Monday, March 30, 2009

In Like A Lion, Out Like A Jerk!

I'm sitting in my apartment and everything all the tell tale signs are there.  My bracket is filling up with lots guesses crossed out, I did spring cleaning yesterday, I even put my big coat away for the year, I had the windows opened, I considered buying sunglasses.  All signs point to it being late March.  But I look out my window and it is January!

They warned me.  All the locals said that there would be one more storm.   They were right.  This weekend was incredibly nice. It was puppy NICE (pictured)!  Its supposed to be nice next weekend and the weekend after that I'll be in tropical Toronto.

But now thats all simply a forecast.  Today we got at least 10cm of snow (pictured below).  I had to put boots on.  Oh well there is always next month.  On the slightly bright side I got off work early.  

Sunday, March 22, 2009

R.I.P. APK

In the current economic climate no business is safe from bankruptcy (unless you are exceptionally poorly run bank or car maker). This trend is no different for busnesses that are my favorite bar in London, Ontario.  The Alex P. Keaton is closing it's doors this weekend. The Keaton was many things to many people.  It was named with just the right mix of irony and obscurity.

It was the first place I ate sweet potato fries and now they seem to be everywhere.  I also sawTokyo Police Club play there before I knew who they were.  It was such a small room that I was sure that the bassist was going to smack someone in the head with his instrument.  
It was also probably the first place I got drunk that had actual art on the wall.  That artwork included a portrait that still kinda creeps me out (pictured).

I think there is a bit of irony in the fact that as we see the results of Free Market gone wild we bid farewell to a bar named after was America's favorite prime timeReaganomist between 1982-1989.

In the end there will probably be very few tears shed for the Keaton because it is just a bar and a new one will open there shortly...and you can always just go down the street to The Runt Club, which is less pretentious, there is always room on the patio and the popcorn is free!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Maybe If You Squint Your Ears

My "recently added" playlist is quite good right now, through no fault of my own, and I thought I would pass a few highlights on to you, the reader. I think most of them sound like a more popular musical touchstone that might make the songs slightly more accesible and make it more likely that you click.

The Hold Steady - They took one of my favorite songs by The Boss and asked the question: What would it sound like if Springsteen wrote this song for Born to Run instead of Nebraska?


Joel Plaskett - I don't know who he sounds like but he is releasing a triple album called three and this is his first single. He is coming to Charlottetown next month and I am pumped!


Lykke Li - I thing she is like a nordic Feist (meaning more keyboard and blonde).


The Rural Alberta Advantage - I think they sound like Rock Plaza Central who sound like Neutral Milk Hotel. I'm pretty sure I discovered these guys. If anyone tells you different, don't believe them


The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Do you ever wonder what the Smiths would sound like if they were twenty years younger and from New York instead of Manchester? Well TPOBPAH attempt to answer that question. It turns out they sound a lot like The Smiths.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Ricky Gervais + Elmo = Everyone gets tickled

My favorite comedian does an interview with my fifth favorite sesame street charachter.  Elmo is surprisingly good on his feet, considering he doesn't even have feet (via Neatorama)


Friday, March 13, 2009

A Meeting of The Minds

My favorite sports columnist and favorite author/pop-culture enthusiast discuss the death of the newspaper and how they mishandled the internet on this latest B.S. Report.  People have been bemoaning the death of the newspaper and love to romanticize the idea of the newspaper (a line i just stole Chuck Klosterman).  There is a moment where the discussion gets very medium=message when they start talking about people like newspaper because of the experience and the information is almost meaningless.  Their 3 reasons might fit nicely into an essay for a 2nd year university exam.  If you plan on going to school for history 20 years from now this might be a worth while listen.   Their reasons are 1) Craigslist.org 2) Newspapers attempted to compete with the immediacy of the Internet and ended up giving their content away for free  3) Unions (I personally blame it on those damn Newsies!)  

Usually the discussions on this podcast ends up getting a little bogged down in references to 1970's NBA bench players but this time I think they almost stay on topic for the full 45 minutes.  I wish I could have a beer with Chuck Klosterman...I doubt I could keep up and I would probably end up just staring and smiling at him in a very creepy way.  I don't know how he does it but he seems to come up with ingenious analogies on the spot.  His mind seems so nimble but he puts it to use on the most meaningless subjects (read:pop culture).  Please note: I grew my beard before I knew he had a beard!

You can DL it here or find it on iTunes or go to the Sportsguy World

Thursday, March 12, 2009

The Power of One....Remote

Well all this complaining on the internet has finally paid off!  Someone out there has read it and said "let's get this guy working for us and the for the people".  I have just received my Television Diary from the good people at BBM.   For those of you who don't know, BBM tabulates television rating for Canada.  They obviously saw what I did here and thought this is a guy who is capable of turning the TV off when there is nothing on and can then turn it right back on when he thinks there is something worth while on TV.  My TV selections will count for literally thousands of households.  

With great power comes great responsibility and tough decisions.  As your voice, I promise to avert my eyes from shows that should not be on TV.  In particular: any show in which the main character converses with ghosts to solve crimes, CSI New York and Las Vegas, Two and A Half Men, shows involving Howie Mandel/the jonas brothers/Donald Trump/the works of Jane Austen/Medicine women/poker and shows that have a panel of judges. 

I know what you're thinking.  It will be a tough 7 days.  I will have to be always mindful of what I am watching and what else is on.  I would hate to be ironically enjoying a CSI Miami while there is a classic Seinfeld episode on somewhere else.  I also have to make sure I catch all the good shows that need my ratings.  

But I think I am uniquely prepared for such a task.  The weekdays should be fairly easy but the weekend is going to be really tough because you really never know what you are going to find. I know what your thinking now and no,  I am not doing this for free!  They sent me a crisp 5 dollar bill with my diary!  I mean sure it'll end up working out to about $0.05/hour but I am happy to do it.  Don't forget, I'm not doing it for myself or for the good people at BBM, I'm doing it for you, the TV watching public.  I'm looking out for your best interests

Saturday, March 7, 2009

The Coldest Link


The Coldest Link, originally uploaded by mmilway.

This picture was taken this past week. It doesn't quite feel like March just yet. You know you have spent too much time in Winter when you start to resent people on TV sitting outside in T-shirts. Winter does make me appreciate the little things like other people take for granted...Like sunlight and not wearing boots. Today it was 4C and it felt so nice!

Winter I love you but you are really starting to bum me out!



04 Summertime Clothes - Animal Collective

Friday, March 6, 2009

Young People Suck, Old People Are Worse

Louis CK on Conan explaining why everything is amazing and nobody is happy.  Jonny sent me this link.  This will makes you laugh and then you think...much like my own brand of comedy.