Over the last day or two my DVD player has been showing signs of going out the window. With me being the one throwing it out. I've had it for a little over two years (like two years and a week), and this is the first time I've had any problems with it. But I inserted a brand new DVD and it started "skipping," and actually scratched the blasted thing. So I tried a different DVD and it did the same damned thing.

I don't really want to buy a new one because the DVD player also acts as the base for my surround sound system, which I actually quite enjoy. However, I don't know what it will cost to get it cleaned, which is sure is all that I need to have done—and the yellow pages didn't provide me with any leads on where to take it.

Damnit.

I've been using Google Reader as my RSS feed aggregator for a few months and could not see myself existing on the internet at all without it. Today they introduced Reader Trends, which was inspired by a number of other Google Trends features.

I don't think it really has much of a useful purpose other than navel gazing at yourself, but it's still cool regardless. If you're still not using a feed reader you need to get on with the times. I mean, seriously, it's 2007 already!

Drunk driving looks like it might some day sooner-than-later be a thing of the past—for the most part. Japanese automakers are developing a number of methods that would prevent would-be drunk drivers operate their vehicles.

Nissan is developing an ignition interlock system that is similar to the ones we already see here that are issued to drunk drivers as a condition of recovering their driving license. Not to be outdone, Toyota is developing a sweat sensing steering wheel that will (duh) detect alcohol levels through the sweat from a driver's hands.

While I agree in principle with these ideas, as one of the above articles mentions there are limitless safety concerns raised by the default addition of these devices to all vehicles, especially during emergencies. What happens if in all the hoopla that surrounds getting out of a dangerous situation you dump a bottle of booze all over yourself, hands included, and your car won't let you leave. You die. Regardless, I don't see these things becoming standard practice any time soon.

Yesterday I spent the majority of my day at Mount Royal College doing some relatively boring orientation, tours, picking up my student ID and a bunch of other crap. I could have probably done without the comprehensive tour and the opening speeches and whatnot, but I guess it wasn't all for the worst. I now know where to go when I need free condoms and lube.

Anyway, I'm just looking forward for class to start on Monday, although after a couple of weeks I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune.

One of my roommates decided last night that he was going to quit smoking on Sunday. I gave him a piece of advice that my cousin put forth over the Christmas holidays:

You know when you drink extremely hard one night, and the next day at 9:00pm even eating is still something you can barely handle, and smoking is the last thing on your mind? Well, get that drunk, and then keep drinking. Keep drinking so that you'll feel that way for two or three days, and you won't even think about smoking. Then when you feel better, just stop smoking. Since it's been two or three days it won't be as bad as going cold turkey while cold sober.

Since we're having a party this weekend, I think it's pretty good advice.

As of Monday this week, the Esso by my house (also the source of my Tim Hortons) is under new ownership, and has pretty much all new employees. While they are nice, and seem to know for the most part what they are doing, they've already made one great mistake:

On Monday morning I went in to get my French Vanilla Cappuccino on my way to class, but they managed to put the wrong flavor in the FV spout (it's self serve). So I filled my cup and had a sip while in line, realizing that it was not, in fact, French Vanilla, rather English Toffee or some equally terrible atrocity. I voiced my concern at the counter, but the new employee/manager/owner/who knows told me I had poured it, I pay for it. Weeaaaakkkk. I didn't bother to stop in yesterday, but today they had the right flavor.

While ordinarily this wouldn't be such a big deal, I'd become accustomed to the great level of service I received from the previous staff. Since the store was not even a block away from me, I was obviously a regular customer. A lot of the time my coffee/cappuccino would be free, same with the paper, etc. I'm not too pleased about this transfer of ownership.

Ryan made the mistake of passing out at the top of the stairs. He hadn't woken up by 2:00 so we decided to wake him up.

Spain and Morocco have taken significant steps toward bridging the two countries—who lie only nine miles apart from each other—via a tunnel, much like the Channel Tunnel that connects Great Britain and France.

While neither government has offered any concrete financial outlooks, private analysts have suggested that the tunnel would cost between $6.5 and $13 billion dollars. Unlike the Britain-France Channel Tunnel, which opened in 1994, the planned route of the Spain-Morocco tunnel lies 985 feet beneath the sea, and in much softer soil. The Channel lies only 200 feet beneath the water, in a hard-chalk rock seabed.

Both governments are optimistic about the project, and it has been noted that the tunnel could be complete by 2025. The tunnel is expected to greatly improve the economies of both Southern Europe and Northern Africa.

Sam (my sister) and my good friend Devin have been in from Regina since Saturday evening. In trying to think of something to do, Devin suggested taking in some live stand-up comedy. While I enjoy stand-up DVDs, television and videos on the internet, I've never actually taken any in. So we decided to go to Amateur Night at Yuk Yuk's last night.

Since it was Amateur Night, the locals had to come on first. The first couple were weak, but the last four or so were actually really quite funny. However, headliner Dan Quinn was hilarious. I'll definitely be heading back to Yuk Yuk's more often. Stand-up rules.