Nitrates - Junk food science

I'd read a couple of reports about the levels of nitrates in processed meats, and I'm putting this link here so I can reference it later. Basically it's not as bad as 'they' make it out to be:
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http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/does-banning-hotdogs-and-bacon-make.html

10 Years

10. It sounds like such a solid number doesn't it? I wonder why it sounds so weighty. Perhaps because it takes two individual digits to make a pair? It seems that as human beings. we place so much emotional emphasis on that in our hearts and in our heads. We use '10' to sometimes mean "perfect". In binary, a paired '1' and '0' (10) means '2' in the decimal system. It takes 2 to make 10. Hrm!

OK, I'm getting a little too geeky here...my point is, it's taken 10 years for the 2 of us to get this far, and I only feel the better for it. I'm hoping the next 10 years will see us reach new heights. Honey, to me you're a 10.

Enter Ubuntu

It was time for an upgrade. To make a long story short, my old Windows 2000 installation was starting to really show its' age. Foobar2000 wouldn't provide any more updates, then ZoneAlarm also dropped support. Factor that in with zero updates as far as Microsoft Internet Explorer (*ahem* the *shell*) and you've got a system that begins to creak and groan. I needed a solution, something that worked, and was cheap.

I did a brief Ubuntu install to try it out, and I liked it, but I gave Windows one more chance on my PC with XP. Big. Mistake. I have 2 gigs of RAM, but that's no reason to slow the system down with glossy rounded corners and animated icons and shit. I had Aero (the name of XP's "theme") turned OFF, and the desktop refresh was still sluggish. It was at this point I've decided: "I've had it. I've lived through DOS, Windows 3.X, 95, 98, NT 4, and 2k. And I have had enough of Microsoft with their artificially truncated software lifespan and hardware-dependent upgrade path". OK maybe I didn't think all of that to myself, but the feelings were there. If other folks find that XP does it for them, then live and let live I say. It's just not for me. Hey, I should stop now, I wanted to talk about Ubuntu, not Windows!

Onto Ubuntu.

Now, I've tried Ubuntu (as in Kubuntu) before maybe about 4 years ago or so, and I can distinctly recall that the installer fucked up somewhere during the install. The kernel would panic and be unable to finish booting after the installation. That's a show-stopper if you ask me. I was still willing to give it another shot. I was using KDE when it was a pre-release on a Red Hat 4.2 system (somewhere around 1997). I tried the most recent Kubuntu from a live-cd install...and decided that it wasn't for me. The user interface felt very haphazard, random and disorganized. KDE now feels like they're just throwing every feature from everyone else's OS into theirs and it looks like a train wreck. Onto Ubuntu, the most recent release (I think it's 9.04, the one released last April). After doing all of the system updates, and tweaking themes and installing optional software packages, I now have a decent drop-in replacement for my previous OS. In fact, It looks almost identical (on purpose). Just having Ubuntu installed, and having my options placates me, and keeps me from picking up my PC and throwing it outside onto the 138. I should be spending more time playing my piano, anyway.

Moving.

I almost forgot to update this page. I will be calling B(H)ell Canada soon to cancel our Internet connection. Here's what has been going on with both of us lately.

1) We went to Immigration in Ottawa, and the appointment was for 1 PM. After 45 minutes my wife was now a "Permanent Resident" (Previously known as a "Landed Immigrant"). We celebrated (a little) by taking in the Byward market, having lunch and walking around a little. All of this means, she can now a) get her health card (coverage) b) get her social insurance number (to apply for work) and c) get a job.

2) We're also set to move into our new apartment now, during the first week of May. It's a basement of a duplex: Wooden construction (not concrete so not damp). 2 bedroom, hardwood floors, 3 piece bathroom, large kitchen, large open living room, private entry, own driveway, utilities included. I needed a fridge and a stove, we were given a nice 17 cu. ft. Whirlpool fridge, and I still have my stove my Grandma donated to me (along with the dining table set).

3) And my "new" '99 Cavalier Z24 (which I've had for about 2 months now) is working well now that I've replaced the gas tank. The thing is a BEAST. I don't miss the Mazda one bit.

3 years it's taken to get to this point, but when it rains, it pours. It may be a few days until we're both back online. I think I'll be going back to cable modem this time around. Take care and see you then!

New-er Car

This is our "new" car, a Chevrolet Cavalier Z24. Nice solid car. Has great handling, responsive engine, seems to be decent on gas too. We picked up this one thanks to our friend Jennifer; she got us in touch with her nephew. He gave us a lead on this car, did some work on it for us, got it safetied and ready to go.

It did need to be cleaned up, so that was our project today. Kristen and I cleaned it both inside and out, and vacuumed it. A few more touches like better floor mats and some odds and ends and we're set up with a decent car. We're still considering a name for it.