Monday, February 9, 2009: I finally joined Facebook recently. If you're a member, and would like to friend me, my ID is Crazyjef. Include a few words with your request to jog my memory about where I might know you from. Update: My song remains 'Love Stinks' by The J.Geils Band. Monday, January 5, 2009: For the past few years, it seems my song has been 'Love Stinks' by The J.Geils Band. I've had a habit of falling for women who I'd later find out were already married or in committed relationships. My bad timing couldn't be explained only by the fact that I hate wearing watches, plus I always put fresh batteries in my clocks. There has to be another explanation for my unrequited loves. Am I just a token on the God or Goddess of Love's game board, and the loaded die forever places me on 'Return to Start'? Or am I a pawn on Cupid's chess game, always taken out at the very beginning? One can only take so many frustrating forefinger flicks, and I've had more than my unfair share. Recent events however may just keep me on the board longer than I'm used to. I'd be more than happy to change my tune. Monday, January 5, 2009: HAPPY 2009 ! Saturday, August 30, 2008: What is it with people and their stuff? The desire or need to accumulate items can start quite innocently, with a few acquisitions. Then before the person realizes it, they need another room or rooms to accommodate the growing collection. It's taken the filling up of a second bedroom for me to see that it's time to unclutter. I've been picking up pop culture-related things for decades, at yard & garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, antique shops, retail stores, online sites, etc., and I've decided that enough is enough. The same words that Barack Obama used in his acceptance speech have finally resonated in my own mind. That clarity seeks to clear up the clutter, and create more empty space. I've already taken about fifteen box loads of items to the local Goodwill store, and felt a sense of relief after each visit. I'm also putting dozens of items in my eBay store or on auction. The goal is to simplify, and to get control of my stuff, rather than having my stuff control my life. It's following the example of Henry David Thoreau during his time at Walden's Pond, except that I won't be moving to a cabin and living off the land, even though becoming self-reliant would be easier on the bank account. I'm determined to reach my target of having more cubic feet of clear space compared to completely full. I'll post updates as I progress to have less. Sunday, June 1, 2008: For as long as I can remember, I've always had a secret wish to be able to play an electric guitar. So without having a working knowledge of music theory, I recently purchased a replica Fender Stratocaster, or Strat, from a friend. From the Stage Classics series, it's a black and white version, about 30 inches long, and looks and feels almost like an original. Included in the purchase was the matching carry case, and for a few dollars more, my friend threw in a cool mini amp. He'd played it a few times since he bought it back in 1998, so it's tuned and ready for me to make sweet music. For the next few months however, it'll be making all kinds of noises as I learn how to play it properly. The plan is to teach myself until I've made a complete mess of things (ie, no human or animal will come within hearing distance), after which I may seek the guidance and expertise of a professional teacher. I'm not expecting to sound anywhere close to Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page or the Beatles' George Harrison (although my guitar's gentle weeping may turn to sobbing), but I'd like to at least be able to serenade the inevitable crowd of groupies. I'd prefer women, but with my luck, would end up with curious cats, dogs, or geese, or even worse (and more likely), an audience of myself. Friday, April 25, 2008: How do you spell 'relief'? A number of years ago, the answer would have been the name of a particular antacid product. Recently, for me, the answer is 'nasal irrigation'. "What is that?", you ask. Please take a seat and let me tell you. To begin, I'm in the group of the twenty to twenty-five percent of the population who suffers from airborne allergies caused by dust, pollution, pollen, cigarette smoke, and other unseen particulates (I had to look up the correct spelling for that) floating around in the air. I was often stuffed up in the morning and evening. It was worse after being outside on a windy day. I was pretty much resigned to the fact that I'd be spending the rest of my life with bottles of antihistamines and allergy medicines. That was until I read an article about washing the sinuses with warm saline solution from an object called a neti pot, which resembles a small watering can. Curious, I looked on the internet for a good deal, and found one, not surprisingly, on eBay. The price with shipping was about the same as for a box of allergy tablets. Since my sister has worse allergic reactions than myself, including terrible sinus headaches, I bought an additional one for her. Each Sinucleanse neti pot kit includes 30 saline packets and a very small stirring spoon. After they arrived, I quickly sent one to my sister, and waited to hear her thoughts. She told me that the morning after using it, she was much less stuffed up than usual. Excited by this news, I tried mine for the first time, carefully following the directions. Without getting into details, and to be honest, it was a bit uncomfortable. I hated getting water in my nose while swimming, and this seemed similar, except without the pool and the embarassing swim trunks. A few minutes after using it however, my sinuses felt much better. My head, usually empty anyway, felt clearer. Even my vision and hearing seemed improved. That night, instead of going to bed with a stuffy nose, I could breathe deeply, even with my head on the pillow. I awoke the next morning with just a hint of stuffiness, much less than before. I was really impressed. Since then, I`ve made using it a part of my daily routine. I couldn't be happier with the results, which will include saving money from fewer trips to the pharmacy. To those who also suffer from allergy symptoms, I highly recommend trying this natural cleansing process. If you do decide to try it, remember to breathe through your mouth, something that I found out quickly. Monday, April 7, 2008: Another mystery solved. A few days after Christmas, a person of great importance in the local vicinity suddenly stopped contact with her place of employment. The initial theory was that she had fallen ill. Days passed, without any word. Finally we heard secondhand that she was in fact, under the weather, but that we shouldn't worry. When several weeks went by, many of us were quite worried. There was talk about contacting the authorities, but since she had family in town, we figured that all must be fine. When the weeks turned into a couple of months, the level of concern increased. Many of us were wondering what was happening, and wanted answers. People offered their own ideas, some plausible, others more suited to a Hitchcock film. I personally had my money on an alien abduction. The years of watching "The X-Files" didn't leave me unscathed. Finally and unexpectedly, a sighting was reported. Huge sighs of relief could be heard for miles around this particular shopping center. Within days, the person made an appearance, which brought joy to the many who were witnesses to this event. Still not one hundred percent, she has much to do to get back to where she was, and to where she's going. We're all just glad to see her again. The few of you who are reading this might ask why. Well, she's the kind of person who brightens a cloudy day, and makes a sunny day even brighter. Hopefully there'll be more days for me to justify my sunglasses. Sunday, December 30, 2007: Season's Greetings and All the Best in 2008 ! Sunday, November 18, 2007: After six months, I'm starting to feel settled in. Sure, I've still got about 1600 boxes left to unpack, but who's counting? I've actually lost track. I've also made a few additions to the place, including a large retro sofa about the size of a 50's Buick, a solid wood desk, an antique barrister's stacking bookcase, a kitchen table with 4 chairs, and several book shelves. I never did learn anything about Feng Shui, except how to spell it correctly. Even that I had to look up. I still think it sounds more like a form of martials arts. If it was, I'd have failed to pass the requirements for my white belt. My sensei would advise me to take up another activity, such as bird-watching or standing still in one place for minutes at a time. Just a note to the one or two of you who still read this page that I'll slowly, with emphasis on the word "slowly", be renovating this website. I've already taken an initial huge step with the realistic flashing stars on the main page, which have replaced those even less realistic yellow stars that have blinked on and off since 2001. Let's just say that they imploded. The new ones look more like they belong on the page, and are worth every cent that I didn't pay. I've also added a hit counter, so be sure to punch your screen really hard. Tuesday, May 22, 2007: Seventeen days and what seems like 1700 boxes later, I'm about 77% settled in after the big move. It was overwhelming to say the least, and I underestimated the amount of items that had to be packed up and moved. Even with a very capable crew of helping hands (huge thanks to each of my mover friends, and to my folks), several vehicles including a large truck and a trailer, it still took over 10 hours of multiple trips to complete the job. It would have been worse had I not sold quite a few things beforehand. During the past couple of weeks, I've been steadily unpacking boxes, arranging and then rearranging where the contents are placed. Not that I know anything at all about Feng Shui, but as long as I'm not tripping over something, it's a good spot. I did have a planned layout in my head many weeks ago, but I find myself making changes as I go along. like when certain pieces of furniture don't quite fit as intended. So far, I'm up to Plan E, with hopes of keeping within the entire alphabet. One bedroom is now completely devoted to 'stuff', which will remain in their boxes until I have the energy and shelving to display them. I've got plenty of freshly-painted wall space, but it looks so nice and clean that I'm afraid to bring out the poster putty and picture hooks. I know that once I start with one framed photo or movie poster, I'll just keep going until every square inch is covered. I'll attempt to stay away from the Michaelangelo method. Besides, I've only got a small step ladder. Thursday, March 8, 2007: Well, after almost a decade of living in the same place, I'll be moving to a new one. My 'penthouse bachelor pad' will undergo renovations and be turned into an office of sorts. Although I've enjoyed living here, I'm looking forward to a change of address. You know what they say about 'change'. It's also good that the new apartment is only about a fifteen to twenty minute walk, so I'll remain close to the amenities which I've become accustomed to. So it's not a complete change, just in location. The relocating to a new pad won't be worry-free. Not only do I have all of the crap, er, stuff that I originally moved here with, but also the dozens upon dozens, perhaps hundreds of things that have accumulated since. As I'm not completely excited about having to pack and physically move all of the additions, the deletions have already begun on eBay. I'm hoping to minimize the number of boxes, in order to maximize the number of dollars which will be put towards the inevitable moving expenses. Not to mention, the new two-bedroom suite is more spacious, and every square foot will cry out for something to fill it. I've no doubts that I'll comply, just like the millions who fell before a certain sci-fi alien collective whose catch-phrase was "resistance is futile". With this in mind, those of you who know me can check out my many ongoing eBay auctions which will continue for the next six weeks or so. Hey pals, I take Paypal. Sunday, December 31, 2006: SEASON'S GREETINGS & HAPPY 2007 !! Friday, August 25, 2006: I recently bought 2 sets of Samurai figures from Japan, made by a company called Furuta. The plastic figures, between 2.5 and 3 inches in height, are each packaged in small colourful boxes with a bag of candy. They do require some careful assembly, but the prepainted parts fit together smoothly. No more than 5 minutes is needed to put each together. It's easy to see that they are extremely detailed for their size. The paint work is pinpoint accurate, with care and attention to minute details. These figures are worthy of being displayed in quality glass cases. If you have an interest in these historical pieces, I highly recommend getting them. There are several series of Samurai figures. Some even have computer chips implanted in the bases to make the figures 'talk'. Here are a few photos that I snapped after completing the first set. Furuta, along with similar Japanese candy companies such as Konami, Kabaya, Kaiyodo, and F-Toys, have created other series from genres including anime, cartoons, and TV/Movie-related figures from Alien, Predator, Terminator, Star Trek, Pirates of the Caribbean, Robocop, King Kong, and others. These companies use the intelligent marketing idea of keeping the packaging identical for each line, making it impossible to determine what's inside each box. To avoid the frustration and expense of accumulating identical extras, find a dealer who sells them in complete sets. I'm off to assemble my second set ! Thursday, July 6, 2006: Well, if the one or two of you who actually check out this page have been wondering why I haven't written anything since May, I suppose I could say the usual "been busy with life", which is partially true. The more correct answer would be that I've been busy with death. Now before you begin worrying and sending e-cards of condolences, allow me to explain. A few months ago I was doing the usual channel surfing, and accidentally stumbled upon a show called Dead Like Me ('R' rated for mature language, nudity, and adult situations). It's about an eighteen year-old woman named Georgia 'George' Lass, who, while on her first lunch break on her first day of her first real job, is struck and killed by the errant toilet seat from the re-entering MIR space station. Now one would initially think that that would pretty much be the end of the show. Not this one. George finds out that she is 'undead', and has been handpicked to join a group of grim reapers, whose jobs consist of collecting the souls of those who about to die. Sounds morbid, don't you think? Perhaps a bit, but this show is so irreverently quirky, and so well-written that I've been 'touched' by it. So much so that I couldn't wait for each weekly episode to air, and I went and purchased the two, 4-disc DVD sets of both seasons. Its premature demise was in 2004. Each episode has scenes with sharp, witty dialogue and/or hilarious situations which can make me chuckle, grin, laugh-out-loud, scratch my head, or just sit and ponder. The acting is dead on. Ellen Muth (Georgia Lass), Mandy Patinkin (Rube Sofer), Rebecca Gayheart (Betty Rhomer), Laura Harris (Daisy Adair), Callum Blue (Mason), Jasmine Guy (Roxy Harvey), Cynthia Stevenson (Joy Lass), Greg Kean (Clancy Lass), Britt McKillip (Reggie Lass), and Christine Willes (Delores Herbig) are each perfectly cast. If there's one show that could make me die laughing, this is it. Tuesday, May 16, 2006: It took awhile, but I finally stepped into the twenty-first century, technology-wise. All it took was an online deal that I couldn't pass up. I upgraded from a 1999 computer with Windows 98 to a new tower with XP. The tower itself is not only much faster, but has over ten times the capacity and power of the 'old' machine. It also came with some new-fangled software, which I'm appreciating each and every day. Once the new machine had arrived, and I had it all set up and ready to go, I learned that 'drag-and-drop' files from the old system aren't compatible with the new one. I had created about a dozen discs filled with all kinds of photo, music, and video files, thinking that they would be easily transferable. Wow, was I wrong. None of them would work. I realized that I had to disconnect the new computer, reconnect the old computer, move all of the files back into it, burn them onto CDs, unhook the computer, reconnect the new computer, and reload the files from the CDs into it. It only took twelve hours. Needless to say my eyes and few working brain synapses were quite tired. It was an interesting learning experience however. I also found out, after, that I could have bought a special file transfer cord, and used a program that would have done everything in one-twelfth of the time. My welcome to the new century. I think I heard a noise from the new machine that sounded like laughter. Not only did I upgrade the computer, I also took a plunge into the world of VOIP, or Voice-Over-Internet Protocol. Simply stated, it's using the internet for telephone calls. Even after paying for the special phone adaptor, a pair of wireless handsets, the service fee, and the shipping costs, I'll save about half of what I'm paying for now. Phone calls to anywhere in the US and Canada are covered by the low monthly fee, which also includes all of the special calling features such as Call Display, Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, and many others that are extra charges from a regular phone company. So after six years, I'm now officially a twenty-first century man. One day I may actually get rid of my vinyl LPs and cassette tapes to complete the conversion. Wednesday, March 29, 2006: This is a little something that I put together for a faraway, departing friend. She's moving on. Confused and unamused, he placed a shoe box amidst the ashes of the burnt down bar. The only surviving item was the piano, the once shiny keys covered in smoky soot. A damp drizzle began to fall. Suddenly, a gust of wind knocked the box over, towards the charred remains of the sign which had recently hung above the door. Just the 'R' was legible. Within the box, hundreds of sweetly scented letters rattled in the howling wind, and quickly scattered. The rain intensified and saturated the ink. Words disappeared as quickly as the drops fell, and faded forever. A brief, bittersweet smile spread across his face. Residues of memories. The good outnumbered the bad. As he felt the cold, he pulled his coat collar up, and his hat down. Rain bounced off the brim. He whistled for old times' sake. Just as he had expected, there was no reply. He took one last look at the letters, then turned and walked away into the night. As they say, life goes on... Friday, February 3, 2006: Strange that it would take the anniversary of a tragic event to bring me here after a bit of an absence. Forty seven years ago today, a small plane carrying Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and J.P.Richardson crashed in a field near Clear Lake, Iowa. They had all been headline acts for The Winter Dance Party Tour of the Midwest. Not wanting to ride on a cold bus, and needing to do his laundry, Holly, with the other two stars, rented a small plane to fly them to their next gig in Moorehead, Minnesota. Of course, they never made it. Holly, considered to be a pioneer of modern-day rock and roll, would have turned 22 in September of 1959. In 1971, singer-songwriter Don McLean recorded "American Pie", which was inspired by Holly's premature demise. The 8-1/2 minute song became the number one hit of 1972, and is still remembered for the famous line, "the day the music died". In tribute, I've been spinning Buddy Holly tunes and "American Pie" all day. Monday, January 16, 2006: Now that I've seen the premiere episode of Love Monkey, starring Tom Cavanagh (yes, the guy from the CIBC commercials), there's not a whole lot that I can add to what the published reviews have said, but as I watched the show this evening, it was strange how Ed-like Tom's character seemed to be. Definitely more suited in Stuckeyville than in the Big Apple. The big music corporation that he worked for didn't seem to fit his style either. It was like 'Ed Stevens' was beamed directly from Ohio. 'Tom Farrell' is also a similar good guy, with strong morals that any mother could love. Speaking of love, Tom seems to be a male 'Carol Vessey', in that he doesn't really know exactly the type of woman he's searching for, but you can tell that deep down he knows that it's his best friend. Poor woman, she's in love with the guy, which will become clear as you watch the episode (for those who haven't seen it yet). Not a whole lot of laugh-out-loud moments, but plenty of smiles and chuckles. The dialogue is fast and clever, so you must keep on your toes. Lots of music history trivia also, which I eat up and thoroughly enjoy. Watch out for little Ed touches as well, particularly what he carries as he leaves Goliath Records. Overall an 'A' in my books. I hope the ratings allow for us to get to see all 8 episodes, and more in the future. This primate deserves prime time. Friday, January 6, 2006: Why must friendships with some members of the opposite sex be similar to riding a rickety rollercoaster? You meet a wonderful person. The interest level of both parties appears to be high. The phone calls are lengthy, fun, and promising. The get-togethers are equally very nice, and you think that you've finally found someone that you'd like to spend more time with. Perhaps a spiritual partner at the very least. Then you soon find that you're leaving many more messages than receiving returned calls. When you do hear from the other person, apologies are offered. Reasons range from being overly tired from work, to having to clean up their place. Doubt begins to creep into your mind. During one evening call, tentative plans for a meeting are briefly mentioned, but you must phone the person the next day to confirm. The next day comes. You make the call. No answer, but you leave a message. Days pass. Cloudy skies in the forecast. Frozen ice pellets. Suddenly you get an image in your mind. You picture yourself as being Cosmo Kramer from "Seinfeld". The other person appears as Elaine. You feel her small hands make contact with your chest, sending you flying back towards the floor. Air escapes quickly from your lungs as you hit the linoleum. Your backside hurts, but your brain awakens with clarity. Unlike Kramer though, you might take longer to get back up. Wednesday, January 4, 2006: HAPPY 2006 !!! Sunday, December 18, 2005: During this festive holiday season, just a little something from me to you. Monday, October 31, 2005: It's been 15 years since I watched the original airing of the pilot episode of "Northern Exposure". July of 1990. The year Ivana Trump divorced Donald. The year of the first Gulf War. The year that "Dances With Wolves" won the Oscar for Best Picture. The year that I bought my first VCR, a Quasar model, at a stereo warehouse clearance. Until then I had been using an early Panasonic that a good friend had given to me. It had a remote control with a two foot wire leading to the front of the unit. This wasn't at all like the current controllers, which are pretty much appliances in and of themselves. This one was about 4 inches in length, and had a very small toggle type switch with 2 functions; fast forward or backward, dependent upon the direction the switch was pressed or pulled. As for the video machine itself, the thing weighed a ton if not two. I could swear that every single component was made from compressed steel. There were small metal push buttons on the front to change each channel, and the counter was the now-ancient analog type that had white numbers on black plastic barrels, which rotated as the tape played. The thing was built to last however, as many older appliances were, since I continued to use it to make tape copies until the year 2000 or so, when I gave it to someone else to enjoy. It had never been cleaned or repaired since it rolled off the Japanese assembly line back in the early 80's. As for that 1990 Quasar, it was much smaller and lighter than the Panasonic, at least half the weight. It also had a wireless remote control, with many more functions. Although most of it's components were made from plastic, the thing worked for 13 years, despite continual use. I did have to have it professionally cleaned and tuned up a couple of times. It finally gave its last performance a couple of years ago. Most of its early days were spent taping episodes of "Northern Exposure". I still own those original 22 video tapes, with 5 episodes on each, recorded in low quality SLP mode. Now that the entire series is being released on DVD (the 4th of 6 seasons should be available hopefully soon), and since I've been the proud owner of a new-fangled DVD player and stereo TV for the past 2 years, I'm thoroughly enjoying the episodes again. Make that celebrating them. With digital technology, the picture is much, much sharper, and the sound quality is crisp and clean, especially after being piped through my 15 year-old mini stereo system and speakers. Why replace what isn't broken? The audio is so much clearer, that you can pick up small birds chirping in the background, or the sound of the cast members breathing between their lines. Hitting the pause button and clicking the 'zoom' function allows you to look at specific details that were impossible to notice back in the 1990's, such as set decorations and props. Each of the episodes comes with extended and deleted scenes, as well as bloopers. I'm a bit disappointed that there aren't more of them, but the pure quality of the packages and just being able to view them the way that they were intended allows me to forgive the lack of bonus items. I've also noticed that some music clips have been changed, due to licensing issues, but again, I can't really complain. When you've been reunited with an old friend like this great show, you just relish every moment. Thursday, September 29, 2005: Could this be my mid-life crisis? Some folks drive nostalgic cars, wear chic clothing, date much younger people or get cosmetic laser surgery. In my case, as I ramble through my 40's, I've become interested in relatively new music bands. Performers such as Cold Play, Moby, Weezer, The Shins, The Dandy Warhols, Pete Yorn, Apples In Stereo, The New Pornographers, and Interpol have really caught my attention. I've always loved the guitar-flavoured pop sound of the 60's and 70's, and many of today's musical artists are tapping into it. More than likely they were influenced by listening to the vinyl records or cassettes belonging to their parents or older relatives. I'm thoroughly enjoying any current music which is reminiscent of The Beatles, The Kinks, The Dave Clark Five, The Beach Boys, Herman's Hermits, etc. This interest has been sparked by hearing music soundtracks from movies, or by word-of-mouth from other fans. Several years ago, I never would have pictured myself being entertained by new bands. Funny how time changes your perspective. Thursday, September 1, 2005: Back in the 90s, when I worked for a music company, I noticed one day the release of a large box set of remastered Led Zepplin CD albums. Almost as excited as a Robert Plant groupy, I bought the box. Thankfully, my employee discount helped to relieve the initial sticker shock, and it came out to a bit more than wholesale. Whew! The 10 disc set consists of LZ 1, 2, 3, 4 (or ZOSO), Houses of the Holy, Presence, Physical Graffiti (a double), In Through the Out Door, and CODA. Everything for the LZ afficianado. "Stairway To Heaven" never sounded better. On the other end of the musical spectrum, I happen to have the 1965 to 1982 3CD set from The Carpenters. No groans please. Okay, the music itself is typical early 70's sappy pop, with tunes like "We've Only Just Begun", "Rainy Days & Mondays", and "Top of the World", but I can't hear enough of Karen Carpenter's incredible voice, which in my books (and in many others' books), rates right up there with the best. Her vocal cords are best represented in this remastered box set by "This Masquerade", "Solitaire", and several Christmas songs, especially "White Christmas" and "Ave Maria". The set also has some rare, very early recordings from the years prior to hitting the charts, including solo drum work. It was awful back in '83 when they announced on the radio that she had passed away due to anorexia, which brought about worldwide attention to eating disorders. Monday, August 22, 2005: Today, I'd like to talk not about a particular album or artist, but a record company that goes by the name of a one-horned animal. If you guessed a rhino, please step to the front of the line. Rhino Records has been my favourite label for over a decade. Beginning back in 1978, they've been releasing a wide range of music and videos/DVDs covering a variety of areas, from obscure bands to mainstream acts. Their products are a must-have for the true lover of pop culture, and are not only nostalgic, but fun. What other label will include a pair of small fuzzy dice in a box set, or release a set consisting of sci-fi related tunes inside a box that looks like it contains a floating brain? You need look no further than Rhino. Their earlier releases consisted of compilation series such as Billboard's Top Hits and The History of British Rock, and over time, Super Hits of the 70's and New Wave Hits of the 80's. It's these compilation sets that are the most dear to my ears. I'm still attempting to complete some of these series, which have long been unavailable on the retail market. Box sets seem to be where they've devoted much of their efforts, and it shows. Just glancing at their catalogue of boxed treasures makes a certain grown man misty eyed. You can find gems such as Ray Charles' complete Country & Western Recordings from 1959 to 1986, Stan Freberg's 1951 to 1998 collection, several Grateful Dead sets, Frank Sinatra's Hollywood hits from 1940 to 1964, Jack Kerouac's collection, 6 different Depeche Mode singles sets, 30 years of American highway tunes, Los Angeles jazz music from 1921 to 1956, a definitive Disco box, 80's underground music, the wild sounds of the 50's, the 70's pop culture set, and the 80's pop culture set, to name just a few. Currently in my own collection are Nuggets (Original Artyfacts From The Psychedelic Era 1965-1968) 4 CD set, Nuggets II (Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond) 4 CD set, The Doo Wop Box 4 CD set (101 songs from the Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll (1948 - 1987), Dead Can Dance 1981 to 1998 3 CD set, and Brain In A Box 5 CD set (The Science Fiction Music Collection). My single CD's from this amazing company include The Very Best of Dr.Demento, Tube Tunes Volume 1, 2, 3 (TV themes from the 1970s to the 1980s), The Turtles 20 Greatest Hits, Summer of Love Volume 1, 2 (Psychedelic hits of 1966 & 1967), One Hits Wonders of the 60s Volume 1, 2 (from Dick Bartley's Original Rock 'N' Roll Oldies Show), The Colpix-Dimension Story (Music by TV stars from 1961 to 1967), The Best of the Beau Brummels, The Grass Roots Anthology 1965 to 1975 (2 discs), The Monkees' Missing Links, Tommy James & The Shondells Anthology, The Best of KC & The Sunshine Band (no wisecracks please), The Best of Lobo, Lene Lovich Stateless...Plus, Lene Lovich Flex, The Best of Melanie, The Lee Michaels Collection, Roy Orbison 18 Greatest Hits, The Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan, Todd Rundgren Something/Anything?, The Best of Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, The Best of the Tremeloes, The Best of Vanilla Fudge, Best of The Village People (again no wisecracks please), Legends of Guitar (the 60s Volume 1), and Rock This Town (Rockabilly Hits) Volume 1. The company has now expanded into music-related DVD's and video games, and because of their commitment to the fun aspects of pop culture, they'll no doubt continue to keep fans like myself very happy. Thursday, August 4, 2005: We've had more than our share of bad storms this summer, and August just started. Normally, for the past few years, it seems that we get one or two awful rain storms sometime during the 8th month, but this year, we've already had about 4 or 5 memorable ones, with continuous lightning, strong winds, and sheets of rain with sprinkles of hail. A few rural spots have seen the odd funnel cloud. This city is still cleaning up all of the fallen trees and branches from the big storm on July 16. I've had to reapply caulking to one of my windows to prevent leakage, but I've yet to get plans for ark building. After all is said and done though, I'd prefer to see rain storms rather than those with the white stuff. I don't want to think about having to pull out the shovel in a few months. Friday, July 29, 2005: Finally went to see War of the Worlds the other day. It was one of the movies that I really had to see this summer. As I own the original 1952 version, I was expecting to see a similar sci-fi flick with a few more special effects. Although the many explosions and computer-generated bells and whistles didn't disappoint, I was much more impressed by the chilling atmosphere of this film. Director Steven Spielberg has created a dark and terrifying sense of utter hopelessness as the main characters (played in fine fashion by Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning) attempt to escape from a seemingly unstoppable menace that threatens all of mankind. Scene after scene left me with goosebumps, which I rarely get while watching films. If you haven't seen this one yet, I'd recommend viewing it on the big screen to feel its full impact. Monday, July 4, 2005: HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY !! Saturday, July 2, 2005: So, do you know what's in your attic? A few boxes of old clothes? Some unused furniture? People? That's right, there might actually be people up there as you read this. Maybe not a lot, but one or two perhaps, especially if you have one of those really large old colonial-type houses. There have been a few reports of homeowners discovering the odd person or persons living in that big space under the roof, without having a clue that they were there until found. In big houses, quiet footsteps might not be noticed, brushed off as common noises that old wooden homes make, or figments of the imagination. Now how would unwanted guests get up there in the first place? Simply by climbing onto the roof, and entering through a window while the owners are away. Apparently those that have been caught freeloading have confessed to sneaking down into the kitchen to eat while everyone is asleep, or while they are out. Pretty scary stuff when you think about it. Now before you grab a flashlight and a baseball bat to run up to the attic, the chances are near impossible that anyone is up there. You might want to keep track of the food in your cupboards and fridge though, just in case, or if you're the really hospitable type, stock up on extras. Friday, July 1, 2005: HAPPY CANADA DAY !! Tuesday, June 21, 2005: I heard a disturbing study that found that 70% of men, and 60% of women, have admitted to cheating on their significant other, whether they are married, or living in a common-law relationship. Now "cheating" was defined as having sex with another partner, or being in an online relationship with someone other than their partner. This is a significant increase from a study done just a few years ago, and doesn't bode well for the future of commitment. Could this be the result of our 'fast-food' type of society, where couples don't have the time to spend with each other, or that many can't be bothered to work at their relationships? Certainly the internet and cell phones have allowed for many more opportunities to 'wander'. Is commitment as we used to know it on the verge of extinction, and what effect will this have on our society? Can the trends be reversed? Time will tell. Monday, June 20, 2005: Similar to my previous entry about seeing a paper plate rolling down a street, the other day while on the bus, I was getting prepared to disembark at my destination. The bus was stopped at a red light. I happened to notice a movement in the sky from my window view. I quickly looked up, and saw a white plastic bag floating in the air about 40 to 50 feet above the ground. It was an extremely windy day, with steady gusts between 30 to 50 MPH. Normally one would see a flat plastic bag being tossed about just above the ground, to end up getting snagged in a fence or some other obstruction. I have to say that this is the first time that I've seen a bag (which looked like it had been inflated a bit) that high up in the air, just gliding along in the wind. From its shape, I could tell that it wasn't a balloon. Not an important anecdote in the overall scheme of things, but another example of being able to witness something out of the ordinary while not being stuck behind a steering wheel in fast-moving traffic. Thursday, June 16, 2005: I'd like to call this entry Hit Me Baby One Final Time. Don't know how many of you are still watching the Peacock network (eh, Ed fans?), but I caught their latest summer 'Reality' show the other night, called Hit Me Baby One More Time. They're advertising it as their big summer hit series, which it will most likely become. The premise of each hour-long show is that 5 former music acts from the late 70's to the mid 90's each perform their most popular hit in front a live (but probably prompted) audience, during the first half of the program, and then they do their best rendition of a more recent hit song. The audience then votes for the winner, which gets $20,000 to donate to their favourite charity. That part I don't mind. What kind of irks me is that many of the performers are either one-hit wonders, such as Tommy Tutone or The Knack, or just moderately successful acts, like The Motels or The Flock of Seagulls. It was also a bit scary seeing Tiffany busting out in a wardrobe misfortune. Don't get me wrong, I love the hits from those years, and like the overly tall emcee says, "great music never dies", but unfortunately, we all get older, and gravity happens. Performers like the Rolling Stones and U2 (mostly) train to stay in shape for their long concert schedules, but a few of the individuals that I saw the other night obviously haven't. Also, some of the performances sounded a bit too Karaoke-like, as if the live vocal sound was dubbed over the original instrumental tracks. There were some positives that have to be mentioned. The Knack and Haddaway actually looked and sounded quite good. The winners of each episode that aired, Arrested Development and Vanilla Ice, were excellent, and deserved to win. As nice as it is for some of these blasts from the past to get a second chance at fame, many of them should move on and be happy collecting their royalty cheques. Thursday, June 9, 2005: Went to see Tempus Fugit earlier this evening. It's one of the 87 films being shown (and some premiering) at the local first annual International Film Festival (which I'm also volunteering at). It's not your every day sci-fi, time-travelling, sports, dooms-day scenario, romantic comedy, Spanish movie. This one has subtitles. It's also excellent. There were a few plot twists, plenty of laughs, and a couple of homages to George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. I wasn't the only person in the theatre who enjoyed it, as the entire audience gave it a good ovation as the Spanish credits rolled. It was also a nice change of pace to see a sci-fi movie that didn't have any CGI effects, and that relied almost entirely on the storyline, acting and dialogue. I recommend this film to almost everybody (there are a few explicit subtitles). Sunday, June 5, 2005: Lately I've been forever listening to a song that was played during the end credits of "Kill Bill Volume 2". Yes, I know I've been talking about those 2 films by Quentin Tarantino lately. Maybe I should get some payola for plugging them so much to the 6 or 7 of you who read these journals. No doubt a special DVD box set is either being planned or is soon to be released, filled with discs of special features, interviews, bloopers, deleted scenes, and more music. In any event, the song that I can't get out of my head is the very haunting "Goodnight Moon" by Shivaree. I bought the "Kill Bill Volume 2" soundtrack CD just for this song, although I guess I could have just played the DVD, but I'm a sucker for liner notes and those little pictures in the booklets. Being a pop culture fan can get expensive. I have no doubts that I'll even buy the pending box set. Saturday, June 4, 2005: Those of you who have seen "Kill Bill" will recall a 3-piece female band from Japan called the 5,6,7,8's, with their catchy tune "Woo Hoo", played just before the showdown at the House of Blue Leaves. I hadn't heard of them before the movie, and was curious if they had any albums released. To my delight, they do. I just received my copy of "Bomb The Rocks, Early Days Singles", with 27 songs from their 1989 to 1996 period. The songs have a garage band feel to them. Plenty of high-octane guitar riffs, drums, and well-placed high-octave screams. Take the first Rhino Records' Nuggets 4-CD set, add some Flamin Groovies, a smattering of Ramones, a dash of the Rezillos, a bit of B-52's, and a helping of Elastica, and you've pretty much described the band's music. Not only was I surprised that they've been around since the late 80's, but that they've also toured in Australia, San Francisco, and Seattle. This particular album that's currently spinning in my CD player has song titles that include the previously mentioned and now-famous "Woo Hoo", "My Boyfriend From Outer Space", "Motor Cycle Go-Go-Go", "I Was A Teenage Cave Woman", and "Bond Girl". A great disc for parties, no one will notice that their cover of the 60's "Mr.Lee" sounds more like "Mr.Dee". Wednesday, June 1, 2005: I wanted to give this entry the title 'Walking In Sunshine', but it was actually mostly cloudy today, with a really strong wind. I had to do some errands, and took a nice walk. About 15 to 20 minutes in each direction. On the way back from the post office, I noticed a paper plate rolling down the street. With a 25MPH wind, it was moving at a good clip. I watched as it continued to roll for about 3 or 4 blocks. Not something you see everyday, and certainly nothing of great importance, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless. I don't know why, but it reminded me of the opening scene from "Forrest Gump", with the feather floating through the air. I also thought that had I been riding the bus, or a bike, I would have completely missed seeing the plate. The fact that I took a leisurely walk allowed me to notice this simple pleasure. Sometimes it's the small things in life that are the most satisfying. Monday, May 30, 2005: Well folks, mark May 29, 2005 on your calendars, as the day that the Danica Patrick legend began in racing annals. The diminutive but dynamic 5' 1", 100 pound, black-haired beauty defied the odds, and overcame rookie mistakes, including a potential day-ending crash, to finish fourth at the Indianapolis 500. Driving in only her 5th Indycar race, she is the first woman to ever lead a lap at the famed track, clocking in at well over 200 miles per hour. Quite a historic feat, being only the fourth woman to take on the brickyard in its 89 years. Smaller in stature and in weight than the trophy presented to the winner, she showed savvy, smarts, strength, and spirit. Chosen by the Bobby Rahal /David Letterman Racing Team, which won the 2004 race by Buddy Rice, there's no doubt that we'll be hearing much more from this talented race car driver. One day in the not-too-distant future, she'll take the checkered flag at the big race, and her name will appear on that huge trophy. Friday, May 27, 2005: Some of you might be aware that I've been interested in unexplained phenomena from an early age. Strangely, I haven't so far actually witnessed anything up close that defied logic, other than an ex-girlfriend who went from being extremely happy to extremely sad within seconds. I've also seen odd lights in the night sky that most likely were aircraft, reflections from a light source, or falling meteorites. Most sightings that observers believe to be flying saucers, ghosts, Mothman, Big Foot, prehistoric lake monsters, etc., can be explained after further study, but there are enough accounts from credible witnesses that can't be debunked. I'm curious about whether some of you have had strange experiences that left you wondering what exactly you had seen, heard, or smelled, or combinations of the three. Perhaps you've heard a story told by relatives or friends. I'd be interested in hearing about them. Please email me if you have any neat tales. Friday, May 20, 2005: As mentioned in a previous journal entry, I went to see "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" this evening, and promised to the 6 or 7 of you that I would write a brief review. It's GREAT! Well, maybe I'll give you a little bit more. The movie is dark, violent, and full of terrific CGI effects. The 146 minutes seemed like only a few parsecs. Not really for the wee ones, although there were a few in the audience. Light sabers clashed, lasers cannons flashed, and many beings were dashed. Billions of whatever-currency-they-use-there worth of droids became recycling material. All of the questions asked during "Star Wars: A New Hope" were answered. There were a few scenes that left you wondering why George did it that way. Unfortunately, Natalie Portman's role as Amidala wasn't as prominent (although a part of her was) as the previous chapter, but then again, this one is mostly about her hubby. After you see this one, you'll want to get home and watch the next trilogy. I'd rate it 4 robotic fingers out of 5. Thursday, May 19, 2005: It was a very nice surprise a few nights ago to see Janine Turner appear in a commercial for an eye drops company (which I can't recall the name of). The last time I'd seen her on television was briefly on the hospital drama "Strong Medicine", which she left in 2002. It's hard to believe that "Northern Exposure" ended 10 years ago. Those years haven't taken their toll on her, as she looks as great as ever. For myself, and many other fans, she'll always be remembered as the beautiful, but feisty 'Maggie', no matter what future characters she portrays. Wednesday, May 18, 2005: Am I a crazy Jedi? I don't think so. I'm not one of those who will be dressed up in Star Wars regalia waiting in line to watch tonight's midnight opening of "Revenge of the Sith", or as Letterman calls it, "Revenge of the Blinth". I'm not even attending the movie on Thursday. I am, however, catching it Friday evening. My advance tix have been secured, and I'm really looking forward to the 146 minutes of big-screen entertainment. It's supposed to be a special-effects extravaganza, with more visual treats than any other flick. The tone is apparently quite dark, and violent, which explains its PG rating. It should be a fitting lead-in to the original trilogy, and provide answers to the many questions that I had while watching the first "Star Wars" back in late 1977. A TV interview with George Lucas revealed that it will also be very emotional, so perhaps wearing a bounty hunter mask would be appropriate. Saturday, May 14, 2005: Some of you may have seen Quentin Tarantino on Letterman on Wednesday night. One thing that I noticed is how passionate he is about his interests. He spoke very expressively about how he wanted to be in the movie business since the age of 5, and that the first movie that made a huge impression on him was "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein". Although he loves the horror genre, especially the old classic Universal monsters, it was this film that made it's biggest impact. He talked about being intrigued by the comedy side of Abbott & Costello, appearing in the same movie as the scary, serious side as portrayed by the Frankenstein monster, for example when it picks up a hapless human and throws the victim out a window to certain death. Not much was mentioned about two of my favourite flicks, "Kill Bill" and "Kill Bill 2", probably because they've been discussed in detail before, but he did get into his directorial role in the upcoming season finale of "CSI", which will air on Thursday, May 19. He revealed that he has been a fan of the show since the beginning, and was asked if he would be interested in directing an episode. When he showed up to talk to the other writers and brought up a few ideas, things quickly evolved into a finale, so he had to accept the opportunity after that much discussion. Surely the show itself was happy to have a director of his talents and capabilities. He also talked about his favourite character on the show being 'Gil Grissom', played by William Peterson. He likened 'Grissom' to a modern day Sherlock Holmes, and was fascinated that he wasn't a true police officer, and not just a criminalist, but an entomologist. Getting back to the finale, for obvious reasons, he couldn't reveal too much about it. Being a fan of the show myself, I can't wait to see not only the storyline, but QT's signature on the episode. Wednesday, May 11, 2005: How many of you (of the 6 or so folks who will read this) have heard or read about the abandoned baby girl in Kenya who was saved by a dog? Quite the amazing story. If you don't know about it, apparently the baby was left in some trash. Sadly, this happens quite often in this extremely impoverished nation. A stray female dog happened upon the child, probably while searching for food. The dog managed to pick the baby up, crossed a busy street, and placed her with her litter of puppies, where she was found by a passerby. After a trip to the nearest hospital, the child was found to be in good condition. Hopefully, not only the girl, but the dog and her puppies, will all find good homes. This incredible story just goes to show that animals (in this case, dogs) are much more intelligent than we humans give them credit for. Here's a follow-up story from today's Associated Press: Wed, May 11, 2005 Many offer to adopt baby rescued by dog By AP NAIROBI, Kenya -- Offers to adopt a newborn girl found among a litter of puppies after being abandoned are pouring in to the Kenyan hospital where she is being treated, and the stray dog credited with her rescue has a home and a name -- Mkombozi or Saviour. SKEPTICAL As police searched for the infant's mother, a government spokesman expressed some skepticism yesterday about the story of the dog's role in saving the child, dubbed Angel by hospital workers, and said authorities were investigating. Mary Adhiambo, a resident of the compound where the dog lives, said Mkombozi apparently found the baby Friday wrapped in a plastic bag in the nearby Ngong Forest. The dog reportedly dragged the baby across a busy road and through some barbed wire to a shed in the poor Nairobi neighbourhood where puppies from two stray dogs were sheltering. "I saw a dog carrying a baby wrapped in a black dirty cloth as it crossed the road," witness Stephen Thoya was quoted by the independent Daily Nation newspaper as saying. "I was shocked at first and when I tried to get a closer look, the dog ran through the fence and disappeared along a dirt road." The infant was discovered after two children alerted adults that they heard the sound of a baby crying near their wooden and corrugated-iron shack. Residents found the baby lying next to the dog and her own pup. Saturday, May 7, 2005: On Friday night's "Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson", the musical guest was EELS, or The EELS, which plays the songs written by Mark Oliver Everett (aka 'E'). Their (or his) song, 'Packing Blankets', was used in the "Ed" episode 'Closure'. I'd never seen the 'band' perform before, so it was a very pleasant surprise to see them. 'E', the lead singer, played the acoustic guitar, dressed neatly in a jacket and tie. The rest of the band consisted of a bass player playing an old-fashioned stand-up model, and another guitarist playing a neat-looking old Gretsch electric. They kind of looked like a throwback 50's band, all with short hair, with suits and ties. Buddy Holly and The Crickets would have been proud. Also, there was a 3-piece all-female string section who looked like they might have come straight from performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Very impressive. I really have to listen to more EELS. Friday, May 6, 2005: I was watching "The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson" tonight (Thursday, May 5), as I do on an almost nightly basis right after David Letterman. As I watched the opening credits for the show, the first name appeared. It was Ozzy Osbourne, whom we all know about. I still have a couple of his vinyl albums, and what CD collection would be complete without Black Sabbath's 'We Sold Our Soul For Rock N Roll'. I thought, "All right! Ozzy!". Then the second name appeared. It was Allison DuBois. I thought it sounded familiar, and then I realized that the name belonged to the main character on "Medium". I've been a regular viewer of the show since the beginning, but didn't do much research regarding it, and thought it was completely fictional. As the interview went along, she explained that the episodes are in fact based on her life experiences, as well as her job in the legal system. She even has 3 daughters who share her ability, and a husband who is an engineer, just like on the television show. The show itself is very well done, with an excellent cast led by Patricia Arquette, whom I'd seen in a few movies years ago, but who has really shone as the small screen version of Allison DuBois. The actors who play her 2 older daughters and her husband are also outstanding, as they portray a family attempting (and often struggling) to live a normal life despite the unusual talents of the female members. One of the executive producers on the show is Kelsey Grammer, of "Cheers" and "Frasier" fame. "Ed" fans will recognize the name of another producer, Larry Teng, who worked on the show, and who is the husband of Lesley Boone. While watching the credits, I've noticed a few other people who worked on "Ed". If you haven't seen "Medium" yet, I highly recommend it. You can also check out the real-life medium at www.allisondubois.com. She probably foresaw that the show would be a hit. Wednesday, May 4, 2005: Recently, there has been a lot of fuss about a video shot in northern Manitoba of a supposed Big Foot or Sasquatch. Now the tape has been sold to an unnamed US news company (apparently USA Today), for six figures, and the Fox News program "A Current Affair", has bought the broadcast license to air it soon. Although the footage was shot at a distance of 750 feet, it must obviously be good enough for someone to pay that amount of money for it. I'm neither a believer, nor a skeptic, and like many others, am open-minded about this subject. New species of animals are still being discovered every so often, and one species, the ivory-billed woodpecker, thought to have been extinct for 60 years, has again been sighted in eastern Arkansas, so anything is possible. I just hope someone finds more physical evidence of this elusive ape-like creature. An actual body would be nice. It's strange that even after hundreds of sightings throughout North America, by people from all walks of life, dead carcasses or even pieces of hair or excrement have never been officially found. In the meantime, I'll watch this new video, do more research, and have fun playing my Milton Bradley Big Foot game from 1977. Saturday, April 30, 2005: Went to the opening day showing of "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" (yesterday), and what a fun time it was. Based on the books (in a series of 5) by the late Douglas Adams, he would have been proud of this big screen effort. It's been awhile since I read the book, but it seems that they didn't stray too far from the original ideas and much of the hilarious dialogue. Today's CGI technology also enhanced the story. Can't wait to see the next chapter, and next time I'll take a towel. Also saw previews for "The Fantastic Four" and "Batman Begins". Looks like I'll have to increase my movie budget for the summer. Friday, April 29, 2005: I'm very pleased to hear that Spider-Man creator Stan Lee has settled his 3-year long legal feud with Marvel Enterprises. Although many news sources were not given the amount of the settlement, Variety Magazine has stated that it was for $10 million, but probably much more, considering the first Spider-Man movie spun over $800 million in revenue. I was fortunate to meet Mr.Lee back in the 80's at an in-store signing for a Spider-Man book he had published at the time. Knowing the owner of the comic shop, I was introduced to him after the crowd had left. He was very kind and cracked a few jokes about his work. I still have the book that he signed those many years ago. It was an honour to meet the creator of so many comic book heroes that have had (and continue to have) such a huge impact on so many, and our entire culture. Justice has been done. Wednesday, April 27, 2005: It's happened again. Another excellent television show is in danger of being cancelled. I went through this scenario on an annual basis with Ed. Now Joan of Arcadia is on the bubble. It just completed its second season on April 22, with an interesting ending and questions unanswered. If you haven't seen it, try catching reruns on CBS on Friday nights. The first season DVD set is now available from Amazon.com (or Amazon.ca or Chapters.ca). It's about a young woman who encounters God in various incarnations, such as a small child, a school janitor, an older woman, different high school students, and other people that one might meet in every day life. Not unlike a modern day Joan of Arc, the title character (played by the very talented Amber Tamblyn) must not only deal with her unusual ability, but also with her family members and friends., which makes for some very entertaining situations. This is a quality program that deserves at least another season. If you care about good television, please take the time to sign this online petition. Wednesday, April 20, 2005: So there I was in the kitchen, cooking up another culinary creation, when I looked around and it suddenly hit me. I am a slob. Sure, some might say "well you're a guy, so it's to be expected". That's just not a satisfactory explanation to me. I like to be clean and tidy (but not like Felix Unger), especially in the kitchen, but no matter how careful I try to be, I still manage to find drops of soup, tomato or soy or curry sauce, bits of chopped ingredients, grains of salt or sugar, tiny piles of cayenne or paprika or chili powder, etc., on various areas of the stove, counter, floor or walls. I don't flail with forks, splash with spatulas, or play with pots. I can't explain it. Is it caused by some centuries-old cooking curse uttered by a matronly medieval castle servant, who despised men tramping through her kitchen (or whatever they were called back then), or is it from even further back in time, perhaps Neanderthal woman getting revenge on her mate for telling her how to prepare the Mastodon Meatloaf? Whatever the cause, I have a feeling that I'll forever be keeping the wet wipes, paper towels, sponges, and cleaning solutions within arm's reach. Tuesday, April 19, 2005: I was listening to the local talk radio station today, and they played a clip of a recent 9-1-1 call that made me shake my head, more than normally. A woman called the emergency line because the hamburgers that she had ordered for her kids from a drive-through restaurant were not exactly to her liking. Instead of dealing with the restaurant manager, she just had to dial up the emergency operator with a request to send the police to settle her burger beef. The operator did a good job calmly explaining to the woman that action could only be taken if the situation was a life or death matter. The woman still seemed to think that her dining dilemma required the authorities. Seems to me that she requires more than just hamburger help. Thursday, April 14, 2005: You just never know what you'll find at a Goodwill thrift store. I dropped by the local one the other day, and was very pleased to find some great CD's. I managed to buy Van Morrison's 'Moondance', Emmy Lou Harris' 'Angel Band', Paul Westerberg's 'Stereo', Iris Dement's 'Infamous Angel', and the double disc 'Cool Jazz Collection'. I enjoy all kinds of music, and theyr'e all excellent additions to the library. 'The Cool Jazz Collection' has 36 terrific tracks, and includes Etta James' classic 'At Last' which was used in 2 of my favorite TV shows, Northern Exposure & Ed. Speaking of Northern Exposure, I was pleasantly surprised to find the disc by Iris Dement. Her song 'Our Town' was used in the show's final episode, 'Tranquility Base', back on May 15, 1995. I'd been looking for that song since that time, so another long search ends in success. Friday, April 8, 2005: Sin City, here I come...well, actually I'm back from seeing this movie. Excellently done, with its comic book, er, graphic novel visual look. Lots of great dialogue also, except for one very quiet character played by Elijah Wood. He's no Hobbit here. Let's just say that he has an eating disorder, and a pet who just loves his master. Speaking of food, I wouldn't recommend seeing this movie on a full stomach, unless you're used to the surgical ward of the local hospital. If you're the type who always likes prancing and whistling through fields of daisies while wearing happy face clothing, don't see this film. It takes quite a movie to get an 'R' rating in Canada, and I can definitely see why this one did. Here's what the eventual DVD rental write-up might read: "Extreme violence, nudity, intense scenes, mature subject matter." Some might find it disturbing, in fact, I overheard someone sitting behind me whisper the word "sick". I don't know if they were commenting on a particular scene, or if they were feeling the effects of the flu. If you're a fan of Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, and/or Quentin Tarantino, you should enjoy this movie. The cast itself is worth the admission price. I should also mention that the list of this summer's upcoming movies looks impressive, after seeing the previews for "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy", "Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith", and "The War of the Worlds". Tuesday, March 29, 2005: You know, I can't remember the last time that I ate 15 pieces of fried chicken for breakfast, which works out to over 700 calories. Oh wait, never. I've never had the need to consume that much food first thing in the morning. A well-known U.S. based fast fill restaurant is banking on the hope that many mouths will require that amount of A.M. NRG, in the form of a giant breakfast burger. Should they succeed, it could be their crowning moment. For their customers, it could lead to their final coronary moment. Not only are these products death broiled over, but nutritionists suggest that each will need about 10 hours to pass through the digestive system. Consumers will probably spend that time feeling sluggish and tired, and perhaps wondering why they bought the breakfast behemoth. Hopefully the corporation won't offer a super-sized version. Want fries with that, or by-pass surgery? Friday, March 25, 2005: So what do you get when you combine Bobby Darin's 'Splish Splash I Was Taking A Bath' with The Standell's 'Dirty Water'? Well, certainly a very strange song that would be difficult to sing, but I was thinking of those tunes while looking outside at the roads and sidewalks. We had a little more snow this winter than the norm, and with the temperatures balancing near the freezing mark, and the sun beaming with the arrival of Spring, the slowly melting snow is quickly creating large pools and puddles. Poor pedestrians such as myself have had to navigate around these obstacles, not unlike playing hopscotch in rainy weather. Not only must we avoid the accumulations of water, but we also must dodge the grey, brown and black waves of spray from speeding motorists, who for some reason are compelled to accelerate at the sight of a promising puddle. Donned in our Gorton's Fisherman-like outfits, many of us have had our revenge, as the occasional car ends up inside a pot hole the size of half a Buick, which the driver failed to notice as it was completely concealed by the pool of potential pleasure, turned quickly into pain. Hopefully as more and more front ends are repaired, fewer drivers will take part in the annual splash and dash. Saturday, March 19, 2005: Well, it really does appear that Spring is approaching. The piles of snow are quickly melting as the sun's rays become stronger. People are wearing lighter coats and jackets. Road conditions are improving (except for pot holes and puddles, which I won't get into) , resulting in drivers pressing down on their accelerators a bit further. Windows are being rolled down so people can yell at other drivers more easily. I was out walking today in the beautiful sunshine, taking in all of the cool, fresh air and enjoying the outdoors, when I heard a car horn break the calmness. I turned to see 2 cars side by side, travelling at a good clip. The drivers seemed to take turns giving each other an obscene hand gesture, or shouting a rude, high-decibel expression of dissatisfaction. I had to chuckle at the display. Definite signs of Spring. Wednesday, March 16, 2005: GOOD LUCK TO JENNIFER JONES, CATHY OVERTON-CLAPHAM, JILL OFFICER & CATHY GAUTHIER IN THE WORLD WOMEN'S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN PAISLEY, SCOTLAND. MAY THE ROCKS AND STARS ALIGN. Tuesday, March 8, 2005: The first sign of Spring arrived over the weekend in the form of a lone Canada Goose. According to a local wildlife expert, the huge geese flocks vacationing in warmer climes send a 'scout' back to their breeding grounds. If the scout doesn't return back to the flock, they will know that the conditions are right to head for home. If the scout returns, it's a signal that it's not yet time to leave. We had a bit of a winter storm on Sunday, so chances are the goose flew quickly back south to his feathered friends. It's supposed to warm up later in the week, perhaps enough to bring the scout back to stay. The wonders of nature never cease to amaze. Speaking of heading south, the unfortunate Los Angeles man mentioned in my February 26 blurb will be deported back to the US, less all of his fingers and all the toes from one foot. They had to be amputated due to the severe frost bite they had suffered. In this case, love was extremely painful and life-altering. No need to sing that old Nazareth song. Friday, March 4, 2005: Something wonderful happened to me recently. No, I didn't meet the woman of my dreams, nor did I win a lottery. It's much less exciting, but still a major event. You see, I discovered the chocolate-covered almonds bulk bin at my local supermarket. It all began quite normally. I had planned to buy a bag of bulk plain almonds, which are supposed to be healthy, according to all the news on the internet and television. I stood in front of the bin, which was brimming with blanched almonds. Suddenly, and inexplicably, I was pulled by some unseen force further down the aisle. When I stopped, I found myself staring at tempting almonds covered in glossy chocolate. They appeared to give off an entrancing glow. Despite attempts to resist, my uncontrollable hands tore off a plastic bag from its roll, placed it under the dispenser of the bin, and I watched and listened as dozens upon dozens of shiny oval treats clattered into their new temporary home. Only when the bag became somewhat heavy did I end the experience. Nirvana had been reached. No longer will I have to wait to buy those tiny boxes of fund-raising chocolate almonds, although I'll probably still buy them out of habit. For about $6, I can now bring home enough tasty delights to last over a week. Life is good. Very good. Saturday, February 26, 2005: Here's one for 'The Things We Do For Love' files. There was a story from the local newspaper about a Los Angeles man who really wanted to meet a Quebec woman he had 'met' on the internet. He spent over 100 hours to get to the US/Canada border, only to be turned back because of something that appeared on his criminal record. Undaunted, he decided to venture across a snow-covered, forested area to attempt to enter the country illegally. Unfortunately, being from warm California, he was inadequately prepared for the subzero temperatures, which plummet further after the sun sets. Freezing, he was spotted behind some trees by the owner of the town golf course, who notified the RCMP. The police located him, and discovered that he was suffering from prolonged exposure, and his hands were badly frost-bitten. They delivered him to the hospital, where he is being treated, and will no doubt be taken to US authorities. Wouldn't it be better if the woman of his e-dreams travels to the US to meet him?. Thursday, February 24, 2005: So, when was the last time you spongied (pronounced 'spun-jeed')? I'm not talking about your last sponge bath, but about playing hockey with a sponge puck. I was watching the local news the other night, and one of the news hounds interviewed a co-creator of the Winnipeg Sponge Hockey League. I was surprised to learn that it has been around for 23 seasons, and with the cancellation of this NHL season, interest in the league has increased. For more detailed information, there's a website called 'spongehockey.com', but basically it's played on any full size hockey rink (usually outdoors), with the players wearing soft-soled broomball shoes. Instead of a hard rubber puck, a softer black sponge puck is used. Now the last time I remember playing 'spongie' is over 20 years ago. As a youth, I would get together with friends, head to the nearest outdoor hockey rink, and either play real hockey on skates, or we would change it up by playing with our shoes or boots. We also used tennis balls, sponge pucks, or ball hockey balls. All three projectiles would cause the same amount of pain after becoming frozen. Nobody really wanted to be the goalie, unless they were equipped with the right padding (usually a heavy parka). We were pretty crazy in those days, sometimes playing spongie in the dark. After the rink closed down for the night, and the lights turned off, we would wait until the attendant left, and continue playing. Who needed lighting? We could almost clearly make out the black puck on the white ice, especially after our eyes adjusted, but we all learned to stickhandle by feeling the puck on our sticks. (Perhaps a good coaching method for today's young players? Plus they'd save on the hydro bill.) We would also pass the puck towards the general direction of a familiar voice. The poor goalies didn't stand a chance, since they could barely see the player bearing down on them, never mind the puck. Unfortunately, I was the cause of the end to our spongie nights in the dark. One fateful Friday evening, a group of us had gathered for a game. For obvious reasons, we had imposed a strict rule that slap shots would be disallowed. I happened to bring along my most wickedly curved thin bladed stick, which had the propensity to propel a sponge puck at an ever-increasing angle, similar to a jet launching off of an aircraft carrier, except of course at a much slower speed. About halfway through our game, I was seemingly possessed by some angry hockey demon, and from center-ice, I wound up and took a slap shot towards the opposition net. A fraction of a second later, I heard a yelp and a thud. My first thought was that the goalie (a good friend) was joking about being hit. Upon closer inspection, I realized that I had inflicted a one-inch cut near my friend's lip. Flat on his back on the ice, he was not impressed, although some of the others thought it was quite a feat in the dark. After that night, we stuck to playing while the lights were still on, even convincing the attendant to stay a bit later for our benefit. Those were great memories, brought back by spongie talk. Thursday, February 17, 2005: Of course it would take the cancellation of this entire NHL season to get me back to this page. I'm actually okay about it, since most of the games had already been wiped off the schedule. I'm more of a play-off fanatic anyway, so I might be chewing on the upholstery or jackhammering my head off a door frame in a month or so. Then again, I might do more constructive things, such as reading, walking, and biking, activities that take a backseat during the run to the Stanley Cup. Enough about me though. I'll be feeling bad for all of those husbands and boyfriends who can't use play-off time as an excuse to get out of doing household chores, renovations, or spending quality time with their significant others. I'll be feeling bad for all of those multimillionaire hockey players who'll miss those five digit weekly paycheques. Most of all, I'll feel bad for the CBC who won't be able to use Don Cherry's suits and ties as a test pattern every Saturday night. Saturday, January 1, 2005: Hope you all had a nice Holiday Season and New Year's Eve. We had a bit of snow around here just before year-end. After all was said and done, about 30 centimetres fell and was blown around by blizzard conditions. I've posted some pictures from the 29th and today. What a difference a couple of days can make. Some of the drifts I shovelled were waist high. Great exercise though, in moderation. Please view the pics here. Have a great 2005! Thursday, December 23, 2004: Please check out my Christmas tree. I should mention that it's small, and I like plenty of lights. Friday, November 26, 2004: They say that with age, comes wisdom. In my case, it must be inversely proportional. Very little intake of wisdom as the years pass. I actually did learn something the other day. The lesson: always wash 'pre-washed' spinach. It all started earlier this week. I had a craving for a dish that my Mom used to make. Poached cod fish chunks, with lightly boiled spinach, sweet onions, and those thin, clear vermicelli noodles made from beans, served in a soy sauce, vinegar and sugar mixture. I walked over to the local grocery, and feeling a bit lazy, I picked up a bag of spinach which had the words "Pre-washed, ready-to-eat" on it. I thought, "This is too good to be true", so I asked the closest store employee about the suspicious spinach. The employee, while putting some egg plants on display, replied convincingly that the spinach was indeed pre-washed, and could be consumed right out of the bag. That was all the proof I needed, and proceeded to the checkout to purchase the prized plastic pouch. I returned to my kitchen, and excitedly prepared my much-anticipated meal. It didn't take very long, and I placed good sized portions on a plate. Mmm, the poached cod was perfect, as were the onions and clear noodles. The spinach was another story. I immediately pictured myself falling face-first on a beach, mouth wide open. No, that was an exaggerated response. It was more like eating small pieces of sand paper. Not wanting to spoil the entire experience, I finished off what was left on the plate, including those gritty greens. Now you're probably wondering if I later complained to the store employee about his 'advice'. I first thought that of all the bags of spinach on the shelf, I happened to pick the one that missed the spray of water. A reasonable theory. I then thought that if I complained, my next visit to the store would consist of hearing snickers from the staff, and being called 'the guy that doesn't wash his spinach'. So I decided not to mention it. At least my bag of boneless cod lived up to its advertised claim. Good thing too, otherwise I might have completely missed out on this and future lessons, as scarce as they might be. Monday, November 8, 2004: I was fortunate to attend the final hockey game to be played at the 49 year-old Winnipeg Arena, on Saturday night, November 6, between the Manitoba Moose and the Utah Grizzlies of the AHL. I initially had planned not to go, as I knew it would be a bittersweet and potentially tearful event. Then on the 5th, local radio superstation CJOB aired the historic very first WHA Winnipeg Jets game, which occurred way back in 1972 in the old Madison Square Gardens, against the short-lived New York Raiders. This rebroadcast brought back many great hockey memories, and provided myself with the incentive to purchase a ticket to the last game. Around noon of the 6th, I phoned the local ticket agency for the best possible seat, and secured my chance to view an historic evening, for a mere $15. As I put down the receiver, little did I know that the event would be worth many times that price. Wanting to get to the rink early, I arrived just before 5PM. The 2 hour pre-game ceremony was scheduled to begin at 5:30. A large line had already formed in front of the interior doors, and extended outside into the chilly evening. I entered the building to pick up my ticket, and merged into the throng. Several short minutes later, the glass doors opened and I was carried along in the sea of excited fans. I was handed a poster, and quickly moved my way towards my reserved seat, which was located in one of the angled corner sections of the south end. Along the way, I stopped to chat with a female gate attendant, who gave me a souvenir booklet and a roster sheet for the game. I snapped a few pictures of the rink, purchased my last Arena cola, and then found my seat in Section 25, row 20. To my delight, the row only had 4 seats. I settled in, took some more pictures, and waited for the ceremony. A nice older couple sat in the 2 seats next to me, with the last seat left unoccupied. I watched as the rink slowly filled with a near-capacity crowd of 13,000+ fans of various ages, many wearing Jets jerseys. A group of 20-somethings paraded around the rink carrying a Jets banner, while beating small drums, tooting horns, and yelling "Go, Jets, go!". I could tell that this was going to be a fun night. Like clockwork, at 5:30, the PA announcer called for the MC, who was none other than Don Wittman of CBC television fame. He proceeded to tell the history of the rink, and introduced the 40+ guests for the evening, former hockey legends from the 50's to the current Moose era. The biggest cheers followed the entrance of WHA Jets superstars Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg, and NHL Jets superstars; Teemu Selanne (the Finnish Flash), Thomas Steen (who has recently moved back to the city with his family), goalie Bob Essensa, defenceman Dave Ellett, and popular Eddie Olczyk, who had promised back in 1995 after the final Jets game that he would bring the Stanley Cup back to Winnipeg. We were told that he again stated that should he win the trophy as current head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he will bring it to the city, which prompted more loud cheers from the crowd. Perhaps he'll return with the entire franchise. Unfortunately, the great 'Golden Jet' Bobby Hull, who put Winnipeg on the hockey map when he signed with the WHA Jets in 1972, and Dale 'Ducky' Hawerchuk, the first player picked in the 1981 NHL draft, and once named 'The Franchise', could not attend the ceremony due to prior engagements. No doubt their appearances would have brought the roof down. As the ceremony moved along, I snapped a number of additional photos, which can be viewed by clicking here. The show ended with brief speeches from former Jet and Moose player Scott Arniel, and former rock solid Jet 'Minister of Defence' d-man and current Moose head coach, Randy Carlyle, followed by the lowering of the huge championship hockey banners, which were rolled up and carried off by young future hockey stars. The game between the Moose and the Grizzlies (ironically the farm team of the Phoenix Coyotes, which had been the Jets until they were sold and moved to Arizona) then began. As it progressed, chants of "Go Jets go" echoed throughout the building, and fans participated in doing 'the wave'. At one point, it succeeded in going around the building about 20 times or so. Early in the third period, with no score, the chants soon changed to "Go Moose go!", signaling closure of the past, and heralding the beginning of a new hockey era, soon to be experienced in the new state-of-the-art MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg. Monday, September 27, 2004: Imagine my surprise when hearing that my local pro football team, the Blue Bombers, had traded the face of their organization, quarterback Khari Jones, to the Calgary Stampeders late Saturday evening. Although he wasn't having a great season, and had recently recovered from a shoulder injury, the trade announcement was still somewhat of a shock. Now that it's done, it's a good deal for both teams. The Stampeders needed a veteran QB to replace their injured starter, Marcus Crandell, and the Bombers needed to solidify their defense, and required a proven fullback. The Bombers receive a great defensive lineman in Joe Fleming, who was the league's top defensive player in 2003, an up and coming star in defensive back Wes Lysack, and a big and solid veteran fullback in Scott Regimbald. Perhaps Mr.Jones' time as a QB here was over, but the team and city have lost a great ambassador and community presence. He and his family will be missed, should they decide to uproot and move to the foothills of Alberta. This city can never have enough good people to help it grow, especially of the calibre of Khari and his wife Justine, who took a huge step moving from California to spend their time here year-round. They are special people. Wednesday, September 22, 2004: When one hears the letters R.E.M. in a sentence, the speaker may be referring to either 'rapid eye movement' during deep sleep, or the great music group from Athens, Georgia. Last Friday, faster than the blink of an eye, over 2000 tickets sold out for a local November 15 concert appearance of the rock band. It actually took about 2 minutes to sell out, but many fans, myself included, didn't have a chance to buy tickets. It's not the end of my world as I know it, and I'll feel fine, but I wouldn't mind attending the show at a reasonable price. I'm going to attempt to stay away from buying a ticket on Ebay. There's something strange going on when you can't get a ticket to a show in your own city, but someone a few hundred miles away can buy them online. I'm not a fan of reality shows. In fact, I can't stand watching them. I did make an exception last night however, to watch one called "Making The Cut". The series is about the Canadian dream, the chance to play hockey in the NHL. During the early months of this year, thousands of Canadian adult males and females laced up the blades in several Canadian cities with hopes of becoming one of 68 chosen by hockey experts to attend a special training camp. Last night's 2-hour premiere focussed on a few willing to accept the challenge, with hopes of moving on. I really enjoyed the program, and realized just what hockey means to myself, as a few emotional tears welled up in my eyes as the hopefuls were notified by phone whether they had made the cut or not. Monday, September 6, 2004: So when was the last time you trembled well after the end of a film? Not from over-active air conditioning, or from frightening scenes, but from pure intensity. This was my reaction after the closing credits of "The Bourne Supremacy". Even during the car ride home, the feeling didn't fade. Perhaps it was that pail of Pepsi I had half consumed, but I think it was the entire movie. An absolute thrill ride from beginning to end. If you thought the car chase scene from "The Bourne Conspiracy" was an adrenaline rush, the one in this second installment will enable you to see your knuckles in the dark. The tension throughout will leave you exhausted, but satisfied. I'm hoping the third chapter of this fine franchise will continue the Ludlum style. Saturday, August 20, 2004: Riddle me this: How can a man with the last name of 'Canada' not be a Canadian? Answer: When he's a native Californian who has found himself a full time job with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football club. Early in 2004, the Blue Bombers signed Tom Canada, a defensive end who had pretty much given up on the grid-iron game, after try-outs in the NFL and NFL Europe. The Bombers had heard that he had excellent quickness and a relentlessness for chasing down opposition quarterbacks, and searched him out. They found him teaching white-water rafting in northern California, and were able to come to terms on a contract, even though he had never heard of Winnipeg or the Blue Bombers. Now, after 3 pre-season and 9 regular season games, the 6-3, 255 pound 25 year-old is not only learning the Canadian style of football quickly, but he leads both the team and the entire league in quarterback sacks, with 7 so far. Recently interviewed by a local newspaper, he said he's enjoying the city, the games, the league, and the other big cities here across the 49th parallel. No doubt this man who shares the same name as the country he now plays in was meant to be here. We'll have to see what he thinks about playing in sub-zero temperatures and several inches of the solid white frozen form of those rapids in sunny California. Have you seen both volumes of "Kill Bill"? I recently bought both on DVD. I missed seeing them on the big screen. When I originally saw the trailer for Volume 1, I dismissed the movie as just another vengeance flick. I was partially correct. Yes, it's a movie with vengeance being the main theme, but it's far from being typical. Sure, there are scenes with flying dismembered body parts and almost as much blood as seen in the hallways of the hotel in "The Shining", but it's presented with style and humour, not to mention the outstanding dialogue of the characters and the music used throughout the scenes. Quentin Tarantino is a master of knowing how to entertain a movie audience. One minute you're watching a whistling, one-eyed assassin preparing to inject a lethal liquid into her comatose victim, and then at the last possible microsecond, she receives a call on her cell phone from her boss, who explains that the patient deserves a more honorable death, causing her much angst and frustration. There are many other enjoyable scenes that I won't get into, in case you haven't seen it. As for Volume 2, let's just say that it continues the saga in grand style. Less visually graphic, plasma-wise, and thoroughly delightful in its storytelling fashion. Tarantino describes Volume 1 as being more Japanese in style, similar to anime and manga, while Volume 2 has a Western flavor. Ebert and Roeper each rate both volumes very highly, and have placed Volume 2 in their Top Ten movies of 2004. Keep the little ones out of the viewing room however. Wednesday, August 11, 2004: Here's one for cat lovers. After going missing for 18 years, a cat was recently reunited with its original owner. The feline, named Seagull, disappeared into a wintry night in 1986 at the age of 2. After a futile search, Seagull was thought to have been lost and long gone. Surprisingly, the owner was contacted last week by The Humane Society, which said that the cat was found wandering, and had been correctly identified by a tattoo in its ear. The owner was understandably both amazed and elated by the news, and quickly retrieved the now 20 year-old cat. Although blind with cataracts, a vet declared that Seagull should remain healthy for another 5 years or so, unless he decides to run off again. If you suffer from arachnophobia, like me, you may want to discontinue reading at this time. I recently read a study that claims that every human consumes on average 8 spiders in their lifetime. How is that possible? I myself don't recall ever seeing 'chocolate spiders' or 'spiders & eggs' on any restaurant menu. Well apparently, while we sleep, our warm breath attracts spiders to our mouths, and you can figure out the rest. If you're as disgusted as I was, I did warn you to stop reading earlier. I think I'll have to wear a surgical mask every night, or at least have a bottle of ketchup within reach. Monday, August 9, 2004: Are cell phones getting better or worse? A Japanese company is developing a new communication system that is implanted in a person's cheek, near the auditory canal. When a call comes through, it sends a vibrating signal to the cheek. To answer, one needs only to say "Hello", as the unit is voice-activated. The person responds by talking naturally as if the other person was in front of them. A "Goodbye" ends the call. To place a call, the person says "Call", and then the name of the contact person or business. The person can also recite the entire phone number. Company officials believe that their new cheek phone will revolutionize personal hands-free communications. Critics visualize chaos, especially in large crowds, with people yelling to make themselves heard to the person at the other end. They also wonder how people will react to seeing users seemingly talking to themselves. Of course, the above scenario is entirely tongue-in-cheek, but you never know... Saturday, July 31, 2004: I'm sure you've all heard of the phrase "once in a blue moon", which means something that rarely occurs. Well, if you look up in the sky this evening, you'll see a real "blue moon". No, the moon won't appear blue in color, but the term is used to describe when there are 2 full moons during the same month. We previously saw a full moon on July 2. Apparently, "blue moons" are quite common, occurring 7 times every 19 years. No doubt werewolves look forward to these months... Back on the planet, from the naked truth files, the Canadian Immigration department has announced that women from foreign countries applying for work visas as nude dancers must provide a photograph proving that they have experience in their supposed area of expertise. Apparently, there are not enough women in Canada who are willing to dance in the buff, so clubs and bars must hire them from outside the country. To ensure that everything is on the up and up, applicants must submit an authentic picture of themselves posing in their birthday suit. Officials claim that all photos will be viewed objectively... Monday, July 19, 2004: Looks like another bug battle is brewing. Two years ago, a few residents of a particular city neighborhood blocked malathion-spraying trucks, preventing the fogging of pesky mosquitoes in their area. Last summer, the mosquito population was insignificant, keeping the city trucks in their garage. This summer, it's a different story, with high counts of female mosquitoes showing up in traps. The city did some fogging in June, which brought temporary relief for anyone attempting to enjoy the outdoors. Recently, with heavy rains and hot temperatures causing new breeding conditions, city officials are concerned not only about nuisance bugs, but most importantly, the dreaded West Nile Virus. A second round of spraying was to begin last evening, however the front lines of battle have changed. About 30 protesters showed up at the city lot where the spraying trucks are located, and physically kept them from leaving. Police maintained control, and city officials calmed the crowd down by announcing a suspension of fogging until further notice. This has of course frustrated the majority of the population that wants the city to fog their residential areas. We may soon hear the rallying cries of "Fog On !" and "Fog Off !" from both sides of this chemical controversy. Wednesday, July14, 2004: This is a true story about what I'd like to call 'incisor ingratitude'. After decades of being this country's national animal, and glorified in countless photographs and books, the Canadian beaver has disrupted the lives of many. Earlier this morning, one or more beaver dams located near the Manitoba/Ontario border exploded, causing a deluge of water to flow over the Trans-Canada Highway. Several areas of the highly-travelled road were flooded with over 3 feet of water and debris. This caused the closure of the highway by the RCMP for several hours, delaying motorists and creating a traffic jam in both east and west directions. This is the first known case of a highway closure due to beaver activity, and hopefully the last. There has been no explanation why the dams exploded. Perhaps subversive muskrats... Friday, July 9, 2004: Here's one that defies explanation. Later today, the 7-11 corporation will present this city's mayor with the Golden Slurpee Award. This is the fifth consecutive year that this city has won the 'coveted' title of World Slurpee Capital. How is this possible? This is the coldest major city in North America. The winter season lasts half of the year. Yet, each 7-11 store here averaged almost 111,000 Slurpees sold last year. The next 2 cities, Calgary and Detroit, were much farther down the iceberg at 89,500 and 78,300 respectively. Folks in Winnipeg consume over 10,100 Slurpees a month, which is much higher than the Canadian average of 7731. I asked a forehead-squeezing Slurp-aholic how many he bought on a daily basis. He replied "About 5 a day in the summer, and 2 a day in the winter." Two a day in the winter?! Could this have something to do with our preoccupation with ice, having to put up with it during the coldest months on our streets and skating rinks? Personally I think it might be something in the water. Friday, May 28, 2004: Picked up the recently released Northern Exposure 1st season DVD set. The 2 disc package comes enclosed in an eye-catching orange 'parka'. The 8 episodes never looked or sounded better. Sharp, clear images with excellent stereo sound. Plenty of deleted scenes and extra footage to make this a must-have set for any fan. And those perfect lips of Maggie's in digitalized splendor... Managed to catch an early showing of The Day After Tomorrow today. Although not exactly a huge blockbuster in my books, it's an entertaining summer 'B' flick. Great special effects, especially the scenes of tornadoes in downtown Los Angeles and a giant wave roaring through Manhatten. A romantic subplot, parental concern, and political irony all add warmth and humanity to this disaster movie, Somewhat reminiscent of Irwin Allen's The Towering Inferno and The Poseidon Adventure, except on a much larger scale and with obvious environmental messages. This movie couldn't have been made 30 years ago, without computer technology. I'm still haunted by the image of that S.S. Poseidon model flipping over in a water-filled tank at Twentieth Century Fox Studios. Monday, May 17, 2004: Mark the date on your calendar. The day NBC finally admitted what many "Ed" fans already believed. The show is officially over. Even though the sun is shining where I sit, this is truly a dark day. Not only for those of us who loved this show, but also, in the minds of many, for everyone who cherishes quality television in general. Now that the word is out, there will be varying degrees of reaction to the news. Some will cry. Others will seethe with anger. A few may even be relieved. Whatever the emotion, there can be no doubt that the four seasons of the show provided many of us with superb entertainment. Television shows have come and gone, and will continue to come and go, but this was one of the best to air since "Northern Exposure". Shows like "Ed" only happen once or twice every decade. It's a shame that quality television shows are few and far between. With the increase of unscripted reality programming, it may be an eternity before another show moves me as much as "Ed" did. I'd like to personally express my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved on the show during its run, from the creators to the grips, from the regular cast members to the day players & extras, from the construction crew to the craft service workers. All of you made the past four seasons a joy to watch, filled with memorable moments that won't be forgotten for a long, long time. Wednesday, March 24, 2004: It's been almost 2 months since my last entry, so it's time to do a little catching up. Spring seems to have finally sprung. Today's temperature reached above freezing, and it's supposed to go as high as 8-10 Celsius tomorrow (almost 50 Fahrenheit). Someone was seen jogging in shorts this afternoon. A little brave, considering there are still a few large pond-like puddles on the roads. Well, there's an extremely good chance that Ed will be cancelled. Only 17 episodes were aired this season, and the cast has been told to look for other opportunities. The sets have been torn down, and many of the props auctioned off and sold. Things look bleak, but NBC hasn't made an official announcement yet, but will do so in May. Many of us die-hard fans are clinging to the very miniscule hope that a fifth season will happen. In the meantime, I've become hooked on a Canadian comedy called Corner Gas, starring comedian Brent Butt. The show focuses on the lives of several quirky townspeople in the tiny community of fictional Dog River, Saskatchewan. Most of the action tends to occur within a 50 foot radius of the gas station. This would cause difficulties if any of the main characters were to ever get a restraining order against another. Clever one-liners abound, making this one of the best Canadian sitcoms to come down the pike in a long, long time, perhaps even since Confederation..I'd give the show a perfect 5 hockeysticks on the Canuck meter. Wednesday, January 28, 2004: HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! Not a lot to report lately, other than the weather. It's a little chilly in these parts. Today's HIGH temperature was minus 50 Celsius with the windchill. No, that's not a misprint. Even the polar bears at the zoo were finding things a tad uncomfortable. For humans brave enough to venture outdoors, they might want to know that exposed skin can freeze in 2 minutes. It's supposed to be colder this evening, if that's possible. With the north Arctic winds, it'll feel like minus 55. That number looks good on a highway speed sign, not on the bottom end of a thermometer. Tomorrow's forecast is similar to today. It's still a dry cold. Think I'll curl up with a good book near a warm heater. Wednesday, December 24, 2003: HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL !!! Click here to see a photo I snapped earlier today of a hoar frost-covered tree just outside my livingroom window. Thursday, December 18, 2003: A week to go until Christmas, and I'm almost finished shopping. Only 47 gifts to go. Just kidding. Thankfully, I'm just about done. I decided to stop going for the thrills and heart palpitations of waiting to buy everything at the last possible minute. I'm even thinking about buying 5 years in advance. The only problem is storage space. Oh, and money. Tuesday, November 25, 2003: Time to catch up on a few things. First, if any of you out there caught the first outdoor NHL game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens, on the 22nd, you witnessed not only an amazing and historic day and night of hockey the way it was meant to be played, but also the emergence of another Gretzky superstar. If you missed the pre-game festivities, you didn't hear the talented singing voice of Wayne's daughter, Paulina, who sang a beautiful rendition of Sarah McLachlan's 'I Will Remember You'. On the primetime television front, my favorite show Ed is moving along nicely. I'm enjoying this season as I have the previous 3. The latest episode was the very satisfying 'The Proposal'. I'm also enjoying a new show called Joan of Arcadia. If you haven't seen it yet, it's the interesting story of a teenaged girl who comes in contact with God, who appears in various forms such as a small child, a street cleaner, a security guard, and others. God tells her to take on various tasks, such as trying out for the cheerleading team, getting a job at a bookstore, or taking chemistry classes, Each of these otherwise mundane requests usually leads to a good consequence. The show also looks into her father's occupation as the city's police chief, her mother's job at the local high school, and the trials and tribulations of her 2 brothers, one a bitter paraplegic and the other, a geeky brainiac. This is a quality Friday night program. Congratulations to Mike Bullard, who has reappeared on Canadian television for his seventh season, after a publicized disagreement with his previous employer, the CTV network. His first show on the Global network, called The Mike Bullard Show, aired on Monday, November 24, with his musical sidekick, Orin Isaacs, and his talented band. I'm looking forward to another season of this hilarious Canuck talk show host. Wednesday, October 22, 2003: Well, another hockey season is upon us. Every year around this time, I sleepwalk to one of my closets and pull out my right-handed Titan. I'm talking about a hockey stick. I then grab a few pucks, tennis balls, tin cans, whatever I can find, to shoot against the garage door. The first object that ricochets off the door and my head usually wakes me up. I'd like to think most Canadian hockey fans go through this same experience, but my therapist disagrees. Anyway, I caught the first Montreal/Toronto hockey game of the year on the tube this past weekend. It was a throwback to days of old, with only one goal being scored. I no longer root for the Leafs as I used to as a kid, instead taking in the overall hockey experience. A terrific game, with the puck flying in all directions, great playmaking, fantastic goaltending, and playful ranting from the God of hockey intermissions, Don Cherry. They also celebrated a Montreal icon, the classy Jean Beliveau, who was as smooth on a pair of skates as the gravy in a bowl of poutine. It's too bad that the Leafs and Habs couldn't play against each other for the entire season. That would be worth any season ticket amount. Tuesday, September 30: This city is home to a wide variety of cultures, but lately, one certain group is causing a loud squawk. They're inhuman. They're birdbrains. Literally. Of course, we're not talking about people, but Canada geese. This year, the population of these beautiful birds has exceeded 150,000 within city limits. Sure, they look amazing in huge formations a few hundred feet in the air, but they're a different story on the ground. Not only are they extremely noisy, but very messy. Where there's a goose, there's, no, not gooseberries, but giant goose droppings. MIxed in with their feathers, they can leave an unsightly and unsavoury memento of their visit. Local environmentalists claim that the city has caused their own goose to be cooked, so to speak, by allowing the building of expanding residential areas around manmade lakes. These bodies of water have provided a perfect sanctuary for these growing gaggles. Calm and quiet waters to swim on, well-cared for lawns to feed on, and not a predator in sight. Homeowners living near these hordes of happy honkers have complained about the noise level and the major cleanup headaches. Some have also mentioned being bombed from above, showing their well-targeted hats, cars, mailboxes, playground equipment, etc. Nothing left out in the open is safe from this aerial barrage. So what's a poor human to do? Not a lot, as Mother Nature tends to prevail in these matters. Although many ruffled residents are banding together to sign petitions to have the city clean up their yards, they no doubt look forward to the next few weeks, when the winged wonders wend their way south on their annual winter migration. They'll certainly be shouting a collective "Bon Voyage".. Sunday, July 27, 2003: Lately, Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon have been exciting fans in this city. Soon another huge movie star will be showing up here, as it was announced that Russell Crowe will arrive in town. He won't be performing in front of a camera, but in front of music fans, as he plays the guitar with his band called 30 Odd Foot of Grunts. The star of such films as 'Gladiator', 'A Beautiful Mind', and 'The Insider', to name a few, has been playing the guitar since he was 6 years old, and is apparently excellent. He'll be able to show off his strumming skills here on August 22 at the Concert Hall. Sources report that he's looking forward to returning to this province, where he filmed his first North American movie, 'For The Moment', back in 1993. Friday, July 25, 2003: Quite an amazing summer this year. Last year during this time, there was quite a controversy regarding the use of Malathion against the hordes of mosquitoes known to frequent this area. So far this year, there is no controversy. Not because the opponents haven't been vocal, but due to the fact that the skeeters themselves have been silent. Instead of the high pitched buzzing we're so used to hearing, the days and evenings have been absolutely quiet. I can't even remember the last time I saw one of the pests. All of the larviciding that the city carried out during the Spring has definitely paid off. Also, the rather late Winter and cool, dry Spring slowed down the development of the critters. For once, we're all thankful for an extended Winter season. I'm hoping that this trend continues in the years ahead, so the can of bug spray can remain untouched on the shelf. Saturday, July 12, 2003: More updated news regarding the theft of jewelry from the movie 'Shall We Dance' and a bizarre murder can be found here. Further to the filming of this big budget movie, Jennifer Lopez graciously chatted with and signed autographs for a large group of fans the other day just outside the dance studio being used for rehearsals. Richard Gere sightings have also occurred at the studio, as well as other filming locations in the city. Frenzied female fans have been rewarded with waves, "hi's", and the occasional autograph. Susan Sarandon has been spotted at several clothing shops specializing in recycled vintage pieces and accessories. All three celebrities have been described as friendly and down-to-earth. Filming wraps up in late August. Still no sign of Ben Affleck... Friday, July 4, 2003: Happy Independence Day to all of my American friends! Yesterday, local police announced that a man turned himself in to authorities and led them to a room at an older hotel. Inside the room were found the dismembered remains of another man. Apparently the two men had recently met after both arriving in the city a short time ago. Now the fact that a grisly murder occurred in the room is newsworthy enough in this city, but what police also discovered in their investigation adds an interesting twist to this story. Found in the room were stolen pieces of jewelry from the movie 'Shall We Dance', currently filming here, as mentioned previously in another entry, starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, and Susan Sarandon. It seems one of the film's trailers was broken into on July 1, Canada Day. No doubt more facts will be uncovered in the days to come. Sunday, May 18, 2003: As Spring begins to wind down towards Summer, the time for movie blockbusters draws near. Many would say that they've already started, with the recenlty released X2: X-Men United and The Matrix: Reloaded. I just returned from the second installment of the Matrix legend, and the word "blockbuster" is most fitting, not only with the feature presentation, but also the plethora of previews. each showing explosion after explosion, making one wonder if the key ingredient of any action film is just how much of the entire screen can be filled with flames and flying debris. I do highly recommend The Matrix: Reloaded. It's worth every penny of the admission fee plus the added popcorn and drinks. Even though it's two and a half hours, you might want to go easy on the liquids, as you must stick around for the end credits. Monday, May 12, 2003: Great news, at least it's great for fans of Ed. The series has been officially renewed and at this time, will be moved back to its previous timeslot on Wednesday nights at 8PM EST. Kudos to NBC for staying with their commitment to providing quality entertainment. In other entertainment news, it's been announced that big screen megastars Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere will be spending 9 weeks or so here making a romantic comedy called 'Shall We Dance'. The Miramax picture, the biggest project this city has ever seen, is slated to begin filming on or around June 27. Apparently the film's creators were attracted to the many great locations around the city, some of which could pass for old-style Chicago buildings. No word yet whether Miss Lopez will be accompanied by her fiance, Ben Affleck, who is currently filming 'Paycheck'. Sunday, May 11, 2003: Well, on the eve of NBC announcing their 2003/2004 television schedule, I'm feeling quite confident that Ed will be renewed for a fourth season. Not that I've had many negative thoughts about it, but let's just say that I've been cautiously optimistic since the third season finale, which, by the way, was extremely satisfying. I remember reading an article that the show's creators, Rob Burnett and Jon Beckerman had promised that long-time fans would be pleased with the storyline. As one of those who has enjoyed the series since its inception, I thought the episode more than delivered the goods. The entire package was well conceived and I especially loved the last ten minutes, which reminded me of the flashback scenes from 'When Harry Met Sally'. I'm looking forward to the progression of relationships and how all this will impact on each individual. The myriad of possibilities is exciting. Tuesday, April 1, 2003: Oh my god, I've become a Funko Fanatic! It all started about 3 weeks ago, rather innocently as these things tend to occur. I was doing a random search for neat things on Ebay, being the addicted collector that I am, and stumbled upon a cool Quisp nodder(or bobbing head doll)from a company called Funko. Upon further research, I discovered that they produce a line of these 'Wacky Wobblers' and have been around only for a few years. The line of detailed 7 inch wobblers include cartoon characters such as Atom Ant, Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Casper, etc.; advertising characters such as Captain Crunch, Trix Rabbit, Frankenberry, Count Chocula, Colonel Sanders, etc.; and famous people such as Bill Clinton, President George W.Bush, Evel Knievel, Uncle Sam, etc. Faster than you can say 'ka-ching', I started buying a couple, then a few, and then a few more. After almost a month, I'm up to 46 wobblers and completely hooked, line and sinker! I hope I can find a Funko Collectors' Anonymous group and fast. Tuesday, March 18, 2003: How many of you caught the "Return To The Batcave" movie last week? If you weren't a fan of the original 1960s Batman television series, then you probably thought it was campy entertainment. If you were an ardent fan, you more than likely thought the same thing. As a young sapling, I used to take the series very seriously. I would sit a few feet from the large radiation tube (this would explain a lot about how I turned out), with my glass of 'Bat' milk and cookies, and become completely enthralled with both the superheroes and their evil supervillains. I went batty for the Batmobile, the Batplane, the Batcycle, the Batcopter and the array of neat crimefighting accoutrements that the Dynamic Duo (and later the bountiful Bat Girl) employed to vanquish the Joker, Riddler, Penguin, Catwoman, Mr.Freeze and others who dared cross their path in Gotham City. I even hunted for glass pop bottles which were exchanged at the corner grocery store for packs of Batman bubblegum cards. Those were fun times, which all came back to me while watching this nostalgic movie. Obviously not a threat to topple the current crop of Oscar nominations for screenplay, performances, and special effects, but it provided a lot of laughs and smiles during its 2 hour length. Enough even to make me pull out those old cards and comic books stored away for what I previously thought would be a long, long time. Holy childhood memories, Batman! Monday, March 17, 2003: Some folks may think that I'm permanently in this state, but I was totally in the dark late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. I was calmly watching television when all of a sudden everything went black. I immediately thought that one of the breakers had switched off. I slowly made my way to the closest window and peered out. Complete darkness, except for the lights from cars travelling down the fairly busy street. It was still an eery feeling. I headed to where I keep a flashlight, and partially illuminated my livingroom. I then went to the kitchen to get a candle and my barbeque lighter. The candle provided enough light and warmth to brighten the situation. Not knowing how long the power outage would last, I turned on my only battery operated radio and scanned for the most entertaining station, which turned out to be the one playing jazz tunes. Luckily, the temperature outside was around zero, so it wasn't unbearably cold. I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes, relaxingly listening to the soothing music. I must have dozed off for awhile, as I suddenly realized that the lights were back on, and one of my battery powered clocks showed that 2 hours had quickly passed. Although blackouts are a rare occurrence, it's a good policy to be prepared for one at any time. I'm thankful that I had a handy flashlight with fairly new batteries, as well as a couple of candles, a barbeque lighter, and a radio not requiring an electrical outlet. Saturday, March 15: What a difference a week makes. Six days ago the local weather was cold enough to drive polar bears indoors. Today, it's a 'balmy' 5 degrees Celsius, or about 40 Fahrenheit. Not quite shorts and t-shirt weather, but nice enough to replace that 20 pound parka with a 5 pound waterproof jacket. It's great to be able to go outside without worrying if your extremities will lose all sensation and turn into surgical considerations. Nevertheless, one can't become overly optimistic about Spring being just around the next pile of melting snow, as a rampant Colorado low pressure system could quickly extend Winter another 6 months. Turning to another passion of mine, I just listened to Coldplay's CDs, entitled 'Parachutes' and 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' respectively. I was initially introduced to their music during an episode of Ed, when the song "Yellow" was used for a scene. I was immediately impressed with the tune, which is found on 'Parachutes'. I then caught the band performing "Politik" at the recent Grammy Awards. Another excellent song. Then lately, I noticed another of their tunes, "Clocks", on an episode of CSI, either the Las Vegas series or the Miami one. More exemplary marks. Now thanks to Mary & Pete in New York, who sent me both CDs, I'm now able to listen to both albums at my leisure. As great as 'Parachutes' is, 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' is an amazing overall work of art, and aptly titled I might add. For those of you who haven't yet caught the Coldplay bug, I highly recommend them. Think of U2 with more keyboards and equal intensity. Sunday, March 9, 2003: I realize that complaining about the weather is useless, but typing keeps the blood circulating through my ice cold fingers. Here we are, approaching the Ides of March, and it's freezing outside. Although we're supposed to be used to this type of weather here on the prairies, always attempting to put a positive spin on things by saying that "It's a dry cold", lately it's been SO cold that you can store all of your frozen foods outdoors. Defrosting worries? No. Freezer burn? Absolutely! Monday, February 24, 2003: A couple of really emotional moments during Sunday night's Grammy Awards. The first happened when Simon & Garfunkel sang 'The Sound of Silence' , the first time they had sang as a duo in a number of years. I was just a sprout when the song became a hit in 1966, but bought the 'Sounds of Silence' LP a number of years later. Today, I've got their entire library on CD and many of their tunes are timeless. The second occurred when Barry and Robin Gibb handed over their Lifetime Achievement Grammy to the son of their late brother Maurice. Although more of a fan of their early 60s tunes, I have to admit that I saw 'Saturday Night Fever' on the big screen back in 1977 and I may have even purchased the double LP set. In fact, I bought 2 copies of the album. One for myself and another for a female friend as a Christmas gift. I shudder a bit thinking that I still have the LP tucked away in my record library somewhere, but am truly grateful that my platform shoes are long gone... Thursday, February 20, 2003: Here's some interesting news that 's surfaced from the aftermath of The Bachelorette. The winner of Trista's heart, Ryan Sutter, is on the negotiation list of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and has apparently expressed an interest in trying out for the team. The 27 year old, 6 foot 2 inch, 200 pound firefighter has been out of the gridiron game for a couple of years, but may just get a chance, according to Blue Bombers GM of Player Personnel Brendan Taman, not because of the newsworthiness of signing him, but due to the fact that he has potential to actually play, and play well. Time will tell whether he still has the desire to play the game or if he even decides to sign with the club. Another question is whether or not Trista is willing to move to Winnipeg to join him. No doubt that it would be a PR coup if they both ended up here. Tuesday, February 18, 2003: Congratulations to 40 exhausted hockey players in Alberta who set a Guinness World Record for the longest pond hockey game by playing non-stop for 80 hours. I remember getting wonky-legged as a youth playing hockey for only 2 hours straight. The long hours on the ice did not go to waste for the players, as they raised $40,000 for cancer research. No word on how much the massage therapy will cost. In a reversal of big fish eating little fish, a locally based insurance company, Great West Life, purchased a national company, Canada Life, for several bajillion dollars, suddenly making the local company one of the largest insurance players in the world. Not a bad move. Monday, January 27, 2003: A big 'Merci' to my close friends from the "Island" get-togethers who recently gave me a CD rewriter for my birthday. It's great fun and exactly what I was looking for. It also allowed me to open up my computer, where I found a dead mouse and a half-eaten sandwich that had mysteriously disappeared a few months ago...:) Also 'Thanks' to the Ed 'Gang of Six' from the New York/New Jersey area for the surprise birthday treats that arrived in the mail. I've never met these folks but they never fail to make me feel like a welcome member of their group. I will savour the lollipop slowly... Friday, January 17, 2003: Time for a rant. Out of what I now realize was desperation, I had to resort to picking up some fast food at a local restaurant chain that makes billions. I ordered a certain meal, thinking it was a deal. When I took it home, I was surprised to discover that the burger lacked the meat pattie! No wonder it was cheaper. I immediately phoned the outlet and spoke to the person 'in charge', who replied that I was the second person to have the same complaint that evening and that they were training a new cook. He quickly promised a complete meal on-the-house, which seemed like fair compensation for my beef, or lack of. I quickly returned to the premises for my extra meal, as I was now starving. The person I had spoken to by telephone didn't even have the courage to apologize to me, but had one of his subordinates do it. Two missing patties in one shift? Did they hire a meat-hating extremist? The last time I checked my basic recipe book, the meat pattie was an important ingredient of the typical hamburger. I know that the chain is trying to change their menu to include more healthy items, but an onion, tomato, lettuce, mayo and ketchup sandwich just doesn't cut it. You can be sure I won't be heading back to that place anytime soon. Where's the beef? Not in my burger... Thursday, January 2, 2003: HAPPY 2003 ! Hope you all had a safe passage from 2002. Mine was quiet and relaxing, just the way I like it. Gone are the years when I would bring in the new year not remembering exactly how I got there. A combination of lost memories and probably a few brain cells. Before getting too far into January, I thought I would mention my favorite movies from last year. Although some of them may have been released in late 2001, I'll include them on my list because of the time that I actually viewed them. There are also a number of highly-rated films that I still haven't had the chance to watch, so this list is by no means static and I'll make revisions if necessary. So here, in no particular order, are my favorite movies from 2002: -MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING - Just saw this one and even after being in the theatres for almost a year, the place was packed. Ouzing with hilarious lines and charming characters, it's easy to see why local girl-done-great Nia Vardalos is the apple of this town's eye. -SPIDERMAN - once a Spidey comic book fan, always a Spidey fan...plus Mary Jane had my senses tingling... -STAR WARS EPISODE 2: ATTACK OF THE CLONES - more great story-telling from the mind of George Lucas and superb computer generated special effects. -MONSTERS, INC. - just as much fun for the adults as for the kids. -MINORITY REPORT - Outstanding performance by Tom Cruise, excellent story and one of Steven Spielberg's best films. -LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS - just saw this and it's even better than the first one. Your brain might not feel it's 3 hours, but your bladder might.... -THE SHIPPING NEWS - uneven storyline but I was most impressed with the Newfoundland scenery. -AMELIE - a visual treat full of colorful characters and bright colors. Audrey Tautou has incredibly expressive eyes. Uh oh, think I'm in love... Tuesday, December 24, 2002: Well, it's Christmas Eve day, and traditionally the day when many 'guys' are running around like headless turkeys looking for that 'perfect' gift for their mate, and realizing that they may have to settle for just about anything. They'd better remember to keep their receipts. As I reflect during another Holiday season, I'm haunted not by ghosts of Christmases past, but by the constant reminders of personal greed that have permeated our society most particularly from a commercial played by a prominent multi-media retailer that pushes the theme that it's better to want more. Although it's true that our economy is driven by shoppers filling the cash registers of retailers, one of the main messages of this time of year seems to have been lost. If I had the power and resources to change that one commercial catch phrase, it would be to, "I Want To Give More!" SEASON'S GREETINGS TO ALL, AND TO ALL, A GOOD YEAR. Tuesday, December 2, 2002: Hmm, seems like I may have to change the title of this page to 'Monthly Rants' at the rate I'm going these days. It's amazing how time flies when you're busy in the 'real' world. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Just what makes a baseball player from South Carolina decide to spend a winter in frigid Winnipeg, otherwise known as 'Winterpeg'? Well that's what Winnipeg Goldeyes star outfielder Charles Peterson, also affectionately known as 'Chuck P', has chosen to do. Before some of you conclude that perhaps he might have been beaned a few too many times, it should be mentioned that his fiancee lives here. He's also making the best of his stay, setting up a weekly Saturday indoor batting clinic for anyone aged 5 to 55 to instruct them on the nuances of properly hitting a baseball. Another welcome addition to the city's population. Tuesday, November 5, 2002: Having been fed a regular diet of black rubber pucks almost since birth, it was again a joy to watch a game of Hockey Night In Canada this past Saturday night featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. There's something about seeing these 2 historic opponents fighting over the tiny disc on the smooth frozen ice surface that brings back childhood memories of household hockey names. As a young fan of the Maple Leafs, I would marvel at the stickhandling skills of Dave Keon and Norm Ullman, the speed of Ron Ellis, the slapshot of Lanny McDonald, the tenacity of Dave Williams, and the smooth skating of Borge Salming. Although the Canadiens were natural rivals of the Leafs, one had to admire the acceleration of Yvan Cournoyer, the speed and shooting of Steve Shutt, the grace and skill of Guy Lafluer, the spineramas of Serge Savard, the acrobatics of Ken Dryden, and the relentlessness of Bob Gainey. Even though the names and faces have changed, a feeling of nostalgia washes over me when seeing that familiar blue Maple Leaf square off against the big red "C" with the white "H". Wednesday, October 30, 2002: Add another name to the growing list of American-born pro-football players who have decided to make Winnipeg their home over the years. Recently, Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Khari Jones and his wife Justine moved from San Francisco to reside year-round and now all-star defensive tackle Denny Fortney, his wife and 2 children will make the 'Peg their full-time home. Asked why they decided to buy a house here, Fortney replied that it's not only for economic reasons, since he pays taxes here, and the low Canadian dollar, but that his family enjoys the city and the people. When the topic of the very windy and cold winters was brought up, he answered that although they're from the Appalachians, they should be able to survive. If he can survive and excel at playing football on the prairies in November as he did last season, he shouldn't have any problems surviving the winters. Tuesday, October 15, 2002: Wow, time flies when you're semi-comatose. Just kidding. I've been keeping busy with a few projects requiring my full attention, which should have been completed some time ago. I envy anyone with the ability to multi-task. My 'To-Do' list tends to get stretched out as I add things to it. One thing I haven't done is commented on the 3rd season of Ed. After 3 episodes, the new season has been enjoyable. Although I miss 'Kenny', the big Stuckeybowl Gigantor, the addition of the wheelchair-bound 'Eli' has been a breath of fresh air. He's provided a challenge to the usually cocky and overconfident 'Phil'. The 'Ed'/'Carol'/'Dennis' triangle seems to be spinning nicely, causing just the right amount of angst and suspense. Many fans are hoping though that the wirters don't end up churning it into that area in the Gulf of Mexico. I have noticed a slight difference in atmosphere in the show though. Maybe it's me, or maybe it's the network broadcasting the show using HDTV. It just seems a little different than the past 2 seasons. It must be me. Monday, September 23, 2002: I've heard that a movie theatre chain is quizzing its customers on whether they'd like to see beer and wine available along with their non-alcoholic soft drinks. Obviously a way to increase revenues, I'm wondering if the theatres would hire 'bouncers' for likely inebriated hooligans. Would they stop the film if any rowdyism got out of hand? Would they keep track of the number of drinks each customer consumes before surpassing the legal limit? Personally, I'd like to see the theatres stick with their overpriced pop and popcorn. Tuesday, September 3, 2002: I just about fell out of my chair this evening when I heard on the news that bridge, yes, that card game where 4 people sit around a table and plot as pairs, is being considered as an Olympic sport. Excuse me? Are they serious? Not that I have anything against the game. I used to play it with friends back in university to keep our minds sharp. Okay, we used to play it in the university lounge during a few of our classes, but that's another story. I keep asking myself just where the athletic prowess enters the picture here, other than perhaps running to the fridge to load up a tray full of snacks and beverages. I suppose cost benefits would be that the TV networks wouldn't need moving cameras or slow-motion replays. Come to think of it, they probably could do away with cameras completely. Just how many viewers would be glued to their screens to watch the gold medal final ? Are we ready to see teams of bridge-playing 'veterans' struggle up on the podium in their skin tight outfits? I sure hope this isn't in the cards... Sunday, September 1, 2002: If you don't believe that things happen for a reason, here's a story that might make you wonder. In the news recently, it was reported that a 39 year-old woman was munching on an apple and suddenly bit into something metallic. When she pulled out the object, she found a ring. The fact that it was a ring was unusual enough, but amazingly it turned out to be the same one that she had lost as a child 27 years ago. Scientists believe that a bird may have picked up the ring and dropped it in an apple orchard, where it eventually grew inside of the fruit. The odds that this woman would bite into the exact apple that contained her missing ring are astronomical, to say the least. It was obviously the apple of her eye. Monday, August 12, 2002: I just received a paperback book the other day from a large Canadian retailer. Not a big deal, you might think. However, I found that this particular book was much more inexpensive buying it online than in-person at one of their stores. It all began a couple of weeks ago, when I had heard about this book on the radio and decided that I wanted to own a copy. I checked online for it, finding it available at the best price from this Canadian book dealer. I called their nearest retail location and was told that the title was out-of-stock, but it could be transferred from another store. I asked if I could buy it at the price mentioned on their website, which was about $22CDN. The person said that I would have to pay the full retail price of $34CDN, even though I would be picking it up at their store, adding that they couldn't match their website price. Somewhat confused, I thanked the person, and ordered the book from their website for the regular online price of $22CDN plus $5 Express Post mailing plus GST, totalling almost $29CDN. Had I bought it at the store, it would have cost me $34CDN plus GST and PST, totalling almost $39CDN. I saved $10 by staying home and having the book mailed to my door, while the book retailer lost some potential profit dollars also. I guess the moral of this story is when buying anything, to always check the online price and the in-store price whenever possible. Wednesday, August 7, 2002: Best wishes to long-time CJOB sports icon Bob "Knuckles" Irving, who is recuperating after major heart surgery early this week. He has been the play-by-play voice of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers since 1975 and CJOB's Sports Director since 1982. Friday, August 2, 2002: Congratulations to Khari & Justine Jones who became the proud parents of their first child, daughter Jaelyn, on Friday, July 26. Khari, star quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Justine, a columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press, officially moved to Winnipeg earlier this year from San Francisco after deciding to make their home here. Three great additions to the city's population. Sunday, July 28, 2002: Who knew Paula Abdul had a Winnipeg connection? Do you care? If you do, her story goes back several decades ago, when her maternal grandparents, Bill & Sally Rykiss, owned a general store in a small rural town called Minnedosa, Manitoba. Sally later moved to Winnipeg so that her 2 daughters, including Paula's mother Lorraine, could attend school here. While visiting Los Angeles with relatives in the early 1950s, Lorraine met Harry Abdul. They were later married in Winnipeg in 1953 and moved back to LA to allow Harry to work in the family business. Paula was born in 1962, became a Lakers girl, and of course, has gone on to fame and fortune. These days, she is a judge for the show American Idol: The Search For A Superstar, and has fond memories about her tour visit to the city of her 'roots' in 1992, which included seeing some relatives and a brief surprise 'honeymoon' with her then-husband Emelio Estevez. She has also confessed to being a big fan of rising R&B star Remy Shand, another performer with Winnipeg roots, whose debut album she purchased while visiting the Sunset Boulevard Virgin Records megastore in Hollywood. Wednesday, July 24, 2002: Well, the mosquito issue still has wings. Lately, in the south central part of the city, in an area known as Wolseley (or 'Woes-ley' to some), a small group of outspoken residents have blocked the passage of city trucks attempting to fog with Malathion as ordered by the provincial government against the threat of West Nile virus. The city workers, not wanting a confrontation, have simply turned around and headed to another street or stopped altogether. This has raised the ire of the majority of residents of the area who do want the fogging to continue for health reasons. Many on both sides of the issue would like to meet with city officials to find non-chemical solutions. Some suggestions include gold fish and bats. Now I'm thinking that it would take an awful lot of fish ponds located in every backyard in the area to do much good. You then have to protect small children from falling into the ponds and drowning. As for bats, I'm wondering if a study has been done whether or not they themselves are adversely affected by the West Nile virus? Seems that it would be a shame to have hundreds of bat houses around without any tenants. Personally, I believe the government is taking the proper course of action under the circumstances. This is a completely new virus to our area and even though we have been told that the chances of succumbing to it are extremely rare, who really knows what could happen if it's allowed to flourish. Malathion has been used for decades and is a known factor. West Nile virus is an unknown factor. Right now, I'd go with the known one. Saturday, July 13, 2002: Seems the buzz word today is 'mosquito', again. Yesterday it was reported that 2 hours south of here in Grand Forks, North Dakota, a dead horse was discovered with the West Nile virus. Later in the day, a dead crow was found here in the city, and was to be tested, but assumed to be the first case of the disease in these parts. This prompted the provincial government to order the city to intensify its malathion fogging programs over the next few evenings. Although the chances of contracting the disease are extremely rare (for more info, click here), the government has decided to take swift action, which is to reduce an immediate health concern. On a lighter note, I learned yesterday that in the summer of 1970, early June to be exact, a group of entertainers rolled into this city by train to perform at a local concert event. One of them, a young female singer by the name of Janis Joplin, was looking around for something to do, and was told to head over to a local park called Memorial Park, known as a hangout for hippies. She ventured over there and was amazed to find a few hundred hippies sitting around and wading in a large pond across from the city's Legislative Buildings, completely ignored by the local authorities. She found this too good to be true, so she jumped into the pond and joined them. A famous local photographer was able to capture her on this day and will reissue the photo in next week's Winnipeg Free Press newspaper. Also around the same time in 1970, another musical group on the same tour, the Grateful Dead, ended up swimming at the local Pan-Am Pool on a hot day (perhaps the same day?). It's amazing what happened in your own backyard. Wednesday, July10, 2002: Just heard on the local 50,000 watt blowtorch (aka radio station CJOB), that Winnipeg, my hometown, is the official Slurpee capital of the world, according to the 7-11 Corporation. This means that based on per capita of population, the folks of this city purchase more Slurpees than anywhere on this planet. Quite ironic, considering that for half of the year there's a foot or 2 of snow and ice on the ground and the temperatures are below freezing, yet people will still venture out into a blizzard to get their daily dose of a Coke Slurpee and corn dog no matter what. Can you say "brain freeze"? Tuesday, July 9, 2002: Wow, a whole week has gone by without too many thoughts. Probably due to the intense heat and humidity. It's been relatively nice this week, but last week was unbearable. It was sooo hot that you could fry not only eggs, but bacon, sausages and potato patties on the sidewalks. The added humid conditions made taking showers almost useless, as you'd continue to drip moisture hours after towelling off. As expected, this hot and humid weather, complicated with recent sudden heavy rainfall, has made for ideal mosquito-breeding conditions. The city has been in a non-stop battle using (gasp) malathion against the blood-thirsty critters. Unfortunately, not only does the chemical do away with the immediate problem of the biters, but also predatory dragonflies, other innocent insects and birds, but also has a long-term detrimental effect on our own health. The unfortunate consequences of short-term relief for the chance of future risks. This area is basically surrounded by water, well, sort of. There are 2 major rivers that flow through it, and there are a number of large lakes a couple of hours to the north. Mosquitoes are a fact of life here. The city needs to find other methods of dealing with them other than fumigating other life forms, including us. Some alternatives include larviciding, which they have been doing, which involves spraying a natural toxin into pools of standing water that kills the mosquito larvae before they hatch, introducing large quantities of dragonflies, which feed on the adults, and/or building many large bat houses. No, not cat houses, but bat houses. Bats are a natural predator of mosquitoes and are known to each eat on average 3000 per night. A few small towns near the city have started using bats to control their mosquitoes. Time will tell which winged creature will drive the townsfolk batty. Wednesday, June 26, 2002: I told you they wouldn't be daily. Well, for dinner this evening, because of the weather, my kitchen was too incredibly hot to prepare anything, so, remembering that McDonalds just added some new healthy food items to their menu, I walked over to the nearby restaurant to try them out. A few months ago I had asked their manager if they were ever going to bring in veggie burgers and he replied "No". How things have changed. I guess they were noticing that they were only serving millions instead of billions. Anyway, I bought a McVeggie Burger and a side Garden Salad. Don't get the wrong impression. I'm not a vegetarian. I'll eat the occasional medium-rare barbequed steak. It's just that a healthy lifestyle is important for longevity. I'd like to be around to see the day when all diseases are eliminated, which means that I'd probably be able to stick around even longer, unless I get hit by a falling satellite or choke on a veggie burger or piece of onion... Monday, June 24, 2002: Welcome to the first entry of my 'Daily Rants', although the title may be misleading, as they may not be daily, and they might not always be a rant. So if they don't meet the criteria, please bear with me. Anyway, I woke up this morning to a cloudy sky. The previous morning was cloudy, as was the morning before that. I got to thinking (I do that once in awhile) that since 9-11, times have become cloudy overall as far as life in general goes. We're all of course hoping that sunshine once again covers the world to push away the dark clouds. Did you all know that today is International UFO Day? I heard about it on the radio. No, a regular station, not a broadcast from 'the Mother Ship'. Anyway, hope you celebrated by casting a glance skywards and wishing our extraterrestrial 'tourists' well. Back on the planet, I still can't get over the fact that Steve Yzerman wasn't picked the Most Valuable Player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The one-legged wonder started the season off helping Team Canada win the Olympic Gold Medal and then led the Detroit Red Wings through the entire regular season and playoffs with more injuries than most of us get in several years, and the voters picked a defencemen? No slight against Nick Lidstrom and the others, but without Stevie Y's heart and soul the team's accomplishments may have been harder to achieve. He led by example. I'm still in shock. Could someone unplug the toaster? |
Occasional Rants Clicking on an underlined link may open a new window. Important: Please note that I don't have a page anywhere else, and this is my 'official' site. |
Monday, February 9, 2009: I finally joined Facebook recently. If you're a member, and would like to friend me, my ID is Crazyjef. Include a few words with your request to jog my memory about where I might know you from. Update: My song remains 'Love Stinks' by The J.Geils Band. Monday, January 5, 2009: For the past few years, it seems my song has been 'Love Stinks' by The J.Geils Band. I've had a habit of falling for women who I'd later find out were already married or in committed relationships. My bad timing couldn't be explained only by the fact that I hate wearing watches, plus I always put fresh batteries in my clocks. There has to be another explanation for my unrequited loves. Am I just a token on the God or Goddess of Love's game board, and the loaded die forever places me on 'Return to Start'? Or am I a pawn on Cupid's chess game, always taken out at the very beginning? One can only take so many frustrating forefinger flicks, and I've had more than my unfair share. Recent events however may just keep me on the board longer than I'm used to. I'd be more than happy to change my tune. Monday, January 5, 2009: HAPPY 2009 ! Saturday, August 30, 2008: What is it with people and their stuff? The desire or need to accumulate items can start quite innocently, with a few acquisitions. Then before the person realizes it, they need another room or rooms to accommodate the growing collection. It's taken the filling up of a second bedroom for me to see that it's time to unclutter. I've been picking up pop culture-related things for decades, at yard & garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, antique shops, retail stores, online sites, etc., and I've decided that enough is enough. The same words that Barack Obama used in his acceptance speech have finally resonated in my own mind. That clarity seeks to clear up the clutter, and create more empty space. I've already taken about fifteen box loads of items to the local Goodwill store, and felt a sense of relief after each visit. I'm also putting dozens of items in my eBay store or on auction. The goal is to simplify, and to get control of my stuff, rather than having my stuff control my life. It's following the example of Henry David Thoreau during his time at Walden's Pond, except that I won't be moving to a cabin and living off the land, even though becoming self-reliant would be easier on the bank account. I'm determined to reach my target of having more cubic feet of clear space compared to completely full. I'll post updates as I progress to have less. Sunday, June 1, 2008: For as long as I can remember, I've always had a secret wish to be able to play an electric guitar. So without having a working knowledge of music theory, I recently purchased a replica Fender Stratocaster, or Strat, from a friend. From the Stage Classics series, it's a black and white version, about 30 inches long, and looks and feels almost like an original. Included in the purchase was the matching carry case, and for a few dollars more, my friend threw in a cool mini amp. He'd played it a few times since he bought it back in 1998, so it's tuned and ready for me to make sweet music. For the next few months however, it'll be making all kinds of noises as I learn how to play it properly. The plan is to teach myself until I've made a complete mess of things (ie, no human or animal will come within hearing distance), after which I may seek the guidance and expertise of a professional teacher. I'm not expecting to sound anywhere close to Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page or the Beatles' George Harrison (although my guitar's gentle weeping may turn to sobbing), but I'd like to at least be able to serenade the inevitable crowd of groupies. I'd prefer women, but with my luck, would end up with curious cats, dogs, or geese, or even worse (and more likely), an audience of myself. Friday, April 25, 2008: How do you spell 'relief'? A number of years ago, the answer would have been the name of a particular antacid product. Recently, for me, the answer is 'nasal irrigation'. "What is that?", you ask. Please take a seat and let me tell you. To begin, I'm in the group of the twenty to twenty-five percent of the population who suffers from airborne allergies caused by dust, pollution, pollen, cigarette smoke, and other unseen particulates (I had to look up the correct spelling for that) floating around in the air. I was often stuffed up in the morning and evening. It was worse after being outside on a windy day. I was pretty much resigned to the fact that I'd be spending the rest of my life with bottles of antihistamines and allergy medicines. That was until I read an article about washing the sinuses with warm saline solution from an object called a neti pot, which resembles a small watering can. Curious, I looked on the internet for a good deal, and found one, not surprisingly, on eBay. The price with shipping was about the same as for a box of allergy tablets. Since my sister has worse allergic reactions than myself, including terrible sinus headaches, I bought an additional one for her. Each Sinucleanse neti pot kit includes 30 saline packets and a very small stirring spoon. After they arrived, I quickly sent one to my sister, and waited to hear her thoughts. She told me that the morning after using it, she was much less stuffed up than usual. Excited by this news, I tried mine for the first time, carefully following the directions. Without getting into details, and to be honest, it was a bit uncomfortable. I hated getting water in my nose while swimming, and this seemed similar, except without the pool and the embarassing swim trunks. A few minutes after using it however, my sinuses felt much better. My head, usually empty anyway, felt clearer. Even my vision and hearing seemed improved. That night, instead of going to bed with a stuffy nose, I could breathe deeply, even with my head on the pillow. I awoke the next morning with just a hint of stuffiness, much less than before. I was really impressed. Since then, I`ve made using it a part of my daily routine. I couldn't be happier with the results, which will include saving money from fewer trips to the pharmacy. To those who also suffer from allergy symptoms, I highly recommend trying this natural cleansing process. If you do decide to try it, remember to breathe through your mouth, something that I found out quickly. Monday, April 7, 2008: Another mystery solved. A few days after Christmas, a person of great importance in the local vicinity suddenly stopped contact with her place of employment. The initial theory was that she had fallen ill. Days passed, without any word. Finally we heard secondhand that she was in fact, under the weather, but that we shouldn't worry. When several weeks went by, many of us were quite worried. There was talk about contacting the authorities, but since she had family in town, we figured that all must be fine. When the weeks turned into a couple of months, the level of concern increased. Many of us were wondering what was happening, and wanted answers. People offered their own ideas, some plausible, others more suited to a Hitchcock film. I personally had my money on an alien abduction. The years of watching "The X-Files" didn't leave me unscathed. Finally and unexpectedly, a sighting was reported. Huge sighs of relief could be heard for miles around this particular shopping center. Within days, the person made an appearance, which brought joy to the many who were witnesses to this event. Still not one hundred percent, she has much to do to get back to where she was, and to where she's going. We're all just glad to see her again. The few of you who are reading this might ask why. Well, she's the kind of person who brightens a cloudy day, and makes a sunny day even brighter. Hopefully there'll be more days for me to justify my sunglasses. Sunday, December 30, 2007: Season's Greetings and All the Best in 2008 ! Sunday, November 18, 2007: After six months, I'm starting to feel settled in. Sure, I've still got about 1600 boxes left to unpack, but who's counting? I've actually lost track. I've also made a few additions to the place, including a large retro sofa about the size of a 50's Buick, a solid wood desk, an antique barrister's stacking bookcase, a kitchen table with 4 chairs, and several book shelves. I never did learn anything about Feng Shui, except how to spell it correctly. Even that I had to look up. I still think it sounds more like a form of martials arts. If it was, I'd have failed to pass the requirements for my white belt. My sensei would advise me to take up another activity, such as bird-watching or standing still in one place for minutes at a time. Just a note to the one or two of you who still read this page that I'll slowly, with emphasis on the word "slowly", be renovating this website. I've already taken an initial huge step with the realistic flashing stars on the main page, which have replaced those even less realistic yellow stars that have blinked on and off since 2001. Let's just say that they imploded. The new ones look more like they belong on the page, and are worth every cent that I didn't pay. I've also added a hit counter, so be sure to punch your screen really hard. Tuesday, May 22, 2007: Seventeen days and what seems like 1700 boxes later, I'm about 77% settled in after the big move. It was overwhelming to say the least, and I underestimated the amount of items that had to be packed up and moved. Even with a very capable crew of helping hands (huge thanks to each of my mover friends, and to my folks), several vehicles including a large truck and a trailer, it still took over 10 hours of multiple trips to complete the job. It would have been worse had I not sold quite a few things beforehand. During the past couple of weeks, I've been steadily unpacking boxes, arranging and then rearranging where the contents are placed. Not that I know anything at all about Feng Shui, but as long as I'm not tripping over something, it's a good spot. I did have a planned layout in my head many weeks ago, but I find myself making changes as I go along. like when certain pieces of furniture don't quite fit as intended. So far, I'm up to Plan E, with hopes of keeping within the entire alphabet. One bedroom is now completely devoted to 'stuff', which will remain in their boxes until I have the energy and shelving to display them. I've got plenty of freshly-painted wall space, but it looks so nice and clean that I'm afraid to bring out the poster putty and picture hooks. I know that once I start with one framed photo or movie poster, I'll just keep going until every square inch is covered. I'll attempt to stay away from the Michaelangelo method. Besides, I've only got a small step ladder. Thursday, March 8, 2007: Well, after almost a decade of living in the same place, I'll be moving to a new one. My 'penthouse bachelor pad' will undergo renovations and be turned into an office of sorts. Although I've enjoyed living here, I'm looking forward to a change of address. You know what they say about 'change'. It's also good that the new apartment is only about a fifteen to twenty minute walk, so I'll remain close to the amenities which I've become accustomed to. So it's not a complete change, just in location. The relocating to a new pad won't be worry-free. Not only do I have all of the crap, er, stuff that I originally moved here with, but also the dozens upon dozens, perhaps hundreds of things that have accumulated since. As I'm not completely excited about having to pack and physically move all of the additions, the deletions have already begun on eBay. I'm hoping to minimize the number of boxes, in order to maximize the number of dollars which will be put towards the inevitable moving expenses. Not to mention, the new two-bedroom suite is more spacious, and every square foot will cry out for something to fill it. I've no doubts that I'll comply, just like the millions who fell before a certain sci-fi alien collective whose catch-phrase was "resistance is futile". With this in mind, those of you who know me can check out my many ongoing eBay auctions which will continue for the next six weeks or so. Hey pals, I take Paypal. Sunday, December 31, 2006: SEASON'S GREETINGS & HAPPY 2007 !! Friday, August 25, 2006: I recently bought 2 sets of Samurai figures from Japan, made by a company called Furuta. The plastic figures, between 2.5 and 3 inches in height, are each packaged in small colourful boxes with a bag of candy. They do require some careful assembly, but the prepainted parts fit together smoothly. No more than 5 minutes is needed to put each together. It's easy to see that they are extremely detailed for their size. The paint work is pinpoint accurate, with care and attention to minute details. These figures are worthy of being displayed in quality glass cases. If you have an interest in these historical pieces, I highly recommend getting them. There are several series of Samurai figures. Some even have computer chips implanted in the bases to make the figures 'talk'. Here are a few photos that I snapped after completing the first set. Furuta, along with similar Japanese candy companies such as Konami, Kabaya, Kaiyodo, and F-Toys, have created other series from genres including anime, cartoons, and TV/Movie-related figures from Alien, Predator, Terminator, Star Trek, Pirates of the Caribbean, Robocop, King Kong, and others. These companies use the intelligent marketing idea of keeping the packaging identical for each line, making it impossible to determine what's inside each box. To avoid the frustration and expense of accumulating identical extras, find a dealer who sells them in complete sets. I'm off to assemble my second set ! Thursday, July 6, 2006: Well, if the one or two of you who actually check out this page have been wondering why I haven't written anything since May, I suppose I could say the usual "been busy with life", which is partially true. The more correct answer would be that I've been busy with death. Now before you begin worrying and sending e-cards of condolences, allow me to explain. A few months ago I was doing the usual channel surfing, and accidentally stumbled upon a show called Dead Like Me ('R' rated for mature language, nudity, and adult situations). It's about an eighteen year-old woman named Georgia 'George' Lass, who, while on her first lunch break on her first day of her first real job, is struck and killed by the errant toilet seat from the re-entering MIR space station. Now one would initially think that that would pretty much be the end of the show. Not this one. George finds out that she is 'undead', and has been handpicked to join a group of grim reapers, whose jobs consist of collecting the souls of those who about to die. Sounds morbid, don't you think? Perhaps a bit, but this show is so irreverently quirky, and so well-written that I've been 'touched' by it. So much so that I couldn't wait for each weekly episode to air, and I went and purchased the two, 4-disc DVD sets of both seasons. Its premature demise was in 2004. Each episode has scenes with sharp, witty dialogue and/or hilarious situations which can make me chuckle, grin, laugh-out-loud, scratch my head, or just sit and ponder. The acting is dead on. Ellen Muth (Georgia Lass), Mandy Patinkin (Rube Sofer), Rebecca Gayheart (Betty Rhomer), Laura Harris (Daisy Adair), Callum Blue (Mason), Jasmine Guy (Roxy Harvey), Cynthia Stevenson (Joy Lass), Greg Kean (Clancy Lass), Britt McKillip (Reggie Lass), and Christine Willes (Delores Herbig) are each perfectly cast. If there's one show that could make me die laughing, this is it. Tuesday, May 16, 2006: It took awhile, but I finally stepped into the twenty-first century, technology-wise. All it took was an online deal that I couldn't pass up. I upgraded from a 1999 computer with Windows 98 to a new tower with XP. The tower itself is not only much faster, but has over ten times the capacity and power of the 'old' machine. It also came with some new-fangled software, which I'm appreciating each and every day. Once the new machine had arrived, and I had it all set up and ready to go, I learned that 'drag-and-drop' files from the old system aren't compatible with the new one. I had created about a dozen discs filled with all kinds of photo, music, and video files, thinking that they would be easily transferable. Wow, was I wrong. None of them would work. I realized that I had to disconnect the new computer, reconnect the old computer, move all of the files back into it, burn them onto CDs, unhook the computer, reconnect the new computer, and reload the files from the CDs into it. It only took twelve hours. Needless to say my eyes and few working brain synapses were quite tired. It was an interesting learning experience however. I also found out, after, that I could have bought a special file transfer cord, and used a program that would have done everything in one-twelfth of the time. My welcome to the new century. I think I heard a noise from the new machine that sounded like laughter. Not only did I upgrade the computer, I also took a plunge into the world of VOIP, or Voice-Over-Internet Protocol. Simply stated, it's using the internet for telephone calls. Even after paying for the special phone adaptor, a pair of wireless handsets, the service fee, and the shipping costs, I'll save about half of what I'm paying for now. Phone calls to anywhere in the US and Canada are covered by the low monthly fee, which also includes all of the special calling features such as Call Display, Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, and many others that are extra charges from a regular phone company. So after six years, I'm now officially a twenty-first century man. One day I may actually get rid of my vinyl LPs and cassette tapes to complete the conversion. Wednesday, March 29, 2006: This is a little something that I put together for a faraway, departing friend. She's moving on. Confused and unamused, he placed a shoe box amidst the ashes of the burnt down bar. The only surviving item was the piano, the once shiny keys covered in smoky soot. A damp drizzle began to fall. Suddenly, a gust of wind knocked the box over, towards the charred remains of the sign which had recently hung above the door. Just the 'R' was legible. Within the box, hundreds of sweetly scented letters rattled in the howling wind, and quickly scattered. The rain intensified and saturated the ink. Words disappeared as quickly as the drops fell, and faded forever. A brief, bittersweet smile spread across his face. Residues of memories. The good outnumbered the bad. As he felt the cold, he pulled his coat collar up, and his hat down. Rain bounced off the brim. He whistled for old times' sake. Just as he had expected, there was no reply. He took one last look at the letters, then turned and walked away into the night. As they say, life goes on... Friday, February 3, 2006: Strange that it would take the anniversary of a tragic event to bring me here after a bit of an absence. Forty seven years ago today, a small plane carrying Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and J.P.Richardson crashed in a field near Clear Lake, Iowa. They had all been headline acts for The Winter Dance Party Tour of the Midwest. Not wanting to ride on a cold bus, and needing to do his laundry, Holly, with the other two stars, rented a small plane to fly them to their next gig in Moorehead, Minnesota. Of course, they never made it. Holly, considered to be a pioneer of modern-day rock and roll, would have turned 22 in September of 1959. In 1971, singer-songwriter Don McLean recorded "American Pie", which was inspired by Holly's premature demise. The 8-1/2 minute song became the number one hit of 1972, and is still remembered for the famous line, "the day the music died". In tribute, I've been spinning Buddy Holly tunes and "American Pie" all day. Monday, January 16, 2006: Now that I've seen the premiere episode of Love Monkey, starring Tom Cavanagh (yes, the guy from the CIBC commercials), there's not a whole lot that I can add to what the published reviews have said, but as I watched the show this evening, it was strange how Ed-like Tom's character seemed to be. Definitely more suited in Stuckeyville than in the Big Apple. The big music corporation that he worked for didn't seem to fit his style either. It was like 'Ed Stevens' was beamed directly from Ohio. 'Tom Farrell' is also a similar good guy, with strong morals that any mother could love. Speaking of love, Tom seems to be a male 'Carol Vessey', in that he doesn't really know exactly the type of woman he's searching for, but you can tell that deep down he knows that it's his best friend. Poor woman, she's in love with the guy, which will become clear as you watch the episode (for those who haven't seen it yet). Not a whole lot of laugh-out-loud moments, but plenty of smiles and chuckles. The dialogue is fast and clever, so you must keep on your toes. Lots of music history trivia also, which I eat up and thoroughly enjoy. Watch out for little Ed touches as well, particularly what he carries as he leaves Goliath Records. Overall an 'A' in my books. I hope the ratings allow for us to get to see all 8 episodes, and more in the future. This primate deserves prime time. Friday, January 6, 2006: Why must friendships with some members of the opposite sex be similar to riding a rickety rollercoaster? You meet a wonderful person. The interest level of both parties appears to be high. The phone calls are lengthy, fun, and promising. The get-togethers are equally very nice, and you think that you've finally found someone that you'd like to spend more time with. Perhaps a spiritual partner at the very least. Then you soon find that you're leaving many more messages than receiving returned calls. When you do hear from the other person, apologies are offered. Reasons range from being overly tired from work, to having to clean up their place. Doubt begins to creep into your mind. During one evening call, tentative plans for a meeting are briefly mentioned, but you must phone the person the next day to confirm. The next day comes. You make the call. No answer, but you leave a message. Days pass. Cloudy skies in the forecast. Frozen ice pellets. Suddenly you get an image in your mind. You picture yourself as being Cosmo Kramer from "Seinfeld". The other person appears as Elaine. You feel her small hands make contact with your chest, sending you flying back towards the floor. Air escapes quickly from your lungs as you hit the linoleum. Your backside hurts, but your brain awakens with clarity. Unlike Kramer though, you might take longer to get back up. Wednesday, January 4, 2006: HAPPY 2006 !!! Sunday, December 18, 2005: During this festive holiday season, just a little something from me to you. Monday, October 31, 2005: It's been 15 years since I watched the original airing of the pilot episode of "Northern Exposure". July of 1990. The year Ivana Trump divorced Donald. The year of the first Gulf War. The year that "Dances With Wolves" won the Oscar for Best Picture. The year that I bought my first VCR, a Quasar model, at a stereo warehouse clearance. Until then I had been using an early Panasonic that a good friend had given to me. It had a remote control with a two foot wire leading to the front of the unit. This wasn't at all like the current controllers, which are pretty much appliances in and of themselves. This one was about 4 inches in length, and had a very small toggle type switch with 2 functions; fast forward or backward, dependent upon the direction the switch was pressed or pulled. As for the video machine itself, the thing weighed a ton if not two. I could swear that every single component was made from compressed steel. There were small metal push buttons on the front to change each channel, and the counter was the now-ancient analog type that had white numbers on black plastic barrels, which rotated as the tape played. The thing was built to last however, as many older appliances were, since I continued to use it to make tape copies until the year 2000 or so, when I gave it to someone else to enjoy. It had never been cleaned or repaired since it rolled off the Japanese assembly line back in the early 80's. As for that 1990 Quasar, it was much smaller and lighter than the Panasonic, at least half the weight. It also had a wireless remote control, with many more functions. Although most of it's components were made from plastic, the thing worked for 13 years, despite continual use. I did have to have it professionally cleaned and tuned up a couple of times. It finally gave its last performance a couple of years ago. Most of its early days were spent taping episodes of "Northern Exposure". I still own those original 22 video tapes, with 5 episodes on each, recorded in low quality SLP mode. Now that the entire series is being released on DVD (the 4th of 6 seasons should be available hopefully soon), and since I've been the proud owner of a new-fangled DVD player and stereo TV for the past 2 years, I'm thoroughly enjoying the episodes again. Make that celebrating them. With digital technology, the picture is much, much sharper, and the sound quality is crisp and clean, especially after being piped through my 15 year-old mini stereo system and speakers. Why replace what isn't broken? The audio is so much clearer, that you can pick up small birds chirping in the background, or the sound of the cast members breathing between their lines. Hitting the pause button and clicking the 'zoom' function allows you to look at specific details that were impossible to notice back in the 1990's, such as set decorations and props. Each of the episodes comes with extended and deleted scenes, as well as bloopers. I'm a bit disappointed that there aren't more of them, but the pure quality of the packages and just being able to view them the way that they were intended allows me to forgive the lack of bonus items. I've also noticed that some music clips have been changed, due to licensing issues, but again, I can't really complain. When you've been reunited with an old friend like this great show, you just relish every moment. Thursday, September 29, 2005: Could this be my mid-life crisis? Some folks drive nostalgic cars, wear chic clothing, date much younger people or get cosmetic laser surgery. In my case, as I ramble through my 40's, I've become interested in relatively new music bands. Performers such as Cold Play, Moby, Weezer, The Shins, The Dandy Warhols, Pete Yorn, Apples In Stereo, The New Pornographers, and Interpol have really caught my attention. I've always loved the guitar-flavoured pop sound of the 60's and 70's, and many of today's musical artists are tapping into it. More than likely they were influenced by listening to the vinyl records or cassettes belonging to their parents or older relatives. I'm thoroughly enjoying any current music which is reminiscent of The Beatles, The Kinks, The Dave Clark Five, The Beach Boys, Herman's Hermits, etc. This interest has been sparked by hearing music soundtracks from movies, or by word-of-mouth from other fans. Several years ago, I never would have pictured myself being entertained by new bands. Funny how time changes your perspective. Thursday, September 1, 2005: Back in the 90s, when I worked for a music company, I noticed one day the release of a large box set of remastered Led Zepplin CD albums. Almost as excited as a Robert Plant groupy, I bought the box. Thankfully, my employee discount helped to relieve the initial sticker shock, and it came out to a bit more than wholesale. Whew! The 10 disc set consists of LZ 1, 2, 3, 4 (or ZOSO), Houses of the Holy, Presence, Physical Graffiti (a double), In Through the Out Door, and CODA. Everything for the LZ afficianado. "Stairway To Heaven" never sounded better. On the other end of the musical spectrum, I happen to have the 1965 to 1982 3CD set from The Carpenters. No groans please. Okay, the music itself is typical early 70's sappy pop, with tunes like "We've Only Just Begun", "Rainy Days & Mondays", and "Top of the World", but I can't hear enough of Karen Carpenter's incredible voice, which in my books (and in many others' books), rates right up there with the best. Her vocal cords are best represented in this remastered box set by "This Masquerade", "Solitaire", and several Christmas songs, especially "White Christmas" and "Ave Maria". The set also has some rare, very early recordings from the years prior to hitting the charts, including solo drum work. It was awful back in '83 when they announced on the radio that she had passed away due to anorexia, which brought about worldwide attention to eating disorders. Monday, August 22, 2005: Today, I'd like to talk not about a particular album or artist, but a record company that goes by the name of a one-horned animal. If you guessed a rhino, please step to the front of the line. Rhino Records has been my favourite label for over a decade. Beginning back in 1978, they've been releasing a wide range of music and videos/DVDs covering a variety of areas, from obscure bands to mainstream acts. Their products are a must-have for the true lover of pop culture, and are not only nostalgic, but fun. What other label will include a pair of small fuzzy dice in a box set, or release a set consisting of sci-fi related tunes inside a box that looks like it contains a floating brain? You need look no further than Rhino. Their earlier releases consisted of compilation series such as Billboard's Top Hits and The History of British Rock, and over time, Super Hits of the 70's and New Wave Hits of the 80's. It's these compilation sets that are the most dear to my ears. I'm still attempting to complete some of these series, which have long been unavailable on the retail market. Box sets seem to be where they've devoted much of their efforts, and it shows. Just glancing at their catalogue of boxed treasures makes a certain grown man misty eyed. You can find gems such as Ray Charles' complete Country & Western Recordings from 1959 to 1986, Stan Freberg's 1951 to 1998 collection, several Grateful Dead sets, Frank Sinatra's Hollywood hits from 1940 to 1964, Jack Kerouac's collection, 6 different Depeche Mode singles sets, 30 years of American highway tunes, Los Angeles jazz music from 1921 to 1956, a definitive Disco box, 80's underground music, the wild sounds of the 50's, the 70's pop culture set, and the 80's pop culture set, to name just a few. Currently in my own collection are Nuggets (Original Artyfacts From The Psychedelic Era 1965-1968) 4 CD set, Nuggets II (Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond) 4 CD set, The Doo Wop Box 4 CD set (101 songs from the Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll (1948 - 1987), Dead Can Dance 1981 to 1998 3 CD set, and Brain In A Box 5 CD set (The Science Fiction Music Collection). My single CD's from this amazing company include The Very Best of Dr.Demento, Tube Tunes Volume 1, 2, 3 (TV themes from the 1970s to the 1980s), The Turtles 20 Greatest Hits, Summer of Love Volume 1, 2 (Psychedelic hits of 1966 & 1967), One Hits Wonders of the 60s Volume 1, 2 (from Dick Bartley's Original Rock 'N' Roll Oldies Show), The Colpix-Dimension Story (Music by TV stars from 1961 to 1967), The Best of the Beau Brummels, The Grass Roots Anthology 1965 to 1975 (2 discs), The Monkees' Missing Links, Tommy James & The Shondells Anthology, The Best of KC & The Sunshine Band (no wisecracks please), The Best of Lobo, Lene Lovich Stateless...Plus, Lene Lovich Flex, The Best of Melanie, The Lee Michaels Collection, Roy Orbison 18 Greatest Hits, The Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan, Todd Rundgren Something/Anything?, The Best of Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, The Best of the Tremeloes, The Best of Vanilla Fudge, Best of The Village People (again no wisecracks please), Legends of Guitar (the 60s Volume 1), and Rock This Town (Rockabilly Hits) Volume 1. The company has now expanded into music-related DVD's and video games, and because of their commitment to the fun aspects of pop culture, they'll no doubt continue to keep fans like myself very happy. Thursday, August 4, 2005: We've had more than our share of bad storms this summer, and August just started. Normally, for the past few years, it seems that we get one or two awful rain storms sometime during the 8th month, but this year, we've already had about 4 or 5 memorable ones, with continuous lightning, strong winds, and sheets of rain with sprinkles of hail. A few rural spots have seen the odd funnel cloud. This city is still cleaning up all of the fallen trees and branches from the big storm on July 16. I've had to reapply caulking to one of my windows to prevent leakage, but I've yet to get plans for ark building. After all is said and done though, I'd prefer to see rain storms rather than those with the white stuff. I don't want to think about having to pull out the shovel in a few months. Friday, July 29, 2005: Finally went to see War of the Worlds the other day. It was one of the movies that I really had to see this summer. As I own the original 1952 version, I was expecting to see a similar sci-fi flick with a few more special effects. Although the many explosions and computer-generated bells and whistles didn't disappoint, I was much more impressed by the chilling atmosphere of this film. Director Steven Spielberg has created a dark and terrifying sense of utter hopelessness as the main characters (played in fine fashion by Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning) attempt to escape from a seemingly unstoppable menace that threatens all of mankind. Scene after scene left me with goosebumps, which I rarely get while watching films. If you haven't seen this one yet, I'd recommend viewing it on the big screen to feel its full impact. Monday, July 4, 2005: HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY !! Saturday, July 2, 2005: So, do you know what's in your attic? A few boxes of old clothes? Some unused furniture? People? That's right, there might actually be people up there as you read this. Maybe not a lot, but one or two perhaps, especially if you have one of those really large old colonial-type houses. There have been a few reports of homeowners discovering the odd person or persons living in that big space under the roof, without having a clue that they were there until found. In big houses, quiet footsteps might not be noticed, brushed off as common noises that old wooden homes make, or figments of the imagination. Now how would unwanted guests get up there in the first place? Simply by climbing onto the roof, and entering through a window while the owners are away. Apparently those that have been caught freeloading have confessed to sneaking down into the kitchen to eat while everyone is asleep, or while they are out. Pretty scary stuff when you think about it. Now before you grab a flashlight and a baseball bat to run up to the attic, the chances are near impossible that anyone is up there. You might want to keep track of the food in your cupboards and fridge though, just in case, or if you're the really hospitable type, stock up on extras. Friday, July 1, 2005: HAPPY CANADA DAY !! Tuesday, June 21, 2005: I heard a disturbing study that found that 70% of men, and 60% of women, have admitted to cheating on their significant other, whether they are married, or living in a common-law relationship. Now "cheating" was defined as having sex with another partner, or being in an online relationship with someone other than their partner. This is a significant increase from a study done just a few years ago, and doesn't bode well for the future of commitment. Could this be the result of our 'fast-food' type of society, where couples don't have the time to spend with each other, or that many can't be bothered to work at their relationships? Certainly the internet and cell phones have allowed for many more opportunities to 'wander'. Is commitment as we used to know it on the verge of extinction, and what effect will this have on our society? Can the trends be reversed? Time will tell. Monday, June 20, 2005: Similar to my previous entry about seeing a paper plate rolling down a street, the other day while on the bus, I was getting prepared to disembark at my destination. The bus was stopped at a red light. I happened to notice a movement in the sky from my window view. I quickly looked up, and saw a white plastic bag floating in the air about 40 to 50 feet above the ground. It was an extremely windy day, with steady gusts between 30 to 50 MPH. Normally one would see a flat plastic bag being tossed about just above the ground, to end up getting snagged in a fence or some other obstruction. I have to say that this is the first time that I've seen a bag (which looked like it had been inflated a bit) that high up in the air, just gliding along in the wind. From its shape, I could tell that it wasn't a balloon. Not an important anecdote in the overall scheme of things, but another example of being able to witness something out of the ordinary while not being stuck behind a steering wheel in fast-moving traffic. Thursday, June 16, 2005: I'd like to call this entry Hit Me Baby One Final Time. Don't know how many of you are still watching the Peacock network (eh, Ed fans?), but I caught their latest summer 'Reality' show the other night, called Hit Me Baby One More Time. They're advertising it as their big summer hit series, which it will most likely become. The premise of each hour-long show is that 5 former music acts from the late 70's to the mid 90's each perform their most popular hit in front a live (but probably prompted) audience, during the first half of the program, and then they do their best rendition of a more recent hit song. The audience then votes for the winner, which gets $20,000 to donate to their favourite charity. That part I don't mind. What kind of irks me is that many of the performers are either one-hit wonders, such as Tommy Tutone or The Knack, or just moderately successful acts, like The Motels or The Flock of Seagulls. It was also a bit scary seeing Tiffany busting out in a wardrobe misfortune. Don't get me wrong, I love the hits from those years, and like the overly tall emcee says, "great music never dies", but unfortunately, we all get older, and gravity happens. Performers like the Rolling Stones and U2 (mostly) train to stay in shape for their long concert schedules, but a few of the individuals that I saw the other night obviously haven't. Also, some of the performances sounded a bit too Karaoke-like, as if the live vocal sound was dubbed over the original instrumental tracks. There were some positives that have to be mentioned. The Knack and Haddaway actually looked and sounded quite good. The winners of each episode that aired, Arrested Development and Vanilla Ice, were excellent, and deserved to win. As nice as it is for some of these blasts from the past to get a second chance at fame, many of them should move on and be happy collecting their royalty cheques. Thursday, June 9, 2005: Went to see Tempus Fugit earlier this evening. It's one of the 87 films being shown (and some premiering) at the local first annual International Film Festival (which I'm also volunteering at). It's not your every day sci-fi, time-travelling, sports, dooms-day scenario, romantic comedy, Spanish movie. This one has subtitles. It's also excellent. There were a few plot twists, plenty of laughs, and a couple of homages to George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. I wasn't the only person in the theatre who enjoyed it, as the entire audience gave it a good ovation as the Spanish credits rolled. It was also a nice change of pace to see a sci-fi movie that didn't have any CGI effects, and that relied almost entirely on the storyline, acting and dialogue. I recommend this film to almost everybody (there are a few explicit subtitles). Sunday, June 5, 2005: Lately I've been forever listening to a song that was played during the end credits of "Kill Bill Volume 2". Yes, I know I've been talking about those 2 films by Quentin Tarantino lately. Maybe I should get some payola for plugging them so much to the 6 or 7 of you who read these journals. No doubt a special DVD box set is either being planned or is soon to be released, filled with discs of special features, interviews, bloopers, deleted scenes, and more music. In any event, the song that I can't get out of my head is the very haunting "Goodnight Moon" by Shivaree. I bought the "Kill Bill Volume 2" soundtrack CD just for this song, although I guess I could have just played the DVD, but I'm a sucker for liner notes and those little pictures in the booklets. Being a pop culture fan can get expensive. I have no doubts that I'll even buy the pending box set. Saturday, June 4, 2005: Those of you who have seen "Kill Bill" will recall a 3-piece female band from Japan called the 5,6,7,8's, with their catchy tune "Woo Hoo", played just before the showdown at the House of Blue Leaves. I hadn't heard of them before the movie, and was curious if they had any albums released. To my delight, they do. I just received my copy of "Bomb The Rocks, Early Days Singles", with 27 songs from their 1989 to 1996 period. The songs have a garage band feel to them. Plenty of high-octane guitar riffs, drums, and well-placed high-octave screams. Take the first Rhino Records' Nuggets 4-CD set, add some Flamin Groovies, a smattering of Ramones, a dash of the Rezillos, a bit of B-52's, and a helping of Elastica, and you've pretty much described the band's music. Not only was I surprised that they've been around since the late 80's, but that they've also toured in Australia, San Francisco, and Seattle. This particular album that's currently spinning in my CD player has song titles that include the previously mentioned and now-famous "Woo Hoo", "My Boyfriend From Outer Space", "Motor Cycle Go-Go-Go", "I Was A Teenage Cave Woman", and "Bond Girl". A great disc for parties, no one will notice that their cover of the 60's "Mr.Lee" sounds more like "Mr.Dee". Wednesday, June 1, 2005: I wanted to give this entry the title 'Walking In Sunshine', but it was actually mostly cloudy today, with a really strong wind. I had to do some errands, and took a nice walk. About 15 to 20 minutes in each direction. On the way back from the post office, I noticed a paper plate rolling down the street. With a 25MPH wind, it was moving at a good clip. I watched as it continued to roll for about 3 or 4 blocks. Not something you see everyday, and certainly nothing of great importance, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless. I don't know why, but it reminded me of the opening scene from "Forrest Gump", with the feather floating through the air. I also thought that had I been riding the bus, or a bike, I would have completely missed seeing the plate. The fact that I took a leisurely walk allowed me to notice this simple pleasure. Sometimes it's the small things in life that are the most satisfying. Monday, May 30, 2005: Well folks, mark May 29, 2005 on your calendars, as the day that the Danica Patrick legend began in racing annals. The diminutive but dynamic 5' 1", 100 pound, black-haired beauty defied the odds, and overcame rookie mistakes, including a potential day-ending crash, to finish fourth at the Indianapolis 500. Driving in only her 5th Indycar race, she is the first woman to ever lead a lap at the famed track, clocking in at well over 200 miles per hour. Quite a historic feat, being only the fourth woman to take on the brickyard in its 89 years. Smaller in stature and in weight than the trophy presented to the winner, she showed savvy, smarts, strength, and spirit. Chosen by the Bobby Rahal /David Letterman Racing Team, which won the 2004 race by Buddy Rice, there's no doubt that we'll be hearing much more from this talented race car driver. One day in the not-too-distant future, she'll take the checkered flag at the big race, and her name will appear on that huge trophy. Friday, May 27, 2005: Some of you might be aware that I've been interested in unexplained phenomena from an early age. Strangely, I haven't so far actually witnessed anything up close that defied logic, other than an ex-girlfriend who went from being extremely happy to extremely sad within seconds. I've also seen odd lights in the night sky that most likely were aircraft, reflections from a light source, or falling meteorites. Most sightings that observers believe to be flying saucers, ghosts, Mothman, Big Foot, prehistoric lake monsters, etc., can be explained after further study, but there are enough accounts from credible witnesses that can't be debunked. I'm curious about whether some of you have had strange experiences that left you wondering what exactly you had seen, heard, or smelled, or combinations of the three. Perhaps you've heard a story told by relatives or friends. I'd be interested in hearing about them. Please email me if you have any neat tales. Friday, May 20, 2005: As mentioned in a previous journal entry, I went to see "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" this evening, and promised to the 6 or 7 of you that I would write a brief review. It's GREAT! Well, maybe I'll give you a little bit more. The movie is dark, violent, and full of terrific CGI effects. The 146 minutes seemed like only a few parsecs. Not really for the wee ones, although there were a few in the audience. Light sabers clashed, lasers cannons flashed, and many beings were dashed. Billions of whatever-currency-they-use-there worth of droids became recycling material. All of the questions asked during "Star Wars: A New Hope" were answered. There were a few scenes that left you wondering why George did it that way. Unfortunately, Natalie Portman's role as Amidala wasn't as prominent (although a part of her was) as the previous chapter, but then again, this one is mostly about her hubby. After you see this one, you'll want to get home and watch the next trilogy. I'd rate it 4 robotic fingers out of 5. Thursday, May 19, 2005: It was a very nice surprise a few nights ago to see Janine Turner appear in a commercial for an eye drops company (which I can't recall the name of). The last time I'd seen her on television was briefly on the hospital drama "Strong Medicine", which she left in 2002. It's hard to believe that "Northern Exposure" ended 10 years ago. Those years haven't taken their toll on her, as she looks as great as ever. For myself, and many other fans, she'll always be remembered as the beautiful, but feisty 'Maggie', no matter what future characters she portrays. Wednesday, May 18, 2005: Am I a crazy Jedi? I don't think so. I'm not one of those who will be dressed up in Star Wars regalia waiting in line to watch tonight's midnight opening of "Revenge of the Sith", or as Letterman calls it, "Revenge of the Blinth". I'm not even attending the movie on Thursday. I am, however, catching it Friday evening. My advance tix have been secured, and I'm really looking forward to the 146 minutes of big-screen entertainment. It's supposed to be a special-effects extravaganza, with more visual treats than any other flick. The tone is apparently quite dark, and violent, which explains its PG rating. It should be a fitting lead-in to the original trilogy, and provide answers to the many questions that I had while watching the first "Star Wars" back in late 1977. A TV interview with George Lucas revealed that it will also be very emotional, so perhaps wearing a bounty hunter mask would be appropriate. Saturday, May 14, 2005: Some of you may have seen Quentin Tarantino on Letterman on Wednesday night. One thing that I noticed is how passionate he is about his interests. He spoke very expressively about how he wanted to be in the movie business since the age of 5, and that the first movie that made a huge impression on him was "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein". Although he loves the horror genre, especially the old classic Universal monsters, it was this film that made it's biggest impact. He talked about being intrigued by the comedy side of Abbott & Costello, appearing in the same movie as the scary, serious side as portrayed by the Frankenstein monster, for example when it picks up a hapless human and throws the victim out a window to certain death. Not much was mentioned about two of my favourite flicks, "Kill Bill" and "Kill Bill 2", probably because they've been discussed in detail before, but he did get into his directorial role in the upcoming season finale of "CSI", which will air on Thursday, May 19. He revealed that he has been a fan of the show since the beginning, and was asked if he would be interested in directing an episode. When he showed up to talk to the other writers and brought up a few ideas, things quickly evolved into a finale, so he had to accept the opportunity after that much discussion. Surely the show itself was happy to have a director of his talents and capabilities. He also talked about his favourite character on the show being 'Gil Grissom', played by William Peterson. He likened 'Grissom' to a modern day Sherlock Holmes, and was fascinated that he wasn't a true police officer, and not just a criminalist, but an entomologist. Getting back to the finale, for obvious reasons, he couldn't reveal too much about it. Being a fan of the show myself, I can't wait to see not only the storyline, but QT's signature on the episode. Wednesday, May 11, 2005: How many of you (of the 6 or so folks who will read this) have heard or read about the abandoned baby girl in Kenya who was saved by a dog? Quite the amazing story. If you don't know about it, apparently the baby was left in some trash. Sadly, this happens quite often in this extremely impoverished nation. A stray female dog happened upon the child, probably while searching for food. The dog managed to pick the baby up, crossed a busy street, and placed her with her litter of puppies, where she was found by a passerby. After a trip to the nearest hospital, the child was found to be in good condition. Hopefully, not only the girl, but the dog and her puppies, will all find good homes. This incredible story just goes to show that animals (in this case, dogs) are much more intelligent than we humans give them credit for. Here's a follow-up story from today's Associated Press: Wed, May 11, 2005 Many offer to adopt baby rescued by dog By AP NAIROBI, Kenya -- Offers to adopt a newborn girl found among a litter of puppies after being abandoned are pouring in to the Kenyan hospital where she is being treated, and the stray dog credited with her rescue has a home and a name -- Mkombozi or Saviour. SKEPTICAL As police searched for the infant's mother, a government spokesman expressed some skepticism yesterday about the story of the dog's role in saving the child, dubbed Angel by hospital workers, and said authorities were investigating. Mary Adhiambo, a resident of the compound where the dog lives, said Mkombozi apparently found the baby Friday wrapped in a plastic bag in the nearby Ngong Forest. The dog reportedly dragged the baby across a busy road and through some barbed wire to a shed in the poor Nairobi neighbourhood where puppies from two stray dogs were sheltering. "I saw a dog carrying a baby wrapped in a black dirty cloth as it crossed the road," witness Stephen Thoya was quoted by the independent Daily Nation newspaper as saying. "I was shocked at first and when I tried to get a closer look, the dog ran through the fence and disappeared along a dirt road." The infant was discovered after two children alerted adults that they heard the sound of a baby crying near their wooden and corrugated-iron shack. Residents found the baby lying next to the dog and her own pup. Saturday, May 7, 2005: On Friday night's "Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson", the musical guest was EELS, or The EELS, which plays the songs written by Mark Oliver Everett (aka 'E'). Their (or his) song, 'Packing Blankets', was used in the "Ed" episode 'Closure'. I'd never seen the 'band' perform before, so it was a very pleasant surprise to see them. 'E', the lead singer, played the acoustic guitar, dressed neatly in a jacket and tie. The rest of the band consisted of a bass player playing an old-fashioned stand-up model, and another guitarist playing a neat-looking old Gretsch electric. They kind of looked like a throwback 50's band, all with short hair, with suits and ties. Buddy Holly and The Crickets would have been proud. Also, there was a 3-piece all-female string section who looked like they might have come straight from performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Very impressive. I really have to listen to more EELS. Friday, May 6, 2005: I was watching "The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson" tonight (Thursday, May 5), as I do on an almost nightly basis right after David Letterman. As I watched the opening credits for the show, the first name appeared. It was Ozzy Osbourne, whom we all know about. I still have a couple of his vinyl albums, and what CD collection would be complete without Black Sabbath's 'We Sold Our Soul For Rock N Roll'. I thought, "All right! Ozzy!". Then the second name appeared. It was Allison DuBois. I thought it sounded familiar, and then I realized that the name belonged to the main character on "Medium". I've been a regular viewer of the show since the beginning, but didn't do much research regarding it, and thought it was completely fictional. As the interview went along, she explained that the episodes are in fact based on her life experiences, as well as her job in the legal system. She even has 3 daughters who share her ability, and a husband who is an engineer, just like on the television show. The show itself is very well done, with an excellent cast led by Patricia Arquette, whom I'd seen in a few movies years ago, but who has really shone as the small screen version of Allison DuBois. The actors who play her 2 older daughters and her husband are also outstanding, as they portray a family attempting (and often struggling) to live a normal life despite the unusual talents of the female members. One of the executive producers on the show is Kelsey Grammer, of "Cheers" and "Frasier" fame. "Ed" fans will recognize the name of another producer, Larry Teng, who worked on the show, and who is the husband of Lesley Boone. While watching the credits, I've noticed a few other people who worked on "Ed". If you haven't seen "Medium" yet, I highly recommend it. You can also check out the real-life medium at www.allisondubois.com. She probably foresaw that the show would be a hit. Wednesday, May 4, 2005: Recently, there has been a lot of fuss about a video shot in northern Manitoba of a supposed Big Foot or Sasquatch. Now the tape has been sold to an unnamed US news company (apparently USA Today), for six figures, and the Fox News program "A Current Affair", has bought the broadcast license to air it soon. Although the footage was shot at a distance of 750 feet, it must obviously be good enough for someone to pay that amount of money for it. I'm neither a believer, nor a skeptic, and like many others, am open-minded about this subject. New species of animals are still being discovered every so often, and one species, the ivory-billed woodpecker, thought to have been extinct for 60 years, has again been sighted in eastern Arkansas, so anything is possible. I just hope someone finds more physical evidence of this elusive ape-like creature. An actual body would be nice. It's strange that even after hundreds of sightings throughout North America, by people from all walks of life, dead carcasses or even pieces of hair or excrement have never been officially found. In the meantime, I'll watch this new video, do more research, and have fun playing my Milton Bradley Big Foot game from 1977. Saturday, April 30, 2005: Went to the opening day showing of "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" (yesterday), and what a fun time it was. Based on the books (in a series of 5) by the late Douglas Adams, he would have been proud of this big screen effort. It's been awhile since I read the book, but it seems that they didn't stray too far from the original ideas and much of the hilarious dialogue. Today's CGI technology also enhanced the story. Can't wait to see the next chapter, and next time I'll take a towel. Also saw previews for "The Fantastic Four" and "Batman Begins". Looks like I'll have to increase my movie budget for the summer. Friday, April 29, 2005: I'm very pleased to hear that Spider-Man creator Stan Lee has settled his 3-year long legal feud with Marvel Enterprises. Although many news sources were not given the amount of the settlement, Variety Magazine has stated that it was for $10 million, but probably much more, considering the first Spider-Man movie spun over $800 million in revenue. I was fortunate to meet Mr.Lee back in the 80's at an in-store signing for a Spider-Man book he had published at the time. Knowing the owner of the comic shop, I was introduced to him after the crowd had left. He was very kind and cracked a few jokes about his work. I still have the book that he signed those many years ago. It was an honour to meet the creator of so many comic book heroes that have had (and continue to have) such a huge impact on so many, and our entire culture. Justice has been done. Wednesday, April 27, 2005: It's happened again. Another excellent television show is in danger of being cancelled. I went through this scenario on an annual basis with Ed. Now Joan of Arcadia is on the bubble. It just completed its second season on April 22, with an interesting ending and questions unanswered. If you haven't seen it, try catching reruns on CBS on Friday nights. The first season DVD set is now available from Amazon.com (or Amazon.ca or Chapters.ca). It's about a young woman who encounters God in various incarnations, such as a small child, a school janitor, an older woman, different high school students, and other people that one might meet in every day life. Not unlike a modern day Joan of Arc, the title character (played by the very talented Amber Tamblyn) must not only deal with her unusual ability, but also with her family members and friends., which makes for some very entertaining situations. This is a quality program that deserves at least another season. If you care about good television, please take the time to sign this online petition. Wednesday, April 20, 2005: So there I was in the kitchen, cooking up another culinary creation, when I looked around and it suddenly hit me. I am a slob. Sure, some might say "well you're a guy, so it's to be expected". That's just not a satisfactory explanation to me. I like to be clean and tidy (but not like Felix Unger), especially in the kitchen, but no matter how careful I try to be, I still manage to find drops of soup, tomato or soy or curry sauce, bits of chopped ingredients, grains of salt or sugar, tiny piles of cayenne or paprika or chili powder, etc., on various areas of the stove, counter, floor or walls. I don't flail with forks, splash with spatulas, or play with pots. I can't explain it. Is it caused by some centuries-old cooking curse uttered by a matronly medieval castle servant, who despised men tramping through her kitchen (or whatever they were called back then), or is it from even further back in time, perhaps Neanderthal woman getting revenge on her mate for telling her how to prepare the Mastodon Meatloaf? Whatever the cause, I have a feeling that I'll forever be keeping the wet wipes, paper towels, sponges, and cleaning solutions within arm's reach. Tuesday, April 19, 2005: I was listening to the local talk radio station today, and they played a clip of a recent 9-1-1 call that made me shake my head, more than normally. A woman called the emergency line because the hamburgers that she had ordered for her kids from a drive-through restaurant were not exactly to her liking. Instead of dealing with the restaurant manager, she just had to dial up the emergency operator with a request to send the police to settle her burger beef. The operator did a good job calmly explaining to the woman that action could only be taken if the situation was a life or death matter. The woman still seemed to think that her dining dilemma required the authorities. Seems to me that she requires more than just hamburger help. Thursday, April 14, 2005: You just never know what you'll find at a Goodwill thrift store. I dropped by the local one the other day, and was very pleased to find some great CD's. I managed to buy Van Morrison's 'Moondance', Emmy Lou Harris' 'Angel Band', Paul Westerberg's 'Stereo', Iris Dement's 'Infamous Angel', and the double disc 'Cool Jazz Collection'. I enjoy all kinds of music, and theyr'e all excellent additions to the library. 'The Cool Jazz Collection' has 36 terrific tracks, and includes Etta James' classic 'At Last' which was used in 2 of my favorite TV shows, Northern Exposure & Ed. Speaking of Northern Exposure, I was pleasantly surprised to find the disc by Iris Dement. Her song 'Our Town' was used in the show's final episode, 'Tranquility Base', back on May 15, 1995. I'd been looking for that song since that time, so another long search ends in success. Friday, April 8, 2005: Sin City, here I come...well, actually I'm back from seeing this movie. Excellently done, with its comic book, er, graphic novel visual look. Lots of great dialogue also, except for one very quiet character played by Elijah Wood. He's no Hobbit here. Let's just say that he has an eating disorder, and a pet who just loves his master. Speaking of food, I wouldn't recommend seeing this movie on a full stomach, unless you're used to the surgical ward of the local hospital. If you're the type who always likes prancing and whistling through fields of daisies while wearing happy face clothing, don't see this film. It takes quite a movie to get an 'R' rating in Canada, and I can definitely see why this one did. Here's what the eventual DVD rental write-up might read: "Extreme violence, nudity, intense scenes, mature subject matter." Some might find it disturbing, in fact, I overheard someone sitting behind me whisper the word "sick". I don't know if they were commenting on a particular scene, or if they were feeling the effects of the flu. If you're a fan of Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, and/or Quentin Tarantino, you should enjoy this movie. The cast itself is worth the admission price. I should also mention that the list of this summer's upcoming movies looks impressive, after seeing the previews for "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy", "Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith", and "The War of the Worlds". Tuesday, March 29, 2005: You know, I can't remember the last time that I ate 15 pieces of fried chicken for breakfast, which works out to over 700 calories. Oh wait, never. I've never had the need to consume that much food first thing in the morning. A well-known U.S. based fast fill restaurant is banking on the hope that many mouths will require that amount of A.M. NRG, in the form of a giant breakfast burger. Should they succeed, it could be their crowning moment. For their customers, it could lead to their final coronary moment. Not only are these products death broiled over, but nutritionists suggest that each will need about 10 hours to pass through the digestive system. Consumers will probably spend that time feeling sluggish and tired, and perhaps wondering why they bought the breakfast behemoth. Hopefully the corporation won't offer a super-sized version. Want fries with that, or by-pass surgery? Friday, March 25, 2005: So what do you get when you combine Bobby Darin's 'Splish Splash I Was Taking A Bath' with The Standell's 'Dirty Water'? Well, certainly a very strange song that would be difficult to sing, but I was thinking of those tunes while looking outside at the roads and sidewalks. We had a little more snow this winter than the norm, and with the temperatures balancing near the freezing mark, and the sun beaming with the arrival of Spring, the slowly melting snow is quickly creating large pools and puddles. Poor pedestrians such as myself have had to navigate around these obstacles, not unlike playing hopscotch in rainy weather. Not only must we avoid the accumulations of water, but we also must dodge the grey, brown and black waves of spray from speeding motorists, who for some reason are compelled to accelerate at the sight of a promising puddle. Donned in our Gorton's Fisherman-like outfits, many of us have had our revenge, as the occasional car ends up inside a pot hole the size of half a Buick, which the driver failed to notice as it was completely concealed by the pool of potential pleasure, turned quickly into pain. Hopefully as more and more front ends are repaired, fewer drivers will take part in the annual splash and dash. Saturday, March 19, 2005: Well, it really does appear that Spring is approaching. The piles of snow are quickly melting as the sun's rays become stronger. People are wearing lighter coats and jackets. Road conditions are improving (except for pot holes and puddles, which I won't get into) , resulting in drivers pressing down on their accelerators a bit further. Windows are being rolled down so people can yell at other drivers more easily. I was out walking today in the beautiful sunshine, taking in all of the cool, fresh air and enjoying the outdoors, when I heard a car horn break the calmness. I turned to see 2 cars side by side, travelling at a good clip. The drivers seemed to take turns giving each other an obscene hand gesture, or shouting a rude, high-decibel expression of dissatisfaction. I had to chuckle at the display. Definite signs of Spring. Wednesday, March 16, 2005: GOOD LUCK TO JENNIFER JONES, CATHY OVERTON-CLAPHAM, JILL OFFICER & CATHY GAUTHIER IN THE WORLD WOMEN'S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN PAISLEY, SCOTLAND. MAY THE ROCKS AND STARS ALIGN. Tuesday, March 8, 2005: The first sign of Spring arrived over the weekend in the form of a lone Canada Goose. According to a local wildlife expert, the huge geese flocks vacationing in warmer climes send a 'scout' back to their breeding grounds. If the scout doesn't return back to the flock, they will know that the conditions are right to head for home. If the scout returns, it's a signal that it's not yet time to leave. We had a bit of a winter storm on Sunday, so chances are the goose flew quickly back south to his feathered friends. It's supposed to warm up later in the week, perhaps enough to bring the scout back to stay. The wonders of nature never cease to amaze. Speaking of heading south, the unfortunate Los Angeles man mentioned in my February 26 blurb will be deported back to the US, less all of his fingers and all the toes from one foot. They had to be amputated due to the severe frost bite they had suffered. In this case, love was extremely painful and life-altering. No need to sing that old Nazareth song. Friday, March 4, 2005: Something wonderful happened to me recently. No, I didn't meet the woman of my dreams, nor did I win a lottery. It's much less exciting, but still a major event. You see, I discovered the chocolate-covered almonds bulk bin at my local supermarket. It all began quite normally. I had planned to buy a bag of bulk plain almonds, which are supposed to be healthy, according to all the news on the internet and television. I stood in front of the bin, which was brimming with blanched almonds. Suddenly, and inexplicably, I was pulled by some unseen force further down the aisle. When I stopped, I found myself staring at tempting almonds covered in glossy chocolate. They appeared to give off an entrancing glow. Despite attempts to resist, my uncontrollable hands tore off a plastic bag from its roll, placed it under the dispenser of the bin, and I watched and listened as dozens upon dozens of shiny oval treats clattered into their new temporary home. Only when the bag became somewhat heavy did I end the experience. Nirvana had been reached. No longer will I have to wait to buy those tiny boxes of fund-raising chocolate almonds, although I'll probably still buy them out of habit. For about $6, I can now bring home enough tasty delights to last over a week. Life is good. Very good. Saturday, February 26, 2005: Here's one for 'The Things We Do For Love' files. There was a story from the local newspaper about a Los Angeles man who really wanted to meet a Quebec woman he had 'met' on the internet. He spent over 100 hours to get to the US/Canada border, only to be turned back because of something that appeared on his criminal record. Undaunted, he decided to venture across a snow-covered, forested area to attempt to enter the country illegally. Unfortunately, being from warm California, he was inadequately prepared for the subzero temperatures, which plummet further after the sun sets. Freezing, he was spotted behind some trees by the owner of the town golf course, who notified the RCMP. The police located him, and discovered that he was suffering from prolonged exposure, and his hands were badly frost-bitten. They delivered him to the hospital, where he is being treated, and will no doubt be taken to US authorities. Wouldn't it be better if the woman of his e-dreams travels to the US to meet him?. Thursday, February 24, 2005: So, when was the last time you spongied (pronounced 'spun-jeed')? I'm not talking about your last sponge bath, but about playing hockey with a sponge puck. I was watching the local news the other night, and one of the news hounds interviewed a co-creator of the Winnipeg Sponge Hockey League. I was surprised to learn that it has been around for 23 seasons, and with the cancellation of this NHL season, interest in the league has increased. For more detailed information, there's a website called 'spongehockey.com', but basically it's played on any full size hockey rink (usually outdoors), with the players wearing soft-soled broomball shoes. Instead of a hard rubber puck, a softer black sponge puck is used. Now the last time I remember playing 'spongie' is over 20 years ago. As a youth, I would get together with friends, head to the nearest outdoor hockey rink, and either play real hockey on skates, or we would change it up by playing with our shoes or boots. We also used tennis balls, sponge pucks, or ball hockey balls. All three projectiles would cause the same amount of pain after becoming frozen. Nobody really wanted to be the goalie, unless they were equipped with the right padding (usually a heavy parka). We were pretty crazy in those days, sometimes playing spongie in the dark. After the rink closed down for the night, and the lights turned off, we would wait until the attendant left, and continue playing. Who needed lighting? We could almost clearly make out the black puck on the white ice, especially after our eyes adjusted, but we all learned to stickhandle by feeling the puck on our sticks. (Perhaps a good coaching method for today's young players? Plus they'd save on the hydro bill.) We would also pass the puck towards the general direction of a familiar voice. The poor goalies didn't stand a chance, since they could barely see the player bearing down on them, never mind the puck. Unfortunately, I was the cause of the end to our spongie nights in the dark. One fateful Friday evening, a group of us had gathered for a game. For obvious reasons, we had imposed a strict rule that slap shots would be disallowed. I happened to bring along my most wickedly curved thin bladed stick, which had the propensity to propel a sponge puck at an ever-increasing angle, similar to a jet launching off of an aircraft carrier, except of course at a much slower speed. About halfway through our game, I was seemingly possessed by some angry hockey demon, and from center-ice, I wound up and took a slap shot towards the opposition net. A fraction of a second later, I heard a yelp and a thud. My first thought was that the goalie (a good friend) was joking about being hit. Upon closer inspection, I realized that I had inflicted a one-inch cut near my friend's lip. Flat on his back on the ice, he was not impressed, although some of the others thought it was quite a feat in the dark. After that night, we stuck to playing while the lights were still on, even convincing the attendant to stay a bit later for our benefit. Those were great memories, brought back by spongie talk. Thursday, February 17, 2005: Of course it would take the cancellation of this entire NHL season to get me back to this page. I'm actually okay about it, since most of the games had already been wiped off the schedule. I'm more of a play-off fanatic anyway, so I might be chewing on the upholstery or jackhammering my head off a door frame in a month or so. Then again, I might do more constructive things, such as reading, walking, and biking, activities that take a backseat during the run to the Stanley Cup. Enough about me though. I'll be feeling bad for all of those husbands and boyfriends who can't use play-off time as an excuse to get out of doing household chores, renovations, or spending quality time with their significant others. I'll be feeling bad for all of those multimillionaire hockey players who'll miss those five digit weekly paycheques. Most of all, I'll feel bad for the CBC who won't be able to use Don Cherry's suits and ties as a test pattern every Saturday night. Saturday, January 1, 2005: Hope you all had a nice Holiday Season and New Year's Eve. We had a bit of snow around here just before year-end. After all was said and done, about 30 centimetres fell and was blown around by blizzard conditions. I've posted some pictures from the 29th and today. What a difference a couple of days can make. Some of the drifts I shovelled were waist high. Great exercise though, in moderation. Please view the pics here. Have a great 2005! Thursday, December 23, 2004: Please check out my Christmas tree. I should mention that it's small, and I like plenty of lights. Friday, November 26, 2004: They say that with age, comes wisdom. In my case, it must be inversely proportional. Very little intake of wisdom as the years pass. I actually did learn something the other day. The lesson: always wash 'pre-washed' spinach. It all started earlier this week. I had a craving for a dish that my Mom used to make. Poached cod fish chunks, with lightly boiled spinach, sweet onions, and those thin, clear vermicelli noodles made from beans, served in a soy sauce, vinegar and sugar mixture. I walked over to the local grocery, and feeling a bit lazy, I picked up a bag of spinach which had the words "Pre-washed, ready-to-eat" on it. I thought, "This is too good to be true", so I asked the closest store employee about the suspicious spinach. The employee, while putting some egg plants on display, replied convincingly that the spinach was indeed pre-washed, and could be consumed right out of the bag. That was all the proof I needed, and proceeded to the checkout to purchase the prized plastic pouch. I returned to my kitchen, and excitedly prepared my much-anticipated meal. It didn't take very long, and I placed good sized portions on a plate. Mmm, the poached cod was perfect, as were the onions and clear noodles. The spinach was another story. I immediately pictured myself falling face-first on a beach, mouth wide open. No, that was an exaggerated response. It was more like eating small pieces of sand paper. Not wanting to spoil the entire experience, I finished off what was left on the plate, including those gritty greens. Now you're probably wondering if I later complained to the store employee about his 'advice'. I first thought that of all the bags of spinach on the shelf, I happened to pick the one that missed the spray of water. A reasonable theory. I then thought that if I complained, my next visit to the store would consist of hearing snickers from the staff, and being called 'the guy that doesn't wash his spinach'. So I decided not to mention it. At least my bag of boneless cod lived up to its advertised claim. Good thing too, otherwise I might have completely missed out on this and future lessons, as scarce as they might be. Monday, November 8, 2004: I was fortunate to attend the final hockey game to be played at the 49 year-old Winnipeg Arena, on Saturday night, November 6, between the Manitoba Moose and the Utah Grizzlies of the AHL. I initially had planned not to go, as I knew it would be a bittersweet and potentially tearful event. Then on the 5th, local radio superstation CJOB aired the historic very first WHA Winnipeg Jets game, which occurred way back in 1972 in the old Madison Square Gardens, against the short-lived New York Raiders. This rebroadcast brought back many great hockey memories, and provided myself with the incentive to purchase a ticket to the last game. Around noon of the 6th, I phoned the local ticket agency for the best possible seat, and secured my chance to view an historic evening, for a mere $15. As I put down the receiver, little did I know that the event would be worth many times that price. Wanting to get to the rink early, I arrived just before 5PM. The 2 hour pre-game ceremony was scheduled to begin at 5:30. A large line had already formed in front of the interior doors, and extended outside into the chilly evening. I entered the building to pick up my ticket, and merged into the throng. Several short minutes later, the glass doors opened and I was carried along in the sea of excited fans. I was handed a poster, and quickly moved my way towards my reserved seat, which was located in one of the angled corner sections of the south end. Along the way, I stopped to chat with a female gate attendant, who gave me a souvenir booklet and a roster sheet for the game. I snapped a few pictures of the rink, purchased my last Arena cola, and then found my seat in Section 25, row 20. To my delight, the row only had 4 seats. I settled in, took some more pictures, and waited for the ceremony. A nice older couple sat in the 2 seats next to me, with the last seat left unoccupied. I watched as the rink slowly filled with a near-capacity crowd of 13,000+ fans of various ages, many wearing Jets jerseys. A group of 20-somethings paraded around the rink carrying a Jets banner, while beating small drums, tooting horns, and yelling "Go, Jets, go!". I could tell that this was going to be a fun night. Like clockwork, at 5:30, the PA announcer called for the MC, who was none other than Don Wittman of CBC television fame. He proceeded to tell the history of the rink, and introduced the 40+ guests for the evening, former hockey legends from the 50's to the current Moose era. The biggest cheers followed the entrance of WHA Jets superstars Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg, and NHL Jets superstars; Teemu Selanne (the Finnish Flash), Thomas Steen (who has recently moved back to the city with his family), goalie Bob Essensa, defenceman Dave Ellett, and popular Eddie Olczyk, who had promised back in 1995 after the final Jets game that he would bring the Stanley Cup back to Winnipeg. We were told that he again stated that should he win the trophy as current head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he will bring it to the city, which prompted more loud cheers from the crowd. Perhaps he'll return with the entire franchise. Unfortunately, the great 'Golden Jet' Bobby Hull, who put Winnipeg on the hockey map when he signed with the WHA Jets in 1972, and Dale 'Ducky' Hawerchuk, the first player picked in the 1981 NHL draft, and once named 'The Franchise', could not attend the ceremony due to prior engagements. No doubt their appearances would have brought the roof down. As the ceremony moved along, I snapped a number of additional photos, which can be viewed by clicking here. The show ended with brief speeches from former Jet and Moose player Scott Arniel, and former rock solid Jet 'Minister of Defence' d-man and current Moose head coach, Randy Carlyle, followed by the lowering of the huge championship hockey banners, which were rolled up and carried off by young future hockey stars. The game between the Moose and the Grizzlies (ironically the farm team of the Phoenix Coyotes, which had been the Jets until they were sold and moved to Arizona) then began. As it progressed, chants of "Go Jets go" echoed throughout the building, and fans participated in doing 'the wave'. At one point, it succeeded in going around the building about 20 times or so. Early in the third period, with no score, the chants soon changed to "Go Moose go!", signaling closure of the past, and heralding the beginning of a new hockey era, soon to be experienced in the new state-of-the-art MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg. Monday, September 27, 2004: Imagine my surprise when hearing that my local pro football team, the Blue Bombers, had traded the face of their organization, quarterback Khari Jones, to the Calgary Stampeders late Saturday evening. Although he wasn't having a great season, and had recently recovered from a shoulder injury, the trade announcement was still somewhat of a shock. Now that it's done, it's a good deal for both teams. The Stampeders needed a veteran QB to replace their injured starter, Marcus Crandell, and the Bombers needed to solidify their defense, and required a proven fullback. The Bombers receive a great defensive lineman in Joe Fleming, who was the league's top defensive player in 2003, an up and coming star in defensive back Wes Lysack, and a big and solid veteran fullback in Scott Regimbald. Perhaps Mr.Jones' time as a QB here was over, but the team and city have lost a great ambassador and community presence. He and his family will be missed, should they decide to uproot and move to the foothills of Alberta. This city can never have enough good people to help it grow, especially of the calibre of Khari and his wife Justine, who took a huge step moving from California to spend their time here year-round. They are special people. Wednesday, September 22, 2004: When one hears the letters R.E.M. in a sentence, the speaker may be referring to either 'rapid eye movement' during deep sleep, or the great music group from Athens, Georgia. Last Friday, faster than the blink of an eye, over 2000 tickets sold out for a local November 15 concert appearance of the rock band. It actually took about 2 minutes to sell out, but many fans, myself included, didn't have a chance to buy tickets. It's not the end of my world as I know it, and I'll feel fine, but I wouldn't mind attending the show at a reasonable price. I'm going to attempt to stay away from buying a ticket on Ebay. There's something strange going on when you can't get a ticket to a show in your own city, but someone a few hundred miles away can buy them online. I'm not a fan of reality shows. In fact, I can't stand watching them. I did make an exception last night however, to watch one called "Making The Cut". The series is about the Canadian dream, the chance to play hockey in the NHL. During the early months of this year, thousands of Canadian adult males and females laced up the blades in several Canadian cities with hopes of becoming one of 68 chosen by hockey experts to attend a special training camp. Last night's 2-hour premiere focussed on a few willing to accept the challenge, with hopes of moving on. I really enjoyed the program, and realized just what hockey means to myself, as a few emotional tears welled up in my eyes as the hopefuls were notified by phone whether they had made the cut or not. Monday, September 6, 2004: So when was the last time you trembled well after the end of a film? Not from over-active air conditioning, or from frightening scenes, but from pure intensity. This was my reaction after the closing credits of "The Bourne Supremacy". Even during the car ride home, the feeling didn't fade. Perhaps it was that pail of Pepsi I had half consumed, but I think it was the entire movie. An absolute thrill ride from beginning to end. If you thought the car chase scene from "The Bourne Conspiracy" was an adrenaline rush, the one in this second installment will enable you to see your knuckles in the dark. The tension throughout will leave you exhausted, but satisfied. I'm hoping the third chapter of this fine franchise will continue the Ludlum style. Saturday, August 20, 2004: Riddle me this: How can a man with the last name of 'Canada' not be a Canadian? Answer: When he's a native Californian who has found himself a full time job with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football club. Early in 2004, the Blue Bombers signed Tom Canada, a defensive end who had pretty much given up on the grid-iron game, after try-outs in the NFL and NFL Europe. The Bombers had heard that he had excellent quickness and a relentlessness for chasing down opposition quarterbacks, and searched him out. They found him teaching white-water rafting in northern California, and were able to come to terms on a contract, even though he had never heard of Winnipeg or the Blue Bombers. Now, after 3 pre-season and 9 regular season games, the 6-3, 255 pound 25 year-old is not only learning the Canadian style of football quickly, but he leads both the team and the entire league in quarterback sacks, with 7 so far. Recently interviewed by a local newspaper, he said he's enjoying the city, the games, the league, and the other big cities here across the 49th parallel. No doubt this man who shares the same name as the country he now plays in was meant to be here. We'll have to see what he thinks about playing in sub-zero temperatures and several inches of the solid white frozen form of those rapids in sunny California. Have you seen both volumes of "Kill Bill"? I recently bought both on DVD. I missed seeing them on the big screen. When I originally saw the trailer for Volume 1, I dismissed the movie as just another vengeance flick. I was partially correct. Yes, it's a movie with vengeance being the main theme, but it's far from being typical. Sure, there are scenes with flying dismembered body parts and almost as much blood as seen in the hallways of the hotel in "The Shining", but it's presented with style and humour, not to mention the outstanding dialogue of the characters and the music used throughout the scenes. Quentin Tarantino is a master of knowing how to entertain a movie audience. One minute you're watching a whistling, one-eyed assassin preparing to inject a lethal liquid into her comatose victim, and then at the last possible microsecond, she receives a call on her cell phone from her boss, who explains that the patient deserves a more honorable death, causing her much angst and frustration. There are many other enjoyable scenes that I won't get into, in case you haven't seen it. As for Volume 2, let's just say that it continues the saga in grand style. Less visually graphic, plasma-wise, and thoroughly delightful in its storytelling fashion. Tarantino describes Volume 1 as being more Japanese in style, similar to anime and manga, while Volume 2 has a Western flavor. Ebert and Roeper each rate both volumes very highly, and have placed Volume 2 in their Top Ten movies of 2004. Keep the little ones out of the viewing room however. Wednesday, August 11, 2004: Here's one for cat lovers. After going missing for 18 years, a cat was recently reunited with its original owner. The feline, named Seagull, disappeared into a wintry night in 1986 at the age of 2. After a futile search, Seagull was thought to have been lost and long gone. Surprisingly, the owner was contacted last week by The Humane Society, which said that the cat was found wandering, and had been correctly identified by a tattoo in its ear. The owner was understandably both amazed and elated by the news, and quickly retrieved the now 20 year-old cat. Although blind with cataracts, a vet declared that Seagull should remain healthy for another 5 years or so, unless he decides to run off again. If you suffer from arachnophobia, like me, you may want to discontinue reading at this time. I recently read a study that claims that every human consumes on average 8 spiders in their lifetime. How is that possible? I myself don't recall ever seeing 'chocolate spiders' or 'spiders & eggs' on any restaurant menu. Well apparently, while we sleep, our warm breath attracts spiders to our mouths, and you can figure out the rest. If you're as disgusted as I was, I did warn you to stop reading earlier. I think I'll have to wear a surgical mask every night, or at least have a bottle of ketchup within reach. Monday, August 9, 2004: Are cell phones getting better or worse? A Japanese company is developing a new communication system that is implanted in a person's cheek, near the auditory canal. When a call comes through, it sends a vibrating signal to the cheek. To answer, one needs only to say "Hello", as the unit is voice-activated. The person responds by talking naturally as if the other person was in front of them. A "Goodbye" ends the call. To place a call, the person says "Call", and then the name of the contact person or business. The person can also recite the entire phone number. Company officials believe that their new cheek phone will revolutionize personal hands-free communications. Critics visualize chaos, especially in large crowds, with people yelling to make themselves heard to the person at the other end. They also wonder how people will react to seeing users seemingly talking to themselves. Of course, the above scenario is entirely tongue-in-cheek, but you never know... Saturday, July 31, 2004: I'm sure you've all heard of the phrase "once in a blue moon", which means something that rarely occurs. Well, if you look up in the sky this evening, you'll see a real "blue moon". No, the moon won't appear blue in color, but the term is used to describe when there are 2 full moons during the same month. We previously saw a full moon on July 2. Apparently, "blue moons" are quite common, occurring 7 times every 19 years. No doubt werewolves look forward to these months... Back on the planet, from the naked truth files, the Canadian Immigration department has announced that women from foreign countries applying for work visas as nude dancers must provide a photograph proving that they have experience in their supposed area of expertise. Apparently, there are not enough women in Canada who are willing to dance in the buff, so clubs and bars must hire them from outside the country. To ensure that everything is on the up and up, applicants must submit an authentic picture of themselves posing in their birthday suit. Officials claim that all photos will be viewed objectively... Monday, July 19, 2004: Looks like another bug battle is brewing. Two years ago, a few residents of a particular city neighborhood blocked malathion-spraying trucks, preventing the fogging of pesky mosquitoes in their area. Last summer, the mosquito population was insignificant, keeping the city trucks in their garage. This summer, it's a different story, with high counts of female mosquitoes showing up in traps. The city did some fogging in June, which brought temporary relief for anyone attempting to enjoy the outdoors. Recently, with heavy rains and hot temperatures causing new breeding conditions, city officials are concerned not only about nuisance bugs, but most importantly, the dreaded West Nile Virus. A second round of spraying was to begin last evening, however the front lines of battle have changed. About 30 protesters showed up at the city lot where the spraying trucks are located, and physically kept them from leaving. Police maintained control, and city officials calmed the crowd down by announcing a suspension of fogging until further notice. This has of course frustrated the majority of the population that wants the city to fog their residential areas. We may soon hear the rallying cries of "Fog On !" and "Fog Off !" from both sides of this chemical controversy. Wednesday, July14, 2004: This is a true story about what I'd like to call 'incisor ingratitude'. After decades of being this country's national animal, and glorified in countless photographs and books, the Canadian beaver has disrupted the lives of many. Earlier this morning, one or more beaver dams located near the Manitoba/Ontario border exploded, causing a deluge of water to flow over the Trans-Canada Highway. Several areas of the highly-travelled road were flooded with over 3 feet of water and debris. This caused the closure of the highway by the RCMP for several hours, delaying motorists and creating a traffic jam in both east and west directions. This is the first known case of a highway closure due to beaver activity, and hopefully the last. There has been no explanation why the dams exploded. Perhaps subversive muskrats... Friday, July 9, 2004: Here's one that defies explanation. Later today, the 7-11 corporation will present this city's mayor with the Golden Slurpee Award. This is the fifth consecutive year that this city has won the 'coveted' title of World Slurpee Capital. How is this possible? This is the coldest major city in North America. The winter season lasts half of the year. Yet, each 7-11 store here averaged almost 111,000 Slurpees sold last year. The next 2 cities, Calgary and Detroit, were much farther down the iceberg at 89,500 and 78,300 respectively. Folks in Winnipeg consume over 10,100 Slurpees a month, which is much higher than the Canadian average of 7731. I asked a forehead-squeezing Slurp-aholic how many he bought on a daily basis. He replied "About 5 a day in the summer, and 2 a day in the winter." Two a day in the winter?! Could this have something to do with our preoccupation with ice, having to put up with it during the coldest months on our streets and skating rinks? Personally I think it might be something in the water. Friday, May 28, 2004: Picked up the recently released Northern Exposure 1st season DVD set. The 2 disc package comes enclosed in an eye-catching orange 'parka'. The 8 episodes never looked or sounded better. Sharp, clear images with excellent stereo sound. Plenty of deleted scenes and extra footage to make this a must-have set for any fan. And those perfect lips of Maggie's in digitalized splendor... Managed to catch an early showing of The Day After Tomorrow today. Although not exactly a huge blockbuster in my books, it's an entertaining summer 'B' flick. Great special effects, especially the scenes of tornadoes in downtown Los Angeles and a giant wave roaring through Manhatten. A romantic subplot, parental concern, and political irony all add warmth and humanity to this disaster movie, Somewhat reminiscent of Irwin Allen's The Towering Inferno and The Poseidon Adventure, except on a much larger scale and with obvious environmental messages. This movie couldn't have been made 30 years ago, without computer technology. I'm still haunted by the image of that S.S. Poseidon model flipping over in a water-filled tank at Twentieth Century Fox Studios. Monday, May 17, 2004: Mark the date on your calendar. The day NBC finally admitted what many "Ed" fans already believed. The show is officially over. Even though the sun is shining where I sit, this is truly a dark day. Not only for those of us who loved this show, but also, in the minds of many, for everyone who cherishes quality television in general. Now that the word is out, there will be varying degrees of reaction to the news. Some will cry. Others will seethe with anger. A few may even be relieved. Whatever the emotion, there can be no doubt that the four seasons of the show provided many of us with superb entertainment. Television shows have come and gone, and will continue to come and go, but this was one of the best to air since "Northern Exposure". Shows like "Ed" only happen once or twice every decade. It's a shame that quality television shows are few and far between. With the increase of unscripted reality programming, it may be an eternity before another show moves me as much as "Ed" did. I'd like to personally express my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved on the show during its run, from the creators to the grips, from the regular cast members to the day players & extras, from the construction crew to the craft service workers. All of you made the past four seasons a joy to watch, filled with memorable moments that won't be forgotten for a long, long time. Wednesday, March 24, 2004: It's been almost 2 months since my last entry, so it's time to do a little catching up. Spring seems to have finally sprung. Today's temperature reached above freezing, and it's supposed to go as high as 8-10 Celsius tomorrow (almost 50 Fahrenheit). Someone was seen jogging in shorts this afternoon. A little brave, considering there are still a few large pond-like puddles on the roads. Well, there's an extremely good chance that Ed will be cancelled. Only 17 episodes were aired this season, and the cast has been told to look for other opportunities. The sets have been torn down, and many of the props auctioned off and sold. Things look bleak, but NBC hasn't made an official announcement yet, but will do so in May. Many of us die-hard fans are clinging to the very miniscule hope that a fifth season will happen. In the meantime, I've become hooked on a Canadian comedy called Corner Gas, starring comedian Brent Butt. The show focuses on the lives of several quirky townspeople in the tiny community of fictional Dog River, Saskatchewan. Most of the action tends to occur within a 50 foot radius of the gas station. This would cause difficulties if any of the main characters were to ever get a restraining order against another. Clever one-liners abound, making this one of the best Canadian sitcoms to come down the pike in a long, long time, perhaps even since Confederation..I'd give the show a perfect 5 hockeysticks on the Canuck meter. Wednesday, January 28, 2004: HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! Not a lot to report lately, other than the weather. It's a little chilly in these parts. Today's HIGH temperature was minus 50 Celsius with the windchill. No, that's not a misprint. Even the polar bears at the zoo were finding things a tad uncomfortable. For humans brave enough to venture outdoors, they might want to know that exposed skin can freeze in 2 minutes. It's supposed to be colder this evening, if that's possible. With the north Arctic winds, it'll feel like minus 55. That number looks good on a highway speed sign, not on the bottom end of a thermometer. Tomorrow's forecast is similar to today. It's still a dry cold. Think I'll curl up with a good book near a warm heater. Wednesday, December 24, 2003: HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL !!! Click here to see a photo I snapped earlier today of a hoar frost-covered tree just outside my livingroom window. Thursday, December 18, 2003: A week to go until Christmas, and I'm almost finished shopping. Only 47 gifts to go. Just kidding. Thankfully, I'm just about done. I decided to stop going for the thrills and heart palpitations of waiting to buy everything at the last possible minute. I'm even thinking about buying 5 years in advance. The only problem is storage space. Oh, and money. Tuesday, November 25, 2003: Time to catch up on a few things. First, if any of you out there caught the first outdoor NHL game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens, on the 22nd, you witnessed not only an amazing and historic day and night of hockey the way it was meant to be played, but also the emergence of another Gretzky superstar. If you missed the pre-game festivities, you didn't hear the talented singing voice of Wayne's daughter, Paulina, who sang a beautiful rendition of Sarah McLachlan's 'I Will Remember You'. On the primetime television front, my favorite show Ed is moving along nicely. I'm enjoying this season as I have the previous 3. The latest episode was the very satisfying 'The Proposal'. I'm also enjoying a new show called Joan of Arcadia. If you haven't seen it yet, it's the interesting story of a teenaged girl who comes in contact with God, who appears in various forms such as a small child, a street cleaner, a security guard, and others. God tells her to take on various tasks, such as trying out for the cheerleading team, getting a job at a bookstore, or taking chemistry classes, Each of these otherwise mundane requests usually leads to a good consequence. The show also looks into her father's occupation as the city's police chief, her mother's job at the local high school, and the trials and tribulations of her 2 brothers, one a bitter paraplegic and the other, a geeky brainiac. This is a quality Friday night program. Congratulations to Mike Bullard, who has reappeared on Canadian television for his seventh season, after a publicized disagreement with his previous employer, the CTV network. His first show on the Global network, called The Mike Bullard Show, aired on Monday, November 24, with his musical sidekick, Orin Isaacs, and his talented band. I'm looking forward to another season of this hilarious Canuck talk show host. Wednesday, October 22, 2003: Well, another hockey season is upon us. Every year around this time, I sleepwalk to one of my closets and pull out my right-handed Titan. I'm talking about a hockey stick. I then grab a few pucks, tennis balls, tin cans, whatever I can find, to shoot against the garage door. The first object that ricochets off the door and my head usually wakes me up. I'd like to think most Canadian hockey fans go through this same experience, but my therapist disagrees. Anyway, I caught the first Montreal/Toronto hockey game of the year on the tube this past weekend. It was a throwback to days of old, with only one goal being scored. I no longer root for the Leafs as I used to as a kid, instead taking in the overall hockey experience. A terrific game, with the puck flying in all directions, great playmaking, fantastic goaltending, and playful ranting from the God of hockey intermissions, Don Cherry. They also celebrated a Montreal icon, the classy Jean Beliveau, who was as smooth on a pair of skates as the gravy in a bowl of poutine. It's too bad that the Leafs and Habs couldn't play against each other for the entire season. That would be worth any season ticket amount. Tuesday, September 30: This city is home to a wide variety of cultures, but lately, one certain group is causing a loud squawk. They're inhuman. They're birdbrains. Literally. Of course, we're not talking about people, but Canada geese. This year, the population of these beautiful birds has exceeded 150,000 within city limits. Sure, they look amazing in huge formations a few hundred feet in the air, but they're a different story on the ground. Not only are they extremely noisy, but very messy. Where there's a goose, there's, no, not gooseberries, but giant goose droppings. MIxed in with their feathers, they can leave an unsightly and unsavoury memento of their visit. Local environmentalists claim that the city has caused their own goose to be cooked, so to speak, by allowing the building of expanding residential areas around manmade lakes. These bodies of water have provided a perfect sanctuary for these growing gaggles. Calm and quiet waters to swim on, well-cared for lawns to feed on, and not a predator in sight. Homeowners living near these hordes of happy honkers have complained about the noise level and the major cleanup headaches. Some have also mentioned being bombed from above, showing their well-targeted hats, cars, mailboxes, playground equipment, etc. Nothing left out in the open is safe from this aerial barrage. So what's a poor human to do? Not a lot, as Mother Nature tends to prevail in these matters. Although many ruffled residents are banding together to sign petitions to have the city clean up their yards, they no doubt look forward to the next few weeks, when the winged wonders wend their way south on their annual winter migration. They'll certainly be shouting a collective "Bon Voyage".. Sunday, July 27, 2003: Lately, Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon have been exciting fans in this city. Soon another huge movie star will be showing up here, as it was announced that Russell Crowe will arrive in town. He won't be performing in front of a camera, but in front of music fans, as he plays the guitar with his band called 30 Odd Foot of Grunts. The star of such films as 'Gladiator', 'A Beautiful Mind', and 'The Insider', to name a few, has been playing the guitar since he was 6 years old, and is apparently excellent. He'll be able to show off his strumming skills here on August 22 at the Concert Hall. Sources report that he's looking forward to returning to this province, where he filmed his first North American movie, 'For The Moment', back in 1993. Friday, July 25, 2003: Quite an amazing summer this year. Last year during this time, there was quite a controversy regarding the use of Malathion against the hordes of mosquitoes known to frequent this area. So far this year, there is no controversy. Not because the opponents haven't been vocal, but due to the fact that the skeeters themselves have been silent. Instead of the high pitched buzzing we're so used to hearing, the days and evenings have been absolutely quiet. I can't even remember the last time I saw one of the pests. All of the larviciding that the city carried out during the Spring has definitely paid off. Also, the rather late Winter and cool, dry Spring slowed down the development of the critters. For once, we're all thankful for an extended Winter season. I'm hoping that this trend continues in the years ahead, so the can of bug spray can remain untouched on the shelf. Saturday, July 12, 2003: More updated news regarding the theft of jewelry from the movie 'Shall We Dance' and a bizarre murder can be found here. Further to the filming of this big budget movie, Jennifer Lopez graciously chatted with and signed autographs for a large group of fans the other day just outside the dance studio being used for rehearsals. Richard Gere sightings have also occurred at the studio, as well as other filming locations in the city. Frenzied female fans have been rewarded with waves, "hi's", and the occasional autograph. Susan Sarandon has been spotted at several clothing shops specializing in recycled vintage pieces and accessories. All three celebrities have been described as friendly and down-to-earth. Filming wraps up in late August. Still no sign of Ben Affleck... Friday, July 4, 2003: Happy Independence Day to all of my American friends! Yesterday, local police announced that a man turned himself in to authorities and led them to a room at an older hotel. Inside the room were found the dismembered remains of another man. Apparently the two men had recently met after both arriving in the city a short time ago. Now the fact that a grisly murder occurred in the room is newsworthy enough in this city, but what police also discovered in their investigation adds an interesting twist to this story. Found in the room were stolen pieces of jewelry from the movie 'Shall We Dance', currently filming here, as mentioned previously in another entry, starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, and Susan Sarandon. It seems one of the film's trailers was broken into on July 1, Canada Day. No doubt more facts will be uncovered in the days to come. Sunday, May 18, 2003: As Spring begins to wind down towards Summer, the time for movie blockbusters draws near. Many would say that they've already started, with the recenlty released X2: X-Men United and The Matrix: Reloaded. I just returned from the second installment of the Matrix legend, and the word "blockbuster" is most fitting, not only with the feature presentation, but also the plethora of previews. each showing explosion after explosion, making one wonder if the key ingredient of any action film is just how much of the entire screen can be filled with flames and flying debris. I do highly recommend The Matrix: Reloaded. It's worth every penny of the admission fee plus the added popcorn and drinks. Even though it's two and a half hours, you might want to go easy on the liquids, as you must stick around for the end credits. Monday, May 12, 2003: Great news, at least it's great for fans of Ed. The series has been officially renewed and at this time, will be moved back to its previous timeslot on Wednesday nights at 8PM EST. Kudos to NBC for staying with their commitment to providing quality entertainment. In other entertainment news, it's been announced that big screen megastars Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere will be spending 9 weeks or so here making a romantic comedy called 'Shall We Dance'. The Miramax picture, the biggest project this city has ever seen, is slated to begin filming on or around June 27. Apparently the film's creators were attracted to the many great locations around the city, some of which could pass for old-style Chicago buildings. No word yet whether Miss Lopez will be accompanied by her fiance, Ben Affleck, who is currently filming 'Paycheck'. Sunday, May 11, 2003: Well, on the eve of NBC announcing their 2003/2004 television schedule, I'm feeling quite confident that Ed will be renewed for a fourth season. Not that I've had many negative thoughts about it, but let's just say that I've been cautiously optimistic since the third season finale, which, by the way, was extremely satisfying. I remember reading an article that the show's creators, Rob Burnett and Jon Beckerman had promised that long-time fans would be pleased with the storyline. As one of those who has enjoyed the series since its inception, I thought the episode more than delivered the goods. The entire package was well conceived and I especially loved the last ten minutes, which reminded me of the flashback scenes from 'When Harry Met Sally'. I'm looking forward to the progression of relationships and how all this will impact on each individual. The myriad of possibilities is exciting. Tuesday, April 1, 2003: Oh my god, I've become a Funko Fanatic! It all started about 3 weeks ago, rather innocently as these things tend to occur. I was doing a random search for neat things on Ebay, being the addicted collector that I am, and stumbled upon a cool Quisp nodder(or bobbing head doll)from a company called Funko. Upon further research, I discovered that they produce a line of these 'Wacky Wobblers' and have been around only for a few years. The line of detailed 7 inch wobblers include cartoon characters such as Atom Ant, Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Casper, etc.; advertising characters such as Captain Crunch, Trix Rabbit, Frankenberry, Count Chocula, Colonel Sanders, etc.; and famous people such as Bill Clinton, President George W.Bush, Evel Knievel, Uncle Sam, etc. Faster than you can say 'ka-ching', I started buying a couple, then a few, and then a few more. After almost a month, I'm up to 46 wobblers and completely hooked, line and sinker! I hope I can find a Funko Collectors' Anonymous group and fast. Tuesday, March 18, 2003: How many of you caught the "Return To The Batcave" movie last week? If you weren't a fan of the original 1960s Batman television series, then you probably thought it was campy entertainment. If you were an ardent fan, you more than likely thought the same thing. As a young sapling, I used to take the series very seriously. I would sit a few feet from the large radiation tube (this would explain a lot about how I turned out), with my glass of 'Bat' milk and cookies, and become completely enthralled with both the superheroes and their evil supervillains. I went batty for the Batmobile, the Batplane, the Batcycle, the Batcopter and the array of neat crimefighting accoutrements that the Dynamic Duo (and later the bountiful Bat Girl) employed to vanquish the Joker, Riddler, Penguin, Catwoman, Mr.Freeze and others who dared cross their path in Gotham City. I even hunted for glass pop bottles which were exchanged at the corner grocery store for packs of Batman bubblegum cards. Those were fun times, which all came back to me while watching this nostalgic movie. Obviously not a threat to topple the current crop of Oscar nominations for screenplay, performances, and special effects, but it provided a lot of laughs and smiles during its 2 hour length. Enough even to make me pull out those old cards and comic books stored away for what I previously thought would be a long, long time. Holy childhood memories, Batman! Monday, March 17, 2003: Some folks may think that I'm permanently in this state, but I was totally in the dark late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. I was calmly watching television when all of a sudden everything went black. I immediately thought that one of the breakers had switched off. I slowly made my way to the closest window and peered out. Complete darkness, except for the lights from cars travelling down the fairly busy street. It was still an eery feeling. I headed to where I keep a flashlight, and partially illuminated my livingroom. I then went to the kitchen to get a candle and my barbeque lighter. The candle provided enough light and warmth to brighten the situation. Not knowing how long the power outage would last, I turned on my only battery operated radio and scanned for the most entertaining station, which turned out to be the one playing jazz tunes. Luckily, the temperature outside was around zero, so it wasn't unbearably cold. I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes, relaxingly listening to the soothing music. I must have dozed off for awhile, as I suddenly realized that the lights were back on, and one of my battery powered clocks showed that 2 hours had quickly passed. Although blackouts are a rare occurrence, it's a good policy to be prepared for one at any time. I'm thankful that I had a handy flashlight with fairly new batteries, as well as a couple of candles, a barbeque lighter, and a radio not requiring an electrical outlet. Saturday, March 15: What a difference a week makes. Six days ago the local weather was cold enough to drive polar bears indoors. Today, it's a 'balmy' 5 degrees Celsius, or about 40 Fahrenheit. Not quite shorts and t-shirt weather, but nice enough to replace that 20 pound parka with a 5 pound waterproof jacket. It's great to be able to go outside without worrying if your extremities will lose all sensation and turn into surgical considerations. Nevertheless, one can't become overly optimistic about Spring being just around the next pile of melting snow, as a rampant Colorado low pressure system could quickly extend Winter another 6 months. Turning to another passion of mine, I just listened to Coldplay's CDs, entitled 'Parachutes' and 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' respectively. I was initially introduced to their music during an episode of Ed, when the song "Yellow" was used for a scene. I was immediately impressed with the tune, which is found on 'Parachutes'. I then caught the band performing "Politik" at the recent Grammy Awards. Another excellent song. Then lately, I noticed another of their tunes, "Clocks", on an episode of CSI, either the Las Vegas series or the Miami one. More exemplary marks. Now thanks to Mary & Pete in New York, who sent me both CDs, I'm now able to listen to both albums at my leisure. As great as 'Parachutes' is, 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' is an amazing overall work of art, and aptly titled I might add. For those of you who haven't yet caught the Coldplay bug, I highly recommend them. Think of U2 with more keyboards and equal intensity. Sunday, March 9, 2003: I realize that complaining about the weather is useless, but typing keeps the blood circulating through my ice cold fingers. Here we are, approaching the Ides of March, and it's freezing outside. Although we're supposed to be used to this type of weather here on the prairies, always attempting to put a positive spin on things by saying that "It's a dry cold", lately it's been SO cold that you can store all of your frozen foods outdoors. Defrosting worries? No. Freezer burn? Absolutely! Monday, February 24, 2003: A couple of really emotional moments during Sunday night's Grammy Awards. The first happened when Simon & Garfunkel sang 'The Sound of Silence' , the first time they had sang as a duo in a number of years. I was just a sprout when the song became a hit in 1966, but bought the 'Sounds of Silence' LP a number of years later. Today, I've got their entire library on CD and many of their tunes are timeless. The second occurred when Barry and Robin Gibb handed over their Lifetime Achievement Grammy to the son of their late brother Maurice. Although more of a fan of their early 60s tunes, I have to admit that I saw 'Saturday Night Fever' on the big screen back in 1977 and I may have even purchased the double LP set. In fact, I bought 2 copies of the album. One for myself and another for a female friend as a Christmas gift. I shudder a bit thinking that I still have the LP tucked away in my record library somewhere, but am truly grateful that my platform shoes are long gone... Thursday, February 20, 2003: Here's some interesting news that 's surfaced from the aftermath of The Bachelorette. The winner of Trista's heart, Ryan Sutter, is on the negotiation list of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and has apparently expressed an interest in trying out for the team. The 27 year old, 6 foot 2 inch, 200 pound firefighter has been out of the gridiron game for a couple of years, but may just get a chance, according to Blue Bombers GM of Player Personnel Brendan Taman, not because of the newsworthiness of signing him, but due to the fact that he has potential to actually play, and play well. Time will tell whether he still has the desire to play the game or if he even decides to sign with the club. Another question is whether or not Trista is willing to move to Winnipeg to join him. No doubt that it would be a PR coup if they both ended up here. Tuesday, February 18, 2003: Congratulations to 40 exhausted hockey players in Alberta who set a Guinness World Record for the longest pond hockey game by playing non-stop for 80 hours. I remember getting wonky-legged as a youth playing hockey for only 2 hours straight. The long hours on the ice did not go to waste for the players, as they raised $40,000 for cancer research. No word on how much the massage therapy will cost. In a reversal of big fish eating little fish, a locally based insurance company, Great West Life, purchased a national company, Canada Life, for several bajillion dollars, suddenly making the local company one of the largest insurance players in the world. Not a bad move. Monday, January 27, 2003: A big 'Merci' to my close friends from the "Island" get-togethers who recently gave me a CD rewriter for my birthday. It's great fun and exactly what I was looking for. It also allowed me to open up my computer, where I found a dead mouse and a half-eaten sandwich that had mysteriously disappeared a few months ago...:) Also 'Thanks' to the Ed 'Gang of Six' from the New York/New Jersey area for the surprise birthday treats that arrived in the mail. I've never met these folks but they never fail to make me feel like a welcome member of their group. I will savour the lollipop slowly... Friday, January 17, 2003: Time for a rant. Out of what I now realize was desperation, I had to resort to picking up some fast food at a local restaurant chain that makes billions. I ordered a certain meal, thinking it was a deal. When I took it home, I was surprised to discover that the burger lacked the meat pattie! No wonder it was cheaper. I immediately phoned the outlet and spoke to the person 'in charge', who replied that I was the second person to have the same complaint that evening and that they were training a new cook. He quickly promised a complete meal on-the-house, which seemed like fair compensation for my beef, or lack of. I quickly returned to the premises for my extra meal, as I was now starving. The person I had spoken to by telephone didn't even have the courage to apologize to me, but had one of his subordinates do it. Two missing patties in one shift? Did they hire a meat-hating extremist? The last time I checked my basic recipe book, the meat pattie was an important ingredient of the typical hamburger. I know that the chain is trying to change their menu to include more healthy items, but an onion, tomato, lettuce, mayo and ketchup sandwich just doesn't cut it. You can be sure I won't be heading back to that place anytime soon. Where's the beef? Not in my burger... Thursday, January 2, 2003: HAPPY 2003 ! Hope you all had a safe passage from 2002. Mine was quiet and relaxing, just the way I like it. Gone are the years when I would bring in the new year not remembering exactly how I got there. A combination of lost memories and probably a few brain cells. Before getting too far into January, I thought I would mention my favorite movies from last year. Although some of them may have been released in late 2001, I'll include them on my list because of the time that I actually viewed them. There are also a number of highly-rated films that I still haven't had the chance to watch, so this list is by no means static and I'll make revisions if necessary. So here, in no particular order, are my favorite movies from 2002: -MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING - Just saw this one and even after being in the theatres for almost a year, the place was packed. Ouzing with hilarious lines and charming characters, it's easy to see why local girl-done-great Nia Vardalos is the apple of this town's eye. -SPIDERMAN - once a Spidey comic book fan, always a Spidey fan...plus Mary Jane had my senses tingling... -STAR WARS EPISODE 2: ATTACK OF THE CLONES - more great story-telling from the mind of George Lucas and superb computer generated special effects. -MONSTERS, INC. - just as much fun for the adults as for the kids. -MINORITY REPORT - Outstanding performance by Tom Cruise, excellent story and one of Steven Spielberg's best films. -LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS - just saw this and it's even better than the first one. Your brain might not feel it's 3 hours, but your bladder might.... -THE SHIPPING NEWS - uneven storyline but I was most impressed with the Newfoundland scenery. -AMELIE - a visual treat full of colorful characters and bright colors. Audrey Tautou has incredibly expressive eyes. Uh oh, think I'm in love... Tuesday, December 24, 2002: Well, it's Christmas Eve day, and traditionally the day when many 'guys' are running around like headless turkeys looking for that 'perfect' gift for their mate, and realizing that they may have to settle for just about anything. They'd better remember to keep their receipts. As I reflect during another Holiday season, I'm haunted not by ghosts of Christmases past, but by the constant reminders of personal greed that have permeated our society most particularly from a commercial played by a prominent multi-media retailer that pushes the theme that it's better to want more. Although it's true that our economy is driven by shoppers filling the cash registers of retailers, one of the main messages of this time of year seems to have been lost. If I had the power and resources to change that one commercial catch phrase, it would be to, "I Want To Give More!" SEASON'S GREETINGS TO ALL, AND TO ALL, A GOOD YEAR. Tuesday, December 2, 2002: Hmm, seems like I may have to change the title of this page to 'Monthly Rants' at the rate I'm going these days. It's amazing how time flies when you're busy in the 'real' world. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Just what makes a baseball player from South Carolina decide to spend a winter in frigid Winnipeg, otherwise known as 'Winterpeg'? Well that's what Winnipeg Goldeyes star outfielder Charles Peterson, also affectionately known as 'Chuck P', has chosen to do. Before some of you conclude that perhaps he might have been beaned a few too many times, it should be mentioned that his fiancee lives here. He's also making the best of his stay, setting up a weekly Saturday indoor batting clinic for anyone aged 5 to 55 to instruct them on the nuances of properly hitting a baseball. Another welcome addition to the city's population. Tuesday, November 5, 2002: Having been fed a regular diet of black rubber pucks almost since birth, it was again a joy to watch a game of Hockey Night In Canada this past Saturday night featuring the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. There's something about seeing these 2 historic opponents fighting over the tiny disc on the smooth frozen ice surface that brings back childhood memories of household hockey names. As a young fan of the Maple Leafs, I would marvel at the stickhandling skills of Dave Keon and Norm Ullman, the speed of Ron Ellis, the slapshot of Lanny McDonald, the tenacity of Dave Williams, and the smooth skating of Borge Salming. Although the Canadiens were natural rivals of the Leafs, one had to admire the acceleration of Yvan Cournoyer, the speed and shooting of Steve Shutt, the grace and skill of Guy Lafluer, the spineramas of Serge Savard, the acrobatics of Ken Dryden, and the relentlessness of Bob Gainey. Even though the names and faces have changed, a feeling of nostalgia washes over me when seeing that familiar blue Maple Leaf square off against the big red "C" with the white "H". Wednesday, October 30, 2002: Add another name to the growing list of American-born pro-football players who have decided to make Winnipeg their home over the years. Recently, Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Khari Jones and his wife Justine moved from San Francisco to reside year-round and now all-star defensive tackle Denny Fortney, his wife and 2 children will make the 'Peg their full-time home. Asked why they decided to buy a house here, Fortney replied that it's not only for economic reasons, since he pays taxes here, and the low Canadian dollar, but that his family enjoys the city and the people. When the topic of the very windy and cold winters was brought up, he answered that although they're from the Appalachians, they should be able to survive. If he can survive and excel at playing football on the prairies in November as he did last season, he shouldn't have any problems surviving the winters. Tuesday, October 15, 2002: Wow, time flies when you're semi-comatose. Just kidding. I've been keeping busy with a few projects requiring my full attention, which should have been completed some time ago. I envy anyone with the ability to multi-task. My 'To-Do' list tends to get stretched out as I add things to it. One thing I haven't done is commented on the 3rd season of Ed. After 3 episodes, the new season has been enjoyable. Although I miss 'Kenny', the big Stuckeybowl Gigantor, the addition of the wheelchair-bound 'Eli' has been a breath of fresh air. He's provided a challenge to the usually cocky and overconfident 'Phil'. The 'Ed'/'Carol'/'Dennis' triangle seems to be spinning nicely, causing just the right amount of angst and suspense. Many fans are hoping though that the wirters don't end up churning it into that area in the Gulf of Mexico. I have noticed a slight difference in atmosphere in the show though. Maybe it's me, or maybe it's the network broadcasting the show using HDTV. It just seems a little different than the past 2 seasons. It must be me. Monday, September 23, 2002: I've heard that a movie theatre chain is quizzing its customers on whether they'd like to see beer and wine available along with their non-alcoholic soft drinks. Obviously a way to increase revenues, I'm wondering if the theatres would hire 'bouncers' for likely inebriated hooligans. Would they stop the film if any rowdyism got out of hand? Would they keep track of the number of drinks each customer consumes before surpassing the legal limit? Personally, I'd like to see the theatres stick with their overpriced pop and popcorn. Tuesday, September 3, 2002: I just about fell out of my chair this evening when I heard on the news that bridge, yes, that card game where 4 people sit around a table and plot as pairs, is being considered as an Olympic sport. Excuse me? Are they serious? Not that I have anything against the game. I used to play it with friends back in university to keep our minds sharp. Okay, we used to play it in the university lounge during a few of our classes, but that's another story. I keep asking myself just where the athletic prowess enters the picture here, other than perhaps running to the fridge to load up a tray full of snacks and beverages. I suppose cost benefits would be that the TV networks wouldn't need moving cameras or slow-motion replays. Come to think of it, they probably could do away with cameras completely. Just how many viewers would be glued to their screens to watch the gold medal final ? Are we ready to see teams of bridge-playing 'veterans' struggle up on the podium in their skin tight outfits? I sure hope this isn't in the cards... Sunday, September 1, 2002: If you don't believe that things happen for a reason, here's a story that might make you wonder. In the news recently, it was reported that a 39 year-old woman was munching on an apple and suddenly bit into something metallic. When she pulled out the object, she found a ring. The fact that it was a ring was unusual enough, but amazingly it turned out to be the same one that she had lost as a child 27 years ago. Scientists believe that a bird may have picked up the ring and dropped it in an apple orchard, where it eventually grew inside of the fruit. The odds that this woman would bite into the exact apple that contained her missing ring are astronomical, to say the least. It was obviously the apple of her eye. Monday, August 12, 2002: I just received a paperback book the other day from a large Canadian retailer. Not a big deal, you might think. However, I found that this particular book was much more inexpensive buying it online than in-person at one of their stores. It all began a couple of weeks ago, when I had heard about this book on the radio and decided that I wanted to own a copy. I checked online for it, finding it available at the best price from this Canadian book dealer. I called their nearest retail location and was told that the title was out-of-stock, but it could be transferred from another store. I asked if I could buy it at the price mentioned on their website, which was about $22CDN. The person said that I would have to pay the full retail price of $34CDN, even though I would be picking it up at their store, adding that they couldn't match their website price. Somewhat confused, I thanked the person, and ordered the book from their website for the regular online price of $22CDN plus $5 Express Post mailing plus GST, totalling almost $29CDN. Had I bought it at the store, it would have cost me $34CDN plus GST and PST, totalling almost $39CDN. I saved $10 by staying home and having the book mailed to my door, while the book retailer lost some potential profit dollars also. I guess the moral of this story is when buying anything, to always check the online price and the in-store price whenever possible. Wednesday, August 7, 2002: Best wishes to long-time CJOB sports icon Bob "Knuckles" Irving, who is recuperating after major heart surgery early this week. He has been the play-by-play voice of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers since 1975 and CJOB's Sports Director since 1982. Friday, August 2, 2002: Congratulations to Khari & Justine Jones who became the proud parents of their first child, daughter Jaelyn, on Friday, July 26. Khari, star quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Justine, a columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press, officially moved to Winnipeg earlier this year from San Francisco after deciding to make their home here. Three great additions to the city's population. Sunday, July 28, 2002: Who knew Paula Abdul had a Winnipeg connection? Do you care? If you do, her story goes back several decades ago, when her maternal grandparents, Bill & Sally Rykiss, owned a general store in a small rural town called Minnedosa, Manitoba. Sally later moved to Winnipeg so that her 2 daughters, including Paula's mother Lorraine, could attend school here. While visiting Los Angeles with relatives in the early 1950s, Lorraine met Harry Abdul. They were later married in Winnipeg in 1953 and moved back to LA to allow Harry to work in the family business. Paula was born in 1962, became a Lakers girl, and of course, has gone on to fame and fortune. These days, she is a judge for the show American Idol: The Search For A Superstar, and has fond memories about her tour visit to the city of her 'roots' in 1992, which included seeing some relatives and a brief surprise 'honeymoon' with her then-husband Emelio Estevez. She has also confessed to being a big fan of rising R&B star Remy Shand, another performer with Winnipeg roots, whose debut album she purchased while visiting the Sunset Boulevard Virgin Records megastore in Hollywood. Wednesday, July 24, 2002: Well, the mosquito issue still has wings. Lately, in the south central part of the city, in an area known as Wolseley (or 'Woes-ley' to some), a small group of outspoken residents have blocked the passage of city trucks attempting to fog with Malathion as ordered by the provincial government against the threat of West Nile virus. The city workers, not wanting a confrontation, have simply turned around and headed to another street or stopped altogether. This has raised the ire of the majority of residents of the area who do want the fogging to continue for health reasons. Many on both sides of the issue would like to meet with city officials to find non-chemical solutions. Some suggestions include gold fish and bats. Now I'm thinking that it would take an awful lot of fish ponds located in every backyard in the area to do much good. You then have to protect small children from falling into the ponds and drowning. As for bats, I'm wondering if a study has been done whether or not they themselves are adversely affected by the West Nile virus? Seems that it would be a shame to have hundreds of bat houses around without any tenants. Personally, I believe the government is taking the proper course of action under the circumstances. This is a completely new virus to our area and even though we have been told that the chances of succumbing to it are extremely rare, who really knows what could happen if it's allowed to flourish. Malathion has been used for decades and is a known factor. West Nile virus is an unknown factor. Right now, I'd go with the known one. Saturday, July 13, 2002: Seems the buzz word today is 'mosquito', again. Yesterday it was reported that 2 hours south of here in Grand Forks, North Dakota, a dead horse was discovered with the West Nile virus. Later in the day, a dead crow was found here in the city, and was to be tested, but assumed to be the first case of the disease in these parts. This prompted the provincial government to order the city to intensify its malathion fogging programs over the next few evenings. Although the chances of contracting the disease are extremely rare (for more info, click here), the government has decided to take swift action, which is to reduce an immediate health concern. On a lighter note, I learned yesterday that in the summer of 1970, early June to be exact, a group of entertainers rolled into this city by train to perform at a local concert event. One of them, a young female singer by the name of Janis Joplin, was looking around for something to do, and was told to head over to a local park called Memorial Park, known as a hangout for hippies. She ventured over there and was amazed to find a few hundred hippies sitting around and wading in a large pond across from the city's Legislative Buildings, completely ignored by the local authorities. She found this too good to be true, so she jumped into the pond and joined them. A famous local photographer was able to capture her on this day and will reissue the photo in next week's Winnipeg Free Press newspaper. Also around the same time in 1970, another musical group on the same tour, the Grateful Dead, ended up swimming at the local Pan-Am Pool on a hot day (perhaps the same day?). It's amazing what happened in your own backyard. Wednesday, July10, 2002: Just heard on the local 50,000 watt blowtorch (aka radio station CJOB), that Winnipeg, my hometown, is the official Slurpee capital of the world, according to the 7-11 Corporation. This means that based on per capita of population, the folks of this city purchase more Slurpees than anywhere on this planet. Quite ironic, considering that for half of the year there's a foot or 2 of snow and ice on the ground and the temperatures are below freezing, yet people will still venture out into a blizzard to get their daily dose of a Coke Slurpee and corn dog no matter what. Can you say "brain freeze"? Tuesday, July 9, 2002: Wow, a whole week has gone by without too many thoughts. Probably due to the intense heat and humidity. It's been relatively nice this week, but last week was unbearable. It was sooo hot that you could fry not only eggs, but bacon, sausages and potato patties on the sidewalks. The added humid conditions made taking showers almost useless, as you'd continue to drip moisture hours after towelling off. As expected, this hot and humid weather, complicated with recent sudden heavy rainfall, has made for ideal mosquito-breeding conditions. The city has been in a non-stop battle using (gasp) malathion against the blood-thirsty critters. Unfortunately, not only does the chemical do away with the immediate problem of the biters, but also predatory dragonflies, other innocent insects and birds, but also has a long-term detrimental effect on our own health. The unfortunate consequences of short-term relief for the chance of future risks. This area is basically surrounded by water, well, sort of. There are 2 major rivers that flow through it, and there are a number of large lakes a couple of hours to the north. Mosquitoes are a fact of life here. The city needs to find other methods of dealing with them other than fumigating other life forms, including us. Some alternatives include larviciding, which they have been doing, which involves spraying a natural toxin into pools of standing water that kills the mosquito larvae before they hatch, introducing large quantities of dragonflies, which feed on the adults, and/or building many large bat houses. No, not cat houses, but bat houses. Bats are a natural predator of mosquitoes and are known to each eat on average 3000 per night. A few small towns near the city have started using bats to control their mosquitoes. Time will tell which winged creature will drive the townsfolk batty. Wednesday, June 26, 2002: I told you they wouldn't be daily. Well, for dinner this evening, because of the weather, my kitchen was too incredibly hot to prepare anything, so, remembering that McDonalds just added some new healthy food items to their menu, I walked over to the nearby restaurant to try them out. A few months ago I had asked their manager if they were ever going to bring in veggie burgers and he replied "No". How things have changed. I guess they were noticing that they were only serving millions instead of billions. Anyway, I bought a McVeggie Burger and a side Garden Salad. Don't get the wrong impression. I'm not a vegetarian. I'll eat the occasional medium-rare barbequed steak. It's just that a healthy lifestyle is important for longevity. I'd like to be around to see the day when all diseases are eliminated, which means that I'd probably be able to stick around even longer, unless I get hit by a falling satellite or choke on a veggie burger or piece of onion... Monday, June 24, 2002: Welcome to the first entry of my 'Daily Rants', although the title may be misleading, as they may not be daily, and they might not always be a rant. So if they don't meet the criteria, please bear with me. Anyway, I woke up this morning to a cloudy sky. The previous morning was cloudy, as was the morning before that. I got to thinking (I do that once in awhile) that since 9-11, times have become cloudy overall as far as life in general goes. We're all of course hoping that sunshine once again covers the world to push away the dark clouds. Did you all know that today is International UFO Day? I heard about it on the radio. No, a regular station, not a broadcast from 'the Mother Ship'. Anyway, hope you celebrated by casting a glance skywards and wishing our extraterrestrial 'tourists' well. Back on the planet, I still can't get over the fact that Steve Yzerman wasn't picked the Most Valuable Player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The one-legged wonder started the season off helping Team Canada win the Olympic Gold Medal and then led the Detroit Red Wings through the entire regular season and playoffs with more injuries than most of us get in several years, and the voters picked a defencemen? No slight against Nick Lidstrom and the others, but without Stevie Y's heart and soul the team's accomplishments may have been harder to achieve. He led by example. I'm still in shock. Could someone unplug the toaster? |
