Two miners who escaped from a collapsed pit in Beijing ate coal and drank urine to survive, Chinese media has reported.


Apparently, they survived eating coal, drinking urine and telling "wife jokes".


Wife jokes like so:

"I told my brother 'your wife is going to have to marry someone else'", Meng Xianyou told the newspaper.

His brother replied: "I laughed too. I said my wife could find a rich man in Shenyang.

"But then I thought, I have two children and my wife is ugly, so it would be hard for her to remarry."

AH ha ha ha....

I'm sure his ugly wife will welcome him back with open arms after reading that in the paper.
I hope he likes his stewed coal with piss gravy.

Forgive me...

Recently, my mind has been somewhere else...so my posts have been few.
I have just a couple of things to touch on this morning before I venture out into the world.

This discussion over at The Globe on the death of the teenager:

"Dr. Epstein's book – The Case Against Adolescence: Rediscovering the Adult in Every Teen – challenges this drive to postpone the rights and obligations of adulthood. He suggests that we have lost track of what it means to be an adult – and underestimate just want it takes to become one.

Why is the former editor of Psychology Today making such extreme claims? In a series of in-depth discussions about his work, Dr. Epstein concedes that teens appear to need reining in – more money is spent on psychoactive drugs for young people in the U.S., he says, than all other prescription medicines combined.

But these troubled teens are Frankensteins of our own making, he insists. There is a correlation between the myriad regulations and restrictions that adolescents face (surveys show they are subjected to twice as many limitations as incarcerated prisoners in the United States) and problem behaviour."

Read the original article here and the discussion here.

Frankly, the discussion makes me tired.
Death of "The Teenager"?
Are you kidding me? What I'm observing in my day to day living is the death of the adult.
Anyone who has conducted job interviews has noticed what kind of "adult" is entering the workforce. Self-revolved, demanding, over-indulged and under-willing.
People living at home with their parents well into their 30's..no my darlings, there is no "death of the teenager".
It's the death of the adult.

...and then this article on the death and will of Leona Helmsley.
She left her dog 12 million, and cut two of her grandchildren out of her will for reasons that "they are well aware of".
I am consistently surprised by people who leave pets gigantic amounts of money.
I just don't get it....but then, I also don't get doggie weddings, doggie birthday parties, or any of those kinds of things.
I dunno, perhaps her 12 million would have gone further with a charity...silly me for thinking that.

I interrupt the day to day crappiness that goes on in this world for an announcement:

I just watched the end of the World Little League Championship (don't ask, I don't care about sports)...Georgia beat Tokyo, and the Georgia kids immediately broke into celebration.
The pitcher for the Japanese team burst out sobbing, as many of the other Japanese players did also.

The American kids, looking over noticed...broke their celebrations and ran over to the Japanese team and hugged them with sincerity. Japanese players accepting, and the entire group stood hugging each other.

Oh. My. God.
Radmila cry.

I love it when the world isn't shitty.

Sunday Click Around

The painting to your left is by Rob Croxford, and is owned by me. Rob is going to be part of the Queen Street West Art Crawl September 15th and 16th. He'll be in Section Blue 2, booth 181 if you're interested in seeing more of his fabulous stuff.

Here are some roller coaster faces.

Accents are funny. They are..that's why this phonejack is funny.

Eating disorders are not funny. Here is an open letter to Mental Nurse about a woman's connection to her eating disorder. It's not just about body image...this is a sad open letter about a woman's desperate attempt to take control of her life.

Michael Rappaport's monologue about beautiful girls from the movie "Beautiful Girls".

"Prisoners of War Alliance has asked the Motion Picture Association of America to revoke the Oscar awarded to a Bosnian Muslim film maker Danis Tanovic who's film No Man's Land, according to the allegations, shows Serb victims as Muslims victimized by Serb violence."
Thanks to Anna from Blackbird.

Remember the 80's?
Let's start with80's hair. Big, teased and stiff with hair products....and then there's this little fashion show hosted by Mr. T. I'm sure that the people in that video will now deny any knowledge of it.

On to some of the music, and not always mainstream music either. I saw The Selecter at The Palais Royale during a big bash that included Third World in my teens.
Remember Kid Creole and The Coconuts? Zoot suits, wing tips, pencil mustaches and fedoras all the way!
Then there was Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, Al B. Sure, Salt n' Pepa...oh, I could go on and on...but I think I'm done for now. Feel free to lead me to your own 80's goodness in the comments.

Who says white guys can't wine?

The other day, I heard a girl refer to the song "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" as a song written by Amy Winehouse. I think that The Shirelles might take offense to that...and just for the record, Amy does a cover of The Specials "Monkey Man", which was also a cover of the original by Toots and The Maytals....eh, but does anyone really pay attention anymore?

Speaking of The Specials, I always did love "A Message to You Rudy".

Some people make the best of a bad situation. Here are some funny mugshots.

Here are 9 words women use. Whatever.

My Drag Queen name is Ophelia Cox. What's yours?

10 Stars You Won't Believe Aren't Gay.

I think that's it.

Baby Got Back

I kind of enjoy it when people conduct silliness at Wal.mart, because I really can't stand the giant superstore. So, here's the trail for today....this kid sings Baby Got Back over the PA System in a Wal.mart.







Then I got to thinking about one of the only "Friends" espisodes I watched where someone's baby only laughs when someone sings Baby Got Back.





Then, of course there's In Living Color's parody Baby Got Snacks.

Yeah...ok, there was my train of thought at 8:00am on a Saturday morning to avoid the crap I have to do around here.

NSFW.  (really)



......but, hilarious.

It's all fun and games until someone gets murdered....

"...a 45-year-old former marine with a reddish mustache, bulging gut, and disappearing hair — and decided to become someone else. That person, he wrote on Dynabrade stationery that he stored in his toolbox at work, would be an 18-year-old marine named Tommy. He would be a black belt in karate, with bullet scars on his left shoulder and right leg, thick red hair, and impressive dimensions (6'2", 190 pounds, and a "9" dick"). Emboldened by his new identity, Montgomery logged onto Pogo in the spring of 2005 and met TalHotBlondbig50 — a 17-year-old from West Virginia, whose name, he later learned, was Jessica."

as it turned out....

"Back in Buffalo, Kenyon couldn't believe that the Jessi he'd talked to was really her mother. "She was very convincing," he said. "She sounded like an 18-year-old girl to me." He drove to West Virginia to see the truth himself — that the lithe 18-year-old blonde of Barrett's and Montgomery's fantasies was a plump 45-year-old married mother of two with short brown hair."

Only to be found out after Montgomery murdered Barrett.
I don't get this at all.
People are insane.

Read the entire Wired story here.

Because that's obviously what it's for...

Today's Quote:

"Narcissism and self-deception are survival mechanisms without which many of us might just jump off a bridge."

13 of the Worst Fake Accents in Film.

It's a pretty good list.

Seriously.
Keanu's pathetic accent in Dracula ruined the whole movie for me.
I've always preferred subtitles to fake accents when people are supposed to be speaking another language...and I really appreciate it when filmmakers use people who can actually speak a language.

In the movie Behind Enemy Lines (I'm not linking. Find that shit propaganda by yourself) they used a bunch of low rent Russians as Serbs.
But then, no self respecting Serb would have taken any of those roles.

Train Ride in Mumbai



I will never complain about the TTC ever again.
Obviously, the train service doesn't worry about lawsuits from passenger injury.

Crab Quiche at Papamo

Staying for Lunch?

"This week the descendants of cannibals in Papua New Guinea issued an apology to the Methodist Church for killing and eating four of its missionaries.

The group of four had arrived in PNG in 1875 to spread Christianity... but it seems the locals misunderstood the purpose of the delegation. On a brief visit to some Tolai tribes people on the Gazelle Peninsula in 1878, the four found themselves on the menu of their own reception feast."

Read the whole thing here.


Why did I find that funny?

I guess with the whole reparations thing, and official apologies for all kinds of horrors over the ages flying hither and thither, I find this apology over 4 missionaries over a hundred years ago humourous.

Sorry...but, considering what missionaries brought with them wherever they went, eating four of them doesn't seem like such a big deal to me.

So sue me.

Banksy wannabe at Bloor and Perth.

Russian Weddings



"People in Russia say that there is no wedding without a fight"

Here is a compilation of Russian wedding scariness.

*sigh*
I love English Russia.

News Reporter Laughs While Reporting Fatal Accident



Have you ever laughed at an inappropriate time?

I have.
It's a reaction. A nervous reaction...maybe of disbelief.
Not funny. Not funny.

I once had an employee tell me a very private thing.
I sat across my desk from her, and she swallowed, and turned red, and tears welled up in her eyes.
I could see how difficult it was for her to tell me. It was a life altering revelation, and it wasn't a good one for her.

I tried...I really did...but when she finished her story and looked to me for a reaction, maybe some advice, a profound word, some sort of thoughts of wisdom...I burst out laughing.
I apologized profusely, and told her that I wasn't laughing at her dilemma, but at how absurd life can be, how unfair.
How God has a sarcastic sense of humour.

Really, I couldn't believe that she thought that I had an answer for her..

Have you ever laughed at an inappropriate time?

Mary Tyler Moore did in this great episode of "The Funeral of Chuckles The Clown".

Tako, Tako...Samo Tako...

When 2007 champion Novak Djokovic was introduced at the Rogers Cup presentation ceremonies in Montreal yesterday, the public-address announcer mistakenly introduced him as being from Croatia. "First of all," Djokovic said when he took the microphone, "I'm sure that the gentleman here didn't mean to make a mistake, [but] I'm from Serbia not from Croatia." He diplomatically played down the miscue, saying, "I'm not angry, don't worry, it's the same thing."

His saying "it's the same thing" will surely drive a lot of Croats insane...so, tit for tat.

Congratulations Novak...samo napred.

Sunday Click Around

The photo to your left was taken by Peter Gasser, but the site has photos from the Top 10 Photographers. While we're on great photographers, let's look at Richard Avedon's apartment.

I've posted "My Father's Hand" before, but it's worth looking at again. It's the blog of an Artist with Parkinson's who can no longer hold a brush. It's a son's tribute to his father. Beautiful and simple drawings and sketches.

She wants a Guyanese, but she'll "tek on a Trini". All I can say is that whichever little "grandpickney" let her make this video and then posted it to YouTube needs an asswhuppin'.
(I suspect it's a fake though. I hope it is.)


You know how when you're in the salon, waiting and you pick up those hairdressing books and there are all these outrageous do's that are in hair shows and involve lacquer, and molding mud and stuff? But you know that they're not real "hairstyles" per se...they're head sculpture. Here is some vintage head sculpture.

Remember Jack E. Brown the chubby dancer? Well, here's someones tribute to him.

People Magazine does their "Beautiful People" thing every year, and I don't always see it...'cause I don't care, but looking at them, there are always only a couple or so that I find stunningly beautiful. For example, Morris Chestnut, or Jonathan Rhys Meyers (combined with accent) are missing.... But it's all personal taste isn't it?
While we're on "Beautiful Men"...here's a Tribute to Black Men.
Addendum by request: A Tribute to Asian Men....and a Tribute to Middle Eastern Men (some NSFW, and some just a little/lot too hairy), Latin Men, and Mr. Caribbean which is just another tribute to black men..ok must stop now...
I would have posted a Tribute to White Men..but, every "Beautiful Man" tribute is to them.

We were at a Guyanese wedding last night, so the oldies were flowing. The first oldie they started with was "Stand By Me", which cleared the dance floor of young people...and brought out the decked out older crowd who are practically ballroom dancers.

Here's a little tribute to the CN Tower if you've never been there. I haven't been there in so long that I think it might be time to be a tourist.

Don´t believe everything you see.

I need a pimp cup. Seriously. Who doesn't?

I've posted this Romance Scam site before, but it's worth posting again, since people are taken with some long distance person who takes advantage of them. It's one of those "gray line" crimes. People get away with fraud with their cons of love. They get off quite lightly in most cases. It makes for a lucrative living for some.

Tuck in Yuh Belly.

Turbo Karaoke



For some reason I couldn't look away for the entire performance.
When she tried to hit those high notes, I believe the neighbourhood dogs flocked for miles around.

A New Zealand couple is looking to call their newborn son Superman - but only because their chosen name of 4Real has been rejected by the government registry.

Yes.
These are the people who are blessed with children.
His father's name should be "Stuperman".

Recalls prompt parents to ask: Is any toy safe?
No.
Nothing is safe, because a child can kill themselves with a marshmellow, 
or a paper bag.

We need to take all toys away, and make children sit in a corner connected to a virtual life machine so that we can be sure nothing can ever harm them in any way.

What's more dangerous is irresponsibly not watching your children, and not teaching your children how to keep themselves safe.

And this story about the death of Canadian actor Jacob Adam on Ving Rhames estate is just very peculiar.

Was this really an "Accident?"

Ok, off I go.

Today's Quote:

"How the fuck are you supposed to win the game if you keep showing your cards?"

I always did suck at games.

Sunday Click Around

My father's sister was not so much a beautiful woman, as a sexy woman. She was sexy well into her 50's. There are some women who manage that, along with a serious dose of beauty...like Sophia Loren. I found the photo on your left at Close Enough: Photography of David Seymour.
Other great photos too.

As much as the subject matter makes me cringe, but women will be like that for a man, until the shoe is on the other foot....I'm hooked on this song by Lady Saw.

I found the title "Geto Riba" irresistible. Translation; "Ghetto Fish", "fish" being slang for "chicks" in Serbo-Croatian (hahahah...some people hate that definition of language, but I'm Former YU).

I'm posting this again too, because it's frickin' brilliant.

20 Most Amazing Coincidences.

"Their conversation, told in their 30-minute film, stemmed from the Feb. 23 beating of beloved longtime Germantown High School teacher Frank Burd. The math teacher confiscated an iPod from one of his 11th-grade students who'd ignored repeated requests to turn it down. After class the student demanded it back, a ninth-grader joined his case, and Burd ended up on the hallway floor with a broken neck that left him in critical condition."
...although, some of the students seemed to use the platform to justify what happened by playing the race card. It's sad, crippling, and isolating and won't help change anything.

Guys and Dolls is another documentary on The Real Doll (NSFW). I find the men interviewed incredibly sad, and strange. Talking about the dolls and referring to their "relationships" with them. Socially damaged individuals who have given up on real people.

Recently, I was talking to someone who was misinformed about Croatia's participation in the Nazi Movement. Here is a little doc. on Jasenovac called Jasenovac 1945.
I know that it's an uncomfortable piece of history, but it's a fact...unlike a lot of shit that has been spewed about Serbs over the past decade. I can only be thankful that my grandfather ended up in Dachau and not Jasenovac, because if he had, I would never have known him.

Boring CBC Documentaries...because they're really, really boring.

Miss Jamaica: What She Say? So wrong, but so funny anyway. I love how Miss Zimbabwe is a blonde, white chick.

Here are some helpful drawing techniques, if you're interested.

Gypsies LUVS their gold.

Josephine Baker is a fascinating character to me. A maverick in many ways. Here is J'ai deux amours from her.

I got a headache listening to The Fastest Talking Woman. I'm so thankful that I don't work with her.

Forgotten Serbs: Mileva Maric (Einstein's first wife) and Nikola Tesla.

And last but not least:
I did love the Brecker Brothers. I didn't know that Michael Brecker had died. :(
A Tribute to Michael Brecker.

"She has gone like the wind, and we can only meet in my dreams."

Now Liang has finally broken his silence recalling what the tragedy has done to him and those left behind. "My family has been driven to a dark valley by this terrible accident," he explains. "It is still hard for us to fathom now. Despite the tragedy, we still feel love shown by you and from Above. Thanks to your walking with us along this dark valley, we do not feel that we have been abandoned and can see the sunshine above the dark clouds."

Just heartbreaking.

Swiss Army Knife Suffers an Identity Crisis


Apparently, the tender might end up in China.

"If the Swiss army knife no longer comes from Switzerland, then we might as well stop producing it altogether," said Thomas Fuchs, MP for the far-right Swiss People's party.

It has also prompted many jokes, perceived as it is as the weapon of choice for the military of neutral Switzerland. The US comedian Robin Williams once quipped: "How can you trust an army that has a wine opener on its knife?"

Does it really make a difference?
It's still a Swiss Army Knife.
China has been pirating the knife for decades anyway. China has been pirating everything for decades, and even if China gets the tender, there'll still be pirated versions.
The Pacific Mall in Scarborough is a perfect example of the tenacity of pirating.
One day the police will swoop in and close 10 kiosks selling pirated CD's and DVD's...within a week, there are 15 more kiosks selling pirated CD's and DVD's.

If it's made cheaper, people will buy.
Not everyone can afford to be an elitist.

The Blogosphere turns 10 this year.

Wow.

...and I've been blogging for 6 of them.
Seriously though, I've met some really wonderful people through this blog that I would never have 
connected with if it wasn't for "The Blogosphere".
This blog has been a great thing for me. From Boston to Mumbai, from Singapore to Serbia, from Sault Ste Marie to Scarborough, I've met some great people.
Happy Birthday "Blogosphere" (I'm not terribly fond of that word, but it's what's out there..)

All Men are Liars:

Earlier this year I visited a prostitute for one obvious, practical reason and another less so: I'm sick of lying to women. Being single and in my 30s, I find it increasingly difficult to justify the lies and manipulation involved in having a sexual relationship with women who I'm not in love with.

I guess what this is about is; women letting go of the whole "life is not complete without a man" syndrome. But, society has to let go of the notion first...and since women are the gender that bears children, there is more of a societal expectation that women should want a man in their lives...or there is something wrong with them.
However, I'm reading that as women have evolved, become more educated, better employed...more and more are choosing to not have children, or marry.
Many studies have shown that the more educated the woman, the fewer children she'll have (if any)...that explains a lot of what I see in my work to me.

I suppose that the dating game will never, ever be honest...because honest just doesn't feel that hot...for a lot of women.

Ok...I'm off like a bride's new panties....so to speak.

People are just plain slippery.



It reminded me of this.