What it means to be an elephant...

..and an Emmy-award winner! Some of tv writing at its best... tonight's Best Actor (Dramatic TV) James Spader on Boston Legal brings it all to life ...




And cheers, too, to 30 Rock ...



Finally, the Goomba's got the big one ... don't stop believin' ... need a refresher?

Watch and Vote!

http://www.muchmoremusic.com/top10/

The yin/yang of it all

Ever had one of those days? The kind that start out where you think you're just staring trouble right in the face and that it can only go downhill from there? A day that begins with a late start, a grumbling "best friend", a dead bird in your trunk -- a beautiful Blue Jay at that -- and quickly escalates to a flat tire all in the span of about 20 minutes? That was mine.

As the day goes along, you forget to send an important fax, draft a particular email, return a 2-day-old voice mail, read a government requested report complete with recommendations you knew were needed a decade ago ... and, oh ya: pay the car dealer over 600 bucks.

Sigh.

But, then they're the folks that balance it all out ... the yin, the yang: the good-guy tow truck operator ... the colleague who picks you up and drops you off at the office ... the fellow "Packinators" who you share your lunch with ... the service guy at the car dealer who gets your car washed.

Sigh.

RIP, little guy.

Sorry it couldn't have been a little more dignified.

Emmy in a box

A Creative Arts Emmy Award winner (...and over 26 MILLION VIEWS and counting) ...:

Bravo, Maestro... Bravo

Sunday tunes and grins

To end the week, I was about to load up some tunes here, but I suddenly remembered talking with some of the gals at lunch last week about Carol Burnett ...so I was curious as to what I'd find ...

Anyway, first a little music intro ...


...now, an absolute classic ... the audio isn't great on this one (and the video isn't either, for that matter), so you'll have to turn up the volume a bit ... i can totally relate to Harvey -- I would defy anyone to taking his place and keeping a straight face!

Enjoy,



:))

The curiosity of a child

I've just seen one of the most beautiful movie web sites in a long time! Set for a December release, the film is actually the first in a trilogy, and is being produced by New Line, much like they produced The Lord of the Rings.

It's called The Golden Compass. The site itself is loaded with neat stuff. No doubt, the "Comic Con Preview" link (on home page) is much better than the 'official trailer', at giving a peak as to what the movie's all about.

The site also allows a visitor to determine their "daemon" -- a person's animal soul, a talking animal spirit -- by answering a brief questionnaire. Mine is Gabriel ... however, you can also invite your friends to determine whether or not the animal is correct. My lion could transform over the course of 12 days, depending on how my friends answer 4 or 5 questions.

The Alethiometer -- an instrument used to seek out truth also known as the golden compass -- is also a cool section.

Oh, and Daniel Craig is in it too. :))

Paul Weller

Like pebbles on a beach
Kicked around, displaced by feet
Like broken stones - all trying to get home.
Like a losers reach
Too slow & short to hit the peaks
So lost & alone - trying to get home.

As another piece shatters
Another little bit gets lost
And what else really matters - at such a cost?

Like a losers reach -
Too slow & short to hit the peaks
So lost & alone - trying to get home.

Trying to get home -
Like broken stones - all trying to get home.

The ramifications of ignorance

I'm determined to post a lot of the video clips I’ve bookmarked, before Big Brother negotiations are finalized and implemented. Universal has gone after the Google’s and YouTube’s in a big way … completely freaking out about copyright concerns of television programs that are uploaded without permission. New restrictions are coming soon … September I think.

Why is it that in so many situations, on so many levels, it’s about control. It’s always been about control … well, that and the almighty dollar and the destructive defiance of not seeing the bigger picture. The ramifications of ignorance and the evil of greed that justifies the callous disregard of others … which only leads to the inevitable blackening of the self, the soul …



The above, in particular, resounds in so many ways ... it's Billy (barely a year before his untimely death) and Jools both in the finest of form, connecting with each other and with the audience ...it's the universal message Billy's singing about, the joy on his face in what he's doing combined with the certainty and belief he has in the lyrics and their message.

The very first time I heard Billy sing that song was on George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh 3-album set. I won it by calling in to a radio station … I think I was in Grade 8 at the time … funny how you can recall some moments from so long ago with such clarity – I even remember what I was wearing the day I went down to the station to pick it up … I did find a clip of that actual performance (early 70s) on YouTube, …at some point I’ll upload it, but that’s for another posting.

There needs to be a good vibe today. Good thoughts to get out there … to pass on, to ripple, to affect positive change. To anyone and everyone who reads this, and watches and listens to the following, CLICK ON THE COMMENTS LINK BELOW this posting. Let me know if this in any way made you feel even the slightest bit better. If you want to remain anonymous, remain anonymous.

There may be faces and voice you recognize, some you may not. But, it’s a collection of moments worthy of your time and reflection. From a benefit in memory of George Harrison, one year to the day after his passing (November 29, 2001). Notice his son, Dhani, playing guitar alongside Clapton and Jeff Lynne (ELO), Billy on vocals; Ray Cooper (of Elton John’s band) playing percussion, Ringo playing drums, McCartney on piano ….Gary Brooker, Jim Capaldi (also on drums), Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Notice the joy of the people in the audience…the joy of the performers themselves and carry this with you today …



... I really wish I was in that ‘room’ that night …

Sunday Swing

Upon discovering the "SwingJazzBlues" blog recently, perhaps today's the day for a little swing ... below are a couple of clips I found which may be a good backdrop as the weekend winds down and the week ahead is on the horizon....

From the sublime to the sublime: Jerry the genius (ok, Genius) in The Errand Boy (Count Basie's "Blues in Hoss Flat"), and The Ray Brown Trio with an absolutely incredible Gene Harris doing his own Summertime.

Danyele & Francesco

Should be a *great* time tonight ... :)



I like the above clip much better than the "official video" (a little creepy)

System Administrator Day

ok ... a heard from a little Ukranian birdy that today is System Administrator Day, the 8th annual one at that ...

I guess I agree with that (deadtroll.com) song guy that ya, having you around means we get to stay stupid and uninformed ... but, it also increases the chances that we all learn a few new things along the way.

I'm amazed that it's only been around for 8 years. Think of how long we have had the printed word. There were probably System Administrators back in the day, no? So on that note, and in the spirit of the day, I present "the book" -- something I'm sure that Alex, Ilya and Dimitry have all seen, but it's worth a second look.



Thanks, guys ...

And how did *you* sleep?

To those who know the details, some might suggest that the last 72 hours or so are a marketer's dream: the road to the FIFA final is plastered with condemnation and emails... which reminds me of that scene in Terry Gilliam's Brazil -- the one where DeNiro ("Tuttle" not "Buttle") in his final scene in the film ... uh, no, i won't go there; let's just say a LOT of paper was involved ... if you haven't seen the movie, rent/buy it ...

Anyway, the clips below are for those who had a really long Saturday that went well into the wee hours; for some, it was merely a case of Tarantino on CBC ... for others, it was trying to cope with an extraordinary amount of email that might, just might happen all over again today -- you know you who you are ...






...it's all good ...:)

FIFA days...

The last 24 hours have been a bit crazy, especially around the office. There's still fallout over the recent Argentina/Chile game, and the post game incident. Not to minimize what happened, but in the spirit of this weekend's final, why not take a look at Pippin.

See the music ....

Geez, it's hot ...

Ok, it's definitely a day for a cold one ...

Hey You

It's a shame, but not so surprising, that the day after such a historically significant media, world event the American morning Sunday talk shows are more focussed on the ramifications of Scooter Libby's commuted sentence.

In any event:


So what can we do to start? Why not take the quiz to first find out your ecological footprint, by going to www.myfootprint.org or Earth Lab's Live Impact score ... if you're in the design industry, visit www.designcanchange.org -- a gorgeous and really informative site for facts and suggestions regarding what the graphic design/production industry can to do make their work and habits more sustainable and environmentally friendly ...

Hello

Except,




....the thing is....




Tell me whatcha think: Click Here to take survey

Giovanni Sollima & Lasse Gjertsen

Sometimes music ends up being the places it takes you.

Giovanni Sollima is an Italian cellist/composer. As far as his composing, a lot of it is what they call "minimalism" -- bars of music that are repeated over and over again, to a point where you think, "ah, nuts..!" ... but the subtle changes creep in and you can get hooked. Depending where your heads at, it can be quite hypnotic.

What follows is a 2-part video made and incredibly edited by Lasse Gjerston, a Norweigan animator, based on two of Sollima's compositions Terra Aria and Concerto Rotondo (Copyright: Casa Musicale Sonzogno, Milan, 2007).





Bravo.

Belinda Brady

After a power outage that began on Friday from a whack of lightning that hit a neighbour's tree, and then subsequently, a small transformer at the top of the hydro pole right next to it, Saturday proved be a banner day!

A trip to the beautiful town of Kleinburg for their first annual Jazz Festival, featuring 'our' very own Belinda Brady, and Toya Alexis. Belinda was introduced by her manager, Farley Flex, probably the reason why Canada has the burgeoning urban music industry it has today ... original musical director of FLOW 93.5, always on the lookout to discover, develop and promote up-and-coming talent, Canadian Idol judge, etc. etc. Nice guy!

Belinda opened up the festival, and took the stage with passion and energy ... what a great job! With a back-up singer, her 'Chinese-Jamaican' guitarist :), Ashley on keyboards, the sound was perfect for the absolutely cloudless, blue sky of a day. A little bit of Nat 'King' Cole, a little Bread, and some tunes from her Naked CD -- including the single I Cried which is currently getting play on Mix 99.9 -- all in all a very impressive set. Talent, professionalism, stage presence, a two-time Juno nominee(!), even a pedigree to boot. Keep an eye on this one ... :)

What followed was a leisurely stroll around Kleinburg with the gals, a little shopping, and a stop at the Doctor's House for martinis & pesce. Ok, the incident with the 'killer pinecone out to bring someone down' we could have lived without, but the 'Giuliana belly dancing' was a moment to remember.

And, listening to Belinda's CD on the way home, well, the drive down the 400 never sounded so good.

Stay tuned for more photos from the show ...

Oh, ya, we got power back by about 6:30 Saturday night.

Plasticine never looked so funny

In anticipation of tomorrow night's American version of Creature Comforts, enjoy a clip of the original. A British tv series with a whack of awards to its credit, it's about the lives of animals as told by the animals themselves. Created by the creators of the Oscar award-winning Wallace & Gromit, they have now brought the concept to North American tv audiences.

For those not familiar, the audio of unscripted interviews with real people, documentary style are added to some clay-mation.

It likely won't appeal to everyone ...so, hopefully it won't get lost in translation.

The enlightenment of a thousand hands

In keeping with what has been musical Sunday's, check out this Thousand-Hand Bodhisattva ... as the description goes, you should consider this all the more amazing considering that all of the performers are deaf. Incredible.

All about a boy

Ok, we're here. Final 2 hours. With too many deja vu moments this year, can 24 Season 6 redeem itself?

Looking back on previous seasons, when it *really* worked (especially Season 1), the "oh my God's" were typically when characters were either killed off or put in absolute dire circumstances ... what made those moments all the more compelling, was because the viewer was given reason to be invested in a particular character or storyline ... where you would inevitably think to yourself what you would do in a similar situation.

Think of Jack's wife. Think of his daughter partying with a few friends in the furniture store and then seeing her best friend being left in the middle of the road and realizing then she was being held against her will ....Even think back just a couple of years ago when they knocked Edgar off ... or when Miguel got infected with the virus ... Sometimes it does come down to casting, and the presence that someone has (Miguel) ... sometimes you find out more about a character's back story that helps fill in some gaps of that character (Edgar) ... either way, the writing was much stronger in years' past ...

I absolutely hate to say it, but if the writers are as fearless as they have been in years past, then maybe the one who has to go this year is Chloe (as i write this it's about T-minus 3 minutes to the beginning of the final 2 hours...)

Between 4 am and 5 am. The split screens, at the very beginning, of Doyle and Josh really had me thinking that Doyle must have hooked up with Marilyn .... Ya, I know the Chinatown-like spoilers out there saying that Jack's father is Josh's father...

Ok, just as I was watching the beach drop-off scene and thinking that the bad guys would just as easily shoot Doyle on the beach and then take the boy, the 'component' blows up in his face. But, why wouldn't Jack just shooot the boat?

4:59 cliffhanger? Chloe dying? No. Pregnant? Probably... As hour 2 begins, opening credits tells us that we may be seeing William Devane and Kim Raver again?

This has proved to be problematic with 24 ... Way back in Season 1, producers et. al. took great pains to keep from the public who was going to play that season's bad guy. In fact, the first time we actually saw him, it was literally in the final seconds of a particular episode; problem was, the opening credits 54 minutes earlier told us that Dennis Hopper was in the episode.

Which leads to another reason why Season 1 was as good as it was -- not just any bad guy, but a bad guy who made it personal, who had a grudge, and portrayed by someone who you knew had 'psychotic credibility.'

With just over half an hour left, I think it's time Josh got some balls. Then, sho 'nuff, he takes his chance. First with a wrench, then ......with a gun. Not once, but twice. (Somehow, I think Jack's Dad may make a return in the future ... )

In a lot of ways the final 2 hours *were* about a boy, not just Josh, but Jack. In the final minutes of Jack confronting Heller (Devane), Keifer tried to save the season with an exchange that hinted at his frustration ... the loss of everything over the previous 'seasons' .. the loss of his wife ... the loss of a father to which he felt nothing ... the loss of Audrey ... standing at the proverbial ledge...

Episode of the woman

Well, in tonight's episode of 24, we had a smorgasboard of 'women on a mission.' Ok, ya, early on we had Marilyn doing her best Shelly Duvall impression (as in the continually hysterical screaming wife of Jack Nicholson in The Shining), Lisa Miller doing her best Hilary Clinton (get it? hitting her lover with a lamp ... was that too obscure?), and Nadia kicking some serious terrorist a**...

Best line of tonight's episode?

Terrorist to their CTU hostages: "We're moving you to a secure room." Secure room? Hello?!? There's absolutely NOTHING secure about CTU Los Angeles.

Just minutes in, we saw Jack and Nadia hatching a plan to take out the terrorists. But hey, where in the heck was Chloe (aka, Miss Rambolina)??? If given the opportunity, I'm sure she could have taken them out single-handly over an hour ago. (Or Lisa Miller for that matter ...nice use of a lamp by the way ..)

Some interesting split screens, off and on, tonight...

And, after almost 24 hours with some major sleep deprivation, Jack's run and aim in the underground garage was particularly good .... I think he hit almost everyone he went after, not to mention with some strength left over to lift Josh up. What a man!

And what did the final 30 seconds tell us? Little Ricky (Doyle) is a baaad, baaad boy ...

The struggle between art and commerce

Ok. This takes precedence over any 24-related posting.

I heard on the way home tonight that NBC has cancelled Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. It is a black day. NBC, in it's infinite wisdom, will, in part, supplement this loss with the continuing durge of reality shows like The Apprentice (eeeewwwwww!), Deal or No Deal, Survivor and add some new shows, including a remake of The Bionic Woman. (sigh). Yes, The Bionic Woman.

It is, indeed, a black day. So, here's my armband.



Yes, we are all being lobotimized. So, on this particular day, and for those who never saw Studio 60, below is a clip of the very first scene of the very first episode. Dialogue, written by Aaron Sorkin, that unfortunately seemed to forshadow what was to come. The irony .... the irony ...



"Scr*w the cheerleader, save Matt and Danny. Save Studio 60, Save the World."

Unbelievable!

Courtesy of Break.com, here's "Autistic man Draws Near-Perfect Panorama of Rome." Unbelievable.

Preparing for the end...

Ok, after seeing last night's episode of 24, with its moments of predictability and some that were a bit of a surprise (Milo: bu-bye), I found someone who really captured all that happened.

So, as we prepare for the final 2 hours, check this out -- he said it all.

Ricky Martin: A guy's guy? A girl's guy? Who cares...

Ok. I admit it … there were moments I felt like this chick … >>

…and there were moments I didn’t understand what he was singing. But did it matter? No. Here’s a guy, who for over 20 years has crafted a stage personae, a presence, a professionalism that goes way beyond.

A guy who can take, with the smallest of gestures, a seemingly insignificant part of his body, and represent rhythm and pulse and project it to an audience of thousands. With a body that just plain rocks, he uses the smallest of tendons and ripples it to a beat no one would even attempt to physically represent. This, in large part, was the astonishment I felt many times last Monday night.

But, that’s just the beginning.

The voice, although definitely not fully embraced or reproduced well enough by a lacking sound system in the first part of the show, hung on throughout. This is his technical backbone. But for any singer, it has to be that way. Imagine, though … having that voice to ‘fall back on.’

The fact that I didn’t understand a lot of what he was singing (about), clearly it was all in the delivery and how he would make you feel. I remember years and years ago, when I was going through the Conservatory system, studying piano, playing recitals, festivals. Frequently, I would take on contemporary works … music that I know, quite often, people had never heard before. Ok, sure, there was a slight personal thrill in that because I knew I didn’t have to be compared to hundreds of years’ worth of other performances. And by contemporary, I mean that it would be, for lack of a better explanation, ‘classical’ music written in the last 40 or 50 years. Music that to many – some even the trained ear – seemed dissonant with no ‘harmony’, no tonal center, or no conventional structure. At the risk of sounding a little heady here, music that required a different ‘listening’ experience.

Looking back on those experiences now, I know that subconsciously I felt I needed to convey to the listeners a sense of the visual in the hopes of making some kind of emotional connection. Ok, they wouldn’t know what I was playing, but maybe, just maybe, they would interpret the sounds as some kind of visual experience … have them understand the piece by “seeing” it … to not get hung up on “…this doesn’t sound like Bach? … What is she playing?…” To have them listen with their imaginations. If a certain part of the piece sounded like running water, or running through the jungle, or a window view from a plane, or specific emotion or feeling, so be it. That would be fine by me. The challenge would always be for someone to hopefully think at the end, “…gee, I have no idea what that was about, but it was about something…”

Well, the ACC on Monday night was something. In some respects, some of it a little staged perhaps … but always genuine and from the heart. So, for those of you who missed it, here are some mementos ….

Aaarrrggghhhh!

...storm late this afternoon ...

...no cable ...

... time's getting closer to 9 pm ...

... over 4 hours down and still no cable ... and it's 9:20 ...


... time to find a site with 24 episodes ... damn you Mr. Rogers...

For John...

...





... you were a Local Hero to many ..

Nice day for a Skywalk

I've wanted to upload this clip for a few weeks now, but something always seemed to be wrong with the tag ... I think I got it working now. It's a clip showing off the new Skywalk at the Grand Canyon, the glass bridge that's suspended 4,000 feet above the Canyon, jutting out 65 feet from its edge.

So as the weekend draws to a close, enjoy it along with the track "Counterclockwise Circle Dance", from the CD Sacred Spirit: Chants And Dances Of The Native Americans.

"Snopes-ing" out the truth...

While surfing the 'net, researching for a web re-design, I frequently find myself checking out the various features of one called Bulffton Today, a community newspaper out of Bluffton, South Carolina.

In one of their photo sections, I came across this one. Prepare yourself. And, if you're a dog owner, the obvious things will come to mind: how much does this guy eat, if I took him for a walk, would I bring Hefty or Glad ForceFlex(R) ... a shovel or one of those mini bulldozer blades ... or all of the above?


Apparently, the "dog" above is known as Hercules, and is the world's biggest dog, according to Guinnes World Records. An English Mastiff, Hercules has a 38-inch neck and weighs 282 pounds. Do you believe it? Really ... do ... you ... believe it? A 38-inch neck? 282 pounds?

Look, the 'net has some wild and wonderful things out here. But if you find yourself reading or seeing something that completely blows you away, and if you find yourself emailing absolutely everyone in your Contact list abou it, please think twice ... do your part to reduce spam everywhere ... but above all, first, go to this site ...now... and "snopes" out the truth ...

I thought so ...

As we're all coming off the sugar high of the last week or so, have you ever noticed .....

Chain, chain, chain...

Well, tonight, we had a fairly good paced episode of 24. Set between 10 pm and 11 pm, there were some pretty good twists, paced throughout the show. Just minutes in, there was a nuclear launch, 5 minutes to impact ... 4 minutes ... uh oh, then we got a little presidential hand-shaking going on ...

...Ambassador tells Palmer of General Mohmar Habib ... 2 minutes... Palmer threatens the Ambassador ... abort.... abort ... wait, a bluff? An unarmed missile?

Of course, little did Fayed know that early on in the episode, Jack would utter the fateful line: "Trust me, I haven't *begun* to enjoy myself." (Little did Fayed know that those words would end up having much deeper meaning in the final minutes of tonight's episode.)

The next twist, a nice one, was the Fayed ambush. But minutes later, alert, alert: we got a "damn it" from the sanitation truck.

And when Fayed finally stopped to meet up with his posse, check out how Jack pulled out the guard *very* nicely .. grab the ankles, twist the next, geez! Then, Jack sees it: the suitcase. But, why take out one guy ...against how many?? Was his back-up that close behind him?

Then, the music, we can tell by the music, we're talking about ultimate fight music ...the wrench -- was that a wrench? Then the music slows down ... a bite, a head butt, chain chain chain, well done! Whoa, the chain! One of THE most absolute deaths, bar none, throughout the entire season. The brutality and finality of it all. From the fight itself, combined with the music, there was definitely an air of finality and conclusion ... Geez, I wonder what the boys at www.bauercount.com will say about that (weird web site; but whatever gets you through the night, I guess...)

But are the bombs on the table? Doyle: the bombs are secure. Ok. we're fine. But are we? Those who know 24 best, know that we're not done yet. There's something more ... we've got a few more weeks left, right?

Now, how many of you out there thought to themselves, "Audrey!"


...yes, Audrey!

Easter greetings...

On Sunday's I seem to post some videos that have ended up being more musical in nature. But given the day and time of year, I figured I should find some stuff that's somewhat easter-related (or bunny-related.) So, I've started off with a couple of bunnies who just won't give up ... followed by Chris Bliss who may just be my kind of man, one with a sense of humour, superior hand-eye coordination and great taste in music (I just gotta figure out how we can book/pay him for our next Christmas Party...)



and..............(hey, it wouldn't be Sunday morning without Bugs)



Now, for the finale ... ..what better way to close off this post, eh?

The haze of it all...

Ok, tonight’s 24, set between 9 pm and 10 pm, had one of the great understatements yet:

Wayne Palmer (to the Doctor): “Can you give me a shot of adrenaline?” Uh, ya, DOH! And, while you’re at it, can you give the tv depiction of my White House a shot of adrenaline too? However, Lennox has definitely been a breath of fresh air … some big kuhuna’s on that guy!

But, enough with the traitors at CTU ... get it together guys ... how many mmmmmoles does it take to finally bring it down? And poor Chloe -- did she even have a line tonight?

Overall, a much tempered tone to the episode … (think back to season 1 when almost every episode, there were at least 3 or 4 OMGs? .. ok, the Gredenko arm thing was a little nasty ... and talk about 'salt in the wound', collapsing at the ocean's edge) ... but even the ending was kinda hazy ... Palmer after reasserting his presidency, launches a nuclear strike he *seemed* to not want to do ...it all seemed so ... hazy ....

Sunday tunes ...

With the proliferation of CD's, downloads, iPods, iTunes, yadda, yadda, yadda, does anyone else out there miss the physical size of an album and all that great art work? Check this out, and see if you remember these in the ultimate Battle of the Album Covers..



Now, how about a another flashback back to 1946 with the "Sugar Chile" himself ...

Ya, right ....

It's never that simple ...

...ya one of 24's most understated lines, as Buchanan told Jack: "...it's never that simple..."

Case in point? Karen, putting the weight of the world, and the life of her brother, on Palmer's sister. And, Little Ricky looked like he was being a bad little boy tonight. But, lo and behold, it was Johnson (another Canadian addition to the cast, by the way) who was in major game mode, making Milo think that Doyle was being a d**k … And, Jack putting it all on Brady, 24's resident Rainman, to maintain his position. Poor Brady. But, Jack pulled him through. Way to go Jack! Even, the dart made it into Gredenko. Va bene!

As of 9:42 tonight, there were 2 "Dammits" (well, Milo had one, does that count?)

Like last week, it seems the best of the episode was the last 15 minutes ... even though we knew that just 10 minutes in, the end of the episode would likely be the Vice President's retaliatory launch ... but wait(!) ... President Palmer comes through to call it off .. ...Palmer looks pretty good, and seems to be making quite a lot of sense after a couple of hours in a coma, dontcha think? But wait (again!!) -- again in shades of previous seasons, now we have to wait for the Attorney General to make his (her?) appearance next week because the Veep is convinced that Palmer is looney and still feeling the affects of the coma ...

...stay tuned ...

Oh, ya, by the way, there *were* 2 Dammit's tonight -- the first was Milo's(!) (Does that count?) ...and the second belonging to Jack ... Cheers!

Giuliana ……. here we go …

Ok, I just about freaked when I found it. To find out that we’re not alone in thinking that David Caruso's one-liners are some of the coolest on television today (ok, I’m being sarcastic.) There are people out there who think the same thing, almost 20,000(!) in a little more than 2 months …

So … Giuliana …. get out your shades … grasp them gently, but firmly, in both hands … let’s begin:



... now, which is your favorite?

Here they come...

With Spring upon us, thought I'd viral some clips from "Winged Migration" ... my Dad absolutely loved this movie ... unfortunately, these clips just aren't long enough ... if you haven't seen it, rent it ... for the time being, take a tour through the Grand Canyon, then New York City, and then watch the Water Ballet ...







And, now, for all the kids in the room, some nice animation :)

Attack of the Drones

On a night when my Cold F/X is *definitely* not working, and I seemed to be determined to go through one complete box of Kleenex, 24 seemed to kick it tonight. No real major surprises...

On the 4th anniversary of the war in Iraq, one particular line that VP Daniels had tonight ("... that is the fiction they hide behind..") seemed to resonate.

Set between 7 pm and 8 pm, they sure seemed to have taken their time to find Shadow Valley. How long have they known about it anyway? I mean, hello!?! Road blocks anyone?

And certainly now, Jack probably feels he has absolutely nothing to live for, after hearing of Audrey's death ... but did she really die?

Best line of the night:

Karen (to Lennox): “…did someone push you down the stairs?
Lennox: “No Karen, I tripped over your ineptitude.”

And, yet again, another blast from the past: the dreaded leak. OMG. How many times does a covert US government facility on US soil have to be compromised before it’s completely shut down? (No, it’s probably not the girl.)

Final minutes were ok … there seemed to be a sale on silencers, and Jack’s video game skills appear to be a bit rusty …..

Rock it, man

On a day where my Cold F/X is taking a bit longer to kick in, how about a whacky tune ...I first found this on Ifilm, then YouTube. Circa 1978, the Science Fiction Film Awards was being hosted by William Shatner. Because there was no hysterical laughing come from the audience, I can only believe that it was meant in all seriousness ... how unbelievably embarrassing ... and to think the intro, by the song's lyricist Bernie Taupin, gives it some credibility ... sheesh! Wonder what he *really* thought at the time ...



The above is why people pay to see this:

Knife Night

It's Monday night, so you know what that means ...

Well, we're officially at the halfway point of this season for 24 .... and Martha made her grand entrance.
Looks like her cozy relationship with Aaron has done him good, with his weight loss and all ... And, with only 8 or 9 minutes in, there were chugs all over American campuses and dorms with Jack's "Dammit" ... unfortunately, there was some major transmission action tonight in the early minutes ... too bad some pixel break up appeared to mess with little Ricky Schroeder's (possible) best lines ...

On that note, President Logan certainly got loaded on this episode, leading to...

This episode's nominations for the Best Lines:

Deadpan Chloe: (to Logan) "Sorry, I'm feeling ambivalent."

Aaron: (to Logan) "I no longer have to tolerate your sarcasm."

Martha: (at Logan) "I need a drink!", and "Oh God, the crap!" ... just before she ...

Bill Buchanan: (in all seriousness to Aaron after hearing of Martha's attack on Charles) "Is Martha capable of having a coherant conversation with Anya Suberov?"

Tonight was definitely the episode of the knife ... the poor soul in the Russian Consulate, thinking he had Jack beat, with a girly-man knife -- ya, right, no match for Jack ... gun beats knife ... and in one of the big surprises, Martha had her own "Norman Bates moment" ... Geez, who knew being an American President could be so dangerous (original President Palmer -- dead; his younger brother -- intensive care; Logan -- en route to hospital, but bleeding, going into shock, he's crashing....)

Some music for a lazy Sunday aft...

Let's see what Nora's up to today ...



Or, for something a little more upbeat, check this guy out ...


Or, maybe, you just want to dance ... ya, this one's for you, Cathy :)

This one's for Daniel...

Hey, Daniel ..
I'm a bit late in posting this ... kind of a neat event last week, where Ontario's Minister of Immigration, Mike Colle, was presenting a new government award program ... that recognizes people ... kind of like your Friendship Award. (You can see me above in the picture with the Minister, and Papa in the middle.)

Anyway, one of the people that Minister Colle mentioned was Papa ... Papa did a lot for people from other countries, who came here to begin a new life. A lot of these people didn't speak or write English ...and one of the big things he did was print different newspapers in their language ... he also started a tv station that would have programs in different languages. .

This would make people who could not speak English feel really good because they could watch tv that was in the language they spoke ...so, it would make them feel like they had friends here, and like they belonged.

So the Minister asked me to come to the event ... and I did ...and I was able to talk about Papa.


So, with your Friendship Award, you are on your way to accomplish really great things, just like Papa! So, congratulations on your award ... I love you :) xoxo

The "C" word

Ya, i know ... it's been a while ... but, hey, Jack/Keifer was in a suit tonight!

Once again, the 24 White House seems to be on its regular Monday night cocktail of Valium, Methodone, Sleep-Eze ...maybe they all got shares in some major pharmaceuticals .... And, how long it take to do a "full sweep" of the bunker for Tom Lennox? 12 minutes, apparently. OMG! There was just a PRESIDENTIAL ASSASINATION ATTEMPT!

But, wait, once again, there's a Vice President just *waiting* to take over, in more ways than one. The casting of Powers Boothe, however, was probably one of the best choices for this season, eh Mark?

Ok, he may turn out to be a baddie, but he seems to be the only one who conveys a sense of authority and real presidential decisiveness ... va bene!

But wait, another flashback for 24 diehards...the dreaded "c" word: Consulate. Viewers have a long memory and know that when they see Jack in a Consulate, well, bad things happen ...

I guess I would have preferred an ending like this:

Daniel & Derek came today...

It's Saturday, quite cold here ... "littl-est d" (Daniel) and Dad (Derek) came by today ... we had a little Swiss Chalet and a visit with little d and Nana-Boo. Daniel looked pretty good with his 'new' haircut .. a little man ... Daniel said, "I had fun, playing with my toys .... and Soze is NUTS!!! Soze is wild!"

On this very cold valentine's day, I came across a great blog today: ideasonideas.com ... the blogger is a designer based in Vancouver ... tons of commentary on design, principles, branding, etc. whether it's print or web related ... also has a great section called "fresh", towards the bottom of the home page, mostly external links but some really neat stuff ...

Keep calm ...

In the spirit of keeping calm over the coming 48 hours with the oncoming winter blast, enjoy Yusuf Islam at the Naples' Concerto del Epifania.



... did he say "gracias"?

Say hello to my little friend ...

Whoa! Memories of Scarface or what?!?!! It what looks to be the most violent 24 episode ever, the dreaded (battery operated) power drill made its debut tonight ... Thankfully, to 'spoil the mood', that commercial with the flight attendant from hell who's trying to quit smoking made an appearance in the commercial break ...

Then, upon the return, we have shades of a previous season -- the brewing of a presidential coup ... Great pace ... but wait, Jack sees the silver suitcase with the green flashing light -- ya, we certainly do have "a problem.", but nothing Chloe and a screwdriver couldn't cure.


But, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Aaron Sorkin did more to convey a perceived accuracy of a fictional White House than anybody. It's a really high standard to meet, and 24's White House really stretches creduality, one that seems to have everyone in it wandering around like they're in a Lithium-enduced haze ...

All in all, CTU is where the action is ...well, there and the streets of L.A. ...

4 minutes, a reunion doesn't make...

The Police back together? A 4 minute rendition of Roxanne makes it a reunion? Sorry, folks -- kinda doesn't count ... just not long enough. All hype.... but, couldn't help but notice, 'ol Sting seemed to be wearing a Q-Ray on his right wrist ... perhaps that's the source of his tantra power...

Respectable Think Tanks?

Bill Maher's, 'tanks but no tanks' ...




... and now, how *not* to handle "Diversity Day" ... (it's a little long at 10', but hang in there ...

Welcome

Welcome to the Legato Lounge ...

Some of you may know legato as a term most used in music ... Italian, meaning to be bound together with no persceptible space or pause between the notes ... a description that could also resemble the feeling we have after we've taken a few minutes to surf the web ... the smooth transition from one site to another ... from one city to another ... from one country to another ...

...the feeling that there is really no persceptible space or pause between us.

Stay tuned for more musings ....