africa. It was just released to the public this week, and the first project is to tackle malaria. They are trying to involve African students and university to develop and run these projects. Using normal methods, it would take 40 years to complete the required calculations. With grid computing, this can be completed within a few months. I'll be installing this on my home computer shortly.

For those who are curious about using massive computing grids to solve humanitarian problems, I encourage you to take a look at these projects and participate.

[Great news: The World Community Grid is starting to tackle a cancer project too!]

Viva Portu... Oh, never mind.

2006-07-05T22:04:00.000-04:00

After being pre-occupied with the World Cup throughout the past few weeks, I can actually go back to Real Lifetm . Much to my chagrin, my two teams, Portugal and England, were soundly eliminated. My hats off to Portugal on a successful run; they did much better than I expected. On the other hand, my jeers and boos to England for their lackluster performance and the poor behaviour of Rooney.

Now with that out of my system, next up, Euro 2008!

Perhaps I set my expectations too low...

2006-07-04T22:03:00.000-04:00

Well, after running a Canada Day 5k, it's time to train some more. I really need to improve my running times. My time was 28:46 and I managed to beat my goal of running under 29 minutes. So you'd think I'd be satisfied.
Errr... perhaps I should have set my goals a bit higher. I realized this while being passed by a mom pushing a baby carriage. With twins. Oh yeah, and the fact that I was 24th out of 25 in the 30-39 age category was a pointed reminder that I've got a ways to go. Alright - time to hit the trails again and prepare for the September races!

All that Jazz

2006-07-04T22:01:00.000-04:00

I'm back from attending the Montreal Jazz Festival. This is the third or forth time I've attended and I've always enjoyed it. I strongly recommend it, even if you're not all that familiar with jazz music. The breadth of styles is vast in Jazz, and Montreal does a fantastic job showcasing everything.

I managed to catch a Molly Johnson concert at Club Soda, and I was very impressed. I was introduced to her music not too long ago, and it was a real treat to see her live. For those who like female vocal Jazz, and who want to support Canadian talent, check out her CDs.

On Photography: Digital vs. Film

2006-06-16T21:59:00.000-04:00

Those who know me will know I really enjoy photography. I was thinking that it's about time I wrote something about it in the blog. On top of that, I might as well tackle a subject that's been popular with photographers for the past few years... It's the argument of film vs. digital. Which is better? What constitutes 'real' photography? Are digital cameras killing the 'art of photography'?

I encountered this question a number of times, most recently in the forums yesterday at DPReview.com. But it's an old question. I remember when I first started photography 9 years ago, I took a black and white photography course. Digital cameras were just being introduced into the marketplace and many of my classmates, who have been hobbists for decades, were wary of this new technology. They didn't consider the product of digital cameras 'photography'. It was something else. Something inferior, even alien. This argument is still going on. Below is an exerpt from one of my forum entries on DPReview.com on this subject, and my arguments why this film vs. digital debate is pointless.

I still shoot B&W 35mm film, but I'd say most of my colour photographs are done on digital. The reason is that I find B&W printing on fiber paper far superior to monochrome ink jet prints. However, digital color blows away film color prints.

But to address your question, digital and film photography have way more in common than purists would like to admit. Regardless of method, it all comes down to capturing light. It doesn't matter whether it's stored on a piece of silver hailde or a CCD. It doesn't matter whether you're using a Canon 350 XT or a Pentax K1000 - It's pretty much the same.

This never-ending debate of film vs. digital rarely ever addresses the fact that photography is not only about the camera. It involves lighting; the quality of the light and the direction of the light are extremely important. And of course, there's the subject matter and composition. These all make up a 'photograph'. It's not all about the camera. The fact that one uses a digital camera doesn't preclude these other components of the image.

If you think about it, there's really nothing you can do in digital that you can't do in a darkroom. It's just that digital is much more convenient. Film purists claim that digital photography allows all sorts of editing, such as color correction and changing details in the image. However, people have been doing extensive image edits since the late 19th century. There's plenty of photos out there that were doctored on film. I've seen a few examples at the National Gallery of Canada where people were added and removed. These photographs that were taken in 1915. Editing photographs isn't anything new.

Now, since digital makes things easier, does it mean it's a 'lesser art' than film photography? No. It's different than film, but it's certainly not a lesser art. Because it's simpler doesn't mean it's dumbed down or not worthy of consideration. In the film days, people would either develop film by hand or in a lab. Developing a film in a lab is easier and more convenient. Does this mean that using lab-developed film is a lesser art than printing hand-processed film? No. And neither is digital photography.

Now I've seen all sort of arguments comparing film and digital, such as dynamic range, resolution, yadda, yadda, yadda. I think these technical aspects are besides the point. I think what matters is the end product, which is the image. And in order to create the image you want, you need to use the right tool to capture the image. If digital gets you the results you want, then it's the right tool. If film gets you the results you want, then THAT's the right tool.
Use what's right for the job.

Edmonton, you make us proud

2006-06-12T21:57:00.000-04:00

As a Calgary Flames fan, I haven't been able to muster up much genuine enthusiasm for this year's Stanley Cup Finals. My only satisfaction was when Edmonton finished the Mighty Ducks off. But I was suitably impressed by the Oilers fans on Saturday night. Their rousing rendition of O' Canada, well, brought a tear to my eye. Well done, Edmonton.

Are soccer players a bunch of drama queens?

2006-06-10T21:52:00.000-04:00

Now, I don't consider myself an expert on soccer, but I do enjoy watching the occasional game. Now with the World Cup, I'll be enthusiastically following the exploits of England and Portugal. As a Canuck, I'm more of a hockey fan than anything else, but the pace of soccer and the artistry of some players can be admired.

But what I DON'T admire is the melodrama on the soccer pitch. You know, the writhing and grimacing whenever a player comes within an inch of another. This kind of fakery used to draw a penalty kinda turns me off. A recent article in Slate shares some of my views.

Ok, never mind that the article labels soccer as a game for communists (where the heck did that come from?). but it also highlights the unappealing nature of faking an injury. It's a big turnoff for guys like myself, who have great respect for players who continue on despite their injuries.

Take, for instance, NASCAR. I know Formula 1 fans turn their noses up at this racing series known as 'Country Music on Wheels'. But boy, you've gotta have respect for someone who checks himself out of a hospital burn unit, drives a race and checks himself back in. (article).

Speaking of random outbursts

2006-06-06T21:48:00.000-04:00

Ever want to imortalize someone's stupid comments? Check out Overheard at Western.

See such gems like:

Mullet Guy: Man, whatever happened to waterbeds?
Tanned Guy: Oh man, yeah. Waterbeds, they were the shit!
Mullet Guy: Yeah, apparently they were bad for you back or something. Whatever happened to sand beds? Did they have those?
Tanned Guy: Oh yeah, of course they did. They're awesome. Hey, my brother had a bean bag chair when he was little. Full of beans?
Mullet Guy: Extremely.
Tanned Guy: Yeah, extremely. Anyway, it broke and beans went EVERYWHERE.
(Pause.)
Tanned Guy: Completely ruined his life.

To quote a good friend of mine "Dude, that's awesome."

The road more or less travelled?

2006-06-03T21:47:00.000-04:00

You know me... I love travel. I love seeing new things, new cultures and most of all, eating new foods. :) I've been lucky enough to see large chunks of Western Europe, Japan and the United States. Each place has its own charm that's well worth experiencing. Even the mundane, like stopping by a 'Lawson's' convenience store in Japan is an adventure for a sheltered Canadian like me. (So... is that a bag of potato chips, or a bunch of dried squid eggs? Hmmm....)

But for those who have travelled, have you noticed one strange thing? For those who stay in youth hostels, have your EVER noticed that they're filled with the same crowd of Aussies, Kiwis, Canucks and Brits? Ever noticed that they ALL go to the same place? Like many Canadians, and heck, English-speakers in general, we use the usual travel guides like the 'Lonely planet', 'Let's Go', and the 'Rough Guide'. This got me thinking... do Spanish speakers use the same kind of books? Are there places out there that are filled with people from Mexico, El Salvador or Argentina? How about German or Chinese speakers?

So what got me babbling about this? Well, there's this article in the Guardian that got me thinking about backpackers and tourism in general. In these days of mass-market tourism, it seems like we're all going to the same places, and the sense of adventure is lost.

Give it a read. What do you think?

Now this is too cool...

2006-06-03T21:41:00.000-04:00

After browing through the engadget website, I found this new toy. So what do you get when you combine an ATV with a JetSki? Well, this little contraption. Check out the original article for details

What's this "blog" thing?

2006-05-17T21:40:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my first blog. A while ago, I'd never thought I'd be blogging. It seems like publishing a diary on the Internet where strangers would get to know me a little too well. Everyone would find out how wacky I am!

But however, there's plenty of wacky people around and I think I've got plenty of obnoxious comments to spew forth. So with that out of the way, keep your eyes on this space. I'm a photo nut, and an avid news junkie. Prepare for lots of pics and opinions on current events. I hope this will be sometimes entertaining and sometimes serious. Otherwise, it could be strange and possibly even intelligent.

I just hope it doesn't get me fired.