Couldn't have said it better...

In the wake of the Toronto Star's scoop on the York land scandal"

History professor David Noble said, "The university is always begging for money,
saying they don’t have sufficient funds. And here, it seems, in their
subterranean machinations that they have forfeited much needed funds."

I'll have more to say on this later. Believe me.

Problem Solved...

Phew!

After two days of just about every trick I could think of, iTunes has been resurected. Granted, I had to load all my music back in and rate them all again. And, I'm still scared to plug in the iPod...

I bet there are people out that hate iPods (and I know you exist) who are saying "Ha! Serves you right for using one of THOSE things!". Well, I posit it's no different than scratching your CD, or having your tape get all chewed up by your walkman; except I didn't actually loose anything. So, I guess what I'm saying it "Na Na Na Na Na NA!"

If you have experienced any iTunes related problems becasue of their latest update, email us and we'll send you our solution.

Oh, and calling Apple was useless. They refered me to Microsoft. Which, as I'm sure you can guess, was equally, if not more so, useless.

Ipod users (Windows) beware!

There is an update out for your iPod/iTunes.

DONT USE IT.

It has royally screwed up my iTunes. Can't unistall, can't reinstall, can't use it either.

I'm calling Apple, will update.

CBC News: Quebec students 'strike' over funding

Quebec students are standing up for themselves. Ontario could learn a thing or two, as much as we'd like to think the French can't teach us 'anyting'....

A small victory

Same-sex law passes

For those paying attention, the Ontario Government passed its own same-sex legislation today, a companion to the federal law still under debate in the house. This law ammends all provincial laws (church is provincial) to re-define marriage to include homosexual couples. It also protects religious institutions by allowing them to refuse gay marriages.

I still think this is a great idea, mainly because I could care less about what gay or straight people want to do with their relationships. I have a hard enough time keeping my own signifiant other from killing me!

/flame on

Gay marriage has absolutely, no, zero, zilch impact on my life or my future; just like the right to breastfeed in public. It has no impact on any other person's life either ('cept maybe the homosexuals trying to get married). I find it funny how religous conservatives fear the destruction of our moral fibre, the tearing down of our society, and, most importantly, the debasing of their religion if gays are allowed to marry. So why aren't they trying to make it mandatory for me to go to church? Hmm? Maybe it's because they don't care what I do. Live and let live and all that jazz. So why now? Why this? Piss off and let others live their lives just like you do.

/flame off

New Music Friday #2

It's been a wild few days for music. Bands seem to be falling apart, not that we'll miss any of those guys...

This weeks band: Malkovich

Rock-a-billy meets Refused in mid-tempo punk rock heaven. They also have a myspace site where you can listen to my current favorite, 017 (they seem to have a thing with naming all their songs only numbers).

"In fairness to Ben, he wasn't the only trash there that night." -Dan

Choke on Exclaim

My old friends, Choke, are featured on the cover of this month's Exclaim.

[Foreword] is one of THE best punk albums of the last 10 years. The new album, Slow Fade OR: How I Learned To Question Infinity, will be out March 22nd. Will have something about it up here then.

p.s. Sideshow Clay, you still owe me a new couch.

Jon Stewart on Bloggers (Quicktime Required).

More weird band news...

Yahoo! News - Korn Guitarist Finds God, Leaves Band

This guy will probably join that other band that likes to rock hard for God, POD, shortly.

Blink, and they're gone.

Blink-182 have announced they are on "indefinite hiatus" (read: breaking up) with no prospect of playing together anytime in the foreseeable future. "While there is no set plan for the band to begin working together again, no one knows what tomorrow may bring." The best thing about this band was the drummer, I stopped listening to these guys after Dude Ranch was released (a stinker).

The Nar predicts: Look for a "Best of" and/or live album & DVD late this year, with new material in 2007 at the latest.

My good friend Dan over at modelresource.ca went to a FUBAR party a little while ago. Everyone had to dress up like a skid. Here, I believe, is the winner. Way to go Ben.

10x10 is without a doubt, the coolest, most innovative news sites I have ever seen. Go now, thank the creator.

Ever Heard of This?

Blogshares has us officially "listed" on their fictional stockmarket. Apparently, we're worth $1,100. Not bad eh? I've already been bought out by Mircosoft, Google, and Fark.

Canadian Music Week...

It's coming. There are a couple of really cool bands playing this year. In no particular order (except perhaps alphabetical, but who's counting?):

• 3 Inches of Blood - Friday March 4 at FunHaus @ 10:00 pm - ALL AGES
• Arkata! - Thursday March 3 at Sneaky Dee's @ 12:00 pm
• Beneath Augusta - Saturday March 5 at The Drake Hotel @ 10:00 pm (check out Aporia Records and say hi to Gord)
• controller.controller - Wednesday March 2 at The Phoenix @ 11:00 pm
• Jersey - Thursday March 3 at Horseshoe @ 11:00 pm
• NORA - Saturday March 5 at Reverb @ 9:00 pm (this band is still around?)
• Shikasta - Saturday March 5 at Comfort Zone @ 9:00 pm
• Shotgun Rules - Saturday March 5 at Sneaky Dee's @ 12:00 pm
• Sleeper Set Sail - Thursday March 3 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 10:00 pm (I've heard good things...)
• Statutes - Thursday March 3 at El Mocambo Downstairs @ 10:00 pm (support the 'bury!)
• The Vermicious Knid - Thursday March 3 at Club Rockit @ 11:00 pm
• Wheels on the bus - Saturday March 5 at Sneaky Dee's @ 8:00 pm

This is a list based soley on bands that we here know about and can vouch for. It's is by no means a complete list of the 250+ bands playing.

EuroPress by Denis Boyles on National Review Online

This simply cannot be a legitamate article. I've never heard of the National Review Online. People like this need to be destroyed. I don't even think the author realizes he is calling U.N. Peacekeepers (Canadian mostly) "rapists, thugs, robbers, and killers".

Warring (not Warren) Kinsella

Warring (not Warren) Kinsella

This is surreal. A blog to bash a blogger.

I support Warren, by the way. Go get 'em, tiger!

Update Feb 23rd: The blog has disappeared at the behest of "a significant other". Hmmm....

$80 million

CBC News: Gomery inquiry could cost $80 million: report

Outstanding! That's $20M more than the orginal program cost. Don't you love the blame game?

Best. Episode. Ever.

New Music Fridays

New feature!

Every Friday will be new music day. A new band, or a band with a new album, or your band we just should be talking about will be featured. We'll take a variety of styles and genres and sub-genres, blah blah...

So if you got something we should be hearing, email the Nar and we'll check it out. And yes, we are quite aware it isn't Friday today...

Today's new installment is Takaru. They are (were, as of March) a badasss hardcore band from San Francisco. Make sure you check out the free audio tracks on the site. It's a shame I just discovered this band, as they are parting ways after Feb. and a few last shows...

Also of note, Armor For Sleep have released their second album, What to do when you are dead. Better than the first one for sure, but gets repetitve kinda quick. Still, it's worth checking out the feature track for download (and one of the best tracks on the album) on their site.

The great debate on same-sex laws in Canada begins today. This is Martin's prime opporitunity to look like a leader in Canada, not just some fence-sitting liberal. He's obviously hired better speech-writers, as he is framing the issue as "about the kind of nation we are today and the nation we want to be."

You won't have any trouble finding links to this news, so instead I'll sent you here, and here. Have fun and be sure to post some comments (and click the ads, you so-an-so's).

Happy Flag Day

CBC News: Canada wishes its flag a happy 40th

i'm sure propagandhi would have something to say about that, but i won't repeat it here.

Gulf Wars II

In honour of the comming episode III of the US invasion of the middle east, I bring you this, probably my favorite farked poster ever! Props to the artist@mad!

The Hamdog - this is possibly one of the seven signs of the apocalypse.

There is a fast food joint on Queen, near the Opera House here in Toronto, that sells something called the Heart Attack Burger. I can't remember what's on it, but it doesn't even come close to this:

"A hotdog wrapped by a beef pattie that's deep fried, covered with chili, cheese, & onions and served on a hoagie roll. Oh yeah, then topped with a fried egg & french fries"

I'd also like to call some serious shenanigans on the first paragraph. No one who eats this sort of thing can possibly be labeled "petite".

I'd like to say something about being a vegetarian and how insane this food product sounds, but my left arm just went numb thinking about it.

Tsunamis reveals ancient sculptures on southern Indian shores

Something [good] out of such tradgey? Interesting...

Wal-Mart hates Quebec

CBC News: Wal-Mart to appeal union decision in St-Hyacinthe

This story just keeps geting better and better. Last week, they shut down the first unionized Wal-Mart store in the world, within days of the announcement (also in Quebec). Now this.

Look people; Wal-Mart is bad for you. It is bad for the economy. It is bad for third world nations. IT'S BAD. If you think that just because you save a couple of dollars on some cheap shit that you probably don't need anyways, you've "screwed the man"? The only thing you've screwed is your soul.

If you still scoff at this idea, by all means head to the Frontline site and watch "is Wal-Mart good for America?". The sad part is, I shouldn't have to tell you this.

New Hot Hot Heat tracks

If you've got a spiffy connection, head over to the HHH site now and check out sample from the new album "Elevator". I've listened to one, and it's gold baby! Go now!

Think it may be skunky by now?

CBC News: Tips led to recovery of missing N.B. beer

If you remeber a few months ago, 50,000 cans of [i think] Moosehead went missing. All that was found was an empty truck with no driver. Well, they found it - and him. Let this be a lesson to you: Never mess with Canadian beer.

Thought I should throw up the temporary Raise Them and Eat Them site.

North Korea acknowledges it has nuclear weapons, bails out of six country talk

This is an amazing forum for comments on the North Korean announcement about them having nuclear weapons. It shows the absolutely amazing dichotomy in the US between the 'hawks' and the 'doves' as it were. I'm trying to be nice here...

Big surprise, too, that NK has nukes. Really? No, not really. Last time I checked, NK was a sovereign nation, and they get to do what they want, right? If the US can have thousands of nukes spread all over the US, Europe, the Middle East, and who knows where else, the North Koreans are at the least entitled to have their own. What they do with them will probably get them invaded, Iraqi-freedom style, but that's up to them to decide I guess.

TTC Fare Hike Official

Yup. Those greedy so-an-so's are at it again. Fares are set to rise 25-cents March 6th. That a lot of money. How much?

- 1M riders/day @ $2.50 = $2.5M/day
-$2.5M x 365 = $9.125B

These are quick figures. The official TTC site says they have over 400 million riders per year. Also, not everyone pays full fare (Metropass, tokens pay a little less). But it's close enough.

Has anyone stopped to ask how in the hell THE TTC COSTS 9 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR?!!! And they still cry that they are broke, and will have to cut back on repairs... Which brings me to my next point.

I'm sure a lot of you take the TTC in the morning to work. Have you noticed that the trains always run like sh*t in the morning? Right around morning rush hour? Coincidence? Ha! I'll bet my life the TTC is doing it on purpose. Service levels always seem to drop around the time they ask for money. It happens every year.

But seriously. If I had to run a mass transit system with annual income of 9 billion (excluding municipal, provincial and federal funding), I'm pretty sure I could afford a limo for each rider, replete with a champange (sp) breakfast and a newspaper.

Talk to Bob Rae.

Upcoming Events

Bob Rae will be hosting a lecture on the recent higher learning report you can attend. He's even (Gasp) going to take questions from the audience. The kicker? It's only $30!

Get organized and get out there. Don't let your future get railroaded.

"Our worst fears have come true with Rae's recommendation on
deregulated tuition," said Jesse Greener of the Canadian Federation of Students.
"It would mean a market-price approach to post-secondary education, just like a
commodity like a house or a car. We'd see a two-tiered system of rising fees at
some institutions and not at others - which is not fair."

Post-Secondary Students current and future: You NEED to fight this. Giving the institutions the right to set their own tutition fees will be the end of affordable post-secondary education in Canada. One of the things I learned, the hard way, at university, is that they are greedy and generally unconcerned with the welfare of undergraduate (and most graduate) students.

Case and point: I spent years listening to how my university couldn't "afford" to make necessary repairs and upgrades to student facilities because of crippling debt. This is the same university which magically pulled something like $10 million dollars out of it's hat for a football stadium that no one will EVER use (mark my words, this isn't Montreal, it'll never be filled more than a few times in it's first year). This is the same univerisity that sold it's soul to Pepsi for a quick buck, has systematically shut down most (if not all) of it's student pubs (and was incidentally caught bootlegging it's booze), and who's administration is consequently being sued by one of its student governements.

So, I urge you students, or parents, to take action. Let 'em know you're mad! Check out the Candian Federation of Students, of contact your University's student governement/federation for info on action I'm sure they planning.

Step right up folks!

Place yer bets! Seriously, I should start at betting pool on when the U.S. is going to invade Iran. Don't believe me? Lookey here for all your answers.

The really disturbing part is not so much the main article, which in itself is pretty telling, but the side bar. "Rice urges 'united front' against Iran"? "Iranians United"? "Can Nuclear Arms be stopped?" "Q&A: IRAN'S NUCLEAR STANDOFF"?

In case you haven't figured it out, this is how it starts. The media convinces us the there's something from nothing through sheer repitition (kind of how Jessica Simpson and bands like Creed sell albums).

If you stare hard enough, you might see a glich in the Matirx. But that may just be your blink reflex kicking in.

Picture Posting

Pic posting should be availble now. Email any shots you want posted over to thedailynar@gmail.com

And now a word from our Sponsorship Scandal Vol. 2

Now that the technical glitches are worked out, we can get back to it.

Capt. Jean took the stage today, and his speech was, as I predicted, a good one. Tough and unappologetic, which is his style. But at the same time, there is a feeling like he wants it all to just go away.

Read his statement here, and feel free to send me comments.

CBC News: Ontario education report calls for more money

CBC News: Ontario education report calls for more money

Talk about a shocker. Rae actually recommends free post secondary education for lower income students.

Read to whole report here .

Rae Report due today.

From today's media scan:

"Former premier Bob Rae is expected to release his report on Ontario’s $8.9
billion post-secondary education system. There is speculation that the report
might recommend universities and colleges be entitled to set their own tuition
fees and to have students shoulder more of the financial burden"

If this is true, look for widespread campus action (there was already a considerable protest at Queen's Park last week). Personnally, that last thing the government should do is let the robber-barons (read: university administration) have carte blanche to set their own tuition fees. Crippling U.S.-style education here we come!

And now a word from our Sponsorship Scandal Vol. 1

Looks like this show is about to get good!

Chretien is primed and ready to dish out some good ol'Franglais a-talking to. If you've ever watched Jean in media scrums were he is forced on the defensive, it's good! He really takes no guff, and can give as good as the reporters can dish out. I can't wait to see how he reacts to the conversative prosecutor.

In case you haven't been following recent events, this should get you up to speed. Also, Mr. Kinsella delivers a rather interesting perspective ongoing on his own site.

I'll keep this updated as new [read: interesting] things occur.

Oh the Girls are out to Bingo...

And the Nar is getting stink-o. Later tonight, at Sneaky Dee's. Leland is DJ'ing, it's gonna be a barn-burner (and you're all invited).

Recording studios are probably the reason why rockers have addition issues. Any rock type will usually say that the studio is the greatest place to be as an artist: a place to create, to compose, and generally collaborate on the beautiful muse that is my art (or some mumbojumbo like that). This is most likely because the artist in question hasn't been in the studio in a while. Ask anyone who is actually in the middle of recording and they will tell you the truth: 8-13 hours (or more) a day with generally nothing to do, playing the same three riffs over and over ad nauseum is decided NOT the conduit for free expression you think it is. That's where the devil make easy work of idle hands, as it were. Smoking, drinking, debauchery, it's just a way to pass the time until the guy behind the big board says "OK man, we need you to do that again". I know anyone playing in a band reading this right now is nodding their head.

My good friends in Raise them and Eat Them are in the studio now (really, they are actually recording as we speak). They have it sweet though, the guys at Hidden Roots have given them pretty much the run of joint, and a totally flexible timeframe to produce the new album. That's gotta take the edge of the mind numbing drudgery that is recording for sure! I'm headed there now. Will report back soon.

Friends

Be sure and check out friends sites (and click on the Google ads ya cheap-o's):

Arkata
Model Resource
Raise them and Eat Them (comming soon)
The Abandond Hearts Club
Far From Heroes

Also, check out the only blog I've ever read more than once: Warren Kinsella's. A former Cretien advisor and aged (like a fine wine) punk, Warren lays the proverbial smack-down on all matters relating to Canadian federal politics. And, he has some nice articles about punk bands you may have on your iPod, and when they come up you say to yourself "Hey (self)! I forgot I had that!".

First Post (so exciting?)

Hi-dee ho fellow travelers. This was totally on a whim, but here you have it, my very own blahg. Why "blahg" you ask. Well, let me tell you...

I've never been very excited about the idea of writing down my ideas for the whole world to see. In fact, most of the blogs I've ever known are pretty boring, and have no connection to me whatsoever. Trying to read them gets boring, fast. Hence the term "blah" as in " yeah yeah, I'm scanning, blah blah blah, this is boring".

So here is my pledge to you, the viewer: I will endeavor (spelling aside) to make this blahg less blah and more... um.. og by talking about stuff that sounds interesting to other people besides me. Hopefully, I can generate enough interest to spark some discussion (or hate), as well as bring together you happy people into something the blog world has never seen before.

I've been using that Myspace for a while, it's a great way to connect with friends and old bandmates. We'll see if this can't become and extension of that in an interesting and unique way.

So stay tuned and be sure to post tons of comments to help this site take off! More to come soon!