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18 May 2008

Richard Roundtree in a Bull ad

No one does it like The Bull

ads, Shaft, bull, beer, vintage

 

07:14 Posted in Ads , Drink , Movies | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: ads, Shaft, bull, beer, vintage

Sight Unseen

Robert Tinnell and Bo Hampton's graphic novel, Sight Unseen, is an American Gothic story that, in true style, keeps the evil all in the degenerate family. With tight pacing, shadowy, emotive art panels that read like a cinematic storyboard, and a premise that does not overwhelm the story but allows it to unfold, it delivers a tidy mix of eerie imagery and believable-within-context situations; along with a damned, horror-style spirit that simply loves to hurt people.

more ...

07:09 Posted in Books | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: graphic novel, horror, dead, eerie, blindness, sight

Moonshine

Whiskey Geeks Keep Moonshine Tradition Alive

Making moonshine has gone from a backwoods black art to a high-end hobby practiced by "whiskey geeks" with a taste for top-shelf hooch.

Unlike their bootlegging predecessors, who cooked up big batches of white lightning and distributed the illegal booze out of the backs of cars, today's moonshiners focus on quality rather than quantity.

"It took me years, but with practice and dedication you can make any spirit every bit as good as a commercial distiller," says Dave Robison, 42, owner of Pioneer Spirits, a single-batch distillery in Chico, California. "You might not be able to reproduce it exactly, but it will be as good as anything you can buy on the top shelf."

(More via Wired)

06:50 Posted in Drink | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: moonshine, stills, whiskey, illegal, bootlegging, distillery, white lightning

Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen, war, drama, actor, legend, POWs

06:49 Posted in Movies , Steve McQueen | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Steve McQueen, war, drama, actor, legend, POWs

The Warriors (1979)

Now, here's the sum total: One gang could run this city!

A gang called The Warriors are framed for killing a gang leader trying to unite all the gangs in the area. With other gangs gunning for them they must get back to the home turf of Coney Island ... Alive.

more ...

06:41 Posted in Movies | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: warriors, street gangs, murder, action, movies, revenge

Jaws (1975)

You know what?

If you are at home on the weekend, and chance to flip around the channels on your super-duper cable system, you may notice something: Jaws is always on.

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06:00 Posted in Movies , Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Jaws, movie, TV, shark, channels, cable

My Dentist

In my continuing quest to plumb the very depths of dental anguish, I visited my dentist to get one more filling last weekend. Somewhere between novocaine shot 7 and 12, I noticed that my dentist, Carol, was chatting with the dental assistant about music.

(I should mention at this point that my dentist bears a strong resemblance to Geena Davis. Hence, my loyalty to Geena, I mean Carol, for five years. E says I stayed so I could have Carol's fingers probe my mouth and imagine Geena doing it. Can you believe she would say this? It is true, but to say it. Jeez!)

more ...

06:00 Posted in Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: dentist, music, hip, drill, novocaine, filing

Ants that eat electronics

I don't believe in evil, I believe only in horror

It sounds like the plot of a farfetched science fiction movie. Unfortunately for the residents of Texas, it is very much a reality: billions of tiny reddish-brown ants have arrived onshore from a cargo ship and are hell-bent on eating anything electronic.

more ...

06:00 Posted in Computers/IT , Nature | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: ants, electronics, food, Texas, invasion, ship

Trade your music, games, books and movies

Get something you really want

If you have got a book, CD, DVD or video game that you no longer need, check out Swaptree, where you can trade any of these items for one of thousands of others.

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06:00 Posted in Books , Games , Movies , Music , Web | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: trade, swap, music, books, games, movies

Chevy Ad

Citroen C4 gets slammed by Chevy

The Citroen C4 had an ad that featured the Citroen transforming into a dancing car. Chevy makes fun of Citroen in this ad.

06:00 Posted in Ads , Transportation | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Chevy, Citroen, ad, transformers, dancing, cars

17 May 2008

Is there a Smell Museum?

Nothing is more memorable than a smell

smell, museum, Stasi, odors, Berlin, aromasAfter the fall of the Berlin Wall, many astounding revelations came to light about the Stasi, the East German secret police. One of the more bizarre activities the Stasi was found to have engaged in was the collection of Geruchsproben — smell samples — for the benefit of the East German smell hounds. The odors, collected during interrogations using a perforated metal “smell sample chair” or by breaking into people’s homes and stealing their dirty underwear, were stored in small glass jars. Many of the remaining East German smell jars are on display at the Stasi Museum in Berlin. They are also described in Stasiland by Anna Funder.

The Stasi smell jars suggest an interesting question: Is there a museum dedicated to the sense of smell anywhere in the world, an institution whose mission is the accumulation of aromas for public appreciation? The Bible Museum in Amsterdam has a collection of about a dozen bilbical odors, such as frankincense and myrrh, for visitors to sample, but surely there must be some grand cabinet of smells somewhere — and not just behind the closed doors of a perfume manufacturer, or in the back of an organic chemistry lab. Where is it?

The Bible Museum - Smell Section

06:00 Posted in Interesting | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: smell, museum, Stasi, odors, Berlin, aromas

Incubus (1965)

Incubus, the 1965 black and white horror film starring William Shatner, was the second movie ever released in the artificial language Esperanto (The first, Angoroj, appeared a year earlier).

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06:00 Posted in Movie Trailers , Movies | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this | Tags: cult movie, horror, cheesy, awful, William Shatner

Say Hello to Pee-Wee

Pee-Wee has a fan

fan, membership, kit, swag, Pee-Herman, kitIt was likely on the strength of his first TV appearances on the Letterman show that I jumped at the chance to see Pee-Wee Herman perform live in
San Francisco in 1983.

After that I was sold on P.W., and soon became a proud card-carrying member of the fan club. I suppose I was already among the faithful when the movies and and the TV show came along.

(More on Pee-Wee's fan)

06:00 Posted in Movies , Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: fan, membership, kit, swag, Pee-Herman

Goals

The wife is driven. She has near-term and long-term goals. She has a planner. She knows what Franklin-Covey is. I thought it was a Peanuts character. She had goals like "become an executive by 35". She did. She has goals like "save money". She has. She keeps to her goals.

more ...

06:00 Posted in Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: pinball, goals, dream, own, wife

16 May 2008

Have a good weekend

It is a long weekend for us here in Canada. So, I am going to relax and have fun. Having said that, I know I never will. Relax, that is. I am a constant mover. I cannot sit still for long unless I am watching a movie, or sitting with E and the kids and family. As I am typing this post, I am watching my other monitor to see what is happening at work.

Tomorrow, I am off sailing. A friend has bought a sixty-four foot sailboat and has invited E and I, my brothers and their ladies, and my cuz and his lady. I had been sailing before on Frank's smaller sailboat. But this bigger one looks to be more fun. Hope the seas are calm.

Whatever you all do this weekend, have fun, stay safe, be well.

Cheers.

Steve.

13:05 Posted in Family , Friends , Fun | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: weekend, fun, family, friends

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull (2008)

This is not as easy as it used to be

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull will be opening on 22nd May. I am very much looking forward to this. Initially, I had misgivings about this film. Given that Harrison Ford was advanced in age. How could the Indy adventures move like before, with the breakneck action? After seeing a working print of Indy 4, I have changed my mind. I can tell you that, though Indy 4 is no match for the previous three films, it is a first rate action/adventure movie. And apologies to Mr. Ford, he is back in the game. Indiana is very much alive and spry. It was very nice to see Karen Allen back. When watching the working print, two holes were noticed. Missing were John Rhys-Davies (Sala) and the late Denholm Elliot (Marcus Brody). They were an integral part of the Indiana Jones adventures, and they are missed.

To get you in the mood for The Crystal Skull, here are two selections from the soundtrack for the movie.


The Soundtrack

Composed by John Williams

Release Date: 20th May 2008

Label: Concord

Ants! by John Williams



The Jungle Chase by John Williams

13:00 Posted in Movies , Music , Soundtracks | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: John Williams, Indiana Jones, soundtracks, movies, action, adventure

When A Cuppa Will Do You Good

There are points when the only thing you can do — despite desperately wanting to be productive — is to step back for a few minutes. And while conventional productivity wisdom seems to dictate that you should use those few minutes to get a small task done or get a bit ahead on a future project, there are often situations when the best thing you can do is to sit down for a nice cup of tea (or the relaxing activity of your choice). I picked up the habit a while back and taking those little breaks have actually increased my productivity. Try stopping for a few minutes when…

13:00 Posted in Home , Work | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: work, rest, stress, tea, break, home

So I just lie there and let the dog chew me?

dogs, fight, attack, chew, guard, trained

13:00 Posted in Signs | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: dogs, fight, attack, chew, guard, trained

Children

children, Africa, together, fun, life
 

A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child. (Unknown)

06:54 Posted in Children | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: children, Africa, together, fun, life

Woody Allen interviews Billy Graham



06:49 Posted in Interesting | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Woody Allen, Billy Graham, religion, parents, honor, commandments

The Something Store

Have a surprise when shopping

The Something Store has a surprise for you. Buy some thing for $10. That is right - some thing. You have no idea what you are buying. The store will send you a package. With your some thing inside. Surpise! You may find a cool gadget, rare book, table game, handmade necklace, reverse clock, box of gourmet chocolates, set of shiny shower curtains, popular video game. A neat concept. I love it. I am going to buy some thing today.

(Something Store)

06:38 Posted in Fun , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: purchase, store, some thing, $10, book, video game

Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen, TV, bounty hunter, western, drama

06:29 Posted in Steve McQueen , Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Steve McQueen, TV, bounty hunter, western, drama

Nana Saver

Keep your bananas fresh

This is something I can use. When eating a banana, I sometimes put it down and leave it for a bit. Moving on to bananas, fresh, holder, browning, airsomething else. When I come back, I see the banana has started to brown. Yuck! I know, it is still good. But ...

Now comes Nana Saver. Eat half, put the other in Nana Saver for a fresher taste for later. Wonderful.

(Nana Saver)

06:26 Posted in Food | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: bananas, fresh, holder, browning, air

Are you still wearing your masks?

Please take them off when entering a bank

mask, sign, bank, holiday, fun

 

06:17 Posted in Signs | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: mask, sign, bank, holiday, fun

Brazilian Ad

Understand the real value of money

money, value, ad, Brazil, print, warIn this print campaign, JWT Sao Paulo shows that the newspaper makes deeper analyses of the financial market and informs readers on political and social events exercising influence on the world economy. On Dollar, Euro and Yen notes, some of the most important events of the last century.

(Source)

06:14 Posted in Ads , Money | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: money, value, ad, Brazil, print, war

What the hell is Milk Juice?

milk, store, sign shopping, juice

06:07 Posted in Drink , Signs | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: milk, store, sign shopping, juice

66 Stage

Online TV and movies

A friend of mine directed me to 66 Stage, another online site where one can watch TV and movies for free. 66 is not too bad. The latest shows are there. But not the latest episodes - in most cases. I was looking for last night's Lost episode. Not there. It is, however, on SurfTheChannel. But the TV shows you are watching are clear and bright, I love this.

The movies, on the other hand, are not too great. For the most part, the recent 2008 movies are Camcorder bootlegs. A very big turn-off for me. SurfTheChannel is better.

Now, for the bad news. Most of the TV shows and movies are from the VEOH site. So what you are watching on 66 Stage could be a five minute preview. To see the full show, you click a link to take you to the VEOH site, and there is the movie. The bad news is that you have to register with VEOH to watch the movies. Otherwise, the show you are watching restricts you with "Admin rights" BS and - no show to watch. Not for me. If a site is going to offer free shows, then skip the BS and let me see it. Like SurfTheChannel and Side Reel.

In conclusion, I am not going to be visiting 66 Stage anytime soon. I will stick to Surf and Side Reel.

66 Stage

SurfTheChannel

Side Reel

06:03 Posted in Movies , Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: online, movies, TV, accessibility, clear picture

Sleep deprivation is not a badge of honor

Forgoing sleep is like borrowing from a loan shark

Sure you get that extra hours right now to cover for your overly-optimistic estimation, but at what price? The shark will be back and if you can’t pay, he’ll break your creativity, morale, and good-mannered nature as virtue twigs.

Now we all borrow occasionally and that’s okay if you fully understand the consequences and don’t make it a habit. I did that the other night. We pushed an update to OpenBar, which had me working until 1:30 AM. That wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t because I got woken up at 5 AM to help deal with an issue that arose. But the costs the following day were typical, numerable, and expensive.

(More via 37 Signals)

06:00 Posted in Health , Home , Work | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: sleep, health, work, home, irritable, awake

15 May 2008

Matopos

In an African village, a young blind man, a storm victim, will be initiated by an angel and overcome his fears. Thanks to a flute's musical quality, he will be able to exorcize the villagers' fears and offer a different perception of the natural elements.

This is a French short film directed by Stéphanie Machuret.

13:00 Posted in Movies | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: short film France, animation, Africa, blind man, storm, angel

The Grim Reaper

I grew up picturing death as the Grim Reaper, the skeletal figure carrying a large scythe. Even though I studied in Catholic schools, I have never believed their philosophy that Death is an angel of God and there is a better place after dying. Death is the end. I like the idea of reincarnation but I do not believe in it.

more ...

13:00 Posted in Life | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this | Tags: death, grim reaper, life, chess, movies, books

Chinese Pamphlets

pamphlets, China, politics, propaganda, magazines, newspapersThere is no revolution without propaganda, all kind of propaganda, which includes a lot of printed material, like posters and pamphlets. Propaganda, to be efficent, has be emphatic with it's message, using strong colours, or powerful messages or, and, be visually attractive. It has to convince the people, persuade them to believe in their reality and do what they want.

The Chinese Pamphlets has several of examples a cartoon books, pamphlets, postcards and magazines used during the early years of the People’s Republic of China between 1947 and 1954.

Known as the “street literature” of the revolution, those materials were published in Hong Kong and in Mainland China and distributed to the population of the provincial cities and villages. Some of the books available on the site remind me comic strip books, maybe graphic novels. Don't forget to take a look inside them.

(Chinese Pamphlets)

13:00 Posted in Interesting | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: pamphlets, China, politics, propaganda, magazines, newspapers

Leatherheads (2008)

You're only as young as the woman you feel.

A romantic comedy set in the world of 1920s football, where the owner of a professional team drafts a strait-laced college sensation, only to watch his new coach fall for his fiancée

more ...

13:00 Posted in Movie Trailers , Movies , Music , Soundtracks | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: football, Randy Newman, comedy, romance, Americana, soundtracks, movies

Mystery

church, mystery, art, body, murder, life
 

The job of the artist is to deepen the mystery. (Francis Bacon, Sr)

06:17 Posted in Art | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: church, mystery, art, body, murder, life

Heroes

99c38912420a5f5f4775acac22a60a8c.jpg


This is really one of those cases where the pictures speak a thousand words.

A photographer at The Birmingham (Ala.) News was looking for a lens, but found a box instead filled with negatives of photos from the civil rights movement in Alabama. Many of the images include the biggest names and key events of the movement, but were never published before.

Minutes after the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church was bombed on Sept. 15, 1963, Tom Self was on the scene taking pictures.

The photographs, published in The Birmingham News, were among hundreds that appeared in print during the civil rights struggle in Alabama. Self, who retired as chief photographer in 1998, remembers many of those images.

He also recalls many not published. One is a picture from inside the Sixteenth Street church moments after explosives blew the face of Jesus Christ from a stained-glass window and killed four little girls. “I shot a picture of Jesus, and everything was intact except his face; his face was blown out,” Self remembered. “It was an eerie feeling to look up there and see the whole frame of the window and just the face was gone.”

For some civil rights activists who marched in the era, I am sure the photos will bring back a lot of memories.

For the rest of us, view them for inspiration. We owe these heroes for their courage and faith to continue their struggle for justice and equality and to make the world a better place.

(Unseen, Unforgotten)

06:09 Posted in People | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: heroes, civil rights, photographs, activists, courage, movement

Lawrence Sterne Stevens

Pulp Artist

I had never heard of Lawrence Sterne Stevens prior to 2007, and I am not finding much info about him out there. Just a typical assessment, that like many of the illustrators of that era, he was prolific in many genres for many publications over a number of years. Judging by these examples (next page), I would say his only fault was that his work was not quite as magical as that of his contemporaries, Virgil Finlay and Hannes Bok.

more ...

06:00 Posted in Art , Books , Magazines | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: pulp novels, art, crime, fantasy, gritty

Are you the victim of the black magic?

Is your asshole of a husband cheating on you with filthy prostitutes again?

Then you need Guru Goblin Prince - Saint, Pundit, Peer, Maharaaja, Astrologer, Soothsayer, Enchanter, Telepathetic and Psychic Healer. I am great doctor of parapsychology and have over 30 years experience in selling ivory and dealing with people from all walks of life. From personal problems to family issues, I can help you achieve success, inner peace, healing and happiness. As a qualified telepathetic psychic healer I can help those in need in the following areas:

Black magic removal
Money and Career
Health
Marriage
Ghosts, Devils and Demonic Possession
Exorsism and exorcising of demonics
Alien Abduction
Foreign spies and scams
Fear of garlic
Tapeworms
Frozen mice
Trumpets

See the Guru NOW!

(Trumpets???)

06:00 Posted in Fun | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: guru, psychic, healer, faith, health, crystal ball

The Persuaders (1971 - 1972)

You must excuse him, his early life was heavily influenced by Rudolph Valentino.

The Persuaders was a British television series which first aired in 1971 and 1972 in Britain's ITV and on the ABC Network in the United States.

more ...

06:00 Posted in Television | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: crime, Roger Moore, fun, adventure, action, fast cars, sleuths

Tunnels

I love stories of mysterious places. Combine that with dark tunnels and you could interpret that in a Freudian way.

There is something fundamentally and primally mysterious about caves and tunnels. Maybe it is their darkness or the fact that they open into the very body of the Earth. They are invariably the subjects of adolescent adventure stories, such as the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew mysteries, and R.L. Stine’s books. And they serve as backgrounds in exciting stories directed at older audiences as well, such as Jules Verne’s A Journey to the Center of the Earth and the Indiana Jones films. Tunnels represent the unknown and touch the fears that reside deep in the primitive human subconscious. It is not that the tunnels merely exist and are unknown to most people, it is what they contain, who built them, and why - and that takes us into the deepest recesses of the unknown.

06:00 Posted in Places | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: tunnels, horror, mystery, novels, dark, fear

Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen, western, rodeo, family, contest, bulls

06:00 Posted in Movies , Steve McQueen | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Steve McQueen, western, rodeo, family, contest, bulls

How to Pack Everything You Own in One Bag

The art of travelling light

With more and more airlines charging extra to check a second piece of baggage, packing light has become a necessity.

Next week, AirTran Airways and American Airlines will join Northwest, Delta, US Airways, United and Continental in requiring passengers to pay a fee if they can't cram all their clothes, shoes, books, and hairdryers into one bag to check.

But one packing expert says it is possible to put your belongings in a single piece of luggage.

(More via NPR)

06:00 Posted in Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: travel, suitcase, light, packing, check list, tricks

Happy Birthday Varese!

My soundtrack collection is made up of mostly CDs from the Varese Sarabande label. Why? Varese pumps out all the big hits and the rare stuff. If you are looking for the Lost Season 3 soundtrack, chances are Varese has put it out. Wait a minute. They did put it out and I have it. See what I mean? Upcoming releases from Varese include The Happening and Get Smart. Just released were Speed Racer and Leatherheads. I can always expect something good from them each month.

Now, Varese also has a CD Club which releases rare and hard-to-find CDs. Soundtracks I obtained from the Club include The Burbs, War of the Roses and The Left Hand of God. The Club usually has a special three-four CD release every three months.

If you are a soundtrack collector like I am, then Varese Sarabande has to be one of your stops.

Happy 30th Varese!

The Varese Sarabande birthday celebration

06:00 Posted in Movies , Music , Soundtracks | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Varese Sarabande, soundtracks, anniversary, ra