late night television

What a strange group of people the late-night television programers are.

Or rather what a stranger group they think they cater to. Several channels with 'paid advertising', hour-long infomercials and the rest.

Tonight it was SMC. Obviously the only people watching TV at 4 am are the ones who want to sell what I can only imagine is tacky crap. The whole thing was how I could have 'the life style I want and deserve' accompanied by pictures of other people who had started their own businesses, lying in a hammock, putting their feet up on the desk or having the time to play frisbee with the kids.

Why do I think it's tacky crap? Because there were practically no clues as to what these 'quality products' that I could make up to 300% profit were.

I had to turn it off only to be assaulted by Donald Trump. Not literally, he didn't walk in to my house or anything. I can't stand 'The Donald' as he is refered to for some reason, so if he had walked in to my house, well let's just say I wouldn't be offering him a cup of tea.

No, he was shouting in his pouty way, about The Learning Annex. One weekend can make me a millionaire. I won't forget you all.

Some other nut job was stating the fact that the big pharmaceutical companies control everything. They control the newspapers and the radio and had tried to silence him to prevent him talking about his snake oil, sorry his drug free whatever for $39.95.

Then there was the regular ads, of which there are soooo many here in Canada. An hour long program might have up to 8 ad breaks. Some of them are entertaining, though not always for the reason they think. Like the one for Alarm Force. You can see the guy who does the ad at the beginning if the clip here. That is just a taster, on the full TV ad he is so stiff he looks like he is hooked up to the power mains. And then there is the annoying jingle. It's so bad that even Mr. eh doesn't sing it and he loves to sing advertising jingles.

Does anyone know what the official line is on who advertisers think is watching TV at 4 am?

from IMDb

"Dreamgirls star Eddie Murphy was so devastated after losing the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award to Alan Arkin he stormed out of the ceremony, according to press reports in the US, including Roger Friedman of FoxNews.com. Murphy was the favorite to win the Oscar, which instead was awarded to Little Miss Sunshine star Arkin. The 45-year-old tried to downplay his disappointment telling American publication Us Weekly, "It's fine. It happens. It's OK." But shortly thereafter, Murphy and girlfriend Tracey Edmonds left the show and didn't return. Murphy missed out on his Dreamgirls cast mates Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose performing songs from the film, as well as Hudson's win for Best Supporting Actress. "


now I'm even more pleased he didn't get it.

Oscar Wilde said, "I love to talk about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about."

As predictable as winners thanking their mothers and jokes about over-running is me doing the Monday Movie Quiz about the Oscars.
Update:
1. Who is the only actor to be nominated (as Best Actor) for playing three roles in the same film?
Taffy got -Peter Sellers for "Dr. Strangelove or How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb"
2. Only two sequels to win Best Picture? (Both were part of trilogies with all three films nominated for Best Picture.)
Taffy got- The Godfather Part 2 and Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
3. Who was nominated as producer, director, actor and screenwriter in a single year for a single movie? Warren Beatty is not the name I was looking for, he wasn't nominated for production. It was Orson Welles.

4. The individual who was awarded the most total Oscars was none other than ---- ------, who walked away with 26 Academy Awards over his lifetime.
He had 64 total Oscar nominations.
E got - Walt Disney
5. Which comedy legend has hosted the Oscars the most? No, not Billy Crystal, someone else has hosted more. Will got -Bob Hope

6. Name the Biblical epic starring Charlton Heston that won 11 Academy Awards. Taffy got- Ben Hur

7. Who was the only actor to receive two posthumous acting nominations? He lost both times, so he still is a rebel without an Oscar. Taffy got - James Dean

8. One of the all-time best directors, master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock, never won an Oscar for Best Director, but he was nominated five times. Name any one(or more!) of the pictures.
Tafty got - Vertigo. What are the others? Will got Rebecca, Lifeboat, Spellbound, Rear Window, and Psycho, he wasn't nominated for Vertigo. and you are right, Sorry about that!
9. What is the only martial arts movie to win an Academy Award? Taffy got - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

10. Which of these nominated films did NOT win Best Picture?: E got- c.Saving Private Ryan.
a. Terms of Endearment
b. The Godfather, Part II
c. Saving Private Ryan
d. Unforgiven

11. Morgan Freeman won an Oscar for his performance in which film?: Will got - d. Million Dollar Baby
a. Driving Miss Daisy no, not a.
b. Shawshank Redemption
c. Street Smart
d. Million Dollar Baby

12. I remember it like it was last year....
a. Name the winner who started his acceptance speech "Wow. Alright, so I'm not winning director" Taffy got - George Clooney
b. Who thanked two imaginary people, Ennis and Jack, in his acceptance speech?
c. Name the song by Three 6 Mafia that won Best Original Song. Taffy got - It's Hard Out Here for A Pimp

13. What Oscar winner has the real name Ilyena Vasilievna Mironov? Taffy got - Helen Mirren

The 79th

I'll be watching (at least some of it).

The Oscars that it is.



no not that Oscar, this one.

I'll be sitting on my sofa, in my scruffy hoodie, jeans and slippers, drinking a glass of wine, eating some of the Tayto crisps that Over Here Mammy brought over for me and saying things like "What is she wearing?"

So my predictions:

Best actor- Forest Whitaker

Best actress- Helen Mirren

Best Picture- Should be The Departed, might actually be Letters from Iwo Jima.

Best supporting actor- oh please, anyone but Eddie Murphy. Don't let him get it when Mark Wahlberg, Alan Arkin and Djimon Hounsou all deserve it much more.

best supporting actress- Either Rinko Kikuchi or Adriana Barraza for their parts in Babel should win (sorry, I forgot the Academy doesn't like to say 'win', it's all the "Oscar goes to..." because if you say someone won, it means someone else, oh the horror, lost) but it may well go to Jennifer Hudson.

Best Director- oh for the love of....give it to Martin Scorsese.

As for the rest of the categories, well I'm sure you don't really care.

It starts in an hour....

Friday and Saturday happenings

Last night we had dinner with the always excellent Sandra and her Mammy. Considering their hectic schedule for the next few days it was great to be able to keep them both out late.

I finally got around to seeing the film which will get Helen Mirren the Oscar, The Queen.

We had an eventful day on the TTC on Saturday. The station we needed was closed so there was lots of diversions going on. The real fun started when we tried to get home. We got on one train which we thought was going east, they waited until the doors were closed to announce it was going north , so, across the platform and back on another train. After waiting for a little while it was then announced that no more trains would be going east/west from that station so it was off get the shuttle bus. After not-too-long a wait the shuttle bus arrives, packed with people. Of the 50 or so of us waiting maybe 5 managed to squeeze on.
We started walking when there were no more buses.
Eventually, after walking about 3 or 4 blocks another bus was in sight as we got to a bus stop and we got on.
Unfortunately, the station the bus stopped at had a 'medical emergency' about 3 minutes after we arrived there. There were about 30 police, paramedics and fire officers pouring into the station just as we decided to leave (as there were no trains).
Mr. eh saw us on the news footage as we left the station to find a taxi.
By the way, Mr Taxidriver, the bag left on the back seat was to be a birthday present for our god-daughter and it would be really cool to get it back, thanks.

An unlikely truth

Al Gore was in town last night.
He was speaking at the University of Toronto. Tickets were available throught the university website for $20.
Or rather they weren't.
Demand for the tickets was so much that the website crashed and the tickets sold out in minutes.
One guy told the news reporter than he had paid $200 for each of his two tickets.
Read one of the articles here.
What's even more funny that Al Gore being treated like a superstar is the debate that has started up about wether or not he shoulsd run for president. This question was posed by The Toronto Star newspaper and some of the replies were, hmm, not sure what the word is....
judge for yourself here.
One of my favs was this- " If you like Al Gore so much, keep him. He is a natural for Socialist hand wringers like yourselves. Reynard McClusky, Orlando, Fla."
So that's what Americans think of Canadians.
Or one American in Florida anyway.

Because, I've angered the Karma Gods, and you're my punishment

I have to walk past the subway station to get to the supermarket and just recently there have been a rash of God-botherers.

( I wonder what the collective noun is, troop maybe or an exaltation?)

The weather here is postively balmy at PLUS 2 degrees C. The first above freezing temp in ages, and the sun was shining. I'm telling you this to in some way explain my lapse in concentration.

You see I forgot two important rules.

1. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

2. There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'

Walking back from said supermarket, carrying a shopping bag in each hand, singing a little to myself as I often do, I'm brought to an unexpected stop by a small pamphlet shoved almost inside my coat.

And the words " JesusChristLordAndSaviour" muttered at me.

Did I mention that both hands were full?

Now I'd already said a polite no thanks when I walked past him on the way to the supermarket, what made him think in the intervening 20 minutes I would have changed my mind? Am I supposed to have had a vision in the frozen food aisle? Seen the error of my ways while selecting mushrooms?

Don't get me wrong, I have complete respect for other peoples religious beliefs, all I ask is some in return.

So, I may have been a little snippy when I said 'No thanks I'm Buddhist'.

He said ' Jesus Christ is the only Lord and Saviour' as he starts following me.

Do you see the fatal flaw he made there?

(At this point in writing this, I can almost feel/hear my brother and sister back in Dublin cringing and start to feel sorry for the guy)

What did I say?

What the (expletive deleted) are you doing, you (humourous expletive deleted)? Get the hell away from me!

That's some bad karma I've collected there.

sounds like the monday movie quiz

Continuing the (almost) theme of music this week the Monday Movie Quiz is all about soundtracks.
If I was considerably more clever and tech savy I'd have put music clips for you to listen to and fancy stuff like that, instead,
I have listed the soundtrack titles and artists, as IMDb lists them. I have taken a few of the total giveaways out, but not too much.
Name the film.
updates:
1.
"The Killing Moon"Performed by Echo & The Bunnymen
"Lucid Memory"Written and Performed by Sam Bauer and Ged Bauer
"Head over Heels"Performed by Tears For Fears
"Lucid Assembly"Written and Performed by Ged Bauer and Mike Bauer
"Ave Maria"Written by Giulio Caccini and Paul Pritchard
"For Whom the Bell Tolls"Written by Stephen Baker (as Steve Baker) and Carmen Daye
"Show Me"Written by Quito Colayco and Tony Hertz
"Notorious"Performed by Duran Duran
"Proud To Be Loud"Performed by The Dead Green Mummies
"Love Will Tear Us Apart"Written and Performed by Joy Division
"Under the Milky Way"Performed by The Church .
"Mad World"Written by Roland Orzabal Performed by Gary Jules and Michael Andrews
"Stay"(Only in the Director's Cut)Written by Danny Elfman Performed by Oingo Boingo
"Never Tear Us Apart"(Director's Cut Only)INXS
Andrew got - Donnie Darko
2.
"Busy Child"Performed by Crystal Method
"Better Days (And The Bottom Drops Out)"Performed by John Benson Brooks Trio
"Low Rider"Performed by War
"Stop The Rock"Performed by Apollo Four Forty
"Painted On My Heart"Performed by The Cult
"Flower"Performed by Moby
"Da Rockwilder"Performed by Method Man and Redman
"Party Up (Up in Here)"Performed by DMX
"Been Caught Stealing"Performed by Jane's Addiction
"Ride on Josephine"Performed by George Thorogood and the Destroyers
"If Everybody Looked The Same"Performed by Groove Armada
"Roll All Day"Performed by Ice Cube
"Down"Written & Performed by BT
"Machismo' Performed by Gomez
"You Won't Fall'Written & Performed by Lori Carson
"Folsom Prison Blues"Written & Performed by Johnny Cash
"Rap"Performed by Groove Armada
"Too Sick to Pray"Performed by A3
"Leave Home"Performed by The Chemical Brothers
"Shine on Me"Performed by Torch Song
"Sugarless"Performed by CaviarContains a sample of "Pretty Ballerina"Performed by The Left Banke

3.
"Rodney Yates"Performed by David Holmes
"Cha Cha Cha"Performed by Jimmy Luxury and The Tommy Rome Orchestra
"The Projects (P Jays)"Performed by Handsome Boy Modeling School featuring De La Soul
"Papa Loves Mambo"Performed by Perry Como
"Take My Breath Away"Performed by Berlin
"Spirit in the Sky"Written and Performed by Norman Greenbaum
"Blues in the Night"Performed by Quincy Jones
"Caravan"Performed by Arthur Lyman
"A Little Less Conversation"Performed by Elvis Presley
"Gritty Shaker"Performed by David Holmes
"Spanish Flea"Performed by Powerpack Orchestra
"Clair de lune de la 'Suite Bergamasque' - Adante tres expressif"Performed by Philippe Entremont
"Misty"Performed by Liberace
"Dream, Dream, Dream"Performed by Percy Faith and His Orchestra
"Moon River"Performed by Liberace
"Theme From A Summer Place"Performed by Percy Faith and His Orchestra
"Theme For Young Lovers"Performed by Percy Faith and His Orchestra
"69 Police"Performed by David Holmes
E got - Ocean's Eleven
4.
"Iguazu"Written and Performed by Gustavo Santaolalla
"Only Love Can Conquer Hate"Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto
"Bibo No Aozora"Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto

5.
"Misirlou"Performed by Dick Dale & His Del-Tones
"Coffee Shop Music"Courtesy of Capitol/Ole Georg Music
"Jungle Boogie"Performed by Kool & The Gang
"Strawberry Letter #23"Performed by Brothers Johnson
"Bustin' Surfboards"Performed by The Tornadoes
"Let's Stay Together"Performed by Al Green
"Son Of A Preacher Man"Performed by Dusty Springfield
"Bullwinkle Part II"Performed by The Centurians
"Waitin' In School"Performed by Gary Shorelle
"Lonesome Town"Performed by Ricky Nelson
"Ace Of Spades"Performed by Link Wray
"Rumble"Performed by Link Wray And His Raymen
"Since I First Met You"Performed by The Robins
"Teenagers In Love"Performed by Woody Thorne
"You Never Can Tell"Performed by Chuck Berry
"Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon"Performed by Urge Overkill
"If Love Is A Red Dress (Hang Me In Rags)"Performed by Maria McKee
"Flowers On The Wall"Performed by The Statler Brothers
"Out Of Limits"Performed by The Marketts
"Surf Rider"Performed by The Lively Ones
"Comanche"Performed by The Revels
Aunty Helpful Dictator got- Pulp Fiction
6.
"NATURE BOY"Performed By John Leguizamo
"COMPLAINTE DE LA BUTTE"Performed by Rufus Wainwright
"CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION"Performed by Marius De Vries
"THE SOUND OF MUSIC"Performed by Ewan McGregor
"CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION"Performed by Ewan McGregor, Jacek Koman, Joh Leguizamo, Garry Macdonald, Kylie Minogue, Ozzy Osbourne and Matthew Whittet
"ZIDLER'S RAP "Performed by Jim Broadbent
"Lady Marmalade"Performed by Christina Aguilera, Kimberly 'Lil' Kim' Jones, Mya and Pink
"Smells Like Teen Spirit"Written by Kurt Cobain, Chris Novoselic and Dave Grohl
Because We Can"Performed by Fatboy Slim
"SPARKLING DIAMONDS (Medley)"Featuring:"Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend"Performed by Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, Natalie Mendoza, Lara Mulcahy and Caroline O'Connor "Material Girl"
"DIAMOND DOGS"Performed by Beck
"RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT"Performed by Valeria
"YOUR SONG"Performed by Ewan McGregor and Placido Domingo
"MEET ME IN THE RED ROOM"Performed by Amiel
"CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION"Performed by Bono, Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer
"GORECKI"Performed by Nicole Kidman
"COME WHAT MAY"Performed by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor
"LIKE A VIRGIN"Performed by Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh and Anthony Weigh
"FOOL TO BELIEVE"Performed by Nicole Kidman and Jim Broadbent
"THE SHOW MUST GO ON"Performed by Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent and Anthony Weigh
"NATURE BOY"Performed by David Bowie and Massive Attack
Aunty Helpful Dictator got- Moulin Rouge
7.
"The Girl from Ipanema"Music by Antonio Carlos Jobim Lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes English lyrics by Norman Gimbel
"Fandango"(1997)Written by Bob Bain
"Psycho (The Murder)"(1960)Written by Bernard Herrmann
"Beyond the Sea"(1945)Performed by Robbie Williams

8.
"Shook Ones Pt. II"Performed by Mobb Deep
"Survival Of The Fittest"Performed by Mobb Deep
"Unbelievable"Performed by The Notorious B.I.G.
"Times Up" Performed by O.C.
"Juicy"Performed by The Notorious B.I.G.
"Sweet Home Alabama"Performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Gotta Get Mine"Performed by MC Breed featuring 2Pac
"Insane In the Brain"Performed by Cypress Hill
"This Is How We Do It"Performed by Montell Jordan
"Gang Stories"Performed by South Central
"Feel Me Flow"Performed by Naughty By Nature
"Players Ball"Performed by Outkast
"I'll Be There For You"(Puff Daddy Remix)Performed by Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige
"Flight of the Bumblebee"Written by Nikolay Rimsky-KorsakovArranged by Walter W. Greene
"Shimmy Shimmy Ya"Performed by Ol' Dirty Bastard
"Bring the Pain"Performed by Method Man
"I Love You"Performed by Barney
"Runnin'"Performed by The Pharcyde
"Who Shot Ya"Performed by The Notorious B.I.G.
"C.R.E.A.M."Performed by Wu Tang Clan
"Temptations"Performed by 2Pac
"Next Level"(Nyte Time Mix)Performed by Showbiz & AG
"Player's Anthem"Performed by Junior M.A.F.I.A.
"Last Dayz"Performed by Onyx
"Lose Yourself"Performed by Eminem
Cristin got - 8 Mile

9.
"SHAKE YOUR MONEYMAKER"Performed by Elmore James
"SOOTHE ME"Performed by Sam and Dave
"HOLD ON! I'M A COMIN' "Performed by Sam and Dave
"BOOGIE CHILLUN"Performed by John Lee Hooker
"LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL"Performed by Louis Jordan
"YOUR CHEATIN' HEART"Performed by Kitty Wells
"ANEMA E CORE"Performed by Ezio Pinza
"THINK"(uncredited)Performed by Aretha Franklin
"SHAKE A TAIL FEATHER"(uncredited)Performed by Ray Charles
"GIMME SOME LOVIN'"
"MAIN THEME FROM 'RAWHIDE'
"STAND BY YOUR MAN"
"I'M WALKIN'"Performed by Fats Domino.
"MINNIE THE MOOCHER"Performed by Cab Calloway
"EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY TO LOVE"
"SWEET HOME CHICAGO"
"RIDE OF THE VALKYRIES"Performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
"HORST WESSEL LIED"(uncredited)Performed by an uncredited German Chorus
"BOOM BOOM"(uncredited)Written and Performed by John Lee Hooker
"I CAN'T TURN YOU LOOSE"(uncredited)Written by Otis Redding
"CUANDO, CUANDO, CUANDO"(uncredited)Performed by Murph & the MagicTones
"JUST THE WAY YOU ARE"(uncredited)Performed by unknown 'Muzak' band
"THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA"(uncredited)Performed by unknown 'Muzak' band
"SHE CAUGHT THE KATY"(uncredited)
"THE OLD LANDMARK"(uncredited)Performed by James Brown
"PETER GUNN THEME"(uncredited)
Aunty Helpful Dictator got- The Blues Brothers
10.
"Mr. Quiet"Performed by Technical Difficulties
" Welcome Song"Performed by Danny Elfman
"Good Morning Starshine"Written by Galt MacDermot, James Rado and Gerome Ragni
"Augustus Gloop"Music and vocals by Danny Elfman featuring The Alleyns School Brass Ensemble
"Violet Beauregarde"Music and vocals by Danny Elfman
"Veruca Salt"Music and vocals by Danny Elfman
"Macarena"(Bayside Boys Mix)Performed by Los del Rio
"Also Sprach Zarathustra"Performed by Die Wiener Philharmoniker
"Requiem for Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Two Mixed Choirs and Orchestra"Performed by hr-Sinfonieorchester, Frankfurt
"Mike Teavee"Music and vocals by Danny Elfman
Will and Aunty Helpful Dictator got- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

post 222

Somehow I have ranted and rambled and waffled and carped and prattled on for 221 posts.
So, now for a little test to see if anyone is still awake. One of the following statments about me is false, can you spot the bogus, concocted, erroneous, fake?

1. I once did a firewalk. Barefoot over 20 feet of red hot burning embers. And I walked slowly and didn't get burnt.
2. I once got locked in at work. It was late and most people had left, I put my keys on my desk while I went to the bathroom and got locked out when someone else thought everyone was gone.
3. I once got locked in at Highgate Cemetery. Strolling around one Sunday afternoon, didn't realise how late it was, gates were locked.
4. I still don't really get left/right. I have to look at my hands to know which is which. Every time.
5. When I worked as a kitchen assistant at various Dublin events I once chopped a good portion of my thumbnail into the lettuce and the chef still made me use it.

if I had a million dollars, I'd go again

I took lots of pictures of the snow and if Mr. eh hadn't borrowed the camera before I downloaded them you'd be able to see for yourself.

They tell me we had 11cm of snow, looked and felt like more to me, but that's why I'm not on the TV doing the weather reports.

Still minus something-teen here most days too, and who else but a Canadian band would think that this is the perfect time to go on tour?

The Barenaked Ladies have been around, as Ed pointed out, for almost 20 years and I have liked their clever/funny/sad lyrics for about 10 years.

Despite booking the tickets ages ago our seats at the Air Canada Centre were a bit disappointing so it was a good job that the band were so good as that took my mind off the fact that we were sat almost at the top of a very high and steep cliff.

By a strange coincidence their new video features some of the 'internet superstars' that I talked about yesterday, including Matt dancing, the mentos and diet coke guys and 'numa numa'. You'd think I planned this or something.

friday found

I have had a link to Matt 'Where the hell is Matt', that dancing guy on my side bar for a while now and the reason I'm mentioning it now is he has been asked to take part in a Vh1 "40 Greatest Internet Superstars".read it here.
I love his dancing videos because he can't dance and he knows it but that doesn't stop him.
Some of the other internet superstars up for the vote are also well worth a look.
The Evolution of Dance guy was everywhere a couple of months ago and I've seen a few of the others before too, some of them are well, full blown crazy.

Is Valentines day on the 14th this year?

The shops have barely taken the tinsel down, in fact one place last week had the tinsel draped over the Valentines cards and the Easter eggs.
In the post box for me this morning, yet another letter for someone who hasn't lived here for years (no wonder the post takes so long, everything is delivered a couple of times) and two of the many pieces of junk mail theat I get every day.
Inside the menu for Dominos pizza was a flyer for the local gym for a free trial. So, was it clever marketing or a funny coincidence that the two were combined like that?

Monday Movie Quiz

Sort of in the spirit of six degrees this weeks Monday Movie Quiz is all about connections.
Name the actor/actress who links the films.
Update:


1. Scream 2,
The Matrix Reloaded and
Collateral. yyyyyE got -Jada Pinkett Smith

2. Collateral,
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and
Rumor Has It... yyyyyE got- Mark Ruffalo

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Sin City,
Everything Is Illuminated and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Aunty Helpful Dictator got- Elijah Wood

4. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,
The Curse of Frankenstein and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. yyyyy E got- Christoper Lee

5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow, Donnie Brasco and
Ed Wood. E got- Johnny Depp

6. Ed Wood, Full Metal Jacket, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and The Cell.

7. The Cell, Zoolander, Wedding Crashers and Starsky & Hutch.

8. Starsky & Hutch, Armageddon, Wedding Crashers and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

9. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Notes on a Scandal and The Good German. Aunty Helpful Dictator got- Cate Blanchett

10. The Good German, Seabiscuit, Spiderman and Wonder Boys.
Aunty Helpful Dictator got - Tobey Maguire
11. Wonder Boys, A Scanner Darkly and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Good Night, and Good Luck.
Aunty Helpful Dictator got-Robert Downey Jr
12. Good Night, and Good Luck., South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut and Out of Sight.yyyyy Sandra got- George Clooney

13. Out of Sight, Mission: Impossible series and Pulp Fiction.yyyyy E got- Ving Rhames

14. Pulp Fiction, Unbreakable, Snakes on a Plane and Kill Bill: Vol. 2. E got- Samuel L Jackson

15. Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Sin City, Thelma and Louise and Reservoir Dogs. E got- Michael Madsen

friday found on the interwebs

I'm sure everyone has heard of six degrees of separation.
There was a play which was made into a not very good film and then of course there is the Kevin Bacon game.
Well now Kevin Bacon has set up a charity website based on the whole idea and the total donations are alreadyover $100,000.
All good.
There is also the chance to get up to $10,000 for your charity if you are quick. The site will match donations up to that maximum if you raise the most.

UoooPS

From the UPS website:
2005 Revenue: $42.6 billion
Employees: 427,700 Worldwide (360,600 U.S.; 67,100 International)
Package Operations
2005 Delivery Volume: 3.75 billion packages and documents
Daily Delivery Volume: 14.8 million packages and documents
Daily U.S. Air Volume: 2.2 million packages and documents
Daily International Volume: 1.5 million packages and documents
Service Area: More than 200 countries and territories; every address in North America and EuropeCustomers: 7.9 million daily (1.8 million pick-up, 6.1 million delivery)
and
Canada Delivery Fleet: 2,521 (package cars, tractor, vans and trailers)
All sounds quite impressive doesn't it? even if they do have those nasty brown uniforms.
So with all these resources, expertise and experience in delivering packages, is it unreasonable of me to expect them to deliver a package?

A week ago, Susie-from-UPS left a message on my phone. They had tried to deliver a package to my old address only to be told that we had moved so she proceeds to ask me to call back, and recites a tracking number for me. This tracking number is 19 digits long. Seriously.
My dyslexia makes it difficult for me to follow a standard phone number of 7 or more numbers so 19 is just taking the piss. I listened to the message three times and still couldn't get it.
I rang them back and explained that I'd got this message and that I didn't have a complete tracking number. (had to own up to the dyslexia at that point)
Now, the apartment block we used to live in was, I think, 21 floors, with several apartments per floor. Even so, realistically, how many packages would UPS be delivering there in one day?
Let's be generous and say - 10.
How many to the fifteenth floor?
Again, on the generous side - 2.
So why is it if I can give them the full address, including postcode and apartment number, and at least a third of the tracking number, why can't they find the package?
I leave my phone number (which they already had, remember) and new address and wait for them to get back to me "by tomorrow".
5 days later I decide to phone them back.
It was like a time warp.
Same questions all over again. When I pointed out to Richard that I had already given all these details to his co-worker several days ago all I got was one of those nervous laughs.
Next day, pounding on the front door.
Before I can open the door all the way I can see the nasty brown uniform as it disappears back in to the nasty brown van. He just left the package on the door step.

if I build the monday movie quiz, they will come

Breaking news......last night there was an American football game played in a secret location.

You probably didn't hear about it as there was no hype or fuss.

I was, well cheering is not quite the right word as I didn't watch much of the game, but I did want the Chicago Bears to win, and well, not so much. So moving swiftly along, the theme for this weeks Monday Movie Quiz was inspired by sport. I know, honestly, pretty much nothing about sport, but I do know that Chess is not a sport and IMHO neither is cheerleading, so no questions about either of those, some other questions have been included which you may not consider sports, that's fine, you don't have to consider them real sports, it's not like anyone cares.


Anyway
Update

1. Name the film from the picture:





Taffy got -Wimbledon

2.

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Will got- Kingpin

wwwwill got - Kingpinddd

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3.


Swearing Lady got- Belleville Rendez-Vous

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4. Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Martin Scorsese team up in Raging Bull, a story based on what boxer? Taffy got- Jake La Motta

5. Which comedy great played 18 holes with the Dalai Lama? Taffy got-Bill Murray

6. Which one of these movies doesn't have any football in it? Will got - d

a.The Last Boy Scout
b.The Faculty
c. Invincible
d.Trick question: There's a bit of football in all of them

7. Which one of these movies doesn't star NFL hall of famer/ part-time murderer/actor O.J. Simpson ? Will got - d

a.Capricorn One
b.The Towering Inferno
c.The Naked Gun
d.The Hand

8. Which one of these movies isn't about basketball? Taffy got - d

a.White Men Can't Jump
b. Space Jam
c. Coach Carter
d. The Longest Yard

9. Name the film the following quotes are taken from:
a. There's no crying in baseball. Taffy got- A League of Their Own
b. Let me remind you all of one thing: this is not a game we are playing for fun and entertainment - this is a fight we must win.
c. I don't train girls. Will got - Million Dollar Baby
d. God made countries, God makes kings, and the rules by which they govern. And those rules say that the Sabbath is His. And I for one intend to keep it that way. Taffy got- Charoits of Fire
e. Our Father, who art in Calgary, Bobsled be thy name. Thy kingdom come, gold medals won, on Earth as it is in Turn Seven. With Liberty and Justice for Jamaica and Haile Selassie. Amen. Taffy got - Cool Runnings

10. Name the American football film from the cast list:

a. Al Pacino, Dennis Quaid, Cameron Diaz, James Woods, Jamie Foxx and LL Cool J. Taffy got -Any Given Sunday

b. Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates and Fairuza Balk. Taffy got - The Waterboy

c. Keanu Reeves, Gene Hackman, Brooke Langton and Orlando Jones. Taffy got -The Replacements

d. Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, James Mason, Charles Grodin, Dyan Cannon, Buck Henry, Vincent Gardenia and Jack Warden. and Taffy got - Heaven Can Wait

so much for groundhogs

Weather warning from Environment Canada
Wind chill warning for:City of Toronto
WIND CHILL VALUES OF MINUS 30 EXPECTED ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHERN ONTARIO TONIGHT AND VALUES NEAR MINUS 40 OVER PORTIONS OF EASTERN ONTARIO TONIGHT. THIS IS A WARNING THAT EXTREME WIND CHILL CONDITIONS ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.

Groundhog day

Today is Groundhog Day.

Good news, Punxsutawnay Phil says to expect an early spring.

But, maybe I should be listening to Wiarton Willie.

According to Wiki: The story of Wiarton Willie dates back to 1956. A Wiarton resident named Mac McKenzie wanted to showcase his childhood home to his many friends, so he sent out invitations for a "Groundhog Day" gathering. One of these invitations fell into the hands of a Toronto Star reporter. The reporter travelled to Wiarton looking for the Groundhog Day event. None of the townspeople knew about a festival, but one suggested he check at the Arlington Hotel, the local watering hole. There the reporter found McKenzie and his friends partying and was invited to join them. The next day, the reporter lamented to McKenzie that he needed some kind of story to take back to justify his expenses. So McKenzie grabbed his wife's fur hat, which had a large button on the front, trooped out into the parking lot, dug a burrow in the snow and pronounced a prognostication (which no one remembers). The picture of Mac and the hat ran in the February 3, 1956 edition of the Toronto Star. A year later, about 50 people arrived for the festival. Half were reporters from various media, including the CBC and Canadian Press. Seizing on the opportunity, McKenzie invented a festival that has been added to over the years.
Wiarton Willie himself is a more recent addition to the festivities. In the early years, prognostication was provided by the "mythical" trio of groundhogs Grundoon, Muldoon and Sand Dune. Willie appeared on the scene in the 1980s.
Wiarton Willie's predictive powers are attributed (by his followers) to his situation on the 45th parallel, exactly halfway between the Equator and the North Pole. He is claimed locally to be accurate in his prognostications around 90 per cent of the time, although scientific studies show groundhog predictions to have a success rate of more like 37 per cent.

His prediction is for spring too.

give the woman a medal.

Further proof, as if any was needed than Sandra over here is a lovely and well-brought up young woman.
She sat on my sofa, drinking her tea and showed no signs of fear at all the George Clooney paraphernalia around the house. The fridge magnets, the mug, coasters, key-ring and magazines.
And then there was the movie collection.
All the usual stuff is there, Oceans, Perfect Storm, Oh Brother etc, but my level of interest means I also have copies of Combat Academy, Red Surf, The Magic Bubble ,and (have I no shame...) Return of the Killer Tomatoes, in which George says one of the all time great movie quotes: That's the bravest thing I ever saw a tomato do.
She even sat through whole minutes of these films.