Author Archives: the scot

WordPress – It just works!

It’s not the Trini.  Sorry mate, I had to hijack your column for a post. We just upgraded The Cheap Scottish Bastard back-end (that certainly sounds strange doesn’t it?) to the latest version of WordPress (2.8.4) from an older 2.7 version.  Unfortunately the automatic 2.7->2.8 upgrade process didn’t work.  The manual upgrade, while a bit [...]

…and he’s buying a stairway…

quick update on the basement reno: new stairs!  the old clunkers are gone.  newly installed, glued and screwed treads and risers. i left the old stringers in place, just beefed them up with a bunch of blocking.  paneling is up on the concrete wall as well. i couldn’t frame out this wall and use thick [...]

Do one thing, really really well.

It’s my our 9th wedding anniversary! 9 years ago today the Scottish Bastard and the Irish Wife Girlfriend hooked up ’til death do us part and all that stuff.  Those 9 years, well actually more like 10 if you include the dating, etc, has FLOWN by. Not a day goes by where I think to [...]

Ryobi One+ 18V Lithium Impact Driver & Drill

Okay, it’s been a while. I’m sorry. The summer is here and, even though the weather has been sucking large in Toronto, I do find it hard to sit down and write when it’s warm outside and a new bike constantly calls my name.  Even one month into a municipal workers strike that has garbage [...]

Basement renovation update

A quick update on the reno: The DriCore subfloor is down and I’ve started framing.  The goal is to have the framing complete this weekend and start roughing in electrical.  I want to be ready for the spray foam insulation guys (Insta Insulation) for next week. I’m doing most of this work by myself, which [...]

Eco Mist Solutions – Plasma & LCD Cleaner review

What is there to say about a spray cleaner that comes in a bottle and works as advertised?  You’d think not much, and you’d be wrong! One thing I keep hearing. “Don’t use Windex or an ammonia based cleaner on your LCD or Plasma screens!” Why? Well, from what I can ascertain the ammonia will [...]

Cervelo RS

may the SRAM Force be with you Once in a while The Scot makes a purchase that defies his logic, and completely goes against the QPR ethos.  Some might call this an ‘emotional’ purchase, or ‘buying with the heart’.  Somehow I manage to logically justify these types of purchases and push aside the emotion.  In [...]

ride for heart

no, that’s not The Scot Today I rode in the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Ride for Heart.  In Toronto this attracts a TONNE of cyclists as they close down two major freeway arteries for us to ride on!  It’s a pretty cool sensation being able to ride on roads normally reserved for vehicles traveling at [...]

Wave Goodbye 1989>2009

Well, for all intents and purposes Nine Inch Nails is finished (at the end of this tour). In the words of Trent Reznor he’s “making it disappear for a while”.  Yet with a concert series ominously called “Wave Goodbye” it seems pretty permanent. With the exception of 2 shows, I’ve seen them every time they’ve [...]

Home Reno Update – Self Leveling Concrete

Today was a lazy day.  Too many ‘work’ days in a row and the Bastard needed a day to rest the back, the mind and play with the new iMac.   Here’s a tip — Apple’s refurbished machines are like new, just cheaper!  Sure, they’re typically not the most current models but when you’re saving 15-25% [...]