Is 6/30 going to be the next 9/11?

What on earth is happening in the UK the past few days? The British government has raised their terror level to the highest level possible - CRITICAL. This follows the two car bombs found recently in central London AND today, an SUV loaded with gasoline was driven into the terminal of the Glasgow airport. The US has, as yet, not chosen to change their terror alert level in response to what's happened in the UK.

Granted the car bombs were discovered before anything exploded or people were hurt, but you have to guess that this is not how Gordon Brown wanted to start off his stint as Prime Minister.

Someone Please Shoot Me Now.....PLEASE?

I have serious issues with this quiz (via Wandering Coyote):

You Are Most Like George W. Bush

So what if you're not exactly popular? You still rule the free world.And while you may be quite conservative now, you knew how to party back in the day!

A Reading Machine

That's what the Captain has become. Just short of two months after starting the Summer Reading Challenge, I've made it HALFWAY through my list of twenty books I wanted to read by midnight on labour day! That's right folks, halfway!

Now, I will freely admit that many of the books have not been giant, thick volumes. Generally, though, they've been between 250 - 400 pages. Brave New World was the shortest at 177 pages but it was not what I'd consider easy reading. And no, I have NOT been reading faster than normal just to get through them (remember? that was one of the few rules I asked people to follow). I've always been a fast reader. And here's the biggest shocker for all of you out there. I've been watching less television.

Normally when I come home from work, I drop my bag, say hello to the cats and turn the television on before I even take off my coat. And it typically stays on until I go to bed... pretty sad (but explains why the captain's not in tip top marathon shape). Starting this week, I noticed that I still turn it on when I come home, listen to it while I'm cooking and watch the news while eating dinner. But then it gets a rest for about two hours while I read, do dishes and putter around the house before sitting down to read again. The Captain not watching television? Al Gore was right. The world is ending...

Any of the other summer readers care to provide everyone with an update or share a reading story? Favourite book perhaps? Or a book you were really surprised by this summer.

Into The Wild

Definitely a MUST SEE for me this fall. I’d read Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air last year and loved it. Thanks to the fabulous Shea, I found out that they were making a movie of one of his other books, Into the Wild. Directed by Sean Penn, the cast looks to be top notch. I decided to pick up a copy of Into the Wild and added it to my summer reading list. Last night, I cracked it open and began reading. And reading. And reading. I read half of the book last night. Now granted, it’s only just over 200 pages but that still means I read 100 pages last night. If I wasn’t so tired, I would have kept going but I had trouble keeping my eyes open.

Here’s what Amazon says about the book:
After graduating from Emory University in Atlanta in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska, where he went to live in the wilderness. Four months later, he turned up dead. His diary, letters and two notes found at a remote campsite tell of his desperate effort to survive, apparently stranded by an injury and slowly starving. They also reflect the posturing of a confused young man, raised in affluent Annandale, Va., who self-consciously adopted a Tolstoyan renunciation of wealth and return to nature. Krakauer, a contributing editor to Outside and Men's Journal, retraces McCandless's ill-fated antagonism toward his father, Walt, an eminent aerospace engineer. Krakauer also draws parallels to his own reckless youthful exploit in 1977 when he climbed Devils Thumb, a mountain on the Alaska-British Columbia border, partly as a symbolic act of rebellion against his autocratic father. In a moving narrative, Krakauer probes the mystery of McCandless's death, which he attributes to logistical blunders and to accidental poisoning from eating toxic seed pods.

Perhaps its my own sense of wanderlust, but I’ve been completely sucked into this book. It’s going straight onto my favourite nonfiction list and I haven’t even finished it. If you get a chance, go out and get yourself a copy or borrow one from the library. A great read.

Does Everyone Know What Time It Is?

That's right folks. It's almost that time again! Sunday July 1st to Saturday July7th is Buy A Friend A Book Week. Check out the website to learn all about it. Encourage literacy! Read read read! Last time around (April), I cheated a little bit and sent Amazon gift certificates instead but since you use them to buy books, I figured it was just as good. Plus not everyone has the same taste as I do so rather than risk disappointment, I let them choose their own books.

Share the love, give a book.

I’m fuming. And who am I fuming at right now? The people of Edmonton. Shame on the Capital city. I’m now officially embarrassed to be from the City of Champions.

As you all know, there’s a massive housing shortage here in Edmonton. People with jobs are having to sleep on the streets or in shelters because they cannot find affordable housing in this city. Even if you might find an apartment/house, you’re going to be paying an arm and a leg in order to stay there. That’s enough to make me upset but it gets worse.

You see, the Edmonton Eskimos, the local professional football (CFL) team here in town, just finalized it’s roster and there are a number of new players on the team. Like most Edmontonians, I’m all for welcoming the new players and showing them what a great town this can be. Unfortunately for the players, they’re experiencing the same problems re: housing that all the “average joes” are going through. Not enough housing. Last night on the news, they even had a report showing just how hard it is for the players out there, following them around town trying to find places to stay. Poor babies.


CBC Radio just ran a spot on their news about the same thing…the players are homeless. Boo hoo. The city’s response? Hundreds of calls are flooding the Eskimos’ office offering houses, apartments, spare rooms, even couches for the players to sleep on. Normally I’d say “Way to go Edmonton!”. What really gets my goat though is where the hell have all these offers been when there are thousands of people already struggling to find housing in this city? We have people camping out in the river valley, in front of City Hall, and outside shelters but no one is flooding the mayor’s office with calls of apartments to rent, available basement suites or a spare room.

Why does this city feel it is alright to come to the aid of professional athletes who make a lot more money than they do but they won’t help the average person trying to better themselves. Shame on you Edmonton. Shame.

El Che - Ernesto Guevara

Last night was the most recent Dinner and A Movie installment with my mother. She was very excited, which surprised me, to watch a documentary I had rented about Ernesto Guevara entitled El Che. It certainly wasn’t some slick Hollywood offering but it was one of the better documentaries I have seen recently. It might be considered blasphemy but I will even go so far as to say that I enjoyed it more than the recently viewed Lost in La Mancha. There it is, I’ve said it. Is ‘enjoy’ really the right word to use about this film? Perhaps not but I’m not sure how else to describe it. Informative? Interesting? Definitely.

As I watch far too much television already, once owned a copy of The Motorcycle Diaries, and love history, I already new most of Guevara’s story. The motorcycle trip throughout Latin America with a friend when he was young that changed his life, his relationship with Castro whom he met in Mexico, the involvement in the Cuban revolution, and his subsequent death, many say at the hands of the CIA, in South America. However, the documentary went into great detail of these major events in his life and all the seemingly minor events leading up to each of them.

The thing I found most interesting was the change in Guevara. He began his journey as a doctor; a profession whose aim it is to save people’s lives and heal the sick. The poverty and injustice he witnessed while traveling throughout South America gave rise to his socialist beliefs which would eventually propel him onto the world stage. However, the methods that he eventually adopted to achieve his and Castro’s goals were often violent and bloody.

I also was unaware of the differences in the type of revolution both he and Castro were aiming for. Castro’s seemed to mirror that of other Communist nations, mainly the Soviet Union and China, while Che longed for a more pure Socialist movement. After a speaking tour overseas where he basically blasted Castro (although not actually saying who he was specifically speaking about), Guevara returned to Cuba where he and Castro began to fall out. Shortly after his return, Che went to the Congo where he tried to help local Guerillas in their struggle but things didn’t go well as planned. Once again, he returned to Cuba and then off to South America. It was unclear whether it was at Castro’s urging he left to continue the wider struggle in Latin America or it was due to their differing ideologies.

The end of the film, naturally, focused on Guevara’s death. Contrary to what I had originally believed, the CIA (according to the film) did not kill Che. They were definitely present in South America, helping governments trying to eliminate various Guerilla groups, including Che’s. He was eventually captured by the Bolivian military and executed. What really shocked me was the manner they treated his body after his death. Dragging him into a local laundry hut and propping him up on a table, military officials and local citizens were allowed to traipse through and view the body. He was in the exact same state as when he was shot – eyes and mouth slightly open, blood smeared across his chest, etc. At one point, a photographer hops up onto the table and straddles Che’s body to get an overhead shot of his face/body. The soldiers “responsible” for the body showed little respect for him and were constantly posing the body and mugging for the various photographers. I found it highly disgusting.

I think it would also be interesting to look into the whole Che Guevara phenomenon. Y’all know what I’m talking about. You can find bags, t-shirts, coffee mugs, just about anything you can imagine with the famous Alberto Kordo photo emblazoned upon it. They’ve even got little babies wearing Che-gear, supporting the cause….although most people out there, even the adults, couldn’t really tell you what he stood for.

As I mentioned earlier, a movie was made a few years ago about Ernesto Guevara’s early life, The Motorcyle Diaries. It’s a great film starring Gael Garcia Bernal – check it out. While doing a quick Google search for images to include in this post, I came across one of Benecio del Toro as Che. Apparently he’s playing Guevara in an upcoming movie by Steven Soderbergh entitled Guerilla which will be released some time next year. The resemblance is a bit scary.

El Che – A definite Captain Karen recommended documentary. Check it out if you get a chance.

This, That, and The Other

I left My Water Bottle in San Francisco…
Seems that San Francisco is rapidly becoming (or trying to at least) the greenest city in America. Remember when they banned plastic shopping bags in supermarkets? Yay for them, by the way. Well, city council has gone one step further and stopped supplying city workers with bottled water. Looking not only to help the environment, the Mayor is looking at trying to save the city some money by having people use the tap instead of overpriced fancy, schmancy spring water. Who’s bright idea was it to bottle WATER for sale to stupid idiots such as myself? Now THAT IS a brilliant idea…people are such suckers. Good for San Fran. We spend all that time, energy, and resources to make our tap water one of the best in the world and yet we don’t drink it. Sheesh. The Mayor’s plan will save the city an estimated half a million dollars a year, and reduces the amount of oil/gas and other resources taken up in the production and transport of all those plastic bottles.

Law and Order
Yes folks, she’s out. That’s all I’m saying…and no, I’m not going to bother linking to any articles about it.

Remember that crazy-assed judge in, where else, the States, that tried to sue his local drycleaners for $54 million because they lost a pair of his fancy pants? Well, the judge presiding over the case has ruled against him and ordered him to pay $1000 towards the court costs of the drycleaners. That’s fine and dandy and I hope he loses his job on the bench, but what about the legal fees the drycleaners have to pay for defending themselves? That’s likely to reach into the tens of thousands if not more! To top it off, they are quoted in the article as saying they’d welcome this idiot back to their store if he wanted to continue using their services…now who’s crazy?

More Crazy Ideas
I’ve been planning the post-marathon BBQ for our family and friends in August and I’ve had a wicked craving for a hot dog. So, what do I do? I cave, give into the urge for processed pigs genitals and cow anuses and buy myself some. Two bites was pretty much all it took for the craving to be squashed. What the hell is wrong with me? The texture was enough to make me want to throw up, let alone the taste, and now my stomach’s gone wonky and bad things are in my near future….perhaps I’ll give them to my brother – the kids enjoy hotdogs, I think. What do you say, Dave?

And The Winner of Stupidest Idea of the Year…
Just moments after handing over the crown to fellow Labour party member, Gordon Brown, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is about to possibly become a Mideast Envoy to help with the peace process. Are you serious? This is the same game who blindly followed his political crush, George Bush, into Iraq and as a result caused the death of thousands of Iraqis, and British and American troops. Now they want HIM to help bring peace to the Middle East? Somehow the words “peace” and “Tony Blair” don’t naturally go hand in hand for me. I suppose the only thing more stupid than that would be to appoint George Bush himself. Oh wait…he’s still to busy obliterating Iraq and Afghanistan and then he’s got that Bin Laden problem to eventually deal with. And if he ever gets around to it, there’s immigration, unemployment, education, etc. I think he’ll be busy for at least the next year and ½. After that though…let’s just hope Blair can bring peace to the region before someone decides to let Georgie Jr. try his hand at it. Idiot.

What the Hell is Wrong with Dick Cheney?
That’s a rhetorical question in case you didn’t clue in. A more appropriate question might be…what’s right with Dick Cheney? Remember a little while ago when former president Jimmy Carter blasted Bush and said he was the worst president in the history of the US? Well, Cheney’s certainly the worse vice president, hands down. Sure, Dan Quayle couldn’t spell or know history but at least he didn’t shoot someone in the face. That’s an interesting way to shut someone up don’t you think? Now, he thinks that the rules and laws of his country don’t apply to him, he doesn’t have to answer to anyone, and just back the F#$K off will you? Has he never heard of the expression “responsible government”? Oh wait, just like the laws of gravity, the laws created by the government, of which he’s a part, don’t apply to him. The 2008 election can’t come quickly enough and I’m not even American!

For anyone who's interested, Larry King will be interviewing filmmaker Michael Moore about his new film "SICKO" on Larry King Live this Friday (June 29th). Check your local listings.

Peace out, blogosphere.

Brains on Toast - The Perfect Zombie Treat

According to a quiz Kelly linked to, I've got a whopping 36% chance of surviving a ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. Great. So, that means that if Barbara ever decides to head north in search of some fresh brains, mine will likely be some of the first she digs into. Nuts.

I couldn't get the badge to show up on my blog the way Kelly did - something wrong with the code and I couldn't fix it no matter how I tried.

Moses Supposes His Toeses are Roses

but Moses supposes erroneously. Probably my favourite song from Singing in the Rain. I haven't mentioned him in a while but those who've been following my blog for a while should remember that, along with Sir Tom Jones, I also love Gene Kelly. Or was that on my previous blog? Oh well, doesn't matter. I do. I heart Gene. Hmmm, I'm beginning to see a pattern here - men who can sing and know how to shake their hips. Apparently I DO have a "type" afterall...

Singing in the Rain is by far not my fave Gene Kelly musical although I have to admit that with the exception of the dancing scene in the cafe, it's better than An American in Paris. I had a terrible time finding clips on YouTube of his work though that weren't Singing in the Rain. I find that incredibly sad.

I'd Like A Refund Please but I Know I Won't Get It

Don't you wish you could return a book you bought and didn't like? Just like anything else that doesn't live up to it's expectations, why shouldn't you be allow to return a book for a full refund? That's what I'd like to do after trying to read Pirates and Piracy by E. Keble Chatterton this weekend.

It looked interesting. I had a flip through, looked at the chapter titles, read the summary on the back cover. Short of reading the first chapter in the store, what else could I have done? To top it off, its a subject near and dear to the Captain's heart. Alas, what a piece of shite. Its poorly written and the quality of the print job is terrible. The publishers should be ashamed. And then, in the very first chapter, I encountered this:

They established themselves notably at Algiers, took to the sea, built themselves galleys and, after living a civilised life if Spain for seven hundred years, became for the next three centuries a scourge of the Mediterranean, a terror to ships and men, inflicted all the cruelties which the fanaticism of the Moslem race is capable of, and cast thousands of Christians into the bonds of slavery.

The "all the cruelties the fanticism of the Moslem race is capable of"? Is it just me or does this strike anyone else out there as racist? Perhaps I'm reading too much into that statement but it certainly changed my attitude about wanting to continue reading this book. I did try though. Oh yes, I did. I made it halfway through the second chapter before giving up. I refuse to waste my valuable time reading something that doesn't grab me in the first 20 pages. Not to mention something that smacks of racism. Even without that statement though, I doubt I would have read much more. It was really THAT bad.

I guess that's just the risk you take when you purchase a book rather than borrowing a copy from the library. Like Mick Jagger, I just can't get no satisfaction.

When Do You Become A Person Under the Law?

Ohio police officer, Bobby Cutts Jr, has been charged with the murder of the mother of his 2-year old son and unborn child, Jessie Davis. Along with the usual plethora of Paris Hilton jail-watch updates, it's pretty much all CNN has been talking about his weekend. If you're not familiar with the case, Jessie Davis went missing around the middle of June. She was 9 months pregnant, due to give birth during the first few days of July. Cutts, who initially denied knowing anything about what happened to Davis, is now charged not only with her murder but that of their unborn child as well. While I totally agree that he should be charged with two counts of murder, it got me thinking...when does a fetus become a person?

This is a highly charged issue with Pro-Choice and Pro-Lifers squaring off against one another, placards waving, screaming arguments... You get the idea. You've all seen them on the news and heard the stories. It was being argued long before the famous Roe vs. Wade decision in the early 1970s. I'll never forget while growing up in small town Northern Alberta, there was a HUGE billboard near one of the churches in town with the picture of a sleeping baby on it. I don't remember the exact words but it was essentially supporting the pro-life debate.

I grew up in a fairly religious household. We went to church every Sunday and both my brother and I were altar-servers (the PC term for male and female altar-boys). I even considered being a nun at one point. Yep, that's right...the Captain had actually thought about becoming a bride of Christ. As you can tell, it certainly didn't happen. However, despite my strong beliefs at the time (not sure if I'd currently classify myself as an agnostic or atheist at this point in my life), I had never considered things like premarital sex or abortion to be taboo. Did this make me a bad catholic? According to some, quite probably.

Personally I don't know if I could ever have an abortion in a non-rape situation. It's just the way I am. However, I completely support a woman's right to chose and would never try to tell someone what they could or could not do with their own body. Even when there is a man involved (ie an ongoing relationship), while I think he should be able to voice his opinion and have it taken into consideration, ultimately it is still the woman's decision. Please note this does NOT mean that abortion should be used as a form of birth control. However, when do we allow the government to step in and take away that right?

Thinking about the Davis/Cutts case, I figured it was pretty obvious that he should be charged with two counts. If she was 8 months pregnant? Yep. Seven? Sure. Six months? Perhaps. Five? Not sure. When is that unborn lifeform/fetus/thing, considered a person? I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the first three months, in my opinion, it is so unformed that it doesn't count. Abortion should be allowed if a woman chooses (again, for the right reasons but that's something only the individual woman can decided and she'll have to live with her decisions). The last three months? Definately not. It's those three middle months (roughly) that are so uncertain. There is no magic line to cross or time line to say today you're nothing but a mass of cells and tissue, tomorrow you're a person. Granted, governments have tried to establish just such a timeline when creating abortion laws and I will admit that, despite my belief in freedom of choice and control of your own body, limits need to be in place. The question of that magic time line though will be one that'll be debated for years to come I'm sure.

Lock Up Your Children

Woo hoo. I've finally hit the big time! And all because I've used the words "bomb" (3 times), "dangerous" (twice), and "breast" (once...more than that I'm sure!). Thanks to Wandering Coyote for the heads up.

What's the rating on your blog?

No Surprise Here

I changed my summer book list again. I was a bad girl on the way home tonight. You see, Mom wasn't feeling up to the football game so we gave it a pass. Rather than head to her place after work, I went home. The problem is that one of my stops is located less than a block from my favourite bookstore... Yikes. My credit card kept wriggling around in my wallet, begging to be let out and get some exercise. I tried to stop it, really I did but I couldn't help myself. 10 minutes (and 3 books later), the plastic was tucked safely back in it's hiding spot and I was on my way home again. I've added the three new books, and one a coworker lent me, to the list and moved a few back to my Amazon wishlist. There is still a grand total of twenty I'm hoping to finish by Labour Day. While I'm giving it a good try, I think I'm going to run out of time to finish them all (I'll get more than half done for sure though).

How is everyone else doing on their summer reading lists?

PS: WC, I'll finish up Saving Fish From Drowning (excellent!) this weekend and send it off early next week for you to enjoy!

Lost In La Mancha

I'm really upset that Terry Gilliam's movie, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, never got made. It would have been hilarious. But back to Lost in La Mancha. How to describe it? Let's let IMDb.com do that for me, as the following description seems to sum it up quite well:

In August 2000, master filmmaker Terry Gilliam finally got his oppurtunity to create his dream film he laboured for a decade, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. Assembling his film crew, he prepares his production in what promises to be the biggest budgeted feature film using only European financing, although it is meagre compared to Hollywood standards. However for all his creativity and enthusiasm, the film is immediately plagued with an improbable series of disasters ranging from scheduling conflicts, budget cuts, studio and location problems and worse that threaten to doom the film.

There you go. The movie, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, was not merely a retelling of DQ. He wanted to take the basic story and mix it up, Gilliam-style. A young man (Johnny Depp) named Toby is somehow transported back to 17th Century Spain where Quixote mistakes him for his trusty squire Sancho Panzo. Much hilarity ensues as Toby tries to figure out just what the heck is happening.

I can't say that I loved this documentary but I did enjoy it. While it would have been interesting to learn more about the movie that never got made, it gives the uninitiated a great insight into how movies are made, financed and the problems associated with them. Director Gilliam had a terrible time fighting the forces of nature (including a rain storm that turned into a mini-flood), actors' schedules, injuries and the dreaded insurance companies. It was evident early on, however, that the film was going to suffer from Gilliam's dreaded Munchausen Curse (a movie, by the way, that I loved although it suffered greatly at the box office).

As I mentioned, I think Gilliam's film would have been amazing. The few scenes they were actually able to shoot looked fantastic. Johnny Depp as Toby was hilarious. He is definately a standout amongst most of the actors of his generation that are considered "big stars" these days (don't get me started on the next generation of "young hollywood"). The most incredible thing for me though was the casting of French actor, Jean Rochefort, as the Man of La Mancha himself, Don Quixote. It was though Gilliam had crawled into my head, rooted around in all the nooks and crannies to try and find my vision of what Quixote looked like as I read the book and then cloned Rochefort from that information. I had to stop the movie at one point because it freaked me out just a smidge. Sadly, it was Rochefort's health concerns that put the final nail in Don Quixote's coffin.

Would the Captain recommend it? Yes, but with a caveat. Definately recommended if you're a big Terry Gilliam fan. Also, if you're a DQ fanatic...give it a go. If you're looking for shots of Johnny Depp looking sexy - pass. He only appears briefly in a few scenes. Not necessarily a must see but if you're interested in becoming a director, this might make you think twice.

Lost Worlds Found

Attention history fans! History Television is beginning a new three part series entitled “Inside Lost Worlds”. The first episode is scheduled to air on Tuesday June 26th. According to the website, here is the description of what the show is about:

Some of the greatest wonders of the ancient world still lie buried – unseen and unexplored – beneath our feet; near-legendary places that vanished thousands of years ago. What did these legendary places really look like, who lived in them, and why did they vanish? The show follows a documentary detective trail of meticulous archaeological and historical clues to unearth some of the greatest lost cities of the ancient world.

The three shows sound fascinating and I have to admit are covering subjects that, despite my voracious appetite for history books, I have not yet read about (the Captain hangs her head in shame…). The show will focus on Piramesses, the capital city of Ramesses II, the pyramid city of Tucume (the biggest single collection of pyramids in South America), and Hattusah, the capital city of the Hittites (a group I know basically nothing about whatsoever).

Dinner and a Movie for next week might have to include the premiere episode along with the scheduled documentary on Che Guevara (mom’s choice – she sounds very excited to learn all about him). I read my list on Rogers Video Direct incorrectly and assumed they’d send me Coma (1978) first. Oh well…next time I guess.

For all you cheesy horror fans out there, now’s your chance to host your own horror movie television show. That’s right, the folks at FOX (who else?) are on the hunt for the next Elvira! You can be the next Mistress (or Master) of the Dark. This is one competition I won’t be applying for despite having the pre-requisite killer rack.

Who Bears the Blame?

Recently, an 11 year old boy was killed by a black bear while he and his family were camping in Utah. The bear apparently dragged the boy from his tent while he slept. According to reports from CBS, park officials have killed a black bear in the area that they assume is the one responsible for the attack. I feel terrible for this boy's family and it is a tragedy but honestly, this really burns my ass.

To start with, these people are camping in a wilderness area. It's not like they're setting up tent in the middle of a city park. What do we expect wild animals to do when we encroach on their spaces, leaving them no where to live, limiting their usual predatory areas, and cutting off access to their food supplies? If you don't want to risk getting eaten by the local wildlife, don't sleep in the great outdoors where there are SIGNS POSTED saying that the area you've chosen is known to have bears! Why should this bear be killed because of our actions? Yes, it attacked and killed a young child. That's horrific and my heart goes out to his family. But the bear wouldn't have ventured into a populated area if we weren't so hell bent on having these sorts of "recreational areas" so we can feel as though we're roughing it.

There are stories like this all the time. We hear a lot of them in Alberta due to the proximity of the mountains, especially the uber-popular national parks (Banff and Jasper) which attract thousands of tourists every year (winter and summer). Each time something similar happens, we whip out our guns and hunting dogs and have us a good ole murder fest. We're invading their space. If you're going to risk camping or hiking in the backcountry or even a national park campground, you have to assume the risk of encountering wildlife. Take note of the signs posted - they're there for a good reason. Follow the rules, especially when it comes to the storage/disposal of food.

The way things are going, I'm surprised someone doesn't simply suggest we have a massive bear hunt (Alberta has an annual bear hunt but please do NOT ask me about it) and wipe all the bears, cougars, and mountain lions out completely so we no longer have to worry about them ruining our good times while we go camping in their back yard. Oh, and while we're at it, we might as well get rid of all the elk, moose, and deer which come into the Jasper townsite and because none of us pay attention to the warnings, charge at the tourists who approach them during rutting season. God, people are stupid. Some days I'd rather take my chances with the bears than have to deal with yet another rural hick with a gun.

The Boogie-Down Bronx Got Nothing on Edmonton's Electric Avenue

A young man here in E-town has decided...he's just GOTTA DANCE. The self-proclaimed "Dancing Boy" apparently lives/works out on the west end (178th street-ish?) and while walking along the street or waiting to cross at a crosswalk he'll bust a move. Granted, the moves he's a-busting aren't all that hip or happening and mostly consist of him shaking along to the music, you have to give him credit. Takes a brave soul to dodge the traffic in the west end and risk getting hit from something thrown from a passing car. Oh wait, according to the video, that's already happened. Go on, Dancing Boy, dance your little heart out.

I'd just like to say that I often shake my booty, bust a move, and get down with my bad self while walking home from work but no one has ever featured my dope dancing on the local news. Normally, I'd suggest someone should perhaps alert the media but as my boogie-ing is often done without realizing it until it's too late, I guess I can let it pass.

Please! No More "I'm In UR" photos...

I now know what my cats do when I’m not at home. They chat online. That’s right world. Be afraid…be very afraid. Actually, without the use of opposable thumbs, I doubt they’d be able to actually type anything even remotely legible. However, there is a spot (dear lord, help us) where humans can go online and chat with other feline lovers while pretending to be…yup, you guessed it…cats. There’s a fine line out there and apparently a lot of people are crossing it. Honestly, I think there’s something wrong if you’re out there telling other people that you’ve “been pooing in the laundry room but not my LB”. In my mind, that’s crossed the line beyond merely creepy to “you should be committed”. And for those who don’t know, even these cat people (what the hell do you call them?) have their own internet shorthad. LB = Litter Box. Please make them go away… What I found fascinating about the article from the Globe and Mail was when the “expert” they quoted compares the actions of the people on this MeowChat thingy to the ancient Roman celebration of Saturnalia. Hmmm, having a master and slave switch roles for a day seems just a tad bit different to me than pretending you’re a cat. Call me kooky, but those are my thoughts on the subject.

Now that the Harry Potter series will be coming to an end this summer, the publisher of the series is announcing what he believes will be his replacement...a boy archaeologist. When I first read that, I was excited. Woo hoo! Finally (where was stuff like that when I was a kid?) From the description of the first, originally self-published book though, I don’t know. According to the publisher: “Tunnels has it all: a boy archaeologist, merciless villains, a lost world and an extraordinary journey to the centre of the earth”. Sounded quite fascinating until the part about the centre of the earth. How about a realistic children’s book series? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the Potter series but this new series has the potential to inspire a whole new generation of young Indiana Jonses’. Fedoras and whips will be flying off the shelves come Halloween. Just wait and see. It’s currently available for pre-order on Amazon but according to both the British version and the American versions, it will be released in early July.

Gasp & Swoon! I just caught the vapours!

Do you remember this? No? Well, it wasn't really big news and it WAS 1957. Back then, someone had a brilliant idea to bury a '57 Plymouth Belevedere (Jinkees! What a waste of a great car...) in a concrete bomb shelter as part of a time capsule the city of Tulsa decided to create. According to town officials, the bomb shelter could withstand a nuclear blast. However, as the article goes on to describe...it couldn't withstand a little bit of water. When the town opened it up and hoisted the car out, much to their surprise the car was rusted beyond repair and wouldn't start. Really? WOW. Colour me surprised. Not only did they ruin a perfectly good (ok, let's just say it, a BEAUTIFUL car), but I bet the people who were around when the capsule was originally sealed are glad they didn't have to use their own bomb shelters due to nuclear war. Yikes!

There will be no Dinner and a Movie this week. I know! You're all VERY disappointed. Instead, mom got free tickets to the football game between Edmonton and BC on Thursday so we're heading off to that this week. However, I should have a movie lined up for next week (probably something from the 70s again) and I've already got dinner planned. Stay tuned.

Tonight, The Nature of Things highlights the newest innovations in "green" architecture and David Suzuki (*sigh...*) pays a visit to Randy Bachman's house (what other Canadian musician would a CBC show visit?). Apparently Bachman's house is made of 'rammed earth'. Oh yeah...from the sounds of it, Suzuki gets naked. Mmmmm. Naked Suzuki.

Have a Happy Day, Pops

It's Father's Day today. As such, I'm giving a shout out to my pop. By the way, he absolutely HATES being called Pop, Pops, Papa, Pappy, or Pa. Must be something about the letter "P" that bugs him.... The fact that I'm using it in the title and the second sentence is not a slam of him or to be disrespectful; I just think it's funny.

My dad turns 61 next month. How on earth did he get so old? I remember when HIS father was that age... yikes. We won't say anything about how old that makes me feel. Looking at the picture of him on the right (one of only two digital/scanned shots I have of him), I can see that he's starting to look his age. And how much more he looks like his father with each passing year.

The men in his family, which includes and older and younger brother, and his father, all look identical. Picture varying degrees of age and thinness of the picture above and you've got a family photo. You can also see where I get my fabulous cheekbones (or are they just chubby?) from. While my grandfather passed away a few years ago, I still remember visiting and noticing how similar they all were. Unlike my grandfather though, my dad does not (yet) clean his ears with a pairing knife or wear his shirts inside out (grampie used to put them on the way they were left when he took them off the night before). Also, what little hair he has left (something else they all have in common), has not yet gone a brilliant white. That is just a matter of time I'm sure.

The past few years have not been so great for dear ole' dad. His wife has, as always, had numerous health issues. Her son, at 16, now towers over my father and probably weighs twice what he does - he's turned into a hooligan, out of control, already been picked up by the RCMP a few times, and set fire to the field behind the house, not to mention a few court dates. On top of that and problems with her two daughters, dad was also diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. It took a lot out of him and to this day does not seem to be himself. I think it scared him more than he ever let on. It certainly aged him rather quickly.

As with most families, there were good times and bad times. I certainly don't look back on my childhood with rose-coloured glasses. However, the older I get I prefer to look back at the good times. So, Dad, on this special day designed just for dads, I'd like to say thanks for doing your best raising both your kids during their teen years on your own and sacrificing your own personal life during that time. Thanks for coaching me for all those bowling seasons. Thanks for teaching me to do an oil change and how to drive. Thanks for getting soooo angry when we refused to stop calling it Marble-aid - the morning spent standing in a corner was worth the laughter and years of teasing you. Thanks for taking me fishing and target shooting.

Most of all, thanks for the love and helping make me who I am today.

The Quiet Earth

It's 6:12 a.m. and all is not well in New Zealand.

Zac Hobson wakes up one morning and begins going about his daily routine. Something, though, is not quite right. At first it seems as though the power's gone out. However, as he makes his way into town towards his office, he realizes the problem is a bit bigger than he first suspected. There's not a single person to be found. Everyone seems to have disappeared. There's no trace of anyone...not even a single body. Eventually he meets up with two other survivors, Joanne and Api, and together they try to understand what's happened, why, and how to survive.

That's all I'm going to say about the storyline of The Quiet Earth. If I say much more it's going to give too much away and the story is really quite good. Made in 1985, the general premise of the movie reminded me of Night of the Comet which was released the year before. However, the background to the story and the reason for the catastrophic event in Quiet Earth couldn't be more different. I did find the ending a tad bit strange but it fit with the rest of the movie so I'll let it go. I'll let you decide what you think of it, should you choose to see it (if you haven't already).

As you may have gathered, the cast is limited. There are six people listed in the credits but really only three people star in this film. I didn't like Pete Smith (Api) and I had a hard time determining if it was Alison Routledge that I didn't like or her character, Joanne. The main character, Zac Hobson, was played perfectly though by New Zealand actor Bruno Lawrence.

I have to admit that I had not heard of the movie until a few months ago while searching for disaster movies. I wish that I had been introduced to it sooner. As far as disaster movies go, I enjoyed this one far better than most of the crap Hollywood sticks out there. Armageddon? No thanks - crap. Deep Impact (in my opinion) was pretty good. Volcano? Two words - Anne Heche. 'Nuff said. Night of the Comet was passable, especially given that it was the 80s. Quiet Earth however is one of those films that works well even now, 22 years after it was first released.

If you get a chance, check it out. It's Captain-approved. Just one warning though, there is a number of full-frontal male nude shots so if you're a bit prudish or get squirmish watching naked people, turn away whenever you see a naked male chest.

Next to arrive in the mail? Lost in La Mancha...colour me super excited!

Ratatouille

My geekiness is confirmed. This is on my list of must see movies of the summer. I doubt there’ll be another Tom Jones impersonation as there was in Flushed Away but it looks super-diddely-duper!

All the News That's Too Unbelievable to Print

According to last night's The Hour, George Stromboulopoulus (sp? I'm too lazy to check) is reporting that Rosie O'Donnell wants to take over for Bob Barker on the Price is Right. He made a joke about the fans not wanting her on the show but I think she'd be a great host. This got me thinking about who is the best game show host of all time. Anyone? My vote would have to be for Richard Dawson from Family Feud. I swear he was drunk all the time, and apparently always horny. Remember the way he'd go in for a kiss (only on the pretty girls, though) whenever he got a chance and would be grabbing at them but no one cared because he was just so darn funny. He was also great in Hogan's Heroes and Running Man.

A judge (yes, a judge) in the United States is suing an immigrant Korean couple who own a dry cleaners for losing a pair of his pants. What's he asking for? Prepare yourself...$54 million dollars. I'd like to see those pants please. Apparently, the dry cleaners lost his pants, he threatened to sue, they found the pants and offered a couple thousand in compensation, he turned it down and now wants $54 million in compensation. Excuse me??? Yes folks, its true. Just another example of the outrageous litigous nature of the American people (not all Americans, I'm just generalising). The fact that this man is a judge is reprehensible. He should be removed from the bench and the dry cleaners should be given compensation for all the hassel he's given them. Speaking of the couple, what's happening with them? Apparently they're so upset by the whole thing that they're considering returning to Korea to get away from it all. Also check out Lee's blog for more discussion on this crazy subject...

The computers on the International Space Station, which just welcomed the arrival of the latest shuttle mission and its astronauts, have failed. According to CNN, the computers, which control the oxygen and water supplies along with the station's orientation have stopped working. This could mean an extended stay for the shuttle astronauts while they help fix things or it could mean that the station's current occupants have to head home early. When you combine this with the all the troubles NASA's been having with thermal blankets, falling foam, and exploding shuttles upon reentry...perhaps someone/thing is trying to tell us that we need to stay out of space until we fix our problems down here on earth. But then again, maybe that's just me.

A woman who lay bleeding on the emergency room floor of a troubled inner-city hospital died after 911 dispatchers refused to contact paramedics or an ambulance to take her to another facility. What the hell is wrong with the American medical system...oh wait...that's an oxy-moron isn't it? I hope this woman's family sues someone, perhaps the government or whoever's responsible for the 911 system in California, and if anyone should get $54 million, they should. This is unforgivable.

Wandering Coyote had her own problems with the BC health care system recently. While she didn't end up bleeding to death on the floor of her local optometrist's office, her recent run in with the system shows that even us Canadians don't always have it so great. Red tape...sometimes I'd like to choke someone with it...

Blade Runner - the 2nd time around

According to this article from CNN on Rutger Hauer, Blade Runner is returning to theatres.

The film is getting a director's cut theatrical release this summer and a special edition DVD in the fall, and it's gone from box-office bust to renowned cult object

Great news for me as I must admit that I have still not yet seen it. Yes, in most circles this is enough to have me tarred and feathered. I'm hoping that my dearest brother will consent to see it (along with the sister in law 'natch) with me so that he might explain anything I don't get. I'm sure if I buy popcorn, he'll be more than happy to. So never fear film fans, I WILL see it this summer.

When Bunnies Die...

...they DIE HARD. Yes folks, that's right. The Bunnies from AngryAlien are back with another remake. This time around - the classic action film DIE HARD. Enjoy.

(click on picture to view movie)

Next month, Napoleon Dynamite.

The Rappin' Captain

Ok, I'm just going to preface this by saying, I'm the world's biggest dork. I decided to send MC Serch, the host of Ego Trip's The (White) Rapper Show a little note through his MySpace page (no I did not gush...too much). And yes, for some bizarre reason, I mentioned Tom Jones. Don't ask. Basically just said how much I enjoyed the show and wondering about season two. Well, much to my surprise, he wrote a quick note back.

I have a scoop for y'all! While there is much speculation, there is nothing official on the VH1 site, Serch's site, or the White Rapper MySpace page regarding a second season. Well, according to the brief note I received from Serch, there will be a second season AND it "will be open to all" (in response to my query regarding whether wannabe Canadian MC's can apply). Woo hoo! That's it folks! Straight from the Big Man's fingertips - I can say that YES THERE WILL BE A SECOND SEASON of THE (WHITE) RAPPER. Let's just say that when I tried to go to sleep last night, I kept rhyming in head so I had to keep getting up and writing things down. What say you, shipmates? Should the captain try her hand at hip hop?

Granted, my three regular readers probably think I've completely lost it and I've gone bonk-ers. Give me a break...it's my escape from the real world which is full of Bush and Paris. Two things I'd rather wish I'd never heard of.

Michael Moore's Sicko

Michael Moore has a new documentary scheduled for release at the end of the month. It's entitled Sicko and it takes a look at the current state of medical care in the US and the lack of coverage for a large percentage of Americans. No I have not seen it yet. Yes, I will when it hits local theatres.

Jian Gohemeshi interviewed Moore today on Q (CBC Radio). You can listen to the Q Podcast if you'd like to hear what they talked about. According to Moore's film, the only place that any American can receive full, free health care is Guantanamo Bay. Yep that's right. A military post currently being used to hold detainees suspected of terrorism. They're entitled to complete medical coverage but unless you're stationed there, US Citizens don't. In typical Michael Moore fashion, he "...went to Cuba in March to obtain health care for three ailing Sept. 11 rescue workers. He claims in the film that the U.S. government had left the workers to fend for themselves on ailments that resulted from their work at Ground Zero". As a result, the filmmaker is now facing a federal investigation and possible confiscation of his film which he claims to have had to smuggle the master copy of out of the US and into Canada to save it.

I tend to think that the investigation has to do with Moore's constant, and very vocal, criticism of the current Bush's administration, as is suggested by his lawyer in the article. The fact that he happened to go to Cuba just gives the government an excuse to cover their actions under the cover of thinly-veiled legitamacy. The movie, as with most of Moore's previous documentaries, sounds highly interesting and I'll definately be shelling out my hard earned bucks for a seat and popcorn. I recommend you do the same.

Check out his interview with Oprah earlier this month. Very eye opening.

Upcoming Elections

There are two bi-elections taking place in the southern part of Alberta today, in the ridings of former Premier Ralph Klein, and former Deputy Premier Shirley McLellan. The results will likely give us an idea of what we can expect in the next provincial election (I'm guessing it'll happen next year - 2008).

Given that there has been an influx of people migrating to Alberta recently, mainly from the maritimes (stong Liberal supporters) and Saskatchewan (VERY strong New Democrats), I'm hoping that their votes will help bring about some major changes in government here in Oil Country. I'm not saying that the Liberals will finally retake the Legislature or that the NDP will become the official opposition (I couldn't be that lucky...) but guaranteed the Conservatives, while still forming the government, won't win nearly as many seats as they have historically under the reign of King Ralph. And I doubt we'll see much more of Mr. Stelmach...we'll have a new premier after the next provincial election, regardless of who wins.

FOOOOOD FIIIIIIIIGHT!

Grab your cafeteria trays folks, Edmonton’s having a week long food fight! CBC Radio (do I listen to anything else?) is running a week long event called FOOD FIGHT: LOCAL vs. GLOBAL. All week long they’ll be highlighting the debate over eating only locally grown foods, organic vs. non, etc.

To start off the week, an Edmonton family, the Mackay’s will be following the 100-Mile Diet and eating only locally grown/available foods. They have a BLOG that they will be updating regularly as well as offering recipes that use only local ingredients. The premise of the 100-Mile Diet is pretty simple – only eat foods which are grown/raised within a 100 mile radius of your home. It’s good for the environment (provided you’re not driving around for hours on end trying to find local producers) as the locally grown products don’t have to travel thousands of miles to reach you.

To be fair, the authors of the 100-Mile Diet preserved a lot of in-season produce so that they could enjoy it during the winter months (eg: fruits). This isn’t always feasible for some of us (especially those who rent small apartments with little or no storage space). I’m all for canning and freezing. I remember my mother used to do it when we were younger. She even made her own pickles. Mmmmm, pickles. This summer, the brother, sister in law, kidlets, and I are planning on heading to one of those U-Pick berry farms. If I get enough, I’ll certainly be able to freeze some for later in the year. And don’t forget your local farmers’ markets. Edmonton’s Old Strathcona market is open all year around so you can enjoy fresh local produce 365 days a year!

While I’m not sure if I’m ready to eat local only, it certainly is inspiring and makes you think a bit more about where your food comes from!

Killer Foods

SPAM ATTACKS HAWAII

Burger King has added SPAM to it's list of menu items. The big seller? The "SPAM PLATTER" -- two slices of Spam nestled between white rice and scrambled eggs. According to the article, McDonalds had already been serving Spam for years. Seems this is because of it's huge popularity in the island state. Hawaiians love them some Spam. I haven't eaten spam in over 15 years and couldn't be happier about it. What people see in this gelatinous "pork" product, I have no idea. FYI, it's also the 70th anniversary of Spam this year. Shoot me now.

DONUTS TAKE A BITE OUT OF ASIA

Dunkin Donuts has invaded Hong Kong. Those poor people...if you're going to eat a donut, it HAS to be from Tim Hortons. Sheesh.

Bush Tries to Tackle Global Warming

Comedy Central has a new cartoon series starting up soon, Lil' Dubya. It looks hilarious. Too bad we won’t get it up here.

Only One Day Late

I can’t believe that I forgot to post a Friday Tom Jones clip. The song is certainly not one that I would have normally chosen but its getting to be slim pickin’s – pretty soon I’ll be doing re-runs… nuts. And frankly, Tom’s guest on this episode of his variety program surprised me a little. Not what I would have expected and looks a bit out of place given the people TJ normally has on. Oh well, I suppose he was popular at one point, right? Enjoy.

Remember how I was going on and on about the potential cold war/missile crisis about to erupt in Europe between Putin and Bush? That’s nothing folks. Apparently our idiot of a Prime Minister, Stephen Harper has dissed Bono and refuses to meet with him to discuss various world affairs, claiming his goal isn’t to hang out with celebrities but to focus on “public policies”. Granted, yes, Bono is a celebrity, one that is recognized the world over. He’s also been a major activist in the fight against world poverty for almost as long as he’s been famous. Does Harper not watch the news or read the papers? Perhaps its because Bono (and fellow celebrity activist Sir Bob Geldof) has called out Harper for not living up to promises he made regarding African aid. Is there a national election coming up soon? Please????

Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride...

I don't remember hearing this story the first time around, perhaps you do. A 31 year old Iowa woman, Marcy Gant, was so desperate for a wedding dress, she offered to trade one of her children as payment for the gown. Excuse me?

What is wrong with people these days? Why are some of the women of my generation so desperate to have a man that they put their children second to getting that ring on their fingers? Men (or women, for those looking for a same-sex partner) come and go. Sure they might stay and you could have a lifetime of happiness but let's be realistic. Those children will ALWAYS be your children, no one can change that. (To be fair not ALL of the women in my generation are like this, and in fact most are probably not)

And in one brief little blip on the celebrity radar (trying still to avoid commenting but can't resist), one of the world's richest cry babies is headed back to jail and now must serve her ENTIRE sentence. It's about time that Hollywood faced the same punishment as the rest of the world.

ATTN: Canadian Readers

Anyone out with a DVD Recorder? I'm wondering if anyone would be willing to indulge my white rapper addiction and record the remaining episodes for me. They air twice on Sundays and again on Wednesdays on Much More Music (click to check times). I'm willing to pay for the cost of shipping and dvd's. I'm even willing to try my hand at rapping and posting it here as a thank you for all the hard work!

The Seven Wonders of Canada

For the past few weeks, CBC Radio (Sounds Like Canada with Shelagh Rodgers) has been running a contest, of sorts. They were asking Canadians to call/write/email them with their nominees for the seven wonders of Canada. There weren’t a lot of rules to the contest. The nominees had to display essential “Canadian-ness; be historically significant and/or character filled and valued; the pitches had to be original and unique; they could be a spectacular physical site or amazing human creation; and they had to have the ability to inspire.

And the winners, announced last night on the National, are:

The Canoe, The Igloo, Old Quebec City, The Prairie Skies, Pier 21 - Halifax, Niagara Falls, and The Rockies

Because of the overwhelming response (over 1 million people voted), they had to extend the nomination period and then again extend the voting period. Kudos to CBC, the National and Sounds Like Canada for inspiring the nation to look around us at places/things we often take for granted in new light. Hopefully, we’ll appreciate all the nominees a bit more.


In not so happy news, the Supreme Court has ruled that the original judge in the Leo Teskey trial took too long to deliver his judgement and has thrown out the verdict. As a result, a new trial will take place and Teskey’s well-deserved “Dangerous Offender” status will be reversed. This news comes on the 25th wedding anniversary of Teskey’s victim Dugald Miller and his wife Lesley. Many of you may not know who any of these people are. Miller, an apartment building manager, came across Teskey sleeping in the hallway of his building and tried escorting him outside. Teskey attacked Miller in an extremely brutal manor leaving him severely brain damaged, robbed him, and drove off in a stolen truck. He was eventually caught and, based on the viscousness of the attack on Miller AND previously shooting a police officer in the back of the head (not to mention his loooong history of violent crime), he was convicted and sentenced to an undetermined length of time as a dangerous offender. Miller’s wife, Lesley, has remained by his side and now has to relive the entire experience all over again thanks to a jackass judge who sat on his ass too long.

With the new trial, there’s always the possibility (albeit extremely unlikely) that Teskey may in fact be found not-guilty. I was going to blog about this yesterday but frankly the whole is too upsetting. The inadequacies in our justice system (including the Young Offenders Act) is too huge a subject for me to get into right now as well. We’ll save that for another post.

Booklist Changes (when will it end?)

I've had to remove Aurel Stein: Pioneer of the Silk Road from the summer reading list. Seems I've already read it. I think I can be forgiven though as it was for a paper in university on Stein that I did about ... oh god ... 10 years ago (where has the time gone?). I found the man and his work to be quite fascinating - if you can get your hands on a biography or even one of his own books, I'd recommend it (not necessarily this one though). I think, if I have the time this summer, I might check out Susan Whitfield's Aurel Stein on the Silk Road or Stein's own On Alexander's Track to the Indus. Therefore I've replaced it with Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone which was on my original list (I caved and bought a copy a little while ago).

What's everyone else reading right now?

Bush makes it to 3rd Bass

Read this when I checked my usual news sites this morning...

"The United States and our allies believe that North Korea should refrain from testing missiles," said Johndroe..."North Korea should focus on the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and fulfil its obligations under the February 13 agreement. This kind of activity is not constructive."

Why is it that the US and it's allies are allowed to have weapons (including missiles with nuclear capability) but North Korea (or Iran/Iraq for that matter)? Is this planet turning into a dictatorship under the thumb of the US?

It seems to be US policy (and the rest of the world, including the UN is supporting it) that only they and their allies are allowed to have weapons of any kind. If you’re not towing the American’s line, then you had better forget about trying to militarise. Why is no one standing up to the US?

Speaking of weapons…remember the reasons for invading Iraq in the first place? To find weapons of mass destruction (WMD), searching for the Al-Qaeda terrorists that were supposedly hiding there, and…oh yes, nabbing Saddam Hussein. Another fine example of the US’s idea of not allowing any one else to gain power through military action. But wait…don’t the Americans have WMD? There’s plenty of evidence to suggest they do, and the certainly have the technological capacity to create them. Why hasn’t the rest of the world invaded the US to destroy their weapons and take away their ability to make WMDs? Hmmm? A little hypocritical of the US if you ask me but then again, my little voice doesn’t mean anything. If the US isn’t afraid of retaliation by the Russians (“I said Vladimir…I call him Vladimir…”), why should anyone care what I have to say on the subject. Frankly it worried more about living so close the United States and what might eventually happen to them when the rest of the world gangs up to seek retribution, than I am about the possibility of Iran or North Korea testing a few surface to air/surface to ship missiles.

Remember the days when we didn’t know what was going on at this precise moment in time anywhere in the world? There’s a reason they called them the “good ole days”. As with the weeks following 9/11, I find myself getting very tired, disheartened, saddened, and a number of other emotions I have trouble describing at this time. I want it to all go away and return to the happy times of childhood when all we cared about was whether or not we would get peanut butter or tuna fish for lunch and if Susie down the street could come out and play. Maybe if I immerse myself in the good times of old school hip hop videos, I’ll be able to ignore everything else… think it will work?



Damn that white boy can dance. Grrrrr….yummy. I still don’t remember them from back in ‘tha day but whatever. Fun to watch and doesn’t make me think of an imminent nuclear holocaust…

Last 3rd Bass video for the next little while…promise! That doesn’t mean I’m stopping the Friday Tom Jones videos though.

Just be thankful it's not an update on Paris Hilton and her ongoing prison saga....her VERY early release has me steamed!!! Must calm down...relax...think of something else...Pop....Pop....Pop Goes the Weasel....aaaahhhhhhhhhh.

In God We Trust, Everyone Else Pays Cash

As you may have guessed from the sidebar, I’m currently reading Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”. Before I started reading it, I had a general idea of what it was about, and that there was a movie based on it. While looking for a used copy online, I discovered that there are a number of study guides out there for Atwood’s novel and was quite surprised. People study this, I thought? What on earth have I gotten myself into? However, I managed to find a copy through Bookmooch and dove in once it arrived.

The first half (I’m not quite done…) was very good. Atwood’s vision of the not so distant future is eerily easy to imagine. How far away are we really from something similar? It certainly made me think more carefully about what I was reading. However, it was a passage I read this morning that felt as though I had been slapped across the face. Wake up, Captain! In the part I’m at, Offred (the narrator) was flashing back to the time before she was a Handmaid and recalling how things had started to change. Small things at first: the elimination of paper/coin money, centralized computers with all your personal information (including bank accounts) on them, a rise in religion and attacks on abortion clinics.

I guess that’s how they were able to do it, in the way they did, all at once, without anyone knowing beforehand. If there had been portable money, it would have been more difficult. It was after the catastrophe, when they shot the president and machine-gunned the Congress and the army declared a state of emergency. They blamed it on the Islamic fanatics, at the time...I was stunned. Everyone was, I know that. It was hard to believe. The entire government, gone like that. How did they get in, how did it happen?

Margaret Atwood wrote The Handmaid’s Tale in 1985. Before 9/11. Before George Bush. Before everyone knew how to pronounce Al-Qaeda. Before most people knew where Afghanistan was. Before Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden were household names. Before the War on Terror. Before fences popping up along the US/Mexico border.

If we’re not careful, we could be the ones waking up one morning and wondering how they got in, how it happened…

There's a Moonrock in My Nose

This reading thing is getting addictive. Now, SME has posted about her list of books she’s hoping to read. Check it out.

Question: tonight is a repeat of The (White) Rapper Show, same episode that was on Sunday, but I’ll watch it anyways. Oh how I wish I had a VCR still…that way I could watch MC Serch yell “STEP OFF” whenever I wanted. I’ll just have to settle for clips like this one…


You know what I’m saying? Word up.

What was the point of this paragraph? Oh yeah, I had a question. Can anyone tell me, with some certainty, if there is a difference between Rap and Hip Hop? Yes, some of you out there are laughing at me, perhaps saying I’m whiter than Wonder Bread. However, I’ve always associated Hip Hop with the 80s and early 90s styles. You know, when MC’s where lyrical and their words flowed. Nowadays, it’s all gansta-rap and genre crossovers. Yuck. If you check out the Wikipedia article, they list rap as one of the four cultural elements of Hip Hop. Anyone?

Lazy Eye Theatre’s recent post on The Simple Genius of Ralph had me seeing flashbacks this morning. At first I thought perhaps it might have been an epileptic fit due to the report CNN was doing on the new 2012 London Olympics logo (whoever designed that should be fired) but no, it was a genuine flashback. When I worked at COMPANY XXX (no it wasn’t porn related), our tiny department consisted of four women and one man (plus the male boss but he doesn’t count). The one guy in our group proudly displayed a complete set of Simpson’s figurines on his computer. Feeling slightly devious (and a tad bit bored) we devised a plan to steal his figurines.

As I arrived first thing every morning, I quickly swiped them off his desk the next day and had a coworker in another department hold them for ransom. And then the fun began. Every day for a week, we sent our male coworker an email from a bogus hotmail account. Each email was written in the speech style of a different Simpson’s character, the easiest being Ralph Wiggums. The final note, in paper form, came on the Friday in a plain, unmarked envelope from Mr. Burns himself. Inside was one small yellow plastic hand (we didn’t actually remove Bart’s hand – it was from another similarly coloured toy). We demanded Cookies by George by 1:00PM or more body parts would begin to arrive.

At first, he was pissed that someone would have gone so far as to deface his toys. However, he soon caved and headed out on his lunch hour. Having told us what the kidnappers wanted before he left, we suggested he get us some cookies as well. Sure enough, at 1:00PM a box of cookies were shared by our group and another was dropped off at the receptionist’s office as ordered. He headed off to a meeting. Coming back an hour later, he discovered the figurines returned and the four of us eating TWO boxes of cookies. Oddly enough he had never suspected us! Everyone else in the company, including our boss, had been blamed but he never quite clued in… Ah, memories. I really think I should do that again….hmmm

Bush to Putin: Cold War Over

Bush is now telling Putin to take a chill-pill and there’s no need to worry about the missile defense system. Yeah, that’s right. The rest of the world is just going to bend-over and let Georgie Jr. do whatever he wants with no consequences, repercussions, or retaliatory actions. Um….no, I don’t think so.

I really don’t understand this whole situation. It would seem to me, and I’m far from being an expert, that by placing missiles in Eastern Europe to deter/prevent certain countries (i.e.: Iran or North Korea, according to reports) from attacking “us” via a missile attack would only encourage these countries (almost any country for that matter) to go ahead and do it. Why shouldn’t they see it as an aggressive maneuver on behalf of the US (“the west”)? You’re going to need troops to man these missile defence outposts, right? Well, that’s just a small step away from “Oooops we crossed the border and invaded you!”


Think of it this way. During the Cold War, the buildup of nuclear weapons, ready to annihilate the world with the push of a single button, was basically a pissing match between the US and Russia. Russia places a missile silo in the Ukraine, for example, aimed at some US ally. The US then places a missile silo in Poland and aims it at Kiev…etc etc etc. All it is going to take is ONE nuclear powered weapon to eliminate most if not all of the population of the earth, destroy the atmosphere and send us into a nuclear winter for hundreds of years.

And what’s the point of all this? My missile’s longer than yours? Another argument as to why women should run the world…as long as its not Hilary Clinton…

Mastercard's Latest Commercial?

The War In Iraq – A Gateway to Iran
Rapid Rise of China – Scared US Brokers
Castro still Alive – Invasion Plans on Hold

The increasing threat of War Games actually coming true? Who cares - we’ll all be dead.

Mastercard: Use it while you still can.


Break out your parkas and skull mittens, ladies and gentlemen. There’s a new cold war coming and it could mean nuclear winter.

Have I been asleep for the past few days? Catatonic due to the oppressive heat that’s had Edmonton in its grip for the last week? Or perhaps blinded by my recent fascination with pigmentally-challenged musical poets trying to find fame. Regardless, I’ve been in the dark until this morning about a possible modern-day missile crisis which is threatening us.

It seems that Bushy boy, who Jimmy Carter claimed was the worst president in US history (or something like that), has designs on putting missiles all over Eastern Europe to protect them against the possibility of attacks from countries such as Iran and North Korea. In retaliation, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to aim their arsenal of missiles (which, according to the CBC article, are capable of carrying nuclear warheads) at Europe. What the F&*$ happened over the weekend?????

Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t something similar happen from the closing days of WWII up until the 80s during the height of the Cold War?

I’ve been an opponent of the US’s illegal activities abroad for years – the “war” in Iraq the American administration started there, their invasion in Afghanistan (which drew us in as well) are just two of the most glaring examples. This one though takes the cake. George Bush has gone crazy. Rather than moving the world closer towards peace, a cooperative international community, and focusing on the big issues (access to education, food and clean water, freedom from political and religious persecution, poverty, climate change, etc), the US President has decided instead to spend the past seven years in office trying to pick a fight with anyone and everyone who will meet him by the bike racks after school. He’s pathetic.

The United States, while we might not like it, still is THE most powerful nation on the planet. As such, the president has more power than many other nations combined. However, he’s using his power to increasingly alienate his country from the international community. The US has the ability to become the most revered (for lack of a better word) nation in the world by setting an example for others to follow. If Bush isn’t careful, he’s going to get the country caught up into a web that even Al Gore can’t pull them out of.

If anyone sees Matthew Broderick anywhere near a computer or modem, please stop him at all costs. Thanks.

Cookin' MCs Like A Pound of Bacon

Has anyone else out there watched Ego Trip's: The (White) Rapper Show? It's currently showing in re-runs up here on Canada's MuchMoreMusic. Word to your mother, it's the dopest show around. Yeaaaaaah boooyyyyyy. I watched most of it on the first showing but missed the first few episodes and really wanted to see what happened so my Sunday lunchtimes are spent in front of the TV (works out quite well given my Sunday morning Corrie Steet/laundry routine).

The premise of the show is simple and follows the same basic format for all reality shows out there. Ten wannabe (white) MC's compete against each other to try to be the last one standing and named The Next Great White Rapper (and win a cool $100G's). Along the way, they get mentored by some of the founding fathers of Hip Hop as well as some white rappers who've made it big.

As usual, they auditioned some of the absolute trashiest white trash out there. The most glaring example? CKC rapped about how tight her hoo-hoo was because she'd had a c-section rather than a natural birth... (I couldn't make that up if I tried). Now that's classy. You can see her audition in the clip from the show below. And of course, one of the best moments in reality television history - the Yiddish rapper. Of those who made the show, there's some great characters. The mohawked 100-Proof, the self proclaimed one and only drunk rock-rapper. Or how about G-Child, the pint sized female Vanilla Ice Wanna-be? No one will be able to forget Jus Rhyme, a Ph.D. student from California majoring in Ethnic Studies who doesn't drink, smoke, or swear and looks as though he probably was beat up a lot in grade school. With the exception of the first two eliminated rappers who shall remain nameless, the top eight that made the show had real potential.

I won't give away who won in case you're watching it for the first time or it's just coming to your next of the woods but keep your eyes open for big things in the future from $hamrock, John Brown (Hallelujah, holla back), and Persia, who, if she doesn't end up making it in HipHop, has a voice that would still guarantee her a record deal.

If you're not a true conissoier of HipHop (which I certainly am not), you will likely not recognize the host, MC Serch. Who's he, I'm sure you're asking. Well, he has his own promotions company, Serchlight Music, was a radio DJ, and a founding member of the 90s hiphop group 3rd Bass. Still clueless? Me too. Apparently they were "big" according to the sources I've read but the only white rappers I remember from the 90s were Vanilla Ice and the Beastie Boys... Oh well. Their big hits were "Pop Goes the Weasel" and "The Gas Face". Nope, still not ringing any bells? The clip below is of one of their videos. Serch is the adorable slightly chubby one with the bad white-boy fade and Buddy Holly glasses. Thankfully he's ditched the glasses and, more importantly, the fade...but he's still a hottie. Hey! That's just the way this chica rolls, okay?

So, after watching the first season (oh yes, there WILL be a second!), what sort of Hip Hop education have I received? Hard to say, most of the history of rap music and the places they're showing in Brooklyn (the birthplace of Hip Hop) are lost on me as it's really not my genre, other than a brief period in the 1990s when I was hopelessly in love with Everlast from House of Pain. There is one thing I've learned though. While it's true that White Men Can't Jump, some of them (and the girls too) are apparently pretty amazing MCs. Just don't ask me to battle or spit some rhymes.

Hey! It's Friday. You know what that means...

It wouldn’t be Friday without a little TJ to brighten your lives. Enjoy.



Shake that money maker, Mr. Jones, shake it good.

This and that

The Senators are behind 2-0 in the Stanley Cup finals to the Ducks.

It's hotter than hell outside and I want to spend all weekend naked in a ice bath out of the sun. However, I'll be babysitting on Saturday and the kids will likely want to run around outside.

Gym update - had two great appointments with the fabulously perky, extremely enthusiastic "M" at the new location. She's designed a program for me and given me three steps to follow so that I can gradually increase the weight and repetitions. I'll book a follow up with her in a few weeks. Things have finally started to work out (ha ha ha).

The summer reading list is moving along. Three months and three days to go. No problem. I'm hoping actually to read more than what I've listed on the sidebar. Another book arrived via Bookmooch this week, along with another from the library so the stack of available titles to choose from is ever growing. I managed to finish off three titles in since setting the goal back in early May. I'm almost finished the fourth, Kurlansky's Salt: A World History which is turning out to be quite fascinating. I highly recommend it. I've also started on Atwood's The HandMaid's Tale. I have to admit that I'm a bad Canadian. It's the only Atwood book I've ever read - and possibly the last. It's a very intriguing subject but you can tell she's a poet; it certainly comes across in her writing style. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean it's difficult to read or takes away from the story. Just not something I'm used to (in case you hadn't noticed, I'm a big fan of non-fiction). Anyone else still interested in taking on the Summer Reading Challenge? UPDATE: While typing this, my fave bookstore called to let me know my special order has arrived...more books!

Speaking of books, the next round of Buy A Friend A Book week will be coming up during the first week of July. Mark your calenders.

Reminder that I'm taking part in the Edmonton Marathon in August and raising money for the Stollery Children's Hospital. If you'd like to donate to the Hospital Foundation, please click HERE. (Money is collected through the Running Room's website and if you get an error message please try again later - the link goes down occasionally).

And, my annual Run for the Cure money raising camping in support of breast cancer research is also under way. Every year I take part in CIBC's Run for the Cure, a 5KM Run/Walk. Money raised goes to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and helps support research and education, and awareness programs. If you'd like to make a donation, you can do so HERE (directly through the CIBC's Run website). Note: as with last year, for every $5 you donate, you will earn one chance at winning a great prize (to be determined later). Once I have received confirmation of your donation, I'll email you an updated copy of the finish time chart below. Each $5 will get you one pick of the possible finish times on the chart. The person who picks the time closest to my finish time without going over will win!!! (Black squares have already been selected).