The Hour's Blog

Walmart has been heavily criticized for it's mass development and detrimental affect on small business. However, Walmart took a big step toward public recovery by having an impressive impact on the archeological world . While digging in a suburban area of Arizona, Walmart construction workers discovered the bones of a 10,000 year old camel. Could this be one of the first camels ever?

We should all applaud Walmart for their scientific contributions and encourage them to embrace their new role in society. Here is my donation towards their new found identity.

Posted by Andrew Phillips at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Lily Allen has cancelled her U.S. shows in May and June. The 21 year old UK singer made the announcement on her popular myspace page last week. She say's tired and needs a break. Lily has been on tour for over a year, she says she has been drinking too much and her live shows are starting to suffer. She says " I have been getting really drunk because i've been so nervous about doing bad shows , and I don't want people spending money on going to see a show that isnt the best it could be ."

Coming up on the show watch Lily's interview with George. It's a raw discussion about her drinking problem and her instant fame. Lily opens up and tells George that she gets drunk before every performance because she is so bored singing the same songs every night.

She says she is trying to stop and other celebrities and friends have tried to intervene. At one point during the interview, George offered her some advice to take time off to get some perspective.

I wonder how much effect their conversation had on her decision?

This interview will air on Wednesday, May 2nd Friday May 4th. Here's the link.

Posted by Alana Hurov at 09:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

So a couple days after Earth Day, and so far the Tories have banned the old style lightbulbs and released their plan to cut 20 per cent of 2020 emissions. Is that enough? Here's what people are saying:

• "That's nowhere near our Kyoto target." Julia Langer of the World Wildlife Fund
• "The plan... does meet Kyoto, if today were 1997."
  John Baird, Minister of the Environment
• "It's a scam."
  Stephane Dion, Leader of the Opposition
• "I'm very pessimistic."
  Andrew Weaver, UBC Climatologist
• "...this government has let Canadians down"
  Emilie Moorhouse, Sierra Club
• "...we can work with the government."
  Pierre Alvarez, president of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
• "The government made a fundamental policy mistake"
  Avrim Lazar, president of the Forest Products Association,
• "[It's] the right way to go."
  Steve Snyder, chief executive of power producer TransAlta Corp

Do you think it's enough?

Posted by Paul McGrath at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBacks (0)

Every day it seems there's another example of an everyday bit of news that would have made a superb sci-fi premise fifty years ago. Here's the latest:

As reported previously in this space, bees are disappearing, in alarming numbers and in mysterious ways. Whether you care about bees or not, it's a big deal if they die off, because they're responsible for pollinating a huge percentage of the things we eat.

Insert your own apocalyptic scenario here... but what makes the story particularly poignant is a recent suggestion that cell phone use may be driving the little buzzers to distraction. Check it out.

It's not quite the same thing, but now would be a good time to brush up on the relationship between navy sonar testing and mass whale beachings.

Just saying, is all.

Posted by David Newland at 03:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

About six months ago Al Jazeera launched an English network with shops across the globe. A bunch of good CBC people went south to work with them. The problem is that it's virtually impossible to watch Al Jazzy here or in the U.S. because cable and satellite providers don't carry it. Well now you can watch all you want on their YouTube channel. Thanks to Fimoculous for this.

Posted by Nick McCabe at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

Here in Canada, we talk a lot about guns and crime. We release monthly, and yearly statistics, hold press conferences and community meetings about safe neighbourhoods and stopping violence. Well, if you think you're city or town's bad check out the crime blotter from The Moscow Times. They post the crime stats for the week: the source is the Moscow police department, so take it how you will. Here's some highlights for the week of April 17 - 23, published with an article about a possible contract killing gone wrong.

• Murders: 9
• Assault: 24
• Public drunkenness: 4,523
• Suicides: 18
• Missing persons: 43
• Bodies discovered: 83

Posted by Allison Brachman at 02:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Someone with the handle 'Texas Gretzky' send this over. It's a youtube video entitled "Truck Hunting for Terrorists." The title pretty much says it all, they describe it as "Super Low Budget but hey we're just a bunch of low budget Maritimers."
NOTE: Not safe for work without headphones.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A Michigan man gets a letter from state authorities accusing him of an illegal construction project taking place on his property. His response is so amazing. I'm 99% sure this is real. Read both letters after the jump.

Bureaucracy in the Wild
By R. DeVries 20/4/07
Apr 24, 2007, 10:03

SUBJECT: DEQ File No.97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Montcalm County

Dear Mr. DeVries :

It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized activity: Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond. A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity. A review of the Department's files shows that no permits have been issued.

Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated.

The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and flooding at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore orders you to cease and desist all activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the stream channel. All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, 2003.

Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff. Failure to comply with this request or any further unauthorized activity on the site may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement action. We anticipate and would appreciate your full cooperation in this matter. Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions.

Sincerely, David L. Price District Representative and Water Management Division.

------------------------------------------RESPONSE--------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr. Price, Your certified letter dated 12/17/02 has been handed to me to respond to. I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget, Pierson, Michigan .

A couple of beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of constructing and maintaining two wood "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of natures building materials "debris." I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose. I believe I can safely state there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic.

As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam activity.

My first dam question to you is:

(1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers, or

(2) do you require all beavers throughout this State to conform to said dam request?

If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, through the Freedom of Information Act, I request completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued. Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, annotated.

I have several concerns. My first concern is; aren't the beavers entitled to legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said representation -- so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer. The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event, causing flooding, is proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect. In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling their dam names.

If you want the stream "restored" to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers -- but if you are going to arrest them , they obviously did not pay any attention to your dam letter, they being unable to read English.

In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water flows downstream. They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources

(Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams).

So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until

1/31/2003 ? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them then.

In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention to a real environmental quality (health) problem in the area. It is the bears! Bears are actually defecating in our woods. I definitely believe you should be persecuting the defecating bears and leave the beavers alone. If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your step! (The bears are not careful where they dump!)

Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam office.

THANK YOU.

RYAN DEVRIES & THE DAM BEAVERS

Posted by Nick McCabe at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Al Gore gave Canadian director Jennifer Baichwal an award today for her documentary on the work of photographer Edward Burtynsky. Burtynsky photographs mega-industry and environmental destruction. We featured the doc on the show, watch it here.

As he presented Baichwal with the Reel Current Award, Gore said the film was haunting, beautiful and insightful. The film also won the best documentary Genie this year. The picture above is of nickel tailings in Sudbury.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Sam Raimi, the director of the blockbuster Spiderman franchise is on the show tonight. Horror fans will know his as the director of the cult classic 'Evil Dead.'

But there's a another classic in Raimi's films, his car. See when Raimi was 14, his dad bought a brand new Oldsmobile Delta Royale.

The vehicle has since passed into young Raimi's hands, beloved as "The Classic", and it appears in almost all of his films. It was Ash's car in the original Evil Dead, it was parked outside a feed store in 'A Simple Plan,' it was 'Uncle Ben's' ride in the first 'Spider-Man,' and it has appeared in every Raimi film except 'The Quick and the Dead' (though speculation runs that the car was disguised as a wagon). source.

'The classic' has also been borrowed for several films Raimi's friends, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. I'm not sure but I think this was Lebowski's car in 'The Big Lebowski.'

Posted by Paul McGrath at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Stephanie Nolen's book '28: Stories of AIDS in Africa,' is getting some pretty amazing praise.

Bono says "the stories will tear you apart before they put you back together", Emma Thompson says this book is "essential reading in the age of AIDS." and Stephen Lewis says "it's probably the best book ever written about AIDS" and "could shape public opinion as never before."

Stephanie Nolen will be on the show tonight. I can only wonder if a book like this will manage to break through the fatigue on the issue.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I don't know about your town but here in Toronto you can't spit without hitting a video director. So if you're one of them, Bjork needs your help. She wants you to direct her next video and she's taking suggestions. It could be your big break. The song and a couple production elements are available on the submission website. Get thinking.

Posted by Nick McCabe at 09:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Yesterday the Globe unveiled its new look. They've eschewed the paper of record feel for a more approachable design. I for one think the thing looks awful. For all its faults the Globe at least looked like a paper that a country could be proud of. Now it looks like a USA Today inspired student newsletter.

The Globe's Editor-in-Chief Edward Greenspon explained the paper's reimagining in his Saturday column. He'll be in online taking questions on Thursday from noon ET to 1 p.m.

Why don't you get your practise in? What do you think of the new Globe?

Posted by Nick McCabe at 09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

So most news networks aired the Virginia Tech killer's video. But the public backlash forced them to reconsider. The CBC of course decided not to air the video. I wrote about that yesterday. And almost all of you agreed with that decision. But let me ask this question: how many of you watched the video?

I bet most of you did. I did. But why?

For my part I wanted to see it to get an idea of what an insane murderer acts like.

The CBC justified its decision not to air the footage saying it could encourage copycat killings. That argument doesn't wash with me. If airing the tape could encourage copycats, then wall to wall coverage, even if it focuses on victims, probably does the same.

And what about preventing future acts like this? Showing Cho's video shows the public the character of a school shooter. A CBC story on preventing school shootings says:

Monitoring student behaviour and character plays a more effective role in identifying students early on that may be at risk. source.

How do educators, or anyone really, watch out for problem behaviour? By knowing what problem behaviour looks like.

The CBC should have provided the public this footage, maybe not on TV, but somehow, on cbc.ca perhaps, so that if the public wanted to watch it, they could have. You don't have to ram in down people's throats, but you could post it on web page without glorifying what Cho did.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)

There was a debate in our office this morning about the CBC's decision not the broadcast audio or video of the Virginia Tech killer's tapes. CBC's Editor-in-Chief Tony Burman wrote about it on his blog here. He says the CBC should avoid the unintended effect of encouraging copycats:

Several specialists in the field in both Canada and the U.S. argued that the media's blanket coverage of these "crimes of notoriety" encouraged copycats by "glorifying" their act. They urged the media to reduce their preoccupation with the killers, their identity and their photographs - and not report "idle speculation" about their motives. Overwhelmingly, they urged the focus be on the victims instead.

People in our office say that not broadcasting the video makes the CBC look out of touch since it so easy to get it elsewhere. And it's obvious that many people want to see these images. But why?

Some people say they want to see it to figure out as much as possible about the perpetrator. I would venture that there's a unconscious self-preservation instinct at work here. People want to see into the killer's world not to glorify him, to avoid people like him.

What do you think? Did the CBC make the right move?

Posted by Paul McGrath at 09:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (25) | TrackBacks (0)

NIN's new CD came out this week. Apparently they were sold out in a bunch of stores. For most people that wasn't a big deal. The new songs were available on their myspace page. They also left a bunch of USB sticks with the whole album on it lying around in concert washrooms. This is very similar to the BareNaked Ladies distribution strategy, where the CD is secondary to digital distribution.

Trent Renzor said this recently:

"The USB drive was simply a mechanism of leaking the music and data we wanted out there," he explained. "The medium of the CD is outdated and irrelevant. It's really painfully obvious what people want - DRM-free music they can do what they want with. If the greedy record industry would embrace that concept I truly think people would pay for music and consume more of it." Source.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 07:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Today in 1955 Albert Einstein died. He was 76. Here's a rare photo illustrating how ahead of his time he was.

You can write your own Einstein caption here.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Arthur 'The Scud Stud' Kent was on the show the other day. Before the interview we ran some archival footage of Chinese soldiers marching past after the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

The footage jogged his memory and he wrote us about it:

Here's what happened. [After the massacre] day by day, the PLA troops patrolled further and further into surrounding neighbourhoods, striving to regain control of the populace.

On June 7th or thereabouts, companies of troops began marching as far out as Beijing’s Palace Hotel. At one point a driver tipped us to a company patrolling right in the next street. I grabbed my camera and went out through a side door, and approached the street by sneaking through one of the low-rise apartment complexes there. I went through the courtyard and looked down the street. The troops were only yards away. Not wanting to be arrested, I whipped back into the courtyard, framed up the entryway to the street and rolled. The soldiers marched right past - you'll see the shot in your sequence.

The troops evidently didn't care enough to pursue me - but sadly, the residents had become so convinced, now, that a crackdown was imminent, that several of them moved to make a Beijing version of a citizen's arrest. One called out to the troops to come back and grab the foreigner. Two others tried to hold me there. Luckily, I still had on my Tiananmen Square Nikes. (Which, by the way, I still have in the basement. You don't let go of kicks like that...) and managed to get away.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

That's right the world's oldest company is calling quits. Kongo Gumi is a Japanese temple building company founded in the year 578 and run by the same family for 40 generations. The picture above is the Buddhist Shittenou Temple, the first the company ever built. While business was booming back in the day, things aren't so brisk in the 21st century. According to Business Weekly magazine the drop in demand for temple building started in 1998. By 2004, Kongo Gumi's revenues were down 35% and in 2006, the company was more than 300 million in debt. Takamatsu, a large Japanese construction company, bought Kongo Gumi, putting an end to a 1,428-year run. The second oldest company in the world is the Japanese Inn. It was started in 718AD.

Posted by Allison Brachman at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A rapidly spreading fungus in Central America is alarming biologists and has pushed an international rescue effort into overdrive. The fungus is threatening to wipe out a Panamanian national treasure - the Golden Frog. The frog is considered a good-luck symbol in Panama. It's everywhere: on lottery tickets and T-shirts, postcards and souvenirs.

But the frogs are also a bellwether species. When they start to die environmentalist get worried.

Now two men are trying to save the species from extinction. Panamanian biologist Edgardo Griffith, and zoologist Bill Konstant are trying to rescue the frog. They wade out into the rainforest and try to catch the frogs. When they've got one they bring it back to a rescue centre they've set up in rooms 28 and 29 of the Hotel Campestre in the Panamanian jungle.

They've got hundreds of frogs sequestered in the two rooms at the hotel. They figure if they can get them out of the wild they can protect from the fungus and save the species. Dispatches had an excellent report from journalist Tanya Birkbeck on their work. Listen to her report.

Further info from the Houston Chronicle is here.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Cumbria Tourism’s Association in Northwest England is trying a new approach to attract visitors. They've enlisted 'MC Nuts' to rap famous English poet William Wordsworth's rhymths.

I really don't understand the bizarre bunny character. Maybe they were inspired by Christina Aguilera's Dirty video. I heard about this on As It Happens last night.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

So the other day we were having a conversation about our favourite 'unknown' bands. I use the term unknown loosely, maybe largely undiscovered would be more accurate. Anyway we decided that this would make a good list. So here it is, The Hour producer's list of unknown band that we love:

• Paul McGrath - Band Of Horses
• Martin O'Brien - Ween
• Kyle the intern - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
• Tyrone - Madeline Peyroux
• Rose - The Phonemes
• Christine - Neil Finn
• Paul Bates - Word Burglar
• Tim McCauliff - Six Pence the Richer
• Rick Matthews - Carla Bruni
• Hilary Doyle - Blue King Brown
• Nick McCabe-Lokos Clipse

Posted by Paul McGrath at 07:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (0)

Years ago, social psychologist Dr. Philip G. Zimbardo performed the now-infamous Stanford Prison Experiment, in which ordinary university students became sadistic authoritarians in a matter of mere days, solely, it seems, because of the circumstances.

Zimbardo's work was brought back into the public eye when he was called as an expert witness for Sgt. Chip Frederick, who was sentenced to 8 years for his role in the notorious mistreatment of Iraqi detainees by US troops at Abu Ghraib.

Zimbardo has written a new book, and this conversation in the New York Times reveals an intimate understanding of the evil we do.

Posted by David Newland at 03:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

There's was a school shooting at Virginia Tech this morning. Police are saying more than 25 people have been killed. That would make it one of the worst school shootings in US history. You can watch this story on CNN or Newsworld today. If you prefer citizen journalism both wikipedia and newsvine are reporting constant updates. Also CNN's iReport has footage from the scene. Here's a timeline from the wikipedia site:

Timeline

* 7:15am: 911 call to University Police reports shooting at Johnson Hall, one dead.
* About 9:15am: shooting at Norris Hall reported
* Noon: At a press conference, authorities say more than 20 people killed and 28 injured. [10]
* 12:22pm: 21 dead at Norris Hall, gunman also dead at Norris Hall

Keep in mind the info of Wiki and Newsvine has not been vetted.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It's amazing. At any given second the world is changing dramatically and we have no idea. This morning June Callwood passed away at 4 am with her daughters Jill and Jesse at her side. I didn't find out until hours later. At first, the producer in me I panicked.

It was my responsibility to let the CBC news machine know, but they'd already heard. Once my heart stopped racing I sat back and laughed at myself. None of that matters. What's important is how we remember June. Or more importantly how we use the lessons she's passed on to us. She lived 82 honourable years. I hope I can live to be half the woman she was. Because in the end (as The Hour's senior producer's father says) "it doesn't take long to die". It's how you spend your time up until that point. Thanks June. Time to put what you've taught me into practice.

You can watch June's last interview here. Here's a news story about the woman known as Canada's social conscience.

Posted by Lisa Fender at 01:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

We had this argument at work today. Which is more juvenile Facebook or Myspace. I said myspace because of the horrible designs, the blaring music, and terrible colours. Nick says Facebook is worse because it builds on and exaggerates the worst things about high school, the petty relationships, socializing for the sake of it, the popularity contests.

So which do you think is more juvenile, myspace, facebook, or this conversation?

Posted by Paul McGrath at 03:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0)

The web site the Phoenix has unveiled the top 100 unsexiest men. Here's a few of the picks:

At number 8, Perez Hilton, he spends tons of time poking fun a celebrities, he should check the mirror.

At number 6. Don Imus. dino. saur.

At number 5. Howard Kreepy. Stern. So he isn't the father of Anna Nicole's son after all. The kid must be happy.
The full list is here.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 05:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Conspiracy alert, and this one's a doozy:

This Rolling Stone article called The Last Confessions of E. Howard Hunt paints a lurid picture of spies, crooks, politicos, drug addicts, blackmailers, Kevin Costner, and one messed up American family, all in a whirlwind of interconnected speculation that leads to... LBJ as the instigator of JFK's assassination.

Eyes may roll; heads may roll; the truth may never come out. But who can resist a great story, well told?

Posted by David Newland at 01:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Okay, so I don't know about you, but I watched both Canadian playoff hockey games last night. And the Sens fans are an embarrassment. Sorry, but it's true. You could hear a pin drop in the building. I think the 20 Pittsburgh fans made more noise. One naked fat guy painted in red does not a fan make. Would it have killed you to stand up? Sens fans could learn a thing or two from the West. Every person at GM Place last night was waving the white towel before the game even started. What about the Red Mile? Oil Country? If you think the Senators deserve to be this year's Canadian success story, you'll have to step it up. Just sayin'.

Posted by Julie List at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

Outside of the office there's a statue of Glenn Gould sitting on a bench. It's amazing how pedestrians delight in posing for photographs with the statue. I even saw one woman straddle his head. If you're into this kind of stuff the blog Around the World has a bunch of photos of the strangest statues around the world. Here's one.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Is it terrible to say that sometimes it would be fun to be Pete Doherty.

Posted by Nick McCabe at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Cracked.com is a humour web site. They came up with a list of internet safety tips that I found very funny.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 02:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

A landlord evicted a tenant in Tacoma, Washington, but the tenant got their revenge. Shortly after the eviction an ad was posted on Craiglist inviting anyone to come by and take anything they wanted. Here's what a local TV station said:

The outside of the home is trashed, the inside is nearly gutted and covered in graffiti... From the light fixtures to the hot water heater, everything is gone - including the kitchen sink... Neighbors later reported seeing strangers hauling stuff away from [the] home. Link

Posted by Paul McGrath at 01:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tick tock, tick tock. It's only a matter of hours until the Trailer Park Boys will be on the show and a bunch of us started debating about what's the best shit-ism created by Mr. Lahey. And man did the shit hit the fan. In fact, it was a total shit storm. A total shiticane. We managed to dig through the crap and come up with these shitty finalists:

1. "He's about to enter the shit tornado to Oz."
2. "I'm watching you Julian. Like a shithawk."
3. "Randy, this shit pool is getting full and we better strain it before it overflows and causes a shit slide..."
4. "Tracks lead right to Shit Town."
5. "There's no fool like an old fool, Leshiticus."

What's your pick?

Posted by Rick Matthews at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm a bit late on this but remember that three-year seige between a couple in southern China and a mall development? Well not surprisingly the whole thing has ended sadly. On Monday authorities demolished their house.

The couple had been living surrounded by a ten meter moat and holding out for a better compensation deal. Al Jazeera has more details.

Posted by Nick McCabe at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

IBM is donating a thousand two way translating devices to the US military. The gadgets are called Mastors which stands for Multilingual Automatic Speech Translator. A Mastor can recognize and translate more than 50,000 English words and 100,000 Iraqi Arabic words. The Register has a write up on the devices.

Posted by Nick McCabe at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Does your office have email abusers? You know the ones, they write messages with all cap subject lines: URGENT: FRIDAY MEETING REMINDER, or they forward chain letters, or they have they wacked out formatting and tons of emoticons.

In my opinion email should be like a drivers license. If you abuse it, you lose it. Just imagine all the email abusers in the world sitting at their desks writting old-fashioned letters with ink-stained fingers.

Anyway here's some of the rules of using email from a business textbook my girlfriend was reading recently:

Be concise and to the point
Use proper spelling , grammar and punctuation
Do not overuse the high priority option
Do not overuse reply to all
Do not write in capitals
Don't leave out the message thread
Read the email before you send it
Mailings > use the bcc: field or do a mail merge
Take care with abbreviations and emoticons
Be careful with formatting
Take care with rich text and HTML messages
Do not forward chain letters
Do not request delivery and read receipts
Do not ask to recall a message
Do not use email to discuss confidential information
Use a meaningful subject
Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
Avoid long sentences
Use cc: field sparingly

Posted by Paul McGrath at 06:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

You may be familiar with the band Nine Inch Nails. Trent Reznor is the brains and face of the band. He's got a new album out and to promote it he's put out an alternate reality game.

Here's how it started. Some fans noticed certain words on a Nine Inch Nails tour tee shirt were highlighted. When they put them together they spelled "I am trying to believe." The smart fans added a dot com to that, and that's when things got rolling.

Now, it's basically turned into a scavenger hunt. There's a bunch of websites related to it. If you check it out, it feels like someone took a Twin Peaks episode and locked it in a mental asylum with Hunter S. Thompson.

But that's not even the weirdest thing we found on the Nine Inch Nails on the internet. Check this out.

Posted by Paul McGrath at 07:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Diss tracks are amazing and hilarious. It's funny to watch the unbridled pettiness of grown men rappers.

Crews used to just record the song and release it on a 12" or mix tape. Then rap nerds started hacking each other's myspace pages. Now they are shooting low budget diss track videos and putting them on YouTube.

I'm just going to say that the Cam'ron 50 Cent diss video Curtis is kind-of-good. Especially when they get the UPS guy to call out 50. On the other hand the Scott Storch Timbaland diss is the worst thing I've ever seen.

Cam'ron 50 diss
50 Cent Cam'ron diss
Scott Storch Timbaland diss

Posted by Nick McCabe at 03:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Lifeboat Foundation is a group dedicated to encouraging scientific advancements while helping avert the potential earth/humanity destroying impacts those technologies could have.

They've created a bunch of warning signs for problems the planet has yet to encounter. You know... things like planet eating strangelets, self replicating devices, individual-consuming group intellects and motivation hazards. Read more here.

Posted by Nick McCabe at 02:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night's interview with June Callwood struck a nerve. People cried here in the office, and people cried at home. We got a lot of emails. Here's a few snippets:

"a beautifully sensitive interview"
"She's dying her death the way she lived her life--with humour and great courage."
"compassionate, respectful, & humorous. This woman is a definite Canadian icon that can still teach us all."
"June Callwood segment was stunning"
"It was somewhat like June passing the journalism torch to George...so different in style and yet so alike in humanity"

There is more email feedback in the permalink. To watch the interview click here.

What a beautifully sensitive interview with June Caldwood. Thank you!!! Pat

Just wanted to send a compliment to you, George, and to June as well, for being so professional, for not shying away from the tough talks and for showing us a tender side to death. Michael

Wow! Your June Callwood segment was stunning. George handled the most complex subject imaginable with simplicity and grace. No trying to jump the shark. No violins. And because you didn't lay on the prime time dramatics, her personality and dignity truly shone through. She's amazing. And you did her justice. Thanks!
karen

June Callwood. What a woman. I have been watching your show for only a year or so, but this is the best interview I have ever seen. This woman is very inspiring. My mother has quite a serious cancer now, I can't say she is dying though. But this woman's beauty, lightness and grace reached me in ways I can't describe. Stéphanie

George, Best ever interview. June Callwood. You have done some good interviews, but this was one of the best! Keep up the good work. Philip

Life can seem insurmountable at times. Thank you for your interview with June Callwood. It put my small world in perspective. Lesley

I remember June very well from 1968 and her involvement in Digger House on Spadina Rd., where I was a resident.

She was brilliant, beautiful, compassionate and just a damned interesting person.

I watched this interview with a sense of the bittersweet. She's dying her death the way she lived her life--with humour and great courage.

Bon voyage, June. Ruth

i was hugely impressed with your interview with June Colwood (sp.) i was thinking that as i watched, then she said, "You are very good at your job", and i could not agree with her more. I was amazed at your candor, yet your ease and gentleness with this difficult subject fascinated me. good job George! philippa

We enjoyed George's interview with June Callwood. It was a very touching discussion with June re her present health condition. George was warm and compassionate. This subject is very difficult for many to talk about, but you did it well. Barb

Interview with June Callwood was compassionate, respectful, & humorous. This woman is a definite Canadian icon that can still teach us all. You made your momma proud George...thanks for insightful interviews

This was a beautiful interview. June is so insightful and wise. In such a difficult time for Callwood your interview was respectful and sensitive but still not lacking the direction and integrity needed to make it important. A beautiful interview. Keep doing inspirational work.

The June Callwood interview was just wonderful...what an interviewer and what a guest! It was somewhat like June passing the journalism torch to George...so differen in style and yet so alike in humanity. Ulla

Posted by Paul McGrath at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

For better or worse we talk a lot about online music on this show. Most of it is bad news. But not today. EMI has announced that they are going to make their artists music available through iTunes WITHOUT digital rights managment. Those are the restrictions that online freedom people hate because they can mess up your computer dictate what you can and can't do with music you spent your own damn money on. They're the first major lable to do this. And the move comes about a month after Apple boss Steve Jobs said that iTunes only used DRM because the majors wanted it that way. Here are some links:

BNL's Steven Page on DRM
Nettwerk's CEO on DRM
Canadian Recording Industry responds

Posted by Nick McCabe at 03:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

So the great song debate continues around here. I say we put everyone's choices into a CD collection and call it 'Me, Myself and a Song'. George has made his pick. What is it? 'Brad Logan' by Rancid. Instant island party for one.

Posted by Rick Matthews at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)