FNP 5: Photos

You know you all wanted to see them. Here they are. My personal favourite is this one. Sorry Ryan. If anybody else has photos of this event, please send me a URL and I'll link to them.

Thanks to everyone for making it a great time. Hopefully eveybody's hangovers aren't too bad :) Looking forward to FNP 6...but not for a while :)

3rd anniversary of the invention of Cubeball

Today marks the third anniversary of when Ian Frosst and I invented the game of Cubeball. This occured because the product we were both working on at the time took an obscenely long time to build, and there was nothing to do but wait in the meantime. This waiting led to boredom, and boredom led to Cubeball.

Read The official rules of the WCBA (World Cubeball Association) below.

W.C.B.A. Official Cube Ball Rules

(Second Draft)

1. Equipment

1.1. Playing equipment shall consist of not less than:

• one (1) superball, of a size agreed upon by both players;
• one (1) item, preferably symmetrical, to be used as a target for the previously-mentioned superball;
• one (1) barrier, approximately four (4) to six (6) feet in height, stretching the entire width of the playing area, and with sufficient width to support the target on the barrier's top edge (the separating wall between adjacent cubicles is often used as this barrier); and
• two (2) wheeled chairs, as are normally found in modern offices.

2. Playing Area

2.1. The barrier, if it is not already fixed in place, shall be stood upright in such a fashion that it divides the total playing area in to two equal halves.

2.2. To decide which player plays on which side of the barrier shall be determined by a coin toss. The winner of the coin toss can either choose on which side of the barrier they shall play, or they may choose to have the first throw.

2.3. Players shall choose one of the wheeled chairs for their use until the end of the game. If so desired, this may be determined by a separate coin toss.

2.4. If the winner of the coin toss chooses to have the first throw, then the loser of the coin toss can choose which side of the barrier they want, and vice versa.

3. Gameplay 3.1. Basic Cube Ball 3.1.1. The object of the game is to hit the target on the top of the barrier using the superball.

3.1.2. The superball must make contact with the ground before striking the target in order for points to be awarded, or for a successful clearing of the barrier to be accepted. I.e., players cannot simply 'toss' the superball over the barrier.

3.1.3. Players must be in their respective wheeled chair while throwing the superball.

3.2. Scoring 3.2.1. Hitting the target in accordance with the rules specified in section 3.1, and knocking it down from atop the barrier, results in one (1) point for the player knocking the target down. This maneuver may henceforth, in this document, be referred to as a 'knock off'.

3.2.2. Hitting the target in accordance with the rules specified in section 3.1, but not knocking it down from atop the barrier, results in three (3) points for the player hitting the target. This maneuver may henceforth, in this document, be referred to as a 'hit'.

3.2.2.1. When the target is hit, but not knocked off the barrier, the target shall not be restored to its original position until it has been knocked off the barrier. 3.2.3. Hitting the target multiple times in the same throw is possible. Points should be counted for each hit. 3.2.3.1. If the superball hits the target twice, but does not knock it off the barrier, the throwing player shall be awarded six (6) points.

3.2.3.2. If the superball hits the target twice, and knocks it off the second time, the throwing player shall be awarded four (4) points.

3.2.4. Hits on the target when it is not atop the barrier do not count. I.e., if, during the same throw, the target is knocked off, and then hit while it is down, only points for the knock off are awarded to the thrower.

3.2.5. Players have two chances to get the superball over the barrier to their opponent. Failing to do so results in a point for the opposing player.

3.2.6. After a player has tried and failed two (2) times to get the superball over the barrier, and their opponent has been awarded one (1) point, each subsequent failure to get the superball over the barrier shall result in one (1) point awarded to their opponent.

3.2.7. If, at any time, the superball makes contact with the ceiling, the thrower's opponent shall be awarded one (1) point.

3.2.8. If, due to a player's throw, the superball has cleared the barrier successfully but does not make (or would not have made) contact with the ground in their opponent's half of the playing area before coming to a halt, then one (1) point shall be awarded to the thrower's opponent. (This rule has not been introduced in regular season games pending a decision by the WCBA Cube Ball Rules Committee.)

3.3. Winning 3.3.1. The first player to achieve ten (10) or more points and be two (2) or more points ahead of their opponent's score shall be declared the winner.



4. 'House' Rules 4.1. Due to the wide variety of barriers, superballs, and targets that may exist in different games of Cube Ball, and although the WCBA encourages strict adherence to this document, the WCBA sees fit to allow some variation to these rules and to the methods used for awarding points; within individual leagues.

4.2. If it is found that a particular target is too stable, and does not fall when hit, then an adjustment may be made to the amount of points awarded for such a hit; perhaps switching the number of points awarded for a hit vs. a knock off.

Downtown littered with copper penises

I know I'm not the only one to notice the rather-penis-shaped copper-colored "community bulletin boards" that have been...well, erected around the downtown area. (Man, there's just WAY too many metaphors there.)

They're supposed to stop the wanton posting of bills around town on telephone & power poles. I think they're horrendously ugly and I've heard that cost several thousand dollars each. I am constantly amazed to see the asinine purposes for which our tax dollars are used. Update 25/ Apr 2002: Now with pictures!

Click the pictures for bigger versions:



The last one is relatively normal looking and quite aesthetically pleasing, actually. It's the big "thingy" on the top of the large ones that's kind of odd.

I appear to be rubbing off on others. Not sure that's a good thing :)

Brent has purchased for himself a new 55'' widescreen television and a progressive scan DVD player. Although I'm less than thrilled at his choice of Samsung components, I applaud this new foray into the wonderful world of high priced electronics.

Since his site doesn't yet have a working comment system, I thought I would post about it here so people could talk (read: gossip).

Crazy Ants Wiping Out Christmas Island Crabs

SYDNEY (Reuters) - "Crazy Ants" are devouring the famous migrating land crabs of Australia's Christmas Island and may have killed off up to half the crab population in the past few years, a conservation official said on Wednesday.

http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=sciencenews&StoryID=794482

Yes, they're actually called "crazy ants". (In case anybody didn't realize, Christmas Island is where .cx domains come from)

The manual for my bedside lamp

I wanted a new bedside lamp. I went out to Home Depot and bought a new bedside lamp. I wasn't able to completely understand the instruction manual, but luckily there exists a medium where idiots can ask questions. It is called the Internet.

I scanned it in and thought I would post it here so you nice people could help me out. Click the images for larger versions.

Cover Page:

Page 1:

Page 2:

My Furniture is here! (Theatre renovation Pt. II)

You may remember, a LONG while back, I posted about how I was getting my theatre room renovated. I waited for the furniture I wanted to go on sale, and shortly thereafter, in the first week of January 2002, it did.

I purchased said furniture, and so began the waiting process. Why it takes 4 months to get my furniture from wherever it was to toronto, and then 7 days from Toronto to me, I'll never know. What I *do* know, is that it was worth the wait.

My god, giant ants in California

California has been taken over — 'conquered', if you will — by a master race of giant ants. It's difficult to tell from this vantage point whether they will consume the captive earth men or merely enslave them. One thing is for certain, there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to...toil in their underground sugar caves

http://asia.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/04/05/new.bug.ap/index.html

Vanilla Coke, How Long Will This Last?

This article on cnn.com states that Coke is reportedly working on secret plans for a vanilla version within the next few months. I dont know about you, but im thinking vanilla floats will be in order if this is happens.

P.S. What ever happened to Crystal Clear Pepsi and O.K. Soda (AKA Swamp Water)?