Keith Richards Continues to Piss Off Death

Keith Richards seems unkillable. The 62-year old Rolling Stone guitarist, notorious for "his near-miraculous ability to survive the most debauched excesses of the rock & roll lifestyle", has eluded Death yet again. He had an accident while on vacation in Fiji: it hasn't been confirmed whether it was a Jet Ski accident or a Gilligan's Island-esque fall from a coconut tree. Whatever the cause, the resulting head injury created a subdural hematoma. Today's surgery seems to have solved that.

I throw Richards in the same mortality category as Iggy Pop and David Bowie: how the hell did you survive the 70s , given the copious amounts of narcotics they were ingesting?

Doctors Save Keith Richards' Brain - Yahoo! News: "The Rolling Stones guitarist underwent minor surgery in a New Zealand hospital on Monday for a 'mild concussion' he suffered from a spill he took while vacationing in the South Pacific last week, according to his London-based spokesman.

'The operation was a complete success, and Keith is already up and talking with his family today,' the rep said in a statement.

The New Zealand Herald reported that Richards, 62, was recovering after doctors relieved a subdural hematoma--a blood clot to his brain--that can result from jostling to the head."

Bar Wars

At the bar tonight:

Me: Hey, that pretty girl that was just here - was that scuzzy looking guy she left with her boyfriend?

Friend: No, she just met him 20 minutes ago.

Me: I wish I knew that 21 minutes ago.

Suit Up at The Clothing Show

This weekend is the Spring edition of The Clothing Show, where you can find tonnes of new and vintage clothes at real bargain prices. I've been going on and off over the past 10 years, and the new independant designers have really increased their presence over the years. The vintage clothing is still the real score: I usually get 4 or 5 shirts, a jacket and some accessories (sunglasses, cufflinks, etc.) for $100 or so. Dig around a bit and score some terrific and unique finds: I regularly find a great jacket or shirt for cheap and then see that style 6 months later in boutiques for much more moola.

Tips:
1) Bring cash, the ATM line-ups are stupid long.
2) The changing rooms are also stupid busy. Wear something that allows you to try clothes on over them.
3) Bring a bottle of water and a snack. Power through the sales while others lunch.
4) Bring spare bags.

The 511 Bathurst streetcar from Bathurst station is the easiest way to get to the Exhibition.

The Clothing Show | Toronto, Canada

The Clothing Show

May 6 & 7, Automotive Building, CNE

The Clothing Show is back with over 250 vendors including independent designers, jewelry makers, vintage collectors and more. You are sure to find whatever you need for the season!

From fashionistas to extreme sports enthusiasts there is something for everyone.
Check out our new departments: Boutique, Streetwear, Vintage & Retro, Accessories and Sample Sales!

Admission is $8
Open Saturday 11am - 8pm
and Sunday 11am- 6pm

For more info, coupons and maps please visit www.theclothingshow.com

Get Flirty with 52 Mondays

52 Mondays Exploring the lost art of stuff other than television is a fun site, lots of useful ideas for nights out. Why does the weekend end necessarily end Sunday night? 52 Mondays profiles things to do on a Monday night that don't involce the TV or gazing glassy-eyed into a pint.Visit June and Lis at 52 Mondays to help turn Mondays into the start of the weekend.

The latest post is "Flirting on the TTC", a useful article that encourages transit riders to be a bit more open. Maybe it'll help to shake the cold impersonal reputation Toronto people have earned. God forbid we make eye contact with people for fear of a shriek of "harassment" and a lawsuit.

This winter sex educator and therapist, Laila McDaniels, spent her Mondays helping hapless romantics learn how to flirt. This Monday our own flirty girl, Lis, sought her out for some tips and then put them to the test at one of Toronto's least known but best places to find a future date - the subway.

To learn more about Laila, her workshops, and other services visit her site at www.lily-fine.com.

Laila McDaniels conducts a variety of workshops, including helping both men and woman keep their partners interested and aroused, helping couples keep that spark going, and "an introduction to flirting for the nervous and shy".

Radiohead tickets go on sale this week

Pitchfork: Daily Music News has the tour dates for Radiohead. On sale this Thursday or Friday. Price is expected to be $71.25 WTF!? does that come with a radio or head? For that much, I'd be better off seeing Calexico, Jason Collett @ Phoenix on July 6th and Wilco @ Massey
Hall on July 7, 2006, and wait to see Radiohead at a festival.

06-01 Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre ON SALE MAY 6
06-02 Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre ON SALE MAY 6
06-04 Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion ON SALE MAY 6
06-05 Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion ON SALE MAY 6
06-07 Toronto, Ontario - Hummingbird Center ON SALE MAY 6
06-08 Toronto, Ontario - Hummingbird Center ON SALE MAY 6
06-10 Montreal, Quebec - Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts ON SALE MAY 5
06-11 Montreal, Quebec - Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts ON SALE MAY 5
06-13 New York, NY - The Theatre at Madison Square Garden ON SALE MAY 5
06-14 New York, NY - The Theatre at Madison Square Garden ON SALE MAY 5
06-19 Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre ON SALE MAY 6
06-20 Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre ON SALE MAY 6
06-23 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theater ON SALE MAY 14
06-24 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theater ON SALE MAY 14
06-26 San Diego, CA - Bayside ON SALE MAY 6
06-27 San Diego, CA - Bayside ON SALE MAY 6
06-29 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater ON SALE MAY 25
06-30 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater ON SALE MAY 25

Boing Boing: Young adult sf thriller under a CC license

From Boing Boing: Young adult sci-fi thriller under a CC license:

"Young adult sf thriller under a CC license Chris Howard has released a young adult sf thriller called 'Nanowhere' under a Creative Commons license, along with a bunch of supplementary materials that purports to be the lab notes and publications of one of the book's characters. I just read the first couple pages and they're interesting and well-written -- it's up to you to figure out if the whole book is your cup of tea!"

TV Gal Preps for Summer Viewing

As the current TV season winds down, TV Gal @ Zap2it reminded me of some terrific TV coming up in the summer season:

"Rescue Me": Denis Leary's tour de force returns to FX on Tuesday, May 30 with the added bonus of Susan Sarandon as a love interest for Franco. And last summer's witty comedy "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is back in the middle of June.

"The Closer" and "Saved": Breakout the candy bars because Kyra Sedgwick's captivating drama returns on Monday, June 12 and TV's best mother Frances Sternhagen (see "Cheers," "Sex and the City," and "ER") will guest star as Brenda's disapproving mother. Tom Everett Scott's new series "Saved," about a paramedic, premieres on June 12 as well.

"Windfall": This long awaited series (okay maybe I was the only one waiting, but still) stars Luke Perry. Oh you need to know more? The drama follows 20 lottery winners and also stars "Boomtown" favorites Jason Gedrick and Lana Parrilla, Jon Foster ("life as we know it"), Sarah Wynter (Jack's girlfriend Kate on "24" ) and Malinda Williams ("Soul Food").

"Entourage" and "Deadwood": Let's hug those summer TV blues out, bitch. These two series return to HBO on Sunday, June 11 and we all know "Entourage" hit its pitch-perfect stride last season.

weekend doings - pasta, penguins and tarts

I was a homebody all weekend:

• cooked dinner for friends: Recipe: You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta
  plus a big bottle of wine


• desserts from The Queen of Tarts. We sampled the Mexican Chocolate & Chipotle Tart (intriguing, tasted like pepper and chocolate. It worked well together), coconut cream tart (suprisingly good, the winner) and a strawberry orange mascarpone tart. All tasty.
  


• watched movies after dinner: Madagascar and Brokeback Mountain. Good (?) double bill; what, was I the only one to read a gay-subtext in the relationship between the Lion and Zebra? Penguins were funny, and the acting and direction in Brokeback were outstanding.
  


• lots of laundry - whoo hoo, found $20 in a pocket
  


• lots of coffee, i was just exhausted
  


• catching up on week of TV: My Name Is Earl, Everybody Hates Chris, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Alias, The Office, Celebrity Poker Showdown Season 5 final with Brad Garrett, Jason Alexander, Malcolm Jamal-Warner, Bonnie Hunt and Colin Quinn. Good educational game, just LOL'd at the banter among several top comedic actors. The eighth series of Celebrity Poker will air in the spring of 2006, taped in New Orleans, and the celebrities will donate their winnings to charities benefiting victims of Hurricane Katrina.


• annoyed it was too late on Sunday evening when i found out about Cherry Blossoms and Chill Beats in High Park.

Odd thoughts at 4am

I know this girl who has a crush on actor Scott Caan, and will watch anything which features Scott Caan. I remember this fact now as I notice cable TV is running the low-brow wrestling comedy Ready to Rumble which stars Scott Caan and David Arquette.

I wonder if a crush is strong enough to compel a woman to sit through Ready to Rumble? I mean, I know women who have crushes on John Cusack and will see anything he's in, even Must Love Dogs, but what level of commitment would drive a woman to watch Ready to Rumble?

Updated: Apparently, the answer is yes, and several times at that.

It's a Stephen Colbert world and we're just living in it

In just the past 48 hours, Colbert ...

• Famously lampooned President Bush in front of his face.
• Co-hosted "SNL" (as Ace of "The Ambiguously Gay Duo").
• Was the subject of a glowing profile on "60 Minutes."
• Inspired the Web site, Thank You Stephen Colbert!
• Made Time's 100 most influential list, feted by NBC's Brian Williams.

source: [ TV t a t t l e . c o m ]

Stephen Colbert blasts Truthiness all over White House press corps dinner

Reports having been coming in that Stephen Colbert absolutely killed at the White House Press Corps dinner this weekend, doing his performance in-character as Stephen Colbert, the Host of The Colbert Report, and he was unrelenting in his pointed commentary of the Bush administration. I've just finished downloading the torrent and will watch it with glee tomorrow. If you want the quick and easy way to view it, check the links below. If you want to thank Stephen Colbert for bringing the truthiness, go to Thank You Stephen Colbert.

The Colbert Report airs Mon thru Thur at 11:30pm ET on the Comedy Network and Mon thru Thur at 12:35 p.m. ET on CTV.

From Boing Boing: A Directory of Wonderful Things

Stephen Colbert's routine at last night's White House Press Corps dinner sounds like one of those perfect moments of comedy and commentary -- someone, find me a transcript!

Colbert, who spoke in the guise of his talk show character, who ostensibly supports the president strongly, urged the Bush to ignore his low approval ratings, saying they were based on reality, "and reality has a well-known liberal bias."

He attacked those in the press who claim that the shake-up at the White House was merely re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. "This administration is soaring, not sinking," he said. "They are re-arranging the deck chairs--on the Hindenburg."

Colbert told Bush he could end the problem of protests by retired generals by refusing to let them retire. He compared Bush to Rocky Balboa in the "Rocky" movies, always getting punched in the face--"and Apollo Creed is everything else in the world."

Link (Thanks, Stefan!)

Update: Thanks to Butter71 for links to the transcript and video! w00t!

Update 2: Here's a high-quality torrent of the video.

Update 3: Youtube mirror (Thanks, Jon!)

Update 4: Alternative Quicktime link, Quicktime of Colbert's "audition reel" (Thanks, Krup!)

posted by Cory Doctorow at 11:33:31 PM

NPR : Bluster and Satire: Stephen Colbert's 'Report'

The Colbert Report - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia