grim tributes

The UVic Plague

2006-10-30T23:46:00.000-08:00

Long time, no post, etc etc etc

So anyway...

Today I'm on campus. Walking along, merrily minding my own business. Ipod blasting some crazy Bollywood tune in my ears. When suddenly a girl walks towards me, with an angry look on her face. Now, this is the type of girl that you can tell is always indignantly angry. Her hair was in some of the worst dreadlocks I've ever had the mispleasure of seeing. Her sweater looked like it was crocheted by a colony of blind lepers. She smelled like she hadn't bathed in weeks. But despite all this, she felt it was her duty to point out an apparent fashion faux pas I had made.

You see, on my coat, was pinned a poppy.

It went down like this:

Dirty Ugly Hippy Pisher Girl: "How can you be wearing a symbol of imperialism and mass murder? Do you not have any shame?"

I paused; truly gob-smacked by what had just been said to me. Was I actually being berated for wearing a poppy? I snap out of my temporary shock.

Me: "Why don't you go learn a bit of history, and get your head out of your ass."

Moronic Self-Righteous Twat: "It's people like you that cause the..."

Me (interrupting): "I don't have time for this. Just fuck off and die."

I walk away.

AAAAND SCENE!

I don't feel bad for being so profane. Not in the least bit. People like this are a disease on campus. There's no arguing with them, because they are unreasonable, illogical, and pig-headed. One can only hope that one day they'll grow up, and get a clue.

The Best Band Creating Music Today

2006-08-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

I know some will say "welcome to two years ago, buddy" but i'm a slow blogger...so this post is dedicated to the best band ever to come out of Canada, and one of the best bands ever formed: The Arcade Fire... I was introduced to this band a couple of years ago when one of their songs was featured on the superb HBO show "Six Feet Under", and was immediately that these guys were summat unique, and thats what i look for in music: originality; especially these days when everything in rock music sounds identical... The Arcade Fire should be commened if only for its liberal use of accordians and xylophones... to get a taste of what these fuckers are about, check this out... if they're good enough for David Bowie, they're definately good enough for you

Steve Jobs is Watching You

2006-08-09T21:43:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of months, I've been playing around with my iPod Nano... it's a pretty fun gadget, but to be honest, it's starting to freak me out... for example, i'm sitting there, chillin out, with it set on shuffle... i'm enjoying to the random selection of songs, when i think to myself, "I wouldnt mind hearing some Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but i'm too lazy to go off shuffle mode".... i continue on my merry way, when about three songs later, "Gold Lion" by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs comes on... this sorta thing has happened almost everytime I listen to my iPod on shuffle mode... now, you could say that its all just coincidence... but i prefer to think that iPods are designed to read the brain waves of the people listening to them, and this information is transmitted back to Apple HQ... thus, the powers that be have access to instant market research data... its yet another example of Corporate America controlling you... but alas, i'm still gonna listen to my iPod

the return

2006-08-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

is there anything finer than sitting on your balcony on a warm summers evening, with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of Merlot in the other, listening to the Arcade Fire, regarding the splendour that is the world?

'tis the joys of a stat holiday in august

i return to this blog as a means to kill time, express myself, and so on and so forth

i returned from europe was two months ago, though it hardly seems that long ago... i had the time for my life... the absolute highlight of my 23 years on this fine planet... i saw fantastic things, had fantabulous experiences, and met magnificent people... i could go on and describe my trip, blow by blow... but honestly, who really likes hearing about other peoples' vacations? it just creates envy and bad karma.... actually i'm just lazy and dont wanna write that much... i'll just conclude with the declaration that Scotland is easily the best country in Europe

as for the rest of my summer, i have been (and still am) working for Triple T Party rentals, as a delivery driver... hardly difficult work, and can even be fun at times... lots of hours worked means lots of money for upcoming trips to Calgary in November, and a Cross-Canada road trip in the spring... oh yeah, and for tuition

other than that, very little goes on in my sorry life...this past weekend i treked out to Kelowna for my cousin's wedding... a good time was had by all.. was good to with a side of my family that i regrettably rarely get to see... congrats to Brett and Erin Dravinskis!

i now grow weary of typing...

Song of the Day: "Haiti" by Arcade Fire

Book of the Moment: "The Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie

T - Minus 14 days

2006-04-17T23:12:00.000-07:00

I have an exam tomorrow at 9am... I should be asleep or studying, or both... but I'm not... I think I'm set, and I've pretty much lost a lot of motivation to study... I have to move my shit back to Nanaimo for the summer... but mostly, i'm still getting organised for Europe... most of the big stuff is all set, it's just the small shit I have to get together...

I'm off on the 30th of April, and I'm not back 'til the 12th of June... I'll be in England when the World Cup starts, and more specifically when England plays its first match against Paraguay... I boldly predict an England win... I have faith... I even have faith in Beckham (possibly misplaced)... in anycase, I'll be cheering for these countries:

1) ENGLAND
2) Germany
3) France
4) Spain
5) Italy

kazizza ma disnoofas!

One Down...

2006-04-12T00:44:00.000-07:00

I had my first final today (actually I guess it was yesterday... it's after midnight)... it was for english, and I feel confident in saying that I rocked it... it was only a first year course, but I really enjoyed the lectures and the material... two works in particular I enjoyed, and somewhat surprisingly related to.

The first was "The Edible Woman" by Margaret Atwood. On the surface, you could call this novel a feminist commentary on the roles of women in the late 1960s. So how can I relate to such a novel? Well, first of all, the symbols and imagery in the novel is so layered that one could read it several times and find new things. But what was so relatable about the book was the sick way that men and women prey on each other. They're all hunting and destroying each other in this endless and boring cycle. Atwood seems to crying out for a better way for people to relate to one another.

The second piece was a play called "Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)" by Anne-Marie Macdonald. This play saw a mousy and downtrodden english professor delve into her subconsious, which manifests itself as the Shakesperian dramas "Othello" and "Romeo and Juliet". The play introduced me to Jungian psychology, and the idea of a person going through a process of individuation (a process which I believe I'm going through at this stage in my life). it also deals with the idea of the harmful effects of living your life by swinging between polar extremes, as opposed to finding the great Greek "Golden Mean".

Yes, I'll miss thar first year English class that I just took because I needed another English credit. It was good fun, I say.

I am Elderly

2006-04-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I enjoyed the company of my good friend Nichola.

Nichola and I go way back. We went to elementary in school together. We both went to China together in grade 7. We started out that trip on good terms. We hung out, we were friends. About halfway through, however, something changed. In the superbe Huaxi village, I abruptly went up to her, called her a bitch, and walked away. We didn't speak to each other again until grade 11 when we became good friends again. Why did I call her a bitch? I honetly can't recall.

In any case, the point of this post was to point out that my trip to China was TEN YEARS AGO.

This makes me feel old, yet not depressed. A lot has happened in that ten years, and I can only imagine what will happen in the next ten years.

Geeesh

2006-04-06T20:33:00.000-07:00

Now that classes are finally done, I now feel that I can justify spending time on this site.

Hmmmmmm....... Where to start?

Well, I hate school, and I'm glad it's done.

Belinda's not gonna run, which is a good thing for her and the party.

I'm backing Gerard Kennedy for Liberal leader. He's the Ontario Minister of Education, a progressive (read: REAL Liberal), has Western roots, is unconnected with past Liberal administrations, and so on.

Europe's getting close. I decided that I need a To Do list so I can get my act together. If you're curious to see my itinerary, goto Mike's blog, which is linked on the side bar.

Thats all I can think of for now. I may go on a photo binge tomorrow, and if they're good enough, I'll post some.

Patty's

2006-03-17T16:22:00.000-08:00

Those that know me are aware that I am proud of my English heritage. The only problem is, although my father and grandfather were both born in England, the Mayor family is originally Irish (which explains why we're Catholic). As much as I enjoy bashing the Irish, a part of me likes the poor starving constantly multiplying Mic bastards.

Anyway, here's to the Irish! You drunks saved us all.

Arf Arf

2006-03-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

One thing I've noticed is that dogs have legs... Most have twice as many as humans do...

Now, if you're one of those people who carry a dog around you've got one question to answer:

Can the dog walk around on its own?

If yes, put it down and let it walk. Its good exercise for the dog, it will help with their nails, and it won't make me want to murder you.

If no, the dog should be killed, and consumed (not necessarily in that order).

Feel free to throw it into the polar bear tank at the zoo. There's a good chance you should die too. If you carry your dog around in a $500 bag and dress your dog in clothes, throw yourself into the tank with the dog.

Thanks in advance.

Yours in Christ,

Mayor

The Power of Christ Compels You

2006-03-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

I don't have classes on Fridays, so yesterday, instead of doing homework, I went out and had fun with my digital camera. Here's some of my favourite pics:

The graveyard pics were fun. Except when I was taking them, I was kinda absorbed in what I was doing, and after a while I realized I didn't know where I was or how I could get out of the graveyard. After some flailing around with visions of ghosts in my head, I finally found my way out. It was made all the worse by the fact that I thought I saw a tombstone with my name on it, but it just said "Christopher Meyer"... Ok I made that last part up, but it would been pretty freaky if it actually did happen, no?

Flim

2006-03-02T23:06:00.000-08:00

I'm bored, and in a listing mood. So I'll give you all my favorite movies of all time. Here they are, in no particular order.

Pulp Fiction: First saw it when I was 11, and it was the first real, cutting edge, avant-garde, movie of any substance I'd ever seen. Interconnecting plots, brilliant dialouge, and a KILLER soundtrack.

Kill Bill: A continuation of the Tarantino theme. Another awesome soundtrack and some of the most visually stunning violence ever filmed.

Mullholland Drive: I've seen it approximately 56 times, and I'm not completely sure if I completely understand what it was, what it was about, or what it meant. It draws you in and doesn't let go. Completely engrossing and amazing performances by Laura Elena Herring and particularly Naomi Watts. David Lynch's best film.

Amelie: It took me a while to finally see this movie. It was described as "the feel-good movie of the year", which immediately made me wary of it. But once I did see it, I was completely delighted with it. It did the almost impossible: made me feel good about life.

Being John Malkovich: The most original movie I've ever seen. A man finds a portal into John Malkovich's brain. Who the fuck comes up with that??? The film made me fall in love with Catherine Keener.

Before Sunrise/Before Sunset: Two movies that see two people walking around European cities, talking about life, love, and all the rest.

The Shawshank Redemption: A prison tale of hope, redemption, and integrity. The best movie adaptation of a Stephen King piece.

A Christmas Story: Bar none, THE perfect movie. I cannot find a single thing wrong with it. Everything is just so right.

The Godfather Trilogy: The greatest family saga ever put to screen. The development of Michael Corrleone is fascinating to watch. Plays out almost like a Greek tragedy.

Goodfellas: The best mob movie ever made. No other movie has better shown what being in the Mafia was all about. Paved the way for The Sopranos, the greatest TV show ever made.

All About Eve: The dialouge in this movie amazes me. They don't write movies like this anymore, unfortunately.

Schindler's List: One of the few movies that has made me cry. For obvious reasons.

Dr Stangelove: Absolutely hilarious. The scene between the President and Russian Premier is pure gold.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail: The funniest movie ever made. End of discussion.

Princess Mononoke: The best animated movie ever made. Smart story and complex themes. Anime at its best.

Y Tu Mama Tambien: A Mexican road trip movie about life, sex, the future, and the two Mexicos. Absolutely brilliant.

Triumph of The Will: The subject matter both fascinates me and repulses me. But the filming style was revolutionary, and Leni Riefenstahl should be commended for that and that only.

The Manchurian Candidate: Probably still the best plitical thriller ever made. I'm still trying to decipher the Sinatra/Leigh train conversation.

JFK: Completely engrossing. A triumph in editing.

Sunset Boulevard: Made me appreciate surrealism and film noir.

Thats all I can think of now. But there's prolly more :)

A Woeful Example of This Generation's Comedic Preferences, or, Why Family Guy Sucks

2006-02-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching the new Family Guy, and I've come to realize something about the show. It is probably the most overrated show on television. The writing of the show is not good. It relies heavily on sight gags, random cut aways, and obscure references to pop culture. The average episode is probably 10% plot and story, and 90% irrelevant schtick. The show is not respected amongst the critics or the animation community. Matt Groening and the Simpsons/Futurama people have expressed distain for it, as have the King of the Hill people. Matt Stone and Trey Parker are openly hostile toward the show, calling it unoriginal, unfunny, uninspired, and a couple of other "un's".

Tonight's episode was a perfect example. The primary plot was Brian going to university. This in itself is not bad, but the secondary plot had Peter forming some Mod Squad or A-Team group with his buddies. This was a sub plot 100% based on unoriginal material. Between that and the obligatory cut aways to irrelevance, there was little, if any, substantive comedic plot development. If you have a pop culture encyclopedia, you could probably be a writer for Family Guy.

Having said all that, I will say that Family Guy is a funny show, but it's not a great show. The show will never reach the heights of comedic or cultural influence that "The Simpsons" has rightfully achieved. Like Family Guy, The Simpsons has references to pop culture, but blends them into the plot and adds a much greater satirical element. True, the show has slipped in the last few seasons, which may be the reason why Family Guy has enjoyed relative popularity. In the long run, however, The Simpsons remains the touchstone and pinnacle of a television show's impact on post modern culture, and Family Guy will forever be a second rate poser.

In conclusion: The Simpsons > Family Guy

Terrible

2006-02-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

I've been an awful blogger, and I have nothing to blame but laziness

The past while I've been watching Olympics, which saw Canada win a record 24 medals. We lost men's hockey, but in the long run that's probably a good thing. Maybe Canadians will quit being so arrogant about our abilities in the rink.

Reading break was unproductive, as usual. I bought my rail pass for my Euro Trip. Its getting close, and it's actually starting to seem real. :)

Oh, and I bought a digital camera. When I actually start learning how to take cool pictures, I'll post them. Until then, here's my puppy:

ain't he a cute ikkle mutt? <3

oh and by the by, for some cool art and blogging by a cool guy, check out my friend and travel partner Michael's site.

Song of the Moment: "Auf Achse" by Franz Ferdinand

Blazing Start

2006-02-10T17:18:00.000-08:00

This was probably the worst, most inept first week any Canadian Prime Minister has ever had... The chances of Stephen Harper ever pulling a Diefenbaker have diminished substantially (but I still say its a possibility).

To start with, there was the Emerson case. My initial outrage has diminished considerably. Emerson was never a politician, he was always a policy man who wanted to promote British Columbia's interests at the federal level. He did this extremely well in the Martin Cabinet, and I suspect he will do it well in the Harper Cabinet (if he holds on). This appointment, however, has been a complete communications nightmare. No one is running any kind of damage control on it. Emerson has gone into some kind of bubble. The Tory MPs are beginning to make noises. You definately know you've fucked up if you already have dissident MPs a mere five days into your administration. The hypocricy of Harper is now clear to all Canadians. They have proved themselves to have no more integrity than the Liberals. But at least the Liberals have come to terms with their sleaziness.

Next up we have our friend Michael Fortier. I am completely dumbfounded by this appointment. The Public Works Ministry is probably the most sensitive and controversial in Ottawa. We just got through a $100 million waste of time and money called the Gomery Commission that examined the workings of that department. Harper said that he would bring transperancy and accountability to government, with particular emphasis on PWGS. So what does he do? He appoints someone unelected to head up the Ministry. He appoints someone who is accountable to no one (save Harper). Harper then says that he will appoint Fortier to the Senate. Harper said this. The same Harper who campaigned on introducing Senate elections. But Fortier will be appointed. Harper has shown he's a liar, an opportunist, and above all, extremely stupid in terms of politics.

No wonder Canadians have no faith in politics.

In a non political note: Tonight sees the two hour season (and probably series) finale of what is easily the funniest show on television, Arrested Development. It is a damn shame that this show is about to go, but I can only hope that they'll go out on a bang.

:(

Political Whore of the Century

2006-02-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

I'm writing this in my morning geography class cuz the news just broke, and i'm that angry

Remember back in May when the Conservatives were SO outraged when Belinda Stronach crossed the floor to join the Liberal cabinet?? Remember when they called her a traitor?? Remember when they said she betrayed the constituents who elected her as a Conservative?? Remember when they called her a "dipstick" and a "whore" and a "prostitute"??

Well how times have changed, now that they have a plurality of seats on the Commons...

David Emerson has decided to cross the floor before the House even meets, and is now Harper's Minister of International Trade.... The same David Emerson who was Dithers' Industry Minister... The same David Emerson who was in Liberal election ads with Ujjal Dosanjh telling British Columbians what a great job the Liberals were doing for the province... The same David Emerson who was elected as a LIBERAL by the good people of Vancouver-Kingsway a mere two weeks ago

This absolutely sickens me

You may say that this is exactly what the Liberals did with Belinda, and to a certain extent you're right... However with Stronach she spent SOME time with the caucus she was elected to join, and crossed the floor (at least on the surface) to keep the Liberal budget that brought some benefits to her constituency,,, With Emerson, the only thing that is apparent is that he didn't want to sit as opposition MP because he felt that he was too important to do so... He decided to jump ship before a single piece of legislation was introduced...

If i was a Tory MP, I'd be absolutely outraged right now... A LOT of people who have been around since the Reform days didn't get Cabinet seats. They were told by Harper that he couldn't fit everyone in, which is fair enough... But I'm very sure these MPs didn't think they'd also be competing with turn coat Liberals for Cabinet positions....

Shame on David Emerson for his hubris... But double shame on Stephen Harper... He made lots of noise about how this "new" Conservative era would restore the publics faith in politicians, and then the first thing he does as Prime Minister is something like this.... It makes me fucking sick

PS: I wonder if people will call Emerson a "whore" and "prostitute"....I mean, thats what they called Belinda... And I can only see one difference between the two

Jack Bauer > Chuck Norris

2006-02-03T15:03:00.000-08:00

Chuck Norris is soooooooooo last month... here's why:

In response to the Chuck Norris thread

If Jack Bauer was in a room with Hitler, Stalin, and Nina Meyers, and he had a gun with 2 bullets, he'd shoot Nina twice.

If you wake up in the morning, it's because Jack Bauer spared your life.

Upon hearing that he was played by Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Bauer killed Sutherland. Jack Bauer gets played by no man.

Jack Bauers calender goes from March 31st to April 2nd, no one fools Jack Bauer.

If it tastes like chicken, looks like chicken, and feels like chicken, but Jack Bauer says its beef. Then it's definitely fucking beef.

Superman wears Jack Bauer pajamas.

When Kim Bauer lost her virginity, Jack Bauer found it and put it back.

Jack Bauer once forgot where he put his keys. He then spent the next half-hour torturing himself until he gave up the location of the keys.

1.6 billion Chinese are angry with Jack Bauer. Sounds like a fair fight.

Lets get one thing straight, the only reason you are conscious right now is because Jack Bauer does not feel like carrying you.

When life gave Jack Bauer lemons, he used them to kill terrorists. Jack Bauer fucking hates lemonade.

Jack Bauer played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and won.

Jack Bauer was never addicted to heroin. Heroin was addicted to Jack Bauer.

Jack Bauer once won a game of Connect 4 in 3 moves.

Osama bin Laden's recent proposal for truce is a direct result of him finding out that Jack Bauer is, in fact, still alive.

Jack Bauer once double teamed a girl.. by himself.

Jack Bauer is the leading cause of death in Middle Eastern men.

Jack Bauer doesn't miss. If he didn't hit you it's because he was shooting at another terrorist twelve miles away.

When Jack Bauer was a child, he made his mother finish his vegetables.

If Rosa Parks was in Jack Bauer's seat, she'd move to the back of the bus.

Your attraction to Jack Bauer in no way affects your sexual orientation.

Jack Bauer won the Tour de France on a unicycle to prove to Lance Armstrong it wasn't a big deal. He thinks yellow wristbands are gay.

Jack Bauer killed 93 people in just 4 days time. Wait, that is a real fact.

Simon Says should be renamed to Jack Bauer Says because if Jack Bauer says something then you better fucking do it.

Killing Jack Bauer doesn't make him dead. It just makes him angry.

Jack Bauer's favorite color is severe terror alert red. His second favorite color is violet, but just because it sounds like violent.

When you open a can of whoop-ass, Jack Bauer jumps out.

When Google can't find something, it asks Jack Bauer for help.

You can lead a horse to water. Jack Bauer can make him drink.

When Jack Bauer pissses into the wind, the wind changes direction.

Jack Bauer can get McDonald's breakfast after 10:30.

When the boogie man goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Jack Bauer.

Every mathematical inequality officially ends with "< Jack Bauer".

Jesus died and rose from the dead in 3 days. It took Jack Bauer less than an hour. And he's done it twice.

In 96 hours, Jack Bauer has killed 93 people and saved the world 4 times. What the fuck have you done with your life?

Jack Bauer got Hellen Keller to talk.

If you spell Jack Bauer in a Scrabble game, you win. Forever.

In kindergarten, Jack Bauer killed a terrorist for Show and Tell.

Jack Bauer can order a Big Mac at Burger King.

Guns dont kill people, Jack Bauer kills people.

Jack Bauer laughs at the movie Mission Impossible. There is no such thing as an impossible mission for Jack.

Jack Bauer once killed so many terrorists that at one point, the #5 CIA Most Wanted fugitive was an 18-year-old teenager in Malaysia who downloaded the movie Dodgeball.

If Jack and MacGyver were locked in a room together, Jack would make a bomb out of MacGyver and get out.

What color is Jack Bauer's blood? Trick question. Jack Bauer does not bleed.

It would only take 1 bullet for Jack Bauer to kill 50 Cent.

People with amnesia still remember Jack Bauer.

Sun Tzu once wrote, "If your enemy is weaker, conquer him. If he is stronger, join him. If he is Jack Bauer, you're fucking dead."

Jack Bauer literally died for his country, and lived to tell about it.

Jack Bauer has been to Mars. Thats why theres no life on Mars.

Superman's only weakness is Kryptonite. Jack Bauer laughs at Superman for having a weakness.

Every time you maturbate Jack Bauer kills a terrorist. Not beacuase you masurbated, but because that is how often he kills terrorists.

When Batman is in trouble, he turns on the Jack Bauer signal.

No man has ever used the phrase, "Jack Bauer is a pussy" in a sentence and lived to tel.........

You walk into a bar and Jack Bauer's your wingman, you're probably gonna get laid.

It took Jack Bauer two minutes to beat a confession out of OJ.

Jack Bauer's family threw him a surprise birthday party when he was a child. Once.

After 7 minutes of interrogation at the hands of Jack Bauer, Tom Cruise admitted that he was gay.

If Jack Bauer was gay, his name would be Chuck Norris.

Only Jack Bauer knows whats going to happen at the end of Day 5. In order to keep it a secret, he killed Kiefer Sutherland

months that start with "Feb"

2006-02-01T17:17:00.000-08:00

february is the worst month... valentines day sucks... groundhog day isn't a real holiday

I'm boycotting this month

on the other hand i get a week off half way through, and the olympics are on too... i guess its an OK month

my main man Brian Tobin doesnae wanna be Liberal leader... i guess i'll have to root for Gerard Kennedy or Bob Rae (or Christie...or BELINDA)

Michael Moore makes me laugh.

and now for something completely different: An Ode To Martha

Martha Logan, First Lady of the 24verse

its a twister!

2006-01-31T15:31:00.000-08:00

the wind here is craaazy... the walls are shaking... it's pretty rad

oscar nominations are out today, and cuz i'm bored, i'm gonna go through them

Best Picture:
Brokeback Mountain
Crash
Goodnight, and Goodluck
Munich
Capote

Comments: I've only seen Crash (which was excellent). I'll be seeing the others as soon as possible.

Best Director:
Steven Spielberg, Munich
Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain
Paul Haggis, Crash
Bennett Miller, Capote
George Clooney, Goodnight and Goodluck

Comment: Ang Lee should win this. He should won twice before for both "The Ice Storm" and "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon".

Best Actor:
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
David Strathairn, Good Night, and Good Luck
Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain
Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line
Terrence Howard, Hustle and Flow

Comment: Hoffman MUST win. He's been one of the best actors in Hollywood for the last ten years, and it's an absolute travesty that he hasn't won already.

Best Actress:
Dame Judi Dench, Mrs Henderson Presents
Felicity Huffman, Transamerica
Charlize Theron, North Country
Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
Keira Knightley, Pride and Prejudice

Comment: Witherspoon is the front runner, and she'd deserve it. She was superbe as June Carter.

Best Supporting Actor:
George Clooney, Syriana
Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain
Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man
Matt Dillon, Crash
William Hurt, A History of Violence

Comment: This one seems to be wide open. I'd be happy eith a Clooney or Giamatti win, though I wouldn't be unhappy with any of the others winning.

Best Supporting Actress:
Rachel Weisz - The Constant Gardener
Michelle Williams - Brokeback Mountain
Frances McDormand - North Country
Amy Adams - Junebug
Catherine Keener - Capote

Comment: I demand Catherine Keener win. She was robbed back in 2000 when she didn't win for her brilliant portrayal of Maxine in Being John Malkovich. The other actresses in this category are all excellent and under normal circumstances deserve Oscars, but CATHERINE KEENER MUST WIN

i'm sorry, we have no bananas

2006-01-30T23:54:00.000-08:00

hmmmm... what to write about.... ummmmmmmm

my left eye hurts a little bit... 24 was really awesome tonight.... finished a research essay, and the work load is beginning to lighten... finished reading The Edible Woman for english, and i have a new found respect for Margaret Atwood....

other than that not much is new....

here's some of the names being floated around for new Liberal leader (i'll bold the one's i like/might support)

Michael Ignatieff
Belinda Stronach
Scott Brison
Martin Cauchon
Joe Volpe
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Ken Dryden
Gerard Kennedy
Bob Rae
Brian Tobin
Allan Rock
Stephane Dion
Ujjal Dosanjh
Glen Murray
Jane Stewart
Sheila Copps
George Smitherman
Anne McLellan
Christy Clark
Clyde Wells
Dennis Mills
Denis Coderre
Hedy Fry

here's hoping for a wide open field, and a lively leadership race (cuz we sure as fuck didn't get one last time)

Song of the Day: "Handbags and Gladrags" by Rod Stewart

thank God almighty

2006-01-23T23:02:00.000-08:00

Fascists: 124, Crooks: 103, Traitors: 51, Commies: 29, French Radio DJs: 1

First off, I'm pleased with the results. We get a change in government, but with a very strong opposition. No one can do anything extreme.

Some notes:

- THANK THE GOOD LORD.... Paul Martin has resigned as Liberal leader. I can finally go back to supporting the Liberal Party of Canada.

- I'm a little surprised the Liberals got up to triple digits, but it's still good for Canada.

- Good election for the NDP. They'll still be strong players in the new Parliament following good gains in Ontario and BC.

- I'm really surprised by how well the Tories did in Quebec, and that's really good for Canada. The Bloc seats and votes are down because of this. It was not a bad night for federalism.

- Happy to see that my girlfriend Belinda Stronach won her seat. <3

- Finally, after going through my predictions for every seat, it seems I called 89% of the ridings correctly. Where I go to school, 89% is an A. I coulda got an A+ had a bunch of Quebec ridings not suddenly gone Tory.

Song of the Day: "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls

Countdown to E-Day, part 2

2006-01-21T18:55:00.000-08:00

okay, that was good. But now back to business. Here's my predictions. Warning in advance: I'm probably wrong in quite a few spots here. The NDP vote has a tendency to shift to the Liberals at the last second, so the Dipper numbers may be a bit inflated.

Newfoundland:

Grits: 4
Tories: 3

Comments: Not a whole lot of change here. Tories will probably pick up John Efford's old seat.

PEI:

Grits: 4

Comments: Nothing new here. Islanders seem to like the Grits regardless of what they do.

Nova Scotia:

Grits: 6
Tories: 3
NDP: 2

Comments: Still little change here. I think Brison will hold on. Dartmouth may go NDP which would push them up to 3.

New Brunswick:

Grits: 3
Tories: 3
Dippers: 1

Comments: New Brunswick is always tough to call. Tory numbers could go up.

Quebec:

BQ: 57
Grits: 12
Tories: 5
Ind: 1

Comments: The Tories will get at the very least 3 seats, and could possibly get more than the 5 I've called for them. Expect most of the Quebec Tory MPs to get into Cabinet. The independent is a radio DJ running in Portneuf.

Ontario:

Grits: 50
Tories: 43
Dippers: 13

Comments: Tories could get more here, and all at the expense of the Liberals.

Manitoba:

Tories: 7
NDP: 4
Grits: 3

Comments: Same as before. Former GG Ed Schreyer will lose in Selkirk. Grits could drop a couple MPs in Winnipeg.

Saskatchewan:

Tories: 12
Dippers: 1
Grits: 1

Comments: Goodale will hold on. Dippers may or may not get back a seat or two in Regina.

Alberta:

Tories: 28

Comments: Is anyone really surprised by this? Say goodbye to 'Landslide' Annie.

BC:

Tories: 20
Dippers: 10
Grits: 6

Comments: Honestly, this province could go anywhere. Liberals could drop a couple, probably to the benefit of the NDP. Six is the ceiling for the Grits. Some ridings of interest: Victoria will go NDP, South Nanaimo-Cowichan will stay NDP, Nanaimo-Alberni could stay Tory but might switch to the NDP, and Svend Robinson will lose in Vancouver Centre.

Territories:

Grits: 2
Dippers: 1

Comments: Yukon and Nunavut to the Grits, NWT to the NDP.

Totals:

Tories: 125
Grits: 91
BQ: 57
Dippers: 32
Independent: 1

Thats a Tory Minority, folks. The Tory numbers could go up, most likely at the expense of the Liberals. I'll be surprised (and a little scared) if there's a Tory majority.

MAKE SURE YOU VOTE ON MONDAY

Countdown to E-Day

2006-01-21T16:40:00.000-08:00

This will probably be my last post before the election, and I will share with you something that I absolutely love doing: predicting seats!!! (no comments needed on my loserdom). I'll spare you my predictions for individual seats, and just give you a region by region breakdown.

Before I begin that, however; a few thoughts on this campaign. I was talking to my dear older brother, who now lives in London (England, not Ontario). He says to me "We leave for a few months and you people let the Tories in ???" or something to that effect. Well, at the beginning of this campaign, I was sure the Liberals would somehow hold on to power and the Tories would lose, since for most of Canadian history, the job of the Liberal Party was to win elections and the job of the Conservative Party was to lose elections. But then Paul Martin's Liberals (not the Liberal Party) ran the worst campaign I have ever seen. There was a lack of direction, lack of effective War Room, they lost the policy debate, they've aliented a good chunk of the party (the Warren Kinsella Liberals in exile, of which I'm a member), and a stupid advertising campaign. The income trust investigate was the nail in the coffin, but Gomery was the knife to the heart. If Martin hadn't called the Gomery Commission, they would NOT be in the situation they would be in now.

On the other hand, Stephen Harper has run an excellent campaign. He's stayed on message, focussed on the widespread desire for change, made himself more appealing and electable, and ran some excellent TV adverts. Despite what you might hear from the Liberal camp, he is NOT an extremist. If he moves into 24 Sussex, abortions will stay legal, gays will NOT be thrown into gulags in the Northwest Territories, Canada will NOT become the 51st state, Canadian troops will NOT be sent to Iraq, hospitals and schools will NOT suddenly implode. If anything, the upcoming Harper government will likely be moderate with a slightly right of centre tinge to it. Change is good for a democracy, and a Tory minority is probably just what Canada needs.

In the time I've been writing this, I've become hungry. I'll be back later with predections.

beep, bleep

2006-01-17T20:49:00.000-08:00

a few updates for the week:

24 started up again on Sunday and Monday with four episodes.... So far, so good... the stand out has been Jean Smart as First Lady Martha Logan... I never thought it would be possible to replace Sherry Palmer or Dina Araz, but the psycho First Lady is quickly becoming my favorite female character on 24 (she's even starting to surpass Chloe)

The election is wrapping up, and Dithers is going dowwwwwn.... Finally we can get rid of this bozo and get a real Liberal as head of the party... apparently the so-called Martinites are already jumping ship and rallying behind Frank McKenna... and the election isn't even over yet... poor Dithers... but he deserves nothing less.... btw, i'll update again on the weekend with my seat predictions

i've just been looking over my assignment schedule for school, and was surprised to discover that the next four weeks seem to be my most busy of the year... usually i have an easy first couple of month and then get insanely busy in March... not this year it seems... which is a good thing, because it'll give me time to prepare for Europe in May...and so on

Song of the Day: "Luleelurah" by Fall Out Boy....... *snicker*

Doom and Gloom

2006-01-11T16:05:00.000-08:00

Now that Team Martin (read: not Liberals) have been trounced in the arena of policy in this campaign, and they've fallen NINE POINTS behind the Tories in the latest polls, the attack ads have been rolled out.

One these attack ads revolves around the idea that Stephen Harper (gasp!) doesn't hate Americans!

Now this taps into something that really bugs me about Canadians. It is so trendy for people to sit there and bash Americans without any type of reflection on their own relationship with our neighbours to the south. Canadians conveniently forget that 87% of our trade is conducted with the US. They'd prefer to sit on their asses, and complain about how the US is destroying the world and how Americans are so stupid and ignorant. They, of course, attack the US and American culture while they enjoy movies, television, and music imported from the US, or drive Ford SUVs, or go on vacations to Disneyland, or even work in the US because they'll make more money than if they worked in Canada. But of course, we can't talk about the good things the United States does for us. Then we'll be branded a "Yank" or "Bush lover".

My advice to Canadians: Get over yourselves. Get over your self righteousness. You are in no way better than an American. You are not inherently smarter than an American because you happen to live in Canada. Canadians have more in common with Americans than they have differences. You are in love with their culture, and in love with consuming their imported goods. Just please GET THE FUCK OVER YOURSELVES.

Tops of '05

2006-01-04T19:15:00.000-08:00

After a holiday hiatus, I now return with the top ten lists of 2005:

Best Movies (that i saw) in 2005:

1) Sin City
2) Syriana
3) Downfall (Der Untergang)
4) Walk the Line
5) Crash
6) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
7) Cinderella Man
8) Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
9) King Kong
10) A Very Long Engagment

Best Music (that i listened to) in 2005:

1) Franz Ferdinand: You Could Have it So Much Better
2) Arcade Fire: Funeral
3) Nine Inch Nails: With Teeth
4) Hot Hot Heat: Elevator
5) Audioslave: Out of Exile
6) Madonna: Confessions on a Dancefloor
7) System of a Down: Mezmerize
8) Walk the Line: Original Soundtrack
9) Gorillaz: Demon Dayz
10) Interpol: Antics

Best TV (that i watched) in 2005:

1) Arrested Development
2) The Office (UK Version)
3) Amazing Race
4) 24
5) Six Feet Under
6) Family Guy
7) Coronation Street
8) The Daily Show
9) The Simpsons
10) Curb Your Enthusiasm

Best Books (that i read) in 2005:

1) Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
2) Life of Pi by Yann Martel
3) Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
4) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon
5) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

thats all for now

King Kong Il Yo

2005-12-23T00:54:00.000-08:00

Here's my quick review of King Kong; I'm too tired to give a really indepth review.

King Kong has been hyped up to be the biggest movie of the year. Having now seen it, I don't think it quite lives up to the hype. The movie is inconsistent, and has some very good moments and pretty bad moments. I'll start with the strong points. As this is a Peter Jackson flick, the special effects are first rate. The digitally produced Kong was convincing enough to make me forget that the character was CGI. The effect is very Gollem-esque. Naomi Watts also gives a great performance as the object of Kong's affection. Many of the scenes between them, particularly at the end, were quite moving. And finally the action sequences in general are pretty enjoyable to watch.

The weak areas are mostly in casting. Jack Black was a total miscast as the shifty film director/promoter. Adrian Brody as Naomi Watts' human love interest was not particularly compelling. The main weakness of the movie however was the uninteresting, unrelated, and mockable subplot involving Jamie Bell as a crew member and his friendship with the ship's first mate. This story had nothing to do with the main plot and just made a long movie longer.

Overall, however, the good outweighs the bad. The film is fairly entertaining, and worth a trip to the cinema.

***

Bjorked

2005-12-21T00:52:00.000-08:00

I present you with my review of the film "Dancer in the Dark"

The film "Dancer in the Dark" was the Palme d'Or winner of the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. When this was announced at the closing ceremonies of Cannes, half the auditorium burst into raptuous applause, and the other half burst into vitrolent boo's. Such a situation sums up well how people will react to this film.

The film was directed by avant garde Dane Lars Von Trier, and stars Bjork as a Czech immigrant woman living in rural America. She is going blind from a hereditary disease, and she is working desperately to save up enough money to get an operation for son, hoping that he may avoid the same fate as her. From here, things go horribly horribly wrong. I prefer not to reveal any further what happens, but I can assure you it is over the top melodrama. Mixed in with all the horrible things that happen, Bjork's character escapes into a fantasy world of old Hollywood musicals, with elaborate song and dance numbers creating an astonishing juxtiposition.

At the centre of the movie is Bjork's performance. Because she presents her Selma character so innocent and childlike, the events that unfold before her seem all the more heartwretching. Bjork presents first rate expressions of raw emotion, and the final scenes of the movie are particularly difficult to watch. Acting this part was apparently so emotionally draining, Bjork had to undergo counselling, and subsequently stated that she would never act again. She won the Best Actress award at Cannes, and she deserved it. It is a travesty that she wasn't even nominated for an Oscar.

"Dancer in the Dark" haunts you. No matter what, after viewing this film, you'll have an opinion. You may be overwhelmed by the excess of melodrama. You may be bemused by the random musical numbers. You may be completely repulsed by what you're seeing. No matter what, however, you'll have an opinion, and you'll remember what you've just seen.

****

BUMP

2005-12-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

So I'm on my way down to Victoria for an exam yesterday. and I get into my first car accident ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Buddy following me couldn't stop in time when I had to hit the brakes when the guy in front of me decided to hit his. (what horrible syntax)

Anyway, I have whiplash, am suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, but otherwise I'm fine :)

In other news, Christmas break has begun, my headache is gone, the Leader's Debate format is completely useless, Paul Martin is still a fucktard, and Johnny Cash still kicks ass.

Song of the Day: "Rebellion (Lies)" by Arcade Fire

Movie Season

2005-12-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about the holiday season is the movies that come out. All the studios scramble to get their best pieces out before the New Year, so that they can be considered for the coming Oscars. Here's a list of the ones on my "to see" list:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: I read the book when I was wee, and a good Christian allegory (like LOTR) every now and then can be pretty fun.

Syriana: A political thriller about greed and oil in the Middle East, starring George Clooney.

Brokeback Mountain: I've heard nothing but good things about this film about gay cowboys. It won the Venice Film Festival, the New York and Los Angeles Film Critics Associations both named it the best film of 2005, and named Heath Ledger the best actor.

King Kong: The story is now so well known that it's cliche. Yet Peter Jackson has apparently created a movie with top quality special effects and character development. Plus Naomi Watts is in it, and I will see any movie with her in it.

Munich: Steven Spielberg directs a story of revenge in the shadow of the massacre of 19 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Memoirs of a Geisha: Based on the bestselling novel, the movie is said to have stunning visuals, but a story that falls short.

The Producers: Based on the Broadway musical based on the Mel Brooks film, the rendition of the production of "Springtime for Hitler" should get rid of the bad taste "Rent" left in my mouth.

Capote: Should be seen for the sole reason of Phillip Seymour Hoffman's hopefully Oscar winning performance as Truman Capote.

Thats all for now. I'll give ongoing reviews of these movies as I see them.

Back in Nam

2005-12-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

I have returned to Nanaimo. I only have one exam left, and it's on Thursday. I therefore have decided to reward myself with an early start to the Christmas break.

On Friday I saw "Walk the Line". In the tradition of "Coal Miner's Daughter", "Whats Love Got to do With It" and "Ray", "Walk the Line" is a bio-pic of a music icon, in this case about Johnny Cash. The film focuses on Cash's rise to fame and relationship with June Carter (played by Reese Witherspoon). The film has a lot of heart, and is filled with the fantastic music of Cash and Carter. Both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon deserve Oscar nominations for their performances. Phoenix's performance is of course going to be compared with Jamie Foxx's depiction of Ray Charles, but Phoenix outdoes Foxx. Foxx merely imitated mannerisms of Ray Charles, and lip-synched. Phoenix not only transformed himself into Johnny Cash, but did his own singing, which was remarkably similar to that of Cash's. That plus, in general, Johnny Cash kicks Ray Charles' blind piano playin' ass.

Song of the Day: "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash

Death List

2005-12-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

Dear People,

If you don't watch Arrested Development, I want you dead
If you wear American Eagle rugby shirts with the collar popped up, I want you dead
If you have those dumb isicle Christmas lights, I want you dead
If you listen to modern country music, I want you dead
If you watch The OC, I want you dead
If you care about the private lives of celebrities, I want you dead
If you wear one of those Live Strong rubber bands of any colour, I want you dead X 1,000,000
If you wear a trucker hat, I want you dead
If you wear a cowboy hat, I want you dead
If you didn't like Mulholland Drive, I want you dead
If you are a racist or a homophobe, I pity you, and I want you dead
If you don't find racist or dead baby jokes funny, I want you dead
If you don't understand surrealism, I want you dead
If you don't like '80s music, I want you dead
If you don't believe in a higher power or a mystical force in the universe, you're as good as dead
If you have a blog, I want you dead
If you were offended by anything on this list, I want you dead

Yours in Christ,

Mayor.

Soo desu ka

2005-12-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

I have just finished my Japanese oral exam, thus completing the course that has given me more work than I cared to do for an elective language course. I just better remember what I learned when I move to Japan after I graduate. *shakes fist*

Stephen Harper seems to be reaching out to the youth of Canada to soften his image:

awwwww...isn't that adorwabble??

Meanwhile Jean LaPierre (Transport Minister and Martin's Quebec lieutenant) has compared the Bloc Quebecois to the Nazi Party.... Please keep in mind that LaPierre was a co-founder of the Bloc back in 1991.... And people wonder why the Liberals are in such rough shape in Quebec....Paul Martin is completely inept... THIS MAN IS DESTROYING THE PARTY OF LAURIER, MACKENZIE KING, PEARSON, TRUDEAU, AND CHRETIEN.... HE'S DESTROYING THE PARTY OF CANADA

final rant of the day, this time regarding the "trendy" posers who thrive on university campuses... I dont have the energy to make the rant myself, so I'll let Stewie do it for me. "Props" to Jippers for the link.

Song of the Day: "Common People" by Pulp

Fire in my Goblet

2005-12-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

As promised, I went to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and I was only slightly drunk

anywho, here's my review:

When "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" first came out last month, I was in no hurry to see it. I had read the sixth novel in the Potter series over the summer, but since then I didn't have a strong urge to revisit the series in movie form. Perhaps it was because "The Prisoner of Azkhaban", my favourite book in the series, was a bit of a let down on screen. In any case, I finally got around to seeing "The Goblet of Fire", and I was quickly reminded of why I originally fell in love with this franchise.

"The Goblet of Fire" gave me a new appreciation for the books and the previous movies. It was a triumph of visual style and special effects for sure. It was dark, and has a definate underlying mood of impending doom (a particular favourite theme of mine). It should also be lauded for its portrayal of the angst of teenage schooldays. The characters all have more depth than they did in the previous movies, and the final scenes of the movie offer some of the most genuine emotion of the series, as characters actually start dying.

The cast is, as usual, one of the movie's strengths. The actors playing Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all coming into their own as actors, (although they all look much older than their characters are supposed to be). Michael Gambon as Dumbledore has now taken firm control of the role originated by the late Richard Harris. Maggie Smith is once again strong as McGonogall, as is Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, and Alan Rickman is once again flawless as Snape. Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort was an excellent addition, even if he looked like an aborted fetus. My favourite performance, however, must be reserved for Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter. ANY movie with Miranda Richardson is worth seeing.

The Harry Potter series has successfully managed to mix elements from Star Wars, Tom Brown's School Days, and folklore and myths of Antiquity and the Middle Ages. "The Goblet of Fire" is the best of the Harry Potter movies, and has successfully done something that any good movie based on a novel does: makes you want to read the novel, even if you've already read it. Needless to say, I will be rereading the Potter series over the Christmas break.

****

done and done

2005-12-02T15:18:00.000-08:00

Classes have ended. Bring on the exams!

The first week of campaigning is over, and I have to say that Harper won the week. Pledging to cut the GST may not be the best policy move, and there are probably more effective ways to get more disposable income into a taxpayer's hand . The move is, however, is the best poltical move Harper's made since he hijacked the PC Party. It takes the focus from social issues (bad for the Tories) to taxation policy (good for the Tories). In addition, it puts the Liberals on the defensive. Not only is it politically unpopular for the Liberals to argue in favour of a hated tax, the Tories have now have folks remembering a certain 1993 Red Book Promise (SCRAP, KILL, REPLACE).

In other news, SES Research has now started their daily polls, often called crack for political junkies

The latest is Liberals 37%, Tories 29%, NDP 15%, Bloc 14%, Green 5%.

Song of the Day: "Back on the Chain Gang" by The Pretenders

SnoW

2005-12-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

after snowing everywhere else in BC, it finally snowed in Victoria today....... A WHOLE TWO CENTIMETRES !!!!!!!!

needless to say, its complete chaos down here...cars are in the ditch, schools are in flames, dead bodies are all over the place....society has pretty much disintigrated and anarchy reigns supreme

now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go loot some Heineken

Song of the Day: "Hands in My Pocket" by that Credit Card Commercial

coo coo cachoo

2005-11-30T21:47:00.000-08:00

In real life, I dislike singing my own praises.

Out here on the interweb, however, I enjoy it immensly.

British History article summary paper: A
Japanese Assignment: A+
Japanese Quiz: A
Canadian History Election Assignment: A-

In other news,

The Canucks beat the Avs 5-2, the Bruins traded Joe Thorton to San Jose, Stephen Harper can't keep his yap shut about gay marriage, Paul Martin is the most useless leader the Liberal Party has ever had (that includes John Turner), my head doesn't hurt as much anymore, and Christmas break can't come soon enough

The End is Nigh

2005-11-30T13:58:00.000-08:00

I've just finished my final research paper but two short minutes ago.

Now I just have my Japanese written exam on Friday, and then this week sent to me by Lucifer will be complete.

I will celebrate my completion of said hell week by attending a screening of the new Harry Potter movie whilst drunk and/or high.

Goodbye November, I will not miss you

Song of the Day: "All is Full of Love" by Bjork

ImportanT

2005-11-29T21:43:00.000-08:00

And now, here's a reminder about leaving your radio on during the night.

Leave your radio on during the night.

Downfall

2005-11-26T23:50:00.000-08:00

I'm gonna post now, cuz I'll be too busy tomorrow and Monday (see previous post).

It looks like a government's gonna fall for the first time since 1979. The non-confidence motion will be voted on at 3:30pm Monday, and will prolly be broadcasted on Newsworld and Newsnet, and RDI, and so on. You should check it out. It'll be history in the making.

This means an election on either January 16 or 23. Probably the 23rd. This campaign's gonna be a rough one, and once again BC is a key battleground, and will probably determine the outcome of the election.

My reckless and irresponsible pre-campaign prediction: Liberals 125, Tories 90, Bloc 67, NDP 31

ps: Michael Ignatieff is running in Toronto this time. For those who don't know who he is, he's a world renowned scholar, a social progressive, staunch federalist and opponent of nationalism, and (if you didnt already recognize it) the "next Trudeau". In other words, he's a real Liberal, unlike some people in the Liberal Party......*cough* Dithers *cough*

hell week

2005-11-24T20:39:00.000-08:00

This weekend I have to start (and hopefully finish) my final research paper of the term. Monday I have a Japanese quiz. Tuesday I have an article assignment due. Wednesday I have an aural exam for Japanese. Friday I have the final written exam for Japanese, and the research essay is due.

Christmas can't come soon enough.

Song of the Day: "Golden Years" by David Bowie

Quote of the Year

2005-11-22T18:01:00.000-08:00

Here's your poltical quote of the year. Thanks to Calgary Grit bringing it to my attention. Courtesy of Winnipeg NDP MP Pat Martin:

""(This recent spending) is like a Roman orgy. With the tightened election timetable, it's a Roman orgy with a premature ejaculation."

Canadian parliamentary oration at its best.

Song of the Day: "Skid Row" by the Original Cast of Little Shop of Horrors

Family Guy

2005-11-21T20:38:00.000-08:00

Now. I've been of the opinion that the new season of Family Guy has been, shall we say, sub-par. Perhaps I was expecting too much. But I've found the new season's episodes to be funny, but not THAT funny. They seemed to be relying to much on references to vaudeville and obsure 1980s pop-culture. It just hasn't been as good

That is, until last night. Last night's episode was not only the best of the season, but I think it was the best Family Guy episode ever. Stewie in DisneyWorld, Michael Eisner ("protect your heart!"), Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, Michael Jackson/Captain Eeo, PBJ Banana thing, Herbert the Pervert's song (a song that made me download the Little Shop of Horrors album...great musical), and of course the obligatory Transformer reference. Great show. Well done Seth.

results

2005-11-19T23:27:00.000-08:00

here's the results, with commentary, of some of the more interesting races around the province:

Vancouver:
- Sam Sullivan beats Jim Green for Mayor. Not too surprising considering the campaign fumbles of Green. Sullivan's a good guy though who I'm sure will work hard for the city.
- The council seems to be Five NPA councillors, Four Vision Vancouver councillors, and One COPE councillor. Looks like WalMart will end up being built on South Marine Drive. Really poor result for COPE. Almost as poor as the dark days when Jenny Kwan was the only COPE member in an overwhelmingly NPA council.

Victoria:
- Alan Lowe beats Ben Isitt for Mayor. Hardly surprising, though Lowe's percentage of the vote was down.

Surrey:
- Diane Watts beats Doug McCallum. Best result of the evening. McCallum's been in there for nine years, and after a sexual harassment scandal, Diane Watts, a former councillor from his Surrey Electors Team, has finally beat him in a particularly nasty campaign.

Nanaimo:
- Gary Korpan wins again. You guys are never gonna get rid of that walrus.
- The council seems to be the usual mix of the old (Larry McNabb, Lloyd Sherry), the pinkos (Bill Holdom, Diane Brennen), and the captialist pigs (Jeet Manhas, Joy Cameron). It seems that all the winners were pro-NNC.
- School Board saw pretty much everyone who ran, winning (Save two, and unfortunately one of those two was Don Mullis). Not surprising no one seemed to wanna run for the blackhole that is SD68 school board. Good to see that Tony Hennig will be back napping at the board meetings.

Toad versus Stephen Hawking

2005-11-19T16:48:00.000-08:00

The municipal elections are today, and we should be getting results around 9 o'clock tonight. I'll be watching the Vancouver races very closely. Vision Vancouver candidate Jim Green is taking on the Non Partisan Association's Sam Sullivan. By all accounts, it's a pretty close race. I'm personally cheering for Green, since he's going to carry on what Larry Campbell started. But I wouldn't be adverse to Sullivan winning. You gotta love a city where the conservative candidate is in favour of safe injection sites and used to drive addicts around in his van to get crack.

Song of the Day: "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys

minor leagues

2005-11-18T17:42:00.000-08:00

I've been out of Nanaimo for the last three months (save a couple of long weekends here and there) and I've fallen out of the loop on the local politics of "Surrey by the Sea". But lately all sorts of news has leaked my way regarding the increasingly acrimonious state of affairs up there.

I'll start with the school board elections, since I have close ties and an interest with the system. Incumbent trustee Nelson Allen seems to have a few somewhat dubious campaign practices. First of all, he's running an apparent joint campaign with his wife Donna. Indeed, their campaign signs read "Vote for Allen", with no reference to which Allen is supposedly commissioning the sign. While this may not be illegal (I'm no expert in electoral law), it certainly seems to be of questionable ethics. Not that Mr Allen had every been one for ethics. Consider what he recently said in an email to NDTA members regarding opponent Ron Dale. Mr Allen accused Mr Dale of wanting to beat the teachers with a baseball, or something to that effect. In reality, Mr Dale, then a principal, said in the email that it was time for administrators to "step up to the plate". In addition, the comment was in regards to the ineptitude of the former superintendent of SD68, Carola Lane (watch yourself Mayor, you might end up getting sued). Either the baseball analogy seems to be lost on Mr Allen, or he's just a plain old sleaze-bag (me thinks the latter).

Moving onto the mayoralty and council elections, things seem to be getting just as bitchy. First of all, councillor and mayor candidate Dawn ("Skunk") Tyndall was a victim of a phony press release announcing that she was pulling out of the race. Now I'm hearing that another candidate for mayor who shall remain nameless has lost his campaign manager because of shady dealings from a certain incumbent. Apparently this un-named incumbent informed said campaign manager that his downtown business license could be in jeopardy if he didn't back off. The cowardly campaign manager subsequently resigned with his tail between his legs.

Of course much of what I've told you is rumour and second hand accounts, so do with it what you like. True or not, its all certainly more interesting than the snoozefest that is the Victoria and Saanich races.

Song of the Day: "God Save the Queen" by the Sex Pistols

curry!

2005-11-17T22:24:00.000-08:00

i've excelled myself in my cooking skills. i've been trying out new recipes and today i cooked a red thai chicken curry. i've done a similar one before, but this time i used a different paste, and added some bell peppers. though the curry was only medium spiciness, it was still deliciously good (if i do say so myself). even my roomate angela (a notoriously picky eater) enjoyed it. if only i had a digital camera to show you all the glory that it was. but alas, i have no means of taking such a picture. of course, christmas is coming up, and should you wish to buy me a gift of a high quality digital camera, i would be much obliged.

in other news, the Canucks lost to the Kings 5-4, with an almost successful comeback from a 5-1 deficit. i've finished the worst essay i've ever written, and now get to start another one tomorrow about "Dueling in 18th Century London." In politics, the opposition still threatens, Martin still has his thumb in his ass, and i still have a headache.

Song of the Day: "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS (the real INXS......the one with Michael Hutchense)

the party line

2005-11-15T21:59:00.000-08:00

another random thought popped in my head, and being a blogger, i had to post it

André Boisclair has become leader of the Parti Quebecois....for those who dont follow Quebec politics as closely as I do, Boisclair is young, openly gay, and admitted coke-head...he confessed to snorting cocaine when he was a cabinet minister in the Bouchard government...good fun is les politiques du Quebec

OMG>>>GTG X_FILES IS ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111

my head hurts

2005-11-15T21:34:00.000-08:00

i'm sick of essays, particularly ones about dry topics (The usefulness of the novel North and South as a historical source)... Japanese quizes and skits have some and gone.. so has reading break (a very unproductive one if i dont say so myself)...federal election soon... liberals wont get my vote...and they wont again until they go back to being a real liberal party (and get a new leader....a real leader....someone like trudeau or chretien)....until then, i vote NDP

song of the moment: Hung Up by Madonna (aka Gimme Gimme Gimme by ABBA)

halloween movies... ja!

2005-10-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

it has come to my attention that the wiccan new year is in about a week

in honour of such a sinister occasion, i'm going to give a list of the five scariest movies i've seen

now, what i find scary and what others find scary is usually quite different... i dont find a grotesque hand suddenly coming out of a dark corner particularly scary... sure i may jump, but i'm over it 5 seconds later... a really scary movie should stay with me well after it ends... anyway, the list:

- The Exorcist
- Rosemary's Baby
- The Shining
- The Omen
- The Evil Dead Series

Prost !

2005-10-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

went to a late Oktoberfest celebration (because, of course, everybody knows Oktoberfest is supposed to be celebratged in September..) anyway, after being in an authentic Munich beer hall, the event didn't seem to be up to snuff.... nonetheless, it was an excuse for a beer

i type this as i watch the second period of the 'Nucks/Ave's game... 2-1 'nucks

went to the teachers protest at the Leg on Monday... a bunch of soggy, muddy teachers standing up to an unjust law, and an unjust government... the whole affair has (crazily enough) made the teaching option more attractive to me

two successful curry chicken dinners this past week... one a red thai, the other a yellow malaysian... both excellent

WATCH THESE MOVIES

2005-10-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

i've decided to spend this fine friday evening on the couch, recovering from a gruelling Japanese 149 midterm (takusan benkyoo shimasu yo). i'm currently watching Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. haven't watched it in a while, and am quite enjoying it. along with it, here's some other movies i recommend at the moment:

1) M*A*S*H: Forget the overtly preachy TV series. This is one of the greatest anti-war films ever made. Robert Altman's style of layered storylines and a dizzying amount of characters works brilliantly in this depiction of a mobile hospital unit on the front lines of the Korean War.

2) Blue Velvet: Though not his best, Blue Velvet may be David Lynch's most well known film. Extremely dark, atmospheric, and delightfully surrealistic. Like most Lynch films, you'll either adore it or abhor it (though if you abhor Mulholland Drive, there is summat seriously wrong with you, and suicide is the only cure).

3) Secrets and Lies: Mike Leigh specializes in making films about contemporary working class life in Britain, and Secrets and Lies is probably his best. Much of it was improvised, with Leigh meeting individually with the actors, developing their character's backgrounds, and revealing the storyline as filming progressed. Superbe performances, and an extremely compelling movie is the result.

thats all for now...i'll recommend more later

are we there yet??

2005-10-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

Okay... For many years one of my absolute favorite shows has been the Amazing Race. Indeed it is probably one of the only reality shows that I can still stomach. The premise very much appeals to the traveller in me. It often has very dynamic and entertaining personalities competing in a race around the world. This season, however, has been absolutely sickening. The 8th season is a "Family Edition". Instead of teams of two, there are teams of four, each team being a family. As a result, small children are now competing on some teams. Logistical difficulties with the size of the teams and the age of some of the contestants have cut down the amount of air travel and limited the destinations. Whereas once Racers tried to navigate thorugh the impoverished slums of India, they now read a AAA road map of Virginia. Whereas once Racers flew off to exotic locations like South Africa, Iceland, Dubai, and Russia, they now drive their SUVs through continental North America. Whereas the Amazing Race was once an exciting adventure around the world, it is now a glorified family road trip only without mom and dad belting out ABBA tunes in the front seat.

sad.grim.pathetic.

Strike

2005-10-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

I think my first rant should be devoted to a contentious labour dispute in my home province of British Columbia. As you may or may not know, BC is currently in the midst of a strike by the BC Teacher's Federation (BCTF). Teachers across the province have set up picket lines, closing schools for an indefinate period of time.

Now those who know me are aware of my personal connections to the situation. My mother has been a teacher in the Nanaimo district for 25 years, and my father recently retired after thirty-plus years as a teacher and principal. My aunt is a teacher, as are two of my uncles. Many family friends are teachers. These people are commited and dedicated professionals, who love what they do. The people are also, however, extremely disgruntled and frustrated, particularly over the past four years.

Since Gordon Campbell's BC Liberals took power, teachers can no longer negotiate anything expect wages, and even in that area, there was little to be negotiated as there was a wage freeze for all public employees.

The money issue, however, is secondary to teachers on the line. Sure, teachers would like to see their salaries increase so that they are on par with their collegues in Alberta and Ontario (wouldn't you?). But for most teachers, working conditions such as class size, class composition, special needs assistance, and access to resources like computer labs and libraries are paramount to what the teachers are striking over. The Campbell Liberals, however, say that teachers have no say in these things. These professional, educated people have to work in whatever conditions the government or school districts dictate and they just have to sit there and take it.

Teachers are currently taking a stand. Gordon Campbell calls the teachers criminals for striking. This from the man who tore up previously signed contracts with other unions. ( I could mention the Maui escapades, but I'm sure most don't need reminding of it) I hope the teachers are out for as long as it takes. I hope that other unions join them out in the picket lines. I hope that a general strike occurs across this great province. Maybe then this government will learn that you can't shit on good, decent, extremely hardworking people, and expect them to sit there and say "Thank you sir, can I have some more?".

Intro

2005-10-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

despite the fact that blogging is trendy and therefore inherintely evil, i have started this as a forum for ranting, reviewing, and commenting on the world around me. feel free to leave comments. disagree or agree with me. tell me i'm a modern day immanuel kant. tell me i'm a complete dunce. correct my grammar and spelling. it will be catharitic for all. enjoy.