Dr. Joseph Lowery delivers Inauguration Benediction

Very short clip of the very cool Dr. Joseph Lowery delivering the benediction at President Obama's Inauguration. 

I'm expecting him to say "shiyyyeeeeet!" a la Clive Davis

The 44th President of the United States of America - Barack Hussein Obama

Barack Hussein Obama was sworn as the 44th President of the United States of America today.

No other words can describe it other than historic.

Watch Obama's Inauguration and speech.

Read Toronto Star article

Read Globe and Mail article

Read canoe.ca article

Read cbc.ca article

Read ctv.ca article

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame 2009 Inductees

Jeff Beck, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Metallica, Wanda Jackson, Run DMC, Spooner Oldham, D.J. Fontana and Bill Black have been named the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame class of 2009 inductees.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for April 4 in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Hall of Fame and Museum are located. The show marks the first time since 1997 that it will be staged in Cleveland after several years in New York.

Read the ABC News story.

R.I.P Ricardo Montalban

Ricardo Montalban, the Mexican-born actor whose regal bearing and sonorous voice led to roles as a science-fiction villain, the host on the mysterious “Fantasy Island” and pitchman for the “soft Corinthian leather” of the Chrysler Cordoba, has died.

Although a charismatic actor who was a star of stage and screen, the Montalban was probably best known as the White suite-wearing Mr. Roarke on the popular television series Fantasy Island (1978-1984)50's,

Montalban died at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88.

Read the bloomberg.com article.

R.I.P Betty Page

Famous 1950s pin up star Betty Page has died in Los Angeles, aged 85.

The iconic model known for her provocative poses was credited for helping to pave the way for the sexual revolution of the 1960s.

She was admitted to hospital last month suffering from pnuemonia, and last week suffered a heart attack and never regained consciousness.

Read the New York Times article.

Happy Anniversary, Spacing Magazine

In the spirit of Spacing Magazine’s 5th Anniversary party on December 10 at the Great Hall in Toronto, the top 5 things I like about Toronto:

1. Chinatown, Little Italy, Koreatown, Little India, Portuguese Village, Greektown
2. Ice skating at Nathan Phillips Square
3. More live music venues than the province of Manitoba
4. Escaping to the island on a lazy Sunday afternoon
5. The centre of the hockey universe

Congratulations to Matthew Blackett and the whole Spacing staff for a wonderful five years. Up 'em irons!

Visit Spacing Magazine on-line.

Man Killed for 'Hogging Karaoke'

Police say a Malaysian man has been stabbed to death by customers at a karaoke bar for singing too much and refusing to share the microphone.

Abdul Sani Doli, 23, was apparently attacked and killed by a group of angry customers at the bar in Sandakan town on eastern Borneo island.

Read the Washington Post story

Canadian Media Giant Ted Rogers Passes Away

Canadian media magnate Ted Rogers, founder and CEO of Rogers Communications, has died.

Rogers, 75, died at his Toronto home on December 2, surrounded by loved ones, said a statement from the company's board of directors. He had recently been admitted to hospital for an existing cardiac condition.

In 1960, Rogers laid the foundation for his company while studying law with the purchase of CHFI, a Toronto FM radio station. At the time, the FM format was considered obscure.

Rogers went on to dominate the cable television provider market, leading the way for cellular and wireless communications. He flirted with bankruptcy when he decided to invest in high-speed internet making Rogers one of the first cable companies in the world to do so.

Along with the Rogers media conglomerate, including over 50 magazines, a number of television and radio station, Rogers bought the the Toronto Blue Jays and the Skydome, renaming it Rogers Centre.

Rogers Communications hasn't named a successor. The company said its board will form a special committee to search for candidates. Alan Horn, currently chairman of Rogers Communications, will take on the role of acting CEO in the meantime.

Ted Rogers is survived by his wife, Loretta, whom he married in 1963, and their four children - Edward, Lisa, Melinda and Martha.

Read the Canoe.ca story

R.I.P Paul Benedict

Versatile American actor Paul Benedict - probably best known for his portrayals of English neighbor Harry Bentley on the sitcom The Jeffersons, the Memphis hotel desk clerk in the film This is Spinal Tap and the The Number Painter on Sesame Street - died on December 1.

Benedict began his acting career in the 1960s in the Theatre Company of Boston, alongside such future stars as Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino.

Benedict was found dead at his home in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. He was 70 years old

Read the L.A Times obituary

Watch the "4" episode of the Number Painter, co-starring a very cute Stockard Channing

Tell us Something we Didn't Know

"There is a strong correlation between media exposure and long-term negative health effects to children."

Dr. EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL, of the National Institutes of Health, on a Dec. 2 study linking kids' bad television habits with obesity, smoking and early sexual activity

NHL Suspends Sean Avery Indefinitely

NHL Super pest Sean Avery has been suspended indefinitely by the league for comments he made on camera prior to his Dallas Stars game against the Calgary Flames on December 2.

"I'm really happy to be back in Calgary; I love Canada," he said. "I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds..."

Avery's ex-girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert is dating Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf; she had also been romantically linked to Mike Komisarek of the Montreal Canadiens. Avery also dated model Rachel Hunter, who is now the girlfriend of Los Angeles Kings center Jarret Stoll.

"I completely support the league's decision to suspend Sean Avery," Stars owner Tom Hicks said in a statement. "Had the league not have suspended him, the Dallas Stars would have. This organization will not tolerate such behavior, especially from a member of our hockey team. We hold our team to a higher standard and will continue to do so."

Avery's a jackass. Plain and simple.

R.I.P - My Grandfather

My grandfather Jesus Zalameda passed away on November 28 - just over two weeks after his 103rd birthday.

So, in his memory, from my travel blog Big in Japan, here is an encore presentation of (my twin brother) The Doods' Top 7 Jesus references from back in November, 2005, when I went to the Philippines to celebrate his 100th birthday :

7) "Jesus, Mary and Joseph...Let the boy marry your grandmother!"- Chris Farley

6) Jesus Christ Pose -Soundgarden

5) (Big Baby Jesus) I Can't Wait - Ol' Dirty Bastard

4) The Jesus Lizard.

3) "Plastic Jesus" from Cool Hand Luke.

2) Jesus, Etc. by Wilco.

1) "DON"T FUCK WITH THE JESUS!"- Jesus Quintana from The Big Lebowski

The Week's Best Invented Words

The Toronto Star's John Sakamoto presents his weekly feature The Week's Best Invented Words.

BALDERDASH, n.:

"a rapidly receding hairline." (cafe-grendel.blogspot.com)

PROCRASTIBAKING, v.:

using baking to postpone a necessary task, such as studying. (Tara Debicki, Niagara Falls, Ont.)

PRECEDAUNT, n.:

the knowledge that everyone who preceded you in your new job failed miserably. (karengphelan.com/Business/Neologisms.html)

CO³, n.:

"a volatile gas produced by filtering 'carbon dioxide issues' through a windbag." (www.architectsjournal.co.uk)

HANDESTINE, adj.:

making an expressive gesture in "the belief that the person it is directed at can't see it. Occurs during phone conversations, email discourses, and behind people's backs." (verbotomy.com)

COSMERGENCY, n.:

when you run out of makeup, lipstick, mascara, shampoo and conditioner all at the same time. (Kathy Martin, Peterborough)

CORPORATE INERTIATIVES, n.:

self-explanatory (karengphelan.com/Business/Neologisms.html)

Read the Star story

Stephen Lewis on the Hour

A fantastic Canadian, Stephen Lewis became Canada's ambassador to the United Nations in the mid-80s. Then he became the UN's special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa.

His interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos proves to be the first time he says "bullshit" on the air.

Watch the Hour interview here.

Vatican Forgives Lennon for "Jesus Christ" Remark

The Vatican has finally forgiven John Lennon for declaring that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ.

The comment by Lennon to Maureen Cleave of the Evening Standard in March 1966 infuriated Christians, particularly in the United States, some of whom burned Beatles' albums in huge pyres.

But it seems, it's time to forgive and forget.
Vatican daily Osservatore Romano said:

"The remark by John Lennon, which triggered deep indignation mainly in the United States, after many years sounds only like a 'boast' by a young working-class Englishman faced with unexpected success, after growing up in the legend of Elvis and rock and roll.

The fact remains that 38 years after breaking up, the songs of the Lennon-McCartney brand have shown an extraordinary resistance to the passage of time, becoming a source of inspiration for more than one generation of pop musicians."

The Vatican only took 42 years to forgive this "sin" - a relatively short time in the vindictive memory span of Catholics. Is this the church's idea of being modern? C'mon now, there are more important shit to deal with like A.I.D.S relief, allowing female priests, sanctioning gay marriage, do need to go on, or as usual, are times going a bit too quickly for the church's liking?

The Habs Retire Patrick Roy's Number

Legendary Montreal Gazette reporter Red Fisher talks about the controversial Patrick Roy's #33 being retired by the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, November 22.

Read the Montreal Gazette article from faceoff.com

CBC makes another bad choice.

CBC's Hockey Night in Canada wasted everybody's time by cutting away from Patrick Roy's number ceremony in Montreal to the Toronto Maple Leafs' honouring of former captain Wendel Clark's #17.

Even I, a die-hard, 30-something Leaf fan who loves everything Wendel stood for, was very upset that the network decided to show a brutal and needless display of Wendel's mediocre career rather than staying with the retiring of Hall-of-Famer and the highly decorated Roy.

The CBC is slowly losing my support - from the changing of the HNIC anthem, to the decision to keep P.J Stock and Al Strachan on the air - they have made one bad choice after another. Even Don Cherry may be wearing out his welcome.

By no means do I want the Saturday night tradition to end, although it really does need a facelift. And I consider myself a bit of a HNIC purist.

Get your head out of your ass, CBC.

Boss Hog to Reunite For NYC Gig in December

Following an eight-year hiatus, Boss Hog have announced they will return to the stage next month for a hometown New York show. The band's original line-up, Cristina Martinez, hubby Jon Spencer, Hollis Queens, Jens Jurgensen and Mark Boyce, will all be performing at the December 17 concert. Everybody say Goddamn!

Read the exclaim.ca story

largeheartedboy.com Best of 2008 Lists

largeheartedboy.com has posted their top lists of 2008


largeheartedboy.com is a music blog featuring daily free and legal music downloads as well as news from the worlds of music, literature, and pop culture.

Shooting Lyric Helps Convict Rapper

A rapper wrote a song describing a shooting he committed in 2006, even calling out the victim by name.

A judge sentenced 25-year-old Rico Todriquez Wright, of Dublin, Georgia, to spend the next 20 years in prison on two counts of aggravated assault, and the next 20 on probation after his victim, Chad Blue, mentioned the of the shooting to police.

Read the National Examainer story.