November 30, 2004
Snake Plissken
I had an image of Snake Plissken here but some guy hotlinked it so I am removing it. I am certain you can find charming images of Snake Plissken using, for example, Google's image search.
Male Objectification Week at the Flea™ continues with Kurl Russell
as Snake Plissken (just to show I am paying attention, Debbye!). We should maybe wear eye-patches and get Che-style Plissken T-shirts made. Well, the eye-patches anyway.
Malloy: The United States is a non-smoking nation! No smoking, no drugs, no alcohol, no women - unless you're married - no foul language, no red meat!
Snake Plissken: Land of the free.
Bonobo: Pick Up
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Epic
All I can see is a metallic skeletal foot stomping on a human skull. Though I admit I never imagined bloggers would be in part to blame (via the Flea's speed expert).
Pepsi Spice Project
Ok, so when I saw a time-limited Pepsi Holiday Spice beverage I bought it immediately. Despite a friend's assertion that Diet Lime Coke and Vanilla Coke are "unnecessary" I will purchase almost any gimmick product. But even I think the Pepsi Spice Project is taking the idea to an extreme (via Attu).
A: I will drink Pepsi Holiday Spice for 45 days, and nothing else.. no water, milk, nothing... but Pepsi Holiday Spice.
Wal-Mart
Instpundit has been writing about Wal-Mart (and here). All I can add is that if my recent customer service experience is any indication I am surprised anyone shops there at all.
And this linked observation is brilliant:
November 29, 2004
Dirty Harry
Welcome to Male Objectification Week at the Flea™. Our first male model is Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry... kick ass!
Harry Callahan: Well, I'm all broken up over that man's rights!
Phenomenon
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Reverse dictionary
I tried "wave at flag with respect" to try out this Reverse Dictionary. First search result: salute. Impressive.
Fantasy airplanes
Fantasy Planes catalogues "schemes that were too visionary, some are found in fiction, and some were practical aircraft that lost out somewhere between blue sky and finished prototype." The Lippisch P.13a coal-fired ramjet interceptor, for example.
My Crappy Life
Drudge Report linked to the story of Rachelle Waterman, a teenager accused of conspiring in the murder of her mother. The Anchorage Daily News details the ongoing drama of her LiveJournal but does not name it: My Crappy Life.
I won't have computer acess until the weekend or so because the police took my computer to go through the hard drive. I thank everyone for their thoughts and e-mails, I hope to talk to you when I get my computer back.
JFK. WTF?
What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com
This is a sly dig about Ecosystem link ranking, right?
November 27, 2004
Oops!
This post has been removed at the request of the linkee! We had a journalism malfunction.
Beastie Boys: Triple Trouble
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Louise Brooks
Louis Brooks magazine covers from the '20s and '30s. Oh yes.
Ukraine state TV in revolt
If only the CBC would say it had had enough of "telling the government's lies." But then all they are afraid of losing is their budget and their jobs should they hold eternal Liberal government to account. Maybe people get braver when they have something more important to defend.
Journalists on another strongly pro-government TV station have also promised an end to the bias in their reporting. The turnaround in news coverage, after years of toeing the government line, is a big setback for Mr Yanukovych. Journalists in Ukraine seem to have responded to the call by opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko for them to reject government censorship.
DREAD
News of the DREAD Weapon System arrives via the Flea's dromology expert who wonders if it is a hoax.
November 26, 2004
Men's lore
Isn't there something in Iron John about men's mysteries?
Comments
I would be grateful if someone could tell me how to rename or move my mt-comments.cgi file so as to make it moderately more difficult for the spambots to find it. I am also looking to hire someone to upgrade my blog to MT3. Advice would be most welcome.
Delft
A digital photo taken from Delft University claims to be the largest in the world at an impressive 2.5 gigapixels. While fun to navigate the view is not much to look at.
Plastic turkey
If my comments were working I would encourage people to come up with the best plastic turkey caption.
November 25, 2004
Olympia
Alexander is beginning to sound like mandatory viewing. John Podhoretz says "Angelina Jolie plays Alexander's mother like she was Natasha from the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons" (via Instapundit) while ideofact quotes the following from a Washington Post review.
Theda Bara... oh yes!
Male Objectifiction Week™
You have asked for it... nay, demanded it! Next week is Male Objectification Week at the Flea™. I may consider nominations but keep in mind my arrogant silencing of debate and unilateral blogging choices mean I may threaten your job, or worse... not link to you, if you annoy me. So don't suggest anyone who may make me feel bad about myself!
Scenesters
Scenesters! Somewhat ironic given recent bloggish events and evident ideas about my political leanings is the fact I dated an incarnation of Ultra P.C. Girl on and off for ten years. And I have had arguably more than my fair share of feminist poetry recited to me.
Paperbaghead
Paperbaghead: have you spotted him yet?
Nadsat
This Nadsat dictionary should come in handy if my TBS swearing-substitution plan does not work out.
Booyakasha
Ali G delivers the 2004 Harvard University commencement speech. This cannot possibly be true, can it?
Snarky
| You Are a Snarky Blogger! |
 You've got a razor sharp wit that bloggers are secretly scared of. And that's why they read your posts as often as they can! |
Via The Monger who is also snarky.
November 24, 2004
A lucky girl
It is a peculiar fact that not everyone loves Kylie Minogue. I know, I know it sounds like crazy-talk but diminuitive Australian pop-stars are irritating to some. Well, chacun à son goût. Ms. Minogue is a public figure and with that will come the barbs of people who, rather than change the channel, will carry on complaining about the music. Rumour has it I am being called sexist in some corners of the Canadian blogosphere for my devotion to Kylie-media. Mandatory re-education for Canadian-bloggers/jouebeurs-Canadiens! If only the federal government regulated and taxed blogs I am certain smoking, swearing and oogling attractive people would be frowned upon by all right thinking Canadians. No wait... we are already there. Success! I can only conclude my blog is threatening the foundations of Canadian society. Good thing the Flea is published in the U.S. of A. (f*yeah!).
As it turns out, I am as resolutely opposed to discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identification and sexual orientation as I am to discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity. I take a certain amount of flack for this over at The Shotgun vis a vis gay marriage and a quick search of the Flea should provide evidence of my concern and respect for the rights of women everywhere for anyone who cares to look. It is just that I do not believe celebrating human beauty is a bad thing. Quite the opposite, in fact. So I find myself making another editorial statement in the hope of clarifying my views for the perplexed.
I am certain Flea-readers everywhere will understand when I write that this blog is and always has been for gay men only. Not only a little bit take-one-for-the-team gay but fully 100% friends-of-Dorothy gay. Gay, gay, gay! All images of women shown here should be understood for their camp fabulousness and all objectification of these images by straight men or lesbian women is strictly forbidden. Not a little bit forbidden but Taliban-throw-you-down-the-well/CRTC-keep-it-off-the-tv/Andrea-Dworkin-pornography-is-rape forbidden. Your publisher, having practiced techniques of Tibetan mind control, is an exception and feels nothing but an aesthetic appreciation for any images shown here including those of Kylie Minogue's perfect bottom. Without my advanced Tibetan mind control techniques, or being 100% gay, you may risk inadvertantly objectifying Ms. Minogues assets and that will not do. My intransigent pursuit of Kylie-media is a vocation and not cheap thrill-seeking of any kind. So if you are not a 100% gay man, or somewhere else on the Kinsey-scale but studying Tibetan mind control, you should only squint sideways at any pictures you see here until you have determined they are not of Kylie Minogue. Sexual objectification of men on the other hand, and especially the Flea, is to be fully encouraged and is best expressed through large financial donations, lavish presents or whatever it takes to get me onto Glenn Reynold's blogroll (and I mean whatever it takes).
Yours,
The Publisher
Update: 4:34 p.m. Comments at the Flea are not functioning due to a denial of service attack. I would be grateful for advice or assistance in installing a comment registration system. Movable Type 3.0 and TypeKey appear to be the best route.
Update: 5:28 p.m. Comments are functioning once again. The source of the DOS is being investigated.
Update: 10:45 p.m. My latest learning experience from blogging? If you say you are pro-smoking people are going to assume you are a smoker.
Update: 12:41 a.m., Nov. 25 Due to ongoing confusion about what I had intended to be a humorous response to some scurillous accusations I have added a sentence for the sake of clarity.
MiniKiss: Calling Dr. Love
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Seagulls
Bombs Away! confirms my suspicions about the seagull's view of a day at the beach.
Bat Boy
How is it only now I learn of the existence of Bat Boy: The Musical? (via Ravishing Light, who has "near-memorized the original cast recording" and reports a movie version is on the way).
North Carolina Moonshine
For all your moonshine needs. And don't miss "Kentucky Moonshiner" by George Tucker.
Well, maybe you take smaller sips.
Philosopher’s stone
The scienticians at Oh My God It Burns! conduct some practical alchemy (via Ookii Ne).
Saturnine
| You Are From Saturn |
 You're steady, organizes, and determined to achieve your dreams. You tend to play it conservative, going by the rules (at least the practical ones). You'll likely reach the top. And when you do, you'll be honorable and responsible. Focus on happiness. Don't let your goals distract you from fun! Don't be too set in your ways, and you'll be more of a success than you ever dreamed of. |
This otherworldly insight arrives via Funkalicious who is from Venus (and Rue is from Neptune!).
Laws of War
The Castle hosts images from a presentation by the 1rst Marine Expeditionary Force Effects Exploitation Team.
November 23, 2004
Edward Hopper: Gas
There are few other cars on the road, only an occasional set of lights moving in the opposite direction, away from the night. The car's instrument panel casts a purple glow over the darkened interior. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, a floodlit expanse appears: a petrol station, the last before the road heads off into the longest, densest stretch of forest and night completes its hold over the land - Gas (1940)
- Alain de Botton, "The Art of Travel"
Luke Vibert: iloveacid
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Ken's New Specs
Ken's New Specs makes me far too happy.
Les Fleurs du Mal
The collecting mania that underpins much of the posting here at the Flea takes me to a number of stores on a semi-regular basis. One of these is out-of-neighbourhood so is visited less semi-regularly than others. This place is a treat because it also sells cds and the staff tend to play material I have never heard of and which rocks and subsequently I find something new and feel cool, connected, etc. and so forth.
The time before last I first heard The Streets and found a Starlost novelization with a faux-mirror cover. Sweet. This latest visit was even better. Junior Boys' Last Exit is stripped down electro-pop that lets me imagine I am living in Red Hook, skinny enough to wear a 70s rancher-style corduroy fleece coat and dating, or at least futilely pining after, Chloe Sevigny.
Great stuff and another discovery I owe to this bookstore. It was, therefore, with mixed feelings that I purchased a dramatically underpriced copy of the Sylvan Press 1947 limited-edition of Baudelaire's Flowers of Evil illustrated by Patrick Beresford Egan. A bit of an ethical quandrary... are we obligated to tell booksellers how much more they could get for something on eBay?
George Lucas Usenet Archive
The story behind the George Lucas Usenet Archive reminds me of Dr. Shackleford's recent devotional.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I sobbed like a girl--as I felt the pure joy of what he had given. The feeling stayed with me through the long day. My supervisor suggested emergency trauma therapy. He thought I was in the midst of an hysterical fit, or that I had perhaps gone insane.
If you are reading these words, you too have probably been moved as I was moved. However, my admiration and love for George Lucas is better than yours. It's something different, something golden, and sometimes I can't stand how people like you think.
November 22, 2004
Alexander
Outraged Greeks firing off legal notices at Alexander the Great's depiction as a world conquering bisexual need to read some history. First off, there is Hephaestion. I do not expect an Hollywood epic to show Alexander's relationship with his life-long companion in any terms except those meant to sell tickets but it is a bit much to be lectured on the subject by gay-bashing Greek nationalists. Or, for that matter, or by its "radical" director whose depictions of gay men in JFK were cringe-worthy for their camp, stereotyping bigotry. Such is the tolerance of the left. Second, and arguably more important, Alexander was Macedonian. All too many Greeks still find difficulty with this bit of geography.
And then... Classical Values comments.
And then... Alexander-media continues at Classical Values!
Call On Me (revised)
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.*
*And just ignore those sidebars. Aieeee... my eyes!
Right
It is not only what you have a right to say.
It is if what you have to say is right.
/Flea-doing-Sphinx-impression
More maxims... this week at the Flea!
Sky prawns
Cooking with Sky Prawns offers more than twenty locust-based recipes as part of a New South Wales government response to a plague of the flying beasties.
Fatpie
Presented for your ethnographic interest: Do chavs like fatpie?*
*nsfw due to language, assuming you can make out what he is saying or have the remotest idea what he is talking about.
Friends, Romans, Marines
Marines waiting to take Fallujah needed to "blow off steam". What to do? Hold a chariot race! This one must have slipped by all those embeds (via Lies.com).
"These men are about to face the greatest personal and professional tests of their lifetimes," said Lt. Col. Willy Buhl, commander of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. "We wanted to lighten things up, take the tension off what we're about to do," said the 42-year-old commander from Los Gatos, Calif., who dreamed up the "First Annual 'Ben-Hur' Memorial Chariot Race."
The Marine charioteers, wearing togas over their body armor, waved baseball bats done up as spiked maces and jumped into carts forged from cast-off vehicle parts. The makeshift chariots were pulled by Iraqi horses commandeered from looters in the area.
Neocolonialism
Following the refusal of an imam to shake the polluting hand of Dutch immigration secretary Rita Verdonk, Zacht Ei asks an important question about what it really means to respect people from different cultures.
November 20, 2004
Citroën
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance (via Dean's World).
November 19, 2004
Free ice cream
Look, it's Scarlett Johansson! What was I thinking? Oh, that's it... I was feeling the onset of the testy post that arrives when bloggers reach a critical mass of traffic. You know, when you have 50,000 people visit your blog in a month some of whom were presumably entertained in some way, attract precisely zero dollars in donations (just as the month before) and then yet another ingrate decides s/he has the right to direct your editorial policy while using your comment feature to advertise their blog. It is the testy post that results from putting a lot of work into something, having that work shat upon from a great height and which is the provisional alternative to deciding to call it a day. Seriously.
James Lileks famously reminded Glenn Reynolds that Instapundit is not a public utility. True. Yet this simple fact seems to escape people raised in a culture of complaint. Here are some thoughts on etiquette that may prove useful to bloggers getting stick from that tiny minority of extre... or rather, of readers with bad manners.
A Small Victory's Quarterly Notice About Owing You Something, INDC Journal's A Plea for Civility and La Shawn Barber's Corner's Comment Policy make useful interventions. But I cede the floor to Stardate 20040827.2353 posted at USS Clueless and the following passage in particular.
Too true. Ghost of a flea is a blog written and published at my time and expense for reasons I am not certain I can properly articulate. Most of the time it is a labour of love but it remains labour nonetheless. If you spot something here and choose to write about it please have the common courtesy to offer a link in recognition of my work. If you are an argumentative soul regularly outraged at my ramblings I suggest you vent your feelings at your own expense elsewhere. And if you find all this free ice cream is not to your taste please feel free to read something else or, better yet, write something more interesting. I am certain the world will beat a path to your door and bask in your fascinating thoughts. When I shut down the Flea it will give people something else to read and if you are especially lucky you can pay for the bandwidth they will use to tell you how boring your work is.
And then... I would probably find it difficult to quit for the same reason Occam's Carbuncle discovered with a week's hiatus.
And then... My editorial continues with thoughts on sexism, freedom of speech and Kylie Minogue's perfect bottom.
And then... And then there is Theresa Zolner who posted a picture of a bare-breasted woman suckling a dog the same week she attacked the Flea for posting pictures of Kylie Minogue. This strikes me as a grotesque distortion of taste and a violation of elementary sense. While I am delighted to say I cannot fathom Theresa Zolner's reason for her behaviour, I can find no other explanation than an attention-seeking sublimation of her feelings at having been banned from my comments section after leaving one too many comments in poor taste. Taste is a difficult thing to define but I can only prefer Australian pop singers over Theresa Zolner's bestial image. I can't speak for Theresa Zolner's patients - let alone Theresa Zolner's Christian ethics - but I would never show photos such as the one she posted to any of my students. I imagine they have all seen pictures of Kylie Minogue. While Theresa Zolner has since posted a rambling apologia for her decision to post an image of a bare-breasted woman suckling a dog, I believe the image is inherently grotesque, aesthetically indefensible and speaks volumes about her judgement in posting it. Her subsequent attacks on the Flea are as difficult to take seriously as the remainder of her rhetoric.
Theresa Zolner has repeatedly claimed to like the Flea barring the Kylie pics. Perhaps this accounts for her hyperventilating attack on my writing, my morality and my professionalism for the affront of barring her noxious comments from appearing here. As for myself, I was blissfully unfamiliar with Theresa Zolner beyond her trollish comments and what little I have seen since leaves an unpleasant taste. In fact, if not for Theresa Zolner's contribution to Canadian culture I would have never imagined anyone would breast-feed a dog let alone publish a picture of it to their "conservative" weblog. Such is the miracle of liberty. Australian pop singers or bare-breasted women suckling dogs: your choice.
I would not normally reward a troll for spamming my comments section let alone for complaining about it once they were barred. But this one case may as well stand as an example to anyone writing a successful blog for the kind of petty, parasitic nonsense that arises as a side-effect. Anyone wondering why Theresa Zolner is only one of many people banned from commenting at this blog only has to look at that photograph to understand the sort of poor judgement and poor taste I will not tolerate in this forum. That from self-appointed judges of my publication, or indeed of Kylie Minogue, such Theresa Zolner or from anyone else. Healer, heal thyself.
I Believe In You
The Flea's adamantine commitment to the latest in Kylie-media coverage meant recent plastic surgery charges had to be investigated immediately. It is with some hesitance that I point Flea-readers to the video for "I Believe In You", Kylie's Scissor Sisters single. Behold the slightly troubling wonder that is our transhuman future!
Nothing different there, but her lips look distinctly larger than usual. Sparkly make-up on her eyebrows completes the strange picture.
Update: To any humourless right-wing anti-sex bigots pretending to be concerned with the objectification of women even as their rhetoric reifies that objectification, some advice. First, read some Judith Butler. Also Donna Haraway and Catherine Walby. These are voices of an authentic, engaged contemporary feminism that, in my reading, offers a far more complex understanding of gender and power than a condescending, warmed-up Victorian petticoat paternalism. Second, this is Kylie Minogue gay icon. It is puritanism masquerading as concern, not Kylie Minogue's self-representation, that objectifies women.
City of Heroes
To see heroes of Paragon City in real life is to see a bleak view of an all cosplay future. Though Ingrid is quite fetching as whoever she is supposed to be.
Evil Dead
I do not know what to make of this Variety article claiming another Evil Dead remake is in the works. What is there to add to a remake after Evil Dead II? And has another Ash film been lost with this news?
At least the list of upcoming films suggests a marketing motive behind that Dibbuk Box story that was floating around the internet.
Raimi wrote, directed and produced the 1981 "Dead," which tells of five twentysomething friends holed up in a remote cabin who discover a Book of the Dead. When an archaeologist's taped translation of the text and its incantations is replayed, the youths unwittingly summon dormant demons that possess them.
Raimi will not direct the remake, so Ghost House is looking for a helmer to reinvent the franchise before a script is written.
Fish Highway
This Fish Highway is a most sensible idea for the facilitation of fish traffic.
Lightsaber
This lightsaber test somehow missed the obvious fact I would have a purple lightsaber due to purple lightsabers kicking ass (via The Jawa Report).
Green is your Lightsaber's color.
Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, and freshness. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Green is also commonly associated with wealth and happiness, so someone with a green lightsaber like yourself is a fortunate soul.
What Colored Lightsaber Would You Have?
brought to you by Quizilla
November 18, 2004
Tomato McGrand
I demand the immediate introduction of the Tomato McGrand to North American McDonald's!
Grill Skill
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Dulce de Leche
Gothamist is on about a variety of dulce de leche products. That is arequipe, manjar, doce de leite or cajeta as you prefer. What I cannot figure out is how I have never tried this Häagen-Dazs flavour.
TBS
I have decided to replace all my swearing with substitute words used on TBS (a proud Flea advertiser!). There was a great substitution for "rat's ass" in a movie they showed the other day. Something like, "I don't give a razzmatazz!" Having failed to find a website that could be my guide to this new life path, I am asking Flea-readers for other examples of TBS curse-word substitutes.
Winter/spring
Patrick Stewart has a new girlfriend. Why... it makes me feel like... singing!
The Hollywood actor, 64, and Dillon, 25, have been together for almost a year, but previously kept their relationship a secret, due to concerns over people's attitudes to their age gap.
U.S. Presidents
Some little known facts about United States presidents. I had my suspicions about William Henry Harrison.
Two Maps
An electoral map of the United States shows voting behaviour may be correlated with population density (via Instapundit). There is room for informed reflection on this sort of political geography but I am left with little hope this will put an end to the bigoted slave state comparison maps posted by a legion of sore losers.
Unfortunately, the map's binary either/or electoral college nature overestimates the philosophical division within the country while failing to show the extraordinary degree to which Americans' voting behavior reflects the degree to which their own neighborhoods are more or less crowded.
Kristallnacht observance II
Dear Royal Norwegian Embassy to the United States,
I sent the following email to the Norwegian Embassy in Ottawa, Canada on Friday, 12 November. As yet I have received no acknowledgement of my letter or a reply to the questions I posed. I hope you might direct me to the appropriate representative of the Norwegian government who could address my concerns.
Thank you,
www.ghostofaflea.com
November 17, 2004
Elektra
Jennifer Garner stars as Elektra. Oh yes.
Brad Superstar
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Beer.com
Beer.com hosts a new feature inspired by the Subservient Chicken. I cannot believe she actually did one of the things I suggested.
Titanic
This may be another post where I will be advised to lighten up but this Titanic Adventure Slide strikes me to be in very poor taste.
Protect your base
Protect Your Base is an inventive, if somewhat peculiar, Missile Command style webgame.
Hot ticket
I assume this is the same Chomsky lecture tour that is coming to Toronto? I was told tickets to hear this socialist man-of-the-people speak cost 100 dollars so I gave it a miss.
And then... rabble has the details. Twenty bucks still strikes me to be a bit steep for what I can only imagine is the same old same old. Is there a presidency Chomsky does not think is an imperial presidency?
November 16, 2004
Sue Storm
A September Flea-post pointed to a head shot of Jessica Alba with her Sue Storm on. This is the full image (the rest of the Fantastic Four are here for those with an academic interest in these matters). More Jessica Alba imagery may be found in these candid photos from a break from filming. And more good news... Tim Robbins was reportedly considered and rejected for the role of Dr. Doom. I have no idea who Julian McMahon might be but he is Oscar-worthy in comparison. We dodged a bullet there.
Superhero name
This Incredibles test thinks my superhero name is Super Dyno-Man and my special ability is Agility when it is in fact Ghost of a flea and typing (via Da Goddess).
Lenses
9mm Special Effects specializes in theatrical and sfx contact lenses for all your speciality contact lens needs.
He has designed lenses for the Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Mayo Clinic, The Blair Witch Project 2: Book of Shadows, Lucas Films, Alice In Chains, Rob Zombie, Maya Hyena, Temple of Rain, Blues Traveler, Eminem, Coors Light, Pluto Nash and many more.
Bayeux Tapestry
Dodgeblogium uncovers an anti-war message in the Bayeux Tapestry.
Insults
Old English insults (for use at Hastings).
English Roses
Raymi the Minx reviews Madonna's The English Roses.
It's still Labour
Despite the repeated praise I have heaped upon Tony Blair there is no substitute for living in England to know what people actually have to put up with. Too stupid to be enacted in Canada? Watch this space.
Well, I thought wrong - they are indeed that mindbogglingly dumb and power-mad, and plan to do exactly that. So, businesses can forget being free to offer their customers bargains on foods the government deems 'unhealthy'.
Oh, and they're going to ban smoking at work and in restaurants and cafes as well. Not that right-thinking people everywhere would not agree with such a fair-minded infringement on treating adults like adults. The whole planet is being covered in orange warning tape and nobody seems to mind. Time to retreat into a realm of fantasy (until that gets regulated too).
November 15, 2004
Plus d'Avril
The Flea's implacable commitment to Canadian content recently featured Avril Lavigne in a Hooters outfit. Recently uncovered video reportage suggests Avril might have been a bit tipsy at the time.
Update: A further note to any right-wing anti-sex bigots pretending to be concerned about the rights of women. First, you still need to read Judith Butler. Second, I never posted images of Avril Lavigne in her Hooters outfit... I linked to them. "A distinction without a difference"? Perhaps. I would have posted them had they been less blurry. Why? Because pop-singer Avril Lavigne was mocking Hooters you dolts. You need to ask yourselves why a pop singer has a more complex understanding of gender, performance and irony than certain conservative bloggers with doctorates. No, wait. The answer is obvious: Lavigne has a a sense of humour and the confidence to send herself up. Whatever you think of her commercial success and her musical oeuvre, it is obvious that she is a role-model and an inspiration to young Canadian women.
"If I can't have a dance party I don't want to come to your revolution." And that is double for any puritanism masquerading as (false flag) feminism that would deny Lavigne the right to fun on Hallowe'en. The real fight for the rights and dignity of women is being fought as much by pop-stars and punk-rockers as it is by academics and activists. Same as always.
Christie's
Christie's Film & Entertainment Sale 5515 is to feature an Imperial Stormtrooper helmet (a snip at an estimated £5,000-7,000) and the Moon Buggy from Diamonds Are Forever. A new Flea-mobile for only £20,000-30,000! (via Londonist).
Rasterbator
The Rasterbator answers my not entirely hypothetical office decor needs. Now to think of an image to Rasterbate.
Glib, silly people
Glenn Reynolds calls himself a Column A guy "but with more column-B characteristics than most." I like to believe the same about myself.
Blackwater
Knowledge Is Power has an image of graffiti left at a bridge crossing the Euphrates at Fallujah.
Most Annoying Canadian
Autonomous Source moves into the second round of voting for Most Annoying Canadian!
Vote early, vote often in the sidebar at the Autonomous Source main page!
November 13, 2004
Lars Porsena
The University of Florence' Giuseppe Centauro believes he can prove Chiusi is the cite of ancient Clusium, the largest city of pre-Roman Italy and resting place of its Etruscan king, Lars Porsena. Now, if only someone had told me earlier that archaeology bears little resemblance to Indiana Jones movies (or spying to James Bond).
Queen Anne's Revenge
Queen Anne's Revenge is probably the coolest name for a ship, like, ever. Nails thought to have been used for "sacrificial planking" have been recovered from Blackbeard's ship.
"I doubt very seriously that pirates would have gotten into major repairs," Moore said. "They would have just gone out and captured another ship."
The nails appear similar to those that would have been used to attach sacrificial planking to the hull of the ship, Moore said. Sacrificial planking was an outside layer of wood that protected the ship from boring worms.
November 12, 2004
LK Legs
Kylie Minogue launches a new LoveKylie lingerie line: LK Legs.
Beastie Boys, "Intergalactic"
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Freddy vs. Jason
The re-enactment bunnies present Freddy vs. Jason (in 30 seconds).
Natural 20!
Dungeon Majesty may be the saddest thing I have ever linked to. Also, how do I meet these women?
Snail Shell System
Here's a plan. Let's abandon heat, lighting and indoor plumbing in favour of temporary communities of plastic snail shells (paddle included).
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company offers a much more sensible alternative for your tiny housing needs.
November 11, 2004
Remembrance
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
- Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, 1915
Update: dustmybroom.com has some moving words and a round-up of Red Ensign remembrance posts.
Reminder
Now the "left" has claimed Afghanistan as a just war it is worth remembering how the Guardian remembered November 11, 2001 scant weeks following the incineration of British citizens in New York.
Subtle Safety™
The Subtle Safety™ jewelry-line is "a reminder to make safe choices."
National Bolshevik Party
I ran across an image of a street protestor from the National Bolshevik Party. Their website is easy to google but I will not provide a direct link to them and upon reflection decided I would not post the image either. Suffice to say that Stalinism and Hitlerism are the same disease.
Question authority
Dean Esmay gets his rant on in an open letter to John Perry Barlow (via Absinthe & Cookies).
November 10, 2004
Incredible
This one took me completely by surprise. Hard on the heels of Team America: World Police is another film offering a powerful anti-idiotarian message. Given the target audience, however, The Incredibles may have a yet greater impact in the long term. I am not going to offer comment except this: to say everyone is special is another way of saying nobody is. There is nothing wrong with being exceptional. It is to be applauded.
More about the film can be found at the Castle (I avoided the post until I had seen the movie!).
And then... Babbling Brooks has an enthusiastic review: "The thing is conservative counterculture fer gawdsake, and it's like a drink of cold water on blisteringly hot day."
Royal Enfield in Paradise
This Ride Now adventure looks like heaven. Oh yes.
Sounds and looks rather like the Plateau of Leng. A Royal Enfield Bullet is just the ticket for fleeing Mythos entities!
Dolmette
The Dolmette is a massively multi-chainsaw powered motorcycle.
London 2012
The London 2012 Olympic bid has been unveiled on "the internet" (via Londonist). I like the architecture but loathe the Olympics.
Alejandro Zaero-Pollo, chief designer on the project at Foreign Office Architects, said: "We are trying to make the building communicate the idea of physical strength, sport and movement - this is what communicates the conceptual backbone of all the buildings."
Mexican Coke
This Mexican Coke story explains what happened to the Coke I remember from when I was a kid (via ***Dave).
November 09, 2004
Travel iron
This is where I need someone to give up James Lileks' email address to me. I found this travel iron at a thrift store and think it is one of the most beautiful objects I own. But can I find out anything about it? No. Is there a web museum of historic irons? Not that I can find. Great iron too (and for any parental units reading: the cord is in fine condition).
The base of the iron reveals it to be a General Electric Cat. No. 12F38 (500 Watts 115 Volts) made in the U.S. of A. and I am fully assuming it has some sweet model name such as the GE Interceptor or possibly GE Ironmaster. Some googling shows my model resembles this General Electric MIB F-49 travel iron... no... wait for it... once again I am astonished at the knowledge to be found on "the internet". Iron.com features a piece on streamlined irons. The Winpower Select Heat looks like it was first deployed against the Merrimac in the War Between The States and I am pretty sure the Waverly Tool Co. Petipoint was first announced by an Orson Welles radio program as part of the Martian invasion. These irons kick my iron's ass.
Ironing
WARNING: SHOCKING NUDITY!
My ironing theme continues with this short film of a bare-breasted Luba Hegre doing some... uhh... ironing. This is an image that is ironed - ironed - into my memory. That bare-breasted part may signal difficulties with workplace viewing.
Underwater ironing
You may think you have time-wasting hobbies. Obviously, you have yet to consider underwater ironing.
Ghost rider robot
This Ghost Rider Robot brings the bright future of metallic, skeletal feet stomping on human skulls one step closer. Thanks, DARPA!
Brain in a dish
The brain in a dish experiment is such a bad idea. Skeletal metal foot meet human skull. Human skull, skeletal metal foot.
20Q.net
20Q.net is an AI that can supposedly guess any object you are thinking of with twenty questions. My object was a Welsh flag. It did not quite get to the Welsh part but it did guess it was a flag by question 19 even though the program believed I was wrong to say flags are not straight and would not be found in an office. Impressive.
I tried again with a dragon. The AI got that one by question 11. Seriously impressive.
November 08, 2004
Maarten van Roozen
Part of me remains convinced I can speech Dutch despite watching this Maarten van Roozen video and not having the vaguest idea what he is singing about. It's the Netherlands and bicycles are featured prominently.
And then... That would be speak Dutch. Hey, I was posting midterm results and got distracted!
F-15
Get that F-15 movin! Does this count as a Flea-dance?
Avril
Avril Lavigne on stage in Philadelphia. In a Hooters outfit.*
*To Flea-readers who were promised extreme Monday morning cheesecake: this is not it! That got bumped to tomorrow along with the lead. To everybody else: extreme cheesecake warning for Tuesday!
Capture the Map
The Presurfer describes a Google-driven capture the map game. Unfortunately, I am having the same technical problem.
By hitting a captured square with your pin, the other pin will be removed from the map and has to be placed again. The square is captured by you. You can save your captured squares if you capture 3 per 3 squares on the map.
Looks like an interesting game. There's just one thing, I can't seem to get it to work. Am I doing something wrong?
Chicoutimi
CTV reports controversy as enquiries into the recent tragedy aboard HMCS Chicoutimi proceed.
"It certainly seems to me this British source is trying to put the blame on human error and the submarine crew," Peter Kavanagh told CTV Newsnet on Sunday.
He was commenting on a report in a British newspaper that claims the fire aboard Chicoutimi was caused by crew members mistakenly leaving the sub's hatches open. The source told The Mail on Sunday: "This looks like a simple case of a drill not being carried out. Had a hatch at the bottom of the conning tower been closed, the water would never have got inside."
While CTV's report says the source for this claim "apparently comes from the Canadian Navy's investigation into the fire" more recent CTV television news coverage suggests representatives of the enquiry deny this claim. Is this a leak from the enquiry? A simple recycling of earlier reports regarding open hatches? Or an attempt by some party to deflect blame for the fire and death toward human error and away from the sumbarine's manufacturer or some party to the refitting process?
F*in' USA
It is a tribute to Team America: World Police that I find myself wanting to sing along with unintentionally hilarious North Korean rock-music propaganda (nsfw due to language). I mean, seriously, this must have inspired America, F*Yeah! if only on a psychic level (hat tip to the Neighbour of the Flea).
And then... Welcome to INDC Journal and Jawa Report readers! Make yourselves comfortable and take a look around while you are here. Stop in again tomorrow for the nude ironing marathon!
November 06, 2004
Got grok?
The Quotable Heinlein is a valuable resource made possible by "the internet".
Carl Lewis and the Electric Storm, "Break It Up"
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.*
*Mental note: reconsider career in music.
Salad Fingers
A quest for rusty spoons (via The Jawa Report).
Kite
Kite aerial photography by Scott Haefner. Stunning.
At an international kite aerial photography conference in November 2002, Scott was recognized as the “Most Promising New KAPer.”
The D'Oh of Blogging
The D'Oh of Blogging
being
Various and Sundry Hints and Alarums For Those New to the Diversion of Blogging
by Ghost of a flea, Esq.
Some time ago I was asked to offer advice to new bloggers. Here are ten belated thoughts.
1. First, read Venomous Kate, Dean Esmay, John Hawkins, Asterisk* and 47 key tips from "the world's best bloggers." I suppose this list makes me a "linker" more than a "thinker"... Follow their advice but follow this advice in particular: do not try to be the Instapundit. We already have one. He's crazy or obsessional or a law professor and you can't out-post him so don't even try. I could not figure how the InstaWife put up with him until I learned she is a director. I dated a director. Those people are even more obsessive than bloggers.
2. Remember: these are the most public words you have ever said. These are words for which you can be held accountable. It may feel like you are writing into the void but the fact is that everyone from your employer to your parents to the people from high school who will laugh if you fail are all part of the potential audience. Keep it in mind. This is along the lines of the advice about wearing clean underwear in case of traffic accidents. There is nothing stranger than the realization people you have never met are reading your work every day let alone the day when someone from your "real" life first mentions reading something on your blog. Creepy.
3. There is only one JD Salinger of the blogosphere and it is not you or me it is Angua. Don't expect to find your voice right away. Pay attention to accidents and treasure them when they happen.
4. Write about what you know and admit it when you don't know something. This is the blogosphere, friends. Your ass is being fact checked, a fact that keeps most people honest. Expect to make mistakes, lose your temper, make an ass of yourself and learn that the ruthless honesty of the blogosphere is matched only by the respect accorded to a sincere expression of d'oh! after any of the above.
5. Some people post irregularly to their blogs and that's fine but readers will only commit to your blog if they know what to expect. Imagine getting a year's subscription to a monthy magazine that decided to change its format half way through the year after taking an unannounced sabbatical for the months of February, May and June. Would you subscribe next year? Almost any format, subject and publishing routine will attract a readership. Find your format and stick to it.
6. Link generously. Most bloggers will find you through their referral logs and great conversations and friendships often start this way. Comment on other people's blogs as another way into the conversation.
7. Copy edit your work. Good spelling and grammar lend weight to your opinions while the converse is also true. And now a frantic check for errors in this post...
8. Flee Blogspot as soon as you can and take the time to create a distinctive graphic for your blog. Many of us look at hundreds of web pages every day and it is important for readers to know what they are reading. Blogging is branding. Let the medium emphasize your message.
9. Do not be afraid to ask for help. I can manage odds and ends of HTML but proper CSS is beyond me. I have special thanks in a permanent place on my sidebar for good reason.
10. Don't expect to make any money from blogging. This is, of course, more of a do-as-I-say-and-not-as-I-do proposition because I fully intend to get rich from blogging and write future posts from a country house in the Cotswolds. Ok, scratch this one. To paraphrase one of the writer's of Will and Grace: embrace your greed and yearning for fame. They will carry you through.
Oh, alright, here is number 11.
11. Enjoy yourself. Not having fun? Take a break or take up a new hobby. Blogging can be a lot of work but this is the best conversation going. You get to meet the very best of people from anywhere you speak the language and further afield than that if they happen to speak yours. I have chatted with publishers and military heroes and even got a cheery note from Kylie Minogue. Sweet!
November 05, 2004
Red Siren
I had wondered what happened to Jean-Marc Barr after The Big Blue and Europa (I gave Dogville a miss). I am sorry to say I have found him again in Red Siren, a profoundly stupid film, quasi-pornographic in its portrayal of violence and apparently ignorant of the fact. On the other hand it features Asia Argento.
French cinema has yet to figure out the thriller (that's metà thrillere, better expressed by the phrase "thriller-as-a-second-language"). Director Olivier Megaton has made a French film, filmed in English with a mess of something like ten different euro-accents (don't believe this dubbed trailer). The US police siren background sound effects do not make for an American plot unless perhaps an America as seen through the Matrix. So we find ourselves in a weirdly English-speaking Paris and Portugal: if this is what the French see when they watch action films it is no wonder they are so entirely wrong about the United States. Why am I even writing about this thing... I did mention it features Asia Argento, right?
Kitty Cat Dance
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Ice
Some near miraculously beautiful ice photography.
Bonfire 70
All the election kerfuffle meant I missed pointing to the latest Bonfire of the Vanities hosted at Neophyte Pundit.
The color purple
***Dave makes an important point about American party affiliation, the state of the Union and makes a great pun... all in one post!
November 04, 2004
Bong-Ra, "Can you digit?"
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.*
*Possibly nsfw due to babes, guns and bikini-carwash content.
Ring Two
The trailer for Ring Two looks more promising than the legion of Ringu sequels and prequels.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 30 seconds. Re-enacted by bunnies, of course.
Latin
Learn Latin the easy way. By C.J. Cherryh.
Pardon me
On the eve of its abolition, Prestoungrange Baronial Court issued pardons to 81 people convictioned under the Witchcraft Act 1735. I do not see an "apology" on offer and wonder how this helps the deceased or the thousands more murdered under a similar pretense.
Top Gods
Top Gods in the spotlight!
There are Gods of practically everything. Biggie Gods deal with profound subjects such as Creation, Death and Love. But there are plenty of lesser deities who handle more mundane matters. In some cultures, there are Gods for every tree, rock, insect and raindrop.
On the other hand, the Romans were so worried about accidentally missing out obscure deities that they raised statues to Gods they didn't even know about, just to be on the safe side.
November 03, 2004
An Angel rides
- John Page to Thomas Jefferson, July 20, 1776 – on the signing of the Declaration of Independence
I'm So Ronery
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Hulk Smash Up
Hulk Smash Up is self-explanatory. Just the thing for post-election jitters.
ST-v-SW
Six of one and half a dozen of the other... ST-v-SW answers your Star Trek vs Star Wars questions.
Tolkien Sarcasm
The Tolkien Sarcasm Page provides a valuable service thanks to the wonder of "the internet".
Heraldry Game
A diverting Heraldry Game.
What he said
I am going to include the word "multiculturalism" in this post for easy-to-find future googling. For the record, I agree with everything The Tiger in Winter has to say about racism and immigration policy. I am a child of immigrants myself.
I do not get along with racists. For one thing, they get a bad first impression of me, given that I'm brown. For another, I get a bad first (second, third, etc.) impression of them, given that they are idiots.
The trouble with Islam
Following the murder of Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh, Irshad Manji writes that "more than 15 years after the government of Iran issued a death warrant against novelist Salman Rushdie, challenging Muslims remains a risky business" (via Andrew Sullivan).
Muslims who take offense at these points often wind up reinforcing them in their responses to me. I regularly get death threats through my Web site. Some of my would-be assassins emphasize the virtues of martyrdom, wanting to hurl me into the "flames of hell" in exchange for 72 virgins. Others simply want to know what plane I'm next boarding, so they can hijack it. Somehow, I don't feel the urge to share my schedule.
November 02, 2004
Teddy Bear's Picnic
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Comment malfunction
I am not yet certain whether yesterday's comment malfunction was a server glitch or an MT hiccup but comments once again appear to be working. Sorry about that. Funny how one misses this stuff when it is not available.
Flea-readers may have noticed a massive increase in comment spam these last two weeks. I am Blacklisting left and right but have reached the point of taking some new measures. Suggestions are welcome.
Bullet Time
Bullet Time is a simple, clever webgame that should reduce any of today's nail-biting anxiety. Now... if only I could figure out the controls.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar recently graced the pages of Esquire UK (via The Superficial).
This is anger-management
Why did it take this Better Living Toronto warblogger round-up for me to learn of Raymi the Minx?
Pop Shoppe
The Pop Shoppe is back by popular demand. Flea-readers unfamiliar with this Canadian institution may refer to my previous Pop Shoppe post (via Better Living Centre).
Does anyone have an image of Captain Cola? Now off to eBay to look for The Pop Shoppe memorabilia...
Notre Céline Nationale
Paul Jané is ranting about Air Canada. Make some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the show.
The funny thing is I quite like the Celine ads...
Women no longer silenced
Jessica's Well contrasts Hollywood women with Afghan women (though I will worship Drew Barrymore no matter what she says).
(via Instapundit)
November 01, 2004
Dir en Grey
The Flea's quest for Japanese "visual rock" music in Toronto drew blank looks and no records in the computer at HMV's Canadian flagship store. There was a certain more goth than thou satisfaction to be had but I was left gloomy, nay morose, as I continue to pine for the musical stylings of whatever the heck Dir en Grey sounds like. MasaManiA has images of Dir en Grey fans to tide me over. Remember folks: you are Japanese (and Swedish) goths so no smiling!
Kournikova
I admit it. Any post featuring the words "Anna Kournikova" is just trolling for hits (and that's leaving out the words "bikini" and "candid").
Plucking
Plucking unsightly nose hair makes for a peculiar web-game.
Rotation
Rotation is just the thing to lower office productivity in 130 countries!
Squashed Philosophers
Squashed Philosophers presents the books "which defined the way The West thinks now."
The Freud summary is particularly satisfactory.
Twins
My favourite part of this psychoanalytic parable is that the couple in question are both dentists. I want to know what the other sister does for a living. Probably a stunt double.
The man met the "love of his life" - Elena - a few years ago during a trip to France. They were supposed to meet up again back in Romania but the woman decided not to stay in touch after she suffered an accident and needed time to recover. Meanwhile, Vladut met his lover's twin sister, Monica, at the seaside and thought it was the girl of his dreams.
She accepted his marriage proposal, not telling him the truth about her sister. Now the couple, who are both dentists, have agreed about to divorce so the man can be back together with the right sister.
Schwarzenegger
Some Austrians who apparently never bothered to look into his, oh, for example, Republicanism are disappointed to learn Governor Schwarzenegger is backing President Bush for reelection.
Shame
I was approached for a quote by Better Living Centre regarding prevailing Toronto opinion about President George W. Bush, a man who has brought the promise of freedom to fifty million souls. This is what I had to say.
Thanks to Adam Mayers' Dixie and the Dominion for the reference. There is much more from this source I intend to write about at some point.
Vanities
I admire Tom Wolfe if only for this sentiment. I share it.
"I cannot stand the lock-step among everyone in my particular world. They all do the same thing, without variation. It gets so boring. There is something in me that particularly wants it registered that I am not one of them."
Monkey? Pizza? Death? Oompa Loompa?
You are DEATH!
Oooo.... Scary...
Well, not, you are just a dark, depressed person
who feels pained by society, and we love you
for that.
Monkey? Pizza? Death? Oompa Loompa?
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