2010 year in review and lists part 2

Check out the The Toronto Star photo galleries of the notable people who passed away in 2010.

Stars of the big screen

People in music

Hockey personalities

Figures in sports

For other galleries, see the Toronto Star article

2010 year in review and lists - part 1

Just a few of the Best of 2010 lists and compilations...to be continued

Spinner.ca's 30 Best Albums of 2010

Twitter's Top Twitter Trends in 2010

AVClub's The Best Music of 2010

Mobile Year in review 2010 video

The Black List, Franklin Leonard’s annual compilation of the “best liked” unproduced screenplays in Hollywood.

Paste Magazine's The 50 Albums of 2010

The American Film Institute's (AFI) video of their favourite films of 2010

NPR's The Best Music of 2010

Governor General's Literary Awards finalists announced

The Canada Council for the Arts announced the names of the 70 finalists for the 2010 Governor General’s Literary Awards on October 13. The finalists include authors, illustrators and translators from ages 25 to 74.

The English and French awards are in the categories of fiction, non‑fiction, poetry, drama, children’s literature (text and illustration) and translation. A total of 1,702 eligible books were submitted for this year’s awards, an increase of 161 books over last year. At least nine of the finalists are under the age of 35 and six of the finalists are Aboriginal or from culturally diverse backgrounds.

I would like to extend a personal congratulations to friend Matt James, illustrator for I Know Here, written by Laurel Croza (Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)

Read the Canada Council's press release on the announcement and the list of finalists.

Addictions and Bad Dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

Turkey! As a practicing pescetarian, I usually don't eat any poultry, but this weekend I am eating meleagris gallopavo for a 72-hour period. It is Canadian Thanksgiving, ain't it?

Mel Brooks films. If you have to ask, you'll never know!

Dusk by The The

Teaching my cousin guitar chords

Keeping track of Don Draper

Fire department lets home burn

A man's home in Tennessee burns and the fire department stays away because the owner did not pay a subscription for fire services.

In the words of my friend Ian Malone: "Sometimes I am embarrassed for my species..."

Watch the Toronto Star video below.

Kid Koala performs with Yo Gabba Gabba

Years ago when my friend Eric San a.k.a DJ Kid Koala was going to McGill University for an education degree in the late 1990s, I asked him how he could combine his mad turntable skills and his schooling; he answered by saying he wanted to do stuff for kids shows. At the time, I thought: "Yeah Eric would be perfect for that! Perhaps he could get on Sesame Street or some other cool show"

Fast forward to 2010. Eric finds himself on stage at a Yo Gabba Gabba tour date in Montreal, and as you can see from the following clip, Eric is a kid at heart himself.
For me personally, as an uncle to an-almost-two-year-old niece, I can tell you that Yo Gabba Gabba is a big deal nowadays. For those who haven`t watched the show, it is a kooky mix of dance party, puppet show, acid trip and a Flaming-Lips-meets-Devo-meets-Ween music video. The show features segments that include rapper Biz Markie teaching kids to beatbox, Devo frontman Mark Mothersbaugh, along with other musicians athletes and celebrities.

It`s a freakout! Checkout the theme song for the show: this clip

Kid Koala will be joining up the Yo Gabba Gabba crew for 2 more performances at the end of November as part of the “Yo Gabba Gabba! There’s a Party in My City” tour.

Nov 26 – Los Angeles, CA, USA @ Nokia Theatre LA

Nov 28 – San Diego, CA, USA @ San Diego Sports Arena

Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon do the history of rap

On the September 29, 2010 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake, Fallon and the Late Night band The Roots performed a chronological medley of popular rap songs.

Songs cited (I think I got them all): "Rappers Delight" by the Sugar Hillgang, "Peter Piper" by Run DMC, "Paul Revere" by Beastie Boys, "Award Tour" by A Tribe Called Quest, "Humpty Hump" by the Digital Underground, "Ain't Nuttin' but a G Thang" by Snoop Dogg, "Juicy" by The Notorious BIG, "The Seed" by the Roots, "My Name is" by Eminem, "Work it" by Missy Elliott, "Crank it" by Soulja Boy, "Live Your Life" by T.I. and Rihanna, "Gold Digga" by Kanye West, and "Empire State of Mind" by Jay Z/Alicia Keys.

G'damn that was good!

Addictions and Bad Dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

Dancing to Michael Jackson songs on a front stoop in Liberty Village at 2am on a Thursday.

All them fresh fruit and vegetables my sister-in-law gets from the Weston Farmer's Market.

Mad Men Season Three

OKcupid quizzes

Avoiding this Communications Theory paper that I need to write

Edith Piaf

In honour of my friends Trisha and Roy who are throwing a Edith Piaf themed party this evening...

The Danforth Music Hall Shuts Down

According to the Toronto Star, the legendary Music Hall on Danforth Avenue has been closed due to non-payment of rent - an amount of $44,857.86

The 91-year-old building a heritage site, began as a vaudeville theatre and served for many years as a second-run movie house called The Century before undergoing renovations in 2005 and reopening as a theatre venue.

I fondly remember seeing the Stray Cats in concert at the Music Hall in 1991.

Read The Toronto Star story

Soundgarden bassist broke

Even after a headlining spot at this summer's Lollapalooza show and a Soundgarden retrospective to be released next month, the legendary Seattle grunge band's bassist Ben Shepherd is homeless and broke.

According to a Spin Magazine interview, Shepherd first found himself homeless following a breakup with his girlfriend earlier this year. Since then, he's been putting all of his money towards a solo album — which he isn't even sure if he'll release.

This is the culmination of more than a decade's worth of struggles for Shepherd, including the demise of a number of his bands, including Soundgarden and Hater, a breakup with his fiance and a morphine overdose.

He tells Spin: "I've been sleeping on studio couches and at friends' houses."

I have seen Soundgarden live many times I can tell you how good a bass player Ben Shepherd is. Someone get him a gig soon.

Read the exclaim.ca story

Quite appropriately, the exclaim story is accompanied by the video for the Soundgarden song Fell on Black Days, from the 1994 album Superunknown

J.D. Salinger's Toilet on Sale for $1 million

A North Carolina collectibles dealer is selling a toilet from reclusive author J.D. Salinger's former home.

The bowl is on sale on ebay with an asking price of a million dollars, although Rick Kohl, the owner of said commode, isn't sure how much he will be able to get for the item.

Uhmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...I don't know what to say here.

Read the komonews story

Addictions and Bad Dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

Them Crooked Vultures (yes, still)

pizzas with whole wheat dough

my new nephew, Noah

the latest adjustments to my golf swing

writing essays while trying to watch Hell's Kitchen

Yo Gabba Gabba with my niece

How we found hundreds of Earth-like planets

Astronomer Dimitar Sasselov and his colleagues search for Earth-like planets that may, someday, help us answer centuries-old questions about the origin and existence of biological life elsewhere (and on Earth). How many such planets have they found already? Several hundreds.

Watch the TED.com video.

The week it was...

After a five month hiatus, I have returned to spout out more useless posts.

The week it has been:

The Globe and Mail /CTV News reports that the Niagara Region's tourist board is trying to improve their standing as a tourist attraction by taking cheap shots at Toronto. Watch the CTV clip.

This foxphilly.com article still doesn't explain my terrible luck with on-line dating sites. Perhaps I should pose as a woman...looking for women who don't mind ending up with a man?

Read this 9News article on how a Vienna church was trying to sell a used confessional on ebay. The item was described on the on-line auction site as "deal for conversion into a one-person sauna, a small bar or a children's playhouse." The Vienna Archdiocese has a few things to say about this!

The NYC soup shop that inspired the Soup Nazi on the hit sitcom Seinfeld reopens. Read the USAToday article.

According to a exclaim.ca news piece, Justin Bieber has jammed with Dr. Dre.

Doug Fieger R.I.P

Doug Fieger, lead singer of the power pop band The Knack, passed way on Valentines Day.

The Knack are internationally renowned for their hits “My Sharona“ and “Good Girls Don't“ from their 1979 record Get the Knack.

After battling cancer for several years, Fieger died at his home in Woodland Hills, California. He was 57 years old

Read the L.A Times story

Doctor reprimanded for telling patient to go on a f...ing diet!

A New Zealand surgeon was reprimanded by officials for being unprofessional after he told a severely obese gastric bypass patient to “go on a f…ing diet.”

The 44-year-old woman claimed the doctor said the “F” word at least three times after she told him she did not like the word “diet” and preferred the term “lifestyle” instead, CBS News reports.

The doctor admitted to using bad language during the tense consultation with the woman who, afterward, lodged complaints with the Health and Disability commissioner - who suggested the doctor attend a communication skills course.

I don`t know about you, but I think gastric times call for gastric measures! It seems the doctor was just suggesting a change in the woman`s “lifestyle” or else she may die. Clearly the doctor cares more about the health of this woman than she does.


Read the APP story

Addictions and Bad Dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

Tutoring Korean students
this G.I diet
my sister-in-law's food processor
toque shopping
Canada men's ice hockey team
Holmes on Homes

The Beaver changes name

Canada's second-oldest magazine, The Beaver, is changing its name after 90 years because the title is too often censored by online porn filters, preventing it from reaching new online readers.

The Winnipeg-based magazine was launched in 1920 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Hudson's Bay Company and the fur trade that led to the early exploration of Canada.

But in modern times, the term "beaver" has become slang for women's genitals.

The magazine that chronicles Canada's past will publish its last issue under the old banner in February/March. Thereafter, it will be known under the less evocative name of Canada's History

Read the Yahoo story

The team bus of the Togo national football team was attacked by terrorists on January 8 as the team traveled from the Republic of the Congo to Angola on the way to the 2010 African Cup of Nations tournament, due to begin on January 10

The bus driver, the team's assistant manager Abalo Amelete and media officer Stanislas Ocloo were killed, with several others injured. Togo government officials have withdrawn the team from the tournament.

Read the BBC story

R.I.P Art Clokey

Animator Art Clokey, whose bendable creation Gumby became a pop culture phenomenon through decades of toys, revivals and satires, died Friday. He was 88.

Clokey, who suffered from repeated bladder infections, died in his sleep at his home in Los Osos, CA.

Gumby grew out of a student project Clokey produced at the University of Southern California in the early 1950s called "Gumbasia."

That led to his making shorts featuring Gumby and his horse friend Pokey for the "Howdy Doody Show" and several series through the years.

Eddie Murphy brought a surge in Gumby's popularity in the 1980s with his send-up of the character on "Saturday Night Live" as a cigar-smoking show business primadonna.

Read the Globe and Mail story

Addictions and bad dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

baking banana loaf
shoveling snow
my new long underwear
Aron Sorkin-written television programs
AE Sports' Tiger Wood 2010 for the Wii
danceradio chillout

War and Peas

Israel has taken the upper hand in a new kind of Middle East conflict.

Cooks in an Arab town near Jerusalem whipped up more than four tons of hummus, which doubled the previous record for the world's biggest serving - set in October in Lebanon - and broke an earlier Israeli record.

Hundreds of jubilant Israelis, a mix of Arabs and Jews, gathered around the satellite dish used to prepare the hummus in the town of Abu Ghosh.

Guinness World Records confirmed the Israelis now held the record putting the exact amount of hummus in the giant dish at 9,017 lbs (4,090 kilograms).

Lebanon and Israel have officially been at war for six decades. Three months ago, when the Lebanese chefs prepared their record-breaking dish, they called it a move to reaffirm ownership of a Lebanese food they claimed had been appropriated by Israelis.

The hummus war has been simmering for some time. In 2008, a group of Lebanese businessmen announced plans to sue Israel to stop it from marketing hummus and other regional dishes as Israeli.

Read the Los Angeles Times story.

Canada's 2010 Men's Olympic Hockey Roster Announced

The home team at the 201o Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament has been determined.

Steve Yzerman, Executive Director of Team Canada announced the line up for Canada's Men hockey team for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic games during the World Junior Hockey Championships in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on Dec 30.

Among Canada shoe-ins Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, Calgary Flames' Jarome Iginla, Anehiem Ducks' Scott Niedermayer, and Philadelphia Flyers' Chris Pronger , some surprises include LA Kings' sophmore defenceman Drew Doughty and Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron.

Much of the talk following the announcement were of the notable omissions - Tampa Bay Lightning's Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier and Steven Sstamkos; Calgary's defense corps Jay Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr; and Mike Green of the Washington Capitals.

The 2010 Winter Olympic men's hockey tournament will take place February 11 - March 1.

Read the CTV Olympics story for the complete line up.

Lists of the Decade

The proverbially end of a decade (technically the decade ends Dec 31, 2010), always brings about a gluttony of end-of-decade lists flooding our screens and pages.

Here are a few that, for one reason or another, got my attention

The Toronto Star offers: Five things we've grown to hate over the last decade
The piece's headline reads: "If they would only go away when the decade ends." The article is illustrated with a picture of Amy Winehouse and I think #4 involves someone named Hilton. You can guess where this goes...

www.t5m.com's Nicholas Deigman does much of the heavy lifting in his compilation: The Top 10 'Top 10 of the Decade list' of the Decade...List
Deigman lists include:
Top Ten Most Influential Internet Moments of the Decade
Top Ten Most Unwinnable Arguments of the Decade
Top Ten One Hit Wonders of the Decade
Top Ten Hockey Fights of the Decade

The blog artmusicfilmwhatever presents 106 Best Films of the Decade.
The list consists of the ususal suspects: Oscar-winning blockbusters (The Aviator), charming indie fare (Once), sub-titled offerings (Dare mo shiranai), whistle-blowing documentaries (Bowling for Columbine), fun animation (Finding Nemo) and the extremely overrated (Donnie Darko).

SoulBounce.com comments on Entertainment Weekly's Top 10 albums of the last ten years.
I am not too sure how I feel about a music critic - regardless of musical taste - that has never listened to Funeral by Arcade Fire.

BabyCenter's list of the most-popular baby names of the year and the decade
Some of my favourites include Kayla, Emma, Sydney and Ava for girls and Jacob, Lucas, Jackson and Ethan for boys. I assume this is an American list.

betterPropaganda present their list of their 100 Artists of the Decade, as well as their list of 100 Albums of the Decade.

The MNE's Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade as voted for by NME staff (past and present) plus a selection of musicians and industry figures that included Arctic Monkeys, Carl Barat, The Killers, Jarvis Cocker, Pete Doherty, Elbow, Johnny Marr, MGMT, Ian Brown, The Big Pink, Snoop Dogg, Alan McGee, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Michael Eavis and many, many more.

RIP Brittany Murphy

For many of those coming of age in the mid to late 1990's, Brittany Murphy and her roles in Clueless and 8 Mile were a reflection of the many of those who were looking for direction in life.

Rest in piece, Ms Murphy...

Minnesota Wild Equipment Catches Fire

A van carrying equipment for the Minnesota Wild caught fire on December 18. The accident left the team scrambling ahead of its Saturday game against the Ottawa Senators.

The fire started when the cube van carrying the equipment to Scotiabank Place, the Senator's home arena at about 2:30 p.m. The Wild had practised at a community complex about a five-minute drive from the arena, as the building was booked for a concert that night. No one was hurt and the cause has yet to be determined.

It was initially thought that all the equipment was destroyed but the gear of nine players were recovered intact.

The Wild chartered in new equipment, including skates, pads and sticks , however some of the players decided to take matters into their own hands. Defenceman Nick Schultz spent $200 on a pair of shoulder pads at a local sports store. Left winger Andrew Brunette had to re-call a gift. A stick he had given to a friend's son after practice was retrieved and replaced with a new one.

Many NHLers are superstitious and some have used the same equipment since their days in junior. And although the Wild players had to adjustto the new gear for their 4-1 loss on December 19, they did not want to use it as an excuse.


Watch the TSN clip

Henry admits hand ball

France’s World Cup play-off victory over the Republic of Ireland on November 18 was laced with controversy, and Thierry Henry has confessed that his part in the decisive goal was indeed illegal.

As the midway point approached in extra time, les Bleus scored the decisive goal, William Gallas heading in from close range after Henry had knocked the ball across the six-yard box. The Irish protested furiously, adamant that the Barcelona man had handled the ball, and replays proved them to be correct.

Even Henry would admit his guilt after the match. “There was a hand, but I'm not the referee,” he told the press.

The former Arsenal star's foul play spurred comparisons to the infamous "Hand of God" during the 1986 World Cup. England were knocked out of that tournament's quarter-finals after Argentina's Diego Maradona punched the ball into the net over goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

The Gallas goal tied the score at 1-1. Before the goal, Ireland had been leading 1-0 and the match was level on aggregate.

Carlton Cinemas to close down

The Carlton Cinemas - the downtown Toronto spot for many independent and limited release films - will close after a 28 year run at the corner of Yonge and Carlton. Management and staff were told of the news this past weekend by owner Cineplex Odeon who have decided to shut down the cinema rather than sign a new lease with the building's landlord. The last day will be December 6th.

I remember watching many a matinee at the Carlton while playing hooky from work or during those periods of time I was unemployed (perhaps a result of playing hooky to watch movies). The small and intimate theatres were also my cinema of choice for first dates.

Read the Globe and Mail story.

Arkansas 10-Year-Old Won’t Pledge Allegiance Until Gays Gain Equality

A 10-year-old Arkansas boy name Will Phillips has decided that he cannot in good conscience pledge allegiance to the flag as long as the country for which it stands refuses legal equality to its gay citizens.

That stand has brought Will anti-gay taunts in the lunch room, but admiration from around the gay community

The West Fork School District fifth grader clashed with a substitute teacher for his refusal to stand for the pledge, prompting a call to Will’s mother, Laura Phillips. When the principal acknowledged that Will has the right to refuse to say the pledge, Ms. Phillips asked that her son receive an apology--a request that the principal declined to honor.

Good on Will and his parents for having the guts to stick to their beliefs!

Read the Edge San Francisco story

Conducting leadership styles

An orchestra conductor faces the ultimate leadership challenge: creating perfect harmony without saying a word. In this charming talk, Itay Talgam demonstrates the unique styles of six great 20th-century conductors, illustrating crucial lessons for all leaders.

Watch the TED.com clip

Addictions and bad dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

The Jesus Lizard
Talia Shire, circa 1975
mary-janes
babysitting
homemade vegetable soup
practicing my new golf swing

The Golf Bra

Triumph, a lingerie company from Japan (where else?) is going green, and pleasing sports fans at the same time. The company has created a bra that converts into a putting green.

According to the maker, the Nice Cup In Bra — which is not yet for sale — was created in response to the growing popularity of golf among females in Japan, and is designed to appeal to busy working women looking for a unique and convenient way to practice their putt.

See the Telegraph story

McDonalds pulls out of Iceland

Iceland is losing its only three McDonald's restaurants as a result of the poor economic situation in the country.

McDonald's said it had become financially prohibitive to continue operating in the island nation because of the very challenging economic climate in the country and the fact that their products were imported from Germany.

The three stores closed at midnight on October 31, but they will reopen as an independent chain called Metro, with more domestic ingredients and fewer imported products.

McDonalds opened in Iceland in 1993.Burger King closed its outlets in Iceland late last year.

Read the CNN iReport

Dozens of Tickets Issued in Dallas for Not Speaking English

After it was revealed that a rookie officer, Gary Bromley, had issued a citation on Oct. 2nd to Ernestina Mondragon for being a non-English-speaking driver --- a bogus offense --- it has now been revealed that dozens of tickets have been written in Dallas for similar "crimes."

Read the weinterrupt.com story

Rammstein to Release Box Set — with Six Dildos

German metal band Rammstein is issuing a special edition box set of their album Liebe ist für alle da, which was released earlier this month. It comes in a metal case and includes five B-sides, as well as six dildos, each of which corresponds to the member of each band... um...member. Also included: a bottle of lube and industrial-strength handcuffs.

Read the Exclaim.ca story

You Learn Something New Everyday

Jean Harlow was the first actress to appear on the cover of Life magazine.

Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously

Dirty Harry's badge number is 2211.

The book of Esther is the only book in the Bible which does not mention the name of God.

A full moon always rises at sunset.

My Eggplant Parmigiana

A friend recently put out a request for a recipe for an Eggplant or Zuccini Parmigiana and thought I'd post mine here. This recipe evolved from my Chicken Parmigiana recipe that I had learned from the tradition of the Basile family, one of the many Italian families that I grew up around in Brampton, Ontario.

I can say this recipe is world famous, as I have cooked it in at least eight cities on three continents.

Eggplant Parmesan
also works well with very large zucchinis.

1 large eggplant
Tomato sauce (I recommend using your favourite homemade sauce)
mozzarella cheese (shredded)
grated parmesan cheese
all purpose flour
3 eggs
bread crumbs
vegetable oil
dried oregano and dried basil (optional)
salt and pepper

Slice your eggplant into 1/2 inch thick disks. Salt and strain for about 20 minutes or so.

Set up a breading station:
First bowl: all purpose flour, seasoned slightly with salt and pepper
Second bowl: eggs, beaten
Third bowl: bread crumbs, seasoned slightly with salt and pepper, pinches of dried oregano and dried basil

Coat the slices of the eggplant, one at a time, in the flour. Then dip the eggplant slice into the egg and let excess drip off. Then lay the slice in the breadcrumbs, covering both sides. Repeat this process, adding more breadcrumbs as needed. If you fill the bowl with too many crumbs at a time, the crumbs will get sticky and chunky.

Add oil to a medium fry pan, but just enough to coat the bottom. Brown each slice; you can brown about 4-5 slices at a time. Don't overcook; just let them get crispy on the outside. Add oil as necessary; don't let the pan dry out or burn.

Transfer slices to a paper towel. Once all are browned, place a layer in the bottom of a rectangular casserole dish (approx. 9-11 inch dish). Cover the slices with a layer of sauce. A generous portion of mozzarella and parmesan should top each slice. I have experimented with adding mushrooms, red/green peppers, and/or onions to the sauce while baking. Cover with foil and put in a 375 degree oven until slices are tender but not mushy.

Add another another layer of cheese to each slice and broil uncovered until cheese is melted and slightly brown.

Serve with pasta, tossed in tomato sauce. Top with a light sprinkle of italian parsley, extra virgin olive oil and cracked black pepper.

R.I.P Soupy Sales

Soupy Sales, a comedian from the golden era of television, died October 22.

The rubber-faced comedian, whose anything-for-a-chuckle career was built on 20,000 pies to the face and 5,000 live TV appearances across a half-century of laughs, died at Calvary Hospice in the Bronx, New York

During the early 1960s, the comic's pie-throwing schtick became his trademark, and celebrities, from Frank Sinatra to Alice Cooper, lined up to take one on the chin alongside Sales.

"The Soupy Sales Show," with co-star puppets White Fang (the meanest dog in the United States) and Black Tooth (the nicest dog in the United States) made Sales one of the best-known faces in the nation, said his former manager and longtime friend, Dave Usher.

"If President Eisenhower would have walked down the street, no one would have recognized him as much as Soupy," said Usher.

Sales is survived by his wife, Trudy, and two sons, Hunt and Tony, a pair of musicians who backed David Bowie in the band Tin Machine.

Soupy Sales was 83.

Read the New York Times story.

You're not gonna put Charlie Parker in with the Rock n Roll, would you?

A scene from one of my favourite movies.

Addictions and Bad Dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

NHL regular season
Flash Forward
Presidents Choice chips - Loaded bake potato flavor
The Nicholas brothers` Stormy Weather routine.
My niece`s seven teeth
antibiotics
scarves - the lingerie of winter outerwear
cranberry sauce, stuffing and pumpkin pie
TED.com

You Learn Something New Everyday

Some of the words that my computerized opponent used in Wordscraper today.

Fley –verb, fleyed, fley⋅ing. Chiefly Scot. to frighten; terrify.

Haar –noun Scot. and North England. a thick, wet fog along the seacoast.

Ogive –noun
1. Architecture. a. a diagonal vaulting rib. b. a pointed arch.
2. Statistics. the distribution curve of a frequency distribution.
3. Rocketry. the curved nose of a missile or rocket.

R.I.P Les Paul.

Les Paul, the virtuoso guitarist and inventor whose solid-body electric guitar and recording studio innovations changed the course of 20th-century popular music, died Thursday in White Plains, N.Y. He was 94

Read the L.A Times story.

R.I.P Bea Arthur

Beatrice Arthur, the award winning actress best known for her roles as television's Maude and the sardonic Dorothy on The Golden Girls, has died of cancer.

Arthur died on the morning of April 25 at her home in Los Angeles with her family by her side.

In 1978 Arthur began playing Maude Findlay, an outspoken liberal living in the affluent community of Tuckahoe, New York. The revolutionary show, which won Arthur an Emmy, was a spin-off from All in the Family, on which Arthur had appeared a couple of times in the same role, playing Edith Bunker's cousin, a feminist, and antithesis to the bigoted, conservative Archie Bunker.

In 1978 She then went on to play Dorothy Zbornak in the hit sitcom The Golden Girls, co starring Estelle Getty, Betty White and Rue McClanahan as four older women sharing a home in Miami Florida

She is survived by her sons Matthew and Daniel and grandchildren Kyra and Violet, he said.

She was 86.

Read the Post-Gazette story

Addictions and bad dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

My veggie hummus/provolone wraps at work
hosting brunch
Junction neighbours -- I'm meeting a whole bunch of them
sinking 30-foot chip shots
my new bike seat
the start of golf and bocce season
watching three Japanese girls with stilettos trying to play keep-ups in a parking lot
no sleep, no sleep

Bill Mahar's New Rules For April 24

HBO television show Real Time with Bill Maher's New Rules segment for April 24. This week: Beauty pageant contestants, Somali pirates, Kenny Loggins, Kentucky Fried Chicken, the American conservative base.

Math - Bunker style

A classic television comedy moment with the cast of All in the Family and the Jeffersons.

Tofu License Plate X-rated

A Colorado woman's love for tofu has been judged X-rated by state officials. Kelly Coffman-Lee wanted to tell the world about her fondness for bean curd by picking certain letters for her SUV's license plate. Her suggestion for the plate: "ILVTOFU." But the Division of Motor Vehicles blocked her plan because they thought the combination of letters could be interpreted as profane.

Read the Associated Press story

Watch the AP video story

You Learn Something New Everyday

There are 2,598,960 five-card hands possible in a 52-card deck of cards.

A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

Pinocchio is Italian for "pine eyes."

On Sesame Street, Bert's goldfish were named Lyle and Talbot, presumably after the actor Lyle Talbot.

You would have to count to one thousand to use the letter "A" in the English language to spell a whole number.

Rescue Shelter Boys?

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) placed a request to pop band Pet Shop Boys to change their name to Rescue Shelter Boys because the organization wanted the British duo to “help raise awareness about the cruelty involved in the pet trade.” However, since Pet Shop Boys have been using the name since 1981 — making them only one year younger than PETA — they have politely declined, even though they admit it “raises an issue worth thinking about.”


Read the Exclaim.ca story

Billy Bob Goes off on the Q

While appearing on the April 8 edition of CBC radio program Q with his touring band The Boxcars, Billy Bob Thorton became upset with host Jian Ghomeshi's references to Thorton's acting career by being vague and/or unresponsive to questions.

In my personal opinion, BBT should be grateful that he has a successful acting and directing career, because if he hadn't, his band would probably not get the exposure the get. If any other bottom-to-mid-level band (which The Boxcars are, essentially) did this on CBC radio, they would have gotten cut off as soon as BBT started acting like a spoiled brat.

Get over it!

Read the Canadian Press article

New York Times Co. to Close Boston Globe?

The Boston Globe, one of the most acclaimed and profitable U.S. newspapers ever, may be closing down.

Analysts say the 137-year-old Globe, which was bought by the New York Times Co. in 1993, has been a money-loser in recent years and the Times, now $1.1 billion in debt, is threatening to shut down the Globe unless it gets $20 million in union concessions. The company was in negotiations with the union as of April 6.

The threat to the Globe, announced April 3 on the Globe’s website, has shocked some industry insiders, who say it shows no one is safe in the troubled economic times.

Stay tuned.


Read the Marketing Magazine story

'Lap Dancing Nun' to Perform for Cardinals and Bishops

A former stripper from Italy, who is now a nun, will be performing a form of "mystical" choreography, which she calls "Holy Dance", in front of senior Catholic clerics next week at one of Rome's best known churches.

Anna Nobili, 38, spent two decades dancing for men in Milan but then decided she wanted more from life and joined the Sister Workers of the Holy House of Nazareth order. And now she is putting her past life as a dancer to use as a 'ballerina for God' in a show for cardinals and bishops called Holy Dance dedicated to episodes from the Bible. She turned to a life of spirituality in 2002 after being 'inspired' during a visit to the shrine of St Francis at Assisi.

The dance programme is called La Bibbia Giorno e Notte (The Bible Night and Day).

Among the guests expected to attend will be Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, who is in charge of the Vatican's Cultural Department.

Read the Daily Mail story.

Bill Mahar's New Rules For April 3

HBO television show Real Time with Bill Maher's New Rules segment for April 3. This week: Protesters, Michelle Obama's wardrobe changes, awful clothing designers, Glenn Beck, trash in space and the ocean.

His Airness headed to Hall of Fame

In an announcement that suprised no one, NBA legend Michael Jordan has been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. The announcement was made in Detroit on April 9, site of the men's Final Four. Fellow players David Robinson, John Stockton, Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer are the other memebers of the class of 2009.

Induction is Sept. 10-12 in Springfield, Mass., home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Read the TSN story.

You Learn Something New Every Day

The Looney Tunes song is actually called "The Merry-Go-Round is Broken Down."

The U.S state with the longest coastline is Michigan.

King Kong is the only movie to have its sequel (Son of Kong) released the same year (1933).

The saying "it's so cold out there it could freeze the balls off a brass monkey" came from when they had old cannons like ones used in the Civil War. The cannon balls were stacked in a pyramid formation, called a brass monkey. When it got extremely cold outside they would crack and break off

Only two countries border three oceans -- the United States & Canada.

Addictions and bad dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

Hand-made pita bread
Places called Frenchy's
My new hat
The final season of ER
Jim Lafleur
Green beans

Bill Mahar's New Rules For March 27

HBO television show Real Time with Bill Maher's New Rules segment for March 27. This week: Phil Spector and Donald Trump's hair, Victoria Secret, Praying Pilots, Get the U.S troops out of Germany and Japan.

Life on Mars from Serious Moonlight Tour

David Bowie's 1983 Serious Moonlight Tour film was in support of Let's Dance - a monster tour and record that pretty much put Bowie in the pop culture mainstream. Arguably the best recording from the video is Life on Mars from 1971's Hunky Dory

Sham Wow Guy Arrested

I usually don't report on "celebrity" police reports - so keeping that in mind, the ShamWow guy has be charged with felony battery on a prostitute. Vince Shlomien, the on-air peddler of the super-absorbant chamois, was arrested last month on a felony battery charge following a violent confrontation with a prostitute in his South Beach hotel room.

Read the Smoking Gun story

Playboy Posts Free Archive

Legendary men's magazine Playboy and parnter Bondi Digital Publishing have unveiled PlayboyArchive.com. It's a 53-year archive, with one issue from each year, completely digitized (including ads), viewable and searchable -- all free of charge.

The issues cover the years 1954 through 2007, Bondi Digital Publishing, scanned and re-typed each of the issue of Playboy.

Playboy was never really my cup of tea, but I am sure this is much easier than rifling through your uncle's ratty collection, yeah?

Read the Technologyexpert blog entry.

Shining: A Romantic Comedy

Check out this re-cut of the trailer of the Shining. Funny stuff.

R.I.P Natasha Richardson

Tony Award-winning Actress Natasha Richardson died on March 18 after suffering a head injury when she fell on a beginner's trail during a private ski lesson at the luxury Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec. She was hospitalized Tuesday in Montreal and later flown to a hospital in New York City.
A member of the Redgrave acting family, she was the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and producer Tony Richardson.

Survived by her husband Liam Neeson and their sons Micheál and Daniel, Natasha Richardson was 45 years old.

Forever 21 Rips Off Logo From Minor Threat

Skinny teenage clothing retailer Forever 21 has been caught selling a T-shirt bearing a strikingly similar logo to that of Minor Threat’s 1983 album, Out of Step.

Minor Threat's label Dischord says the use of the logo is unauthorized and falls under the “‘unacceptable’ category.” The label went on to say it was looking into the matter and would be asking Forever 21 to cease and desist.

This is not the first time the seminal DC-based punk band has been involved with copyright infringement. In 2005 Nike copied the cover of the band’s first EP in its campaign “Major Threat,” and was forced to issue an apology following a backlash from fans and the group’s Ian MacKaye. Also in 2005, Fox ran into trouble with Dischord after using a snippet of Minor Threat’s “Salad Days” during an NFL broadcast, again without the band’s permission.

Read the exclaim.ca story.

BIll Mahar's New Rules For March 13

HBO television show Real Time with Bill Maher's New Rules segment for March 13. This week: Court room sketch artists, flavoured vodka, Michelle Obama's arms and Governor of Louisiana Bobby Jindal.

Bonus: Lovely Sarah Silverman sits in.

Addictions and bad dreams

My current obsessions, time wasters and indulgences, in no particular order, are:

my three-month old niece
Lebanese food
blackout bingo
Season Five of Hell's Kitchen
DnBradio.com
3-2-1 dodge ball!
french vanilla ice cream with peanuts

BIll Mahar's New Rules For March 6

HBO television show Real Time with Bill Maher's New Rules segment for March 6. This week: Black is slimming, movie credits, Michael Jackson, GM dealerships, Donald Trump, Republicans.

Eraserheads final set

The legendary Filipino rock band the Eraserheads performed their last set on March 7, 2009 in Pasay City in Manila. This was a continuation and/or conclusion of the Eheads reunion show that occurred August 2008, but had to be cut short due to lead vocalist/guitarist Ely Buendia's reoccurring heart problems - exacerbated by the stressed caused by the death of Buendia's mother two days prior.

This time around, a healthy Buendia, drummer Raimund Marasigan, bassist Buddy Zabala and guitarist Marcus Adoro performed over 30 songs spanning their career, including their very first hit "Pare Ko", which made them national celebrities, and "Superproxy", which they performed in memory of the band's friend and collaborator on the track, rapper and TV host Francis Magalona, who passed away the day before, losing losing his battle with cancer.

R.I.P FrancisM

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.