11August2008
Posted by Rotorboy under: Work.
The purpose of my being here in Kugluktuk is to provide transportation for the Department of the Environment biologists in their grizzly bear survey.
The survey is a passive survey, meaning we don’t go searching for grizzly bears to chase them down, tranquilize them and tag them. Instead, the biologists have set out 392 posts, set about 5 miles apart in a grid pattern all around Kugluktuk.
The posts are about 5 feet tall wrapped barbed wire and topped off with a ‘lure’. The lure is a cotton sock dipped in this ‘oh-so-wonderful’ special concoction. It looks kind of like a thick, brown gravy. I’ve got no idea what’s in it but I’m certain it contains rotting meat of some sort. It’s absolutely putrid. The smell instantly makes you dry heave. Apparently, it works quite well to draw in bears.
The bears are drawn by the ‘lure’. Curious as they are, they check out the post. When they do, they rub their bodies or paws on the post, thus snagging some hairs on the barbed wire.
We fly to every post and check for hair. Generally this only takes a minute, as the majority of posts are absent of hair. Occasionally, a post has been visited and the biologists retrieve the hair, put it in small envelopes, tag it and re-bait the post with more of the lovely lure.
To process all 392 posts takes 6-7 days. Each day is quite long, averaging 8-9 hours flying. Of course there is always weather to content with… and up here good weather seems to be rare for any extended period.
Yeah, good times re-fueling in 30 knot winds and driving rain. Good times, indeed.
2August2008
Posted by Rotorboy under: Work.
Oh man am I bored…
I’m sitting in Kugluktuk, NU, on a long weekend, not working, in the fog and the rain, with pathetic internet access I have to share with the apprentice.
Thank dog for 4 hour daily mins.
So I’ve already watched 2 videos, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle and 21. I must say, I didn’t have high hopes for the Harold & Kumar video but it was surprisingly funny, albeit very low-brow humour. 21 was interesting but the plot was fairly predictable so I wouldn’t recommend it.
I’ve also started playing the campaigns from Age of Empires III: Asian Dynasties. I’ve never even looked at them before but, seeing as I have nothing but time on my hands until Tuesday, I may as well kill some time.
I wish I had something interesting to tell you, but it was a slow news week.
I miss my baby… oh, and Tracey too. 
22July2008
Posted by Rotorboy under: Living it up.
I’ve wanted an a/v receiver for many months now and started researching them near the beginning of the year.
While I’ve never owned a receiver before, I had a pretty good idea of the major features I was looking for:
- 7.1 surround
- video up-conversion
- HDMI 1.3a compatibility (the latest generation)
- iPod connectivity
- the latest audio decoders, such as Pro Logic IIx, DTS-ES and DTS Neo:6
- I also wanted a name brand I could trust.
After some serious online comparison shopping and after many hours of going over models from various manufacturers, I finally made my decision. I had to order the unit in special order and I ‘not-so’ patiently waited the arrival of my new toy.
Today I received the call. It had arrived.
Ladies and Gentlemen… may I introduce you to my pride and joy… the Pioneer VSX-1018AH-K:
If you’ll excuse me… I think I just wet myself…
Now all I need are some decent speakers.
[UPDATE] (July 27):
My Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 computer speakers work fantastically with the new receiver. Of course we don’t have enough speakers to fully enjoy 7.1 sound, but I don’t have another $1000 to fork out for the speaker set I want.
I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to use the speakers without bastardizing some weird connection. Turns out, the speakers hooked up to the receiver just fine… and it sounds amazing! (well, as amazing as it’s going to sound with the landlords living above us). [/UPDATE]
