A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

Live and learn. I've had this LCD monitor since Boxing Day of 2002. Additionally, I've been running Microsoft Windows XP since it came out. Today, however, I learned something new.

Click the screenshot for info --->

I never turned on nor configured ClearType fonts on my computer. I discovered this fact when looking for more information on the 'new' typeface for this blog.

The meaning of my text may not be more insightful; yet, the appearance sure in hell looks a lot better on my screen! It's now just like the type on an actual printed page ...

Labels: Windows

I'm still soooo 80's. I thought those working as a DJ, would still need a large van to carry equipment between 'gigs'. Of course, in the back of my mind, I was thinking about bulky boxes full of pressed vinyl. Yet, it no longer takes big, hefty muscles and a spare dolly to hoist around the music.

Last night at a club, the evening's planned music plus the availability of nearly any request one could fathom easily fit on the DJ's little, notebook computer! I don't know the terminology, but some software allowed him to cue up the tracks and do all the other DJ stuff!

Labels: music, software

Students learn from effective lab activities. I can always find a lot of materials that directly relate to the topics. I cannot understand how some teachers manage to avoid using the world's most important type of communication technology.

Labels: BCIT (Page 1)

In the early days of webcams, I had one. As soon as I got broadband in 1997, I took an old Sony Camcorder and parked it on the balcony. It served up Internet photos through all sorts of weather and finally kicked the bucket in 2000. Perhaps I should consider getting a webcam back in operation someday.


Although it's sometimes broken, you should see
a recent image of Stanley Park by the Port of Vancouver.

Labels: Internet, Stanley Park, Vancouver, webcam

Visitors to Sri Lanka can get an automatic, 30-day visa upon arrival at the Colombo airport. We're planning to tour there in September and October, so we applied for two-month visas in Canada. We figured that would be easier as it would prevent us from having to renew in Colombo during the middle of our trip.

I sent off our applications, passports, photos, and ticket copies last Friday. It was regular Express Post and arrived in Ottawa on Monday morning! The Sri Lankan High Commission issued them very quickly and the postman knocked and delivered them at the door yesterday morning. Now that's service!


I first visited Sri Lanka in 1986 when we rented a car for two weeks and
I quickly learned to drive on 'wrong' side of the road. After finishing
a job in Saudi, I stayed there during August and September of 1987.
Then in 1988, we travelled in Lanka and the Maldives. Finally in 1991,
I spent a few days there on the way to Thailand. It's been a long time
since my last visit. Surely, things have changed a lot; I have.

Labels: passport, scanned, Sri Lanka, travel planning

DVD Update: Old movies are great! At a certain age, maybe we begin to appreciate things that were created before our own birth. Gene Kelly's dancing talent on a wet street is showing on the screen right now! Occasionally, however, there is a downside to becoming more pop-culturally aware ... I just learned that Viagra's advertisement with the 'Good Morning song' comes from Singin' in the Rain (1952). I guess those who are old enough to be aware of this fact, probably do need Viagra's help, eh?

Labels: movies

Now that I'm off the GPS kick that dominated my postings for a few weeks, it's time to get back to talking about DVD's. I last posted a listing of movies we'd watched on April 28th. Since then, they've kept coming. The following are ones received in the mail from www.dvdflix.ca. Their service has been dependable and the turn-around time short. All in all, it's been an excellent value for the money.

We are able to find a much larger selection of old or foreign films than are offered at the local video stores.

1941: Special Edition (1979)
Auto Focus (2002)
Big Fish (2003)
Caligula (20th anniversary) (unrated) (1980)
City Of God (2002)
Eating Raoul (1982)
Elephant (2003)
Equus (1977)
Eurotrip (UnRated) (2004)
Evita (1996)
Girl With A Pearl Earring (2003)
Hello, Dolly! (1969)
His Secret LIfe (2003)
In This World (2003)
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989)
Indiana Jones in Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
Man On The Train (2003)
Michael Jackson: Video Hits: HIStory #1 (1995)
Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
Monster (2003)
Mystic River (2003)
Osama (2003)
Other Side of the Bed (2003)
Paycheck (2003)
Peter Pan (2003)
School Of Rock (2003)
Solo Mia (2001)
Spartan (2003)
Spider (2002)
The Cooler (2003)
The Event (2003)
The Italian Job (2003)
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)
The Son (2002)
The Station Agent (2003)
The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
Timeline (2003)
Tipping The Velvet (2002)
To End All Wars (2001)
Tully (2003)
Undefeated (2003)

Labels: lists, movies

We've had the old satellite receiver with built-in hard disk for 2.5 years and have mentioned it here a few times in the past. It has had a great impact on our viewing habits.

Click the screenshot for info --->

Even though the device is now old, Bell Canada still releases automatic upgrades to its internal software. They are downloaded via the satellite and can add new functionality. Just this week a new revision added about 9 fuctions dealing with the recording and playback lists. The actual box hasn't been moved a centimeter but it's a different machine now. ' seems strange, indeed.

Labels: software

Time for a song today. Happy 4th to those
celebrating on this day. Here's
Neil Diamond and a patriotic tune.