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It's Tuesday March the 31 around 8:45PM and

Edith Piaf - "Non Je Ne Regrette Rien" (1960)

Ahhh. Edith Piaf. This song is just EPIC. Perfect for a Tuesday that feels like it should be Thursday. But I have no regrets.

It's Tuesday March the 31 around 8:38PM and

Wishful Thinking Fail

I'm intrigued with this Hail Mary advertising strategy for the NDP. I was hitting up the National Review blog for my dose of conservative talking points, and I saw a banner ad at the top of the page for the NDP.

The NDP is advertising to me, on William F. Buckley's seminal conservative website. This is going to be easier than I thought it would. I think it's wishful thinking that in the off chance I see their ad on a site like this, I'll magically convert to vote NDP. HEH.

It's Monday March the 30 around 8:46AM and

Hot and Cold: USSR Cold War Accoustic Edition

Doesn't it seem sometimes like the Soviet Union still exists and we need to have a Cold War with them and then replay that episode of Head of the Class and we can sneak cassette tapes of Rock and Roll music and blue jeans into the country. Sometimes it just doesn't seem fair does it. (Via: Mairsy)

It's Monday March the 30 around 7:46AM and

Juno Award Fail: Nickelback wins Three

I'm sure I am the only one who wasn't somehow gripped by the excitement of the 2009 Junos. But it wasn't until Graham pointed out that Nickelback won big:

Album of the Year
Group of the Year
Fan Choice Award (Thanks Pepsi)

I can only conclude that either the judges were drunk, we are all frosty locked hicks now, or the Junos have so few bands to choose from that they have to select anything Nickelback does, ever. Even a record neither of us could think we've ever heard of. On the other hand you people keep buying their albums. This is like the hardest geometry problem in the world. Not computing. Please stop you are embarrassing us all. Thank you.

PS: Loverboy looks amazing right now. So hot.

It's Monday March the 30 around 7:38AM and

Quote of the day: Mark Steyn on Obama and Toxic Tim

Not sure what is more awful before my first full cup of coffee this morning. That Obama is now dictating who runs GM or this quote by Mark Steyn:

"In their first two months, Obama and Geithner have done nothing but vaporize your wealth, and your children’s future. What began as an economic crisis is now principally a political usurpation. And, to return to the president’s “false choice,” that “chaotic and unforgiving capitalism” is exactly what we need right now. It’s the quickest, cheapest, fairest, most-efficient route to economic stabilization and renewal. A regimented and eternally forgiving global command economy with no moral hazard will destroy us all."

It's Thursday March the 26 around 11:05AM and

Best. Food. Ad. Ever.

This Hardee's ad featuring Padma Lakshmi is the best ad. I want a burger with bacon real bad. Damn you Rushdie.

It's Tuesday March the 24 around 9:20PM and

Eric Burdon & The Animals "Sky Pilot" (1968)

The finale of Eastbound & Down was awesome. Better be a season 2 HBO. Don't burn me, Using this classic tune was just awesome too.

It's Tuesday March the 24 around 7:37AM and

Video of the Day: Notte Sento

Notte Sento (English subtitles) from napdan on Vimeo.

The countdown to my Italian vacation is on, and what better way to get excited than a pretty gorgeous short film about being stuck in Rome, featuring Vespas, a very pretty girl, and a lot of stop motion. Can't wait.

It's Tuesday March the 24 around 7:21AM and

Required Reading: The Big Takeover by Matt Taibbi

Today's required coffee reading has to be Matt Taibbi's new opus in the latest Rolling Stone. The Big Takeover - The global economic crisis isn't about money - it's about power. How Wall Street insiders are using the bailout to stage a revolution.

Not only does Taibbi make this economic meltdown readable, he makes it nearly understandable, all while making you incredibly angry - like want to smash Timothy Geithner in the face angry. I think it underscores that whatever Obama is doing right now, he isn't changing much of anything, and that's not okay. I know yesterday someone joked that the Dow was up, and the recessions over, and of course that is the kind of stupid that got us into this in the first place, but I don't think these guys have a clue about how to restore balance to the force. At all. Where is our era's Ross Perot now? So this makes two reasons to pick up a copy at newsstands (the other being the cover of the Gossip Girls).

Here's but a taste, cause this suckers gotta be like 8,000 words plus:

"But wait a minute," you say to them. "No one ever asked you to stay up all night eight days a week trying to get filthy rich shorting what's left of the American auto industry or selling $600 billion in toxic, irredeemable mortgages to ex-strippers on work release and Taco Bell clerks. Actually, come to think of it, why are we even giving taxpayer money to you people? Why are we not throwing your ass in jail instead?"

It's Friday March the 20 around 8:17AM and

Hotel Continental, Saigon (2006)

This is the Hotel Continental. I loved Saigon, and at the time, this was a pretty amazing place to spend a few days. This hotel had massive rooms with alot of wood furniture, and mine was just above the C in the sign. The funny thing about this photos is that it shows the complete lack of 100's of scooters that normally would be flying by. I would spend a few days in this hotel and city anytime.

It's Friday March the 20 around 8:14AM and

The Forbidden City (June 2006)

In 2006 the Forbidden City was still being fixed up for the 2008 Olympics. That didn't stop it from being packed. To be honest the smog was so bad I was literally having trouble breathing, and I was still choked that the audio tour (something I have never done since) was not still featuring Roger Moore as the guide, which was a total ripoff. And I'll admit it, I did in fact cheapen the whole experience by having a Starbucks. Don't judge me.

It's Friday March the 20 around 8:09AM and

Tears for Fears "Shout" (1984)

Feeling a bit like Tears For Fears this morning. Which is very odd. Very odd indeed.

It's Wednesday March the 18 around 8:32PM and

Dramatic Chipmunk Redux

Yes. This is an old meme. Ancient in Youtube years. Whatever, this compilation of the Dramatic Chipmunk still somehow managed to inspire and delight some of us throughout the day. Enjoy. We did.

It's Wednesday March the 18 around 8:22PM and

Photo of the Day: The Gossip Girls

I'm guessing that if I posted nothing but photos of Blake Lively and Leighton Meester's new Rolling Stone photo shoot this week, It would lead to more traffic than any crap I could bitch about. I'm actually fine with that. More so even. And the new format of Rolling Stone isn't all bad. It's smaller, but has some decent stuff - I don't really care about 90% of it, but the longer features as getting pretty good. This shot is the best food image on the cover since Jenny McCarthy met a hot dog in 1996.

Previously on The Vancouverite: Praise Be: Blake Lively.

It's Wednesday March the 18 around 7:46AM and

Musée d'Orsay (August 2006)

I love going to the Louvre, but I always save time to hit the Musée d'Orsay. It's a stunning building, and great use of an old train station.

It's Wednesday March the 18 around 7:37AM and

Death of Print: The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The shuttering of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer produced the above awesome rapid snark graffiti. Clearly Thomas Jefferson never had to read either The Province of the The Sun - or god help us, 24 Hours. Shutting the print editions here would be awesome. And as one commenter noted at Gakwer, Jefferson's blog would have been super awesome - probably a combination of the New York Times and Perez Hilton. (Via Gawker)

It's Wednesday March the 18 around 7:36AM and

Arc De Triuomphe de Carrousel.

Sure, there is the Arc de Triomphe. It is quite fantastic and all that. But closer to the Louvre, there is another one, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. It's another Napolean victory arch, you know, but smaller. This was taken on our trip in May of 2008.

It's Sunday March the 15 around 3:43PM and

Cafe De Flor (August 2006)

Cafe De Flore, on a single block on St. Germain joins Les Deux Magots as two classic cafes in Paris. Sure they are probably packed, even with tourists sometimes, and certainly not the cheapest place, but the people watching at both are so good. This photo is from 2006, and also hangs in my bedroom, although this has been faux tiltshifted which actually makes up for my awful photography skills.

It's Saturday March the 14 around 10:48AM and

Gross Anatomy (1989)

I swear that I had a dream that referenced the 1989 Mathew Modine comedy Gross Anatomy. No, for reals. Must be the space pillow but I think I was actually telling someone what a classic it was. Was it this amazing tag line, "No one thought a rebel like Joe Slovak would make it through Medical School. But they didn't know Joe." Shivers down spine, right? Or was it just Mathew Modine's incredible Ken Doll hair? Movies with Daphne Zuniga, are always a good call.

It's Saturday March the 14 around 10:28AM and

One Crazy Summer (1986)

Oh man, I just barely woke up in time to catch some of the 1986 classic One Crazy Summer. That perfect combination of cheese, John Cusack, random animation, Demi Moore, the one, the only Bobcat Goldthwait, a really smug, young and jerky Jeremy Piven (awesome, like young Ari Gold on a Vacation), and even Joel Murray (brother of Bill!, and whom I totally missed that he was in Mad Men).

The boat building montage is amazing! Well, until the boat race scene. Genius. And the director, Savage Steve Holland maker of Better of Dead and One Crazy Summer. Well, he's now directing episodes of the new Jonas Brothers tv show. I smell a sequel! John Cusack could use a return to this. Why did it have to end.

It's Thursday March the 12 around 8:52PM and

The Legend of Chris Klein

Absolutely positive that between this best of clip from Chris Klein in the ridiculous new Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li and his sadly forgotten turn in Vancouver filmed The Long Weekend have confirmed him as the best thing to happen to cheese since brie. He's a genius. (via Popoholic featuring some delightful Moon Bloodgood as a bonus.)

And just a short word on The Long Weekend. It's not just a movie that features the amazing Vancouver bred Cobie Smulders from How I Met Your Mother. It's also what The Hollywood Reporter called, "Bottom line: A soft-hearted gross-out pic. If you're not a male between 17 and 23 and don't find the chance to see R-rated rejects from "America's Funniest Home Videos" a good thing, The Long Weekend will be a long and pointless haul." And somehow I still watched. In your face, I'm not in that target.

It's Wednesday March the 11 around 9:59PM and

Olympic Syrup?

Really Vancouver Olympics? Really? Mascot themed maple syrup? The fact that the Quatchi one is bigger is amazing. But I'm torn by both the crass exploitation of the olympics versus the conundrum of who would buy this at Choices? Explain.

It's Wednesday March the 11 around 7:51PM and

Handle with Care: Work In Progress

I'm part way through Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult and it feels really familiar to me. There are obvious comparisons to be drawn to My Sister's Keeper (the only other novel by Picoult that I've read), but it actually reminds me more of a different story: Finding Nemo. Terrible things keep happening to Nemo and his dad throughout the movie (poor little clownfish can't catch a break). And then just when you think it can't get worse, BAM! Nemo is sucked up into an oxygen pump.

Even if you haven't seen Finding Nemo, you know that all ends well because it's a Disney film. I'm not so sure about Handle with Care - so far there's a disabled child, a different bulimic self-harming child, a potential divorce and a dissolving best friendship. It's a pretty long path here to recovery.

That said, the never-ending chain of hardship is slightly more palatable to me in Picoult's novel than it was in Finding Nemo. Despite all the hard knocks, Picoult's writing keeps the story flowing easily; and in a novel that could easily get bogged down in medical and legal terminology she still manages to keep things simple.

I absolutely loathe the bad luck roller coaster that Nemo and his dad seem to constantly find themselves on, but I'll reserve final judgment on Handle with Care until it's actually time to get out of the car.

Editors Note: Jodi Picoult will be in Vancouver March 24th at 7 PM at Chapters, 788 Robson Street.

It's Wednesday March the 11 around 5:00PM and

Remember When HP Made Beef Sing?

For some reason Graham and I thought this was a Milk ad way back in the day. We stand corrected. It' s for HP sauce. The fact that we still could recite the song is a pretty strong sign of the longevity. Even if we got the brand wrong. I knew a lot of cooks at the Keg who sung this non-stop for years. YEARS.

It's Monday March the 9 around 8:56PM and

Mayor Gregor Twitter Show: The Eternal Twitterings of the Spotless Mayor

I could honestly do with a little less Mayor Gregor Twittering. Based on his Twitter I wouldn't elect him Mayor of Twitterville nor any elected office. In this weeks episode: Mayor Gregor solves homelessness in three months, turns City Hall lawn into garden, and finds hope in a goose.

He heaps praise on the three months of meetings his action team on homelessness has done. Apparently he can end it as long as we end it once more with feeling, I mean tenacity and focus.

Meanwhile his Mayorship relished digging up the grounds of City Hall to make a symbolic community garden.

Mayor Gregor wants Winter and gang war to end. Can't you just end? The Mayor wants it to end. And on twitter. And yet it still snowed today. Arrests be damned and take that you stupid geese.

It's Monday March the 9 around 7:58AM and

Introducing the Quattro

Creepy? Perhaps. Joyful? Most definitely. I have decided this morning that I need a couple of these for the apartment. The worlds most powerful and awesome toilet in the world. You know, it's all about the flushing power. [Via VideoGum]

It's Monday March the 9 around 7:48AM and

New Star Trek Trailer

I've watched this new Star Trek trailer like 4 times now. J.J. Abrams is a genius, and seems to kicking Star Trek up a few notches. Looks ridiculously awesome. It look like what Enterprise was supposed to be, but with way less Scott Bakula. Which is surprising since Scott Bakula is amazing. And to get in the mood I watched one of the best Next Generation episodes ever "Yesterday's Enterprise." You know, where an old Enterprise comes through some space/time hole and disrupts the timeline and where the federation is at war with the Klingons and losing, badly. Killer.

It's Sunday March the 8 around 7:57PM and

The Full Connery

Sean Connery, holding a painting of himself wearing an ascot looking at a shirtless man. 110% pure awesome. [via Film Drunk]

It's Sunday March the 8 around 7:48PM and

Mini Burgers Everywhere

Is it wrong that after a really nice homemade beef dip dinner that I want some of these Burger King Mini-Burgers? I mean, every place has sliders on the menu now, but they have all this ridiculous extra stuff on them. I guess that is why they can charge over $10 for three of 'em. But this Burger Kind ad, and a print ad featuring cute puppies which aren't as cute as mini burgers are invading my mind sapce

So where are the best sliders in Vancouver?

It's Sunday March the 8 around 6:49AM and

Padma Lakshmi At Home

She's on Top Chef. Dates creepy old men. And is full of awesome. But do we need to see how awesome her house is. Padma, why do you hate me. [via Apartment Therapy]

It's Friday March the 6 around 1:28PM and

Martika - Toy Soldiers (1988)

Things turned around the mood on the shop floor in like 4 minutes with the moth to flame riffs of Martika's anti-drug anthem "Toy Soldiers". So Awesome.

It's Tuesday March the 3 around 8:53PM and

Lily Allen eats ribs

I wish I was friends with Lily Allen. Ribs in bed? Come on that is the equivalent of her father being the owner of a liquor store or sports team. It's not gross at all Lily. At ALL. Reminds me of a trip to Vegas once that ended up with a pork rib following us EVERYWHERE.

It's Tuesday March the 3 around 8:37PM and

Eastbound & Down vs Devils Advocate

I hate moral TV dilemmas. Do i watch Eastbound & Down Chapter 3, or do I opt for the always classic The Devils Advocate (1997). Clearly PVR allows me to do both, but is that enough? I want both at the same time. Advocate wins, if only for Pacino being over the top and Charlize Theron in pre-oscar curly hair hotness.

It's Tuesday March the 3 around 6:47AM and

Tom Petty - "Don't Do Me Like That" (1979)

Remember when Tom played himself in Costner's The Postman? That was awesome.

It's Monday March the 2 around 6:23AM and

Trailer Park: Big Man Japan

Don't you just love the Japanese. They are just so awesome.

It's Monday March the 2 around 6:13AM and

Lessons From The French Obama

In the immortal words of Carl Spackler, "Oh Mrs. [Sarkozy], you're a little monkey woman. Yeah, you're lean, mean, and I bet you're not too far in between are ya." Or something like that. Where was I going with this? Oh, right.

Apparently the "French Obama" has hit the wall in year two as he has bit off more than he could chew. The line is that in trying to solve everything, he has managed to accomplish nothing. Sounds familiar, yes. Lessons for Original Recipe Obama? Then again, the biggest lesson I get is that Obama and Harper and maybe even the bore that is Gregor "A chicken in every Yaletown condo" Robertson need 2nd wives, but whatever. [Via Macleans]

It's Monday March the 2 around 6:08AM and

T-Shirt of the Day: Desmond is my constant

Absolutely positively want to have this shirt, Desmond Is My Constant in my collection. The model ain't half bad either.

It's Monday March the 2 around 5:49AM and

Smug Ad Campaign Award Nominee: Dorchester Collection

I think having your ad campaign starring Grace Kelly, Albert Einstein, Orson Wells, an absent Salvador Dali who the copy says is ordering in room service Dali, and Kristen Scott Thomas is pretty awesome. Not sure I get the Last one, but the campaign makes me want to get to Le Meurice in Paris, like now. It's star studded stunning and actually tells a bit of a story of guests past. Le sigh.

It's Sunday March the 1 around 5:27PM and

Evangeline Lilly Lost in Vancouver?

Pretty sure my friend Anthony and I saw Evangeline Lilly walking in Yaletown today, right out front of Glowbal. Either that or it was a more than reasonable facsimile or maybe a clone. She was very smiley. And tiny. Her huge iced Starbucks was very Hollywood. Maybe she was all smiles because she isn't leaving Lost. Was it her? I'm not sure. {IO9 and Entertainment Weekly]

It's Sunday March the 1 around 11:30AM and

Photo of the day: Obama Tilt Shift Edition

(Picture via: Brooks Kraft, Time)

It's Sunday March the 1 around 11:19AM and

The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)

I mean clearly these movies, like The Pick-Up Artist and The Secret of My Success are from such a different era. But the feel like the same glass of '87 table wine. I don't have much to add, other than the fact that they don't really have such obvious theme songs anymore in films. Night Ranger's "The Secret of My Success" is no Jai Ho Can i just add that this is awesome:

"Brantley Foster, a well-educated kid from Kansas, has always dreamed of making it big in New York, but once in New York, he learns that jobs - and girls - are hard to get. When Brantley visits his uncle, Howard Prescott, who runs a multi-million-dollar company, he is given a job in the company's mail room. Then Brantley meets Christy Wills, who happens to be one of the top executives. Believing that the best way to win her over is by posing as an executive, Brantley decides to take a position under the name Carlton Whitfield, and soon things get unexpectedly out of hand."

It's Sunday March the 1 around 11:14AM and

The Pick-Up Artist (1987)

Remember movies and trailers like this? The Pick-Up Artist. Fun fact: This was written by the same human who wrote The Gambler and Bugsy.

It's Sunday March the 1 around 11:05AM and

Say Hello to Sonny Crocket 2009

Dear Tommy Hilfiger. I know times are tough right now Tom, but is flaunting a no socks motif in with your new 2009 campaign in the latest Vanity Fair a good idea? Is it really? It's gross. Get some socks on these hobos. Thanks a lot, The Vancouverite.

It's Sunday March the 1 around 10:53AM and

And Now The Rest Of The Story: Paul Harvey 1918-2009

"Paul Harvey, the news commentator and talk-radio pioneer whose staccato style made him one of the nation's most familiar voices, died Saturday in Arizona, according to ABC Radio Networks. He was 90." [AP]

I always enjoyed hearing Paul Harvey whenever I could. I could listen to him all day. I really like this description: "the Norman Rockwell of radio." (via: Small Dead Animals) Spend some time learning the rest of the story.