A Century In Video - 1911

I don't watch a lot of sports on TV. In general I could give two crapolas about sports.

I do watch some of the winter Olympic events though. Such as skiing and bobsledding, (for the spectacular accident potential), and skating.

I watch most of the figure skating except ice dancing. Don't get me started on ice dancing. Either skate, or dance - pick one!

I found this video on Ulrich Salchow the creator of the Salchow jump

This video shows him demonstrating his self named jump for an audience in 1911.



Mr. Salchow won the first gold medal for skating during the summer 1908 Olympic Games (There wasn't separate winter games until 1924).

Fat Freddy's Cat Has Gone Establishment Mannnnnnnnnnnn!

After all these years there is going to be a Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers movie.
I'm not going to explain the brothers to you. If you are part of my generation you have probably heard of them, if not click here for the Wikipedia entry.

The movie (to be released in 2009) is called "Grass Roots" and more information - although not much more - can be found at the Grass Roots Films website. The funniest part of the web page is the investors section. The original comic was very anti establishment.... and now they want your $$$. Please read the "Mary Jane" themed prospectus for more info. (Warning: 76 page pdf file)

Plus check out the author Gilbert Shelton's Home Page for his first strip in 10 years.

More info on the Freak Brothers and other underground comics can be found on the Rip Off Press page.

And here is the real point to this post. Please enjoy the teaser trailer for the movie. Looks a bit Wallace & Gromity - but with weed!

A Century In Video - 1910

I remember how much pomp and ceremony there was at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales ten years ago. Well it turns out that that was pretty standard (although there was quite a fight to give Diana a sorta, kinda, state funeral)

For this project's 1910 clip I present to you the funeral of Edward VII of the United Kingdom (1841-1910).

It's a short clip just over two minutes that shows some of the procession during the funeral and includes overlayed audio clips of Big Ben

Strike - Day 54

It can be really difficult to find any humour in this endless strike, so bless Harvey McKinnon @ the Georgia Straight. His on-the-mark article about Sam Sullivan certainly put a smile on my face and also answered many questions for me. Take it from me, this article isn't really any less factual than some of the other media coverage, or the city press releases.

Have a read:

Commentary: Sam Sullivan's strike strategy.

I don't have much else to report since we are under media blackout, but I can point you to some strike related literature if you're interested. Have a look @: Pay Equity: A Bibliography (doc file).

There are some older (but still important) documents on the CUPE 391 subpage: Bargaining Resources under the heading "first reads".

The weather today added another personal incentive to want to get back to the job. I spent the day @ Champlain Branch and although we didn't get much more than a drizzle, it was cold, cold, cold! I'm sure someone from the prairies would laugh at me feeling cold at 14ish degrees, and they would be correct. But I am superwimp and DO NOT like cold. Plus with the dampness and a good brisk breeze at times, it felt colder than it was. The thunder and lightning were cool though.

Tomorrow I'm wearing a down jacket, fluffy hat, sweats and hiking boots. Anybody want to guess what the weather will be like?

Keep sending us your good wishes everyone and lets hope I'll be back to work before my retirement date (March 1, 2030)

Strike - Day 50

Day 50 - Jesus wept!

My original post is below the tilde line - I was about to post it when I decided to check the various CUPE sites for any updates. I wasn't expecting anything because (I thought) there was a media blackout.

How wrong I was:

City of Vancouver and Vancouver Public Library break off talks

Well steal my pants and call me Aunt Matilda - words fail me.

Sigh!

From the CUPE 391 blog.

From the CBC, noting that this is the city's second longest strike.

For the sake of 'balance' here the library press release.

If you are not a member of CUPE 391, please keep in mind that information in the press release is blatantly wrong. We do NOT have a problem with the 5 year / 17.5 offer. Our big issue is - and always has been - pay equity. I urge anyone who doesn't understand our issues (and this would seem to include the city / library negotiators) to read the front page on the CUPE 391 site. It explains it better then I can.


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A clip previously unseen by me. Global noon news interview with Spam Sullivan from two plus weeks ago. No new info here, (and with the media blackout no new news for awhile), but a couple of interesting points.

1. Mayor Sullivan is looking very, very uncomfortable.
2. He seems to think that politicians shouldn't be involved with contract negotiations. Really?
3. According to Randene Neill, job security and whistle blower protection are "little things"
4. I have never seen Ms. Neill so agitated before (or at all for that matter)

Flotsam, And Her Good Friend Jetsam - Part II

Time to clean out some of the crap quality material from my 'add to blog' folder.

[Futurama - Raiders of the Lost Arcade]


I remember all of these games, even played most of them. Even Q*bert (little orange round dude with big nose and no arms who gets off the spaceship near the end of the video). Great episode of Futurama, except for the Rush part - can't stand Geddy Lee.

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Put together by Norm Fisher, a Saskatoon realtor. Enjoy the Unbelievably Bad Real Estate Photos Hall of Fame. A slideshow collection of really terrible real estate photos with commentary by Mr. Fisher. After his introduction click on the "run" button, and don't just stare at the screen for five minutes (like I did) waiting for something to happen (d'oh). Keep in mind that this fellow is NOT a professional actor, however I think he created a rather humorous piece.

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Queen's hit as performed by "25 of the most annoying voices in the music industry"

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[Robot Chicken - Calvin & Hobbes: The Untold Story]

via videosift.com

You either know Robot Chicken, or you don't. If you don't know Calvin and Hobbes then you are no longer my friend.

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And finally: 112 different ways of saying "Oh my god! There's an axe in my head,"


Enjoy!

Strike - Day 43 (Updated)

From The Blackbird's great strike photo collection:



Great photo, but do you think you could make my ass a little bigger? BTW, I didn't have a clue that my picture was being taken. I came across the pic via RSS feed.

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Yeehaa, some (potentially) good news:

Negotiations to Resume Next Week

Judy Rogers and Chief Librarian accept CUPE invitation to return to bargaining table

Let's hope this actually leads to something!

Lots of goings on at Central today. It was black & white day with all encouraged to dress in those colours, a puppet show about farmer Sam and his farm animals that go on strike, Our Friday bbq and a reading by Poet Laureate George McWhirter.

We also created a human wall around the library with everyone doing the 'wave' with their picket signs and later spelling out the words "Let's Talk" on the north plaza.

I didn't bring my camera today. But as usual 2shoes took some super pics of all the happenings

And if you're interested there is a benefit concert tomorrow to help raise $$$ for our hardship fund.

Local bands and supporters have come together to hold a benefit concert for the group this Saturday, September 8th, 2007 at the Maritime Labour Auditorium at 8:00 p.m. (Read More)

Here's the poster: (click to embiggen)

Jules Winnfield - Hockey Coach

I don't watch hockey and never have.

I played floor hockey in grade school, but never developed the Canadian obsession with the game.

I believe that I have watched a total of 2 games in my life. The game before the riot game in 1994 and the women's Team Canada win at the 2002 Olympics in Utah.

However I am a huge fan on the movie Pulp Fiction. A few years ago I ran into this video, god knows where, and shared it with a few of my friends. Something I read on the interwebs tonight reminded me of it, so I thought I would inflict share it with my massive massive audience (last count, there were 4 of you, I love you all!)

Here ya go - and yes it is safe for work, all the naughty bits are bleeped (damn!)



Apparently this video was created for the 2002 Espy Awards

A Century In Video - 1909

Without actually doing any real research (remember I'm not working these days) I would guess that this is probably one the earliest examples of Shakespeare's work on film.

Here is a scene from Act II, scene 1 of:


Courtesy of the British Film Institute


Note the special effects including stop motion, wire work and film overlay. I'm sure I'm not using the correct terminology - but again - not so much with the research.