11:20am Jun28, 2002 

Now this is the kind of weather we like!  Canada Day long weekend is here at last and it's going to be nothing but hot and sunny all weekend long…  I can taste the Beer already.  Summer's here and BTM33's date has finally been released.  After heated debate, BTM33 “Capture the SoDa” Edition will be on July 20th!  This BTM will also fall on Isis’ birthday, so get ready to eat cake and wear stupid hats (…well, the cake part at least…) and bring your swim trunks, cuz the Abattoir Dunk Tank will be in fine form.  Please be sure to check your schedules to ensure your free before registering, we're looking for 100% attendance.  Have a friend who's not been to a BTM?  Spread the word!  We'll be opening another voting thread on the game and mode of choice so make your voice heard!

 

12:55pm Jun21, 2002 

Stand clear!Since I'm always shooting my mouth off, Isis decided it would be more fun to shoot a rocket off, so she picked-up a little Rocket Kit last night and we “did launch”.  There's just something special about the fresh smell of a Rocket Engine on a June evening…  Our flight was flawless.  Now to start finding objects to launch!  Perhaps we'll fill it with talcum powder, or gasoline for a better “effect” when the recovery shoot blows out.  Wonder if small Dwarf Rabbits like space travel?  Perhaps we should build a Quake style Rocket Launcher that really works?  Hmmm…  I think I better stock up on Rocket Engines for BTM33.  Speaking of which...  How does the July 27th weekend sound to everyone? *hint-hint*

 

09:58am Jun20, 2002 
We just have to report in after our evening out at Yuk-Yuk's last night, the comedy team that played was great and Jason Rouse didn't disappoint one bit (...Nacho's rocked too!..)  Word of advice, never sit up front if you see him live (...unless you welcome that kind of abuse, but that goes without saying...).  The guy just has to be wired to maintain a mind set like he does.  Here's a rare and valuable shot for you...  After Jason left the stage to roaring applause, the MC came out to close the show, but didn't keep the stage long as Jason suddenly came running out from the back totally stark naked!  The Abattoir's News Division (ABNN) was once again the only one with a camera to catch it (...Wow!  I'm proud, huh?..)  Skunkworks and I walked into the back room and introduced ourselves and congratulated him on an outstanding show, then we told him about the BBs and Abattoir Minutes where we've spoke of him and he offered us a photo op.  He wants to know where the rest of you were, so I gave him all your home numbers...  Expect a call.
 

Keep posted to the Abattoir LAN Minutes as we'll be announcing the date for BTM33 very soon!  Once again the requests are coming in for updates and additions to the Abattoir's Warriors Page, if you want your info updated, or if you don't have a profile yet and want your name and mug shot up on Abattoir.Net, please head to the BBs and read this thread, we'll have your profile up in no time. (link removed for archiving)

Would outings like this interest you?!  Want to get away from the computer for an afternoon or evening?  Join the discussion on the BBs and throw your suggestions in for an evening out...  From Paintball to GoKarts, there's been some great ideas thrown around!  With temperatures hitting an expected high of 32 in southern Ontario and the humidity climbing, I suggest of tour a Popsicle Factory.

 

04:30pm Jun19, 2002 
Another one bites the dust!Are we there yet!?What a great BTM that was!  Big thanks to all who came out for BTM32, even to those who came out to ‘bust a move' on the DDR (...we're now accepting bribes to ensure your photo's not put in the LAN Minutes...).  With this BTM we were introduced to our new friends S.N.O.W. and Tyir who now become our current "long distance" champs as they drove in from Montreal, Quebec to join in on the action after catching the Abattoir listing on LAN Party.com, great to have you guys down!  With the BBs in full swing, we used the Poll feature to democratically select our game of choice and it's mode of play for our Tournament game!  Quake3:Arena won and Capture the Flag was the mode of play voted for.  All attendees were put into a hat (...their names that is...) and Blue and Red teams were randomly drawn.  The first round had a bit of a quirk as the Red team was winning when the power went out killing the server that CorpsE was running (...this was due to the many 21" monitors that were purchased at BTM32...) so we decided to call it and the Red team moved into the next round...  We divided up again and the two teams once again went at it.  The four remaining players from that round were Sn00gans, Skunkworks, LoSt and BammBamm who went into the final match-up.  The "twist" everyone was waiting for was then announced; "Pair up and decided who's computer you want to play on."  The look of confusion became apparent, "...because one of you will be using the keyboard, the other will be working the mouse!".  This made it interesting as we all watch two players controlled in concert by four people, think about that for a second.  The match was recorded from many an angle and if you were one of the demo recorders, please be sure you upload your demo file into the BTM32 folder so our crack, Abattoir editors can get to work on it!  Sn00gans and Skunkworks walked with the Can'o'Spam taking the match, congratulations!
 

In preparation and to get in the mood for Metal of Honour: Allied Assault, I headed out to the War Plane Museum on Mount Hope and took the stick of a vintage Harvard plane...  The pilot asked if I was a pilot, I said "Microsoft Flight Simulator seems to think so..." to which he replied, "Good enough for me!".  I flew around for about 30 minutes while my Sisters boyfriend Paul cashed in on his $1,000.00 Christmas present from my sister, he's a big war buff and Tracy bought him a seat to ride on the Lancaster Bomber!  There's only two left flying in the world, for $1,000.00 and a 40 minute flight around the CN Tower, there better have been a hell of a nice in-flight meal!  I think his hearing's almost back too.
 

Our News Division (ABNN) was first on the scene of a major fire in Mississauga last week (...last week!?..) and even after 6 homes were destroyed, do you think anyone even wants the photos?!  I was on the phone with the Sun, Star, CityPulse, Pulse24, Globe & Mail, you name it.  Other than seeing it on CityPulse (...I have a photo of the CityPulse Cameraman running to the scene to film as I was leaving...) not a single paper even reported it, I found that kinda' weird.  Regardless, for the women out there who get all hot and bothered over seeing Fireman (...you know who you are!..) here's a couple shots, don't say the Abattoir's sexists!  (...even though we are...).
 

Yummy with cheese sauce!Jason Rouse is being featured at Yuk-Yuk's in Toronto tonight, if you've not seen this guy before, remember the name...  You'll be hearing a LOT more about him.  We have tickets and we're heading out, this is an open invite for anyone who wishes to join us, just email me and/or meet at the Abattoir no later than 6:00pm, the tickets are on us.

Oh yeah, we also have another addition to the Abattoir Zoo and Wildlife Reserve.  We've adopted an orphan Dwarf Rabbit (...I wanted to call him "Stew", but Isis wouldn't go for it...)  Isn't he adorable!  We're feeding him and he's doing great, we hope to have him all fattened up by BTM33, hope you can make it. <GriN!>

All images from BTM32 are on the SuperFTP, so feel free to take a peek if you want to see how foolish you looked on the DDR.

 

09:48am Jun13, 2002 
Even the Coffee's got it in for him!Just one more day till the Early-Bird fires up and I can tell by the buzz on the Abattoir BBs that there are a lot of itchy trigger fingers out there counting the hours.  We still have a few spots left if you want to exercise your recruiting skills, feel free!  As we've added four more ports, this basically means we're going to have one hell of a full house this weekend!  The voting is almost closed for our Tournament game choice, however, recent developments dictate a certain game that's been very, very anticipated will also make it's world debut at BTM32 (…and if you don't know what that is, I think you better read-up on the BBs…)

Automated notices should have gone out last night to all Registrars for the BTM, if you have not received directions or your name is not on the Reservations Page, please let me know ASAP.  We're going to be doing a CTF Quake Tournament (…by the looks of how the vote's going…) with random drawn teams, winning team advances to next random drawn match till we're down to 4 players…  Then a little “twist” will be introduced to the game (…no, not Twister, relax…) that should make it not only interesting, but rather fun to watch the final four bash it out!  Only time can tell the fate of SoDaLaS’s Mouse. <GriN!>

 

08:15pm Jun06, 2002 

We're Baaack!!  Sign-Up!Well, well…  Long time no hear, huh?  Lots to talk about…  BTM32 is coming up fast and we still have a few open ports!  Seems our expansion’s worked.  If you want in, head to the Sign-Up Page and Register, Soldier!  The Abattoir.BBs is in fine form after it’s first short two weeks online, we’ve already channelled over 10,000 hits and there’s only about 30 people on it (…Holy chatter-heads!..)  Other than the sick sex talk, there’s actually Technical Support in here, so if you’ve not signed-in, do it! *pays himself for commercial spot*  A nice thing we’ll be doing more of is linking to Forums on the BBs.  Like this one; “BTM32's around the corner, let's hear your i nput!” where we’re voting now, say your bit. (link removed for archiving)

Other shocking events prevent me from showing you my heroin adventures as I took the stick in a vintage Harvard War Plane a while back over Hamilton and Burlington…  There’s even pictures and all!  But alas, there’s no time for that!  David (Bitch'N'Heat) Grima brings us up to date on something far more important.  Take a read:

Do you feel that it is fair for an ISP to charge users a premium for extra bandwidth usage beyond a certain amount?  I do not, Sympatico seems to be getting ready to place a limit to how much you can download each month. 5gig total up and down.

The Globe and Mail has reported and I quote that Rogers: "The company expects to institute a bit cap within 90 days, Mr. Krstajic said. "And Sympatico:" Sympatico, the Internet division of Bell Canada, is cautiously saying it is considering the same move, but has made no decision yet. However, company representatives have admitted that if Rogers imposes a bit cap, Sympatico would respond in some way as well."

If you read those quotes like I do, Sympatico is going to institute a Data Cap because Rogers has already confirmed that they are. Hopefully we will be able to get solid information, though Bell is not forth coming with it. I've gotten two unsolicited emails from people claiming to work at Sympatico saying that the limit will be placed on February 28th and that the cap will be 5gig up and down.
 

What!?  Pop goes the World, huh?  As such, a petition is already WELL underway to show the discontent of the public.  There’s THOUSANDS of signatures on this already, and you can leave comments *grins*.  So I did.  As most comments consisted of things like “This Sux!” and “I’m going to cancel!”.  I myself, felt something was missing…  I then posted a three part rant that had to be cut into three ‘episodes’ to go on the server.  Here’s the ‘uncut’ version:

Five gigabytes of data up and down, or is it five gig down…  Or five gigs up?  Gee folks, you’re all sitting here bitchin’ about it, gimmie a break!  Both Bell Sympatico and Rogers/Shaw/Cogoco Cable Systems have offered us nothing more than excellent service, top-rape speed and outstanding Customer Service in an industry that’s very strapped and challenged in today’s economy.  I personally think you should be giving them a break here, I mean 5 gigabytes a month is more than enough for any user. – Or at least any user who doesn’t use the Internet for bandwidth wasting practices like, oh…  I dunno’  Things like: Streaming Video, HTML Email and attachments, FTP’ing between work and home, Downloading great game demos, Purchasing software that’s downloaded off the Net, Trying to even keep-up on one month of Microsoft Windblows Critical UpDates – Service Packs – Security Fixes and Disney advertisements, SPAM that’s now improved with HTML and Flash but has 50%less sugar, Downloading movies and/or Pron, Use any form of webcamera for security or broadcast, Listen to Internet Radio, Spend more than 1 hour a month on Shockwave.com, Run Internet Game Servers like Quake – UnReal Tournament – RTCW and MOH:AA on Cable or HSE because it’s just so nice and fast, Even considered making IP/Voice Internet phone calls to save money, Send Internet Faxes, Netmeeting with Aunt Monica in England, Spend time trying to read an online version of Bell Canada’s Customer Support Agreement (…The extended, non-directors cut Legal Version, the one where Darth Maul comes into the room and ‘er…  Never mind, read the Book…).  Ever thought that playing a three hour game of “InkLink” on Shockwave with six of your bestest friends from all over the World couldn’t be any more fun that it already is – unless of course you couldn’t concentrate on the drawing (…which usually looks like the player drawing has either never used a mouse before or has been on the Internet too long and is having a seizure…) because you kept hearing a Taxi Meter ticking in your head while you’re online.  So!!  If you think you’re going to use your Internet for those silly things, I think you should get a life!  For the AOL Users out there who stumbled across this…  That was all sarcasm.  Both of you big ISP’s should have your ‘nodes’ cut off for even thinking it.  Time to change ALL your commercials, guys…  You’re about to render them all redundant.  Oops…  I better finish up now, don’t want to use this month’s quota on my little text rant, do I boys!  Thank God this is in a public forum where other’s can read it, just think of how much bandwidth I’m going to save this month by not having to forward this to everyone!  Wee for me!  I’m smarter than a Bell Executive!  Oh!  Gotta go, my 456 minute wait on FilePlanet is up…  I’ve been waiting for this demo all week!  Too bad it’s 180Meg.  CliCk!

Wonder if my cable and phone go out tonight!?  If you want (…and I encourage you to…) sign this petition, or even view some of the comments made, head over and read away.  (…Look for 8646 and read from the bottom up for the live one from above…) What do you all think of this c(r)ap? (link removed for archiving)