Archive for May 2006

Railtruck    (2006.05.18)

This pickup truck has an added train wheel on each corner. Whilst taking pictures, the driver chatted me up. He has to pull out a safety pin, drop each wheel down, and then manually jack up each corner of the truck. It then becomes possible to drive down the tracks, sort of Bugs Bunny/Elmer Fudd–style.

By the way, one curious and dangerous feature of Toronto is the train tracks running right through the city, sometimes so close you can look out your window and see individual bolts on wheels. The trains usually just creep along, except of course for the train tracks through Leslieville, where the Via trains run at full tilt and are quite free with blowing the whistle. Trains in one’s backyard make for a a cozy feel and a distinctive cityscape, but they’re an invitation to disaster. It already happened in Mississauga in 1979.

reNUed    (2006.05.14)

The NUblog is back online

Luncheon with the gutted    (2006.05.13)

Photos from luncheon with the fired captioners of WGBH

Lamborghini wiper    (2006.05.11)

When you’re spending this much money, all you need is one.

Mesh: In bed with Edelman    (2006.05.10)

Suddenly Mesh Conference’s press allocation is full. Which PR firm told me that, and what did they do to me five years ago?

Kamataki spool    (2006.05.10)

De facto Deaf Week    (2006.05.10)

TIDFAF and Mayfest, both in one week. Why, it’s deaf-rific!

The Solid Bore of Language    (2006.05.09)

What few choice parts there are in a pamphlet masquerading as a book entitled The Solid Form of Language by Bringhurst

Criticism of Mesh Conference    (2006.05.08)

If Wikipedia can host a Criticism of Wikipedia page, surely the wiki for the alleged “Web 2.0” conference known as Mesh (q.v.) can host the same thing. Let’s see how long the conference dedicated to “conversation” keeps that one up.