Palmer's World

What are you looking for?

Blog

  • The Devil and Me

    Let’s talk DVD TV Series for a moment.

    We all know they are addictive. But what’s the drawback? They are expensive. Let’s take James’ comment about Season 4 of 24 being $65. Let’s say there are 20 episodes – that’s $3.25 an episode.

    Is it worth it? To some people, yes. Why not? You don’t to wait every week to catch a new episode. That’s a definite bonus. The concept of ‘when you want to watch TV’ is a great one.

    I personally find it hard to justify that much money on a TV series that I will only watch once. Maybe twice. It’s like Friends. I think it would be cool to buy the series of Friends…but will I end up popping them into the DVD player all the time to watch them? Heck no. I’m always more prone to stopping on a channel saying “Hey, it’s Friends!” instead of saying “Hey, I’m bored, let’s put on a episode of Friends!” I bought Season One of Alias because I had missed out on it…but after that, I’m done with buying the series because I caught them on TV. I would imagine that ONE DAY in the future (like 5+ years) I would like to go back and watch them all.

    So here are some simple ways you can save money and catch up on your (new) favourite TV series if you haven’t already done so:

    • Download them off the Internet: You don’t have to be too tech savvy to know how to download a TV show off the next. Pros: Heck, it’s free. Cons: Chances are, you’ll have to watch it on your computer monitor unless you’re tech savvy and have your computer hooked up to your TV/Projector. Sometimes the picture jitters and you have to pause and playback (this may only be on my computer for all I know), you have to wait awhile for it download (let’s say one episode of Alias takes a day to download during peak popularity. Peak meaning, if no one has it anymore (like an old episode of Thundercats) you ain’t getting it fast. Also, you don’t have the sweet menus or special features usually.
    • Join Zip.ca – Joe has shown how Zip.ca does great, great things for building up a DVD collection if you have a DVD burner. For a modest monthly fee, you can receive six DVDs at a time and when you are done, you mail them back (free) and then they send you six more. This may be their ultra-good package…there may be smaller ones out there, but Joe loves it and he always tells me about how he has quite a few TV series on DVD right now due to his sweet DVD burner. In fact, I have borrowed his Stargate Series, although my DVD player sucks and it jitters all the time when trying to watch them. This is the fault of my player, not his DVDs. Pros: Heck, depending on if you can watch/burn more DVDs than it costs to rent them in a month, you come out on top. Cons: I would assume the hassle of mailing back is a con (although a small one), as well the whole burning process if you were going to make a copy. Small cons though. Very minor.
    • Rent them – Good old Blockbuster lets you rent movies. And TV shows. I don’t know much about this? Pros: Cheap! Cons: How long do they allow you to keep a disc?
    • Borrow them – You know…there are a LOT of people out there that have TV series already on DVD, so why not hit them up for some goodness? Up for borrowing from this guy is Alias Season One, as well as the first two seasons of SeaLab: 2021. I’m finished watching them, and all they do is sit there and gather dust. I believe Alias was recently on loan for the past year to various people. Just ask around and you never know how many people have Lost: Season One on DVD for you to borrow.

  • Review: Smallville Season 2

    Three posts in one night. I’m on a roll.

    So…Smallville Season 2. I watched 23 episodes (42 minutes each) over the Christmas holidays. 6 of those in one sitting. I love holidays.

    What do I hate?

    TV Shows on DVD. They are the devil. You can’t get away from them.

    There should be the following label on TV Shows on DVD:

    Do not even think of having a social life after watching a few episodes.

    Anyhow, onto Season Two.

    I enjoyed Season Two more than the first one. They introduced some more powers to Supes, as well as a chock load of origin story. I think I enjoy Smallville for the fact that I never read the Superman comics so I really didn’t know half the stuff they are talking about, and I sure don’t remember it coming up in Lois and Clark. However, I’m taking it with a grain of salt as I heard they don’t stick to the story in some parts of the series.

    I like how they went away from the X-Filesish stories of how the town brought out freaks, but focussed more on other unexplained phenomena. Also, I found Lex had less of a role in this season, but there was more of Lionel Luthor. I’ve watched the season premiere of Season 3 and I think I like what they are doing with Lex. They gotta make him bad sometime soon.

    Two thumbs up.

    iplaying: I Ain’t Got You – The Yardbirds

  • Final Exam Result – Intro to Communications

    Dang.

    Just found out I got 63% on my final exam for Intro to Comm course. I thought I knew that course like the back of my hand.

    What the heck is that on the back of my hand?

    Gotta go.

    iplaying: Bernard Jenkins – John Mayall & Eric Clapton from my new Crossroads box set which I stumbled upon at the used CD store for $50. Sweet, sweet sounds. I’ll consider this a gift from Nanny for Christmas! Thanks!

  • The Morning Show – Episode #4

    Now that the holidays are over and done with, on with another episode!

    This episode has Bill show us what happened when he tried to wake the moose. Ouch.

    Download here.
    Original Airdate: November 15, 2001
    (20.8 MB AVI File)

  • For Sale: XBox

    Seeing that I received an XBox last year for Christmas and have used it a whole 5 times, I am selling it. Sorry to the parents who bought this for me last year and I didn’t get much use out of it.

    I will sell it for $125 pending the results of my attempt to return it to Wal-Mart without a receipt. Turns out that if I returned with my receipt, they wouldn’t take it because it was from November 2004. But someone mentioned that I should try and return it anyhow without the receipt…you never know.

    It is the XBox Holiday pack so it comes with one controller, and a double game: Some Tennis Game (Top Spin?) and Amped 2 (Snowboarding Game)

    iplaying: Screecher by Jakalope

  • Top Albums of 2005

    Trish Plamondon – Fromage de Noel: Never has there been a greater Christmas compilation compiled. Let me tell you…I know now pretty well every band who has made a Christmas song…and then some! What’s up with the song called Backdoor Santa though? Random sidenote: Found the old record player at Christmas time and hauled it out and found Bing Crosby’s Christmas on vinyl. There’s nothing like a vinyl. Mom prefers Perry Como, however Dad says (and I quote): “Perry Como sucks.” Never have more eloquent words been uttered by Dad.

    Here‘s a review of the double album over at Artoos’. Check out the December 12 entry.

    favesong: Mele Kalikimaka – Bing Crosby

    The Trews – Den of Thieves: Ever hear one of those albums that don’t resonate with you at first, but you give it a few more listens and then it becomes one of your favourites? That is Den of Thieves for you. A little different than the hard hitting rocking of the previous album, but this is a more solid album.

    favesong: Ishmael and Maggie

    Our Lady Peace – Healthy in Paranoid Times: Yet another one of those albums that take a few listens to get into. Everyone has been waiting a LONG time for this one since Gravity and I cannot say that I am dissapointed. I am constantly returning to this album to fall in love with more and more songs. It doesn’t hurt to see them live and have them show a different side to the music.

    favesong: Will The Future Blame Us?

    Nickelback – All The Right Reasons: Here’s one that hits you hard off the bat and doesn’t stop. After the first listen, I felt that Nickelback had done it once again. They are constantly getting better and better with their albums. One may argue that they are just playing the same songs over and over again, but no one said that was a bad thing, right AC/DC?

    favesong: Animal

    Billy Corgan – The Future Embrace: Billy’s first solo record comes out strong after a weak, weak presence with Zwan. And in a weird twist of fate, the day this album was released was the day that he announced that the Smashing Pumpkins will be reincarnated. Joy! No real Pumpkinesque tunes on this one, but it is enjoyable.

    favesong: Mina Loy (L.O.H.)

    Dream Theatre – Octavarium: Upon preparing for this summer’s Gigantour, I decided to pick up the new album by Dream Theatre after Vero was telling me that Dream Theatre kicked ass. Well, let me tell you metal lovers, they do not disappoint. Complexity is Octavarium summed up into one word.
    Foo Fighters – In Your Honour: Suprisingly, this is my first Foo Fighters album. Will it be my last? Heck no! This double album (comprising of one side electric, one side acoustic) shows that the Foos have an eclectic musical talent and know the ways around a riff. I’ll start picking up their back catalogue (although I must admit their first album is not the best).

    favesong: In Your Honour
    Audioslave – Out of Exile: I cannot say that I’ve listened to this as much as I did the first album, but it is still a great effort put out by Audioslave.

    Coldplay – X&Y: Took me awhile to get really into this one, but have grown to love it as much as their other releases. I enjoy the sounds of Coldplay and file this album into the ‘light some candles and have some wine’ folder.

    favesong: Twisted Logic

    Nine Inch Nails – With Teeth: Can NIN beat their last release (The Fragile) with this one? No. Not in my opinion at least. I would actually say it’s my least favourite NIN album. But does that make it a bad album? Hell no! It starts off with some classic, classic NINesque tunes and then descends into more rocking than usual. But rocking in a different sort that we’re not used to with NIN.

    favesong: All the Love in the World

    Theory of a Deadman – Gasoline: If there is a number #1 to this list, this is it. Theory of a Deadman have blown their previous release out of the water with this one. Who would have thought they had some ballads in them? A top notch album which can be seen by my Top 50 most played list in my iPod. I highly recommend this album.

    favesong: In The Middle


    Elektra Soundtrack – Cannot say that I’ve seen the movie since I’ve heard it was so bad (which is disappointing to hear since I dug Daredevil) but the soundtrack is amazing. I constantly return to this soundtrack as much as the Crow.

    favesong: Photograph (12 Stones)

  • What I Learned from Hearst

    • ‘Kodak’ is French for camera
    • 9:30 is too late to get into the bar on New Year’s Eve without being crushed inside a hallway. Claustrophobes beware.
    • Always bring backups of music for the long ride home in case your iPod wishes to crap out on you (note to all: At this moment after the trip is done, the iPod is now working as I was pressing the wrong combination of buttons to reset it. Too bad I can’t return it in hopes of getting the video iPod!)
    • When getting into a hot tub in the middle of the winter out on a deck, don’t forget your toque. Also, don’t bother going out. It’s really really cold.
    • Always have a backup wake up call instead of the wind up clock.
    • Always think before you say anything in French. REALLY think about it. You’re trying to make an impression here. Eric put this in a way that explains it all…when you want someone to pass you the pineapple, don’t say “Je suis un anana!”

  • Ring of Fire


    Had a most excellent time over at the Losiers for their beer and wings night. Started off by showing up a little bit earlier than everyone else so I can take advantage of the hot tub. After giving Samantha some interviewing tips, we went to the garage to help out with the wings. This was an excellent setup…a propane burner hooked up to a giant pot to fry the wings in, then we take them out and douse them with four types of sauce…my favourite being the secret sauce from the Leaky Canoe in Meaford, Ontario and the extra hot blow your mind out sauce.

    After munching on some tasty treats and attempting to play washers we played road hockey for a few hours. At the moment of typing this the morning after, I am the sorest man on the Earth even after taking another hot tub last night, but am feeling good about assisting in the winning goal.

    Today: Rest and Relaxation. Mom and Dad are leaving for North Bay which probably means I will not see them again for awhile since I will be going up to Hearst tomorrow. Tonight, we are going to attempt to go sliding but something tells me I’ll be a little sore for that.

  • Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Raaaa

    Highlights of the trip so far:

    • Mom saying to me that she is having a harrible day (aka, a horrible hair day)
    • Mom asking “Ryan, do you remember when we were kids?”
    • Sitting by the fire and drinking copious amounts of liquids
    • The Christmas Eve Bash at the Palmers
    • Receiving some sweet, sweet gifts
    • Munching on some Losier beef jerky

    Non-Higlights of the trip so far:

    • Awful, AWFUL weather from Deep River to Temagami
    • Going to a semi-lame stag (hey, where’s the mix?) and then waking up to pick up Vero in Hearst while nursing the mother of all headaches
    • Having Mom show Vero the photo albums

    What’s up next?

    • Going to the wings and beer night at the Losiers
    • Watching some Smallville Season 2
    • Going to Hearst on the 30th for a few days. Meet the Parents! yikes!

  • Merry Christmas!

    This is by far my favourite picture of Claude and I from my Christmas party last week.

    No bad weather yet to report…however, I hear the rain is supposed to start sometime this morning. I suppose rain won’t be bad. It’s the freezing rain which is the worst.

    I’m getting a slew of Christmas cards from all of you which I thank you for. There are a few people I still have to send out cards to (hello? Anyone have Rocky and Michelle’s mailing address?) but that’ll have to be done after Christmas. Yes, that’s right. I’m a poor planner.

    Check out this website here for an AMAZING game where there is a painting and you have to identify artists within the painting. For example, there is a picture of a guy taking a sledgehammer to a pumpkin…hence, The Smashing Pumpkins. Voila! So far we’ve found about 54 of them. 74 is impossible.

    Joyeux Noel to everyone and if you’re in Kap this holiday, drop on by!