Veteran’s Day

Sometimes I try very hard to forget one serious fact- I’m American.  Even though my home base is in Toronto, smashing whiskey bottles over the head of the almost always haggard Alex, I was born in Philadelphia.  I travel a lot, and usually tell foreigners that I’m Canadian.  It saves a lot of hassle, and possible beheadings.  Today though, is the one day where I can really say I’m proud to be American.  Some of my buddies north of the border might want to puke at that fact I’m saying this, but you know what, FUCK YOU.  USA-A-OK.  Fuck yeah.

Only in America.

TTC, The Costly Way: Fare Hike Expected for 2010

You know something? I’ve lived in this fair city on and off for the last twenty-five years, and let me tell you what – I love it. I love every inch of it from the Beaches to Chinatown to the Lakeshore to North York where I grew up. I’ve been to a lot of places in my life, and as cliche as it sounds, there’s just no place like Toronto. Best city in the world, if you ask me.

However.

Living Without Money: Self-Sustainability in Britain

One of the fundamental criticisms of my generation is that we don’t understand the value of money, and I suppose that’s probably a fair statement. All around me I see my contemporaries leaping gleefully onto each and every techno-gadget bandwagon that trundles by our metaphorical front doors; regardless of price, they must own the latest iWhatever, the high-end computer, the chic fashion.

But it’s not really their fault.

Facebook: The cause of and solution to all of life’s doldrums

So I got a call from the Fixer today telling me that Alex has disappeared.  Probably in some ditch with a case of James Ready and a vicious hangover.  So here’s Julian, filling in.

Ahh Facebook. Facebook has to be the crack, nay, the crystal meth of the internet, and we’re playing the part of Andre Agassi. Facebook is certainly one of the most successful internet applications of all time, and part of the reason it has been so successful is that it has taken all of the best elements of social networking and blended them into a very user-friendly interface. That, and everyone you know uses it. In the first few years of its existence, it has sapped virtually all of the market share away from its competitors (see: Myspace, Livejournal), and does not appear to be releasing its deathgrip on the internet any time soon. The only hot application that seems to be rivalling Facebook for social media supremacy over the past year has been Twitter, and that’s a small drop in the pot compared to the Facebook juggernaut.

Epic Mickey = Epic Fail? Disney to Reboot Famous Mouse

I’m beginning to think people are starting to pay attention to me, if only in an attempt to piss me off.

T.O.Night, I Want To Cry: Advertising and You, Part II

My brain is a complicated place.

I’m sure regular readers will immediately identify that statement as another in a long list the of puff-chested, head-expanding egotism they’ve come to expect from me. And while I don’t blame them for thinking that, I actually have a reason for making this assertion beyond my oft-touted megalomania.

Richmond Rape Not Hollywood Material

On Sunday morning I was lounging around at Adam’s place after Nerds With Guitars played his annual Halloween party (pictures to come) when his lovely wife Meaghan brought up State of Affairs. She told me she had a story for me to cover, and as she read through it I was underwhelmed. Certainly it was right up my alley (the Alley of Castigating Social Injustice, for those of you who are new to this blog), but I told her there are only so many of these stories I can cover before I start grating like Johnny One-Note playing the kazoo (as a better writer than me once said). I have built this blog on the basis of being unflinchingly honest and cynical, but after a while people start to tire of my endless parade of rage.

State of Affairs: Halloween Edition – Even Scarier Than Usual

Greetings and salutations my devoted readers, and may I be the first to wish you a frightening Hallowe’en (or Samhain for my brothers and sisters in Eire).  I’m aware it’s a day early, but frankly I have better things to do tomorrow than look for things to entertain you.  No offense, but Hallowe’en might be my favourite holiday of the year, so you’ll have to forgive my priorities.

One of my priorities will be watching this movie. Because it's the ONLY VERSION THAT EXISTS.

Poetry is Still Cool? It Is In London: Alex James on the Road

Okay folks, I have to get this off my chest.
After years of purporting to be a writer of sorts, I’ve got to go on record saying I really, really can’t stand poetry.  Or more to the point, I can’t stand poets.

Yeah, just like this. Why the turtle? Because it's "art".

I know, right?

This Is It? Jackson Docu-Movie Hot on the Heels of Death

We’ve weathered a lot of celebrity deaths this year, and I’ve taken time to write about a lot of them on this blog, or at least the ones I cared enough about to mention.  I think it’s fair to say the most-publicized of these was probably the death of the so-called King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

(Photos redacted because WordPress is being a pain in the ass.  Imagine your own, or failing that, try Google.)