Launchcast defeated

We did it! Our letters, complaints and general bitching has brought us victory over Yahoo and Rogers Cable. As I check the Launchcast site, I discover they have split off the Canadian portion, and made it Hi-quality and ad-free once again for Roger's users. So thank you all, for I now have free Twisted Sister and Cinderella to bang my head to and scare the bejeezus out of my co-workers.

And speaking of defeat, I managed to see The War of the Worlds last night. The visuals, and especially the sound work is amazing. The sounds of the Tripods when they get ready to start killing people is truly scary. Very reminiscent of Half Like 2 for all you dorks. And I should make this clear - NOT FOR KIDS, no matter what the movie ads tell you. This movie should absolutely be rated R. Sadly, the story is more or less non-existent. It's like The Day After Tomorrow - people have to get somewhere, and it's hard. Then the crisis is over. That's it. A no-brainer, but probably a rental.

How would like your marraige, sir?

So it's official. The same-sex marriage bill passed in the Canadian Parliment last night, in the first extended session of government in 17 years.

What does this mean, you ask? Well, in theory, this makes Canada only the 3rd contry (behind the Netherlands and Belgium) in the world to allow for gay marriages. Practically, it doesn't mean too much. Most of Canada was already allowing same-sex marriages before the actual legislation, and the courts supported it, so it was really a matter of house keeping.

I wish I was watching the US news though today, to see their reactions. I have a slight notion that they may not take too kindly to this. I fully expect to hear the words "same-sex""marijuana" and "terrorism" in the same sentence a few times before the end of the day...

Anyways, good for us Canada! We actually did something moderately intelligent on the world stage. Not that legalizing gay marriages affects my life in any way shape or form, it's still been long overdue.

Unavailable for comment.

Not so Super, or Safe

I'm no dictionary, but I'm pretty sure this is Irony: three people shot and one stabbed at a concert series called "Super Safe Sundays", aimed at getting youths off the streets and curb black on black violence in Shreveport... AND! This isn't the first incident...

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050627/NEWS01/506270330

I wear my sunglasses too tight...

You're the man dog! Is it just me, or does Stephen Harper look like he just stumbled home after an all-nighter in this shot? Important to note, however, that said all-nighter did not, in fact, mess the "do".

Oh, and I was at Centre Island all day yesterday (10:45 - 6:00PM). So unless Stephie Wonder's BBQ curcuit ends at lunch time, he didn't stick around for anything.

Just too awesome...

not to link to Jesus Monster Truck!

New Music Friday Vol. 16

Not much to report today:

- The Arkata show scheduled for tonight has been cancelled. They will be playing a bunch of shows in the near future, along with Raise Them and Eat Them, so we'll keep you posted.

- Matt Richmond (This time of Year alumni) and his band The Video Dead are playing at the Bovine Sex Club tonight. Also rumoured to be on the bill, a band that features members of Alexisonfire and some other band I missed the name to. Will be worth checking out no doubt.

More celebrity blogs that don't make sense

Ok, this one is a so-so in the head-scratcher department. Of all the people that need a forum to voice their view on the world, Woody Allen is abosolutely not one that springs to mind. But sure enough, mofo's got himself a blog. Sort of.

It's actually for his Jazz band that he's got. Didn't even know he had one. Didn't really care.

PBS is in Trouble

I really like PBS. If we don't get hockey next year, I would honestly consider cutting my cable. There are some amazing shows on there: Nova, Frontline, Now, Documentaries... and a whole list of specials. Last night, Bill Moyers (formerly the host of Now) was on Jon Stewart talking about the efforts currently underway by the Bush administration to kill PBS. Sadly, I missed the beginning of the interview, where he explained how he had been forced out of the organization he had been involved with since its inception 35 years ago. Why, to many articles damning the current organization? Maybe...

So what have the Bushies been up to? Well, they have managed to force out one of their longest running and most respected journalists, gotten the CEO to quit, discontinued funding for their national reading program, and are proposing to cut the annual budget by over $100 million.

And with replacement shows cropping up like "Unfil-turd with Tucker Carlson" -that right wing arse-face everyone loves to hate (because they should), PBS is becoming a scary place to be. Bill Moyer's had some excellent points as well, pointing out that PBS has never been a partisan organization, but has always had a critical eye on the government - as it should do. It's only now, with an administration that destroys the media it cannot control that the objectiveness of the government-funded organization becomes a problem (that point was mine).

So, my American readers, get out there and raise some shit. Don't let one administration permanently ruin the only thing good on your TV spectrum that gets rammed down our throats up here in Canada!

And Canadians, be forewarned: this is EXACTLY what will happen to the CBC should Harper get elected (I'm just saying...)

Is Paul Martin stealing ideas?

Last year I read an interesting book called Navigating a New World - Canada's Global Future. An interesting read, though altogether far too many anecdotes about the author's political career in Canada. Of particular interest, however, was the section of the book dealing with the UN. In it, the author suggests that he and several other European representatives worked very hard on adopting (and I forget the actual term) a resolution that would require the UN to intervene in national conflagrations that threatened innocent lives. He called it something like "the concept of 'human security'", that should propel us to act in the interest of our fellow humans, not just in state interest. Very, very compelling argument. Unfortunately, the USA did not agree, and the resolution failed to materialize.

The author of this book was Lloyd Axworthy. The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, P.C., O.C., O.M., Ph.D. Lloyd Axworthy is a Senior Associate at the Liu Institute, assisting in its work and development addressing contemporary global issues. Formerly the director at the Institute, Dr. Axworthy became the president and vice-chancellor of The University of Winnipeg as of May 1, 2004. I'm sure we all know what Llyod's political carrer was in Canada (look it up if you don't).

So I find it extremely interesting to read an article today from the Ottawa Citizen entitled "Praise and Critisism for the two UN's". This little except in particular:

EU Love-In
Calling their partnership "strong, long-standing, healthy and dynamic," leaders of the European Union and Prime Minister Paul Martin put several commitments on paper after a day of meetings in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Sunday. If Canada's friends at the EU feel this country too often ignores Europe because it's concentrating on relations
with the U.S., there was no evidence of it in Southern Ontario this weekend.

The relationship seemed solid as the partners jointly declared their endorsement of a pet project of Mr. Martin's, namely the "responsibility to protect," as a way of preventing genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. The Responsibility to Protect document, proposed by a Canadian commission, says states have the responsibility to intervene if another state cannot or will not protect its
citizens.

I urge you, read the book and see for yourself. Martin is poaching a great idea from someone else and claiming he came up with it himself? Should we be shocked anymore?

I would have liked to have seen Alan Rock speak at the Canadian Institute of International Affairs (which, interestingly enough, has an office at Glendon College); because I would have asked him what he thought of this blatant foul.

Rick Mercer - Blogger Extraordinaire?

Yup. Even Rick Mercer, who has an entire show devoted to his ranting (funny though it is), has a blog. Methinks the blogging is for people who DON'T have a national outlet in which to voice their opinions - but that's just me I guess. Anyways, Rick's blog is smart and funny, and worth a look.

http://rickmercer.blogspot.com/

Oh, and if I find out that no-talent Sean Cullen has a blog, I'm jumping out the fucking window.
AND If I find out he has a blog because of Rick, I'm jumping out the window and taking Rick Mercer with me.

Ha.

Adbusters Site

Looks like Adbusters has redesigned their site, looks good! I'm off to renew my subscription.

Live8 and Poutine? Not so tasty.

Here's a wonderful post by one of our wonderful regular readers. Let's just call him Stinks. He also said to disregard his awful spelling because we're all wankers and wouldn't know good spelling if it called us on the phone and tried to sell us a subscription to the National Post... ok, I made that part up...

Yet again, Canada knows how to screw up a truly worth while cause and make itself look like the insignificant country it is.

Live 8, a signal to G8 countries to actually get their finger out and help out poorer nations...and Canada chooses to go all Canadian on it.

Now, quick qualifier here...you know I love Canada...but...

When world class cities poor on pressure, they poor it on. Before Live 8 even had a chance to tune a guitar string, the prospect of so much anti-European government ill-feeling going on pressured European governments to forgive millions in third world debt. Hopefully (and quite possibly) the message that will come from having internationally recognised bands all playing on this day will spark further generosity. Years of fucking over other countries has got to make European governments feel a little guilty, right?

Which brings us back to Canada. Having promised Bono a substantial amount of money 2 years ago and then not delivering even 1% of that sum to assist in African AIDS prevention, Canada does have a certain amount of face to save here. Sure, historically Canada has not as much as stepped on another country's toe-shadow, but their about turn on promised funding while carrying a $12 million+ surplus is a little smarting.

So what do they do...stage an event in front of the seat of power like in all other countries (not counting America - who I have an entirely different rant for)? Nope, Ottawa cannot handle it (serves Canada right for picking a capital city the size Ajax). Next up, the biggest city in the country...you would think they would be pulling out all the stops to put it here...but no. They award the concert to Barrie. Barrie. Yeah you heard me right.

Now, I do realise the world does not revolve around Toronto, but please, lets face it, when it comes to playing on the world stage - Canada really does need to put as many shiny bells on as it can. And more shiny bells than any other country in order to combat the image gap that Canada has globally to countries like France.

This event was always going to be inferior to Europe's shows and true to form, Canada's participation in the global event will only ever be mentioned in passing abroad. No pictures from the Canada show will be beamed in Germany, but you can bet your gummy bears we'll be saturated with Rome's!

Having the event in Barrie will not help increase the exposure of what Canada is doing anywhere but in Canada. Hmmm, a camera can scope from internationally renowned band playing NEXT TO the Coliseum or some two-bit band no none-Canadian has heard of playing next to Blue Mountain. I can just see it now, a billion foreigners with puzzled expressions in their living rooms wondering where the mountain is!

Having only Canadian artists play the event will condemn it to further obscurity outside this fair land. I mean, the Bare-naked Ladies, Bryan Adams, and the Hip are hardly top drawer artists outside of Canadiana.

Bryan has not had a European hit since "Everything I Do" (and most people want to kill him for inflicting that one on them) and NO ONE knows the Hip outside of Canada. Sorry...they may have played the soundtrack to your college lives, but if anyone from England heard the Hip they would just think they were ripping off REM (who, coincidentally are playing the London event). And that takes me to my second point, every other country has a number of bands hailing from countries other than those they are playing in. Canada. Ha! Way to increase awareness for an international problem by having only participants from one country! Go Team Canada.

If Martin turns round and coughs up a huge wad of squids, then I will happily eat these words and repay work for the flat screen monitor I would have munched through in doing so. The greater good would have prevailed...

...but just once, Canada...don't you wish that this country lived up to its potential? Flying under the radar is great, but let it be out of choice rather than poor decision making.

Big Surprise: York Judge Clears York in Land deal

Retired judge Edward Saunders, who was asked by York University to review the sale of campus land to Tribute Communities in 2004 without listing the property on the open market, has found that there was no conflict of interest in the sale.

From the Toronto Star.

Big. Freakin'. Surprise. The judge, friends with the Chancellor, also a former judge, thinks York didn't do anything wrong when it uses public funds to buy land, then sells it off at a greatly reduced rate to political families. If York doesn't get the subway line approved this year, someone needs to loose their job (I'm looking at you, Lorna). Despicable

Dr. Suzuki rules

I'm back and on the mend... so here we go!

The Premier held the first Clean Air Summitt Yesterday. At the conference, Dr. David Suzuki suggested we should ban all SUV's in the downtown core. SUV's, as everyone is blissfully ignorant of, are some of the most unsafe, unefficient, high-polluters on the road. Here's what he said:

"I think you ought to ban every sports utility vehicle in the city, especially when you have a smog alert going on," Dr. Suzuki said "We are the air. . . . Whatever we do to the air, we're doing to ourselves."

How awesome is that?!

Who Will Google Buy Next?

The Nar has been in an accident (not to worry) and is too whacked out on Celebrex to post anything for a couple of days... so read this.

Who Will Google Buy Next? || kuro5hin.org

For those keeping track

Bill 133, the one that allows for increased and on-the-spot fines for polluters (up to $100K/day), was passed by the Ontario government.

New Music Friday Vol. 15

Yeah. 15 Fridays down... not too shabby. Only problem is, no one else is playing along! C'mon people, send us your picks, your links, your songs for review. This is getting hard to do all on my own! Send anything your want reviewed to thedailynar@gmail.com

Luckily, I've stummbled across a gem this week: The Letters Organzine. Now I've only had their album, Dead Rythmn Machine for a day or so, and haven't gotten all the way through it, but I can say this - it is quickly becoming my favorite album of the year. Think Danko Jones vs. Refused; or Roth-era Van Halen vs Every Time I Die. This album is full on, high-octane guitar rock fired down your throat at a thousand miles an hour. And my what an impact it makes! I fully recommend you track this puppy down (on Nitro Records). Go here to listen to a couple tracks. Costume in the Corner is my current pick. Rock on.

U.S. Edits Global Warming Reports

This is at least the second time I have have heard of this happening under the Bush administration (how many times it's happened under other admins I couldn't say). Nevertheless, if this is true... you know what? It probably is true. I am just at that point now where I'll beleive anything you tell me the Bushites do - drill the arctic, deny global warming, eat kittens... whatever you say.

Timothy McSweeney's Internet Tendency once had a running "Daily Reason to Dispatch Bush" page up during the 2004 election. It was astounding the stuff they managed to assemble on one page. You owe it to yourself to try and read it HERE, please.

Wired News: U.S. Edits Global Warming Reports

If you listen, you can hear the whole country inhale.

CBC Sports: Breakthrough in hockey talks: report

Definately in Canada and America!

Bush sucks, its official. But, notice how they start the story with a high figure "52% DISapprove". They don't start of by saying something like "More than half of the country , that's more than half of who voted for Bush, no longer like or approve of him". I wonder what would happen in Canada if that were to happen, hmm.....

Lowest approval ratings in 75 polls - - MSNBC.com

Only in America! (and possibly Canada)

From the "No Shit Sherlock" file folder: U.S. gov't decided $130B is just too much to ask of the poor, defenseless TOBACCO INDUSTRY, lowers requested damages to $10B (or about 5 minutes of profit).

Tobacco industry escapes huge penalty - washingtonpost.com Highlights - MSNBC.com

Only in America!

Question: What to do with former Enron executives involved in bringing down the company and causing millions to loose billions?

Answer: You silly thing! Give them hundreds of millions of dollars to do it again, of course!

Public Citizen | Press Room - Former Enron Executives Slated to Receive Taxpayer Handouts for New Project

Border Security? We don't need no stinkin' border security!

This story is just so messed up, I'm using the Fark.com headline:

You can hitchhike into the U.S. from Canada, but you'll have to check your bloodstained chainsaw, sword and brass knuckles at the border.

Did Warren Loose?

I know he won't talk about private matters, but not too long ago (see archives) a claim was made - and I am paraphrasing here - that Warren Kinsella and his public policy group had been hired to represent the chemical industry in an effort to kill a bill set to increase penalties on illegal polluting.

While this issue has been quietly set aside by the media (and Warren), it would appear that the bill is not as dead as one might of thought. The bill is set to be voted on Wednesday at the earliest.

Like I said, I don't expect any comments from the big guy himself, but we'd still love to know nonetheless (don't get your hopes up, pal -ed):


Bill Targeting Illegal Polluters Set to Become Law Next Week

Despite objections from corporate groups and industry, new legislation that would make large polluters in Ontario pay large penalties, is set to become law this week.
"There's a right way to make public policy and there's a wrong way," Michael Bourque, Canadian Chemical Producers Association spokesman, said from Ottawa Monday. "This was the wrong way."
Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky said industry has had a chance to raise its objections to the bill and that the government made changes to the bill to address their concerns. "We're going to have a very sound piece of legislation that will protect our environment," Dombrowsky said. "If you spill in Ontario, you will pay."
"All in all, we think the thing is worth supporting -- it ain't perfect, but it's certainly a step forward," said Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence.
Art Chamberlain, a spokesman for Minister Dombrowsky, said, "We're hoping it will be ready, realistically, Wednesday or Thursday."

It's a beautiful day?

Looking out my window at Bloor and Yonge, I can see all the way to the water. Surely, you say to yourself, you can see to the water all the time from there. Have you tried lately? The smog has become disgustingly bad in this city over the last two years. In fact, some of you may (or may not) have know we had smog alerts IN THE WINTER this year! It boggles my mind, trying to grapple with the conflicting notions that A) this is Canada. We are a fairly clean country - big, spread out, sparse. And B) this is Toronto. We are 4 million-plus packed too close together. We are wasteful, ignorant and too busy to see what we are doing to ourselves. Here's a little blurb from one of the papers to remind us how well we're doing to fix this problem.


Issue: Study Shows Correlation Between Smog and Death Rates

A study conducted by Toronto Public Health has indicated that air pollution is causing the deaths of 822 people per year in that city.
The study was conducted based on statistical analyses, not autopsies, and as a result there are no specific cases of air-related deaths included.
Death rates were compared with pollution and extremes of heat and cold in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Windsor, indicating that increased pollution has in fact led to more heat related deaths.
Dr. David McKeown, Toronto’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, said, "This has to be something the minister of health addresses." He also indicated that the lack of specific cases means that motivating governments to act will be more difficult.

New Music Friday Vol. 14

-Todays we focus on a new artist (or at least new to us): The Receiving End of Sirens. A confusing name, and frankly a bit of a confusing band. I haven't quiet figured out how to categorize them. My guess if that these guys started out as some sort of metal band, and grew into a more post-hardcore/emo type of thing - a la Thursday - blending post-heardcore beats with electronic bleeps and whatnot. On their album, Between the Heart and the Synapse, their songs certainly show off their talent, but tend to become a little long and repetitive. Worth a listen before committing. As with every other band on the planet these days, their Myspace site has tunes. My pick is Evidence as the choice track at the moment.

- Arkata is gearing up for an upcoming show June 24th at Rancho Relaxo here in Toronto. Will have more details shortly.

So that explains it...

Brain Scans Of Those In Love Nearly Identical To Those With Mental Illness

NewsNet5.com - Family - Crazy In Love? It's In The Brain: "Brain Scans Of Those In Love Nearly Identical To Those With Mental Illness"

Matt's Star Wars Personality Test

I'm the Emperor (big suprise there)!

Matt's Star Wars Personality Test

Patients forced to make way for Kylie

Another big head scratcher. A whole wing of cancer patients at a hospital in Melbourne were kicked out of their beds to make way for pop singer Kylie Minogue - who incidentialy was placed in a wing for cardio patients who require monitoring (which she did not).

I'm sorry Melbounre, but you will have to do better than that if you hope to stay in contention with Zimbabwe and China (see below). Try tossing a couple babies off the roof for Brintney Spears' impending "Seed of Chucky" or something...

Patients forced to make way for Kylie CANCER BATTLE Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au (02-06-2005)

God hates everyone.

I am just getting so sick of this shit.

American Family Association boycotting Ford Motor Co. over gay issues

Conversations

Today's news seems to be all about conversations: conversations that happened in the dead of night 30 years ago, conversations that were recorded at the 11th hour. Funny how words can destroy entire administrations so quickly and easily. No real effort required.

You've probably also noticed how we haven't been doing, as they say in the bigs, "extended coverage" of all the political goings-on lately. Well, that's mainly because we've already covered it all, and we've been right on every occasion (check the archives). Re-hashing the obvious doesn't play well here. But if we must:

- Old guy used to run the FBI really did take down the Nixon administration. Maybe your grandfather cares. We know his name and his face now, move on.
- Adscam is still draggin along. You're all going to jail.
- PM's chief of staff tried to buy Tories with Cabinet positions. Big surprise. You're all getting fired.

See how easy this is? If only we got paid for this. THEN, I'd have a 45-part serial on why Tim Murphy saw fit to use his undercover voice on the phone, despite not knowing he was being taped, or something like that...

Second place for Zimbabwe

Welcome to NSN, National Sports for Nations Network, Here's todays today story:

In an attempt to match China in the homeless-arresting-and-shack destroying league (HASDL), Zimbabwe unleashed some good ol'fasioned shantydown razing today. Their score: 22,000 and rising.

Sorry, Zimbabwe, you'll have to do better than that if you hope to catch China's score of 350,000 earlier this week, and hope to bring home the Khimer Cup.

On to everyone's next favorite, Indigenous People Bashing, right after this...

CBC News: Zimbabwe arrests thousands in slum crackdown

How to Give Up Coffee

I did it about two years ago, cold turkey. It was pretty easy for me. I doubt that would be the case with a lot of others, so I offer this - A guy named Steve Pavlina is charting his journey to a coffee-free future. Hope it works out for him, and you too. Coffee is just as bad for you as any other addictive substance, we just don't read about it since you don't die from something gruesome like cancer. But what about heartattacks?

How to Give Up Coffee » Steve Pavlina’s Personal Development Blog