I’ve got an idea for a new (completely made-up) bit of Canadian rumour/conspiracy:
Margaret Trudeau is Enid.
Any surprises?
The question I ask any professional or contractor I’ve hired is: “Any surprises?“
Asking “How’s it going?” can get an understandably hollow “Good” response. What I really want to know is: What have you learned since you started the work that you didn’t know before you began?
I’ve found this question helpful in my own work as a Web designer and all-around person-in-a-small-business.
Music producers talking shop
Music nerds don’t need me to tell them about Rick Beato – he’s a YouTube-guy-talking-about-music. I would like to call your attention to two interviews he did with legendary music producers, though.
The first was the interview with Butch Vig, who produced albums for the Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana. It’s delightful to hear someone at the top of their craft talking about the work with such enthusiasm. Vig is a drummer himself. Watching him air-drum along with Nirvana shows how he has these songs burned deeply into his mind.
The second was the interview with Daniel Lanois, who produced classic albums with Brian Eno, U2, and Peter Gabriel. Lanois was in the room, sometimes contributing directly, when songs like One by U2, or In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel were formed. I also enjoyed hearing Lanois explain how “Cajun” came from “Acadian.”
My favourite Lanois album is Shine. You can really hear the sound of U2’s Achtung Baby on a song like I Love You.
2093
Keeping up the traditions set by his mother, King Charles III will serve as king for 70 years, until he is 145 years old in the year 2093.
What would if you were king?
With all of the coronation proceedings on the news today, my kids asked me:
“What would you do if you were king?”
Without putting any real thought into it, I made the following declarations:
- Give the property of the crown back to indigenous peoples.
- Set a side one nice cottage and a few priceless jewels for myself I can sell to buy a fancy guitar This is what I would do, not what I should do.
- Dissolve the monarchy.
Free Bad Ideas
Two free bad ideas for you:
- A kitchen design company named Counter Intuitive
- An interior design company, but for your digital desktop/workspace
Julia Louis-Dreyfus continues to be funny
This episode of the Conan O’Brien’s podcast with Julia Louis-Dreyfus confirms that she is one of the funniest people I’ve ever heard.
JPL Dishwasher
The Voyager 2 spacecraft has been operating for over 45 years. We should get those NASA / Jet Propulsion Lab folks to build a dishwasher.
correct cheval battery staple
One of my friends at work discovered that the Canadian government password recommendations reference the classic XKCD Password Strength comic. They even include a French twist with the example passphrase: correct cheval battery staple. Delightful.
Taking back the Canadian flag
The Canadian flag has been appropriated by people with a slurry of anti-mask, anti-vaccine, and freedom-at-the-cost-of-others sentiments. This sucks.
One approach I’ve noticed to help take back the Canadian flag for an inclusive and mainstream use is to combine it with the pride/rainbow flag (and I realize there are many variations therein).
If I see 🇨🇦, I think: “Are they going to shout at me for wearing a mask?”
If I see 🇨🇦🏳️🌈 side-by-side, I think “They like Canada, and they don’t like alienating people who are different than them.”