There you go! I've got this year's list of Oscar picks up! You can head on over to the main page to check them out.
Oh, and do you notice something different about the blog? Since I was doing all this, I decided to switch the background image to the nice, new "starry atoms" background that my best friend in the whole wide world made for me.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Oscar Nominations!
Hoo-rah! the Oscar nominees have just been announced! As you know, I always do a "Scarecrow's Oscar Pics" over at the main website, and I'll probably get around to doing that tonight. but, in the mean time, let me throw up a rough draft here at ye ole blog. As always, there are only three categories I tend to care about:
Best Visual Effects
the Chornicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
King Kong
War of the Worlds
Gee, I have to agree with some other websites...what's with Episode III getting snubbed? Anyway, hands-down, it's going King Kong. When you got the hat-trick scoring team that did The Lord of the Rings, there is no guessing.
Best Original Song
In the Deep from Crash
It's Hard Out There for a Pimp from Hustle and Flow
Travelin' Through from Transamerica
Let me say two things right off the bat. First, damn the rules of this category! Thanks to the rules, all of Danny Elfman's songs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were completely ignored! (At least, I think it was because of the rules.) Second, darn the state of Disney animation! My whole strategy of "it's the song from Disney's latest animated film" has been somewhat failing in the past few years. My guess? It'll be the one from Crash, as that's a pure Oscar favourite.
And now, my new all-time favourtie category, the one category I've been able to successfully predict since the category started....
Best Animated Film. The nominess are:
Howl's Moving Castle
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
Wallace and Grommit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
First, I just want to say HA HA!! For the first time ever, there are no computer animated films in the running. IN YOU FACE, EVERYONE WHO SAYS CGI HAS KILLED ALL OTHER FORMS OF ANIMATION!! Now that that's out of they way, I'd say that the safe bet is Wallace and Grommit. The Oscars just love Wallace and Grommit, as well as director Nick Park. Don't forget, 2 of the 3 Wallace and Grommit shorts and the classic Nick Park short "Creature Comforts" all took home a best animated short film Oscar. Plus, it's long been rumoured that the Best Animated Film category was created because Nick Park's last film, "Chicken Run," was inelligible for any nominations, but still greatly loved by the Academy. With all this behind it, I'm definitly putting my money on the Curse of the Were-Rabbit.
The Oscars are on March 5.
Best Visual Effects
the Chornicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
King Kong
War of the Worlds
Gee, I have to agree with some other websites...what's with Episode III getting snubbed? Anyway, hands-down, it's going King Kong. When you got the hat-trick scoring team that did The Lord of the Rings, there is no guessing.
Best Original Song
In the Deep from Crash
It's Hard Out There for a Pimp from Hustle and Flow
Travelin' Through from Transamerica
Let me say two things right off the bat. First, damn the rules of this category! Thanks to the rules, all of Danny Elfman's songs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were completely ignored! (At least, I think it was because of the rules.) Second, darn the state of Disney animation! My whole strategy of "it's the song from Disney's latest animated film" has been somewhat failing in the past few years. My guess? It'll be the one from Crash, as that's a pure Oscar favourite.
And now, my new all-time favourtie category, the one category I've been able to successfully predict since the category started....
Best Animated Film. The nominess are:
Howl's Moving Castle
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
Wallace and Grommit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
First, I just want to say HA HA!! For the first time ever, there are no computer animated films in the running. IN YOU FACE, EVERYONE WHO SAYS CGI HAS KILLED ALL OTHER FORMS OF ANIMATION!! Now that that's out of they way, I'd say that the safe bet is Wallace and Grommit. The Oscars just love Wallace and Grommit, as well as director Nick Park. Don't forget, 2 of the 3 Wallace and Grommit shorts and the classic Nick Park short "Creature Comforts" all took home a best animated short film Oscar. Plus, it's long been rumoured that the Best Animated Film category was created because Nick Park's last film, "Chicken Run," was inelligible for any nominations, but still greatly loved by the Academy. With all this behind it, I'm definitly putting my money on the Curse of the Were-Rabbit.
The Oscars are on March 5.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Of Postcards and Small Town Banks
Yay! I got my first Postcrossing postcard today! Postcrossing is this website that a friend of mine mentioned in her blg once. Essentially, it's this set-up where you can mail postcards to complete strangers all around the world, and complete strangers send postcards to you, so you can get all kinds of nifty postcards for your collection.
I was always kind of curious about trying it. And then, in that week between Christmas and New Years, I was cleaning my room and I found a fistful of Alberta Centennial postcards. They were giving them away free at the post office...when they eventually got sick of having them around, they'd give a fistful to anyone who bought a stamp. So I had all these postcards, and I wanted to use up the rest of my stamps because the price went up about two weeks ago. So I thought, "Let's give this Postcrossing thing a try."
I sent out 4. According to the Postcrossing website, three of them arrived. And today, I got my first one! From Brazil!
Cool.
Tis a sad state of affairs in the small town bank.
Because I'm all commemerative coin crazy, I went to the Evansburg Royal Bank today in an attempt to get some of these new Olympic Loonies.
The Evansburg Royal Bank is a case study of the decline of a small town. When I was a kid, the Evansburg Royal Bank was a thriving bank, with at least a half-a-dozen tellers on staff all the time and a dozen offices in the back for all kinds of loan-giving and financial planning and other bank stuff.
Not the case today. Now, it's stripped down to a skeleton crew. All the offices are gone, giving the building a big, empty appearance. There's only one teller on duty, and she makes it quite clear that she's only there to assist seniors who can't figure out the ATM.
However, I discovered that, because of this situation, they're the best place to go to get the latest commemerative coins, mainly becase they don't move a lot of coins.
Sadly, though, the pension cheques must have just come in or something. There was a line of about a dozen seniors wanted to cash their cheques and I didn't feel like waiting. Tomorrow, then.
I was always kind of curious about trying it. And then, in that week between Christmas and New Years, I was cleaning my room and I found a fistful of Alberta Centennial postcards. They were giving them away free at the post office...when they eventually got sick of having them around, they'd give a fistful to anyone who bought a stamp. So I had all these postcards, and I wanted to use up the rest of my stamps because the price went up about two weeks ago. So I thought, "Let's give this Postcrossing thing a try."
I sent out 4. According to the Postcrossing website, three of them arrived. And today, I got my first one! From Brazil!
Cool.
Tis a sad state of affairs in the small town bank.
Because I'm all commemerative coin crazy, I went to the Evansburg Royal Bank today in an attempt to get some of these new Olympic Loonies.
The Evansburg Royal Bank is a case study of the decline of a small town. When I was a kid, the Evansburg Royal Bank was a thriving bank, with at least a half-a-dozen tellers on staff all the time and a dozen offices in the back for all kinds of loan-giving and financial planning and other bank stuff.
Not the case today. Now, it's stripped down to a skeleton crew. All the offices are gone, giving the building a big, empty appearance. There's only one teller on duty, and she makes it quite clear that she's only there to assist seniors who can't figure out the ATM.
However, I discovered that, because of this situation, they're the best place to go to get the latest commemerative coins, mainly becase they don't move a lot of coins.
Sadly, though, the pension cheques must have just come in or something. There was a line of about a dozen seniors wanted to cash their cheques and I didn't feel like waiting. Tomorrow, then.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Latest Column & Other Sunday Stuff
Latest column's up! This week, I talk about Going to the Movies:
"But, for this past year, people have been lamenting that people don’t go out to the movies as much anymore. In 2005, the media made much fuss over the “box office slump.” Many reasons were floated as to why people weren’t heading out to the theatre. Some said that a night at the movies had gotten too expensive. Other analysts pointed to the steady stream of sequels and remakes and said that it was a lack of originality. The one thing that everyone latched onto, though, was the advent of DVD. The logic was why go out to the theatre when you can watch it in the comfort of your own home?"
Read it all right here!
Just kicking back, and getting ready to enjoy the Olympics. I'm starting to do some reading up on the merchandising push.
So here's the mascots for the 2006 Winter Olympics. The organizers of the Tornio games call them "the most original Olympic mascots ever!" We have Neve (the one with the round head), and she's a snowball. And we have Gliz (the one with the square head) and he's an ice cube. Interesting.
Here's some other wacky facts about Olympic mascots:
First Mascot - Schuss the Skier, the mascot for the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble, France.
First Summer Games Mascot - Waldi the Daschund, mascot for the 1972 Summer Games in Munich, Germany.
Only Disney-Owned Mascot - Sam the Eagle, who was the mascot of the 1984 Summer Games in LA. Yes, he was designed by, and is currently owned by, the Walt Disney Company.
First Twin Mascots - Heidi and Howdy, twin polar bears in cowboy outfits. The mascots of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.
Most Hated Mascot - Izzy the Whatizit, an abstract cartoon character. Mascot for the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia.
Most Mascots - the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. Currently slated to have 5 mascots.
Oh, and despite what that Simpsons episode says, the mascot of the 1976 Olympics in Montreal was NOT a vampire. It was Amik the Beaver.
Speaking of the Olympics, the Royal Canadian Mint is having another commemerative Lucky Loonie!
We all know the legend by now. 4 years ago, a loonie was buried at centre ice at the Olympic Hockey Rink in Salt Lake City, and both the boys and girls Canadian hockey teams went on to win the gold medal. Ever since, the loonie has been seen as a good luck charm for atheletes. And the Royal Canadian Mint has been there to cash in!
Two years ago, for the Athens games, the RCM released a special Olympic Lucky Loonie. It was just like a regular loonie, only the Olympic rings and the logo for Team Canada were imprinted above the loon.
But now, they've gone all out! The new commemerative Olympic Lucky Loonie depicts a loon in flight, with the traditional prive of an olive wreath clutched in the loon's talons. Oh, and the Olympic rings and the logo for Team Canada are imprinted on it.
Watch for it in your change! Or, just do what I do, and go get it from the Royal Bank.
"But, for this past year, people have been lamenting that people don’t go out to the movies as much anymore. In 2005, the media made much fuss over the “box office slump.” Many reasons were floated as to why people weren’t heading out to the theatre. Some said that a night at the movies had gotten too expensive. Other analysts pointed to the steady stream of sequels and remakes and said that it was a lack of originality. The one thing that everyone latched onto, though, was the advent of DVD. The logic was why go out to the theatre when you can watch it in the comfort of your own home?"
Read it all right here!
Just kicking back, and getting ready to enjoy the Olympics. I'm starting to do some reading up on the merchandising push.
So here's the mascots for the 2006 Winter Olympics. The organizers of the Tornio games call them "the most original Olympic mascots ever!" We have Neve (the one with the round head), and she's a snowball. And we have Gliz (the one with the square head) and he's an ice cube. Interesting.Here's some other wacky facts about Olympic mascots:
First Mascot - Schuss the Skier, the mascot for the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble, France.
First Summer Games Mascot - Waldi the Daschund, mascot for the 1972 Summer Games in Munich, Germany.
Only Disney-Owned Mascot - Sam the Eagle, who was the mascot of the 1984 Summer Games in LA. Yes, he was designed by, and is currently owned by, the Walt Disney Company.
First Twin Mascots - Heidi and Howdy, twin polar bears in cowboy outfits. The mascots of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.
Most Hated Mascot - Izzy the Whatizit, an abstract cartoon character. Mascot for the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia.
Most Mascots - the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. Currently slated to have 5 mascots.
Oh, and despite what that Simpsons episode says, the mascot of the 1976 Olympics in Montreal was NOT a vampire. It was Amik the Beaver.
Speaking of the Olympics, the Royal Canadian Mint is having another commemerative Lucky Loonie!
We all know the legend by now. 4 years ago, a loonie was buried at centre ice at the Olympic Hockey Rink in Salt Lake City, and both the boys and girls Canadian hockey teams went on to win the gold medal. Ever since, the loonie has been seen as a good luck charm for atheletes. And the Royal Canadian Mint has been there to cash in!
Two years ago, for the Athens games, the RCM released a special Olympic Lucky Loonie. It was just like a regular loonie, only the Olympic rings and the logo for Team Canada were imprinted above the loon.
But now, they've gone all out! The new commemerative Olympic Lucky Loonie depicts a loon in flight, with the traditional prive of an olive wreath clutched in the loon's talons. Oh, and the Olympic rings and the logo for Team Canada are imprinted on it.
Watch for it in your change! Or, just do what I do, and go get it from the Royal Bank.
Runnin, Runnin
I had the house largely to myself today, which is good. I got to watch a lot of DVDs...and, more specifically, some running commentaries.
Now, when it comes to DVD, I do love a good running commentary. Sometimes, you can learn quite a bit from them.
First up was Sin City. I watched it with the running commentary by director Robert Rodriguiz, special guest director Quentin Tarintion, and star Bruce Willis. That one was...OK. You can tell that Rodriguiz really loves digital filmmaking, because all he can talk about in that running commentary is how great digital filmmaking is.
Next up was Titanic. I watched that with the running commentary by writer/director James Cameron. Now that is a good one. Since I know that Cameron is a director that gets bogged down with the details, I was afraid it would be a very dry, technical commentary. But no. Cameron is a fairly lively guy who talks quite a bit about the actors and shares stories of the filming...and yes, lots of the technical details.
Each film still has more running commentaries for me to listen to. Sin City still has a commentary with Rodriguiz and Sin City creator and co-director Frank Miller...Titanic still has two running commentaries: one with various cast and crew members (including Kate Winslet) and one with two noted Titanic historians.
Acutally, you know, watching these films tonight, I couldn't help but think one thing: God, I still want that boxed set of The Matrix trilogy. Last time I was in Future Shop, I pulled it off the shelf and saw it marked down to $39.95. I could have gotten it for cheaper than the DVD I was there that day to buy (The Flash: The Complete Series, which was $42.95). But I swore, I'd get it with my first radio paycheque, and I'm going to stick to that.
Oh, and before bed, let me learn something cool about Titanic that I learned from the running commentary.
Rose was ultimatly saved by...Mr. Fantastic.
Yup. The sailor who returned in a lifeboat to pull survivors out of the frigid waters was played by Ioan Gruffudd, who went on to play Reed Richards this last summer in Fantastic Four.
Now, when it comes to DVD, I do love a good running commentary. Sometimes, you can learn quite a bit from them.
First up was Sin City. I watched it with the running commentary by director Robert Rodriguiz, special guest director Quentin Tarintion, and star Bruce Willis. That one was...OK. You can tell that Rodriguiz really loves digital filmmaking, because all he can talk about in that running commentary is how great digital filmmaking is.
Next up was Titanic. I watched that with the running commentary by writer/director James Cameron. Now that is a good one. Since I know that Cameron is a director that gets bogged down with the details, I was afraid it would be a very dry, technical commentary. But no. Cameron is a fairly lively guy who talks quite a bit about the actors and shares stories of the filming...and yes, lots of the technical details.
Each film still has more running commentaries for me to listen to. Sin City still has a commentary with Rodriguiz and Sin City creator and co-director Frank Miller...Titanic still has two running commentaries: one with various cast and crew members (including Kate Winslet) and one with two noted Titanic historians.
Acutally, you know, watching these films tonight, I couldn't help but think one thing: God, I still want that boxed set of The Matrix trilogy. Last time I was in Future Shop, I pulled it off the shelf and saw it marked down to $39.95. I could have gotten it for cheaper than the DVD I was there that day to buy (The Flash: The Complete Series, which was $42.95). But I swore, I'd get it with my first radio paycheque, and I'm going to stick to that.
Oh, and before bed, let me learn something cool about Titanic that I learned from the running commentary.
Rose was ultimatly saved by...Mr. Fantastic.
Yup. The sailor who returned in a lifeboat to pull survivors out of the frigid waters was played by Ioan Gruffudd, who went on to play Reed Richards this last summer in Fantastic Four.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Check Out my Fancy Titles
I think it was time to add fancy titles for every blog post. Now that I've got the whole XML feed, I think this'll make things look nicer in your live bookmarks or RSS Feeds or whatever you use.
OK, my e-mail seems to be working OK...it's just ungodly slow. There's about a 12-hour lag time between when you send it and when I receive it. So, if it seems like I'm getting back to you really slow, that's why.
Anyway, I just did my crazy thing today. As you may recall, about a week ago, I decided to put an ad on Milkman Unlimited begging for work. Well, today I got my first response to that ad.
It was for the radio station out in Edson.
So, I thought, "Hey! Edson's real close to Entwistle. Why don't I drive on out there and give them my resume and demo in person?"
So I did.
Sadly, though, when I arrived, I was told that the guy who's doing the hiring was out in Whitecourt for the day, so I couldn't drop it off in person like I'd hoped.
But they have it. And hopefully, this'll lead to a job in Edson.
Anyway, I just did my crazy thing today. As you may recall, about a week ago, I decided to put an ad on Milkman Unlimited begging for work. Well, today I got my first response to that ad.
It was for the radio station out in Edson.
So, I thought, "Hey! Edson's real close to Entwistle. Why don't I drive on out there and give them my resume and demo in person?"
So I did.
Sadly, though, when I arrived, I was told that the guy who's doing the hiring was out in Whitecourt for the day, so I couldn't drop it off in person like I'd hoped.
But they have it. And hopefully, this'll lead to a job in Edson.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
OK, I'm all paranoid now.
I don't seem to be receiving any e-mail....
Help me test my e-mail. Just click here and drop me a quick note.
I don't seem to be receiving any e-mail....
Help me test my e-mail. Just click here and drop me a quick note.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Well, I guess there's some good news about this Disney buy-out of Pixar. You may remember that I reported yesterday that, as part of this deal, several Pixar staffers got promoted to similar positions in Disney Animation.
Today, as their first official act, they cancelled Disney's plans to make Toy Story 3.
You know, the more I read online, the more it seems that I'm in a minority when I say, "Disney buying Pixar is a bad thing." Most everyone else is saying, "Yay! Look at how many Pixar staff members are now running Disney animation. Maybe Disney will start making good animated films again!"
One can only hope.
Anyway, now with the election done, I can turn my attention to another of my obsessions: the Olympics! The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy start in, like, two weeks!
There was a bit of controversy around Team Canada last week. Right now, the Team Canada organizers are deciding who will carry the flag into the stadium at the opening ceremonies. And, several atheletes came forward and said, "You know what? Don't bother asking ME to carry the flag, because if you ask me, I'll say no."
I'm not making that up. Several Canadian atheletes have refused to carry the flag inot the stadium for the opening ceremonies. Their logic is? Carrying the flag actually eats up a lot of time, as you wind up doing a whole bunch of interviews and stuff. Carrying the flag, they say, would totally throw off their mindset, distract from their training, and maybe, just maybe, cost them the gold.
Of course, several people are pissed. They're calling them unpatriotic and all that. I thought so too, when this story broke a week ago, but it's such a non-issue now.
Today, as their first official act, they cancelled Disney's plans to make Toy Story 3.
You know, the more I read online, the more it seems that I'm in a minority when I say, "Disney buying Pixar is a bad thing." Most everyone else is saying, "Yay! Look at how many Pixar staff members are now running Disney animation. Maybe Disney will start making good animated films again!"
One can only hope.
Anyway, now with the election done, I can turn my attention to another of my obsessions: the Olympics! The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy start in, like, two weeks!
There was a bit of controversy around Team Canada last week. Right now, the Team Canada organizers are deciding who will carry the flag into the stadium at the opening ceremonies. And, several atheletes came forward and said, "You know what? Don't bother asking ME to carry the flag, because if you ask me, I'll say no."
I'm not making that up. Several Canadian atheletes have refused to carry the flag inot the stadium for the opening ceremonies. Their logic is? Carrying the flag actually eats up a lot of time, as you wind up doing a whole bunch of interviews and stuff. Carrying the flag, they say, would totally throw off their mindset, distract from their training, and maybe, just maybe, cost them the gold.
Of course, several people are pissed. They're calling them unpatriotic and all that. I thought so too, when this story broke a week ago, but it's such a non-issue now.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Well, it's official. An era of really good, really high-quality computer animated films has come to an end.
Disney just bought Pixar. The final price? $7.4 BILLION.
Pixar will now be folded into Disney's animation division. And, a lot of the big muckety-mucks at Pixar get big positions at Disney:
- Pixar's CEO (and Apple Computers president) Steve Jobs gets a seat on Disney's board of directors.
- Pixar's president and co-founder Ed Catmull is now the president of both Pixar and Disney's animation division.
- Pixar's creative director (and director of the Toy Story films) because the "cheif creative officer" of both Pixar and Disney animation, and the creative director of Walt Disney Imagineering. (Walt Disney Imagineering is the Disney division that builds the theme parks.)
So, that's it. The once proudly independent Pixar now gets crushed beneath the heel of the Mouse. It was nice while it lasted.
Disney just bought Pixar. The final price? $7.4 BILLION.
Pixar will now be folded into Disney's animation division. And, a lot of the big muckety-mucks at Pixar get big positions at Disney:
- Pixar's CEO (and Apple Computers president) Steve Jobs gets a seat on Disney's board of directors.
- Pixar's president and co-founder Ed Catmull is now the president of both Pixar and Disney's animation division.
- Pixar's creative director (and director of the Toy Story films) because the "cheif creative officer" of both Pixar and Disney animation, and the creative director of Walt Disney Imagineering. (Walt Disney Imagineering is the Disney division that builds the theme parks.)
So, that's it. The once proudly independent Pixar now gets crushed beneath the heel of the Mouse. It was nice while it lasted.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Gives me goosebumps. And not the good kind.
Paul Martin has already said that he's stepping down as leader of the Liberal Party, so we're going to have a Liberal leadership race very soon.
Some other election notes:
- Jack Layton's wife Olivia Chow finally got elected.
- Belinda Stronach was re-elected. I'm really happy to see that. I know that I'm a minority when I say this, but I think Belinda got a lot of unneccessary shit for crossing the floor just because she is a woman.
- There's one independent. He's from Quebec City. I forget his name but he is described as "an immensly popular radio shock jock."
And, the sad news.
Anne McLellan lost. The only Liberal in Alberta got swept out in the tide of Conservative support.
What did one pundit say last night about this Conservative win? "When Alberta tires of the Liberals, they vote in the Conservatives. When Alberta tires of the Conservatives, they create a new political party."
And now, let's take a look at Alberta politics. Early next month, Ralph Klein's "prosperity bonus" cheques of $400 will be arriving in mailboxes. Many companies are already taking advantage of this and are offering their "Thanks, Ralph!" prosperity packages. The Fairmont Hotel chain (which owns Edmonton's Hotel MacDonald, the Banff Springs Hotel, the Japser Park Lodge, and the Chateau Lake Louise) are offering their "Thanks, Ralph! Prosperity Packages," weekend getaways priced at...$400 per person. The Brick is starting to advertise their "Thanks, Ralph!" specials; new furniture packages for...$400.
Ah, stupid, stupid Ralph. I still think these prosperity bonuses are a stupid idea. Rather than giving $400 to everyone, wouldn't it have been smarter to use that money to, oh, I don't know, RE-INVEST IN HEALTHCARE? Or Education?
But I'm not going to turn away my cheque when it comes.
Oh, and I have to share the scariest news to come out of Hollywood.
It looks like Disney is on the verge of buying Pixar. I seriously do not want that to happen. I think that part of Pixar's charm and success has always been that they are this little independent company way up there in northern California, so far from Hollywood. I think that Disney buying them will crush their creative spirit.
And, let's wrap up with two bits about straight-to-DVD movies:
- It's official! Futurama is making its comeback! At his official website, Futurama star Billy West (the voice of Fry) announced that he just got the call. Futurama will be returning as a series of four straight-to-DVD movies. Production begins this summer.
- Tim Daly will be reprising his role of Superman for a new Superman straight-to-video animated movie called Superman: Braniac Attacks. You may remember that Daly was the original voice of Clark Kent/Superman on Superman: The Animated Series that ran from 96 to 2000. Daly bowed out of reprising the role for Justice League because he was busy doing a new TV show. For Justice League, Superman's voice has been done by George Newburn, who's been doing a really good job, too.
I have more to rant about, but this is running long.
Paul Martin has already said that he's stepping down as leader of the Liberal Party, so we're going to have a Liberal leadership race very soon.
Some other election notes:
- Jack Layton's wife Olivia Chow finally got elected.
- Belinda Stronach was re-elected. I'm really happy to see that. I know that I'm a minority when I say this, but I think Belinda got a lot of unneccessary shit for crossing the floor just because she is a woman.
- There's one independent. He's from Quebec City. I forget his name but he is described as "an immensly popular radio shock jock."
And, the sad news.
Anne McLellan lost. The only Liberal in Alberta got swept out in the tide of Conservative support.
What did one pundit say last night about this Conservative win? "When Alberta tires of the Liberals, they vote in the Conservatives. When Alberta tires of the Conservatives, they create a new political party."
And now, let's take a look at Alberta politics. Early next month, Ralph Klein's "prosperity bonus" cheques of $400 will be arriving in mailboxes. Many companies are already taking advantage of this and are offering their "Thanks, Ralph!" prosperity packages. The Fairmont Hotel chain (which owns Edmonton's Hotel MacDonald, the Banff Springs Hotel, the Japser Park Lodge, and the Chateau Lake Louise) are offering their "Thanks, Ralph! Prosperity Packages," weekend getaways priced at...$400 per person. The Brick is starting to advertise their "Thanks, Ralph!" specials; new furniture packages for...$400.
Ah, stupid, stupid Ralph. I still think these prosperity bonuses are a stupid idea. Rather than giving $400 to everyone, wouldn't it have been smarter to use that money to, oh, I don't know, RE-INVEST IN HEALTHCARE? Or Education?
But I'm not going to turn away my cheque when it comes.
Oh, and I have to share the scariest news to come out of Hollywood.
It looks like Disney is on the verge of buying Pixar. I seriously do not want that to happen. I think that part of Pixar's charm and success has always been that they are this little independent company way up there in northern California, so far from Hollywood. I think that Disney buying them will crush their creative spirit.
And, let's wrap up with two bits about straight-to-DVD movies:
- It's official! Futurama is making its comeback! At his official website, Futurama star Billy West (the voice of Fry) announced that he just got the call. Futurama will be returning as a series of four straight-to-DVD movies. Production begins this summer.
- Tim Daly will be reprising his role of Superman for a new Superman straight-to-video animated movie called Superman: Braniac Attacks. You may remember that Daly was the original voice of Clark Kent/Superman on Superman: The Animated Series that ran from 96 to 2000. Daly bowed out of reprising the role for Justice League because he was busy doing a new TV show. For Justice League, Superman's voice has been done by George Newburn, who's been doing a really good job, too.
I have more to rant about, but this is running long.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Hey! I Got Fancy Titles Now!
Latest column's up! This one's all about the Lotto:
" My all-time favourite book is George Orwell’s 1984. There are a lot of interpretations to that book, and you can learn a lot from it. Most of what I learned came from where I originally read it: Mr. Johnson’s English 30 class. I remember there was a hint of desperation in the air when the class read it. It was one of Mr. Johnson’s favourite books to teach, and my grade 12 year was the last year he could teach it. No big “book banning” scandal here…every couple of years the list of novels that fit the needs of the English curriculum is revised, and back in 1995, 1984 didn’t make the cut. Granted, he could keep on teaching it, but it now involved filling out forms and excess paperwork and it all wasn’t worth the hassle. So, it was the last year for 1984."
Click here to read it all!
" My all-time favourite book is George Orwell’s 1984. There are a lot of interpretations to that book, and you can learn a lot from it. Most of what I learned came from where I originally read it: Mr. Johnson’s English 30 class. I remember there was a hint of desperation in the air when the class read it. It was one of Mr. Johnson’s favourite books to teach, and my grade 12 year was the last year he could teach it. No big “book banning” scandal here…every couple of years the list of novels that fit the needs of the English curriculum is revised, and back in 1995, 1984 didn’t make the cut. Granted, he could keep on teaching it, but it now involved filling out forms and excess paperwork and it all wasn’t worth the hassle. So, it was the last year for 1984."
Click here to read it all!
Saturday, January 21, 2006
The Confederation Bridge. It starts on the mainland at Cape Jourimain, New Brunswick, and it ends at Borden-Carlton, PEI. It is the world's longest bridge over waters that are ice-covered for part of the year. It is the longest bridge in Canada at 13km. The designers put a bend in the middle and a hill 2/3 of the way through so drivers do not get bored.
Man, why didn't those designers build Alberta highways?
Highway 22, from Rocky Mountain House to Drayton Valley. 97km. Perfectly straight. At night. Nothing to see past your headlights.
Now THAT is a boring drive.
Man, why didn't those designers build Alberta highways?
Highway 22, from Rocky Mountain House to Drayton Valley. 97km. Perfectly straight. At night. Nothing to see past your headlights.
Now THAT is a boring drive.
Friday, January 20, 2006
I gotta share one of the coolest news stories of the day.
Do you watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart? One of the funniest shows from the USA, and probably the most satirical.
Anyway, here in Canada, it's on every night at midnight on the CBC, so Stewart decided to do a whole bit on the election! Nothing like watching an American take on the Canadain election. Favourite line:
"What? You call those attack ads? Don't any of these guys have a war medal or a lesbian daughter they can go after?"
And, Stewart posted the whole thing on his website! You can watch it online!
Just go right here and watch the video labeled "New Osama Tape." Yeah, it starts with a 2 minute bit about the Osama Bin Laden tape. But past those first two minutes, it's all Canada.
Three things I learned about Sin City today, thanks to the super-special edition DVD:
- Frank Miller collects Hot Wheels cars. Every car in Sin City (the graphic novels and the movies) is actually a Hot Wheels from Miller's collection.
- As you may recall, Frank Miller actually wrote RoboCop 2 and RoboCop 3. To pay homage to this, several characters in Sin City are seen brandishing RoboCop's distinctive gun. When it came time to make Sin City: The Movie, they actually went to Hollywood, tracked down RoboCop's gun, and used it in the movie.
- Miho uses Hatori Hanzo swords. When they were making the movie, Quentin Tarintino brought some leftover swords from the Kill Bill movies for Miho to use. (Tarintino had been keeping the blades in his garage.)
Do you watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart? One of the funniest shows from the USA, and probably the most satirical.
Anyway, here in Canada, it's on every night at midnight on the CBC, so Stewart decided to do a whole bit on the election! Nothing like watching an American take on the Canadain election. Favourite line:
"What? You call those attack ads? Don't any of these guys have a war medal or a lesbian daughter they can go after?"
And, Stewart posted the whole thing on his website! You can watch it online!
Just go right here and watch the video labeled "New Osama Tape." Yeah, it starts with a 2 minute bit about the Osama Bin Laden tape. But past those first two minutes, it's all Canada.
Three things I learned about Sin City today, thanks to the super-special edition DVD:
- Frank Miller collects Hot Wheels cars. Every car in Sin City (the graphic novels and the movies) is actually a Hot Wheels from Miller's collection.
- As you may recall, Frank Miller actually wrote RoboCop 2 and RoboCop 3. To pay homage to this, several characters in Sin City are seen brandishing RoboCop's distinctive gun. When it came time to make Sin City: The Movie, they actually went to Hollywood, tracked down RoboCop's gun, and used it in the movie.
- Miho uses Hatori Hanzo swords. When they were making the movie, Quentin Tarintino brought some leftover swords from the Kill Bill movies for Miho to use. (Tarintino had been keeping the blades in his garage.)
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Last one, homies! I'm done with this!
Flash Review!
Final Episode: The Trial of the Trickster
Summary in 5 Sentences or Less: The Trickster is back, and it's time for his trial! But, he breaks out of jail with help from his female sidekick Prank, and then he brainwashes the Flash into being his accomplice!
Guess who's back...back again: Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker to you and me) is back as the Trickster!
What's Good: Ye gods, watching the Trickster and Prank is probably the closest we'll ever get to a live-action Joker and Harley Quinn. Just like in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Hamill is so dangerously close to breaking into his Joker voice. (And this was a full year before he got the part of the Joker, too.) Plus, you have to love the brainwashed Flash's very Tick-like line: "Guns don't kill people! It's these little hard things!"
What's Not so Good: Nothing.
And this is the way the series ends, not with a whimper but a bang.
Flash Review!
Final Episode: The Trial of the Trickster
Summary in 5 Sentences or Less: The Trickster is back, and it's time for his trial! But, he breaks out of jail with help from his female sidekick Prank, and then he brainwashes the Flash into being his accomplice!
Guess who's back...back again: Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker to you and me) is back as the Trickster!
What's Good: Ye gods, watching the Trickster and Prank is probably the closest we'll ever get to a live-action Joker and Harley Quinn. Just like in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Hamill is so dangerously close to breaking into his Joker voice. (And this was a full year before he got the part of the Joker, too.) Plus, you have to love the brainwashed Flash's very Tick-like line: "Guns don't kill people! It's these little hard things!"
What's Not so Good: Nothing.
And this is the way the series ends, not with a whimper but a bang.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Just gotta take a minute to share the big movie news of the evening:
Gwen Stacy is in Spider-Man 3!
For those who don't remember, Gwen Stacy was Peter Parker's first true love. She was engaged to Peter before being savagly murdered by the Green Goblin in one of the biggest comic book plotlines ever.
Gwen Stacy will be played by Bryce Howard, the rising young star who was first in The Village. Howard just also happens to be the daughter of director Ron Howard.
Ye gods, May 3 2007 can't get here soon enough.
Gwen Stacy is in Spider-Man 3!
For those who don't remember, Gwen Stacy was Peter Parker's first true love. She was engaged to Peter before being savagly murdered by the Green Goblin in one of the biggest comic book plotlines ever.
Gwen Stacy will be played by Bryce Howard, the rising young star who was first in The Village. Howard just also happens to be the daughter of director Ron Howard.
Ye gods, May 3 2007 can't get here soon enough.
Managed to squeeze one in before supper:
Flash Review!
Episode 21: Alpha
Summary in 5 Sentences or Less: It's a story as old as the hills. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in lust with each other. Girl turns out to be an android assasin built by the government and is now on the run because she's become self-aware and doesn't want to kill anymore. Boy turns out to be a superhero who pledges to help girl.
What's Good: Good action sequences. And the Arnold Schwarznegger wannabe who plays the evil android is hilarious.
What's Not so Good: Another superhero cliche, isn't it?
Final Verdict: So-so.
Oh, and speaking of dead TV shows, Law & Order: Trial by Jury - The Complete Series comes out on April 25. No word yet on bonus material. I just might get this one, because it's gotta be my favourite remix of the Law & Order theme in the opening credits.
Also in your DVD news, a brand-new 2-disc special edition of the American Godzilla comes out on March 28, along with several episodes of the American Godzilla cartoon.
Flash Review!
Episode 21: Alpha
Summary in 5 Sentences or Less: It's a story as old as the hills. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in lust with each other. Girl turns out to be an android assasin built by the government and is now on the run because she's become self-aware and doesn't want to kill anymore. Boy turns out to be a superhero who pledges to help girl.
What's Good: Good action sequences. And the Arnold Schwarznegger wannabe who plays the evil android is hilarious.
What's Not so Good: Another superhero cliche, isn't it?
Final Verdict: So-so.
Oh, and speaking of dead TV shows, Law & Order: Trial by Jury - The Complete Series comes out on April 25. No word yet on bonus material. I just might get this one, because it's gotta be my favourite remix of the Law & Order theme in the opening credits.
Also in your DVD news, a brand-new 2-disc special edition of the American Godzilla comes out on March 28, along with several episodes of the American Godzilla cartoon.
Well, I didn't get a new parka today. It's tough. Just about every store is in the midst of tossing out its winter stock in favour of light jackets for spring. I hope I'll be able to survive until next winter.
Besides, my mother told me that my budget for a new parka was rather cheap, anyway, so maybe I can afford one next winter.
However, I have re-entered the age-old debate of whether or not to open a nice, new action figure.
There's this new line of action figures called "DC SuperHeroes." At long last, it's a DC answer to Marvel Legends: highly detailed, super-posable action figures of your favourite DC characters.
And there, staring at me from the toy store shelf at Zellers, was the brand-new, highly-detailed, super-posbable version of....
The Scarecrow.
Ah, to open or not to open....
Besides, my mother told me that my budget for a new parka was rather cheap, anyway, so maybe I can afford one next winter.
However, I have re-entered the age-old debate of whether or not to open a nice, new action figure.
There's this new line of action figures called "DC SuperHeroes." At long last, it's a DC answer to Marvel Legends: highly detailed, super-posable action figures of your favourite DC characters.
And there, staring at me from the toy store shelf at Zellers, was the brand-new, highly-detailed, super-posbable version of....
The Scarecrow.
Ah, to open or not to open....
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
I set a new record today. The shortest amount of time between applying for a job and being rejected for a job. I applied for a writer's gig and, exactly 10 minutes after I e-mailed off my application, I got the rejection letter in my inbox.
That was kind of bummer. That, and, the zipper's shot on my parka. It's falling apart anyway. Besides being shot, the zipper itself is actually about to fall off and I've got holes in my pockets. I'll probably go by a new one tomorrow.
So, to cheer myself up, I've been re-living past glories...surfing by the websites for NAIT and Augustana. Sometimes, it seems like the only thing I've ever been able to succeed at is slapping right answers on tests. In these months of unemployment, I've seriously considered going back to school. For what? It doesn't matter. Just cuz I want to be able to succeed at something again.
I was actually quite tickled at the Augustana website. That was the biggest list of clubs I'd seen in a long time. And I was happy to see that the anime club is still in existence. I wasn't a founder of the anime club, but I was a member in its inaugural year. Heh...I wonder if they still have a supreme-dictator-for-life.
See, back in my day at Augustana, it was in the student association bylaws that clubs needed five executives. So, for the anime club, their 5 executives were: president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and supreme dictator for life. That was funny.
I always wanted to start a club at Augustana. I had wacky ideas for clubs. Everything from a club dedicated to staging phony accidents for America's Funniest Home Videos to "the CLCR Fan Club." That's right, a club dedicated to promoting the radio station.
In retrospect, I think I should have formed a normal club...you know, like a movie club.
Maybe the next time.
Anyway, I have to rest up for a fun, full day of parka shopping. Oh, and I need a new colour cartridge for my printer, too....
That was kind of bummer. That, and, the zipper's shot on my parka. It's falling apart anyway. Besides being shot, the zipper itself is actually about to fall off and I've got holes in my pockets. I'll probably go by a new one tomorrow.
So, to cheer myself up, I've been re-living past glories...surfing by the websites for NAIT and Augustana. Sometimes, it seems like the only thing I've ever been able to succeed at is slapping right answers on tests. In these months of unemployment, I've seriously considered going back to school. For what? It doesn't matter. Just cuz I want to be able to succeed at something again.
I was actually quite tickled at the Augustana website. That was the biggest list of clubs I'd seen in a long time. And I was happy to see that the anime club is still in existence. I wasn't a founder of the anime club, but I was a member in its inaugural year. Heh...I wonder if they still have a supreme-dictator-for-life.
See, back in my day at Augustana, it was in the student association bylaws that clubs needed five executives. So, for the anime club, their 5 executives were: president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and supreme dictator for life. That was funny.
I always wanted to start a club at Augustana. I had wacky ideas for clubs. Everything from a club dedicated to staging phony accidents for America's Funniest Home Videos to "the CLCR Fan Club." That's right, a club dedicated to promoting the radio station.
In retrospect, I think I should have formed a normal club...you know, like a movie club.
Maybe the next time.
Anyway, I have to rest up for a fun, full day of parka shopping. Oh, and I need a new colour cartridge for my printer, too....
To celebrate a successful morning of job hunting, I sat down and watched more Flash over the lunch hour:
Flash Review!
Episode 20: Good Night, Central City
Summary in 5 Sentences or Less: A small time crook has stolen a sleep-inducing machine from his scientist cousin with the plan to use to hit the big time. And, a weasly Internal Affairs officer is trying to pin it on Barry! It's up to the Flash to clear his name and bring in the crook.
What's Good: Some great special effects.
What's Not so Good: Cliche, cliche, cliche.
Final Verdict: Not bad. Not good, but not bad.
Oh, and I also have some news about some of the more popular sitcoms. Mainly, they're ending.
May 18 will see the final episode of That 70's Show. Yes, the 70s are finally over. Which is good, because it's been 1979 on that show for about four years now. The show was on for a total of 8 years, and the final episode will also coincidentally be the 200th episode. Here's hoping they pay the big bucks to get former stars Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher back for the finale. (they both left at the end of last year.)
And, just a few days before on May 14, will be the final episode of one of my favourite sitcoms, Malcolm in the Middle. That one was on for a total of 7 years, and the finale will coincidentally be the show's 150th episode. I don't watch it as much as I used to, but it's still one of the sitcoms that I find consistently funny.
Flash Review!
Episode 20: Good Night, Central City
Summary in 5 Sentences or Less: A small time crook has stolen a sleep-inducing machine from his scientist cousin with the plan to use to hit the big time. And, a weasly Internal Affairs officer is trying to pin it on Barry! It's up to the Flash to clear his name and bring in the crook.
What's Good: Some great special effects.
What's Not so Good: Cliche, cliche, cliche.
Final Verdict: Not bad. Not good, but not bad.
Oh, and I also have some news about some of the more popular sitcoms. Mainly, they're ending.
May 18 will see the final episode of That 70's Show. Yes, the 70s are finally over. Which is good, because it's been 1979 on that show for about four years now. The show was on for a total of 8 years, and the final episode will also coincidentally be the 200th episode. Here's hoping they pay the big bucks to get former stars Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher back for the finale. (they both left at the end of last year.)
And, just a few days before on May 14, will be the final episode of one of my favourite sitcoms, Malcolm in the Middle. That one was on for a total of 7 years, and the finale will coincidentally be the show's 150th episode. I don't watch it as much as I used to, but it's still one of the sitcoms that I find consistently funny.
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