I am in the combined state of working at a job where absolutely nothing is going on and I am not sleeping well. It makes the day go SLOOOOOWWWLLLYYY...
So to stave off madness for a few more hours. Here's some tidbits:
If you're among my readership, chances are you're pleased as punch that Senator Barack Obama is doing so well in the polls. You're relieved that his apparent popularity means an end to eight years of Bush's with-me-or-ag'int-me, neo-conservative, Rebubbalican, cronyistic, big-brother, I-don't-care-what-any-other-country-thinks-of-America policies.
This has to be one of the most tear-jerking things I've seen ever.
This clip is from the end of Jim Henson's memorial service. The main voice actors have been singing Jim Henson's favourite songs in their characters' voices. If you're impatient, the real heart-render beings around the 5:00 mark.
If that didn't break your heart. Big Bird sang a solo part:
Chris, I know you're as choked up as I am right now.
I'd like to take a few moments to talk about Watchmen, if I may.
In case you don't know, Watchmen is a seminal graphic novel by comic-book genius/madman Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons. It's one of the best-received graphic novels of all time and the only title of that medium to be included in Time magazine's 100 best novels since 1923.
The story is told in an alternate history 1980s United States; a decidedly more conservative world where America triumphed in Vietnam and no civil rights or social movements of the 1960s ever took place. It begins as a murder mystery when it is discovered that a man recently thrown from his apartment window is in fact a former superhero. As the facts unravel, the characters' pasts are revealed and a conspiracy unravels that changes the face of their Earth forever.
Watchmen is a dark, gritty superhero story which pulls its heroes down off the pedestal, presenting them as mortal and fallible. I only introduced myself to the work recently, as it was announced this year that there would be a movie adaptation of the story. The movie itself will be quite controversial in comic circles, mostly due to the fact that Alan Moore is fairly pissed off that the studios have screwed up most of his other movies, such as League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and From Hell (and although V for Vendetta was fairly-received, die-hard fans will tell you it didn't measure up to the original). I however, am waiting with great anticipation to see Watchmen come alive on the screen.
If you haven't read Watchmen, I storngly recommend that you do. Even if you aren't a comics aficionado, this story will impress you. It's had a recent boost in popularity and is very easy to find on main displays in major bookstores.
Friends, I give you, the Great Pumpkin. Grown in my very own backyard, it weighs a modest 10 pounds, 5 ounces (heck, heavier than me when I was born). Despite its small stature in comparison to other pumpkins, I shall savour it all the more as a product of my garden.
Our relationship shall be short-lived, for tomorrow, I shall go onto him and I shall say, "Oh Pumpkin, it is time." And lo, I shall butcher him and make his corpus into pumpkin goo.
On the next day, I shall bake the pumpkin goo into delicious pies. Those pies shall be be the resurrection of the Great Pumpkin.
Then on Thanksgiving, the day for the giving of Thanks, I shall consume him.
So I bet you all thought Bill C-61 was dead and buried when parliament was dissolved? OH NO. NO SIR. You see, after C-61 was put into the ground by the public and the opposition, the Conservative policy makers snuck into the graveyard at midnight. They dug up C-61, patched it together with stitches and bolts, and gave it a shiny new abbynormal brain. As soon as they can form a government, they'll throw the switch and bring it back to life.
A re-elected Conservative Government led by Stephen Harper will reintroduce federal copyright legislation that strikes the appropriate balance among the rights of musicians, artists, programmers and other creators and brings Canada's intellectual property protection in line with that of other industrialized countries, but also protects consumers who want to access copyright works for their personal use. We will also introduce tougher laws on counterfeiting and piracy and give our customs and law enforcement services the resources to enforce them.
You can bet that, as before, the definition of "appropriate balance" will differ from that of technologically-minded Canadians. I remind you that Bill C-61's verbiage absurdly made a crime of such mundane activities as ripping a DVD, unlocking a cell phone, or in any way breaking a "digital lock" to utilize art or technology that you paid for.
So as your local tech-adept, I implore you all to vote ABC: Anyone But Conservative. But furthermore, I encourage you to vote strategically. If you're a NDPer in a Liberal-strong riding, consider voting Liberal. If you're a Liberal in an NDP stronghold (like me!), consider voting NDP. Check the 2006 voting results for more details. If the Liberals and the NDP both have a strong showing in Parliament, they may consider forming a coalition majority government. Then we won't even have to worry about bumbled copyright legislation like Bill C-61.
Some choice out-of-context quotes from the federal leaders' debate:
Giles Duceppe: "In fact the only party that has proposed a 'Buy Canada' bill is the Bloc Quebecois."
Jack Layton: "I can't think of anything that can be made out of wood that can't be made in Canada!"
Jack Layton: "Where's your economic platform? Where is it? Under the sweater?"
Stephen Harper: "Let's be clear..." "Look, let's be clear..." "If I can be clear..." "...clear..." (CLEAR! *bzzzt*)
Steve Paikin: "... before our economy goes South..." (In more ways than two...)
Stephane Dion: "... lower taxes on business and tax Carbon."
Jack Layton: "... Canadians are unhappy, future generations are unhappy..." (Ooo... clairvoyance.)
Stephane Dion: "Mister Harper, it's a lie!" "Do not listen to this man!"
Elizabeth May: "We are the only country that has signed Kyoto and not ratified it's targets..."
Stephane Dion: "The average age of a doctor in Canada is 50... and our population is aging..." (Jesus Christ...)
Jack Layton: (Invoked Tommy Douglas x 2 times)
Elizabeth May: "... to the big medical services companies in the U.S., we are a market..."
Giles Duceppe: "How can you recognize a nation and then cut funding to culture, which is the soul of a nation?"
Stephen Harper: "I play a bit of piano..."
Steve Paikin: "I want to know if you all think Conservatives are barbarians..."
Stephen Harper: "Absolutely, we're getting a bad rap!"
Steve Paikin: "Wait... how is the Conservative government telling people what to think?"
Jack Layton: "... Because they cut media that brings forward controversial ideas!"
Giles Duceppe: *thumps table decisively to agree with Jack Layton*
Elizabeth May: "... we need to treat young people differently... they can't drive, they can't vote, and you want to put them in jail with adults."
Steve Paikin: "How can we leave if the job isn't done?"
Stephen Harper: "... If we never leave, will the job ever be done?"
Giles Duceppe: "I don't want to be prime minister, and the three of you won't be prime minister neither, you just won't admit it..."
Stephane Dion: "Don't interrupt me, I never interrupt you..."
Stupid not-voting bitch who asked the last question: "Whine whine whine bitch bitch bitch bitch..."
Steve Paikin: "This was way better than Biden and Palin, I'm sure of it."
Thank you to all leaders of Canada's federal political parties for the most entertaining debate ever. I love you guys. :-)
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I'd like to take a few moments to talk about Watchmen, if I may.
Friends, I give you, the Great Pumpkin. Grown in my very own backyard, it weighs a modest 10 pounds, 5 ounces (heck, heavier than me when I was born). Despite its small stature in comparison to other pumpkins, I shall savour it all the more as a product of my garden.