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

I'm with Stupid

The song itself may be slightly innocuous, but at least someone somewhere is fighting back against Bush & Co. and the hatred they have have unleashed and promoted with their suedo Christian nonsense.

Stupid is too kind a word.

Pet Shop Boys

A Star on ebay

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, a poster I designed is for sale on ebay, and not by me.



But it's not an original, but a "copy" being sold by an organization that had nothing to do with the event the poster was for.

Bit shady, but hey, I'm on ebay!

Now if I can only get Wikipedia to stop deleting The Psychotic Hour entry. Hell even John Moore made it in.

There's a movie in this

This is too funny.

Church ousts dominatrix from vicarage

If I had a million dollars

It be gone by lunchtime.

Check this out. Hollywood Auctions

We are being looked over by children

A major conservative American lobby group is set to unleash a campaign of protest against Australian tourism's "where the bloody hell are you?" TV advertisement.

The American Family Association (AFA), which has more than two million members and leads campaigns against abortion and gay rights, was upset with the bikini-clad model Lara Bingle's use of "bloody" and "hell" in the ad's tagline.

I feel the AFA needs be offended more often.

BTW, "British TV authorities dropped a ban on the use of the word "bloody" after pressure from Australia, but now Canadian authorities are unhappy with the way the ad portrays beer drinking."

We are ruled by children.

The Psychotic Hour presents Future Morning

Sad

Sad when only an ABC show has the nerve to say something.

Good Riddance

Milosevic found dead in his cell

I did work in the '90's for the Tribunal in the Hague, and was exposed to descriptions of the acts of this and other monsters of his kind.

The Earth can not rid itself of such people fast enough.

"It looks like a giant iPod"

Yes it does.

After bitterly complaining about Apple's jump to Intel, on Saturday I went and got one (an iMac).

So far so good, I can't really run anything of much use on it yet (though it is very quiet and well behaved so far). Much better audio/visual capabilities than my old G4. Shared library crashes iTunes though.

It is fun to run two networked computers at once.

This is too funny

The Rollling Stones 1964

Saved

Python in '75

That's just nasty

Yes, I am still miffed with Apple for fucking us over with the Intel change, but my eyes are still working...

Every once and awhile they will release a product who's design makes me cringe.

This is one of those times. The new Apple iPod Hifi.

What were they thinking? Like the desklamp iMac, I wonder sometimes how these designs make it through the process.

The retro look is fine, but bad retro? Sheesh, there isn't even descent speaker separation.

Next!

Too soon

Goodbye Ruth, critic, poet, friend. Authoress of the Dragon Papers. Hater of Tph.

Now sing verse in the Halls of Odin.

Vernisage?

I keep forgetting that no one in Ontario knows what a vernisage is, what I attended this evening was called an "opening reception".

Michel Dauda, already a talented photographer, has launched an exhibit of "photo based digital art" at Apostolis Gallery in Toronto until February 18th, with the original flowers supplied by Suzanne Garnder.

It was jammed. All the beautiful people were there, along with international celebrities Chester Wong and Simone Denny plus representatives of the media, the art/leather community as well as one or two members of the Russian Mafia.

By 9 pm, he had already sold two works. Now wonder he's smiling.

What were you thinking?

Canada Conservatives win election

To my fellow Canadians: fuck fuck fuck!

People really are as stupid as they seem.

Say "Cheese"

Friends and I watched the opening episode of season 2 of "Battlestar Galactica" on Saturday.

I was no fan of the old show, as at the time it was seen by all viewers but 4 year olds as a blatant rip-off of "Star Wars", without the wit and talent.

(my dislike has another reason as well..in 1978, 2 episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" were released theatrically outside of the U.S. as a "movie", to cash in on "Star Wars". Of course audiences weren't told they were paying for a television show, but it became painfully obviously once the "film" rolled. Not in widescreen, with substandard effects, the "movie" conveniently rapped up one storyline mid way, only to begin a new story...just like as if we were watching 2 episodes of a tv show...hummmm)

Well, those 4 year olds are all grown up, they see BG as some classic of American television (where we all know that honor must go to "The Beverly Hillbillies")

Now, to give the show credit, it is the best of the line-up of Sci-fi shows currently on-air. The space battle effects are the best on TV, ever.

But, and it's a big one...it is so damn depressing (no less than a baby and little girl have to die in the series opener...oh yes and most of humanity...).

No one, not one character cracked a smile. No humour, nothing.

It is all dark dark dark. Dark=profound in many people's minds (the latest Batman for example), and this show must be seen by them as Biblical Profound.

It takes itself *so* seriously, but it's message (for all the protestations otherwise) is very simple. Life sucks but we are noble, they are out to get us, trust no one.

No wonder it's a big hit in the U.S.

It's the Mother

There's a trailer up for an indie version of Beowulf called "Beowulf & Grendel".

I can't decide if this lower budget affair will be worth the watch, or be closer to Lee Major's classic "The Norseman".

Well duh

While checking my site's stats, I came across a blog that was discussing Orson Welles' famous Findus Foods commercial outtakes (something The Psychotic Hour has used since the beginning), and had linked to Tph's dance version:

Norway V2

There is also a site that tries to prove the connection between The Brain and Orson Welles, not something that needs much proof.

Yes.

Coming Soon

The Psychotic Hour, International Podcast Sensation™, is nearing completion of the first shows for its new season.

Notables such as Arms Akimbo, Thompson's Gazelle and Miss Anne Thrope join special guests Simone Denny, Wayne Mitchell and Lorne Wise, as well as Judth Bauer, Chris Gobeil, Chris Hand, Paula Hughes, Andrew McLelland, Dagmar Morgan, Alan Rhodes, Morgan St. Clair, Paul Ward, Erika White, Mack Wyman

and Mike Wyman

The first new show will be broadcast in January, so stay tuned.

For a Job Well Done

"Couldn't have done better myself"

Nixon vs. Bush

Smith, that's right, George Smith.

Oh alright Mr. Smith, you can go now.

Iraqi security forces captured the most wanted terrorist suspect in the country last year, but released him because they didn't know who he was, the Iraqi deputy minister of interior said Thursday. A U.S. official could not confirm the report, but said he would not dismiss it. "It is plausible," he said. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi -- the al Qaeda in Iraq leader -- has a $25 million bounty on his head, and is accused of being behind many insurgency bombings and kidnappings.

Who is in charge?

Recent Viewing

On Friday, watched "The Fantastic 4". Yawn. Guess you have to be a teenage boy, a fan of the comic book.

Humm, then why did the film makers find 10,000 ways of undressing the Flame...interesting.

Speaking of undressing, I then tried on Sunday to watch "The Passion of the Christ". Some find this uplifting? Whatever, when it got 10 minutes into the beatings, I bailed.

Christianity can be a wacky religion. Wack wack wack.

Shame on Ford

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Ford Motor Co. faced sharp criticism from gay and lesbian advocacy groups for agreeing to stop advertising in gay-themed publications in the face of a boycott by the conservative American Family Association, according to a report Tuesday.

"We reserve the right to advertise our brands and products wherever we think it makes business sense,"

Isn't that what you said when you were selling parts to the Nazis?

It's not hard to see the seething hatred in the now removed American Family Association's Ford Boycott Pledge page. Even Ford could see that, couldn't they?

"If one looks for the company which has done the most to affirm and promote the homosexual lifestyle, he would be hard-pressed to find a company which has done more than Ford Motor Company. While this is hardly known to the general population, it is well known by numerous homosexual organizations. In fact, the Human Rights Campaign (a national homosexual organization whose goal is homosexual marriage) gave Ford a 100% corporate rating.

Ford makes not only Ford, but also Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover.

From redefining family to include homosexual marriage, to giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to support homosexual groups and their agenda, to forcing managers to attend diversity training on how to promote the acceptance of homosexuality, to sponsoring a “commitment (marriage) ceremony”, to sponsoring Gay Pride Parades, Ford leads the way.

The goal of every homosexual organization supported by Ford is to get homosexual marriage legalized. The information below provides just a glimpse of how broad Ford’s support for the homosexual movement is."

Fuck you Ford, and your so called family values.

Hockey Night in Canada

Dolores Claman (left) and Liz Tansey

While out tonight at an Irish bar here in Toronto, to meet up with local songtrist Liz Tansey and friends, I had the pleasure to meet the woman who wrote the theme to Hockey Night in Canada

You have to be Canadian to understand the impact Dolores Claman has had on our culture. I don't even watch hockey, but that theme is as familiar to me as anything.

The evening did have its frightening aspects though, such as ELO played on acoustic guitars by the bar band.

The Psychotic Hour

I have been very busy recently, with a new drawing series, and production in full swing on The Psychotic Hour's new season.

You can get all the latest (like you care) here. There are previews, and even rare images of Tph in action.

Scary.

Rome XII

I kid you not. This series' last shot was of Tweedle Dumb and his ex slave Dumbette walking hand in hand *into the sunset*

The writers must really think we care about their fictionalized creations as they intersperse shots of their wacky going ons with the assassination of Caesar, like it's all the same.

Blah Blah Blah

I will miss Caesar (Ciaran Hinds), the rest is just epic silliness.

Rome XI

You know, I've given up expecting great things from this series. It is not being producted by top of the line talent (at least where story and script are concerned), so I guess you either have to live with that or change the channel.

What "The Godfather" did in two hours, this series is still attempting to do in eleven (and counting).

Lots of blood in this one though.

Rome X

"I don't want my chariot stopped by giant turds" says Caesar

And who can blame him?

Unfortunately, Caesar's progress is constantly beginning interrupted by some big ones...the writers.

Why can't Rome make up its mind which story it wants to tell. I find when if follows the historical record (however loosely), it can be interesting, even fun to watch.

When it inserts its own plot lines other than than, such as The Tweedles, it is dumb and unbelievable.

Consider Tweedle Dumb.

"I'm a solider, not a murderer."

Buzzz. Sorry. Thank you for playing.

Call me old fashion, but are viewers really sympathetic to this character? He's a thug, but we are to care that he's been rejected by his old army unit and his slave, all in the same day.

Got what he deserved if you ask me. But no, the writers are setting up some sort of artificial tension between him and Tweedle Dee. Ooooo, the suspense!

They are not giving Ciaran Hinds enough screen time if you ask me. I would pay to see a movie version of the Last Days of Caesar staring Mr Hinds.

I leave a movie version of the Tweedles to those who miss Jim Carrey.

Discorama

She's back, the Disco Bimbo Slut. The Madonna we knew and loved.

I am even now hearing "Confessions on a Dance Floor" for the first time (of course the song "Hung Up" has been around for weeks).

Hooky as hell.

Song 4, wow. Song 5, Wow.

Abba, Pink Floyd, Donna Summers...wtf?

6..7..mellower, with a hint of Kraftwerk.

Humm, after that is just sort of fades out into strangeness.

Tracks 1-5, great, after that so so.

1001 Madonna butts

Gaydom must surely be aflutter today with the release of Madonna's video for "Hung Up".

Madonna subtly and tastefully prepares herself for a night of dancing, while her musical spell causes younger and better dancers to gyrate to the latest trends.

Later, under the cover of darkness, Madonna attempts to blend in with the 20 somethings, only later to appear playing video games.

The video lights up most when she is not in the shot.

Did I mention her ass?

The Lost Emperor

Brian Malin, an amateur treasure hunter in Oxfordshire, England has found a coin depicting an until now unknown Roman emperor.

Domitianus, known from Roman sources only as a rebel, now seems to have declared himself emperor for a few short months in A.D. 271.

Based in a area in southwestern Germany, he probably never saw Britain or even Rome, but the coin (one of 2 known, the other discovered in 1900, long thought to be a fake. It is now known to be genuine) ended up in a horde buried in Britain sometime in the 290's.

What else has been lost?

From a concerned reader

Hello

Feel that I must write to protest the fact that you are attempting to pass yourself off as Alan Rhodes.

Have known Mr. Rhodes for a number of years, going back to the days before we had silver highlights in our hair and you, sir, are no Alan Rhodes.

Anyone familiar with his eccentric and original spelling can see at a glance that the drivel you have posted has none of the characteristic letter selections that Mr. Rhodes has delighted friends and admirers with for over 4 decades now.

Should you continue to pass yourself off as Mr. Rhodes I will have no option but to post some of his recent scripts along with a linguistic and semantic analysis.

Be advised.

Rome IX

"You look like laundry"

With that line making me lol, I must say that Rome this evening wasn't too bad.

Ok, so it did jump, with no explanation, back to Rome, leaving the Cleopatra story line strangely forgotten. But look, puppets. Oh and, Octavian is back and stranger than ever.

And that's just the beginning.

The episode is filled with a wealth of detail concerning everyday life, which I found myself watching, sometimes ignoring the lesser threads of the plot lines.

There are many, to be sure. The writing here is more believable, and seems to portray all levels of Roman society as a kind of Mafia power struggle (which of you spotted the Godfather reference?).

Best moment: Caesar's surprise arrival at Tweedle Dee's house. I can buy this particular instance of "good luck" in the series, for at least it follows from earlier episodes.

But back to Octavian.

"You fucked your sister, you little pervert."

Can't say I like what they are doing to Octavian. The madness they are trying to portray in the Imperial family is one generation too early.

But then, we wouldn't get the lesbian/sister/brother action if we waited until Rome season II...

Good ending though, shocking, unpleasant.

Sulu

Uncovering one of Hollywood's best kept secrets, George Takei has *finally* admitted to begin gay.

See, there was a gay presence on Star Trek...other than Q and Harry Kim.

Good for him, it is about time (come on Tom, get off the couch and do the right thing)

Don't let those nasty hetrosexuals have their way too often.

They breed you know.

The Madness Begins Again

The Psychotic Hour, the World's Favorite Podcast™ is beginning to record its new season beginning tomorrow in Montreal. A week later a second session will take place here in Toronto.

We know a certain fjord in Norway.

NBA Player Dress Code

This is too funny. Who are they kidding?

1. General Policy: Business Casual

Players are required to wear Business Casual attire whenever they are engaged in team or league business.

"Business Casual" attire means

• A long or short-sleeved dress shirt (collared or turtleneck), and/or a sweater.
  
• Dress slacks, khaki pants, or dress jeans.
  
• Appropriate shoes and socks, including dress shoes, dress boots, or other presentable shoes, but not including sneakers, sandals, flip-flops, or work boots.

2. Exceptions to Business Casual

There are the following exceptions to the general policy of Business Casual attire:

a. Players In Attendance At Games But Not In Uniform

Players who are in attendance at games but not in uniform are required to wear the following additional items when seated on the bench or in the stands during the game:

• Sport Coat
  
• Dress shoes or boots, and socks

b. Players Leaving the Arena

Players leaving the arena may wear either Business Casual attire or neat warm-up suits issued by their teams.

c. Special Events or Appearances

Teams can make exceptions to the Business Casual policy for special events or player appearances where other attire is appropriate -- e.g., participation in a basketball clinic.

3. Excluded Items

The following is a list of items that players are not allowed to wear at any time while on team or league business:

• Sleeveless shirts
  
• Shorts
  
• T-shirts, jerseys, or sports apparel (unless appropriate for the event (e.g., a basketball clinic), team-identified, and approved by the team)
  
• Headgear of any kind while a player is sitting on the bench or in the stands at a game, during media interviews, or during a team or league event or appearance (unless appropriate for the event or appearance, team-identified, and approved by the team)
  
• Chains, pendants, or medallions worn over the player's clothes
  
• Sunglasses while indoors
  
• Headphones (other than on the team bus or plane, or in the team locker room)

A True Hero

Rosa Parks

Batman Begins

Hang your head in shame.

Batman Begins.

It sounds like a threat. There will be more of them?

I didn't see this film in the theatre, but on DVD last Friday with 2 friends. We kept exchanging glances as this over-serious collection of junk paraded before us. "Are they serious?" "Did he really just say that?" "Can you make out what's happening in the fight scenes?"

The poster itself should have warned us. So serious, so profound.

Myth is dead. Or is it just in a new form? Batman as the Hero, Batman as the Archetype.

It's just a fucking comic book.

Chomsky named top intellectual

Noam Chomsky, the American linguistics expert and US foreign policy critic, was named the world's top public intellectual, according to a new British magazine poll released.

The Psychotic Hour, The World's Favorite Radio Show™, once threw him out of a studio. Here's how!

Andrew McLelland from Tph: "Did you guys kick Noam Chomsky out of the studio at Concordia? Was I there? Was I sober?"

Chris Gobeil from Tph: "Actually it was just me who kicked him out. You hadn't arrived yet, but as I recall you were mildly outraged when you arrived and I told you I'd kicked Noam Chomsky out of the studio mere minutes before. ["You threw out Noam Chomsky!?" I believe was the exact quote.] I'm sure you didn't really believe me.

The story is this student was interviewing him and wanted to record the interview. The supply room at CRSG was locked so she couldn't get a portable, the radio station studio was in use so she came into our studio and asked if she could use it for an interview. This gnomish little man was trailing around after her looking sheepish. When I said we were busy using the studio and would be recording all evening she said "but this is Noam Chomsky!" I replied "well, we're The Psychotic Hour!"

After that they left, with Noam Chomsky still looking slightly embarrassed about it all.

Brush-offs with greatness, I guess...

What we should have done was had him to a character on the show in return for studio time....but he never returns our calls now.

Is Uncle Sam mad at us again?

Boldy on CNN.com

Canada 'among worst polluters'

That is terrible, but who is the U.S. to say so.

Buried in the story is this:

European countries such as Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark and Germany ranked at the top of the environmental list, while Canada, Belgium and the United States were at the bottom.

The story is filled with graphic detail on just how terrible Canada is.

Just call me X.

#5 with a Bullet

Simone Denny's new single "Cliché" is now #5 on Billboard 'Hot Dance Club Play' this week.

Simone hasn't changed a bit...oh except for the red carpet...and the grapes darling

Never let children play with adult toys

Child as in movie director Martin Campbell.

In a move that has dumb written all over it, the director of the upcoming James Bond film has said Bond will be a non smoker.

"Ian Fleming’s spy was a 70-a-day smoker but as an iconic hero for a PG-12 film in the 21st century, 'it’s not quite the right thing', the film’s director, Martin Campbell, said yesterday."

Guess the mega violence and power sex is ok for kids. Oh wait, this is aimed at an adult audience...isn't it?

Rome VIII

Good. Finally. Caesar in action. Caesar taking charge. Caesar taking a stand.

He arrives in Egypt and makes straight for the court of Ptolemy, hoping to meet his old friend (and now enemy) Pompey Magnus. Unfortunately, the Egyptians are ahead of him.

People by the combined cast of Dune, Name of the Rose and Different Strokes, the court sequences do portray the decadence of the Ptolemaic period, when one isn't giggling at the hairstyles.

Then just when the episode looked hopeful, true to form, our solider heros are sent suspiciously close to another main character...

Faithfully following 21 centuries of Augustan propaganda, Cleopatra is portrayed as a punk haired crack whore on tour. All is well though as she kicks the habit only, between floods, to get knocked up by...

Goodevening Ladies.

Good God, what kind of audience is this stuff being written for? Last week I commented that the Tweedles seemed to be at the center of all the great events.

This week they outdid themselves, and both Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb are very much at the center of things, Dumb seemingly repeatedly so.

The series does come to life here and there when it adheres however roughly to history. When the writers try to give us characters that they think we will relate to, it just gets dumb.

So now after eight episodes, I must say Rome is not hotter than Vulcan's dick.

Oh look, lesbians. And where the hell is Octavian?

The Psychotic Hour

The World's Favorite Radio Show™ is now available in handy Podcast size.

To kick off the new season, The Psychotic Hour will be hold a massive one day marathon recording event in early November.

A Splendid Time is Guaranteed for All

Jugglers, acrobats and clowns. Whores, beggars and thieves. International singing sensations, financial bigwigs, punch and pie.

...and Mike Wyman.

Madonna

I have just heard the newest Madonna single "Hung Up", the radio edit.

It's shameless.

A shameless recreation of her 80's sound that is.

Good song. 7 out of 10. The Chickens are Delighted

Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc.

Oh goody!

"Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. are preparing to link together their free instant messaging services as they take on entrenched messaging leader AOL and market newcomer Google Inc., a source close to the companies says,"

Because you know, less choice is best for consumers.

"A Microsoft spokeswoman and a Yahoo spokeswoman declined to comment on the alliance."

Bet it will be the only IM service available in China.

Smash This

At a time when Asia has been devastated by a massive earthquake, some bozos here in Toronto are raising money...

"The Plan
After we collect $400 in donations, we will take that money to a local Apple Store. We will purchase the iPod, open it right inside the store, and destroy it right on the spot. The whole thing will be shot on film, and displayed on this site. This is only a social experiment, for the entertainment of the donors, and visitors of this site."

Assholes

Update

When I asked in a email "How about raising money for Asian Earthquake Relief?" I received this response:

"Because I don't care"

Rome VII

On tonight's exciting episode of Rome.

"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful ship..."

Well, after pissing off Neptune with some crack about cocksucking, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb find themselves shipwrecked on the island of Plotus Deviceia. After what seemed like only 20 minutes they make a raft out of old audience members and end up washed up on shore not ten feet from one of the main characters, and their sworn enemy.

Whatthefuckadkfadla.

After a sandwich they feel much better, but must have been suffering from the sun as Tweedle Dee lets his enemy go.

"That was a bit excessive"

Cut to Caesar, who also has a touch of the sun stroke as he is accepting ex-enemies back as if nothing has happened.

This is almost believable. But when the Tweedles arrive in camp with news that they (Dee) let Pompeii go, Caesar is first angry but when he realizes that they have been guided by a higher power (the writer or writers), and always seem to be there during the most important events.

Caesar's faith in miracles is restored.

There was other nonsense about matronly lesbians, and where the hell was Octavian, but...

Pompeii's final fate did have a certain power, but I half expected the Tweedles to be there disguised as Egyptian soldiers.

Zoom

Simone Denny and Cliche continue their rise up the Billboard charts, with no small thanks to DJ Chester Wong of becauseimatter.com, and his "Dirty Dragon Mix".

Ignore any PR bullshit coming out of NYC. They had nothing to do with it.

simonedenny.com

Death Comes in Threes

Bob Devner, Don Adams and now Stately Wayne Manor.

It is too much to take.

Oh no

Yoko Ono has a reputation for truly awful music, but few now know where that reputation comes from.

Recent resurrections of her work, such as "Walking on Thin Ice", only hint at the horror.

No, to understand you must go to the source. John. Yoko. Heroin.

Beware and be warned.

Cambridge 1969

Someone at Bell then gave approval

In a move of humbleness and deep sensitivity, Boeing and its joint-venture partner Bell Helicopter have run this ad.

In case you can't read the tag line it says "It descends from the heavens. Ironically it unleashes hell" The ad also stated: "Consider it a gift from above."

Boeing and Bell officials agreed that the ad — touting the capabilities of the vertical-lift Osprey aircraft — was ill-conceived and should never have been published.

"We consider the ad offensive, regret its publication and apologize to those who, like us, are dismayed with its contents," said Mary Foerster, a vice president of communication's for Boeing's military side.

Mike Cox, a Bell vice president, said the ad was developed by TM Advertising of Irving, Texas, and then initially released for publication by his company.

"The bottom line is that the [Bell] people who approved this didn't have authority to approve it," Cox said.

Sorry but I don't buy it. Somebody liked it, somebody approved it. It is now an embarrassment because of "an outcry from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington, D.C.-based Islamic civil-liberties group. The building depicted in the ad has an Arabic sign that translates as "Muhammad Mosque," according to the council.

TM officials yesterday declined to comment on their ad.

Rome VI

Tonight's episode of Rome may of contained mainstream television's largest penis...ever.

That is, if it was real of course.

Other than that, most of the hour was spent with our two solider friends, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb. While Dumb is helping the future emperor meet young prostitutes of unknown origin, Dee has finally melted his wife only to be shipped to Greece in the final moments.

While Dumb is almost a likable character (other than the murderer bit), Dee just frowns and looks troubled constantly.

The second half hour...let me see...oh yes, Marcus had a dilemma.

I can only hope the story gets going next week, as all the forces are in Greece, ready to fight.

Come on you two, fight for real

Caesar was hardly seen this week, and heard only in a voice over.

All and all, a bridge episode.

Now, get on your hands and knees...

When Geeks Rule...

..."Voyager" is called the best Star Trek, but I degress.

No, it's worse.

The astronomers who claim to have discovered the 10th planet in the Earth's solar system have made another intriguing announcement: it has a moon.

Ah, great, but...

[Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology] labeled the object a planet and nicknamed it Xena after the lead character in the former TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess."

but, but, for over 2,000 years we have names planets after the Gods...

But the newly discovered moon, nicknamed Gabrielle after Xena's faithful traveling sidekick in the TV series, likely will not quell the debate over what exactly is a planet and whether Pluto should keep its status.

So not only are these TechnoGeeks trying to name planets after television stars, they are also attempting to unseat a present planet as well.

Dangerous for planets, as Xena and Gabrielle were never very certain about their spin.

At least there is a glimmer of hope.

The International Astronomical Union, a group of scientists responsible for naming planets, is deciding on formal names for Xena and Gabrielle.

Good. Here's hoping they come up with something noble, like Kirk and Spock.