Happy New Year

the2scoops

Happy New Year to all my friends and readers. I am starting to build some sort of momentum so expect more productivity on this site throughout the year.

Meanwhile, don't feel like you need permission to send friends to this site, it is open to one and all.

I'll be spending New Years with friends at Revival on College St, as The Drake sold out pretty quickly. Tix were still available I think at Soundscapes Records on College St.

Thanks!

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The Chronic-WHAT-cles of Narnia Rap Video

Do yourself a favour: hit play below (safe for work) and watch this Saturday Night Live Digital short film. Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell rap about their lazy sunday, munching on cupcakes and seeing Chronicles of Narnia. The term I saw for it is "nerdcore". It is so damned funny, with shoutouts to Google Maps, The Notebook, and lines like "I'm Ghost like Swayze". I've watched it 4 times while writing this and it keeps cracking me up. Taste the awesome.



Incidentally Andy Samberg was brought onto Saturday Night Live after finding success with TheLonelyIsland.com, where Andy, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone produced and broadcasting their sketches and videos. Akiva and Jorma were hired for SNL as writers while Andy was hired as an on-screen player. Akive directed Lazy Sunday, Jorma did the music, and all three wrote it with Parnell.

I haven't seen any SNL bit get this much attention since the Christopher Walken "Cowbell" skit. Who couldn't use some more cowbell?




NBC.com >Saturday Night Live official site

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The Chappelle Theory Exposed : Coming Spring 2006

It turns out The Chappelle Theory which I talked about here is indeed a fake, but it is actually an act of viral word of mouth marketing. It's advertising The Chappelle Theory Exposed, a short film by Chappelle’s Show star Charlie Murphy and Neal Brennan, Chappelle’s writing partner that will be released Spring 2006. Not a bad ploy at all.

Links:
Chappelle Theory Exposed - Defamer: " The Chappelle Theory Exposed, a short film by Chappelle's Show star Charlie Murphy and Neal Brennan, Chappelle's writing partner"
The Chappelle Theory Exposed : Coming Spring 2006

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What Are You Doing on New Years Eve?

I don't have to work this New Year's Eve, or the day after, so I think it's time to suit up and hit it, don't quit it.

Here's the truth about New Year's Eve: it is never as good as you want it to be. You want a bachannal without a hangover, a soiree without the bling, a blow-out without the clean-up. But it never works that way. Someone has a fight, someone leaves early, someone kisses someone at midnight who isn't you. It just happens that way. That's not to say I haven't had some great New Year's Evea. The annual party my cousin Mark organized at the dear-departed BALMUTO'S TRIANGLE on Balmuto near the Manulife Centre in Toronto was always a highlight for me and my friends for 3 or 4 years. I smile when I look at those pictures.

The last few attempts at organizing an all-things for all people kind of night for my friends have met with floundering results. I still remember my fit when I discovered I would spend my New Year's at Crocodile Rock (wasn't my plan) when I was in my early-mid 20s, and felt uncomfortable most of the night. The year the Balmuto was sold and they had a (unknown to me) Rockabilly theme was a rough night, with an almost last-minute to midnight dash from the bar to find a more suitable spot.

My plans for this year involve going out and doing it in a style that suits me and my tastes. This year, I am going to pick something I want to do, and anyone who would like to join me is more than welcome.

This year I am considering checking out the New Year's House Party at the Drake Hotel this year. The venue has a good rep, the munchables are good, and the events planned look to border on sensory overload. It looks like 5 parties in one location. The price is reasonable ($40) compared to most clubs and bars, and there are other options in the Queen West neighborhood if things get tired. Click on poster for larger image.



+House Party General Admission 10pm-3am $40
Includes: A kick off Cocktail, Mixed Nibbles, Bubbly at Midnight, Party Tools, Fun on 3 Floors

So that's my plan: suit up, make a day of it, and then go the whole night and into the dawn of a New Year, and new possibilities. Shed the old year in style and joy, shake off the cobwebs of habit and regret, because it never needs to be like the old year. Let me know if you want to join me in the celebration.

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Brat Pack Boxed Set makes for a flashback filled Christmas - leg warmers not included

For the last-minute shopper with a fan of the teen "Brat Pack" movies from the 1980s on their list, I think this should meet your needs. The Brat Pack Movies & Music Collection contains three classic movies of the genre on DVD, Weird Science (1985) (I watched that so many times when I was a teen), The Breakfast Club (1985) (according to many women I know, I need to see this, and the edited version played almost monthly on the TBS Atlanta station won't cut it), and Sixteen Candles (1984) (a sequel is still being talked about, with Molly Ringwald as a mom).

It even contains a CD of music from the films. Looks like a great fun set, seems like the perfect for flaking out on Boxing Day, away from the malls (no way in hell am i going in The Eatons Centre again on Boxing Day by choice) and munching on popcorn.

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TV Catchphrases Are the New Punch Lines

This article, TV Catchphrases Are the New Punch Lines, takes a look at one of my favourite new shows How I Met Your Mother, with the thought that a handy weapon in the sitcom writer's arsenal is the catchphrase: Master of my domain; Don't Have a cow man; We were on a break, etc.

How I Met Your Mother dispatches dozens of catchphrases like a shotgun blasting the audience, in the hopes that one or two will stick to the collective pop culture conscience. A couple of phrases have creeped into my regular vocabulary include bachelor Barney's battlecry of "Suit Up!" and "Legendary!"

I still have not found a situation or audience (yet) for "Bad idea jeans", an obscure reference to a Saturday Night Live commercial parody. called Bad Idea Jeans:

Guy #3: Well, he's an ex free-base addict, and he's trying to turn around, and he needs a place to stay for a couple of months. [Cut to image of him wearing his BAD IDEA jeans]

As proof of the ludicrous nature of the show, or maybe in answer Barney's Blog, "written" by the character played by Neil Patrick Harris, posted an article with no less than 10 "awesome words coined by Barney", and had a whole episode of Barney trying to get his idea of a "Lemon Law" to catch on.

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The Chappelle Theory

Got some time to kill? Then read The Chappelle Theory to discover (possibly) the story of why comedian Dave Chappelle abrupt ended The Chappelle Show, and decide if this is a crackpot story or so weird it might be true.

The website, written by an anonymous insider, lays out the theory of an African American Hollywood/political illuminati that helped Dave Chappelle succeed, only to make him quit when he became too big, and his portrayal of race relations was reinforcing negative stereotypes about African Americans, and "setting race relations back 50 years."

Read how this group, which may have included Bill Cosby, Oprah and Al Sharpton, among others, forced Dave to shut the show down, and how they've exerted influence over his career. The website plots out the timeline and profiles the major players of the so-called "Dark Crusaders".

I swear it reads like some bizarre theory from the mind of Huey Freeman from the comic strip The Boondocks, but could it be a case of a story so outrageous, so unimaginable, that it must be true? You decide.

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Torontoist: The Thin Line Between Joey and Rhain

Gabbagabbahey! vs. Whyyeeyeyeyeyiaiaia. If you don't know which is which, we need to talk.

An ideal guideline for gift giving from my favourite neighbourhood record store, She Said Boom!. This picture is from the 372 College Street location, but I frequent the one in my neighbourhood at 393 Roncesvalles Avenue. They sell music (new & used), dvd's and books (both used). I tend to pass by the store daily and the sly bastards have sold me countless books and cd's, which i usually trade in later for another great find. I've been turned on to some great bands just by walking in and diggin' what's on the store stereo. By the way, they had a mint Beatles "Revolver" album for sale the other day, looked like an original for about $75. I got the Star Wars Trilogy cheap there a few months ago for $35.

Torontoist: The Thin Line Between Joey and Rhain
Photo: Andrew Ryan Imaging and Design, editorial photography, corporate photography

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It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time - catching on to what the hell that was about

One of the random pop culture references on the show "Family Guy" actually cracked me up the other night, and I had no idea what it was. Brian the Dog cheers up Peter by dressing like a bananna and singing the song "It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!". The video clip is here.

Wikipedia was able to give me the scoop on where the hell the reference came from at the link Peanut Butter Jelly Time - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

It's was a flash animation that was emailed around a few years ago, just like other fads like the Hamster Dance. This variation of the animation is my favourite, a remix by the Ying Yang Twins. Peanut Butter Jelly Time.

Mindless timewasting fun. And that's one to grow on.

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An oblivious moment before we return to regular blogging

Teller: We can certainly cash out that cheque for you sir. Do you have any preference how you’d like that?

Me: No, twenties will be fine.

Teller looks up at me and blinks.

Me: That would be a preference, wouldn’t it?

Teller: Yes sir, I believe it would be.

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Santa better be bringing smokes and some coffee-flavoured coffee

Update: Denis Leary's Merry F#%$in' Christmas airs December 17th in Canada. Apparently one of the bits is a spot on paraody of the Charlie Brown Christmas special, except here, Charlie Brown converts to Islam.

Just in time for the holidays, its Denis Leary's Merry F#%$in' Christmas with such performers as the Barenaked Ladies, Chris Elliot, William Shatner and Charlie Murphy. This should balance off nicely with that whiskey and eggnog punch I'm working on. It premieres November 27, at 10pm on the US Comedy Central Network. No Canadian airdate yet, but i'll keep you posted.

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George Bush hates Grammy winners.

If I don't win Album of the Year, I'm gonna really have a problem with that. I can never talk myself out of [winning], you know why? Because I put in the work. I don't care if I jumped up and down right now on the couch like Tom Cruise. I don't care what I do, I don't care how much I stunt -- you can never take away from the amount of work I put into it. So I don't wanna hear all of that politically correct stuff. You put the camera in front of me, I'm gonna tell you like this. I worked hard to get here. I put my love, I put my heart, I put my money [into Late Registration]. I'm $600,000 in the hole right now on that album and you tell me about being politically incorrect?

-Kanye West, discussing his Grammy-worthiness with MTV.com
thanks EW.com for the heads up

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December 6, 1989

A sad anniversary, it was 16 years ago today that 14 women at the engineering school at École Polytechnique in Montreal were murdered. The killer claimed that feminism ruined his life and that was enough of a reason for him to murder these women. The day still seems not that long ago, even though a lifetime of things has happened to us all since then. Just take a moment to think about 14 lives.

Links:
Wikipedia
CBC Archives
Accordion Guy in the 21st Century: 16 Years Ago
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women - Status of Women Canada

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Trailer Park Boy - X-Men 3 and Pirates of The Caribbean 2

The movie trailers for two highly anticipated sequels set to release next summer are making the rounds:


Apple.com - Trailers is scheduled to post the new X-Men 3 trailer Monday, December 3rd, with footage of new mutants Beast (Kelsey Grammar), Angel (Ben Foster0 and Juggernaut (Vinnie Jones). Pirates of the Caribbean 2 has a trailer already out and looks to be a fun flick. More later once I take a close look at both.

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Christmas Time and a force more powerful than catnip

Time to trim the tree, so I thought I'd share this strip from PvP online as a cat with a plan for world domination is faced with the ultimate kitty distraction. Click the picture for the whole strip.

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Pepperpot - A Little Bit of Everything

• Check out the forum on the Toronto Transit Commission's subway station revitalization plan which aims to use the stations as an environment to market the surrounding neighbourhood of Museum, St. Patrick and Osgoode stations. The forum features some great pictures of subways from around the world that showcase how dull Toronto's subway is by comparison. No explanation by the far end of Dundas West station smells like the monkey house at the zoo however. (credit eye blog)

• Is U2 moving to Montreal? Egotastic! - The Entertainment Blog gives some insight into Bono's in-concert comment and gives a plausible reason for at least a temporary stay. Paul Martin better pony up that dough he promised Bono, or there may be the occasional drop-in ("I was just in the neighbourhood Paul, want a word with you.") Link - U2 Moving to Montreal?

• Who knew that there would be a sliiiiiiiiight problem with a Chinese actress playing a Japanese geisha in Memoirs of a Geisha? Link - Ziyi Zhang Is Not Welcome
• A holiday newsletter from the Desk of the Prime Minister care of Rick Mercer's Blog.
• Kevin Smith cares about his peeps & geeks and takes the time to post a response to a Talk-Back thread at Ain’t It Cool News. That is, a response to each and every inane internet-quality criticism and compliment, in true Kevin Smith style. Good funny read.
• I wonder if Brock Peters is going to get blamed for this one: The Hollywood Walk of Fame star of "To Kill A Mockingbird" actor Gregory Peck is missing. Yahoo News: Gregory Peck's Hollywood Star Is Stolen

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I've seen "According to Jim", I'm already sorry Mr. Koppel

Give this new anchor team for "Nightline" a fair break. If you don't, I promise you the network will just put another comedy show in this timeslot and then you'll be sorry.

-Ted Koppel signing off on his final "Nightline".

Great quote provided byTV Gal, who covers her favourite TV shows of the past week for the Zap2it-TV website. The TV Gal column is a great Monday read.

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Preserving "Domestic Peace" should come with a prize inside

A Shredded Wheat ad from 1921 gives some insight into domestic life in early 20th century Canada:



What would be a woman's reaction to her husband coming home, promising "I've got a surprise that'll help lighten the burden of being a housewife and mother", and pulling out a box of Shredded Wheat? Based on this ad, I would assume pure joy, thanks and relief. Followed be the whizzing of a frying pan cuttinging through the air and several months of eating your Shredded Wheat through a feeding tube.

I plan to give Shredded Wheat as a gift at every housewarming and wedding from now on, just to promote that "Domestic Peace" the ad talks about.

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Proof that "Smart" and "Sci-Fi Fan" can be two completely unrelated terms

Star Trek - $2499.99 Star Trek - Ultimate Collection Proves Popular! - www.tvshowsondvd.com

Amazon.com is posting The Ultimate Star Trek DVD Collection that contains every series from the original Star Trek, plus Next Generation Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise, plus every movie. That's 212 discs, for a grand total of $2500.00 American Dollars with the discount. And it's been selling!!

There is an old comic shop saying, "a fanboy and his money are soon parted".

Wouldn't the die-hard Trek fans already own most of this? And is it wrong to think that if they included Trekkies, the documentary on the fanaticism of Trek fans, that it would act as an "intervention", causing buyers to suffer an aneurysm when they realized what they've done? And just what is the Klingon translation of "dumb-ass"?

Not quite in the same league: there is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Chosen Collection which is the entire 7 seasons over 40 discs, but that's at a far more reasonable $244.99 Cdn.

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TV - Canadian Ooted on How I Met Your Mother

On Monday's How I Met Your Mother, Ted asks Robin why she doesn't have plans for the US Thanksgiving.


Robin: I'm Canadian, remember? We celebrate Thanksgiving in October.

Ted: 'Oh right I forgot. You guys are weird. You pronounce the word 'out', 'oot'.

Robin: You guys are the world's leader in hand gun violence; your health care system is bankrupt and your country is deeply divided on almost every important issue.

Ted: '[pause] Your cops are called 'mounties'.



Cobie Smulders, who plays Robin, is indeed a Canuck.

And for those that want to know, here is Barney (Neil Patrick Harris)'s recipe for a Thankstini. It comes courtesy of Barney's Blog, an official blog on the CBS website, written by the character of Barney. He refers to it or ideas he's posted in a few episodes. It's a really interesting tool for writers to flesh out the character by writing in his "voice".

Thankstini
1 part Vodka
2 parts Cranberry juice
1 Boullion Cube (chicken)

gobblegobble

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Age is Just a Number... Kind of like the ones on "Lost"

A number of my friends are turning 30 this year (4 this month alone) and my turn is impending, so this seemed appropriate. Click on the image for the full comic. Browse around and flip through some older strips of Something Positive:

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"V for Vendetta" film posters and Alan Moore's Hollywood divorce

Posters for the movie "V for Vendetta" have been released and they really stand out (and not just due to the Portman factor) from the blandness of recent posters. They are very reminiscent of early 20th century recruitment and propaganda art. Great marketing artwork all around for a movie that may be tricky to market.

The film itself is about a rebel fighting against a fascist government in an Orwellian near-future society. The government calls him a terrorist, the people view him as a rebel hero. Natalie Portman plays a woman who starts out as a citizen but becomes an ally to Vendetta as she comes around to his viewpoint. The hero/rebel is played by Hugo Weaving, who has a genre-spanning resume including of Agent Smith (Matrix), Elrond (Lord of the Rings) and Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Natalie Portman hasn't been in a role like this since The Professional, where she first garnered rave reviews. With a director who honed his skill on The Matrix series and being produced by The Wachowskis Brothers, this is sure to be a good-looking, dynamic movie. Several films are being released with themes of rebellion against totalitarian governments (Serenity, Aeon Flux) and may be a response to the current political climate. And hopefully the situation involving the source material, which I cover in the bottom half of this post, won't dissuade you from checking out this interesting film.

Trailers - V for Vendetta
Credit: Egotastic!

I know, there's supposed to be a story and plot too, and the good news the source material is a graphic novel written by Alan Moore, one of the most acclaimed comic book writers in the business. The bad news is he wants nothing to do with the buggering thing.

Alan Moore is a powerhouse writer, one of the most successful, and often controversial, creators in modern comics. The genre-breaking Watchmen redefined the super-hero book and is beyond anything that pops into your head when you think "comic book". Top Ten is a police-procedural meets superhero books that reminded me of great TV shows like Homicide: Life on The Street, with the fact that the cops possess superpowers being a sidenote really. His work allowed an acceptance of mature-themed (stories that adults would read) comics and lead the way for works like Neil Gaiman's Sandman and Warren Ellis's Transmetropolitan.

Of course, his works tend to get butchered when adapted into movies. I beg you to read the astounding League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and just forget there ever was a movie with that name. Just like you did with Highlander 2. You could spend hours upon hours tracking the literary cross-references in this book. Wikipedia covers Alan Moore's divorce from Hollywood:

Film adaptations of Moore's work also proved controversial. With From Hell and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Moore was content to allow the filmmakers to do whatever they wished and removed himself from the process entirely. "As long as I could distance myself by not seeing them," he said, he could profit from the films while leaving the original comics untouched, "assured no one would confuse the two. This was probably naive on my part."

Trouble arose when producer Martin Poll and screenwriter Larry Cohen filed a lawsuit against 20th Century Fox, alleging that the film The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen plagiarized their script entitled Cast of Characters. Although the two scripts bear many similarities, most of them are elements that were added for the film and do not originate in Moore's comics. According to Moore, "they seemed to believe that the head of 20th Century Fox called me up and persuaded me to steal this screenplay, turning it into a comic book which they could then adapt back into a movie, to camouflage petty larceny." Moore testified in court hearings, a process so painful that he surmised he would have been better treated having "sodomised and murdered a busload of children after giving them heroin." Fox's settlement of the case insulted Moore, who interpreted it as an admission of guilt.

Moore has publicly asked for his name to be taken off the credits of the Constantine, V for Vendetta and (in development)Watchmen films, as he wishes to have nothing to do with any film adaptations of his work where he does not own sole copyright and cannot prevent the films' production. In each case, Moore had his option money given to the artists involved.

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Team Spirit by Jeph Loeb

There's no "I" in Team, but there is in Dick.

- Jeph Loeb, comic-book writer, former Smallville supervising producer and now joining LOST as supervising producer

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Shuffle Serendipity - Ghost in the Machine

Most mp3 players have a shuffle mode that randomly selects songs from your library of music. It’s a fun feature that lets you hear songs you don’t normally seek out, rediscovering old favourites and creating new ones.

Sometimes the iPod selects a run of songs out that seems eerily appropriate for a moment, mood, or situation. I refer to this as serendipity generation, picking suitable tunes out of the 3500+ on the iPod. Then there are just the flat out odd moments that make me go WTF and chuckle a little. One of the funnier ones was hearing The Verve’s “The Drugs Don’t Work” as I filled in my health insurance forms. Here’s the latest one:

Sitting on the bus we crawl through traffic to the subway station. Earphones are in, music is on. I scratch my forehead and realize I’ve accidentally opened up a small cut I received on the weekend. It's bleeding and not stopping right away. I take my handkerchief and put it to my head to stop the dribble. As the bus pulls into the station, my iPod shuffles to the next song. I walk off the bus and hear the chorus of the song and do a little double take. I check my screen to confirm which song is playing:

“I Bleed” by The Pixies from the Doolittle album.

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Quick laugh on a cold day

A quick laugh on a cold and dreary day, this has been making the rounds, found it on a few sites. Passed around as an actual job application that a 75 year old senior citizen submitted to Walmart in Arkansas.

“They hired him because he was so funny.........you gotta love it!!!”

NAME: George Martin

SEX: Not lately, but I am looking for the right woman (or at least one that will cooperate)

DESIRED POSITION: Company's President or Vice President. But seriously, whatever's available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn't be applying here in the first place.

DESIRED SALARY: $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package. If that's not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.

EDUCATION: Yes.

LAST POSITION HELD: Target for middle management hostility.

PREVIOUS SALARY: A lot less than I'm worth.

MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes.

REASON FOR LEAVING: It sucked.

HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK: Any.

PREFERRED HOURS: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS?: Yes, but they're better suited to a more intimate environment.

MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?: If I had one, would I be here?

DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 lbs.?: Of what?

DO YOU HAVE A CAR?: I think the more appropriate question here would be "Do you have a car that runs?"

HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?: I may already be a winner of the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes, so they tell me.

DO YOU SMOKE?: On the job - no! On my breaks - yes!

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS?: Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy dumb sexy blonde supermodel who thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I'd like to be doing that now.

NEAREST RELATIVE....7 miles

DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?: Oh yes, absolutely.

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Pepperpot - A Little Bit of Everything

• Wonder how Jessica Biel was named Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire magazine? Me too. Here's a little insight at what the throught process may have been as Fametracker presents Notes from the "Esquire" Editorial Meeting At Which Jessica Biel Was Named "Sexiest Woman Alive". FYI: Tina Fey, Gabrielle Union, Maggie Gylennhal, Parminder Nagra, Rosario Dawson, Maggie Cheung, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sarah Silverman, Neko Case, Natalie Portman - 10 women who are sexier than Jessica Biel. Many women in real life - Way sexier. Jessica Biel - Not even in contention.

• All hail The Beer Hunter, your Google-mapped guide to finding beer,wine and liquor in Toronto. Shows where it is and when it is open. Pretty handy, I didn't know the independant brewers tend to be open a bit later and on weekends.

• Broken Social Scene, the Toronto band/indie darlings/collective mob with instruments have added a second show for their January Toronto appearance (Friday, January 20, Kool Haus, all ages, $25). In the 4 or 5 BSS gigs I've attended, I've never seen them put on a bad show and always left with a smile on my face. Most members I've seen on stage at one time for a song: 15. They could easily be confused with a flash mob.

• STARS have added a FIFTH!!! show to their already impressive December 15th thru 17th run of sold-out concerts at Lee's Palace, including an all-ages show. The love-in continues into a fifth show on the Sunday December 18th, 9 pm, $15.
  
  Both bands are Canadian and are from the arts & crafts label. The label's website is well designed with plenty of music previews. Their store has a great option of purchasing the albums and having it mailed or downloaded as mp3s. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, but screw their service charges, try to get to Soundscapes on College or Rotate This on Queen West.

• The sword fight on CBS's great sitcom How I Met Your Mother is much better than that smarmy obnoxious duel with pool cues in that Captain Morgan's Rum commercial running on TV. By the way, I don''t tend to use the words "CBS" and "great sitcom" in the same sentence often (Ever?) so be sure to check out this inventive fun show Mondays at 8:30. Neil Patrick Harris is the bomb as the toxic bachelor character. Word.

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Eddie Guerrero passes away

This has been an odd weekend that started rough with some personal mishaps that were resolved, leading to a whole couple days of wonderfulness, but today has been a pondering day. Through my Sunday haze I checked the internet and found out a man I admired for his courage and faith in the face of his own personal demons had died. Eddie Guerrero, a WWE wrestler, had passed away Sunday at the age of 38, leaving behind a wife and three daughters.

I always feel compelled to explain myself when I say that I enjoy wrestling. I don’t mean the clownish, gimmicky entertainment that you tend to see on World Wrestling television, but actual wrestling. I drop in a quick "I know the outcome is planned (not fixed)" and I don't watch regularly anymore, but I watch the occasional match and follow the news online. A good match with good wrestlers, stripped of gimmickery and childish characters, tells a story, communicates with the audience. A great wrestler can hold a crowded arena plus pay-per view audience in the palm of his hand, eliciting reaction with a well executed maneuver or a mere facial gesture. Eddie Guerrero was one of those wrestlers who made me want to watch wrestling.

The human element of wrestling fascinates me. These are men and women who go on the road for most of the year, who are able to do these wrestling moves without (usually) injuring each other and it its purest form (with no clowns or undead zombies) is a basic morality tale, good vs bad, face vs. heel. One of the most charismatic men in the ring was Eddie Guerrero. Eddie came from a long, prestigious line of Mexican wrestlers, the Guerrero family. It was in his blood and he was good at it. He was athletic and could win a crowd over as a hero or villain, and you couldn't help but admire him for his devotion to the wrestling business. He wrestled in Mexico, Japan, in many of the independent circuits in the US and had contributed significant time in all three of the major wrestling federations, World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling. Everywhere he went, he always had at least a couple of stellar 5-star caliber matches.

Being on the road and away from your family from at least 75-90% of the year, in a non-union business where you are always jockeying for top spot, you can't afford to take time off for recuperation and recovery, or else you could lose your spot on the roster. You find yourself wrestling championship matches one day, take some time off, and end up saddled with a childish gimmick as an opening act. This lifestyle leaves the wrestlers in a situation when a solution that would allow them to play through an injury would be appealingg. And, like many others, Eddie found himself battling addictions to alcohol and pain killers. The toll was tremendous on him. A near fatal car wreck in 1998 by all rights should have killed him. And he came back from that physically, but his injuries contributed to his use of painkillers and almost ended his marriage. He had a stint in rehab in 2001 after being fired from the WWE following a drunk driving charge.

I like being sober and remembering the day and what happened last week.

But Eddie got better. He cleaned up, went back to work, and earned a spot in the WWE again in 2002. I remember being so happy when I saw this man back on TV, sober, and working at a superstar level. It was inspirational. He was in a business he loved in order to support his family. His best times were when he worked as a villain, able to charm the crowd into believing he would indeed lie, cheat and steal to win. He'd clock an opponent with a chair when the ref wasn't looking, drop to the mat and whent he ref turned around, act like he was the one who got hit. The crowds just ate the comedic side up, and you couldn't help but love him for it (even despite that mullet he had for a while).

He had a renewal on life and he worked hard, becoming the WWE Champion in an excellent match in February 2004. He was a headliner, the champion. This led to a title defense at Wrestlemania XX. Predeterminedd outcome or not, you don't always know who will win a match. I was with friends watching that event on TV, my first in a couple of years, and I had the double thrill of seeing Eddie win his match, and then his best friend and one of my other heroes Chris Benoit win his championship match. That event ended with both these men, these champions, hugging in the ring, tears streaming down their faces, having reached a pinnacle after so many years of work and sacrifice. I was whooping and cheering like the Leafs had won the cup.

The last year has seen the WWE produce a DVD Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story which chronicled his long, hard road to victory . Eddie had been involved in many storylines, had lost and was fighting to reclaim his championship. He carried some personal burdens, as the WWE saw a ratings slump that coincided with his title reign, and Eddie, despite assurances from management, on some level felt responsible. I can sympathize with that feeling, taking on failures personally, even when you really had no control. When you're a champion, all eyes are on you to lead, to carry the whole success of a company on your shoulders. But he was still working, still at that championship level.

It's a great responsibility being champion, as you're the one carrying the ball, and I found it very difficult. It was the first time I'd held the title and I don't think I was ready. I was ready to win the belt, but not for what lay ahead of me. I wasn't prepared mentally for what happens outside the ring - because I think that's where the real challenges lie. I was taking things like attendances and ratings very personally. I'm an extremist and that's one thing I'd like to change in my life. It's good to be hard on myself but not to the point where I beat myself up about things. If I'm honest and look back at my mistakes then I was too hard on myself when I was carrying the title. I let things eat me up inside and I questioned myself when I shouldn't have, but it's a lesson learned and I won't make that mistake again. (credit The London Sun)

On the morning of Sunday, November13thh, Eddie failed to answer a wake up call at a hotel he was staying at while on tour. His nephew, wrestler Chavo Guerrero Jr. and hotel security gained access to the room to find Eddie dead in the bathroom. He had died from an apparent heart attack at the young age of 38. He had a match that night that likely would have ended with him regaining the championship belt. His nephew was adamant that Eddie was still maintaining his sobriety, now going on 4 years.

In the face of adversity, he met his challenges and went on to greater rewards. And now he is gone. Lord knows wrestling has seen its share of people pass away at relatively young age. But Eddie had survived the worst in his life, and for him to die at his peak is terribly sad, even sadder knowing he leaves behind a family. I think if Eddie could handle everything life threw at him, I should be able to keep going forward in my own life and overcome any obstacles. If I can at least take away something from his death, it should be that. My prayers go out to his family.

Vaya con Dios Eduardo Guerrero.

Not since the tragic death of wrestler Own Hart has the WWE experienced such a public loss. All four hours of WWE television this week will air as a tribute to Eddie, both taped the Sunday evening after his death. WWE RAW on November 14, 2005, and WWE Friday Night Smackdown! on November 18, 2005. He was well respected and liked by his fellow wrestlers and will be fondly remembered.

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Happy Birthday Karen!

Happy Birthday to my friend Karen, who will be going on a Tokyo-Thaliand adventure this month. I wish you all the best my Scorpio friend! Anyone who ever heard me praise a gig, found a cool place for brunch, or eaten a good meal at my house can thank her, as she inspired me to seeing more live music, pick up a few cookbooks and to explore the world beyond my old neighbourhood.

I can't remember a time I've never known you, and I hope I always will.

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Planet of Sound: Moses Mayes

The first in an ongoing series of 2scoops-approved music to try on for size.

Name of band: Moses Mayes
From: Canada (Winnipeg)
Genre: Fusion Funky Beats

Ideal for:
Lounging in a room lit only by candles or christmas lights, drinking something that ends in "tini" and involves gin or vodka; flirting through the dim, flirting with the night, you meet the glance of someone across the room, who is doing a little shoulder-swayying dance to the music in their seat, smiling that they've caught you doing the same thing.

Song to try: Needle to the Groove
Website: mosesmayes

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A peek at Clerks 2: Passion of the Clerks

Filmmaker Kevin Smith has been posting pictures on his blog My Boring Ass Life for the film he is working on now, Clerks 2: The Passion of the Clerks. Spoilers are all over the place, but it looks like a fun trip with tonnes of familiar actors from the five films of Smith's Jersey trilogy (Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma, Chasing Amy, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back). Click here for more picks and a link to the "making of" video diary, described wittily as "a video journal chronicling a disaster in the making".

Chasing Amy is a favourite of the2scoops, as is An Evening With Kevin Smith, a hilarious compilation of talks he gave at various universities, recounting so-bizarre-they-must-be-true stories of encounters with religion, Prince, blood thirsty zippers, a vengeful Tim Burton, a meeting for Superman that takes the stars from your eyes when it comes to movie making, and plenty of self-depreciating barbs. Kevin Smith comes cross as a funny and grounded storyteller, the type of guys you'd want to have have pints with. You'll be pleased to know a sequel, Evening Harder With Kevin Smith will be released soon, including footage from his Toronto stop.

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Welcome to Smallville - Come for the Dukes and Stay for the Strippers

Comics Continuum reports that the November 3rd episode of Smallville sees the reunion of the original Dukes of Hazzard, John Schneider, who plays Clark Kent's pa, and guest Tom Wopat. At one point, the episode does involve them racing the Kansas backroads in a Dodge Charger. Zap2it - TV news covers the reunion aspect of the episode and shows these two still have the chemistry that made the Dukes of Hazzard so much fun.

And while we have the good old boys of Hazzard county back, why not give all those guys who decide to toon in out of nostalgia's sake a reason to stay.

Another aspect of the episode is Lois Lane, played by Erica Durance, goes undercover at a strip club. The2scoops has been assured this is integral to the ratings... er... storyline. It kind of reminds me of the Dukes of Hazzard: rednecks in fastcars and a little casual T & A. Click the link for more pictures of a blatant, yet inspired, grab for male viewers.

And just so no one can accuse the2scoops of not being an equal oppertunist, heres the link to the pictures of the recent episode that saw a buff and shirtless Aquaman for all the ladies. Who's the loser now Superfriends?

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Buffy Movies Straight To DVD?

Sci Fi Wire -- The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel is reporting that there is a possibility characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel TV series may live on in a series of straight to DVD movies. This would tie in nicely with the persistent rumours of a Spike TV-movie, and I think may even provide an outlet for Serenity/Firefly stories.

Characters like Buffy and Willow may be unavailable, as Sarah Michelle Gellar and Allyson Hannigan have moved into prominent TV and film roles. However, given the rich and deep mythology of backstory Whedon and his writers have instilled in their world, several characters could hold their own in movies, such as Spike, Giles, or even Eliza Dushku's Faith. As Whedon said, "I have every intention of keeping the Buffyverse alive and not just in flashback tales that I'm not connected to." That's all well and good, but fan that I am, I can't see myself sitting through a Xandar movie.

Direct to DVD movies have largely been a dumping ground for shelved films and poor quality flicks with C-list actors, but creating a well crafted product with a built in fan-following could be a lucrative approach.

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Damn It Light His Fire Already

Modern Humorist - The Jim Morrison Simulatron

I defy you to tell the difference between this and the real Morrison.

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Serenity

Serenity - official site

Go. Go now. Bring a friend or 8. Just go see this movie. It is science fiction, it is comedy, action, western, drama. It is a work of love and heart. Forget the Jessica Alba not even-softcore diving pic, blow off Flightplan (trust me) and see a movie that will make you shiny shiny. If you haven't watched the series Firefly, don't worry. A couple of friends with no knowledge of the TV series went and they completely loved it ... and promptly bought the Firefly TV Series the next day. Most new fans will go and buy/rent/borrow the DVD's afterwards and will find the experience all the better.

Disappointed with the Star Wars prequels? Lost interest in Star Trek? Looking for a fix since the Lord of the Rings ended? Then go to your nearest cinema and watch Serenity and come out with a smile. It might not win Oscars, it may not change the world, but its a good movie that deserves interest.

Review is forthcoming, but do yourself a favour, support this film so it can be the new start to something wonderful for this crew. It was brought back because of the fans, cast, and creator love it. It just needs a bit more love to keep her flying.

I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.

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24 Hour Party People wanted

A blog that has moved onto my daily reading list is Torontoist, a daily tally of goings-on in the city of Toronto (home to the2scoops), noting some great culture, lifestyle and general goings-on in the city.

They have a great approach to an article (possibly an ongoing series) in Toronto Life magazine called 24 Hours With..., where the idea is you have 24 hours to spend in Toronto, "a single perfect day on an unlimited budget". Money is no object, plausibility won't hold you back.

Torontoist spends it mainly around the College strip and has some fun, including jamming with local rapper K'naan and new local Mos Def and sharing drinks with Mayor Miller and the cast of Train 48. Torontoist has a great day in a "blow a year's salary in one go" kind of way, without being a complete orgy of gluttony. I'm just going to have to crib the Soundscapes idea though.

Which leads to the 24 Hour challenge. How would you spend your perfect day in Toronto? Who with (plausibility doesn't count against you, so waffles with Al Waxman and Don McKellar would be fine), how much, what would you do? Would it be contemplative, hedonistic, cultured? Let me know, I'll post mine up this week. Email your 24 Hours to me and I'll run a compilation on the blog.

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Boing Boing: Cut and shuffle a deck with one hand

Normal blogging will resume shortly, but in the meantime, here is another in a long list of handy skills to master, courtesy of BoingBoing.net.

Instructions:How To Shuffle and Cut a Deck of Cards One-Handed

Someone cobbled together a One Handed Shuffle, One Handed Cuts video using the instructions.

Happy shuffling to you.

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Spam, why have you turned upon me...

I've had to activate a spam filter on the blog comment section, just a word verification box that asks legitimate folks to enter in the word they see. What this does is prevent automated spamming systems from adding content spam, that looks like a comment but is linked to a spam website.

Meanwhile we have two tales of spammer payback, sort of. Warrenellis.com - Spammer Beaten To Death In Home: First Of Many was posted in the summer and should drive fear into spammy hearts.

The other item is a letter I wrote to my service provider in reponse to spam in my email, before Rogers et al. changed to better filters:

Dear Service Provider,

I am writing to thank you for the thoughtful selection of spam mail I have been receiving in my mail account lately. It was flattering you would allow 276 spams to be available to me, which was quite a surprise after not checking my email account for 2 days. I feel like I belong to some sort of special club since I have been allowed to take part in these exclusive offers.

Sadly, I must decline however. I have no urge to see what Farm Girl Becky is doing with her farm animals. I am not interested in MILFs or Freaky Insertions. And while I appreciate the thought, I don’t want to see the type of breasts I could have in just 5 days, even after losing 22.5 lbs. in just 3 hours.

My world-view is rather narrow compared to the world Spam has to offer: “Sexy Teen Babes Smoking”, “Hefty Helga”, and “Shemales: A Surprise in Every Package.” Maybe someone more adventurous is more willing to take a chance, but not I.

Alas, I just don’t think it possible for just one man to deserve the benefits of a thick hairline, an A+ credit rating, and a 3-day erection. I can’t cope with the responsibilities of eliminating debt while viewing sexy singles in my area, while aiding Nigerian royalty who wish to transfer their inheritance through a lowly commoner like myself. It’s is simply too many blessings for one person to bear.

In closing, please know that I am unable to accept any of the special offers, because I am just not the pure, good soul who can accept these generous email offers. I am but a man with a webmail account, an obscene amount of obscene email, and undying sarcasm.

Yours in gratitude.

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Slashdot | iPod nano Owners In Screen Scratch Trauma

A couple of weeks ago my Ipod crashed. It can happen, it is after all a small hard drive with moving parts. It stopped working and emitted a pained "clicking" noise, like trying to turn over a car. Faced with a weekend of standing in lines at the Toronto Film Festival, I popped into the Apple Store Yorkdale in hopes they could restore the gadget lest I had to scavenge a cd player, which we seem to have none of in our household anymore, an FM radio (*shudder*), or be forced to maintain actual human contact.

The store was like Apple Mecca, a really beautiful place with plenty of hands-on gadgets. They also do workshops for anyone looking to get Mac-savvy. I went to the service desk and made an appointment. My number was called after 30 minutes, and after a couple of attempts and confirming my pod was still under a full warranty (2 weeks to go on it) they replace my ipod with a new one (same model). I was more than happy with their customer service.

Now, while I was waiting, I had happened to be in the store the day they got in the new Apple iPod nano models. They are slim, light, flash drive models of the iPod mini, which they are phasing out. Lighter than a cellphone, thin as an underfed starlet, I swear every person who got a hand on the display model being walked around went and bought one in some iPod induced trance.

My initial thoughts are this is a great looking, highly portable player to take around, marrying full iPod controls and programming with Shuffle portability. But that screen is relatively small for viewing photos and song info. My main concern would be that it's so light I'd have the Nano on me, leaving it in the dirty laundry or between the sofa cushions.

It will likely be another success for Apple, but I would still wait until they smooth out some crinkles like this before investing in one: Slashdot iPod nano Owners In Screen Scratch Trauma. I'll stick to the heft (a pack of playing cards) of a solid iPod.

There is an urge in some of us to get the newest, deadliest gadget, some satisfaction to be derived from being "bleeding edge". The link below is a reminder why I always swear by never buying the initial model of anything, and wait for the cheaper, more efficient second or third edition, when they've worked out the kinks.

iLounge has a good Apple iPod nano review.

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Kanye West meets The Beach Boys

Courtesy of a few different sites (whose idenities have been changed and they have been put into a relocation program), we present Kanye West meets The Beach Boys.

Uses tracks from the Beach Boys West Sounds and Kanye West's two albums.

In the spirit of DangerMouse's Grey Album (Jay-Z "Black Album" meets the Beatles "White Album"), grab this album and give it a try before it gets yanked.

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A Mac that can run the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs

Courtesy of Slashdot: News for nerds, stuff that matters, we present the Mac Mini-lenium Falcon.

Modding is kind of a "Pimp My Computer" situation, done by putting your computer into a tricked out case. Some get creative and find non-typical computer cases, like this uber-geek who took his Mac mini, and managed to get it into a Millenium Falcon toy, complete with USB port and I-sight camera. Full details and instructions here.

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Walken for President 2008 - Official Website

The official Christopher Walken for President 2008 website has been up and running for the past month. I haven't seen any word on the legitimacy of it, but wouldn't you vote for a president who:

- has taken on both James Bond (in one of the more laughable (but not on purpose) efforts in the franchise, A View to a Kill and Batman in Batman Returns.

- who can move through the air with the greatest of ease, as shown in the video for Fatboy Slim's song, Weapon of Choice

- will put it all on the line with a friendly game of Russian Roulette. Deer Hunter

- knows what it's like to have an uncomfortable piece of metal up his ass for two years in order to fulfill a promise. Pulp Fiction

- is willing to make the call when he recognizes that what the country really needs is More Cowbell!

And who wouldn't respect a leader who could be brutally honest with his people: "I spent half my life in prison. I never got away with anything, and I never killed anybody that didn't deserve it." King of New York

Do your duty and spread the word:

Walken for Pres in 2008: He's Your Weapon of Choice!

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Radiohead new blog - DEAD AIR SPACE

Radiohead is posting on a blog DEAD AIR SPACE as they work on their new album. Be sure to give the Radiohead website a peak and twirl. The scrapbook is fascinating.



Thoughts of the moment (courtesy of the scrapbook):

#1 What would you do if you knew you'd get away with it?



#2 Down is the new up.

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