Stranger Than Paradise

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Physical State: achey
Mental State: tepid
Music: Dawn and Drew Show
Fashion sense: blue t-shirt, jeans

Word of the day

disingenuous

Not straightforward or candid; insincere or calculating; Pretending to be unaware or unsophisticated; faux-naïf. Usage Problem. Unaware or uninformed; naive.

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Ok this blog isn't being updated and people are getting unimpressed (all 3 of you...ok 2 of you, guys always exaggerate size don't they). I found out about the google maps site that has satellite shots and it's weird that you can find your house from so far away (makes me wonder how far they can go). Like could someone see that my car is not in the parking lot behind my building if I said I was home sick. The mind boggles at those kind of invasions of your privacy.

A couple of nights ago a senior citizen was struck down and killed at the crosswalk at Marion and Roncie. This crosswalk is like something out of a Roadrunner cartoon as you can look both ways and there are no cars and then when you walk some a-hole is bombing down the street at breakneck speed. Out of 5 people who drive by one of those will cross the crosswalk when the lights are flashing, the walker is holding his arm out like Hitler and it's broad daylight. Roncesvalles has become like the 401 of inner city streets with everyone rushing up from the Queen/Queensway/King junction and thinking they're all cool. Of course there is a strategically placed seniors home at this crosswalk which creates quite a contrast to the fast-paced Toronto me me me driver attitude. I'm really mad about this and I know that if I call up Sarmite "Sam Photo-op" Bulte my MP who incidentally is up for re-election, that not much will done (but do we really want Stephen Harper???). "Did you hear we have an election coming." Sorry that was to be said very sarcastically...you can't turn anywhere without hearing about the election. In cyberspace no one can hear you scream. I feel like calling up her office and asking what is going to be done about this crosswalk business and how they can slow down the cars. I think Montreal has it right, chill out and don't try to be everywhere at once...sometimes I think I should move there. Ok getting back to my MP. I think if I call they will say it's a provincial roads problem. "Hello Mr. Kennedy...the crosswalks." "City problem I'm afraid there mister...I'm the education minister" "Hello Mr. Miller? Can you stop people using Roncie as a dragstrip?" "Love to...that's a city councillor issue though." You know where it will go next. My little imagined scenario is inspired by the comment I got from a police officer at the scene (one of over 15 btw...15!?! for a road fatality). His comment to me was something like "We'll take as long as we want for this investigation in the way we see fit and if you don't like it write your councillor". This was after I asked how come I couldn't drive my car 100 ft south to where our parking lot laneway was. Nowhere near the unfortunate incident. It seems at times when an accident happens it becomes like a nuclear bomb hit the House of Parliament and police get all black and white about everything, all official and aggressive. You can't, as they say, fight city hall (whoever they are and whatever that means). There just seem to be a lot of uptight people in this town and it makes me wonder what makes them feel that way (and frankly how do I get the hell away from it as it consumes me too).

Ambient music, ambient music...Stars of the Lid...green tea...serenity now.

Speaking of things to listen to. I know everyone and their grandmother already listens to the Dawn and Drew Show (the best damn podcast about absolutely nothing, ok something).
Their motto "Always Profane. Rarely Profound". I love this show and as is usually the case with me I discovered the party long after it had been in full swing. They're at show 200 already and have turned their hobby of podcasting their conversations into a full-time job with the Podshow network. You may think that this is bizarre but I have to say that they are very talented and they make the everyday seem interesting. They are very funny and very friendly too. They tend to lean more towards the Howard Stern end of radio but they are smart enough to realize they don't have to be crass for crass sake. Just listen to it/them, you'll enjoy it. I think they are a perfect example of how DIY is making radio fun and interesting to listen to...so turn off the radio and turn on your computer. Do we really need to hear Celine Dion for the 10th time today when there's stuff like this. Sirius satellite radio obviously doesn't think so because they've syndicated their show as well. I am really looking forward to satellite radio and I hope to god that the rich Clear Channels and other corporate a-holes don't f up this avenue for expression. There's no commercials so that will cut almost 99% of the crap music out of the equation right there. Can you imagine beaming your own show one day next door via satellite. That will be awesome. Legions and cities of Hard Harry Hard-ons from Pump Up The Volume. If you haven't seen that film in awhile it is just as important a message now as it was then (maybe even more so in an age of Bush).

oh and this just happened:

"Hi Steven, Tim from Rogers here...I want to tell you about the great new service that we're offering."
"Not interested."
"You can save more money on your phone bills by switching..."
"—I have a home phone and cell phone services already, I'm not interested."
"Oh but this is really becoming popular with people in your area..."
"—Well if you're making so much money from them then why do you
need to call me? Thanks for calling, bye now." Click.

FU Rogers...don't you already control enough stuff in my life (my tv, my internet, my radio stations, my video stores, my Blue Jays, etc). Sorry Tim, it's not your fault. There has to be a better way for someone to make a living then selling crap over the phone. This is the 21st Century dammit! We won't even get into the "take me off your mailing list" hydra that seems to happen all the time. Here's the key: if you pick up the phone and no one speaks right away you know they're checking their computer to see what your name is. If there's that pause at the beginning of it all, then hang up right away. Works every time for me. Simple as that. If it's someone calling who was important tell them later you messed up answering the phone or something. If it's important people will call back. 9 times out of 10 solicitors will not and will move on to the next name in the phone directory (let's save that "Bell phone listing being used for direct mail calling as the biggest crime ever" speech for another time).

More later (maybe later than it should be frankly and for my lack of updates I apologize).

Comment you three! Come on, don't be shy.