The Crazy Finn's Journal

Damn, I really need to update more.

2009-08-29T13:54:49Z

Busy summer, spent it working, photographing, spending time with torfindra. Frosh Week starts monday, I'm a Leader and RamGuard so I'll be damned busy.

I'm now the RESS official photographer. Going to have lots of fun shooting this year, and will likely run up a nice shot count on the G1.

My schedule however is totally fucked. Some bloody idiot scheduled labs for some required courses at the same time as lectures for other required courses. Joy. Hopefully it will be unfucked by the Comp/Elec office this week.

Late School Update

2009-07-19T00:34:50Z

Just noticed I never did post school results for 2nd semester. Lets just say I'm damned happy with them.

CPS 125 	Digital Computation and Prog 	1.00 	Graded 	A+ 	4.330
ELE 202 	Electric Circuit Analysis 	1.00 	Graded 	A 	4.000
MTH 240 	Calculus II 	                1.00 	Graded 	B- 	2.670
PCS 211 	Physics: Mechanics 	        1.00 	Graded 	A- 	3.670

Leaving me with a 3.59 CGPA and a slot on the Dean's List

Looks like Zelaya's Goose is Cooked

2009-07-19T00:24:23Z

http://babalublog.com/2009/07/a-page-out-of-the-chavez-leftist-in-other-words-playbook/
If this proves true, it's yet another slam dunk in the Honduran Governments successful prevention of a Chavista coup.

And people wonder why I think Single-Payer Health Care is a Poor Idea

2009-07-09T18:18:28Z

http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=1146#more-1146

A discussion on the economic problems with Single-Payer Health Care. esr's somewhat more to the fringe of Libertarian thought than I am, but he's pretty much nailed the core economic issues with socialized medicine.

Another example of just who the Unions actually care about

2009-06-10T15:30:44Z

Union Officers Pension Plans fully funded while Member plans show massive deficits

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Union-officer-pension-plans-remain-flush-as-rank-and-file-retirement-plans-deteriorate-47424042.html

And people actually think that Unions care about the rank & file? They don't care anymore than any other Oligarch does.

I Still Live

2009-05-31T13:52:28Z

Been an interesting month. Went out to see my Dad for the first week of May. Nice and relaxing vacation, but damn my little brother's growing up. Hard to believe he's 15 now. The trip reminded me also of just how much I miss BC at times. Southern Ontario's complete lack of macroterrain is just not my thing, and a smaller city like Chilliwack is much more my style than Toronto's urban dreariness.

Once I got back I pretty much hibernated for a couple weeks before getting my summer hours. Working days, friday-tuesday. Good if non-standard shift. That's pretty much going to be my summer until Frosh Week in late august.

Riding more, if not quite as much as I'd hoped. Been model building as well, static planes since I have no real desire to build train models right now. And Photography of course, but that can be followed at mawz.

And most importantly of course, spending time with torfindra

Bike Lust Kona Honky Tonk

2009-04-26T02:52:10Z

Test rode the new Kona Honky Tonk today on the way home from work. I'd stopped at Dukes for some air (I was rim-bumping on the FrankenHopper) and they had the new JtS and Honky Tonk in stock. The new JtS is a sexy beast, complete with retro-style Canti's and a gorgeous retro paint job in British Racing Green and Cream. The HT is in plain old baby blue.

Took a 56cm HT out for a quick spin. And it just scoots. I was comfortable on it pretty much immediatly apart from shifting (it uses Downtube shifters, I'm used to Barcons) and I could learn to love those. The ride was excellent, handling was quicker than I'm used to and I found I could duck through traffic in a way the FrankenHopper or Steelwool couldn't. I would need the larger 59cm model though, the 56 was just a bit too short for me.

Spec's OK, wheelset kinda sucks (but is actually tough, unlike the lightweight crap on most low-end roadbikes), its a 9 speed setup with DA shifters, 105 RD, Tiagra FD and Deore 11-25 cassette (Really Tiagra, both spec HG50 cassettes). Cockpit bits are 100% Kona. Decent low-end stuff. Brakes are Tektro (nice, apart from the pads, Tektro stuff is excellent and inexpensive. I'd rather not pay for bling).

The frame is based on the Paddy Wagon. It gets vertical dropouts and a set of braze-ons and slightly changed geometry. It also gets the Retro road fork from the (gorgeous) Kapu instead of the heavier P2 fork that used to be Kona's only steel fork.

It's not quite a Kapu (which is the best-looking road bike from any major manufacturer, also the only lugged steel road bike from any major manufacturer) but its tougher, better suited for commuting and 40% of the price of a Kapu.

I want one, badly. It's just about perfect for my road riding.

Fast & Furious

2009-04-05T00:48:40Z

Caught it tonight. Quite good if you like fast cars, big wrecks and the occasional hot woman. They got the director from the third movie (Tokyo Drift), the most original and entertaining of the first three, and brought back the core of the cast of the first movie. Won't ruin the plot here, as it's actually kinda interesting, but it works fairly well, there's some good racing, less cheese and the occasional bit of meat. They mostly ignored the second movie, not writing it out of existence, but also not really bringing any aspect of it in other than O'Connor being a Feeb. Overall movie #4 is the real sequel to the first one, with a nice nod to Tokyo Drift (Han's in the first bit, which is set some time before Tokyo Drift, the rest an undertermined time later, but possibly in the gap between the end of Tokyo Drift and the vignette after the credits). We now know what Han was up to when he rode with Dom.

Only real disappointment is the lack of a post-credits vignette. The first and third movies had entertaining ones involving Dom.

The ending was a perfect setup for another one of course, and I'd love to see them bring some of the Tokyo Drift characters in the next one.

Oh, and ironically, this one's even cleaner than the already-clean original. Outside of some fairly risque outfits and a fully-clothed foot-fetish bit (not involving any of the main characters) there's essentially no sexual content beyond some kissing and implied off-screen nookie.

ROFLMAO

2009-03-29T16:31:28Z

From the Dragon*Con guest list this year:

»John D. Ringo
John Ringo is a best selling author writing in several genres including porn, SF, porn, technothriller, porn, Christian demonology and porn. Also romance and anime but he's alittle ashamed of that.

More school stuff

2009-03-22T18:49:58Z

More marks back. Circuits was a 72%, made a dumbass error on the 3rd question as well as the fourth. Second C programming midterm was 98.3%, meaning that I've passed that course (I have about 51% not counting labs as of the second midterm and first assigment). Wrote the last midterm on Friday, went OK. That was Calc II. Expecting a 70% or so, it was a little rough, may have done worse but I'm confident I passed.

Overall I'm looking at a decent set of marks this semester. And a bit of relaxation before exams start in mid april.

School Crap

2009-03-07T19:36:20Z

Done all but one of my 'midterms', just have the second Calc test in a couple weeks.

Marks are pretty decent so far. 80% in the first Calc test, 92.5% on Physics, 73.3% in the first C Programming test. Wrote the second C test yesterday, it was dirt simple so I'm expecting good marks. Still waiting on my Circuits midterm result (should get it on Tuesday). I'm confident of a decent mark, but apparently 50% failed (and 80% failed the first 4 questions, of 5). I had a little brain fart on the 4th question so I'm not going to do as well as I'd hoped.

For all you SteamPunk fans on my flist

2009-02-26T21:02:11Z

It seems my jewelry-making friend ClockworkZero got herself and her jewelry featured in Wired Magazine

Go check out her stuff, it's pretty cool. Jewelry made from old watch and electronics bits.

First Ride

2009-02-15T14:27:11Z

First ride of the year today. -8 with no windchill, but I tried out my new MEC rain shell and it proved warm enough (was cool but not cold when I got to work). Took the Norco in for the more relaxed position.

Man I'm out of shape. I've only ridden once since my little duck duck goose injury during frosh week and it shows. My legs were burning by the end of the small amount of climbing on my ride in, dunno if I'll be up to a full ride home. And I'd forgotten how much drag there was from knobbies on pavement, I'd been riding the Norco mostly with the 700c wheelset for commuting, but those wheels are now on the FrankenHopper and I had to put the lower geared knobbies back on the Norco.

Busy Busy and Bike stuff

2009-02-11T03:45:02Z

School and work are keeping me rather occupied of late. Running a much heavier course load at school compared to last semester. I'll be pretty absent around here until May or so.

On the Bike front, the Rockhopper is another step closer to being a real cross bike. It's now 700c equipped. Got a set of the Mavic 700c brake adaptors and swapped my pseudo-29'er wheelset over (It's only running 25mm slicks, so it fits fine). Finally got lights and fenders so the FrankenHopper is now all-condition capable as a commuter. All it really needs now is a new crank. I want the VO compact crank for it, but I might decide to get a Traitor crank and go 1x9 with my spare 11-34 cassette and a 42t ring rather than 2x9 with a 48/34 up front and a 12-26 out back (It's 44/32 up front now with a 12-26 in the rear). Sure as hell doesn't look anything like the late-90's rigid MTB it started out as 12 years ago.

Marks, Wee!

2008-12-22T17:06:35Z

Apparently these won't be final until tomorrow afternoon, but they're posted and I'm pretty happy.

CEN 100 	Introduction to Engineering 	1.00 	PSD 	 
CHY 102 	General Chemistry 	        1.00 	A- 	3.670
MTH 140 	Calculus I 	                1.00 	B 	3.000
MTH 141 	Linear Algebra 	                1.00 	A- 	3.670
PCS 125 	Physics: Waves and Fields 	1.00 	A- 	3.670

Kinda disappointed in Calc 1, it was my second highest mark going in, but also the only exam I had trouble with.

Greatest Car Review EVER!

2008-12-11T17:51:31Z

Kinda cool

2008-11-30T02:11:46Z

Some folks up the street from me are building themselves a 'Green' house, and a rather good looking one at that. And they're blogging the build.

http://www.360winnett.com/

Pretty cool, love the concept and the look of the place so far. It's along the lines of what i'd truly like in a house (of course I also want a proper yard to go with it, which this won't have)

Kleenex is Dangerous

2008-11-26T20:27:34Z

I just poked myself in the eye with kleenex. Surprisingly not fun.

The rest of the Midterms.

2008-11-23T17:22:26Z

2nd Calc - 73%
2nd Chem - 50%
2nd Linear Algebra - 82%

Not happy about Chem, but that was just a crappy day for me. I knew more of the subject matter when I left home than I did when I started writing. Just completely blanked. Boo.

Happy-ish about Lin Alg, should have had higher but I studied last years test too closely and thus missed a couple bits that I should have studied. Calc was a case of simple brain-farts, a high-mark question I got 0 on because I couldn't set the problem up correctly, if I had i would have solved it with no issues.

1st Exam is Calc on the 4th, last is Chem on the 12th. Already started studying. Big thing will be beating my Physics midterm mark. If I get higher on the final in Physics than the 67% I got on the midterm, the midterm doesn't count towards my final mark.

Good News!

2008-11-05T19:09:46Z

Picked up my Physics midterm and went over it with my prof. Got 6 marks back on the long answer sections, so now I got a 67% on the midterm instead of 58%.

I'm a significantly happier camper now.

Calc midterm II was not so good though, I'm expecting something in the mid 60's instead of the 77% I got on the first.

And the last of the first

2008-10-29T20:44:32Z

58% in the Physics Midterm. Sounds crappy until you know that the median was a 44% and I've actually got one of the better marks (and it's only 18% of final, my Labs are worth 25% and I'm kicking ass there, with over 80% so far).

<ore School stuff.

2008-10-23T14:50:38Z

Got Linear Algebra back, 95% on the first test, sweet!. Still waiting on Physics, but I'm pretty sure I did well.

next week is the second Calc test/midterm. Gonna have to start studying soon.

Memeage from lwj2

2008-10-21T23:25:44Z

Your result for The Ultimate TRUE IRISH Test...

Finn MacCool

You scored 91 Common Sense, 82 Irish Facts, and 85 Irish Soul!

I am honored to be in your presence. You know your stuff. You are Irish in your heart. You probably talk like an Irish person after a few pints. You sing the rebel songs. You drink, and probably bleed Guinness. You may have even been interned in British Prisions. You impress (or annoy) all your friends with your vast Irish knowledge. If you are a female, I am in love. If you are a male, we are brothers. We should have a pint.

Please don't forget to rate my test...

Take The Ultimate TRUE IRISH Test at HelloQuizzy

And I'm about as Celt as Ghandi.

School Update

2008-10-18T15:31:25Z

76% in Chem, turns out there was no funny business, just a few oopsies in marking down the test version by some students.

Linear Algebra I'll get back next week (I skipped my lecture yesterday when the Prof returned the tests). Pretty sure I'm in the mid-70's or possibly low 80's there.

Physics I was seriously worried about. The lectures have been completely useless to me and I bombed the first quiz (and missed the second). Spent most of the week studying, went to write the test and found it fairly easy. It seems I concentrated on the right chapter of the text. Expecting a decent mark on that test (Which is good as it's the only course I don't have 2 midterms in).

No more midterms until Oct 31. W00t! Next week is an easy week, nothing but a Physics Lab an Linear algebra homework to work on.

Memeage

2008-10-16T18:26:12Z

Your result for The 'How Army Literate Are You?' Test...

The Elite GI

You scored 115 % Knowledge out of 120! Excellent!

You either got top marks or were very nearly there. Either way you're in the top 3 of the class. Which leads me to think you are in the service or a relatively new veteran. Well done. You've effectively proven the army is your way of life!

OR... you're a terrorist and you're spying on the US Military! Listening in on communications, observing, following... that kind of thing. It's a chilling thought. :P

Thanks for taking my test! :)

Take The 'How Army Literate Are You?' Test at HelloQuizzy

And I've never served a day.