Jim Kelley, Dead at 61
Published by Toronto Mike on November 30, 2010 @ 22:30 in Celebrity Deaths

Jim Kelley was 61. He was a longtime sports writer and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame who recently worked alongside Bob McCown co-hosting Prime Time Sports on The Fan 590.

Gimme Shelter Deconstructed
Published by Toronto Mike on November 30, 2010 @ 17:16 in Music

Gimme Shelter from the Rolling Stones is an awesome tune. I just came across an entry at Dangerous Minds that "wonderfully demonstrates how the Rolling Stones sound is more than just the sum of its parts, with the component tracks" from Gimme Shelter isolated for our enjoyment.

First we have the vocal harmonies of Mick Jagger and Merry Clayton.

Then there's the Keith Richards’ rhythm guitar track.

Then there's Ketih Richards’ second guitar and Nicky Hopkins on piano.

And Bill Wyman on bass.

And Charlie Watts on drums.

Steve Johnson Blames God via Twitter For Dropped Ball
Published by Toronto Mike on November 29, 2010 @ 14:39 in Toronto Bills, Twitter

In shocking news, our Buffalo Bills coughed one up yesterday against the Steelers. In overtime, receiver Steve Johnson dropped an easy game-winning catch. Here's the video evidence:

Following the game, Steve Johnson was so upset, he sent a tweet to God.

At least he said thanks...

My 5 Favourite Frank Drebin Quotes From The Naked Gun
Published by Toronto Mike on November 28, 2010 @ 22:10 in Movies

In honour of Leslie Nielsen's passing, here are my five favourite quotes from Lt. Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!.

1. It's true what they say: Cops and women don't mix. It's like eating a spoonful of Drano; sure, it'll clean you out, but it'll leave you hollow inside.
2. Jane, since I've met you, I've noticed things that I never knew were there before... birds singing, dew glistening on a newly formed leaf, stoplights.
3. Just think; next time I shoot someone, I could be arrested.
4. I'd known her for years. We used to go to all the police functions together. Ah, how I loved her, but she had her music. I think she had her music. She'd hang out with the Chicago Male Chorus and Symphony. I don't recall her playing an instrument or being able to carry a tune. Yet she was on the road 300 days of the year. In fact, I bought her a harp for Christmas. She asked me what it was.
5. Wilma, I promise you; whatever scum did this, not one man on this force will rest one minute until he's behind bars. Now, let's grab a bite to eat.

Leslie Nielsen, Dead at 84
Published by Toronto Mike on November 28, 2010 @ 20:24 in Celebrity Deaths

Leslie Nielsen was 84. He experienced success as a serious actor in the films Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure before achieving his greatest successes in the comedy films Airplane! and The Naked Gun.

I absolutely adored Leslie Nielsen in Airplane! and The Naked Gun. Here's a little something I wrote about the latter.

And of course, he was a proud member of The Canadian Conspiracy who I once proposed should be on our $5 bill. RIP, Leslie.

Reality Check: Pop Can Tabs Worth 0.0413793103¢ Each
Published by Toronto Mike on November 28, 2010 @ 12:48 in Miscellaneous

I was just reading The Villager. The Villager is a local paper that serves the Bloor West Village, Junction, Roncesvalles and St. Clair neighbourhoods of Toronto. The front page had an article about the primary school I used to attend, so I read on with great interest.

Since the beginning of September, St. Pius X Catholic School students have collected thousands of pop can tabs in the hopes of purchasing a wheelchair for a child with a physical disability.

At this point, I'm delighted. Fundraising initiatives by students should always be encouraged, and buying wheelchairs for children in need sounds like a pretty good cause. But how exactly do you transform pop can tabs into wheelchairs?

"It takes 1,450 tabs to make up a pound, which the charity takes to a local recycling depot. It gets 60 cents a pound," said Debbie Solar of the elementary school's parent council. "The money is deposited in the charity's bank account and goes to a family in need of a wheelchair."

At this point, I just wish these kids with good intentions did the math. Let's see... 1,450 tabs make a pound, and each pound earns you 60¢. I just did some cursory Googling, and it looks like the cheapest wheelchair will cost you at least $300. 60¢ goes into $300 exactly 500 times, so the kids at St. Pius X will need 500 pounds of pop can tabs for each economical wheelchair. If you're still with me, that's exactly 725,000 pop can tabs.

At the risk of looking a gift horse in the mouth, I have to wonder if this isn't a good opportunity to teach the kids at Pius the difference between working smart and working hard. I can't imagine the energy and drive it would take to collect 725,000 pop can tabs but I'm absolutely certain there has to be a better way.

I'll bet these same kids could write a play, put it on one evening in the school gym for parents with a "pay what you can" model and end up with enough profit to buy several wheelchairs. And since they're already saving pop can tabs with a value of 0.0413793103¢ each, that same energy collecting pennies would be at least 24.1666667 times as effective.

Dear children of St. Pius X Catholic School, your intentions here are awesome. Devoting your time and energy to a good cause like this makes me proud of my former school. But this pop can tab recycling program... the numbers just don't add up. Focus on a bake sale, car wash or rummage sale. Or hit up your parents, grandparents and uncles and aunts for donations. That one's all profit.

Kevin Weekes Almost Demolished by Zamboni on HNIC
Published by Toronto Mike on November 28, 2010 @ 11:45 in Television

I caught this live last night after the Leafs game. On Hockey Night in Canada, Kevin Weekes almost got run over by a Zamboni.

He was pretty cool under pressure, though...

Try It For A Week, Change Your Life: The Barilkosphere Challenge
Published by Toronto Mike on November 27, 2010 @ 16:32 in Toronto Maple Leafs

This afternoon, I interviewed Habs blogger The Active Stick for a job. At some point during our conversation, we compared the Barilkosphere to the Habs blogosphere.

The first thing you need to know about the comparison is that we're united under the awesome handle "Barilkosphere" while they're divided under the cumbersome name "Habs Blogosphere". As we talked, The Active Stick seemed envious, as if she really wanted to be a part of our club. That's when I challenged her...

"Try rooting for the Leafs for one week and I promise you'll never look back."

It's true, we haven't played in a Stanley Cup final during my lifetime, but cheering for the Leafs is good for the soul, spiritually fulfilling and a whole lot of fun. The Barilkosphere is smarter, funnier and better looking as a whole than online fans of any other team, especially the Montreal Canadiens. A Habs fan would be unable to hate our Leafs after spending a week in our shoes. They'd never look back.

Are there any fans of other teams willing to take The Barilkosphere Challenge? Give us a week and we'll change your life. I'm looking right at you, The Active Stick.

Lebron James Is Not Michael Jordan
Published by Toronto Mike on November 27, 2010 @ 10:54 in Sports

The Lebron James Rise ad for Nike opens itself up nicely to retorts and mash-ups. We recently enjoyed Cleveland's response, and now there's Michael Jordan's response.

Now that's a mash-up that rings true. Lebron James is no MJ.

The Best Google Chrome Extension, Ever
Published by Toronto Mike on November 27, 2010 @ 00:11 in Google Chrome

I just stumbled upon a fantastic Google Chrome extension and had to share.

This extension, known as "Nothing", does exactly what it's supposed to do.

You can download it here.

Weekend Open Mike: Black Friday Edition
Published by Toronto Mike on November 26, 2010 @ 08:19 in Open Mike

It's Black Friday. That doesn't mean much here in Canada, but I understand it means a whole lot to our American brethren. Go consumers go!

Use the comments of this entry to discuss anything you want. Get something off your chest, start a debate, or simply rant away. Or, if you like, you can ask me a question or two.

Ubuntu 10.10 Is Just More Fun
Published by Toronto Mike on November 25, 2010 @ 20:34 in Technology

My mom has been happily running Ubuntu on her desktop for years. She never complains, it just works. She has a little netbook that runs Windows, and I'm always getting support calls about that machine, but I never get a single call about her Ubuntu PC.

A couple of years ago, I wrote about how I salvage PCs that start choking on the weight of Windows. I install Ubuntu, a Linux-based operating system. I've done just that a lot this week.

It started when the family desktop suffered a hardware failure. It's been running Windows XP since XP was new, so I tried to save it by installing Ubuntu. I also got my grubby mitts on a couple of old laptops that were fit for the pit, and managed to save one with Ubuntu 8.10. Note: When it runs slow with Ubuntu 10.10, try 8.10 which requires far fewer horses under the hood.

Today, I decided to bite the bullet and actually bought my first new desktop in almost a decade. For $250 I got a fancy new case with an AMD Athlon II X2 245 processor, 2 GB of DDR2 800 memory and a 500 GB hard drive. I brought it home and installed Ubuntu 10.10 and it's super fast and delightfully stable.

Truth be known, I thought Ubuntu 9 was pretty ugly, but Ubuntu 10 looks fantastic. As more and more of our daily computer tasks move to the browser, you have to ask yourself why you'd want to pay for a Windows license when it's just more fun in Ubuntu... not to mention free.

I'm sticking with Ubuntu... at least until the Google O/S gets released and I give that a whirl.

Cookie Monster as Casey McPhee
Published by Toronto Mike on November 24, 2010 @ 17:59 in Memories

A YouTube clip of Cookie Monster trying out for Saturday Night Live is making the rounds, so you'll see it very soon. Or, you can press play below and see it now. It's up to you.

Cookie Monster will always be near and dear to my heart, because he starred in my very favourite Sesame Street bit. It was Cookie Monster as Casey McPhee and he had to get the train though.

I absolutely loved this bit... and I still do.

Nicolas Cage Losing His Shit
Published by Toronto Mike on November 23, 2010 @ 22:39 in Movies

Watch a Nick Cage film, and there's bound to be a moment or two when he completely loses his shit. Here's a bunch of those moments in one awesome video montage.

Here are the movies from the above video.

0:09 - 0:30 Vampire:s Kiss
0:30 - 0:32 Ghost Rider
0:32 - 0:50 Vampire:s Kiss
0:50 - 1:11 Deadfall
1:11 - 1:19 Vampire:s Kiss
1:19 - 1:35 Deadfall (x2), Face/Off, Red Rock West (x2), Deadfall
1:35 - 1:43 The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call
1:43 - 1:47 Matchstick Men
1:47 - 1:52 Leaving Las Vegas
1:52 - 1:55 Vampire:s Kiss
1:55 - 2:03 Bringing Out the Dead, Face/Off (x2), 8mm, Adaptation, Wild at Heart
2:03 - 2:17 Windtalkers, Raising Arizona, Bringing Out the Dead, The Wicker Man
2:17 - 2:21 Vampire:s Kiss
2:21 - 2:34 Deadfall
2:35 - 3:10 The Wicker Man
3:10 - 3:19 Deadfall
3:19 - 3:37 The Wicker Man
3:37 - 3:43 Ghost Rider
3:43 - 4:10 Zandalee

Shakespeare My Butt and Ron Hawkins' Voice Change
Published by Toronto Mike on November 23, 2010 @ 22:18 in Music

A few years ago I decided I would chisel my favourite Canadian albums down to a lean and mean top ten. The resulting list included Shakespeare My Butt from The Lowest of the Low, an album that turns 20 next year.

I just read a nice little article about The Lowest of the Low and the 20th anniversary of Shakespeare My Butt over at CHARTAttack, and it included this little nugget.

The Lowest Of The Low's career trajectory post-Shakespeare included a host of highlights, but just as many lowlights. Their indie success was followed by an uneasy alliance and ultimately negative experience with a major label, but they'd be the first to admit they didn't always play nice in that particular sandbox.

Case in point: their two biggest national TV appearances while signed to A&M resulted in performances of their most controversial and arguably least accessible song on MuchMusic and a display of public urination on CBC, respectively.

Hawkins' voice suffered an accidental change in register after a particularly vigorous tackle during a game of touch football, while long van rides and the general excesses of life on the road slowly eroded the camaraderie between the four friends.

I had never heard about Ron Hawkins' voice changing after a football tackle. Did that really happen?

Redesigning Old Floats To Make 'Em New
Published by Toronto Mike on November 23, 2010 @ 08:15 in Toronto Santa Claus Parade

The Toronto Santa Claus Parade needs to mix things up year after year, to ensure they don't rerun the same parade. Often, they'll simply redesign an existing float.

For example, here's the Yahoo! float that was in the parade the last few years. As you'd expect from Yahoo!, it's a young girl on her laptop.

Now that it's a Duracell float, that same girl is gently fondling batteries and playing with battery-operated toys.

Can't Wait Anymore HNIC Montage
Published by Toronto Mike on November 22, 2010 @ 10:53 in Movies, Toronto Maple Leafs

The montage that opened Saturday night's Leafs / Habs match-up on Hockey Night in Canada was pretty awesome. I've been critical lately of these opening HNIC montages as they've been pretty weak so far this season, but this one was a winner.

The song is Paul Langlois' "Can't Wait Anymore" from his new solo album. It's perfect for this footage. If you don't know who Paul Langlois is, you're not Canadian.

I just wish we'd won the game.

Laurie 'Bambi' Bembenek, Dead at 52
Published by Toronto Mike on November 21, 2010 @ 21:28 in Celebrity Deaths

Laurie 'Bambi' Bembenek was 52. She was the former Playboy Club bunny whose escape from prison and flee to Canada popularized the phrase "Run Bambi Run."

2010 Santa Claus Parade (Snark Version)
Published by Toronto Mike on November 21, 2010 @ 19:33 in The Best of Toronto Mike, Toronto Santa Claus Parade

I just wrote the sweet as all hell recap of the 2010 Santa Claus Parade. That's the one you can show your kids or little nephews and nieces or cousins. This is the snark version.

I'd like to know how much DreamWorks had to pony up for the massive Shrek DVD push that opened the parade. In addition to Shrek himself, every kid at the parade got a little gift pack complete with Shrek ears. There were more Shrek ears than reindeer antlers and Santa hats combined.

Hey, celebrity clowns. I don't mean to look a gift horse in the mouth and all, but where was the chocolate? It was all candy, no chocolate, and I friggin' love those holiday eggs you've handed out in previous years. Couldn't you have taken some of that DreamWorks money and scored some chocolate?

The first real float was called "Rob Ford" and it passed without any fanfare. It was surreal, really.

Poor Blinky... he doesn't even blink anymore. First he stops driving himself, then he stops talking, but now that he's not blinking, is he really Blinky anymore?

Nothing says Christmas like Lady Gaga!

So very, very creepy.

These guys just stink.

Really, Ken? A pink tie?

I don't know what these things are, but I hate them.

These guys might be creepier than the upside down clowns.

I for one am sickened by the continuous and overt sexualization of animals in this parade.

A notorious criminal celebrated in front of our precious children? Disgusting.

Blowing through walls just got a little easier.

Somebody has an ego!

2010 Santa Claus Parade
Published by Toronto Mike on November 21, 2010 @ 19:20 in Toronto Santa Claus Parade

I took the kids to the 2010 Santa Claus Parade today. It was my seventh parade in a row, so I've got it all down to a fine art. I know when to arrive, where to score great seats for the kids and how to keep them warm and entertained during the two hour wait beforehand.

This year wasn't as warm as last year, but it was far better than the rain / snow combo we got a couple of years back. We parked ourselves at University and Elm, right across from Sick Kids where they put up the heart warming bleacher seats for the patients.

I took 115 photos and videos you'll find here. We'll be back next year.

Here are my recaps of the last six Toronto Santa Claus Parades I attended.

• 2009 Santa Claus Parade
• 2008 Santa Claus Parade
• 2007 Santa Claus Parade
• 2006 Santa Claus Parade
• 2005 Santa Claus Parade
• 2004 Santa Claus Parade

Maple Leafs on Mastermind
Published by Toronto Mike on November 20, 2010 @ 14:43 in Toronto Maple Leafs

I love trivia. I love the Maple Leafs. I loved this clip.

It's from Mastermind, a British quiz show, and it's comedian Stewart Francis being peppered with trivia questions about our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs.

[via Pension Plan Puppets]

Yes Virginia, There Will Be a Humble & Fred Xmas Podcast in 2010
Published by Toronto Mike on November 20, 2010 @ 12:32 in Humble and Fred

Humble and Fred fans, I have some good news to share. The boys will be recording a Christmas podcast on December 11.

If my math is correct, this will be podcast #8 since Humble and Fred were forcibly removed from the old Mix 99.9 studios a few years ago. The last podcast was recorded in April. I should know, because I was there.

Last year's Christmas podcast wasn't holiday themed, so you actually have to go back to 2006 to revisit the last Humble and Fred Christmas podcast. That was a pretty special day as I joined Humble, Fred, Bingo Bob and Scary Pete at Dan Duran's house for the 17th Annual Humble and Fred Christmas Show. It was the first time Humble and Fred hooked up on the mic since Fred's last Mix 99.9 show in 2005.

Four years later, we're doing it again. Stay tuned, I'll be sharing pics and audio just in time for St. Nick's arrival.

For more Humble and Fred stuff, click here.

Pat Burns, Dead at 58
Published by Toronto Mike on November 19, 2010 @ 23:31 in Celebrity Deaths, Toronto Maple Leafs

Pat Burns was 58. He is the only Maple Leafs coach to win the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL Coach of the Year by leading the club to a 44-29-11 record in 1992-93 in his first season behind the Toronto bench. He remains the only NHL bench boss in history to earn the award three times, winning it with Montreal in 1989 and with Boston in 1998. The Leafs’ resurgence in 1992-93, with Burns at the helm, marked the first time that the Original Six franchise advanced to the Conference Final since the 1977-78 campaign. The team would repeat their playoff success the following season in 1994 under his leadership.

With the Leafs, Burns posted a coaching record of 133-107-41 (.546%) in 281 games behind the bench. On the Leafs’ All-Time Coaching List, Burns is tied with Red Kelly for fifth place in victories.

Overall, he coached in 1,019 NHL games in 15 seasons from 1988 to 2005 and compiled a record of 501-353-165. He coached the Devils to a Stanley Cup title in 2003.

I'll never forget Pat Burns and his Leafs teams of the early 90s. They truly were the best.

Weekend Open Mike
Published by Toronto Mike on November 19, 2010 @ 10:59 in Open Mike

Let's try this again...

Use the comments of this entry to discuss anything you want. Get something off your chest, start a debate, or simply rant away.

Jimmy Fallon as Neil Young Performing Willow Smith's Whip My Hair
Published by Toronto Mike on November 18, 2010 @ 17:48 in Music

You might enjoy this. I know I did.

It's Jimmy Fallon as Neil Young performing Willow Smith's Whip My Hair and there's an extra cool special appearance by Bruce Springsteen.

Whip your hair...

Warning: Rob Ford Wants to Be Prime Minister
Published by Toronto Mike on November 18, 2010 @ 11:52 in Rob Ford Watch, Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus

Ryan from Rogers TV sent me this video of Rob Ford predicting he'll one day be mayor of Toronto. This video is from 2006.

I'm a little concerned, because he also states he wants to be Prime Minister. Uh oh...

Like A Bosh
Published by Toronto Mike on November 17, 2010 @ 10:55 in Toronto Raptors

You thought it would be awesome, but it's not. It's like a Bosh.

The Beatles on iTunes: We Know You Didn't Wait
Published by Toronto Mike on November 16, 2010 @ 10:47 in Music

In case you didn't know yet, Apple announced a deal with representatives of the Beatles and the group's record label, EMI Group, to put the entire catalog of Beatles music in the iTunes Store.

That's nice. The Beatles were, obviously, the biggest holdouts and now apple has them. Apple's going to make a lot of noise about this over the next couple of months...

Of course, I have to ask the obvious question here... There's no way anybody was waiting for this news before adding The Beatles to their iPods. I know you didn't wait. I didn't wait.

I'm betting you ripped your Beatles CDs to MP3 years ago and have been enjoying digital Beatles ever since. So if we didn't wait, why would there be a mad rush to buy The Beatles on iTunes now?

You Look Like Shit
Published by Toronto Mike on November 15, 2010 @ 22:31 in Movies

One of the most overused lines in cinema history.

Girl Talk's All Day Sample List
Published by Toronto Mike on November 15, 2010 @ 17:44 in Music

I've been listening to Girl Talk's All Day all afternoon. If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, go here and download it.

Thanks to Wikipedia, I didn't need to wait long for a complete sample list. Here are all the samples heard on Girl Talk's All Day.

1. "Oh No"
0:03 Black Sabbath - "War Pigs"
0:13 2Pac featuring K-Ci & JoJo - "How Do U Want It"
0:15 Jay-Z - "99 Problems"
0:20 Ludacris featuring Mystikal and I-20 - "Move Bitch"
1:20 Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind"
2:01 Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - "Express Yourself"
2:04 Eminem featuring Dr. Dre and 50 Cent - "Crack A Bottle"
2:09 Cali Swag District - "Teach Me How to Dougie"
2:13 Jane's Addiction - "Jane Says"
2:40 T.I. and Jay-Z featuring Kanye West and Lil Wayne - "Swagga Like Us"
2:40 M.I.A. - "Paper Planes"
2:45 St. Lunatics - Gimme What You Got
2:45 Dorrough - "Ice Cream Paint Job"
2:45 The Brothers Johnson - "Strawberry Letter 23"
4:15 Slick Rick - "La Di Da Di"
4:18 The Doors - "Waiting For the Sun"
4:20 Ramones - "Blitzkrieg Bop"
4:45 Trina featuring Killer Mike - "Look Back At Me"
4:56 Missy Elliott - "Get Ur Freak On"

2. "Let It Out"
0:00 - 0:00 Ramones - "Blitzkrieg Bop"
0:00 - 0:05 Missy Elliott - "Get Ur Freak On"
0:09 General Public - "Tenderness"
0:16 Jay-Z featuring Amil and Ja Rule - "Can I Get A..."
1:30 Electric Light Orchestra - "Mr. Blue Sky"
2:44 Craig Mack - "Flava in Ya Ear"
2:53 Jay-Z - "D.O.A"
2:55 GZA - "Liquid Swords"
3:15 - 4:41 Beck - "Loser"
3:19 Jim Jones and Ron Browz featuring Juelz Santana - "Pop Champagne"
3:25 Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell - "Drop It Like It's Hot"
3:58 Wale featuring Gucci Mane - "Pretty Girls"
4:42 Jean Knight - "Mr. Big Stuff"
5:14 Sir Mix-a-Lot - "Posse on Broadway"
5:16 Black Rob - "Whoa!"
5:25 Fugazi - "Waiting Room"
5:34 Dr. Octagon - "Blue Flowers"
5:36 Rihanna - "Rude Boy"

3. "That's Right"
0:00 Rihanna - "Rude Boy"
0:02 Fabolous featuring Nate Dogg - "You Can't Deny It"
0:21 Peter Gabriel - "In Your Eyes"
0:25 Foxy Brown - "Hot Spot"
0:31 Nine Inch Nails - "Closer"
1:41 Spacehog - "In the Meantime" (portion sampled samples "Telephone and Rubber Band" by Penguin Cafe Orchestra)
1:51 Terror Squad - "Lean Back"
2:35 Ester Dean featuring Chris Brown - "Drop It Low"
2:42 T La Rock - "It's Yours" (portion sampled samples "I Like Funky Music" by Uncle Louie)
2:44 Beastie Boys - "Paul Revere"
2:44 Beyoncé - "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"
3:53 M.O.P. - "Ante Up"
4:03 Miley Cyrus - "Party in the U.S.A."
5:21 Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg - "The Next Episode"

4. "Jump on Stage"
0:00 Portishead - "Sour Times"
0:10 Big Boi featuring Cutty - "Shutterbugg"
1:18 - 1:33 The Edgar Winter Group - "Frankenstein"
1:27 Diddy - "Tell Me"
1:31 50 Cent - "Disco Inferno"
1:32 Skee-Lo - "I Wish"
1:42 T'Pau - "Heart and Soul"
2:42-3:08 OJ Da Juiceman - "Make tha Trap Say Aye"
2:47 Jadakiss - "Who's Real"
2:50 New Edition - "If It Isn't Love"
2:52 Radiohead - "Creep"
3:04 Ol' Dirty Bastard - "Shimmy Shimmy Ya (Extended Version)"
4:25 Prince - "Delirious"
4:40 Master P - "Rock It"
5:09 Iggy Pop - "Lust for Life"
5:09 Beastie Boys - "Hey Ladies"
5:15 White Town - "Your Woman"
5:18 Lady GaGa - "LoveGame"

5. "This Is the Remix"
0:00 Herbie Hancock - "Rockit"
0:04 Bananarama - "Cruel Summer"
0:04 Justin Timberlake - "SexyBack"
0:09 Diddy-Dirty Money - "Hello Good Morning"
0:46 Lil' Kim - "The Jump Off"
0:47 Genesis - "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight"
0:54 Phil Collins - "Take Me Home"
0:59 The Jackson 5 - "I Want You Back"
1:06 N.W.A. - "Straight Outta Compton"
1:53 Busta Rhymes - "Stop the Party"
1:56 Billy Squier - "The Big Beat"
1:58 DMX - "Party Up"
2:06 Beastie Boys - "Intergalactic"
2:08 Toadies - "Possum Kingdom"
2:16 B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars - "Nothin' On You"
2:56 DJ Jubilee - "Get It Ready, Ready!"
3:36 Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz featuring Ying Yang Twins - "Get Low"
3:48 Simon and Garfunkel - "Cecilia"
3:57 U2 - "Sunday Bloody Sunday
4:22 Third Eye Blind - "Semi-Charmed Life"
4:48 The Grateful Dead - "Casey Jones"
4:51 E-A-Ski And CMT - "Listen To The Hit"
4:52 INXS - "Need You Tonight"
5:01 Fabolous - "Young'n (Holla Back)"
5:35 LL Cool J - "Jinglin' Baby"
5:36 - 6:02 The Clash - "Should I Stay or Should I Go"

6. "On and On"
0:00 - 1:14 Cream - "Sunshine of Your Love"
0:07 - 1:06 The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge and Avery Storm - "Nasty Girl"
1:14 - 1:30 Kesha - "Tik Tok"
1:27 - 1:29 Grand Funk Railroad - "We're an American Band"
1:29 - 2:36 New Order - "Bizarre Love Triangle"
1:32 - 1:54 Birdman featuring Kevin Rudolf and Lil Wayne - "I Want It All"
1:55 - 2:26 Trina - "Pull Over"
2:37 White Zombie - "Thunderkiss '65"
2:44 - 3:54 Ying Yang Twins - "Wild Out"
3:35 - 3:57 Ludacris - "Everybody Drunk"
3:47 - 3:49 De La Soul - "Me Myself and I"
3:48 The Emotions - "Best of My Love"
3:57 - 5:07 U2 - "With or Without You"
4:04 - 4:53 Twista - "Wetter"
5:01 - 5:09 Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance"

7. "Get It Get It"
0:00 Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance"
0:00 - 1:31 Aphex Twin - "Windowlicker"
0:07 Soulja Boy - "Pretty Boy Swag"
1:16 Ice Cube - "You Can Do It"
1:29 Black Eyed Peas - "Boom Boom Pow"
1:34 Daft Punk - "One More Time"
1:47 Rage Against the Machine - "Killing in the Name"
1:55 Rye Rye & M.I.A - "Bang"
2:24 - 2:32 Steve Miller Band - "Jungle Love"
2:30 Depeche Mode - "Just Can't Get Enough"
2:38 Pitbull - "Hotel Room Service"
3:40 Kid Cudi - "Day 'n' Nite (Crookers Remix)"
3:51 - 3:54 The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again"
3:53 Katy Perry - "California Gurls"
3:54 Frankie Smith - "Double Dutch Bus"
4:00 Daft Punk - "Digital Love"
4:10 Missy Elliott featuring Ludacris - "Gossip Folks"
4:40 Pitbull featuring T-Pain - "Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor)"
5:25 MGMT - "Kids"

8. "Down for the Count"
0:00 - 0:20 Belinda Carlisle - "Heaven Is a Place on Earth"
0:03 Ying Yang Twins - "Owhh"
0:18 - 1:49 Derek and the Dominos - "Layla"
0:31 - 1:49 B.o.B - "Haterz Everywhere"
1:54 - 1:57 Michael Jackson - "Black or White"
1:56 - 2:04 Flo Rida - "Right Round"
2:02 - 2:34 DJ Class - "I'm the Shit"
2:04 - 2:34 Crystal Waters - "Gypsy Woman"
2:36 Madness - "Our House”
2:18 Dominique Young Unique - "Show My Ass"
3:45 T. Rex - “20th Century Boy"
3:47 MSTRKRFT featuring N.O.R.E. - "Bounce"
4:48 Kylie Minogue - "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
4:48 Young MC - "Bust a Move"
5:46 Usher - "OMG"
5:47 The Rapture - "House of Jealous Lovers"
5:54 The Temptations - "Get Ready"
5:56 Trick Daddy - "Shut Up"
6:16 2 Live Crew - "Get It Girl"

9. "Make Me Wanna"
0:00-1:11 Cyndi Lauper - "Time After Time"
0:04 Young Dro feat. Gucci Mane - "Freeze me"
1:02 Basement Jaxx - "Where's Your Head At?"
1:18 Rick Ross - "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)"
2:22 B.o.B. - "Bet I Bust"
2:24 Waka Flocka Flame - "Hard in da Paint"
2:27 Mr. Oizo - "Flat Beat"
3:39 Ginuwine - "Pony"
3:39 Arcade Fire - "Wake Up"
3:39 Birdman featuring Drake and Lil Wayne - "Money to Blow"
4:41 Radiohead - "Idioteque"
4:42 The Isley Brothers - "Shout"

10. "Steady Shock"
0:00 Usher featuring Nicki Minaj - "Little Freak"
0:07 Blue Oyster Cult - "Don't Fear the Reaper"
0:56 - 1:02 The Cars - "Moving In Stereo"
1:03 Bruce Springsteen - "Dancing in the Dark"
1:03 N.E.R.D. - "Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)"
2:09 Supergrass - "Alright"
2:20 Bone Thugs-n-Harmony - "1st of tha Month"
3:24 Drake - "Over"
3:24 Collective Soul - "Shine"
3.25 Harvey Danger - "Flagpole Sitta"
3:33 A Flock of Seagulls - "I Ran"
4:31 OutKast - "B.O.B."
4:31 Nirvana - "Aneurysm"
4:31 Three 6 Mafia - "Who Run It"

11. "Triple Double"
0:00 Beyoncé - "Diva"
0:00 Phoenix - "1901"
0:07 - 1:20 Ludacris - "How Low"
1:28 Keri Hilson - "Turnin' Me On"
1:31 Joe Jackson - "Steppin' Out"
1:31 Lil' Wayne - "A Milli"
2:56 Neil Diamond - "Cherry, Cherry"
3:36 Devo - "Gates of Steel"
3:48 Ice Cube - "Today Was a Good Day"
5:04 Willow Smith - "Whip My Hair"
5:07 The Rolling Stones - "Paint It Black"
5:08 Wiz Khalifa - "Black and Yellow"
5:17 The Young Rascals - "Good Lovin'"
6:23 - 6:26 Van Halen - "Runnin' with the Devil"

12. "Every Day"
0:00 Fine Young Cannibals – "Good Thing"
0:00 Gucci Mane - "Gucci Time"
1:19 Jay-Z - "Dirt Off Your Shoulder"
1:20 MIMS - "Move (If You Wanna)"
1:21 Modern English - "I Melt with You"
2:46 Rich Boy - "Drop"
2:59 John Lennon - "Imagine"
3:11 UGK - "One Day"

Want Me To Promote Your Social Media PR Campaign? Send Chocolate
Published by Toronto Mike on November 15, 2010 @ 17:27 in Miscellaneous

M&M's have a contest going on called Find Red. You can go to http://findred.ca/ for a chance to win a Red smart fortwo car and other great prizes.

That link cost M&M's a bunch of chocolate. M&M's to be precise. The amount of product likely cost them pennies, but they put it in such a nice package and sent it via courier to me. How could I refuse?

The actual Find Red contest is pretty complex. Here's a copy and paste from the letter they sent me.

Participants can use a version of the Google Maps Street View API to look for three virtual Toronto locations where Red is hidden. To help with the search, the M&M’S® characters will seed clues to Red’s whereabouts on various social media channels including www.facebook.com/mmscanada; follow www.twitter.com/mmsfindred on Twitter using the hashtag #FindRed; on www.foursquare.com/mmsfindred leaving clues; through barcodes of participating M&M’S® products through www.stickybits.com; and local wild postings each containing a QR code (18 total), which release a Community Clue to find Red.

Got that? Now M&M's, I've done my part... send me more chocolate, please.

New Girl Talk... Finally! Get All Day Here
Published by Toronto Mike on November 15, 2010 @ 12:49 in Music

It's been over two years since Girl Talk's Feed the Animals.

That album had 322 fantastic samples and ended up being my favourite album of 2008. It's true, you can look it up.

I've been trying to download the free MP3s at http://69.162.150.165/12093874/qworeizl/3nv9asui/Girl_Talk_-_All_Day_(IA123)_mp3s.zip to no avail. I'll hunt for a nice torrent in a bit. I can't wait to hear his new release which features samples from Black Sabbath, Jay-Z, T.I., Missy Elliott, Ramones, Beck, Fugazi, Rihanna, Peter Gabriel, Kid Cudi, Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Portishead, Big Boi, Radiohead, Beastie Boys, Lady Gaga, N.W.A., The Jackson 5, Simon And Garfunkel, The Notorious B.I.G., U2, Aphex Twin, Rage Against The Machine, Daft Punk, MGMT, Arcade Fire and many, many more.

Update: Found some good alternative download links. Enjoy.

• http://www.mediafire.com/?vy057v6rld16oee
• http://hotfile.com/dl/82737194/10b4ffc/Girl_Talk_-_All_Day_(IA123)_mp3s.zip.html
• http://rapidshare.com/files/431007441/Girl_Talk_-_All_Day.zip

And... a good torrent.

http://btjunkie.org/torrent/Girl-Talk-All-Day/43588e3ef49c88238968cbf27b1d203cd5857844ec86

Arts & Entertainment Network
Published by Toronto Mike on November 14, 2010 @ 22:41 in Memories, Television

Another retro gem shared by Retrontario reminded me of the origins of the A&E Network.

When I first saw A&E, it was called the Arts & Entertainment Network and it was very PBS-ish. Lots of BBC stuff and upper crust viewing, as I recall. Here's an Arts & Entertainment Network promo to give you a taste of what it once was.

It's hard to believe that evolved (devolved?) into the A&E of today. Now it's all Gene Simmons: Family Jewels and Dog the Bounty Hunter and such.

At least it supplied me with my nightly Law & Order fix during my uni days.

The Social Network Review
Published by Toronto Mike on November 14, 2010 @ 17:30 in Reviews

The Social Network: 8 out of 10.

Yeah, The Social Network is pretty good. Even if you think you know the story, it's compelling stuff.

It's not Best Picture good, but it's solid work from David Fincher. This is definitely his best since Fight Club.

The Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score is pretty awesome, too.

Funniest Picture Ever (According to Google Images)
Published by Toronto Mike on November 14, 2010 @ 14:45 in Humour

I just searched Google Images for 'funniest picture ever'.

That's the top result, courtesy of defective yeti. I get the feeling I've been Rick Roll'd.

Nazem Kadri's 2010 Debut Is Only 60 Minutes Away
Published by Toronto Mike on November 13, 2010 @ 18:17 in Toronto Maple Leafs

I remember when we drafted Nazem Kadri. It was a time when we actually got to draft in the first round. It's amazing how excited you can get about a first round selection...

I remember his NHL debut. Actually, it's his only NHL game. He was an emergency call-up against the Sharks and we all expected he'd make the team out of training camp this year. At least I did. Instead, he was sent to the Marlies and only a month and half ago Brian Burke dropped this little quote on us:

His play right now indicates that he’s not ready at all to contribute at this level.

That line broke my heart. Here in Toronto, we eat our young. I'm thinking of my buddy Justin Pogge and the countless other "future greats" who crumbled under the weight of our sky high expectations. Kadri was deemed "not ready" by our GM and then went on to record five goals and nine assists through 14 games with the Marlies. I guess he's ready now...

It might reek of desperation, but it's given tonight's game an additional spark. I know I'll be watching #43 closely tonight... unless he's wearing #91 or #13. In under an hour, we'll know exactly what to do.

Update: He's #43. Set your sights accordingly.

A Life on Facebook
Published by Toronto Mike on November 13, 2010 @ 10:27 in Videos

Youtube user maxluere created this nice little video he calls "A Life on Facebook".

It happens to feature my favourite Rolling Stones song. I doubt he properly licensed the tune, so you might want to view this before Mick finds out and calls his lawyers.

The Cliche Family in Televisionland
Published by Toronto Mike on November 13, 2010 @ 09:58 in Television

This video was made around 1965 as an in-house joke at an ad agency.

No word if it came from SCDP or not...

[via MetaFilter]

Heat Schadenfreude as CB4 Faces the Raps
Published by Toronto Mike on November 12, 2010 @ 14:14 in Toronto Raptors

The Raptors suck this season. Even die-hards have to admit it. We're 1-7 and look terrible.

When your team is in the dumps, it's fun to hate on other teams. This season, I've decided to root passionately against the Miami Heat. The whole Lebron / Wade / Bosh trifecta has me angry. And Bosh... I'm glad he's struggling. He went from being the guy here in Toronto to being third fiddle in Miami. That tells you all you need to know about his character.

Bosh is facing the Raps on Saturday. It will be fun to root against #4 and his unholy Heat alliance. But first, there's a certain artist formerly known as Air Canada tonight as we face Vince Carter's Magic.

Sweet, sweet schadenfreude.

Loquaciously Combative When Lacking Factual Ammunition
Published by Toronto Mike on November 11, 2010 @ 22:12 in Toronto Maple Leafs

Disappointed in recent efforts from my Leafs, I wrote this. They then went out and laid an egg against the Panthers.

That entry did entice a chap who goes by the handle Whitby - Clark to wax poetic on the subject. The following words are his, and they are beautiful.

How can one emerge loquaciously combative when lacking factual ammunition?
In a perceptive state of despondence and exasperation I simply cannot congregate the fortitude required for the organization of an argumentative campaign. Alas; for this day I fall nothing short of incapable and disinclined.

Scarcity of integrity would be an acute definition to verbalize the least.
I fall witness to atrociousness; save Luke Schenn.
Failed attempts to provide victorious engagements have left this devotee in dishevelment. Depleted passion has seen the crescendo of inner animosities and discouragements regarding said saddening situation. Perhaps promises of gratifying ventures towards the horizons have become sequestered in an unobtainable fashion.
Absence of light at the cessation of the thoroughfare has left our denouement undistinguishable.

To you; issuance of surrender is the offering, accompanied by ones utmost sincere humility.
The branding has now become scarring as the wounds struggle through cauterization.
However be forewarned; vainglorious boasting will not bode will amongst the nation.
There will be a turn of tide, we will win again.

*while providing necessary amendments towards quotations care-of lunar expeditionary;*

“That’s one small step for [a] FAN, one giant leap for LEAFS NATION”

Degradationally,

Whitby - Clark

Just one thing... Leafs Nation is our slave name. In truth, drenched and blue and white forever, we are the Barilkosphere.

In Flanders Fields
Published by Toronto Mike on November 11, 2010 @ 09:13 in O Canada

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

- John McCrae

Ann Rohmer's Reappearance on CP24
Published by Toronto Mike on November 10, 2010 @ 17:08 in Television

Ann Rohmer announced she was leaving CP24 back in May. She was leaving television for the aviation industry, as I recall. There was a farewell bash and everything.

On September 21, Susan Cunningham chimed in with the following comment.

It appears that as of today Ann Rohmer is back on CP24 on a regular basis. Maybe the airline industry did not pan out. Who knows.

And the hits kept on coming...

I thought Ann was leaving but she's on CP24 more now than before she quit!

Can someone please tell her to get a new hairstyle?? Those wing things hanging on the sides of her face have got to go.

YES i SEE HER MORE THAN BEFORE,GET RID OF HER,SHE IS LIKE A BAD cold; GIVE US VIEWERS A BREAK,THERE ARE A LOT MORE THAT SHOULD BE GONE ALSO,SUCH AS THA ?????FROM THE TRANSIT GOD WHERE DID THEY GET HER FROM ?WHAT A BEAST.

They should say something if she has returned. CP24 made a big thing for about a month that she was leaving, Tell us CP24 if she is back from the plane ride!! Or the plane did not take off.

All that fuss before Ann Rohmer left to pursue a career in aviation and now she's back like it never happened. I feel like the viewers are due some kind of explanation.

Does anyone have an update as to Ann's reappearance on CP24? Did they make any announcements as to why she is back?

Does anyone know why Ann Rohmer has suddenly reappeared on CP24?

Darkest Before the Dawn (And Other Such Bullshit)
Published by Toronto Mike on November 10, 2010 @ 09:26 in Toronto Maple Leafs

Argh, I did it again. On October 16, following the Leafs' 4th win in their first 4 games, I declared it was feeling a little like '93. That was way stupid and way premature.

But that's the problem when you've endured such futility for over half a decade. You start to see what you want to see. Suddenly, Dion Phaneuf is Chris Pronger and Phil Kessel is Sidney Crosby. Hell, Phil Kessel is Han Solo. And Giguere, he's Patrick Roy. That's how it is here in the centre of the universe. We're starving for success and we see it everywhere as mirages and delusions of grandeur.

I believe in being accountable for my actions, so I'll take full blame for that crap I wrote on October 16. A 4-0 start fucked with our expectation levels and messed with our blue and white psyches. We're back to 11th in the conference, pretty much where you'd expect this team to be. Our true hopes and dreams aren't that we enjoy a Stanley Cup parade on Yonge Street this June but that we somehow play over our heads and slip into 8th in the conference.

Now that we're 1-6-3 in our last 10 games, what the hell do we do? Is it time to fire Ron Wilson?

Remember, it's darkest before the dawn. We'll be okay...

Driscoll Middle School Trick Play
Published by Toronto Mike on November 9, 2010 @ 21:59 in Sports

Driscoll Middle School in Corpus Christi, Texas ran this trick play during their championship game against Wynn Seale on Saturday.

They're calling this a really slow quarterback sneak.

I don't care if it's legal, it's unsportsmanlike. I'd have refused to participate.

Firefox Is 6 Today - I Was There
Published by Toronto Mike on November 9, 2010 @ 16:39 in Firefox

Exactly 6 years ago, I wrote about Firefox 1.0.

You're viewing this page in Firefox, right? If that's a little blue "e" in the top left corner, you haven't made the switch yet. Firefox is my web browser of choice and I strongly urge everyone to install and use it.

If you are viewing this page in Firefox, you'll notice the navigation menu to your left is static. (You may need to reload the page - press F5) As you scroll down this page, the navigation menu stays put, making it much easier to visit other pages without having to scroll all the way back up to the top. This is done quite simply with CSS using code that has been blessed by the W3C, yet it won't work in Internet Explorer.

Today, the Mozilla Foundation unleashed its long-awaited Firefox 1.0 web browser. This has resulted in an overwhelming amount of traffic to getfirefox.com as hundreds of thousands of people look to download a better browser. If you're still using Internet Explorer and need to install Firefox, it would probably be best to wait another day or two before trying to access the download site. Then you can enjoy the fixed navigation menu on this site.

That was six years ago, and I was there. I've actually since switched to Chrome, but I've got mega warm fuzzies for Firefox. Six years is a long time in web years.

Happy birthday, Firefox.

The Rapid Decline of 30 Rock
Published by Toronto Mike on November 8, 2010 @ 22:49 in Television

I caught on to 30 Rock late in its first season, but I've been hooked ever since. It's a rarity for me: a basic cable comedy I actually enjoy.

At least I used to enjoy it. This season, it's gone flat. In season two I remember laughing aloud frequently and these days I'm lucky if there are two or three chuckles. 30 Rock's decline in comedic quality was quite rapid. It's barely watchable these days.

Are there any other 30 Rock fans out there who have noticed this?

Derek Welsman Joins The Dean Blundell Show
Published by Toronto Mike on November 8, 2010 @ 09:12 in Edge 102 ~ CFNY, Radio

Derek Welsman, who I remember as The Blind Movie Reviewer, has replaced Jason Barr on The Dean Blundell Show.

I'm giving credit to @Groked for tipping me off.

A few years ago, when I listened to more of The Dean Blundell Show than I do now, I remember thinking The Blind Movie Reviewer segments were actually pretty funny. In fact, they were often the funniest part of the show. Here he is banging into trees and singing about it.

The Dean Blundell Show is now Dean Blundell, Todd Shapiro, and Derek Welsman.

Thank God That I'm As Good As Dead
Published by Toronto Mike on November 7, 2010 @ 15:13 in Lyrics I Like

"Ah, when the heroin is in my blood, and that blood is in my head, then thank God that I'm as good as dead."

~ The Velvet Underground's "Heroin" from The Velvet Underground & Nico

You can see the entire collection of my favourite lyrics at http://www.torontomike.com/lyrics_i_like/.

Canadians in the NFL
Published by Toronto Mike on November 7, 2010 @ 14:28 in O Canada, Sports

I'm watching a bit of the Bills game. It's here in Toronto, so the broadcasters just went through the obligatory "Canadians in the NFL" segment.

That got me wondering, how many Canadians are playing in the NFL today? Surprisingly few, it seems...

Cory Greenwood, KC, Kingston, ON
Vaughn Martin, SD, Toronto, ON
Jamaal Westerman, NYJ, Brampton, ON
Austin Collie, IND, Hamilton, ON
Jon Ryan, SEA, Regina, SK
L.P. Ladouceur, DAL, Pointe Claire, QC
Nick Kaczur NE, Brantford, ON
Israel Idonije, CHI, Brandon, MB
Nate Burleson, DET, Calgary, AB
O.J. Atogwe, STL, Windsor, ON

This Time Change Thing Gets Easier and Easier
Published by Toronto Mike on November 7, 2010 @ 00:00 in Miscellaneous

It's time to roll back the clocks an hour. This bi-yearly time-change task only gets easier and easier.

Back in the day we had to change every single clock. There was pretty much one in every room, not to mention watches and the car. It was a pretty big deal, as I recall, but now it's pretty easy.

Our bedroom clock is our digital cable receiver, and it updates automatically. My alarm clock is actually my Blackberry, and it updates automatically. The clock I use most often, the one in the bottom right corner of my laptop, will update automatically.

That means I'm updating the stove and cars. That's it. That didn't take any time at all.

Jill Clayburgh, Dead at 66
Published by Toronto Mike on November 6, 2010 @ 11:13 in Celebrity Deaths

Jill Clayburgh was 66. She was the sophisticated Hollywood and Broadway actress known for portrayals of empowered women in a career spanning five decades, highlighted by her Oscar-nominated role of a divorcee exploring life after marriage in the 1978 film "An Unmarried Woman."

Lebron James' "Rise" Commercial & Cleveland's Response
Published by Toronto Mike on November 6, 2010 @ 10:19 in Sports

Nike has released a new ad featuring Lebron James. It seems like most of Nike's big ads these days are designed to rehabilitate the image of one of their athletes. I'm thinking about that Tiger Woods ad with the voice of his father...

This one is called Rise and here's Nike's version. After you watch this, be sure to watch my preferred version.

Below is Cleveland's response to Nike's Rise ad. This one is much better.

I love that we live in an age where Nike can't release an ad like Rise without the communication becoming a two way street.

Weekend Open Mike
Published by Toronto Mike on November 5, 2010 @ 15:30 in Open Mike

Let's try this one more time...

Use the comments of this entry to discuss anything you want. Get something off your chest, start a debate, or simply rant away.

Never Use MSN Messenger Again
Published by Toronto Mike on November 4, 2010 @ 20:51 in Google Chrome, Technology

When it comes to instant messengers, I'm a Gchat kind of guy, but a lot of people I need to chat with seem to be married to their MSN Messenger.

I hate using MSN Messenger, so I don't. But I need to chat with these MSN Messenger folks, so what's a guy to do? Here's how I roll when it comes to MSN Messenger chatting without touching the MSN Messenger.

Introduce Yourself to Meebo
I was trying to figure out when I started using Meebo for instant messaging, and this entry has me pretty certain it was 2005. That's a pretty long time for a slice of SaaS. Meebo is the last stage of my personal IM evolution.

Simultaneously log in to multiple IM protocols and chat in your browser, using Ajax effects that mimic an installed app. Give Meebo a try and you'll likely never open MSN Messenger again.

Add the Meebo Notifier Google Chrome Extension
I was looking for a nice desktop notifier for messages via Meebo when I found this extension. It does the trick nicely, and gives me a convenient auto-login that makes accessing Meebo from Chrome extra easy.

Add the Meebo Cleaner Google Chrome Extension
This extension is super simple. It simply removes the ad bar at the bottom of Meebo's interface and closes the blog window when you log in. It cleans things up nicely and enhances the experience.

So there ya have it. Chrome + Meebo + Meebo Notifier + Meebo Cleaner = Chatting with MSN buddies without having to open that damn MSN Messenger.

Sparky Anderson, Dead at 76
Published by Toronto Mike on November 4, 2010 @ 16:33 in Celebrity Deaths

Sparky Anderson was 76. He was the first major league manager to win a World Series in both the American and National Leagues. He managed the Cincinnati Reds to World Series victories in 1975 and 1976 and the Detroit Tigers to a World Series victory in 1984.

Alt Nation, Pearl Jam and a Great Read
Published by Toronto Mike on November 3, 2010 @ 20:18 in Pearl Jam

The A.V. Club is showcasing a series they call Whatever Happened to Alternative Nation? and this guy in his mid-30s is absolutely loving it.

Part 3 is called "1992: Pearl Jam, the perils of fame, and the trouble with avoiding it" and as a big Pearl Jam fan, I was riveted. If you're a music fan who remembers the early 90s at all, you have to check this out. Here's an excerpt:

Vedder typically wasn’t so accommodating, especially once his status as Pearl Jam’s figurehead gave him the freedom to tell people no. He fought the push from Epic, Pearl Jam’s label, to release Ten’s big romantic ballad, “Black,” as a single because it appeared poised to become the band’s biggest hit yet. (“Black” became one of Pearl Jam’s most popular songs regardless.) “We didn’t write to make hits. But those fragile songs get crushed by the business,” Vedder told Crowe in Rolling Stone; Vedder thought “Black” was so fragile that, in a weird anecdote related by Crowe, he once chastised a group of Pearl Jam fans for singing it when he overheard them on a hiking trip. 

It's strange to think of "Black" as fragile. I can tell you with great certainty as a guy who tracks such useless information that I've seen Pearl Jam perform Black live 5 times. I've also heard it approximately 389 times on 102.1 and another 1,933 times on CD, cassette and MP3.

It's not fragile. In fact, like Hulk Hogan in a match for the heavyweight championship of the world, it only gets stronger .

As proof, I submit exhibit A.

And here's exhibit B.

Everybody Hurts Sometimes
Published by Toronto Mike on November 3, 2010 @ 12:29 in Lyrics I Like

"Don't let yourself go, 'cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes."

~ REM's "Everybody Hurts" from Automatic for the People

You can see the entire collection of my favourite lyrics at http://www.torontomike.com/lyrics_i_like/.

Doug Gilmour Tribute
Published by Toronto Mike on November 2, 2010 @ 10:53 in Toronto Maple Leafs

My favourite Toronto Maple Leaf of all-time is #93 Doug Gilmour.

YouTube user jokeswithoutlaughter is sharing a great tribute to Doug Gilmour entitled "Teach Me How To Dougie".

I've been trying to figure out how to Dougie for twenty years now.

[via Down Goes Brown]

My Love Affair With Mad Men
Published by Toronto Mike on November 2, 2010 @ 10:37 in Television

I finished the finale of The Wire in April 2009 and wondered where I could go from there? The Wire was stellar television and I couldn't find anything else as compelling and smart. Then, I found Mad Men.

Mad Men is the first show since The Wire that I've loved. It's so different from The Wire in terms of content, but both grip me and leave me wanting more. I'm half way through season four right now, so keep spoilers to yourself!

Although Mad Men has a great cast, it all revolves around the complex tortured soul of Don Draper. Don Draper is one of the best characters on television, ever.

Now excuse me, it's time for my smoke break.

Top Organic Search Keywords for October 2010
Published by Toronto Mike on November 2, 2010 @ 09:24 in SEO: Search Engine Optimization

According to Google Analytics, here are the top ten organic search keywords that brought people to this site in October 2010.

1. jason barr
2. toronto mike
3. what happened to jason barr
4. teri polo death
5. rob ford quotes
6. jason barr fired
7. jason barr the edge
8. the champ
9. biggs and barr
10. big shiny tunes 2

It was another big month for Jason Barr searches, but I'm interested in the return of the Teri Polo is dead legend. I've explained this rumour before. With a new Meet the Parents coming out, it seems there's new life in this death.