NorthGeek

Sneak peak at Vancouver Olympics sites

There is less than 1 month until the Vancouver Winter Games. Here’s a peak through my iPhone lens at some of the sites and pavilions around False Creek in Vancouver. (All photos link to Flickr source.)

Maison Quebec at Concord Pacific site between BC Place & Sochi House (Science World) #poutine #tnmh #van2010 :

Science World Station for Olympic Line streetcar. Just a tease! Line ends @ Athlete Village (for now) #tnmh #van2010 :

Epicenter of #van2010 athletes? Golden arches next to Athletes Village. Closest some will come to gold #BigMac #tnmh :

Olympic Line streetcar "testing" running for free btw Athlete Village & Granville Island Jan21-Mar21 #tnmh #van2010. More from Miss604: www.miss604.com/2010/01/olympic-line-free-public-streetca… :

Molson Canadian 2010 Mural Project. Very very slowly filling out small fan photos. What’s it say? #tnmh #van2010
"Soar in on the Games" ?? More info: blog.molson.com/community/tag/molson-canadian-2010-mural-… :

Horrible Burrard Bridge billboard: Have you signed the petition against it? Lots of #van2010 trucks below #tnmh
It was approved by the federal gov’t and erected by the Squamish First Nation
www.kitsilano.ca/2009/12/22/have-you-signed-the-petition-…

Brown Fizzy Sugar Drink Pavillion at David Lam Park (LiveCity Yaletown) #van2010 #CocaCola #tnmh

False Creek Ferry and Switzerland House #van2010

I have been the victim of a major scam!

Women often receive warnings about protecting themselves at the mall and in dark parking lots, etc. This is the first warning I have seen for men. I wanted to pass it on in case you haven’t heard about it. This will only become more commonplace…

A ‘heads up’ for those men who may be regular Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Costco customers. This one caught me by surprise. Over the last month I became a victim of a clever scam while out shopping. Simply going out to get supplies has turned out to be quite traumatic. Please, don’t be naive enough to think it couldn’t happen to you or your friends.

How the scam works:

Two seriously good-looking 20-something girls come over to your car as you are packing your shopping bags into the trunk. They both start wiping your windshield with a rag and Windex, with their breasts almost falling out of their skimpy T-shirts. It is impossible not to look. When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say ‘No’ and instead ask you for a ride to McDonald’s. You agree and they get into the back seat.

On the way, they start undressing. Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and starts crawling all over you, while the other one steals your wallet. I had my wallet stolen November 4th, 9th, 10th, twice on the 15th, 17th, 20th, 24th, & 29th. Also December 1st & 4th, twice on the 8th, 16th, 23rd, 26th & 28th, three times last Monday and very likely again this upcoming weekend. So tell your friends to be careful. What a horrible way to take advantage of men.

Warn your friends to be vigilant.

P.S. Wal-Mart has wallets on sale for $2.99 each. I found cheaper ones for $1.99 at K Mart. Also, you’ll never get to eat at McDonald’s. I’ve already lost 11 pounds just running back and forth to Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Costco.

Isn’t it nice when things just work? Great Honda Accord commercial

This may not be hot off the press, but it certainly never gets old! Enjoy:

iPhone, Nexus One 3G Frequencies

Also known as, why you can’t use the new Google phone in Canada… yet.

The chart shows the 3G frequencies (different from 2G) supported by each of these two devices, as well as the 3G frequencies of four mobile carriers.

Rogers/Fido does also use 1900MHz but it seems only for 2G, not 3G. Bell and Telus’ new HSPA network uses 850MHz (possibly also 1900MHz — this is unclear but irrelevant here).

Can people run the Nexus One on Wind Mobile in Canada? It seems so. So why can’t you buy the Google phone in Canada yet? Or you could always bear with EDGE speeds from The Three Stooges. And considering that option, I still think it’s a terrible shame you can’t buy this shiny new toy in Canada yet!

We also want to know why Google decided to go with that spectrum selection? Either T-Mobile had a say, Google is in no rush to ship millions of devices to the mass market, or… price? Qualcomm pushback? (Other Android devices do have a different choice of frequencies.) Please share your thoughts below!

More info at Wikipedia. However, this info is surprisingly mysterious. Ok, maybe no one really cares about it? Prove us wrong!

The NorthGeek HowTo Series: Fly a car

You heard me. This is how it’s done. You probably need a Subaru WRX STi to do this, though…

Jay Leno: in search of Hollywood’s hidden street circuit. Starring a Mercedes SLS AMG

With the title, I believe enough has been said. I’ll add this: Dan R, you should be ashamed that you didn’t post this first. Enjoy:

Noah’s best albums of the decade

Very few things are as powerful as music to evoke feelings and bring people together. On that lofty note, here are my ten favourite albums from 2000-2009. The album as a cohesive entity might be dying in favour of single tunes and groupings of tunes into a single product. I’m hoping bands like these hang on to the concept of an album. (Do consider owning the whole thing instead of picking only a few tunes.)

1. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004). This Montreal made it big this decade. Still, this album only grows on you, and it’s even more powerful after seeing their unique live performance. The production of this album is also tremendous.

2. Beck – Guero (2005). I originally thought Beck was going to be a one hit wonder with Loser. I couldn’t have been more wrong. He is without a doubt one of the most innovative composers of the decade.

3. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (2008). I’m thrilled there are albums like this that you can listen to straight through. It’s full of frighteningly sweet vocal harmonies.

4. Eddie Vedder – Music for the Motion Picture Into the Wild (2007). I do love to see when soundtracks are more than licensed singles. Eddie Vedder wrote these tunes specifically for this movie, which happens to be a terrifying and majestic flick.

5. Try! John Mayer Trio Live in Concert (2005). I believe John Mayer is the most talented guitarist on tour right now. It’s a shame he continues to be pulled in the direction of pop, but this album is pure legendary blues chops and tonal exploration.

6. Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007). I’m not sure what draws me more to put this album on the list: its revolutionary “pay whatever you want” sales model, or the fact that it’s just so damn good and a completely musical escape.

7. The Strokes – Room on Fire (2003). This is my favourite album from the The Strokes. It didn’t do as well commercially as their debut Is This It. Still, their simple guitar ditties somehow make a big rock sound.

8. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (2008). This album sounds like a change of pace: some East Coast preppy rock. Dig it.

9. The White Stripes – Elephant (2003). This was their major label debut, but still it was recorded over 2 weeks using a four-track covered in duct tape. Keep it simple stupid.

10. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002). Somehow Wilco is still off the beaten track, despite Jeff Tweedy’s solid songwriting. Check out their free concert at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

11. Bonus album is my very own. From my erstwhile Montreal rock band, here’s Far From Shore’s Wazo. There are still a few copies available online, or always from iTunes.

Some other (not huge) best discoveries of the decade: Bloc Party, Bon Iver, Cat Power, Danny Michel (Canadian), John Mayer (I still claim I discovered him as an opening act in a small bar in Cambridge, Mass), My Morning Jacket, Patrick Watson (I knew he was destined for musical greatness 15 years ago), Regina Spektor, The National, The Raveonettes, The Stills (another Montreal band), etc.

What are your favourite albums? Share them below.

Happy Nickmas!

So this is what the kids are watching these days…

The NorthGeek HowTo Series: Ice fish like a Canadian

Clearly, Canadians are a little insane.

What’s happening? Happy in Paraguay

Star Trek: The Next Generation, remixed.