Happy Holidays from The Psychotic Hour

Listen...you'll be sorrrry

The History of Religion in 90 seconds

Quebec clears Olympic debt — 3 decades later

Finally

Quebecers finally need a new nickname for Montreal's Olympic Stadium — the "Big Owe" no longer applies because they've paid off their debts from the 1976 Summer Games.

Officials from the Olympic Installations Board, which oversees the stadium, have confirmed that the last payment was made in mid-November, three decades after the world descended on Montreal for the Games.

Thirty fucking years, just as old as Drapeau's love child (you had to be there to get that one)

Just in time for the Holidays

Spotted locally. Nothing says Christmas like a Notorious B.I.G. or Kurt Cobain doll.



So festive.

I hate Borat part4

and the Golden Globes as well now.

The Continuing Slide of America into the Laughing Stock of the World™ continues today with word that the folks at the Golden Globe Awards have nominated the Borat movie for "Best Comedy"

And nothing says "Best Comedy" to Americans than fat naked men, wrestling...ummm witty.

I would have given that nod to America itself, but it seems to have "Best Tragedy" and "Best Farce" all lined up.

A Gathering of Sick Fucks

In Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Holocaust deniers are meeting "to create an opportunity for thinkers “who cannot express their views freely in Europe about the Holocaust”"

Glad I can still express my views freely about this meeting.

Thinkers are the last things you are, you sick fucks.

YouPay YouTube

YouTube is offering an online surrey, where the plan seems to be that they will offer a "pay" service for bigger uploads, online video editing, and more!

Then they ask would you be willing to pay....

Guess what I said...

Welcome to the social disease

Microsoft has redesigned its website, and within is this hilarious section on Zune.

Zune owners do the right thing and leave their nasty machines in the grass...



Look, we love living in the bus shelter, "squirting" songs that only last 3 plays at each other!



Is it social yet?

See the happy smiling "hip" young actors having "fun".



And oh look, even Angela Davis has one!



It's hip, muthafucka!

V. antiquus

Earliest flying mammal discovered



My new favorite pic of the day.

Mammals took to the skies at least 70 million years earlier than previously thought, scientists say.

A fossil uncovered in China suggests mammals were trying out flight at about the same time - or even earlier - than birds, the team reports in Nature.

Read more here

Glorious

Well, sort of.

Version 2 of the "sequel" to Renewal.

Brilliant

Throwies are a revolution in temporary art: invented by the Graffiti Research Lab, they can stick to anything that is ferromagnetic and glow for about two weeks. On December 8th, we will create a thousand points of light when we decorate a massive surprise with colourful brilliance. Each participant will be given a handful of these delightful devices and let loose simultaneously :)

Radical Illumination
Queen + Spadina, Toronto (NE corner)
Friday, December 8th 2006 @ 11:11pm

No, I don't Love it

This new "Beatles" album is nothing of the sort.

It is new, in that it is the soundtrack for the (shiver) Cirque de Soleil's (shiver) Vegas show based around the music of the Beatles.

Fine, sort of.

Why must the biggest acts always end up there, living or dead?

Anyway, if anyone has the right to fuck around with the Beatles, it's George Martin.

And fuck around he has, with the aid of his son. In the context of a show such as CDS, it might work great...but to listen to as a stand alone, that's something else.

Songs such as Strawberry Fields get the treatment, which works to a certain extent when it is contained within the same song, but as the song progresses, other songs are layer in...to disastrous effect.

On the plus side, the newly cleaned up version sound wonderful, and one can just imagine what the digital releases of the original songs will be like.

(That is if they leave them alone. Certain "mistakes" were quietly removed from the CD releases, and I can only assume that this Lucasizing will continue.)

I don't care what the surviving Beatles say, Lennon if alive would smite them, one and all.

The LSD Effect

An 8/10 on the accuracy scale.

Hitler Speaks

When Adolf Hitler bought Eva Braun a movie camera, to film the people and parties which occurred at their Bavarian retreat, the technology to include synchronized sound had not yet been developed.

So when soldiers discovered Hitler's private home movies, in the Berlin bunker where the Nazi leader took his own life, the tantalizing clips they unearthed, featuring leading members of the SS in a more relaxed mode, remained silent for 60 years.

Now, leading edge lip reading software has enabled German experts to re-voice these films and provide us with a chilling insight into Hitlers private world.

See it here

Emperor Maxentius Insignia Found in Rome

Archaeologists have unearthed what they say are the only existing imperial insignia belonging to Emperor Maxentius - precious objects that were buried to preserve them and keep them from enemies when he was defeated by his rival Constantine.

Maddeningly, without images, but read more here

FCC FU

Anything I can do to fight censorship. For our American friends, visit FCCFU.COM

Apple on Apple v2

The Beatles on iTunes. Never could see any other way.

The 'peace wreath' will stay; no fines will be levied

That wacko in Colorado who tried to fine a woman for putting up a peace sign shaped Xmas wreath has backed down and resigned.

There is some sanity left in the world.

Woman faces fines for wreath peace sign

Are these people really this stupid?



"DENVER - A homeowners association in southwestern Colorado has threatened to fine a resident $25 a day until she removes a Christmas wreath with a peace sign that some say is an anti- Iraq war protest or a symbol of Satan."

Oh, yes, I guess they are.

"Some residents who have complained have children serving in Iraq, said Bob Kearns, president of the Loma Linda Homeowners Association in Pagosa Springs. He said some residents have also believed it was a symbol of Satan. Three or four residents complained, he said."

Maybe Mr. Kearns will sound a note of sanity...

"Kearns ordered the committee to require Jensen to remove the wreath, but members refused after concluding that it was merely a seasonal symbol that didn't say anything. Kearns fired all five committee members."

Oh...

You're a idiot sir, and now the whole world knows it.

Peace

New Bond

Might this not be the worst Bond song, ever? Remember, this includes Die Another Day.

This Bond is as nasty as the Dr. No version. You've had your six.

How To Bypass The Zune's WiFi Sharing DRM

Find out how here

Arise Consumers of all Nations!

From the Chicago Sun Times on the new Zune:

"Throw in the Zune's tail-wagging relationship with music publishers, and it almost becomes important that you encourage people not to buy one.

The iPod owns 85 percent of the market because it deserves to. Apple consistently makes decisions that benefit the company, the users and the media publishers -- and they continue to innovatively expand the device's capabilities without sacrificing its simplicity.

Companies such as Toshiba and Sandisk (with its wonderful Nano-like Sansa e200 series) compete effectively with the iPod by asking themselves, "What are the things that users want and Apple refuses to provide?"

Microsoft's colossal blunder was to knock the user out of that question and put the music industry in its place.

Result: The Zune will be dead and gone within six months. Good riddance."

Agreed. The recording/music industries are trying desperately to rip back control from us (after they lost it with the advent of CDs/Mp3s) without telling us that is what they are doing.

"Take the Zune's one unique and potentially ginchy feature: Wi-Fi. You see this printed on the box and you immediately think "Cool. So I can sync files from my desktop library without having to plug in a USB cable, right? Maybe even download new content directly to the device from the Internet?"

Typical, selfish user: How does your convenience help make money for Universal? No wonder Doug despises you.

No, the Zune's sole wireless feature is "squirting" -- I know, I know, it's Microsoft's term, not mine -- music and pictures to any other Zune device within direct Wi-Fi range. Even if the track is inherently free (like a podcast) the Zune wraps it in a DRM scheme that causes the track to self-destruct after three days or three plays, whichever comes first.

After that, it's nothing more than a bookmark for purchasing the track in the Zune Marketplace. It amounts to nothing more than free advertising."

The music industry does sometimes let their actual feelings slip out:

""These devices are just repositories for stolen music, and they all know it," said Doug Morris, CEO of Universal Music Group. "So it's time to get paid for it."

Well, Morris is just a big, clueless idiot, of course. Do you honestly want morons like him to have power over your music player?"

Absolutely not. We must fight these people with our pocket books. Don't let them take away the digital freedom we now enjoy.

MTV Bans Faithless Video

Thus guarenteeing that many more will seek it out and watch.

Idiots, mindless idiots at MTV.



Any little thing I can do to fuck over corporate (or whoever's) censorship...

The Tielman Brothers 1960

Why did it take so long for this clip to be known? Thank God for YouTube.

Wow

Incredible footage of speed-flying down Mount Eiger in Switzerland.

*blink*

Kids tormenting Kids

Motherfuckers

The remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula

I hate Borat part3 - Finally

Yes, finally, someone with some intelligence fights back...

BORAT star Sacha Baron Cohen was beaten up by a passer-by after he tried to play a prank as his alter ego.

He approached the man and said: “I like your clothings. Are nice! Please may I buying? I want have sex with it.”

But the bystander didn’t see the joke [one can not see the invisible]. He took one look at Cohen and punched him in the face.

The funnyman [the article's phrase, not mine] — known for his Borat catchphrase “Jagshemash!” — yelled for help but was slugged again and again.

OH YEAH!

“I guess this guy thought he was being attacked by someone unstable and lashed out. Sacha is very lucky he didn’t get a much worse beating.”

He *was* being attacked by someone unstable.

Ms. Dewey

Pay no attention to what you just saw. It's for your own good

A search engine with attitude

For more fun, try ignoring her.

Billy Idol sings Jingle Bell Rock

Can the end be far away?

Sing along here

Death of a President

"Death of a President", the 'future documentary', has slipped onto Google.

I have no love for Bush & Co., but this film has the touch of the irresponsible about it.

The U.S. and it's policies have cause undoubted damage and hardship, and though assination may have a profound immediate effect, its long term effects are rarely what the assassin plans.

The filmmakes have a viewpoint (even real documentaries have that), but in this case, it may be an irresponsable one.

Watch for yourself, as long as it stays online that is...I spoke too soon, it's gone from Google.

What did Bush mean by this?

"Whatever your opinion of the outcome, all Americans can take pride in the example our democracy sets for the world by holding elections even in a time of war."

Faithless - Bombs

I know next to nothing about Faithless, but I recommend this video

Scarface

With all the fuss about Borat recently (and in a year it will be "Borat who?"), I was thinking about another piece of entertainment ( I use the term loosely), namely Scarface.

Digg had a link to an article about The Best Worst Movies, and our little friend Scarface comes in at # 3 (#1 is a collection of Sylvester Stallone films. The article itself is rather pointless, as the author has not seemed to have viewed a movie made before 1980).

This little opus, released on an unsuspecting world in 1983, is a remake of the vastly superior original from 1932 (any viewing of the 1983 version *must* at some point be preceded by a viewing of Scarface, the Shame of the Nation. Look for the Xs. They are also used here and there in the 83 version, but without the skill).

Its director, Brian De Palma, has undergone an interesting transformation since then. Well, not so much him, as his reputation.

One of the great truimphs of the 80's has been that what drove the decade has been largely forgotten. Much of 80's music and film was a conscious effort to revisit the styles of an early period. Some of this produced good work. "Blade Runner" or "Back to the Future" for example.

The triumph comes in that today, the works that these works were based on are now largely forgotten, and the 80's films are seen as 100% original.

At the time, De Palma was seen as a hack, a warmed over Hitchcock with little originality. Not so anymore..the 80's babies now see him as a master film maker, an genius.

*smack head to make sure I'm awake*

Not so anymore..the 80's babies now see him as a master film maker, an genius.

*smack* nope, I'm awake.

And this list of "classics"? Dressed to Kill (stolen Hitchcock), Blow Out (stolen Blow Up), The Untouchables (now here I can see that it is a good film, with a classic line "That's the Chicago way", but for me it doesn't work all the way through. And while writing this I have learned he is doing The Untouchables II - Capone Rising).

But, topping the recently compiled list of De Palma's great works is Scarface.

Oh my fucking God. As the above mention article states: Settle down, holmes. I know your Tony Montana silk-screened shirt, bedsheets, pool table cover, and mudflaps bristle at the thought of Scarface being called a "bad" movie, but ignore the hype and the fake gangster posturing and do something you've never done: Watch the movie.

I did just that recently to see if my view of the film had changed since the last time in the 90's when I saw it.

It hasn't. (the article is actually kinder: Still, as generally trashy B-movie stuff goes, it's good stuff, and we don't mind wallowing in Tony's sleaze any chance we get. Just wipe your nose and keep it in perspective.

The movie goes well below B.

Al Pacino, who is no stranger to overacting, outdoes even himself with this performance. Audiences in 1983 immediately heard not a authentic Cubic voice, but Ricky Ricardo gone bad.

Ricky Ricardo?...I love Lucy?...oh never mind.

I can sympathize with U.S. viewers of today not knowing what an actual Cuban sounds like, as your government has protected you from such things since 1959, but believe me, Tony Montana isn't it.

With this revisionist trend continuing, can "The Bonfire of the Vanities" classic status be far behind?

The Psychotic Hour presents God at Confession

Found Music

Stumbled across this...Moon Mullican - 7 Nights to Rock

White House Caught Doctoring "Mission Accomplished" Video

Spotted in Toronto

Perhaps not as notable as The Spotted Dick, but...

I hate Borat part2 - #1 at the Box Office

Holy Fuck.

What is just as shocking is that he also appears to be the darling of left leaning blogs in the U.S., which just goes to show Americans can be idiots on both sides of the political spectrum.

Comment retort seems to be "Lighten up, he's a genius".
Ok, whatever Einstein.

Thank God we here in Canada have intellectually uplifting shows such as The Red Green Show and Corner Gas.

Gore Vidal

I'll be pleasantly surprised if Bush & Co. lose power tomorrow. Pleased, but surprised.

George Michael 'has no gay fans'

"Gay fans are only interested when you're 'in the closet'.

"Once you're out, they don't give a toss."

News Flash George: never gave you a toss before or after. Now, back to the bushes with you, run along

You have to be fucking kidding

The U.S. Government seems bent on controlling more aspects of their citizen's lives...

"The federal government's "no sex without marriage" message isn't just for kids anymore.

Now the government is targeting unmarried adults up to age 29 as part of its abstinence-only programs, which include millions of dollars in federal money that will be available to the states under revised federal grant guidelines for 2007.

The government says the change is a clarification. But critics say it's a clear signal of a more directed policy targeting the sexual behavior of adults."

More here

That is no government's business, now fuck off.

Dinosaurs

Woohoo. Could you ask for more?

See 'em here

I hate Borat

There, I've said it.

Not that anyone cares.

I watch horrified as his grotesque parade passes through town, to the thunderous applause of the village idiots...

stewart lee - don't get me started

What's Wrong With Blasphemy?

Find out here

Possible Epic Stupidity

If it does turn out that Comedy Central has removed all Daily Show, Steven Cobert and South Park from YouTube, it may be the dumbest media move this decade.

Funny how it comes less than 2 weeks before their election.

I'm just sayin'.

Revisionist History Strkes Again

The mayor of Montreal, Gerald Tremblay, announced - without consultation - that Montreal's 'Avenue du Parc' would be renamed 'Avenue Robert Bourassa.' The street has a lot of history and hosts some thriving communities, so feeling is rising high on the issue. A web-consulting company - that happens to be located on Avenue du Parc - put up an e-petition. When I first saw the thing they were aiming to collect 1000 'signatures.' It's grown so fast over the past day that they're now aiming for 20000. I keep getting emails from friends with a link to the petition and it seems to be growing by the minute."

I only just heard about this on Saturday. Who the fuck does Tremblay think he is? Bourassa? BooBoo Bourassa? A street named after him (?!), and of course it's one that had an English (sounding) name. Only bunkers should be named after old BooBoo.

There is an online petition here. It can only be signed by Montrealers, so tell any if you know any!

L'avenue de Parc est maintenant avenue de Robert BooBoo ? Jamais!

How stupid does he think Americans are?

Yeah yeah, I know...

Jump!

This is just one (though perhaps the best) of several jaw dropping scenes from the last Battlestar Galactica.

Ah hell, here's another

Party Time

Chester and I have birthdays close together, so we had a party last night.



All the local celebs were there, Simone Denny, Shelley Hamilton, Liz Tansey, DJ Robert (from Barrie!) and of course The Creampuff Princess.

Fooding

Chester Wong and Princess, on a one day food tour of Toronto.

No cupcake is safe.

Toronto Zanta

Crazy man, or performance artist? No one is quite sure, but if you live in Toronto you've seen him.

He's good, but no one can match the horror of the Harmonica Lady of Montréal.

More info here

No Time for Nuts

Scrat - No time for nuts
Uploaded by Juraya

King George

The Story of 1

Hosted by Terry Jones, here

75,000-year-old shell beads

Early shell beads from recent and old excavations push back the date for human culture

"There is a heated debate on when did we become culturally modern, that is when did we develop language, symbolic thinking, religion, etc. Personal ornaments, along with art, are unanimously seen as archaeological proof of the acquisition of those abilities."

I don't see that connection but...

Read more

Happy Bubbles, but Devoted Bubbles

Here it is Ladies and Gentlemen, the Salvador Dali Alka Seltzer ad.

Only took me 34 years to track the sucker down.

What we still don't know

which is a 3 part series available on Google:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

If this is a real Bentley ad

then their arrogence knows no bounds.

TheirTube

Google buys YouTube.

Beginning of the end of YouTube as we knew it. Corporate control will bring corporate blandness. But, it's what the viewer *really* wants, isn't it?

So just sit back and watch, like a good audience should. Leave the entertaining to the professionals.

Read what little more there is here and here

Battlestar moves to NBC

Frak.

"The question is:  will NBC be tolerant of the quasi-political themes that BSG seems to take from the most controversial page of world events?"

Quasi? Season 3's opener was a pretty clear inditement of the whole Bush mess, or at least to me it was. So yes, the network might mess with that. I'm more afraid of the "7 of 9 Syndrome", where there will be more ballistic breasts coming at you from every angle.

And that's just the men.

The Desert Origins of the Pharaohs

Interesting article about Canadian archeologist Mary McDonald and her search of the origins of Egyptian civilization.


Read it here

Torture is best before bedtime

You don't matter

Check out Answers in Genesis for the real reason behind the violence in society.

Evolution.

Yum

I went to a new Korean restaurant here in Toronto last night, and I had never heard of this kind of place.

I feel I have been under a rock on this one. You cook your meal on a grill built into the table.

There was chicken, beef, pork, salmon, whitefish, ribs....

Yum

Only negative point would be the rice, which has been standing around before we got it.

Not holding my breath

Canada to formally protest to U.S. over deported man

Read more here

"Bush is unpopular with many Canadians and the protest may help deflect opposition complaints that Harper is too close to the U.S. president."

LOFL

Lucas: Indy 4 Still Developing

George Lucas told Variety that the much-delayed Indiana Jones 4 is still in development, but not exactly on the horizon.

Let me go on the record here and state that I hope it is a film that never gets made. Mr. Lucas, the moment has passed, and that moment was in 1981.

Christie's Star Trek Auction: follow up

Star Trek memorabilia sale a big hit in New York

Read more here

Olbermann

Keith Olbermann, who sees himself as Edward R. Murrow reborn, gave another fiery attack against Bush & Co. last night.

Watch it here

He seems to be the only voice from MSM in the western world speaking about against the madness, but....

Indian XBox360 ad

300

Frank Miller's retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae is coming next March, and the offical trailer is out now (it was on a German site recently, but was pulled)

It looks amazing, can't say if the film will be any good.

Watch it here

The 'war on terror' that ruined Rome

An article exploring the parallels between Rome's response to a "terrorist" attack, and the modern equivalent.

Read it here

Dr. Bloody Bronowski

He knows everything

"Oh, I wouldn't like that, it would take the mystery out of life"*

Jacob's Bronowski's famous 1973 documentary series "The Ascent of Man" is available (at least for now) on Google video. Be warned though, that episodes 2 and 10 seem to be missing.

See part 1 here

* Monty Python, The Penquin sketch

Fish Heads

Starring Bill Paxton. Could you ask for anything more?

Must...regain...control

Anti-DRM ad

How drunk is this

Walking with Cavemen

A BBC series on the evolution of mankind.

It has perhaps an overly dramatic style, and the host reminds me of a comedian from the 60's, but...

Part 1 here

Pictures at an Exhibition

I'm in the process of making a virtual video tour of an exhibition of my work.

Stay tuned.

Decide for yourself

From Think Progress:

Last night, the CBS Evening News turned their broadcast over to a man named Brian Rohrbough, who lost his son during the Columbine massacre. Mr. Rohrbough proceeded to blame recent school shootings on: 1) the teaching of evolution, and 2) abortion. Watch it:

Christie's Star Trek Auction

From Startrek.com:

The countdown begins! This Thursday, October 5, is hammer time as Christie's auction house in New York begins bringing the gavel down on items spanning the entire 40-year career of the Star Trek franchise. This historic auction will take place over the course of three days (Oct. 5-7) and promises to be a huge hit throughout the galaxy. (We have it on good authority!)

Medieval hall discovered in barn

It's over there, under those newspapers...

Actually, "a couple from Hengoed in Denbighshire discovered one of their outbuildings was originally a 15th century medieval hall house.

Historians have dated the building using dendrochronology - the analysis of tree rings in timbers - to 1447.

Experts said the find was "extremely rare"."

Read more

That's One Small Step for

a Man?

Seems a computer programmer named Peter Shann Ford has analyzed Neil Armstrong's first words on the moon, and discovered the missing "a".

Maybe...

Listen here and decide for your self...

I don't hear it, and have always felt the pause Mr. Armstrong takes after "man" was him saying to himself "Damn! Damn! Damn! I fucked it up!"

Apoxyòmenos

A bronze statue of a Greek athlete has been put on show in Florence, Italy, after undergoing seven years of restoration work.

The relic, thought to be 2,000 years old, was aboard a ship that sunk in the Adriatic Sea...


Read more here and watch more here

Chihuahuas & Root Beer Don't Mix

T. Rex Soft Tissue Found Preserved

Too strange.

A Tyrannosaurus rex fossil has yielded what appear to be the only preserved soft tissues ever recovered from a dinosaur. Taken from a 70-million-year-old thighbone, the structures look like the blood vessels, cells, and proteins involved in bone formation.

read more

Fallen Art

wow

The Ancient Human Occupation of Britain Project

Scientists are to begin work on the second phase of a project aimed at piecing together the history of human colonisation in Britain

Neanderthal News

SCIENTISTS are attempting to extract DNA for the first time from the fossilised bones thought to be of a Neanderthal man who roamed Britain 35,000 years ago.

read more

Neanderthal 'butcher's shop' found near Somme, France

read more

Rainbow

over Toronto.

It tried to become a double one, but didn't quit make it.

I'm so blue

The Blue Man Group show is closing here in Toronto, after only 18 months.

Maybe it was their disregard for local unions and performers, the less than ideal location, or the fact that the Blue Man Group is mildly disturbing..

Who knows?

Archimedes

The Archimedes Palimpsest is one of the most fascinating finds of recent history.

Watch this webcast for the latest news from the exciting world of ancient literature. Be forwared though, this webcast is not exciting, just the subject matter...

Jesus General has this page up today, reflecting what may be the darkest day the U.S.A. has recently faced.

Mr. Bush & Co. has done more damage to America than any so called terrorists have so far done.

Maps of War

Who has controlled the Middle East over the course of history? Pretty much everyone.

Bush is (still) a Criminal

Bush's America is a bad place. A very bad place.

The next month there will be very interesting.

Other views of the future

Trailer Trash

No no, not you...this time.



It's Trailer Trash TV hosted by Scotty Jay (from North West Community TV), a Killer Penguin Production!

A series of old movie trailers and tv ads, captured from Glorious VHS! Could you ask for more?

It's the Saxons! Hide the drapes!

I enjoyed Francis Pryor's "Britain BC", with its attempt to reconstruct vast areas of British prehistory.

So I began the "sequel" Britain AD eagerly.

As the pages went by, I was willing to accept a new idea proposed here, an ancient author ignored there...

But by the end, the Saxon Invasions were just a fashion trend? Oh honey, we just love what you're doing in Germany this year, be a dear and send over a boatload of those yummy Angles.

The book has a Chariot of the Gods "what if this, then that" reasoning. Sheesh, what do you think your readers are, American?

Space

BBC Documentary Space Ep. 1

If this series wanted to be a successor to "Cosmos", it falls far short. Hosted by Sam Neil, it boasts excellent 3d graphics, but has a limited view of modern findings (the origins of life on Earth are explained "only" by it arriving in a comet. This explains nothing) and has a dark view of the universe.

It is out to kill us, constantly.

Run! RUN!

Little Superstar

Wtf?

Century of the Self

Check out this 4 part series from BBC, called "The Century of the Self".

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

It follows the adoption of the ideas of Sigmund Freud by western advertisers and politicians in the 20th century. It seems to be narrated by Michael Palin.

"Legal" music

Yeah yeah, I know, we're all criminals and terrorists if we've every even though of downloading a song off the internet (you should see Bin Laden's Abba collection).

Well, I bought my first "legal" music from the Apple Music Store yesterday, and it was surprisingly easy experience. Maybe too easy ;)

What I got was Sloan "Never Hear the End of It". I've listened to Sloan over the years, first hearing them in 1993 . With this release (which I heard in a video store playing, and asked the clerk what it was), it shows they have listened to their Hollies and Beatle records, but it still has their distinctive sound as well.

Standouts: "Anu Lucia", "Ill Placed Trust", and others too as well. "I Can't Sleep" is way too short! If you like jangly 60's pop (listen to "I Understand"), go for it.

Rejected from YouTube

"Your video "Faux iPod ad" has been rejected due to its inappropriate nature."

My my.

You can, gentle reader, still see this shocking piece of depravity here.

Black Day for Montreal

It has happened again there.

iBlah

Apple just held its big media event.

It's Showtime! Yawn.

It is probably big news for them, but not for me.

So they will offer Disney films (for now) to download, but not burn to DVD (more convenient for you!).

But wait, we will offer a $300 iTV device so you can watch your movie on TV! What a concept.

But, no, it's not available yet.

(and tell me why you would drop $300 on an iTv to view movies, when you can get a dvd player for under $100...)

Oh yeah, there are some changes to iPods and iTunes...but who cares! Disney movies!

Stuff

1) Dark Energy and Dark Matter – The Results of Flawed Physics?
I'm kinda hoping they're right. The Dark Matter theory always sounded a bit 17th century to me.

Be gone Pluto! We cast you out!

2) Jonathan Miller: A Brief History of Disbelief

He's baaack

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Path to Whitewash pt2

Needless to say, part 2 of "The Path to 911" was just a subtle and intellegent as part 1.

The Worst Moment By Far: when clips of Bush and Gore from the 2000 campaign were shown, only Bush is allowed to speak, and he tells his audience to come out and vote.

Outrageous.

Bush's seven minutes with the goat were not included.

At 9 P.M., there was an incredible simulation of Bush giving a speech. The actually dialog was far too badly written though.

More powerful by far was the footage released last night, filmed from an apartment 500 m from WTC by just everyday people. Or it will be until the media gets it.

Path to Whitewash pt1

So that was part 1 of "The Path to 911".

Omg.

It's viewpoint couldn't have been more clear, and this is the altered version.

Seems all terrorists are shifty eyed, sweat a lot, live in areas that have no colour expect sand brown and listen to non stop Arabic music and chants...all day long.

American characters constantly roll their eyes on having to follow annoying little things like international and U.S. laws (oh, as long as they aren't part of Clinton's government that is).

Pesky things these laws, don't they know we are in a new kind of war? (How do you win a law and order war? Answer: You don't)

"Are there no men left in Washington, or are they all cowards?"

"Clinton is Satan" (this after a terrorist shoots bullets into a screen showing Clinton). Gee, wonder if Bush will get such harsh treatment in part 2...?

Subtle.

They burn an American flag in one scene. Is it news footage, or did they burn one in the name of art?

In our face

This is not the first time in my lifetime a film has popped up that seems to have more of a purpose than to merely entertain.

PT 109 (1963), The Green Berets (1968), M*A*S*H* (1969), All the President's Men (1976), Red Dawn (1984), Amerika (mini-series 1987, interestingly on ABC), Wag the Dog (1997) to name just a few that took a view (on one side or another) on an issue of the day.

"The Path to 911" (ABC 2006) just maybe the most charged of the lot. It really does seem someone wants their view of 911 out there in a big way. Coming as it does 2 months before an election, whoever is behind this doesn't seem to give a fuck what is though of their method of delivery (and doesn't that poster speak volumes?), as long as it gets out there.

Funny how gas prices have dropped.

I will be watching this blatant piece of propaganda just to see how far they will go.

Not expecting it to be too deep though, it will be as simple as ABC.

Coca Cola Blak

I went to the product launch here at Dundas Square in Toronto for Coca Cola Blak, their new "cola coffee fusion beverage".

DJ'd by Chester Wong, with body painting organized by Simone Denny, the Coke reps were busy distributing free bottles of the new concoction to one and all.

The only thing that darkened this fine summer day were 2 loud electronic displays screaming out images of Paris Hilton.

And oh yes, the drink. Surprising taste at first, but slightly marred by the aspartame aftertaste.

Pluto no longer a Planet

The decision sucks.

The Solar System

I'm going to weigh in here and say that I disagree with the new definition of "planet".

But they never listen to me.

Get Down

I've always wanted to make a history of The Age of the Mellotron, and I think I've found the opening sequence.

I didn't dream this

In 1972, I saw this Alka-Seltzer ad, and have search the net, Napster and all for it, to no avail.

But last night, it showed up in a Google video documentary on Salvador Dali. Don't have a Quicktime (yet)....

HAHAHAHAHA

Rastaman

Laughing for Jesus

Sarah McLachlan

World on Fire

New New York Dolls?

and it doesn't suck?

The Psychotic Hour presents Alien 3 Stooges

Ripley vs. The Curly Queen

The Baby Name Wizard

Here

My name fits perfectly into its graph....

Japanese Game Shows

Remain Stoic, Remain Stoic

Smoking Fetish

This may be one of the strangest fetishes I've ever heard of, let alone seen.

YouTube has dozens of videos of people smoking...that's right, smoking, and cigarettes no less.



And there are fans.

"tweekinup:
Damn by far the hottest smoke on board, lets see parts 2, 3 , 4, and 5"

Smoking 2 at once seems to have extra rating boosting effects, as does the following:

Recently unearthed e-mail...

...reveals what life was like in 1995

Castro has died?

Rumours going around to that effect.

Syd Barrett has died

I'm not here

The Psychotic Hour presents 2001

Samuel L. Jackson is HAL

The Flamin' Groovies

This may be the worst video..ever

Pheer Shward - Pittsburgh is my Block
Enter at your own risk

And this is news how?

"People in Britain view the United States as a vulgar, crime-ridden society obsessed with money and led by an incompetent president whose Iraq policy is failing, according to a newspaper poll."

I live just north of them. They've always been like that.

The Psychotic Hour presents Child Rearing

The People Formerly Known as the Audience

here

Random Friday

Ants 'use an internal pedometer'. Just so ya know.

They've found Noah's Ark. Again.

Fucking spoiled kids today. Why, in my day...



A database of over 900 satellites

How Apple's Intel transition is going. Yeah, yeah, except for the incredible expense of having to buy "all" your software over again...and paying for each pussy upgrade from Apple...

And the sickest site of the day is.

Seems Greed and Stupidity have won again

Open net calls fall on deaf ears

This and the now open spying by governments of the net mark an ending of the way it was.

A sad day for freedom.

Random Stuff

What with Bell Canada "warning" of the same shit here in Canada...Sticking with AT&T? You're a fool

Crawl Out Through the Fallout. You have to hear this!

Throw Rocks at Boys here

Strange Statues

Dust Art

Radio History Lost

It may be a small part of radio history but...

In the 1980's, I used to listen to late night radio show by Steve Freeman (or Freedman...Friedman actually) out of WCAU 1210 Philadelphia. He seem on the verge of the big-time, with his vast knowledge of film, but I lost contact with the show. The below may explain it better:

"Many radio insiders agree that the 1970s started a period of decline at WCAU. After orders from Paley to go all news, the station did poorly against an entrenched KYW. By the end of the 1970s, the station began losing money. In the early 80s, WCAU lost its focus flipping between all-news and news-talk. By the late 80s, the station settled into a mostly talk format. Well-known hosts during this period included former Mayor Frank Rizzo, whom callers would regularly urge to run again for public office. There was also Steve Fredericks with sports, Harry Gross' financial show as well as Tony Bruno, Dominic Quinn, and Clark DeLeon.

(notice Steve's absence here...)

On August 15, 1990 at 1:05 p.m., the 68 year history of WCAU came to an end. CBS, citing massive losses, fired over 30 of the station's employees, including most of the talk-show hosts and the entire news department. The format was changed to oldies, with half of the broadcast day simulcasting sister station WOGL-FM. The sudden switch stunned radio analysts across the country, many of whom felt that the station could have been salvaged. Known as WOGL-AM, the station retained much of its evening sports programming."

I can only assume he was victim of this. I did hear him again in the 90's, but the show was much reduced in length (the old show was sometimes 8 hours long).

Information on him seems non existent on the net, except for a post on an Elijah Wood board, dated February 12, 2006:

"Last night I was listening to a local radio talk show hosted by a man named Steve Freedman, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of movies. Someone called in talking about a film called Duma that had received very good reviews, but that had played in only a few cities. He himself had had to take his family to New York to see it. The movie was released in the US by Warner Brothers, and Steve started talking about how Warner (which, as we all know, was responsible for EII, through Warner Independent Pictures) has a reputation for picking up offbeat or specialized indies, and then just not distributing them widely, with the result that they never get a chance to develop an audience. I suppose it's some (cold) comfort to know that EII's plight wasn't unique."

Shame there isn't more on him.

Robert Newman - History of Oil

Huh?

Ball Lightning

Physicists create great balls of fire

"Ball lightning has puzzled scientists for centuries. Though little reliable data exist, there have been many anecdotal sightings, with people as diverse and famous as Charlemagne, Henry II and the physicist Niels Bohr all claiming to have seen it."

And me!

In the early 90's, I was in the back seat of a car, driving through a storm. As we passed the agritcultural college at the western tip of the island of Montreal, a blue-purple ball of light "bounced" along the ground in a field to my left. In the time it took for me to say "Did you see that" it was gone.

I was not totally believed.

Happy 666 Everyone!

Today is actually June 6th, 2011, and it's 616 not 666, but who's counting?..Happy 666 from The Psychotic Hour.

You made a mistake indeed.

Bush

President Bush came out finally today as the hate filled man we all knew he was.

Shame on you.

Talk about

PMO muzzles MPs on gay Mountie union

We here in Canada have a growing problem, one of your own foolish doing.

In this day and age, we gave Conservatives power.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Increasingly it seems this minority government is doing all it can to silence critics, misdirect the public and hide their uglier side from all of us.

Too late.

Conservatives in this period want to turn back the clock, to some imagined golden age of the past. (I remember the tail end of that past, and it wasn't so golden, believe me...oh ok it was, if you were white, and straight, and well off, and...).

We now have an extended war we didn't ask for, with news black outs of any results (if unfavourable to the cause), and now this.

Given their way, they will take away rights granted under Canadian Law. And here I thought only Québec could do that.

And the stupidest story of the day is...

Most anticipated baby since Jesus

Renewal v5

Star Trek in Widescreen, my ongoing 3d project:

Thank you Mr. Bush

To my fellow Canadians

We must close our border with the U.S.A. now!

President Bush has declared all citizens of the United States as suspected al Qaeda agents.

We thank God that America had the foresight to re-elect this fine man to a second term. We here in Canada thought this a grievous error, but we now see it as part of God's plan.

Remembering that Mr. Bush is a respected world leader, we take this threat from the citizens of the U.S. seriously. We are relieved to learn that he has taken the correct "first" steps by collecting all phone records. We can only hope that secret arrests and a complete control of the press/Internet are next, followed by suppression of all left wing agitators such as women, gays and scientists.

Mr. Bush, do what you have to do. Anything to stop this serious threat from our "friends" to the south.

The Truth for Youth

I can't make this stuff up.

""Preventing truth decay"...THE TRUTH FOR YOUTH...the entire New Testament along with powerful, full color comics that are packed with the absolute truth regarding moral issues young people are faced with everyday. Sometimes the truth hurts. But you've got to deal with it. If you can handle the truth..."

Endless hours of fun with 1st century thought and fuzzy logic, all with pretty pictures.

This and That

'Cloaking device' idea proposed

"But at least he didn't throw a phone"

They want to charge what for what??

Best home made lightsaber duel ever

Here

Condo Killers

Toronto is in the middle of a condo boom, the billboards appearing everywhere, proudly proclaiming the outrageous prices being asked. Usually with big ticket items the price is not shouted so (ok, cars), but with condos it is just the opposite.

"From $800, 000 to over 2 million!"

(these range from the pretentious "Home to Kings" One Bedford project on Bloor to the ridiculous and more than a little disturbing "Brad J. Lamb" campaign (if you live here you know what I mean...though using sheep imagery to represent condo buyers is inspired))

Btw, the "One Bedford" project uses King Tut's image on their billboards. The Pharaohs should rise up and smite these upstart commoners..imho

So let it be written, so let it be done.

Many are appearing in so called "poorer" neighbourhoods, a foothold they are not soon to give up. (one such project has it's viewing "office" spray painted with the words "GET OUT")

So, this story from 42 caught my eye....

So some pissed-off people barged into the sales office of a luxury condo building in Brooklyn on Sunday, angry about the $500,000 to 1.3 million price of the crackerboxes and also over the nice fat tax subsidy the developer and buyers get from the city due to a relic exemption from the 1970s NY fiscal disaster.

Anyway, it’s heartening to see people fight back against this shit, but kinda sick to read a quote from a privileged princess who had this to say about the protesters:

Jenny Malone, a prospective buyer at Beacon Tower, rushed out when the protesters busted in. “Tell them to get jobs and go live in the projects,” she said. “People just want something for nothing.”

Wow. That kind of hubris is a real buzzkill.

Won't stop 'em though, nothing the rich hate more than the poor...other than minorities (condo advertising in Toronto remains the whitest you'll ever see) and gays of course (unless they have money).

Bush and BushBaby

"Is there anything you want for your birthday?"

"A bushbaby"

"A bushbaby? Well, we'll have to see about that"

"Conservative government slap[s] a ban on news media coverage of the coffins' return home to Canada"

What are they afraid of??

"The cost of the war should always be shown front and center, so we can make informed decisions," Sean Bruyea, a retired captain and veteran of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, who has fought for veterans rights, said in an interview from Ottawa. "We rely a lot on public support. I would hope Canadians would step up to the plate to defend us."

Amen

Pink

Thank you for such a placenta evening

Tom Cruise breeds. Perhaps Darwin was wrong.

UPDATE: The Beatles confirm online music plans

The Beatles may be preparing to release their music through digital music services

And if they do, and it is through the Music Store, I want to get in my 2 cents with a video that, umm, surfaced 2 years ago.



If not, they missed out an a great slogan

;)

"Is Your Entire Country on Crack?"

Unknown Canadian finally says what many are thinking.

"This is not like planning to invade Quebec"

Would President Bush go to war to stop Tehran from getting the bomb?

OMG

and one cool reflection on the story.

The Idiotsy Begins

Available as a download beginning today, [Apple's] Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS X or Windows XP.

Fools! Stop! Now!!!

More artists fight back

The Dixie Chicks are not ready to make nice.

I have never listened to their music, but when they spoke out against Bush, I nodded in their direction with approval.

All hell broke loose for them, but they didn't take it laying down.

Their new single "Not Ready to Make Nice" is straight and to the point, great lyrics and a good song.

Kick ass girls