I dont understand the word sanction. Or rather, I understand the word, but dont understand why there are seemingly two conflicting meanings. As a verb, it means to approve as in an officially sanctioned tournament. As a noun, it means to disapprove as in we dont want Iran making nuclear weapons so we impose sanctions on them. Am I the only one who is vexed by this? I think we should get some impose some sanctioned sanctions on whoever came up with these definitions.
Informal Thickets Plans
Informal Thickets Plans
Over the past couple of years I have worked with Stephane on a Thickets DVD. This was something I dreamt up after Spaceship Zero was released, during our last 2 Canada tours I thought it might be a good project to sate the fans until we released a new CD. The project has had a few pitfalls including exploding computers and personal laziness. When I first came up with the project I thought it would just be a video that I could dub at home. Then Stephane got the technology on his computer to forge DVDs which is now of course quite common. Now that there is a coalescing fourth CD album in the works, it crossed my mind that we could put the DVD in with the CD (hey, theyre the same size and shape!) just like Queens of the Stone Ages album Songs for the Deaf. Since all of our songs are going to end up on Napster2006 regardless of how we release the album, it seems to me a good way to go to get people interested in purchasing the physical product and since the idea has been brought up by others during the recent discussion (on 2 blogs, 1 mailing list and 1 online forum) about free downloads it seems to be a winning concept. Add to this the serendipity of Adam from VFS approaching me with an offer to produce a media package for the band as his school project. This means I was able to drop all of Stephanes previously captured video footage and a bagful of VHS tapes on this fine fellow who is committing several hours of his week to produce a final DVD for us, among other things. Bonanza! Of course nothing is final and there are official decisions to be made regarding how, when, where, why, what and who the next album will be released, but it certainly provides us with more options. In short: start saving your pennies for some kind of 2006 release.
Around This Time Last Year
Around This Time Last Year
I save calendars. At the end of the year I take down the calendar from my wall and put it on the pile. Years later Ill look at my 2005 calendar and say wow or maybe bollocks or perhaps mewt because it will be 2015 and thats the new cool thing to say. Around this time last year I was getting Converse All-Star Chuck Taylor shoes in the mail, and my Tomorrowland DVD which I still cherish. Planning for the Saturday Morning Cartoon Party. Visiting Aberdeen mall (its already been a year?) and the peelers. Marlo was learning how to DM (hey .). Playing Star Trek: DS9 the rpg. The plush beholder doll came out. Saw House of Flying Daggers. I tried a MacDonalds deli sandwich to much disappointment. I was defending my cheapness.
Superman dream!
I had a dream this morning that there was a new Superman movie that I was watching. Superman was also the president and he had some kind of cybernetic arm. The movie started out with Superman chained down and this house-sized chunk of kryptonite suspended over his head while the vice-president traitor!!!- monologued to him. After the VP left, Superman managed to through sheer strength of will bust out of his chains but the effort and the kryptonite left his skin scarred as if it was burned. There was other stuff too he was in a car wearing a hat and sunglasses trying to decide what to do basically it turned into a revenge and redemption story. Superman was played by Bruce Willis.
Lord of the Brush
LORD OF THE BRUSH
Documentary on LORD OF THE RINGS artist John Howe
Saturday, January 21 at 7 pm, Tinseltown Cinemas
Presented by Moving Pictures: Canadian Films on Tour
Best known for his detailed illustrations of J.R.R. Tolkiens Middle-earth mythology, British Columbian John Howe is greatly responsible for the look of The Lord of the Rings movies. This thoughtful documentary sheds lights on Howes childhood growing up in the small rural town of Keremeos, British Columbia. It also offers a trove of Lord of the Rings analysis with ecological interpretations of the original books and how West Coast geography seeped (via Howe) into our idea of what Middle-earth should look like. Directed by Gretchen Jordan-Bastow, and presented as part of Moving Pictures: Canadian Films on Tour. For more info: www.movingpictures.ca or (604) 681-4549.
Also of interest: RHINOCEROS EYES by Aaron Woodley
A stunning directorial debut that evokes classic surrealistic films from Eraserhead to Edward Scissorhands, Rhinoceros Eyes is the hallucinatory black comedy revolving around Chep (Michael Pitt), a young, reclusive prop-house employee who falls in love with a detail-obsessed movie production designer named Fran (Paige Turco: TV shows The Agency). Fran’s need for authentic props sends Chep to great and questionable lengths as he tries to satisfy her requests, and ultimately…win her heart. Rhinoceros Eyes premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2003 and won the prestigious Discovery Award. Sunday, January 22 at 9 pm, Tinseltown Cinemas.
NIGHTMARE IN CANADA: HORROR IN CANADIAN FILM by Jennifer Adcock
A must see documentary for horror fans. Nightmare in Canada provides a refreshing, entertaining look at the story of Canadas horror film industry. While Hollywood horror movies are usually obsessed with monsters and masked madmen, Canadian horror tends to be more story and character driven focusing on themes like man against nature and fighting the evil that comes from within. Interviews with a wide range of guests will examine the phenomenon of Canadas horror film legacy as favourite moments are shared and the best and strangest moments from films such as “Black Christmas”, “Shivers”, “The Changeling”, “Ginger Snaps”, “Cannibal Girls” (staring Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin) and Julian Roffmans 1961 cult classic, “The Mask” are shown. Friday, January 20 at 9 pm, Tinseltown Cinemas.
MOVING PICTURES: CANADIAN FILMS ON TOUR. Bringing Canadian films and creative talent to your community. Watch it. Celebrate it. Learn about it. For more info: www.movingpictures.ca or (604) 681-4549. Advance tickets at Biz Books (302 West Cordova Street) or Tinseltown Cinemas.
milquetoast: a timid, meek, or unassertive person
On Monday I went to see Goodnight and Good Luck with Stephane at the VanEast Theater. Stephane runs their website so he gets to see movies for free (and a friend too). It was pretty interesting and well done. It wasnt mind-blowing or anything but its worth seeing. Its all about McCarthyism and the media, its in black and white, and its got the crazy dad from Twin Peaks (and George Clooney). I took Stephane to a falafel place down the street, he had never had one, nor had he had a shawarma (which I now prefer over falafel). Now he is a shawarma convert. I think the meal that most satisfies me is a good shawarma and a taro bubble tea (milkshake/slush). I got my drink (apple juice) at the theater, however, because I wanted to support the theater (seeing as I was getting in free and all). Its an independently run theater and they do have some good films from time to time (our asses were too sore from the seats, however, to stay for Capote).
Three short news items
In Oklahoma City an anti-gay activist Baptist pastor and member of the Southern Baptist Convention’s executive committee was arrested after he propositioned a male undercover policeman for sex.
A man in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, caught a mouse and threw it into a pile of burning leaves; the mouse, on fire, ran back into the man’s house, which then burned down.
A woman in Vancouver, British Columbia, pleaded guilty to poisoning the trees in front of her condominium to improve her view of the ocean. [My dad used to just cut them down the old fashioned way]
Living in our age of digital downloads…
Someone asked this question:
“What would it take for you to put out your next album as officially mastered files (mp3, ogg, etc) that anyone could freely download or share across P2P networks? Basically, if someone was to approach you with a check that was cashable as soon as you released those files to the public, what would the amount on it have to be? What other considerations would need to be made? I understand that Divine Industries owns all the “mechanical” rights to your songs, and this would not preclude them from pressing and selling physical albums. It would also not interfere with any royalties you receive for song use, as you could retain control over all “commercial” use rights.”
I’m interested in getting input, feedback, yelling, about this idea. I mean besides “yeah that would be rad”, I’m interested in if anyone has any insight as to the pitfalls and perks of this kind of a deal in our modern age of digital downloads….
I love this link is called "French Complaints"
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/01/06/french-complaints060106.html
Oh those crazy French! Now I can be a language snob at times (its cool not kewl, and its you are not UR, and dont even get me started on l33t), and I do appreciate the way things used to be in terms of language. I like using old words and old phrases because its romantic and/or entertaining. But, like Marlo says, languages evolve, and you cant stop it. You can slow it down, but its just delaying the inevitable. Language is obviously tied in with every other human interaction and if youre going to restrict yourself with language, youre going to restrict yourself with business and every other kind of growth. Well maybe thats what Quebec wants, and if so keep up the good work.
Yummy Asian Candies
Marlo brought a number of exotic treats back from China for me. Some of them were gruesome, but some of them were wonderful and the best candies Ive ever had! Lots of jelly/gummy treats including some that were packaged in tiny little balloons tied with a rubber band, some very good quality chocolates, and a candy that seemed to be hard crystallized honey with a liquid honey center. There were also marshmallow discs with various pudding, chocolate or fruit jelly centers. Im going to have to look for my favourites next time Im at T&T. There was one brand of little cubes of various flavours that were covered in chocolate powder and they were m good.