More random photos from the internet and elsewhere (click on photo to enlarge)

Random photos from the internet and elsewhere (click on photo to enlarge)

Anyone feel like popcorn? Got a cell phone and some kernels?

Pop Corn téléphone portable micro-ondes
Uploaded by sassiere

Another tribute to Paul Newman

REG DUNLOP HONOURED: The No.7 Paul Newman wore as Reg Dunlop in the cult hockey comedy Slap Shot is going to the rafters of the Syracuse War Memorial.

The Syracuse Crunch announced yesterday that the team will pay tribute to the late actor by raising a banner before Saturday's AHL game against the Rochester Americans. The banner will stay there for the entire season.

Crunch president Howard Dolgon says it's appropriate Newman's legacy should be recognized and honoured in the arena where parts of the movie were filmed in 1977.

[Source: The Toronto Star]

I’m actually starting to feel sorry for Sarah Palin

I never thought I’d say that about a Republican VP candidate. US politics is a mean spirited, rough and tumble business. It is never fun to see someone so alarmingly out of their depth being mocked for it daily in the newspapers and on the talk shows (well, it is fun, but it feels wrong for it to be so funny, doesn't it?).

From BC Business online, here's a collection of Palin "highlights".

Watching Palin

For schadenfreude junkies, it has been a delicious fortnight. Two weeks ago, Sarah Palin, the fresh Republican vice-presidential nominee, was a political star ascending. Huge crowds came out to see her wherever she went, she delivered a caustic Convention speech that energized a listless Republican base, and she made Barack Obama, who was slipping into a pull-away stride, look suddenly vulnerable and very much in reach.

Democrats began to worry: Is it possible that, even in this perfect-storm political season, we could lose again? Well, they might still. But if they do it won't be for a lack of public censure of Sarah Palin. She's on fire, yes. Two weeks ago it was in the good way; now it's in the melting-down dripping-at-the-edges way. And all it took, it seems, was a few media interviews to ignite the flame.

My media cup hath been running over. Here are the last two weeks' finer statements by and about Palin, in no particular order.

"In what respect, Charlie? What, his world view?" —Palin responds to a question by ABC's Charlie Gibson: "Do you agree with the Bush Doctrine?"

"For a seventy-two-year-old cancer survivor to have placed this person directly behind himself in line for the Presidency was an act of almost incomprehensible cynicism and irresponsibility." —New Yorker essayist Hendrik Hertzberg, writing after Palin's wandering, fragmented, occasionally incoherent interview with CBS's Katie Couric.

"Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundary that we have with Canada. It’s funny that a comment like that was kinda made to…I don’t know, you know…reporters." —Sarah Palin, expanding on why she believes Alaska's proximity to Russia gives her foreign-policy experience, in that interview with Katie Couric.

"I can see Russia from my house!" —SNL's Tina Fey, impersonating Sarah Palin discussing with Hillary Clinton the progress women have made in this 2008 election, an immediate sketch-comedy classic.

"Frankly, I have had it. The sexist treatment of Sarah Palin has to end." —CNN's Campbell Brown inveighs against the McCain campaign.

"I need to know if she really thinks dinosaurs were here 4000 years ago. I want to know that, I really do. Because she's going to have the nuclear codes." —Actor Matt Damon, in a CBS interview, compares Palin's nomination to a "bad Disney movie."

"Well, Alaska and Russia are only separated by a narrow maritime border. You've got Alaska right here, and this right here's water, and up there is Russia." —SNL's Tina Fey, again impersonating Sarah Palin, this time – ouch – using the Governor's actual words.

"I know that many times, in my life, while living it, someone would come up and, because of I had good readiness, in terms of how I was wired, when they asked that—whatever they asked—I would just not blink, because, knowing that, if I did blink, or even wink, that is weakness, therefore you can’t, you just don’t. You could, but no—you aren’t." —New Yorker humourist George Saunders poking imitative fun at Palin's answer (from the Gibson interview) about her willingness to be John McCain's running mate.

"Ideologically, she is their hardcore pornographic centerfold spread, revealing the ugliest underside of Republican ambitions – their insanely zealous and cynical drive to win power by any means necessary, even at the cost of actual leadership." —Salon's Cintra Wilson delivers a blistering diatribe on the "political Viagra" that is Sarah Palin.

"Palin appeals to the white trash vote with her toned-down version of the porn actress look." —Heather Mallick, lobbing at a similar criticism at Palin in a September 5th column that was ultimately removed from CBC.ca and apologized for.

And now two days remain before Palin's vice-presidential debate showdown with Democratic VP candidate Joe Biden. Will the meltdown continue? What's your call?

John Bucher is digital editor of BCBusiness Online.

Marketing campaign for the new season of Dexter is pretty cool

I've talked here before about how much I like the TV show Dexter. Season 3 just kicked off and they have been running a very clever marketing campaign for the new season. I just finished watching season 2 on DVD, and while I slightly enjoyed season 1 more, the second season is also excellent. I'm bummed I don't have Showcase and am missing season 3....

"Killer" sauce takes on a whole new meaning

News of the weird (and, sadly, tragic) from the UK's Daily Mail: Aspiring chef dies hours after making ultra-hot sauce for chilli-eating contest. Perhaps he used a few Guatemalan Insanity Peppers? [also known as the Merciless Pepper of Quetzaltenango]

I'm not sure if the Darwin Awards are still around [side note: Wasn't there going to be a Darwin Awards movie coming out ages ago starring Winona Ryder? What happened to it?]

Rest in peace, Reg Dunlop

Sad news in the entertainment world, as I'm sure you've heard, as legendary actor Paul Newman passed away this weekend after a long bout with cancer. Newman was 83.

Newman had many famous roles, including Butch Cassidy in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which was my favourite Newman movie. With hockey season just around the corner it seems fitting to remember him in a role he was absolutely perfect for, Reggie Dunlop in Slapshot (from James Mirtle's blog).

Indecent Hello Kitty Products

This is wrong on so many levels.... Check them out at Hello Kitty Universe.

Roenick talks about 'Swingers'

You probably know him for his big goals, big hits, big excitement ("that's JR hockey!"), but you likely also know him for his legendary video game role in Swingers. With NHL 09 coming out shortly, Jeremy Roenick talks about the NHL video game with Das Gamer.

Almost 39, Jeremy Roenick is entering his 21rst year in the NHL. And yet the best American-born player in NHL history (510 goals) is probably better known for his feats as a video game character than a hall of fame hockey player. After all, it was a virtual JR in Swingers that Vince Vaughn used to take out Gretzky during a game of NHL 94. Not a lot of hockey fans can rattle off Roenick’s career stats but just about every gamer who ever played as the Blackhawks in NHL 94 has used Vaughn’s quote from the movie, “It’s not so much me as it is Roenick. He’s that good,” after scoring a goal with Roenick.

And you've probably used it in other circumstances too, even if you aren't a gamer. For the full article click here. Make sure you scroll down to the end of the second page for a special treat.