You're A Blog

Winterlude Pictures

2007-02-04T16:02:00.000-05:00

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Wednesday Blizzard

2007-01-10T17:40:00.000-05:00

Everyone feel sorry for residents of Saskatoon today - the university has closed and the buses stopped running. Makes you feel like curling up in a nest of blankets! Thanks for pic Chris!

Saskatoon weather

Slate's Top Ten Movie Picks

2007-01-02T21:26:00.000-05:00

Here's a great list of movies to see in the next little while: Slate's Top Ten. Bonnie and I are going to Half Nelson in February (it's at the indie theatre) but I refuse to see Pan's Labyrinth. It's just too creepy. Anyhoo, I encourage everyone, once again, to see Little Miss Sunshine and Stranger Than Fiction, which I thought should be on everyone's year-end list. Anyone willing to declare the best movie of the year? Hint: it's The Departed.

Best Words vs. Worst Words

2007-01-01T12:58:00.000-05:00

Check out these two sites for a funderful time:

Bansihed Words List 2007

Word of the Year

P.S. They forgot "Filliam H. Muffman".

Worst Ads according to Slate

2007-01-01T08:42:00.000-05:00

Slate's Seth Stevenson has articled his picks for worst ad of '06. His picks are mostly American (I've only seen two or three of them) and seemingly rare commercials; my picks are based on repetition. To me, an ad may be tolerable on first viewing but can quickly become hated after repeated viewings. The ads for prescription drugs or that horrible ad for the walk-in tub for seniors come to mind. Similarly, everyone who watches Jeopardy will know the painful ad for Head-On ("apply directly to the forehead"). Not only is it a terrible ad, it may be the worst idea for a product I've ever heard. Any other terrible ads out there?

Check Out Top Albums 2006

2006-12-27T18:29:00.000-05:00

Head on over the Top Albums of 2006 for, well, the top albums of 2006. Scott and I have posted so far and I hope others post soon. On another note, my favourite artist of the past month or so is Neil Young. I just thought I would ask everyone to listen to some Neil Young - maybe even take a chance on a Young album never before experienced. Also, watch Heart of Gold. That's an order, not a request. It's a must see - one of the great movies of the year. It's renewed my interest in Neil and ensures that I will always be a fan of his. In the spirit of year-end lists, here's my top ten favourite Young albums, but not in this particular order - they're all too good!

Harvest
On The Beach
Comes A Time
Harvest Moon
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Rust Never Sleeps
After The Goldrush
Live at the Fillmore East 1970
Prairie Wind
Deja Vu (Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young)

Listen to some Neil Young today!

Thank You, Lady Justice

2006-11-20T22:50:00.000-05:00

Despite my earlier protestations against censorship, I am delighted that O.J.'s book is not going to be released. I do not feel that he should be prevented from doing what he wants; if he wants to write a book and someone wants to publish it, more power to him. However, every aesthetic and moral fibre in my body cringed when I heard about this endeavor. Personally, it disgusts me. I am glad that others feel the same way as I do and further pain and exploitation cannot result from this man's sad delusions.

Murdoch pulls plug on O.J. Simpson book, TV special

Deep Thoughts

2006-11-20T06:47:00.000-05:00

There's a few things that I wanted to blog about this week, so this post's going to be multifaceted:

1. Stranger Than Fiction. Bonnie and I went to see this movie on Thursday. It was extremely enjoyable and satisfying on many levels: great music, great acting, great writing, and, most of all, one of the main characters was an English prof. So you know it's gotta be good. Seriously, though, check this movie out.

2. Accordingly, here's my revised top 5 movie list of 2006:

1. Stranger Than Fiction
2. The Departed
3. Thank You For Smoking
4. Borat
5. Little Miss Sunshine

3. Huskies in the Vanier Cup. This weekend the Saskatchewan Huskies beat the Ottawa Gee Gees to make it to the Vanier Cup - the fifth time in six years - against Laval, the other powerhouse team in the CIS. It will be an epic battle and I am pleased that the Huskies will play in front of the hometown crowd. It looks as though the money to bring the Vanier Cup to Saskatoon was well spent.

4. "How I Met Your Mother". This is a great show. I'm pretty sure it's narrated by Bob Saget, and Neil Patrick Harris is in it. Check it out here.

Now it's personal

2006-11-19T16:42:00.000-05:00

So now Iran has my attention. I felt before that they were deliberately provoking the Americans for fun or to unify its citizens and lionize the president, but this is one scary step. They've banned books and music. I can only think of Hitler's infamous bookburning ceremonies and the dire consequences. Is Iran ready to take on the world? I don't think that many nations will stand for this type of behaviour if it escalates into human rights violations. First, it's the ideas that are the problem; next, the people who have those ideas will be removed. Soon, anyone who has any independent thought at all will be removed. As much as I wish to avoid cliche, can anyone say 1984? Opponents of western hegemony will argue that America and Bush are just as evil, but because we agree with those policies we don't see it as such; I tell you this: Americans will fight tooth and nail for their rights. No one can argue that Americans suppress the rights of individuals within their country (of course, within legal and reasonable circumstances). For proof of this, go out and buy O.J.'s new book. The potential apocalypse aside, I feel that banning books in particular is a violation of human rights. Can you imagine not being able to read a book as a child? How do you expect children to grow as thinkers? Iran doesn't: they want robots fighting tooth and nail for their president. I recently had a discussion with a co-worker about the fact that Mein Kampf is not available for sale at Chapters stores. Aside from my personal feeling about the book, I feel that it is the fundamental right of private business owners to sell what they want. The CEO of Chapters-Indigo, Heather Reisman, who is Jewish, decided that she did not want to offer that particular book within her stores; it is her right to do so. If the government said that citizens were not allowed to read that book, that's another matter. And that's what's happening in Iran. So now it's personal.

Iran bans books

Boratmania

2006-11-11T20:46:00.000-05:00

Bonnie and I went to see Borat this afternoon. I was utterly speechless upon emerging from the theatre. But now I have found my tongue. It is a brilliant comedy, complete with scenes of obsurdity and immense discomfort. Sacha Baron Cohen made everyone alternate between squirming in their seats and laughing uncontrollably. How he kept a straight face the whole time I'll never know. Yes, there were some unsuspecting people who were seemingly victimized, but it wasn't that bad (except, maybe, for the frat boys in the RV). And the surprise ending truly made the movie an event. If you're uneasy about seeing other people in impossibly uncomfortable situations or offended my male frontal nudity, do not see this movie. Otherwise, laugh away! I give it my highest rating, four Baywatch babes out of four.

When the Deal Goes Down

2006-11-06T20:51:00.000-05:00

Last night Bonnie and Poonam and I went to see Bob Dylan! We had floor seats and no one in front of us and it sounded great - couldn't ask for a better show. Foo Fighters opened with an acoustic set; they're a really, really good band. Dave Grohl is not only a great musician but one of the funniest as well. He had people in stitches all night. The highlight of the FF set was Grohl singing "Best of You" solo - and he yelled it. Literally, he yelled as though it were an electric performance, yet it was just him and an acoustic guitar. It was truly awesome. Then Bob came on. People after the show complained that he didn't acknowledge the crowd, but he never acknowledges the crowd - that's been his thing for, like, 40 years. It is the music that mattered. But he almost danced on more than one occasion. What more can you ask for? There was almost a fight a couple of rows in front of us between two young dudes smoking pot and an old dude who should've been smoking pot, there was a crazy guy behind us screaming "Free Ruben Carter!" and an old guy kindly asked me if I would mind sitting down (I did). Bob's band was impeccable, as always, and the new arrangements on old songs like "Maggie's Farm" and "Tangled Up In Blue". He played two new songs, "Nettie Moore" and "Thunder on the Mountain," and a lot of old ones; in fact, the first six songs were all from 1966 or earlier. "Just Like a Woman" was awesome, as was "Most Likely You'll Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine," "She Belongs to Me," "Watching the River Flow," and "Ballad Of A Thin Man". He closed with "Like a Rolling Stone" and "All Along the Watchtower": an awesome end to a fantastic concert. I was truly satisfied. It will definitely hold me until he comes back this way again. Oh, and I bought a t-shirt.

Welcome Trudy Bear!

2006-11-04T00:36:00.000-05:00

Welcome wishes are in order for Trudy Bear, the newest blogger to hail from our old neighbourhood west of the Great Lakes. Welcome!

What A Girl Wants

But you can't go home again, at least not if you're planning to eat there

2006-11-01T11:53:00.000-05:00

Slate does it again! Such passion, such expectation for every single thing. This week's target: The Joy Of Cooking 75th Anniversary Edition. It is a treat to see seemingly trivial matters blown up into news. It's like high school all over again, except this time I'm laughing a lot more. And I'm not as awkward around girls.

The latest edition of Joy of Cooking falls short

Death Cab For Cutie Show

2006-10-31T10:07:00.000-05:00

On Saturday Bonnie and I went to see Death Cab For Cutie at the Civic Centre. It was a great show. My sister said that she felt that Death Cab was the best concert she's ever seen; after seeing them for myself, I think I can include them in my top five (Dylan and The Hip were still better shows IMO). They are such a good band, not only with great songwriting but also as musicians, and because they play so well together. Anyhoo, we enjoyed it. We'll go see them when they come back (Ben Gibbard, lead singer, said that we'll see them "soon"). As a tribute, here is a list of my top five all-time favourite Death Cab songs. Use this list as a starting point if you're unfamiliar; if you're a Death Cab fan, use this as a starting point for debate (Christeen, I'm looking at you).

1. Movie Script Ending
2. Expo '86
3. Soul Meets Body
4. Why You'd Want To Live Here
5. Transatlanticism

For more "info", check out the band's Wikipedia page

830! How an article made my week

2006-10-27T19:08:00.000-04:00

I saw this article on Slate yesterday: 830! How a carpenter got the highest Scrabble score ever. It truly makes my week, even my month. It would've been enough if it were an ironic look at the world of competitive Scrabble; however, as far as I can tell, the author is truly emotional about this record: "In the community of competitive Scrabble, of which I am a tile-carrying member, the [record-breaking] game has been heralded as the anagrammatic equivalent of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962 or Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series." The best part? The record is diminished because the players involved weren't "true" Scrabble players; the scores were a fluke: "If 830—or any record—happens as a result of boneheaded play, tactical ignorance, or the pursuit of a good time, should it count? Or should records be reserved for those who have earned the right to set them, and who set them in expert fashion?" Oh, it is a great article. Bonnie thinks Slate is off its rocker, but I think its at the top of its game. In a world where we're one step away from nuclear war, Scrabble is still the most exciting thing to talk about. I love it!

"Maybe, maybe not. Maybe go f*** yourself"

2006-10-26T15:14:00.000-04:00

Bonnie, Poonam and I went to see The Departed on Tuesday: brilliant, brilliant movie. I'm inclined to agree with Peter Travers about this movie: "Each new [Scorcese] film absorbs the others, creating a body of work that can stand with the greatest. Scorsese tops the list of American directors because, even when he fails, he strives passionately to make movies that matter. The Departed, a defiantly uncompromised vision of a society rotting from the inside, is one of his best." I loved every minute of it. It was intense, suspenseful, emotional, brilliant. I hope this time he gets his Oscar. Of course, he didn't make Flags of Our Fathers, so who knows. Another great point - the music. Rolling Stones, Lennon, Van Morrison singing Rolling Stones; all the songs (and the score) were perfect.
In light of this new favourite movie, I'm releasing my top five favourite movies of 2006:

1. The Departed
2. Thank You For Smoking
3. Nacho Libre
4. Little Miss Sunshine
5. V For Vendetta

Two movies that have yet to come out but could very possibly be on this list are Stranger Than Fiction and Borat. This list will undoubtedly be revised in a couple of weeks. Oh, and I'm looking forward to seeing The Prestige as well. Finally, another great part of The Departed involves Leonardo DiCaprio drinking cranberry juice. You'll have to see the movie to find out what it is because it's too risque for this publication. Or you can ask Bonnie.

Snubbed by the Pres

2006-10-24T19:54:00.000-04:00

Last night Bonnie and I went to a U of S Alumni reception featuring... President Peter MacKinnon. He gave the usual rah rah go research speech, culminating with a statement something like "I love Synchotron". We thought it was all very standard. He is a very good speaker, though, and as such we were impressed. Until, that is, he showed his true disdain for the Humanities by snubbing two English graduates. After the speech, I politely stopped President MacKinnon to ask about maintaining the balance between the sciences and humanities. He began another stock response and I thought he was happy to have a real dialogue about his university. In no way were Bonnie and I critical of his speech or his vision of the U of S. However, he is a busy man and soon enough his attention was diverted by a former MP from Saskatoon. Bonnie and I thought that we would politely wait for him to finish his greetings with the other (more VIP-like) alumnus; we waited while he spoke with four other people, with his back turned the whole time. Then, we left. While the role about the humanities within science-based institutions will always be a hot topic, I felt that Bonnie and I were two concerned Alumni with a genuine concern. I suppose that we'll get the President's attention 20 years and $20,000 from now.

World Container can't hold them

2006-10-18T23:32:00.000-04:00

Well, another Tragically Hip album is out! World Container is not so much a departure as a progression for the perennially great band. I don't have to sing their praises too much; just get this one. My favourite songs so far are the title track and "In View". You can listen on iTunes - if you don't already have the album, of course. I think this album will make an appearance on my top albums list of 2006 - coming soon!

Yay Amie!!

2006-10-02T01:12:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Amie Shirkie, M.A!

Ban This

2006-09-30T18:21:00.000-04:00

Although it's the last day of Banned Books Week, check out the American Library Association list of 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000. The Canadian Library Association's website does not have such a list, and although books certainly have been and continue to be challenged in Canada, oppostion to certain works seems to be more vehement in the States. PEN Canada presents the Canadian version with Freedom to Read week. The ALA list is quite interesting, as is the list of those who initiate challenges. I haven't read all of the books on the list, and I admit that I will likely never read many of them (including numbers 58, 60, and 87), but there are many titles which are undeniably important in both the cultural and the literary sphere. So, screw the censor and read a banned book in support of Banned Books Week.

Happy Birthday Garry!

2006-09-18T10:03:00.000-04:00

And we're back

2006-09-17T17:56:00.000-04:00

We've finally been hooked back up to the outside world. We had to go 17 days without phone or internet, but now we're back!! Look for more posts - We've had a terrible summer for blogging. Good summer overall, though. Anyhoo, email us for our new address and phone number. The old ones won't work.

For all you wanna be cult leaders...

2006-08-29T15:29:00.000-04:00

I was interested to learn that Warren Jeffs, the leader of a polygamist sect, was arrested today in the US. Jeffs has ties to Bountiful, a community in BC, which has been under scrutiny for some time. Winston Blackmore, former leader of the Bountiful sect, was interviewed earlier this year by Hana Gartner. The Canadian case certainly exposes the difficulties of adhering to freedom of religion while also trying to protect individuals, namely women and children. I'll be interested to see what happens to Jeffs, and I truly hope that he ends up in jail, where he will experience a whole new kind of polygamy.

Finally

2006-08-14T17:01:00.000-04:00

Happy to come home and see this on the wire:

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/08/14/macleans-universities.html

I always felt that the University of Saskatchewan was particularly affected by the insufficient evaluation criteria. Hopefully this will change Maclean's's tune. Then again, the feature story of the latest issue is an expose on the Playboy mansion. Perhaps if Maclean's hired some actual journalists we'd see some changes. Of course, the highly entertaining Paul Wells is exempt from any complaint about Maclean's. His contribution is almost worth the cost of the subscription by itself.

Off to Saskatchewan!!

2006-08-03T14:39:00.000-04:00

I'm off to Saskatchewan! I'll be visiting friends and family for 11 wonderful days but I'll soon be back to tell you all about it. Have a good week!!

So, so hot

2006-08-01T16:54:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm not just complaining anymore. I'm actually fascinated by the current weather. Last night was the region's "hottest night": 27 degrees or thereabouts for an overnight is crazy talk. In addition, from 11pm to 4 am it was non-stop lightning show. It was so bright it woke me up! It was like someone was turning the lights on and off in my room, even though the curtains were closed. Just incredible. And now, today, this:

Ottawa (Kanata - Orléans)
Currently
Observed at: Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Int'l Airport 1 August 2006 4:00 PM EDT
Sunny
Temperature 36°C Pressure/ Tendency 100.5 kPa↓ Visibility 24 km Humidity 50% Humidex 47 Dewpoint 24°C Wind WSW 24 km/h gust 33 km/h

So it's close to 50 degrees - isn't that crazy? As I write this I'm expecting the power to go off due to Ontario's infamous brownouts. Apparently we've already set records for power usage. Peak time is five o'clock. It's a good thing I've made it up the elevator! It would suck to have to walk up all those flights today. Stay cool everyone!

Furthermore...

2006-07-30T09:05:00.000-04:00

It's still hot. But really, here's an interesting article on the history of sport doping from CBC:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/photoessay/top10-doping/index.html

You'll find all the usual suspects: East Germany, China, USA Track and Field, and, of course, Ben Johnson. Surprisingly, the article is somewhat sympathetic to Johnson, claiming that while he did indeed shoot up, he was the only one caught and so he's not really a cheater, just not a very good doper. Even 20 years later, after all the fiascos surrounding the occasion, he still will not say he was wrong. And, just in case you're still feeling the need for more drug-related scandals, Justin Gatlin, Olympic and World Champion in the 100 metre dash and co-record holder, has failed a drug test taken in April. Turns out humans really can't run that fast. At least American humans can't. Have a good Sunday. Hopefully there are no positive drug tests today.

Another Hot Post

2006-07-29T11:11:00.000-04:00

First and foremost - it is hot!! Moving on: things are pretty slow around here with Bonnie gone. It's only five more days until I join her in Saskatoon! I'm excited. We are moving in September to a better place - closer to downtown, ten-minute walks to work and school, respectively, close to coffee shops, pubs, theatres; anything, really. It took us all of two days to realize that our current apartment was way out the way of anything fun (except Tim Horton's - no end to the fun there). It will be nice to be able to make decisions on a whim - "let's go grab a beer" and then five minutes later we are having said beer.
In the news, how does Floyd Landis sleep at night? He makes up an impossible time difference from one stage to the next - 8 mins - and the next day he wins the Tour de France. Guess which day the sample in question came from? That's right, his "impossible day". Coincidence? "Oh, my testosterone just happened to be high that day. If he has a naturally high level of testosterone, wouldn't that be factored in to the testing? The circumstantial evidence is too much. With Lance, he is just a machine. Seven years of dominance is proof of that. For Landis, to have one day of dominance combined with suspected doping is just too much. By the way, he coincidentally pulled out of an event in Belgium last weekend. Perhaps he felt the heat. Who is this guy? Okay, I got a little hot under the collar there. I'm better now. Stay cool, everyone.

Halfway Home!!

2006-07-23T23:17:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been twelve days since I saw Bonnie last. I know, I know, suck it up. But it is hard! I'm finding that I don't do very much, even though I've got a lot to do (like cleaning the house). Don't worry Bonnie - I will clean up before I leave town. I leave for Saskatoon on the 4th. And then I will not let her out of my sight, not even once. We are travelling to Wynyard for the Dunville wedding on the 12th. I hope it's not brutally hot like it has been for the last few weeks. I might need some creative cooling tactics to keep me sane. I am excited about the trip home, to see friends and family, to see familiar places once again. It will have been almost an entire year since I saw the great plains of SK. I am looking forward to it. Look forward to more posts, for now that I have reached the halfway point my spirits are up.

Canada Day on the Hill

2006-07-02T23:28:00.000-04:00

Well. Saturday was a great, great day, despite the spattering of rain during the fireworks. Bonnie and I got up "early" to see the RCMP Musical Ride - we made it there by 10:30 just in time to be about a hundred metres back - behind a thousand other people who have a different conception of early. We didn't actually see the show - we had to rely on the massive video screens at various places. Still, it was interesting to be there - especially when we realized that we didn't need to see the horses to smell them. There were a lot of obnoxious people about, and we couldn't stay there long. We watched the PM and GG come in and then the Snowbirds flew over top - so low I felt as though I could touch them if only I reached. Not really, but they flew pretty low. And they patched one of the pilots into the PA system so he could say "Happy Birthday Canada!" as they flew overhead. Such pride in the Snowbirds!!
We then walked around downtown for the rest of the day, after stopping at a pub to watch England lose in a shootout. The pub, located directly across from Parliament Hill, charged $2 for water!! We were appalled. They also asked for payment up front, which is a little more understandable. At about five, we went to the Canal to curl up under a tree and take a nap. Then we met some friends from Bonnie's class and went for supper before heading over to see the 'works. We managed to see the band Stars, but we couldn't get close enough to hear them, oddly. They were the last act on the main stage, a hefty honour if I say so myself, yet the lead singer chose that occasion to protest our gov't. He wore a shirt (pretty clever, actually) that read "Harper's Bizarre". I'm all for free speech and he is certainly within his rights to express himself, but I also feel that class and respect count for something. Call me old fashioned (Scott, I know you will). Then the fireworks. Like I said, it rained a little, but that did not dampen our spirits. The show was impressive - going for what seemed like an eternity but was actually only 12 minutes. That's a lot of fireworks. It was a show befitting the National Capital, to say the least. We managed to wrangle ourselves out of the crowd and made it home by 11:30. And then straight to sleep. We were bushed. What a great way to spend Canada Day!

Pre-Canada Celebrations

2006-06-30T21:03:00.000-04:00

The city was abuzz today in anticipation of tomorrow's festivities. Seriously, everyone seemed to be on edge. It didn't help that continuous rain showers kept everyone running for doorways and such. Bonnie and I took in the downtown this afternoon - after, of course, watching Germany dispose of Argentina in penalty kicks. I had the day off (huzzah for stats!) and decided to enjoy myself. We went to the mall, grabbed a coffee at The Second Cup, ate lunch at Dunn's Famous Deli. I had the famous Smoked Meat - just like in Montreal that time after CIs. We walked home, getting rained upon three separate times in the process. It was a great day. Tomorrow begins with the Musical Ride at 10:30 and then chock-full of Canada Day activities, ending with a most spectacular fireworks display (one hopes). Oh, and Go England!

New Cash

2006-06-30T21:02:00.000-04:00

Thankfully for us, Johnny Cash recorded hundreds of songs before his death in September 2003. On July 4th, American V: A Hundred Highways is out and it promises to be great, based on this pre-release. Cash is forever!!

Good News!

2006-06-27T16:59:00.000-04:00

Bonnie and I are pleased to report that we are getting married! We are very happy and excited!

Do Not Watch This Movie

2006-06-21T14:53:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I watched Nacho Libre, which was fabulously hilarious. Go watch it - now!! But unfortunately there was a preview for another movie - Barnyard, which seems to be the story of a young party cow's adventures. There are two problems with this movie, as you can see from the trailer. First, the protagonist is male, yet he has an udder. A male is either a steer or a bull (if you don't know the difference between those two, shame on you), not a cow. I'm not sure that cartoons should be anatomically correct, but they should not give the audience the impression that cattle are some sort of hermaphroditic animals. Second, the movie suggests that cow-tipping is real. People, you just can't tip a cow. Trust me. I will no longer tolerate this nonsense.
I am extremely aggravated by the misrepresentation of our bovine friends, so stand up for cattle and boycott Barnyard.

Will Ferrell - Bush on Global Warming

2006-06-13T22:10:00.000-04:00

Here's something I saw on CBC's The Hour. It's Will Ferrell in old form imitating the president. I won't write any commentary, since Bush is too easy a target. Anyhoo, have fun with Will Ferrell.

Will Ferrell - Bush on Global Warming

New Additions

2006-06-05T19:18:00.000-04:00

As you can see, I've added some new links to the blog. I've begun to enjoy checking out music blogs, as they can get you excited about a song and then let you listen to it. So check them out and maybe you'll find some music you'll like. At the very least you'll be able to hear "what all the kids are listening to" these days. In other news, the Oilers begin their quest for the Stanley Cup tonight against the Hurricanes (I am extremely confident that the Oilers can pull this off). Also, I have started biking to work. It's great excercise and it really wakes me up in the morning. It also beats having to pay $71 for a monthly bus pass. I guess I am doing even more for the environment. Anyhoo, having fun.

I Just Have to Blog About This

2006-05-24T23:57:00.000-04:00

Well, it is Bob Dylan's birthday today, and I happened to come across this tribute. I would've put "Tangled Up In Blue" #1 and "Went to see the Gypsy" would've been on my list, but other than that, I can't complain. I mean, how can you? 65 Dylan songs? "Forever Young" isn't on the list, but it should be. Happy Birthday, Bob!

Ms. Jackson - by the Vines?!?!?!?!?

2006-05-14T11:20:00.000-04:00

Yes, I was as skeptical as you are right now. But take a listen and then tell me that you hate it. I have a little bit more respect for The Vines than I did an hour ago.

Go Sabres Go

2006-05-14T10:50:00.000-04:00

Late Strokes Review

2006-05-13T09:49:00.000-04:00

So Bonnie and I went to the Strokes on Tuesday at the Civic Centre here in Ottawa. Most Serene Republic was the opening band; I highly recommend them if you are enthralled by recent ensemble acts like Arcade Fire or Broken Social Scene. If you feel that a trombone has no place in rock music, Most Serene Republic isn't the band for you. Their opening act was pretty good, but not so good that we were underwhelmed by The Strokes. Such is the dilemma of the opening act. I bet if you upstage the main show you're on your way out after the show. Anyhoo, The Strokes came on to polite applause and proceeded to blow everyone out of the water with sheer volume (my ears are still ringing just a tiny little bit). The songs were great, of course, but at times the volume caused the music to blend into a noise that sounded curiously like the noise caused by those homemade kazoos of wax paper and toilet paper rolls we used to make in elementary school. When I could make out the individual instruments or Julian Casablancas (attired in a not-too-subtle Ramones-esque leather jacket), the result was, as Barney would say, legendary, topped off with some pretty kickin' concert tees - Bonnie and I each picked one up and immediately put them on - just kidding!! That act was reserved for the myriad high schoolers in attendance. Overall, I give the concert four toilet paper roll kazoos out of five.

Go Sens Go

2006-05-13T09:41:00.000-04:00

Since the inevitable disappointment of games 1 & 2 (I didn't watch game three), I have developed a sense of the desperation of Ottawa fans. When the Sens finished first in the east, I thought, "they're unstoppable"; of course, I was mistaken. And everyone here in Ottawa old enough to remember 2004's excruciating loss to the Leafs knows how mistaken I was. The Sens choke when it comes to big games. Have you seen Alfredsson's play lately? Neither have I. He's been virtually invisible. Ditto Heatley, Havlat, Chara and Philips. Actually, I have noticed Philips, but only because he's been making mistakes every time he touches the puck. Anyhoo, at the end of it all, I am calm and collected, resigned to the fact that the Sens, and Sens fans, will have to wait until next year. I'm just hoping that they can make it resepctable: going out in six games isn't as bad as going out in five. Here's to hoping.

Music Review Mayhem

2006-05-13T09:34:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I posted about music blogs, and here's another one to add to the list: Almost Cool. From reviews to extensive comment rolls to numerous links, this site will keep you occupied for hours. And, if you click back to the home page, there's a link to a blog that is almost as cool. Enjoyable reading, though I daresay these people are music snobs. Not like us, of course. ;)

Welcome to the Blogosphere!

2006-05-03T23:24:00.000-04:00

My dear Amie, along with her bf Tim, have started a blog called Dis Aliter Visum. I believe that this roughly translates to "I Love Ponies!!!" It's a great read, so check it out and leave weird, anonymous comments in Latin for Amie to translate.

Living With War

2006-05-03T17:45:00.000-04:00

Neil Young's new cd comes out on the 9th, but you can preview it via streaming audio here. It is vintage Young, rockin' in the free world, daring critics to speak against him. It's audacious and raw, as all Young albums are, but it is also refreshing - I guess you're never too old to protest the president (one of the songs is titled "Let's Impeach the President). Along with Pearl Jam (released yesterday) and Bruce Springsteen, May perhaps be dubbed "Protest Month".

PS the Pearl Jam album is pretty good.

Let's go Oilers!

2006-05-02T22:45:00.000-04:00

Like most of you, I am hoping for the Flames to finish the Ducks so that we can have the first Battle of Alberta in 15 years. But a Flames victory is more or less expected; an Oliers upset of the Red Wings most certainly was not. Who is more dominant than Chris Pronger? More consistent than Ryan Smyth? More surprising than Dwayne Roloson? Yes, the Oil have injected this year's playoffs with giddiness, the likes of which we have not seen since les Canadiens went up 2-0 on the Hurricanes (and have, subsequently, lost four straight). It should be a fantastic second round, and outright incredible if the Flames can pull it out. So get on your Flames gear and cheer them on tomorrow night! (I'm looking in your direction, Chubby).

Hutty.ca

2006-05-02T22:13:00.000-04:00

Today we recognize a mainstay in the blogosphere, hutty.ca, which will soon begin a hiatus of undetermined length. It was a brilliant run of consistently funny and meaningful posts (except for that Saget one. That was just crude). But let us not mourn, my friends; if anything, let's remember the good times:

1. The Walk Light: "My comic moment of the week -- Having just pushed the walk-light at the corner of College and Fieldhouse Drive, waiting to cross the road, a man walked up behind me. It was obvious that he had seen me push the walklight but insisted on pushing it himself (forcefully). So, I turned to him and said, "what, you don't trust me?" He laughed (awkwardly)."

2. The Dangers of Moving: "As Craig tried to attach a final bungee chord to a hook on the truck it slipped out of his hands, flew across the width of the flatbed and struck me, unsuspecting Dave, directly above my right eye. This sent me to the ground in a small panic, as I couldn't see. However, I discovered that I couldn't see because I had blood running into my eye from a two inch gash between my eyebrows (I've posted a photo in the gallery for a visual representation)."

3. Bring Ikea to SK?: "My suggestion yesterday that that Saskatoon federal election candidates should campaign to bring better movies here (so that we don't continually feel like we're waiting for the future to arrive), was a joke, partly. However, less of a joke would be campaigning to bring Ikea to Saskatchewan. I've had umpteen conversations with friends/family that complain that "we don't have an Ikea." It's quite disturbing, actually, how much this plays into our cultural psychology. Like the movie thing, we see ourselves as perpertually culturally behind and waiting for the next trend to arrive"

4. Should the reading age be raised?: "I chuckled when I read an article in Maclean's "Stop him before he votes". The "New Macleans", as it, like the New NHL, has come to be known, seems to publishing anything and everything to create buzz. Virtually every article in Maclean's now simply takes a side and defends it, letting the other side air its concerns in letters and in the blog-mad world wide web. It's opinion dressed as news. Which certainly isn't "wrong" or without a long history of yellow journalism as precedent. And for a magazine that's attempting to reinvent itself, it's actually quite a brilliant strategy, especially, I would argue, in the hypertext age where sometimes you have to scream to be noticed and 'linked'."

5.Pushing Boundaries Since 1912: "After not publishing the muhammad cartoons, the Sheaf, the University of Saskatchewan student paper, decided to publish a cartoon featuring Jesus Christ that's arguably way more "offensive." Jeremy Warren, the Sheaf's news editor and a friend o' mine, resigned over the paper's decision not to publish the Muhammad cartoons. He now has more on the ironies and paradoxes of the situation."

This last one is my personal fave. You presented the facts and let the readers decide. I had fun, in hindsight.

Hutty.ca, we shall miss thee.

"Wonderwall" Day

2006-05-01T00:51:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows that I am not the biggest Oasis fan, but tonight I listened to "Wonderwall" for the first time in a while and I liked it - I liked it a lot. So maybe do yourself a favour and listen to "Wonderwall" today.

It Was 23 Years Ago Today

2006-04-24T16:03:00.000-04:00

April 24th, 1983: Sharon E. Drake, meet the world. World, Sharon. Hmmm. This seems strangely familiar.

Destruction of Government Property

2006-04-20T22:17:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Garry and I went to Parliament to enjoy the sunshine (all 20 degrees, that's right). In the tulip beds we saw this woodchuck, who, strangely, was not chucking any wood at all. I guess that answers the riddle. He was eating the tulips in the flower beds in front of the building. Who knew woodchucks were so politically active.

It Was 25 Years Ago Today

2006-04-17T06:05:00.000-04:00

April 17, 1981: Bonnie K. Hughes, meet the world; world, Bonnie. Send along your best wishes as Bonnie must spend her 25th wading through myriad assignments. Happy Birthday Bonnie!

2006-04-15T10:22:00.001-04:00

Lately I've been checking out music blogs. These are blogs that feature mp3 downloads. I've discovered some really interesting music this way, which is, of course, the justification for downloading free music. I still buy songs when I come across them (iTunes is getting better and better), but some bands will never be featured on mainstream download sites. For instance, I downloaded a song from the band Islands yesterday: they are an eclectic Montreal ensemble whose lineup and sound changes regularly. Not a candidate for mainstream music stores. Furthermore, the band's sound is near impossible to describe. From Analog Giant: "Their sound is varied and no song sounds quite the same. This album has crazy multi-instrumentation with different instruments attacking your ears at every turn." How do you suppose that sounds? There's only one way to find out, and, thankfully, AG provides such means. I also like that most of these sites also provide links to places where you can buy the entire album if you so desire; they also include a disclaimer that the music presented on the blog is for the promotion and celebration of smaller bands that may not be part of the promotional juggernaut that other bands enjoy. For instance, on Awesome Until Proven Guilty:

"Please support the artists whose work you download and enjoy. Links to purchase the relevant releases online are usually included, but your corner record store would suffice. If any artist, label, or promoter wants their music removed, please e-mail us and we will do so immediately. If you are a musician or band, let us know about your stuff! We'd love to hear it."

So I am in full support of music blogs. Here's a few that I have been checking out regularly:

Daughters of Invention
gorilla vs. bear
Jamie's Runout Groove
Kwaya Na Kisser
Let's Kiss and make up...
My Old Kentucky Blog
Robosexual
Said the Gramophone
the torture garden
You Ain't No Picasso

Defy and Conquer

2006-04-10T21:47:00.000-04:00

Seriously, this might be the best movie of the spring. Shove it, Take The Lead! This one will knock your socks off. The trailer starts off with "From the writer of Bring It On": that's all you need to know. Keep your eyes peeled! This gem may only be around for a single weekend.

Stick It (2006)

If I didn't have essays/marking, I would do this...

2006-04-10T00:13:00.000-04:00

Oh eggies, how I miss you (not Otto Ege, Ukrainian eggies). If I could somehow make a living doing this, I would quit school. Seriously. So please send me requests and credit card numbers.

Dear Amie

2006-04-03T00:37:00.000-04:00

The Strokes on May 9!

2006-03-25T18:11:00.000-05:00

The Strokes are coming to Ottawa on May 9! We got our tickets today! I am really excited: The Strokes are one band that I would never get to see in Saskatoon. I hope the summer will bring many more bands. I'm thinking Bob Dylan, Radiohead, RHCP, etc. Who knows? All I know is that The Strokes are going to rock!!

Check out this tune

2006-03-25T00:09:00.000-05:00

If you've never heard the Feist version of Mushaboom, do that first. Then listen to this remix by Postal Service. It's my pick of the week.

Feist - Mushaboom (Postal Service Remi Mp3 Download

See This Movie Now

2006-03-23T22:05:00.000-05:00

Bonnie and I went to see Tristram Shandy yesterday. It is a po-mo remake of a po-mo book: the scenes from the story are intertwined with scenes about making the movie, which is the actual movie; sounds cliche, I know, but cliche it is not. Funny, it is. Steve Coogan (left) and Rob Brydon (right) are the film's "stars" and, fittingly, provide the funniest moments (such as the Al Pacino-off). It is a highly entertaining film; see it as soon as possible. Five "unfilmable novels" out of five.

Good News Update

2006-03-19T22:05:00.000-05:00

Some good news to report. Last week I had two jobs - this week, one. Now, that doesn't sound like good news, but when that one job is a full-time position at Chapters, it is good news. Unfortunately, I had to give up the Bohemian dream of working at both a book store and a coffee shop, but it is worth it. So, wish me luck!

A St. Patrick's Day Joke

2006-03-17T23:25:00.000-05:00

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Irish?
Irish who?
Irish you a happy St. Patrick's Day!

Congratulations, Lindsay!

2006-03-14T17:20:00.000-05:00

Seb's Blag: February 19

2006-03-12T10:21:00.000-05:00

Bonnie and I were pleased to discover Seb's blog the other day. He is a prolific blogger: his archives are organized not by post, but by weeks. He often has several a day. Anyhoo, check it out if you like smart, silly things, exemplified by "Piano Schmiano" (you have to scroll down to get to it).

Common Wins

2006-03-12T09:50:00.000-05:00

Though it took me a few months and sale at HMV, I picked up Common's Be. I was surprised when Christeen put it #1 on her list, but now that I have heard the album, I am in full agreement. It is a fantastic album: smooth beats and cool melodies, distinct vocals, and even an appearance by album producer Kanye; it all adds up to legendary. Common is an innovator, and, like Mos Def or The Roots, ensures that hip-hop will always include an alternative to "gangsta" rap. Now, me and Christeen aren't from the 'hood, but we do know music (at least, she does), and I fully agree with her on this one. It's my pick of the month.

Yay Bronze!

2006-03-11T00:08:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to my sister, Sharon, who captured a bronze medal in the 300 metre at this weekend's CIS Track and Field Championships in Saskatoon. Sharon runs for the University of Manitoba, and this is her fifth and final year as a Bison. It is exciting that she won this medal: she's won relay medals in the past, but never for an individual event. I am an extremely proud older brother!

Update: On Saturday, Sharon won a second bronze medal as part of the 4x200 relay team. Two medals! Unfortunately, she pulled her hamstring in the process and wasn't able to run in the 4x400, the race that is, above all, her race. She is hurting physically today, I'm sure, but she should be proud that she ended her career on such a high: it is extremely impressive and attests to her hard work and determination. Again, I am an an extremely proud older brother!

Another clip

2006-03-10T00:45:00.000-05:00

We've just been clippin' along here lately. Pun intended. Here is a real life version of The Simpsons' intro.

MilkandCookies - The Shining: Alternative Trailer

2006-03-08T23:20:00.000-05:00

Okay, today's clip is a shoutout to all you Shining fans out there - and you thought it was creepy! Here is a trailer that reworks movie clips so that the previously spooky movie looks like a family film - brilliantly done! Needless to say, No scenes of blood cascading through the hallways.

Portman brings it

2006-03-07T21:02:00.000-05:00

Thank you SNL digital shorts! Check out Natalie Portman's gangsta rap. Soo funny.

A Little Disappointed

2006-03-05T01:07:00.000-05:00

Okay, so the buzz on the street lately is the utterly offensive cartoon published in this week's Sheaf. I have not the stomach to reproduce it here, so I will direct you to The Sheaf to see for yourself (it's in Section A, page 16). I warn you, however, that it is offensive in almost every way, and to Christians in particular. I don't really know what to say or what should be done, but I think that the letter to all U of S students from U of S President Peter MacKinnon demanding a public apology is a correct move. For more opinion and perspective, check out Dave's blog, Jeremy Warren's blog, or Caitlin's blog. I know that Caitlin is more than a little affected by this whole ordeal, as she is both reporter for the Sheaf and a Christian, and I can say that I empathize.

Cuz Fugly is the New Pretty

2006-03-03T00:35:00.000-05:00

My new favourite way to waste time is to browse through the Go Fug Yourself website. I'm not generally interested in the lives of celebrities and try to avoid even thinking about the lives of entities such as Brangelina, TomKat, and Filliam H. Muffman. However, the mocking of celebrities, their wardrobes, and "thoughts" is highly entertaining. Check it out.

Now Hear This!

2006-02-20T00:25:00.000-05:00

The Ottawa Citizen's Weekly Arts and Books section included an article that could not be more apropos if I had edited it myself: Bruce Deachman reviews 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. How do you tackle a 960-page tome? Deachman compares his own (short) list of "must haves" to the book, and bases his judgement on whether or not those certain few gems are included. It is a good way to do it: an album everyone agrees on is certainly a must-hear. I will refrain from publishing my own set of prerequisites; the book has (so far) not disappointed and I will spend too much time thinking about what should have been included. If you think about it, 1001 albums is really too much. The editors must have been scrounging for semi-worthy albums (one major omission, I must say, is Dylan's Desire. It includes "Hurricane," which is enough, but also other gems, such as "One More Cup of Coffee." Like I said, I could go on for a while with this). Deachman's article isn't that great. But I like the coincidence.
I'm at 1996. Next up: 1997.

Flowers for Algerbon

2006-02-19T20:59:00.000-05:00

My Valentine's flowers from the Drake. :) I can't show you the jelly beans because I ate them all.

Love notes in the laundry room...

2006-02-18T16:18:00.000-05:00

I came across this note at Found Magazine, which publishes ephemera found by the magazine's readers. This particular note is too weird/scary to not post about.I would like to find this guy and put him in a dryer until he is dried to my satisfaction.

1982 and counting

2006-02-12T21:48:00.000-05:00

Since I'll be reading 1001 Albums for a while, I figured periodic updates were required. I'm at 1982 now - finished with punk, California rock (=Eagles) and heavy metal. New Wave is just beginning, as is "post-punk," which seems to be a catch-all phrase for bands that seem smarter than The Sex Pistols, which is pretty much everybody. Rap and hip-hop are also burgeoning: I just read about Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. But the most interesting synopsis of a 1982 album is also the most obvious:

"Thriller is surrounded by a cloud of statistics - the biggest album in history, it sold more than 40 million copies on its first release; it shifted a million copies a month in the first half of 1983; of its nine tracks, seven were hit singles.
It does not stand up as well as Off The Wall overall, but some of its meticulous fusions of pop, rock, and R&B manage to improve on even that template. Ignore the ridiculously camp title track - a song that drains the life out of the record at the end of side one - and concentrate on the undisputed masterpieces. The funk opener "Wanna Be Startin' Something" serves the same funtion as Off The Wall's "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" - a minimal, riff-based framework for Jacko's hyperkinetic hiccups. It also "borrows" rather heavily from Manu Dibango's "Soul Makossa" (Jacko's lawyers made a large out-of-court settlement). Elsewhere you will thrill to the airbrushed funk-rock of "Beat It" (Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo was cut and spliced from 50 different takes); while "Human Nature" is a digital ballad so beautiful that Miles Davis covered it.
But the star turn is "Billie Jean," on which a creepy, electronic bassline gets under your skin while the dubious lyric asks you to side with the paranoid millionaire superstar rather than the impoverished single mother. Like the rest of Thriller, it is machine-tooled pop that has been painstakingly crafted by state-of-the-art session men for months, but there is not a note out of place.
Jacko's increasingly freakshow lifestyle should not detract from the brilliance of this album." - John Lewis

Ahhh the good old days. I've actually reached albums that I remember listening to. I enjoyed Thriller, both the album and the song, of which I think the reviewer failed to account for its popularity among five-year-olds. Don't forget to watch the Olympics. Another medal for Canada today.

the Homepage of Mr. David Hutton

2006-02-11T01:26:00.000-05:00

As a former editor of the U of S student newspaper, Hutty has certain views on "freedom of the press"; I'm delighted to see that that includes linking to those incendiary cartoons. Power to the people, Dave!

My Buddy Kenny

2006-02-11T01:13:00.000-05:00

Be sure to watch the Olympic bobsleigh event in the next couple of weeks - a friend of mine, Kenny Kotyk, is on the 4-man team (thanks for the link Jamie!). Kenny starts on the 24th, so be sure to watch!

Check out CBC's bobsleigh site here.

Revolver is the greatest

2006-02-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

I'm reading this great, great book right now called 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (edited by Robert Dimery). Though I normally don't dwell on death (I'd call the book 1001 Albums That Make Life Great), this book is a great read. It's more in depth than Rolling Stone's Top 500 albums, and it's ordered chronologically to give a less subjective feel. The descriptions give, I think, a good idea about why the particular album is on the list, as well as what other albums are linked to it and thus should also be listened to. I've only reached 1973 (Stephen Stills and The Byrds appear a lot, surprisingly, along with the usual suspects), and I started at 1961, so I've got a bit to go. I have tried to put on the albums that I own after reading its review: Music From Big Pink, Moondance, Led Zeppelin III, All Things Must Pass, The Velvet Underground and Nico, Who's Next, Bridge Over Troubled Water; so far the best listen, and review, belongs to Revolver:

"Once The Beatles were fab and gear; now they oozed self-assurance. It is there in the mysterious black-and-white cover, a line drawing-cum-collage created by Klaus Voorman, whom The Beatles knew from their Hamburg days. It is there in the ambiguous title - so much cooler than the mooted Abracadabra, Magic Circles, and Beatles on Safari.
And it is there in 14 unimpeachable tracks. Or 11 if you were American in 1966, since Capitol put "I'm Only Sleeping," "And Your Bird Can Sing," and "Doctor Robert" on Yesterday and Today, a hodgepodge of album and single cuts that Revolver actually knocked off the top of the Billboard chart (again, very cool).
Revolutionary at the time - 'I am sick,' declared McCartney, 'of doing sounds that people can claim to have heard before' - Revolver resounds down the decades. Earth Wind and Fire brought the brassy strut of "Got To Get You Into My Life" into the disco era. The Jam carbon-copied the rifftastic "Taxman" for their UK chart-topping "Start!" And The Chemical Brothers based a career on "Tomorrow Never Knows."
Revolver is cited as the point when The Beatles broke up: they played their last paying gig weeks after its release, Lennon and McCartney were no longer writing together, and Harrison was rumbling with resentment.
The payoff was astonishing, and summed up by its sole single, "Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby": one side a children's song that will outlive us all, the other a string-driven lament that even today sounds nothing at all like pop music - yet is still, like its parent album, simply brilliant." (Bruno MacDonald)

I hadn't listened to this album in a while and was blown away all over again: "She Said She Said," "For No One," "I'm Only Sleeping," "And Your Bird Can Sing," "Eleanor Rigby" - the rest of the songs are great, too. Give it a listen next chance you get. Then read 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Knoop admits false identity of writer JT LeRoy

2006-02-07T12:49:00.000-05:00

More identity forgeries in the world of literature. This is becoming scandalous: the literary world is well on its way to being as reputable as baseball or wrestling. Or, in the defense of authors, editors and publishers are becoming lazier. I'm sure that most publishers insist on meeting an author face to face. Perhaps a valid driver's license should be required before signing a contract. Of course, authors are resourceful if not nefarious and could easily obtain the proper identification. Gee, sounds like a novel.

CBC Arts: Knoop admits false identity of writer JT LeRoy

A Chance Meeting With the PM

2006-02-07T01:49:00.000-05:00

I guess I should've reported this last week, but I was too excited. On Friday I was working at Chapters when who else but (now former) PM Paul Martin comes in. He's got his goons with him and everything, and he browsed the Social Science section before heading to the Travel section, which happened to be in my general direction. In fact, he walked right toward me. I took the opportunity to say hello and shake his hand. I also thanked him for his (seemingly) honest final press conference; I appreciated the candor, I said, and he responded with a (I'd like to think) genuine thank you. What I didn't say was that he could've used such polite manners during the campaign. He might still be in office had he done so. Anyhoo, apparently he picked up some books on Turkey, so perhaps that's as far as he has to go to get away from the embarassment that was the Liberal loss. Also, he's much taller than I guessed: at least 6' 3'' in my opinion. I don't know why that's important, but there you are.

Confessions...

2006-02-07T01:11:00.000-05:00

I've been listening to a lot of interesting music lately and I thought I should share my list of favourite songs with everyone since I'm not posting about anything else (insert apology here). I'm not sure what to call this list; there is no unifying theme other than they're on my hot list this week.

Local God - Everclear. This gem from the Romeo and Juliet Soundtrack is a true rocker released before they got too big for their britches.

Morning Bell - Radiohead. Both versions have been on repeat. I recommend listening to the Kid A version first and then kicking it up a notch with the Amnesiac version.

One More Cup of Coffee - The White Stripes. This is a Dylan cover from The White Stripes' first album.

Helpless (live) - Neil Young and The Band. I recently picked up The Last Waltz, a concert film about The Band, and determined that this version of "Helpless" is one of the best performances on the DVD. Neil never fails to impress.

Snowbird - Anne Murray. This may surprise some, but if you've never heard it before, I recommend that you take a listen before you pass judgement.

Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt - We Are Scientists. This new cut is pretty catchy.

Sirena - Calexico. Another catchy tune, this time with horns and a "south of the border" sound.

The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash. The title track from Cash's last studio album is the best song on an album that includes covers of "Hurt," "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Personal Jesus."

You Only Live Once - The Strokes. The latest album from the Strokes is still in heavy rotation.

Movies of Myself - Rufus Wainwright. Rufus's voice is a little bit much at times but here it's just right.

Publish My Love - Rogue Wave. All you fans of The O.C. know this song.

Hung Up - Madonna. {no comment}

What They Really Think About Monkeys

2006-02-07T01:10:00.000-05:00

Read Craig Taylor's article at CBC about The Arctic Monkeys and Britain's pop machine.

Oprah soap-rah continues

2006-01-27T09:39:00.000-05:00

CBC.ca on Oprah; Slate on Oprah

Yesterday James Frey appeared on Oprah's show to apologise for "lying": "Frey said Thursday that 'most of what [the site] wrote was pretty accurate,' and that the Smoking Gun writers who found the discrepancies did "a good job.'" Oprah is pissed and regrets any words that defended Frey: "I made a mistake and I left the impression that the truth does not matter and I am deeply sorry about that. That is not what I believe." So, the truth does matter. But why does Oprah feel that she had confront him publicly? Couldn't she have condemmed the book or the author in a press release? I've got two words in response: publicity stunt. Let's see how many copies of Million Little Pieces are sold now.

Snow threatens election day

2006-01-21T12:05:00.000-05:00

Political analysts were optimistic about voter turnout for Monday as most of the country was enjoying unseasonally balmy temperatures. However, in Ottawa and, I suppose, most of Eastern Canada, disaster: Well, not really, but it is definitely the worst blizzard I've seen this year. If the snow continues until Monday and it is extremely difficuly to get about town, half-assed voters might just think it isn't worth it. It's too bad, really, especially since the hearty Westerners, who are used to such weather, will probably still vote in droves and will probably vote Conservative. Ideally, only NDP voters will continue to vote in force and Jack Layton will become "The Snow Scandal" Prime Minister. It must be a boring election campaign if this is how I amuse myself. Going back to the Conservatives, even though I disagree in principle with much of Harper's social policy, he seems to be the only leader worthy of leading this country. Martin is embarassing himself with every speech, Duceppe is not in the running and Layton, though he would do some good, bases his platform on the premise that he won't get in. It is sad to see Martin fall so hard. I feel a little bad for him, but then I remember that he is the head of a crony network who will do anything to stay in power and is so arrogant about his worth to Canadians that he campaigned on a platform of fear rather than real policy. Remember to vote, even if the weather is the worst weather you've ever seen: it will always be worth it!

First Noteworthy Album of 2006

2006-01-19T23:16:00.000-05:00

I picked up the new Strokes album, First Impressions of Earth, a couple of weeks back but I didn't blog about it for various reasons; actually, only one: I was lazy. But now I am blogging about it to tell others that it is a very good album, one that should be mentioned come year-end list time next year. I say "noteworthy" and not "great" because it isn't a great album: it's a solid album that won't disappoint current fans but likely won't attract new ones. It's more aggressive, as though Julian Casablancas is through with his bouncy, happy-go-lucky songs of the past and now deals with harsher things. Rolling Stone will tell you that he comments on "God and fate and the meaning of the universe" and Spin reports that Casablancas "may incur accusations of terminal flameout." The lyrics are conveniently vague, but the music is darker, heavier, harder ("beefier") than the previous two albums; this album has some weight to it. Key songs are "Juicebox," "Heart in a Cage," "Razorblade" and "Ize Of the World." I'll give it three and a half meditative singers out of five.

Million little topics of discussion

2006-01-18T19:53:00.000-05:00

I know this is an old story, but if you haven't read about the controversy surrounding James Frey's Million Little Pieces, read The Smoking Gun article here. It raises many questions about authorial intention blah blah blah, but if you like to see what gets Oprah squiriming, read all about it. Slate's take can be found here, or read about the book's "emotional truth" here. I really have no opinion, except that a good read is a good read, even if the author seems to misrepresent him-/herself. Would you enjoy a book any less if you knew more about the life of the author? Should you?

Update, finally

2006-01-18T19:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry about the lack of posts lately - we've been a bit busy. My dad visited us from Manitoba last week. We showed him the sights as best we could, but due to unpredictable weather, we mostly stayed in and watched the first season of Lost (thanks Jess and Mark!). Now, we've stayed away from Lost for a few reasons, the main one being that we missed the first episode. This show is good. At least, it kept our attention for six straight nights. Now we have to catch up on Season 2. My dad and I also went to see Munich on Friday. It is a great film. Some people don't like him for his "Hollywoodization," but he makes enjoyable films: that's the bottom line for any paying customer. Anyhoo, it was a great visit with my dad. It was really good to see him and we enjoyed having him at our humble abode. I've also been working a lot in the last few days, and as such am a bit rundown: I've got that nasty cold everyone seemed to get over the holidays. Not to worry, the blogging should be back to normal now.

The Biggest of 2005: The 200 Bestselling Books of the Year

2006-01-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

As an employee of Chapters, I am familiar with most of these titles. It is an interesting contrast to any "best of" list, though there will inevitably be some crossover. Check it out, but kindly disregard the incorrect use of "it's" in the first paragraph - I'm sure the editors of this site need not be reminded of the irony of a grammatical error on a top-selling books list. Or perhaps it's indicative of the growing divide between "literary" and "popular". You decide.
The Biggest of 2005: The 200 Bestselling Books of the Year

Quick! Buy books!

2006-01-07T10:41:00.000-05:00

The advent of the Sony Reader may change the book industry - for real, this time. For years, book purists have been lamenting the "death of the book" in the face of digital technology; for years, the paper book has thrived nonetheless (evidence at Chapters is overwhelming). The drawbacks of digital technology, such as the low-quality reading screen of computers, have prevented ebooks from replacing published books. I, for one, feel that the paper book will never become obsolete. However, Sony is making me question my confidence. The new Reader, a hand-held screen about the size of trade paperback, may just change the way people think about books and reading. Read this article from David Derbyshire of The Daily Telegraph; then check out the Reader's main site. Will the book become obsolete? I hope not.

Starbucks revealed

2006-01-06T15:26:00.000-05:00

I used to think that Starbucks was just an overrated product, an easy and convenient way to get coffee without much consequence. However, two things have changed my outlook: one, I now work for The Second Cup; two, I've had some decidedly bad cups of coffee at Starbucks lately. Since I also work at Chapters, it is difficult to not go to Starbucks, but I feel that even the trip to Tim's is worth it over a cup at Starbucks. Tim Harford, I think, agrees with me: his recent Slate article examines the economics of the "tall" cappuccino. At the Second Cup, our regular size is smaller than the SB's tall, making it a better drink (we also add a touch of love). Coffee drinkers and economists, and especially coffee-drinking economists, will enjoy this article.

Starbucks Economics

Yay Canada!!!

2006-01-05T23:26:00.000-05:00

We may complain about the weather, but we're not complaining about Canada's junior team - a perfect 6-0 for the second straight year and a second straight gold medal. The Canadians beat the Russians soundly, convincing those naysayers that Canada is always in the hunt for the gold. Yay hockey!

Farewell, Irving

2006-01-05T06:49:00.000-05:00

No, not John Irving but Irving Layton - one of Canada's most important - and controversial - poets. He was a Jewish writer from Montreal, contemporary with Mordecai Richler, A.M. Klein, Al Purdy, as well as mentor to later poets, particularly Leonard Cohen. He is a great favourite of mine, as he is, I feel, the Canadian equivalent to D.H. Lawrence. Read more about him here and here. In tribute, here's a favourite Layton poem of mine:

Whatever Else Poetry is Freedom

Whatever else poetry is freedom.
Forget the rhetoric, the trick of lying
All poets pick up sooner or later. From the river,
Rising like the thin voice of grey castratos - the mist;
Poplars and pines grow straight but oaks are gnarled;
Old codgers must speak of death, boys break windows,
Women lie honestly by their men at last.

And I who gave my Kate a blackened eye
Did to its vivid changing colours
Make up an incredible musical scale;
And now I balance on wooden stilts and dance
And thereby sing to the loftiest casements.
See how with polish I bow from the waist.
Space for these stilts! More space or I fail!

And a crown I say for my buffoon's head.
Yet no more fool am I than King Canute,
Lord of our tribe, who scanned and scorned;
Who half-deceived, believed; and, poet, missed
The first white waves come nuzzling at his feet;
Then damned the courtiers and the foolish trial
With a most bewildering and unkingly jest.

It was the mist. It lies inside one like a destiny.
A real Jonah it lies rotting like a lung.
And I know myself undone who am a clown
And wear a wreath of mist for a crown;
Mist with the scent of dead apples,
Mist swirling from black oily waters at evening,
Mist from the fraternal graves of cemeteries.

It shall drive me to beg my food and at last
Hurl me broken I know and prostrate on the road;
Like a huge toad I saw, entire but dead,
That Time mordantly had blacked; O pressed
To the moist earth it pled for entry.
I shall be I say that stiff toad for sick with mist
And crazed I smell the odour of mortality.

And Time flames like a paraffin stove
And what it burns are the minutes I live.
At certain middays I have watched the cars
Bring me from afar their windshield suns;
What lay to my hand were blue fenders,
The suns extinguished, the drivers wearing sunglasses.
And it made me think I had touched a hearse.

So whatever else poetry is freedom. Let
Far off the impatient cadences reveal
A padding for my breathless stilts. Swivel,
O hero, in the fleshy grooves, skin and glycerine,
And sing of lust, the sun's accompanying shadow
Like a vampire's wing, the stillness in dead feet -
Your stave brings resurrection, O aggrieved king.

"O Layton, your dead feet will never be so alive now that you are one with the earth. Breathless! It is the mist and the wind, blowing the mist across my face with such aggression and jealousy that I do not fall and bow. Whatever else, Layton, your poetry is freedom, and we your subjects."

Great news for the New Year

2006-01-02T21:33:00.000-05:00

The previous post documented some of the moments that made our weekend so great. But one such moment requires its own post. Lindsay and Monique came back from Australia (where they spent Christmas) engaged to be married. Congratulations! Bonnie and I are extremely happy for the happy couple, who will most certainly have a wonderful life together.

New Year's festivities galore!

2006-01-02T21:09:00.000-05:00

This year's New Year's celebrations were by far the best I've ever experienced. We had a full house - the Prairies were well represented by Bonnie, Scott, Lindsay, Monique and I. We went to three major museums: National Art Gallery, Canadian War Museum, Museum of Civilization. We hit a hockey game, walked around Parliament Hill, went to a Scottish pub, replete with piper, for New Year's Eve. Everyone left today and Bonnie and I are certainly sad. We will never, ever, forget this year - our first Christmas away from home was joyous and fantastic (though we still missed going home for Christmas). As I said, we'll never forget it; with the following pictures, nor will you:

This is the War Museum. The building is tremendous - a great tribute to our past, present and future soliders.

Here's Bonnie putting on her happy face at The Highlander. She pretty much smiled the whole night, except after doing those tequila shooters.

Here's me, Bonnie, Lindsay and Monique shortly before New Year's. We enjoyed ourselves immensely.

This is Scott's happy face talking to Ben at Saskatchewan New Year (we celebrated twice).

Well, there you have it. Those are just some of the moments of our weekend that made it most memorable - Bonnie and I are lucky to have such wonderful friends. Happy New Year, everyone!

Friends-a-plenty in Ottawa

2005-12-30T10:29:00.000-05:00

Our house is full today - Scott, Lindsay and Monique are all in town and bunking with us. A full house, or fuller, anyway, but much appreciated. "The more the merrier" seems to be the motto of the day. Today we are going to the War Museum, and then tonight Chubby, Scott and I are going to the Islanders-Sens game at the Corel Centre. It should be a fun filled day!

Merry Crochet-mas?

2005-12-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

Bonnie has recently taken up crochet. We now have many a dishcloth with fancy colours, in addition to some bigger projects: Bonnie made herself a toque. It is the cutest thing I've ever seen:
She's just relaxin' in her new toque, not a care in the world: just how a toque should make you feel. Bonnie's new hobby borders on obsession after only a month and a bit. That's some addictive stuff! While she can't get enough of crocheting, I can't get enough of Kill Bill. Bonnie insightfully gave me vols. 1 & 2 for Christmas (which we promptly watched), concretizing what was only a passing fancy. I really like those movies, or that movie, as Tarantino would no doubt say. I think they're in my top 10 (as one entry). We are also enjoying microwave popcorn for the first time in a while, as my mom and my sister got us a microwave for Christmas It's so useful! You can cook a lot of different things in a microwave. Like eggs. Who knew? Though the microwave is useful, we haven't forgotten about our beloved toaster oven, which has served us dutifully for years. You can't toast stuff in a microwave oven, and that will never change, no matter how advanced the technology gets. Anyhoo, Bonnie and I quite enjoyed our Christmas. It was a nice, relaxing day and we talked to our families and friends throughout. Though I worked Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, I still felt like I had a nice long, break. Scott's coming to Ottawa today and Lindsay and Monique are coming tomorrow: we'll have a full house for New Year's, but, as far as I'm concerned, the more the merrier!

PS here's what I mean about Bonnie's new hobby being a "big" thing:

PPS "toque" isn't in the blogger spellcheck dictionary. No surprise there. When will Americans adopt the term?

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-25T17:39:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Samberg and Parns save Christmas

2005-12-25T17:38:00.000-05:00

If you missed last week's SNL (with Jack Black), you also missed a kickass "digital short" from Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell ("Samberg and Parns"). Slate's Josh Levin writes about it here: "Andy Samberg (aka Samberg) calls up Chris Parnell (aka Parns) 'just to see how he's doin'.' Soon enough, they 'mack on some cupcakes' from the West Village's Magnolia Bakery and debate which online map service will reveal the 'dopest route' to an Upper West Side screening of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Then the chorus kicks in: 'We love that Chronic—what?—cles of Narnia / Pass that Chronic—what?—cles of Narnia.'" Though the article is a pretentious jab at SNL's "decline", he thankfully links to the video. Check it out for that reason alone, but if the description above doesn't convince you, he also provides a link to the infamous "more cowbell" sketch about the making of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper". Consider it a Christmas bonus.

Holiday spirit rising

2005-12-22T23:11:00.000-05:00

Okay, so this morning Garry wasn't a happy bunny. Indeed, I was sad being away from friends and family for Christmas, plus the fact that I am working a heck of a lot in the next week. However, the holiday spirit has reached me this evening and today was, in the end, a good day. Chapters is really busy and sometimes frantic but people are always nice - only one or two rude customers today. I was cheered by the store spirit - people are happy when they find what they want for loved ones. I also heard from Scott today. He's coming up to visit us on the 28th to celebrate New Year's here in Canada. Then, on the 29th, our friends from Sk Lindsay and Monique are coming to Ottawa on their way home from Australia, where they are spending Christmas. It will be a fantastic Sk reunion for the New Year. Bonnie and I are quite excited. And this weekend, we are going to have a nice Christmas, even if it is just the two of us. So don't worry! We are happy and cheerful in this holiday season.

Christmas season - sigh

2005-12-22T06:53:00.000-05:00

It's really early in the morning and I'm about to head off to work and it's cold - cold for here, anyway. It just got thinking this morning that it isn't like Christmas at all. We have the tree up, and I've been eating chocolate like there's no tomorrow, and we've received several packages from home - but Christmas in three days? Doesn't seem possible. I am getting a little sad for home, and worried that Christmas will be so different that we won't hardly recognize it. But the important part is that Bonnie and I are together and we'll make it our own Christmas - and it won't be bad. We miss everybody terribly, though. Enjoy your day, everybody.

A Christmas Must-Read

2005-12-20T11:25:00.000-05:00

Marshall Heyman's review of The Truth About Diamonds by Nicole Richie, available here, proves that celebrities should be encouraged to write more books about their lives so that the average person can gain access to the glittering world of the famous. The book seems to have something to offer everyone. Even those of us who are fairly well-read can learn more about the English language. For example, I can now add the triple negative to my repertoire of writing tricks: "We were nothing if not unoriginal," the narrator, a character named Nicole Richie, tells us about her friends. Richie's language is rich and powerful, presenting the reader with similes and metaphors that will remain with her forever: A reporter is "harder to get rid of than body lice." Kicking heroin "is kind of like the worst flu you ever had combined with the worst food poisoning you could imagine, and then times the whole thing by forty." No matter how hard I try, I know I will never be able to create such gems.

I am truly in awe of such brilliance. I can only hope to find this under the tree on Christmas morning.

Christmas at Parliament Hill

2005-12-13T22:56:00.000-05:00

Whatever the collective opinion of the occupants of the Parliament Buildings here in Ottawa, the buildings themselves are truly magnificent this winter. Bonnie and I ventured to the Hill this Saturday to take in the lights: The glint off the centre path made for some incredible images. In one picture Bonnie's breath is visible, making for another great shot: Here's one of Bonnie in her new coat:
Here's one of the "Saskatchewan" tree:
Ottawa is quite beautiful this time of year. Pretty soon we'll be skating on the Canal - we'll put pictures up then, too.