Well, here I am, another Friday at work. It's the time of work when it's dull. I'm good with news stories for next week. (Well, at least the first couple of days of next week.) But, someone's got to man the office until noon in case someone comes by to pick up their prize. So I'm sitting here, brainstorming ideas for news stories, and just doing some mindless web surfing...waiting for inspiration.
And I stumbled across this video. It's the trailer for the Aquaman TV show. I'll unleash the power of YouTube so you can watch it! I'll explain more afterwards.
OK, so Aquaman here was adapted for television by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the creators of Smallville and 2 of the four writers of Spider-Man 2. I think you've figured it out from that video what's going on...it's essentially the Smallville formula applied to Aquaman.
Arthur Curry, an orphan of college age, begins developing strange powers. He can swim really fast...he's got super strength...and he can talk to sea life. Soon, an old lighthouse keeper (that's Ving Rames) identifies him as an Atlantean, but not just any Atlantean.... Turns out Arthur Curry is, in fact, Orin, the long-lost Prince of Atlantis. So, under the lighthouse keeper's tutilage, Curry begins learning how to use his powers, fighting all kinds of forces that threaten the sea, and preparing to someday retake the throne of Atlantis.
Sadly, though, the networks have rejected this show. Everything you see in that trailer? All from the pilot episode, which will now never be aired. And I can see why it wasn't picked up. As cool as that trailer is, it's just far too much like Smallville.
But cool nonetheless. I've sure a pirate version will appear online in 6 months or so.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Kevin Smith Bit
Now here's an interesting tidbit about Clerks II.
It seems that Kevin Smith has already recorded a running commentary for the film. The plan is to release it as a podcast when Clerks II hits theaters. That way, you can donwload it to your MP3 player, take it to the theatre, and hit play when the movie starts. Voilla! The world's first theatrical running commentary.
It'a an interesting concept. I know several TV shows are already doing it.
Now here's some very interesting movie news. Guillmero Del Toro (director of Hellboy) and Alfonso Cuaron (director of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) are teaming up to do a movie!
The film will be a new adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel The Witches. Del Toro will adapt it for the screen and direct...Cuaron will produce.
The Witches is about a young boy who stumbles upon a witches' convention, and overhears the witches plan to eradicate all children from the face of the Earth. The witches discover the kid, and turn the kid into a mouse. In his new mousely form, the kid sets out to thwart the wiches' plot.
It was turned into a movie back in 1990. It was Jim Henson's final film.
It seems that Kevin Smith has already recorded a running commentary for the film. The plan is to release it as a podcast when Clerks II hits theaters. That way, you can donwload it to your MP3 player, take it to the theatre, and hit play when the movie starts. Voilla! The world's first theatrical running commentary.
It'a an interesting concept. I know several TV shows are already doing it.
Now here's some very interesting movie news. Guillmero Del Toro (director of Hellboy) and Alfonso Cuaron (director of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) are teaming up to do a movie!
The film will be a new adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel The Witches. Del Toro will adapt it for the screen and direct...Cuaron will produce.
The Witches is about a young boy who stumbles upon a witches' convention, and overhears the witches plan to eradicate all children from the face of the Earth. The witches discover the kid, and turn the kid into a mouse. In his new mousely form, the kid sets out to thwart the wiches' plot.
It was turned into a movie back in 1990. It was Jim Henson's final film.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Star Wars: Not Anamorphic
Bad news for Star Wars fans.
As we all know, George Lucas is finally releasing the original, theatrical versions of the original trilogy to DVD.
But, today, it was learned that the films will NOT be in anamorphic widescreen. They will be in just plain ol' regular widescreen.
(Tech note: Anamorphic widescreen is the format of choice for DVDs. What this means is, when you buy your fancy, widescreen HDTV in the not-too-distant-future, those black bars on the top and bottom of the screen will melt away, and the picture will fill the whole screen. Regular widescreen is when they put black bars on the top and bottom of the picture. Play a regular widecreen DVD on a HDTV, and it'll be in the middle of the screen, with black bars on all sides.)
The anamorphic widescreen process just creates a higher quality picture.
Needless to say, people are pissed.
This is leading everyone to believe what people have feared since this was announced: that the films will have absolutely 0 digital restoration work done. That, they just won't look as purty as the official DVDs that came out a year and a half ago.
So, anger abounds towards Lucas in the fan community.
But they're still gonna buy the discs.
As we all know, George Lucas is finally releasing the original, theatrical versions of the original trilogy to DVD.
But, today, it was learned that the films will NOT be in anamorphic widescreen. They will be in just plain ol' regular widescreen.
(Tech note: Anamorphic widescreen is the format of choice for DVDs. What this means is, when you buy your fancy, widescreen HDTV in the not-too-distant-future, those black bars on the top and bottom of the screen will melt away, and the picture will fill the whole screen. Regular widescreen is when they put black bars on the top and bottom of the picture. Play a regular widecreen DVD on a HDTV, and it'll be in the middle of the screen, with black bars on all sides.)
The anamorphic widescreen process just creates a higher quality picture.
Needless to say, people are pissed.
This is leading everyone to believe what people have feared since this was announced: that the films will have absolutely 0 digital restoration work done. That, they just won't look as purty as the official DVDs that came out a year and a half ago.
So, anger abounds towards Lucas in the fan community.
But they're still gonna buy the discs.
Boyle Over
I keep forgetting about Boyle, and that's not good.
Boyle is a village about a half-hour's drive from Athabasca. They are also in our broadcast range...they are also on my beat. I've been so busy these past couple of weeks trying to establish myself in Athabasca and make nice with the community that I've been forgetting that I've got to do it all in Boyle, too.
I've already shared similar concers with my boss, and she's been understanding for the most part. "Well, the newspaper has two reporters (Mark note: three, if you count the fact that the editor/publisher occasionally gets off his butt and writes a story), and we've only got you, and we understand that you can't be in two places at once."
It's nice that the bosses understand...but still, it's frustrating for me, when I open up Athabasca's paper, and go, "Aww, why didn't I know that! It's my job to know!"
Like the shock I got from yesterday's paper. I had no idea that Athabasca is one of the towns under consideration to get Alberta's new police academy.
I only know what was officially announced a year ago.... Alberta is looking at opening up its own police academy. According to Klein, this is so that county mounties, city cops, First Nations tribal police, and all other kinds of bylaw enforcement officers can get an equal and consistent training in policing.
"It's the first step towards a provincial police force," my father noted after the announcement. It's been rumored for years that Klein has a hidden agenda to create an Alberta Provincial Police force...my father believes that, and has seen lots of "first steps" over the past few years. Allowing Fish and Wildlife Officers to carry sidearms was a "first step"...this experimental Highway Patrol that they're going to put on Highway 63 to Fort McMurray is another "first step," according to Dad.
But yeah. I gotta get more info on this police academy. I've got to get more information on Boyle...my first Boyle village council meeting is tonight. That'll be a good first step.
There's lots of things I should get on. So why am I wasting time with a blog entry?
Oh, by the way, I had a real good trivia question this morning.
The question: "According to a survey of world travellers, Paris, France has the world's best restaurants. Which city has the second best?"
Answer: Rome, Italy.
The trivia bit I found listed the top 3...in case anyone's interested, the third-best restaurants in the world are in Hong Kong.
Boyle is a village about a half-hour's drive from Athabasca. They are also in our broadcast range...they are also on my beat. I've been so busy these past couple of weeks trying to establish myself in Athabasca and make nice with the community that I've been forgetting that I've got to do it all in Boyle, too.
I've already shared similar concers with my boss, and she's been understanding for the most part. "Well, the newspaper has two reporters (Mark note: three, if you count the fact that the editor/publisher occasionally gets off his butt and writes a story), and we've only got you, and we understand that you can't be in two places at once."
It's nice that the bosses understand...but still, it's frustrating for me, when I open up Athabasca's paper, and go, "Aww, why didn't I know that! It's my job to know!"
Like the shock I got from yesterday's paper. I had no idea that Athabasca is one of the towns under consideration to get Alberta's new police academy.
I only know what was officially announced a year ago.... Alberta is looking at opening up its own police academy. According to Klein, this is so that county mounties, city cops, First Nations tribal police, and all other kinds of bylaw enforcement officers can get an equal and consistent training in policing.
"It's the first step towards a provincial police force," my father noted after the announcement. It's been rumored for years that Klein has a hidden agenda to create an Alberta Provincial Police force...my father believes that, and has seen lots of "first steps" over the past few years. Allowing Fish and Wildlife Officers to carry sidearms was a "first step"...this experimental Highway Patrol that they're going to put on Highway 63 to Fort McMurray is another "first step," according to Dad.
But yeah. I gotta get more info on this police academy. I've got to get more information on Boyle...my first Boyle village council meeting is tonight. That'll be a good first step.
There's lots of things I should get on. So why am I wasting time with a blog entry?
Oh, by the way, I had a real good trivia question this morning.
The question: "According to a survey of world travellers, Paris, France has the world's best restaurants. Which city has the second best?"
Answer: Rome, Italy.
The trivia bit I found listed the top 3...in case anyone's interested, the third-best restaurants in the world are in Hong Kong.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
The Day Has Come
Once upon a time, about a year and a half ago, I made a solemn vow. I swore that, with my first paycheck from my first job in radio, I would run out and buy The Ultimate Matrix Collection; that massive, 10-DVD set of The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, the Matrix Revolutions, and more DVD bonus materials than you can shake a stick at.
Guess what?
I got my first paycheck from my first job in radio yesterday.
I think, though, that I'll hold off on buying it for a few weeks. In another week or two, I'll be making the day trip into Edmonton to buy my new TV...my housewarming present to myself. What better thing to break in a new TV than The Matrix?
But yeah. I have arrived.
Speaking of DVDs, here's some news for those who like Apocolypse Now.
A few weeks ago, when it was announced that the original, theatrical versions of The Star Wars Trilogy were coming to DVD, a lot of people went, "That's great, now how about Apocolypse Now? The only DVD version for that is the 2001 Redux."
Well, the answer to that question is...August 15!
On that day, we'll get the 2-disc set Apocolypse Now: The Complete Dossier. This 2-disc set contains the original 1979 theatrical version AND the 2001 Redux. No word yet on the bonus materials, just some vague hints at "audio commentaries, rare unseen footage, lost scenes, brand new featurettes, Segments from the Cutting Room Floor, Then & Now retrospectives and more."
So, there you go. Apocolypse Now is still high on my list of "classics to check out some day."
Guess what?
I got my first paycheck from my first job in radio yesterday.
I think, though, that I'll hold off on buying it for a few weeks. In another week or two, I'll be making the day trip into Edmonton to buy my new TV...my housewarming present to myself. What better thing to break in a new TV than The Matrix?
But yeah. I have arrived.
Speaking of DVDs, here's some news for those who like Apocolypse Now.
A few weeks ago, when it was announced that the original, theatrical versions of The Star Wars Trilogy were coming to DVD, a lot of people went, "That's great, now how about Apocolypse Now? The only DVD version for that is the 2001 Redux."
Well, the answer to that question is...August 15!
On that day, we'll get the 2-disc set Apocolypse Now: The Complete Dossier. This 2-disc set contains the original 1979 theatrical version AND the 2001 Redux. No word yet on the bonus materials, just some vague hints at "audio commentaries, rare unseen footage, lost scenes, brand new featurettes, Segments from the Cutting Room Floor, Then & Now retrospectives and more."
So, there you go. Apocolypse Now is still high on my list of "classics to check out some day."
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Oogle Baka Cable TV
Am I really that addicted to television? Or is society?
I moved into my new place yesterday and, for the next 24 hours at least, I have nothing. No bed. No big comfy chair. No chair big enough for two to curl up in. No rocking chair for those who like to rock. No pots or pans or dishes, so I can't even cook or eat. But yet, what's been everyone's biggest concern?
"How will you survive without a TV?"
I just calmly reassure them that a TV is one of the things I'll be cramming in my car when I go home tomorrow, and yes, I can survive for the next day with only reading to entertain me.
But that got me thinking...is it time for a new TV?
I have a nice enough TV. My whole family chipped in and gave it to me for Christmas about 9 years ago. They figured I needed one for my dorm room at AUC. They got me a nice little TV/VCR combo. And it served me well. When I finished AUC, I set it up in my parents' basement, and that's where I'd watch my shows when the folks were watching something else.
But then I went to Japan, things got moved around, and it got boxed up and put in a corner. I didn't use it again until I was at my apartment in Cold Lake, and that's when I made some sad discoveries.
Firstly, the VCR part is shot. It just loves to eat video tapes now. And secondly, thanks to that VCR part, that TV does not like my DVD player. I hook up my DVD player and try to watch a DVD, and the colours go all wonky. The picture will fade up to really, really bright, and then fade down to really, really dark. And keep going back and forth like that. I've been told that this is a copy protection built into all DVD players...some how, a DVD player "knows" when it's hooked up to a VCR, and thus starts making the colours all wonky so you won't dub your DVDs. I've always wondered if using an RF converter to hook-up my DVD player would fool the VCR, and thus get around it.
But maybe I should just by myself a new TV...you know, as a nice little housewarming gift for myself.
I paid $400 for my DVD player five years ago. I see that, at that price, I can get a pretty good 25" TV for that price. (My little TV/VCR unit is only 13") And I have more money saved up right now than I did five years ago.
I think I"m talking myself into this.
But what good is all this unless I have DVDs to play?
Announced today that V for Vendetta will be hitting DVD on August 1. As has become the tradition, it'll be available in widescreen, full screen, and 2-disc super-special edition.
I moved into my new place yesterday and, for the next 24 hours at least, I have nothing. No bed. No big comfy chair. No chair big enough for two to curl up in. No rocking chair for those who like to rock. No pots or pans or dishes, so I can't even cook or eat. But yet, what's been everyone's biggest concern?
"How will you survive without a TV?"
I just calmly reassure them that a TV is one of the things I'll be cramming in my car when I go home tomorrow, and yes, I can survive for the next day with only reading to entertain me.
But that got me thinking...is it time for a new TV?
I have a nice enough TV. My whole family chipped in and gave it to me for Christmas about 9 years ago. They figured I needed one for my dorm room at AUC. They got me a nice little TV/VCR combo. And it served me well. When I finished AUC, I set it up in my parents' basement, and that's where I'd watch my shows when the folks were watching something else.
But then I went to Japan, things got moved around, and it got boxed up and put in a corner. I didn't use it again until I was at my apartment in Cold Lake, and that's when I made some sad discoveries.
Firstly, the VCR part is shot. It just loves to eat video tapes now. And secondly, thanks to that VCR part, that TV does not like my DVD player. I hook up my DVD player and try to watch a DVD, and the colours go all wonky. The picture will fade up to really, really bright, and then fade down to really, really dark. And keep going back and forth like that. I've been told that this is a copy protection built into all DVD players...some how, a DVD player "knows" when it's hooked up to a VCR, and thus starts making the colours all wonky so you won't dub your DVDs. I've always wondered if using an RF converter to hook-up my DVD player would fool the VCR, and thus get around it.
But maybe I should just by myself a new TV...you know, as a nice little housewarming gift for myself.
I paid $400 for my DVD player five years ago. I see that, at that price, I can get a pretty good 25" TV for that price. (My little TV/VCR unit is only 13") And I have more money saved up right now than I did five years ago.
I think I"m talking myself into this.
But what good is all this unless I have DVDs to play?
Announced today that V for Vendetta will be hitting DVD on August 1. As has become the tradition, it'll be available in widescreen, full screen, and 2-disc super-special edition.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Clerks II coming out earlier
Hey! In my euphoria of finally having a place to live, i forgot to share the cool news.
Clerks II is coming out earlier!
Instead of August 18, it now comes out...July 21. In the heat of summer blockbuster season.
According to Smith, the film is going to have its world preimere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 26, so the attitude of the studio bosses was, "Why wait longer?"
Smith is also not daunted that it's the middle of sumemr blockbuster season. As Smith points out, Clerks II is very much a niche film...and there's nothing else coming out in that niche.
So, yay! Less wait time for Clerks II!
Clerks II is coming out earlier!
Instead of August 18, it now comes out...July 21. In the heat of summer blockbuster season.
According to Smith, the film is going to have its world preimere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 26, so the attitude of the studio bosses was, "Why wait longer?"
Smith is also not daunted that it's the middle of sumemr blockbuster season. As Smith points out, Clerks II is very much a niche film...and there's nothing else coming out in that niche.
So, yay! Less wait time for Clerks II!
Home Sweet Home
I have a place to live!
Landlord called me at work this morning, all in a panic. "You didn't change your mind did you? Cuz if you did, I need to know now so I can stick an ad in next week's paper!" I explained how I slept through his call and that I still wanted the place very much.
I ran down to his office during his lunch brake, gave him his money, and before you can say, "Dude, you've got a home," dude, I got a home!
So, I'm at the motel right now...enjoying having TV and a phone line for last time. I decided to pay the extra bit a month to tie into his high speed Internet, so I just bought a wireless network card for my laptop.
Bad news: I'm going to be without Internet at home for about a week or so as I wait for my card to get here!
Anyway, I'm going to be making a day trip home to Entwistle to:
1) wish my mother a happy Mother's Day
2) Cram whatever furniture will fit into my car.
My parents will make the *big* trip, bringing me a bed and a couch and all that, sometime in the not-too-distant future.
I have a home...a home of my own.
Landlord called me at work this morning, all in a panic. "You didn't change your mind did you? Cuz if you did, I need to know now so I can stick an ad in next week's paper!" I explained how I slept through his call and that I still wanted the place very much.
I ran down to his office during his lunch brake, gave him his money, and before you can say, "Dude, you've got a home," dude, I got a home!
So, I'm at the motel right now...enjoying having TV and a phone line for last time. I decided to pay the extra bit a month to tie into his high speed Internet, so I just bought a wireless network card for my laptop.
Bad news: I'm going to be without Internet at home for about a week or so as I wait for my card to get here!
Anyway, I'm going to be making a day trip home to Entwistle to:
1) wish my mother a happy Mother's Day
2) Cram whatever furniture will fit into my car.
My parents will make the *big* trip, bringing me a bed and a couch and all that, sometime in the not-too-distant future.
I have a home...a home of my own.
Lots of stuff
Yay!
Today, we have our list of bonus material for The Weird Al Show: The Complete Series! On the 3-disc DVD set, you'll get:
- the storyboards for the animated segments (namely, the Fatman cartoons)
- galleries of the show's concept art
- a karaoke version of the classic theme song
- running commentaries by Weird Al, producer Tom Frank, and director Peyton Reed on all 13 episodes. Some commentaries will even feature that show's guest star.
For those who don't remember, The Weird Al Show was "Weird Al" Yankovic's short-lived Saturday morning TV show, that was on in 1997. It only ran for 13 episodes. The DVD The Weird Al Show: The Complete Series comes out on August 15.
It has not been a good week for me.
Ever since Wednesday, when I was the operator for my first Oilers game.
Once the triple overtime game was done, I got home and went to bed at 1AM...and was up at 4 to be back at work. I returned to work, and got through my morning shift, and then let's just say it was a bad day at work. I'm the lack of sleep made it seem a lot worse than it really was.
And then, i was so tired, that I slept through that all important phone call; the new landlord saying..."Come move in now!"
That place is mine, all I really have to do is sign the lease and get the keys. Although, to be fair, I tend to be in bed by 9 because of my new, messed-up sleep schedule, and my landlord doesn't like to do business until after 5. And last night, it was after 9:30, cuz he decided to hit the golf course.
He warned me that he's heading out of town this weekend and I can't move in until Monday, but I'll call him at 5 on the dot and see if something can be worked out.
And, to top it all off, I woke up this morning to realize that I left the windows open in my car.
And it rained in the night.
*sigh* I just want a place to live. Is that too much to ask?
(Apparently, it IS too much to ask in Athabasca.)
Today, we have our list of bonus material for The Weird Al Show: The Complete Series! On the 3-disc DVD set, you'll get:
- the storyboards for the animated segments (namely, the Fatman cartoons)
- galleries of the show's concept art
- a karaoke version of the classic theme song
- running commentaries by Weird Al, producer Tom Frank, and director Peyton Reed on all 13 episodes. Some commentaries will even feature that show's guest star.
For those who don't remember, The Weird Al Show was "Weird Al" Yankovic's short-lived Saturday morning TV show, that was on in 1997. It only ran for 13 episodes. The DVD The Weird Al Show: The Complete Series comes out on August 15.
It has not been a good week for me.
Ever since Wednesday, when I was the operator for my first Oilers game.
Once the triple overtime game was done, I got home and went to bed at 1AM...and was up at 4 to be back at work. I returned to work, and got through my morning shift, and then let's just say it was a bad day at work. I'm the lack of sleep made it seem a lot worse than it really was.
And then, i was so tired, that I slept through that all important phone call; the new landlord saying..."Come move in now!"
That place is mine, all I really have to do is sign the lease and get the keys. Although, to be fair, I tend to be in bed by 9 because of my new, messed-up sleep schedule, and my landlord doesn't like to do business until after 5. And last night, it was after 9:30, cuz he decided to hit the golf course.
He warned me that he's heading out of town this weekend and I can't move in until Monday, but I'll call him at 5 on the dot and see if something can be worked out.
And, to top it all off, I woke up this morning to realize that I left the windows open in my car.
And it rained in the night.
*sigh* I just want a place to live. Is that too much to ask?
(Apparently, it IS too much to ask in Athabasca.)
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Another Evening with Kevin Smith
Yay!
Today, we finally got an official release date for An Evening with Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder.
August 15.
For those who don't care, this is an eagerly-anticipated sequel to An Evening with Kevin Smith, a DVD concert film of Kevin Smith's now-legendary spoken word performances/Q&A sessions.
The first DVD was edited together from 5 different shows at colleges. This second one is going to be nothing but two complete shows: one filmed in Toronto, the other filmed in London, England.
And because I had to explain this to my friend once...the title is a riff on the second Die Hard film, which was called Die Hard 2: Die Harder on all movie posters and promotional materials.
Today, we finally got an official release date for An Evening with Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder.
August 15.
For those who don't care, this is an eagerly-anticipated sequel to An Evening with Kevin Smith, a DVD concert film of Kevin Smith's now-legendary spoken word performances/Q&A sessions.
The first DVD was edited together from 5 different shows at colleges. This second one is going to be nothing but two complete shows: one filmed in Toronto, the other filmed in London, England.
And because I had to explain this to my friend once...the title is a riff on the second Die Hard film, which was called Die Hard 2: Die Harder on all movie posters and promotional materials.
Live from New York....
I once read an interview with REM, where they said that artists eventually reach a plateau where it becomes OK to be self-referrential.
Saturday Night Live is a TV show that's been on for just about 30 years. And, this fall, we're going to get not one, but two TV shows chronicling the behind-the-scenes angst, drama, and gallows humour of Saturday Night Live.
Well, for legal purposes, it will take place behind the scenes on thinly-veiled knock-offs of Saturday Night Live.
The first one is called Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. It's a one-hour drama. It focuses on the downfall of our SNL-like show (called..."Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") and the two legendary comedy writers brought in to save the show. The two legendary comedy writers will be played by Matthew Perry (Chandler on Friends) and Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman on The West Wing). It's created by Aaron Sorkin, the TV genius who gave us SportsNight and The West Wing.
The second one...is still untitled. It's a half-hour sitcom. It focuses on a fresh-faced, young female comedy writer who gets hired by an SNL-like TV show (called..."Friday Night Bits"), and eventually starts making a name for herself in this male-dominated world. This one stars Alec Baldwin and SNL cast member Rachel Dratch. This one was created by Tina Fey, the Saturday Night Live writer who's currently the genius behind the desk on Weekend Update. She also wrote the teen comedy Mean Girls. Fey has already described the show as being "semi-autobiographical." It should also be mentioned that this one is being produced by Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels.
I don't know...I'm curious about both shows. I think that Fey is one of the funniest people on SNL right now, and I also agree that Sorkin is a freakin' genius. I think that Sorkin's show will have more staying power, though.
Saturday Night Live is a TV show that's been on for just about 30 years. And, this fall, we're going to get not one, but two TV shows chronicling the behind-the-scenes angst, drama, and gallows humour of Saturday Night Live.
Well, for legal purposes, it will take place behind the scenes on thinly-veiled knock-offs of Saturday Night Live.
The first one is called Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. It's a one-hour drama. It focuses on the downfall of our SNL-like show (called..."Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") and the two legendary comedy writers brought in to save the show. The two legendary comedy writers will be played by Matthew Perry (Chandler on Friends) and Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman on The West Wing). It's created by Aaron Sorkin, the TV genius who gave us SportsNight and The West Wing.
The second one...is still untitled. It's a half-hour sitcom. It focuses on a fresh-faced, young female comedy writer who gets hired by an SNL-like TV show (called..."Friday Night Bits"), and eventually starts making a name for herself in this male-dominated world. This one stars Alec Baldwin and SNL cast member Rachel Dratch. This one was created by Tina Fey, the Saturday Night Live writer who's currently the genius behind the desk on Weekend Update. She also wrote the teen comedy Mean Girls. Fey has already described the show as being "semi-autobiographical." It should also be mentioned that this one is being produced by Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels.
I don't know...I'm curious about both shows. I think that Fey is one of the funniest people on SNL right now, and I also agree that Sorkin is a freakin' genius. I think that Sorkin's show will have more staying power, though.
Mario vs. Sonic?
Well, the big E3 expo is currently going on. This is where all the video game makers unveil their new games.
Of course, Nintendo had to announce that the latest version of their hit Super Smash Bros. is currently in development for the Nintendo Wii. This will be the first Super Smash Bros to feature a character from a non-Nintendo-made game, namely Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid.
It had to be asked then if characters from other non-Nintendo games would be working their way into the game, to which the Nintendo execs said that the door is open and negotiations are underway.
To which, someone just had to ask, "Will Sonic the Hedgehog be a character?"
To which the Nintendo execs just coyly smiled and said, "The door is open and negotiations are underway."
Wow. A fighting game where Mario and Sonic can fight to the death? Talk about a true geek-out moment for those of us who grew up with video games in the great Nintendo vs. Sega era.
Of course, Nintendo had to announce that the latest version of their hit Super Smash Bros. is currently in development for the Nintendo Wii. This will be the first Super Smash Bros to feature a character from a non-Nintendo-made game, namely Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid.
It had to be asked then if characters from other non-Nintendo games would be working their way into the game, to which the Nintendo execs said that the door is open and negotiations are underway.
To which, someone just had to ask, "Will Sonic the Hedgehog be a character?"
To which the Nintendo execs just coyly smiled and said, "The door is open and negotiations are underway."
Wow. A fighting game where Mario and Sonic can fight to the death? Talk about a true geek-out moment for those of us who grew up with video games in the great Nintendo vs. Sega era.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Home
I found a place to live.
Yay!
A nice, kinda big, basement suite. $600/month, and that includes utilities. For $625/month, my landlord will even let me tie into his high speed Internet. Only drawback to that is I've got to run out and buy a wireless network card for my laptop. Bad news: One will run me about $60-$120, and none of the mom and pop computer stores in town carry one. Good news: I can buy one online, $60-$120 is about the installation fee for high speed Internet anyway, and I'll finally get to use that card slot in the side of my laptop!
But here's the crazy thing. The guy would only sign me to a 6-month lease. He figures that, with me being in radio and all that, I'll probably be promoted and/or leaving town to a better job in six months. I admire the guy's optimism, but it did force me to ask myself a central question.
How long am I going to be in Athabasca?
That question did come up when I was chatting with my new boss. Back then, I told my boss, "Well, I'm at the point in my life where I don't want a job...I want a career. Hopefully, Athabasca will be the start of that career. I'll be here as long as my career demands it."
It sounds like I was dodging the question, but it's true. I have no idea how long I'll be here...at this job. Yeah, I want a career, but I've kinda been making it up as I go along. I've got no master file saying, "1.5 years in Athabasca, 2.4 in Edmonton, 3.1 in Halifax, and then...WORLD DOMINATION!"
Odds are, I'll be here as long as it's right for me, and it's right for this station.
I move in tomorrow. I could have moved in today, but today is a crazy day. I'm at work right now, getting ready to op my first Oilers game.
Let me pull back the curtain and explain some of that radio magic again. Everytime you hear a live broadcast (ie an Oilers game) or a syndicated radio show (ie some weekly top 40 hosted by a celebrity), there's got to be some guy at the radio station, sitting behind the mixing board, making sure everything goes OK and playing the commercials at the right time. That guy is called "the operator."
The only time Athabasca needs an operator is when we broadcast the Oilers game. I'm here now, I'm working here, so naturally, I want to do it...pull my own weight and suchforth.
It's really easy. We play the central Oilers feed from Edmonton...I listen for the announcer to say the outcue (ie "You're listening to the Oilers on the Oilers radio network!"). When I hear that, I mute the feed and play our own commercials. Commercials are done, I turn up the volume on the feed, kick back, and listen to the game.
Three little words make doing it worthwhile: "Over Time Pay."
Anyway, still got some time before the game starts, so I'm running off to the convenience store across the street to get me a Jolt cola. It's gonna be a long night.
Yay!
A nice, kinda big, basement suite. $600/month, and that includes utilities. For $625/month, my landlord will even let me tie into his high speed Internet. Only drawback to that is I've got to run out and buy a wireless network card for my laptop. Bad news: One will run me about $60-$120, and none of the mom and pop computer stores in town carry one. Good news: I can buy one online, $60-$120 is about the installation fee for high speed Internet anyway, and I'll finally get to use that card slot in the side of my laptop!
But here's the crazy thing. The guy would only sign me to a 6-month lease. He figures that, with me being in radio and all that, I'll probably be promoted and/or leaving town to a better job in six months. I admire the guy's optimism, but it did force me to ask myself a central question.
How long am I going to be in Athabasca?
That question did come up when I was chatting with my new boss. Back then, I told my boss, "Well, I'm at the point in my life where I don't want a job...I want a career. Hopefully, Athabasca will be the start of that career. I'll be here as long as my career demands it."
It sounds like I was dodging the question, but it's true. I have no idea how long I'll be here...at this job. Yeah, I want a career, but I've kinda been making it up as I go along. I've got no master file saying, "1.5 years in Athabasca, 2.4 in Edmonton, 3.1 in Halifax, and then...WORLD DOMINATION!"
Odds are, I'll be here as long as it's right for me, and it's right for this station.
I move in tomorrow. I could have moved in today, but today is a crazy day. I'm at work right now, getting ready to op my first Oilers game.
Let me pull back the curtain and explain some of that radio magic again. Everytime you hear a live broadcast (ie an Oilers game) or a syndicated radio show (ie some weekly top 40 hosted by a celebrity), there's got to be some guy at the radio station, sitting behind the mixing board, making sure everything goes OK and playing the commercials at the right time. That guy is called "the operator."
The only time Athabasca needs an operator is when we broadcast the Oilers game. I'm here now, I'm working here, so naturally, I want to do it...pull my own weight and suchforth.
It's really easy. We play the central Oilers feed from Edmonton...I listen for the announcer to say the outcue (ie "You're listening to the Oilers on the Oilers radio network!"). When I hear that, I mute the feed and play our own commercials. Commercials are done, I turn up the volume on the feed, kick back, and listen to the game.
Three little words make doing it worthwhile: "Over Time Pay."
Anyway, still got some time before the game starts, so I'm running off to the convenience store across the street to get me a Jolt cola. It's gonna be a long night.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Early Mornings
I'm still getting used to these days that start at 4AM. I go to bed at 8PM. I get a full 8 hours. But I'm still not used to getting up this early.
I think it has a lot to do with the time...4AM. Forget what you've been told about midnight...I think that 4AM is the true transition from one day to the next. Think about it.
When you look at the clock and it says 3 AM, you think, "Man, I'm up way too late."
When you look at the clock and it says 5 AM, you think, "Man, I'm up way too early."
So, naturally, right between "way too late" and "way too early" has to be the transition between days.
Recently, I've been reminded of a tale of one of my old friends in my Augustana days. Back at AUC, I was a bit of an early bird, and I was always right there when the cafeteria opened at 7:30 for breakfast. One day, I noticed a friend of mine, who was NOT an early bird, there having breakfast. I sat down with him and enquired as to why he was up so early.
"Well," he said. "I've got this big assignment due today that I was up all night working on. I was finally done at around 2AM, but by then, I was so high on caffine I couldn't get to sleep. So, I re-arranged my furniture. When I was done doing that, I noticed that the cafeteria was open for breakfast."
"Then why aren't you in bed?" I asked.
He pointed at the clock. "Cuz that assignment was due for an 8AM class."
This whole world needs more time to sleep.
I think it has a lot to do with the time...4AM. Forget what you've been told about midnight...I think that 4AM is the true transition from one day to the next. Think about it.
When you look at the clock and it says 3 AM, you think, "Man, I'm up way too late."
When you look at the clock and it says 5 AM, you think, "Man, I'm up way too early."
So, naturally, right between "way too late" and "way too early" has to be the transition between days.
Recently, I've been reminded of a tale of one of my old friends in my Augustana days. Back at AUC, I was a bit of an early bird, and I was always right there when the cafeteria opened at 7:30 for breakfast. One day, I noticed a friend of mine, who was NOT an early bird, there having breakfast. I sat down with him and enquired as to why he was up so early.
"Well," he said. "I've got this big assignment due today that I was up all night working on. I was finally done at around 2AM, but by then, I was so high on caffine I couldn't get to sleep. So, I re-arranged my furniture. When I was done doing that, I noticed that the cafeteria was open for breakfast."
"Then why aren't you in bed?" I asked.
He pointed at the clock. "Cuz that assignment was due for an 8AM class."
This whole world needs more time to sleep.
Monday, May 08, 2006
I need a life
You>> So, like, when you're bored, do you do nothing but type the names of fast food restaurants into Wikipedia?
Me>> Uh...yeah.
Did you know....
- Taco Bell is named after its founder, Glen Bell.
- Taco Bell actually served a hamburger in the late-1980s to compete with the burger places. It was called the "Big Beefer."
- Arby's is named after its founders, the Rafell Brothers. Rafell Brothers...RB...Arby's.
Me>> Uh...yeah.
Did you know....
- Taco Bell is named after its founder, Glen Bell.
- Taco Bell actually served a hamburger in the late-1980s to compete with the burger places. It was called the "Big Beefer."
- Arby's is named after its founders, the Rafell Brothers. Rafell Brothers...RB...Arby's.
The Latest Books Pulled from Libraries
We were running this on our provincial news feed this morning, and I had to go seek out more information.
First, the necessary back story. I'm sure you've all heard the shocking murder that happened in Medicine Hat. A 12-year old girl and her 23-year old boyfriend killed her parents and brother. Well, it's come to light that the 12-year old girl was a Goth, so Goth is becoming the new persucuted, mis-understood, teen subculture that must be banned.
Anyway, the news story that was running this morning was that a Medicine Hat school has pulled a book from its curiculum that prominently featured a Goth character. The school board says they are doing this out of sensitivity.
Naturally, I had to find out what the book was.
So, I found the whole story, from Saturday's Edmonton Sun.
The book is called Runner, and it's by Peter McPhee. It's about a man wandering the streets of Calgary looking for his runaway sister...who just happens to be Goth.
McPhee says that he wrote the book to show that a life on the streets will lead you nowhere...not as a glamorization of Goth culture.
But reading the book was just one small part of the class assignment...along with it came an exploration of Goth culture, including drawing a picture of yourself as a Goth, and checking out some Goth websites.
Naturally, a parent objected. The parent who objected says that her child - who is doing the assignment - is "highly impressionable" and "suffers from a learning disorder," and that the assignment compelled her child to proclaim that she's "going Goth" and even cut the words "I want to be a Goth" into her arm with the pointy end of her compass.
The parent who objected chose to go unnamed. And, as my mother who was on the school board for 15 years once told me, "If a parents chooses to go unnamed, then 9 times out of 10, it's a teacher."
Anyway, that's the whole story, as I got from the Edmonton Sun. Click here to read the article
First, the necessary back story. I'm sure you've all heard the shocking murder that happened in Medicine Hat. A 12-year old girl and her 23-year old boyfriend killed her parents and brother. Well, it's come to light that the 12-year old girl was a Goth, so Goth is becoming the new persucuted, mis-understood, teen subculture that must be banned.
Anyway, the news story that was running this morning was that a Medicine Hat school has pulled a book from its curiculum that prominently featured a Goth character. The school board says they are doing this out of sensitivity.
Naturally, I had to find out what the book was.
So, I found the whole story, from Saturday's Edmonton Sun.
The book is called Runner, and it's by Peter McPhee. It's about a man wandering the streets of Calgary looking for his runaway sister...who just happens to be Goth.
McPhee says that he wrote the book to show that a life on the streets will lead you nowhere...not as a glamorization of Goth culture.
But reading the book was just one small part of the class assignment...along with it came an exploration of Goth culture, including drawing a picture of yourself as a Goth, and checking out some Goth websites.
Naturally, a parent objected. The parent who objected says that her child - who is doing the assignment - is "highly impressionable" and "suffers from a learning disorder," and that the assignment compelled her child to proclaim that she's "going Goth" and even cut the words "I want to be a Goth" into her arm with the pointy end of her compass.
The parent who objected chose to go unnamed. And, as my mother who was on the school board for 15 years once told me, "If a parents chooses to go unnamed, then 9 times out of 10, it's a teacher."
Anyway, that's the whole story, as I got from the Edmonton Sun. Click here to read the article
MASH DVD
Just a quick a note I want to share this morning.
MASH: The Complete Eleventh Season comes out on May 29. This is worth noting because, on the set, will be MASH: Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen, the epic, 2.5 hour final episode which still stands as the most-watched television event EVER.
Sadly, though, there will be absolutly nothing in the way of bonus materials. Very shoddy treatment for such a television milestone.
MASH: The Complete Eleventh Season comes out on May 29. This is worth noting because, on the set, will be MASH: Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen, the epic, 2.5 hour final episode which still stands as the most-watched television event EVER.
Sadly, though, there will be absolutly nothing in the way of bonus materials. Very shoddy treatment for such a television milestone.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
McDonald's Facts
I know...I know...my best friend doesn't like it when I give free plugs to McDonald's like this, but I'm bored, and I'm reading up on McDonald's. But, this isn't going to be facts like what's really in the special sauce and how many kids they employ in sweat shops to make Happy Meal toys. No...these are trivial facts:
- The northernmost McDonald's is in Rovaneimi, Finland. It sits precisely on the Arctic Circle.
- The southernmost McDonald's is in Punta Arenas, Chile
- The largest McDonald's PlayPlace is in Orlando, Florida. It boasts two levels, arcade games, and a gourmet sundae bar.
- The lowest McDonald's is in Ein Bokek, Isreal, on the shores of the Dead Sea.
- The highest McDonald's is in the KL Tower in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- The busiest McDoanld's in Canada is in Cambridge, Ontario.
- The McDonald's in Salen, Sweden boasts a ski-thru window.
- The McDonald's at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba is the ONLY McDonald's in Cuba.
- There's a McDonald's in the Pentagon.
- The most visited McDonald's in the world was the "McBarge," the floating McDonald's at Expo 86 in Vancouver. McDonald's abandoned the ship after Expo 86 closed; it now rusts in Burrard Inlet, in Burnaby, BC. Vancouverites can see it when they take the West Coast Express.
- There's a McDonald's in Hong Kong that boasts a hostess who directs you to the shortest lines.
- There's a McDonald's in New York City that has a doorman, mable tables, chandaliers, a private dining room with silverware, and live music played on a baby grand piano.
Oh, and here's one on Burger King:
In Australia, Burger King is known as "Hungry Jack's." This was because there was an existing restaurant chain in Australia that used the name "Burger King." Even when the Burger King name became available, Burger King opted to keep using the name Hungry Jack's.
I remember there was a similar situation in Alberta. If you grew up in Alberta in the 1980s, you may remember that Burger King was tough to come by. This was because there was a restaurant in Edmonton that already had the name "Burger King." In the mid-1990s, the Edmonton Burger King closed down, the name "Burger King" became available, and Burger King moved into Edmonton, and launched an agressive expansion into Alberta.
- The northernmost McDonald's is in Rovaneimi, Finland. It sits precisely on the Arctic Circle.
- The southernmost McDonald's is in Punta Arenas, Chile
- The largest McDonald's PlayPlace is in Orlando, Florida. It boasts two levels, arcade games, and a gourmet sundae bar.
- The lowest McDonald's is in Ein Bokek, Isreal, on the shores of the Dead Sea.
- The highest McDonald's is in the KL Tower in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- The busiest McDoanld's in Canada is in Cambridge, Ontario.
- The McDonald's in Salen, Sweden boasts a ski-thru window.
- The McDonald's at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba is the ONLY McDonald's in Cuba.
- There's a McDonald's in the Pentagon.
- The most visited McDonald's in the world was the "McBarge," the floating McDonald's at Expo 86 in Vancouver. McDonald's abandoned the ship after Expo 86 closed; it now rusts in Burrard Inlet, in Burnaby, BC. Vancouverites can see it when they take the West Coast Express.
- There's a McDonald's in Hong Kong that boasts a hostess who directs you to the shortest lines.
- There's a McDonald's in New York City that has a doorman, mable tables, chandaliers, a private dining room with silverware, and live music played on a baby grand piano.
Oh, and here's one on Burger King:
In Australia, Burger King is known as "Hungry Jack's." This was because there was an existing restaurant chain in Australia that used the name "Burger King." Even when the Burger King name became available, Burger King opted to keep using the name Hungry Jack's.
I remember there was a similar situation in Alberta. If you grew up in Alberta in the 1980s, you may remember that Burger King was tough to come by. This was because there was a restaurant in Edmonton that already had the name "Burger King." In the mid-1990s, the Edmonton Burger King closed down, the name "Burger King" became available, and Burger King moved into Edmonton, and launched an agressive expansion into Alberta.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Cellphone Snapshots!
So, I got my new cellphone. Naturally, it's a camera phone. I wanted a phone that was more or less just like the one I had in Japan. But, I was impressed with this one. It takes a lot nicer pictures than my phone in Japan. So, I think I'll do what I threatened to do in Japan...a cellphone snapshot gallery!
It's rainy and I'm bored. As I was going for a walk between downpours, I came upon the Athabasca Pottery Club's Open House. They were showing off some of their creations, selling some of their works, giving demonstrations, and having free food. This is the table showing off some of the "not for sale" works.
When my parents dropped me off a week ago, Mom thought this was the funniest sign. Read it outloud the way she did: "Now hiring 2 chubby juniors." So, if you're a chubby junior, A&W's got a job for you!
It's rainy and I'm bored. As I was going for a walk between downpours, I came upon the Athabasca Pottery Club's Open House. They were showing off some of their creations, selling some of their works, giving demonstrations, and having free food. This is the table showing off some of the "not for sale" works.
When my parents dropped me off a week ago, Mom thought this was the funniest sign. Read it outloud the way she did: "Now hiring 2 chubby juniors." So, if you're a chubby junior, A&W's got a job for you!
Friday, May 05, 2006
Kevin Smith Bits/Trailer Comments
Got a couple of interesting Kevin Smith tidbits I haven't shared yet....
Firstly, there's a new Kevin Smith trade paperback coming out this August. Tales of the Clerks compiles all of Kevin Smith's Clerks comics (and a few that featre Randall and Dante in supporting roles) along with a new Clerks comic book story called Where's the Beef?. Where's the Beef? fills in the gap between Clerks and Clerks II.
and also...this is really silly-cool. OK, one of the weirdest parts of the Clerks X DVD is one of Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier's introductions to one of the bonus features. For the first 10 minutes of this introduction, Smith Mosier do nothing but wax poetic about that incredibly cheezy, Patrick Swayze-starring, 1980s B-movie classic Road House. And the way they're acting, it's like they didn't know the camera was rolling...they were just shooting the shit while waiting for someone to yell "action." Finally, they notice that the camera's rolling, the do their intro, and then they go into explaining their Road House rant. Somewhere in the conversation, either Smith or Mosier says, "Ya know, if they ever do a special edition DVD of Road House, they should get us to do a running commentary."
Well, guess what?
Road House: Deluxe Edition comes out on July 11. And, one of the bonus features...running commentary by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier.
Finally got a chance to see that new trailer for Superman Returns.
I am now worried for the film.
I just see nothing new, Superman-wise. I see nothing but recycled bits and action beats from the Richard Donner movies.
Now, I know that Bryan Singer allegedly loves the Richard Donner films. It's nice that he wants to show his love and respect for the Richard Donner films. But, watching the trailer, it looks like Singer goes from "homage" into "ripoff."
I mean, Batman Begins gave us something new. Batman begins showed us Batman's "lost years"...Bruce Wayne's training to become Batman.
But I'm not getting a sense of any of that from Superman Returns. Which is...disappointing.
I also caught the first teaser for the new James Bond film, Casino Royale, coming out this November. Again, same complaint as Superman Returns. There's nothing new.
Firstly, there's a new Kevin Smith trade paperback coming out this August. Tales of the Clerks compiles all of Kevin Smith's Clerks comics (and a few that featre Randall and Dante in supporting roles) along with a new Clerks comic book story called Where's the Beef?. Where's the Beef? fills in the gap between Clerks and Clerks II.
and also...this is really silly-cool. OK, one of the weirdest parts of the Clerks X DVD is one of Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier's introductions to one of the bonus features. For the first 10 minutes of this introduction, Smith Mosier do nothing but wax poetic about that incredibly cheezy, Patrick Swayze-starring, 1980s B-movie classic Road House. And the way they're acting, it's like they didn't know the camera was rolling...they were just shooting the shit while waiting for someone to yell "action." Finally, they notice that the camera's rolling, the do their intro, and then they go into explaining their Road House rant. Somewhere in the conversation, either Smith or Mosier says, "Ya know, if they ever do a special edition DVD of Road House, they should get us to do a running commentary."
Well, guess what?
Road House: Deluxe Edition comes out on July 11. And, one of the bonus features...running commentary by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier.
Finally got a chance to see that new trailer for Superman Returns.
I am now worried for the film.
I just see nothing new, Superman-wise. I see nothing but recycled bits and action beats from the Richard Donner movies.
Now, I know that Bryan Singer allegedly loves the Richard Donner films. It's nice that he wants to show his love and respect for the Richard Donner films. But, watching the trailer, it looks like Singer goes from "homage" into "ripoff."
I mean, Batman Begins gave us something new. Batman begins showed us Batman's "lost years"...Bruce Wayne's training to become Batman.
But I'm not getting a sense of any of that from Superman Returns. Which is...disappointing.
I also caught the first teaser for the new James Bond film, Casino Royale, coming out this November. Again, same complaint as Superman Returns. There's nothing new.
Truly Trivial
One of the favourite parts of my new job is coming up with trivia questions. YOu know what I"m talking about. Every radio station does it. They announced some kind of startling statistic (ie "37% of women shove this up their noses!"), people call in and make all kinds of embarrassing guesses (ie "toothbrushes!") until, finally, the real answer is arrived at (ie "kleenex!").
I made up that example. But you know what I"m getting at. It's my job to find one of those questions and try to stump the listeners. But see, doing things in Athabasca, there are some unique challenges.
I'm going to pull back the curtain and reveal some of the radio magic. Just about every radio station these days records their phone calls. Every phone call you hear on the radio happened about 3 minutes ago. The announcer recorded it, and saved it for the right time.
Now, with that in mind, every trivia question you hear on the air, was answered on about the second or thrid guess. The announcer recorded the winner, and kept on recording all kinds of incorrect guesses. The announcer then plays the funniest or oddest or best of the wrong guesses, until he or she feels it's gone on long enough. Then, the announcer plays the winning phone call, and it's over.
But see, here in Athabasca, we're a small operation. So, we're one of those operations that does not record phone calls. Every phone call is done live.
And you can imagine the ribbing I get when a trivia question is answered on the first or second try.
My challenge is I've got to come up with really challenging trivia questions that will get a lot of guesses...but are still fun and kind of silly.
My first two days didn't go so well. Answered on the first guess. But, on Wednesday, I found a really tough one.
Q: Which cartoon character originally spoke Pig Latin and wore a fruit-covered hat?
Hint: He's a breakfast cereal mascot.
A: Toucan Sam.
That one was great, but guess as soon as I gave the hint. That'll have to be my formula, I think. A really tough question, with a crucial hint that gives it away.
I've found lots of good trivia bits. Some of them I can't use because I don't know how to phrase them as a question. Like this one:
In 1996, the average bra size bought was 34B. Today, it's 36C.
I like this one, but I fear it may be too easy.
Q: This city was voted the most dangerous, least attractive, the rudest...and the one place most would like to visit.
A: New York City.
But yeah. That's definitly a fun part of the job.
I made up that example. But you know what I"m getting at. It's my job to find one of those questions and try to stump the listeners. But see, doing things in Athabasca, there are some unique challenges.
I'm going to pull back the curtain and reveal some of the radio magic. Just about every radio station these days records their phone calls. Every phone call you hear on the radio happened about 3 minutes ago. The announcer recorded it, and saved it for the right time.
Now, with that in mind, every trivia question you hear on the air, was answered on about the second or thrid guess. The announcer recorded the winner, and kept on recording all kinds of incorrect guesses. The announcer then plays the funniest or oddest or best of the wrong guesses, until he or she feels it's gone on long enough. Then, the announcer plays the winning phone call, and it's over.
But see, here in Athabasca, we're a small operation. So, we're one of those operations that does not record phone calls. Every phone call is done live.
And you can imagine the ribbing I get when a trivia question is answered on the first or second try.
My challenge is I've got to come up with really challenging trivia questions that will get a lot of guesses...but are still fun and kind of silly.
My first two days didn't go so well. Answered on the first guess. But, on Wednesday, I found a really tough one.
Q: Which cartoon character originally spoke Pig Latin and wore a fruit-covered hat?
Hint: He's a breakfast cereal mascot.
A: Toucan Sam.
That one was great, but guess as soon as I gave the hint. That'll have to be my formula, I think. A really tough question, with a crucial hint that gives it away.
I've found lots of good trivia bits. Some of them I can't use because I don't know how to phrase them as a question. Like this one:
In 1996, the average bra size bought was 34B. Today, it's 36C.
I like this one, but I fear it may be too easy.
Q: This city was voted the most dangerous, least attractive, the rudest...and the one place most would like to visit.
A: New York City.
But yeah. That's definitly a fun part of the job.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
I'm Buying Star Wars Again
That sound you hear? Nerds all over the world gasping in astonishment.
After swearing forever that he'd never do it, George Lucas announced yesterday that he'll be releasing the original, non-special-editions of the Star Wars trilogy to DVD.
That's right, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, all in their original, pre-CGI enhancement glory.
As Coming Soon.net described it "See the title crawl to Star Wars before it was known as Episode IV; see the pioneering, if dated, motion control model work on the attack on the Death Star; groove to Lapti Nek or the Ewok Celebration song like you did when you were a kid; and yes, see Han Solo shoot first."
In keeping with the "original" aspect, each film will only boast its original, 2.0 stereo soundtrack.
There is a catch, though. In order to see these originals, you have to buy the special editions again! The three films in the trilogy will be sold individually in 2-disc sets. The 2004 special edition will be on Disc 1, the original "year it came out" edition will be on Disc 2. No word yet of if there'll be a boxed set of the whole trilogy.
LucasFilm is also following the "Disney Limited Edition" marketing strategy for this. The DVDs go on sale of September 12, and will then be yanked off store shelves on December 31.
LucasFilm says that they're doing this because of overwhelming public demand.
Remember: September 12 is the big day.
After swearing forever that he'd never do it, George Lucas announced yesterday that he'll be releasing the original, non-special-editions of the Star Wars trilogy to DVD.
That's right, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, all in their original, pre-CGI enhancement glory.
As Coming Soon.net described it "See the title crawl to Star Wars before it was known as Episode IV; see the pioneering, if dated, motion control model work on the attack on the Death Star; groove to Lapti Nek or the Ewok Celebration song like you did when you were a kid; and yes, see Han Solo shoot first."
In keeping with the "original" aspect, each film will only boast its original, 2.0 stereo soundtrack.
There is a catch, though. In order to see these originals, you have to buy the special editions again! The three films in the trilogy will be sold individually in 2-disc sets. The 2004 special edition will be on Disc 1, the original "year it came out" edition will be on Disc 2. No word yet of if there'll be a boxed set of the whole trilogy.
LucasFilm is also following the "Disney Limited Edition" marketing strategy for this. The DVDs go on sale of September 12, and will then be yanked off store shelves on December 31.
LucasFilm says that they're doing this because of overwhelming public demand.
Remember: September 12 is the big day.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Definition of Frustration
I've been counting down the days to the new Superman movie.
The newest trailer went online today.
I can't download it, because I'm in this motel room with this frustratingly slow dial-up Internet.
I can't watch it at work, because we've got all the "good employee" firewalls that prevent me from downloading it.
Why, this isn't heaven...THIS IS HELL!!
The newest trailer went online today.
I can't download it, because I'm in this motel room with this frustratingly slow dial-up Internet.
I can't watch it at work, because we've got all the "good employee" firewalls that prevent me from downloading it.
Why, this isn't heaven...THIS IS HELL!!
Expo 86 - 20 Years Later
Wow. It was mentioned on the news last night that it's now the 20th Anniversary of Expo 86. It was on May 2, 1986 that Expo 86 officiall opened, BC welcomed the world, and Vancouver went from "a sleepy provincial backwater to a city with some global clout." (According to the dude who wrote the Wikipedia entry.)
I remember the summer of 1986. TV ads for Expo 86 were non-stop. The TV-ads featured late-80s computer animation flying over Science World and several other venues. I *really* wanted to go, and lobbied my parents. My parents actually did seriously look into it, but sadly determined that a summer's vacation in Vancouver was just a bit beyond their budget that year.
I had to e-mail a friend of mine - a lifelong Vancouverite - and asked her if she went. (Yeah, we've been friends for a while, but I could never figure out how to slip that into a conversation.) She told me that yes, she did go, and as she was only 6 at the time, it was a pretty seminal event in her childhood.
After we traded e-mails, we both had to sit back and take breath. wow. 20 years since Expo 86. It makes me feel old.
No...it doesn't make me feel old.
It makes me feel like a grown-up.
Sadly, the lustre of Expo and the World's Fair is no longer what it once was. Some say it's because Expo hasn't been held in North America in ages. The last one in the States was New Orleans 1984...the last one in North America period was Expo 86. Who knows? I"m sure it'll be a big deal again when a North American city has it.
I remember the summer of 1986. TV ads for Expo 86 were non-stop. The TV-ads featured late-80s computer animation flying over Science World and several other venues. I *really* wanted to go, and lobbied my parents. My parents actually did seriously look into it, but sadly determined that a summer's vacation in Vancouver was just a bit beyond their budget that year.
I had to e-mail a friend of mine - a lifelong Vancouverite - and asked her if she went. (Yeah, we've been friends for a while, but I could never figure out how to slip that into a conversation.) She told me that yes, she did go, and as she was only 6 at the time, it was a pretty seminal event in her childhood.
After we traded e-mails, we both had to sit back and take breath. wow. 20 years since Expo 86. It makes me feel old.
No...it doesn't make me feel old.
It makes me feel like a grown-up.
Sadly, the lustre of Expo and the World's Fair is no longer what it once was. Some say it's because Expo hasn't been held in North America in ages. The last one in the States was New Orleans 1984...the last one in North America period was Expo 86. Who knows? I"m sure it'll be a big deal again when a North American city has it.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
3D Nightmare
Wow!
Disney is currently converting The Nightmare Before Christmas to 3D. This special 3D Nightmare Before Christmas will be in theatres on October 20.
Nightmare is currently be "3-dimensionalized" by Industrial Light and Magic, who did the same thing for Disney's CGI film Chicken Little.
Not only that, but Tim Burton and Nightmare director Henry Selick have been brought in to supervise the 3D transfer process.
I kinda hope they can pull this off.
Oh, and a follow-up to one of last night's drowy ramblings. Jack of all Trades: The Complete Series has been given a release date of July 18.
Disney is currently converting The Nightmare Before Christmas to 3D. This special 3D Nightmare Before Christmas will be in theatres on October 20.
Nightmare is currently be "3-dimensionalized" by Industrial Light and Magic, who did the same thing for Disney's CGI film Chicken Little.
Not only that, but Tim Burton and Nightmare director Henry Selick have been brought in to supervise the 3D transfer process.
I kinda hope they can pull this off.
Oh, and a follow-up to one of last night's drowy ramblings. Jack of all Trades: The Complete Series has been given a release date of July 18.
Monday, May 01, 2006
More Drowsy Ramblings
I'll never forget working in Japan. When I first showed up in that country, my boss gave me heck for having a goatee. "Professionals in Japan don't have beards," she chided me. That soon led to a complaint about my love of wearing hats on my off hours. "Professionals in Japan don't wear hats," she chided me.
I was thinking of my old Japanese boss the other day, when I was covering the county council meeting. As we all know, it's currently the hockey playoffs, and, as is the tradition, several county councillers showed up wearing the jerseys of their favourite teams.
My old Japanese boss would have freaked out.
YES!! Jack of all Trades: The Complete Series is FINALLY coming to DVD!
For those who don't remember, Jack of all Trades was an absolutly hilarious action/comedy from the creators of Hercules and Xena. It lasted just 22 episodes back in Y2K.
B-movie god Bruce Campbell played Jack Stiles. The year was 1801. Jack Stiles was a secret agent for the still very new USA. Stiles's current mission took him to the tiny South Pacific island of Polau Polau. The island is currently under the control of Napoleon Bonaparte and the French empire. Stiles' mission: throw a monkeywrench into Napoleon's plans for world domination. Stiles chooses to do this by becoming a Zorro-like hero called "the Daring Dragoon." Aiding Stiles is Emilia Rothschilde, a super-sexy British secret agent.
As I said...it was freakin' hilarious. No word yet on a release date...all we know is it'll be out by the end of the year.
I was thinking of my old Japanese boss the other day, when I was covering the county council meeting. As we all know, it's currently the hockey playoffs, and, as is the tradition, several county councillers showed up wearing the jerseys of their favourite teams.
My old Japanese boss would have freaked out.
YES!! Jack of all Trades: The Complete Series is FINALLY coming to DVD!
For those who don't remember, Jack of all Trades was an absolutly hilarious action/comedy from the creators of Hercules and Xena. It lasted just 22 episodes back in Y2K.
B-movie god Bruce Campbell played Jack Stiles. The year was 1801. Jack Stiles was a secret agent for the still very new USA. Stiles's current mission took him to the tiny South Pacific island of Polau Polau. The island is currently under the control of Napoleon Bonaparte and the French empire. Stiles' mission: throw a monkeywrench into Napoleon's plans for world domination. Stiles chooses to do this by becoming a Zorro-like hero called "the Daring Dragoon." Aiding Stiles is Emilia Rothschilde, a super-sexy British secret agent.
As I said...it was freakin' hilarious. No word yet on a release date...all we know is it'll be out by the end of the year.
Drowsy Musings
Are we far enough into the 00's that we can start declaring stuff "relics of the 1990s?" I say, "Yes."
In that case, I hereby declare Lara Croft to be a relic of the 1990s.
Just something I was thinking of when I saw that the newest Tomb Raider game had hit shelves.
Well, I see that David Blane is at it again. This time, for a wacky stunt, Blane is going to spend a week submurged in a sphere full of water. That's right, a full week underwater. Don't worry, he's got tubes hooked up to the right places so he can breath and relieve himself.
Then, in one week, he's going to take off his breathing mask and try to break the world record for holding his breath...while escaping from a buttload of chains.
That Blane! What a wacky guy!
In that case, I hereby declare Lara Croft to be a relic of the 1990s.
Just something I was thinking of when I saw that the newest Tomb Raider game had hit shelves.
Well, I see that David Blane is at it again. This time, for a wacky stunt, Blane is going to spend a week submurged in a sphere full of water. That's right, a full week underwater. Don't worry, he's got tubes hooked up to the right places so he can breath and relieve himself.
Then, in one week, he's going to take off his breathing mask and try to break the world record for holding his breath...while escaping from a buttload of chains.
That Blane! What a wacky guy!
Sunday, April 30, 2006
I'm Out
So, as per my roommate's ultimatum of "be out of my apartment in a week," I'm out of the apartment.
Way back in my job interview, my boss mentioned moving expenses. So, I said, "Hey! Would paying for a motel until I find my own place count as a moving expense?" The boss said, "Yup." So, I'm in a company-paid-for motel room until I find a place.
Some drawbacks, though. Like, it had to be the cheapest place in town. But that's OK. I'm away from the roomie. He has his "space."
But, the thing is, I'm on this dial-up connection through the motel phone line, and now I can't send ANY e-mail. It's not just @chaosinabox.com. It's EVERYTHING.
My chaosinabox.com tech support guys tell me it's because Microsoft Outlook Express is stupid, and I should switch to Mozilla Thunderbird. I'll admit, I do like Firefox, and Thunderbird is just an e-mail program from the folks who brought you brought you Firefox.
Way back in my job interview, my boss mentioned moving expenses. So, I said, "Hey! Would paying for a motel until I find my own place count as a moving expense?" The boss said, "Yup." So, I'm in a company-paid-for motel room until I find a place.
Some drawbacks, though. Like, it had to be the cheapest place in town. But that's OK. I'm away from the roomie. He has his "space."
But, the thing is, I'm on this dial-up connection through the motel phone line, and now I can't send ANY e-mail. It's not just @chaosinabox.com. It's EVERYTHING.
My chaosinabox.com tech support guys tell me it's because Microsoft Outlook Express is stupid, and I should switch to Mozilla Thunderbird. I'll admit, I do like Firefox, and Thunderbird is just an e-mail program from the folks who brought you brought you Firefox.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
SNL
Watching Saturday Night Live right now...they're doing "The Best of TV Funhouse." I love those TV Funhouse cartoons.
I've picked up on the pattern...whenever they do one of these "Saturday Night Live Best Of..." shows, it's a safe bet that'll be on DVD in about a month.
"SNL: the Best of TV Funhouse" would be a great birthday present. Hint, hint.
I've picked up on the pattern...whenever they do one of these "Saturday Night Live Best Of..." shows, it's a safe bet that'll be on DVD in about a month.
"SNL: the Best of TV Funhouse" would be a great birthday present. Hint, hint.
Sinister Doings in the World of Pokemon
It's Saturday, so I'm hanging out, watching Pokemon, and it reminded me of something. I've been sitting on this news for a while now, but I haven't shared it, because all my blog entries tend to get so long and rambling.
Anyway, there's sinster goings-on in the world of Pokemon. First, you must know the players in the game.
4Kids Entertainment - The company that has dubbed and released the Pokemon cartoon ever since pokemon came to North American shores in 1998.
Pokemon USA, Inc. - The subsidiary of Nintendo, set up around Y2K, to handle all things Pokemon in North America. (Similarily, there are subsidiaries called "Pokemon Europe" and "The Pokemon Company," which handles Japan.)
So here's the saga. This year, the contract between 4Kids Entertainment's contract to dub and distribute the cartoon expires this year. Pokemon USA has said that they have no desire to renew 4Kids' contract...instead, they're going to set up a dubbing division and dub and distribute the cartoons themselves. OK, no harm, no foul.
But, it was eventually learned that Pokemon USA has the intent to fire the current voice cast and re-cast the cartoon with newer, cheaper sound-a-likes.
This news was leaked to Pokemon fandom by Veronica Taylor (the voices of Ash and May) and Eric Stuart (the voices of Brock and James), who are doubtlessly feeling screwed over. So, the fans have launched a massive write-in campaign to encourage Pokemon USA to retain the current voice cast.
Find out more at the pokemon website Serebii.net, and just click on any link labeled "Save the Dub!"
Anyway, there's sinster goings-on in the world of Pokemon. First, you must know the players in the game.
4Kids Entertainment - The company that has dubbed and released the Pokemon cartoon ever since pokemon came to North American shores in 1998.
Pokemon USA, Inc. - The subsidiary of Nintendo, set up around Y2K, to handle all things Pokemon in North America. (Similarily, there are subsidiaries called "Pokemon Europe" and "The Pokemon Company," which handles Japan.)
So here's the saga. This year, the contract between 4Kids Entertainment's contract to dub and distribute the cartoon expires this year. Pokemon USA has said that they have no desire to renew 4Kids' contract...instead, they're going to set up a dubbing division and dub and distribute the cartoons themselves. OK, no harm, no foul.
But, it was eventually learned that Pokemon USA has the intent to fire the current voice cast and re-cast the cartoon with newer, cheaper sound-a-likes.
This news was leaked to Pokemon fandom by Veronica Taylor (the voices of Ash and May) and Eric Stuart (the voices of Brock and James), who are doubtlessly feeling screwed over. So, the fans have launched a massive write-in campaign to encourage Pokemon USA to retain the current voice cast.
Find out more at the pokemon website Serebii.net, and just click on any link labeled "Save the Dub!"
Friday, April 28, 2006
My LIfe in 3 Panels.
I like this Garfield strip. It kind of sums up my life.
Garfield and Odie represent me.
Jon represents the world.
Beuracracy
"Enter the beuracrats...the real power of the senate." - Sentaor Palpatine's plea for change in Episode I.
My fascination with Athabasca University is making me nostalgic for my college days. Having done this post-seconday education thing twice now, plus my $20,000 student loan debt, makes post-secondary education an issue close to my heart. If I ever go for public office, that'll be a key part of my platform.
A key part of student life has always been the Students Union. Well, a lot of them are called Students Associations now. This is because of a law that was proposed about 5 years ago. About 5 years ago, there was a proposal put forth in the Alberta Legislature to give the Alberta Learning the same kinds of powers and controls over post-secondary students unions that they have over school boards. So, Alberta Learning would have had tighter controls over how students unions spent their money - and the authority to fire a student council.
good example: My old nemesis Brad Goertz. When he was President of the Augustana Students Union, he held a massive protest on the front steps of the legislature calling for a tuition freeze. If these proposed changes had become law, Learning Minister Lyle Oberg would have been able to march down to Augustana, fire Brad Goertz from his position as president, and appoint someone like Rob Nichols to be the new ASU president, until the next democratic election.
So, seeing as to how this reform would have only applied to students unions, a lot of students unions revised their constitutions to turn themsevles into student's associations. A minor name change, but enough to skirt the law. The Augustana Students Union became the Augustana Students Association, and NAITSU became NAITSA.
Luckily, the reforms never went through, but the name changes have remained.
Anyway, when I first started covering NAITSA, the first thing that amazed me was what a huge beuracracy it has. A general manager, an adminisrative assistant, a communications director...a massive collection of people hired by NAITSA to keep things together. What does the Augustana Students Association have? A little ol' office manager.
On the one hand, I found it good. With NAITSA's beuracracy, they could ensure that things were fairly consistent for the students from year-to-year. There were people around to say, "Hey, we tried to do that 10 years ago, but the students weren't for it. They might be for it now."
On the other hand, I started feeling that NAITSA's beuracracy was where NAITSA's true power lay. The occasional conversations I'd have with NAITSA's general manager would eventually lead to him revealing agendas he was pushing through, reforms he wanted to make, and his grand vision for NAITSA. This year, NAITSA added a senate to their student council. That was part of the GM's grand vision. I wanted to interview him several times, and always asked him if he'd sit down for one, to share his vision with the students. But, he'd always throw up his hand and say, "Nope. No comments on the record. This is a students association, so only the representatives elected by the students can talk to the press. That's our policy."
That's right, he wasn't a student. Well, he was a student...back in the 1980s. He got hired in the early 90s and remained ever since. But here he was, with grand visions, shaping NAITSA, and I couldn't talk to him.
Kind of reminded of this yesterday.
I covered my first county council meeting. People were stunned. This radio station hasn't covered the county council meetings in ages. They're still figuring out how to deal with a radio reporter. The reporter from the local paper would ask for a moment of time to ask a few questions, and they'd say yes. I'd ask for a moment of time to ask a few questions, and they freaked out. I was given lectures about how they don't do news conferences, and that protocals have to be laid out and a policy put in place for dealing with the radio media. They've asked me not to record anything. They've told me that they're far too busy to give me five minutes of time to talk about the issues at the end of the meetings.
So, at the end of the meeting, I just kind of sat in the corner, too scared to talk to anyone for fear of violating some protocal that hadn't been worked out yet, while the reporter from the paper skipped around the room, doing everything I was told not to, enjoying the freedom of the press that I wanted.
Oh, well. I can play by their rules. I can just show up, take good notes, and prepare a 30-second summary of the meeting for on-air. I can keep things vague if they refuse to answer my questions and clarify things. When it comes to news writing, it's as lazy as hell, and I really don't want to do it, but I'll do it if that's the rules that are laid down.
As I said, we haven't covered county council in ages, so they're probably thinking that, like many a reporter before me, I'll eventually brand the council meetings to be boring and un-newsworthy and stop showing up.
but I'm the kind of guy who doesn't let bad first experiences stop me. I'm going to keep going for a long time. At least, as long as I'm here.
I once asked one of my instructors at NAIT when I should give up...when does persistence become harrasment? And he told me to never give up. "Ya know, sometimes persistence has to become harrasment for things to start paying off."
If I let bad first experiences stop me, I would have stopped covering NAITSA meetings after the first one. I eventually learned which people I could talk to, and which ones would give me the good stuff.
I can do this. I know I can. This won't be learned overnight.
But I'm here for the long haul, baby.
My fascination with Athabasca University is making me nostalgic for my college days. Having done this post-seconday education thing twice now, plus my $20,000 student loan debt, makes post-secondary education an issue close to my heart. If I ever go for public office, that'll be a key part of my platform.
A key part of student life has always been the Students Union. Well, a lot of them are called Students Associations now. This is because of a law that was proposed about 5 years ago. About 5 years ago, there was a proposal put forth in the Alberta Legislature to give the Alberta Learning the same kinds of powers and controls over post-secondary students unions that they have over school boards. So, Alberta Learning would have had tighter controls over how students unions spent their money - and the authority to fire a student council.
good example: My old nemesis Brad Goertz. When he was President of the Augustana Students Union, he held a massive protest on the front steps of the legislature calling for a tuition freeze. If these proposed changes had become law, Learning Minister Lyle Oberg would have been able to march down to Augustana, fire Brad Goertz from his position as president, and appoint someone like Rob Nichols to be the new ASU president, until the next democratic election.
So, seeing as to how this reform would have only applied to students unions, a lot of students unions revised their constitutions to turn themsevles into student's associations. A minor name change, but enough to skirt the law. The Augustana Students Union became the Augustana Students Association, and NAITSU became NAITSA.
Luckily, the reforms never went through, but the name changes have remained.
Anyway, when I first started covering NAITSA, the first thing that amazed me was what a huge beuracracy it has. A general manager, an adminisrative assistant, a communications director...a massive collection of people hired by NAITSA to keep things together. What does the Augustana Students Association have? A little ol' office manager.
On the one hand, I found it good. With NAITSA's beuracracy, they could ensure that things were fairly consistent for the students from year-to-year. There were people around to say, "Hey, we tried to do that 10 years ago, but the students weren't for it. They might be for it now."
On the other hand, I started feeling that NAITSA's beuracracy was where NAITSA's true power lay. The occasional conversations I'd have with NAITSA's general manager would eventually lead to him revealing agendas he was pushing through, reforms he wanted to make, and his grand vision for NAITSA. This year, NAITSA added a senate to their student council. That was part of the GM's grand vision. I wanted to interview him several times, and always asked him if he'd sit down for one, to share his vision with the students. But, he'd always throw up his hand and say, "Nope. No comments on the record. This is a students association, so only the representatives elected by the students can talk to the press. That's our policy."
That's right, he wasn't a student. Well, he was a student...back in the 1980s. He got hired in the early 90s and remained ever since. But here he was, with grand visions, shaping NAITSA, and I couldn't talk to him.
Kind of reminded of this yesterday.
I covered my first county council meeting. People were stunned. This radio station hasn't covered the county council meetings in ages. They're still figuring out how to deal with a radio reporter. The reporter from the local paper would ask for a moment of time to ask a few questions, and they'd say yes. I'd ask for a moment of time to ask a few questions, and they freaked out. I was given lectures about how they don't do news conferences, and that protocals have to be laid out and a policy put in place for dealing with the radio media. They've asked me not to record anything. They've told me that they're far too busy to give me five minutes of time to talk about the issues at the end of the meetings.
So, at the end of the meeting, I just kind of sat in the corner, too scared to talk to anyone for fear of violating some protocal that hadn't been worked out yet, while the reporter from the paper skipped around the room, doing everything I was told not to, enjoying the freedom of the press that I wanted.
Oh, well. I can play by their rules. I can just show up, take good notes, and prepare a 30-second summary of the meeting for on-air. I can keep things vague if they refuse to answer my questions and clarify things. When it comes to news writing, it's as lazy as hell, and I really don't want to do it, but I'll do it if that's the rules that are laid down.
As I said, we haven't covered county council in ages, so they're probably thinking that, like many a reporter before me, I'll eventually brand the council meetings to be boring and un-newsworthy and stop showing up.
but I'm the kind of guy who doesn't let bad first experiences stop me. I'm going to keep going for a long time. At least, as long as I'm here.
I once asked one of my instructors at NAIT when I should give up...when does persistence become harrasment? And he told me to never give up. "Ya know, sometimes persistence has to become harrasment for things to start paying off."
If I let bad first experiences stop me, I would have stopped covering NAITSA meetings after the first one. I eventually learned which people I could talk to, and which ones would give me the good stuff.
I can do this. I know I can. This won't be learned overnight.
But I'm here for the long haul, baby.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
AU Continued....
My fascination with Athabasca University continues. I had to quiz my boss about it today in our daily meeting.
Apparently, they do have a real convocation ceremony. Every spring, about 2000 students converge on Athabasca and they have the ceremony. Apparently, I just missed it.
Looking around online, Athabasca University does have a Students Union. It was officialy founded about two years ago. The Athabasca University Students Union has its offices at AU's satallite campus in Edmonton. Yes, Athabasca University has stallite campuses. One in Edmonton, one in Calgary.
And, according to my boss, that have a sweet Christmas party.
Apparently, they do have a real convocation ceremony. Every spring, about 2000 students converge on Athabasca and they have the ceremony. Apparently, I just missed it.
Looking around online, Athabasca University does have a Students Union. It was officialy founded about two years ago. The Athabasca University Students Union has its offices at AU's satallite campus in Edmonton. Yes, Athabasca University has stallite campuses. One in Edmonton, one in Calgary.
And, according to my boss, that have a sweet Christmas party.
Final Justice League
Wow. Wowie wow.
I was able to catch the final episode of Justice League Unlimited last night, entitled Destroyer. It was very, very cool.
The plot: in his mad scheme to resurrect Braniac, Lex Luthor accidentally resurrects the personification of evil: Darkseid. Bent on revenge against Superman for killing him, Darkseid leads his armies to Earth, with the intent of slowly killing the planet. Heroes and villains then unite to fight Darkseid's army!
What I liked: This episode was just nothing but little geek-out moments. "Can't you just throw it into the sun?" The return of Martian Manhunter. "What we have here is a chance for me to just cut loose." Darkseid being impressed with Batman. "Then I'm overqualified." The Question punching out Parademons. "I had to go put on my power suit." Ripping off some visuals from The Matrix Revolutions for the final Superman/Darkseid fight. "4 minutes, 50 seconds." And the man who makes the ultimate sacrafice to save Earth.
What I didn't like: the plot actually seemed to a be a pastiche of the pilot episode for Justice League and an old Fantastic Four comic.
How did it end:
Superman>> You're getting soft in your old age, Bruce.
Batman>> Don't you have a tall building to go leap?
Wonder Woman>> And the adventure continues....
I really, really liked it.
And yes, a lot of people have sent this to me now, so I'll tell you that I know it.
In recent interviews, JJ Abrams has revealed that he is NOT writing and directing a new Star Trek movie. He's only producing it, with an option to direct. And as for the plot, it's not finalized yet, but it won't be the "young Kirk and Spock in the Academy" film.
So, there you go. In essence, Abrams is Rick Berman's replacement.
And, Avi Arad has been spouting off about the stuck-in-development sequel to Hulk.
Arad has gone on record as saying the villain will be the Abomination.
Also, it looks like Hulk 2 will be the first film made under Marvel's brand-new production deal, in which they make movies independently, like how George Lucas did the Star Wars prequels. It was hoped that Captain America would be Marvel's first film, but Arad said that the director he wants for Captain America won't be available until 2009.
To be fair, Arad said that, right now, it looks like Marvel's first film will either be Hulk 2 or Iron Man.
I was able to catch the final episode of Justice League Unlimited last night, entitled Destroyer. It was very, very cool.
The plot: in his mad scheme to resurrect Braniac, Lex Luthor accidentally resurrects the personification of evil: Darkseid. Bent on revenge against Superman for killing him, Darkseid leads his armies to Earth, with the intent of slowly killing the planet. Heroes and villains then unite to fight Darkseid's army!
What I liked: This episode was just nothing but little geek-out moments. "Can't you just throw it into the sun?" The return of Martian Manhunter. "What we have here is a chance for me to just cut loose." Darkseid being impressed with Batman. "Then I'm overqualified." The Question punching out Parademons. "I had to go put on my power suit." Ripping off some visuals from The Matrix Revolutions for the final Superman/Darkseid fight. "4 minutes, 50 seconds." And the man who makes the ultimate sacrafice to save Earth.
What I didn't like: the plot actually seemed to a be a pastiche of the pilot episode for Justice League and an old Fantastic Four comic.
How did it end:
Superman>> You're getting soft in your old age, Bruce.
Batman>> Don't you have a tall building to go leap?
Wonder Woman>> And the adventure continues....
I really, really liked it.
And yes, a lot of people have sent this to me now, so I'll tell you that I know it.
In recent interviews, JJ Abrams has revealed that he is NOT writing and directing a new Star Trek movie. He's only producing it, with an option to direct. And as for the plot, it's not finalized yet, but it won't be the "young Kirk and Spock in the Academy" film.
So, there you go. In essence, Abrams is Rick Berman's replacement.
And, Avi Arad has been spouting off about the stuck-in-development sequel to Hulk.
Arad has gone on record as saying the villain will be the Abomination.
Also, it looks like Hulk 2 will be the first film made under Marvel's brand-new production deal, in which they make movies independently, like how George Lucas did the Star Wars prequels. It was hoped that Captain America would be Marvel's first film, but Arad said that the director he wants for Captain America won't be available until 2009.
To be fair, Arad said that, right now, it looks like Marvel's first film will either be Hulk 2 or Iron Man.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
AU/Weird Al Update
had to take a drive up to Athabasca University and have a look around. It is very strange. The entire place is built up and designed to look like a college campus. But there are no students. It's up there, in the middle of nowhere, a beautiful, vibrant, college campus.
But strangely deserted.
Don't get me wrong. It's teeming with life. Just not the student life that you'd find on a college campus.
It's very cool, and a little off-putting.
So, for those who aren't keeping close track of it, it was just announced at the official Weird Al Yankovic website that Weird Al has finished recording and mixing 11 songs for his new album!
And then, it ads the cryptic statement, "Does this mean the album's done? We don't know! Stay tuned!"
Now, the average lenght of a Weird Al-bum is 12 songs. And we've also heard some rumors that this is a double album.
Are we 11/12ths done? Or only half done? Only time will tell!
But strangely deserted.
Don't get me wrong. It's teeming with life. Just not the student life that you'd find on a college campus.
It's very cool, and a little off-putting.
So, for those who aren't keeping close track of it, it was just announced at the official Weird Al Yankovic website that Weird Al has finished recording and mixing 11 songs for his new album!
And then, it ads the cryptic statement, "Does this mean the album's done? We don't know! Stay tuned!"
Now, the average lenght of a Weird Al-bum is 12 songs. And we've also heard some rumors that this is a double album.
Are we 11/12ths done? Or only half done? Only time will tell!
The Right Stuf...?
So, here I am, Day 3 of being a radio news guy. Firstly, these early mornings are killing me. Up at 4 AM, at work by 5, on air by 6.
Well, actually, the person I'm replacing is on air by 6. I just sit back, observe, and, yes, sad to say, grab a nap.
I'm going to be keeping odd-hours, that's for sure. News is something that happens 24/7, that's for sure. You can't just finish up and go home. If a meeting runs until midnight, I go until midnight. And then, I'm back at work at 4 AM, telling the world how it went.
Maybe it's time I introduce myself to caffine.
Well, actually, the person I'm replacing is on air by 6. I just sit back, observe, and, yes, sad to say, grab a nap.
I'm going to be keeping odd-hours, that's for sure. News is something that happens 24/7, that's for sure. You can't just finish up and go home. If a meeting runs until midnight, I go until midnight. And then, I'm back at work at 4 AM, telling the world how it went.
Maybe it's time I introduce myself to caffine.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
First Night
Well, here I am in Athabasca. My roommates/co-workers have already gone to bed, because the workday starts at 4 am. I met the boss...she seems nice.
I'm a little nervous, to be sure. New town, new job, roommates that I barely know. "Daunted" is the right feeling.
But I can do this.
I'm a little nervous, to be sure. New town, new job, roommates that I barely know. "Daunted" is the right feeling.
But I can do this.
The Final Ones Are Up!
OK, so we've got the latest podcast up! This week is Episode 3: Moving Day. I threw it together while I was packing.
Click Here to Listen!
And, the latest column is up, too. This week is Planning and Execution:
"I think it’s become no secret by now that I love the Olympics. I really hope to go to them someday. Sadly, not as an athlete, but as a spectator. My sentiment is at its strongest right now, in the closing days of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. I may have missed the Olympics this time around, but I’m already setting my sights on the next Olympics: Vancouver 2010. I will be going to Vancouver. I mean, when’s the next time the Olympics are going to be in my figurative backyard? I’d be stupid not to go. But, I still need to put some kind of a plan in place. As always, the key thing is money."
Click here to read it!
And that's it. This'll probably be the last podcast and column for a few weeks while I get settled in Athabasca. You know how it is, it takes time to get a phone line and a new ISP and all that. If I"m going to keep doing this podcast, then high-speed Internet is a must.
But yeah. All I have left to do is fold up my laptop and stick it in its case, then it's the 2.5 hour drive to Athabasca. I meet my new roommate at my new place of work, then I have dinner with the boss, and tommorrow my first job in radio begins.
Click Here to Listen!
And, the latest column is up, too. This week is Planning and Execution:
"I think it’s become no secret by now that I love the Olympics. I really hope to go to them someday. Sadly, not as an athlete, but as a spectator. My sentiment is at its strongest right now, in the closing days of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. I may have missed the Olympics this time around, but I’m already setting my sights on the next Olympics: Vancouver 2010. I will be going to Vancouver. I mean, when’s the next time the Olympics are going to be in my figurative backyard? I’d be stupid not to go. But, I still need to put some kind of a plan in place. As always, the key thing is money."
Click here to read it!
And that's it. This'll probably be the last podcast and column for a few weeks while I get settled in Athabasca. You know how it is, it takes time to get a phone line and a new ISP and all that. If I"m going to keep doing this podcast, then high-speed Internet is a must.
But yeah. All I have left to do is fold up my laptop and stick it in its case, then it's the 2.5 hour drive to Athabasca. I meet my new roommate at my new place of work, then I have dinner with the boss, and tommorrow my first job in radio begins.
Friday, April 21, 2006
JJ Abrams doing Star Trek
OH...MY...GOD.
Today, it was announced by Paramount Pictures that JJ Abrams has been signed on to write and direct a new Star Trek movie.
Abrams should need no introduction. He is the newest God among geeks. He is the creator of the cult-hit Alias. He's currently in charge of the other cult-hit Lost. He makes his directorial debut next week as the writer and director of Mission: Impossible III, which is already being declared the first good film in the series.
The script will be written by Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci. They are Abrams's right-hand men and writers-of-choice. Kurtzman and Orci wrote many of the better episodes of Alias and the screenplay for Mission: Impossible III. In non-Abrams related work, they just put the finishing touches on the script for the live-action movie version of The Transformers.
The premise of this JJ Abrams Star Trek film: a teenaged Kirk and Spock first meet at Starfleet Academy and have their first adventure together.
This is exactly the same as the fabled Star Trek: The Academy Years project. You probably know this. Harve Bennet, the producer of Star Trek II-V, wanted to do a "Kirk and Spock first meet at the academy" movie for Star Trek VI. After spending a year of development work on it, the big brass at Paramount said, "Yup, you can do this Academy movie...as long as you give us a more conventional Star Trek film with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy in 9 months." Bennet said, "You can't make a special-effects movie like Star Trek in 9 months!" So Paramount fired Bennet and Star Trek: the Academy Years became one of those fabled "what if..." projects.
But not anymore! JJ Abrams' Star Trek is already penciled in for a Summer 2008 release.
And Rick Berman? He's no where in the picture.
Today, it was announced by Paramount Pictures that JJ Abrams has been signed on to write and direct a new Star Trek movie.
Abrams should need no introduction. He is the newest God among geeks. He is the creator of the cult-hit Alias. He's currently in charge of the other cult-hit Lost. He makes his directorial debut next week as the writer and director of Mission: Impossible III, which is already being declared the first good film in the series.
The script will be written by Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci. They are Abrams's right-hand men and writers-of-choice. Kurtzman and Orci wrote many of the better episodes of Alias and the screenplay for Mission: Impossible III. In non-Abrams related work, they just put the finishing touches on the script for the live-action movie version of The Transformers.
The premise of this JJ Abrams Star Trek film: a teenaged Kirk and Spock first meet at Starfleet Academy and have their first adventure together.
This is exactly the same as the fabled Star Trek: The Academy Years project. You probably know this. Harve Bennet, the producer of Star Trek II-V, wanted to do a "Kirk and Spock first meet at the academy" movie for Star Trek VI. After spending a year of development work on it, the big brass at Paramount said, "Yup, you can do this Academy movie...as long as you give us a more conventional Star Trek film with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy in 9 months." Bennet said, "You can't make a special-effects movie like Star Trek in 9 months!" So Paramount fired Bennet and Star Trek: the Academy Years became one of those fabled "what if..." projects.
But not anymore! JJ Abrams' Star Trek is already penciled in for a Summer 2008 release.
And Rick Berman? He's no where in the picture.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Post #1000
Wow! According to Blogger, this is my one thousandth blog entry!
Anyway, I was in a convenience store today when I saw something that always gets my heart racing: a new Doritos flavour.
The new flavour is Sweet Chili Heat! It's ultra-spicy, with a hint of cheese. It's kind of a blend of Black Pepper Jack and Bold BBQ.
Actually, this got me thinking. I think Doritos has the most discontinued flavours of any kind of chip out there. Let us take a moment to pause and reflect upon some of the past Doritos flavours. This is, by no means, a comprehensive list, just the ones I remember the most.
Texas Tang - The first "new flavour," which came out in the early 90s.
Taco Bell Taco Supreme - Using the same spices used by Taco Bell to give it that specific Taco Bell flavour...or so the package claimed.
Pizza Hut Pizza Cravers - Using the same spices used by Pizza Hut to give it that specific Pizza Hut flavour...or so the package claimed.
Sidebar: These Taco Bell and Pizza Hut flavours came about because Doritos was owned by Pepsi, who also owned Taco Bell and Pizza Hut! In this same era, Pepsi also owned Kentucky Fried Chicken, so I'm actually quite surprised that they didn't try to give us the Doritos flavour "KFC: the Colonel's 11 Herbs and Spices."
Barbeque - BBQ pototo chip flavouring! On a Dorito!
Ketchup - Ketchup potato chip flavouring! On a Dorito!
Sonic Sour Cream - Kind of an amped-up version of Cool Ranch.
So let us take a moment to remember the fallen Doritos flavours.
I love how creative people are getting with DVDs.
One show I love is My Name is Earl. And, of course, the DVD My Name is Earl: The Complete First Season is already in production. And, for this DVD set, they are actually producing a special "bonus episode." A full, half-hour episode that will never be shown on TV...only available on the DVD.
Actually, you have to love the premise of this bonus episode. It's straight out of a Marvel What If...? comic.
See, for those who missed the pilot, our protagonist is Earl Hickey, your generic small-town ne'er-do-well. One day, he wins $100,000 on a lottery ticket. 5 minutes later, he's hit by a car. While he's recoving in the hospital, he watches the talk show Last Call with Carson Daily, in which Carson Daily talked about karma, summing it up as, "do good things, and good things will happen to you." So, Earl decides to turn his life around. He makes a list of all the bad things he's ever done, and sets out to make up for them, because of karma.
So, this bonus episode is an alternate take on the pilot. It asks, "What if Earl wasn't watching Last Call with Carson Daily? What if Earl was watching...Family Guy? What if, instead of turning his life around by following Carson Daily's interpretation of karma, Earl turned his life around by following one of Stewie's plans for global domination?"
The creators of Family Guy are even on-board with this and producing original animation. It's going to be wild.
And only on the My Name is Earl: The Complete First Season DVD.
Anyway, I was in a convenience store today when I saw something that always gets my heart racing: a new Doritos flavour.
The new flavour is Sweet Chili Heat! It's ultra-spicy, with a hint of cheese. It's kind of a blend of Black Pepper Jack and Bold BBQ.
Actually, this got me thinking. I think Doritos has the most discontinued flavours of any kind of chip out there. Let us take a moment to pause and reflect upon some of the past Doritos flavours. This is, by no means, a comprehensive list, just the ones I remember the most.
Texas Tang - The first "new flavour," which came out in the early 90s.
Taco Bell Taco Supreme - Using the same spices used by Taco Bell to give it that specific Taco Bell flavour...or so the package claimed.
Pizza Hut Pizza Cravers - Using the same spices used by Pizza Hut to give it that specific Pizza Hut flavour...or so the package claimed.
Sidebar: These Taco Bell and Pizza Hut flavours came about because Doritos was owned by Pepsi, who also owned Taco Bell and Pizza Hut! In this same era, Pepsi also owned Kentucky Fried Chicken, so I'm actually quite surprised that they didn't try to give us the Doritos flavour "KFC: the Colonel's 11 Herbs and Spices."
Barbeque - BBQ pototo chip flavouring! On a Dorito!
Ketchup - Ketchup potato chip flavouring! On a Dorito!
Sonic Sour Cream - Kind of an amped-up version of Cool Ranch.
So let us take a moment to remember the fallen Doritos flavours.
I love how creative people are getting with DVDs.
One show I love is My Name is Earl. And, of course, the DVD My Name is Earl: The Complete First Season is already in production. And, for this DVD set, they are actually producing a special "bonus episode." A full, half-hour episode that will never be shown on TV...only available on the DVD.
Actually, you have to love the premise of this bonus episode. It's straight out of a Marvel What If...? comic.
See, for those who missed the pilot, our protagonist is Earl Hickey, your generic small-town ne'er-do-well. One day, he wins $100,000 on a lottery ticket. 5 minutes later, he's hit by a car. While he's recoving in the hospital, he watches the talk show Last Call with Carson Daily, in which Carson Daily talked about karma, summing it up as, "do good things, and good things will happen to you." So, Earl decides to turn his life around. He makes a list of all the bad things he's ever done, and sets out to make up for them, because of karma.
So, this bonus episode is an alternate take on the pilot. It asks, "What if Earl wasn't watching Last Call with Carson Daily? What if Earl was watching...Family Guy? What if, instead of turning his life around by following Carson Daily's interpretation of karma, Earl turned his life around by following one of Stewie's plans for global domination?"
The creators of Family Guy are even on-board with this and producing original animation. It's going to be wild.
And only on the My Name is Earl: The Complete First Season DVD.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Dead Like Me
So, tonight, I finally got to catch a TV show I've been wanting to check out for some time. It's called Dead Like Me. It ran from 2003-2004, so it's not like this is a fresh review or anything.
Dead Like Me was created by Bryan Fuller, who created one of my all-time favourite TV shows that was cancelled before it's time, Wonderfalls. In fact, Dead Like Me was very similar to Wonderfalls. Both shows had, as the main character, a bored, cynical, sarcastic young woman who was stuck in an existential quandry. And, in both shows, that main characters is pushed out of her funk by cosmic forces beyond her control.
In Wonderfalls, the main character was a clerk in a gift shop, and the cosmic forces were talking knicknacks.
In Dead Like Me, she's Death, and the cosmic forces are the demands of her job.
Dead Like Me was very, very good. Definitly worth a second look. It only ran for two seasons, and both of them are on DVD. Might finally be worth signing up for Zip.ca so I can rent them.
Dead Like Me was created by Bryan Fuller, who created one of my all-time favourite TV shows that was cancelled before it's time, Wonderfalls. In fact, Dead Like Me was very similar to Wonderfalls. Both shows had, as the main character, a bored, cynical, sarcastic young woman who was stuck in an existential quandry. And, in both shows, that main characters is pushed out of her funk by cosmic forces beyond her control.
In Wonderfalls, the main character was a clerk in a gift shop, and the cosmic forces were talking knicknacks.
In Dead Like Me, she's Death, and the cosmic forces are the demands of her job.
Dead Like Me was very, very good. Definitly worth a second look. It only ran for two seasons, and both of them are on DVD. Might finally be worth signing up for Zip.ca so I can rent them.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Happy Easter!/All the New Stuff's Up!
Happy Easter everyone! Yes, even though I'm 28 years old, the Easter Bunny still brings me a basket of chocolate. (One of the pluses of still living at home with a mother that refuses to let you grow up.) Instead of a chocolate bunny this year, I got one of those Laura Secord gourmet cream eggs that are as big as your fist.
Anyway, to the good stuff!
Firstly, this week's episode of The Targ is up! This week is Episode 2: Who Ya Gonna Call?. I play a lot of a certain soundtrack from a certain movie from 1984.
Listen to it!
Secondly, got this week's Chaos in Print up. This week, I ponder Digital Philosophy:
"We’ve been told that we now live in a digital age. Everything is getting computerized in one way or another. Records gave way to CDs. CDs gave way to a newer digital technology: MP3s. The VCR gave way to the DVD. Pictures are giving way to JPGs. Radio and television now boast much higher quality picture and sound, thanks to the broadcast of 1’s and 0’s, instead of relying on the modulation of frequencies or amplitudes of electromagnetic waves. It’s also been called the information age, as this new digital way of sharing information has made things quicker and easier than before."
Read it all!
Anyway, to the good stuff!
Firstly, this week's episode of The Targ is up! This week is Episode 2: Who Ya Gonna Call?. I play a lot of a certain soundtrack from a certain movie from 1984.
Listen to it!
Secondly, got this week's Chaos in Print up. This week, I ponder Digital Philosophy:
"We’ve been told that we now live in a digital age. Everything is getting computerized in one way or another. Records gave way to CDs. CDs gave way to a newer digital technology: MP3s. The VCR gave way to the DVD. Pictures are giving way to JPGs. Radio and television now boast much higher quality picture and sound, thanks to the broadcast of 1’s and 0’s, instead of relying on the modulation of frequencies or amplitudes of electromagnetic waves. It’s also been called the information age, as this new digital way of sharing information has made things quicker and easier than before."
Read it all!
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Clerks II Trailers!
Let's unleash the power of YouTube!
Firstly, here's the brand new, theatrical trailer for Clerks II, which is running in theatres right now in front of Scary Movie 4:
Secondly, in case you missed it, here's the Internet exclusive trailer that went online about two weeks ago:
August 18 can't get here soon enough!
Firstly, here's the brand new, theatrical trailer for Clerks II, which is running in theatres right now in front of Scary Movie 4:
Secondly, in case you missed it, here's the Internet exclusive trailer that went online about two weeks ago:
August 18 can't get here soon enough!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Tons o Stuff!
Back when I was studying physics and possibly thinking about making a career of it, the one thing I really wanted to do was design roller coasters. It seemed like the most fun pracitcal application of physics out there. So, whenever I see some kind of science show that focuses on theme park design, I'm riveted.
That happened tonight as I was watching Daily Planet. They had a whole segment on the newest ride to open at Walt Disney World. It's called Expedition Everest. It's a totally insane roller coaster. It sits in and around the biggest artificial mountain that Disney has ever made. It's Disney's first roller coaster that goes both forwards and backwards. They use special switch tracks so, when you go down backwards, it's not along the same route. And, it boasts the largest animatronic Disney has ever made - a giant yeti that growls and swipes at the coaster.
So the vibrations of the roller coaster don't shake apart the mountain, the roller coaster and the mountain are actually two seperate, intertwined structers, with the support beams coming as close as 10 cm to each other. In order for the yeti to move as fast as they need it to, the hydraulics pack the same punch as the jet engines on a 747. I couldn't help but be amazed.
I read once that Disney's Imagineers (the R&D division of Disney that builds theme park rides) don't get the same amount of press as they did back in 1955 when Disneyland first opened. However, in the whole theme park industry, the Imagineers are still regarded as the best of the best.
I was watching CSI. The plot revolved around rival street teams for rap stars. Street teams are the guys who hang posters, hand out stickers, and do the grunt work for the promotions people. Anyway, a gang war wound up breaking out between these street teams.
That just got me thinking. Radio stations employ street teams, too. And again, they hand banner, hand out stickers, and do the grunt work for the promotions people. It's never erupted into gang wars, though. I mean, you'll never find the Big Earl street team gunning down the CISN street team.
It'd make radio a hell of a lot more interesting, though.
Quick recap on all the DC comics characters getting movies:
Superman - Comes out this summer
Womder Woman - Currently being worked on by Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly) and Joel Silver (The Matrix Trilogy, V for Vendetta)
The Flash - Being written and directed by David S. Goyer (the Blade trilogy)
Well, we can add another one to the list this day...DC's Captain Marvel, who's better known by the name of his comic, Shazam!
It's going to be directed by Peter Segal, who gave us the last trilogy of Adam Sandler comedies: Anger Management, 50 First Dates, The Longest Yard.
The script is being written by screenwriting legend William Goldmam. (The Princess Bride is always the first that comes to mind.)
As one mentioned, the premise behind Shazam! is ripe for comedy, but I hope they don't make it a comedy.
For those who don't read comics...8 year old Billy Batson says the magic word, "Shazam!" and turns into the adult superhero Captain Marvel. Yup, and 8 year old trapped in a grown-up superhero's body.
So, for those who don't care, our Queen just turned 80 years old. To celebrate, Buckingham Palace released 80 facts about Queen Elizabeth II. Here's a few that pertain to Canada specifically:
- The Queen has gotten a number of animals as gifts over the years. Canada's given her two beavers. (I'll pause while you crack your own dirty joke.)
- The Queen has visited Canada 23 times
- And, as is befitting our head of state, the Queen is fully fluent in French.
And, one quick moment to point out that Winnie the Pooh has gotten a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Pooh-bear celebrates his 80th birthday this year.
That happened tonight as I was watching Daily Planet. They had a whole segment on the newest ride to open at Walt Disney World. It's called Expedition Everest. It's a totally insane roller coaster. It sits in and around the biggest artificial mountain that Disney has ever made. It's Disney's first roller coaster that goes both forwards and backwards. They use special switch tracks so, when you go down backwards, it's not along the same route. And, it boasts the largest animatronic Disney has ever made - a giant yeti that growls and swipes at the coaster.
So the vibrations of the roller coaster don't shake apart the mountain, the roller coaster and the mountain are actually two seperate, intertwined structers, with the support beams coming as close as 10 cm to each other. In order for the yeti to move as fast as they need it to, the hydraulics pack the same punch as the jet engines on a 747. I couldn't help but be amazed.
I read once that Disney's Imagineers (the R&D division of Disney that builds theme park rides) don't get the same amount of press as they did back in 1955 when Disneyland first opened. However, in the whole theme park industry, the Imagineers are still regarded as the best of the best.
I was watching CSI. The plot revolved around rival street teams for rap stars. Street teams are the guys who hang posters, hand out stickers, and do the grunt work for the promotions people. Anyway, a gang war wound up breaking out between these street teams.
That just got me thinking. Radio stations employ street teams, too. And again, they hand banner, hand out stickers, and do the grunt work for the promotions people. It's never erupted into gang wars, though. I mean, you'll never find the Big Earl street team gunning down the CISN street team.
It'd make radio a hell of a lot more interesting, though.
Quick recap on all the DC comics characters getting movies:
Superman - Comes out this summer
Womder Woman - Currently being worked on by Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly) and Joel Silver (The Matrix Trilogy, V for Vendetta)
The Flash - Being written and directed by David S. Goyer (the Blade trilogy)
Well, we can add another one to the list this day...DC's Captain Marvel, who's better known by the name of his comic, Shazam!
It's going to be directed by Peter Segal, who gave us the last trilogy of Adam Sandler comedies: Anger Management, 50 First Dates, The Longest Yard.
The script is being written by screenwriting legend William Goldmam. (The Princess Bride is always the first that comes to mind.)
As one mentioned, the premise behind Shazam! is ripe for comedy, but I hope they don't make it a comedy.
For those who don't read comics...8 year old Billy Batson says the magic word, "Shazam!" and turns into the adult superhero Captain Marvel. Yup, and 8 year old trapped in a grown-up superhero's body.
So, for those who don't care, our Queen just turned 80 years old. To celebrate, Buckingham Palace released 80 facts about Queen Elizabeth II. Here's a few that pertain to Canada specifically:
- The Queen has gotten a number of animals as gifts over the years. Canada's given her two beavers. (I'll pause while you crack your own dirty joke.)
- The Queen has visited Canada 23 times
- And, as is befitting our head of state, the Queen is fully fluent in French.
And, one quick moment to point out that Winnie the Pooh has gotten a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Pooh-bear celebrates his 80th birthday this year.
Monday, April 10, 2006
It Came Today
The original motion picture score for Ghostbusters, composed by Elmer Bernstein. Never before released! (Although, my best friend swears up and down that he saw it for sale at Top 40 Music in the Duggan Mall about 15 years ago.)
Every note of background music composed for the 1984 classic. And all of it uncut! As it explains in the liner notes, once the score was finished and recorded, it was decided to pad the music of Ghostbusters with lots of rock and pop songs. So, a lot of the score wound up getting edited with a pop song, or dropped altogether in favour of a pop song. But it's all here, on CD, for the first time ever!
This was released by a record label called Varese Sarabande. Available only at their online store. Limited to 3000 copies.
To paraphrase Janine from the film: I GOT ONE!!
Just so you're familiar with the lingo: a film score is all the background music written for a movie. Lots of movies these days tend to have two albums released: the soundtrack and the score. The soundtrack is the collection of rock, pop, country, and whatever other genre of music was used in the film. The score is all the background music composed specifically for the movie.
If a film has no...shall we say, "mainstream music," then the score is released as the soundtrack. A good example of this is the Star Wars films.
Releasing both a soundtrack album and a score album is still a relativly new phenomenon, having only gained popularity in the last 10 years or so. The first film in my memory that did it was 1989's Batman. Indeed, on the DVD bonus material for Batman, composer Danny Elfman reveals that he reacted with shock when he was first told that his score would be released as a seperate album. "But they don't do that!" he said. And yet, they did.
To quote my father, "Now you're as smart as me."
Wow. Here's a sequel that they're making about 5 years too late.
It was announced today that, on May 15, filming begins on Bean 2, the latest big-screen adventure of Mr. Bean. The first film was "Mr. Bean goes to the USA." This one is "Mr. Bean goes to France." Bean has all kinds of adventures in the south of France, with the climax being Bean crashing the Cannes Film Festival.
Rowan Atkinson is, of course, back as Mr. Bean. And Atkinson also claims that this will be the last hurrah for the character.
Last Night's Simpsons
I just have to take a moment to talk about last night's episode of The Simpsons.
Like a lot of fanboys, I have my own ideas for episodes. But there was one idea I had for a Simpsons episode that always stuck out in my mind. As we all know, back when the show first began, one of the running jokes was that Marge's sisters - Patty and Selma - were madly in love with MacGyver. They were totally obsessed with that show and its star Richard Dean Anderson. So, I always thought, "Hey...what they should do on that show is a parody of Misery. Patty and Selma abduct Richard Dean Anderson and force him to make new MacGyver episodes in their basement."
Guess what happened on last night's episode?
Patty and Selma were hosting their annual MacGyver convention. And, as always, they were the only ones there. And, who should walk in the door but...Richard Dean Anderson! (Special guest voice Richard Dean Anderson.) Turns out Anderson is actually in town for the Stargate: SG-1 convention across the street, and he accidentally walked into the wrong building. Anderson then proceeded to mock Patty and Selma for their love of MacGyver, calling the show an utter piece of trash before summing up his experiences on that show as "just a paycheck."
Next scene: Patty and Selma abduct Anderson off the stage of the Stargate Q&A session. We then see Anderson all tied up in Patty and Selma's apartment and subjected to a "one-on-one MacGyver convention."
But, things took a turn for the unexpected. Anderson escaped from his bonds in a very MacGyver way, and it ended up re-kindling his love of MacGyver. Anderson then proceeds to get Patty and Selma to put him in more and more intricate deathtraps so he can escape in a MacGyver way. It's not too long before Anderson is totally obsessed with Patty and Selma, and Patty and Selma have to figure out a way to drive him off.
The main plot was pretty good, too. Mr. Burns decided to outsouce the nuclear power plant, so Homer had to go to India to set up the new plant. Yeah, it was "The Simpsosn go to India."
I've said many times in the past that I'm not a fan of sports, but I do love the history of sports and the business of sports. This being Canada, a lot of this gets directed on the CFL.
It's been my obsession to finally see a 10th team in the CFL. The Maratimes have been left out for too long! Let's give Halifax a team! Besides, I have thing for even numbers. 9 is just so...odd.
I'm sure you remember the saga of the Ottawa team. The owners and managers of the Ottawa Rough Riders were a bunch of clowns who ran the team into the ground; ran into bankruptcy. So, after Ottawa was without a team for a few years, the Ottawa Renegades came to town. Now, the team was owned by the league. And, with the a resurgance in CFL popularity, it was good times for the Renegades.
Now, about two years ago, the CFL and those original Rough Riders owners had a meeting.
CFL>> Now, did you guys learn your lesson?
Rough Riders Owners>> Yes, sir.
CFL>> Are you going to do it again?
Rough Riders Owners>> No, sir.
And, the CFL turned management of the Renegades over to the former owners of the Rough Riders.
Two years later, the Renegades are no more. The owners of the Ottawa CFL team have run the them into the ground...again!
The official stance is that the Renegades have suspended operations until a new owner for the team can be found. So, if you can pony up the cash for a CFL team AND pay off the $4 million debt that the Renegades are in AND not run them into the ground...the Renegades can be yours.
Yeah, there's an even number of teams in the CFL again. But it's 8, not 10. That's a step backwards. But, we've been told, that if a right buyer can be found, the Renegades will be back in 2007.
And we were promised a 10th team by the end of the decade. So, have courage!
Like a lot of fanboys, I have my own ideas for episodes. But there was one idea I had for a Simpsons episode that always stuck out in my mind. As we all know, back when the show first began, one of the running jokes was that Marge's sisters - Patty and Selma - were madly in love with MacGyver. They were totally obsessed with that show and its star Richard Dean Anderson. So, I always thought, "Hey...what they should do on that show is a parody of Misery. Patty and Selma abduct Richard Dean Anderson and force him to make new MacGyver episodes in their basement."
Guess what happened on last night's episode?
Patty and Selma were hosting their annual MacGyver convention. And, as always, they were the only ones there. And, who should walk in the door but...Richard Dean Anderson! (Special guest voice Richard Dean Anderson.) Turns out Anderson is actually in town for the Stargate: SG-1 convention across the street, and he accidentally walked into the wrong building. Anderson then proceeded to mock Patty and Selma for their love of MacGyver, calling the show an utter piece of trash before summing up his experiences on that show as "just a paycheck."
Next scene: Patty and Selma abduct Anderson off the stage of the Stargate Q&A session. We then see Anderson all tied up in Patty and Selma's apartment and subjected to a "one-on-one MacGyver convention."
But, things took a turn for the unexpected. Anderson escaped from his bonds in a very MacGyver way, and it ended up re-kindling his love of MacGyver. Anderson then proceeds to get Patty and Selma to put him in more and more intricate deathtraps so he can escape in a MacGyver way. It's not too long before Anderson is totally obsessed with Patty and Selma, and Patty and Selma have to figure out a way to drive him off.
The main plot was pretty good, too. Mr. Burns decided to outsouce the nuclear power plant, so Homer had to go to India to set up the new plant. Yeah, it was "The Simpsosn go to India."
I've said many times in the past that I'm not a fan of sports, but I do love the history of sports and the business of sports. This being Canada, a lot of this gets directed on the CFL.
It's been my obsession to finally see a 10th team in the CFL. The Maratimes have been left out for too long! Let's give Halifax a team! Besides, I have thing for even numbers. 9 is just so...odd.
I'm sure you remember the saga of the Ottawa team. The owners and managers of the Ottawa Rough Riders were a bunch of clowns who ran the team into the ground; ran into bankruptcy. So, after Ottawa was without a team for a few years, the Ottawa Renegades came to town. Now, the team was owned by the league. And, with the a resurgance in CFL popularity, it was good times for the Renegades.
Now, about two years ago, the CFL and those original Rough Riders owners had a meeting.
CFL>> Now, did you guys learn your lesson?
Rough Riders Owners>> Yes, sir.
CFL>> Are you going to do it again?
Rough Riders Owners>> No, sir.
And, the CFL turned management of the Renegades over to the former owners of the Rough Riders.
Two years later, the Renegades are no more. The owners of the Ottawa CFL team have run the them into the ground...again!
The official stance is that the Renegades have suspended operations until a new owner for the team can be found. So, if you can pony up the cash for a CFL team AND pay off the $4 million debt that the Renegades are in AND not run them into the ground...the Renegades can be yours.
Yeah, there's an even number of teams in the CFL again. But it's 8, not 10. That's a step backwards. But, we've been told, that if a right buyer can be found, the Renegades will be back in 2007.
And we were promised a 10th team by the end of the decade. So, have courage!
Sunday, April 09, 2006
All the Latest Stuff is Up
Firstly, the latest episode of The Targ is now ready for download! This week is Episode 1: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. I celebrate the simple things, and plays some Barenaked Ladies.
Listen to it!
Secondly, I've got my latest article up over in Chaos in Print. This week, I give you A Brief History of Entwistle:
"So, I was doing one of my nerd hobbies, which is looking at random articles at Wikipedia. And, last week, I was shocked - horrified really - to find that my hometown of Entwistle had no article, when Entwistle's longtime rival Evansburg had an entry. I spent my past week putting together a Wikipedia entry for Entwistle. I was just so proud of it, that I feel like sharing it here. Enjoy!"
Read it all!
And, as I mention above, I spent most of my free time this past week writing a Wikipedia entry on my beloved hometown of Entwistle, Alberta.
Find out everything you wanted to know about Entwistle!
Listen to it!
Secondly, I've got my latest article up over in Chaos in Print. This week, I give you A Brief History of Entwistle:
"So, I was doing one of my nerd hobbies, which is looking at random articles at Wikipedia. And, last week, I was shocked - horrified really - to find that my hometown of Entwistle had no article, when Entwistle's longtime rival Evansburg had an entry. I spent my past week putting together a Wikipedia entry for Entwistle. I was just so proud of it, that I feel like sharing it here. Enjoy!"
Read it all!
And, as I mention above, I spent most of my free time this past week writing a Wikipedia entry on my beloved hometown of Entwistle, Alberta.
Find out everything you wanted to know about Entwistle!
Friday, April 07, 2006
Friday Night Round Up
I saw a new product demonstrated on the news tonight. It piqued my interest. Or, at least, the interest of the pervert in me.
They're called "Tagalongs," and they are...disposable panties. Yup, underwear that a woman wears once, then tosses.
We are assured that each pair is clean and steralized, and sealed in a reusable pouch. That's the one thing that confounds me. If these things are disposable, why do they come in a reusable package?
But yeah, each one is folded up small enough to tuck in your purse. You know, for those emergencies when you just need a fresh pair of underwear.
I was watching this and thinking, "You know, this is why convenience stores in Japan sold underwear."
I almost bought underwear from a vending machine in Japan. It was in the locker room of a swimming pool. And there, on the wall, was a clean underwear vending maching. Slip in a 5000 yen bill, and get clean undies. And they had all kinds: boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs. I was this close to buying a pair, just so I could tell the story of how I bought underwear from a vending machine.
But I didn't. So, we have to make due with the tale of how I almost bought underwear from a vending machine.
Oh, and if you're curious, Tagalongs are available at all Wal-Marts.
Disney's new animated movie The Wild comes out next week. It's completely CGI, and looks like it rips off Madagascar.
Actually, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, and Target have all agreed NOT to sell merchandise for The Wild. Doesn't matter, because Hasbro and Mattel have refused to make merchandise for The Wild. Why? Executives saw a rough version of the film a few months ago, and left 100% convinced that the film is going to bomb.
But, I just may go see it for one reason. Canada's very own Don Cherry does a voice! Cherry voices a hockey-loving turtle.
And, of course, earlier tonight, I watched the final episode of The Red Green Show. It was exactly as I expected. Shortly after The Red Green Show found a permanent home on the CBC, it settled into a fairly predicatable formula. Tonight, all we got was the formula...with weepy good-byes.
Although, I did enjoy the final fate of Bill, in the final Adventures with Bill. Bill shows up at the lodge, and turns all his old junk over to Red, turning it into a "best of Adventures with Bill" highlight reel. And then, Bill reveals that he's settling into retirement, and he rides off into the sunset with a super-sexy nurse.
And it was kind of fitting that it was Harold who got to utter the classic line, "Keep your stick on the ice." It was also nice that Red finally turned to Harold and said, "You've finally become a man."
A Canadian icon is gone...but not forgotten. You just know it'll be in reruns until the end of time.
They're called "Tagalongs," and they are...disposable panties. Yup, underwear that a woman wears once, then tosses.
We are assured that each pair is clean and steralized, and sealed in a reusable pouch. That's the one thing that confounds me. If these things are disposable, why do they come in a reusable package?
But yeah, each one is folded up small enough to tuck in your purse. You know, for those emergencies when you just need a fresh pair of underwear.
I was watching this and thinking, "You know, this is why convenience stores in Japan sold underwear."
I almost bought underwear from a vending machine in Japan. It was in the locker room of a swimming pool. And there, on the wall, was a clean underwear vending maching. Slip in a 5000 yen bill, and get clean undies. And they had all kinds: boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs. I was this close to buying a pair, just so I could tell the story of how I bought underwear from a vending machine.
But I didn't. So, we have to make due with the tale of how I almost bought underwear from a vending machine.
Oh, and if you're curious, Tagalongs are available at all Wal-Marts.
Disney's new animated movie The Wild comes out next week. It's completely CGI, and looks like it rips off Madagascar.
Actually, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, and Target have all agreed NOT to sell merchandise for The Wild. Doesn't matter, because Hasbro and Mattel have refused to make merchandise for The Wild. Why? Executives saw a rough version of the film a few months ago, and left 100% convinced that the film is going to bomb.
But, I just may go see it for one reason. Canada's very own Don Cherry does a voice! Cherry voices a hockey-loving turtle.
And, of course, earlier tonight, I watched the final episode of The Red Green Show. It was exactly as I expected. Shortly after The Red Green Show found a permanent home on the CBC, it settled into a fairly predicatable formula. Tonight, all we got was the formula...with weepy good-byes.
Although, I did enjoy the final fate of Bill, in the final Adventures with Bill. Bill shows up at the lodge, and turns all his old junk over to Red, turning it into a "best of Adventures with Bill" highlight reel. And then, Bill reveals that he's settling into retirement, and he rides off into the sunset with a super-sexy nurse.
And it was kind of fitting that it was Harold who got to utter the classic line, "Keep your stick on the ice." It was also nice that Red finally turned to Harold and said, "You've finally become a man."
A Canadian icon is gone...but not forgotten. You just know it'll be in reruns until the end of time.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Steven Spielberg: Reality TV Guy?
Wow. So Steven Spielberg got himself a reality TV show.
The show is called On the Lot. Here's the premise: 16 contestants, divided into two teams. Each week, the teams have to produce a short film. In each episode, the short film will be of a different genre. The teams get access to profession crews, actors, writers, and, according to the news release, bonafide movie stars, should they play their cards right. At the end of each episode, the short film is screened for a studio audience and a panel of judges, including film critics, movie executives, and special guests. Contestants are eliminated, things get tense, and the winner gets a movie deal.
The show was created by Spielberg and Mark Burnett. Burnett is, of course, the god of reality TV, having created Survivor and The Apprentice. It'll air in the 06/07 season.
Don't forget, tune into the CBC tomorrow night at 7 to catch the final episode of The Red Green Show!
The show is called On the Lot. Here's the premise: 16 contestants, divided into two teams. Each week, the teams have to produce a short film. In each episode, the short film will be of a different genre. The teams get access to profession crews, actors, writers, and, according to the news release, bonafide movie stars, should they play their cards right. At the end of each episode, the short film is screened for a studio audience and a panel of judges, including film critics, movie executives, and special guests. Contestants are eliminated, things get tense, and the winner gets a movie deal.
The show was created by Spielberg and Mark Burnett. Burnett is, of course, the god of reality TV, having created Survivor and The Apprentice. It'll air in the 06/07 season.
Don't forget, tune into the CBC tomorrow night at 7 to catch the final episode of The Red Green Show!
April
It's raining right now.
Ya know, when I was a kid, I never understood the old saying, "April showers bring May flowers." I didn't understand it because, where I live, April snowstorms are far more common. I'd always hear it and go, "But it doesn't rain in April. It snows!"
The more I read about The Simpsons Movie, it makes me kind of sad.
When they first started work on The Simpsons Movie, it was under the belief that 06/07 was going to be the final season. So, then, the movie would come out in the summer of 07, and it was going to be the last hurrah...the "out with a bang."
But, just a month ago, The Simpsons was renewed for two more seasons, meaning that The Simpsons will be on now at least until May of 2009. That just kind of diminishes what the movie wanted to be.
Oh, well. I still be there in 07 to see it out of curiosity.
Ya know, when I was a kid, I never understood the old saying, "April showers bring May flowers." I didn't understand it because, where I live, April snowstorms are far more common. I'd always hear it and go, "But it doesn't rain in April. It snows!"
The more I read about The Simpsons Movie, it makes me kind of sad.
When they first started work on The Simpsons Movie, it was under the belief that 06/07 was going to be the final season. So, then, the movie would come out in the summer of 07, and it was going to be the last hurrah...the "out with a bang."
But, just a month ago, The Simpsons was renewed for two more seasons, meaning that The Simpsons will be on now at least until May of 2009. That just kind of diminishes what the movie wanted to be.
Oh, well. I still be there in 07 to see it out of curiosity.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Justice League/My Wikipedia Entry for Entwistle
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The makers of Justice League Unlimited knew that this was going to be their last season, so they decided to just do all the cool stuff they wanted to do before things came to an end.
Tonight's episode, Grudge Match, is a perfect example. The supervillains need to raise cash. So what do they do? They use mind control technology to make female superheroes fight each other, and sell tickets.
Yup, you heard me right. The whole episode was superheroine catfights!
Although, there was a brief appearance by the Question and, as always, he had some of the best moments. The Huntress is talking to her boyfriend, the Question, on the phone....
Huntress>> So...what are you wearing?
Question>> Blue overcoat, blue fedora....
Huntress>> You stink at this.
Question>> ...wool socks....
(Huntress hangs up)
(Just so you know, a blue overcoat and a blue fedora are what the Question always wears.)
Oh, and I also loved that "blink and you'll miss it" cameo by Nightwing.
Almost done researching my Wikipedia entry for Entwistle. Here's a little bit for you. I wanted to get this down as a rough draft, anyway, so I may as well do it here.
"Entwistle vs. Old Entwistle."
One mile to the east of Entwistle lies the hamlet of Old Entwistle. Old Entwistle has a population of around 20. The citizens of Old Entwistle have always maintained that their hamlet is the original townsite of Entwistle. Usually, they offer up their hamlet's name as the only proof. Sadly, this is not the case.
When the railway was being built in 1909, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway decided that, since Entwistle and Evansburg were so close to each other, that the two towns could share one train station. Evansburg was chosen to have the train station. The people of Entwistle were furious, and demanded their own train station.
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway finally relented. The minimum distance they could put the Entwistle train station from the Evansburg train station was one mile east of Entwistle. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway put Entwistle's train station one mile east of the town, and proceeded to buy up all the land around the train station. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway then put the land up for sale, advertising the land around the train station as being "the future site of Entwistle."
This land around the train station was called the Grand Trunk Pacific subdivision, or simply, Grand Trunk. It is unknown when Grand Trunk started being referred to as Old Entwistle.
Tonight's episode, Grudge Match, is a perfect example. The supervillains need to raise cash. So what do they do? They use mind control technology to make female superheroes fight each other, and sell tickets.
Yup, you heard me right. The whole episode was superheroine catfights!
Although, there was a brief appearance by the Question and, as always, he had some of the best moments. The Huntress is talking to her boyfriend, the Question, on the phone....
Huntress>> So...what are you wearing?
Question>> Blue overcoat, blue fedora....
Huntress>> You stink at this.
Question>> ...wool socks....
(Huntress hangs up)
(Just so you know, a blue overcoat and a blue fedora are what the Question always wears.)
Oh, and I also loved that "blink and you'll miss it" cameo by Nightwing.
Almost done researching my Wikipedia entry for Entwistle. Here's a little bit for you. I wanted to get this down as a rough draft, anyway, so I may as well do it here.
"Entwistle vs. Old Entwistle."
One mile to the east of Entwistle lies the hamlet of Old Entwistle. Old Entwistle has a population of around 20. The citizens of Old Entwistle have always maintained that their hamlet is the original townsite of Entwistle. Usually, they offer up their hamlet's name as the only proof. Sadly, this is not the case.
When the railway was being built in 1909, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway decided that, since Entwistle and Evansburg were so close to each other, that the two towns could share one train station. Evansburg was chosen to have the train station. The people of Entwistle were furious, and demanded their own train station.
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway finally relented. The minimum distance they could put the Entwistle train station from the Evansburg train station was one mile east of Entwistle. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway put Entwistle's train station one mile east of the town, and proceeded to buy up all the land around the train station. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway then put the land up for sale, advertising the land around the train station as being "the future site of Entwistle."
This land around the train station was called the Grand Trunk Pacific subdivision, or simply, Grand Trunk. It is unknown when Grand Trunk started being referred to as Old Entwistle.
Sign #2987432 That I Need a Life
As I surfing the Internet last night, I was shocked, nay, horrified at the discovery I made.
My home town, Entwistle, does not have an entry in Wikipedia, but Entwistle's long-time rival, Evansburg, DOES have an entry!
This will not do. If Evansburg has an entry in Wikipedia, then Entwistle deserves one. So, I have resolved to write Entwistle's entry in Wikipedia, AND make it more ass-kicking than Evansburg's entry.
(Something that will be really easy to do, as the Evansburg entry is only one sentence long.)
So, for the past 18 hours, I have been immersed in research, studying the history of Entwistle. The most valuable resource has been The Foley Trail, a book detailing the history of Entwistle, that was put out by the local historical society about 20 years ago. Entwistle was officially incorporated as a village on March 29, 1909. The first elections were held in April, and the village charter was adopted in May. The town kind of sprang up as railway construction halted here while they built our massive, beautiful railway trestle.
Of course, I'll have to have a section on the trestle for my entry. Dad actually dug up a lot of information on the Pembina River Trestle back when he was the mayor of Entwistle. He's going to be my main source on that one. Construction on the bridge started in 1908, and finished in 1911. It was actually made in Scotland. The engineers took their measurments, and then sent them to an engineering firm in Scotland. The entire bridge was pre-fabricated in Scotland, and completely assembled in Scotland to make sure everything fit. Then, the bridge was dismantled and shipped to Entwistle piece-by-piece, and was then re-assembled over the Pembina River. And, the engineers' measurments were so precise, that no modifications were required to make the bridge fit. And that bridge stands to this very day, and is still used multiple times a day by the CNR.
When Dad told me that story, I often wondered what kind of information could be gleaned about the Highway Bridge, which sits right next to the Railway Trestle. Well, The Foley Trail is filled with info on the Highway Bridge. It was a very big deal in its day. The Highway Bridge was built from 1961 to 1962. It opened to traffic in 1962, but a grand opening was held on July 24, 1963. 1500 people turned out for the grand opening. Speeches were given by the mayors of Entwislte and Evansburg, the MLA, the Deputy Minister of Highways, and representatives of the senior citizens and youth. Then, the ribbon was cut by the Minister of Highways, and there was a massive parade across the bridge!
And I'll also have to include an entry about Entwistle being the Diamond Capital of Canada. That's another thing Dad discovered when he was mayor. The largest diamond ever found in Canada was found in the banks of the Pembina River, about 2-km south of town. So, since Dad was the mayor and every village in the province was looking for some kind of tourist hook at the time, Entwistle proclaimed itself "the Diamond Capital of Canada."
And I'll be sure to include this all in my Wikipedia entry. IN YOUR FACE, EVANSBURG!
My home town, Entwistle, does not have an entry in Wikipedia, but Entwistle's long-time rival, Evansburg, DOES have an entry!
This will not do. If Evansburg has an entry in Wikipedia, then Entwistle deserves one. So, I have resolved to write Entwistle's entry in Wikipedia, AND make it more ass-kicking than Evansburg's entry.
(Something that will be really easy to do, as the Evansburg entry is only one sentence long.)
So, for the past 18 hours, I have been immersed in research, studying the history of Entwistle. The most valuable resource has been The Foley Trail, a book detailing the history of Entwistle, that was put out by the local historical society about 20 years ago. Entwistle was officially incorporated as a village on March 29, 1909. The first elections were held in April, and the village charter was adopted in May. The town kind of sprang up as railway construction halted here while they built our massive, beautiful railway trestle.
Of course, I'll have to have a section on the trestle for my entry. Dad actually dug up a lot of information on the Pembina River Trestle back when he was the mayor of Entwistle. He's going to be my main source on that one. Construction on the bridge started in 1908, and finished in 1911. It was actually made in Scotland. The engineers took their measurments, and then sent them to an engineering firm in Scotland. The entire bridge was pre-fabricated in Scotland, and completely assembled in Scotland to make sure everything fit. Then, the bridge was dismantled and shipped to Entwistle piece-by-piece, and was then re-assembled over the Pembina River. And, the engineers' measurments were so precise, that no modifications were required to make the bridge fit. And that bridge stands to this very day, and is still used multiple times a day by the CNR.
When Dad told me that story, I often wondered what kind of information could be gleaned about the Highway Bridge, which sits right next to the Railway Trestle. Well, The Foley Trail is filled with info on the Highway Bridge. It was a very big deal in its day. The Highway Bridge was built from 1961 to 1962. It opened to traffic in 1962, but a grand opening was held on July 24, 1963. 1500 people turned out for the grand opening. Speeches were given by the mayors of Entwislte and Evansburg, the MLA, the Deputy Minister of Highways, and representatives of the senior citizens and youth. Then, the ribbon was cut by the Minister of Highways, and there was a massive parade across the bridge!
And I'll also have to include an entry about Entwistle being the Diamond Capital of Canada. That's another thing Dad discovered when he was mayor. The largest diamond ever found in Canada was found in the banks of the Pembina River, about 2-km south of town. So, since Dad was the mayor and every village in the province was looking for some kind of tourist hook at the time, Entwistle proclaimed itself "the Diamond Capital of Canada."
And I'll be sure to include this all in my Wikipedia entry. IN YOUR FACE, EVANSBURG!
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
The Man with the Plan
Well, I just saw Ralph Klein's news conference on TV.
Klein is moving up his retirement plans by one year. Klein will now be submitting his letter of resignation this September, and in his letter he'll call for a leadership convention to be called ASAP. Klein will then stay on until a new leader is chosen, and a little bit after to "facilitate a smooth transition of power."
Bye bye, Klein.
Klein is moving up his retirement plans by one year. Klein will now be submitting his letter of resignation this September, and in his letter he'll call for a leadership convention to be called ASAP. Klein will then stay on until a new leader is chosen, and a little bit after to "facilitate a smooth transition of power."
Bye bye, Klein.
Buyer's Remorse
"No, Ralph!"
"We didn't mean it, Ralph!"
"Please don't go, Ralph!"
These have been the cries from Ralph Klein's die-hard supporters for the past few days. We've also been told that switchboards have been flooded with phone calls from Albertans of all walks of life, urging Ralph to stay. But most agree, that with a 55% approval rating, Ralph staying on as leader would only split the party.
The most common defence is, "Well, we just wanted to give Ralph a little nudge, to hurry up his retirement." I guess no one realized that, if you all nudge at the same time, it can add up to a pretty big push.
All I can say is of course everyone supports Ralph now. No one else wants to be "Oberged."
Anyway, Ralph's got the news conference scheduled for 11:30, in which he'll share his plan. And, as has already been pointed out, Ralph's just arrogant enough to say, "55% is still a majority. I got a majority in the last provincial election. The majority still wants me to stay!"
"We didn't mean it, Ralph!"
"Please don't go, Ralph!"
These have been the cries from Ralph Klein's die-hard supporters for the past few days. We've also been told that switchboards have been flooded with phone calls from Albertans of all walks of life, urging Ralph to stay. But most agree, that with a 55% approval rating, Ralph staying on as leader would only split the party.
The most common defence is, "Well, we just wanted to give Ralph a little nudge, to hurry up his retirement." I guess no one realized that, if you all nudge at the same time, it can add up to a pretty big push.
All I can say is of course everyone supports Ralph now. No one else wants to be "Oberged."
Anyway, Ralph's got the news conference scheduled for 11:30, in which he'll share his plan. And, as has already been pointed out, Ralph's just arrogant enough to say, "55% is still a majority. I got a majority in the last provincial election. The majority still wants me to stay!"
Monday, April 03, 2006
Lost in Translation
Well, tonight, on the CBC, I finally saw Lost In Translation. I've been dying to see it for some time. See, Lost In Translation came out around the same time I got back from Japan, so I was asked about the film a lot. "Are Japanese people really like that? Did you have experiences like that?" and so on and such forth.
The film was a lot...sadder than I thought it'd be. It wasn't so much a film about the culture clash of being in Japan. It was more about...being lonely. And, as a guy who's been lonely quite a bit - even when he was in Japan - I "got it" on several levels.
It did stir up a lot of memories. Sometimes, I'm sad that I don't have any really good stories about Japan. Even though I was in another country, I was still a working stiff. Get up, put in 9 hours at work, go home, flop down on the couch and watch TV. Same routine everyone else does, just on the other side of the world.
Unlike my best friend, who got inducted into Sapporo's art scene and can tell you all about the little tiny clubs and galleries that dot the alleyways of Sapporo.
Sometimes, I wish I had a Japan experience like that.
But most days, I know I had the Japan experience that was best for me.
The film was a lot...sadder than I thought it'd be. It wasn't so much a film about the culture clash of being in Japan. It was more about...being lonely. And, as a guy who's been lonely quite a bit - even when he was in Japan - I "got it" on several levels.
It did stir up a lot of memories. Sometimes, I'm sad that I don't have any really good stories about Japan. Even though I was in another country, I was still a working stiff. Get up, put in 9 hours at work, go home, flop down on the couch and watch TV. Same routine everyone else does, just on the other side of the world.
Unlike my best friend, who got inducted into Sapporo's art scene and can tell you all about the little tiny clubs and galleries that dot the alleyways of Sapporo.
Sometimes, I wish I had a Japan experience like that.
But most days, I know I had the Japan experience that was best for me.
Weird Al News
For some reason, I always have trouble digging up news on "Weird Al" Yankovic. Specifically, info on his new album, due out later this year. As such, I always stumble across news in the strangest places.
I was reading the Wikipedia entry on John Kricfalusi, the rebellious, surrealist animator best remembered as the creator of Ren and Stimpy. At the bottom of Kricfalusi's entry was this humble little line:
As of Apr. 2, [Kricfalusi] has finished production for an animated music video for "Weird Al" Yankovic's 12 studio album.
John Kricfalusi animating a Weird Al video? The mind boggles.
Kricfalusi has street cred when it comes to music videos. He did the videos for Bjork's I Miss You and Tenacious D's F--k Her Gently.
And now, a Weird Al video. This will work.
I was reading the Wikipedia entry on John Kricfalusi, the rebellious, surrealist animator best remembered as the creator of Ren and Stimpy. At the bottom of Kricfalusi's entry was this humble little line:
As of Apr. 2, [Kricfalusi] has finished production for an animated music video for "Weird Al" Yankovic's 12 studio album.
John Kricfalusi animating a Weird Al video? The mind boggles.
Kricfalusi has street cred when it comes to music videos. He did the videos for Bjork's I Miss You and Tenacious D's F--k Her Gently.
And now, a Weird Al video. This will work.
Simpsons Movie & Clerks II
So, that teaser for The Simpsons Movie is now online. I've downloaded it. My thoughts? It actually reminds me a lot of the teaser for South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut from way back in December 1998. Same narrator doing a very dramatic reading...same variation on the joke...now, if The Simpsons Movie can be as good as South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, then we really have a movie to look forward to!
And actually, we've got some more information about the behind-the-scenes of The Simpsons Movie today. They're just about finished storyboarding. The script was written over the past two years in absolute secrecy. The script was co-written by Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Simpsons executive producer (and legendary director) James L. Brooks, and pretty much the entire current writing staff of the show. The director is David Silverman, who is the supervising director of the show, and he was also one of the co-directors of the Pixar classic Monsters, Inc..
In addition to the entire voice cast of the show, they also have signed on Albert Brooks, Minnie Driver, and the real Erin Brockovich.
They're still on track for that July 2007 release!
And, if you're a big Kevin Smith fan like me, then you'll want to swing by The Official Clerks II Website to check out the new Internet exclusive trailer!
My thoughs on the new trailer? I love that new angry version of the Clerks: The Animated Series theme. And I now have a new favourite Randall line:
"There was only one return, and it wasn't of the King, it was of the Jedi!"
And actually, we've got some more information about the behind-the-scenes of The Simpsons Movie today. They're just about finished storyboarding. The script was written over the past two years in absolute secrecy. The script was co-written by Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Simpsons executive producer (and legendary director) James L. Brooks, and pretty much the entire current writing staff of the show. The director is David Silverman, who is the supervising director of the show, and he was also one of the co-directors of the Pixar classic Monsters, Inc..
In addition to the entire voice cast of the show, they also have signed on Albert Brooks, Minnie Driver, and the real Erin Brockovich.
They're still on track for that July 2007 release!
And, if you're a big Kevin Smith fan like me, then you'll want to swing by The Official Clerks II Website to check out the new Internet exclusive trailer!
My thoughs on the new trailer? I love that new angry version of the Clerks: The Animated Series theme. And I now have a new favourite Randall line:
"There was only one return, and it wasn't of the King, it was of the Jedi!"
Sunday, April 02, 2006
First Podcast and Latest Column are Up!
What's that? My podcast? That's right! I've launched a podcast! Today sees the very first episode of The Targ. Tired of no radio station hiring me, I decided to launch my own!
Click here to listen to Episode 0: My New Mop
Now, I don't have RSS quite figured out yet, so you can't rig iTunes to automatically download the new episode. For the first little bit, you're going to have to do it old school: come back to my website once a week to download the new one. But, I'm working on it. If I don't have it set up by the end of the month...just wait longer.
A new day has dawned! The day of...the Targ!
And I've still got my column going, too! This week, I get into Reinvention Mania!
" Over in the realm of television, the “re-imagining” concept is also gaining ground. Look at the new re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica. It is widely considered by many – sci-fi nerds and mainstream critics alike – to be one of the greatest TV shows right now. The whole politics, society, and war that form the basis of the show have been greatly expended upon and explored. Star Trek meets The West Wing was how one critic described it. "
Click here to read it all!
Hey! You can read Chaos in Print while listening to the Targ! It's what you call a win-win situation!
Click here to listen to Episode 0: My New Mop
Now, I don't have RSS quite figured out yet, so you can't rig iTunes to automatically download the new episode. For the first little bit, you're going to have to do it old school: come back to my website once a week to download the new one. But, I'm working on it. If I don't have it set up by the end of the month...just wait longer.
A new day has dawned! The day of...the Targ!
And I've still got my column going, too! This week, I get into Reinvention Mania!
" Over in the realm of television, the “re-imagining” concept is also gaining ground. Look at the new re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica. It is widely considered by many – sci-fi nerds and mainstream critics alike – to be one of the greatest TV shows right now. The whole politics, society, and war that form the basis of the show have been greatly expended upon and explored. Star Trek meets The West Wing was how one critic described it. "
Click here to read it all!
Hey! You can read Chaos in Print while listening to the Targ! It's what you call a win-win situation!
Saturday, April 01, 2006
The Phantom
So, I see in the Edmonton Journal that The Phantom of the Opera is coming back to Edmonton. I'd kind of like to go, if only to rub it in the face of Robert Twerdoclib.
Ya gotta go back in time about 15 years. Phantom of the Opera was absolutly huge. The first Canadian touring show was making its only Alberta stop in Calgary. Mr. Twerdoclib - being the grade 8 homeroom teacher - decided to take the grade 8 class down to Calgary to see it. I was in grade 9 at the time, and a remarkable opportunity arose.
Two grade 8 kids cancelled...they couldn't go. So Mr. Twerdoclib decided to have an essay contest for the grade 9 students. If memory serves, it was 2 pages on what you like about Canada. Naturally, I decided to throw my hat in the ring.
About a week later, as I was getting ready to go home for lunch, Mr. Twerdoclib cornered me and asked me to come into his classroom. Befuddled, I did. Mr. Twerdoclib had me stand before his grade 8 class, and he proceeded to ream me out over how poor my essay was, before he announced that I lost. I left in tears.
I lost a lot of respect for Robert Twerdoclib that day. I've just never been a fan of the public humiliation school of teaching.
About a year later, the Phantom finally made its way to Edmonton. Then, just about everyone went to see it. I was in high school, Mr. Twerdoclib was no longer my teacher, but I just couldn't help but think, "Not so fancy now, is it, Twerdy?"
So that's why I want to see The Phantom of the Opera some day. Just so I can send out a nice, big "fuck you" to Robert Twerdoclib.
Ya gotta go back in time about 15 years. Phantom of the Opera was absolutly huge. The first Canadian touring show was making its only Alberta stop in Calgary. Mr. Twerdoclib - being the grade 8 homeroom teacher - decided to take the grade 8 class down to Calgary to see it. I was in grade 9 at the time, and a remarkable opportunity arose.
Two grade 8 kids cancelled...they couldn't go. So Mr. Twerdoclib decided to have an essay contest for the grade 9 students. If memory serves, it was 2 pages on what you like about Canada. Naturally, I decided to throw my hat in the ring.
About a week later, as I was getting ready to go home for lunch, Mr. Twerdoclib cornered me and asked me to come into his classroom. Befuddled, I did. Mr. Twerdoclib had me stand before his grade 8 class, and he proceeded to ream me out over how poor my essay was, before he announced that I lost. I left in tears.
I lost a lot of respect for Robert Twerdoclib that day. I've just never been a fan of the public humiliation school of teaching.
About a year later, the Phantom finally made its way to Edmonton. Then, just about everyone went to see it. I was in high school, Mr. Twerdoclib was no longer my teacher, but I just couldn't help but think, "Not so fancy now, is it, Twerdy?"
So that's why I want to see The Phantom of the Opera some day. Just so I can send out a nice, big "fuck you" to Robert Twerdoclib.
Holy %$#@
So, the results of last night's Alberta PC leadership review are in.
As leader of the PC Party, Ralph Klein has the support of...55% of the party.
55%! For a man who has consistently scored 95% or higher in past leadership reviews. It was expected that support for Klein would dip this time around, but not by this much.
Wow. 55%. I think the proper, political science term for what happened to Klein is "a kick in the nuts."
Klein has said he's going to reflect and consult with advisors, and announce his next move around the middle of next week. He also added that, in this leadership review, he *did* score a majority. But, in my opinion, for him to try to cling to power with a 40% drop in party support is suicidal.
I think Klein's going to announce his resignation next week. And an era will be over.
As leader of the PC Party, Ralph Klein has the support of...55% of the party.
55%! For a man who has consistently scored 95% or higher in past leadership reviews. It was expected that support for Klein would dip this time around, but not by this much.
Wow. 55%. I think the proper, political science term for what happened to Klein is "a kick in the nuts."
Klein has said he's going to reflect and consult with advisors, and announce his next move around the middle of next week. He also added that, in this leadership review, he *did* score a majority. But, in my opinion, for him to try to cling to power with a 40% drop in party support is suicidal.
I think Klein's going to announce his resignation next week. And an era will be over.
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