theMediaman.com

I sent a letter to TTC.

“For the convenience of customers, please move back”.

Your drivers love playing that message up to 2-3 times per stop when things are busy, but the problem  could just as easily be solved by sending more cars. I think a new policy should be that they can’t play that message more than twice for every streetcar that leaves Broadview station. That would mean that the only reason they’re playing it on loop like a bad hip-hop remix feat. DJ Giambrone is because there are streetcars back-to-back all the way to the start of the line.

Otherwise, get your drivers to stop playing that damned audio clip over and over and over.

There are still a number of things I’m trying to get ‘right’ on my new phone. I’m still trying to figure out the most effective way to post new blog entries (this will be posted via email) – update: process was a failure and this was posted manually later. I’m also a bit upset that Wind Mobile’s coverage in East York is spotty at best, and non-existant on my block.

However, one advantage of using a Nokia phone over the iPhone, or even the Android, is the wealth of developed apps. While North Americans like myself know little to nothing about the Symbian OS, the rest of the world has been developing on it for years.

On top of that, my Nokia 5230 lets me install ‘unsigned’ apps right out of the box, so open-source development apps like SCUMMVM work without a hitch. So far, I have dug out my old copies of Monkey Island (1), and The Dig. After dropping the files unmoddified onto my phone’s internal memory, I can play though these old games again.

After picking up Steven Speilberg’s first season of ‘Amazing Stories’ (which inspired his contribution to The Dig’s great plot), I’ve had an urge to play it through again. Now I can do exactly that while on my daily commute…

…at least, if I’m not trying to figure out how to post a blog entry on my site.

photo credit: Michael Jaeger

While out with Simone on my evening constitution (I’ve always wanted to use that in a sentence), I spotted a comet in the night sky. It turns out that some dude named McNaught saw it before me… back in September. So my search resumes for “Comet theMediaman”.

Take a look for it. It’s very clear, even in the city lights of East York. Go check it out (North-ish) before the latter part of June when the moon gets full and the comet drops low on the horizon.

It looks like a bright, fuzzy star. That ‘fuzz’ you’re seeing is the particles coming off the comet!

More information on the Sky and Telescope website. If you’re doing your own browsing on the topic, don’t get it mixed up with the other Comet McNaught back in 2006/07.

My first ride on the YRT. Just a couple of notes…

The platform at Finch station is killer in the winter, and roasting in the summer. It’s only May and it’s brutal to stand out here. The seats in the bus are nicer than the TTC, but not as nice as they look from the perspective of someone who’s only seen them from the outside. Exact change is to be expected, but if they’re charging $3.25, they need to get coin slots that can take a handful of coins. When I got on, the whole thing jammed and held up the line.

I’m not sure the shocks are any better than the 54E I used to take (TTC), but I was able to type most of this on my phone. On the ttc bus, it vibrated so bad that it was impossible to read and my neck was usually sore by the time I got to work.

Final opinion: meh. I’d rather try a Viva bus and see what that’s like.

Same view… Future sourced from 3D plugin from Google Earth. Sweet.

See for yourself.