:: I discovered two nifty spell check applications tonight. ieSpell is for Internet Explorer, and works with text-based entry in blogs, web mail, forums, etc. It installs an "ABC" button (with a checkmark) in the IE toolbar, and also allows works with a right-click on the mouse. SpellCheck.net is a free online spell checker that lets you enter up to 20,000 characters before checking for errors.
:: Congratulations to my friends, Chris (in Castro Valley, California), and Jen (in Edmonton), on the recent arrivals of their firstborns.
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:: By now you're probably heard or read the Oscar nominations. There were a number of pleasant surprises, including Keisha Castle-Hughes for Actress in a Leading Role, Whale Rider, Djimon Hounsou for Actor in a Supporting Role, In America, and Samantha Morton for Actress in a Leading Role, In America. Notably absent from big nominations was Cold Mountain, which I think deserved better. I was hoping for In America to get Best Picture and Director nods as well, but at least Jim Sheridan and his daughters, Naomi and Kirsten, were nominated for Original Screenplay.
Will there be any surprise winners? Charlize Theron deserves a win for Monster, an amazing performance. The three other acting categories might not go as predicted. Will Actor be a showdown between Bill Murray and Sean Penn? Will Sean Penn attend the ceremony? Is Renée Zellweger a lock for Supporting Actress?
I've yet to see City of God, which received four nominations, nor have I seen Whale Rider, two films I will view very shortly. Some of the nominated films, including The Fog of War, and The Cooler, have yet to open in Edmonton.
My Canadian pride is strong today, as Denys Arcand received a nomination for Writing (Original Screenplay), and his movie, The Barbarian Invasions, won a Foreign Language Film nod as well.
In the end, I hope Peter Jackson and LOTR: TROTK win big.
David Poland offers this commentary on the 2003 nominations.
Who do you think will win? Would would you like to see win? Do you care?
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:: Good morning! According to Canada's Weather Network, it is -40C in Edmonton this morning. -40 degrees is where the Celsius and Fahrenheit scales meet; if it gets any colder today, say -42C, the equivalent temperature in Fahrenheit would be slightly higher.
The parka makes it debut this morning. Brrrrrr.
| TrackBack (0):: I went to Maria Dunn's concert on Saturday night. She performed two sets of original tunes, with support from Shannon Johnson and Dawn Anderson. In 1992-93, I was a member of The Invisible Jug Band, with Maria, Dawn, and Duke Bronfman. I had a blast performing with them at that time.
In the intervening 10-11 years, Maria has developed into a brilliant writer of historical ballads and songs. She is becoming, if she isn't already, one of Canada's best storytellers in song. Maria researches the history of places like Edmonton, where she (and I) live, Alberta, Ontario, and other parts of Canada. She finds stories about fascinating individuals who may have struggled for a cause, and then writes a deeply moving and very original songs about them. She is a national treasure, and I'm proud to be able to say I once performed on stage alongside her.
Maria has released two albums to date: From Where I Stand appeared in 1998, and her second album, For A Song, received a 2002 Juno Award Nomination in the Roots/Traditional Solo category. Both are recommended. Maria is in the studio now, finishing her much-anticipated third album.
:: Nathan Sawaya makes life size Lego objects, such as Han Solo in Carbonite, the Death Star, a rabbit ambulance, a head, a dachsund, and more.
| TrackBack (0):: It's about to get really cold around here. It's -17C right now, and a lot of snow is falling. And the temperature? Last night, the long range forecast had a high temperature of -37C and a low of -44C for mid-week. I'm on the Weather Network's Edmonton page at the moment, and the forecast have been revised somewhat since yesterday. The low temperatures are now expected to be in the -32 to -37C range. *whew* I'm more concerned about the snow, which is forecast to continue falling until Tuesday, and makes driving treacherous. Ah, the joys of being Canadian!
:: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced its Orange British Academy Film Awards nominations this week. Leading the pack are Cold Mountain with 13 nominations, and LOTR: TROTK with 12. Girl With A Pearl Earring received 10 nominations, and Lost in Translation received 8. Interestingly, despite 13 nominations, Cold Mountain's Nicole Kidman was not nominated for Actress in a Leading Role. However, Scarlett Johannson was nominated in that category twice, for Lost and Girl. Sean Penn also scored a double nomination for Actor in a Leading Role, for Mystic River and 21 Grams. The complete list is here.
:: Speaking of Cold Mountain, I saw it last night, and thought it was brilliant. After reading a few reviews, I went to this movie with few expectations, almost waiting to be disappointed. Some critics felt the film was slow moving, and that Kidman and Jude Law lacked chemistry. The movie is an episodic story of a Civil War deserter, Inman (Law), who leaves the south near the end of the war to return to Cold Mountain, where the woman he loves, Ada (Kidman), waits for him, in hopes that he is still alive. The Civil War scenes are brutal and realistic (movie depictions of any war scene have changed since Saving Private Ryan moved the bar way, way up.)
The chemistry between the actors is real, and the episodic nature of the movie, which gives the movie its length, does not detract from the richness of the story, but adds to it by introducing a number of fascinating characters, keeping us interested in the story. In addition to solid performances from Law and Kidman, Renée Zellweger is excellent as Ruby, a drifter who comes into Kidman's life, at the time she is slowly spiraling downwards, following the death of her father. The aforementioned fascinating supporting characters are portrayed by some of our best actors, including Donald Sutherland, Ray Winstone, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Giovanni Ribisi, Eileen Atkins, Brendan Gleeson, Kathy Baker, Natalie Portman, James Gammon, Jena Malone, Lucas Black, and Cillian Murphy, from 28 Days Later.
This is a long film, 2 hours and 28 minutes, but I was never bored. Cold Mountain worked for me. My Blogcritics.org review is here.
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:: The Lake Superior State University Word Banishment selection committee has published its 2004 List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness. The lists have appeared regulary since 1976, and have been compiled by The Unicorn Hunters.
This year, over 5,000 nominations were received, a new record. Words that made it onto the list include metrosexual, companion animals, shock and awe, and LOL. I'm disappointed that tipping point didn't make it.
Want to have a word banished? Submit it here, with your reason.
| TrackBack (0):: This time out, a pair of short pieces from me dear old M and Da:
Mom: Whoever wrote the words to the song, “Summertime and the livin’ is easy”, wasn’t in my mother’s kitchen 60 years ago. Living was certainly not easy for her. I still picture her working in a very small kitchen, wood stove putting out the heat in an already sweltering room. She was canning food. To keep her family fed throughout the upcoming long, cold winte,r she would can somewhere in the neighbourhood of 500 jars of food. She would can corn on the cob, kernel corn, peas, peas and carrots, carrots, tomatoes, chickens, peaches, pears, plums and strawberries. She would make strawberry jam, raspberry jam, grape jelly, grape jam, blueberry jam. If you could name it, I swear my mother could can it.
I receive daily inspirational messages from Oprah. I think today’s thought is very fitting, in helping describe how my mother loved us all. “Love is that splendid triggering of human vitality...the supreme activity which nature affords anyone for going out of himself toward someone else." --Jose Ortega y Gasset, philosopher
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:: What has brightened my days in the dark of winter:
:: The US political system is not something to be understood easily. For example, the Iowa Caucuses. Whatinhell are they? I found explanations on the 'net, but after reading them, I have a headache. You may fare differently. Try Jim Morrill's description from the Charlotte Observer, or another take from MSNBC. There is also a detailed explanation on CNN's site, but it's a java pop-up window, so I cannot link to it. As of today, it's on this page, in the "Related" box, about a third of the way down the page.
:: As if we need more proof that banks like CIBC are cold-blooded, heartless behemoths that care nil about their lunch bucket customers, I experienced more of CIBC's slow but steady withdrawal of basic services today. While driving home from dim sum, I stopped at a Shell station to get cash, only to discover the CIBC machine there had been pulled and replaced by a Scotiabank machine. Undaunted, I drove further down Calgary Trail to a Petro-Canada station, only to discover that its CIBC machine had been swapped for a PetroCanada quick cash machine - you know, the generic kind, where the machine tells you that to withdraw any money will cost you an additional $1.50. Disappointed but not surprised, I drove to the local 7-11, which, thankfully, still has its CIBC bank machine.
But don't let CIBC tell you otherwise. From their Public Accountability Statement 2003 web page, under "Affordable Accesible Banking": In 2003, CIBC took steps to make banking more accessible to Canadians by enhancing products and services and upgrading delivery channels. Eh? From the same accountability statement: "CIBC offers customers a wider choice of banking services through Amicus Bank, a member of the CIBC group of companies." Well, the two Amicus Bank machines I tried to use this afternoon aren't there anymore.
CIBC over the years has pulled seven of its eight bank machines from my university campus. Now they are pulling machines from retail locations as well. "Enhancing products and services?" "Upgrading delivery channels?"
Er, no. Oh, SBT? Sucks Big Time.
| TrackBack (0):: In my short lifetime, I cannot remember a US presidential campaign with so many anti-incumbent movements before the election. George Soros and Michael Moore were on Charlie Rose last night, both speaking out against Bush, with Soros essentially dedicating the next year of his life to ending the Bush doctrine, which he believes to be a "temporary abberation." Soros continues to provide leadership for an open society on this planet, with his Open Society Institute and Soros Foundation Network. Moore's next movie, Fahrenheit 9-11, will examine the links between the Bush and bin Laden families.
Tonight I learned of the contest, Bush in 30 Seconds, in which contestants were asked to create a 30-second ad to explain and expose the failure of Bush's policies. Of more than one thousand ads submitted, 26 were chosen as finalists. The five winners are here, and the overall best ad, "Child's Pay", is absolutely devestating, frightening, in fact, in its power and imagery - an ad with no dialogue, proving that pictures are indeed worth thousands of words.
Then check out Billionaires for Bush - "Because the deficit isn't growing fast enough."
| TrackBack (0):: A visit to my doctor yesterday confirmed that I have a flu bug, which, oddly enough, may have been the cause of my eye problem last week. I picked a lousy time to get sick, during one of the two busiest teaching weeks of the year at work. I feel like I've abandoned my colleagues. It feels more like a head cold than anything else, but I am bored and it is hard to concentrate on anything other than watching tv. So the only time I'm venturing outside is to rent movies. I watched Out Of Time last night, and thought it was quite good, a decent thriller involving arson, murder, and coverup afterwards. Denzel Washington continues to make good movies. Also, it's nice out - 7C today (44.6F), and sunny (in contrast to the Eastern half of the continent, freezing in sub-zero tempertatures right now), and I'd rather be outside than inside.
:: The Edmonton Journal today published a letter written by my pal, Georges Giguere. The "friend's automated Telus voice mail" of which he writes, was mine. While I never thought the sound of the voice was that bad (and has been changed, anyway), the letter is a good one, and sums up how he and many others, including myself, feel about the continuous and unabated assault on our senses by All Things Technological in today's world. Sadly we must get used to it, because it will never subside. Fascinating then, that the cassette recently celebrated its 40th anniversary of existence, and despite all rumours to the contrary, is still going strong in most parts of the world. I bought my first cassette recorded in the late 60s, and cassettes I recorded then are still playable today. Can't say the same for 5 1/4" floppies, can we?
Back to bed...
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:: The Los Angeles Film Critics Association announced its 2003 LA Film Critic Awards. Best Picture went to American Splendor, Director to Peter Jackson, Actor to Bill Murray, and Actress to Naomi Watts. The Triplets of Belleville picked up two awards, for Best Animation and Best Music Score. Leonard Klady offers these observations on the awards and their impact, if any. Further award details here.
:: Movie City News maintains a 2003 Awards Scoreboard, where you can see statistics by individal film in categories of Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress and Screenplay. In addition, this nifty online publication, edited by David Poland, gathers together critics' top ten lists. There are at least 275 Top Ten Lists provided. You can also see the films of 2003 assembled in a Big Chart based on top ten lists, or view by Point Total or Title. Not to be missed: The Big Scoreboard of Bad, and yes, Gigli was the winner. Some of the Top Ten Worst Films of 2003 lists are also provided.
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:: Wired offers 101 Ways To Save The Internet. Among my favorites:
:: As a frequent movie goer, I tend to sit through a film until all the credits have appeared. All too often, there will be extra stuff like outtakes, or an extra scene when the credits have finished. There was an interesting article in the Sunday NYTimes (ID and PW: podbay) on how film credits are taking increasingly longer times to scroll because of the many categories and job titles listed. The article notes that in the credits for Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World, 16 alone were assigned to people working for Russell Crowe only: costumer, two hairstylists, makeup artist, two special makeup artists, stunt double, stand-in, dialect coach, trainer, swordsmater, three violin coaches, two assistants, as well as a company that provided his personal security. Credits for Star Wars in 1977 listed 143 people. By contrast, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, listed 559 names, Finding Nemo had 642, and The Matrix: Revolutions, listed 701. The article doesn't list the number for the final LOTR movie, but notes that the credits take 9 minutes and 33 seconds to scroll. Be sure to check out the graphic that shows the difference in the length of credits between LOTR: TROTK and earlier films, such as Star Wars.
:: I'm still under the weather, fighting a cold and sore throat.
| TrackBack (0):: I reported earlier this week that my right eye was causing me some discomfort. I visited University Health Services on campus on Thursday morning, and the physician prescribed eye drops and eye cream. He noticed an abrasion on my iris, which I am aware of from visits to an optometrist in Edmonton some time ago. So I'm not sure if that's the problem. It feels like there is a tiny pebble under my eyelid. Anyway, by yesterday morning, it began to feel better, and I had a good day. But at home last night, it started hurting again, and I had major difficulty trying to fall asleep last night. Of course, it's the weekend, meaning seeing a specialist isn't going to happen. So I'm going to debate what to do. I may go to Emergency at the U of Alberta Hospital, but that could mean sitting there for the rest of the day.
That's not all. I started feeling tired and weak through the day yesterday, with a touch of a sore throat, stuffy nose. All the symptoms of an impending cold. Timing couldn't be worse, next week is our heaviest teaching load of the year. So this boy is going to try to take care of himself this weekend, and eat lotsa good, healthy food, and double up on the Cold-FX.
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:: Dave Pollard, of How To Save The World, offers his list of the ten most important blogging ideas of 2003. He also has a page that links to his various entries on blogs & blogging, many of which provide advice, tips, surveys, and other items of interest. Examples include Good Weblog Design and Layout, and Secrets of Breakout Blogs. Also, check his list of favorite Canadian blogs (no, I'm not on it.) Also worth checking, his list of 14 time-savers for bloggers. My favorite is #13: "Learn to type properly."
:: In addition, the New York Times Magazine featured its annual Year In Ideas issue on Dec 14, 2003, and considers these 67 movements to be the most important of the year. (Free registration required.) Do you agree? Billboards That Know You is cause for concern, the Pod Car is kinda cool, but Tribute Bands in Denial?
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:: The Directors Guild of America has announced its nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2003. One notable absentee is Anthony Minghella, for Cold Mountain. Overall, it hasn't been the best year for film. Sales of tickets in the USA dropped for the first time since 1991.
:: With the Spirit Rover firmly in place on Mars, the US will now move its search for WMD to the red planet itself. Meanwhile, The Beagle isn't doing too well.
:: The Writers' Union of Canada is "aghast" over cuts to Regina's public library system.
:: I'm a bit cranky tonight. Last night while falling asleep, my right eye began bothering me. This morning I woke to a burning feeling in said right eye, and it has yet to subside. I know, I should have it examined.
| TrackBack (0):: An interview with Al Franken, author of Lies and The Lying Liars Who Tell Them, is available on the NPR Fresh Air website. Franken just returned from his fourth USO tour, where he entertained US troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kuwait. Franken tells a number of interesting stories about performing on the tour, and about travelling through the region. Al and I are good friends, btw. Well, not really.
:: Robert tells an interesting and frightening story about his new two-month old daughter, Kasia. She was sick with a cold, and Robert and Mary were instructed by their doctor to take her to the hospital...
| TrackBack (0):: The annual Google Zeitgeist is out:
The term "zeitgeist" comes from the German "Zeit" meaning "time" and "Geist" meaning "spirit". The term is defined in English by Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary as "the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era."
:: My mother offers another interesting tale from her childhood. She lived on Selkirk Avenue, in the north end of Winnipeg, in the 1930s and 40s.
My sister Alice, who was the oldest of my brothers and sisters, was always in charge of babysitting my brother Roland, me, and the youngest member of our family, Carol. One Wednesday night, my sister Alice got the brainy idea that my brother Roland should dress up like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, and lie in wait between our house and the building next door. As soon as he would see a woman coming down the street, he would jump out from behind the building, and with a pillow stuffed in the back of his shirt, he would slither out from his hiding place looking very scary and making weird noises. Of course it was dark out, and this just added to the fun. We'd be huddled upstairs, looking out our parents' bedroom window, killing ourselves laughing, as one woman after another would run off screaming.
After scaring off two or three women, he came back in, and we all tried to act as if nothing happened. Had my parents ever found out, we would have been given the what for, believe me. What seemed hilarious back then no longer seems quite so funny to me today. If someone were to do this to me now I would probably have a cardiac arrest as I tend to scare quite easily.
:: From The Guardian, here is a list of 101 things to do in 2004. Anyone notice the error in #21? I see "metrosexual" is already considered very last year, according to #31, and that among the choices men will have in terms of new kinds of masculinity includes "Cheddarosexual", which means lactose-intolerant urban male. I will not do #62. I want nothing to do with #32. #26 reminds us we're all getting old. I'll do #99 next week.
If you need to revisit 2003, do it with a smile by reading Dave Barry's 2003: A Dave Odyssey. Happy New Year to all who visit my site. Many thanks, have a great year.
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