Friday, December 17, 2010

BIZARRE: Phobia-less Woman Surprisingly Still Alive

The medical journal Current Biology has released a new report about a 44 year old woman known only as SM.

The woman suffered from a genetic disease known as lipoid proteniosis, which has affected areas of her brain which controls the body's sensor to danger.

After years of psychological testing and numerous field tests, SM appears to fear absolutely nothing.

Though SM felt other emotions such as excitement and curiosity, she consistently displayed no signs of fear in almost any scenarios, and when asked to rate her fear on a scale of 1 - 10, never expressed a level higher than 2.

In one experiment, SM was taken to a pet shop where she had to interact with various types of snakes and spiders. Previously SM had stated she hated snakes and spiders, but during the experiment, she took delight in holding and touching the snakes. in some cases she pet the tongue of the snakes she was holding. She also had to be coaxed away from reaching towards some venomous tarantulas.

In another experiment, SM was led through a haunted house where she actually was drawn towards actors dressed as monsters. She actually scared one of the actors by poking as his face, as she was curious what the masks felt like.

SM said she felt the haunted house was "highly exciting and entertaining" she again rated her fear at zero.

SM was also subjected to numerous horror films and again rated her fear at zero.

Even during uncontrolled events during her real life, SM seemed to have no fear. In 1995, a man leapt off a park bench and held SM at knife point, threatening to kill her. She reportedly told her assailant "If you are going to kill me, you're going to have to go through my God's angles first." SM then walked away from the man, and returned to the same park the next night.

SM has said she recalled experiencing fear as a child when faced with a snarling Doberman that had cornered her, but said she could not recall any adult experience in which she had fear.

Scientists are trying to retrain SM's brain to react differently to fear. Dr. Justin Feinstein who is leading the study on SM said he felt "it is quite remarkable that she is still alive," indicating that she needlessly puts herself into dangerous situations due to her inability to process fear.

Doctors also hope that by studying SM that they may gain insight into curing the effects of post traumatic stress disorder in other patients.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Feature Destination: Tasmania, Australia

Tasmania, the island just off the south coast of Australia is truly one of Earth's last great refuges. 37% of Tasmania is comprised of natural reserves, national parks and world heritage sites.

The Australian state is the most mountainous region in the entire country, and lends to some of the most breath taking scenery in the world. Australia's largest temperate rain forest is located on the Northwest portion of the island, where the Northeast portion has some of the most beautiful beaches, such as the Bay of Fires.

The Bay of Fires

To truly experience the best Tasmania has to offer, it is best to go during the summer months from December to February. For being a small landmass, the climate can vary widely due to the different types of geographic terrain. For example, the average daytime high in the summer can vary up to four or five degrees depending on where you are.

Also during the summer months are numerous festivals that are ongoing around the island. One of the most popular of such festivals is the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. The race starts on Boxing Day (December 26th), and typically ends 3 - 4 days later as the yachts reach Constitution Harbor in Hobart City. Coincidentally, the race ends during the Taste of Tasmania festival, which features food and wine from around the island.

Constitution Harbor

And if food and wine is your game, Tasmania is the place for you. Traditionally most common forms of cuisine were derivatives of English fare, but over the last few decades, Tasmania food has had a revolution with more focus on locally grown foods and vegetables which have allowed the food industry to create its own identity.

As for libations, there are a number of locally produced beers, both from microbreweries and larger scale productions that allow their beers to be available on mainland Australia. For a popular local brew, try Boags beer.

The wine industry has also blossomed over the decades, partially due to Tasmania's unique ecosystem and climate. One very notable vineyard is Moorilla Estate. Moorilla is a remarkable complex which focuses not only on wines, though the vineyard has been producing award winning wines since 1958, but also makes beer, contains an antiquities museum, has a boutique hotel which showcases world class art, and hosts exclusive events throughout the year. Moorilla Estate is a remarkable winery that is much more than just wine, and could really be a Feature Destination in its own right. Visit their website at Moorilla Estate.

If your style is more urban contemporary rather than country style relaxation, try visiting some of the major cities on the island. The main cities are Launceston, Devonport, and of course Hobart, the region's capital city.

Hobart City

Hobart, a city of just over 200,000 is considered one of Australia's most sustainable cities, and has also been ranked as one of the most innovative cities on the globe. It is a major hub for Antarctic Services, serving as a close port to the south pole for research facilities. Hobart is also no stranger to tourists. The city sees more than 40 cruise ships a year dock in its harbors.

If your looking for a lively place where you can mingle with the locals, try Salamanaca Place, which turns into a giant outdoor market every Saturday. Great bargains can be found, and you will no doubt meet dozens of locals. It's estimated that more than 25,000 people shop at Salamanaca every weekend.

If you're done with shopping and want to let off a little steam, you can try out dozens of taverns, pubs, restaurants and clubs on Elizabeth St. or Sandy Bay. If nightclubbing is what appeals to you most, search out the Syrup Club, a hopping nightclub that features some well known DJs and acts. Check them out at Syrup Club. Or try your luck at the Wrest Point Hotel and Casino.

The summer season in Tasmania is just beginning and now is the time to visit. The easiest way to travel there is by air and the most common major airlines that fly there are Qantas and Virgin Blue. But if your too late to make it there this year, why not plan ahead and book for 2011? You'll have the privilege of attending the Ten Days On The Island Festival, which is Tasmania's bi-annual international arts festival. Go and soak up some culture.

Happy Travels

Thursday, December 09, 2010

London Bridge is Falling Down

Well, not yet anyway.

Thousands of students took to the streets of London today to protest austerity measures enacted by the British Parliament, which will see tuition caps raised from approximately 4,700 pounds a year to nearly 14,000. In other words, tuition will be tripled.

The increase alone would be enough to incite riots, but one particular sore spot is the Coalition Government is currently made up of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. In fact, the deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, a Liberal Democrat, actually signed a pre-election pledge to oppose any tuition hikes.

The Liberal Democrats are typically a popular political party with students, as they have more progressive societal views and tend to lean more heavily for social programs and more universal education.

Today, students made public their thoughts on the government's decision. Sit ins and demonstrations were held across the nation, and central London was flooded with students waving banners, beating on drums and chanting.

The protests turned into riots in some part of the city. Small groups of protesters began throwing flares and paint bombs, tearing down police barricades and scuffling with officers. At one point Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles car was being punched and kicked as they tried to get to a social engagement.

But lets look at the logistics of the British Government's plan. I'm not sure I quite understand it myself.

To be fair, Britain is actually the second UK country to massively increase tuition this year. A few weeks back, Ireland also tripled the cost of post secondary education, as part of their mandated requirements to receive their bailout package from the EU. Harsh to be sure, but when the country is on the verge of veritable insolvency, harsh measures are required.

As for the UK, one of two things has occurred. Either the nation is also on the verge of bankruptcy, and has just done a much better job of keeping it quiet, or the Coalition government has just suffered a moment of colossal stupidity.

If the former is true, then the UK obviously has no intentions on asking the EU for a bailout, or we would have heard about it long before now. I don't think this is a very likely scenario. Which leaves us with, drum roll please, the latter.

Granted I am not an economist. But from what I remember from my business studies, if the economy is in retreat, the best way to correct the problem is to increase the median salary of the nation. Increasing the median salary means people are making more money and also spending more. It also encourages investment and increases the size of income tax contributions directly to federal coffers.

Sounds simple, right?

So what is the best way to increase median salary? Typically this is done by creating more highly trained specialists (who automatically command large salaries) and by increasing the number of entrepreneurs (who in turn pay more taxes and hire lower skilled labor).

And what is the best and easiest way of creating more highly trained specialists and entrepreneurs? Well, by making post secondary education more accessible of course!

So, since the government has chosen the opposite of the above example, what is likely the long term outcome?

Every 10% increase in tuition means less and less people can afford to access education. Since the tuition will go up nearly 300%, this means vastly less people will get the education they need. This provides the government a very small window of time to find other ways to save money and reverse the tuition rates. If the government fails to reverse the tuition costs, within 5 - 10 years, Britain will have a much higher unskilled workforce (who naturally make less money) and a much smaller skilled workforce. Thus creating a downward spiral in their economy for decades to come.

And of course, there is the potential long term damage done by continuing rioting.

The eyes of the world are on the British government now. I urge them to use this as only a temporary measure and come to their senses soon.


Wednesday, December 08, 2010

WikiLeaks Ally Takes Down Visa, Mastercard

An organization calling itself "Anonymous" has publicly sided with WikiLeaks, and claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on both Visa and Mastercard today.

Both sites in Canada and the US were inaccessible for most of the day.

The attack is supposed to be a form of retribution for both Visa and Mastercard cutting off service with WikiLeaks, which effectively cut off donations to the controversial website.

Mastercard Canada spokesmen have said that the attack has not affected any credit card transactions.

Anonymous has called the attacks "Operation Payback". Early wednesday, Anonymous led media outlets to a video posted on YouTube which explained the objectives of the attacks.

Anonymous released a statement in which they said: "While we don't have much of an affiliation with WikiLeaks, we fight for the same reasons. We want transparency and we counter censorship... This is why we intend to utilize our resources to raise awareness, attack those against, and support those who are helping lead our world to freedom and democracy."

The US government has put intense pressure on both the business community and political world to condemn and cut ties with WikiLeaks. Earlier this week, Amazon.com cut ties with WikiLeaks, which was using Amazon.com's servers, due to political pressure from Washington to do so.

Washington has also put pressure on France to shut down mirror websites that are hosting WikiLeaks information in the stead of WikiLeaks own webpages being shut down. Currently the French government has been stalled by their court system while trying to comply.

WikiLeaks first garnered attention in the spring when it posted a US military video which showed US troops in Iraq shooting down two unarmed Reuters journalists. The video was apparently taken by US army helicopters.

Since that video, WikiLeaks has published nearly half a million classified US documents from Iraq and Afghanistan. WikiLeaks feels the public has a basic right to know what their Military and Governments are doing.

I understand that governments have a right to secrecy when it comes to armed forces potentially being in danger, and can understand why the US has reservations to seeing these documents in the public. However, I do feel the public has the right to know if their governments or military forces are doing unsavory things, intentional or not. This includes incidents of Friendly Fire, such as the Reuters journalists or other hidden agendas that may infringe on anyone's basic human rights or freedoms.

Censorship is a dangerous concept, and governments would do well to remember that one way or another in some point in time, the truth ALWAYS comes out.

Monday, December 06, 2010

Forbes Magazine: Gary Holden is The 5th Biggest Screwup!

According to Forbes Magazine, Gary Holden, CEO of public-owned energy utility Enmax, is one of the biggest CEO screw ups of the year.

As I recently reported, Holden made national headlines when he sent a ranting email to all Enmax employees chastising a former employee for leaking information to the media about lavish parties that had been held at his home on the company's dime. Holden went so far as to threaten legal recourse against the former employee in what seemed to be a warning to everyone else to keep quiet.

Helen Coster, the author of the article which was published on Forbes.com, said she found it surprising how Holden dealt with the accusations of wild company-fueled parties. She said most CEOs would have used a public relations firm, rather than attempting to control the situations themselves.

That should be sound advice for Mr. Holden during his future business dealings. Not only did he make the situation worse, but according to Forbes, Holden sounded "paranoid" when he warned employees not to speak to the press.

Also under the public microscope at Enmax is the executive pay scale. Salaries for executives have skyrocketed in the last few years.

Company documents show the chairman of the board, a part-time position, is currently banking $180,000 a year. Astounding, considering that only 8 years ago in 2002, the same position paid $18,000. For you statistic folks out there, that is a 1000% pay increase in 8 years. Talk about a cost of living increase.

Gary Holden himself seems to be enjoying regular pay increases. In 2002, his position paid a paltry $700,000 including salary and bonuses. In 2009, Holden took home nearly $2.7 million. That's a pretty good paycheque considering it's funded by City of Calgary taxpayers.

Newly elected Mayor Naheed Nenshi says he is awaiting a full report that will detail how Enmax chooses it's compensation packages. The Mayor also stated that past increases to board of directors salaries had been approved by previous city councils.

Nenshi stated he was most interested in having a long conversation with Holden regarding how current salaries are justified.

For the time being, we will have to wait until next week to find out more.

Friday, December 03, 2010

Napa Auto Parts Hockey Team Says No To Racism

UPDATE: DECEMBER 17, 2010

Coach Gary Walsh has been suspended for the rest of the season by the Ontario Minor Hockey Association.

The OMHA admitted in its statement that racial slurs had been made, as they referenced the offender's remorse. That being said, the OMHA stated that since none of the game officials heard the comments themselves, and appropriate penalty could not be dealt out during the game.

The OMHA also maintains that Walsh's actions were in direct violations of league rules, and therefore, the season suspension is justified. There has not yet been a statement released by Walsh.
_________________


A minor hockey team from Peterborough, Ontario has seen it's coach suspended indefinitely for pulling his hockey team out of a game at the beginning of the third period to show solidarity for a black teammate that faced racial slurs from their opponents.

During the game, a player from each team received a penalty. While in the box, the Napa Auto Parts player, who happens to be black, was being trash talked by his competitor and was called a negative, racist term.

There appeared to be no real repercussions for the player that was doing the name calling, and so, upon the start of the third period, when the young man who was making racial slurs took to the ice, the Napa Auto Parts team left the ice en masse and refused to finish the game, in a show of support for their black team mate.

This is not the first time this particular player faced racism. A similar incident occurred 2 years ago. Ever since then, the team has had a no tolerance policy on racism, and this was their chosen course of action.

Gary Walsh, coach of the team vigorously defended his players move and supported it whole heartedly. He knew what incident had occurred as soon as he seen the look on young Allan McCullum's face. He asked the player what had happened.

Both players had been removed from play for the remainder of the period, which seems to me, to be punishing the victim as well.

Gary Walsh also disagreed with the punishments and so his team walked. Hockey Canada, the governing body of the league was apparently not impressed, and suspended Walsh.

To give credit when it's due, the opposing team's coach suspended himself for three games, as well as the offending player.

However, Hockey Canada has yet to make an official statement, and Walsh faces a review inquiry by the governing body and a potential 1 year ban on coaching hockey. But Walsh doesn't care.

"It was the right thing to do, and I would do it again in a heartbeat," he said.

Shaw Cable: The Grinch Who Made Christmas More Expensive

Shaw's Yule Log: Is it worth your money?

Shaw Cable announced that their popular Yule Log broadcast, which has been a free service every December since 1986, will now cost you 99 cents for every two hours of enjoyment.

The video, which was made in 1985, showed a crackling fire on a looping broadcast. Occasionally an arm would reach towards the fireplace and add another log to the fire.

Each year, many families who don't have their own fireplace would enjoy the video as part of their holiday celebrations. It used to air on basic cable for all Shaw Cable subscribers.

Shaw has decided to move the video to their Video On Demand Service (which also means basic cable subscribers who don't have a digital cable box will not be able to purchase the service) and charge 99 cents for a 1 hour and 55 minute broadcast. Shaw claims revenue raised by the video will be donated to charity.

Their are a few problems with this in my opinion. Firstly, Shaw Cable has so far not responded to calls from the media for interviews regarding their decision, and as of yet, there has been no clarification on how much of the revenue will be donated to charity.

Also, lower income families who do not have expansive cable packages will no longer have the opportunity to get the service at all.

The biggest issue in my opinion is Shaw's decision to charge 99 cents for each play of the video. The free service on TV showed the video as a continuous loop for the entire month of December. Even when you purchase a regular movie or show on Video on Demand, you are allowed to play the film as much as you want for a 24 hour period. So why charge for every play of the Yule Log, rather than a single charge for a 24 hour period?

If you really want to get down to the nitty gritty, lets remember that Shaw Cable is a billion dollar company, who gets to write off charity donations. I think Shaw can afford to reach into their own pockets for a holiday donation, rather than siphon it off from their consumers.

Bah Humbug to Shaw Cable.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Leslie Nielsen: Goodbye To A Legend

Leslie Nielsen 1926 - 2010
(photo by Alan Light)

Sad news this week, as Canadian Comedy Legend Leslie Nielsen passed away from complications from pneumonia.

Nielsen was born in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1926. His father was a constable in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which led to Leslie living in the extreme northern community of Fort Nelson, NWT. A town with only a few hundred people and hundreds of miles from any city.

During his teenage years, Leslie graduated from Victoria Composite High School in Edmonton, Alberta. He then enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and was trained as a gunman. However, Leslie had been too young to complete training to be sent overseas to fight in WW II.

Leslie then worked as a Disc Jockey for a Calgary radio station before enrolling in the Lorne Green Academy of Radio Arts in Toronto. While there, he earned a scholarship to Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, which ultimately launch his acting career. His first acting job was one episode of Studio One with Charlton Heston. Leslie was paid $75 for his appearance.

Leslie's career continued from there with mainly dramatic roles. And a lot of them. In the year 1950, Nielsen appeared in more than 50 programs. He continued on and branched out into motion pictures with moderate success until he was asked to audition for a role in Forbidden Planet, alongside Anne Francis. The movie was a box office success and resulted in Nielsen being signed to a multi picture deal with MGM Studios.

Leslie Nielsen and Anne Francis in Forbidden Planet

Nielsen continued with dramatic roles during his time at MGM, and finally left the studio in 1959, ultimately dissatisfied with the quality of movies the studio had been putting out.

After appearing as the ship's Captain in the epic Poseidon Adventure in 1972 and starring in the action film Project: Kill in 1977, Leslie found his comedic niche playing the doctor in the classic spoof Airplane!

Airplane! directors specifically chose Nielsen because he had only been known for dramatic roles, and felt he could lend an air of ironic seriousness for the film. In the film his character responds to the line "Surely you're not serious?" with "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley." The line would go on to become his trademark, and is considered one of the top movie quotes of all time by the American Film Institute.

After the success of Airplane!, Nielsen was attached to a new show called Police Squad, which first introduced the world to the Frank Drebin character. The show did not fare well and was cancelled after only a few episodes. Six years later, Frank Drebin would be resurrected in the Naked Gun series which would propel Nielsen to modern stardom for a new generation.

Through the 80s and 90s Nielsen appeared in what seemed to be every comedic spoof movie made. This trend continued into the 2000s with cameo appearances in the Scary Movie franchise. For the rest of the 2000s, Nielsen stayed away from motion pictures but did dozens of other projects including stage acting, documentaries, mockumentaries, voice overs, and celebrity game shows for charity.

in 2009, a sequel to the 3rd installment of the Naked Gun series had been announced. Sadly we will not get to see Nielsen in the project, due to his passing.

Over the span of his career, Nielsen appeared in more than 100 films and 1500 television programs. He has portrayed more than 220 characters.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Bizarre: Bristol Palin's Bad Dancing Triggers Police Standoff

Authorities in the town of Vermont, Wisconsin ended up in an overnight standoff that ended Tuesday morning with a 67 year old man turning himself in.

Court papers filed by the Dane County Sheriff's office say that Steven Cowan became so enraged by Bristol Palin's dance routine on an episode of Dancing With The Stars, that he loaded his shotgun, blasted his TV, then turned the gun on his elderly wife. She managed to escape unharmed. Cowan then held police at bay overnight before giving himself up in the morning.

Court documents went on to explain that Cowan did not think that Palin was a good dancer, and was convinced she was still on the show only because of her famous mother, former Governor Sarah Palin.

Cowan has been charged with second degree reckless endangerment, and if convicted, could spend up to ten years in jail. This would be unlikely however, as it has been noted in court documents that Cowan suffers from bipolar disorder.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

John Baird Returned To Environment Minister

John Baird: Angry Finger-Pointer or Environment Minister?

Upon the recent proverbial happy pill that Canadians received when MP Jim Prentice announced he was leaving politics to sell snake oil to, uh, sorry, promote CIBC and its services to corporate clients, we have all just been handed our inevitable downer pill.

John Baird, currently Canada's equivalent of Minister of State as been again handed the Environment portfolio. This comes almost two years to the day when he had been removed from the same post after his very public media Crucifixion resulting from his performance (or lack thereof) during the Bali Summit on Climate Change.

John Baird, arguably the loudest and often most obnoxious of MPs, has an environmental batting average that makes Rob Deer look like a superstar.

While it should not be a surprise to anyone that Stephen Harper's Conservative Government cares not about environmental issues, Canada is one of the world's most influential governments, and the Conservatives should at least try to look as though they are moving forward.

Handing this portfolio back to Baird, even if temporary, displays the arrogance of our current government, in the fact that they clearly don't care about public appearance. Obviously they are willing to continue to bully themselves around simply because they currently have the slight edge in the number of sitting MPs to do so.

Much like Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's opinion on numbers, maybe it's time to change them.

Naheed Nenshi Gets Zipped with Rick Mercer et al.

Naheed Nenshi was getting down with television personality Rick Mercer, as well as Canadian Songstress Jann Arden and Olympic Gold Medalist Kyle Shewfelt.

The quartet's visit to Canada Olympic Park (or C.O.P) to experience North America's fastest zip line was featured on tonight's episode of The Mercer Report on CBC.
Rick Mercer
(Photo by Robin Wong www.robinwong.ca)
The zip line starts at the top of the ski jumping apparatus and can reach speeds up to 140km/h before you reach the bottom, which is slightly slower than what people drive on the Deerfoot Trail.

Nenshi, always the ambassador, jokingly ranted on about the various things to see and do while in Calgary, as his cohorts shipped him off down the zip line, thereby ending his verbal diarrhea.

Meanwhile, Calgary's own Jann Arden looked as though she would rather soil herself on national television rather than go through with the experience. Both Mercer and Shewfelt looked like pros.

Oddly, Nenshi's appearance was presented more as a cameo, rather than a feature of the skit.

However, for being in office less than 2 months, he has certainly been in some good company.

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Naheed Nenshi: "Bad Enmax! Bad!"

A little over a week ago, an email written by Enmax CEO Gary Holden, was leaked to the media. The email was apparently a heavy handed response against a former Enmax staffer who leaked details of Holden's salary and lavish parties held at Holden's personal residence at the expense of the taxpayers. The email went on to say that Enmax would be seeking legal charges against the former employee.

Talk about making a bad situation worse.

Enmax is a city owned utility that provides power to Southern Alberta. So, of course details of $100,000 private parties put on at Holden's home and funded by Enmax caused quite a bit of stir with the citizens of Calgary. Add to that the details of Holden's $2.7 million compensation package for last year, and you have a very bitter public opinion.

Holden has tried defending the parties, which included invited rockstars such as Tom Cochrane and Gord Downy from the Tragically hip, saying that they were meant to showcase Enmax's foray into renewable energy to industry heavyweights. Holden's home was fitted with wind turbines and solar panels and waste-to-energy recovery technology. Holden stated the most recent party in question had 300 invited guests, and 25 Enmax employees who helped stage the event with a cost over $100,000.

It is unclear at this point exactly how many parties have been held.

To add to public outrage, Gary Holden's internal email stressed a firm hand with employees who leak information to the media, and indicated that legal action would be taken against the former employee-turned-whistleblower.

This did not help matters. Several employees who spoke anonymously to media expressed fear for their jobs, should they say the wrong thing to the wrong person. The email also implied an effort of cover-up of Enmax expenditures.
Naheed Nenshi

Last week, new Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi weighed in on the Enmax ordeal, demanding an inquiry into the parties, and why Enmax board of directors seemed to receive a 60% increase in compensation last year.

Nenshi met with Enmax board member Clifford Fryers and laid the smack down. The first verbal bitchslap Nenshi gave Fryers was "no more lavish parties". The second was to suggest the taxpayers and Enmax customers would not appreciate the Corporation spending taxpayers money to persecute a whistleblower.

Seems like a reasonable solution. However, in an apparent effort to make a point, Holden has now cancelled the upcoming company Christmas party, citing Mayor Nenshi's insistence of no more parties. Holden also implied that the outrage from Calgarians was to fault for his employees not being entitled to a Christmas party.

Nenshi hasn't made any public statements about the cancellation of the Christmas party, but somehow I doubt he would begrudge city employees their yearly dose of merriment. However, one of the lavish parties in years past was a Christmas party entertained by Tom Cochrane, who performed a 3 hour set under a reported $100,000 contract. A little over the top, no?

Clearly Gary Holden is an all or nothing type man. Either there is a Christmas party which can only be described as an Orgy of Excess, or no party at all.

This man's disturbing attitude needs to be corrected. If he continues his antics, it would not be unreasonable to assume that he will be removed from his position very soon. And good riddance.

The Human Centipede: The Sickest Movie of All Time?

So, prior to tonight, I had never heard of the movie called The Human Centipede (First Sequence). Actually, I stumbled across a reference to the movie while reading a review for another film. But the poster of the comment in which I was reading said that he was unsure if he could stomach watching the film.

Well, of course, this made me wonder what the film was all about. So a quick Google search later, and I was suddenly tossed into the midst of watching a movie trailer for one of the most disgusting concepts of all time. Truly.

The Human Centipede (First Sequence) is a film by Tom Six, a Dutch writer, director and producer. Upon first watching the trailer, the film starts out cliche, a la Hostel, but then quickly leaps into a more deranged direction, where in female tourists are used in a medical experiment to create a "Human Centipede" by surgically stitching them, along with an unknown Asian man, anus-to-mouth, thereby creating a 3 person creature who would share a single digestive tract.

Let your imagination run with that concept for a while.

Got that image in your head now? If your mind brought flashbacks of the Two Girls, One Cup video, that's ok. That's where your head should be right now.

Now I must say, as far as horror movie trailers go, The Human Centipede does a remarkable job of invoking feelings of horror and disgust while showing very little, if any, graphic detail. And, in my opinion, often the best cringeworthy films are works wherein there is little graphic gore shown. A good example of this is some of the prison scenes in the film Blindness. Sure, its not a horror flick, but those parts of the film certainly gave me the shudders.

So exactly how graphic does The Human Centipede get? Apparently not very (which I am sure many viewers are grateful for). However, the concept in itself was apparently gag-inducing enough, that it is reported that Tom Six did not reveal the mouth-to-anus details to investors while seeking funding for the film. And, as a result, many of the investors did not actually know about the complete subject matter of the film until it was released. Additionally, it has been reported that a number of auditioners for the project walked out of their reading due to sheer disgust at the concept.

The film debuted in 2009, and surprisingly, received fairly positive reviews from several film festivals. Mainstream reviews were less flattering, but there was the occasional silver lining. Entertainment Weekly for example, praised the direction of the film and the acting abilities of Dieter Laser (of the show Lexx), who portrayed the mad surgeon. However, EW also proclaimed Centipede to be "...The most disgusting horror movie of all time."

That being said, due to the modest success of The Human Centipede (First Sequence), Tom Six has been working on a sequel imaginatively called The Human Centipede (Full Sequence). Duh. What else would you call it? Six has released a teaser for the sequel (due out in 2011), where he says it will be so disgusting, it will make the first release look like "My Little Pony".

What is the plot line of the sequel? Well, a human centipede of course, but this time with 12 participants. And of course with a new lead as surgeon.

So at this point I have to ask: Have you seen The Human Centipede? Are you going to watch it? Would you watch the sequel? And what is your review on the movie?

You can view the trailer for the first film here. And here is the teaser for the sequel.

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

BC Premier Gordon Campbell Resigns

Gordon Campbell (photo by Mary McNeil)

In a surprise press conference this morning, BC Premier Gordon Campbell resigned from his post.

This comes after months of heated controversy in British Columbia where Campbell's Liberal government signed an agreement with the Conservative Federal Government to bring in a Harmonized Sales Tax which took effect in July of this year. (A topic on which they campaigned against in the last election)

The tax was openly despised by BC citizens, and dominated the headlines for much of the year as a grassroots movement came to life, forcing the government to agree to hold a referendum on the issue. Due to Campbell's lack of expediting the process (he could have chosen to table a motion in the BC legislature rather than a referendum, AND the fact that he scheduled the referendum for a year down the road), unsatisfied voters began a very public attempt at recalling Liberal MLAs.

It should be no surprise that members of the Liberal caucus did not appreciate the negative public opinion, and began criticizing Campbell's job performance.

It's likely that Campbell is attempting to curb what would have been a very public embarrassment, as it has been rumored that a number of Liberal MLAs were about to call on Campbell to resign during the next Liberal Caucus meeting.

Campbell's party has already suffered damage due to some high profile and well liked cabinet ministers who resigned this summer due to their dislike of the party's direction.

The next step will be for the Liberal Party to hold a leadership convention sooner, rather than later, to choose the next premier of BC. Unfortunately for the Liberals, history shows us that when a leader steps down, the replacement leader ultimately commits political suicide by taking the reins of a sinking party. See Kim Campbell and Paul Martin for examples of this.

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Canada's Most Lavish Real Estate

So I thought it would be fun to check out exactly what is for sale in Canada at the moment for real estate. In these times of economic hardship, it should be easy to find a real bargain when looking to trade up houses, right?

Right. In fact, during my search, I found a few homes which had been reduced by a million dollars or more. And in those cases, how can you go wrong?

During my search, I saved a few of my favorites for you. This collection is by no means the most expensive homes on the market, as there were several in the $40 million range. Also, bear in mind that these homes are currently what's listed on the market. I am sure there are some equally nicer homes in Canada that I am not aware of. Anyway, enjoy!

The first home I found that I really enjoyed is located just outside of Calgary, Alberta.
24 Woodland Place - $10.5 Million

This home sits on a whopping 2,000 acres of land, and the living area is around 10,500 square feet.
The house features Travertine floors, custom blacksmithing on the interior and exterior, a billiard room and 22' bar for home entertaining, as well as a 9,000 bottle wine seller for the closet alcoholic.

Once you have finished consuming several bottles of your no doubt, hideously expensive wine, feel free to dive into the indoor salt water pool. And, since the home is 100% automated, you can probably program it to contact 911 should you be at risk of drowning.

If Woodland place just doesn't shake your tree, then the next item on your Christmas list should be:
Ghost Lake Manor ~ $10.5 Million (Reduced from $12 Million)

Ghost Lake Manor really is for tree huggers. Nestled on 117 perfectly manicured acres just outside of Calgary, this home is what dreams are made of.
With a modest 5 bedrooms, this home features 9 bathrooms spread out on an 8300 square foot floor plan.
Ghost Lake Manor isn't just picture beautiful, it's also perfect for the antisocial person. Featuring it's own indoor pool in a stunning solarium, completely appointed full sized theater, 2 story library, on site workshop and personal tennis court, you never have to leave the house. And for pure convenience, there is a separate butler's suite so that you can keep your contact with the help to an absolute minimum.

Moving to the West Coast, you can purchase this cozy home in Vancouver on Selkirk Street.
3719 Selkirk Street ~ $15 Million

The outside of the Selkirk looks small and unassuming, but with a $15 million price tag, you not only need to be loose with the wallet, you need to be in good physical shape. The house is a massive 10,000 square feet with 3 stories, which means a lot of stairs and long hallways.
The Selkirk features mahogany and marble floors throughout. Perfect for smashing those fragile heirlooms during lovers' spats. Then feel free to cool off in the indoor pool, or stroll around the 23,000 square foot gardens featuring your own pond.
If you get tired after all of that strolling, take a break and relax in the luxurious movie theater or one of the 7 expansive bedrooms.

If the Selkirk is a little too modern for you, go a little further up the Vancouver coast and check out Panorama Drive.
2888 Panorama Drive ~ $18 Million

This 13,000 square foot home is perfect for the lumberjack in you. It features a hardwood and stone interior in 13,000 beautiful square feet. If you feel that you still haven't used up enough timber, then check out the floors on the indoor basketball court or the expansive bar in the billiard room.
Still not impressed? Invite your friends over for some free spirited frivolity in the air hockey arena, and full sized movie theater. If the weather is nice, try spending some time around your outdoor fireplace which over looks the marina with a 270 degree view of the coastline. Or strut your iron pumping skills in the gym.But, like all good lumberjacks, you probably like solitude. The Panorama is perfect, as it has a hidden passage to the wine cellar and guest accommodations. Perfect for hiding out when the local missionaries are banging on your door with the newest copy of The Watchtower.

If the violent ocean waves make you sea sick, travel eastward to the Belle Province of Quebec and purchase The TuLyons instead.

1903 Chemin de Bord-du-Lac Road ~ $27 Million

The TuLyons has got to the crown jewel of Quebec. An ideal home for those of you that just need to feel pretty.

The TuLyons, a lakefront property, has 31,000 square feet of French inspired elegance. Show off your stylish digs by inviting half of Montreal. You can put them up in your 9 bedrooms and they'll never have to fight over the shower with 14 bathrooms.
While your guests are making themselves at home by sampling bottles from your wine cellar in the specially built "wine tasting room", you can be fashionably late for your own party by taking your time being pampered in your personal spa, which features an indoor pool and hot tub, and calming massage room.

When you feel sufficiently magnificent, you can make your grand entrance into the ballroom, where your guests are no doubt awaiting your arrival. And you needn't worry about that lousy drunk who thinks he's going to drive home after having one too many. You've locked away his car in one of the 3 garages which house 8,000 square feet of performance vehicles.
If you are not done impressing your guests after your extravagant party, why not extend the festivities into a whole weekend? Your guests will lose track of the time when they are enjoying your personal art studio, golfing room, 2 story library, billiard room, 10,000 square foot gardens or built in salt water aquariums.

And after all of that, don't worry about making a mess. Your hired help have the good life too. There are built in maids quarters, and an elevator built into the main home so they don't have to lug their supplies up the stairs!

As you can see from the selection of these bargain priced homes, there has never been a better time to buy a home in Canada. If you would like even more information on these modest digs, check them out on www.mls.ca. All of the homes listed are on there, and they have many more photos for you to check out.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Man Dies of Caffeine Overdose

In April of this year, a 23 year old British man, Michael Lee Bedford died of caffeine overdose, after eating 2 teaspoons of pure caffeine while at a party then washing it down with an energy drink.

According to health authorities after his autopsy, it was believed that the amount of caffeine he ingested was the equivalent to 70 red bulls. 70!

Party goers swore statements that they seen a friend of the man give him the powder. Apparently the caffeine powder was purchased online for $5.38. The original packaging specifically stated not to consume more than 1/16th of a teaspoon, but it is unclear if the powder was given to Bedford in the original packaging or not.

The death was apparently quite violent and unpleasant (as one would expect) but this week police have officially ruled his death as accidental.


Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Featured Destination: Easter Island

World Famous Statues or Moai on Easter Island

This week's feature destination is Easter Island. Technically considered a "Special Territory" of Chile, Easter Island is one of the most beautiful, yet isolated places on Earth that is permanently inhabited. The island, also known as Rapa Nui is more than 3,500 km west of continental Chile. The next closest civilization is the New Zealand protectorate of Pitcairn Island, which is still over 2000 km away, and actually has less than 100 habitants.

Easter Island has a little under 4000 year round inhabitants, 65% of which are natives. The remainder of the residents are primarily Chileans who have married into Rapa Nui families.

The Rapa Nui are fiercely protective of their Island, and are working towards gaining more control over emigration to Easter Island. However, tourism is a major industry on Easter Island, and the residents are most welcoming of visitors, so long as they are committed to returning home eventually.

Pano Anakena Beach

Easter Island is perhaps most famously known for the many statues that litter the shores of the Island. Many are in good shape and still standing or have been resurrected. There are a number of different theories and legends as to why they were built, and it has long been thought that the erection of the huge monoliths contributed to the massive deforestation of the island, in that the Rapa Nui cut trees down to help lift and move the statues.

But there are many other things to see and do on Easter Island. There are beautiful beaches to relax on or do some snorkeling, such as Pano Anakena beach. The waters are pure and crystal clean.

In fact, the Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is fiercely protected with a number of ecological programs ongoing such as re-introducing native flora to the island. Try taking a tour of the Rapa Nui National Park.

Viewing Orongo From The Ridge of Rano Kao Volcano

Easter Island was formed by extinct volcanoes. Spend a day hiking up to the top of Rano Kao volcano. The summit is 400 meter high and offers spectacular views of the island and the South Pacific. While you are on your trek, you can continue onto the the site of Orongo. Here you will find dozens of archeologically restored stone houses used by the Rapa Nui centuries ago. The houses are near a lake filled crater that offers a spectacular vista.

Stone Houses of Orongo
(All images from wikipedia.org)

When you go to Easter Island, you are best to go in January or February, which are the warmest months with daily highs around 28C. Going in the winter months of July and August will won't be too bad, with daily lows reaching 18C. I do recommend staying away during the month of April, as it is typically the rainiest.

To get to the Island, you can take Lan Chile from Santiago. Lan Chile is the main airline in Chile so it is a safe and reliable bet. That being said, flying to Easter Island is not cheap, so if you are on a budget, try searching one of the many smaller air companies that fly to the island.

While you are there, you can use the Chilean Peso, US Dollar or Euro. Sorry Canadians and Brits, but you will have to convert currency. There are several different tours that travel Easter Island, so if you are looking for a guide they should be easy to find.

Eco Cabins of Morerava

There are several different accommodation options on the island. If you check out the Easter Island home page, they even reference being able to stay in a private residence. That being said, why not try Cabanas Moreava?

Master Bedroom

This company has built a number of eco friendly cabins. The cabins are comfortable and well appointed and are meant to be as eco self sufficient as possible, so as to not damage the delicate ecosystem on the island. The cabins collect and purify their own rainfall, use solar panels and are built so they will do no damage if moved. You can check out the Moreava website here.
Living Room /Kitchenette

Easter Island is truly a unique place to visit. Their literally is no other place like it on earth. The island has only been inhabited for about 1000 years, but has such a rich history. It's a once in a lifetime trip, so if you go, take a million photos.

Happy Travels

Starbucks Out, Tim Hortons In?

Supermarket giant Safeway announced today that they will be pulling Starbucks kiosks out of 4 of their locations to test the famously Canadian Tim Hortons Brand instead.

2 locations in Calgary (Kensington & Castleridge) will be the first to make the transition this December, with the Callingwood location in Edmonton and the Transcona store in Winnipeg to follow shortly after.

Safeway has not said how long the test will be for before they convert the other locations or pull out the Tim's test stores.

Currently, the employees who run the Starbucks kiosks are direct employees of Canada Safeway, and will remain so with the brand changes.

From a consumer perspective, it is a smart idea, as most Western Canadian Tim Hortons locations frequently experience long line ups due to popularity. Also, Tims lower priced coffee will most likely be a boon to shoppers.

Number Crunching

Canada Safeway
Number of Safeway Locations in Canada: 222
Number of Safeway Canada Locations with a Starbucks located within: 168
Unusual Safeway Factoid: In the late 1970s, Safeway controlled nearly 80% of the Alberta grocery market, causing the Alberta government to launch an investigation into potential price fixing and/or price gouging of consumers

Tim Hortons
Number of Tims Locations in Canada: 3,040
Amount of Canadian coffee market held by Tim Hortons: 76% (1st place nationally)
Unusual Tim Hortons Factoid: By 2002, Tim Hortons overtook McDonald's both in the number of locations, and yearly sales revenues in Canada.

Starbucks
*Number of Starbucks Locations in Canada: 785 company operated stores & 266 "licensed concept stores". Grand Total: 1,051
*Amount of Canadian coffee market held by Starbucks: 7% (2nd place nationally)
*These numbers count only Starbucks branded stores. These numbers do not count the Seattle's Best brand (also owned by Starbucks) which is sold in various chains and stores, such as Mac's convenience stores.
Unusual Starbucks Factoid: In 1999, Starbucks covertly opened a number of eateries in the San Francisco Bay area under the name of Circadia. Unfortunately, the experiment didn't stay secret for very long. As word got out that the eateries were actually owned by Starbucks, they soon converted into Starbucks Cafes.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Crazy Quaids Claim They Are Refugees From US

I don't know how I couldn't have seen this coming. Yesterday I posted a story about Crazy Randy Quaid and his wife Evi and their numerous run ins from the law throughout the US, and that they were arrested in Vancouver for violating Canadian Immigration laws.

In what is clearly a last ditch effort to avoid re-arrest in California on outstanding warrants, the Crazy Quaids are now trying to claim refugee status! They claim that 8 of their close friends have been murdered in unusual circumstances, and they feel they are the next targets. To prove their point, they site the deaths of Heath Ledger and David Carradine as examples of these murders.

I guess they must not have read the news when it was stated that Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose, and David Carradine died in a sexual asphyxiation accident.

Unbelievable. And the worst part is that the Canadian Authorities released them on $10,000 bonds. So surely, they will disappear yet again. Even in the best case scenario, it will take months for their claim to be denied.

This is ridiculous. Would someone just lock up these people already?

Randy Quaid: When Bad Actors Do Bad Things

Randy Quaid Looking All Craaaaazzzzzy

I am not one who typically cares about Hollywood gossip, but I have got to say: What the hell is wrong with these people?

Every second week when I read the news, it seems there is some description of bizarre and illegal activities of Randy Quaid and his wife, Evi.

In case you have forgotten, last September, the Quaids had been arrested for failing to pay a $10,000 hotel bill. As I recall, Randy was said to be quite cavalier and insistent about not paying for the bill. They had been arrested, with a court date set, and the couple failed to show up to court, having fled to Texas. Warrants for their arrest as well as a request for extradition from Texas had been submitted.

Finally, they were re-arrested, with a new court date set, of which they failed to appear not once, but thrice!

Hello?? Anyone home? Do you not realize that failure to appear multiple times is not going to help your cause any? Did they think that the matter would simply go away if they didn't show up? Maybe the Quaids thought "oh ya, the State of California will get bored with this and forget about it."

As though all that was not strange in its own right, in September of this year, the Quaids were again arrested. This time for burglary and trespassing. Apparently the couple broke into a house that they formerly owned in Santa Barbara and were, well, squatting. There were also reports of vandalism of the property.

The story gets weirder. Randy Quaid claimed the house had been unlawfully transferred to a third party illegally by a woman who forged the Quaids signature on real estate documents. They claim her name is Rhonda Quaid.

Simple solution right? Simply find Rhonda and ask for answers, right? Nope. Rhonda is now dead. Don't ask me how, as I have no idea. Perhaps we should be looking for a murder weapon in the Quaids suitcases??

At any rate, the Crazy Quaids AGAIN failed to show up for court, and new arrest warrants were issued.

To top it all off, Today, the Quaids were arrested in Vancouver, for violating the Canadian Immigration Act. Most likely because they fled to Canada with outstanding warrants for their arrest in California. Duh. Did they think that Canadian and US Boarder Services does not share that information with each other?? Though it does make one wonder how they were allowed into Canada to begin with. Did they swim to Canada, thereby bypassing Customs?

The Quaids have been arrested more times in a year than Lindsay Lohan has been sent to rehab. Thats pretty bad.

I think they both need a serious psychological evaluation. And stop letting them out on bail, for crying out loud!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Missing Missy and the Man Behind The Sarcasm

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.15am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Poster

Hi
I opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got out and has been missing since then so I was wondering if you are not to busy you could make a poster for me. It has to be A4 and I will photocopy it and put it around my suburb this afternoon.



This is the only photo of her I have she answers to the name Missy and is black and white and about 8 months old. missing on Harper street and my phone number.
Thanks Shan.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.26am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
That is shocking news. Luckily I was sitting down when I read your email and not half way up a ladder or tree. How are you holding up? I am surprised you managed to attend work at all what with thinking about Missy out there cold, frightened and alone... possibly lying on the side of the road, her back legs squashed by a vehicle, calling out "Shannon, where are you?"
Although I have two clients expecting completed work this afternoon, I will, of course, drop everything and do whatever it takes to facilitate the speedy return of Missy.
Regards, David.
From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.37am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Poster

yeah ok thanks. I know you dont like cats but I am really worried about mine. I have to leave at 1pm today.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.17am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
I never said I don't like cats. Once, having been invited to a party, I went clothes shopping beforehand and bought a pair of expensive G-Star boots. They were two sizes too small but I wanted them so badly I figured I could just wear them without socks and cut my toenails very short. As the party was only a few blocks from my place, I decided to walk. After the first block, I lost all feeling in my feet. Arriving at the party, I stumbled into a guy named Steven, spilling Malibu & coke onto his white Wham 'Choose Life' t-shirt, and he punched me. An hour or so after the incident, Steven sat down in a chair already occupied by a cat. The surprised cat clawed and snarled causing Steven to leap out of the chair, slip on a rug and strike his forehead onto the corner of a speaker; resulting in a two inch open gash. In its shock, the cat also defecated, leaving Steven with a wet brown stain down the back of his beige cargo pants. I liked that cat.
Attached poster as requested.
Regards, David.


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.24am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah thats not what I was looking for at all. it looks like a movie and how come the photo of Missy is so small?

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.28am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
It's a design thing. The cat is lost in the negative space.
Regards, David.
From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.33am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Thats just stupid. Can you do it properly please? I am extremely emotional over this and was up all night in tears. you seem to think it is funny. Can you make the photo bigger please and fix the text and do it in colour please. Thanks.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.46am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
Having worked with designers for a few years now, I would have assumed you understood, despite our vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome constructive criticism. I don't come downstairs and tell you how to send text messages, log onto Facebook and look out of the window. I am willing to overlook this faux pas due to you no doubt being preoccupied with thoughts of Missy attempting to make her way home across busy intersections or being trapped in a drain as it slowly fills with water. I spent three days down a well once but that was just for fun.
I have amended and attached the poster as per your instructions.
Regards, David.


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.59am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

This is worse than the other one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo of Missy and delete the stupid text that says missing missy off it? I just want it to say lost.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.14am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.21am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah can you do the poster or not? I just want a photo and the word lost and the telephone number and when and where she was lost and her name. Not like a movie poster or anything stupid. I have to leave early today. If it was your cat I would help you. Thanks.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.32am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Awww

Dear Shannon,
I don't have a cat. I once agreed to look after a friend's cat for a week but after he dropped it off at my apartment and explained the concept of kitty litter, I kept the cat in a closed cardboard box in the shed and forgot about it. If I wanted to feed something and clean faeces, I wouldn't have put my mother in that home after her stroke. A week later, when my friend came to collect his cat, I pretended that I was not home and mailed the box to him. Apparently I failed to put enough stamps on the package and he had to collect it from the post office and pay eighteen dollars. He still goes on about that sometimes, people need to learn to let go.
I have attached the amended version of your poster as per your detailed instructions.
Regards, David.



From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Awww

Thats not my cat. where did you get that picture from? That cat is orange. I gave you a photo of my cat.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.58am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Awww

I know, but that one is cute. As Missy has quite possibly met any one of several violent ends, it is possible you might get a better cat out of this. If anybody calls and says "I haven't seen your orange cat but I did find a black and white one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you want it?" you can politely decline and save yourself a costly veterinarian bill.
I knew someone who had a basset hound that had its hind legs removed after an accident and it had to walk around with one of those little buggies with wheels. If it had been my dog I would have asked for all its legs to be removed and replaced with wheels and had a remote control installed. I could charge neighbourhood kids for rides and enter it in races. If I did the same with a horse I could drive it to work. I would call it Steven.
Regards, David.
From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.07pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Please just use the photo I gave you.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.22pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.34pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

I didnt say there was a reward. I dont have $2000 dollars. What did you even put that there for? Apart from that it is perfect can you please remove the reward bit. Thanks Shan.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.42pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Can you just please take the reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in ten minutes and I still have to make photocopies of it.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.56pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww



From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 1.03pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Fine. That will have to do.

The above email had been sent to me recently as an amusing joke. I must admit I found it roll-on-the-floor-laughing-while-trying-not-to-soil-myself funny. I had to find out if Shanon was a real person, if she indeed lost her cat, and if she had ever found it.

The series of emails actually comes from a man named David Thorne, who lives in Adelaide, Southern Australia. His website is called 27b/6. It is a blog in which he seems to intentionally not pay bills or respond to business colleagues until the situation can be dealt with humorously through email, which he then documents and posts online for our amusement.

By reading the website, one can believe that Shanon is indeed a real person whom he works with. David published a book about his internet adventures, which you can purchase on Amazon.com for about $18. I encourage you to check out the website, as it is a hilarious waste of time.

Incidentally, if David should read this post and see that I published the above transcript without his permission, I am sorry. Simply send me an email (of which I am sure you will have no shortage of things to say) and I will remove it.