Not so good:

Very Good:

Penn's performance was outstanding, the rest of the film was unimaginative, poorly edited, and shot with the kind of gust one reserves for holiday snapshots.  Very disappointed with this film.

HAPPY ON THE PHONE...

NOT SO HAPPY ON THE PHONE...

Whew, all caught up - glad I'm not a member of 365 - strict rules with that contest!

Glad I made up my own...slag away....

My wee man following his favorite club!

My lovely doing her afternoon stretches...

Hiram doing his morning stretches

This is clearly too good not to cut and paste.  Pay attention to his excuse for missing court:

 A self-described "vampyre" and former fringe political candidate faces charges for threatening a teenage girl who tried to break off their relationship by telling him she was actually a vampire hunter. John Alfred Sharkey, 44, of Toms River, N.J., was held in the Olmsted County jail Wednesday in lieu of $125,000 bail. He was charged last summer, but didn't appear in court until last month after he was arrested on a warrant. Sharkey, who calls himself the "The Impaler," ran as the Vampyres, Witches and Pagans party candidate for Minnesota governor in 2006, when he listed Princeton, Minn., as his address. The criminal complaint says he was running for president in 2007 when the 16-year-old Rochester girl wrote a message of support on his MySpace page. She told police they began dating online, and the threats began when she tried to break off the relationship. She told police that "in a desperate attempt" to get him to leave her alone, she had e-mailed him that she was a member of an elite vampire hunter society and that continuing their relationship would put him in danger. Her father told police he talked to Sharkey, but Sharkey continued to call the girl and write letters to her parents. Sharkey was supposed to appear in court here in August, but got a delay by saying he had been hurt in a pro wrestling match.

Well this story had a little bit of everything huh?  First of all, I'm totally sold that this guy is a real vampyre. Because only real vampyres spell it with a "y" anymore. That's how you can tell the fake ones from the real ones. Anyway what did the police want this vampire/fringe presidential candidate to do when his girlfriend told him she was part of an elite vampire hunting society?   I mean I’m no vampire expert but I’m pretty sure that’s code for I’m going to kill you.  So I’d be fucking pissed too if I were him.  

PS – Who hasn’t used the old "I got hurt in a pro wrestling match" excuse to skip a court appearance before?  

Ben's grow op!!!

Kitchen Angles.

TV show I'm currently hooked on

Catching up - kite from Three Valley Gap, yet to be flown.

Bailey loves her 'boney' - and YES, this photo was taken today...so accept the last photo as merely an extra.  On another note, the Canucks suck ass - I'd love to rant, but I won't.

Is Lindsay Lohan now an alien?  You decide.  If not, she can certainly star in 'Signs II'

Thur's pic in advance - some of you kids got a little catching up to do...yeah Ron I'm talking to you - bugger - going to the game tonight with AlMac - regardless, happy Bday old man.

Some pals from the coffee shop:

A wee tribute to the lovely Amber Nectar...

Man trapped by sofa sipped whisky

A man who became trapped beneath his sofa for two days said he survived by sipping from a bottle of whisky.

Joe Galliott, 65, lost his bearings during a power cut at his home in Yeovil, Somerset, and fell against the three-seater which toppled onto him.

Because of back problems, he was unable to free his 19-stone frame and remained stuck for 60 hours until a neighbour spotted him through the curtains.

He said a bottle of whisky, which had rolled within reach, kept him going.

"The whole settee tipped over catching me like a rat in a trap," he said

"I took a sip of [the whisky] and thought, well this isn't too bad."

Curtains closed

But after several hours without food or water, he admits, he became quite worried.

"It felt like a lifetime, you think you're there forever," he said.

The alarm was raised by a neighbour who had peered through the window, after becoming concerned that Mr Galliott's curtains had not been drawn for two days.

He spent five days recovering in hospital after his ordeal earlier this month.

Mr Galliott said he was keeping another bottle of whisky by the sofa "just in case."

Today's pic - the CT machine from last night's scan:

And no smart asses - it was scanning my leg, not my head!

Caught up!!!!!

This flock of birds arrived in the Mountain Ash in my back yard today.  It's funny, cuz I've heard that the berries become fermented over the winter, and the birds get drunk.  True enough - they looked a little wobbly.  One even 'crashed.'  Was quite a sight.

And still more catching up:

Wolf tracks...I mean Bailey tracks on the deck!

More Catch up...

This is where the magic happens...

Playing Catch up....

Tile meets sleuter meets wood...

Another desk shot - not very good, but I enjoy the shadow.  Hiram enjoys looking cool.  He does it well.

What a speech.  What a spectacle.  I'm hopeful that I'll see a politician who transcends all, who can do what's needed south of the 49th; a politician who can help restore the USA to the great nation it once was.  He (as always) moved me deeply as he spoke, and I can only pray that his words will ring true.  When he spoke of uncurling a fist, and being able to shake that hand - I felt hope.  Here's hoping... 

The view above my desk.

Isn't he a cute wee lad? His eyes are completely his mothers, the grubby fingers are all his!

Back Yard Snow Scene

The melt begins...



I'm going to use my new camera for all of these shots, so I'm playing with the functions. On this one, I added a color filter, and cropped it.

365 - Whatever. Welcome to the newest thing: 349!

Welcome Back BIg Fella!

Well, Bobby Lou is finally back - in the two months he's been gone, the Nuckleheads have looked like a team without direction, a team without a leader. He's back!!! No more excuses...now if only 'The Glass Man' aka Salo could return his booming shot to the blue line; I'd feel much better. But apparently Salo caught an edge at practice (he was out with a fractured rib), fell down, and hurt himself again. This, coming from a guy who once broke his wrist slipping into the boards during training camp. Oh Sami - some calcium supplements perhaps? Tonights prediction: Van 4 - Pho 1.

MMMMMMMMM



TASTY MOOSE.....

Erin enclosed this image in a set of National Geographic's best photographs from last year. It makes me sad I didn't get to hunt the past two seasons. I miss the yummy meat, but yearn even more for the privilege of witnessing sights like this one. The closest I've gotten to nature of late was hunting for an XMas tree. Like all hunts, it was an adventure. We passed up on many smaller specimens, only to settle for a larger, full bodied specimen. Not sure if I had the proper tags, licenses etc...

Well, Well, Well...

The Saskatchewan man awaiting sentence in connection with the 2008 freezing deaths of his two little girls has been arrested and is in custody after allegedly breaching his release conditions by drinking alcohol.

Christopher Pauchay, 25, of Yellow Quill First Nation pleaded guilty last year to criminal negligence causing the deaths of Kaydance, 3, and Santana, 15 months.

Last week, Pauchay was in court where a judge ruled he would be sentenced by a sentencing circle, with his next court appearance set for Jan. 27.



I just don't get this one. This fella had 50 prior convictions. He let his children die while in a drunken stupor. He had to abide the peace, and refrain from drinking. He couldn't do that. It gets me wondering about a few things however:

Who within his community enabled him to drink again? The same peers who would be members of his 'sentencing circle?'

Who enabled him the cash to buy more booze? Oh wait - yeah, gotta go pay my taxes...

A forum poster summed it up like this:

There should be public outcry if this man is still allowed the benefit of a sentencing circle on January 27th.

According to news reports he was late for his court appearances more than once. If one breach was on December 14th why did they not arrest him again that day instead of a month later?

Not only does this last development indicate that he has no respect for the law but also that the Yellow Quill reserve is not capable of supervising the behaviour of Mr. Pachay either and therefore should have no say in the sentencing of this man. Most certainly he should not be allowed to serve his sentence in the community.

The courts have tried to accomodate and show respect for his culture and he obviously is incapable of doing the same. He was granted his sentencing circle and he has only rediculed the courts in thanks for the special considerations they allowed him and brought more shame to his community.

Mr. Pachay should now have to stand in a courtroom and face his sentence without the benefit of a sentencing circle the same way as any other Canadian would have to. I hope the judge has learned something from this whole fiasco too. One set of laws and one justice system for every Canadian...no exceptions.

Time to face the fire Mr. Pachay.


And I couldn't agree more...

"Congratulations on purchasing the 2009 Mats Sundin!

This manual will assist you in getting to know your Mats Sundin and will maximize your enjoyment and efficiency of your new unit.

Made from the finest in Old World engineering (Pops was a charmer), the 2009 Mats Sundin is where Swedish style meets Scandinavian efficiency. It is specialized, talented and umlaut-free!

You’ve probably already noticed some major differences between this unit and one of our earlier models, like the 1995 Mats Sundin. That model came with long golden locks of hair whereas yours resembles a marble. While you lose a little in aesthetics, you gain by not having all that extra weight and frictional drag providing a smooth, efficient ride with great fuel economy.

The 2009 Mats Sundin is also larger (and roomier) than our 1995 model with slightly more girth and slightly less length (darned Mother Nature) and, although the size might be attractive, be careful not to misuse your new 2009 Mats. Too much banging into things will inevitably cause your model to falter (please be aware any fighting immediately voids your warranty).

Under the hood, the 2009 Mats Sundin has a slightly smaller engine than our earlier model, which shouldn’t be a factor unless it’s driven too far into the early summer. Historically, the Mats is a strictly winter-driving model. How it copes with on-ice conditions beyond the month of May is purely theoretical at this point. We have provided you with a toll-free hotline should the unthinkable occur, but must confess we haven’t actually had any need to man the phones up to this point.

Talking to your 2009 Mats Sundin is a pleasure. It is fluent in at least two languages and often has some very interesting things to say, although we have yet to determine what causes that annoying string of clichéd answers we’ve had so many complaints (from the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association) about.

Still, the 2009 Mats is a joy to be around and you can’t help but smile every time that cute accent enunciates a word uniquely or elongates the S’s as in the famous “PokerStarSSSSSSS dot net.”

When parking your 2009 Mats, we strongly suggest putting it between similar productive models that are also fast, skilled and prolific. The 2009 Mats has been abused terribly over the past 13 years - often being paired with sloths and models badly needing recalls - that has caused considerable undue wear and tear. If you take care of your 2009 Mats, it will take care of you*.

*Purchasing the 2009 Mats Sundin in no way guarantees any on-ice success. There are no implicit Stanley Cup promises, nor are there any assurances of achievement of any kind. Hell, we’re not even sure it can lift the darned thing."

Here's hoping Mats plays with this kinda grit tonight, and ahem - stays the hell out of the penalty box. While sitting in the box in two out of three games he's played since coming to my beloved Nucks, the opposition has scored game winning goals. That's not a trend I hope to see continue. Apparently the Nuckleheads were bag skated yesterday, publicly called out by the coaches, and coming into tonights game with (surprise surprise) revamped lines. Taylor Pylon will skate with Sundin and Raymond. Raymond, by the way, can apparently skate like a billion miles in any given game without actually coming anywhere near the oppositions net. Demitra has apparently found AV's doghouse in a big way. He practiced on the fourth line yesterday. This move bewilders me. Demitra seems to be responsible defensively, and isn't getting much of a chance to gel with linemates given AV's love of juggling. Regardless of all this drivel, the good news is that God is due back tonight or Thurs. So there is something to be thankful for after all.

MSNBC - Mack is one of a growing number of men — from construction workers to athletes and businessmen — who've found a passion for pantyhose, claiming they wear the hosiery for support, comfort and aesthetic purposes. Luckily, there are now pairs made specifically for men so that they don't have to ravage their wives’ or girlfriends’ dressers to nestle into a pair of nylons. The "mantyhose" comes in a variety of colors and designs, but, Katz says, basic black holds the title as most popular. "There are a lot of guys who like wearing the product because of the benefits — the support, the warmth — but the gender hang-ups about pantyhose are still so pervasive," he said. Many men who wear "mantyhose" say it isn't them or even other guys who are embarrassed —it's mostly their wives and girlfriends.


I’m going to be as clear and concise as I can with this one. If a dude wears mantyhose that means he’s gay or a cross dresser. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

For Erin:

Found this while perusing that Canuck's chat board that I'm a wee bit hooked on.
Thought this might give you a giggle.

Hurry back Lou, Mats is coming to play! Every contending club in the league has a hulking centerman, and now we do as well. Good work; I'm officially giddy - the Sedins now have room to play, and opposing clubs Dmen are gonna be spread thin trying to line up against a club who's already 8th in league scoring. This is gonna play out beautifully, mark my words.

Happy Holidays:



As if I didn't need another yet another reason NEVER to go to Wal Mart"

A Wal-Mart worker has died after being trampled by a throng of shoppers shortly after a store opened Friday on Long Island in New York State, police said.

Frenzied shoppers desperate for bargains broke down the doors at a 5 a.m. sale. Other workers were trampled as they tried to rescue the man, and customers shouted angrily and kept shopping when store officials said they were closing because of the death, police and witnesses said.

At least four other people, including a woman who was eight months pregnant, were taken to hospitals for observation or minor injuries, and the store in Valley Stream on Long Island closed for several hours before reopening.

Shoppers stepped over the man on the ground and streamed into the store. When told to leave, some complained that they had been in line since Thursday morning.

Cleary a moron...

I love that she used the words 'Pretty Brutal' at the start of this interview! I mean really, does this woman have absolutely no common sense? No idea of where she's standing? Where the camera is pointed? I'm sure one could blame this on her 'handlers', but that's far too easy in my opinion. And why, can someone tell me - does she sound like a character from Fargo (MIN) when she's from Alaska. That accent is puzzling, but not nearly as puzzling as opting to be interviewed in front of Turkeys being bled. And on that note, don't you just love that guy behind her? I KNOW he's thinking something along the lines of:

'Huh Huh, gonna be on the TV. All the boys down at the tavern gonna finally see I'm the best damn turkey processing engineer! I told em, told em I'm good at whats I do!'

Little kid gets owned by dog

Had the kid just dropped his gloves and fought like a man, he may not have gotten - well, humped.

Watch it all

This failblog.com is some good stuff kiddos....

My Angel and I were just discussing my blog. Seems she was after an alternative ending to a certain Will Smith film. We both knew I'd commented on it in the past. It got me perusing backwards through my interweb life, and realizing that I've tossed out some nonsense that I'm kinda, sorta, a wee bit happy with. I haven't posted anything lately that makes me walk with that certain swagger. I haven't posted anything of late that makes me order my morning coffee with the authority of a pseudo journalist. For this I'm somewhat ashamed, but realizing that true art can't be rushed; I assure you that I'll be back with the insightful witticisms you expect from a site headed by a monkey smoking. Or I'll post some UTube shite, and bitch about bad films...keep you posted!!!

You all had better be excited about this, and checking in thrice daily for the upcoming posts. The advertising dollars are keeping my 42 diabetic kittens on kidney dialysis, and their future is in your hands!

Garth Snow ices one hell of a club!

These kids are hoping to become the Isles of the Bossy era one day! Who was the Islander of that era with the craziest helmet ever BTW?

At least I've blogged since July......

Madness!!!!

JFu is officially the only person I know who's on YouTube. Thankfully, my newspaper kilt has yet to see a broad circulation.

Rather Clever:

Nice to see the second best film franchise shall continue:



Universal 'to make fourth Bourne'

Fictional CIA assassin Jason Bourne will appear in a fourth film, according to trade newspaper Variety.

It says actor Matt Damon will reprise the lead role in the fourth instalment of the Bourne franchise, with Paul Greengrass directing once again.

It will be the first Bourne film not to be based on the novels of late US author Robert Ludlum, Variety said.

George Nolfi, who co-wrote last year's Bourne Ultimatum screenplay, will pen the story, it added.

Robert Ludlum wrote a trilogy of Bourne novels before his death in 2001.

Since his death, there have been a further three Bourne novels - all written by thriller and fantasy author Eric Van Lustbader.

Bond criticism

British director Greengrass has directed the last two film versions.

It was previously thought The Bourne Ultimatum movie, which followed 2004's The Bourne Supremacy and 2002's The Bourne Identity, would be the last of the films in the franchise.

It topped UK and US box office charts and made nearly $450m (£258m) around the world.

Last year, Damon dismissed rival franchise James Bond as being stuck in the past.

"The Bond character will always be anchored in the 1960s and in the values of the 1960s," he said.

The suave spy was "anachronistic when you put it in the world we live in today", he added but said that Bourne was no better or worse than Bond.

The latest Bond film, Quantum of Solace, is released across the UK on 31 October.

Odd how the world works. Watched 'The Sting' last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Woke up, checked the news only to find Paul Newman has finally succumbed to cancer. He was a great one - Slapshot, Cool Hand Luke, the Great Escape, Hud, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are all favorites of mine. He was a philanthropist unlike any. He created camps for terminal children, a model which is now in use all over the world. And his salad dressing is a regular staple in my fridge. Vanity fair ran a great article on him last month; well worth the read. RIP you handsome blue eyed racing machine!

Looks like God (aka Roberto Luongo) is ready to roll - see him peeking round the corner to see if the Zamboni is off the ice yet? He's excited, and so am I. Pre season games tomorrow and Tuesday! Both on TV...sweet!!! I'm also happy to publicly announce that I'm going to Montreal in Feb to cheer on my team. It will be undoubtedly be the finest hockey holiday to date. Anyone know where I can get some Nuck's colored face paint by the way???

Alrighty - Here we go. As some of you may or may not know, I planted a few too many tomato plants this year. My lovely lady and I hit Art Knapps and seemingly chose a few plants far to late in the season to see much fruit. Ahh, nope. I've just finished a pot of sauce that'll now simmer til tommorrow when it'll get bagged and frozen. I'd rather put it into tupperware, saved 750 ml. yogurt containers and the like, but alas I'm out. Anyhoo - here's my recipe:

Mucho oil into a 12 quart pot.
Dice onion (amount depending on the mood) Today was two.
Heat another pan for meat. See above. Today was pork,veal, and turkey.
Get going on cooking the onion you fool, you have shit to do!
While the onion browns, get your ass in gear and finely chop some celery.
Add celery, have you looked at the amount of tomatoes in the sink?
Fucking hurry up - there is garlic to be minced.
Move the pan to less heat, you're way too slow.
Deal with chopping the five assorted peppers, catch up already!
Add first meat to pan, brown while adding peppers to pot.
That meat better not be burning! Add the garlic to the pot, follow with the meat.
Phew, crack a beer.
Fuck - those tomatoes are still in the sink!
Gulp some of that beer!
Prep part of the tomatoes while making sure that O so lean veal doesn't burn.
Add tomatoes and veal.
Going pretty well, time to worry bout the carrots and zuccini.
Fuck.
Out to the garden - grab said ingredients, and run back in.
Worry bout the heat all the way in.
Whew!
Drop heat on both pans.
Move tomatoes into one sink to allow washing and peeling of new goodies.
Peel said goodies.
Grade said goodies.
Didn't even end up with a grading wound, some old Italian lady is blessing me.
Phew - all caught up, have a sip of beer. It's gone? Fuck - open another.
Return pans to heat, continue prepping tomatoes.
Last of the meats into pan.
Fucking pan needs more oil - quickly now...
Good Lord - how can there still be so many tomatoes?
Continue prepping those goodies, and add em with the last of the meat.
Gotta deglaze that pan - that's tast stuff and this sauce needs liquid!
Hmmm - my honey likes sugar in her sauce...
Deglaze with OJ and wine.
Speaking of wine, where's my beer?
Aahhh.
Toss in the zuccini and carrot.
Stir, and enjoy the beer - Who's gonna clean this mess up?
Hmm - the pot isn't quite full, and I think there are another ten ripe ones...
Out to the garden, inside - chop like a madman and in they go.
The little cherry tomatoes look so lovely floating all on their own.
Solid among their lesser, deconstructed cousins.
Time to season I wonder? Pull the herbs out, glare at my dull knife...
Forgot the Fungus! Chop, Chop, Chop - in goes four cups of assorted beauty
Getting full now that pot is, season up at attempt a stir.
Gotta be more of a 'push down and blend' style. It'll work!


That will be 40 plus liters this year. Next batch will be lasagna. I hear you can make salsa with the green ones - or I could burn down the garden!!!

Huhh

Wow, the theme is the same - but it seems the production value has gone considerably on the latest Bond film...

The jackasses Pratt and (Monkey Boy) Taylor are discussing Vancouver restaurants. The premise is that Canuck's GM M. Gillis is taking the twins out for dinner. The simian and Mr. Crown Royal are yapping about what restaurant it ought be. Monkey Boy recommends the Brave Bull. Yet, he hasn't been there. Idiot. He also called Jameison's one of the best restaurants in the lower mainland. Let's not forget he wears a faux mohawk! Pratt can't recommend anything outside of Yaletown, where I'm sure he falls down and barfs on a regular basis. These two are beyond bad, yet they are my radio crack. I can't stop listening. And it's not helping my BP! LOL...can't wait to go back to the Bull though. The best was the little old lady revved up over unfinished veggies! Twas a great meal, unassuming as it were...

A pesty one-two punch: Tussock moth and spruce budworm could equal devastation of forests by pine beetle

by Cam Fortems

Two natural pests threaten to slam into the Interior in the biggest outbreak of defoliators in a century, a government entomologist warned Thursday.

Lorraine Maclauchlan, an expert with the Ministry of Forests, outlined the threat and early plans for dealing with tussock moth and spruce budworm to a TNRD board meeting Thursday.

Both insects threaten to reach populations that could devastate Interior forests in the same way as mountain pine beetle.

“We’re approaching the worst defoliating event we’ve had in 100 years,” Maclauchlan said in an interview with reporters.

The province spent about $2 million last year on spray programs, using naturally occurring organisms, to control the insects in this region. Both are moths that feed on fir and spruce trees as caterpillars.

So let me get this right. We're seemingly not logging much of the bug kill in this province at the moment. Now we're faced with the seemingly inevitable destruction of two other species. And a weekly 6-49 or Super 7 winner could theoretically throw more money at this problem than our government managed last year? Un Fucking Believable.

Watch when Bill flashes his card...

Balls found inside 'rattling' dog

A dog had to have 13 golf balls removed from its stomach after eating them on walks around a Fife course.

Owner Chris Morrison had been taking five-year-old black labrador Oscar round the Pitreavie golf course in Dunfermline for several months.

He took Oscar to the vet after noticing a rattling sound coming from his pet's stomach.

They then discovered that 13 balls - each weighing 45 grams - were lodged in his stomach.

Mr Morrison, a planning administrator, said one of the balls had been in his stomach so long that it had turned black and was decomposing.

He said: "He finds golf balls like truffles. We're not sure how long exactly this happened over, but it must have been a fair period - several months at least.

"I felt his stomach and heard them rattling around.

"He normally brings a few home, but I had no idea he had eaten so many.

He is a black lab so he is a fair size, but to swallow 13 is quite amazing
Chris Morrison

"The vet hadn't seen anything like it, it was bizarre.

"He is a black lab so he is a fair size, but to swallow 13 is quite amazing."

The balls were removed two weeks ago in a successful hour-long operation.

Bag full

Oscar is now on the road to making a full recovery on a special post-operation diet of watered-down food.

He also has to wear a muzzle while out and about.

Mr Morrison added: "He does get a bit frustrated now and again."

Bob Hesketh, 40, principal vet at Vetrica in Rosyth, said he had never seen anything like it.

He said: "It was like a magic trick. I opened him up and felt what I thought was two or three golf balls.

"But they just kept coming until we had a bag full.

"I think they must have been in there for several months, one was all black and the shell was swollen."

Forgot how classic this is...

Man oh man, haven't listened to all of it yet; but wow. Just bought this album in the ITunes store, and it's pretty wonderful. Gonna go dig out my Willie Tee for tomorrow. That man rules, and manning up with a wonderful horn player makes for some good listening.

Good stuff

It must be brutally difficult to broadcast live. It must be even more difficult to spawn the (hopefully) future president of the USA in the way decribed in this vid...