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February 2008 Archives
We Are The Ones
Published by Toronto Mike on February 29, 2008 @ 19:52 in Politics
"Yes, We Can" packed a more powerful punch, in my opinion, because it was pinned upon a Barack Obama speech, but I will admit the background O-BAM-A here is pretty catchy. Any way you slice it, Hillary is in some serious trouble, and so is John McCain.
The Love Guru Trailer
Published by Toronto Mike on February 29, 2008 @ 19:14 in Toronto Maple Leafs
Here's the trailer which is full of that glorious Maple Leaf logo. It appears the Leafs are one player away from the Stanley Cup, so we know it's fiction. Do I smell an Oscar?
Different Strokes Decorate Our Blogosphere
Published by Toronto Mike on February 29, 2008 @ 18:07 in Humble and Fred, My 2 Cents
Exactly one hour earlier, Howard Glassman, the other half of Humble & Fred, wrote an entry on his blog that pokes fun at his blogging style. Beneath a cartoon with the caption "I have nothing to say, I say it regularly", he wrote the following.
Those two entries say everything about the blogging styles of these two radio personalities. Fred spends a great deal of time and effort managing his blog entries, touching on current events and expressing pointed opinions on various and sundry items of the day. Howard, I know for a fact, prides himself on how little effort he devotes to his entries. He throws down what he terms "drivel", which is stream of consciousness thoughts about whatever and "what I had for breakfast this morning" type tidbits. Howard is also a fan of OPC, or "Other People's Content" in which he'll toss up a YouTube clip he received from a reader or borrowed from another blog, usually this one. Fred rarely does that. The blogosphere has room for both styles. I love reading Fred's opinions on heavier topics, even though we rarely agree with one another, and I love reading Howard's humourous drivel and quirky observations. Fred's blog can be some pretty heavy lifting and Howard's blog is an easy and breezy read. They complement each other perfectly, which might explain why their on air chemistry isn't matched by any morning show currently airing in this city. As for me, I like to think I swing both ways. But make no mistake about it, it's still all about Mike.
The Best Kenny Rogers Songs
Published by Toronto Mike on February 29, 2008 @ 13:27 in Friday Fives
Nelson Liriano: More Triples Than Homers
Published by Toronto Mike on February 29, 2008 @ 13:07 in Toronto Blue Jays
In the years before the trade that brought Roberto Alomar to town, second base was occupied by Neson Liriano and Manny Lee. Liriano and Lee platooned at the position after Damaso Garcia was shipped to the Braves in 1987. Nelson Liriano actually retired with more triples than home runs. He was a stereotypical light hitting infielder whose claim to fame was a one-out triple in the ninth on April 23, 1989. That triple broke up a Nolan Ryan no-hit bid. Needless to say, Robbie Alomar was one hell of an upgrade.
Chuck Cadman Couldn't Be Bought By Conservatives
Published by Toronto Mike on February 29, 2008 @ 09:00 in Politics
Here's a taste of what I wrote that day:
Chuck Cadman passed away that summer and now his wife Dona, in a forthcoming book, Like A Rock: The Chuck Cadman Story, alleges the Conservatives offered Chuck Cadman a million-dollar life insurance policy in exchange for his vote. Cadman's daughter, Jodi, corroborated her mother's story, saying her father discussed the offer with her and her mother because he couldn't talk about it publicly. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is in full denial mode even though there is an audio copy of an interview between him and the book's author, Tom Zyturuk. Here's a transcript from the CBC.
The shit's really starting to hit the fan now. Following Adscam, Harper is trying to present himself as Mr. Clean, but there's a lot of smoke here for there to be no fire. Cadman was in the last stages of terminal cancer and Harper needed his vote, but an indecent, unethical and illegal offer of a million dollars couldn't taint the Surrey, British Columbia MP's integrity. Cadman couldn't be bought, and in the end, he very well may help defeat Harper's Conservatives once more. There really should be a Chuck Cadman Day.
Many Michael Smiths
Published by Toronto Mike on February 28, 2008 @ 19:30 in Miscellaneous
As a Mike, I probably take better note of all the Mike's I encounter or hear about, but off the top of my head I know several Michael or Mike Smiths. Michael's are everywhere, and Smith's are everywhere, so it only makes sense that this would be a super popular name. Check out the Wikipedia disambiguation page for Michael or Mike Smith. There are 54 worthy of a Wikipedia page. That's incredible. Goalie Mike Smith is merely one third of the Great Canadian trifecta of Mike Smiths, which also includes decathlete Mike Smith and Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys.
A Quaker Oatmeal Ad That Must Have Worked
Published by Toronto Mike on February 28, 2008 @ 13:14 in Memories
Today I'm posting an ad from 1983 for Quaker Oatmeal. I was nine years old in 1983 and I remember this ad like it was yesterday. These Quaker instant hot cereal packages were in my home growing up, and I loved the regular flavour with a little 2% milk and some brown sugar sprinkled on top. I was eating this stuff in 1983 and I'm still eating it today. As I type this I can see a box of Quaker oatmeal on my desk. This box is maple & brown sugar flavour, which didn't exist back in 1983. Still, it's safe to say this ad worked and now I'll be singing that damn song for the rest of the day.
Maple Leafs 4, Panthers 3
Published by Toronto Mike on February 28, 2008 @ 09:11 in Toronto Maple Leafs
Jeremy Williams has played three NHL games in his career, all with the Leafs and each one separated by months in the AHL. He debuted on April 18, 2006, played his second game on February 26, 2007 and he played his third game in last night's thrilling comeback victory. Each game has been about a year apart and each game has featured a goal by this native of Glenavon, Saskatchewan. Three games, three years, three goals.
I'll Be the Edge Web Guy
Published by Toronto Mike on February 27, 2008 @ 19:32 in Edge 102 ~ CFNY
Corus Radio, I'd be more than happy to be your Edge webmaster. I know web technologies, e-marketing and music. Contact me if you want to chat about it. I first noticed the error below yesterday, but this flyer was still staring me in the face earlier today when I was trying to buy tickets. There was a Tuesday, February 26 and a Wednesday, February 27, but there ain't no Wednesday, February 26.
John Cerutti: Gone Too Soon
Published by Toronto Mike on February 27, 2008 @ 19:13 in Toronto Blue Jays
This is a tough one, because John Cerutti left us far too soon. As a Jays pitcher, I remember him as a serviceable, steady arm, but nothing spectacular. He's probably best known for recording the first Blue Jays win at SkyDome back on June 7, 1989. He was to broadcast the last game of the 2004 season when he was found dead in his hotel room. I labelled our 2004 season the season from hell. In fact, it's my least favourite Blue Jays season ever, and Cerutti's death is a big reason why.
William F. Buckley Jr., Rest in Peace
Published by Toronto Mike on February 27, 2008 @ 12:10 in Celebrity Deaths
Stone Temple Pilots - Big Empty
Published by Toronto Mike on February 27, 2008 @ 11:14 in Weekly MP3s
Stone Temple Pilots - Big Empty
CBC's Sunday Night Lineup in 1983
Published by Toronto Mike on February 26, 2008 @ 19:36 in Memories, Television
For most of my adult life, Fox has been my home on Sunday nights. Anchored by The Simpsons, there have been other shows I've enjoyed, from Arrested Development to Family Guy. As a kid in the early and mid-80s, CBC was my home on Sunday nights. It was Disney at 6pm and then Fraggle Rock. And yes, I even watched The Beachcombers. That rascally old Relic! Here's Bruno Gerussi introducing the CBC Sunday night lineup in 1983. I've corresponded with Mr. WNED17 via email, and he's become a regular witness to these entries in which I re-purpose his content. His name is Ed and he's got 1000s of old Beta tapes he's combing through, but he's struggling with the YouTube upload times. I've requested some more 80s Toronto sports clips and he's promised me some 1983 City TV sports coverage action. Thanks, Ed!
I'm Such A Fool
Published by Toronto Mike on February 26, 2008 @ 16:33 in Toronto Maple Leafs
It turns out I paid three people to alert me to blockbusters involving Wade Belak, Hal Gill and Chad Kilger. As I said, I'm a fool.
Chad Kilger Traded to Florida
Published by Toronto Mike on February 26, 2008 @ 15:53 in Toronto Maple Leafs
Chad Kilger has been traded to the Florida Panthers for a 3rd round pick. Kilger did alright for a guy we picked up on waivers back in 2004, he just needed to shoot more. He has the unofficial record for hardest shot ever, having been clocked at 106.6 mph back in 2006. That beat Al Iafrate's old mark of 105.2 mph.
Hal Gill Traded to Pittsburgh
Published by Toronto Mike on February 26, 2008 @ 15:08 in Toronto Maple Leafs
Hal Gill, a defenseman in his first season with the Leafs, is off to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2nd and 5th round pick. It's after 3pm. We'll see if anything else trickles down, but it looks like that's it. I was really hoping Bryan McCabe would go for a bag of pucks.
Wade Belak Traded to Florida
Published by Toronto Mike on February 26, 2008 @ 11:25 in Toronto Maple Leafs
Wade Belak has been traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 5th round pick in 2008. Belak was in his 7th season with the Leafs during which time he scored a whopping six goals. Needless to say, he wasn't kept around for his scoring touch.
Edgefest 2008: Call It A Comeback
Published by Toronto Mike on February 26, 2008 @ 09:59 in Edge 102 ~ CFNY
I used to love these things. There were big lineups and solid headliners and they usually held it at Molson Park in Barrie, my favourite concert venue. The last Edgefest I attended was 2003's Farewell to Molson Park. The Tragically Hip headlined and they were supported by CanCon heavyweights Our Lady Peace, Sloan and others. It was awesome, but the very next year's lineup was so horrible, it threatened to destroy the franchise. You can read my reaction to learning the 2004 Edgefest lineup here. Good Charlotte, the epitome of all that is wrong with popular music today, was scheduled to headline. This set off a string of email exchanges between CFNY Program Director Alan Cross and myself. I wasn't so upset at the fact I hated the headlining band, I was more disturbed by the hypocrisy of it all considering 102.1 wouldn't even play Good Charlotte. The lineup for Edgefest 2005 wasn't much better, and by 2006 this once great event was evoking yawns from old fogies like me. I like to think I played a small role in the cancellation of last year's Edgefest and the vastly improved lineup this year. Yes, I'm that egotistical. On July 12th at Downsview Park, Edgefest 2008 will feature Stone Temple Pilots, Linkin Park, Sam Roberts and more. Once I know the more, I'll throw that info in the comments. This is an Edgefest I'd attend, and I haven't said that in five years. I'm pretty sure Good Charlotte won't be on the bill...
Maple Leafs 5, Senators 0
Published by Toronto Mike on February 26, 2008 @ 08:50 in Toronto Maple Leafs
This was our Stanley Cup. No, it's not quite as exciting, and there's no parade or accolades or even an actual Stanley Cup, but we'll take what we can get.
Foxboro Hot Tubs - Mother Mary
Published by Toronto Mike on February 25, 2008 @ 22:28 in SLS ~ Smells Like Sour
Who are the Foxboro Hot Tubs? The smart money is on Green Day. They sound an awful lot like Green Day and there are rumours on the Internets. After hearing this song, I'm wondering if Green Day has been listening to a lot of The Fratellis lately, particularly "Flathead". "Mother Mary" and "Flathead" are awfully similar...
Loyalty Personified
Published by Toronto Mike on February 25, 2008 @ 21:00 in Toronto Maple Leafs
Mats has made his decision and I'm trying to move on, but an email I got from my brother earlier today has me bothered. Ryan wrote, "Why is Sundin doing this???" I replied with the following:
Ryan's reply is what has me upset. Ryan wrote, "How can he defend this? I respect the guys like Doug Weight more in this day and age where the game is about business." Ryan isn't the only one with such an opinion. It saddens me that so many see Mats' refusal to waive his no-trade clause as a sign of disloyalty or worse. I commend Mats for what he's done, and although the fan in me would love to see him traded for youth and draft picks, the human in me is glad there are still people like Mats Sundin in professional sports. Sometimes, it's not about business, and thank heavens for that.
Falling Slowly Redeems Oscar
Published by Toronto Mike on February 25, 2008 @ 19:44 in Music
Three of the five songs were just awful. Not average or mediocre but awful. "Happy Working Song", "So Close" and "That's How You Know" from Enchanted were so unappealing, I don't know how they got nominated. A little better was "Raise It Up" from August Rush. It wasn't anything special, but it didn't suck. Buried in the rubble, however, was a wonderful gem of a song by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. "Falling Slowly", from Once, was a stunning little composition that completely stole the show. If you missed it, here's the performance from last night.
Out Like Buster Douglas
Published by Toronto Mike on February 25, 2008 @ 16:52 in Memories
In 1991, I was a huge fan of The Low End Theory, an album by A Tribe Called Quest. During one track, "Vibes and Stuff", Phife Dawg says "I'm out like Buster Douglas". A huge Mike Tyson fan at the time, I was still stinging from the shocking Buster Douglas knock-out in 1990. In his very next fight, Douglas was knocked out in the 3rd round by Evander Holyfield and Buster never boxed again. Here's the scene from February 11, 1990 in Tokyo, Japan. Tyson was out like Buster Douglas.
Jimmy Kimmel Is F**king Ben Affleck
Published by Toronto Mike on February 25, 2008 @ 11:58 in Miscellaneous
And yes, I wrote "retorted".
Move Along, There's Nothing To See Here
Published by Toronto Mike on February 25, 2008 @ 11:33 in Toronto Maple Leafs
I'm giving Sundin a pass, because he's the classiest athlete to play in this city since Pinball, but why the hell did JFJ give these other guys no-trade clauses? These contracts will anchor our rebuilding process and make Uncle Cliffy's job all but impossible. Welcome to the winter of our discontent.
Marlies Bobblehead Blast
Published by Toronto Mike on February 24, 2008 @ 20:15 in Toronto Marlies
Firstly, there isn't a bad seat in the building. I've sat close to the top, in a box and now three rows behind the goaltender, and the sight lines are awesome. I could practically whisper in Scott Clemmensen's ear today. Secondly, the vibe is always really fun. Those in attendance are genuine hockey fans who really get into the game. I was part of a franchise record crowd today, as we all got Tomas Kaberle bobblehead dolls. Tomas freakin' Kaberle. That's awesome. Thirdly, the calibre of hockey is very good. The Marlies are having a fantastic season and have a legitimate chance of winning the Calder Cup. We didn't get the win today, but it was a one goal game with less than a minute to play and another great game. And finally, I can actually enjoy a Marlies game with my son. Getting tickets to Leafs games is a near impossibility and when you do get a ticket, you usually end up going with another adult. It's different with the Marlies. A 4pm start is prefect for a six year old, Duke the Dog covers every inch of the arena and tickets are affordable and aplenty. Go Marlies Go!
Vacancy
Published by Toronto Mike on February 24, 2008 @ 09:07 in Reviews
I was going to give "Vacancy" a 5, but Taryn liked it so much, I've bumped it up a notch. On the positive side of the ledger, it's only 85 minutes long, although I thought that was still a little lengthy for this film. It's dark and creepy, but I never felt scared I just wanted to feel a little scared.
Maple Leafs 3, Thrashers 1
Published by Toronto Mike on February 24, 2008 @ 08:37 in Toronto Maple Leafs
In Mats own words:
It's Ok, You Know I Love You Anyway
Published by Toronto Mike on February 23, 2008 @ 18:40 in Toronto Maple Leafs
I'm not suggesting Mats Sundin is Bob Gainey, Mats certainly doesn't have the Stanley Cup rings, but Mats is the closest thing we have to a Bob Gainey. He's our Bob Gainey. I said this late last year in Mats, We Love You, Now Go!, but on this night it needs to be said again. Mats, it's ok. A loyal captain, I sense you're prepared to go down with the ship. This is a great quality, but this is one instance when we won't judge your loyalty should you agree to play elsewhere. In fact, as a life-long Leafs fan who has written 684 entries filed under Toronto Maple Leafs, I believe permitting Uncle Cliffy to move you to a contender will be viewed by Leafs Nation as a martyr-like sacrifice. It's ok, it's ok, you know I love you anyway.
Watch Time Bandits Here (In Its Entirety)
Published by Toronto Mike on February 23, 2008 @ 15:49 in Movies
The entire film can be viewed on YouTube in 12 parts. Embedding is disabled by request, but you can start your fantastic Time Bandits journey right here. Before you click over, you might want to whet your appetite with this trailer.
The Last Mimzy
Published by Toronto Mike on February 23, 2008 @ 15:22 in Reviews
James and I are having a dude's day. With the girls out of the house, James and I skated for an hour at Rennie Park and then settled in to watch "The Last Mimzy". Here's some sage advice from a father of two. If you want to watch a film with the kids, or maybe your young nieces or nephews, this is a fantastic choice. You can't live on a diet of Pixar alone. "The Last Mimzy" is a lot of fun and pretty damn cool. We both enjoyed it thoroughly. As I was watching this little fantasy I started thinking about a movie I absolutely adored as a kid. I would watch "Time Bandits" over and over again. That's a movie I need to revisit with the boy.
The Leafs on CHCH Circa 1986
Published by Toronto Mike on February 23, 2008 @ 09:29 in Memories, Toronto Maple Leafs
Here's a Maple Leaf game promo from 1986. The game was aired on CHCH TV out of Hamilton and, judging from the clip, the play-by-play was by Jim Hughson. This clip features a great goal by Peter Ihnacak while reminding us that the boards at Maple Leaf Gardens at the time were completely bare. As an added bonus, there's a promo for Don Cherry's Grapevine tagged on the end with goalie Don Edwards who was sharing duties at the time with Ken Wregget and Allan Bester.
Oscar Picks 2008 - Know the Winners Now
Published by Toronto Mike on February 22, 2008 @ 22:49 in Movies
This year, I did the same. I sent the link out to select family members weeks ago. The deadline came and went, I extended it and reminded everybody to get in their picks, but it's official. Worst. Oscar. Pool. Response. Ever. In addition to my wife and I, only two others bothered to join in on the action. If you're in a pool and you want to know the winners before Sunday night, here are my picks.
Robin Moore, Rest in Peace
Published by Toronto Mike on February 22, 2008 @ 22:34 in Celebrity Deaths
Ryerson Riot On My Contact Page
Published by Toronto Mike on February 22, 2008 @ 14:38 in Miscellaneous
Today I saw somebody sitting on that page for a while, so I checked out the IP address and saw it was someone at Ryerson University. For fun, I turned the tables on this visitor and sent a "How's it going at Ry High" message. This little gag usually freaks people out because they wonder how the heck the site is communicating with them in real-time and then they wonder how the heck I know where they are. I got back a pleasant response from a Joey Kehoe who was sitting at my contact page while he wrote this note.
A little Googling also revealed this:
You Decorated My Life
Published by Toronto Mike on February 22, 2008 @ 12:38 in Miscellaneous
Thanks Kenny... and thanks, Mom.
My Favourite Gwyneth Paltrow Movies
Published by Toronto Mike on February 22, 2008 @ 12:13 in Friday Fives
Maple Leafs 1, Sabres 5
Published by Toronto Mike on February 22, 2008 @ 09:48 in Toronto Maple Leafs
The trade deadline is Tuesday @ 3pm EST. I'm going to be all over this sucker, updating this site regarding anything involving the Leafs. Go Cliff Go!
Rhianna and Klaxons Mash It at Brits 2008
Published by Toronto Mike on February 21, 2008 @ 20:49 in Music
Rhianna mashed her hit "Umbrella" with the Klaxons "Golden Skans" and the result was pretty cool. Check this out.
The Answer Is Six
Published by Toronto Mike on February 21, 2008 @ 20:15 in Family
I handed James the pink Disney Princess bowl of Doritos and told him not to worry about the fact it's the girliest bowl on the planet. He looked up at me and with all sincerity said "Okay, but don't tell my friends". This answers I question I've often pondered. At what age do kids become concerned about what their friends think? The answer is six.
My Cop Always Shows Up
Published by Toronto Mike on February 21, 2008 @ 13:52 in Miscellaneous
I go to trial for every ticket because there's really nothing to lose. Sure, it takes time to request the trial date and show up at court, but the best case scenario is your cop doesn't show and the worst case (in my experience) is you plead guilty to a lesser offence. That's exactly what I did today. I plead guilty to a reduced speed which meant no demerit points and a smaller fine. That's really all I was hoping for.
Obay, From the Makers of BecauseISaidSo
Published by Toronto Mike on February 20, 2008 @ 20:07 in Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus
One ad shows a father and son with the caption "My son had ideas of his own. Obay put a stop to that". Another reads "My son used to have his own hopes and aspirations. Now he has mine. Thanks, Obay!" A third features a mother and daughter and reads "When Amy started thinking for herself, we had to nip it in the bud with Obay". Some suggest it might be a campaign for Ontario colleges. Others thought it might be for Scientology. I like the colleges angle, as it would be a great campaign for institutes of higher learning, but I also think it could be a psa reminding parents it's okay to encourage independent thought. It's like the "Lisa the Vegetarian" episode of The Simpsons when Lisa objects to dissecting a frog and then asks Lunchlady Doris when she lost her passion.
Rance Mulliniks: I Witnessed His Last Hit
Published by Toronto Mike on February 20, 2008 @ 19:09 in Toronto Blue Jays
Rance Mulliniks was one half of our legendary platoon at third base. He shared the duties with Garth Iorg for most of the 80s before Kelly Gruber took over. Rance was a fan favourite because he didn't look like an athlete. Nobody accused Rance of juicing, unless he was juicing that killer moustache. He was a skinny guy without much power, but he was consistent. My brother Steve and I were in the stands the day Rance recorded his last major league hit in 1992. We didn't know it at the time, as there was a good chunk of the season remaining, but it ended up being so and now I can drag out this story every time somebody mentions Rance Mulliniks.
Maple Leafs 3, Blue Jackets 1
Published by Toronto Mike on February 20, 2008 @ 18:49 in Toronto Maple Leafs
The Dominic Moore - Chad Kilger - Boyd Devereaux line is kicking some serious ass lately. On any other team that's a pretty decent fourth line. On the Leafs it's numero uno.
Give Your Lunch Money To Second Harvest
Published by Toronto Mike on February 20, 2008 @ 13:24 in Miscellaneous
Torontonians, make me proud.
City and Colour with Gord Downie - Sleeping Sickness
Published by Toronto Mike on February 20, 2008 @ 09:47 in The Tragically Hip, Weekly MP3s
City And Colour - Sleeping Sickness Yes, I'm biased, but you are in Toronto Mike bias-ville.
A History of Evil
Published by Toronto Mike on February 19, 2008 @ 19:35 in Miscellaneous
Rembrandt Homer
Published by Toronto Mike on February 19, 2008 @ 19:18 in The Simpsons
If you're thinking Rembrandt is the guy who sang the theme song for "Friends", you need to read this first.
Hotmail Didn't Just Do What I Think It Did, Did It?
Published by Toronto Mike on February 19, 2008 @ 14:31 in Miscellaneous
The email bounced back with this notification:
It was a pretty bland message to a health care professional and totally rated G, so what were my "spam-like characteristics"? I re-sent the email, but this time I removed the opening dig at Hotmail in which I suggested Gmail. This time, the email went through without a problem. Does Hotmail reject emails that include the word "gmail"? Doesn't that violate some anti-competition law?
Steve Kazmierczak, Aphex Twin Fan, Killer
Published by Toronto Mike on February 19, 2008 @ 09:13 in News
As with Cho Seung-Hui and his alarming one-act plays, cyber-sleuths have dug up some interesting tid-bits, but nothing as fascinating as a rant by Jim Schaffer left on an Aphex Twin fan forum in April 2006.
This is an analysis of Kazmierczak quite different from what's been written since his death. We know he had become erratic in recent weeks after he stopped taking Prozac, but most of the character analysis has been of the "Steve is the last person I would envision doing such a thing" variety and nobody saw it coming. Except Jim Schaffer.
Keep It Beautiful
Published by Toronto Mike on February 18, 2008 @ 21:05 in Memories
A little digging tells me the "Keep It Beautiful" slogan was used from 1973 to June 1982. In 1982 the slogan was changed to "Yours To Discover". While I'm strolling down memory lane, "Yours To Discover" was the Ontario tourism slogan for most of my youth and they build a massive ad campaign around it in the 1980s. Here's a great spot from 1984.
Sportsline with Mark Hebscher and Jim Tatti
Published by Toronto Mike on February 18, 2008 @ 13:13 in Memories, Television
In the late 80s and early 90s, Sportsline was like no other sports highlight show on television. First and foremost, it was funny. They didn't take sports too seriously and they had fun presenting the highlights. The Hebsy Awards were always a treat. My brothers and I used to watch Sportsline together and that's where we caught up on what was happening in the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA or whatever. There was no World Wide Web to tap into, there was no Sportsnet or The Score, and TSN's Sportsdesk just wasn't as much fun as Hebsy and Tatti. When Hebscher left in 1995, I too said goodbye. Last year, Global axed the entire sports department, including Jim Tatti. If you're in your 30s and you grew up in the GTA loving sports, you were likely as big a fan of this show as I was. I miss it.
A Mighty Heart
Published by Toronto Mike on February 18, 2008 @ 10:13 in Reviews
I'll admit to having a little difficulty seeing Mariane Pearl on the screen when all I could see was Angelina Jolie. That's not to say Jolie is weak in this, because she's very good, but she's morphed into a characuture that dominates the screen. It's still worthwhile viewing because even though we know the story and how it ends, it's still a compelling journey.
Our First Family Day Beckons
Published by Toronto Mike on February 17, 2008 @ 19:11 in Miscellaneous
Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba already have a Family Day holiday in February. We needed a day off in February as a statutory holiday between New Years Day and Good Friday. Now I just need somebody to promise me a stat day in June and we're all set. Does everybody out there in Ontario get tomorrow off or are some of you getting the short end of the shaft?
David Suzuki Is Watching You
Published by Toronto Mike on February 17, 2008 @ 17:14 in Family
My kids have had the name Suzuki thrown at them their entire lives. They know if they leave a room, they should turn out the lights, because David Suzuki is watching. This threat also applies to recycling, use of the green bin, ensuring the television is off when nobody is watching, keeping the refrigerator door closed and whatever other environmentally irresponsible decisions are made. Try it for a week and you'll be shocked out how quickly everyone adapts. Nobody wants to disappoint David Suzuki and that dude sees everything.
Beer Ads From the 80s
Published by Toronto Mike on February 17, 2008 @ 12:00 in Memories
In the 1980s, beer ads were different than they are today. Today they're more likely to be humourous but back in the 80s they either promoted the "real men drink beer" image or exploited women by sticking them in bikinis at every opportunity. I miss the 80s... Here's a Labatt's Blue ad from 1986 that got plenty of airplay in Toronto. I remember this "It's Time to Call For The Blue" jingle well. Watching it again actually made this non-drinker crave a Blue. It gets bonus points for including a shot of Exhibition Stadium. A year later, Molson started airing this ad for Molson Ex. Who will forget the "Ex Says It All" campaign? It really appeals to my blue collar sensibilities.
Willie P. Bennett, Rest in Peace
Published by Toronto Mike on February 17, 2008 @ 11:40 in Celebrity Deaths
Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 3
Published by Toronto Mike on February 17, 2008 @ 09:03 in Toronto Maple Leafs
Go Leafs Go!
Live Blogging My Attempt To Root Against The Leafs
Published by Toronto Mike on February 16, 2008 @ 19:12 in Toronto Maple Leafs
7:17pm - The kids are sitting with me. They're chanting "Go Leafs Go". When Stajan had that breakaway, it upset me he didn't score. So far I'm finding it impossible to cheer for the Bruins. 7:19pm - When Murray scored for Boston, all three of us were sincerely unhappy. This unhappiness was immediately followed by a calming sensation as if everything was going to be alright. 7:26pm - Ok, clearly I'm rooting for the Leafs. I cheered loudly when we scored. Moore has been a nice surprise for this team. 7:33pm - There's a significant difference between rooting against your team and being okay with a loss by your team. I'm not that guy. I can't actually root for the opposition and root against the Leafs, but I'm no longer upset or unhappy when we fail to climb in the standings. That's the difference. 7:40pm - As I watch #13 I wonder if he'll agree to be traded. My hunch is that he won't. He's loyal to a fault and his character suggests he'd rather go down with the ship than jump. Uncle Cliffy once stunned us with a blockbuster to bring him to Toronto but I don't think he'll be able to ship him out in the same fashion. Heck, he might end up extending Sundin's contract instead. 7:52pm - Coach's Corner still entertains me. Don just made an interesting point about our failure to draft CHL players. He compared our roster to the Canadian-heavy Ducks and reminded us how many CHL teams play in the GTA. By the way, when Don said he roots for the Leafs, Michelle looked up at me all excitedly and said "he roots for the Leafs, too!". 8:06pm - I flipped over to TSN because I want to watch the slam dunk competition. Does anyone know exactly what time the slam dunk part starts? 8:13pm - Am I the only guy left in the first world without picture-in-picture? I'm flipping back and forth between 6 and 30 like a fool here. The NBA thing has some band playing when I'm looking for Apollo 33. The Leafs, meanwhile, have a 2-man advantage. Go Leafs Go! 8:24pm - They just showed an update from the Sens game. New Jersey leads 3-0. I love it when the Senators lose. 8:30pm - Bruins score... oh darn. (*cough* Steve Stamkos *cough*) Watching Shawn Thornton got me thinking about former Leaf Scott Thornton who is both a cousin of Joe Thornton and still active with the Kings. I'm spending the 2nd intermission with the NBA. 8:36pm - I just Googled Shawn Thornton. It turns out he was a Maple Leaf prospect before we traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks for Marty Wilford. Wilford never played a game in the NHL but Thornton has a Stanley Cup ring and three points in his last two games. The Shooting Stars event is boring me to tears. 8:55pm - Vesa Toskala is a pretty sharp goalie. Is Andrew Raycroft still on this team? If anyone wants proof we're not throwing these games they just need to look at the fact we don't play Raycroft anymore. I'm old enough to remember a bit of a controversy at the beginning of the year as to who was the #1. Let me just close this little update with I told ya so! 9:11pm - This is shaping up to be another perfect game: good effort, close game, Leafs loss. This purpose of this live blogging was to document how it felt to root against the team I've loved for as long as I can remember. It didn't take long for me to realize that I can't actually root against the Leafs. I want Steve Stamkos as much as the next Leaf fan, but I'll follow advice left in the comments and remain apathetic about Leafs losses. It's just easier that way. 9:16pm - Now Tucker decides to score. Nice pass from Mats... There's plenty of time to let this one slip away, although we're still on the PP... 9:19pm - Now Tucker's setting up Antropov to give us the lead. Heck, let's play spoiler and beat these Bruins. Stamkos, Schamkos. 9:24pm - In any other season, I'd be so pissed right now. Chara scored with the Bruins goailie out and we're likely looking at overtime. Prior to Chara's goal, CBC put up a graphic about Antropov hitting 20 goals for the first season in his career. I would have bet a great deal of money against Antropov ever scoring 20 goals in a season. 9:32pm - Leafs win! Leafs win! I'm guessing Darcy Tucker ate his Cheerios today. With 11 days remaining before deadline day, I'm wondering what this team will look like two Saturdays from now. Will Tucker be a Leaf? Will Antropov? That's it for me, it's been fun but I'm going to flip over to the craptacular NBA stuff. Lessons Learned: Fandom is part of you. You can't just turn a switch after 33 years. I will forever cheer for Leaf victories, for better or for worse.
First Last For Everything
Published by Toronto Mike on February 16, 2008 @ 14:49 in Toronto Maple Leafs
Tonight, for the first time in my 33 years of life, I'm going to cheer against my beloved hockey team. I really want a top three pick in the entry draft this year and that will require finishing as close to last as possible. Although I won't let myself get my hopes up, there's always a chance we could draft a stud like Steve Stamkos, and my sights are firmly set on the future for this team. I'm George Milton and the Maple Leafs are Lennie Small. I'm doing this for them, even though I'm going to grossly dislike the act itself. It's for the greater good. Never you mind. A guy got to sometimes.
Neighbours / Voisins
Published by Toronto Mike on February 16, 2008 @ 09:48 in Movies
Of the 12 to win that award, my favourite is Neighbours / Voisins by Norman McLaren in 1952. From Wikipedia:
Here it is.
Steve Fossett, Rest in Peace
Published by Toronto Mike on February 16, 2008 @ 08:53 in Celebrity Deaths
Fossett disappeared September 3, 2007 but was only legally declared dead yesterday. This answers a question I once posed.
CityPulse Tonight
Published by Toronto Mike on February 15, 2008 @ 20:57 in Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus
If you grew up in Toronto, you were told CityTV is Everywhere. I don't know if they're everywhere, but for a period in the 80s they were the cooler place to get your news. Moses created an environment at Queen and John that shook things up nicely. This clip, from 1984, is an introduction to the nightly CityPulse Tonight newscast. There's Gord Martineau, Anne Mroczkowski, David Onley, Jim McKenny and a guy I don't remember at all. Here's a Labatt's Newsflash, likely from that very same 1984 day, with extra smiley Anne Mroczkowski.
You Suck At Photoshop #6
Published by Toronto Mike on February 15, 2008 @ 19:25 in Miscellaneous
Three Right Feet Near Nanaimo
Published by Toronto Mike on February 15, 2008 @ 13:05 in News
Three severed right feet have washed ashore there in the past six months. The latest was at Valdes Island while the two other right feet were found at Gabriola Island and Jedidiah Island. All three right feet were in a sneaker. The first two were size 12 and I'm guessing we'll soon learn this third right foot was a size 12 as well. Friday Five Bonus: My favourite "feet" songs, excluding references to the measurement
Family Music for Family Day
Published by Toronto Mike on February 15, 2008 @ 12:31 in Friday Fives
Category RSS
Published by Toronto Mike on February 15, 2008 @ 10:55 in Ch-ch-changes, Movable Type
I quickly learnt this was pretty easy to do in Movable Type. I now have an RSS feed for each category, if you're interested. Here are the feeds for a few of the more popular categories.
New Pornographers' Myriad Harbour Video
Published by Toronto Mike on February 15, 2008 @ 10:47 in Videos
Maple Leafs 4, Islanders 5
Published by Toronto Mike on February 15, 2008 @ 09:05 in Toronto Maple Leafs
Go Leafs Go!
World Collidage
Published by Toronto Mike on February 14, 2008 @ 20:54 in Humble and Fred
I was part of a team putting together an online Flash software demo for my 9-5 gig. Yes, I have a 9-5 gig as this Toronto Mike blog thing doesn't quite pay the mortgage. We needed a voice over guy to narrate the thrilling video and I ended up hiring Humble Howard. Then, we needed a producer and sound studio, so I ended up hiring Dan Duran. This morning I found myself at Dan Duran's house with Howard Glassman as he read our script for this Flash demo. It was a paying gig for all three of us and these two worlds, normally completely separate, collided like a sonuvabitch. Dan makes a great cup of coffee and Humble makes corporate performance management software sing. Here's the least funny Humble audio you'll ever hear.
TTC: Toronto's Entertainment Network
Published by Toronto Mike on February 14, 2008 @ 17:34 in Memories, Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus
This is an ad for the TTC from 1984. I remember this song well. Does the TTC advertise at all anymore?
Toronto-Centric Valentine's Day Cards
Published by Toronto Mike on February 14, 2008 @ 16:29 in Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus
Here are a few quickies I threw together. If anyone else wants to take this torch and run with it, we still have 7.5 hours left in the day.
Happy Valentine's Day From Michelle
Published by Toronto Mike on February 14, 2008 @ 08:31 in Family
Maple Leafs 0, Sabres 1
Published by Toronto Mike on February 14, 2008 @ 08:26 in Toronto Maple Leafs
I'm happy with the recent effort from this squad, but my greatest fear was that they'd go on a winning streak and sneak back into contention for the elusive 8th spot. This was an easy loss to swallow and a nice compromise.
Valentine's Day Podcast of Love
Published by Toronto Mike on February 13, 2008 @ 20:19 in Humble and Fred
The archivist that I am, I'm hosting all the Humble and Fred podcasts, including this one. They're now living at http://www.torontomike.com/humbleandfred/. As you'll hear, I wasn't just in the room for this Humble and Fred finale, I was a part of the show. Happy Valentine's Day 2007 everybody!
Don't Skateboard in Baltimore
Published by Toronto Mike on February 13, 2008 @ 19:30 in Miscellaneous
Dude needs some perspective.
Erasing an Era
Published by Toronto Mike on February 13, 2008 @ 18:37 in My 2 Cents
In a sense, an entire era has now been erased. I'm sure both Clemens and Bonds were stellar before they took performance enhancing drugs, but a little juice spill ruins the entire meal. The steroids era, as it will be called by future generations, has claimed the greatest the game has to offer. Many will shrug their shoulders and look forward. I can't help but look back, at what was and what wasn't, and wonder how the hell I'll ever know the difference. Does it matter? Yes, and if you're asking that question, you're not a fan of baseball.
Who Called Me Andy Van Slyke?
Published by Toronto Mike on February 13, 2008 @ 15:03 in Memories
I stuck that card in my locker and it became a conversation starter for people who dropped by. I had to admit, the Andy Van Slyke card did look like me, and I always liked the way he played... This might be the card that was in my locker, but it's hard to say for sure. By the way, there's a nice little Pirates blog called Where have you gone, Andy Van Slyke? for you Pittsburgh fans.
The Mother Corp's Exploding Pizza
Published by Toronto Mike on February 13, 2008 @ 13:08 in Memories, Television
I know there are people in this country who hate the CBC. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is a crown corporation, so it's constantly criticized for its apparent left-wing bias and an easy target. I, however, have always loved the CBC. From the 1991 Broadcasting Act, "the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, as the national public broadcaster, should provide radio and television services incorporating a wide range of programming that informs, enlightens and entertains". I believe it does a great job of doing all three. I could live on the documentaries CBC Newsworld provides and I never enjoy a Leafs game as much when it's not Hockey Night in Canada. I'm glad the CBC exists. In the 80s, the CBC logo was this funky exploding pizza-like thing, and I miss it. Here is that great CBC indentifier from 1982. And, since it's the Mother Corp we're talking about, here's a French version.
Hot Fuzz
Published by Toronto Mike on February 13, 2008 @ 12:27 in Reviews
I should start by telling you I've never seen "Shaun of the Dead", so I had no idea what to expect when I sat down to watch "Hot Fuzz". Not only is "Hot Fuzz" hilariously funny, but it's a pretty sharp crime film as well. Now I need to see "Shaun of the Dead"...
Jesse Barfield, A Cannon For An Arm
Published by Toronto Mike on February 13, 2008 @ 11:36 in Toronto Blue Jays
Jesse Barfield was a key member of our awesome mid-80s outfield. He was a great slugger back in an era when 27 homers meant something. He was also the first Blue Jay to hit 40 dingers which led the league back in 1986. Jesse hit for power, but my favourite Barfield moments were when he'd gun players down at the plate. Only fools tested his cannon-like arm. On more than one occasion I saw him throw a strike to home plate from his perch in right field. Barfield was a great Blue Jay who was eventually traded for Al Leiter. Leiter, you will recall, battled blisters for years until he blossomed into an awesome starter, making this a pretty sweet trade for the Jays.
Sublime - Doin' Time
Published by Toronto Mike on February 13, 2008 @ 09:54 in Weekly MP3s
Sublime - Doin' Time There's one band that always makes me think of summer. "Doin' Time" even dives into "Summertime", so it's an ideal song when you're dreaming of sunny summer days.
Polkaroo? I Missed Him Again!
Published by Toronto Mike on February 12, 2008 @ 19:51 in Memories, TV Time Machine
When I wrote all about The Polka Dot Door, one of my favourite television shows as a child, I couldn't find a YouTube clip to complement the memory. Thanks to WNED17, I now have a few to choose from. This clip, from 1981, includes my favourite part from each episode. It's the inevitable moment the male host realizes he missed Polkaroo... again. Here's the Polka Dot Door end credits. When I hear this song, I'm four again.
Just In Time For Valentine's Day
Published by Toronto Mike on February 12, 2008 @ 19:12 in Humble and Fred
Just in time for Valentine's Day, here are his answers.
Sharing a Sheet of Ice
Published by Toronto Mike on February 12, 2008 @ 13:11 in Miscellaneous
The picture below was taken a couple of years ago at Rennie Park. The Leafs are having a little skate outdoors, just like they did yesterday at another arena. Every Saturday morning I spend an hour skating at Rennie Park, so technically I do skate on a sheet of ice once shared by a professional hockey team.
The End of the Big Chill?
Published by Toronto Mike on February 12, 2008 @ 11:51 in Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus
It looks like this chill is about to subside. We're supposed to hit a toasty -4° C later day. I can't wait. I searched my MP3 collection for songs with "chill" in the title, and here's what I got in return.
Elwy Yost's Saturday Night at the Movies
Published by Toronto Mike on February 12, 2008 @ 11:25 in Memories
I've written about Elwy Yost before. He hosted Magic Shadows and Saturday Night at the Movies on TVOntario for most of my life and the tone of his voice always brings me back. This clip is the outro for Saturday Night at the Movies from 1979. As an added bonus, here's the awesome intro for Magic Shadows.
No Grammy... No Grammy... Stop!
Published by Toronto Mike on February 11, 2008 @ 20:28 in Television
I hear Amy Winehouse did alright for her hit single "Rehab", which is a pretty great tune. I didn't hear much else and, for the first time in forever, I didn't even bother to read a list of winners. I just can't scrounge up the energy to care. Did I miss anything cool?
CBC's Debaters Live on Tape From Regina
Published by Toronto Mike on February 11, 2008 @ 19:54 in Humble and Fred, Radio
Luckily for me, Humble had a buddy record the whole thing to MP3 so he could share it on his site. Here it is in all its hilarity.
Business Proposal From Taiwan Business Bank
Published by Toronto Mike on February 11, 2008 @ 19:21 in Miscellaneous
Apparently there's $44.5m USD sitting in a dormant account and the account holder is dead. They can't find a living relative, so Mr. Hsu is willing to let me pose as the relative to the deceased client in position to receive the $44.5m USD. I must be the luckiest sonofabitch in the world. All I have to do is write this gentleman at his yahoo.com.hk and give him my home phone number and name. He'll contact me with the logistics. I'm going to be so rich, I can't believe he chose me! Ching-Hua Hsu, I am forever grateful. You have an email from me in your inbox.
Yahoo! Defends Itself From The Evil Empire
Published by Toronto Mike on February 11, 2008 @ 12:06 in Technology
Yahoo! is so eager to defend itself against an unsolicited bid approach from Microsoft that they've restarted merger talks with AOL. A tie-up with Google is not entirely out of the question as well. As Luke once said when being wooed by an evil Sith Lord, "I'll never join you!"
CKCO Toronto Blue Jays Promo From 1985
Published by Toronto Mike on February 11, 2008 @ 10:58 in Memories, Toronto Blue Jays
Every Jays fan from the 80s is going to love this Blue Jays promo from CKCO. That music brings back so many memories and this footage is extraordinary. I'll never forget the fantastic memories I have of Exhibition Stadium. After you watch this, head over to my OK Blue Jays page and listen to that retro gem. When does Spring Training start?
Roy Scheider, Rest in Peace
Published by Toronto Mike on February 11, 2008 @ 08:47 in Celebrity Deaths
An Awesome Evening
Published by Toronto Mike on February 10, 2008 @ 20:17 in Family, Toronto Marlies
First of all, we got to watch the Marlies take on the Houston Aeros from a box. This thing was awesome. If you wanted a drink, you grabbed it from the fridge. There were massive bowls of popcorn and chips just sitting there. During the second intermission pizza and hot dogs arrived. Sitting in a box must be what heaven's like. There was also a hockey game. Justin Pogge recorded a shutout and The Woz scored the winner in a 1-0 victory. When Andy Wozniewski scored late in the third, I was so damn happy, you'd have thought I was at a Leafs game. After the game, my son and I went to Marlies Alley with our skates and got to skate around for half an hour. A few Marlies were there to sign autographs but James just wanted to meet Duke the Dog, the Marlies mascot. He got his wish and we both left the coliseum very happy. Here's a photoset from the jam packed evening. Box Seats + Marlies Win + Pogge Shutout + Skating = Bestest Day Ever!
My Own Prison
Published by Toronto Mike on February 10, 2008 @ 14:32 in Videos
In 1997, Christian-ish rock band Creed released their debut album My Own Prison. Creed had a string of hits, but they were sort of like Nickelback before there was a Nickelback, so it wasn't cool to be a Creed fan. Were they trying to sound like Pearl Jam? Were they bible thumpers? We didn't know but we knew it was wrong. As much as I tried to fight the hooky rock sounds of Creed, I couldn't help but really dig "What's This Life For", one of the hits off of My Own Prison. It was the guiltiest of pleasures that climaxed with me watching Creed headline an Edgefest one July night at Molson Park in Barrie. I just realized I've confessed to this guiltiest of pleasures before. Now what's worse, me digging that Hootie track or the fact I'll still sing along to this Creed song if I hear it piping through my local Walmart?
Hitting the Ricoh Coliseum Ice
Published by Toronto Mike on February 10, 2008 @ 13:42 in Family, Toronto Marlies
I think this is very cool. James thinks it's cool too, but he's too young to realize just how cool it is. I'll take pictures so when he's my age he can look back without the ghosty envy.
The Zoodles Ad From 1984
Published by Toronto Mike on February 10, 2008 @ 09:37 in Memories
About a year ago I wrote about Zoodles. Zoodles are animal noodles and here's the ad we 30-somethings know and love.
Maple Leafs 3, Red Wings 2
Published by Toronto Mike on February 10, 2008 @ 09:01 in Toronto Maple Leafs
That's the first line in today's Associated Press write up about our thrilling victory yesterday afternoon. This is our worst dream realized. The Leafs can't even lose properly. As a fan with decades of Leaf worship under my belt, I've thoroughly enjoyed these wins over Ottawa, Montreal and Detroit. We're beating the best in the league and it's thanks to efforts from guys named Dominic Moore, Robbie Earl and Jiri Tlusty. It's fun, but it's that vicious cycle we know all too well. We finish 9th, which gives us a taste of a playoff race, but it doesn't win you the cup, and that's just not good enough.
The Fountain
Published by Toronto Mike on February 9, 2008 @ 16:08 in Reviews
My brain hurts. I watched "The Fountain" last night, and I'm still not sure what the hell happened. If you've seen it, you know what I mean. My brain really is in pain. I watched "The Fountain" because I saw it was directed by Darren Aronofsky, the man who brought us the most excellent "Requiem for a Dream". It stars Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz and it's totally bizarre. I'm a pretty smart cookie and I couldn't tell you what I saw, which is both frustrating and stimulating. It's got me thinking, even if I am in pain.
Listen to Sleeping Sickness
Published by Toronto Mike on February 9, 2008 @ 15:42 in The Tragically Hip
You can listen to this song and the rest of the new City and Colour album Bring Me Your Love on the City and Colour MySpace page. It's too bad we can't embed the MySpace player. Rupert, if you're out there, that would be neat-o.
Guess Who's Coming To Dinner
Published by Toronto Mike on February 9, 2008 @ 14:43 in Miscellaneous
I've been to the Glassman's palatial Oakville estate several times, once with the whole family, and I once got to fly his plane, but they've never crashed at my crib. That's right, I called it my crib, and I almost called it my pad before I realized this was 2008 and my pad is now my crib... or so the kids tell me. This actually works out perfectly because the Leafs game is a 3pm start and the Glassmans will be rolling in just as the game winds down. Coincidentally, tonight is also the night CBC RadioOne is airing Humble Howard's appearance on The Debaters. That starts at 6:30pm. As my Hebrew friend wrote on his blog:
Go Leafs Go!
Over Now
Published by Toronto Mike on February 9, 2008 @ 09:22 in Homer's Quote of the Week
I shared all my favourite quotes long ago, and now this fun hobby is starting to feel like a chore. The moment this blog starts to feel like a job, I'm out. Last September I made a couple of other changes and this is just one more designed to make maintenance of this site as easy as possible. I still love ya Homer, but your page will never change again. As Alice In Chains once sung, it's over now.
My Hootastic Cross to Bear
Published by Toronto Mike on February 8, 2008 @ 19:58 in Memories
I wrote my brothers about the amazing lineup for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival this summer. The headliners are Pearl Jam, but as I wrote in my email, "buried in the middle are Broken Social Scene, Rilo Kiley and Tegan and Sara? Heck, The Rac is only on line #3." Steve noticed Jakob Dylan "buried way down deep" and wondered what happened to The Wallflowers. I replied that they were opening for Hootie & the Blowfish in a bar somewhere, and that's when I got it. You see, Hootie is my cross to bear. At some point in 1995 I may have confessed to liking part of the Hootie & the Blowfish song "Let Her Cry". At the time we were only a few years removed from the height of grunge and our musical diet was primarily composed of Green Day's Dookie and the Offspring's Smash, so digging Hootie & the Blowfish was a very uncool thing to do. I've never heard the end of it. Today, in this most public of forums, I'm standing up for my right to dig at least parts of Hootie & the Blowfish's "Let Her Cry". I admit it's not cool, but it is what it is and I'm tired of running from the truth. Even today, as I heard the song for the first time in a decade, I must admit I liked it. I challenge you to listen to this and not like at least part of it a little. Don't be afraid, I've paved the trail for us all.
Buffalo Mike? Perish The Thought
Published by Toronto Mike on February 8, 2008 @ 19:06 in Miscellaneous
ESPN The Magazine had an great little write up by Bill Simmons about the horrible situation in New York with the Knicks. Simmons explains how much worse things are in Buffalo, but Buffalo simply doesn't have enough people who care about them, talk about them or write about them to make this suffering noticeable. Here's an excerpt from the article:
Things are bad in Toronto with our Maple Leafs. We haven't won the cup since '67, we endured the Harold Ballard era and now we're run by a multi-headed monster without hope and buried in the cellar. Our best-case scenario is that we trade our best player. Die-hards like me weren't on this planet the last time we won it all but things could be so much worse. I could live in Buffalo.
Songerize Plays the Songs in Your Head
Published by Toronto Mike on February 8, 2008 @ 18:09 in Music
You simply enter a song name and artist and it plays the first MP3 it comes across on the web that fits the bill. It doesn't host any music, it just finds the audio file hosted by someone else and plays it in milliseconds. It's a lot of fun. I gave it my standard test. One song that should be everywhere, one song I'm digging lately, one song that my buddy released and one song that's obscure enough it would be impressive if it found it. You're probably curious what four songs fit the bill today. Here they are with everything but the Hayden track playing right away.
Well done, Songerize. Well done...
Jamario Moon's Slam Dunk Preview
Published by Toronto Mike on February 8, 2008 @ 16:09 in Toronto Raptors
The Best Jack Nicholson Movies
Published by Toronto Mike on February 8, 2008 @ 13:49 in Friday Fives
CSS3's ::selection Pseudo-Element
Published by Toronto Mike on February 8, 2008 @ 09:59 in Technology
If you're a Firefox or Safari user, highlight the text below with your mouse.
Maple Leafs 4, Canadiens 2
Published by Toronto Mike on February 8, 2008 @ 09:05 in Toronto Maple Leafs
If you watched, you'd have to admit this was a fun game. Guys we haven't seen in ages, guys like Kyle Wellwood and Darcy Tucker, chipped in with goals while Toskala shut the door. The next game that really matters is February 25 in Ottawa, although I wouldn't mind beating the Sabres on Wednesday night.
Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Published by Toronto Mike on February 7, 2008 @ 21:03 in SLS ~ Smells Like Sour
Those who celebrate the supposed demise of Radiohead should give this track from In Rainbows another listen. It's a fantastic single, and like "Bodysnatchers", it's SLS-worthy.
Body Of War Boasts Many Faves
Published by Toronto Mike on February 7, 2008 @ 19:33 in Music
Joining Mr. Ed Vedder on this album will be favourite native son Neil Young, Serj Tankian, Ben Harper and Tom Morello. Here's Eddie discussing the music for Body of War.
I'm Not Losing My Mind
Published by Toronto Mike on February 7, 2008 @ 17:17 in Memories
Ravi wrote:
I told ya so.
Kelly Gruber, One Great Season
Published by Toronto Mike on February 7, 2008 @ 13:28 in Toronto Blue Jays
Kelly Gruber wasn't just the subject of a hilarious Kids in the Hall skit, he was our starting third baseman in the post-Mulliniks/Iorg era. He was also pretty overrated due to his one stellar season at the plate in 1990. In 1990, Gruber hit .274 with 31 HRs, 118 RBIs and 14 SBs, winning Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. He ended up fourth in MVP balloting that year. I'll always remember Gruber for three things:
Mr. Show and The Audition
Published by Toronto Mike on February 6, 2008 @ 19:24 in Miscellaneous
"Mr. Show" was created by Bob Odenkirk and David Cross for HBO and the genius was in how the various sketches tied together. There was always a common thread, some element that segued one into the next, and it was unlike anything I had ever seen. "Mr. Show" wasn't just funny, it was clever, and one of a small handful of shows that could actually make me laugh out loud. I recently wrote about David Cross' appearance in Alvin and the Chipmunks and stole the Bob and David HTML for HhDotCom. Here's some "Mr. Show" action for ya. This funny bit is called The Audition and is typical "Mr. Show" fare.
Catch Humble Howard on The Debaters
Published by Toronto Mike on February 6, 2008 @ 15:04 in Humble and Fred
From The Debaters Blog:
This will be fun. Here's a taste of the humble one.
Base Hit, Two Runs Score!
Published by Toronto Mike on February 6, 2008 @ 13:07 in Memories
I remember one game the Cubs batter came to the plate with runners at 2nd and 3rd. He hit a sweet single that died in the luscious Wrigley Field grass and two runs scored. What I remember about this play was Harry Caray's call "Base hit... two runs score!" and as God is my witness he had this sentence out of his mouth before the ball hit the ground. Harry was great. I can't believe he's been gone ten years.
Young MC - Louie Louie Remix with Maestro Fresh-Wes
Published by Toronto Mike on February 6, 2008 @ 12:17 in Weekly MP3s
Young MC - Louie Louie Remix with Maestro Fresh-Wes
Maple Leafs 0, Panthers 8
Published by Toronto Mike on February 6, 2008 @ 09:11 in Toronto Maple Leafs
My apologies... I needed a moment to wipe a tear from my eye. You have to love this team. Each and every one of them sacrificed their professional reputations to take a glorious dive, all for their captain. There's no way Mats will want to stick around after this. It was a risky strategy, but it's sure to pay dividends. Bless you boys.
My Beef With Metro Hall
Published by Toronto Mike on February 5, 2008 @ 22:11 in Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus
My primary beef with this process is that you have to physically visit 55 John Street and wait in line to challenge a parking ticket. You can't request a trial over the phone or online, and that just seems wrong. It's as if they're purposely making it a real pain in the ass so you'll just pay the fee. Most sensible people just wouldn't be bothered. My other issue is with the overwhelming sense there's no incentive for the civil servants to move the line along. There are four service windows at 55 John Street but for most of the time I was there only two were open and for a while only one. With an hour left in their work day, one of the two working clerks went on her 15 minute break. Us poor stupid folk in line just got angrier and angrier as we waited and waited. Forced to visit Metro Hall between 8:30am and 4:30pm and then forced to wait in line for an hour, I'm getting my trial date. One of the questions on the request form asks if you're going to bring evidence that contradicts the stated offence. I said no. The clerk asked me why I was requesting a trial date if I couldn't argue against the charge. I told her the truth. My plan is to look really sweet and innocent, reference the $105 I've already coughed up and beg for mercy. If nothing else, it should give me some interesting blogging material.
Foo Fighters - Long Way To Ruin
Published by Toronto Mike on February 5, 2008 @ 21:56 in SLS ~ Smells Like Sour
Hey kids, you're not going to believe this, but Mr. Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters fame used to play drums in that band your dad keeps talking about. That's right, lead singer rock star Dave Grohl was the drummer for Nirvana. No foolin'...
Serj Tankian - Sky Is Over
Published by Toronto Mike on February 5, 2008 @ 21:50 in SLS ~ Smells Like Sour
I'm a sucker for Serj's delivery. I'm a big System of a Down fan who always preferred the tracks with Serj on vocals. This is yet another Serj winner. This isn't the official video but some fan thing I found on the 'Tube.
Barry Morse, Rest in Peace
Published by Toronto Mike on February 5, 2008 @ 21:05 in Celebrity Deaths
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Rest in Peace
Published by Toronto Mike on February 5, 2008 @ 20:46 in Celebrity Deaths
ESPN Magazine vs. Sports Illustrated
Published by Toronto Mike on February 5, 2008 @ 19:10 in My 2 Cents
ESPN The Magazine is now my sports magazine preference. I'm a Sports Illustrated fan from way back, having subscribed for years in the late 80s and early 90s, but ESPN The Magazine has Sports Illustrated beat today. ESPN The Magazine has larger pages, which enables it to be far more visually powerful, and the articles and observations are far more fun to digest. They both say similar things (it's easy to root for the Celtics again, Brett Favre is the sportsman of the year, baseball is full of cheaters, Tiger Woods is really good), but the difference is in how they say it and how it's presented. Before Drew started giving me his ESPN The Magazine issue, I didn't know there was an ESPN The Magazine. Now I'm wondering why I still bother to read Sports Illustrated.
Who's Your Grateful Dead?
Published by Toronto Mike on February 5, 2008 @ 12:42 in Music
Chatting about Blue Rodeo recently with SoccerMom, she remarked that they were her Grateful Dead. A couple of bands jump out at me as my Grateful Dead, but I'd have to go with The Tragically Hip. If I had the time and the means I'd gladly tour with The Hip and catch them night after night. Now it's your turn. Who would be your Grateful Dead if you could be a Deadhead?
Derek Bell, A Future Star For Houston
Published by Toronto Mike on February 4, 2008 @ 20:39 in Toronto Blue Jays
Derek Bell is actually the second Blue Jays prospect featured in the O-Pee-Chee set. O-Pee-Chee cards were the ones I collected and they were essentially Topps cards with a Canadian angle and bilingual print on the back. Unlike Alex Sanchez, featured earlier today, Derek Bell actually had some pretty sweet seasons, although they weren't with the Jays. We traded this prospect to the Padres for Darrin Jackson after our World Series win in 1992. Darrin Jackson only played a couple of months before we traded his ass to New York for Tony Fernandez. I missed Tony Fernandez and was very happy to see him play such a key role in our 1993 World Series victory. His nine World Series RBIs is still a record for a shortstop.
Juno Canadiana and a Nod to Arrested Development
Published by Toronto Mike on February 4, 2008 @ 13:15 in Movies
Since I've been in the cold, everything in this entry has likely be written elsewhere by others. I wouldn't know, I still haven't read a review of "Juno". I have seen the movie, finally, and the first thing that struck me is how Canadian a film it is. Here's the Juno Canadiana I detected:
In addition to all this Canadiana, there was a great shout out to "Arrested Development". During the past month I've re-watched all 53 episodes of "Arrested Development" in sequence. Just about every night I watched at least one episode, often two and sometimes three. As a result, I've spent a lot of time thinking about "Arrested Development" so when I see a film co-starring both George Michael Bluth and Michael Bluth, it's natural I'm going to be looking for allusions to the best comedy you didn't watch. J.K. Simmons, a man I know best from his role as Vernon Schillinger in "Oz" but also a one-time guest star on "Arrested Development", had the honours. His line "I'm not ready to be a Pop Pop" was a clear allusion to "Arrested Development". "Pop Pop" was the term of endearment George Michael and Maeby used for their grandfather, George Bluth Sr., played by the always awesome Jeffrey Tambor. It's also a great movie, by the way...
Manning to Tyree Play for the Ages
Published by Toronto Mike on February 4, 2008 @ 12:25 in Sports
If you were watching that fourth quarter, you already know how thrilling it was. New York had the lead, New England jumped in front late and then the Giants somehow marched 83 yards down the field to complete the upset. I'm hesitant to call it the best Super Bowl I've ever seen, because I have vivid memories of Super Bowl XXXIV when Kevin Dyson was tackled one yard short, but it's definitely right up there. The winning touchdown was scored on an 83 yard drive that consisted of 12 plays, but none more crucial than the catch David Tyree made. Firstly, I couldn't believe Eli Manning broke free to make that pass. And even though I've seen the replay a dozen times now, I can't believe the catch Tyree made. That play at that time was absolutely thrilling and why I love sports. Anything can happen. Here's the Manning-to-Tyree play I still can't believe.
Louie Louie Is Still In Effect
Published by Toronto Mike on February 4, 2008 @ 11:43 in Music
For years this song only lived in my memories. I couldn't find it anywhere. This morning I awoke to find it in my inbox. Another Mike found my entry, had the song and sent it my way. And that, in a nutshell, is why I so thoroughly enjoy this little hobby of mine. I'll share the song with you all Wednesday.
Alex Sanchez, I Don't Remember You At All
Published by Toronto Mike on February 4, 2008 @ 11:00 in Toronto Blue Jays
Unlike Jim Clancy and Ernie Whitt, I have no memories of Alex Sanchez. He was our #1 pick in the 1987 draft but he didn't pan out. In fact, he only made four major league starts and his first was his best. "Despite giving up 5 hits and 5 walks in 6 innings, he allowed just 1 run and left the game tied. David Wells came in, pitched the last 3 innings, and got the win." Although I'm pretty sure I was either watching or listening to that game, it's not ringing a bell.
Juno
Published by Toronto Mike on February 4, 2008 @ 08:51 in Reviews
"Juno" is fantastic. It's funny, charming and sweet and is powered by a great cast. It's a great cast, with personal faves J.K. Simmons, Michael Cera and Jason Bateman complemented nicely by Allison Janney, Olivia Thirlby and Jennifer Garner, but this movie kills because of a stellar performance from young Canadian actress Ellen Page. If you haven't seen "Juno" yet, Ellen Page will blow you away. She's a breath of fresh air, quirky, funny and smart, and she is the reason this film is nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. I'm highly recommending this one. Later today, when I get a chance, I've going to comment further on both the Canadian aspect of this wonderful little film and the "Arrested Development" tie-in. Stay tuned!
I Hate Perfection
Published by Toronto Mike on February 3, 2008 @ 12:06 in Sports
For a few reasons, I'll be rooting for the New York Giants. It's more like I'm rooting against the New England Patriots than rooting for the Giants, and there are two primary motivating factors. I Hate Perfection I'm Sick Of Boston In honour of Super Bowl Sunday, a day that used to mean a great deal more to me, here's my favourite Super Bowl ad of them all.
Everyday Normal Guy 2
Published by Toronto Mike on February 3, 2008 @ 10:23 in Videos
Here's the very funny and very NSFW Everyday Normal Guy 2.
Maple Leafs 4, Senators 2
Published by Toronto Mike on February 3, 2008 @ 09:34 in Toronto Maple Leafs
I got my wish. It was an entertaining game with hard luck defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo scoring the winner on a pass from NASCAR legend Robbie Earl. I've got tickets to see the Marlies next Sunday. From what I saw last night, they've got a shot at the Calder Cup.
Obama v. Clinton
Published by Toronto Mike on February 2, 2008 @ 20:13 in Politics
Today, I'm sensing Barack Obama has seized the momentum. Obama, a brilliant orator, has people talking about change. He's motivating people, giving Americans hope and faith that there will be sunlight after eight years of darkness. I don't have a preference, but I want the winner of Obama v. Clinton to be the next president of the USA. Here's a fantastic video inspired by Obama's message of hope.
Teach Me French
Published by Toronto Mike on February 2, 2008 @ 19:36 in Family
James has senior kindergarten friends who are already in French Immersion and James thinks this is pretty cool. Although I only know a handful for French words, James' mom is fluently bilingual, so at least one of us will be able to hang with the dude when he's trying to conjugate them verbs. The boy wants to go to French Immersion so we're going to make it happen for the guy. Who could say no to a face like this? Pas je.
The Web Service Suites That Revolve Around The Firefox Sun
Published by Toronto Mike on February 2, 2008 @ 17:47 in Technology
As I was assembling this rather small list, it soon became obvious to me that such detail would be better presented as an image. Yes, Facebook is there, because despite my threats to quit, I'm still an active user. Why am I there? Because their developers understand the importance of user interface and when something works, it's tough to say goodbye.
* Click the image to see it in Flickr where I've added notes to explain what each service does for me.
Robbie Earl, NASCAR Legend?
Published by Toronto Mike on February 2, 2008 @ 16:34 in Toronto Maple Leafs
From Wikipedia: "Robert Wayne Earl (born June 2, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois) is an African American hockey player currently with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League." It's time to update that synopsis as he's been recalled by the Leafs. In 44 games this season for the Marlies, he has 33 points with 11 goals and 22 assists. Gentlemen, start your engines.
Best Thing About Weekends
Published by Toronto Mike on February 2, 2008 @ 16:04 in Family
The office has fresh coffee as well, but it's office coffee, and understandably inferior. Taryn's got the French press down to a fine art and I'd never go back to the old drip brew again. Here's our French press in action. This amount gives us each one massive cup and starts the day off right.
Homer Simpson's Quote of the Week
Published by Toronto Mike on February 2, 2008 @ 09:21 in Homer's Quote of the Week
It's the Interface, Stupid
Published by Toronto Mike on February 1, 2008 @ 21:19 in Technology, The Best of Toronto Mike
Back in 2004, I fell in love (if you can fall in love with a web service) with Flickr. Flickr was founded by Ludicorp, a nice little Canadian company, and in 2004 I actually paid Flickr money for a pro account. I never pay for anything on the web, so the fact I was willing to hand over actual coin is all the evidence of my loyalty you need. This was something worth paying for, a photo sharing website that enhanced my life. Why did Flickr work while many other photo sharing sites failed? Lord knows I tried several before falling for Flickr. What did Ludicorp do that Microsoft was never able to do? The answer is simple. It's the interface, stupid. Flickr reflected a brilliant user interface that evolved into the epitome of Web 2.0 utilizing Ajax techniques that made one forget they were in a browser. Uploading pictures, tagging them, embedding them on the web and organizing ones photos isn't just easy, it's a pleasure. Flickr understands the importance of user interface and when they built a better mousetrap, passionate users followed in droves. Flickr users aren't just users, they're part of a vibrant community. Creating passionate users is precisely what Microsoft fails at time and time again. Passionate users grow abundantly in such fertile ground. When Yahoo! bought Flickr, they understood what they had purchased and let it be. Other than forcing Flickr users to tie their accounts to a Yahoo! login, Yahoo! hasn't caused a single disruption in the force. Flickr is better than ever with several awesome upgrades of late. I'm happily sharing 4,713 photos right now, and it's all because of Flickr's interface. If/when Microsoft buys Yahoo!, they'll own Flickr as well. I'm actually dreading this transition. I don't trust Microsoft to "let it be". They've proven time and time again that they don't get it. They don't lure passionate users because they don't do good user interface. If they end up with Flickr and don't announce plans to sell it to someone who cares, I'll leave the community. I'll leave with my 4,713 photos and every ounce of my passion.
Chestnut: Hero of Central Park
Published by Toronto Mike on February 1, 2008 @ 19:43 in Reviews
How many movies made for kids feature dogs? There's the "Air Bud" series, "Karate Dog", "Under Dog" and this one, "Chestnut: Hero of Central Park". As you might have guessed, I watched this with the kids. I know he hasn't discovered this blog yet, and even if he does he'll have trouble with the big words, so let me tell you about the effect this movie had on my six year old. He was balling, sobbing a bucket of tears when Chestnut, the lovable Great Dane, was lost in Central Park. When Chestnut got stabbed trying to be a hero, James lost it. I held his hand and watched him perk up when Chestnut came through. I don't blame James for crying. I did the same thing after "Titanic", but that's a story for another day.
You Suck At Photoshop #5
Published by Toronto Mike on February 1, 2008 @ 16:06 in Miscellaneous
The Best Songs From Blur
Published by Toronto Mike on February 1, 2008 @ 14:15 in Friday Fives
January 2008 Search Engine Referrals
Published by Toronto Mike on February 1, 2008 @ 11:58 in SEO: Search Engine Optimization
Sarah Silverman Is F**king Matt Damon
Published by Toronto Mike on February 1, 2008 @ 11:27 in Miscellaneous
How ya like them apples?
Yahoo! Wooed By Dark Side
Published by Toronto Mike on February 1, 2008 @ 09:10 in Technology
Yahoo! is being wooed by the evil empire. Microsoft has made an unsolicited $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo!. The bid, which would consist of cash and Microsoft stock, values Yahoo! shares at $31 a share, a 62% premium on Thursdays closing price. Don't sell, Yahoo! Not now, not ever, and definitely not to them.
Maple Leafs 2, Hurricanes 3
Published by Toronto Mike on February 1, 2008 @ 09:03 in Toronto Maple Leafs
That's when I realized the Leafs are my favourite reality show. Now that I've hit this unprecedented sweet spot where I'm okay with losing, watching games has become much more relaxing fun. I was thrilled when our great captain tied it up with 11.4 seconds left in regulation, but I was also okay when the Hurricanes won it in overtime. It was grand. If you still care, and it's okay if you don't because this team will hopefully be gutted soon, we've now gone five games without a man-advantage goal. In the NHL 2.0, that's a recipe for disaster.
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will.i.am is at it again. First there was 
Last August I wrote 
Fred Patterson, one half of the former morning show tandem of Humble & Fred, wrote an entry on his blog this morning about 
My favourite Kenny Rogers songs
I'm featuring 1988 Topps Cards featuring members of my beloved Blue Jays that are featured on 
Do you remember the Thrilla on Capital Hilla? 
I was just reading that Mike Smith of the Dave Clark 5 had passed away from pneumonia. Earlier this week, goaltender Mike Smith was traded by Dallas to Tampa Bay. That Mike Smith once wore a Tragically Hip mask I wrote about 
YouTube user 
I'm banning "The Leafs don't even know how to lose properly" jokes. That's it. They're too easy and they're everywhere, so I'm no longer going there. Instead, I'm going to talk about Jeremy Williams.
Since 
William F. Buckley Jr. was 82. He was the erudite Ivy Leaguer and conservative herald who showered huge and scornful words on liberalism as he observed, abetted and cheered on the right's post-World War II rise from the fringes to the White House.
I share an MP3 from 
I'm such a fool. When Cliff Fletcher came back to act as General Manager, I anticipated an active trading deadline. Even though 
Our friends at 102.1 The Edge have announced their lineup for Edgefest 2008. They actually didn't hold an Edgefest in 2007, ending a string of 20 consecutive shows. Before I throw you the lineup, I have an Edgefest spiel to share.
I'm submitting a song for 
I love beating the Sens, and I'm glad Mats Sundin is a part of tonight's onslaught. It's 5-0 right now and Sundin got the opening goal.
I watched most of the Academy Awards last night. At around 11pm I bailed, but I caught all five musical performances. This entry is about the five songs I saw performed last night.
I have a collection of expressions I'll use in place of "goodbye". Many of these expressions came from hip hop songs from the late 80s and early 90s as is the case with a farewell line I've been using for 17 years now. That would be, "I'm out like Buster Douglas".
In response to 
For the second time in two weeks, James and I spent a Sunday afternoon taking in a Toronto Marlies game at the Ricoh Coliseum. The more I visit the Ricoh Coliseum, the more I love it.
I'm watching the tribute to Bob Gainey. They're retiring his number in Montreal. He played his entire career for the Montreal Canadiens, captaining that team for nine seasons and never missing the playoffs.
For years I ran an Oscar pool I'd open up to the public. It got to be a pretty big pain the ass as it grew and grew, so a couple of years ago I opened it up to family members only.
On 
It's time to re-purpose some content... Four years ago today, when there were approximately 40 unique visitors to this site each day, I wrote a little tribute to a man who helped provide the soundtrack to my early years of life. Kenny Rogers still does it for me, as I wrote 
I completely missed The Brit Awards this year. That's too bad because I always enjoy the Brits. In this new age of YouTube, however, all is not lost.
James wanted some Doritos, so I went into the cupboard to grab a plastic kids bowl to fill. The only clean one was a Disney Princess bowl that belongs to Michelle.
I was at Old City Hall today fighting a speeding ticket. Every time I go to traffic court my friends tell me the police officer won't show up and they'll withdraw the charges. Every time this turns out not to be true. Today, as usual, the police offer showed up.
I rarely write about ad campaigns but this Obay marketing effort has me intrigued. Ads have popped up all over Toronto promoting an obviously fictional drug called Obay. They're everywhere and I have no idea what they're for.
As a follow up to this entry 
This is a cool little animated video on the history of evil. Hitler and Bin Laden make the cut, but there's no sign of Harold Ballard or Vince Carter.
I'm totally digging this picture of Homer if he were painted by Rembrandt. I stole this from 
On Valentine's Day, Steve Kazmierczak killed five people and wounded sixteen others before shooting and killing himself at Northern Illinois University. As usual after a school shooting, people hit the web searching for digital breadcrumbs and signs as to what went wrong.
When I was young, I remember cars with Ontario license plates had the slogan "Keep It Beautiful" printed on them. "Keep It Beautiful" was everywhere until "Yours To Discover" showed up. Then, for a while there was a split until all the "Keep It Beautiful" plates disappeared.
I got an email this morning from Mark Hebscher. Hebsy, along with Jim Tatti, hosted Sportsline on Global TV every weeknight at 11:30 from 1985 untill Hebscher left in 1995. I was a Sportsline fanatic.
It's just sinking in that this Family Day thing is for real. For those of you reading outside of Ontario, Family Day was an election promise by provincial Liberal Party leader Dalton McGuinty. McGuinty got reelected and made it official on October 11, 2007. Tomorrow will be our very first Family Day which means I don't have to go to the office.
Dr. David Suzuki is watching you. At least, that's what I tell my kids. I play the role of good cop and put David Suzuki in the role of bad cop whenever I witness a waste of energy in the home.
YouTube user 
The Gulf islands near Nanaimo, British Columbia have
I got a request last night to create an RSS feed for 
This was 
Baltimore police officer Salvatore Rivieri doesn't like skateboarders who call him "dude".
A life long baseball fan, I've never seen a pitcher as good as Rocket Roger Clemens. When it comes to offensive prowess, I've never seen a hitter as good as Barry Bonds. As far as I'm concerned, you can take a big ol' eraser and scrub the marvellous careers of both men from the record book.
YouTube user 
If you're reading this from the GTA, you know how damn cold it's been these past few days. How cold is it? They actually cancelled Beavers toboggan night. When it's too cold to toboggan, it's too cold.
I've been getting hits today from people Googling Grammys Recap. 
Yahoo! has rejected Microsoft's $44.6 billion takeover bid and 
The new 
It seems 
Firefox and Safari support CSS3's ::selection pseudo-element. Using that and PHP, 
A two-disc collection entitled "Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran" is due March 18, and it boasts many of my favourite artists. You might recall Eddie Vedder performed last September at the Toronto International Film Festival to promote the documentary of the same name.
The Debaters is the hit CBC Radio show that features Canada’s hottest comedians going toe to toe, debating topics in the news and on the minds of Canadians. This week's episode is Valentine's Day themed and love is in the air. It also features my good friend Humble Howard Glassman as he takes on Judy Croon.
At some point about 15 years ago, we started getting Chicago's WGN as part of our cable package. WGN would broadcast Chicago Cubs games called by Harry Caray and Harry Caray made things fun.
I don't currently subscribe to any magazines now that I've let my subscription to Rolling Stone lapse, but I've got a buddy who saves every copy of Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine for me. I read both from cover to cover and what I'm about to write might surprise you.
I turned on the television yesterday just in time to catch the national anthem. I then watched the entire Super Bowl, 
For years I've been referring to Hillary Clinton as the next president of the United States of America. I firmly believe the democratic nominee will win the day next November and I've felt Hillary Clinton would likely end up with that nomination.
Weekends rule for a variety of reasons. On a Saturday, I don't have to visit the office. That means my wife will brew us kick ass coffee in a French press. That relaxing Saturday and Sunday morning coffee might just be the best thing about weekends.
I instantly 
These are the top searches that referred people to this site in January of 2008. Once again, this list is dominated by people looking for Ralph Wiggums' Valentine's Day card. "Choo choo" related searches hold down three of the top five spots. I'm pleased to see "toronto blog" breaking into the top four and surprised to see "saint ralph soundtrack" ranking. Apparently, a cable channel in the New York area is playing the heck out of that film and it's benefiting from the exposure.