31 December 2006
30 December 2006
A kiss is just a kiss
This pair was caught in the act in the low light on a cold winter's afternoon. The nature of their relationship was not known by the typist who shot the pictures, but things certainly looked promising until someone said the wrong thing and they both went their separate ways.
29 December 2006
Politically correct Christmas wishes
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or
their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
And a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make Canada great, (not to imply that Canada is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "CANADA" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee.
(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.
This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher)"
27 December 2006
Typist on leave
Promo Girl to return
The good news is that Promo Boy, Tony Daniels, has replaced Promo Girl while she pursues greener pastures in the movie business. The bad news is that the Over Inflected One will return with when her movie projects are complete.
This typist credits Shauna MacDonald, the actor behind Promo Girl, for her good work in the role of Constable Erica Miller in the Trailer Park Boys. And she will no doubt prove her acting talents in her present movie projects.
But the nudge-nudge-wink-wink-aren't-we-hip-at-the-CBC act has to go. Her exaggerated radio voice distracts from the content it aims to promote by drawing too much attention to itself. And it diminishes important subject matter that deserves intelligent, not cute, promotional treatments.
The Ceeb has it wrong on this one. Cute, saucy and look-at-me irony quickly degenerates into cute, saucy cliche. It wears thin and becomes predictable while distracting from the good material it promotes. This does not belong in public radio broadcasting. The CEEB and is listeners deserve more.
26 December 2006
Green Christmas
24 December 2006
Favourite modern Christmas Quote
-Independent on Sunday newspaper of London
(thanks to Tagbagger)
Prime Minister of the Blues dies
Dubbed PM of the Blues by King of the Blues BB King, Dutchy played the bar circuit in Nova Scotia and across Canada since the 1950s. This typist recalls seeing his thickened arthritis-riddled fingers clasping a microphone as he belted out tunes in many of those bars in the 80s and 90s.
And when the arthritis claimed the rest of him, Dutchy was still up there on stage in his wheelchair singing the blues. He was the blues.
We'll miss him.
Ambulance Girl meets Sir Claverton.
Click here for the next installment.
23 December 2006
U2 Bono?
The official title is Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. There will be no "Sir Bono" as this award is conferred upon citizens of countries of which the Queen is not head of state. Bono is Irish.
This typist salutes you, Bono, for your good works and your good music.
Wossy's Christmas playlist
21 December 2006
Red dawn
Ten saddest songs
The Finnish mobile phone giant Nokia UK has named The Verve's hit 'The Drugs Don't Work' as the saddest song. The company commissioned an "expert" in physiology and music to analyze physical responses to rock and pop songs. It measured heart rate, respiratory response and skin temperature based on songs compiled by the official UK Charts Company.
"Music is undeniably powerful at triggering different emotional states. Changes in tempo and frequencies induce profoundly different emotional states," said Dr. Harry Witchel who carried out the survey. "A slow tempo song like The Verve's 'The Drugs Don't Work' slows down the heart compared to most of the other songs and compared to white noise - in other words, it works like the emotional state of sadness.
Hmmm. Anyway, here is the rest of the list. Are these songs sad or just obvious choices for the list?
1. The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
2. Robbie Williams - Angels
3. Elton John - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
4. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You
5. Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U
6. Will Young - Leave Right Now
7. Elvis Presley - Are You Lonesome Tonight?
8. Christina Aguilera - Beautiful
9. James Blunt - Goodbye My Lover
10. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
Ten happiest songs
1. Lily Allen - "LDN"
2. ABBA - "Dancing Queen"
3. R.E.M. - "Shiny Happy People"
4. B52s - "Love Shack"
5. The Beatles - "She Loves You"
6. Beyonce - "Crazy in Love"
7. Britney Spears - "Baby One More Time
"8. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - "I've Had the Time of My Life"
9. Spice Girls - "Spice Up Your Life"
10. Kylie Minogue - "Spinning Around"
20 December 2006
Isn't it great to be a man Part IV
- You can play with toys all your life.
- Your belly hides your big hips.
- No one gives you a hard time about your VPL
- You can wear horrible, dated clothes and not be judged for it
- One wallet, one pair of shoes, one color for all seasons.
- You can wear shorts no matter how bad your legs look.
- You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife.
- The hairdresser charges you less even if the cut the same as a woman's
- You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
- You enjoy a bit of sexual harassment every now and then
- You can only have to do Christmas shopping for your wife, girlfriend, mother (sometimes all three at once!)
- you leave your Christmas shopping until 24th December and then have dutiful female sales clerks doting over you and making the decisions for you
- you get to drink the bourbon left for Santa on Christmas Eve.
19 December 2006
Worst songs for sex
10. Old Shep - Elvis Presley (it's about a man who has to shoot his dog)
9. Lark's Tongue in Aspic Parts I & II - King Crimson (prog rock that's only into itself)
8. Who are you? - The Who (for obvious reasons)
7. Rude Box - Robbie Williams (so desperate for sex it needs a bucket of water thrown over it)
6. Too drunk to f*** - Dead Kennedies(sorry, they keyboard censored that one, so you guess)
5. Theme from Dr Who - BBC (who would want to have sex with a Dr. Who fan?)
4. National anthem (the BBC means God Save the Queen, but Oh Canada would be even worse)
3. Now I want to sniff some glue - The Ramones (only 1min 35 seconds, romantic theme too.)
2. Three Girl Rumba - Wire (1 min 23 seconds and with enough time for a post-coital snuggle)
1. Napalm Death - Dead (5 seconds long, charming)
Down with the bottom feeders XI
Sadly, this effort failed, and Canada sided with nations such as Spain, opposing the temporary moratorium. Click here for pictures of other corals damaged by bottom trawling.
These pictures were provided to the Gifted Typist by Dr. Ellen Kenchington, research scientist with the Canadian Department of Fisheries, Ecosystem Research Division. Thank you Ellen.
18 December 2006
Isn't it great to be a man Part III
- You never get embarassed when you miss social cues.
- A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase and golf clubs
- You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
- You "babysit" your own children and then are sainted for it
- Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack and you only buy a new three-pack once every three years.
- There's a place to pee around every corner, against every wall
- You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
- The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
- You only have to shave your face and neck and don't get called rude names if you choose not to shave at all
17 December 2006
Favourite Christmas quote
Does the bow gotta go?
Is someone trying to tell this typist that the bow is too big. Does it make this typist look like a bow-off or, worse, bowstful? Does it make this typist a bow-zo? Or has the bow had too much bow-tox?
Be honest: Does the bow gotta go?
16 December 2006
Worst songs for sex?
Any suggestions?
Best songs for sex (hold the lyrics)
Oh- I need your lovin'
A sea was storming inside of me
Baby I think I'm capsizing
The waves are rising and rising
And when I get that feeling
I want Sexual Healing
Darling, you're so great
I can't wait for you to operate
15 December 2006
Isn't it great to be a man - Part II
*You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
*You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
*Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character.
*Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
*People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
*The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
*New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
And there are more to come.
14 December 2006
The Cheddar Chronicles: the cat, the teeth and the tartar
Happy Whatever-Turns-Your-Crank Day
The following is Dick's comment on the Happy Holidays post of a few days ago. It speaks to the confusion many feel about what is being celebrated at this time of year and why.
I will wish people a Merry Christmas,
with total disregard for their
feelings. What else am I supposed to call it?
I've tried happy Jesus Spawn Day
but it wasn't well received.I celebrate
around the day known as Christmas (read
Jesus Spawn Day if you like). I do
not celebrate Christmas, I celebrate a well
deserved paid holiday. In this
context it seems quite appropriate to wish me a
Happy Holidays
Stranger: Hi, what do you celebrate
Dick: Holidays, why?
Stranger: No, I mean do you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, winter solstice?
Dick: Oh I see ... I celebrate time off work. I guess I should be happy that Jesus was spawned and so many people make a fuss about it, or I might be working right now.
Stranger: Oh ... happy holidays.
Dick: Wouldn't have it any other
way.
Happy Whatever Turns Your Crank Day!
Isn't it great to be a man Part I
Your last name stays put.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal.
Tune in for Part II of this screed tomorrow,
13 December 2006
Anthrax on anthrax
Among the Cipro-seekers was Scott Ian, lead singer of thrash-metal band Anthrax who said he ordered the drug "because I will not die an ironic death."
12 December 2006
Words that should be banned: Happy Holidays
If a well-wisher wants to greet an acquaintance or friend at this time of year, they will know or ask which tradition is being celebrated. Hanukkah? Christmas? Kwanzaa? Winter Solstice?
What greater respect can the well wisher pay than to ask how the recipient celebrates?
Inclusivity? Yes. Diversity. Yes. These add colour and flare to a celebration. But Happy Holidays? This draws a dark curtain on the colour and flare, blunting out the character and joy of the celebration. So, let's save Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Winter Solstice from this banalization and ban Happy Holidays.
10 December 2006
Favourite tantric sex quote
09 December 2006
New life and near death for Ambulance Girl
In the midst of all the noise, debris and fear comes the miracle of new life, a baby born in the rubble during an air raid, delivered by Ambulance Girl. Days later Ambulance Girl wakes from a haze of confusion, her body throbbing, lungs full of grit, head swirling with fragments of memory to learn she is lucky to be alive after a parachute bomb exploded nearby.
Click here for the latest installment.
07 December 2006
Typist braves ice storm
A brutal ice storm moved into the Ottawa area last Friday, swathing nature in a frozen lacquer that trapped berries and branches in time, like precious amber. This typist did not dress warmly enough to go out and capture the moment, but it was worth the frozen fingers. Twigs, trees, automobiles and power lines also suffered at the hand of the cold, but if you got close it was other-worldly.
06 December 2006
Promo Boy bumps Promo Girl?
Keen listeners today will have noticed the conspicuous absence of the Over-Inflected One. There was no forced irony imposed on serious subject matter, no self-serving jokes, no it's-all-about-me intrusion on the broadcast rhythms.
Instead, we heard a pleasant male voice drawing attention to programs of interest without drawing attention to himself. Promo Boy (or ProBo, to keep with the syntax) was informative without being intrusive, and he managed this without resorting to the dreaded "voice of God" the Ceeb so desperately wishes to avoid.
Congratulations ProBo and the Ceeb. It may be wishful thinking, but long may it last.