the pod bay door

:: I wonder when I will learn that agonizing about money is a complete and utter waste of energy.

In November, I was driving in the parking lot of an abandoned mall, near my home. The only other car in the vicinity was approaching from the opposite direction on the same road. I realized too late that this car and I would arrive at the corner of this mall road at the same moment. It had snowed considerably the day before, and while the other car passed me at that corner without a problem, I couldn’t slow down enough to negotiate my left turn, and my car slid on an icy patch, into the curb. I knew immediately that I had a problem. When I drove on, I could feel the car leaning to the left. Back on the main streets, the steering wheel started to shake at 80+ kmh.

The car was in today for an oil change, and I reported the problem described above. I soon learned that the right front rim was bent. To replace it meant also replacing the front wheel bearing and necessary seals on the right side. Final damage: $491 and change. I also learned that the rotor run-out wasn’t damaged, which would’ve added another $200+ to this experience.

Party On!

:: Somedays you just don’t feel like writing stuff.

:: In an interview with Om Malik, Jacques Vallee suggests that weblogs will save the Internet.

:: Kenton and I attending the screening of the new 35mm print of 2001: A Space Odyssey last night at the Metro. The print was good, a bit rough in spots, and there was no surround sound in the theatre. But it was still great to see the venerable 35-year old movie on the big screen, complete with the Overture before the film started, and its intermission after the scene in the pod. The crowd numbered between 50 and 75, and with the exception of the occasional can of pop being opened, the crowd was almost reverant in its respect for the movie. During the scenes where there was no sound, only silence, you could hear a pin drop in the theatre.

2001 still looks good. I’m amazed that the sets and design of the movie still look good, almost contemporary, after three and a half decades. I was so wide-eyed when I saw it the first time, in December 1968. Certainly that sense of wonder isn’t the same now, but seeing the film again made me feel, for a few moments, like I was that skinny 15-year old kid again, amazed at what I was watching on the big screen.

:: According to Rolling Stone, a magazine that was once relevant in the world of music, here are the top RS 500 albums of all time. On this page you can take a quiz, check out videos associated with the albums, and debate who else should be on the list.

:: … Jena’s site, the absolutely worst version of the Christmas carol, O Holy Night, ever recorded. Turn up the sound, get out the earplugs. It’s hilarious.

:: … Robert’s site, a link to some amazing photos from the Hubble Telescope.

:: … Oliver Willis’s site, this entry on the decline of the bookstore comfy-chair (well, in the USA, anyway, we don’t have Borders or Barnes & Noble around here.) Fascinating to read through the 45+ comments to find an entry from someone who thinks Oliver’s observation is a left-wing cause. Eh?

:: … Derryl’s site, a photo that breaks the gigapixel barrier, containing about 1.09 billion pixels, and stitched together from 196 separate photographs.

:: various sites, mention of the National Board of Review’s Award winners, and the nominations for the 2004 Independent Spirit Awards.

:: A new 35 mm print of 2001: A Space Odyssey, re-released with very restricted distribution by Warner Bros in 2001 (duh), finally makes its way to Edmonton this coming weekend for four days. With 2001 being my favorite movie ever, I’ll be there.