« November 2005 |
Main
|
January 2006 »
It's Saturday December the 31 around 8:04AM and
Well, 2005 is coming to a close, and 2006 is upon us. Our first post was way back on Halloween, and we still haven't had our official launch yet, but we have had 214 delicious posts, and some pretty damn good feedback thus far. Except those people who think we're just a bunch of blog warmongers.
I still haven't found The Vancouverite an intern yet - maybe the promises of calling Bill Good and stalking Tamara Taggart just weren't enough to overcome the sweatshop-like working conditions, although truthfully we haven't looked very hard - apply today!
Our first 8 weeks of posting has been a lot of fun - and when I'm not dropping nuclear bombs and fighting in Vancouver's blog land I've managed to post more than enough about the Canucks, Jennifer Good, 24 Hours, and Lynne McNamara. So I thank you for all your visits in 2005, and please come by early and often in 2006 when we start posting for "real". Which means you should look for the lawsuits, or name calling, to begin stacking up as we begin our assault on Vancouver's media scene.
In January we will have to drop the pretension that we are still in "beta" and the postings will be coming more regularly, hopefully. January will also mark the launch of our misguided politically obsessed political site, Fed Kicker, which has been preoccupied with things other than the elections, so far, but is keeping it's powder dry for the 23rd and the sprint for the finish in the elections.
Meanwhile here are some links to ring in the new year:
*Finally, Pac Man in mexican puppet theatre form. Genuis.
*Tom Hanks to join the world of Star Trek?
It's Friday December the 30 around 12:14AM and
It's interesting to watch this election. The media and even voters are ready to throw somebody to the sharks - and you know when people start talking about about the things that get said during elections and how that is interpreted in other cultures we could be in for a bumpy ride.
In this case Industry Minister David Emerson refered to Jack Layton as having a "boiled dog's head smile." And Chinese voters don't react well to the negative impact and insult, that may not even be an insult, has on Layton in the Chinese community. But the dirty little secret of it all is that this campaigning in other languages is tool politicos have been increasingly using.
It's Thursday December the 29 around 11:39PM and
Obviously to make sure that the college-faux-CanWest property Dose doesn't convert too many of the alt media readership in Vancouver between Christmas and 2006, The Georgia Straight published a very thin on goodness issue yesterday. Here's 5 reasons to just skip this issue:
5. Year ends always seem to produce the only more annoying content than Christmas does for media organizations. The Georgia Straight doesn't have top ten lists per se, but the "Old year passes in weird and wonderful ways" feature is just as bad. Summing up 2005 this way, "Otherwise, it was just the usual dismal blend of war, famine, terrorism, disease, and incompetence, all garnished with a sense of quiet panic that ratcheted up every time a duck or chicken sneezed halfway around the world." You know in 25 years, 2005 will not be remembered for any of that. [Whatever you do, don't bother Jeff Jarvis with year end lists. Wow]
4. Yep, it's holiday time and I really, really want to read about how much of a waste of cash public-private partnerships are. Not.
3. Ginch Gonch Single of the Week Alan. Billions of people, living or dead, you could invite to a dinner party and you choose: Michael Jordan, David Blaine, Elle MacPherson? Wow! PS: Over medium on the eggs? Who does that? Honestly.
2. Article proclaiming that Politics is overrun by men. It's also overrun by douchebags, but what are you gonna do?
1. Can the Straight not find one local writer to pen a column to replace all the Gwynne Dyer or Naomi Klein reprinted content they use? Especially when Dyer gets away with writing something like this: "The larger reality is that while the Bush administration has been obsessed by its grandiose plans for reshaping the Middle East, the real transformation has been happening in America’s own back yard. Left-wing governments have come to power in Brazil and Argentina, the two biggest countries of South America, and in a number of smaller countries as well." No, America isn't aware of this, and doesn't have operations in South America at all Gwynne, cough, cough. Robert Kaplan, call your office please.
It's Thursday December the 29 around 1:08AM and
*This is great news.
Kevin "I wrecked Britney Spears" Federline has his own website hitting the web. And related to the next item for why MySpace will fall see also
Trent for some crazyness. Meanwhile
The Superficial has at 'em with hilarious results.
*Since we get quite a few curious cats searching for Anna Benson content (ah...google, you're so fun) we thought we'd take the time to say, she has updated her site and the new design does a nice job of highlighting Mrs. B's pro-gun letters, photos, and we're curious about the coming soon 'heavy petting' section. But what the hell is gold digger poker. Didn't she get the memo on poker?
*Call us dasterdly cynical, but news that since it's News Corp buy out, that MySpace has changed, man. We've never really figured out what good Myspace is anyways, but it's nice to see Adrants predicting it's downward spiral - the web give and the web taketh away.
*New movie trailer, for The Benchwarmers, is up. It stars Jon Heder with two rather unfortunate co-stars. What is it about: "A trio of guys try and make up for missed opportunities in childhood by forming a three-player baseball team to compete against standard little league squads."
*New Adam Sandler movie, Click, seems to have pretty much everything going for it. David Hasslehoff, Kate Beckinsale (You mean the same girl who really should be Wonder Women? Hello), a univeral remote control for like the whole universe, and Christopher Walken. Magical.
*Just sit back, grab some Jack, and rock on some original Ocean's 11 title sequence goodness people.
*Utterly shameless link to Jennifer Good, who bowled, drank, and smoked her way to a night of vomiting. Even when she does that, she's still pretty damned fun.
It's Thursday December the 29 around 12:24AM and
Okay, is anybody really working in this city this week? this place is dead, anyways. You know those things you think you really hate, but then when they are gone, you miss them? Well, this isn't anything like this, but what in the hell are all the newsies doing this week, because there is an insane Christmas-to-Kwanza free daily newspaper cease fire going on down right now? You kinda get used to dodging with glee 20 times a day the "Good Morning, Metro News..." So what gives? They did publish Monday, we think, and then, who knows, they may just be sitting in those boxes, but you don't have to dare go in there, do you? But wait...
Meanwhile, how much of a goldmine do you think the blogs over at the Dose Free Daily website will be? I mean, there is one called Mullet Pony. And It seems to be nearly mullet link free - what a tease. Actually they look like they collectively post less than I do. How slacker cool is that. Gosh. Oh CanWest, will you ever figure out this "interweb" thingy everyone is talking about? (Maybe they'll be like News Corp and buy up something like MySpace, and turn it into something totally uncool and, well, not MySpace.)
At least Dose is publishing and updating their website. MetroNews (at least they own it and just say, hey don't worry about it, we'll be back on Jan 3rd, if you even care.) and 24 Hours are not. CanWest thinks it is so crafty making this paper seem like your pot smoking college buddies put it together, but it's not that way at all is it, CanWest. We're on to you damn it!
It's Thursday December the 29 around 12:10AM and
When the Predators scored 38 seconds into tonight's game the crowd must have gulped back thier beers and prepared for the worst. But miracle of miracles,
they won - which is timely since 14 of the next 18 games are on hostile territory. Even Crawford's crazy line shake up seemed to knock some sense into the team - especially if people are throwing out words like "leading the hit parade" and "physical final 40 minutes" about the team. Seriously,
Richard "I hadn't scored since grade 11" Park put one in the net for god's sake.
"Ask anyone. (Scoring) is a good feeling," said Park. "You relax out there, play more confident. You just have to build on it."
So, as you were people, no need to break your neck jumping off the bandwagon. Yet. And as a last note - Bertuzzi is like the Reggie Dunlop mixed with equal part Yoda and Sun Tzu, "It was a gut check, coming in after the first (period) down two (goals), not too many people in the building being happy. We knew that we'd have to change it around." Gut check? Come on Todd, really that's like the other side of giving 110%? Totally can't wait for the morning paper love in.
It's Wednesday December the 28 around 8:01AM and
Finally Marc Crawford is doing, something. For tonight's game he's actually really shaking things up. Although this should not give The Sun's Elliott Pap the right to use puns like, "Look out, Nashville. It could be a fight to the Finnish." (Maybe the Sun needs to shake things up too.)
Trying to get at the root of their five-game nosedive, the Vancouver Canucks are turning to Jarkko Ruutu. The feisty Finn is being promoted to the team's first line and tonight will skate -- at least for starters -- on right wing with Todd Bertuzzi shifting to centre and Markus Naslund at his usual spot on the left side.
And showing even more tough, Crawford calls out Brendan Morrison and puts him on the third line with Matt Cooke and Richard Park. It's also encouraging to note that Crawford has dropped the, we-just-need-to-play-5-percent-better, routine. This could be good.
It's Tuesday December the 27 around 7:06AM and
Doing a morning survey of local news, and came across this bit of hilarity. At 24 Hours this morning try clicking on the story called "Naughty & Nice". It's an old link, and the story is only partially there. But you do get this:
The story you are searching for is available in its entirety via email, fax or mail for $10.00, payable with credit card (include expiry date).
Just call the Sun Media News Research Centre at 416-947-2258 or toll free at 1-877-624-1463 with information about the story and supply the following:
Name of credit card, number and expiry date on card
Your name, mailing address and phone number (we will mail you a receipt).
Fax number, if you wish the story to be faxed.
Certified cheques and money orders can be mailed with your request to:
Sun Media Research Centre
333 King Street East Toronto,
Ontario M5A 3X5
Canada
Other research services available are:
$75.00 for up to ten articles on any one topic. This is a research, information service offered to professionals, students, businesses, internet users.
Photo Reprints @ $46.00 (8 by 10 colour glossy)
Full Page Reprints from Sun newspapers @ $100.00 suitable for framing.
Personalized Mock-Up Frontpages @ $130.00 suitable for framing.
Tearsheets or Back Editions of Sun Newspapers @ $10 each
Yes, $10 an article for old free daily newspaper stories. 24 Hours, you are too much!
It's Tuesday December the 27 around 6:57AM and
A 20-centimeter water main and a section of Pender Street collapsed yesterday. The street, at Pender & Bute, could be closed for up to a week. The collapse, technically what you would call a sinkhole, will be a fun addition to the traffic pattern this week.
It's Tuesday December the 27 around 6:33AM and
Vancouver Sun's Iain Macintyre has at the Canucks this morning: "They were home for Christmas, but only in their sleep. The Vancouver Canucks, facing more road gigs in January than the Rolling Stones, sunk deeper into one of their most bewildering and disappointing home stands in years by losing 2-1 Monday to the Calgary Flames at GM Place." Macintyre, who John 'Shorty' Shorthouse says is Canada's greatest hockey writer, goes on to say, "...the Canucks can't blame turkey's tryptophan for their stupor because their Swedish players eat ham at Christmas. Besides, Vancouver has been serving up foul fare all season within their division."
Meanwhile over in Vancouver's greatest paper, The Province, Tony Gallagher is hilarious on the subject today as well. "Trying to outcheck this bunch is like trying to outthink Bobby Fischer at the chess board. It's taking on Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday at the OK Corral with a slingshot and bad intentions. If the Flames have any identity at all, and, boy, does this team have identity, it's lunchpail, barroom brawler, destroyer of pretty boys."
Then back at the Sun, the 2nd stringer, Brad Ziemer goes for the whole Boxing Dale sale metaphor. "Nearly everything was on sale Boxing Day. Everything, that is, except NHL victories. Those fetch full price, something the Canucks were apparently unable or unwilling to pay Monday night as they fell 2-1 to the Calgary Flames."
Vancouver Canucks Oped does it's morning after column entirely with idioms and cliches. "After a bad week, they seem to be behind the eight ball, under the weather, under the gun, and yet absent without leave. Even though their balls are to the wall, it's like the blind leading the blind up a blind alley. "
It's Monday December the 26 around 9:54PM and
Did the Canucks eat too much turkey over the holidays? It's probably just as well for Canucks fans, that when the papers roll in Tuesday morning Team Canada at least won in World Junior Hockey action (
5-1 over Finland). That may just keep some people from doing anything rash. But the reality is that the
Canucks just got beat by Calgary, again, 2-1.
Kudos to Coach Marc Crawford for holding the worst post-game presser of the year (quite possibly ever). Can you really complain about officiating, power plays, and the need to play 5% better? 5% better are you nuts? You lost Crawford, wake up. I think Dan Russell on CKNW called it just about right after the game tonight, the season is nearly half over and let's face it: the Canucks are 20-16 (not 20-11-5 - that's loser talk), 4 games over .500, and now running third in the Northwest behind two teams they can't beat.
It's Saturday December the 24 around 9:28AM and
The Canucks lost to Calgary last night, 6-5 in a shootout. But wait, there's more.
-The Canucks have lost all seven games this season against Alberta-based, divisional rivals Calgary and Edmonton.
-Vancouver is 5-8-4 against the Northwest Division and 15-2-1 against the rest of the NHL.
-Good news for the Canucks is that they play Calgary again Monday. Ouch.
-The Canucks, who have lost four straight at home after starting the season 13-1 there.
-Two of the losses were in the shootout and another was in overtime.
-Vancouver has blown nine leads and given up 20 goals during that stretch.
-The Vancouver Sun's, Elliot Pap, meanwhile, is lobbing softballs rather than grenades at these bums. How about a trade?
It's Wednesday December the 21 around 8:55AM and
*The Chuck Norris stuff is spreading like a virus. Screenhead lists this under the category of "Meme us up Scotty" and has mutiple links to Chuck Norris goodness.
*And while we are at it, let's do a double shot of Screenhead who also points out this amazing 1970 Dodge Charger tv spot. Can we please bring this kind of advertising back? "Lookit the hot chicks this poindexter lands because of his Dodge Charger 500! Our Dodge Charger merely caught fire outside a Stuckey’s, with absolutely no sex as a result. The 1970’s were clearly a more enlightened, evolved time, and we lament our not being old enough to have enjoyed them."
*In honor of our favorite L.A. Gossip blog, Defamer, the trailer for the new Butterscotch Stallion movie, "Me, You, and Dupree". Add in Kate Hudson, and we smell a hit comedy.
*Mel Gibson's latest opus Apocalypto has a teaser trailer online up now. Magnificent creepy bastard. Apparently the version shown on Entertainment Tonight the trailer had a few frames of him in his massive beard, smoking. He's so crazy.
*News that a new film, Wind Chill, produced by George Clooney will start filming here in February. Excellent news for the restaurant industry if indeed bearded fat Clooney shows up.
It's Wednesday December the 21 around 2:01AM and
Oh, and Metro paper buddies, you're not getting off that easy today. We're keeping a list of advertising covers you've done. One a week recently we see? Today's cover, brought to you by the folks at the Bank of Montreal, is hoping to promote some crackpot 100,000 Air Miles contest. This sort of thing brings the level of news in the city to a whole new level. I guess we should just thank somebody it wasnt a Telus bunny ad?
On the other hand, Metro tried to bury on page 7 (technically 5 if you count the ad cover on the front of course) a cheesecake lingerie photo of the girls from "Godiva's" - the set in Yaletown, shot in Burnaby restaurant/tv dramedy show. Now that's journalism right fellas. That was going to be the cover non? At any rate, the show may find some more viewers.
It's Wednesday December the 21 around 1:47AM and
So with time ticking down to Christmas, 24 Hours drops the talk of fat Santas, the Bay's Nativity scene, and all things holiday, and thankfully
returns to the topic of guns in the city.
Paul Martin's plan to ban handguns may have backfired. As soon as the Liberals unveiled their promise to ban the weapons earlier this month, Vancouver gun shop owners saw a jump in handgun sales.
In fact some local gun dealers are seeing a tripling of sales as Vancouverites learn to love the gun. Bonus points to cover boy Josh Muir of Lever Arms Service Ltd. wearing a Social Distortion shirt. But really can you really order guns with this PDF form? $20 shipping charge per gun? Last minute Christmas gifts on special? What fun.
It's Wednesday December the 21 around 1:26AM and
Bill Tielelman's column in yesterday's 24 Hours was a trainwreck of pre-Christmas cliche. Read his introduction:
A good many things go around in the dark besides Santa Claus. - U.S. President Herbert Hoover
On the eve of Christmas, 24 hours has uncovered secret letters sent to Santa Claus by all four major political party leaders back when they were children. Surprisingly, even at this tender, innocent age it is clear from the letters that these youngsters had already formed life-long political views:
Smug quote from somebody famous. Check. Mentioning own publication 24 Hours. Check. Jumping on the great week-of-Christmas-Santa-Claus-is-a-fatty content bandwagon. Check. Trying to make fun of the four major political leaders. Check.
This works for, oh, say Thomas Friedman. But barely. Very few writers should ever try the "what if," or "the I'm another writer," or the "fake letter" column. It is almost always a complete disaster. Case in Point, Tieleman writing the Paul Martin Dear Santa letter, "Listen - I want to be very, very, very clear about this, uh, this fabulous holiday that we call Christmas. Look it, I have been a very, very, very good boy. Make no mistake."
Dear Bill Tieleman. Please don't try this again. Thanks.
UPDATE: And Mr. Tieleman stops by for a comment - that's so hot!! Thanks man! And you're totally right, I should have written the same thing about the far more tragic Erin Airton column, "'Twas the time before the election" which actually tried to do this: "Twas the night before Christmas and all through the House, Not a politician is stirring, not even a Louse. The elections signs are hung all over with care, In hopes that the voters soon will be there." Which was far more egregeous for sure. But how much can one man read 24 Hours we ask?
It's Wednesday December the 21 around 12:46AM and
*5 secondish Medicinal advice: Even if you have some sort of bird flu, don't take the daytime flu medication into the evening hours. Oh, and don't try counteracting with the nighttime version. Like Tom Cruise, Contact C, knows you're trying to trick it.
*Best. Shirt. Ever. Hasselhoff, sporting a "Don't Hassel the Hoff" T-Shirt.
*The movie version of Fast Food Nation is in the can, and just got called up from the minors to Fox Searchlight. Avril Lavigne acts? And is there anything Richard Linklater can't do?
*Do you think less of us for loving the fact that while the 10 second teaser for Ghost Rider looks cool, we think this is destined for flop history. The movie is being pushed into 2007, Golden Fiddle calls it a, "failure-in-production."
*And really. In some pact with the devil Johnny Damon leaves Boston and signs with the Yankees. This better be some sort of Red Sox Nation trick to attempt the reverse Ruth Curse.
It's Wednesday December the 21 around 12:10AM and
During a very brief sojurn out of the sweat shop to get a few ounces of Christmas (not Holiday damn it) cheer and we learned of this Scrouge-like situation over at our new nemesis, Steamworks. Our wine/photography/fun consultant here at The Vancouverite, purchased a bottle of
Dirty Laundry Pinot Noir at the Steamworks in West Van. No problem there - the winery, previously Scherzinger Vineyards was a real treat when we visited and winemaker Ron Watkins was quite the character.
And no, I don't intend to let Dirty Laundry off the hook for the longest website build in history, er, 2005. Honestly dudes, you told us back in May that the wine and site would be launching in June '05. It's December now! Somebody might need a lump of coal in thier sock for this, even as we see the new identity stacking up kudos in a bunch of design annuals around the continent. But I digress.
But here's the real scandal: Steamworks is selling this $22.90 bottle (that price is according to emails confirmed with the winemaker himself this week.) for $40.53! Jon Stewart looks into camera and says, "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?" That's right, a nice, tidy, $17.60 wine scandal people. No offense to Dirty Laundry, the wine is tasty, but that is ridiculous. No wonder they call it the "The Wine Thief" for thier downtown wine store location. In West Vancouver, they just call it The Liquor Store.
This calls for a full blown explaination. Stay tuned.
It's Tuesday December the 20 around 5:53AM and
*Gawker might be totally right: "Remember when Saturday Night Live was actually funny? We certainly do — those halcyon days bring tears to our eyes. This weekend’s episode featured a “Lazy Sunday” rap was so fantastic, it might’ve saved the entire season." And we thought Lorne Micheals was going to have to kill off the cast at the end of this season. Parnell you're a little genuis. [You Tube]
*Dispatches from the War on Christmas.
*Creepy Uncle Joe Stalin wanted to raise an army of half-man, half-ape super warriors.
*Uproar over Tucker Carlson, MSNBC host, calling Canada "a stalker" and a "retarted cousin." MSNBC is still on? Wierd.
*Trailer for Catch and Release. Jennifer Garner trying to capture that 13 Going on 30 magic, this time with wacky roomate Kevin Smith.
*Meanwhile Cinematical predicts after viewing the trailer of the new Steven Soderbergh film, Bubble, "will make history by presenting us with a film that simultaneously bombs in all venues." Zing.
*Here's a Craigslist post for Capri19 Lounge that pulls no marketing punches. "HOCKEY NIGHT with VANCOUVER'S HOTTEST GIRLS ." Heh.
*Seattle based agency Sedgwick Rd. does a pro bono campaign for client "Christmas" and tries to understand why messages of peace and love don't drive sales. (Via Adrants)
It's Tuesday December the 20 around 5:39AM and
Ben Kuzma of The Province has a fun holiday wrap up of last night's
Canuck loss to the Los Angeles Kings 4-3. "In the spirit of the season, the Vancouver Canucks were in a giving mood Monday. For the gesture, they received a lump of coal as Alexander Frolov scored the only shootout goal to give the Los Angeles Kings a 4-3 win."
But the key part to the whole two game slide is this:
For the second straight game, the Canucks blew an early 2-0 lead and surrendered a shorthanded goal. After the Canucks talked themselves hoarse about improving special-teams play -- they allowed three power-play goals and went 0-for-6 with the man advantage Saturday in a 5-4 overtime loss to Edmonton -- they didn't deliver.
Ouch.
It's Sunday December the 18 around 9:52PM and
Hollywood North Report has the goods on the new Micheal Bay live action film Transformers will start to break ground on set construction in North Vancouver in February '06. And Cinematical is really worried that this will be a massive debacle. Well, let's hope so.
It's Sunday December the 18 around 9:07PM and
Tonight’s Family Guy Episode jam packs so many references into it you just know Seth McFarlane must be insane:
Aquaman, Bill Lumbergh from Office Space, Jaws V, Kobe Bryant, Redhead on Desperate Housewives “it looks like somebody pulled silly putty over their knee.” Hot tubbing with Kathy Bates, Face Off, Boy in the Plastic Bubble, Kramer of Peter's "Morman Wives", Jesus as Scott Bakula from Quantum Leap (Oh Boy), girls from The View actually laying chicken eggs, Happy Days, Linsday Lohan backwards crabwalk, more Fonzie (the "Church of the Fonze" technically - Fonzie be with you), Paula Abdul & Peter duet, Jeffersons, Love Boat, Kirk Cameron, Growing Pains (but surprisingly no Boner), Cobra Kai (The Karate Kid and can you believe Google? You can find Cobra Kai Christmas wishes online? Amazing.), the Happy Days credit sequence.
More: Family Guy Podcast.
It's Sunday December the 18 around 5:31PM and
What do you get when you put more hipster cool people in one spot, drop some delicious funky grooves on the turntables, and invite some artists from around North America to launch a book celebrating the magical street culture of the 1990’s that launched such icons as
Spike Jonze?
The Beautiful Losers book launch that’s what.
One of the editor’s of the book, Christian Strike signed books with a graffiti-felt-marking flair and looked like he probably didn’t have an un-cool bone in his body. But what do you talk about when the music is so loud and everyone is still ridiculously in their jackets and toques? The best few trinkets of art, were by Barry McGee – who had a small bounty of really insane work on what looked like micky sized booze bottles. (I’m not sure if the photo here is the same piece, but you get the point.) This kind of style reminds me of the less pure and less wild style that Winery Blasted Church has tried to pull off with their identity.
Continue reading "A Night With Some Beautiful Losers" »
It's Sunday December the 18 around 1:46PM and
Yep, it's true.
Bono, Melinda and Bill Gates have been given this year's honor for Time Magazine cover and persons of the year. I'm pretty sure Time picks these covers simply make people mad. And that in no way suggests that these three didn't do anything good this year, they certainly did. But it doesn't really seem that they ever pick the person(s) who actually makes the biggest influence on the planet.
The mischievous Tim Blair breaks it down: "Michelle Malkin is right; these Persons of the Year selections by Time magazine suck like a million Dysons."
It's Sunday December the 18 around 9:44AM and
CASTING THE A-TEAM MOVIE
Cinematical takes a serious look at who they should cast in the A-Team movie if they get around to doing it. I just hope that it doesn't get the Dukes of Hazzard, Starsky and Hutch, Brady Bunch treatment. Anyway, here are the casting suggestions; "Hannibal- Bruce Willis, Howling Mad Murdoch - Brad Pitt, on the basis of his performance in Twelve Monkies. Face- Matt Damon, B.A.- Mr. T. Despite some rumoredly tough health problems in the last decade, T still looks uncannily (almost scarily) the same." Interesting choices.
THE SMUGEST DRINK IN THE WORLD
I'm not even sure what to make of this New York Times story on expensive luxury drinks. The "Teatro Euro Bar, a nightclub at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, has the High Limit Kir Royale, a $2,200 after-dinner drink." It's made with Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne and 140-year-old Cognac. I bet it tastes like it is worth 10 bucks. If anyone can tell me what the most expensive drink is in Vancouver - leave a comment.
THE WORST ALBUM COVERS OF '05
Deftone.com has the details on the 10 worst album covers this year. (Via Vanmega)
BOX OFFICE SLIPS ON BANANA
King Kong only made $50,148,000 this weekend. No wonder A.O. Scott is talking about the problem with movies these days is that they aren't bad enough. That they don't take risks to be great, and that is why we don't see really big stinkers anymore.
CHRISMAHANUKWANZAKAH
I think we might have already posted about the Virgin Mobile Christmas campaign and this website featuring some funny clips. But you really have to call the help line 1-888-353-7667 ( 1-888-Elf-Poop). Ask for the Gay Elf. He's very helpful. And speaking of Elves, has anyone seen the Pepto Bismal holiday ad. Is there anything less attractive than an elf with diahrehha?
Continue reading "Vancouverite Sunday Styles, Vol. 4" »
It's Friday December the 16 around 8:04PM and
Tomorow night at the
Silk Haus (135 Keefer Street - at Columbia) is
"It's All Around You" presented by
Red Assembly. This is a special launch of the new soft cover edition of Beautiful Losers with editor Christian Strike. Now Beautiful Losers is a movement in contemporary art and culture that has its roots back in the early 1990s that tooks its inspiration from skating, punk, graffiti and hip-hop.
7 pm: Book Signing and Media Screening. Limited copies of the book are available for sale ($50).
9 pm: Public Opening ($10) Selected works for sale upon request.
In addition to the book launch there will be some installations from some of the Beautiful Losers - Barry McGee who does some impressive grafiti style artwork, Rostarr who does some out of this world street flavored pieces, and even more cool work from Clare Rojas. It is shaping up to be a pretty decent night of art, drinks, and all that is associated with the sreet scene. This is especially true if you want a little peak into the basis of some the most influential art and design trends.
We'll fill you in with the details and review, Sunday.
It's Friday December the 16 around 10:05AM and
24 Hours went for the hard news angle today putting the jolly St. Nick on the cover. Too bad they used thier cover today to pick him apart and judge him. The headline was "Santa's Flaws" and then they follow it up with, "Sure, it could land us a permanent spot on his naughty list, but we figured the big guy could use some diet, exercise and style advice."
Come on, really? "Sweet shop or sweat shop? Santa's helpers are working overtime to create Xboxes and iPods but still getting paid toy soldier wages. Not to cause any alarm, but our sources are whispering, 'strike.'" And then the article just calls him a fat bastard basically. Do we really have to this every year? He's fat man, just get over it.
It's Friday December the 16 around 9:21AM and
I'm reluctant to say something smug like this. Posting was a little on the light side yesterday due to the whole festive season. Honestly, who has a Christmas party at Storyeum's creepy underground lair? The last thing you need during a Christmas party is people dressed like cowboys running around shooting each other with capguns. And to be totally honest, it was as if Christmas, Santa, or baby Jesus never existed down in that dungeon. No Santa?
Meanwhile Gridskipper has a little peak at Yaletown's Section 3, which has that amazing nerd neon sign.
It's Thursday December the 15 around 1:08AM and
As if we needed it, there is another reason to totally loathe online poker and all it stands for. Here it is (Via Adrants)
*This commercial for the Sci Fi Channel is both creepy (like Daft Punk creepy) and useless.
MOVIE TRAILERS:
*Horrors of War. Just your typical WWII, Zombie, Werewolf, Nazi film. Zombie Nazis - we so hate those guys.
*The Da Vinci Code. We've heard of gaining weight, losing weight, and looking pig ugly for a movie. But can somebody explain to me Tom Hanks' hair in this film?
*Another Poseidon movie. But this one with Kurt Russel.
*Finally a North American trailer for The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. West Coaster Barry Pepper represents. PS: January Jones has the best name ever. It's made up for sure. And that's cool.
It's Thursday December the 15 around 12:41AM and
Cloutier is out. He might even be already six feet under. People are calling for Auld's head/trade. I just went to Browns, Nu, and Chambar all in one magical night. And then Jenny Good is posting pictures of her self wearing only a book called Marketable Depression.
Then she writes a "book report." Really this is great. In fact, it's like a Christmas miracle.
It's Thursday December the 15 around 12:36AM and
They may have only come in third at this year's Lotus Awards for the hardware, and we continue to hear this hilarious story of creative punch outs this year, but seriously they nailed thier Christmas execution so perfectly, it's not even funny.
Merry Christmas From TBWA\Vancouver. And to all a good night.
It's Tuesday December the 13 around 9:19PM and
The New York Post of publishing here town, The Province, went off it's meds this morning and presents readers with a warning, "Don't Panic." How reassuring. Maybe it's the 42 games the backup goalies have collectively played, or maybe it's the devil may care
"it's just a flesh wound" black knight attitude of Canucks management, but we find it hard to believe that this isn't a problem:
"The fact is we're not going to go out and sign someone or trade for someone just for the sake of it. We're not in that position," said General Manager Dave Nonis. "We have a chance to use Alex, who has proven he can play at this level. If something comes up that's better then we'll take it. Just to make a deal to say you did it makes no sense. To compound the problem with a bad deal is just foolish."
Vancouver Canucks Op Ed downplays it with this calm posting headline: "How screwed are we?" No pressure Auld. Screw it up and the Canucks will make a trade, they promise, this time - for real. They really, really, really will.
It's Tuesday December the 13 around 7:45PM and
Good News: The Canucks won another one
3-2 over the Rangers.
Bad News: Oh no! Dan Cloutier is out for the next four months. Before we get to the nuts and bolts of this, I have two things to say. 1. Can somebody please make sure Jenny Good is taking this news well. 2. I think we can make the most of this - let's get Cloutier to do gameday podcasts with Jenny. That's gold baby. Get on it Jenny & Canucks. Gosh.
Here's the real details. "[F]urther consultation with team doctors today, goaltender Dan Cloutier will undergo knee surgery to repair a damaged Anterior Cruciate Ligament... Cloutier will have the procedure don on Thursday, December 15th and is expected to be out of the Canucks lineup for up to four months."
Ugly News: The NHL webiste may take 1st prize in a beauty contest. No, wait, that's Monopoly. The NHL website may have the worst holiday treatment ever. Yes! Raining stars and a nice light bell and bow. What the hell? Just don't do it.
Oh and since we're here talking about ugly - are we the only ones who noticed the Hasbro tv commercials and ads featuring an ancient looking Jamie Lee Curtis?
It's Tuesday December the 13 around 8:00AM and
*Can you believe we forgot to honor the birthday of Frank Sinatra? It's almost like a holiday of "ring-a-ding-ding" and we totally forgot. Shame on us. We blame our friend Anthony, who clearly dropped the ball,
again. But the good news is that
Grid Skipper did a pretty sweet 1967 film,
"Tony Rome" . The short round up - featuring
this amazing photo essay that highlights the movie's excessive beer drinking (what happened to the gasoline Franky?) and "pointing" - oh, and the magic that was 1960's Miami.
*Speaking of beer drinking, Bud Light launches Ted Ferguson - Bud Light Daredevil onto the world with somewhat funny results.
*Hey it's Golden Globe nomination morning! These are the best, most drunkest, funnest awards ever. Highlights: Best Film, Drama: Brokeback Montain, The Constant Gardener, Good Night and Good Luck, History of Violence, Match Point. Best Director: Woody Allen (Match Point), George Clooney (Good Night and Good Luck), Peter Jackson (King Kong), Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), Fernando Mereilles (The Constant Gardener), Steven Spielberg (Munich). Gothamist reports that, "Brokeback Mountain walked away with 7 nominations, including Best Picture (Drama), Director, Actor, Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams)."
*In related Golden Globe news Peter Jackson apparently put on his King Kong outfit and made his way to L.A. with a mission to wreck the city because his $200+ million monkey movie only got two nominations. Kong Mad. Kong Smash.
*Ricky Gervais interviews Cold Play's Chris Martin. Priceless.
*Celeste Ward at AdFreak asks a question worth asking. "Does anyone know a human being who has received a brand-new car for Christmas with a bow on top? It’s baffling why so many ads show this."
It's Monday December the 12 around 8:36PM and
The Canucks are doing their very best to create some amazing drama off the ice. Todd Bertuzzi, articulate as ever,
denied that he wants to be traded (yummy audio Bert) yesterday. They just beat the best team in the league and this is the Vancouver Canucks media spin of Monday. He wants to finish what he started here, he really really respects Marc Crawford, he has trouble expressing himself, and he is speaking the "truth. Particularly great about this interview was how Bertuzzi suggested it isn't just him playing average, there are lots of good players totally playing like crap. That is called spreading the blame around Todd. And we love that about you!
“I don’t want people to go around and speculate and talk about it anymore, cause it’s not true,” Bertuzzi told John "Shorty" Shorthouse on CKNW. “I have not ever asked for it and I don’t want to go anywhere. It’s a place I want to play and like I said, I want to finish what I’ve started here.”
It's Monday December the 12 around 8:09PM and
So the world's largest Gingerbread Man is down at the
Hyatt. Who knew? He's four creepy meters tall. This big pile of sugary goodness along with 30 Gingerbread houses will be on display until December 27th at the Gingerbread Lane in the hotel lobby.
Kind of makes you wish you were just like Homer Simpson in 1994's episode "Homer Badman". You know, where he goes the annual Candy Industry Trade Show and gets caught up with stealing the gummy Venus de Milo - "carved by gummy artisans who work exclusively in the medium of gummy."
Mmmm....Gingerbread...agggrrhhhhhhhh
It's Monday December the 12 around 7:50PM and
It's a pretty excellent day when you get an email from the one and only
Nardwaur. That's right "The Human Serviette" dropped me a quick line today to reminisce about him asking Paul Martin about what Bono would do about Hans Island (those wacky Danes, always causing trouble) and even better and more cool than burger or latte polls -
the hip flip poll. This actually predicted the 2004 election as only Paul Martin would do it.
Well, he's still at it. And informs The Vancouverite that he's on the case and this week his target is Gilles Duceppe. Yes! That would be even better than when Mr. Duceppe wore that wicked awesome hair net.
It's Monday December the 12 around 6:31AM and
Back on November 30 we wrote: "Vancouver Media Fun Quiz: How many days will it take for Vancouver Magazine to update thier website with the new cover? Mmmmm...." And it's December 12th, and guess what? They still haven't updated that website with the current cover of the magazine. What is even the point of having a website if you don't bother using it?
How long will they go?
It's Monday December the 12 around 5:46AM and
*Get ready boys and girls, like Santa Claus, Paul Martin is coming to town later today. It would be excellent if we could see a lot of references to the whole popcorn and beer gaffe that plagued him this weekend. Of course there is already a "Kids not beer" website up.
*Best press release headline thus far in the campaign. "Svend him packing". The new issue of Maclean's isn't impressed with our friend Svend, "Now Robinson is back, once again running for a seat in the House of Commons. And this time it's Canadian voters who should be crying for help."
*Will six ridings in Surrey/Burnaby/New West be the new super battleground that the entire election could all come down to? "...the Liberals can be expected to carpet-bomb B.C. and Greater Vancouver in particular with announcements and campaign stops in a bid to make up for Quebec seats they expect to lose to the Bloc Quebecois" More from Burnaby Politics.
It's Sunday December the 11 around 2:48PM and
AMANDA'S VLOG
How great is
Amanda Congdon? Wait, who? Ms. Congdon is getting huge press in today's New York Times (
TV Stardom on $20 a Day) and she does video blogging, vlogs, at
RocketBoom. She's quirky as hell, and is much more enjoyable than anything going on CNN. Oh, and then there's that infectious laugh...
WATCHING SYRIANA
Saw it. On a technical fimaking level Syriana is stunningly well done. But this movie just never really seems to live up to it's own hype. The plot is not too hard to follow at all, which some reviewers have been saying, but it is definetly complex and that is why it is watchable and interesting. But kind of like the movie's style (Think Traffic), the parts are sometimes more interesting than there sum total.
For Instance: Christopher Plummer is so good it hurts as an evil Washington insider and David Clennon always gives super little performances. Onthe other hand, this is really strange: For a movie with such a great poster design and a trailer with interesting title design the actual movie features none of that. And the fictional evil oil conglomerate in the film has, literally, the lamest logo and identity ever - the logo looked comically movie of the weekish. And try compaing this film to something like, oh I don't know, The Godfather and becomes obvious that this film is not going to be remembered for very long.
DRINKING OUT OF COCONUTS
Gridskipper has an amazing on one of our favorite spots on the planet. The Hurricane bar in San Francisco. Can somebody please explain why we don't have a bar like this here in Vancouver. "It’s the kind of place you go to drink out of a pineapple and discuss which role is the finer example of Matthew Perry’s 1988 oeuvre — Danny in Mr. Belvedere or Ed in Just the 10 of Us?" Bonus points to Gridskipper for referencing Mr. Belvedere. Sweet! Slightly unrelated, NBC promos tonight inform us that My Name is Earl and The Office have been called up to the bigs and moved to Thursdays. Woo Hoo. Jason Lee is the new king of NBC. (More Office: Christmas photos.)
HOLIDAYS
Mark Dolliver at the Ad Freak blog posted earlier this week with this idea: "Am I the only one who finds poinsettias creepy? Apparently not. And yet, they’ve somehow escaped the widespread opprobrium that has attached to fruitcake as a Christmas tradition." Well, they aren't as creepy as Neopets, but whatever.
REMEMBERING RICHARD
Roger Simon remembers the great comedian Richard Pryor (1940-2005). Pryor passed away yesterday. Go rent Brewsters Millions right now, it's a classic.
It's Saturday December the 10 around 9:02AM and
VanRamblings has a good post about the fall radio ratings which came in this week. "CKNW — which has never sounded as inane as they do at the moment (and that’s going some) — triumphed with a splendid 14.8 rating, meaning that at any given time 14.8% of those tuned into radio in the Greater Vancouver area had their radio tuned to the once Mighty 98, ’NW. All VanRamblings can say is, 'Thank goodness our XM Radio was hooked up today.'"
The state of affairs in Vancouver radio is extremley depressing.
It's Friday December the 9 around 8:01AM and
What in the hell is going on today for the cover of 24 Hours? It says "Hiding From the Holidays" but it looks like something about foot fetishes, or toe sucking for goodness sakes. We presume it is something to do with the article on
"Cures for the holiday angst" but the photo is just gross. Nobody needs to see feet in the morning. Nobody.
This is a 24 Hours President, Glen Clark thing, isn't it? "Stop the presses, I want to see more feet on the cover. That is all."
It's Friday December the 9 around 7:48AM and
It's really not fair that Vancouver wasn't included in the Anholt-CMI City Brands Index - a survey of 30 cities treated as if they were a brand. But how the hell is that Toronto was? Ranked at various levels of the survey (since the press release doesn't give a definative overall mark) Toronto didn't blow away the report.
"Toronto's overall high ranking for offering a safe, friendly environment in which to live, do business, or go to school," the survey found. "However, as a "bright lights, big city" destination, Toronto ranked in the middle of the pack at 17th, with worldwide panelists choosing Paris, London, Rome and New York as the cities most likely to offer interesting, exciting things to do. Similarly, in the Place category, Toronto ranked above Los Angeles and Rio De Janeiro at 18th, when respondents were asked to gauge how physically attractive the city is. Interestingly, though, Toronto beat out 25 other cities for cleanliness, ranking fifth overall."
And yet Vancouver isn't even on the list. What gives?
