[  Mood: Evil ]
[  Currently: Watching My son play with a shoe ]
Well, well, what a difference a week makes. The federal government threatens back to work legislation and the city and transit union suddenly agree to binding arbitration. Of course the feds were only interested cause Obama is comng here Feb 19, and the last thing they need are picketers ruining the photo op.

Perfect Poster Placement, Look Carefully
I believe a teenager did this one.

Girl, 13, sends 14,528 texts in a month
There is nothing I can say as she has said it all.

Irony
Funny.

Couple weds in fast-food style … in Taco Bell
Yo quiero esposa?

Cool Lego Structures
Some repeats. I particularly enjoy the Han in carbonite.

Lego Flamethrower
Who thinks "I need a flamethrower . . . made out of lego!"

Chaos for navy as virus hits fleet computers
This sounds like a great plot for the next Tom Clancy thriller. Or maybe it already is!!!

[  Mood: Confused ]
[ Currently: Breastfeeding my son. ]
Today is Marc Singer‘s Birthday.

Why is that Geekgasm worthy?

Because when I was young I loved watching V. I watched both of the mini-series and the tv show. And I became a fan.

And because I became a fan, I followed him and his career. So then I watched the Beastmaster movies.

Now for the young lady I was, this was as close to erotica as I could get. And boy did I indulge.

So happy birthday, Marc. You made my Canadian youth much more interesting.

[  Mood: Cool ]

Traction Man is an action figure given as a gift to a young boy. The toy comes with combat boots, battle pants, and a warfare shirt and is not to be microwaved.

The book humourously tracks how the boy uses Traction Man in imaginative play. When it’s time to do the dishes, Traction Man explores the Lost Wreck of the Sieve, battles the dishcloth and is rescued by Scrubbing Brush, whom he makes his pet. A trip to Granny’s involves some time in suspended animation and a green hand-knitted outfit for jungle combat.

Beautifully illustrated, this is the first in a series that also includes Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog. It is one of those books that both parents and children can enjoy. And it is so in the next "What to Read After Harry".

[  Mood: Silly ]
[  Currently: Listening to CBC Radio – Canadian Budget ]

In case you didn’t know, I have two history degrees. So I approach historical fiction with a weary eye. Too often they scarifice historicity for dramatic action. This drives me bananas. Still, there are some very nice historical pieces out there. The Other Boleyn Girl, In the Company of the Courtesan, and the Legion series.

So it was with a little concern and a little hopw that I picked up Emperor: The Gates of Rome

Author Conn Igguldun takes a look at Julius Ceasar’s early life creating a young boy who grew up on a small estate outside of Rome. His best friend is Marcus, a foster child of the family. Together they run around the estate, getting into trouble and having a good life.

Then tragedy strikes when Julius’s father dies. This thrusts both boys into adulthood and the politics of Rome. Marcus ends up in an Eastern legion and Julius ends up in his Uncle Marius’ legion.

I found this quite gripping and was quickly engrossed by the story. For an author’s first novel, this one manages to avoid some the new author pitfalls. The twist at the end was interesting, but might be stretching my disbelief a wee bit too much.

We will see what happens in the second installment.

[  Mood: Amused ]
[  Currently: Listening to A Book on CD on the History of the Papacy ]

Stephen Clarke’s first book, A Year in the Merde, is a very funny look at modern day France through the eyes of English advertising executive Paul West. The sequel finds Paul in the midst of setting up his new tea room, while also trying to develop his new relationship while not quite getting over an old one.

In the course of this book, Paul learns about living in the French country side, how simple household chores can be metaphors for sex, how a rusty bicycle can show the difference between residents and tourists, how to deal with dishonest architects, the French film industry. He also makes a return visit to England and sees through French eyes the horror of the British office party and how the British work in general.

Interstingly enough, it is the lack of office shenanigans that weaken this book. This was where author Clarke delivers a sharply honed commentary on the status of French society. This deficit, which he tries to make up for with observations on French family life and British office lifewas, was very noticible. The maturing the main character also may be one of the reasons for the weakness as it is Paul`s slightly frat like attitude that is so fresh in the first book. Still Clarke is a keen observer and commentator on French society and that makes the book worth reading.

I have already ordered the third.

[  Mood: Distorted ]
[ Currently: Breastfeeding My Son ]
In honour of the inauguration, I have several Obama links. There are some non-Obama links in the latter half of the email. Please enjoy!

Obamaicon
Take a picture and turn it into an Obama hope poster.

Whitehouse.gov before and after
Very striking and very telling.

How the Internet has changed
Using whitehouse.gov as an example.

Lego Inauguration
Way, way, way too much time on their hands. Of course Barbara bush is hillarious.

Yes pecan
Yup. You just read that.

Obamaawesome
What a cool action figure. Did you know Obama was a samurai? That he took on Vader?

Come Back In A Week
Funny.

And now some non-Obama choices.

You can smoke fewer cigarettes by smoking longer ones
Now that I know, my life is much less complicated.

The Secret Saved My Life
Funny.

WIND FARM UPDATE: More UFO Sightings
Who knew that that the aliens had issues with windfarms? (And I appologize if someone else has already posted this here – I searched, but could not find.)

Whiskas Advertising – Wild Cats
This man gets more than he bargained for.

Whiskas – According to Hubert
So funny.

[  Mood: Happy ]
So I am planning on entering a contest being run by CBC here in Canada called Canada Writes. Category: Blog entry.

Now I am an avid environmentalist, so recycling is important. Hense I am going to reuse some of my blog posts.

This is where you come in. Yes, you, the two people who read my blog besides my mother. Which previous, finely crafted ruminations should I use?

My faves:
International Year of Mixed Fibres
Would Be Assasins Take Note
Best Thing I Saw Today
Oh, My Poor Cat!
Admitting You Have a Problem Is the First Step
What Makes One Great
Poozooka
Forget Kingdom of the Crystal Skull . . .
Wiarton Willy is a Big, Fat Fraud!

What do you think?

[  Mood: Cool ]
[  Currently: Listening to CBC Radio ]
So the United Nations has declared 2009 as the International Year of Natural Fibres.

And believe me, in the fandom community, that has huge implications.

All those polyester jumpsuits and unitards bought for Halowee’en costumes and convention masquerades are out! Instead, Jedi robes are de riguer.

Now before you start gnashing your teeth with dispair, this might actually be a good thing. The average size and shape of a sci-fi fan reinforces the old saying, "spandex is a priviledge, not a right". We don’t need the Comic Book guy refering to any outfit as his second skin. Even as a cartoon, this is a therapy inducing image.

Plus, with enough draping, the new-natural fiber costumes could double as sleeping bags when we are camping out in line for the next big thing. And there would be room in the pockets for all of our collectibles, negating the need to live in our parents’ basement. Finally, they can install that jacuzzi!

It’s a win-win!

[  Mood: Amused ]
[  Currently: Watching My son sneak up on Husband Unit – repeatedly ]
I just had a thought about anyone who thinks they can assasinate Barak Obama during the inauguration.

For your own sake, don’t.

Because any fool who pulls a gun out tomorrow will find themselves beaten into a pulp by the crowd. That’s right, grannies with their purses, formerly disenfranchised youth, Hollywood celebrities by the limo load, heck even ObamaGirl and Oprah are going to lay down a smackdown that will make those wolves Palin shot from the helicopter feel sorry for you. Trust me, the secret service will not be able to make it to you in time.

And all of this will happen as the crowd chants,

"No, you can’t! No, you can’t! No, you can’t!"

So those of you with murderous intensions tomorrow, stay home. Have some Ovaltine instead.

[  Mood: In Love ]
[ Currently: Breastfeeding My Son ]

Joanne Baldwin does not have an easy life. She’s no longer a weather warden, but trouble keeps finding her. She has also managed to develop a new set of powers, that of fire. Problem is, Joanne has no time to learn how to use these powers because Mother Earth is going nuts.

There are out of control weather systems, massive eartquakes and killing forest fires. Apparently Nature has decided that humans are a plague upon the earth and she is going to eradicate them. The truth proves to be far more complex than even that, involving demon marks and a propaganda campaign lead by Ashan.

Joanne has also discovered that she is a mother . . . of a full-grown half-djinn/half-human daughter who is two days old. Her djinn lover (and father of her child, David) has gone insane, along with the rest of the free djinn. Weather Wardens are dying by the hundreds as the djinn turn on their former masters. Meanwhile, Ashan, leader of the elder djinn, is ot to kill Joanne. Oh, yeah, and her sister is still in the clutches of Eamond who wants Joanne to get him a djinn.

Joanne is having her regular crappy day.

Rachel Cain is a master of the supernatural chick-lit genre. The story keeps you turning pages and guessing what is going to happen next. Joanne is an engaging heroine that readers will find easy to get along with. The reast of the characters are vibrant and complex. Cain’s wirting is witty, full of quotes for the quote-o-matic.

If you have not yet endulged in this urban fantasy, I would strongly recommend it.