15 posts from July 2006

If you could get someone in your life to start a blog, who would it be and why?

I would most like to see either of my Grandfather's start blogs.

My Dad's Dad is an intelligent opinionated man... His rants would be well suited to the blogging realm.  I think he would get more satisfaction out of responding to the comments and putting people in their place than he would writing the actual blogs.  The guy has binders full of his writings about his life, business, politics and golf... Put it on the net for all to see Gramps!  He's golfed all over the world... the golf stories alone would be worth the price of admission... on his free blog.  It would be an entertaining read to be sure.

My Mom's Dad has lived an amazing life.  From his time in Britain during World War 2 and his journey to Canada during the height of the U-Boat threat... From his time as a young man in the Merchant Marine and then the Royal Canadian Navy... the guy has a lot of experiences to share.  Now in his late 70's living on Vancouver Island he skis on a daily basis in the winter, does advanced Yoga all the time, and runs his own web business when he's not teaching at the local college.  A cool blog for a cool guy.

Roger Ebert wrote some movies before he became a critic...

One of them being Beyond the Valley of the Dolls a Russ Meyer boob filled classic.

Oh Ebert... You so crazy. 

Thanks to raypride for posting this picture on the site that cannot be named.

Play any instrument or speak any language, which do you choose?

Well, since I can already play a number of instruments(Saxophone, Piano and Violin) I guess I would have to go for the "speak any language" option.

I'm already working on it in fact, my French is passable at present, I took French all throughout high school and I'll be taking a French course at university this year to improve upon my French skills.

Ideally, I would like to be able to speak fluent French... as for other languages... I think one to learn now would definitely be Mandarin though, you know what with China being on the rise the way it is.

Oh those crazy Chinese...

Soda? Cola? Pop? What do you say? Any other regional words that set you apart?

It's called Pop up here in Canada... And apparently the Midwest United States as well. 

Soda is hilarious but acceptable alternative, and I understand it is the norm most of the U.S..

As for people in the Southern United States calling all carbonated beverages "Coke"... That's just fucking stupid.

Talk about some serious brand identification... Coca Cola knocked it out of the park with that one.  So congrats Southern US, not only do you sound like dumb asses when you call all carbonated drinks "Coke", but you are the ultimate corporate shills.  Market Share = PWNED

*Golf Clap*

What's your favorite drink or cocktail? What's in it?

If I've got to class it up and drink a cocktail I usually go for a Grey Goose Vodka Martini. Tasty drink.

If I'm feeling less classy I go for the always reliable Jack and Coke.  Can't go wrong with that.. Despite the fact that Jack Daniel's by itself usually makes me puke.  Thank you coke!

And if I'm feeling any less classy I drink beer... Usually Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale or a nice pint of Guinness Stout.  Bah... Even my tastes in beer are snooty.

I often feel the absence of class.

Valve's much, much, much, much, much delayed and anticipated sequel to Team Fortress Classic is finally being released.  The game will be included with Half-Life 2 Episode Two, one of the episodic expansion packs for the highly successful Half-Life 2.  To say that the game looks great would be an understatement... The art style and the look of the game in general is amazing.  The game uses cell-shading and HDR lighting to maximum effect.. and the results are, well... spectacular.

Judge for yourself...

That takes me back to the early days of my online gaming experience.  The Quake mod Team Fortress was an amazing game.  My love only grew with Team Fortress Classic for Halfl-Life.  This promises to be a great game.  Although I still think I would have preferred to play the never released original version... SIX Years ago!

Alas, what could have been?

Also bundled with Half-Life 2 Episode Two will be the pseudo sequel to Narbacular Drop; Portal.  Valve hired the developers of Narbacular Drop to develop Portal for them... And man does it look cool.  Take a look!

Who is your favorite Muppet? Why?

Beaker

My favourite muppet is probably Beaker.  The hapless lab assistant to Doctor Bunsen Honeydew.  Beaker was always getting burned, maimed or otherwise horribly injured by Honeydew's ridiculous experiments.

Beaker can't speak, all he ever says is "Meep".  Honeydew is one sick bastard... Hiring a clearly mentally handicapped muppet to use as a guinea pig to test his hazardous hypotheses.  Unconscionable, near sighted bastard.  You'll pay for what you (repeatedly) did and continue to do to poor Beaker.

"Dad what's a muppet?"

"Well, it's not quite a mop, it's not quite a puppet... But man... heh heh heh... So to answer your question, I don't know."

It is a good time to be a Samurai film fan in Toronto.

Cinematheque Ontario, part of the Toronto International Film Festival Group is presenting some rare 35mm prints of over a dozen classic Japanese samurai films this summer.

Their Summer Samurai Programme will be showing some great films, among them:

Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
Goyokin
Harakiri
Kill!
New Tale of Zatoichi
Rashomon
Samurai Rebellion
Samurai Saga
Sanjuro
Sword of Doom
The 47 Ronin, Parts I & II
The Hidden Fortress
The Seven Samurai
Three Outlaw Samurai
Throne of Blood
Yojimbo
Zatoichi on the Road
Zatoichi the Fugitive

I've been told I have tickets to a few of them, but I'm going to try and see a few more.  To illustrate my excitement about this programme, I've put together a small collection of movie posters (many for these very films) to share with you.  I love the art style of these posters...and actually own a few of them.  Enjoy!

If you live in Toronto I highly recommend checking this out!

What did you do this weekend? AKA The Will Perkins Liver Condition Report

Futureshock, "Late at night"

I wish that had been what happened last night.

However, it was still a good time.  Got drunk with three old friends from my days in Halifax, three others and a gaggle of drunken Irish guys and gals in Toronto as part of the SWAP program.  An enjoyable evening.

Too Much To Drink

Matt is the drunkest man alive

And tonight, it's to a Fringe Festival party at Tranzac, behind the Green Room. 
Work is officially going to suck tomorrow. 

But as the Australians taught me, it's better to have a hangover on somebody else's time.

Director Christopher Nolan has a new flick coming out.  The man who brought us Memento, Insomnia and Batman Begins, next brings us The Prestige.

The film has a great cast.  Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman play rival magicians in turn-of-the-century London who battle each other over trade secrets... But one of them has more up their sleeve than any expected.  The film also starts Michael Caine(Awesome), Scarlett Johansson(HOT) and David Bowie(Amazing)!  Bowie plays the famous scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla... Seems like a pretty interesting role for him.

So without further ado, check out the trailer for The Prestige.

The movie comes out in October, but I look forward to hopefully being able to catch it in September at the Toronto International Film Festival.