The Globe and Mail

Recently, the Globe and Mail changed both their online and print look. The physical newspaper now contains colour on every page. For the website, the Globe decided to shift the immediate content to the left, perhaps to capitalize on the "F-pattern" in which people typically read websites. A few choice articles appear at the top, and then a heading called "Today's Must Reads" with four articles from different sections of the paper. And sometimes, in between these two, are reader comments.

Right there, front and centre: Reader Comments.

I am not keen on this addition to the Globe and Mail online platform. It was mostly ok, until the highlighted comments began to contain spelling and/or grammatical errors, and were signed by the likes of anonymousdoucheyuser345. Granted, some people have legitimate things to say, but I don't want to be face-to-face with them immediately when I visit the site. If I'm interested, I'll read the comments. Don't force feed them to me!

So what did I do? I searched for the "contact us" link and wrote the powers that be a little piece of my mind. I started off quite civil, but the power of the written word took over me and I became an impassioned website critic. I implored them to remove the Reader Comments and asked if a little part of them died whenever they posted a comment with a spelling error to the front page of the site. Can you imagine how newspaper editors must feel if I am this upset about it?

I was rushed in finishing my treatise, as I was late for a game of lunchtime euchre, so I quickly pounded out any remaining thoughts, signed my name and hit send. Ahh. Relief at lashing out against something you know you can't control.

I came back from lunch to a confirmation email from some Globe and Mail bot that my email had been received. I reread the words I had written, when...shock and horror! I found a spelling error. Embarrassment washed over me as I hung my head in shame. I should have taken the time to spell check before I hit send. I feel I have completely forfeited my right to complain. Le sigh. But if anyone else feels inspired to write to the Globe and Mail on their new look, I highly recommend it.

In other news, I feel quite unsettled. Not just about that debacle, but about life in general. I feel like I need some sort of change, but in what category I'm not sure. Maybe I just need a haircut.

Holy Laziness Batman!

First: a huge congratulations to Alex and Matt who were recently married. Both looked super fabulous, and Alex's fist pumping on being told she was officially a wife was both hilarious and fabulous.

Second: I have been really lazy with my assignment. The winner of the previous post was actually "Things I want to know about" with 2 face-to-face votes in its favour. I think I've been lazy because the topic is hard to write about, as I think an explanation of why I want to know about these "things" is necessary.

I'll start with one: I want to know about trees. I want to know the Latin names. I want to be able to tell you that my favourite tree is salix alba without having to look it up on the Google. My Dad knows the Latin names of trees from his forestry days and I think it's cool. It would be more cool if we both knew so that when we went for walks I could say "I dare say Father, have you ever seen such magnificent colour on an acer plantanoides as that? I quite think that is the most vivid splash of rutilus that my memory can summon!"

Unrelated: Google Translate added Latin a while ago. Lorem ipsum!

Third: I will be Adam West's Batman this Halloween. I expect only awesomeness to come from this decision.

Help Me!

Hello one faithful reader,

When I began to think about starting a blog, I wondered what I would possibly write about. People seem fairly concerned these days that their blogs be about something. There's the travel blog (probably the most common among my friends); the special interest blog; the look-at-me-I-have-a-family-and-house-and-too-much-time-on-my-hands-so-I'll-photo-blog-my-baby's-first-twenty-years blog...you get the picture (funny right? picture? photo-blog?). Well, clearly mine is not about anything, which is also fairly common. We're the Seinfeld's of the blogging world. Hopefully we don't come to such a disastrous end.

Anywho, as I was saying, in thinking about what to write before SaRtO:aB existed, I made a bullet point list of potential topics. And wouldn't you know it, I haven't actually written about any of them.

This is where I reach out to you, faithful reader, and ask for your guidance. (Maybe I'll even learn that there are more of you out there!) From the list below, please vote for your favourite bullet point. After one week, I will blog about the bullet point with the most votes (or more probably, the bullet point with a vote).

• Leaves on trees story
  
• Things I want to know about
• FB-pics of illicit activity
• Sentimentality
• Wallet Story
• Girlfriend vs. partner (note: I just mis-typed "partner", and instead wrote "panther" - this is a much better word than either girlfriend or partner)
• Air guitar acceptability...why?
• Hallway etiquette

Alright, that's the list. Voting ends at 1500h EDT September 23, 2010. Unless I get bored in which case it ends earlier.

Seacreast out.

Canada: not afraid...anymore

While it is now too late to listen to CBC's This is That (the last show of the summer was this morning), I would like to encourage people to visit their website, and listen religiously if it gets renewed (hopefully!)

I wish I had been listening with a pen and piece of paper, because I don't remember many of the things that had me laughing out loud. Luckily, you can stream past episodes online. The show is made up of about 4 fake news stories per week, with one liners and shorts peppered throughout.

Some of the memorable quotes/stories I recall:

(With the sound of a hand saw in the background) Next week: why adult beavers make such good pets
Canada: 9 out of 10
Canada: you're standing on it
China gets rid of Saturday and adds a second Wednesday

A billionaire has decided to buy the eastern shore (so you can see the sun set) of Hudson's Bay to build a family fun zone since global warming will ensure it's tropical up there soon, maybe even by next year. He doesn't think "Hudson's Bay" evokes family fun zone, so he's going to change the name to Pleasant Park.

Calgary's aquarium has run out of money to keep it going, so it will have to close by the end of the summer. But, to thank everyone who has supported the aquarium through the years, they're going to be holding a big seafood bbq - come one, come all!

This is the opening to This is That:

Canada: North America's third largest nation
Canada: home of Toronto
Canada: member of the internet
Canada: skies and lakes and skies
Canada: the world's richest people
Let's peer into the heart of this great nation: who it is; where it is; where it's going; and how it's getting there; and who's involved; and what's at stake...Canada

Another great aspect of the show is the feedback from the public. Some people don't get that it's a joke...their comments could probably be a show in itself.

This is That was on Saturdays at 1030 and Tuesdays at 1930 (so actually, it's NOT too late!)

Close Talkers: the Solution

From Hyperbole and a Half

Fun with Putin

If you're blue and you don't know where to go to, why don't you go where fashion sits...

Watch a Gorilla Behaving Badly!

Here.

Question: Why do people hate Russian dolls?
Answer: They're so full of themselves.

This just in! Pictures of the aforementioned dock: