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Thursday, February 17, 2011
A Rape Scandal to Call One's Own by Alex Snider
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Our Brand New Digs: "The View From Up Here" Edition
Just a few pictures I took from our windows this week. Despite living in a big city, it feels positively peaceful up in here. There is a stillness that's hard to explain. Even with streetcars passing by and the lights of Honest Ed's flashing (they turn off at 11:00 pm on the dot, for those of you who are wondering), I sometimes feel like I'm at a little cottage somewhere up north, not at a bustling intersection downtown.
More after the jump.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Some Things to Learn from Egypt by Alex Snider
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| Stephen Harper, seconds before biting off the head of that innocent kitten |
Our Brand New Digs: The Before Edition
We did it! Rebekah and I found a new apartment that met *almost* all of our must haves: lots of light, great location, claw-foot tub, wood floors, lots of beautiful details like glass doorknobs, rad-covers and an amazing built in kitchen pantry, big kitchen and, most importantly, a place where we have pretty much free run -- pets and painting, here we come! There is also a really good vibe (despite the lock on the OUTSIDE of one of the rooms -- there is nothing good about that).
The one item on our wish list we don't have is outdoor space but we do have a brand new gas stove. That's what parks are for anyway!
Here are our before pictures (after the jump):
The one item on our wish list we don't have is outdoor space but we do have a brand new gas stove. That's what parks are for anyway!
Here are our before pictures (after the jump):
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Sunday Songs - Sunday Morning Come Down
So technically, I'm not actually hungover anymore, that was for Saturday. But today, I have the dreaded hangover hangover, where the rolling nausea is replaced with ravenous hunger, and I still haven't regained my strength enough to go foraging for food. And so I stay under the covers and play Johnny Cash, waiting for my imaginary saviour to bring me breakfast in bed.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Act Now!
The conservatives are at it again; this time trying to pave the way for Fox News North (Sun TV) to spew it's sure to be racist, sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic hate speech and spread some fear Canada-style. The CRTC has been under pressure from some shadowy government committee to change the standards in Canadian broadcasting making it easier to willingly spread false information; right now, there is a ban on broadcasting "false of misleading" news. Basically, we are this close, Canada, to bidding adieu to journalistic integrity (not that all journalists come pre-programmed with integrity -- I'm looking at you, Blatchford). But, there is something that you, the Canadian lover of fact-based news, can do! Just fill out this short form here! It's so easy! I'm studying for an exam and I got er' done in about five minutes!
It closes tomorrow (Wednesday) night so go do it now. For real. We do not want to go down the path of no return, look at the US and their quagmire of 'journalism'.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday Songs - RIP Gladys Horton 1945-2011
Gladys Horton was the original lead singer and co-founder of The Marvelettes, the pioneering girl group who gave Motown it's first #1 Billboard pop hit in 1961 with the single "Please Mr. Postman." The Marvelettes were instrumental in putting Motown on the map, paving the way for all-female vocal groups like The Supremes, The Ronettes, and Martha and the Vandellas. Horton passed away earlier this week at the age of 65 (not 66, as some sources have reported) from complications due to a stroke she suffered last year. In honour of this marvellous Marvelette, this week's sunday song's is dedicated to Gladys Horton and her sassy, upbeat vocals.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
H*A*S*H tag
Okay, so shit's getting awfully serious these days; first it was the protests in Albania (which I take particular interest in after spending 6 months there in 2010), then Tunisia, Lebanon, Libya, Algeria, Jordan, Yemen and Egypt. Oh, Egypt. After being glued to Twitter and Al Jazeera English witnessing a televised revolution (with a short break halfway through the day for a job interview), I needed a bit of levity. So late last night when the #HipsterSitcoms hashtag appeared on Twitter, it was exactly what I needed to end the day on a lighter note. Paste Magazine posted some of their favourites here, but I wanted to share some of my faves, and the ones I came up with because, well, because it's my blog and I'll show off how clever I am if I want to, isn't that what blogs are for? :P
I came up with these:
Did you come up with any? Once you start, it's hard to stop.
Oh, and you can follow me on Twitter here
I came up with these:
Love, American Apparel Style
The Essex Green Acres
Hangin' With Matthew Robert Cooper
Mary Thurston Moore
All in the Akron/Family
Graphic Designing Women
Only Fools and Band of Horses
Welcome Back, Tumblr
The Facts of This American Life
Father Knows Best Coast
30 Yacht Rock
Barney Miller High Life
(Hooking Up With) Perfect Strangers
Some of my favourites from others:
The Bonny Prince Billy of Bel-Air (Holy Mountain)
Ambivalent About You (theleanover)
Friends...With Benefits (Crutnutcracker)
Jeers (lizzwinstead)
I Honestly Can't See Myself Married With Children (DonStahl)
Big Beard Theory (Notgiamatti)
Parker Lewis Can't get a Job (DJRotaryRachel)
Curb Your Ennui (talabi)
These were too easy:
Arrested Development
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Bored To Death
Did you come up with any? Once you start, it's hard to stop.
Oh, and you can follow me on Twitter here
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Take 5
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| 1. Listening to Round Midnight, Bobby McFerrin & Chick Corea, it's weird and wonderful what that man can do with his voice. |
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| 2. Love this sweet teacup set by illustrator Esther Horchner SO HARD. |
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| 3. Watched Blue Valentine the other night. Recommended if you think the Gosling is your long lost soul mate, and/or you feel like reliving all of your failed relationships and past heartbreak in one evening. photo |
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| 4. Reading The Ballad of The Sad Cafe, by Carson McCullers. |
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| 5. Totally craving maple bacon kettle corn right now. |
Greenberg: Spoiler Alert, He's a Sociopath!
Gah, what the goddamn fuck is with these navel-gazing movies about totally abusive, socially demented fuckwads? The kind of "socially awkward" (read sociopathic), dorky guys who know a lot about one particular topic (music, movies, video games) and then rub their abnormal, inconsequential knowledge in the face of everyone they meet but that is mainly to distract from the fact that their soul is a giant abyss of broken glass.
The guy who bullies to make his victim a 'better' person. The guy who does awful, mean things for a laugh although more often than not is the only one laughing, things like, throw a group mascot into a camp fire FOR NO REASON or throwing a gutter tomato (it is exactly what it sounds like, a tomato that was in the gutter) at their friend/roommate pointblank and being disappointed when it doesn't explode, merely hurts.
The guy who shits on everyone else's dreams and aspirations because, he does not have any. The fucked up guy who will sleep with someone out of the blue without any explanation (like, actually out of the blue -- in the middle of the night, under the cloak of darkness) and then be a complete asshole about it immediately after. Oh shit, my reality is mixing with the movie!
The guy who bullies to make his victim a 'better' person. The guy who does awful, mean things for a laugh although more often than not is the only one laughing, things like, throw a group mascot into a camp fire FOR NO REASON or throwing a gutter tomato (it is exactly what it sounds like, a tomato that was in the gutter) at their friend/roommate pointblank and being disappointed when it doesn't explode, merely hurts.
The guy who shits on everyone else's dreams and aspirations because, he does not have any. The fucked up guy who will sleep with someone out of the blue without any explanation (like, actually out of the blue -- in the middle of the night, under the cloak of darkness) and then be a complete asshole about it immediately after. Oh shit, my reality is mixing with the movie!
Why on earth would Noah Baumbach make a film romanticizing such a depraved type of character? The only explanation I can think of is that he himself is that depraved type of character. If it was simply a case of knowing someone like Greenberg then there would be no glamourizing his awful behaviour. I lived with that kind of guy for two years and, eight months later, my scars are barely beginning to heal. He destroyed my self-worth, my faith in me, my dreams. He was condescending and cruel and if I were to ever dedicate any sort of screenplay or novel to a character like him (not bloody likely), it would be only to dole out the gravest misfortunes in a 'you get what you give' kind of way.
So, Greenberg... Here we have a beautiful, talented and secure woman, Florence, who meets this twisted robot, Roger Greenberg, who is the brother of her boss (she is his personal assistant). Roger just got out of the hospital (mental breakdown of some sort, not an epic beat-down). The two meet, she likes him (as open-minded, compassionate women are wont to do); he wants to bang her, maybe, but he definitely wants to get back together with Jennifer Jason Leigh, whom he broke up with fifteen years prior to this steaming pile. She doesn't want anything really to do with him and so Roger is back to Florence. They almost hook up, but, he berates her. They get together, but, he berates her. She almost gets away, but, she falls prey to the mating call of the tyrannical bully. Good times! The abusive dickweed gets the girl! Hurray! Throughout the movie he alienates everyone in his life by being treating them viciously. There is not a charming or decent or kind bone in his body. This is just one more 'misunderstood' jerk from the land of Larry David.
There should be a place, a barren island in the middle of the ocean, where these turds can be abandoned to roam free like the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. A place where the only people they can hurt are each other except they wouldn't hurt each other because they are emotionally dead. And their lovely family members, partners, children, friends (and roommates, ahem) can heal and rejoice to live in a world where they are not on a constant emotional roller-coaster. Their self-esteem will strengthen without the daily, hourly insults, belittling, mocking digs and the world will be a better place; the sun will shine all day, every day; birds will come and sit on your outstretched hand with a song just for you; and puppies and kittens will never get any less adorable.
In short here is my official rating for the movie:
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