24-isms and The End of School... For now.

You have too much respect upon the world:
They lose it that do buy it with much care.



The FOX series 24 has got to be the best hour of TV around these days. This action packed fourth season has made it one of my favourite shows this year. The show has now been on television long enough to develop certain common themes and occurrences ... 24-isms if you will. So here I present the top 10 24-isms.

10. Tony Almeida cannot go an episode without unenthusiastically doing some assigned duty.


"Ugh... Fine I'll get right on it."

9. Any rookie CTU agent that accompanies Jack Bauer into the field is guaranteed to be shot within the first 5 minutes of the operation. Think red shirts from Star Trek.

8. A season must not pass without a guest appearance by everyone's favourite lesbian-assassin-with-a-penchant-for-nudity : Mandy.


Mandy must kill/wound/or otherwise injure someone in the course of the episode.

7. CTU must employ at least one Asian man, on the condition that he has the most un-Asian of names possible.


Tom Baker is apparently a common Korean name.

6. As a function of their job, CTU employees must always suspect, backstab and undercut one another to protect national security.

5. Every episode Chloe O'Brian must interrupt a poignant character moment with some bit of information to move forward the plot of the show.


"I hate to interrupt this important moment in your relationship, but I think I found something worth looking at."

4. Being Head of CTU during a 24 hour crisis usually ends badly for that person. Whether it be the loss of a child, being sent to prison for treason, or heroically dying in a nuclear blast, it's a tough job.

3. Torture repeatedly proves that it is easiest way to get a question answered.
Agent Richards is always on call with his small silver brief case, ready to interrogate a mole, suspected terrorist or fellow CTU employee. Richards really loves his job.

2. Jack Bauer can do anything he wants. Constitution?! ... pfft. When the Jack Bauer trademark rage is turned on, terrorists better watch out.



Jack Bauer will never go an episode without yelling one or all of the following things, often while pointing a gun at some poor schlub : "GET DOWN!!!", "WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR!?!?", "WHERE IS *Insert name of Terrorist Mastermind* !?!?!", or "DROP THE GUN!!!"

1. Love triangles will never be allowed to interfere with the operation of Government, Law Enforcement or Counter-Terrorism


Bill Buchanan, Michelle Dessler and Tony Almeida


Terri Bauer, Jack Bauer and Nina Myers


Jack Bauer, Audrey Raines and Paul Raines


Wayne Palmer, Julia Milliken and Alan "Ow My Heart!" Milliken


Chase Edmunds, Kim Bauer and the Mountain Lion

Etcetera.

I'm sure there are many more 24-isms, suggestions anyone?

Well school is over. I aced my exams(Allah willing) and now the job search begins. Such a good feeling being finished, my backpack weighed a ton but a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

Word of advice if you go to U of T... Bring your books back on time. If I'd known I would have been charged $34 DOLLARS! I would have brought the damn books back on time. DAMN YOU ROBARTS!!! *SHAKES FIST*

Paul Martin is funny. You know you're screwed when instead of responding to allegations of corruption you take the opportunity to take a shot at the opposition. The NDP, Conservatives, Bloc and the rest of Canada just want a straight answer Mr. Dithers!

Million Dollarized
- Will   Friday, April 22, 2005

  QUOTE OF THE DAY

The great person is ahead of their time, the smart make something out of it, and the blockhead, sets themselves against it.
- Jean Baudrillard

LINK OF THE DAY

God help the United States... No, wait... Scratch that.

SONG OF THE DAY : Nine Inch Nails - The Hand That Feeds

Two truths are told,
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme.


Harvey : Best Dog Ever.

I always find it interesting, I tend to blog when I have work to do. It's procrastination in its truest form, the farthest thing from what you should be doing.
The penultimate form of procrastination... The ultimate being FARK or fipi lele, basically the whole internet.

And what should I be doing? I should be studying. But I've already done enough for today, so I'm going to call it a night. As interesting as Canadian history is, (Yes, I am serious) there is only so much one man can read or write about it in the course of a day.


If you've seen the movie Akira you'll appreciate this.

A custom bike studio in Japan has created a kit for owners of the Honda Fusion scooter. A few bolts here and there and bam you have the badass bike from Akira.... It is the coolest and nerdiest thing I have seen in a long time.
Check it out.


Two sticks and a taxi driver.

There should be a law against whatever is happening in that picture. Something is indefinably odd about this picture. Robert Deniro and the Olsen Twins at the Tribeca film festival.... Just feels weird typing that. Somebody get those girls a sub sandwich!

Go watch Super Size Me. A hilarious and disturbing documentary about a man who only eats at McDonalds for an entire month... And the effects it has on his body. It was nominated for best documentary at the Academy Awards. Definitely worth your time.

Well that was entertaining. Now back to the doldrums of Canadian history. Perhaps some tunes will lighten my spirits, that and the hilarity of a muted softcore porn movie on CityTV right now.

And since apparently people are visiting this site again: comment please.
The counter never lies!

Fried Brain.
- Will   Saturday, April 16, 2005

  QUOTE OF THE DAY

Is man one of God's blunders? Or is God one of man's blunders?
- Friedrich Nietzsche

LINK OF THE DAY

Academic Analysis of Star Wars and other mono-myths. Far too interesting.

SONG OF THE DAY : The Arcade Fire - Rebellion(Lies)

There's husbandry in heaven;
Their candles are all out.


Set phasers to virgin!

Oh Commander Data... I mean Brent Spiner, the Trekkies love you so much.
Am I the only one that takes issue with a huge continuity problem in the Star Trek movies? Why the hell does Data get older and fatter?



Don't pull this "Data is played by an actor and actors age just like real people" crap on me! Massive continuity blunder, they should be ashamed of themselves. Maybe it was just bloating and stress caused by the android equivalent of PMS. I don't know people, just throwing that out there. This entry has started off way too nerdy for my tastes, on to other matters.

Well it appears the proverbial shit is about to hit the fan for the Liberal Party of Canada. The previously banned testimony of one Jean Brault, a Quebec advertising executive and Liberal Party supporter is now available... Well everywhere. A publication ban can only keep the dirt under wraps for so long... And now that the ban has been lifted, all of Canada gets to hear about the dirty politics the Grits have been playing. Money laundering, under the table donations, hundreds of millions of dollars in personal favours for political gain... Fun times. Perhaps the little guy from Shawinagin and Co. Were not always the nice guys I was lead to believe.

I'm no political analyst or pundit, but I do know a shit storm when I see one. For always entertaining, albeit slightly biased coverage of this story check out Stephen Taylor's site. I'd link you to a Liberal blog just to balance it out, but they haven't said much about these indefensible allegations yet. But enough politicking.

In regards to blogs in general I have come to a conclusion. Unless you provide a service to people, they aren't going to read it. Whether it's providing useful or interesting information to people, pointing them hilarious links, or whatever; it has to be worth their time. I'm going to limit the personal stuff unless I deem it important enough to share. It's not that I don't want to discuss my personal life, but if I really needed an outlet for that kind of thing I'd get a live journal and whine about my life. Thankfully I don't have that inclination like so many others.

I'm going to go for a half and half approach, so that each visitor can garner what they will from this site. Partially, this is to prevent creative stagnation, and also to set some guidelines for what this site is.

And what this site IS? Hell if I know.

- Will   Friday, April 08, 2005

  QUOTE OF THE DAY

It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.
- Rene Descartes

LINK OF THE DAY

Bloggers getting a hard time.

SONG OF THE DAY : Beck - Still Missing [Royksopp Remix]

Hung be the heavens with black, yield day to night!
Comets, importing change of times and states,
Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky,
And with them scourge the bad revolting stars,
That have consented unto Henry's death!


"I find your lack of faith disturbing."

Well Pope John Paul II died this weekend. Obviously I take issue with some of the Roman-Catholic church's more socially conservative views, but I liked JP2. Whatever your feelings towards him or the RC Church are, it cannot be discounted that he was a great ambassador for peace and a very influential figure in world affairs for the past three decades. He will be missed by many. Rest in Peace sir.



Ideally the TTC will look like this some day. Imagine being able to take the subway all the way to the airport... Very London-esque. And only $50 Billion dollars to build, that's what a world class transit system costs these days. The benefits would be innumerable, traffic and pollution would be down, and you could get nearly anywhere you needed to be quickly and efficiently.

One day. More at GTABloggers.

In regards to the link of the day, I find it absolutely disgusting that the Liberals would stop at nothing to try and keep their corruption under wraps, even if that means stomping all over the rights of the average Canadian citizen. Jean Brault's testimony will get out sooner or later.

So... since technically this blog is located in the United States... I believe the site is called Captains Quarters Blog. I'm not going to link directly to the dirty particulars of the case, I'll leave that to you intrepid readers.

I don't know if that's the site in question, but that's what I've heard. I've also heard that Jean Brault's testimony is quite damaging to the Liberal Party, how appropriate that Gomery put a publication ban in place. But I'm not publishing anything, nor linking directly to the story.

No one reads this blog anyways, I'm preaching to a wall.

- Will   Monday, April 04, 2005

  QUOTE OF THE DAY

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; Seek what they sought.
-Matsuo Basho

LINK OF THE DAY

Did you know that David Lynch was asked to direct Return of the Jedi?

SONG OF THE DAY : DJ Shadow - dj shadow's theme

I'm back. Hopefully, on a more regular basis. I've been busy, same shit different day it would seem. I've been studying far too much... Which is good... It's a far cry from my high school days. Exams are in a few weeks and I will be ready damn it!
The internet is not helping though.



I've been a spoiler hog for Star Wars Episode 3. I told people I would go into the movie fresh, without reading or seeing anything... But I pretty much know everything that happens, seen every picture that has been released and have watched every bit of footage available. It's quite sad actually. But such is my closet obsession with Star Wars. If you enjoy spoilers hop on over to Millenniumfalcon.com and spoil yourself to your hearts content. For me May 19th can't get here soon enough.

Here are the two new TV spots released today. Tragedy and Unleashed.

Last month I did a lot of inter-Canuckistan travel. Montreal, Quebec City, Vancouver... Hamilton. Admittedly the last one isn't that far away, but I got the most drunk there... Well Quebec City was close. Good times on all fronts. Still waiting for my dad to send me the Vancouver pictures. Here are a few from the trip to Francophone land.


Johnny's friend Jane and myself in Montreal.


Johnny and myself outside of the Ice Hotel, that place was crazy.

See Sin City. That is all.

And now for something completely different.

REVIEW
Kontroll
9/10 STARS



When one thinks of countries that produce good films, Hungary does not often come to mind. The surreal film Kontroll from first time director Nimrod Antal aims to change that perception. Kontroll centres on a rag-tag group of ticket inspectors (kontroll agents) who work under less than ideal conditions in the Budapest subway system. One of these inspectors, a downtrodden young man named Bulcsu (Sandor Csanyi) is homeless and spends 24 hours a day underground, living and working in the subway system. The job of kontroll agent is not an easy one, Bulcsu and his fellow inspectors have to put up with angry superiors, violent hooligans, clueless tourists and rival ticket inspection teams on a daily basis. Through a series of chance encounters, Bulcsu befriends a beautiful young woman Szofi (Eszter Balla), who for whatever reason always wears a giant bear suit while riding the subway. At night, Bulcsu wanders the tunnels and furthest depths of the underground, all the while he is plagued by an ever present shadowy figure, who may or may not be a figment of his imagination. The depression and confusion associated with working and living underground is beginning to take its toll on Bulcsu, he hasn't seen the light of day in months and begins to question the course his life has taken. Things take a turn for the worse after a series of deaths caused by a pusher, Bulcsu is the prime suspect. Immediately, Bulcsu begins to suspect that the shadowy figure who has been stalking him is behind the murders. Bulcsú now has a purpose in life, with the help of Szofi and his fellow kontroll agents he sets out to catch the shadow in the act, and in the process clear his name.

If only all first time directors could be as lucky as Nimrod Antal. Kontroll works so well, in so many ways. The story has a darker tone, but there is definitely a lot of laughs in this movie. The supporting cast is stellar, and work so well you'd swear they really were kontroll agents. As for the two lead characters Bulcsu and Szofi, Sandor Csanyi and Eszter Balla have an on screen chemistry that is very difficult to capture on film, but Antal gets it. Perhaps the strongest character in the film is the location. Shot on location in the Budapest subway system, the tunnels and stations have a life of their own. Antal seems to have found some of the most eerie and crazy underground locales ever put on film. The cinematography was amazing, it helped capture the dreary, vastness of the underground. Also, the soundtrack was very cool and it suits the tone of the film perfectly. One sequence of the film stood out in my mind, the rail run. Bulcsu and a rival inspector attempt to race one another on foot between two subway stations, this bit will have you on the edge of your seats.

My only real qualm with the film was that some of the more abstract elements were not explained as well as they could have been. Nimrod Antal said he did this on purpose to leave things open for interpretation, but sometimes I want a director to tell me what he's really trying to get at. Other than that some people may take issue with the fact that the movie is subtitled, but I don't think I would have liked the movie as much if the voices had been dubbed.

Kontroll is the kind of movie destined for cult status. The movie is dark, moody, serious and funny all at the same time. It is definitely not a movie for everybody. But if you're in the mood for something different this weekend check out Kontroll. You will be in store for a unique film experience, guaranteed.

- Will   Friday, April 01, 2005