Remainders: Always Right Edition

• An analyst from BMO / Nesbitt Burns was on CBC NewsWorld today to talk about the dollar and she backed up what I had said in the "My Prediction" post below about the Canadian dollar. She predicted that, though it will be somewhat erratic, the dollar will continue to rise against the US$ for the foreseeable future. Also, she said that the Canadian economy stood to benefit greatly from being just about the only member of the G7 that has consistent budget as well as trade surpluses.
• Go watch the movie Ray. The best part of the movie, aside from Jamie Foxx's portrayal, which everyone else is rightly praising to the skies, is the fact that the director made a very traditional biographical movie. No weird pacing, no usng the subject as an excuse to actually talk about something else, very simple use of flashbacks in the way that we're all used to, to show important events from Ray CHarles' childhood and how they might have affectd him in later life. Basically, in a year where most talked-about films are very experimental in nature, or simple ego trips like I Heart Huckabees, the director made a movie that allowed the audience to simply enjoy the music and the story without forcing the audience to try and guess what he is thinking during a particular sequence.
• My laptop's power brick jut got so hot my computer shut down, and I could barely touch the thing when I went to pick it up. Scary. Update: My laptop won't turn on now.. ok, the battery works.. I have 2 hours of power left until I can replace the power brick.. Will start a running tally of how close I get to the price of a new PC with every replaced part now.
• Heard George W.'s voice for the first time today. Had to turn the TV off again. Will keep track of how long I'll have to go without watching the news.
• Currently re-obsessing over the album Siamese Dream by the Smashing Pumpkins. After Justin mentioned the connection, I now am hearing a whole lot of Black Sabbath-sounding production. Very cool indeed
• Dear America,
  
  The difference between the states where slightly less than 50% of you voted for Bush and the states where slightly more than 50% voted for him are not as different as you might lead us to believe with your red-blue maps. Bush would get his ass handed to him in fucking right wing heaven Alberta, fercrissakes.
• There's a lot of misplaced anger in the world when people resent overly chipper service industry employees.
• Whoever invented ZeroLink and didn't tell me owes me a day's worthof productivity.
• Lewis Black on the Daily Show just now: "Last night the voice of the American People was heard. I don't want to imitate that voice because I don't want to sound like I'm making fun of the mentally retarded... on Mel Gibson saying about his position against stem cell research "you and I were once that bundle of cells. If you can name any man who wasn't once that bundle of cells I'll give him a cigar.": "ADAM AND EVE MEL, THAT'S 2 CIGARS!" The tonal shift in the Daily Show seems pretty incisive now, like they won't even consider softening their critiques now.
• My neurotic self is alternating between Tim Horton's and Timothy's coffee and being fairly strict about the routine. Must seek help.