Shot Heard Around the World

Today is the 93rd anniversary of the infamous Shot Heard Around the World that started the first World War. The shot in question was the fatal shooting of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sofia, pregnant at the time, in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip (an ethnic Serb, but later proclaimed to be a Yoguslav Nationalist). The sad twist of irony to this is that before the shooting Nedjelko Cabrinovic tried to throw a grenade into the Duke's (not John Wayne, Franz Ferdinand again) car but he was able to knock it aside with his arm, and his driver sped off from the scene. It was during the return drive that Princip was able to shoot the Duke & Duchess. Five weeks after these assassinations World War I broke out in Europe.

Enough with the history; how about some current events coverage? The Chris Benoit family murder suicide has been getting loads of main stream media attention so I won't put too much into it at the moment, but from what I've read/heard he strangled his wife, smothered his son (who was suffering from something called Fragile X Syndrome and who may or may not have been getting HGH injections) before hanging himself from a pulley on one of his weight machines. You can read articles on this topic just about everywhere, but here are a few links in case you don't want to Google it, here, here and here. Here's an article with comments from the Excellence of Execution himself Brett Hart.

For some local news the town of Ignace had a terrible storm on Tuesday, complete with tornado touch down, causing a whole lot of havoc and damage in the town. Luckily injuries were at a minimum although property damages were pretty extensive. You can an article about it here or here if you're interested . . . the first link has a couple pictures in it.

This one isn't exactly current or local, but I had to share it; this article contains the new definition for balls. Seems that an Indiana lawyer has himself a few drinks, crashes car into truck, kills a person then says "I hope the guy has insurance to fix my car.” I can almost hear them clanking together from here.

And finally for all the people who think *I* have too much time on hands, here's proof I don't or if not proof of that some evidence that other people have even more time on their hands.

Well I'm going back up to Wunnumin Lake this morning, but no Governor General this time, or at least not that I know of. Who knows, though I am a pretty worldly cosmopolitan dude. Wish me luck.

Until next blog.

Do do doo do do dooo

Here's something that will no doubt be exciting for many; the first picture of Harrison Ford on set in Indy gear filming the fourth Indiana Jones movie. Me I'm not excited for this movie at all, I didn't see the other three Indy films until they came out on DVD a few years ago and I didn't think they were that great. In fact I thought that the first one was a bad star wars rip off and Spielberg didn't even have the common courtesy to change the actor or some of the shots and music. It's true watch it again. You'll see what I mean.

And since we're talking Indy, here's an article from the Catholic World News that states an Italian archaeologist believes that the Holy Grail (whatever it might be, cup, blood line, chalice, Monty Python movie) is hidden in the catacombs under the 6th-century Roman basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls.

Now I know that a while ago I posted a link to an article that stated that migraine sufferers experience less decrease in mental capacity with age compared to non-sufferers; well don't start that party or go out and join the pro memory card game tour just yet . . . yet another article and yet another study has stated that migraines are linked to brain damage and increased risk of stroke. You can read the article here for yourself if you like. Although I'm not pleased to hear that it does make a lot of sense. After all something that painful and debilitating has to be doing something bad up there.

Or maybe it is just tiny gnomes mining inside my brain for precious metals and stones? Seems logical, don't it?

Finally on a sadder note - I know I'm not the only wrestling fan out there but anyone watching RAW last night (in fact the whole thing was a three hour tribute to Benoit) knows that Chris Benoit and his wife & son were found dead yesterday afternoon in their Atlanta home. I had to see if there was any more news on the situation and according to this article authorities believe that it was a double murder/suicide with Benoit killing his wife & kid and then himself.

I guess my Phil Hartman crack last night wasn't too far off the mark, eh?

And that's it for today

Death to False Metal

As you can see from the side bar I've been reading Lords of Chaos about the rise of the underground Satanic music scene. It's been a good read so far and as you can imagine, especially if you've seen Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (if you like metal in any form you have to watch this movie if you haven't already), a large chunk of it (so far anyway) is dealing with the Black Metal scene in Norway and there's a lot of coverage on Varg Vikernes (aka Count Grishnackh) of the band Burzum, Norwegian Metal's most infamous star in prison for murdering fellow Black Metal scenester (actually one of the founders of the scene/genre) and former friend Euronymous (real name Øystein Aarseth) and burning churches, and not just any churches but the beautiful old Fantoft stave church . . . in fact the remains were used on the cover of the Aske (Norwegian for Ashes) album by his band Burzum.

Varg is still in prison and has gone from espousing Satanism to Heathenism/a return to the old pre-Christian Nordic religion and a form of National Socialism. You can read more about Varg's political/ religious views on the Burzum website or the Varg Wiki page, both linked above. In fact last year in Niagara Falls I met some Norwegian people and one said that she'd spoken to Varg on the phone from prison, came to be because a friend was in the same lock up and the friend put Varg on the phone. I don't know how many people are in Norway (and no I'm not going to Google it) but talk about small world eh?

The book is really good and I'm not a black metal fan (in fact I walked out of Dimmu Borgir's (one of black metal's most commercially successful/mainstream acts) show at the Walker a while back, but I do like the Children of Bodom (Finnish Black Metal) and listen to a little Cradle of Filth (English Gothic Black Metal)). Well worth the read, but you might not want to read too much at a time or get indoctrinated yourself.

Well that's enough discussion of evil for the time being; so let's lighten things up with Rodney Carrington singing Show Them to Me, and of course you know the audience obliges. Who knew that whipping out your breasts was such a patriotic thing to do? This song reminds me of the Sons of Butcher song Whip 'Em Out. If you're not familiar with the awesomeness that is the SOB here's a link to their videos up on YouTube, I couldn't find Whip 'Em Out on YouTube but it is on their 2nd record Meatlantis, a record about the undersea city of the same name.

Well that's about all for today, until next blog.

Monday monday

Bah-dah dah dah dah

This is going to be a short one, but I felt that there's some important Batman: the Dark Knight info to share. First being a look at Batman's new suit for the movie scanned from the pages of Entertainment Weekly. I'm sure it will be less noticeable or play better on the screen but I think the suit is looking a little too 'tech' if you know what I mean. That is always the downfall of so many Batman action figures, can never just leave him as the Batman, always have to make him Super Knife Fight Night Flight Batman with firing water canon or some other bullshit like that.

And now here's a look at the Joker's car for the new film. I think that it's awesome I can really picture the joker behind the wheel of it, and helps to capture the 40's feel that seem to keep running through the Batman stories, be it books or cartoons or films or whatever. That and I think that the car alone is pretty cool, very rat rod. Shit I'd drive it that's for sure.

Now it's no secret I still like to buy toys so here are some Biblical Action figures that I'm not sure I'd buy, but you never know. If they added Buddy Christ to the line up I'd surely pick at least that one up.

Now It's also well know that I'm not much for giftmas or its trappings, but looks like the people over at McFarlane Toys are punching out some giftmas figures that even appeal to the likes of me . . . might have to pick some of these up, or maybe just Mrs. Claus.

Well that's her for now, until next blog.

From the whodda thunk it files . . .

Today in 1920 the United States Postal Services ruled that children can not be sent via Parcel Post. To me this says that at the time there were enough people mailing their kids places that someone had to make an official ruling saying that you couldn't do it. I guess it's reassuring to know that people have always been lacking in common sense and that it's not just a something that's happened in the past couple decades.

Here's a good one from the UK the home of the increased airport security measures; I think that we all who travel have pretty much accepted that you cannot bring a drink through security anymore and most of us have understood for a long time that can't take a knife on board either (unless of course you're flying out of my local airport) but here's an article about a guy who's daughter had her pop taken away at an airport security check point, but he was allowed to bring a knife onto the plane that he put in the bin that went through the x-ray machine.

Don't you feel safer now? No need to worry about burping kids guzzling fizzy drinks on your next flight, but the knife wielding lunatic is a whole other matter. Here's to you airport security people, I tip my hat to you and your brethren. Honestly I took a knife through several airport security points, in several different airports, in a few different countries as well, but it was a tiny blade in money clip . . . but maybe I got away with it because it had the Masonic Logo on it?

Speaking of belching away on fizzy drinks, here's a clip from YouTube (where else) of the lovely (??) Cameron Diaz showing Jay Leno her mad burping skills on an episode of The Tonight Show. I don't know about you but I'm impressed, she's one classy broad . . . and no matter what you think of the belch you have to admit the woman has a great smile.

Oh and one for the BBC/Sci-Fi geeks; the new season of Dr. Who starts up Monday June 18 on the CBC, you know I'll be watching. And this season the Doctor gets a new travelling companion in Freema Agyeman. I'd say that she's got mighty big shoes to fill taking Billie Piper's spot on the series, but I said that about David Tennant taking over for Chris Eccleston and I think Tennant is doing a bang up job, so I guess that sci-fi geeks have to be a little open to change, especially in aseries about a time and space travelling being who regenerates in different forms, eh?

And a little bad news for the sci-fi geeks out there according to this article here the upcoming fourth season of Battlestar Galactica will be the last, don't weep fellow geeks, the American Sci-Fi Network is planning a two hour episode called 'Razor' to introduce the fourth season . . . and quite honestly this was a series with a definite goal or end to it, it only makes sense that it can't last forever and I'd rather have it end when it's still good rather than lying dying bloating in the sun like other series occasionally do.

And one last bit; as I mentioned yesterday I was going up to Wunnumin Lake for work and to kick it with Governor General of Canada. We might not have kicked it, but I did speak with her briefly. Here's the story from the Chronicle Journal about her trip to Wunnumin Lake. They had a a bit of ceremony and speeches as part of the presentation along with a few kids acting out the Legend of Wunnumin, or at least part of it. In addition to the CJ coverage there was also a Thunder Bay Television videographer there, and there's a brief video at their website but the only one found was just of the news reader reading some news no footage from the Community. I'll post the link later.

Until we blog again.

Leaving on a prop plane

Got a pretty good idea of when I'll be back again . . . should be around 6 this evening actually. I'm on my way up to Wunnumin Lake for the day to look at some proposed building sites and to kick it with Canada's Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean. But at least now I have a good idea of who it is.

Okay we probably won't be kicking it per say, but we'll both be there today. Yeah I'm a high roller fo' sho'.

Since I'm being worldly and helping the GG solve some problems today (like getting the excavator so we can dig some test holes) here's a link with some international flavour and import; a photo essay from Time entitled "What the World Eats" showing different families from around the world with a weeks worth of food in front of them and the cost of it. Pretty interesting I think.

And here's another article of international importance about how Chernobyl (site of the nuclear power plant disaster in 1986) has become a refuge for all sorts of wild life. The radiation levels are still way high bu the animals are flocking to the place; I guess it's because there are so few people and the animals don't mind an extra head or two or glowing the dark.

And since I have to take off to catch a flight and have put up a couple serious links this morning, here's one that's pure fun - Jimmy Kimmel playing "Guess What's in My Pants". Gee I should have tried this one Saturday night.

Well I'm off. Later.

What to blog, what to blog . . .

Well to start today is a good day for celebrity history; firstly today in 1936 Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian (I used to love reading the Conan magazines, especially the Savage Sword of Conan, I wonder if they still print them? Haven't read any of the novels though), commits suicide with a gunshot to the head, in 1962 Frank Morris and brothers John & Clarence Anglin escape from Alcatraz Prison (if you haven't seen it he the Clint Eastwood movie Escape from Alcatraz about this break-out is well worth watching), in 1979 the one the only John Wayne (the archetype for nearly every movie hard ass ever since, and honestly who isn't a a fan of the Duke? I still like watching John Wayne movies, even if TBS doesn't re-run the shit out of them anymore) died of lung cancer and in 1999 DeForest Kelly ("Bones" on Star Trek the Original Series or OST as it's known) died of a "lingering illness".

In other sad news, Edwin Traisman, the food scientist responsible for such great break throughs as the ubiquitous McDonald's french fry and Kraft's Cheez Whiz (here's Kraft's own Cheez Whiz site) died of a heart attack (what else? after all the man did create Cheez Whiz & Mickey D's fries . . . hmmmm now I'm thinking about putting melted Cheez Whiz on McDonalds' fries....mmmmm heart-attack-a-licsious) last week at the age of 91. You can read more about it in this article here if you like.

And finally I will leave you with the Weird Convertor, which is just as it sounds; it converts from one unusual or different unit to another, both lengths and weights, so if you were ever wondering how many pounds the average bowel movement is (0.4409 pounds) or how many Jennifer Annistons you'd need to make up one Right Whale testicle (10.02101181818 Jen Annistons BTW) this is the website for you. Which leaves me with the question, why were you wondering this stuff in the first place.

Man you people are weird.

Until next time.

SWEET!

Okay the short film entitled Sweet starring the two guys from the great BBC3 comedy series The Mighty Boosh (although I have to admit, I liked season 1 more than season two, but season 2 was still funny), Noel Fielding (Vince Noir, the King of the Mods, on the Boosh and Pete Sweet in Sweet) and Julian Barratt (Howard Moon on the Boosh and Stitch in Sweet) is definitely a must watch, it's on The Mighty Boosh season 2 DVD, which we watched last night, and man it was hilarious. You can check it out on YouTube here or at the BBC site linked earlier on.

Who knew that dating an imaginary bird would be so much trouble, and so funny?

So as I'm sure you're aware if you're a driver the price of gasoline is a hotly debated topic lately, well it has been for a while, but at least now with this website you can compare your local gasoline price to a snapshot of gas prices around the world here. If you're looking for more up to date localised gas prices check out the Ontario Gas Prices website, or whichever province/area you're in. I'll let you figure that one out on your own. Sioux Lookout still has the highest listed gasoline price in the Province. Go Us!

Road trip to Venezuela anyone? I wonder how large a tank you'd to pull to fill with $0.12 per gallon (roughly $0.03 per litre) gasoline to make the trip pay? That is of course if you don't mind Hugo Chávez and his politics.

I've got no good segue to go from gasoline prices to this one, but I'm sure there's some reference I can make to pumping or taking it up the chute, but no matter, here it is, Star Wars: The Boogie Nights edition. I thought it was amusing, and was amazed how well the dialog selected from the Boogie Nights (a fine film in its own rights, although I don't believe the writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson as I think the movie is at least loosely based on the life of John C. Holmes) trailer (at least I'm pretty sure it's the trailer) fit the video selected from the Star Wars films.

If you're interested in more on John Holmes check out the movie Wonderland (focusing more on Holmes' role in the infamous Wonderland Murders) or the documentary on his life Wadd: The Life & Times of John C. Holmes.

And in some great news on the geek front, according to this article Neil Gaiman is working on getting Death: The High Cost of Living up on the big screen. I tried checking IMDB for some information on the movie, but this screen came up telling me that I could only get at the information on that page by getting an IMDB Pro Account. Bollocks to that.

Hmmmm so we've covered some British Comedy, international gasoline prices, a rather infamous porn star and a movie I've been waiting a long time for? What's left to talk about? Yeah I'm stuck, so I'll leave you with this sweet t-shirt. Man if I worked at a video store I'd totally wear it. Maybe not everyday . . . but damn close to it.

Until next time