Wow.
I can't remember the last time I skipped a post during the week. Unfortunately, I have been swamped with lots of projects. Therefore, yesterday's blog entry had to be sacrificed.
Anyway, I've been thinking about York Region Transit's Viva service.
Viva is the rapid transit services and tends to have longer routes. It was designed to cover anything north of Steeles Avenue. There are five routes: blue, pink, green, yellow and purple. However, there is just one problem: all the buses are all blue.
If you have never used Viva and were told to take the "pink bus," you're going to be in a little trouble. Unless, of course, you notice the electronic sign on the top of the bus. Still, you have to think that there will continue to be situations where people miss the bus because they were looking for pink bus, a green bus, a yellow bus, or a purple bus.
Maybe it would be easier if instead of colours, the routes used names or numbers. The Blue route could be 500, Pink would be 510, Green would be 520, Yellow would be 530, and purple would be 540; or, Blue could be "Viva Yonge" (travels up and down Yonge St.), Pink could be "Viva Finch-Unionvile" (travels between the Finch TTC station and Unionville GO Station), Green could be "Viva Seneca" (travels between Markville Mall in Markham and the Don Mills TTC station, while stopping at Senaca's Newham campus), Yellow could be "Viva Vaughn-York" (travels from Vaughn to York University), and Purple could be "Viva York" (Vaughn - York University - Markville Mall).
Maybe it's my ego talking, but I feel this plan is foolproof.
Regardless, I'm sure there's a logical explanation as to why the routes were named after colours, even though all the buses are blue. At least, I hope there is.
The Hek
Friday, March 16, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Widget Try Out
A widget is a window of one website, placed on another website. All you need is a site's RSS feed and you're all set. I want to use this for some CHEV products; so, I thought I would test it here first.
Something should appear on the left side of this page.
The Hek
Something should appear on the left side of this page.
The Hek
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Celebrating 24 Years
As I have said in the past, my birthday is a weird day for me. I enjoy all the attention but, I also feel embarrassed about it.
What's most noteworthy was that it was 15'C in Toronto today. Although I have nothing to back this up, there might be a correlation between my birthday and today's great weather.
To everyone who sent their wishes, I thank you. One of the best things I have experienced in my life, is meeting many wonderful people.
Now, the answers to yesterday's anagram challenge:
1. (hockey player) Zany tyke grew WAYNE GRETZKY
2. (musician) Gig jerk cam MICK JAGGER
3. (Canadian politician) Red hot cannibals BELINDA STRONACH
4. (wrestler) Frail cir RIC FLAIR
5. (actor) Lake thievery HARVEY KIETEL
6. (blogger) Sickener hero ERIC ROSENHEK ;-)
The Hek
*Catch Episode 31 of The Audio Circus*
What's most noteworthy was that it was 15'C in Toronto today. Although I have nothing to back this up, there might be a correlation between my birthday and today's great weather.
To everyone who sent their wishes, I thank you. One of the best things I have experienced in my life, is meeting many wonderful people.
Now, the answers to yesterday's anagram challenge:
1. (hockey player) Zany tyke grew WAYNE GRETZKY
2. (musician) Gig jerk cam MICK JAGGER
3. (Canadian politician) Red hot cannibals BELINDA STRONACH
4. (wrestler) Frail cir RIC FLAIR
5. (actor) Lake thievery HARVEY KIETEL
6. (blogger) Sickener hero ERIC ROSENHEK ;-)
The Hek
*Catch Episode 31 of The Audio Circus*
Monday, March 12, 2007
Fun With Anagrams
Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to figure out who the celebrity is, by rearranging the letters. If you're successful, you might as well call yourself Robert Langdon or, Sophie Neveu.
Good luck.
1. (hockey player) Zany tyke grew
2. (musician) Gig jerk cam
3. (Canadian politician) Red hot cannibals
4. (wrestler) Frail cir
5. (actor) Lake thievery
6. (blogger) Sickener hero
The Hek
*It's back! The Audio Circus! Episode 31 is now available.*
Good luck.
1. (hockey player) Zany tyke grew
2. (musician) Gig jerk cam
3. (Canadian politician) Red hot cannibals
4. (wrestler) Frail cir
5. (actor) Lake thievery
6. (blogger) Sickener hero
The Hek
*It's back! The Audio Circus! Episode 31 is now available.*
Friday, March 09, 2007
New Podcast
The Audio Circus will return with a new episode, this Sunday. Meanwhile, I have begun a second podcast involving CHEV.
CHEV Radio Podcasts features clips from the current lineup of shows. Right now, I've started with Bring The Noise. I hope to include other programs very shortly. It's sort of a work in progress but, good enough to be launched.
Enjoy.
The Hek
CHEV Radio Podcasts features clips from the current lineup of shows. Right now, I've started with Bring The Noise. I hope to include other programs very shortly. It's sort of a work in progress but, good enough to be launched.
Enjoy.
The Hek
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Love Is A Burning Thing
The man in black, makes his second appearance on The Hek's Super Playlist. Two Canadian artists are also making their first appearance. New entries in Red.
1. Kennedy Killed the Hat - Buck 65
2. I bought some books - Black Boot Trio
3. Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
4. Vacation - The Go-Go's
5. Like a Prayer - Madonna
6. Night Swimming - REM
7. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
8. Ring, Ring - Abba
9. Call on Me - Eric Prydz
10. November Rain - Guns N Roses
11. Cruel Summer - Bannanarama
12. Hung up - Madonna
13. 463 - Buck 65
14. Judy is a Punk - The Ramones
15. The Laws have Changed - The New Pornographers
16. Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn feat. Jack White
17. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
18. The Card Cheat - The Clash
19. Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot
20. Boys in the Bright White Sports Car - Trooper
21. Mandy - Barry Manilow
22. Let's Get Together - Al Green
23. Mickey - Toni Basil
24. Bodies - Drowning Pool
25. Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
26. Bawitaba - Kid Rock
27. Losing Grip - Avril Lavigne
28. City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
29. Pump it - Black Eye Peas
30. Lonely Old Eyes - Neko Case
31. Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin
32. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
33. Don't Walk Away Eileen - Sam Roberts
34. Bring the Noise - Public Enemy & Anthrax
35. Maneater - Nelly Furtado
36. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
37. My Immortal - Evanescense
38. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
39. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
40. Bad Habit - The Offspring
41. LDN - Lily Allen
42. Man I use to Be - K-OS
43. Lolipop - Aqua
44. Banquet - Bloc Party
45. The Sign - Ace of Base
46. Rise Above - Black Flag
47. Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band
48. Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
49. Hello - Lionel Richie
50. River - Joni Mitchell
51. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979
52. Knock on Wood - Amy Stewart
53. My Heart Skips A Beat - Buck Owens
54. Levon - Elton John
55. Use It - The New Pornographers
56. The Boy In The Bubble - Paul Simon
57. Graceland - Paul Simon
58. Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac
The Hek
1. Kennedy Killed the Hat - Buck 65
2. I bought some books - Black Boot Trio
3. Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
4. Vacation - The Go-Go's
5. Like a Prayer - Madonna
6. Night Swimming - REM
7. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
8. Ring, Ring - Abba
9. Call on Me - Eric Prydz
10. November Rain - Guns N Roses
11. Cruel Summer - Bannanarama
12. Hung up - Madonna
13. 463 - Buck 65
14. Judy is a Punk - The Ramones
15. The Laws have Changed - The New Pornographers
16. Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn feat. Jack White
17. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
18. The Card Cheat - The Clash
19. Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot
20. Boys in the Bright White Sports Car - Trooper
21. Mandy - Barry Manilow
22. Let's Get Together - Al Green
23. Mickey - Toni Basil
24. Bodies - Drowning Pool
25. Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
26. Bawitaba - Kid Rock
27. Losing Grip - Avril Lavigne
28. City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
29. Pump it - Black Eye Peas
30. Lonely Old Eyes - Neko Case
31. Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin
32. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
33. Don't Walk Away Eileen - Sam Roberts
34. Bring the Noise - Public Enemy & Anthrax
35. Maneater - Nelly Furtado
36. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
37. My Immortal - Evanescense
38. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
39. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
40. Bad Habit - The Offspring
41. LDN - Lily Allen
42. Man I use to Be - K-OS
43. Lolipop - Aqua
44. Banquet - Bloc Party
45. The Sign - Ace of Base
46. Rise Above - Black Flag
47. Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band
48. Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
49. Hello - Lionel Richie
50. River - Joni Mitchell
51. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979
52. Knock on Wood - Amy Stewart
53. My Heart Skips A Beat - Buck Owens
54. Levon - Elton John
55. Use It - The New Pornographers
56. The Boy In The Bubble - Paul Simon
57. Graceland - Paul Simon
58. Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac
59. Head Over Feet - Alanis Morrisette
60. Ring Of Fire - Johnny Cash
61. Inside And Out - Feist
The Hek
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
For Your Consideration...
Captain America is dead
- You know, this Marvel Civil War has got to end.
*
Mom, Husband Accused Of Giving Tot, Pot
- If proven to be true, this couple has lost any chance of winning the "parents of the year" award.
*
Wisconsin man calls cops to tell them he's having trouble breaking into church
- Not sure what to make of this one.
The Hek
- You know, this Marvel Civil War has got to end.
*
Mom, Husband Accused Of Giving Tot, Pot
- If proven to be true, this couple has lost any chance of winning the "parents of the year" award.
*
Wisconsin man calls cops to tell them he's having trouble breaking into church
- Not sure what to make of this one.
The Hek
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Let's Get Green!
The Environment has become a very important topic.
Everyone is trying to live a "green" life. The only problem is that we're only told why we should go green, instead of why and how.
This afternoon, I was listening to CBC Radio's Here and Now and discovered a website that offers answers on how to live a more environmentally-friendly life. The site is called Greenopolis.ca. It's part blog and part directory. What's interesting about the site is that it provides listings of products, services and businesses, that are safe for the environment. For example, let's say you wanted to do some renovations. Instead of getting a contractor from one of the "big box" stores, you can try places that reuse materials like Habitat For Humanity's ReStores.
What I like about the site, is that it offers to make it "easier for busy people to live greener lives guilt-free and down-to-earth." That's a big deal for me because if there's one thing I don't like, it's environmentalists who condemn people without explaining what they're doing wrong or providing alternative methods.
Whether you care about the environment or not, the site offers some good tips. It's essentially, some green food for thought.
The Hek
TAC
Everyone is trying to live a "green" life. The only problem is that we're only told why we should go green, instead of why and how.
This afternoon, I was listening to CBC Radio's Here and Now and discovered a website that offers answers on how to live a more environmentally-friendly life. The site is called Greenopolis.ca. It's part blog and part directory. What's interesting about the site is that it provides listings of products, services and businesses, that are safe for the environment. For example, let's say you wanted to do some renovations. Instead of getting a contractor from one of the "big box" stores, you can try places that reuse materials like Habitat For Humanity's ReStores.
What I like about the site, is that it offers to make it "easier for busy people to live greener lives guilt-free and down-to-earth." That's a big deal for me because if there's one thing I don't like, it's environmentalists who condemn people without explaining what they're doing wrong or providing alternative methods.
Whether you care about the environment or not, the site offers some good tips. It's essentially, some green food for thought.
The Hek
TAC
Monday, March 05, 2007
Who Wants To Interpret My Dream?
Here's what happened?
I was playing for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. We were facing the New York Knicks and the game was taking place from a community gymnasium. After the game, I was outside and all these buses started to crash into each other. It was chaotic. People were injured and everyone was freaking out. Next thing I know, I'm standing in the middle of a grassy field. It was a warm summer's day and there were lots of people playing sports. I remember seeing a large water tower.
Then, I woke up.
And, GO!
The Hek
I was playing for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. We were facing the New York Knicks and the game was taking place from a community gymnasium. After the game, I was outside and all these buses started to crash into each other. It was chaotic. People were injured and everyone was freaking out. Next thing I know, I'm standing in the middle of a grassy field. It was a warm summer's day and there were lots of people playing sports. I remember seeing a large water tower.
Then, I woke up.
And, GO!
The Hek
Friday, March 02, 2007
Before A Night Of Jazz
living a full life
bringing passion at no expense
you still need a bath
The Hek
RIP Buster. I'll miss you.
bringing passion at no expense
you still need a bath
The Hek
RIP Buster. I'll miss you.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
A Sense Of Irony
This afternoon, the Greater Toronto Area was hit by a massive snowstorm.
Meanwhile, in Dunedin, Florida, the Blue Jays played their first pre-season game; a 4-1 win over Boston.
So there I was.
Driving in the midst of a snowstorm, in bumper to bumper traffic, back window completely covered, while listening to a baseball game, taking place in Florida.
I am a winter hater.
The Hek
Meanwhile, in Dunedin, Florida, the Blue Jays played their first pre-season game; a 4-1 win over Boston.
So there I was.
Driving in the midst of a snowstorm, in bumper to bumper traffic, back window completely covered, while listening to a baseball game, taking place in Florida.
I am a winter hater.
The Hek
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Cher - At The Oscars, 1986

Call me crazy, but I think she went a little heavy on the hairspray.
I think that's her hair.
The Hek
TAC
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Cheney Is Armed?
It was quite the day for the Vice President.
Someone tried to assassinate him through a suicide bombing. Fortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful. Unfortunately, about 20 people lost their lives in the blast.
Take a look at this picture. Take a closer look at Dick Cheney's left foot.

Is it me, or is the Vice President wearing an ankle holster and possibly carrying a firearm? Maybe there was a wind when this photo was taken. However, you have to wonder.
The Hek
Someone tried to assassinate him through a suicide bombing. Fortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful. Unfortunately, about 20 people lost their lives in the blast.
Take a look at this picture. Take a closer look at Dick Cheney's left foot.
Is it me, or is the Vice President wearing an ankle holster and possibly carrying a firearm? Maybe there was a wind when this photo was taken. However, you have to wonder.
The Hek
Monday, February 26, 2007
The Oscars Are Too Long!
No kidding, eh?
Seriously, three hours and forty-five minutes is way too long for an awards show. I felt it was dragging on by the end. The program could have easily been shaved down to three hours and possibly, two hours and thirty minutes.
Was it really necessary to have performances for every song nominated for Best Original Song? Did we really have to hear about the lives of screenwriters? Was there a point to "America On Film?"
Here's how I would schedule the Academy Awards:
There would only be presentations for the ten categories that receive the most coverage (Best Motion Picture, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Foreign Feature, Best Animated Feature). Then, include the Lifetime Achievement award, a vignette dedicated to those who passed away, and a performance of the song, that won the award for Best Original Song. Total time - Three hours, give or take a few minutes.
As for the remaining categories, they can be presented during a ceremony which, is aired over the internet or, on a channel that's affiliated with the host broadcaster. For example, the main show airs on ABC, while the other categories are shown on Disney Channel or ABC Family. This way, the casual fans don't have to sit through presentations they don't know about; and the enthusiasts, won't feel cheated.
Anyway, I am glad that Scorsese finally won an Oscar. The Departed is a great film, but not his best. It's certainly in the top five.
By the way, how can an awards show (using lots of electricity) "go green?" Were they using different light bulbs? Were the statuettes made of recycled scarp metal?
I'm just wondering.
The Hek
Seriously, three hours and forty-five minutes is way too long for an awards show. I felt it was dragging on by the end. The program could have easily been shaved down to three hours and possibly, two hours and thirty minutes.
Was it really necessary to have performances for every song nominated for Best Original Song? Did we really have to hear about the lives of screenwriters? Was there a point to "America On Film?"
Here's how I would schedule the Academy Awards:
There would only be presentations for the ten categories that receive the most coverage (Best Motion Picture, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Foreign Feature, Best Animated Feature). Then, include the Lifetime Achievement award, a vignette dedicated to those who passed away, and a performance of the song, that won the award for Best Original Song. Total time - Three hours, give or take a few minutes.
As for the remaining categories, they can be presented during a ceremony which, is aired over the internet or, on a channel that's affiliated with the host broadcaster. For example, the main show airs on ABC, while the other categories are shown on Disney Channel or ABC Family. This way, the casual fans don't have to sit through presentations they don't know about; and the enthusiasts, won't feel cheated.
Anyway, I am glad that Scorsese finally won an Oscar. The Departed is a great film, but not his best. It's certainly in the top five.
By the way, how can an awards show (using lots of electricity) "go green?" Were they using different light bulbs? Were the statuettes made of recycled scarp metal?
I'm just wondering.
The Hek
Friday, February 23, 2007
Welcome To The World Of Gentlemen, Gentlemen.
I have never been a big fan of car commercials but, I have to mention this one.
Talk about absurdity. It's like something out of a play that's written by Eugene Ionesco.
It's funny. It's memorable. However, it's not going to make me want to buy a Cadillac. And what does it say about Cadillac's take on gender equity? Heck, I didn't even know there was a world of gentlemen.
I wonder where I would go to sign up ;-)
The Hek
Talk about absurdity. It's like something out of a play that's written by Eugene Ionesco.
It's funny. It's memorable. However, it's not going to make me want to buy a Cadillac. And what does it say about Cadillac's take on gender equity? Heck, I didn't even know there was a world of gentlemen.
I wonder where I would go to sign up ;-)
The Hek
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Exploitation Double Feature
I have found another film, that I must see.
During last week's episode of Smackdown, a trailer for this movie was aired and suddenly, I was hooked.
It's called Grindhouse and features two of my favourite directors, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.
The build for this feature is that it contains two full-length films. Up first, will be Rodriguez's Planet Terror and then, Tarantino's Death Proof. There will also be "fake trailers" at the beginning and middle of the entire presentation.
Needless to say, I intend to coarse my friends into watching this film with me. It's only fair since these same friends, will want me watch this animation/live action film with them. Unfortunately, the name escapes me. 349 or, something along those lines.
The Hek
During last week's episode of Smackdown, a trailer for this movie was aired and suddenly, I was hooked.
It's called Grindhouse and features two of my favourite directors, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.
The build for this feature is that it contains two full-length films. Up first, will be Rodriguez's Planet Terror and then, Tarantino's Death Proof. There will also be "fake trailers" at the beginning and middle of the entire presentation.
Needless to say, I intend to coarse my friends into watching this film with me. It's only fair since these same friends, will want me watch this animation/live action film with them. Unfortunately, the name escapes me. 349 or, something along those lines.
The Hek
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
01.20.09
What will happen on January 20th, 2009?
Is it:
a. A party for George Burns' 113th birthday
b. The NHL All-Star game
c. George W. Bush's last day in office
d. The Royal Rumble
If your answer is "C," congratulations! You are correct.
January 20th, 2009, will mark the day when Bush hands over power to the new President. In honour of this occasion, there is a website counting down the days, second by second.
I give you bushslastday.com
The website describes itself as a "wake up call for those of us that are frustrated with President Bush and his administration." It provides a critique on Bush's term in office. But more importantly, the site has a store where you can buy all types of products, that bare the slogan, "01.20.09 - Bush's Last Day." Some of these products also come with an actual countdown clock.
No doubt, a perfect gift for all your left wing friends and family members.
The Hek
Is it:
a. A party for George Burns' 113th birthday
b. The NHL All-Star game
c. George W. Bush's last day in office
d. The Royal Rumble
If your answer is "C," congratulations! You are correct.
January 20th, 2009, will mark the day when Bush hands over power to the new President. In honour of this occasion, there is a website counting down the days, second by second.
I give you bushslastday.com
The website describes itself as a "wake up call for those of us that are frustrated with President Bush and his administration." It provides a critique on Bush's term in office. But more importantly, the site has a store where you can buy all types of products, that bare the slogan, "01.20.09 - Bush's Last Day." Some of these products also come with an actual countdown clock.
No doubt, a perfect gift for all your left wing friends and family members.
The Hek
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
The Days Of Miracle And Wonder
Paul Simon's Graceland is an amazing album. I'd love to add all the songs to The Hek's Super Playlist. But, that wouldn't be fair. So I decided to pick my two favourites.
New entries are in red.
1. Kennedy Killed the Hat - Buck 65
2. I bought some books - Black Boot Trio
3. Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
4. Vacation - The Go-Go's
5. Like a Prayer - Madonna
6. Night Swimming - REM
7. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
8. Ring, Ring - Abba
9. Call on Me - Eric Prydz
10. November Rain - Guns N Roses
11. Cruel Summer - Bannanarama
12. Hung up - Madonna
13. 463 - Buck 65
14. Judy is a Punk - The Ramones
15. The Laws have Changed - The New Pornographers
16. Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn feat. Jack White
17. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
18. The Card Cheat - The Clash
19. Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot
20. Boys in the Bright White Sports Car - Trooper
21. Mandy - Barry Manilow
22. Let's Get Together - Al Green
23. Mickey - Toni Basil
24. Bodies - Drowning Pool
25. Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
26. Bawitaba - Kid Rock
27. Losing Grip - Avril Lavigne
28. City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
29. Pump it - Black Eye Peas
30. Lonely Old Eyes - Neko Case
31. Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin
32. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
33. Don't Walk Away Eileen - Sam Roberts
34. Bring the Noise - Public Enemy & Anthrax
35. Maneater - Nelly Furtado
36. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
37. My Immortal - Evanescense
38. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
39. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
40. Bad Habit - The Offspring
41. LDN - Lily Allen
42. Man I use to Be - K-OS
43. Lolipop - Aqua
44. Banquet - Bloc Party
45. The Sign - Ace of Base
46. Rise Above - Black Flag
47. Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band
48. Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
49. Hello - Lionel Richie
50. River - Joni Mitchell
51. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979
52. Knock on Wood - Amy Stewart
53. My Heart Skips A Beat - Buck Owens
54. Levon - Elton John
55. Use It - The New Pornographers
56. The Boy In The Bubble - Paul Simon
57. Graceland - Paul Simon
58. Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac
The Hek
*Very Niiiice: Episode 30 of the Audio Circus*
New entries are in red.
1. Kennedy Killed the Hat - Buck 65
2. I bought some books - Black Boot Trio
3. Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
4. Vacation - The Go-Go's
5. Like a Prayer - Madonna
6. Night Swimming - REM
7. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
8. Ring, Ring - Abba
9. Call on Me - Eric Prydz
10. November Rain - Guns N Roses
11. Cruel Summer - Bannanarama
12. Hung up - Madonna
13. 463 - Buck 65
14. Judy is a Punk - The Ramones
15. The Laws have Changed - The New Pornographers
16. Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn feat. Jack White
17. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
18. The Card Cheat - The Clash
19. Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot
20. Boys in the Bright White Sports Car - Trooper
21. Mandy - Barry Manilow
22. Let's Get Together - Al Green
23. Mickey - Toni Basil
24. Bodies - Drowning Pool
25. Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
26. Bawitaba - Kid Rock
27. Losing Grip - Avril Lavigne
28. City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
29. Pump it - Black Eye Peas
30. Lonely Old Eyes - Neko Case
31. Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin
32. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
33. Don't Walk Away Eileen - Sam Roberts
34. Bring the Noise - Public Enemy & Anthrax
35. Maneater - Nelly Furtado
36. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
37. My Immortal - Evanescense
38. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
39. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
40. Bad Habit - The Offspring
41. LDN - Lily Allen
42. Man I use to Be - K-OS
43. Lolipop - Aqua
44. Banquet - Bloc Party
45. The Sign - Ace of Base
46. Rise Above - Black Flag
47. Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band
48. Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
49. Hello - Lionel Richie
50. River - Joni Mitchell
51. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979
52. Knock on Wood - Amy Stewart
53. My Heart Skips A Beat - Buck Owens
54. Levon - Elton John
55. Use It - The New Pornographers
56. The Boy In The Bubble - Paul Simon
57. Graceland - Paul Simon
58. Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac
The Hek
*Very Niiiice: Episode 30 of the Audio Circus*
Monday, February 19, 2007
A Free Flow Of Thought
I am unable to decide on a topic for today's post. So, I will be writing about a number of things. Here we go.
Mike Awesome has passed away at the age of 42. Part of WWE and WCW, Awesome will be remembered mostly for his work in the original ECW. A very dominant champion, he was part of many memorable feuds and matches with wrestlers such as Maesato Tanaka, Tazz, and Spike Dudley. He fought Tanaka at the One Night Stand PPV in 2005 and this was said to be the best match of the show. I had a chance to watch him live in September, 2001, when he took on Albert/A-Train. Rest in peace, Mr. Awesome.
Heads up to those who have Satellite Radio receivers. Sirius and XM are in the process of merging. No word yet on how this will affect certain channels or, if you will have to get a new receiver.
The Canadiens have done something they haven't done in awhile; they won a hockey game!
Good call on the Blue Jays for giving John Gibbons a contract extension. He has certainly earned it. Now, as long as none of the pitchers get hurt, we might make the playoffs.
Saw a pretty good film, over the weekend. It's a Spanish film called Talk To Her. Good choice if you have a significant other coming over.
Finally, Brittany Spears..........shaved head............not even going to go there.
The Hek
*Catch Episode Thirty of the Audio Circus*
Mike Awesome has passed away at the age of 42. Part of WWE and WCW, Awesome will be remembered mostly for his work in the original ECW. A very dominant champion, he was part of many memorable feuds and matches with wrestlers such as Maesato Tanaka, Tazz, and Spike Dudley. He fought Tanaka at the One Night Stand PPV in 2005 and this was said to be the best match of the show. I had a chance to watch him live in September, 2001, when he took on Albert/A-Train. Rest in peace, Mr. Awesome.
Heads up to those who have Satellite Radio receivers. Sirius and XM are in the process of merging. No word yet on how this will affect certain channels or, if you will have to get a new receiver.
The Canadiens have done something they haven't done in awhile; they won a hockey game!
Good call on the Blue Jays for giving John Gibbons a contract extension. He has certainly earned it. Now, as long as none of the pitchers get hurt, we might make the playoffs.
Saw a pretty good film, over the weekend. It's a Spanish film called Talk To Her. Good choice if you have a significant other coming over.
Finally, Brittany Spears..........shaved head............not even going to go there.
The Hek
*Catch Episode Thirty of the Audio Circus*
Friday, February 16, 2007
0 For 11
I didn't forget. I just wasn't able to post this last week.
*
And now, the Maury Povich "You Are Not The Father" Moment Of The Week.
Preamble: The woman in this clip, had appeared in ten separate episodes. Each time, she accused a different man of being the father of her child. Each DNA test came back negative. Will the 11th time be the charm?
It's so horrible, it's funny.
The Hek
*
And now, the Maury Povich "You Are Not The Father" Moment Of The Week.
Preamble: The woman in this clip, had appeared in ten separate episodes. Each time, she accused a different man of being the father of her child. Each DNA test came back negative. Will the 11th time be the charm?
It's so horrible, it's funny.
The Hek
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Greatest Theme Ever
I never watched this show.
The only thing I remember about it, was the theme song.
Quite frankly, I think it's the best opening theme, when compared to all other well-known themes.
You be the judge.
The Hek
The only thing I remember about it, was the theme song.
Quite frankly, I think it's the best opening theme, when compared to all other well-known themes.
You be the judge.
The Hek
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Trump vs. McMahon
The biggest show in Wrestling is right around the corner.
Wrestlemania 23 will take place on April 1st from Detroit. Already, it seems that this year's edition will be a classic. Shawn Micheals will challenge John Cena for the WWE title, while Batista defends the World Title against The Undertaker, who is 15-0 at Wrestlemania. Those two matches will certainly receive a build up, over the next few weeks. However, there is also another match that is going to receive a lot of attention from outside the wrestling world.
Donald Trump will take on Vince McMahon in a "hair vs. hair" match.
At this point, I should point out that neither Trump nor McMahon will actually be wrestling (thank goodness). The billionaires will each select one wrestler to fight on their behalf. Whoever wins the match, will get to shave the loser's head in front of the entire world. In other words, if Trump wins, then Vinnie-Mac is leaving Detroit with a buzz cut; and if McMahon wins, then the Donald's world famous golden locks, will be GONE.
Right now, I would bet that Trump manages to keep his helmet hair in tact.
The Hek
Wrestlemania 23 will take place on April 1st from Detroit. Already, it seems that this year's edition will be a classic. Shawn Micheals will challenge John Cena for the WWE title, while Batista defends the World Title against The Undertaker, who is 15-0 at Wrestlemania. Those two matches will certainly receive a build up, over the next few weeks. However, there is also another match that is going to receive a lot of attention from outside the wrestling world.
Donald Trump will take on Vince McMahon in a "hair vs. hair" match.
At this point, I should point out that neither Trump nor McMahon will actually be wrestling (thank goodness). The billionaires will each select one wrestler to fight on their behalf. Whoever wins the match, will get to shave the loser's head in front of the entire world. In other words, if Trump wins, then Vinnie-Mac is leaving Detroit with a buzz cut; and if McMahon wins, then the Donald's world famous golden locks, will be GONE.
Right now, I would bet that Trump manages to keep his helmet hair in tact.
The Hek
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
You Can't Be Serious
I had the strangest dream last night.
I dreamt that there was this film coming out in a few weeks. It was about a farmer who use to work for NASA. He always wanted to fly to space; so, he built his very own rocket ship in his barn. Apparently, the government found out and tried to stop the farmer. However, the farmer was so determined to achieve his goal, that he risked everything and went ahead with his plans. Despite the government's constant interference, the farmer managed to blast off and become the first..........astronaut farmer.
Thank goodness that was just a dream.
I know movies are about suspending our beliefs. But honestly, who's going to buy into a film about a farmer who somehow manages to gather all the necessary parts needed for a rocket ship and is able to build it without any flaws? Besides, even if the farmer was successful, the launch would result in the entire farm being destroyed.
Fortunately, we all know Hollywood would never allow such a ridiculous film to be made, right?
Oh no....
I guess it wasn't a dream.
The Hek
*Before you fly off to space, check out Episode 29 of the Audio Circus*
I dreamt that there was this film coming out in a few weeks. It was about a farmer who use to work for NASA. He always wanted to fly to space; so, he built his very own rocket ship in his barn. Apparently, the government found out and tried to stop the farmer. However, the farmer was so determined to achieve his goal, that he risked everything and went ahead with his plans. Despite the government's constant interference, the farmer managed to blast off and become the first..........astronaut farmer.
Thank goodness that was just a dream.
I know movies are about suspending our beliefs. But honestly, who's going to buy into a film about a farmer who somehow manages to gather all the necessary parts needed for a rocket ship and is able to build it without any flaws? Besides, even if the farmer was successful, the launch would result in the entire farm being destroyed.
Fortunately, we all know Hollywood would never allow such a ridiculous film to be made, right?
Oh no....

The Hek
*Before you fly off to space, check out Episode 29 of the Audio Circus*
Monday, February 12, 2007
One Word.....Beyoncé
I watched about five minutes of The Grammy Awards last night.
Had to see The Police. I was hoping they would either kick off the show with a bang; or, start fighting with each other. In the end, we got the former. It was a good performance and it was no surprise that they performed "Roxanne." Personally, I was hoping they would have done "Message In A Bottle" or "Walking On The Moon." I also watched the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform.
By the way, this is a message to Fergie: When you're reading something off a teleprompter, please pace yourself. Trust me, it will sound a whole lot better then stumbling on your words and making no sense. Definitely not Fergalicious.
Did anybody else watch the show?
The Hek
*Here's something Fergalicious: Episode 29 of the Audio Circus*
Had to see The Police. I was hoping they would either kick off the show with a bang; or, start fighting with each other. In the end, we got the former. It was a good performance and it was no surprise that they performed "Roxanne." Personally, I was hoping they would have done "Message In A Bottle" or "Walking On The Moon." I also watched the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform.
By the way, this is a message to Fergie: When you're reading something off a teleprompter, please pace yourself. Trust me, it will sound a whole lot better then stumbling on your words and making no sense. Definitely not Fergalicious.
Did anybody else watch the show?
The Hek
*Here's something Fergalicious: Episode 29 of the Audio Circus*
Friday, February 09, 2007
Anna Nicole Smith, 24/7, CNN
It was a bizarre end to a bizarre life.
However, I am not here to eulogize the life of Anna Nicole Smith. Instead, I wish to write about a certain media channel’s coverage, that I found to be a bit disturbing.
Most newspapers, television and radio stations, gave Smith’s death a respectful amount of coverage. You either had an 800-1000 word article or a standard 2-3 minute news piece. Say what you will about her, Anna Nicole still died, way before she should have. Whether you agreed with her actions or not, she deserves a proper memorial. Most media outlets followed through on this. CNN, on the other hand, went way beyond what was necessary.
CNN gave extensive coverage on Smith’s death; and when I say extensive, I mean EXTENSIVE. Every image, every caption, every scroll bar, everything that was said, all focused on Anna Nicole. The last time CNN gave a story such wide and in-depth coverage, would be Hurricane Katrina. Anna Nicole's passing was the main story on The Situation Room. Wolf Blitzer was talking about Anna Nicole instead of the usual world and political issues that his show covers. If you never knew who she was and you watched CNN yesterday afternoon, you would think that Anna Nicole Smith was the President of the United States and she had just been assassinated. No disrespect to Smith or her family, but was all this “extensive” coverage from CNN, really necessary?
I would understand if this was the death of a much loved world leader or a head of state. But let’s face facts. She’s just a model and a reality-television star. On a scale of important figures, Anna Nicole is most likely to be in the middle then at the top. And what happens when another pop-culture figure passes away? Will he or she receive the same attention that was given to Anna Nicole?
What’s really sad was that it wasn’t a “slow news day.” There were events taking place in Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq and in the US. Each having more importance then giving an intense analysis to the untimely death of a celebrity.
Clearly, it would appear that CNN follows a bad set of priorities.
The Hek
However, I am not here to eulogize the life of Anna Nicole Smith. Instead, I wish to write about a certain media channel’s coverage, that I found to be a bit disturbing.
Most newspapers, television and radio stations, gave Smith’s death a respectful amount of coverage. You either had an 800-1000 word article or a standard 2-3 minute news piece. Say what you will about her, Anna Nicole still died, way before she should have. Whether you agreed with her actions or not, she deserves a proper memorial. Most media outlets followed through on this. CNN, on the other hand, went way beyond what was necessary.
CNN gave extensive coverage on Smith’s death; and when I say extensive, I mean EXTENSIVE. Every image, every caption, every scroll bar, everything that was said, all focused on Anna Nicole. The last time CNN gave a story such wide and in-depth coverage, would be Hurricane Katrina. Anna Nicole's passing was the main story on The Situation Room. Wolf Blitzer was talking about Anna Nicole instead of the usual world and political issues that his show covers. If you never knew who she was and you watched CNN yesterday afternoon, you would think that Anna Nicole Smith was the President of the United States and she had just been assassinated. No disrespect to Smith or her family, but was all this “extensive” coverage from CNN, really necessary?
I would understand if this was the death of a much loved world leader or a head of state. But let’s face facts. She’s just a model and a reality-television star. On a scale of important figures, Anna Nicole is most likely to be in the middle then at the top. And what happens when another pop-culture figure passes away? Will he or she receive the same attention that was given to Anna Nicole?
What’s really sad was that it wasn’t a “slow news day.” There were events taking place in Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq and in the US. Each having more importance then giving an intense analysis to the untimely death of a celebrity.
Clearly, it would appear that CNN follows a bad set of priorities.
The Hek
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
The Colonel Is Voting Republican
Although the next US election won't occur until November, 2008, a number of Presidential campaigns have already started. Those who are hoping to replace George W. Bush, include Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton. These three candidates are all hoping to make history.
If Obama wins, he will become the first African-American President. If Giuliani wins, he will become the first Italian-American President. And if Clinton wins, she'll become the first female President and the first First Lady to achieve such a feat.
However, it seems that Colonel Sanders is not supporting Ms. Clinton.

I smell a Liberal boycott.
Thanks to Blake for the picture.
The Hek
If Obama wins, he will become the first African-American President. If Giuliani wins, he will become the first Italian-American President. And if Clinton wins, she'll become the first female President and the first First Lady to achieve such a feat.
However, it seems that Colonel Sanders is not supporting Ms. Clinton.

I smell a Liberal boycott.
Thanks to Blake for the picture.
The Hek
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Fill In The Blanks..........NOW!
1. Garth Turner's decision to join the Liberal party was a ______ idea.
2. The only person that can make a unibrow look good is _________.
3. My favourite TTC subway station is _________.
4. Facebook is _________ then Myspace.
5. The actions of Kim Nowak are __________.
6. Like a bridge over _______ waters.
7. The Chicago Bears lost Super Bowl XLI because of ____________.
8. The most talented member of the Jackson 5 was __________.
9. Jack Layton is a _________ leader.
10. I ______ snow.
Thanks for playing.
The Hek
*Now that you're done, why not kick back and listen to Episode 28 of the Audio Circus*
2. The only person that can make a unibrow look good is _________.
3. My favourite TTC subway station is _________.
4. Facebook is _________ then Myspace.
5. The actions of Kim Nowak are __________.
6. Like a bridge over _______ waters.
7. The Chicago Bears lost Super Bowl XLI because of ____________.
8. The most talented member of the Jackson 5 was __________.
9. Jack Layton is a _________ leader.
10. I ______ snow.
Thanks for playing.
The Hek
*Now that you're done, why not kick back and listen to Episode 28 of the Audio Circus*
Monday, February 05, 2007
Here's To You, Tony Dungy
Congratulations to the Indianapolis Colts.
At first, it appeared that their nerves were getting the best of them. You had the kick off return by Chicago. Then, the Colts received two false start penalties, followed by Payton Manning throwing an interception. It also started to rain which I figured would favour the Bears since they're use to playing in Soldier Field, which experiences all types of crazy weather, whereas the Colts play more games in an indoor stadium. But, Indy settled down and took charge when it mattered the most. The defence was clutch, especially in the 4th quarter, when the Colts forced Chicago's Rex Grossman to throw two interceptions. One of which was returned for a touchdown and in my opinion, was the moment that solidified Indy's victory.
If there is one person on the Colts that I am really happy for, it's their head coach, Tony Dungy.
Dungy is one of the most respected coaches in the National Football League. This admiration is not only for his work on the field, but also for his work off the field. Unlike other coaches in the NFL and other professional sports leagues, he is very respectful to his players and doesn't raise his voice or go on a power trip.
Fourteen months ago, Dungy was probably at the top of his game, when tragedy struck his family.
Three days before Christmas, Dungy's 18-year-old son, James, died of a drug overdose. A preliminary coroner's report showed that James had committed suicide. The death was devastating to Dungy, his family, and the Colts.
At the time, the Colts were having a phenomenal season. They went an impressive 13-0 before finishing the 2005 campaign with a record of 14-2. Many had picked Indy to win the Super Bowl. However, James' death clearly affected the Colts, who seemed to lack the desire and energy they showed for most of the season. They ended up being eliminated by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs. Nobody could blame Tony Dungy if he wasn't focused on winning. The fact that he was able to return to the sidelines, just a couple of weeks after burying his son, was something no one was expecting.
One could only imagine the pain Dungy was and probably still is feeling. The worst thing for any parent is outliving a son or a daughter. I hope I never have to go through that. I pray that it never happens to any of my friends or family. You have to appreciate how Dungy was able to come back this season despite carrying such a heavy burden.
The Colts were not as impressive as they were in 2005. They went 12-4 and failed to earn a bye to the second round of the playoffs, as they had done in the previous year. However, they managed to fight their way to the championship. Many teams are not be able to hold on, when it appears that any chance of winning would end up unfulfilled. I believe the Colts were able to win because of the strength and leadership provided by Dungy. He is not only their head coach but also an inspiration and a metaphor for overcoming your deepest sorrow.
Of course, winning the Super Bowl will not bring back his son. However, it will help ease the pain, just a little bit.
Here's to you, Tony Dungy.
The Hek
*Catch Episode 28 of the Audio Circus*
At first, it appeared that their nerves were getting the best of them. You had the kick off return by Chicago. Then, the Colts received two false start penalties, followed by Payton Manning throwing an interception. It also started to rain which I figured would favour the Bears since they're use to playing in Soldier Field, which experiences all types of crazy weather, whereas the Colts play more games in an indoor stadium. But, Indy settled down and took charge when it mattered the most. The defence was clutch, especially in the 4th quarter, when the Colts forced Chicago's Rex Grossman to throw two interceptions. One of which was returned for a touchdown and in my opinion, was the moment that solidified Indy's victory.
If there is one person on the Colts that I am really happy for, it's their head coach, Tony Dungy.
Dungy is one of the most respected coaches in the National Football League. This admiration is not only for his work on the field, but also for his work off the field. Unlike other coaches in the NFL and other professional sports leagues, he is very respectful to his players and doesn't raise his voice or go on a power trip.
Fourteen months ago, Dungy was probably at the top of his game, when tragedy struck his family.
Three days before Christmas, Dungy's 18-year-old son, James, died of a drug overdose. A preliminary coroner's report showed that James had committed suicide. The death was devastating to Dungy, his family, and the Colts.
At the time, the Colts were having a phenomenal season. They went an impressive 13-0 before finishing the 2005 campaign with a record of 14-2. Many had picked Indy to win the Super Bowl. However, James' death clearly affected the Colts, who seemed to lack the desire and energy they showed for most of the season. They ended up being eliminated by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs. Nobody could blame Tony Dungy if he wasn't focused on winning. The fact that he was able to return to the sidelines, just a couple of weeks after burying his son, was something no one was expecting.
One could only imagine the pain Dungy was and probably still is feeling. The worst thing for any parent is outliving a son or a daughter. I hope I never have to go through that. I pray that it never happens to any of my friends or family. You have to appreciate how Dungy was able to come back this season despite carrying such a heavy burden.
The Colts were not as impressive as they were in 2005. They went 12-4 and failed to earn a bye to the second round of the playoffs, as they had done in the previous year. However, they managed to fight their way to the championship. Many teams are not be able to hold on, when it appears that any chance of winning would end up unfulfilled. I believe the Colts were able to win because of the strength and leadership provided by Dungy. He is not only their head coach but also an inspiration and a metaphor for overcoming your deepest sorrow.
Of course, winning the Super Bowl will not bring back his son. However, it will help ease the pain, just a little bit.
Here's to you, Tony Dungy.
The Hek
*Catch Episode 28 of the Audio Circus*
Friday, February 02, 2007
Super Sunday
After much thought and analysis, I have decided to endorse the Indianapolis Colts. I am predicting that Payton Manning will lead the Colts to victory and be crowned the champions of Super Bowl XLI. My apologies to all those who are supporting the Chicago Bears.
For those who will be watching the Super Bowl for the festivities rather then the actual game, here is some important information: (1.) Gloria Estefan will be performing during the "pre-game" show. Usually, a Super Bowl pre-game show starts at 1:oo and goes until 6:00, so be sure to check CBS's schedule to find out the exact time of when Ms. Estefan goes on. (2.) Billy Joel will be singing the national anthem. (3.) Prince will be the main act for the half-time show. I'm really excited for this. As long as he sticks with his tunes from the 1980's and stays away from any of the new stuff, the show will be off the charts.
Enjoy the game.
And now, the Maury Povich "You Are Not The Father" moment of the week:
Like I said, this is so horrible, it's funny.
The Hek
For those who will be watching the Super Bowl for the festivities rather then the actual game, here is some important information: (1.) Gloria Estefan will be performing during the "pre-game" show. Usually, a Super Bowl pre-game show starts at 1:oo and goes until 6:00, so be sure to check CBS's schedule to find out the exact time of when Ms. Estefan goes on. (2.) Billy Joel will be singing the national anthem. (3.) Prince will be the main act for the half-time show. I'm really excited for this. As long as he sticks with his tunes from the 1980's and stays away from any of the new stuff, the show will be off the charts.
Enjoy the game.
And now, the Maury Povich "You Are Not The Father" moment of the week:
Like I said, this is so horrible, it's funny.
The Hek
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Panic In Boston
You've probably heard about what happened in Boston, yesterday afternoon.
Parts of the city were shut down due to the discovery of multiple unknown objects that were thought to be bombs. The objects were actually lightboards featuring a portrait of "Err," a character from the adult program, Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
Needless to say, when a major American metropolis discovers weird electronic devices placed all around the city, their first thought isn't an elaborate ad for a television show. It's sad, but such are the times we live in. Needless to say, the two men responsible for the advertisements are in big trouble. One of them also needs a haircut very badly. But, that's just my opinion.
The only reason why I want to bring this up, is because I love Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It's an awesome show. In fact, there's going to be a film released later this year. This can mean only one thing: The Hek has found his must-see film of the year.
For the last few years, I have chosen a movie that is so cheesy, I must see it despite it's lack of critical acclaim. In 2005 it was Dukes of Hazzard while Snakes On A Plane, represented my 2006 choice. Both films were equally enjoyable. I hope the same can said in 2007 for Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theatres.
Yes, that's apparently the title for the film. Yes, someone or a group of people I know, will be dragged to this film.
The Hek
Parts of the city were shut down due to the discovery of multiple unknown objects that were thought to be bombs. The objects were actually lightboards featuring a portrait of "Err," a character from the adult program, Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
Needless to say, when a major American metropolis discovers weird electronic devices placed all around the city, their first thought isn't an elaborate ad for a television show. It's sad, but such are the times we live in. Needless to say, the two men responsible for the advertisements are in big trouble. One of them also needs a haircut very badly. But, that's just my opinion.
The only reason why I want to bring this up, is because I love Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It's an awesome show. In fact, there's going to be a film released later this year. This can mean only one thing: The Hek has found his must-see film of the year.
For the last few years, I have chosen a movie that is so cheesy, I must see it despite it's lack of critical acclaim. In 2005 it was Dukes of Hazzard while Snakes On A Plane, represented my 2006 choice. Both films were equally enjoyable. I hope the same can said in 2007 for Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theatres.
Yes, that's apparently the title for the film. Yes, someone or a group of people I know, will be dragged to this film.
The Hek
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Where The Log Driver Learns To Step Lightly
For your viewing pleasure, the greatest film ever made, by the National Film Board of Canada:
The Hek
The Hek
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Return Of Haiku Hek
Because, it's been a while....
the visiting tree
marked her territory
removing my heart
The Hek
*Be sure to check out Episode 27 of the Audio Circus podcast*
the visiting tree
marked her territory
removing my heart
The Hek
*Be sure to check out Episode 27 of the Audio Circus podcast*
Monday, January 29, 2007
Losing Love Is Like A Window In Your Heart
I do not wish to discuss Saturday's hockey game between the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens.
As a Habs fan, I will say this. It was, in one word, ugly. In two words, very disturbing. In three words, flat out ridiculous. In four words, the Habs were horrible.
I made up for the abysmal hockey game, by watching Notes On A Scandal. The plot is simple; they did a similar story on Dawson's Creek. However, what makes the film worthwhile is the performance of Dame Judi Dench. If you need a reason to view this film, if would be to watch Dench. She does such a great job, that you can't help feel creeped out and impressed at the same time.
Anyway, I am pumped up about the items I took out from the library today:
Paul Simon - Graceland
Leonard Cohen - Book Of Longing
Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill
New Yorker - Nov. 2006
I am probably the only person who would get "pumped up" about the things he takes out from the library.
The Hek
*Be sure to check out Episode 27 of The Audio Circus*
As a Habs fan, I will say this. It was, in one word, ugly. In two words, very disturbing. In three words, flat out ridiculous. In four words, the Habs were horrible.
I made up for the abysmal hockey game, by watching Notes On A Scandal. The plot is simple; they did a similar story on Dawson's Creek. However, what makes the film worthwhile is the performance of Dame Judi Dench. If you need a reason to view this film, if would be to watch Dench. She does such a great job, that you can't help feel creeped out and impressed at the same time.
Anyway, I am pumped up about the items I took out from the library today:
Paul Simon - Graceland
Leonard Cohen - Book Of Longing
Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill
New Yorker - Nov. 2006
I am probably the only person who would get "pumped up" about the things he takes out from the library.
The Hek
*Be sure to check out Episode 27 of The Audio Circus*
Friday, January 26, 2007
Weekend Tidbits
I found this off a random blog:
"A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle. For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features.
However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth and a spear lodged in his chest while he is on fire.
No further studies are expected."
*****
And now, the Maury Povich "You are not the father" moment of the week:
It's so horrible, it's funny.
Have a nice weekend.
The Hek
"A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle. For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features.
However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth and a spear lodged in his chest while he is on fire.
No further studies are expected."
*****
And now, the Maury Povich "You are not the father" moment of the week:
It's so horrible, it's funny.
Have a nice weekend.
The Hek
Thursday, January 25, 2007
The Skype Experiment
I downloaded Skype, last night. So far, it's getting mixed results.
The Good: I can call anyone on the Skype network for free. I also liked how the website lays out and explains everything. It's very easy to use. Very clear sound.
The Bad: Uses a lot of bandwidth when a call is in progress. I recorded a test conversation; my voice came in perfectly, while the voice on the other line, was soft and very quiet. Unfortunately, there's no internal microphone. Therefore, the voice on the other line came through my speakers and was picked up by the microphone.
This isn't in too much of a problem because I can always fix it with my sound-editing program. However, it would easier if the conversation could be clear on both ends. What would be perfect is if I had two splitters; one for the mic input, and one for the speakers' output. I connect the two splitters with my audio cable and that way, I can listen to something coming out of my speakers while that sound, is also being recorded. A soundboard can also provide the same function.
*Disclaimer: The Hek is by no means, a "tech wizard." If you try what he's suggested on your own computer and it blows up, it's totally not his fault.
Meanwhile, I'm going to take my time and decide if Skype is useful for me, or not.
The Hek
The Good: I can call anyone on the Skype network for free. I also liked how the website lays out and explains everything. It's very easy to use. Very clear sound.
The Bad: Uses a lot of bandwidth when a call is in progress. I recorded a test conversation; my voice came in perfectly, while the voice on the other line, was soft and very quiet. Unfortunately, there's no internal microphone. Therefore, the voice on the other line came through my speakers and was picked up by the microphone.
This isn't in too much of a problem because I can always fix it with my sound-editing program. However, it would easier if the conversation could be clear on both ends. What would be perfect is if I had two splitters; one for the mic input, and one for the speakers' output. I connect the two splitters with my audio cable and that way, I can listen to something coming out of my speakers while that sound, is also being recorded. A soundboard can also provide the same function.
*Disclaimer: The Hek is by no means, a "tech wizard." If you try what he's suggested on your own computer and it blows up, it's totally not his fault.
Meanwhile, I'm going to take my time and decide if Skype is useful for me, or not.
The Hek
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Hek's Super Playlist
I think this might be the first update in 2007. As always, new entries are in red.
1. Kennedy Killed the Hat - Buck 65
2. I bought some books - Black Boot Trio
3. Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
4. Vacation - The Go-Go's
5. Like a Prayer - Madonna
6. Night Swimming - REM
7. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
8. Ring, Ring - Abba
9. Call on Me - Eric Prydz
10. November Rain - Guns N Roses
11. Cruel Summer - Bannanarama
12. Hung up - Madonna
13. 463 - Buck 65
14. Judy is a Punk - The Ramones
15. The Laws have Changed - The New Pornographers
16. Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn feat. Jack White
17. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
18. The Card Cheat - The Clash
19. Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot
20. Boys in the Bright White Sports Car - Trooper
21. Mandy - Barry Manilow
22. Let's Get Together - Al Green
23. Mickey - Toni Basil
24. Bodies - Drowning Pool
25. Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
26. Bawitaba - Kid Rock
27. Losing Grip - Avril Lavigne
28. City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
29. Pump it - Black Eye Peas
30. Lonely Old Eyes - Neko Case
31. Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin
32. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
33. Don't Walk Away Eileen - Sam Roberts
34. Bring the Noise - Public Enemy & Anthrax
35. Maneater - Nelly Furtado
36. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
37. My Immortal - Evanescense
38. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
39. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
40. Bad Habit - The Offspring
41. LDN - Lily Allen
42. Man I use to Be - K-OS
43. Lolipop - Aqua
44. Banquet - Bloc Party
45. The Sign - Ace of Base
46. Rise Above - Black Flag
47. Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band
48. Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
49. Hello - Lionel Richie
50. River - Joni Mitchell
51. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979
52. Knock on Wood - Amy Stewart
53. My Heart Skips A Beat - Buck Owens
54. Levon - Elton John
55. Use It - The New Pornographers
The Hek
1. Kennedy Killed the Hat - Buck 65
2. I bought some books - Black Boot Trio
3. Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
4. Vacation - The Go-Go's
5. Like a Prayer - Madonna
6. Night Swimming - REM
7. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
8. Ring, Ring - Abba
9. Call on Me - Eric Prydz
10. November Rain - Guns N Roses
11. Cruel Summer - Bannanarama
12. Hung up - Madonna
13. 463 - Buck 65
14. Judy is a Punk - The Ramones
15. The Laws have Changed - The New Pornographers
16. Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn feat. Jack White
17. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
18. The Card Cheat - The Clash
19. Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot
20. Boys in the Bright White Sports Car - Trooper
21. Mandy - Barry Manilow
22. Let's Get Together - Al Green
23. Mickey - Toni Basil
24. Bodies - Drowning Pool
25. Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
26. Bawitaba - Kid Rock
27. Losing Grip - Avril Lavigne
28. City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
29. Pump it - Black Eye Peas
30. Lonely Old Eyes - Neko Case
31. Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin
32. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
33. Don't Walk Away Eileen - Sam Roberts
34. Bring the Noise - Public Enemy & Anthrax
35. Maneater - Nelly Furtado
36. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
37. My Immortal - Evanescense
38. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
39. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
40. Bad Habit - The Offspring
41. LDN - Lily Allen
42. Man I use to Be - K-OS
43. Lolipop - Aqua
44. Banquet - Bloc Party
45. The Sign - Ace of Base
46. Rise Above - Black Flag
47. Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band
48. Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
49. Hello - Lionel Richie
50. River - Joni Mitchell
51. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979
52. Knock on Wood - Amy Stewart
53. My Heart Skips A Beat - Buck Owens
54. Levon - Elton John
55. Use It - The New Pornographers
The Hek
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
29 Black Roses. One Red Rose
WWE's version of ECW, pales in comparison to the original ECW. However, there are some bright spots.
One such spot is Kevin Thorn and his on-screen girlfriend, Ariel.
Thorn and Ariel are devout followers of "vampireism" and they go out of their way to show their devotion. As someone who loves the spectacle of professional wrestling, I can't get enough of these two performers.
To be honest, Thorn is not a technically sound wrestler. He's good in the ring, but not great. He's also a bit stiff when it comes to speaking. What really makes this gimmick successful, has to be attributed to Ariel's work.
Here is one such example:
The Hek
*Whether that creeped you out, or not, be sure to catch Episode 26 of The Audio Circus*
One such spot is Kevin Thorn and his on-screen girlfriend, Ariel.
Thorn and Ariel are devout followers of "vampireism" and they go out of their way to show their devotion. As someone who loves the spectacle of professional wrestling, I can't get enough of these two performers.
To be honest, Thorn is not a technically sound wrestler. He's good in the ring, but not great. He's also a bit stiff when it comes to speaking. What really makes this gimmick successful, has to be attributed to Ariel's work.
Here is one such example:
The Hek
*Whether that creeped you out, or not, be sure to catch Episode 26 of The Audio Circus*
Monday, January 22, 2007
The Weekend That Was
It all started Friday when I was on "mascot duty" at the Waxers' game. Not only did the Markham Waxers win the game, but they are also on a five-game winning streak. Yet for some reason, the arena was only 40% full.
But I digress.
On Saturday, my friends and I made our way down to the University of Toronto, to watch an improv competition featuring my old team, the Carleton Improv Association. Unfortunately, due to traffic on the DVP and a lack of knowledge about the UofT campus, we were actually late for the show and missed the CIA's performance. However, we did arrive during an intermission and sure enough, the CIA was standing outside and right in front of the door.
It was great to see my old teammates; especially Billy Ruffian who gave me quite the bear hug, and sported a "Dick Tracy" style of hat which he claimed would, "bring sexy back." It was also a chance for my friends to meet the improv team that I had been part of for four wonderful years. I always wondered what it would be like when my Toronto friends would meet my Ottawa friends. It happened once before when the Toronto friends met my Carleton roommate, Mark. However, this time, it was more then just one person. After witnessing the results of this meeting, I can safely say it was a great experience.
We did manage to catch the second half of the show. Some great performances from many of the performers, including Budman from McGill Improv. At the end of the show, it was announced that Carleton was moving on to the finals on Sunday. I have yet to hear the results. However, I am going to assume that Carleton won the competition; so congratulations to the CIA!
After the show, we all headed to a local bar and grill where we ate, drank and traded stories. Perhaps my favourite story was how members of the McGill team killed a wolf on the 401. No one was hurt, except the wolf of course.
It was a great evening and it reminded me of just how much I miss Ottawa. I miss the city, Carleton's campus, and more importantly, the things I was part of: CKCU and the CIA. The only thing I don't miss were the University classes and the homework.
The Hek
*Check out Episode 26 of The Audio Circus*
But I digress.
On Saturday, my friends and I made our way down to the University of Toronto, to watch an improv competition featuring my old team, the Carleton Improv Association. Unfortunately, due to traffic on the DVP and a lack of knowledge about the UofT campus, we were actually late for the show and missed the CIA's performance. However, we did arrive during an intermission and sure enough, the CIA was standing outside and right in front of the door.
It was great to see my old teammates; especially Billy Ruffian who gave me quite the bear hug, and sported a "Dick Tracy" style of hat which he claimed would, "bring sexy back." It was also a chance for my friends to meet the improv team that I had been part of for four wonderful years. I always wondered what it would be like when my Toronto friends would meet my Ottawa friends. It happened once before when the Toronto friends met my Carleton roommate, Mark. However, this time, it was more then just one person. After witnessing the results of this meeting, I can safely say it was a great experience.
We did manage to catch the second half of the show. Some great performances from many of the performers, including Budman from McGill Improv. At the end of the show, it was announced that Carleton was moving on to the finals on Sunday. I have yet to hear the results. However, I am going to assume that Carleton won the competition; so congratulations to the CIA!
After the show, we all headed to a local bar and grill where we ate, drank and traded stories. Perhaps my favourite story was how members of the McGill team killed a wolf on the 401. No one was hurt, except the wolf of course.
It was a great evening and it reminded me of just how much I miss Ottawa. I miss the city, Carleton's campus, and more importantly, the things I was part of: CKCU and the CIA. The only thing I don't miss were the University classes and the homework.
The Hek
*Check out Episode 26 of The Audio Circus*
Friday, January 19, 2007
Need A Good Laugh This Weekend?
There is a weekend long improv competition with various teams at the University of Toronto, this Saturday and Sunday! The fun starts on Saturday at 7:30 at Hart House.
Admission is $2.
Come cheer on the performers. Also, the voting is audience-driven, so they could really use your support!
The Hek
Admission is $2.
Come cheer on the performers. Also, the voting is audience-driven, so they could really use your support!
The Hek
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Changes To CBC Radio
Every decision will always have its pros and cons.
Yesterday, the CBC announced changes to their three English radio services. There were a number of changes. Two of which, I would like to write about.
1. The Cancellation of Freestyle
Freestyle will be taken off the air in mid March and will be replaced with a new arts-based program, hosted by Jian Gheomeshi. This is really no surprise. Freestyle was a good show; but, it wasn't a great show. I feel the program's downfall was that it tried so hard to sound "off the cuff." However, anyone who listened to the program, could tell the dialogue was heavily scripted.
There is a saying: "Great radio is something scripted, that's made to sound spontaneous." The quote represents a fine art that is very hard to master. Freestyle made a good effort. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. The conversations were grammatically correct and flowed too well, to be unscripted.
2. Radio 3 strictly on satellite
Radio 3 will no longer broadcast their weekend shows on Radio Two. The service will only be available on their Sirius channel and through a podcast. To me, that is a real shame. I don't own a satellite radio. I also only have basic-lite Sympatico service. So the Radio 3 website and the 30-60 minute podcast, will not be friendly with my bandwidth. Alright, I am being selfish; its just that I really enjoyed the content.
Here is what I feel the CBC is thinking with this decision: The majority of those who are 18-35 years old are consuming more of Radio 3's content, then of Radio One or Two. The 18-35 group is also into new forms of media. It's likely that they will be listening to satellite radio and downloading podcasts more then any other demographic. It just makes sense to put the content and the content providers together. It's a way to satisfy the group's demand in a form that is more favoured.
I guess I have to start looking into getting a satellite radio. Or, I could listen to more campus stations.
The Hek
Yesterday, the CBC announced changes to their three English radio services. There were a number of changes. Two of which, I would like to write about.
1. The Cancellation of Freestyle
Freestyle will be taken off the air in mid March and will be replaced with a new arts-based program, hosted by Jian Gheomeshi. This is really no surprise. Freestyle was a good show; but, it wasn't a great show. I feel the program's downfall was that it tried so hard to sound "off the cuff." However, anyone who listened to the program, could tell the dialogue was heavily scripted.
There is a saying: "Great radio is something scripted, that's made to sound spontaneous." The quote represents a fine art that is very hard to master. Freestyle made a good effort. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. The conversations were grammatically correct and flowed too well, to be unscripted.
2. Radio 3 strictly on satellite
Radio 3 will no longer broadcast their weekend shows on Radio Two. The service will only be available on their Sirius channel and through a podcast. To me, that is a real shame. I don't own a satellite radio. I also only have basic-lite Sympatico service. So the Radio 3 website and the 30-60 minute podcast, will not be friendly with my bandwidth. Alright, I am being selfish; its just that I really enjoyed the content.
Here is what I feel the CBC is thinking with this decision: The majority of those who are 18-35 years old are consuming more of Radio 3's content, then of Radio One or Two. The 18-35 group is also into new forms of media. It's likely that they will be listening to satellite radio and downloading podcasts more then any other demographic. It just makes sense to put the content and the content providers together. It's a way to satisfy the group's demand in a form that is more favoured.
I guess I have to start looking into getting a satellite radio. Or, I could listen to more campus stations.
The Hek
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Good Day To Be Born
If today is your birthday, Happy Birthday!
I should also say congratulations.
I'm not sure what it is, but many well known cultural figures were born on this day. Usually on any given day, you get maybe 4-5 recognized names. However, the number triples. Celebrating today includes Jim Carrey, Kid Rock, Jacques Plante, Steve Earle, Shari Lewis, Andy Kaufman, Steve Harvey, Betty White and Vidal Sasson.
Two other people to note. First, Maury Povich was born on this day and apparently, he's celebrating by hosting "DNA Paternity Test Results - Part 86."
Second, Muhammad Ali is turning 65 today. According to TSN, in 2006, he earned $50 million. Not bad at all.
So Happy Birthday to everyone. I think I'll give the champ the last word.
"I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale; handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick; I'm so mean I make medicine sick."
The Hek
PS: Here's my latest entry from 'Hype'
I should also say congratulations.
I'm not sure what it is, but many well known cultural figures were born on this day. Usually on any given day, you get maybe 4-5 recognized names. However, the number triples. Celebrating today includes Jim Carrey, Kid Rock, Jacques Plante, Steve Earle, Shari Lewis, Andy Kaufman, Steve Harvey, Betty White and Vidal Sasson.
Two other people to note. First, Maury Povich was born on this day and apparently, he's celebrating by hosting "DNA Paternity Test Results - Part 86."
Second, Muhammad Ali is turning 65 today. According to TSN, in 2006, he earned $50 million. Not bad at all.
So Happy Birthday to everyone. I think I'll give the champ the last word.
"I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale; handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick; I'm so mean I make medicine sick."
The Hek
PS: Here's my latest entry from 'Hype'
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
New Year's Resolutions Redux, Part Two......Or, would this make it three?
I'm adding to the list, again.
I want to investigate and possibly download Skype. If it's what I think it is and will work without eating too much bandwidth, then I'm getting it. I'm hoping that I could do interviews for my podcast with the program, as long as the person I'm speaking to, also has Skype.
So to review:
1. Find a paying radio job before the end of the year, or start taking drastic actions.
2. Learn about electronic music.
3. Look into Skype.
The Hek
-Be sure to catch Episode 25 of The Audio Circus podcast-
I want to investigate and possibly download Skype. If it's what I think it is and will work without eating too much bandwidth, then I'm getting it. I'm hoping that I could do interviews for my podcast with the program, as long as the person I'm speaking to, also has Skype.
So to review:
1. Find a paying radio job before the end of the year, or start taking drastic actions.
2. Learn about electronic music.
3. Look into Skype.
The Hek
-Be sure to catch Episode 25 of The Audio Circus podcast-
Monday, January 15, 2007
Go Away, Snow!
Are you happy now? You got your #@$&ing snow!
Fortunately, there have not been any serious accidents. The only downside is that any travelling will be longer then usual. Normally, it takes me 45 minutes to get to CHEV. Today, it took a good hour and a half. If there is one thing to remember about a huge snowfall, it's to make sure you have lots of patience.
Case in point - I was on the bus and standing across from me, was a teacher I had back in high school. Now this teacher (who shall remain nameless) was rumoured to keep a bottle of hard liquor in her desk and consume it during classes (Hey, that's only what I heard). It's been close to ten years since I was in this teacher's class and I think she's still on the sauce.
Anyway, her stop is coming up but she, nor any other passenger, didn't pull the string to request the stop. Since no one was standing at the stop, the bus driver just kept going. This former teacher of mine literally freaks out. She starts to yell at the bus driver, who calmly pulls over and lets her off. I felt really bad for the driver. It wasn't his fault, nobody requested the stop and no one was there to board the bus. He was just doing his job, being extra careful given the weather. You would think that this teacher had been on a bus before; but, I guess not.
So remember. With this type of weather, always have extra patience.
The Hek
-Stay warm inside! Listen to Episode 25 of The Audio Circus-
Fortunately, there have not been any serious accidents. The only downside is that any travelling will be longer then usual. Normally, it takes me 45 minutes to get to CHEV. Today, it took a good hour and a half. If there is one thing to remember about a huge snowfall, it's to make sure you have lots of patience.
Case in point - I was on the bus and standing across from me, was a teacher I had back in high school. Now this teacher (who shall remain nameless) was rumoured to keep a bottle of hard liquor in her desk and consume it during classes (Hey, that's only what I heard). It's been close to ten years since I was in this teacher's class and I think she's still on the sauce.
Anyway, her stop is coming up but she, nor any other passenger, didn't pull the string to request the stop. Since no one was standing at the stop, the bus driver just kept going. This former teacher of mine literally freaks out. She starts to yell at the bus driver, who calmly pulls over and lets her off. I felt really bad for the driver. It wasn't his fault, nobody requested the stop and no one was there to board the bus. He was just doing his job, being extra careful given the weather. You would think that this teacher had been on a bus before; but, I guess not.
So remember. With this type of weather, always have extra patience.
The Hek
-Stay warm inside! Listen to Episode 25 of The Audio Circus-
Friday, January 12, 2007
Believe The Hype
You might have noticed a new link on the side of this page.
I am proud to announce that I am now contributing to a new blog called, Hype: Popular Culture, A.D.D and ooh look, Shiny. Part of the website, PublicBroadcasting.ca, the site is devoted to the world of popular culture. It's a great forum to discuss issues regarding television, film, music and literature. I should also point out that the name of the blog and it's URL might change in the coming weeks. If it does, I'll let you know.
Along with Hype, PublicBroadcasting.ca has a couple of blogs pertaining to music and fake news headlines. More importantly, the site is looking for writers for these blogs. If you think you are as talented as Errol Nazareth or Steven Colbert, head to PublicBroadcasting.ca, check out the blogs, and then send the webmaster an e-mail. Tell him The Hek sent you.
***The Carleton Improv Association has another improv show at your favourite campus coffeehouse - at an a completely new date and time! Come support your improv team, and get us riled up for our competition in Toronto that weekend!
Show starts at 6:45 on Monday, January 15th - there is really nothing better to do on a Monday night, friends.
Location: Rooster's Coffeehouse, 4th Unicentre, Carleton University, Ottawa***
The Hek
I am proud to announce that I am now contributing to a new blog called, Hype: Popular Culture, A.D.D and ooh look, Shiny. Part of the website, PublicBroadcasting.ca, the site is devoted to the world of popular culture. It's a great forum to discuss issues regarding television, film, music and literature. I should also point out that the name of the blog and it's URL might change in the coming weeks. If it does, I'll let you know.
Along with Hype, PublicBroadcasting.ca has a couple of blogs pertaining to music and fake news headlines. More importantly, the site is looking for writers for these blogs. If you think you are as talented as Errol Nazareth or Steven Colbert, head to PublicBroadcasting.ca, check out the blogs, and then send the webmaster an e-mail. Tell him The Hek sent you.
***The Carleton Improv Association has another improv show at your favourite campus coffeehouse - at an a completely new date and time! Come support your improv team, and get us riled up for our competition in Toronto that weekend!
Show starts at 6:45 on Monday, January 15th - there is really nothing better to do on a Monday night, friends.
Location: Rooster's Coffeehouse, 4th Unicentre, Carleton University, Ottawa***
The Hek
Thursday, January 11, 2007
New Year's Resolution Redux
I have to amend the list.
I want learn about electronic music. More specifically, I want to read about the different styles and how to distinguish one style from another. Right now, it all sounds the same to me.
Let's see. There's Techno, Trance, Jungle, House, Industrial, and Hardcore.
Adding to that, each category has a sub-category.
Alright, off to Wikipedia.
The Hek
I want learn about electronic music. More specifically, I want to read about the different styles and how to distinguish one style from another. Right now, it all sounds the same to me.
Let's see. There's Techno, Trance, Jungle, House, Industrial, and Hardcore.
Adding to that, each category has a sub-category.
Alright, off to Wikipedia.
The Hek
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Thoughts On 'Little Mosque'
I admit it, I bought into the hype.
Maybe it was the name or the fact that it was covered by the New York Times and CNN. Nevertheless, I was in front of the television to watch the premier of Little Mosque on the Prairie. It's hard to form an opinion on the show after just one episode. However, I've decided to share my thoughts on the show, and then compare them after watching a few more episodes.
The best way I could describe the program is Corner Gas meets King Of The Hill. C.G. in the sense of location and supporting characters; and K.O.T.H in the sense of the emphasis on stereotypes. There are two groups of characters; the Muslim population and the rest of the town of Mercy's citizens. Both groups can then be subdivided into two smaller groups: Those who think sensibly and those who think insensibly.
With the Muslims, you have those who think in a progressive way. This would include Amaar, the new Iman, and Rayyan, the daughter of Yassir. You also have Muslim characters who think in a very strong Conservative and traditional way such as Baber, the old Iman, and Fatima. The Conservative Muslims are the ones who refuse to let any type of Western influence into their life. Case in point, Baber's sermon when he exclaims, "How can the Desperate Housewives be desperate when they are only fulfilling their womanly duty?"
Then, there are the town's folk. Most of whom are paranoid and somewhat ignorant. This includes everyone from the Mayor to the local radio talk show host. Ironically, the only person who is actually open and respectful to the Muslims, is the town's Priest. There are also characters who have a presence in all the groups. Most notable of this is Yassir and his non-Muslim wife, Sarah.
The foundation of the program is having these groups and their respective sub-groups, clash with each other. The results of the clash can vary. Sometimes you'll be laughing (i.e.: cucumber sandwiches vs. goat curry); and other times, you feel very uncomfortable (i.e.: everything said by the talk show host).
Does Little Mosque live up to the hype? Again, only the first episode has aired. However, it did reach my expectations. Is it funny? You will certainly get a good few laughs. Personally, I was hoping for humour that was smart and bold (such as Arrested Development and The Newsroom). Instead, I would describe the humour as "safe." Is it the best Canadian sitcom? That remains to be seen.
I'll certainly be watching the next episode.
The Hek
Maybe it was the name or the fact that it was covered by the New York Times and CNN. Nevertheless, I was in front of the television to watch the premier of Little Mosque on the Prairie. It's hard to form an opinion on the show after just one episode. However, I've decided to share my thoughts on the show, and then compare them after watching a few more episodes.
The best way I could describe the program is Corner Gas meets King Of The Hill. C.G. in the sense of location and supporting characters; and K.O.T.H in the sense of the emphasis on stereotypes. There are two groups of characters; the Muslim population and the rest of the town of Mercy's citizens. Both groups can then be subdivided into two smaller groups: Those who think sensibly and those who think insensibly.
With the Muslims, you have those who think in a progressive way. This would include Amaar, the new Iman, and Rayyan, the daughter of Yassir. You also have Muslim characters who think in a very strong Conservative and traditional way such as Baber, the old Iman, and Fatima. The Conservative Muslims are the ones who refuse to let any type of Western influence into their life. Case in point, Baber's sermon when he exclaims, "How can the Desperate Housewives be desperate when they are only fulfilling their womanly duty?"
Then, there are the town's folk. Most of whom are paranoid and somewhat ignorant. This includes everyone from the Mayor to the local radio talk show host. Ironically, the only person who is actually open and respectful to the Muslims, is the town's Priest. There are also characters who have a presence in all the groups. Most notable of this is Yassir and his non-Muslim wife, Sarah.
The foundation of the program is having these groups and their respective sub-groups, clash with each other. The results of the clash can vary. Sometimes you'll be laughing (i.e.: cucumber sandwiches vs. goat curry); and other times, you feel very uncomfortable (i.e.: everything said by the talk show host).
Does Little Mosque live up to the hype? Again, only the first episode has aired. However, it did reach my expectations. Is it funny? You will certainly get a good few laughs. Personally, I was hoping for humour that was smart and bold (such as Arrested Development and The Newsroom). Instead, I would describe the humour as "safe." Is it the best Canadian sitcom? That remains to be seen.
I'll certainly be watching the next episode.
The Hek
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Pinchuck's Law
Need a good laugh?
Yesterday, I read this hilarious short story by Woody Allen, in the October edition of The New Yorker.
It's called "Pinchuck's Law," and I highly recommend it.
Pinchuck's Law
Enjoy!
If you excuse me, I'm off to watch Little Mosque On The Prairie.
The Hek
- Be sure to catch Episode 24 of The Audio Circus Podcast -
Yesterday, I read this hilarious short story by Woody Allen, in the October edition of The New Yorker.
It's called "Pinchuck's Law," and I highly recommend it.
Pinchuck's Law
Enjoy!
If you excuse me, I'm off to watch Little Mosque On The Prairie.
The Hek
- Be sure to catch Episode 24 of The Audio Circus Podcast -
Monday, January 08, 2007
Triple H Suffers Injury At PPV
"The Game" will be spending the first half of the year, on the injured list.
Triple H suffered a ruptured quadriceps tendon at last night's New Year's Revolution Pay-Per-View. The injury occurred during his tag match with Shawn Michaels against Edge and Randy Orton. The injury is considered to be very serious and will require surgery as well as 4-6 months of rehabilitation.
Unfortunately, this is the second time Triple H has torn a tendon in his quadriceps. He suffered a similar injury in May, 2001, and did not return to action until January, 2002.
Triple H's injury has many implications for the WWE. First and foremost, he will have to miss Wrestlemania, which means any big payoff match will have to be scrapped. Second, the fate of DX is now unknown. The most sensible idea would be to put DX on hold, have Shawn Michaels go solo, and then bring it back when Triple H returns. Another idea would be to scrap the storyline all together. However, I doubt the WWE would do such a thing as DX's return has been very popular with the fans and has been very profitable for WWE's Merchandise division. Another option would be to have a new wrestler join DX. Of course, this leads to the question of who that wrestler can be? An obvious answer would be Ric Flair. However, one can also make the case for C.M. Punk.
Punk's "straitedge" style would fit perfectly with Michaels' "good Christian" values. It would also be a great way to elevate Punk's status. He has shown that he is great in the ring and can get the fans to support him. When Triple H comes back, there could also be a storyline where The Game turns on Punk for stealing his spotlight. A Punk/HHH feud would result in lots of dollar signs. However, if Punk were to move to the RAW brand, you have to wonder how this would affect ECW. Clearly, Punk is one of the stars on the "new" ECW. His departure could possibly lead to a drop in viewers.
It will be interesting to see how the WWE handles the situation. Meanwhile, I just want to wish Triple H the best of luck in his recovery. Get well soon, Hunter.
The Hek
- Check Out Episode 24 of The Audio Circus -
Triple H suffered a ruptured quadriceps tendon at last night's New Year's Revolution Pay-Per-View. The injury occurred during his tag match with Shawn Michaels against Edge and Randy Orton. The injury is considered to be very serious and will require surgery as well as 4-6 months of rehabilitation.
Unfortunately, this is the second time Triple H has torn a tendon in his quadriceps. He suffered a similar injury in May, 2001, and did not return to action until January, 2002.
Triple H's injury has many implications for the WWE. First and foremost, he will have to miss Wrestlemania, which means any big payoff match will have to be scrapped. Second, the fate of DX is now unknown. The most sensible idea would be to put DX on hold, have Shawn Michaels go solo, and then bring it back when Triple H returns. Another idea would be to scrap the storyline all together. However, I doubt the WWE would do such a thing as DX's return has been very popular with the fans and has been very profitable for WWE's Merchandise division. Another option would be to have a new wrestler join DX. Of course, this leads to the question of who that wrestler can be? An obvious answer would be Ric Flair. However, one can also make the case for C.M. Punk.
Punk's "straitedge" style would fit perfectly with Michaels' "good Christian" values. It would also be a great way to elevate Punk's status. He has shown that he is great in the ring and can get the fans to support him. When Triple H comes back, there could also be a storyline where The Game turns on Punk for stealing his spotlight. A Punk/HHH feud would result in lots of dollar signs. However, if Punk were to move to the RAW brand, you have to wonder how this would affect ECW. Clearly, Punk is one of the stars on the "new" ECW. His departure could possibly lead to a drop in viewers.
It will be interesting to see how the WWE handles the situation. Meanwhile, I just want to wish Triple H the best of luck in his recovery. Get well soon, Hunter.
The Hek
- Check Out Episode 24 of The Audio Circus -
Friday, January 05, 2007
Shutting Out The Sun
This scared me a bit.
I was listening to As It Happens, and there was an interview with Michael Zielenziger, author of Shutting Out The Sun. It chronicles the lives of Japanese men, who literally vow to lock themselves in their rooms and not contribute to society. What's offsetting about this is that there are close to one million Japanese men (or "hikikomori"), who choose to live this life.
Imagine, never leaving your house, never getting married, never getting a job, and never making an impact.
It was scary because I have shown some similar traits to that of the hikikomori. Needless to say, the interview touched a couple of nerves.
Here's the interview. To view the book's website, click on the title.
The Hek
I was listening to As It Happens, and there was an interview with Michael Zielenziger, author of Shutting Out The Sun. It chronicles the lives of Japanese men, who literally vow to lock themselves in their rooms and not contribute to society. What's offsetting about this is that there are close to one million Japanese men (or "hikikomori"), who choose to live this life.
Imagine, never leaving your house, never getting married, never getting a job, and never making an impact.
It was scary because I have shown some similar traits to that of the hikikomori. Needless to say, the interview touched a couple of nerves.
Here's the interview. To view the book's website, click on the title.
The Hek
Thursday, January 04, 2007
The Tip Of The Day
If your parents volunteer to take back library items for you, make sure you tell them which library the items are from. Otherwise, a copy of The New Yorker and a sound-effects CD will be returned to the Richmond Hill Public Library, instead of the Markham Public Library, where the two items were originally borrowed from.
Of course, you don't realize this mistake until a week later when you receive a call, telling you that you have outstanding items.
Such is the case when you live in a place with multiple library networks. It's not like Ottawa where everything is amalgamated and therefore, everyone from Kanata to Orleans, falls under the branch of the Ottawa Public Library.
Now if you excuse me, I must go clean up this mess.
The Hek
Of course, you don't realize this mistake until a week later when you receive a call, telling you that you have outstanding items.
Such is the case when you live in a place with multiple library networks. It's not like Ottawa where everything is amalgamated and therefore, everyone from Kanata to Orleans, falls under the branch of the Ottawa Public Library.
Now if you excuse me, I must go clean up this mess.
The Hek
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Let's Get Controversial - Part Two
Wow.
Quite the response from the quote I posted on yesterday's entry. At last check, there were seven comments on my site, and 18 comments on the blog where it was originally posted. In fact, here's a link to the 18 comments. Everyone brought in some great perspectives. Not sure if today's statement is going garner a similar response, but here goes:
Toronto has the worst hockey fans.
Last night, the AHL's Toronto Marlies (the minor league affiliate of the NHL's Maple Leafs) hosted the Syracuse Crunch at the Ricoh Coliseum. There were only 3128 spectators at the game. The Coliseum holds 9500 people for hockey, which means the arena was only 33% full.
That is unacceptable.
There is absolutely no reason why the Marlies got such a poor turnout last night. If anything, there should have been at least 8000 fans at the game. Here's why: First, neither the Leafs, nor the Raptors, were playing last night. Second, the World Junior Hockey Championship is taking place in Sweden, which means the games are played in the morning in Toronto. Third, Marlies' tickets are pretty cheap, with lowest price being $10. Fourth, the kids are off from school. And fifth, where else can you see the "future stars" of the Maple Leafs? I think my fellow CHEV co-worker, Dan Deeley, said it best: "Toronto is not a hockey town. It's a Maple Leafs town."
If the Marlies, Ice Dogs, Battalion, and Majors were to suddenly leave the Toronto area, then the majority of so-called "hockey fans" would not care because they still have the Leafs and that's all that matters. Hell, if the Blue Jays, Raptors, Argonauts, FC, and Rock were to leave the Toronto area, then the majority of "sports fans" would not care because they still have the Leafs and that's all that matters.
It just boggles the mind how most hockey fans in this city are content on paying enormous prices to watch a subpar NHL team, instead of watching young, entertaining hockey at very affordable prices. I've been to a number of Jr. A Markham Waxers games this year. They can barley attract fans; maybe 300-500 people and the arena can hold 2300. Meanwhile, the games are pretty entertaining and you get to watch some talented players. What's really funny is that there are some people in Markham, who want to bring in an expansion OHL team. With the support the Waxers get, there's no way that's going to happen.
Some might say that there is just too many hockey teams and it's impossible to support them all. In that case, I would like to point out the state of Michigan. There huge support for the NHL's Red Wings, the local minor league teams, and you should see the huge crowds that attend hockey games that involve either the University of Michigan Wolverines or, the Michigan State Spartans. Ottawa is a similar case as the fans there can equally support the NHL's Senators, the OHL's 67s, and the Gatineau Olympique of the QMJHL.
It's no wonder why Toronto is never listed as a "top sports city" by ESPN or Sports Illustrated. The majority of people only care about one team.
Discuss.
The Hek
- After discussing, catch Episode 23 of the Audio Circus -
Quite the response from the quote I posted on yesterday's entry. At last check, there were seven comments on my site, and 18 comments on the blog where it was originally posted. In fact, here's a link to the 18 comments. Everyone brought in some great perspectives. Not sure if today's statement is going garner a similar response, but here goes:
Toronto has the worst hockey fans.
Last night, the AHL's Toronto Marlies (the minor league affiliate of the NHL's Maple Leafs) hosted the Syracuse Crunch at the Ricoh Coliseum. There were only 3128 spectators at the game. The Coliseum holds 9500 people for hockey, which means the arena was only 33% full.
That is unacceptable.
There is absolutely no reason why the Marlies got such a poor turnout last night. If anything, there should have been at least 8000 fans at the game. Here's why: First, neither the Leafs, nor the Raptors, were playing last night. Second, the World Junior Hockey Championship is taking place in Sweden, which means the games are played in the morning in Toronto. Third, Marlies' tickets are pretty cheap, with lowest price being $10. Fourth, the kids are off from school. And fifth, where else can you see the "future stars" of the Maple Leafs? I think my fellow CHEV co-worker, Dan Deeley, said it best: "Toronto is not a hockey town. It's a Maple Leafs town."
If the Marlies, Ice Dogs, Battalion, and Majors were to suddenly leave the Toronto area, then the majority of so-called "hockey fans" would not care because they still have the Leafs and that's all that matters. Hell, if the Blue Jays, Raptors, Argonauts, FC, and Rock were to leave the Toronto area, then the majority of "sports fans" would not care because they still have the Leafs and that's all that matters.
It just boggles the mind how most hockey fans in this city are content on paying enormous prices to watch a subpar NHL team, instead of watching young, entertaining hockey at very affordable prices. I've been to a number of Jr. A Markham Waxers games this year. They can barley attract fans; maybe 300-500 people and the arena can hold 2300. Meanwhile, the games are pretty entertaining and you get to watch some talented players. What's really funny is that there are some people in Markham, who want to bring in an expansion OHL team. With the support the Waxers get, there's no way that's going to happen.
Some might say that there is just too many hockey teams and it's impossible to support them all. In that case, I would like to point out the state of Michigan. There huge support for the NHL's Red Wings, the local minor league teams, and you should see the huge crowds that attend hockey games that involve either the University of Michigan Wolverines or, the Michigan State Spartans. Ottawa is a similar case as the fans there can equally support the NHL's Senators, the OHL's 67s, and the Gatineau Olympique of the QMJHL.
It's no wonder why Toronto is never listed as a "top sports city" by ESPN or Sports Illustrated. The majority of people only care about one team.
Discuss.
The Hek
- After discussing, catch Episode 23 of the Audio Circus -
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Let's Get Controversial
Welcome to the new year.
I found this statement on the following blog:
"IN the eighties, Saddam Hussein used poison gas against Iraq's Kurdish population. IN 1923, Winston Churchill advocated using poison gas against Iraq's Kurdish population. Only one of them got hanged. The other has a statue in Queen's Park."
Here's my two cents - Saddam used poisonous gas. Winston Churchill only suggested it. Although Saddam doesn't have a statue in Queen's Park, he did have a number of statues in Iraq.........until they got destroyed.
Seriously, Saddam was responsible for the deaths of innocent people. He struck back at these people because a minute percentage tried to kill him and/or disagreed with his beliefs. Churchill on the other hand, had no intention of wiping off an entire culture. He chose to strike back at the minute percentage.
Certainly something worthy of a response. I'd love to get your thoughts on the quote. Discuss.
The Hek
- Check out Episode 23 of The Audio Circus -
I found this statement on the following blog:
"IN the eighties, Saddam Hussein used poison gas against Iraq's Kurdish population. IN 1923, Winston Churchill advocated using poison gas against Iraq's Kurdish population. Only one of them got hanged. The other has a statue in Queen's Park."
Here's my two cents - Saddam used poisonous gas. Winston Churchill only suggested it. Although Saddam doesn't have a statue in Queen's Park, he did have a number of statues in Iraq.........until they got destroyed.
Seriously, Saddam was responsible for the deaths of innocent people. He struck back at these people because a minute percentage tried to kill him and/or disagreed with his beliefs. Churchill on the other hand, had no intention of wiping off an entire culture. He chose to strike back at the minute percentage.
Certainly something worthy of a response. I'd love to get your thoughts on the quote. Discuss.
The Hek
- Check out Episode 23 of The Audio Circus -
Friday, December 29, 2006
Happy New Year
Being that this will be the last post for 2006, I thought I would take a moment to reflect on the past year.
2006 was a year of transition. I started the first four months in Ottawa, finishing off my degree. Following a standard summer, I entered September in a whole new realm, the real world. For the first time since I was a toddler, I wasn't spending most of my days in a classroom. It was and still remains a great feeling.
The real world also means finding a job in radio and this hasn't been an easy task. I've been very fortunate to still have the "non-radio job," so I am getting somewhat of a paycheck. I have also been fortunate to volunteer with CHEV radio. I'm not going to lie. I knew it would be a tough process trying to get a job in radio. However, I am quite aggravated with the lack of luck I have been experiencing. So far, I have applied to about 200 jobs. Out of all those applications, 20% have led to some sort of response; be it an interview or the "thanks, but no thanks" response. 0% have led to an actual paying job.
Back in April, I made a list of six things to do once I completed my studies at Carleton. They were:
1. Get Internet
2. Get a recording device
3. Get a (free) copy of editing software
4. Figure out how to podcast
5. Begin Freelancing
6. Get a CD Burner
So far, I have completed half of those tasks. I got the internet, found a great editing program, and not only figured how to podcast, but also started one. Getting a recording device is close to completion. Unfortunately, I can't really start to freelance until I have the recording device. Meanwhile, the CD burner will have to wait.
I've never been one to make resolutions. However, I am compelled make this one: In 2007, I plan to take charge and really pursue my goals.
There's an important to date to remember. It's December 31st, 2007. On this day, if I'm still in the same position I am right now, then I'm going to have to start taking some drastic measures.
I don't know what these measures will be. But believe me, they will be drastic. You might say they will be acts of desperation. Of course, this only happens if I don't keep my New Year's resolution.
Meanwhile, have a safe and Happy New Year.
The Hek
PS - Next post will be on Jan. 2nd
2006 was a year of transition. I started the first four months in Ottawa, finishing off my degree. Following a standard summer, I entered September in a whole new realm, the real world. For the first time since I was a toddler, I wasn't spending most of my days in a classroom. It was and still remains a great feeling.
The real world also means finding a job in radio and this hasn't been an easy task. I've been very fortunate to still have the "non-radio job," so I am getting somewhat of a paycheck. I have also been fortunate to volunteer with CHEV radio. I'm not going to lie. I knew it would be a tough process trying to get a job in radio. However, I am quite aggravated with the lack of luck I have been experiencing. So far, I have applied to about 200 jobs. Out of all those applications, 20% have led to some sort of response; be it an interview or the "thanks, but no thanks" response. 0% have led to an actual paying job.
Back in April, I made a list of six things to do once I completed my studies at Carleton. They were:
1. Get Internet
2. Get a recording device
3. Get a (free) copy of editing software
4. Figure out how to podcast
5. Begin Freelancing
6. Get a CD Burner
So far, I have completed half of those tasks. I got the internet, found a great editing program, and not only figured how to podcast, but also started one. Getting a recording device is close to completion. Unfortunately, I can't really start to freelance until I have the recording device. Meanwhile, the CD burner will have to wait.
I've never been one to make resolutions. However, I am compelled make this one: In 2007, I plan to take charge and really pursue my goals.
There's an important to date to remember. It's December 31st, 2007. On this day, if I'm still in the same position I am right now, then I'm going to have to start taking some drastic measures.
I don't know what these measures will be. But believe me, they will be drastic. You might say they will be acts of desperation. Of course, this only happens if I don't keep my New Year's resolution.
Meanwhile, have a safe and Happy New Year.
The Hek
PS - Next post will be on Jan. 2nd
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Musings Of A Random Nature
Spike Lee to Direct Film About James Brown
That was quick. Although the film company says the deal was already in the works before Brown's passing. Now the question is, who will star as the "Godfather of Soul?" My money is on Cuba Gooding Jr.
***
Barry Zito reaches agreement with Giants
Not bad if you're a fan of the San Francisco Giants. Sure, they lose Shea 'Sinking Ship' Hillenbrand to the Angels. However, they pick up Barry Zito; the most coveted free agent on the market this season. Just another pitcher the Blue Jays failed to get. Then again, Toronto didn't have the money Zito was asking for. The Jays still need another starter.
***
Winter Storm hits Israel
Global warming can't be that bad. It only put the snow somewhere else.
***
Sheila Carter is back. Looks like she had some plastic surgery. Now, she has a striking resemblance to Phyllis Newman. That cannot be good.
The Hek
That was quick. Although the film company says the deal was already in the works before Brown's passing. Now the question is, who will star as the "Godfather of Soul?" My money is on Cuba Gooding Jr.
***
Barry Zito reaches agreement with Giants
Not bad if you're a fan of the San Francisco Giants. Sure, they lose Shea 'Sinking Ship' Hillenbrand to the Angels. However, they pick up Barry Zito; the most coveted free agent on the market this season. Just another pitcher the Blue Jays failed to get. Then again, Toronto didn't have the money Zito was asking for. The Jays still need another starter.
***
Winter Storm hits Israel
Global warming can't be that bad. It only put the snow somewhere else.
***
Sheila Carter is back. Looks like she had some plastic surgery. Now, she has a striking resemblance to Phyllis Newman. That cannot be good.
The Hek
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Strombo vs. Caine
Have to give props to Omni Television.
The station (Omni 1 to be exact) is airing Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, every Tuesday and Wednesday at 11:00pm. Last night, I was originally going to watch The Hour. But I'm sorry. George Strombonopolis vs. David Carradine? It's no contest. Master Caine will win every time.
The best part is that Kung Fu also airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays, at 11:00am and 1:00pm.
The Hek
- Be sure to catch Episode Twenty-two of The Audio Circus -
The station (Omni 1 to be exact) is airing Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, every Tuesday and Wednesday at 11:00pm. Last night, I was originally going to watch The Hour. But I'm sorry. George Strombonopolis vs. David Carradine? It's no contest. Master Caine will win every time.
The best part is that Kung Fu also airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays, at 11:00am and 1:00pm.
The Hek
- Be sure to catch Episode Twenty-two of The Audio Circus -
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Secret Desires. Forbidden Magic. Intriguing Mystery. Limitless Passion.
Does anyone happen to watch the program, Passions?
I managed to catch the last segment of today's episode. To put it simply, it was insane. You had three scenes, each providing a different genre. Instead of changing an emotional tone through a nice flow, this program changes it's tone drastically and without any warning. Here's what happened:
Scene one. Louis, a local police officer, is consoling a female cadet who is in the hospital after being attacked and raped. The cadet was starting to have flashbacks and was bawling into Louis' chest. She begged him to not ask anymore questions about the incident. Louis promises he will find the men that attacked the cadet, who he is also in love with. A very dramatic scene.
Scene two. Two women are trying to kill a witch named Tabatha. There's a huge chase, but in the end, Tabatha ties up her attackers and banishes them to a dark spiritual world. The scene is right out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon; full of sound effects, fumbles and a mangled up pecan pie. A very comedic scene. In fact, it was a farce.
Scene three. The body of a murdered transvestite is discovered inside a wedding cake, as the newly married couple cuts the cake in front of all their guests. A scene with suspense and mystery. The best line came from the bride who exclaimed, "Oh my God! There's a dead transvestite in my wedding cake!"
I bet you wouldn't see something like that on Days Of Our Lives.
The Hek
- Check out Episode 22 of The Audio Circus -
I managed to catch the last segment of today's episode. To put it simply, it was insane. You had three scenes, each providing a different genre. Instead of changing an emotional tone through a nice flow, this program changes it's tone drastically and without any warning. Here's what happened:
Scene one. Louis, a local police officer, is consoling a female cadet who is in the hospital after being attacked and raped. The cadet was starting to have flashbacks and was bawling into Louis' chest. She begged him to not ask anymore questions about the incident. Louis promises he will find the men that attacked the cadet, who he is also in love with. A very dramatic scene.
Scene two. Two women are trying to kill a witch named Tabatha. There's a huge chase, but in the end, Tabatha ties up her attackers and banishes them to a dark spiritual world. The scene is right out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon; full of sound effects, fumbles and a mangled up pecan pie. A very comedic scene. In fact, it was a farce.
Scene three. The body of a murdered transvestite is discovered inside a wedding cake, as the newly married couple cuts the cake in front of all their guests. A scene with suspense and mystery. The best line came from the bride who exclaimed, "Oh my God! There's a dead transvestite in my wedding cake!"
I bet you wouldn't see something like that on Days Of Our Lives.
The Hek
- Check out Episode 22 of The Audio Circus -
Friday, December 22, 2006
Holiday Spirit
Just got back from the Waxers game.
Markham beat the Toronto Jr. A Canadiens, 4-0. Waxers' Goalie Matthew Spezza picked up the shutout; and yes, he's Jason Spezza's brother. Speaking of which, why is it that the two players I have from the Ottawa Senators (Spezza and Wade Redden) are both injured and unable to contribute to my Yahoo Fantasy team? The Sens are having a brutal season. Things are getting ugly in Hockey Country.
As always, my job at the game was to keep an eye on Slapshot the Bear. I'm happy to report that once again, he was a well behaved mascot.
Anyway, I just wanted to take this time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I hope everyone has a great time with their families. Enjoy the presents but most importantly, enjoy the moment.
Now, For the Politically Correct (props to Blake):
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting these greetings, you are accepting the aforementioned terms as stated. This greeting is not subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself/himself/others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.
The Hek
PS - next post will be on Dec. 26th
Markham beat the Toronto Jr. A Canadiens, 4-0. Waxers' Goalie Matthew Spezza picked up the shutout; and yes, he's Jason Spezza's brother. Speaking of which, why is it that the two players I have from the Ottawa Senators (Spezza and Wade Redden) are both injured and unable to contribute to my Yahoo Fantasy team? The Sens are having a brutal season. Things are getting ugly in Hockey Country.
As always, my job at the game was to keep an eye on Slapshot the Bear. I'm happy to report that once again, he was a well behaved mascot.
Anyway, I just wanted to take this time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. I hope everyone has a great time with their families. Enjoy the presents but most importantly, enjoy the moment.
Now, For the Politically Correct (props to Blake):
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting these greetings, you are accepting the aforementioned terms as stated. This greeting is not subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself/himself/others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.
The Hek
PS - next post will be on Dec. 26th
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Green Christmas
Right now in Toronto, there is no snow.
This has become a hot button issue in the city. Many people are upset at the possibility that there will be no sign of the white stuff come Christmas morning. Barring a sudden major snowfall, it looks like it will be a "Green Christmas." Personally, I have no problem with this.
Just because there might not be snow, doesn't mean that Christmas is ruined. Think of it as Christmas in a warmer climate like California, Florida, Texas, or Alabama. Okay, maybe Toronto is not as warm as those places in December; but still, they manage to celebrate with no snow. Besides, this wouldn't be the first time Toronto has had a Green Christmas.
On December 25th, 1982, the temperature was 17'C (the mark of El Nino). In 1994, it was about 10'C and the snow was completely melted. In fact, my friends and I played road hockey all day. It was great.
Let's also not forget what snow can lead to. Driving becomes a little more dangerous, you have to go out and shovel, or be at the mercy of a snow removal service; and, the chance of slipping on ice becomes less likely to happen.
So cheer up, Toronto. It's going to be a great holiday. With or without snow.
The Hek
This has become a hot button issue in the city. Many people are upset at the possibility that there will be no sign of the white stuff come Christmas morning. Barring a sudden major snowfall, it looks like it will be a "Green Christmas." Personally, I have no problem with this.
Just because there might not be snow, doesn't mean that Christmas is ruined. Think of it as Christmas in a warmer climate like California, Florida, Texas, or Alabama. Okay, maybe Toronto is not as warm as those places in December; but still, they manage to celebrate with no snow. Besides, this wouldn't be the first time Toronto has had a Green Christmas.
On December 25th, 1982, the temperature was 17'C (the mark of El Nino). In 1994, it was about 10'C and the snow was completely melted. In fact, my friends and I played road hockey all day. It was great.
Let's also not forget what snow can lead to. Driving becomes a little more dangerous, you have to go out and shovel, or be at the mercy of a snow removal service; and, the chance of slipping on ice becomes less likely to happen.
So cheer up, Toronto. It's going to be a great holiday. With or without snow.
The Hek
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
The Fun Of Wikipedia
Does anyone else get addicted to Wikipedia?
I find myself going on there and looking up random things. Yesterday for example, I looked up the following: Nicole Richie, Tod Maffin, Allen Iverson, Joni Mitchell, Washington Wizards, and Kenny Dykstra.
Now I've gotten into editing.
For instance, the page on CHEV radio had little information. Look what I have done to it now.
Too bad I couldn't use this as a scholarly source. Then again, if people like me can just simply edit anything, it's accuracy might have to be called into question.
The Hek
I find myself going on there and looking up random things. Yesterday for example, I looked up the following: Nicole Richie, Tod Maffin, Allen Iverson, Joni Mitchell, Washington Wizards, and Kenny Dykstra.
Now I've gotten into editing.
For instance, the page on CHEV radio had little information. Look what I have done to it now.
Too bad I couldn't use this as a scholarly source. Then again, if people like me can just simply edit anything, it's accuracy might have to be called into question.
The Hek
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Wish I Had A River: The Hek's Super Playlist
The latest, the greatest.
1. Kennedy Killed the Hat - Buck 65
2. I bought some books - Black Boot Trio
3. Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
4. Vacation - The Go-Go's
5. Like a Prayer - Madonna
6. Night Swimming - REM
7. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
8. Ring, Ring - Abba
9. Call on Me - Eric Prydz
10. November Rain - Guns N Roses
11. Cruel Summer - Bannanarama
12. Hung up - Madonna
13. 463 - Buck 65
14. Judy is a Punk - The Ramones
15. The Laws have Changed - The New Pornographers
16. Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn feat. Jack White
17. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
18. The Card Cheat - The Clash
19. Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot
20. Boys in the Bright White Sports Car - Trooper
21. Mandy - Barry Manilow
22. Let's Get Together - Al Green
23. Mickey - Toni Basil
24. Bodies - Drowning Pool
25. Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
26. Bawitaba - Kid Rock
27. Losing Grip - Avril Lavigne
28. City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
29. Pump it - Black Eye Peas
30. Lonely Old Eyes - Neko Case
31. Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin
32. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
33. Don't Walk Away Eileen - Sam Roberts
34. Bring the Noise - Public Enemy & Anthrax
35. Maneater - Nelly Furtado
36. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
37. My Immortal - Evanescense
38. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
39. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
40. Bad Habit - The Offspring
41. LDN - Lily Allen
42. Man I use to Be - K-OS
43. Lolipop - Aqua
44. Banquet - Bloc Party
45. The Sign - Ace of Base
46. Rise Above - Black Flag
47. Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band
48. Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
49. Hello - Lionel Richie
50. River - Joni Mitchell
51. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979
The Hek
- Check out Episode Twenty-One of The Audio Circus -
1. Kennedy Killed the Hat - Buck 65
2. I bought some books - Black Boot Trio
3. Watching the Wheels - John Lennon
4. Vacation - The Go-Go's
5. Like a Prayer - Madonna
6. Night Swimming - REM
7. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
8. Ring, Ring - Abba
9. Call on Me - Eric Prydz
10. November Rain - Guns N Roses
11. Cruel Summer - Bannanarama
12. Hung up - Madonna
13. 463 - Buck 65
14. Judy is a Punk - The Ramones
15. The Laws have Changed - The New Pornographers
16. Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn feat. Jack White
17. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
18. The Card Cheat - The Clash
19. Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot
20. Boys in the Bright White Sports Car - Trooper
21. Mandy - Barry Manilow
22. Let's Get Together - Al Green
23. Mickey - Toni Basil
24. Bodies - Drowning Pool
25. Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
26. Bawitaba - Kid Rock
27. Losing Grip - Avril Lavigne
28. City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
29. Pump it - Black Eye Peas
30. Lonely Old Eyes - Neko Case
31. Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin
32. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
33. Don't Walk Away Eileen - Sam Roberts
34. Bring the Noise - Public Enemy & Anthrax
35. Maneater - Nelly Furtado
36. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
37. My Immortal - Evanescense
38. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
39. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
40. Bad Habit - The Offspring
41. LDN - Lily Allen
42. Man I use to Be - K-OS
43. Lolipop - Aqua
44. Banquet - Bloc Party
45. The Sign - Ace of Base
46. Rise Above - Black Flag
47. Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band
48. Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
49. Hello - Lionel Richie
50. River - Joni Mitchell
51. Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979
The Hek
- Check out Episode Twenty-One of The Audio Circus -
Monday, December 18, 2006
The Hek: Time Magazine's 'Person of The Year'
Time Magazine has announced that this year's 'Person Of The Year' is being awarded to anyone who uses or creates content on the internet. Therefore, yours truly is the recipient of this noble and historic award............along with a lot of other people. But, who am I to ruin a great achievement.
On to my acceptance speech:
What a truly wonderful moment this is to be named co-recipient of Time's 'Person Of The Year' award. There are so many people who have been given this title, and to be included with them is a great honour.
First, I would like to thank all the readers and listeners. Without your support, there would be no blog and no podcast. Second, I want to thank my parents for giving me proper guidance, teaching me that if you want something, you have to work for it; and most importantly, conceiving me.
Have to thank all my former girlfriends for giving me strength and major booty (Okay, I stole that from Kevin Smith). Thank you to all my friends. You guys are great! I love you all!
Gotta thank Lionel Richie. His song "Hello" has been stuck in my head all day. It's a great song. I really appreciate it. Thanks Lionel!
Thank you to my family, my co-workers, and all my teachers. I hope I didn't forget anyone. If I did I'm really sorry. I know I'm running out of time so, let me just say, God bless you all; have your pets spayed or nuked or whatever; and, have great night! Thank you!
The Hek
*It's back! The Audio Circus podcast. Catch Episode 21, ASAP*
On to my acceptance speech:
What a truly wonderful moment this is to be named co-recipient of Time's 'Person Of The Year' award. There are so many people who have been given this title, and to be included with them is a great honour.
First, I would like to thank all the readers and listeners. Without your support, there would be no blog and no podcast. Second, I want to thank my parents for giving me proper guidance, teaching me that if you want something, you have to work for it; and most importantly, conceiving me.
Have to thank all my former girlfriends for giving me strength and major booty (Okay, I stole that from Kevin Smith). Thank you to all my friends. You guys are great! I love you all!
Gotta thank Lionel Richie. His song "Hello" has been stuck in my head all day. It's a great song. I really appreciate it. Thanks Lionel!
Thank you to my family, my co-workers, and all my teachers. I hope I didn't forget anyone. If I did I'm really sorry. I know I'm running out of time so, let me just say, God bless you all; have your pets spayed or nuked or whatever; and, have great night! Thank you!
The Hek
*It's back! The Audio Circus podcast. Catch Episode 21, ASAP*
Friday, December 15, 2006
Happy Hanukkah!
Four years ago at this time, I was living in a residence building on the grounds of Carleton University. It was my first Hanukkah away from home. I wanted to celebrate, but residents were not allowed to light candles in the building. Like the film Collateral, I had to adapt, change, improvise and roll with it.
I'm not sure who suggested the idea. I simply took a piece of paper and drew a monarah. Then, I took an orange marker and drew the shamesh candle as well as the first candle. Each night before dinner, I would say a little prayer and draw on a new candle. It might not have been the proper way to celebrate the holiday, but I felt pretty good about what I had done.
I am not a religious person. However, there are certain things I have to do.
Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy Hanukkah.
The Hek
I'm not sure who suggested the idea. I simply took a piece of paper and drew a monarah. Then, I took an orange marker and drew the shamesh candle as well as the first candle. Each night before dinner, I would say a little prayer and draw on a new candle. It might not have been the proper way to celebrate the holiday, but I felt pretty good about what I had done.
I am not a religious person. However, there are certain things I have to do.
Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy Hanukkah.
The Hek
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Good Day, Mr. Kubrick
When Stanley Kubrick began filming Full Metal Jacket, he placed ads in numerous newspapers across the U.S., seeking young aspiring actors. If you wanted a role, all you had to do was audition by sending a VHS of yourself doing a monologue. Here is an example of one such audition.
Consider this as, "what not to do during your audition." However, you have to give the guy credit for having the stones to do this.
The Hek
Consider this as, "what not to do during your audition." However, you have to give the guy credit for having the stones to do this.
The Hek
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
If You're Board And You Know It, Write Haiku
Gifts packaged for lovers
during a blissful holiday
with no snow
***
Just a reminder: The Audio Circus will return this Sunday. According to my friend Corina, the show has hit the South American market. In fact, it's being used to teach youth groups about radio. Now that's cool.
The Hek
during a blissful holiday
with no snow
***
Just a reminder: The Audio Circus will return this Sunday. According to my friend Corina, the show has hit the South American market. In fact, it's being used to teach youth groups about radio. Now that's cool.
The Hek
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Oh Those Rich Girls
Nicole Richie was arrested for driving under the influence.
It seems that whenever people like Ms. Richie are in the news, it's for incidents which are more enhanced, then if a regular human being were to take part in a similar incident. When a regular person is pulled over for DUI, it's because the vehicle is swerving and its a threat on the road. The guilty party is then arrested because he or she has a high level of alcohol in their bloodstream. However, Nicole Richie takes it to the next level.
Not only was her SUV swerving, but she was also driving the wrong way on a freeway in California. Along with that, Richie didn't have alcohol in her system but instead, a combination of pot and Vicadin. I should also point out that this is the second time that Richie has been arrested in connection with narcotics. In 2003, she was charged (although the case was eventually dropped) for possession of Heroin.
Call me crazy, but I think Nicole Richie has a drug problem.
The best line I have heard was from a co-worker's brother, who said that when police called Nicole's parents to inform them that their daughter was arrested, her father picked up the phone and said, "Hello, is it me you're looking for?"
The Hek
It seems that whenever people like Ms. Richie are in the news, it's for incidents which are more enhanced, then if a regular human being were to take part in a similar incident. When a regular person is pulled over for DUI, it's because the vehicle is swerving and its a threat on the road. The guilty party is then arrested because he or she has a high level of alcohol in their bloodstream. However, Nicole Richie takes it to the next level.
Not only was her SUV swerving, but she was also driving the wrong way on a freeway in California. Along with that, Richie didn't have alcohol in her system but instead, a combination of pot and Vicadin. I should also point out that this is the second time that Richie has been arrested in connection with narcotics. In 2003, she was charged (although the case was eventually dropped) for possession of Heroin.
Call me crazy, but I think Nicole Richie has a drug problem.
The best line I have heard was from a co-worker's brother, who said that when police called Nicole's parents to inform them that their daughter was arrested, her father picked up the phone and said, "Hello, is it me you're looking for?"
The Hek
Monday, December 11, 2006
Trying To Make A Difference
My father recently told me that my room was a "dump."
I disagreed, stating that I have lots of things and no where to put them. I also argued that my room is a temporary residence and eventually, I'll be moving out. Therefore, lots of things are left out and in neat piles, to make it easier to eventually gather and pack. My dad had no problem with this, but then suggested that at least 50% of all the objects in my room, can be thrown out.
I agreed with my father's ladder notion. There are lots of things in my room that I really don't need and have no use for. However, there are some useless objects that I just can't throw out like a candy wrapper.
I'm talking about most of the books in my room. I have children's books, course packs, magazines, and a number of books on random topics. I'm going to keep some of them, but there are some books I want to get rid of. I have no problem getting rid of them. It's just that I don't want to throw them out because they cost money, and even though I have no use for them, someone else might. So, here's my question to you:
Besides the library and Goodwill, is there a charity/organization where I can donate/give away (maybe get a little coin in return) all the books I don't need? I'd feel better giving them away then throwing them into the garbage.
The Hek
I disagreed, stating that I have lots of things and no where to put them. I also argued that my room is a temporary residence and eventually, I'll be moving out. Therefore, lots of things are left out and in neat piles, to make it easier to eventually gather and pack. My dad had no problem with this, but then suggested that at least 50% of all the objects in my room, can be thrown out.
I agreed with my father's ladder notion. There are lots of things in my room that I really don't need and have no use for. However, there are some useless objects that I just can't throw out like a candy wrapper.
I'm talking about most of the books in my room. I have children's books, course packs, magazines, and a number of books on random topics. I'm going to keep some of them, but there are some books I want to get rid of. I have no problem getting rid of them. It's just that I don't want to throw them out because they cost money, and even though I have no use for them, someone else might. So, here's my question to you:
Besides the library and Goodwill, is there a charity/organization where I can donate/give away (maybe get a little coin in return) all the books I don't need? I'd feel better giving them away then throwing them into the garbage.
The Hek
Friday, December 08, 2006
Can You Do That 'Chung-Chung' Thing Again?
When it comes to police dramas, there is only one program I'll watch: Law and Order. Actually make that three programs: Law and Order, Law and Order - Special Victims Unit, and Law and Order - Criminal Intent.
In fact, here's my ultimate L&O team:
Detectives - Lennie Briscoe, Robert Goren (CI), Lt. Anita Van Buren
ADAs - Jack McCoy, Casey Novak (SVU)
I'd love to see your L&O teams. Feel free to post them in the comments section. Meanwhile, here's a new L&O series, the Special Letters Unit.
The Hek
In fact, here's my ultimate L&O team:
Detectives - Lennie Briscoe, Robert Goren (CI), Lt. Anita Van Buren
ADAs - Jack McCoy, Casey Novak (SVU)
I'd love to see your L&O teams. Feel free to post them in the comments section. Meanwhile, here's a new L&O series, the Special Letters Unit.
The Hek
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Life In The 'Titanic' Division
Thank God the Raptors play in the weakest division of the NBA.
Here are the standings, as of 7:32pm EST, of the Atlantic division; or, as some have called it: the Titanic division.
That's right. The Raptors are tied for first place with more defeats then wins. If they played in the Central division, they would be 6th out of seven teams. In the Southeast, they would be tied for third. Those are just the divisions in the Eastern Conference. If it was the Western Conference, the Raps would be right at the bottom.
Toronto had a slow start but, they have started to look like the team fans were hoping to see. If they keep it up, you can expect them to finish no higher then sixth and no lower then 10th in the Eastern conference. Right now, they're in 8th which gives them the last playoff spot. I won't be surprised if they rise in the rankings as well. They appear to be stronger then their opponents in the conference and division.
Things are looking good in Raptorland.
The Hek
Here are the standings, as of 7:32pm EST, of the Atlantic division; or, as some have called it: the Titanic division.
Atlantic | W | L | PCT | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | L 10 | STREAK |
New Jersey | 7 | 10 | 0.412 | 0.0 | 6-3 | 3-0 | 4-5 | 3-5 | 3-7 | L 1 |
Toronto | 7 | 10 | 0.412 | 0.0 | 6-3 | 3-1 | 5-2 | 2-8 | 5-5 | W 2 |
New York | 7 | 13 | 0.350 | 1.5 | 4-8 | 1-2 | 2-7 | 5-6 | 3-7 | W 1 |
Boston | 5 | 11 | 0.313 | 1.5 | 4-9 | 1-3 | 3-6 | 2-5 | 4-6 | L 3 |
Philadelphia | 5 | 11 | 0.313 | 1.5 | 4-7 | 0-2 | 3-3 | 2-8 | 2-8 | L 4 |
That's right. The Raptors are tied for first place with more defeats then wins. If they played in the Central division, they would be 6th out of seven teams. In the Southeast, they would be tied for third. Those are just the divisions in the Eastern Conference. If it was the Western Conference, the Raps would be right at the bottom.
Toronto had a slow start but, they have started to look like the team fans were hoping to see. If they keep it up, you can expect them to finish no higher then sixth and no lower then 10th in the Eastern conference. Right now, they're in 8th which gives them the last playoff spot. I won't be surprised if they rise in the rankings as well. They appear to be stronger then their opponents in the conference and division.
Things are looking good in Raptorland.
The Hek
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
WWE Fires Paul Heyman
The WWE has never liked anything they didn't create. This theory has once again proven itself with the departure of Paul Heyman.
Following a somewhat lackluster December to Dismember pay-per-view, WWE officials informed Heyman that they were letting him go. Their reasoning was that Vince McMahon was dissatisfied with Heyman's involvement with the ECW brand. McMahon felt that Heyman was holding on to the past instead of embracing the "new vision" of ECW (also known as the WWE version of ECW).
You cannot have ECW without Paul Heyman. He created the organization and therefore, Heyman is ECW. It was his vision that led the brand to acquire it's cult status during the late 1990's. It must have killed Heyman to only be a consultant and not take part in the booking and writing, when WWE resurrected the brand earlier this year. Watching the new ECW, you can notice the heavy WWE influence. This is especially the case with the old ECW stars (Dreamer, Sandman, Guido, Sabu, etc), who are made to look very weak and easily dominated by the WWE-trained talent (C.M. Punk, Mike Knox, Kevin Thorn, Test, etc).
I cannot understand why the WWE is afraid of letting Paul Heyman play a major role in the script writing. When he was the head writer for Smackdown, the program was at its best. There's also the great work he's done with WWE's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling.
Heyman knows how to put over talent. He would have made stars out of the new talent, as well as making sure that the old ECW stars, were made to look strong and have the same presence as they did in the past.
Once again, Vince McMahon's ego has got in the way of the product. This is what happens when you have a monopoly and lack the threat of serious competition. Hopefully, organizations like TNA and Ring Of Honor will hire Heyman and give him full control. In order to compete successfully with WWE, Paul Heyman is a crucial element to have.
The Hek
Following a somewhat lackluster December to Dismember pay-per-view, WWE officials informed Heyman that they were letting him go. Their reasoning was that Vince McMahon was dissatisfied with Heyman's involvement with the ECW brand. McMahon felt that Heyman was holding on to the past instead of embracing the "new vision" of ECW (also known as the WWE version of ECW).
You cannot have ECW without Paul Heyman. He created the organization and therefore, Heyman is ECW. It was his vision that led the brand to acquire it's cult status during the late 1990's. It must have killed Heyman to only be a consultant and not take part in the booking and writing, when WWE resurrected the brand earlier this year. Watching the new ECW, you can notice the heavy WWE influence. This is especially the case with the old ECW stars (Dreamer, Sandman, Guido, Sabu, etc), who are made to look very weak and easily dominated by the WWE-trained talent (C.M. Punk, Mike Knox, Kevin Thorn, Test, etc).
I cannot understand why the WWE is afraid of letting Paul Heyman play a major role in the script writing. When he was the head writer for Smackdown, the program was at its best. There's also the great work he's done with WWE's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling.
Heyman knows how to put over talent. He would have made stars out of the new talent, as well as making sure that the old ECW stars, were made to look strong and have the same presence as they did in the past.
Once again, Vince McMahon's ego has got in the way of the product. This is what happens when you have a monopoly and lack the threat of serious competition. Hopefully, organizations like TNA and Ring Of Honor will hire Heyman and give him full control. In order to compete successfully with WWE, Paul Heyman is a crucial element to have.
The Hek
Monday, December 04, 2006
Stephane Dion: A Good Choice
Personally, I felt the Liberal convention was compelling television. I truly believe that no one could have predicted the result. Not only is Stephane Dion the right man to lead the Grits, he is also proof that just because someone with a "name" enters the race, it does not mean that they automatically go to the front of the line.
By "name," I am referring to people like Michael Ignatiff and Bob Rae.
Iggy and Rae are known as "star candidates;" well-known citizens who parachute into a political party, with the hopes that there name and reputation outside their particular party, will be enough for them to become the leader. What these star candidates do, is step in front of all the other members who have been with the party for years and are more deserving and even a better choice for the leadership. This has occurred with all of Canada's political parties and it is not fair.
I am a firm believer that people who deserve success are the ones that work for it. In other words, they are the ones who "pay their dues." Stephen Harper didn't just show up and become the Prime Minister. He had to work for it. He first ran for parliament in 1988 and over the next 18 years, he worked as an MP as well as an expert behind the scenes. He built up a reputation and ultimately became leader of the Conservatives and the PM. The same can be said about Jean Chretien. He was first elected to parliament in the early 1960's. For thirty years, he built up a reputation and all that hardwork paid off when he led the Liberals to victory in the 1993 election. In fact, every Canadian Prime Minister of the last sixty years (with the exception of a couple), started off sitting in the back rows of the House of Commons and eventually moved up. They all paid their dues before moving into 24 Sussex.
If I was Stephan Dion, I would be insulted that despite everything I have done for my party during the past ten years, that same party would rather choose someone who has either a.) no experience in politics and has lived outside of Canada for quite some time; or b.) has lots of experience in provincial and federal politics, but with a completely different party. If such a thing were to happen, Dion would probably relate to Lorne Nystrom.
Nystrom was an NDP MP from 1968 to 1993 and again from 1997 to 2004. In 2003 he ran for the leadership of the NDP. I attended one of the contenders debates and to me, Nystrom was perfect for the job. He was intelligent, eloquent, down to earth and cared about his country. Unfortunately, his party chose to elect someone who had never sat in the House of Commons and whose only experience was that of city council.
Don't get my wrong, Ignatiff and Rae would probably be good leaders. However, if they want to lead they should first spend some time as MPs in order to get a feeling of how things work and build up their reputations on Parliament Hill.
So congratulations to Stephane Dion. He has certainly earned his spot. Of course, his challenge now would be to defeat the Harper Government and that, will be no easy task.
The Hek
By "name," I am referring to people like Michael Ignatiff and Bob Rae.
Iggy and Rae are known as "star candidates;" well-known citizens who parachute into a political party, with the hopes that there name and reputation outside their particular party, will be enough for them to become the leader. What these star candidates do, is step in front of all the other members who have been with the party for years and are more deserving and even a better choice for the leadership. This has occurred with all of Canada's political parties and it is not fair.
I am a firm believer that people who deserve success are the ones that work for it. In other words, they are the ones who "pay their dues." Stephen Harper didn't just show up and become the Prime Minister. He had to work for it. He first ran for parliament in 1988 and over the next 18 years, he worked as an MP as well as an expert behind the scenes. He built up a reputation and ultimately became leader of the Conservatives and the PM. The same can be said about Jean Chretien. He was first elected to parliament in the early 1960's. For thirty years, he built up a reputation and all that hardwork paid off when he led the Liberals to victory in the 1993 election. In fact, every Canadian Prime Minister of the last sixty years (with the exception of a couple), started off sitting in the back rows of the House of Commons and eventually moved up. They all paid their dues before moving into 24 Sussex.
If I was Stephan Dion, I would be insulted that despite everything I have done for my party during the past ten years, that same party would rather choose someone who has either a.) no experience in politics and has lived outside of Canada for quite some time; or b.) has lots of experience in provincial and federal politics, but with a completely different party. If such a thing were to happen, Dion would probably relate to Lorne Nystrom.
Nystrom was an NDP MP from 1968 to 1993 and again from 1997 to 2004. In 2003 he ran for the leadership of the NDP. I attended one of the contenders debates and to me, Nystrom was perfect for the job. He was intelligent, eloquent, down to earth and cared about his country. Unfortunately, his party chose to elect someone who had never sat in the House of Commons and whose only experience was that of city council.
Don't get my wrong, Ignatiff and Rae would probably be good leaders. However, if they want to lead they should first spend some time as MPs in order to get a feeling of how things work and build up their reputations on Parliament Hill.
So congratulations to Stephane Dion. He has certainly earned his spot. Of course, his challenge now would be to defeat the Harper Government and that, will be no easy task.
The Hek
Friday, December 01, 2006
I'm Here To Chew Bubblegum
The Liberal leadership convention is well underway in Montreal. By Saturday night, a new leader will be chosen. I feel it's all going to come down to how many supporters Mike Ignatiff and Bob Rae can scoop up with each passing round of voting. No matter who wins the leadership, he or she cannot compare to the one known as Hot Rod.
Why Roddy Piper should run for the leadership of the Liberal party;
Reason #4: Roddy Piper is straight to the point, with soundbites that would make even the most experienced political pundit drool.
The Hek
Why Roddy Piper should run for the leadership of the Liberal party;
Reason #4: Roddy Piper is straight to the point, with soundbites that would make even the most experienced political pundit drool.
The Hek
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