I'm wondering what other people's experiences have been like with Cuil (the new search engine created by a few ex-googlers). The first day I tried it I basically got a recurrent "our server is too busy" message, though I do like the minimalistic black home page. Today I actually managed to get some results. Having cuiled* "shanathalas", a name that so far only seems to be proprietry to me, I ended up with much different results than when I google that word. Google generally top rates this blog, and references to it, followed by a lot of my flickr pages. However cuil's top listings for "shanathalas" bring up references to my flickr photos, but not on flickr, but rather flickriver, a new flickr app. It shows no reference to my blog, but notes my existance on the blogrolls of metalmonkey and on other friend's blogs. So in other words, just random pulls, rather than any relevant listing.

Flickriver as an app is quite nice to look at, but then again, I think the same effect could be created by a dark background on the regular flickr site. I've been expecting a "make background black" button from the flickr folks for ages.

What do you think?

* I can't very well say "googled".

I read a lot of sustainability-themed blogs at the moment. While many of them are very good, sometimes they can leave one feeling more overwhelmed, frustrated and downright depressed with the state of the earth and the massive change it needs to save it. But this post today by No Impact Man really brought home a powerful yet simple message.

Hey All, just a heads up that I have got myself a new job. I'm still at UBC, but I have fallen back into the loving embrace of IT (read: get paid a decent wage). I will now be working for the Office of Learning Technology, as Applications User Support. I start on the 29th. Looking forward to it. While I will miss working in the Archaeology Lab, I know that the project I was on will end eventually and then I'd be out of work.

To all my friends overseas, I miss you all so very much right now.

The Vancouver Aquarium is one of my favourite attractions here in Vancouver. Its one of the few things that is awesome no matter what the weather is like. All of our mates who've visited us have been dragged there. So this past weeks they've had good and bad news.

The Bad News:
There 15-year-old stellar sea lion named "Tag" just passed away from cancer. He was a real character and always enjoyed amusing the visitors by sticking out his tongue and splashing people with water. He leaves behind 11 I'm-very-sure-saddened female sea lions. Here's a photo I took of him in better days:


The Good News:
Qila, one of the beluga whales who was herself born in the aquarium, gave birth to a baby. While I am not a fan of whales in captivity, I am happy that this baby seems to have been born healthy, and that Qila is able to take care of her/him. This baby beluga is the first beluga to be born to an aquarium-born beluga.


Photo: Vancouver Aquarium