Virgin Festival to rock Olympic Island

I may die from a music bliss overload. I've been reading murmers about this from chromewaves, but it was officially confirmed and announced today: looks like a killer festival coming to Toronto, so bring on the Virgin. The V-Fest is coming to town Sept 9th and 10th. This English style fest is set to light up Toronto Island Park. The official site is Virgin Festival.

Canadian acts already confirmed include Alexisonfire, The Hidden Cameras, Sam Roberts, K'Naan, The Dears and Buck 65 with international acts including the premier rock showmen The Flaming Lips, Gnarls Barkley, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Phoenix, Massive Attack. Side projects aplenty too, as Jack White's other band The Racounteurs, and Josh Homme's Eagles of Death Metal project both put in appearances.

Flaming Lips and The Hidden Cameras are both big on putting on a show, not just a concert, and the emphasis seems to be on indie rock and pop. As the venue is listed as "Toronto Island Park", I expect there will be a multiple stage set-up. It looks like the planners are following the example set by the Broken Social Scene shows that have been held on the island, with a "what you're allowed to bring list" that is less strict than most concert venues, and a friendly atmosphere as the age restriction lists "Anyone under 4 has free admission".

The festival will be an "extravaganza of entertainment, transforming the downtown island into more than just a concert venue, but including massages, a dance lounge, vendors, a food village and beer garden." However, camping will not be allowed this year, but is expected to be accommodated for 2007.

Rosenberg said the festival would expand to other Canadian cities next year, as well as other countries yet to be announced.

"We thought about Winnipeg but there are too many mosquitoes, unfortunately."

LOL

Tickets go on sale July 2 to 7 at Future Shop stores in the Greater Toronto Area and online at the chain's website. From July 8 at noon, tickets will also be sold through Ticketmaster.

One-day tickets cost $57.50 each and two-day tickets costs $104.50. Prices include all taxes and ferry fares to and from the island.

That will be a crazy weekend as the Toronto International Film Festival runs at the same time.

Sources:

Branson brings rock festival to Toronto - Yahoo! News: "
TorontoSun.com - Entertainment - Huge festival to rock T.O.

Pepperpot

Taking Stock at Caban's Closing Sale

Hit the shelves people. Looks like Caban's closing up shop for good, so hit the shop for some clearance items. The discounts aren't "everything must go" deep yet, but it would be handy for all you new condo owners and apartment renters, of which I know plenty lately.

Diet Coke & Mentos recreation of the Bellagio Fountain

The high quality of the video smells a bit of "marketing department", but this is a pretty cool video. The lads get a hold of the net phenomenon and create a version of the Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas with Diet Coke & Mentos.

Bin Laden wants Zarqawi body released

If he wants it so badly, why not come get it yourself. We've got some other stuff we've been holding for you: some mail, some dry cleaning, and some Netflix DVD's (Autumn in New York? Seriously?)

As the Spellings Turn

As we all know from Tori "stealing" the husband of Mary-Jo Eustance (I don't know What's For Dinner for Dean McDermott, but I bet it tastes like Botox), the Spelling family are a classy bunch. How did Tori Spelling find out her father, TV producer icon Aaron Spelling, had died? She was dining in Toronto when her Blackberry delivered the news about her father's death. "My first thought was, I can't believe my mom didn't call me!" Tori Spelling told Us Weekly.

connection

I left work tonight, looking forward to meeting a friend who was celebrating a birthday. As I was running late, I grabbed a taxi, stopped at home to get my gear, and was on my way. I got to the bar, and engaged in a discussion with the Helpful Bartender.

Me: Any drink specials tonight?
HB: Yeah, buy one beer, get another for the same price.

We don't like Helpful Bartender, who looks like a roadie for Creed.

I went in search of the birthday girl. I beared through 15 minutes of reeeeaallly bad karoke and the party was nowhere to be seen. I wondered if I had the wrong night. Once again I tangled with Helpful Bartender.

Me: Hey, was there a birthday party here tonight, booked for XXXX?
HB: There are, like, four parties booked for tonight.

I don't recall asking numbers, just a name. What should I expect from Helpful Bartender?

I went to check another bar on the block, but no luck. I didn't have her phone number, but I didn't want to go home, so I beat a retreat to The Local. I seat myself at the bar:

Me: What beer is that, the one with the giant olive for a tap?
AHB: That's Stratford pilsener. It's really good.
Me: I'll have a pint please.

Now that's an Actual Helpful Bartender.

I order a pint of Stratford Pilsner, which has a good clean finish and a funky olive for a beer tap handle. Radiohead's Amnesiac album is playing on the stereo. I can't imagine any other bar in the city playing this album. It makes the perfect soundtrack for me in this moment.

A man to my left talks about his family and shows his tattoos to a woman he wants to sleep with.

The bartender demonstrates how to make an Apple Crumble shot (1/4 shot Goldchalger, 1/4 Frangelico, 1/4 Sour Applez, 1/4 shot Butterscotch schnapps. All it needs is some Oatmeal stout to top it.)

There's a pretty girl at the bar reading a book. Her hair is the colour of merlot. She must be reading poetry or philosophy. IIt's been my experience that if a pretty girl is reading a book in a bar, she is always reading poetry or philosophy: usually something like Rilke, Kirkegaard or Nietzche. The effect is lost if one were to sit in a bar reading the latest Danielle Steele paperback.

There are four people at a table to the side, They're playing Connect Four.

I read an email on my phone that makes me smile with the mere mention of the words "I would like to get together with you".

I sit in a moment of peace with my pint, and I forget all the plates I spin in the air. I love this moment. There are many moments like this, but this one is mine.

I walk the four blocks home and I savour the smell of my neighbourhood. It smells like trees and rain.

Just an intermission for The Royal Cinema

The Festival Cinema is slated to shut up shop on Friday. The chain shows older movies, film fest favourites, and out of the theatres but not on DVD yet flicks. The Revue in my neighbourhood is one of the theatres and all of them are older movie houses, the only ones left in Toronto (aside from the independant Bloor Cinema) , that have a sense of history and character to them. It was with a heavy heart that I read that the end of an icon was nigh.

But here's some good news for movie buffs and cine-philes: The Royal on College has been bought and will remain a movie theatre, although it will likely "be closed this summer as the new management takes over and renovates the basement and projection booth, but it could reopen as early as September". Read the story on the Torontoist blog for the full details, but this is great news. In addition to being a repertory cinema, The Royal hosts many of the smaller, but no less important, film festivals, such as the Cinéfranco french language festivall and Resfest Canada 2006 screenings, as well as Kung Fu Fridays. Hopefully the tradition of hosting the smaller festivals continues.


The neighbourhood here is rallying to save The Revue from getting sold and turned into condos or god knows what - a Starbucks or something. The Save the Revue has the best chance at saving the cinema, as its done decent business and there is a large artist/activist/public-minded contingent in the community. The site has already named as a heritage site, which will at least preserve the building exterior. The Revue is part of Toronto history, dating back to 1911.

The Revue was always a good place to get a matinee or movie for about $6 and gave you a chance to see great movies on a big screen. Some of my favourite memories as a kid growing up in Calgary were when the parents took me to the movies where I fell for Empire Strikes Back, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and my childhood favourite, The Muppet Movie. I still remember how excited I was when the opening credits rolled across that screen. The love for movies lived on at The Revue. It was always a kick when older movies played - seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark or Roman Holiday, the lights down, and a bunch of individuals together for something common.

The Festival chain was always reliable for when I wanted to see a movie but not willing to part with the $20+ it cost for a night at the cineplex. I'm more than happy to drop $6 on Syriana, but I'd be annoyed if I had dropped $14 - it was $5 or $6 worth of entertainment, tops. A cheap movie ticket and a pint at The Local afterwards was always a good night in my book.

I sound like a nostaligic old fart, but there's something lost in translation when you go to the modern Cineplex, where you are bombarded with sensory overload from ticket counter to seat. It's part of the reason I go to the low-key Varsity Cinema, which always feels like the movie theatre for grown-ups. I'm not naive enough to think the local single-screen venue can offer the perks of a multiplex, but they have their place in the community.

Besides, it benefits The Local pub. I can't lose both my pub and my movie house - give a man someplace to hide from the world and recharge.

The official last day for Festival Cinemas is Friday June 30th, with the following screenings. Drop in and pay respects to the close of a chapter in Toronto film culture.

THE KINGSWAY:

7:00 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
9:20 Casablanca (1942)

THE PARADISE:

7:00 Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005)
9:00 Thank You For Smoking (2005)
11:00 Koyaanisqatsi (1983) - admission includes a free small popcorn!

THE REVUE:

4:00 The Wizard of Oz (1939) - admission only $1!
7:30 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

THE ROYAL:

7:00 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974)
9:00 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Torontoist: Festival Cinemas Update: Royalty Endures

Italian Maneuvers and Not-So Inspirational Films @ So Quoted

I admire Bill @ So Quoted for planting the seeds of Aussie revenge. The best laid plans are the ones that take a 16 year commitment:

"I'm not just grumbling about soccer, I'm about to do something about it. Yes, I will be coaching 4-5-year olds. Plan on half the time being spent practicing the 'Italian' maneuver:

1. Divide into pairs.
2. Player 1 lightly taps player 2 on the shoulder.
3. Player 2 falls to the ground screaming.
4. For advanced players, I'll add grabbing the face and rolling around as if you are suffering convulsions."

Be sure to take a look at his post which takes the piss out of the AFI 100 Most Inspired Film List: he offers his summaries here: Stripes and Animal House: persevering against overwhelming odds...left off the list

Whht we can take from list of AFI films is that, in the movies, being inspired and noble and true to your beliefs will get your butt A) killed; or B) violated. That, and Tom Hanks is the most inspirational actor ever apparently.

Example:
"10. Saving Private Ryan," 1998. A good man, Tom Hanks, leads his men on a fool's errand to save one man. They all die. Moral of the story: war sucks.

"23. The Shawshank Redemption," 1994. An innocent man spends twenty years in prison being buggered by psychopaths. His only way out is to become an embezzler and tax cheat. Eventually crawls through a pipe of shit.

"31. Glory," 1989. About how one white man treats a minority with respect. Then they all die.

"54. Rudy," 1993. If you whine and complain enough, people will feel sorry for you.

"59. Dances With Wolves," 1990. First time I played blackjack was in Deadwood, SD at a casino owned by Kevin Costner. Playing a $2 table I won $60 in ten minutes. Costner is a genius and this movie is brilliant. more

Scrubs: Payback and Poison

No reason for this other than 1) I love the show Scrubs, which is coming to you in syndication this fall; and 2) I was mentioning these Scrubs clip to friends and words don't do them justice. Keep "Payback" handy for any victory laps you'll be taking, or forward it to Portugeuse football fans on Sunday:

And for some fine work, I present Donald Faison, who best be getting an Emmy nomination next week for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy. He really brought the comedy skills to the table this season. I'd like to see Brad Garrett try this:



Thanks to What's Alan Watching? for the heads-up that this clip was back on YouTube

"Never trust a big butt and a smile." Words to live by. Someone should have that on their gravestone or business card.

Because Brian Williams giving the finger would be too blatant

This is what CBC staff offices facing west have to look at all day, an ad for Canadian Idol by competitors CTV. Note the particularly heinous (supposed to be outrageous?) look on Zach Werner's mug. It's enough to make a CBC staffer did out the Chicken Cannon from Royal Canadian Air Farce, load it with Glass Tiger CD's and let the suckers fly.

Bonus: there's a city project digging on the street and it smells of sewage. It's like a big scratch n' sniff poster.

First Spider-Man 3 trailer debuts

Blog@Newsarama » First Spider-Man 3 trailer debuts

Spider-Man 3

The first trailer for Spider-Man 3 is now available at Apple.com. The film premieres May 4, 2007. Looks to be following the Venom storyline from the comics, with some newer version of the Green Goblin and Sandman making appearances.

waist-up?!

A man. An accordion. A bag full of squishy cows. Airport security.

Life writes good comedy at Adventures of Accordion Guy: Joey deVilla's Weblog: "A Bag of Squishy Cows is a Bag of Trouble":

"Jesus Christ, I thought, 'waist-up?!'"more

Gimme My Ramones Musical

Pitchfork reports a Ramones Musical hits London this month: I'm curious enough to want to check out Gabba Gabby Hey!-- the Ramones musical that makes its UK debut on July 31. I wonder if any of the songs are over 3 minutes, which is the typical length of a Ramones song. The Ramones discography seems ideal for musical theatre: four chords, simple and infectious melodies, and irresistibly quotable lyrics. I can't wait to see if they make Rock and Roll High School: The Musical (YouTube video link). The whole plot is in one song. Suck it Andrew Lloyd Weber.

"Rock N Roll High School" lyrics by The Ramones

Well I don't care about history
Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school
'Cause that's not where I wanna be
Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school
I just wanna have some kicks
I just wanna get some chicks
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

Well the girls out there knock me out, you know
Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school
Cruisin' around in my GTO
Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school
I hate the teachers and the principal
Don't wanna be taught to be no fool
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

Fun fun rock'n'roll high school
Fun fun rock'n'roll high school
Fun fun rock'n'roll high school
Fun fun, oh baby"

Ramones final appearance on Letterman 1996. On fire until the very end of the road, R.I.P. guys.

If it ain't Broken Social Scene, don't fix it

Not only does Rock // Paper // Pixels have talent with the camera lense (you can see her skills above and on her site), she also makes with the pretty words. I wasn't able to make the annual Broken Social Scene concert at Olympic Island, but Rock // Paper // Pixels captures why I always try to make the effort to go year after year. Go check out the gorgeous camera work on her site, with collections for many of the artists I like who pass through and come from Toronto.

Rock // Paper // Pixels » Broken Social Success @– Olympic Island 2006:
"BSS -To love this band is to not only experience the exhilaration of brass anthem blasts and voices raised to the sky in multiple harmonies, but also to see the members interact with each other, family, and friends. In the wings to the side of the stage, there was much dancing of moms and children alike. There aren'’t many 10+ year old bands left that haven't grown bored and now just dial it in live, but with every back-to-back note of Shorelines / Cause=Time / Fire-Eyed Boy it'’s plain as day that they still get a huge rush out of playing together. It is to this love of their band and each other that my photo set is focused and dedicated. " more on the concert here

I don't think I could put it better myself.

Pepperpot: What We've Been Talking About

A "classy" move by CityTV as they fire one of their most popular on-air celebrities, weatherman icon Harold Hosein. He was set to return to work after a vacation and was told not to bother coming back to CityTV. The channel didn't acknowledge the change or his leaving on-air. What the hell is going on at CHUM? Should Mark Dailey watch his back? Hosein has hired a lawyer to ensure that contracts haven't been violated by this move. I hope he's back on air someplace soon, I loved the Trinidadian meteorologist's reports from Caribana.

South Koreans flip for cool phones according to Globe and Mail: "Having latest model is a national obsession". They (and me) also flip for Korean bathrooms with their heated toilet seats and etiquette bells. Warm buns baby.

Boing Boing: Stephen Colbert's "World of Colbertcraft": "'Stephen Colbert did a short bit for the MI6 game marketing conference this week in San Francisco, talking about his upcoming game World of Colbertcraft "" Link

World Cup of Carlin: the education continues

Among my social circles we've been spending alot of time watching a few footie matches in the Deutschland. My willingness to watch the World Cup has been returned with a willingness on my friends's part to educate me on this thing called Football. Having said that:


Is it a holiday for the Dutch and the Portugeuse? Because they got a lot of cards...

What the hell was going on in the Netherlands/Portugal match on Sunday? Holy crap that was the game to watch this weekend. Drop kicks, headbutts, an inconsistent and ineffectual referee, cheating, fake injuries, ... I had to double check I hadn't accidentally turned on a World Wrestling Entertainment show. Russian referee Valentin Ivanov lost control once that first yellow card was raised, with both sides on the losing end of inconsistent calls, although I think Netherlands got the worst of it. I dread the poor teams that may find him officating their next match in this tournament (yes, as of this posting Ivanov is still reffing in this tournament). With a World Cup finals record for red cards in one match, you can be sure England was watching the match and gleefully awaiting the next round no matter which team staggered out of that match, they would be depleted of their key players.

It was a fascinating and exciting match with some terrific actual play too, but it will be remembered for the flurry of cards, the ugly and unsportsmanlike conduct of the participants, and the official. The winner of the World Cup this year was not going to come out of that Netherlands/Portugal match. Portugal, minus Deco (red card), Costinha (red card) and possibly Ronaldo (injured), meet England on July 1st at 11 AM. You know where to find me and the big-screen TV.

The other match I caught in its entirity was the Germany v. Sweden match on Saturday. The Swedes lost that match in the first 15 minutes. It's a shame too: after a red card left Germany shorthanded, the Swedes managed to prevent the Germans from scoring any more points. If they had only managed to play like that in the first half...

Schedule:

June 26
Australia vs. Italy Kaiserslautern, Germany 11:00 AM ET
Ukraine vs. Switzerland Cologne, Germany 3:00 PM ET

June 27
Ghana vs. Brazil Dortmund, Germany 11:00 AM ET
France vs. Spain Hanover, Germany 3:00 PM ET

June 30
Argentina vs. Germany Berlin, Germany 11:00 AM ET
TBA vs. TBA Hamburg, Germany 3:00 PM ET

July 01
Portugal vs. England Gelsenkirchen, Germany 11:00 AM ET

Be sure to check out the comprehensive World Cup Football 2006 Blog - great coverage. They also have a great photo collection of the fans and show why it's a knockout in more ways than one for both for the men and for the women.

Wet and Wild

I hope everyone had a weekend that was as terrific as mine. I'll blog later about my weekend of Soccer and what a great time I had in Kitchener, but in the meantime, here's a little out-of-context comic panel in celebration of the Pride Parade in Toronto this past Sunday.

My city is super, thanks for asking!

This is one of the busiest weekends in Toronto with so many options, all with a great positive vibe. We have Pride Weekend with the big parade and loads of events (break out the water pistols) , World Cup events (break out the flags and whistles), Broken Social Scene's music festival at the Olympic Island (break out the blankets), The Tragically Hip and The Weakerthans play Fort York (break out the bongs), and Nine Inch Nails and Bauhaus at the Molson Amphitheatre (break out the sunscreen). Add in Pedestrian Sundays in the Kensington Market, Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival starting up, the Queen's Plate at Woodbine Racetrack, and the Toronto International DragonBoat Festival, I don't see how you can stay indoors this weekend. This party is gonna be out of control.

Any one else think the celebrations for the Pride Parade and World Cup victories look remarkably similar? Multi colour flags, whistles, dancing in the street. Ironically, the Pride participants are probably in better shape than most of the World Cup fans.

Of course with every option in Toronto looking super-sweet, I'm going to get out of town and go to Kitchener. One of my best friends is celebrating a birthday with a huge pool party and BBQ. When it comes to social priorities, this is no contest. Slather on the sunscreen, down a frosty beverage, and have a fantastic weekend. Stay classy T.O.

A Campaign for Real Honesty

My new blog neighbour No Such Nonsense has posted an interesting piece on Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty. The campaign's message is women are beautiful, no matter what shape or size, and I think it's a good message. But the flipside of the coin is that Dove's owners are Unilever, who also own and market Axe body spray. If you watch Axe's ads, which have cracked me up on occasion, the message from Axe is the "you use Axe, you'll get laid". And the "layees" are the typical unattainable type of woman that adorn most issues of Maxim and FHM, "objects in every sense".

Axe's advertising bounces between one's like The Gamekillers, a campaign designed around breaking down the "cock blocker" stereotypes, and the Show Them The Way ads which apply the "use it and you get laid" message. Dove's message is a nobler sentiment which has genuine positive societal value as the Campaign for Real Beauty fights the body-image issues that everyone, particularly women, are all faced with in our media obsessed culture.

The danger lies in the possibility if that if it becomes widely know that Dove and Axe have the same corporate owners, the negative impact will take away from the enlightened message of Dove. Unilever may have to be responsible to bring all it's marketing in line of they want Dove's message to connect with as many people as possible. If the ownership becomes an issue, then Unilever will backpedal to bring its marketing in line.

I'll still buy both Dove and Axe. I just won't carry Axe's message past the checkout line

If you have two different markets, don't you apply two different techniques to get those demographics to buy your product? Read up at No Such Nonsense: The Campaign for Real Honesty and let me know what you think.

Master T Why Have Your Forsaken Us?

pop (all love) took one for the team last week and live-blogged the Much Music Video Awards, which is getting just as plastic as the Junos. Awards went to Canadians who don't get played enough (Metric, Kardinall, Buck 65) and more went to the ones that get played far too much like Nickelback and Simple Plan. I sound like an old fart, but this show doesn't bode well for the musical tastes of the Much audience. Hedley just gives me a case of faux-punk fatigue. Add in enough fodder to feed celebrity tabloids for a few days and you have the best of Much Music on display. Man, George Stroumbolopoulos got out of there when the getting was good.

As much as I crush on Sarah Taylor and Hannah Sung, not even these two could compel me to watch this crapfest.

Also see: paved.ca: Mary Jo Eustace attempts to kill the video star

Highlights of pop (all love) live blogs MMVA:

7:41pm. A bunch of scantily clad women just jumped out of a police van and are frisking the hand-cuffed members of Hedley. In the background, a MuchMusic staffer can be seen commanding the assembled teenagers to scream their delight. You see, it's not that the kids genuinely like Hedley. It's that they feel obligated to pretend.

8:58pm. Paris Hilton arrives and the camera pans across her adoring public. One sign appears to read "Paris Hilton is an ugly woman." Do you figure Much let that cameraman finish his shift or did they fire him on the spot?

9:06pm. Game Five of the NBA Finals is starting and Clarence Clemons is doing the American national anthem on saxophone. It's never sounded better. Just thought you should know.

9:14pm. Hedley performs while a group of 12-year-olds engage in the saddest mosh pit in rock history."

9:39pm. I defy you to name a worse rock band in the genre's history than Simple Plan. Go ahead. Try. It's not possible. I refuse to believe anyone else even comes close.

10:40pm. Fall Out Boy are apparently considered sex symbols. Is this a sign that society has regressed or evolved? Discuss.

10:46pm. Jacob Hoggard presents an award with his pants pulled down to expose his buttocks. He's like Johnny Rotten for a generation of total wusses.

Where Should You Spend Your Summer?

One of the few things in life I've always know is that all I ever need for a vacation is a car, gas, some tunes, and the road. And maybe a map. That's my ideal vacation.

PS: Dear Dodge, Please give me a Dodge Caliber. I promise to blog about our trip...

Where Should You Spend Your Summer? Quiz

You Should Spend Your Summer on a Road Trip

For you, the summer is all about possibilities. And you're not going to be tied down. This is the time for you to embark on an epic road trip, with no ultimate destination in mind. You know you'll have a ton of crazy adventures... at least until you run out of cash!

Bite My Shiny Metal Ass: Futurama Resurrected

Whoo hooo!!

'Futurama' resurrected

Comedy Central has ordered 13 new episodes of the animated series that Fox canceled two years ago. Billy West, Katey Segal and other stars signed deals this week to return the show to TV. In getting a second life, 'Futurama' is following the path taken by 'Family Guy,' which also found post-cancellation success on DVD and cable reruns."

This week, deals were inked to secure all of the original voice talent and the production staff of "Futurama," paving the way for the series' return to TV.

BACK TO THE 'FUTURAMA' By DON KAPLAN - New York Post Online Edition: Entertainment

[TVtattle.com]:

Colbert on How to Trash Talk World Cup Style

YouTube - Colbert and Lalas on the World Cup

Dear Apple, Make Me an Offer

Had a long couple of days, I'll post my "first day of summer" (June 21st) post Thursday. They don't call it the lazy days of summer for nothing. No, seriously, too tired to copy the post from my notepad to the computer. See the little time indicator down there? This is why I need a MacBook, I could have done this live earlier from wherever I was.

Dear Apple, if you're reading this, if you can give me a pretty and useful MacBook, I will write so many nice complimentary things about it. It could be a marketing project, give a blogger a free MacBook and show how easy it is for a PC owner to switch to Mac. I could blog about it. I can be bought, I can be a corporate shill. Just imagine it:

the2scoops
brought to you by Apple Macbook

All right, look away, you shouldn't see me like this. You can't judge me. Who are to judge? You... you... Judgie McJudgerson!

If anyone finds my scruples laying around somewhere could you just preserve them in gin and give them a good home?

Serenity fans remain unstoppable

Serenity fans have a saying: Never give up, never surrender.

Shit, wrong movie.

Well, that should be our saying because damned if we don't keep coming back for more. Fans have organized 47 (!) and counting charity screenings of Serenity (the big-screen continutation of the old Fox TV series, Firefly) in around the world. After the disappointing box-office it's hoped that there may be enough interest to continue the series in some form, whether as straight to DVD or theatrical or TV movies. Read the 2scoops review of Serenity here. Do yourself a favour and check out a sci-fi adventure film with characters, plot, clever dialogue and all types of stuff that you'd assume would be in most sci-fi movies, but just have been missing lately. Apparently we're stubborn about getting the public to watch good movies. Go figure.

I remembered the quote that we live by:

We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why? Because we are so very pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die.

- Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly

Hell yes. I like to think the fans identify with Mal, the main character who was on a losing side of a war, takes something that he loves (his ship) and manages to keep it flying.

Can't Stop the Serenity in Toronto

Joss Whedon's magnificent space opera, Serenity, returns to Toronto this weekend in a special charity screening, which provides Torontonians with a) another chance to catch one of last year's best movies, and b) more proof that the Browncoats (as Serenity's fans are generally known) are pretty much unstoppable.

Toronto's Serenity screening will be held at the Royal at 4:00 on Saturday. Tickets are $10 at the door. More info can be found at Canadian Browncoats, or at CantStopTheSerenity.com.

Atkinson Developing "Black Adder" Film

Seens like Rowan Atkinson is keen on reprising his role as Lord Blackadder from the classic British TV series Black Adder. You remember the British don't you? Wonderful TV, excellent stout, average World Cup performers?

Any chance they can get Hugh Laurie away from 'House"? It would be interesting to see if House fans "get" Black Adder. We'll see if this movie comes to light - being developed and being made are two different things.

(Oh and if you never have seen Black Adder, send your nearest minion to a decent video store to pick up the series. You won't regret it.)

Rowan Atkinson Developing "Black Adder" Film: "

Atkinson is apparently keen on reprising his role as Lord Blackadder, and comedian Ben Elton will once again serve as screenwriter. No word if fellow co-writer Richard Curtis, director of such films as "Notting Hill", "Bridget Jones Diary" and "Love Actually", will be involved.

This movie is expected to be set during the Russian Revolution of 1917 where over the course of a year the ruling royal family of Tsar Nicholas II was ultimately replaced by the Communist Bolshevik party led by Lenin that paved the way for the formation of the Soviet Union.

Stephen Fry said on Monday "I chatted to Rowan at the weekend. He's been doing a 'Bean' movie in France and confided that he missed the joys of Blackadder rehearsals and all that. Ben wants to do a Blackadder movie set in the Russian Revolution with a Russian branch of the family. He has some brilliant ideas. Maybe it will happen".

BBC - Comedy - Blackadder Homepage

-ing Son of a Smegging Belgian

Some creative cursing for email or for when you're around the family:

List of fictional expletives - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Favourites include:
ass-clown- Office Space
Belgium - from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
frak - Battlestar Galactica
Jackhole - Coined by late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel
Lando - from Spaced T.V. series. "You Lando!" - meaning "you sold us out". Reference to Lando Calrissian's betrayal of Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back.
smeg - from Red Dwarf
Sugar Honey Iced Tea - from the movie Madagascar. A reverse acronym of shit.

My Mayor is Funnier Than Your Mayor

In honour of Pride Week in Toronto , Mayor Miller raised the Pride flag at a ceremony at City Hall. Mayor David Miller likes to wear different subway station buttons each day, so what station adorned his lapel at the Pride flag raising?

Queen. My Mayor has got a pretty good sense of humour.

'I thought I'd have some fun,' Miller laughed when asked about his choice. 'There are a couple of stations you can wear that are appropriate on Pride (Week). Queen just seems to be the most appropriate.'

- TheStar.com - Mayor Miller picks Queen for the day of flag raising

working man on a fast train

Not sure what will pop up here today. I have 24 hours to put together a 5 minute training presentation on a subject of my choosing. Funny enough, I'll probably go with how to start a blog or how to program your iPod - go with your strengths. The iPod thing may be the procedure I go with as I've already talked a few people through how to do that.

This is all part of an exercise that may or may not happen at my job. I'm good at training, it's just that I haven't done it for a while. I can't remember how to start yet, so I'll spend an hour scratching at my memory and see what turns up. Once I get on a roll I'm all good with the layout, Powerpoint and public speaking. It's that first step that takes a minute. Or sixty. But enough dawdling, time to get my gameface on.

World's Shortest Personality Test

I'm going to try to sleep before 3AM for a change, so here's a little something to keep you occupied in the morning. It's only one-click, and it's the2scoops tested and approved. Pop in your results in the comments and whether you think it tagged me or not.

Your Personality Profile

You are dependable, popular, and observant. Deep and thoughtful, you are prone to moodiness. In fact, your emotions tend to influence everything you do. You are unique, creative, and expressive. You don't mind waving your freak flag every once and a while. And lucky for you, most people find your weird ways charming!

The World's Shortest Personality Test

World Cup of Carlin

I've been busy doing nothing of consequence the past few days. I think I've watched more sports in two days than I've watched my entire life. The World Cup seems to part of that, it's unavoidable. I rode the streetcar along College (Little Italy) tonight and every last bar, cafe and gelato parlor had a big screen TV lit up.

I watched Germany vs Poland earlier this week out of necessity: if Poland had managed to eke out a win I'd have to leave early for work to avoid the celebrations in my Polish neighbourhood. No such luck for the Poles.

I had a sporty Saturday with Randy as we watched Ghana pound on the Czechs in an exciting game that seemed like the Czechs hit the pub rather than the pitch. We made a quick beer run out into the sweltering heat of Toronto, and returned to "watch" Italy vs the US (by watch I mean I saw Italy lie down to take a nap, so I thought I'd have one as well) and then we settled in for the comeback kids of the praries, the Edmonton Oilers, pull out a win to push the Stanley Cup to a game 7 that has got me excited about hockey, but unable to watch because of work. I must be caving to the sporting bug - I almost watched a CFL game. Crack open the Labatt's and pass the nachos.

Saved by the Power of the Cowbell

If you were out in the Annex neighborhood on Friday night, around last call, you may have seen hordes of smiling people swaggering down the street, covered in watermelon, feathers, beer and with a gleam in their eye. These were people who had been saved by the power of rock and roll - by the power of White Cowbell Oklahoma.

Great show, more music, less theatrical than the last shows I've seen, but good southern fried whiskey soaked rock. Not even the less than able ladies in the beer chugging contest and a troublesome chainsaw could take away from the party last night.

Be sure to check out the stellar photos from the terrifically talented Rock // Paper // Pixels with the link below:

"White Cowbell Oklahoma @ Lee's Palace Toronto, June 16, 2006 photoset on Flickr:
Contains nudity, chainsaws, fire, and decapitated watermelons - proceed at your own risk."

Photo by Rock // Paper // Pixels

Come Get Some Cowbell

White Cowbell Oklahoma roll through hometown Toronto tonight at Lee's Palace. It's not for the faint of heart. With 4 guitars, a redneck attitude and their own bartender onstage, you don't get a concert, you get THE SHOW. The 3 or 4 shows I've seen them have involved:

• hard Southern fried rock
  
• my first sighting of Accordion Guy and the infamous hottub truck
• Japanese school girls riding a mechanical bull
• chainsaw pumpkin carving
• Elvis wrestling a Yeti
• Jesus wrestling Satan
• power tools
  
• being pelted with Kentucky Fried Chicken
• plenty of female and male nudity (one of the guitarists likes to drop trou commando style)

Yeah, it gets weird, but it's never boring. Rowdy, offensive, loud, funny, lewd, crude, but never boring. For the next week you'll have a story to tell. Want more? Slideshow here from a recent show.

Offended? Only if you're the type who cuts the crust off your sandwiches 'cause it hurts your gums. Wanna prove you ain't no mama's boy, that you can handle your liquor, that you ain't no namby pamby wussy crybaby? Come get some cowbell.

White Cowbell Oklahomaaaaaaa! @ Torontoist

empathy

"i don't know your pain, but i read your blog"

smartass

Bloggers are an insecure lot? Nah.

Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis

Click image for the rest of the comic.

PS Whoot! Finally managed a new post every day for 7 days straight and counting

Bushism of the Day

Bushism of the Day. By Jacob Weisberg @ Slate.com:

President Bush: Peter. Are you going to ask that question with shades on?
Peter Wallsten of the Los Angeles Times: I can take them off.
Bush: I'm interested in the shade look, seriously.
Wallsten: All right, I'll keep it, then.
Bush: For the viewers, there's no sun.
Wallsten: I guess it depends on your perspective.
Bush: Touché.

—Exchange with legally blind reporter Peter Wallsten, to whom Bush later apologized, Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006

Click here to see a video of Bush's comments. The Bushism is at time index 50:16.

We are sooo doing this at Grant's party

Science is cool. Mentos + Diet Coke = 10 Foot Geyser

You get the best effect with Diet Coke because it's more carbonated than regular pop.

This is almost as good as the time in Grade 11 chemistry class when Greg's group showed how fireworks work by lighting a line of gun powder Looney Tunes style, and burned through glass panes and a countertop.

YouTube - Diet Coke with Mentos

the2scoops to open Richmond Hill franchise

Some of you know, some of you don't - I'm going to move next month. And I think it's a good thing. Well, that's what i keep repeating to myself, so I'll believe it eventually.

My roommates are both shacking up with their significant others. Apparently living with me brings couples closer together, cause this is the 4th or 5th time this has happened. 5 roommates over 4 years and they all went off and hooked up. So I had to ask myself "Jay, do you go through the process of interviewing roomies again?" Well no, because if it happens again I'd have to open a dating agency. I used up all my "good roommate karma" with the last pair of super duper roomies, and I just think it's time to move on to something new, even if it mean giving up the super apartment.

Change is good, it means that nothing is going to stay stagnant, so I have things to work out.

I have some job possibilities that are developing, which create opportunities. The easy answer is every path is open, but the hard question is which path and how many kidneys will that map cost me.

So where do I go? Where do any of us go - home. Or more specifically my Dad's place in The Burbs. I know I know, such a cliche, moving back to the parent's place. But it's the smart thing to do right now if I am going to be able to get my own place sooner rather than later - later being retirement age. A little limited freedom will allow a lot more unrestricted freedom down the road. I am a city boy at heart, so, I’ll be downtown every chance I get. If I get back to my dad’s place I may reconsider things and consider a change of scenery to a new city. Who knows…

Will living in the suburbs drive me crazy? A distinct possibility. That's why I am limiting this move to 6-8 months at the most. Come spring, I am back downtown, hopefully back in Roncesvalles or the west end or some new city entirely. Maybe. The "maybe" is why I need to do this now, I need to get my bearings and figure out a direction to go in. Whether I end up back in Toronto or some other city, or some other country, becomes an actual possibility if rent isn't giving my budget a beating for a couple of months.

But trust me, I am going to be downtown just as much as before. I can't deal with:

• having to drive from one store to another rather than takiing public transit or walking.
• 8 franchised restaurants open until 11 rather than 100 open until dawn.
• a music scene consisting of bar bands who believe they are going to be the next Nickleback (ech, sorry, threw up in my mouth a little).
• the only patio to hang out on is the one at the Starbucks.

My life isn't in the burbs, but for now, my home is. What comes next? Well, keep checking here and maybe we'll find out together... maybe tomorrow I'll want to settle down, until tomorrow I'll just keep moving on.*

*Littlest Hobo theme.mp3

P.S. - By the way, since I'm moving to The Burbs - is having a Costco card mandatory?
P.P.S. - Littlest Hobo? Well, as I say, always leave them laughing...

Update: Read the comments from one of my old roommates

Zach Braff.com open this week

Welcome back to the blogosphere/verse/corner Zach Braff. The talented triple threat writer/actor/director has finally opened his site, and was nice enough to post his video blog on the YouTube site. He's always been pretty open and cool with his fans, and it looks like the site will have plenty of opportunities to submit short films, music and all types of goodies. And in return for our time, Zach has posted a first look at his next film "The Last Kiss" which comes out on September 15th written by Paul Haggis (Crash) and directed by Tony Goldwyn.

I fully realize this is Zach Braff's continued mission to destroy me. First he learns to act, writes, and directs a film - all to beat me to Natalie Portman, and now he opens a new blog and gets more hits in the course of a day than I do all month. Well played Vanilla Bear, the duel continues...



ZachBraff.com

NY POST Spoils Comic Revelation

NT Post printed the last panel of the current mini-series Civil War form Marvel Comics. The premise is that after a disaster, the governement requires all heroes to register, causing the heroes to split pro and con, which lead to this moment in the article. The thing of it is, the issue hasn't really hit stores until later today. But it is a big moment.

And then the internet broke in half:

NY POST SPOILS CIVIL WAR #2

A secret no longer. Today's New York Post, with a full illustration, gave away the ending of this week's Marvel Civil War #2. Is it shocking? MAJOR SPOILERS within... [full story...]

Let's Hit It: EW's Top Ten Car Chases

click the picture for the rest of the comic

With the release of "Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift" and "Cars", Entertainment Weekly.com has given us their picks for the 10 best car chases (with video clips).

the2scoops confesses: I love a good car chase, just love them. I'm a movie junkie and love art and acting and mise-en-scene and all that stuff I learned in Film 101, but pop in a DVD with only these 10 car chases and I am hap-hap-happy. I don't know, maybe it was growing up and watching The A-Team, Knight Rider and the Dukes of Hazzard. I love the type of car chases that make you punch the air or cheer. Better yet, the ones that stick in your brain so well that every time you get in the car afterwards, you get an adrenalin rush when you turn your ignition key and immediately become a hazard to everyone else on the road, causing your wife/girlfriend/friends, upon noticing your white knuckles clenched around the steering column and the manic grin on your face, to immediately bail out of the car.

I've seen most of these and even if you haven't, they've been incorporated in one Oscar montage or another. These are all classic car chases. Most of these are dated before computer effects allowed filmmakers to make mindblowing sequences, and it's these slick moderns that feel fake because they are just that - you know that it's not real. The freeway chase in Matrix Reloaded was great, but you knew that it wasn't real. I admire Entertainment Weekly for picking these sequences with no special effects (not sure about number 9 though), just blood, sweat, tears, and bones of the stuntmen, camera crews, directors, and stars. These ones never grow old, no matter how many "Making Of.." shows you see, even when every element element is dissected, you still get a holy shit moment when you see them. I do disagree with one of them and would place a couple higher. Here's the list with my comments, followed by what I'd change:

1. French Connection (1971) - Gene Hackman driving pedal to the metal through the streets of New York chasing down an elevated subway. You can just smell the burning rubber.
2. Bullitt (1968) - Steve McQueen. A Mustang. The streets of San Francisco. Classic. And probably sold many many Mustangs.
3. Ronin (1998) - the sheer beauty of this chase scene through the crowded French streets justified owning a home theater system in the 90s.
4. Mad Max 2 (1981) - oh hell yes! A long chase scene that never drags, Mad Max (Mel Gibson) driving a fuel tanker pursued by the motorcycle gang of the apocalypse. Lots of bang for the buck.
5. The Man With the Golden Gun (1974) - Roger Moore races through Bangkok, culminating in a corkscrew spiral jump over a river. One of the last times James Bond was cool for many many years.
6. Thelma & Louise (1991) - The End. May not be the fastest or most furious, but it is iconic.
7. Blues Brothers (1980) - Bluesmobile pursued by the Chicago Police Department. The entire Chicago Police Department.

8. Deathrace 2000 (1975) - basically one long chase scene, where racers score points for mowing down pedestrians. As EW points out, inspired the Carmageddon video game series. Wonderful 70s cheese.
9. Charlie's Angels (2000) - Natalie (Cameron Diaz) vs Creepy Thin Man (Crispin Glover) in Formula One racecars.
10. Terminator 2 (1991) - T2 (Arnie) on a bike vs T-1000 (Robert Patrick) in a truck, back when Arnie was still a badass and Robert Patrick had a promising career.

It's hard to argue with that list, although I'd place Blues Brothers at #3 or higher based on the sheer mayhem the chase causes, and because it followed a previous great chase candidate as the Blues Brothers evade a police cruiser by racing through a mall (with terrific running commentary between the brothers about the lovely mall they're tearing through) (video) . I disagree with #9 Charlie's Angels, I can't even remember that one. I mentioned that to my friend Randy the other day and he came back with "that chase so forgettable, it's right up there with the go-kart race between Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher in Guess Who." Pull that and definitely plug in Bourne Identity. That car scene was dynamic, hellbent, and entirely dangerous looking. I pop in the DVD expressly just to watch that car chase. Fantastic.

Honourable mention: Cannonball Run, Gone in 60 Seconds. And say what you will about Michael Bay, the man does do a fine car crash as seen in The Rock and Bad Boys.

What car chases do you think we're missing?

Elwood: It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses.
Jake: Hit it.

The Blues Brothers

The True Scoop

Mwah-ha-ha, thank you my minions and zealots, for bringing down the gossip tabloid that had dared sully the good Scoops name. Now there is only The Two Scoops. Well, me and the Raisin Bran people...

blogTO | Toronto Blog: "Morning Brew: June 13, 2006
The Weekly Scoop shuts down after TorStar realizes that Toronto really doesn't need another trashy tabloid: it already has The Sun.

Taking the terror out of terrorists with a little HOPE

the2scoops: Taking the terror out of terrorists since the minute he came out from under the covers and realized if the terrorists don't get him, the bird flu will...

A few friends were chatting with me the other day, and we put our heads together to figure out how to beat the threat of terrorism in the wake of terrorist arrests last week. Yes that's right, three regular Canadians were going to put an end to terrorism: piece of cake and a double-double.

I read that the terror suspects had allegedly planned to bomb the Peace Tower in Ottawa and storm Parliament, but those plans were dropped because these Central Ontario youths didn't know their way around Ottawa. How do you get lost in Ottawa? You can drive in any direction and you'll run into the Peace Tower (which seems to me to not be so much a tower as a steeple with a top). And if you don't find Parliament, that means you went too far and you end up in Hull, Quebec. Who is going to bomb Hull? Who would notice? Dammit get a Perly's. At least try Mapquest or even better, Google Maps (True that, double true.) Lazy terrorists.

Then I read they were going to storm the CBC Building in Toronto. The CBC Building is 10 stories, and each one is the size of four Canadian football fields. Furthermore, every one of those floors is so much of a psychotic grey and blue maze of hallways that even regular employees get lost on their way back from the bathroom. It would be funny if it weren't possible how armed screw-ups could get there shit together long enough to hurt innocent people.

One of the "enticements" to suicide bombers (and these attacks would have been suicide runs) is the promise of eternal paradise with 20 virgins - well, that's what CNN and Fox News tell us, so they must be right. We guessed al-Qaeda doesn't tell these kids that virgins have no experience and it was one of those ideas that sounded good on paper, but wasn't going to work out in the practical sense. ("OK baby, one more time, first we unhook the bra...no, try it, it's cool, all the girls do that...")

They have it all wrong... if we want these extremists to come to the "happy, no bombing, dig The Ramones and Parliament Funkadelic" side of society, here on the peaceful side of the fence that is more in line with Allah's teachings, we should convinve the terrorists that can have 20 hookers right now... they have lots of experience and no wait for paradise - the world can be there Champagne Room. We could implement a Hoes for Peace Endeavor - promise the extremist 20 loose women (or men, whatever gets you through the night) if they DON'T blow shit up and hurt people. We could call it H.O.P.E

Yes! And we could put all those Romanian strippers that come over here into the initiative we could start a red light district in Brampton and then advertise Brampton as the City of HOPE.

That's it folks, come out of hiding: HOPE is on the move!

Higher ground

Men have no ground to stand on when it comes to arguing with the fairer sex . We traded all the ground to women years ago for beer and cable tv. We thought we has gotten sex in the trade, but apparently there was some fine print on the contract.

the2scoops got the bends

sorry for this temporary layout

screwed something up when i was editing the HTML code plugging in my LastFM music charts. totally my fault, i'll have it fixed soon

Update: layout back to normal, i'll re-enter all the links tomorrow

the2scoops

Playing the Hasselhoff trump card

As far back as I remember, all the way back to a faithful first exchange in Grade 10 chemistry and subsequent games of Euchre and Hearts, my friend Nicole has to always trump me. It was all about the trump card, even recently:

Me: I just love my apartment.

Her: I just bought a house.

Me: I got an extra vacation day at work and pizza appreciation day.

Her: Work is sending me to Iceland.

Me: I had a good date the other night.

Her: I'm engaged.

Me: I saw the guy who plays Snake from Degrassi at the bar the other night.

Her: I bumped into Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins.

Me: I found a bargain on a Radiohead CD today. They're so good.

Her: I'm going to see Radiohead play in Montreal.

Me: I'm going to have to hang up now.

I was chatting on IM with her the other day and mention the weird little clip of Shatner singing Rocket Man. She LOL'd and then she sent me this trump card.

David Hasselhoff sings "Hooked On A Feeling". With video that's got some "blue screen video filmed for $10 at Canada's Wonderland theme park" quality.



It offended 5 senses at once:

Sight: an eskimo, a flying priest, a motorbike, a fish?? angels?!??!?!
Sound: karoke night
Taste: think I vomitted in my mouth a little
Smell: like cheese
Touch: I think I have to scrub a layer of skin off to feel clean again after watching that.

*Sigh* You win again Nicole, until the next time.

And I Hope It's Gonna Be A Long Long Time...

I had heard about this clip of Shatner covering Elton John's Rocket Man, and I saw it parodied on Family Guy a few months back. I found it. I watched it. Wow. Just.... that was more ...I can't find words... just wow. Like a car crash or a celebrity marriage: you can't help but watch. I can't tell what's scarier, his singing or the fact he's doing this straight and not for laughs. He got so much better when he started to take himself less seriously and Ben Folds produced that cover of Common People by Pulp last year.

YouTube - Bill Shatner: "William Shatner singing Rocket Man"

Common People(Pulp cover) By William Shatner feat Joe Jackson.mp3

bloggers got the bends

having problems posting right now due to Blogger changing hardware or some crap... will write later. word.

Canadian comic competes on Last Comic Standing

There I am, minding my own business on the computer with a rerun of last week's season premiere of Last Comic Standing playing, when I hear a familiar lispy voice from the TV. I hear the judges cracking up and look over to see Toronto's own Nikki Payne is in the competition. I'd seen her a couple years ago at Yuk Yuk's and she is just a ball of shameless raunchy energy. She's certainly no beginner when it comes to comedy, having appeared on several Comedy Network shows, has won several Canadian comedy awards and worked the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal. It looks like this native of Halifax is taking a shot at breaking into the U.S. market - I hope her tales of growing up with a lisp in a Nova Scotia trailer park connects with American audiences. Last Comic Standing made it tense for her, as they announced who moves into the next round and Nikki was the last name announced (thank God she beat Skippy from Family Ties). She's quiet off stage, but blows the doors of the clubs when she hits the stage. With her innocent smile providing a wicked contrast with her raunchy material, Nikki may prove to be a good real-life character for TV.

Good luck Nikki!

Nikki Payne on Last Comic Standing video

Nikki Payne on trailer park life.mp3

Wes Anderson's AmEx ad

I got excited at what I thought was a commercial for a new Wes Anderson movie that had snuck under my radar, but it turned out it was an American Express "My Card..." advertisement by Wes Anderson. Hell, I'll take it. I've only seen it on American cable channels, not on Canadian TV, so here's the YouTube. Seth Stevenson at Slate breaks down the appeal of this ad and why credit card advertising is so weird: the ads don't talk about interest rates or benefits, it's just about how interesting other people's lives are, and if you have AmEx, maybe you are interesting too. The bit where Wes asks for a .357 pistol with a bayonet and then gets a mock-up just kills me.

Brief digression: I know several of my readers are Wes Anderson fans: which is your favourite movie? I can't decide which is better, Rushmore or Royal Tenenbaums. Both great movies that I reqatch over and over: I love Rushmore for all the life Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray create in their characters, but Tenenbaums has terrific characters too, and a fascinating mise-en-scene with all the set designs (that house is like an I-Spy book come to life). I'll rewatch them both later this week and get more into them in a follow-up. Thoughts?



Wes Anderson's AmEx ad. By Seth Stevenson @ slate.com

Why does it take Wes Anderson so long to make a movie? By Armond White @ slate.com

Planet of Sound: Awoo! for The Hidden Cameras

Rarely does a album review manage to both recommend a new release by Toronto's favourite "gay-folk-church-indie-pop" band The Hidden Cameras, and also manages to capture my opinion of Mississauga. Thank you Torontoist for bringing the two great tastes into one great snack.

Torontoist: Awoo!

The new Hidden Cameras album, Awoo, has leaked, well before its August 18th release date. There are two reasons that you, the average Torontoist reader, should care about Awoo and the Hidden Cameras: the album is really good [refer below to point #1] and Mississauga kindof sucks [refer below to point #2]. more

Useful Stuff: Bike repair kit in a water-bottle

Bike repair kit in a water-bottle
This compact bike-repair kit is packed into a water-bottle-shaped container that slides into your bike's bottle-cage. Link (via Make Blog)

Time to get a bike - Possible TTC Strike again

It's possible Toronto could face repeated wildcat strikes much like the ones that plauge London and Paris regularly. Yay, we are a world class city...

The Transit Rider: "Warning! Another Possible TTC Strike

News Media is reporting another possible TTC Wildcat Strike set for tomorrow morning. Make sure you have backup plans just in case.

http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Story/20060604-007/page.asp

Note: My sources are advising a strike is not in the works for tomorrow, however, I would suggest you have a backup plan, just in case."

Secret Wars Re-Enactment Society

They may not have the production quality of X-Men, but you'll have more laughs thanks to the super-sweet Secret Wars Re-Enactment Society. Get your geek on with this parody of Civil War reenactments and Live Action Role Playing come together as a bunch of comic book guys recreate the Marvel comic book mini-series Brought to you by geek-week.net a video podcast site where they cover the week in geek. Thanks to Frank @ chromewaves for the link.

I pity the fool who messes with GTA Cabs

TTC operators are complaining about safety conditions, but thankfully they aren't being outright robbed like cab drivers. These drivers took a page out of the ridiculous 80s comedy D.C. Cab and dealt with a robber:

Torontoist: Don't Mess With Cabbies

CP24 reports that a group of cabbies got into a brawl with a suspicious fare in downtown Toronto. One cabby, who was under attack radioed for help and fellow cabbies responded. They nabbed the culprit and two cabbies were sent to hospital with injuries.

That cast list for D.C Cab is just bizarre: the main character is played by Adam Baldwin (Jane from Firefly), and the cabbies include Mr. T, Gary Busey, Marsha Warfield, Bill Maher and its directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman and Robin). A bunch of goof-balls and dreamers drive cabs and hope for the good life. It's like the Police Academy of ensemble-comedy cab driver movies, where catchphrases replace character development. Catch it if you're looking from some dumb cheese to waste away a rainy day or a hangover.

Even weirder fact: Due to the tremendous popularity of Mr. T among Filipinos, D.C. Cab was re-released in the Philippines in late 1988 under the title Mr. T and Company. Is Mr. T to the Philippines as David Hasselfoff is to Germany?

Are Spelling Bees The New Poker?

the2scoops takes a look at the pop culture popularity of spelling bees:

• the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee are, for the first time, airing on a major network in prime time (ABC Thursday 8pm - 10pm)
  
• Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes is blogging the Spelling Bee, sharing her spelling bee obsession at the great A List of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago blog. Scroll down and look for all items with "Posted by Shonda."
  
• adults-only spelling bees are organized regularly in bars and pubs, such as the Williamsburg Spelling hosted by comedian and writer Jennifer Dziura at Pete's Candy Store in New York. I haven't seen them hit Toronto yet, but it's inevitable it'll pop up at The Gladstone or the Cameron House.
  
  

• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a hit Broadway musical, having won two 2005 Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Featured Actor.
• Recent spelling bee movies include the 2002 Academy Award-nominated documentary, Spellbound and the Starbucks-endoresed Akeelah and the Bee

I expect it won't be long before Celebrity Spelling Challenge and American Spelling Idol. And the inevetiable Fear Factor Spelling Bee, where you have to spell words while being trapped in a car compactor.

Could someone pay How It Should Have Ended to re-do X-Men 3?

When you put your faith in the Wachowski brothers and paid to see the Matrix sequels, didn't you get to the end and shout "I could've done a better job. I waited how long for that?! Come on!!"

Thankfully we live in a world with How it Should Have Ended because "sometimes movies don't finish the way we'd like". The fine and talented folks there create 2 minute animated shorts that show how it should have ended, as well as favourites like Braveheart, Seven, and Lord of the Rings (would have been a much shorter movie) and their special How To Survive An Alien Attack short. Take a look and have a laugh at what happens when you introduce logic into Star Wars Episode 4 and Underworld.

The Official How It Should Have Ended Website - shorts available for download in WMV format. Update: Looks like the site switched to DivX.

How It Should Have Ended's suggestions for the Matrix series:

• Don't resurrect someone just to give them a lame death in the next movie (Trinity)
• Persephone and The Merovingian needed more character devlopment on screen (sure they looked cool, but what made them such badasses?)
• Morpheus should have been the one to die for Neo but that would take out the five minute death scene for Trinity
• Zion definitely should have thought about better defenses way before the attack

Any movie endings you just couldn't buy?

The Post About Music Blogs

I tend to have all-encompassing tastes when it comes to music, my focus jumping from band to band, genre to genre. I constantly reload my iPod and mess around with playlists until the wee hours. One of the best sources to sample the world of music out there are Music Blogs. The following blogs have a variety of opinions, reviews and links to mp3s in order to spread the word on great music. Most of the mp3 links are only active for a week or two, so check the sites regularly to keep up to date. Music is posted for evaluation purposes only and many sites have links that allow you to help you support the artists, living by the credo If You Like It, Buy It and Support The Artist.

A lot of the bands featured haven't broken out yet - these folks were raving about Arcade Fire, Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie and Bloc Party before they became The Next Big Thing Featured On The O.C. - and cruising the sites helps you keep ahead of the curve when it comes to new and independent musicians.

We can make them our little secret. Well, you, me and the internet...

Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good

.: chromewaves.net v6.0 registration required to access the weekly featured song. Toronto based and frequently nominated for Bloggies (my word for blog awards)

WFMU's Beware of the Blog - blog of the freeform radio station of the nation

gentle indifference: A compact disc-length compilation of relevant music from each calendar year dating back to 1960. Updated every Monday. Currently leaving 1970 for the 60s, the playlists and entries on the more current years are great.

Muzak For Cybernetics: An Indie Rock Blog Featuring MP3s, Videos And News

Said the Gramophone - an mp3 blog: "this is a daily sampler of really good songs. all tracks are posted out of love. please go out and buy the records! "

a soundtrack for everyone

Take Your Medicine - UK mp3 blog & podcast: "A UK based mp3 blog showcasing the best in indie, folk, lo-fi, hi-fi, eclectic and electric music from home and abroad... "

AngryRobot - programmed to destroy. powered by music.

The Rich Girls are Weeping: "an affiliate of depravedfangirls.org. "

thetestpilot

Also recommended:

Rock // Paper // Pixels - a photoblog of great bands that have played Toronto