The Dairy Farmers bring the extreme cheese to Whistler

No, that isn't a clever euphemism. If you are in Whistler in mid-August you must go check this out. The Dairy Farmers of Canada are bringing the ancient and extreme sport of cheese rolling to town. My favourite part of the press release is how they're branding this a family event.

Let it be known, The Dairy Farmers of Canada know how to throw down!

Party this weekend like you can't be recognized

This Monday is Simcoe Day here in the Big Smoke, the Civic Holiday for other Ontario dwellers, or more simply, August long weekend. If you don't have it off where you are, well take the day off anyway. You deserve it.

With summer long weekends comes drinking, more drinking and behaviour that can land you in a spot of bother. With that in mind, I share with you an ingenious invention specifically designed to help you avoid being caught (or at least identified) in an embarrassing situation. In the age of camera/video phones and YouTube you can never be too careful. Wishing Fish has got your back with their specially designed black bar sunglasses.

Party on, Garth.

Radiohead continues to push boundaries

With In Rainbows Radiohead is back to making music you actually want to listen to (which is nice). They are still pushing the medium but now they aren't relying on blips and blurts and little adverts to show how edgy they are, but are instead playing with different aspects of the music industry engine. This is good because, really, how much further could they go with their sound? Declaring yourself bored with the electric guitar always seemed self-indulgent and self-defeating.

So, first they offer their latest album as a pay-what-you-want download from their website [note: they don't have a record contract at the moment so it affords them a certain amount of freedom that other bands don't have; to be fair, those with record contracts derive a certain amount of comfort from getting paid by the record company]. This gathered HUGE amounts of media coverage and was, in their words, a great "social experiment". When the album was released on iTunes and in CD and other formats, they still sold a lot of records. Whatever sales they lost were probably more than made up for by a return to relevance.

And now they are playing with the music video format with their new video for 'House of Cards'. This video was shot using lasers instead of cameras. Radiohead used Geometric Informatics and Velodyne Lidar technology which is basically 3D scanning or motion capture. The system involves the use of 64 rotating lasers. It is pretty freaky to watch, if not particularly interesting.

There is also a "Behind the Scenes" video on their YouTube site that talks about how the video was made, how the idea for it came about, etc.

Unquestionably this video is groundbreaking in its use of technology and Radiohead is now not limiting themselves to just their actual music in their innovation. The bigger issue for me is, while boundaries are definitely being pushed, is the resulting art any good?

The rise and fall of an American icon

Here's an interesting take on Belgian brewing behemoth (InBev) taking over the most American of beers, Budweiser. It is hard to believe that Bud could fall under foreign ownership, but these days anything seems possible. Salon.com weighs in with The rise and fall of an American beer, an article that points out that Annheuser-Busch's history is not quite as noble and idyllic as those Clydesdale commercials would have you believe. Does this mean the craft brewers get the last laugh in the end?

"Ever since Budweiser was sold to Belgian brewing monster InBev on Sunday, beer drinkers have been sighing that a piece of Americana has been lost. They've got it all wrong. During its rise to President for Life of Beers, Budweiser ended up crushing dozens of local brands that formed part of this country's colorful drinking heritage."

Pictures taken just at the right time

It is Monday night. I should be playing soccer or enjoying post-soccer beverages. Alas, I am not. In order to pick up my mood and to lift your spirits on a Monday evening, I present you with Pictures Taken Just At The Right Time. Sadly, that is not my catchy title but the actual title of the post on the Blingit blog site. These are pretty good and well worth a few minutes of your time. Enjoy.

Batman Forever

I went to see The Dark Knight this week and I can safely tell you to believe the hype. It is a great movie. Is it better than Batman Begins? That is debatable. I've always liked the start of tales (The Fellowship of the Ring was my favourite part of the LOTR trilogy) so I'm partial to BB, but the latest Batman movie is certainly worth the price of admission, some popcorn and a bottled water.

Heath Ledger is excellent as the Joker. He completely disappears in the role and is very compelling. Oscar worthy? I'm not so sure. For my money Aaron Eckhart is the star of the movie as Harvey Dent -- the "I believe in Harvey Dent" slogan seems tailor made to be reused for a supporting actor nomination bid. Interestingly, Batman himself is almost a secondary character in this movie as he keeps to the shadows. And that bring me to my only real complaint about TDK: It is very dark. Not in tone (which it is), but visually. A dark screen with your protagonist dressed all in black can make it difficult to see what is going on in the fast, jump cut fight scenes. Anyway, a minor complaint and I think the effect was probably intentional.

Oh yeah, and what was with all the 'dog' metaphors? Yes, the Joker is a 'dog let off his leash' but it seemed like overkill. Still, go see it. The Joker says Gotham deserves a better class of criminal and he's going to give it to them. Well, you deserve a better class of superhero movie and The Dark Knight gives it to you.

Roger over and out?

I was at the Canadian Open tennis last night and got to watch the great Roger Federer go down in shocking defeat in the 2nd round. [Note: It will always be the Canadian Open to me and not the Rogers Cup. Or, more simply, the week it is on, “the tennis”. E.g. - I’m heading to the tennis tonight.” This was his first match since losing the epic Wimbledon final to Rafa Nadal and perhaps he still had a Wimbledon hangover [he had a first round bye in Toronto]?

I said to LM just after Nadal had won the 5th set at Wimbledon that this was the beginning of the end for Federer. She scoffed and rightly pointed out that he was still number 1 in the world. Fair enough, but the end can come quickly. Federer looked like his classy self in dominating the first set against Simon, but then the uncharacteristic unforced errors – particularly on the forehand where he shanked a number of shots – started to pile up. He also struggled mightily on his serve and then, suddenly, a third set seemed possible and finally, a reality.

Still, Federer came out guns ablazin’ in the third set and seemed poised for a 4-1 lead which we then assumed would quickly be a 6-1 set. Alas, it wasn’t to be and we had an all-time upset on our hands. The most damning piece of evidence for me was that, on the court, Federer seemed somewhat disinterested. Sure, he competed but there was a general malaise to his game. He was able to turn it on at times, but on the whole he just seemed off the pace.

Beginning of the end or just an annus horribus that can be redeemed at the US Open in September and/or with a fresh start in 2009?

Music Notes

Alternate name considered for this blog, or one that, perhaps, should have been: Going to California With An Aching In My Heart. I rarely drive but had a rental car the other day. While stuck in traffic hell my world was made brighter for approximately three-and-a-half minutes when Led Zeppelin's 'Going to California' came on the radio. I had not heard the song in ages as I don't listen to much classic rock anymore. Great song.

Learnings from a train bound for nowhere

A flowchart showing knowledge gained from Kenny Roger's 'The Gambler'.

Wrapping up Travel Week

Well, there you go. A week of travel-related and travel-inspired posts. Hopefully there was something of value in there, whether to help you in your travels, bring a smile to your face or something else altogether. I've come across tons of travel blogs and websites this past week - some good, some bad and some truly bizarre. Here are a few interesting ones you might want to add to your blog roll, Reader, Feeds, Delicious, Digg, etc., or yes, even bookmark them:

1. The Perceptive Travel Blog - posts, recommendations, photo contests and a nice logo
2. Perceptive Travel Magazine - the best travel stories from authors on the move
3. My Travel Backpack - have backpack, will travel
4. Cheapest Destinations - Bargain destinations, vacation values, and international travel adventures.
5. Travel Rants - rants and complaints about things you've likely ranted and complained about; travel tips, photos, etc.

Vintage Time Travel Posters

I'm a big fan of vintage travel posters and thought these new posters were pretty clever. They were created (and are being sold) to benefit the non-profit literary institution, the Echo Park Time Travel Mart in Los Angeles.

The next great travel guide?

It isn't everyday you come across a company that has chosen Helsinki, Finland to be the very first city profiled for their global city guide series, but Turnleft's Free Urban City Guides aims to be different. From their website:

A famous British socialite once claimed that she never turns right when boarding an aircraft. We do - you can find us on seat 32E, nibbling salty nuts and fighting for elbow room. Sometimes we like posh lounge restaurants and sometimes we fall out of taxis! Wherever we are, we enjoy good friends, fashion, design, architecture, exciting art studios, concept restaurants and music gigs. Turnleft is a series of insiders' guides with great tips to the local scene. All our guides are free and edited independently.

Turnleft is a new series of free city guides for urban travellers. Meticulously researched and beautifully designed, our guides are ideal for finding your bearings on a short trip or catching up on the latest in a city. We publish quarterly, ensuring fresh local content, and we are proud to enlist the help of the best-connected locals for each new edition. We distribute in art spaces, stores and bars. Grab a copy, it's free!

Coming soon: Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Paris.

All that and they are always looking for contributors.

Travel Advice from the Internet Part 4

Travel Week was somewhat bit derailed due to some unfortunate circumstances on Thursday night, but I’m aiming to end on a high note with these last couple of posts.

Storage costs for your money threatening to put you in the poor house? Your bulging wallet putting unnecessary wear and tear on the pockets of your designer pants? Well, I might have just the thing for you. From TrendHunter Magazine, here are the Top 30 Hip Hotels for 2008. I love the ‘Death Star’. Screw the French countryside, I know where I’m off to the next time I'm able to travel….

If those exotic hotels are hot and sexy enough for you, consult Concierge’s just released World’s Sexiest Beaches 2008 list. These beaches are so hot the already barely-there-bikinis literally melt off the women in the afternoon sun. And everyone is fit, healthy and friendly and eager to make your acquaintance. True story.

Travel Advice from the Internet Part 3

1. Create a better world, one couch at a time. CouchSurfing International Inc. is an incorporated non-profit. Their registered mission statement is as follows: "CouchSurfing seeks to internationally network people and places, create educational exchanges, raise collective consciousness, spread tolerance, and facilitate cultural understanding." According to their website...

As a community we strive to do our individual and collective parts to make the world a better place, and we believe that the surfing of couches is a means to accomplish this goal. CouchSurfing isn't about the furniture- it's not just about finding free accommodations around the world- it's about participating in creating a better world. We strive to make a better world by opening our homes, our hearts, and our lives. We open our minds and welcome the knowledge that cultural exchange makes available. We create deep and meaningful connections that cross oceans, continents and cultures. CouchSurfing wants to change not only the way we travel, but how we relate to the world!

2. And from the neo-hippie vibe of CouchSurfing to the ultra hip 'travel mixologists' of Urbane Nomads…. While the goals of both the Urbane Nomad and the CouchSurfer are essentially the same - a meaningful travel experience that gets far beyond the traditional tourist package - it is hard to imagine their ethos being more different. If you’re bored with brunch in Barcelona, drinks in Dubai, and nightclubbing in Negril and are looking for something so fresh and so clean (polo in Pakistan?), I give you, Urbane Nomads. From their website (you can't make this stuff up):

Calling ourselves 'travel mixologists', we've served up interesting itineraries for you to choose from- all of which are available for tweaking and embellishments whilst keeping the main ingredients.

Beautifully-themed journeys for you to choose from and to tweak according to your predilections. We believe there are different ways to 'do' any particular country; taking in different sights, going on different activities and taking the pressure off the typical must-do travel list.

The Urbane Nomad keenly seeks the best that travel has to offer-keenly seeking out exciting design hotels with its associated mod cons, the most unique travel experiences in localities yet to be discovered by the masses or experiencing a favoured tourist destination on an entirely different level. Yet there is a concern and responsibility that the Urbane Nomad seeks to fulfil; favouring hotels with enlightened management and an architectural style respectful of its surroundings, whilst learning the cultural and political dialectics of the place.

Urbane Nomads offers interesting travel experiences, proffering locations and accompanying experiences that re-define 'the ultimate travel experience'. Our travel experiences go beyond the almost-clichéd 'ski in the morning, swim in the Mediterranean sea by afternoon' itinerary, nor is it just about holing up in a luxury resort in a remote area; completely oblivious to the lifestyle of surrounding locals. The prototypical Urbane Nomad can be found living it up in a sybaritic town of Latin America one holiday and roughing it out in an eco-resort (sans mod cons) in an undeveloped city the next. Whilst fully revelling in the mod cons of luxurious, well-designed hotels around the world, the Urbane Nomad is too aware of the potential pitfalls of the homogenous 5-star accommodation; one of the ironies of luxury travel. Mere tourists, holed up in the chic boite of their luxury resort hotel, unable to discern their location from the environment that this same resort and others like it creates, is a demographical stereotype and experience that the Urbane Nomad seeks to avoid. Taking an active interest in the culture and history of the area (which goes beyond watching a 'native' dance staged with the tourist in mind), the Urbane Nomad seeks out intelligent tours that go under the skin of the place.

To this end, we are offering scholar-led tours for certain destinations and alternative experiences even for the most prominently featured localities on the tourist agenda. Be it a surprisingly tranquil retreat from the chaos of touristy Bangkok or watching a no-rules polo match in the highest peaks of (a much less-touristy) Pakistan, Urbane Nomads seeks to create interesting, alternative travel experiences for the prototypical Urbane Nomad.

Travel Mixology - adding science to art. True to the strain of Ferran Adria's 'molecular gastronomy' in the field of food-as-entertainment, Urbane Nomads has applied the same concept to the travel industry. Serving up beautifully-themed journeys, add more favoured elements, detract or embellish upon an itinerary revolving around a particular theme. Have fun, whilst keeping to the essence of the trip.

Travel Advice from the Internet Part 2

1. Need travel inspiration? Let Travel Muse be your, um, muse. Whether it is daytripping in Uruguay or arting around on the turquoise trail in New Mexico, Travel Muse likely has something for you. From their website:

Whether you are looking for destination ideas on where to take your next family vacation or you have all the details figured out, TravelMuse makes the entire planning process easy for you. TravelMuse combines original editorial content and destination city guides with powerful planning tools. Our beta site currently allows you to:

• Find your ideal destination based on your personal preferences and needs though the TravelMuse Inspiration Finder.
• Gather trip research from TravelMuse or anywhere on the Web into the TravelMuse Planner and share with family and friends.
• Get inspiration from stimulating travel photography and relevant professional editorial content focused on family travel.
• Research more than 200 destinations with our online city guides.
• Search our database of thousands of air, hotel, car rental, package and cruise options.
• Book your travel with our integrated booking engine.
• Participate in the TravelMuse community: rate and comment on articles, hotels, restaurants and points of interest.
• Stay in touch through our weekly newsletters and our TravelMusings, company and photo blogs.

Important Information About Finnish Swimming Pools

This sign is taken from a swimming pool in Finland.

Make sure you pack the right swim trunks. No need to send me a photo.

Travel Advice from the Internet - Part I

50 Things To Do Before You Die.

Pros:

• Very grandiose
• Lots of links that take you lots of places, including how to get laid in Buenos Aires
• I haven't spent much time on it, but 'The Traveler's Notebook' looks like a pretty cool website
• I could have ripped off this website for all my Travel Week posts
  
• You can start your own travel blog
  

Cons:

• Not exactly budget travel
• I didn't discover this website until Travel Week was over half done
  
• You can start your own travel blog

I'm still waiting for the guide book version of 'Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead'. Its time has come (well, really, it came some time ago but I'm calling for it now).

The easiest way to see Gotham City (shameless Batman tie-in)

[Obviously a bit of a Travel Week stretch, but I couldn't let the opening of 'The Dark Knight' pass without comment.]

Of course, that would be buying a ticket and going to see 'The Dark Knight' this weekend, or on Monday when the crowds subside somewhat. Or, if you are really lazy, cheap or afraid of crowds and/or fanboys, order 'Batman Begins' from Zip.ca, turn up the a/c and order in Thai food.

The second best way to see Gotham would be to visit Chicago. The Second City. The Windy Apple (um??). Chi-town stands in for Gotham in the latest Batman movie (in a Globe & Mail interview, star Christian Bale can't stop talking about the stunt that saw him standing on the upper-edge of the Sears Tower).

If you are wondering how The Dark Knight can possibly live up to the hype, I leave you with Jesse Wente''s comments from his CBC Radio One review:

In addition to praising the late Heath Ledger's performance as the best and scariest Joker ever, he sums up the film thusly, "This is definitely the best superhero movie ever made."

More travel - Le Cool Travel Guides

Have you been there, done that, taken the postcard photo, sampled the local cuisine and eaten a pastry-filled breakfast in glamorous and fabulous X (say, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, London or Madrid)? Are you looking to go back again because you loved it so much? Well, the 'Le Cool' travel series might be for you.

Le Cool attempts to address this interesting dilemma: Lonely Planet and their ilk are great the first time you visit a spot, and adequately flag the "must see" attractions (e.g. in London: Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben). But what happens the next time you visit that city and you've already seen the tourist attractions? How do you crack the city code and get to the good stuff? The local stuff?

Well, I suppose you could pick up the local "Time Out" or something similar but the Le Cool books are more geared to the traveler; whereas those local guides are more geared to, well, locals.

Here's some additional information on Le Cool, the self-described "Series of weird and wonderful guide books", from their website:

Le Cool travel book series. Current cities includes: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, London and Madrid.

These are not ordinary guidebooks. LE COOL works with local editors, writers, photographers, illustrators and designers to create unique books that truly reflect the experience of each city.

Completely independent, we don't care about the hippest or the latest, we just work to hunt down the most incredible experiences we can find. And we never, ever accept payment or favours in return for content.

LE COOL PUBLISHING started in 2003 with a weekly email magazine in Barcelona. It's a funky agenda and a guide to the city's cultural life, a good friend who's always in the know. Now we publish online guides in eight cities around Europe, as well as print magazines and books. This is just the beginning.

“The guidebook for people who hate guidebooks”
The Guardian

“The travel guide for the been-there, done-that set”
New York Times

Chinese Democracy In Our Time?

We interrupt Travel Week to comment on yesterday's important, breaking news - no, not the TSE crash - that Guns 'n Roses will be releasing a new single, 'Shackler's Revenge' on the video game Rock Band 2 in September. Speculation is rampant that the long-delayed 'Chinese Democracy' could finally be released before Christmas this year.

All this time was Axl waiting for the Beijing Olympics to arrive before releasing the "greatest album of all time"? If so, shouldn't he be releasing it on August 8, 2008 (8/8/08)?? Will it be an important statement on world politics and democracy in the 21st century??? Or will it be about running from the cops, partying, paranoia and the perils of rock 'n roll decadence, themes previously explored in detail on earlier albums? We wait with bated breath.

Source: The New York Times

The world's most magical street?

Okay, perhaps a stretch on the travel theme but:

a) Everyone wants to know how to get to Sesame Street (how to get to Sesame Street, how to get to Sesame Street, how to get to....). Why wouldn't you want to go there? I've heard that the air is sweet.

b) Feist's appearance on Sesame Street is awesome and is going to go viral, so it couldn't wait any longer. [My apologies in advance for this song being stuck in your head for the next 4 hours; a possible remedy would be listening to Weezer's 'Pork & Beans', although a few hours from now you'll undoubtedly need a remedy for that.... Have you heard Feist's song on Sesame Street...?]



If the video doesn't load, click here to watch it.

Drinking while traveling

One of the biggest joys of traveling is drinking local beer in a foreign drinking establishment - where the imported becomes the domestic, you could say (note: this does NOT include buying Labatt's Blue because it is now a sexy imported beer at bar X in Prague). Well, that and the learning about other cultures, the thrill of discovery and learning something new, blah blah blah.

All that is for another day. Today is about drinking while traveling [stories about being brought back to Youth Hostels by the police, sleeping under beds, the Calamari Standard, singing 'me gusta mueve mueve' and anything involving the aptly named Absento will be reserved for a more appropriate setting -- you know who you are].

A Pub Crawl Around The World - nice props to Toronto here!

How to Say “One More Beer, Please” in 50 Different Languages

Ian Wright on the Pub Crawl - "A pub is just an extension of normal living, not some stale, lifeless room that feels like an art gallery with drinks."

10 Travel & Travel-related Movie Suggestions

If you've got a bit of a travel bug, or feel the need to re-inspire your inner-traveler, here are 10 movies that you might want to check out. (Note: This list is different than a 'Road Movie' list, although there's some overlap. For an interesting take on what constitutes a 'road movie', check out Chuck Klosterman's article in the March/April 2008 issue of The Believer). In no particular order:

• The Motorcycle Diaries
• Everything Is Illuminated
• Into the Wild
• Y Tu Mama Tambien
• The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
• Eurotrip
• Endless Summer
• Before Sunrise
• Before Sunset
• Central Station
  

Travel Week & Matt's Big Adventure

It is July, a time when students, new graduates and other travel enthusiasts pack up their backpacks and hit the road to explore new places, meet new people and drink foreign beer. As such, this week’s posts will all be travel-related. Why not?

You may have seen this a couple of weeks ago in the NY Times or this weekend in the Globe & Mail’s Report on Business. In case you don’t read those publications, or blew by the article in the ROB to the more august articles about the iPhone frenzy and airline expansion/trouble read on for a remarkable tale and fun video. Hell, even if you did see the articles, read on anyway.

Here’s Matt’s backstory (his site sometimes loads slowly, so be patient). It is a pretty remarkable tale about travel, goofy behaviour and the power of the interweb. I wish I'd done this... ah well, a different time and age, I'm afraid.

[Coxy – this puts the Elvis poses to shame… although they’d still make a good photo essay. Note to self on photo side project.]

What the internet is doing to our brains

Do you immediately go to the internet for information when you don't know the answer to something? At a dinner party have you ever slipped away to use your handheld device to lookup Roger Federer's height [6'1], or the number one selling video game of all time [despite media hype that it is Halo, it is, in fact, Pokemon Red, Blue and Green with a whopping 20 million copies sold; Super Mario Brothers is a close second]?

Do you use oh-so-clever phrases such as "let's ask the internet", "if only there was a magic box that could tell us the answer... oh wait, there is", or my own personal favourite, "working The Google".

If so, you may want answers to the following questions:
a) Is Google making us stupid?
b) Do androids dream of electric sheep?

One of these questions is tackled in the cover story of the July/August 2008 Atlantic Monthly.

Hipster Bingo

I'm not even sure what I can say about this link, other than it is very funny and thank you Jeebus that I never rocked the ironic mustache (at least not while in TO)? I... I need to make some changes in my life.

The next time you're out at a concert, hanging out in Trinity-Bellwoods Park or wandering Queen Street West (or West Queen West, or Ossington, etc.), bring this handy little BINGO card with you for some good times. Because as they say, if you can't laugh at yourself, at least laugh at somebody else. [I'm sure someone said that sometime somewhere. You know that guy at the party, in the black shirt and jeans? Not him, the other one. Might have been him. Or not.]

Wally inspired post #2 - Waste Disposal

Waste disposal is always a tricky and controversial topic, be it composting, sending our trash to Michigan or all things in between. While they don't have all the waste disposal answers, The Brown Corporation has developed an amazing product for helping you manage your own waste while you are away from proper plumbing: The Shit Box.

Here's the official Shit Box Press Release:

The festival season is upon us again and this years must-have/essential item is the aptly named Shit Box!

As the name implies Shit Box is a lightweight portable cardboard toilet, made specifically for outdoor use. The concept is simple the box pops up from its convenient 14” flat pack to a rigid reusable box, you pop in a degradable poo bag, do you business, seal and dispose of (responsibly of course!), and off you go.

Although originally designed for the nightmare that is the British festival toilets, Shit Box can be used for camping, building sites, fishing, travelling and kids caught short.

This eco friendly toilet is the creation of Richard Wharton whose personal experience with festival toilets lead him on a quest to design an alternative you could use in your own space, and that was both cheap, portable and non chemical.

Wharton’s quest dates back to Glastonbury in 1989 when he simply couldn’t face another trip to the “long drop” toilets, after three days you can imagine the carnage. Inside his tent was a Kleenex tissue box and this set him thinking that if this was larger and sturdier you could put a bag inside and hey presto you’ve got your own private John.

Almost 20 years on and after many proto-types Shit Box has finally arrived. The reason it took so long to come to fruition is because Wharton was busy with his ‘day job’. As founder and creator of renowned high street fashion footwear chain “Office” and its other facias Offspring, Poste and Poste Mistress, Wharton achieved great sucess and international aclaim as well as numerous industry awards. He was listed as one of the worlds most influentail people in fashion by Elle magazine and broke the mould with his style of retailing. Two years ago he sold up to spend more time with his family and concentrate on The Box idea.

The Shit Box at Glastonbury.

Wally inspired post #1 - Farmer's Markets

You've probably noticed that you can't hop, skip or jump very far these days in the Big Smoke without stumbling upon a Farmer's Market or a sign advertising a market for the upcoming Saturday or Sunday. Toronto Life tackles this growing phenomenon in this month's issue.

Why are Farmer's Markets so popular, you ask? Well, for an answer to that you need go no further than an old posting on this site that linked to Stuff White People Like.

Seemed like a good idea at the time, I guess

Perhaps they needed to think about this new version of the Gummi Bear a little longer.

Read anything good lately? Wanna share?

Ever wanted to join a book club but not had the time? Nah, me neither but I do like to hear what other people are reading and if they have any good recommendations for me. I'm also asked from time to time by friends for book recommendations so I thought this website was pretty cool when I stumbled across it.

Have you ever wanted a better way to:

• See what your friends are reading?
• Keep track of what you've read and what you'd like to read?
• Get great book recommendations from people you know

Well, now there is an easy way to do that with Good Reads.

If you want to see my Good Reads page click here. (Make fun of my book selections at your peril you heartless b*stards!! Thanks for reading!)

And remember, if you can't be a book, read one. Huh??

Stupid Human Trick at the Mall

This strikes me as the sort of thing Drew would do: Escalator spinning.

Movie suggestions for Canada Day

Here are five Canadian movies you might want to consider for a Canadian-movie marathon today (in no particular order):

1. Bon Cop Bad Cop
2. Hard Core Logo
3. Whale Music
4. The Red Violin
5. Strange Brew

No dark and brooding Cronenberg or Egoyan movies allowed on July 1st.