Generative AI is at the Jurassic Park Moment
A lot of people are concerned about Generative AI right now. We’re looking at a very wide swatch of “intelligent” tools that are taking people’s jobs away. Or at least that’s what …
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Pop Culture
74 posts tagged with this topic.
The Problem with Infinity
About a year ago, I started listening to podcasts. (I know, I’m late to the game. Moving on…) While there are so, so many to choose from, I’ve found myself very much gravitated towards BBC …
Are Successful People Awful?
I’m a bit late to the podcast game. I had listened to them on and off over the years but hadn’t really taken to them. Why would I want to listen to someone prattle on about something when I can listen to …
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Happy Twosday!
Oh, we’re stretching this so far it could snap. But today is “Twosday”, the last time for over a thousand years when we’ll have AW WHO AM I KIDDING THIS IS COMPLETE BUNK! This is because someone …
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Cancel Culture is a Requirement for Modern Society
This is going to seem like it should be filed under “rants”. After all, I’m taking a contrary position to some thing that’s been popularized and that is, by nature, a diatribe. But I think this is …
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Society is Dead, Long Live Liberty
O 2020, thou harsh and cruel year. I won’t recap all the things that we’ve been trying to live through this year, those are matters for history books and YouTube videos. What we’ve all experienced is unlike anything the …
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My Hip Stories
In two days, I’m going to see The Tragically Hip play at the Saddledome. I will freely admit that, somewhat stereotypically Canadian of me, The Hip is my favourite band. So I will also state that I’m excited to see them …
A musical evening in Red Deer
I know what you’re thinking: Red Deer? Music? Honestly, what on Earth are you thinking, Geoff? You haven’t exactly had the most … inspiring of times in Red Deer. Okay, I admit, I’ve not got the best stories of …
Christmas Blitzkrieg
When I have those moments when I think I’ve gotten too old, and I think I’m starting to feel like my age, I’m thankful for sudden sustained bursts of activity that remind me that, really, I just lead a much duller life …
Why Disney buying Lucasfilm could be a good thing
Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that today’s news totally threw me for a loop. I, like almost no-one else, saw that coming. I, like everyone else, immediately wondered what was going on, and what could it mean? The …
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Bronze is still a medal
I had a debate with my neighbour the other day over the Olympics, and notably how Canadians are approaching our successes at the Games. I love having debates with my neighbour — he’s well-educated, open-minded, (loves …
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An evening with the crew of the Starship Enterprise
Calgary’s Comic Convention seems to be growing by leaps and bounds every year. While I’ve never been, I’d heard how Leonard Nimoy had been scooped a couple of years ago (they even managed to take him out to Vulcan — no …
TV is dead. Long live the internet!
I feel like an old man. I can now look at my kids, and say with far too much vigour: “When I was your age…” I refer to, of course, having to get off my ass, walking over to the cathode ray tube-based …
The end of the individual experience
A few years from now, my kids will be old enough to ask me questions that will require a lot of explanation. Like, for example, what the internet was like when I was their age, how I survived without a mobile data …
I Believe
Dear Canada, I must, in true Canadian form, say “I’m sorry”. I doubted. All I could see was fault, all I could see was mediocrity, all I could see was the world laughing at our attempts to be more than our …
The failure of the electric car
In our Inconvenient Truth world, popular desire is starting to change the way some companies think. We’re seeing large companies produce “green” products, such as biodegradable detergents, packaging from …
Day of the Ya Ya
Well, Monkey, today was your Ya Ya day. In case you don’t remember what “Ya Yas” are when you get around to reading this, this is your name for The Backyardigans. And a couple of weeks ago, Mommy noticed …
WALL-E - What is Disney-Pixar not telling us?
I had an epiphany this morning as I waited for my carpool. I don’t know why it came to me, it just did. I can’t even remember how I got onto the thought. But as I stood there, I had the clear vision: There are no old …
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Forty years from one step
Like almost everyone in my generation (who isn’t more than three years older than me) has lived in a world where humans have set foot on the moon. For us, this isn’t just an historical event — it’s a part of our culture. …
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What I think of the new Star Trek movie
Last night, I saw J.J. Abrams’ re-envisioning of Star Trek. It didn’t suck. But I’m not about to stand up and laud the praise that so many others had. I’m not convinced it deserves it (or the #71 ranking in the IMDB’s …
Music industry's future - Creators and Performers
The music industry is falling apart. Not in the way your under-maintained 1991 economy car with rust spots is leaving a breadcrumb trail of broken parts, but in the way your high school clique drifted apart as everyone …
Which Beatles is better - British Invasion, or Studio?
The other day, as Mark was driving us to work, we were treated to Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da on Radio Dos as we were inching our way through the daily Lindora grind. I’ve heard this song at least 100 times (iTunes reports a mere …
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Where Star Trek went wrong
Many years ago, I wrote an article for the University of Waterloo’s student newspaper, The Imprint, where I laid into Star Trek: Generations (page 24) as a not-so-great adaptation of a television show to a movie. To say …
A few of my favourite movies
I’ve had a lot of people ask me over the years what movies I have in my Top 10 (or Top 5 or Top 3) list. There’s a lot of good movies out there, and a number of them definitely get listed among my favourites. But make no …
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I missed the 2009 Oscars
Crap. I just realised that I missed this year’s Academy Awards. I’ve been so bloody busy I totally forgot when they were on. Damn. I love watching them, too. I suck.
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My 10 favourite cover songs
In the annals of music, there will always the be homage to the giants that came before, who created the sound, and inspired the ones yet to come. That usually lends to things like the ubiquitous cover track — a …
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Steve Jobs blows it. Again.
Sigh. There’s nothing more frustrating than watching Apple come so close to finally tying the knot, only to leave threads dangling. I speak, of course, of yesterday’s Let’s Rock event where the apparently-not-dead (but …
Is America ready for Obama + Clinton?
I love American politics. It’s my form of WWE — all the cheers and jeers with all the spectacle to go along with it. One day, I think the American presidency will go the way of the President of the Galaxy from …
80th Oscars
Well, the annual Oscars show has come and gone again. And I almost missed it this time! It was by mere fluke that I happened to come across the E-Talk Red Carpet pre-show tonight. If I hadn’t caught it during a brief …
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The Dirty Jobs Drinking Game
Everyone thinks their job sucks. It can be for any number of reasons. But there’s one guy out there who looks for the dirty jobs. The ones that no-one really wants to do, but does anyway. The ones where if the job wasn’t …
Colbert no longer for President
Okay, yes, everyone’s heard about Stephen Colbert‘s run for the presidency. Those of you who watch his show regularly (sadly, I do not; though Alex is becoming a massive fan) know what Colbert is like. Perhaps not the …
RIP Miss Moneypenny
Lois Maxwell, the actress who first played original long-suffering admirer of super spy James Bond, passed away yesterday at 80. In my world, this is pretty significant news. But then, I am a movie geek. And like many …
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Could Google do evil?
My coworker Martin sent around a link to an article that paints Google as being a great big source of evil, tantamount to being the core of a near-police state. To say that it’s a little alarmist is putting it mildly. I …
10 Years Ago
Do you remember where you were 10 years ago? Today is the tragic anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. As I write this, services have already been conducted in England. I was reminded of where I was 10 years ago, and …
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Quack
This definitely falls into “WTF” territory. Tim found this and had us all saying basically the same thing: What the heck? A giant yellow rubber duck in France.
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More than meets the eye
Tonight, we went to see the Transformers movie. I got three words for you: Giant. Robot. Mayhem. I grew up with Transformers. I had the toys. I watched the cartoon. I saw the (first) movie. I even dabbled with the later …
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My favourite cooking show
Some years ago, and I honestly don’t know how many now, I started watching cooking shows. I’d like to think that, largely, they’re the reason (sometimes to blame) for my cooking ability. Yes, Virginia, you can learn …
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Why Prince Harry should be king
There are just some downright strange things that you can come across in the news sometimes. Like this, for example: Prince Harry visits Calgary cowboy bar I nearly fell off my chair when I read that. I mean, come on, …
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Mozart on roller skates
Some of you might have already seen the Audi commercial. Pretty neat. Even neater, when it comes right down to it, is the guy who thought of this in the first place. (I’m not certain, but I think he’s also in the Audi …
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Where does he find these wonderful sites?
Andre’s got good stuff again. I’d love to know where he finds this. First up, something called The Vader Project, a reimagining of Vader’s helmet. I love the rusty riveted-iron version. Then there’s Pacman’s skeleton. …
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Add another to the trilogy list
It’s not every year that you see two great trilogies come to live. Heck, it’s three so far! Today, thanks to my friend Robyn, we saw the Shrek trilogy come to life. I have to say, while it might not be as good as the …
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Pirating Star Wars
(Oh, I’m just dying to see what links to this article because of that title!) No, this is not about copying the Star Wars movies. So if that’s what you’re looking for, please look elsewhere. This is about two great …
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Critical Mass does Spiderman
One of the biggest movies of this year will likely be Spiderman 3. Obviously, that’s hard to know for sure, but we’ll know by December. Anyhoo, the Critical Mass Social Club is now in full swing, and one of the first …
Inspirational Star Trek
As you might recall from earlier posts, I’m a reformed Trekkie. That means I not only understand Trekkie jokes, but I can also appreciate them without getting offended. In particular, the Star Trek Inspirational Posters. …
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What is that irritating whine?
A word to the RIAA: SHUT UP! Who the hell do these people think they are? Why are they telling me what I can do with the material that I’ve legally paid for? Why should I do anything more than punch the first RIAA rep I …
79th Annual Academy Awards
It’s time for my only annual awards show. The Oscars. The Big One. The only thing I’m willing to stay up for until it’s over. Been this way since … well, heck, since I was an early teen, I think. Aside from CTV’s …
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Forbidden Starbucks
I came across an article in Yahoo!’s Oddly Enough section this morning about how an internet protest movement is might drive out Starbucks from their location in the Forbidden City. Frankly, I’m trying to understand how …
Disbelieving DRM and copy protection
I don’t believe in copy protection, like I don’t believe in the Easter Bunny or Jimmy Hoffa. It’s a myth that people cling to like a squirrel to a curtain, which is to say they have to because they are unable to see any …
Cirque du Soliel's Delirium
Way back in August, Alex and I celebrated our paper anniversary, the first. We’d celebrated by going to Banff and spending the night at the Banff Springs hotel, having a wonderful dinner (note: chocolate fondue is …
Happy 40th Anniversary Star Trek
Space. The Final Frontier. Forty years ago today, a little under six years before I was born, Star Trek took to the air for it’s original three-year run before being cancelled. It would spawn off an animated series, …
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Stuart McLean and Vinyl Cafe come to Banff
Not long after I met Alex, I was introduced to The Vinyl Cafe. This is a weekly show on CBC Radio, featuring the short stories of author and host Stuart McLean. It’s a wonderful show, and I try to listen to it as much as …
Oscar Night - The 78th Academy Awards
You could almost have called last night’s telecast “The George Clooney Show”. That man attracts far too much attention for being only one person in Hollywood. That’s not to say that he doesn’t deserve …
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On being a Know-it-all
I am a know-it-all. Both in the best and worst senses. I became one as a kid. When all of my friends were reading Hardy Boys or Lord of the Rings, I was reading through Time Life books, learning how the universe worked — …
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On the passing of Pope John Paul II
I’m not a Roman Catholic. However, I will mourn the passing of Pope John Paul II. From a religious perspective, John Paul II had no direct influence on my life. John Paul II did not draw the line at religious direction. …
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Cheap music will save the music industry
The dinosaurs died off because they couldn’t adapt. They couldn’t evolve fast enough to cope with a rapidly changing environment. As a result, “dinosaur” is often an apt description for any entity unable or …
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George Carlin plays Jack Singer Hall
WARNING! The following entry contains language that might not be appropriate to some. If you are offended easily by some words, I recommend skipping this entry. If you continue to read it, and are offended, your damn …
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The Red Mile
There’s just something inherently wrong with watching Stanley Cup hockey while sweating because it’s so warm. The season needs to be shorter. Or there need to be fewer teams, especially in places where you can’t …
The Academy Awards do the right thing, again!
I don’t watch awards shows, as a whole. They’re mostly dull and boring. They feature people whom I don’t care about, and subjects that I couldn’t care less about. But then there’s the Academy Awards. I haven’t missed the …
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David Bowie Plays the Calgary Saddledome
Tonight, David Bowie reminded us all how a concert should be done. Well, technically last night, but since it’s just after midnight as I write this, it’s still the same night. Anyway, you get the point. Tamara and I had …
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Lord of the Geeks - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
One trilogy to rule them all. One trilogy to find them. One trilogy to bring them all, and in the darkness, bind them. Despite my repeated objections with the stupid things the movie industry does to we patrons of the …
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Movie Theatres, Kvitch, and High Ticket Prices
Some weeks ago, my friend and co-worker Luke threw around an email looking for volunteers. They had to be passionate about movies, movie theatres, and be willing to be interviewed for CBC Radio. Hopefully, I don’t need …
Eric Idle's Greedy Bastard Tour hits Calgary
Tonight, the Greedy Bastard hit Cowtown. The Bastard in question, in case you’re wondering, is Eric Idle. For those of you buried under rocks since the day of your birth, Eric was one of Britain’s Monty Python comedy …
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Movie Ticket Prices and Acts of Piracy
A question: Who commits the greater act of piracy? Those who download movies off the Internet, or those who plunder the pocketbooks of the innocent who want to see the next blockbuster? I’ve been finding myself asking …
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Review of the 2003 Academy Awards
Normally, around this time of year, I rant about the really dumb decisions the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science makes when awarding their own. Normally, it’s because they give Oscars to those who …
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Start of the Iraq War
One is left with the horrible feeling now that war settles nothing; that to win a war is as disastrous as to lose one. Agatha Christie What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the …
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Chinese New Year 4700, Space Shuttle Columbia Explosion
The year 4700 on the Chinese calendar got off to a very sombre start. Today is Chinese New Year’s day. Today, I had many things I wanted to do. Most of them were summarily forgotten when, barely a few minutes out of bed, …
Lord of the Rings The Two Towers midnight show
Assuming you’re not avoiding the media or living under a rather large rock, you’ve probably heard that the second chapter of the Lord of the Rings trilogy opened today. Yes, you’ve guessed right: I’ve already seen it. A …
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Lord of the Rings DVD release
On Tuesday (12 November 2002), the extended version of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was released on DVD. The standard theatrical release came out a few months ago, but this was the one I was waiting for …
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Star Wars and the Last Episode of The X-Files
Long weekends are rarely long enough. I’d like one to last about a year, personally, but without all the seasonal changes. But I suppose that’s what Hawaii is for… My weekend (sort of) started on Thursday night, …
Reaction to September 11, 2001 (9/11)
Yesterday, someone whacked the biggest kid in the yard in the back of the head with a 2×4. And now he’s very, very angry. Yesterday morning, for me, was of little consequence when I got up. I was tired, mostly due to jet …
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Bowling with Co-workers and a Review of the 2001 Academy Awards
Not since Kathryn returned to Toronto have I had some time off. I’ve been a busy little beaver, cutting down on the amount of work that’s been heaped on me in the past few weeks and months. So it goes without saying that …
Preparing for the Y2K New Year
The clock, as they say, is ticking. In a few short hours, the last few seconds of 1999 will disappear somewhere just off the coast of New Zealand, and we’ll start to find out what we’re in for. Some believe it’s the end …
A Boys Night out in Calgary, Drumheller, Banff (Bamf!), and Star Wars
This weekend, I did something a little different than usual. I went to Calgary. Alone. Well, not totally alone. I went to visit Stuart, who I had only seen for a whopping six hours at Christmas. Ideally, I would have …
Wayne Gretzky, The Great One, Retires
The shock came Thursday night, when I accidentally ran into the press conference while flipping channels — Gretzky was going to retire. I couldn’t help but think to myself: “Wow.” That was about all I could …
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