The Real News



Can you imagine news that isn't dictated by sponsors?
The Real News appears to be trying to do that as a not for profit news agency.

Can you imagine?

Andrija Ilic, Photographer from Beograd, Serbia.

The photographs are beautiful, and some are quite disturbing.

(via Funkaoshi)

...while we're on great Serbian Photographers...check out Dusan Hadnadjev.

...and now for something completely different...



(one of my favourite scenes from Fawlty Towers)

Sex Without a Condom is the New Engagement Ring?

Yeah.
Whatever.

That's the cheapest pimp line since:
"No, baby...me not marrying you shows how committed I am to you...I'm here because I want to be here, not because of a piece of paper".

(Thanks Krysss)

Finnair Celebrates 85 Years with Retro-Flights.

From the end of July until the end of the year, Finnair’s retro plane, Silver Bird, will fly to several destinations. The cabin crew will wear 1950s-style uniforms and the beat of music from the 50s will spur the takeoff.

I would so totally love to do this...have you seen the movies from the 1950's?
Back then, everyone flew "Business Class".
Not squeezed in like sardines...like we are now.

(Found at Retro to Go)

Today's Word


Pusillanimous \pyoo-suh-LAN-uh-muhs\, adjective:
Lacking in courage and resolution; contemptibly fearful; cowardly.

In the rush to be "on the edge" and "radical"..because piercings are just not good enough to freak people out, and make you unemployable in corporate America anymore....

A steel tunnel that allows you a view of the inside of someone's mouth without them having to open it.

I'm un-edgy enough to find this revolting.

Ok. Shut up about this picture already.

I don't know what people expect.
Madonna is obviously leaving a gym or something, and she's going to be 50, ferfucksake.
What is she supposed to look like with no make up on?

I've seen 20 year olds at the bus stop look worse.
I've seen 20 year olds who have no business looking as used and old as they do.

...so, while I'm not big fan of Madonna's...Jesus Christ...the way this picture is circulating you'd think that Madge dug herself up this morning for a photo shoot.

Give it a rest...so, she looks tired, and make up-less.
Big deal. She still looks better than most women her age, and younger in some cases.

OH,

SHUT.

UP.

Sponge Candy



I used to make this candy for my step children when they were little.
The video is the method on a large scale, without divulging the actual recipe.

I've posted the recipe at Papamo.

Bloor & Lansdowne
is my Favourite Block.

So sue me.

So, tonight I went to the Portuguese Butcher (you know, the guy who just won the lottery) to pick up some cows blood (gross) for my mother in law, and then pick up my sister in law to drive her home.

I love the block between St Clarens and Lansdowne on Bloor Street.

It's the little strip of land that gentrification hasn't touched yet.

SIL was talking to me...and here's how it went.

Me: "Shhhh, shhhhhhh....this is my favourite block"

SIL: "What?"

Me: "I LOVE this block"

SIL: "What?"

Me: "Where else can you see a police take down, crackheads, and a 200lb woman fanning her naked pussy all within 300 yards?"

SIL: "True dat"

Omarosa vs Wendy Williams

Part One


Part Two


(Thanks Chris)

Stunning Mountain & Cliff Houses



(Click on photo for more)

Question of the Day



I don't think that racism is exclusive to Black, Asian or South Asian people.
I think that racism most certainly crosses colour lines and moves into xenophobia.

When I started school here in Canada, there weren't very many people of non-British/Scottish/Irish descent.
I was one of them.
My first teacher here in Canada changed my first name completely to an Anglicized name that is nothing even remotely close to my actual name...no need to ask my parents whether it was OK to do that either.

Frankly, my parents were of the old, post war immigrant ilk...you know the ones...the ones who were just grateful to be here, and were always afraid that if they made too much noise or trouble they'd be sent back...so, they wouldn't have put up a fight anyway...and in fact didn't.
They embraced my new name because it was "Canadian"...and I despised it.

I hated it so much, that even now, when I hear the name uttered for someone else, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.


Tell me...what was your first realization of racism or discrimination?

Damn! I want Christian Bale's Publicist
on MY Payroll!

The source said: ‘Christian was stressed, but he didn’t lay a finger on anyone. Instead, he flew off the handle and cussed his mother. He just got very loud because his mother was saying some very outrageous things about him, and his wife.’

Thousands of women out there would find the idea of their husbands going after their mother-in-laws for insulting them pretty dreamy.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Beautiful Death



I've always liked cemeteries. I like the peacefulness of them and the tombstones can sometimes be quite incredible...but, that's coming from someone who reads obituaries and pays a silent blessing to the person I'm reading about and their families.

(click on photo for more pictures of cemeteries)

...and while we're on death, have a look at Kottke's post on The Most Beautiful Suicide. The photo has always been haunting...she looks so peaceful and beautiful.

But, it's a rarity, isn't it?
Suicide is anything but beautiful.

The End of the Affair - David Sedaris



(I'm just about to start this book)

NSFW (duh)

See more Jon Lajoie videos at Funny or Die

Four horseman of the Apocalypse split; ‘Pestilence to go solo’

A spokesman for the legendary Horsemen of the Apocalypse has confirmed rumours that the famous foursome are to split over ‘apocalyptic differences’ following a statement from Pestilence that he intended to concentrate on his solo career. ‘Pestilence has had a great time with the guys over the past few millennia, but feels that the time has come to move on’ said his manager to shocked journalists.

The whole story here


(Via Bock's Car)

How do things like this happen?

Mike Tyson's Abandoned Mansion



(Click on heading for main page....Click on photo for more)
I find the whole Mike Tyson story very sad indeed.
A young orphan, boxing phenomenon who is sucked off of by posse's and hangers on and eventually spirals into mental illness..ends up in jail...and essentially ends up a joke.

Listen, he's no angel or anything...but, I find the story incredibly sad.

(Found at Cynical-C)

[Murmur] - Hear U Are

[murmur] is a documentary oral history project that records stories and memories told about specific geographic locations. We collect and make accessible people's personal histories and anecdotes about the places in their neighborhoods that are important to them.

What a great project!
I'm thinking I have a few about Parkdale.

Chihuahua with Boundaries

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Skinheads from Maine



(Thanks Chris)

Gloria Jones - Tainted Love



Love it.

(From Uncertain Times)

Why is there nothing being done about Senior Abuse?

This poor 90 year old woman looks absolutely rigidified, and not even with it when the rollercoaster ride is over.

Do you suppose that if Granny had have had a heart attack on that ride, they'd be charged with anything?

If I could...I'd slap her granddaughter so hard that her mother would feel it.

James Brown's life is being auctioned off at Christies.

It's kind of sad to see someone's life up for sale.
Right down to childhood photos.

P.S.: That's a hell of a lot of white suits.

Discussion of the "N" word on The View



A rule of thumb.
Black people can use it.
White people cannot.

How hard is that?

...and that includes white suburban kids who listen to rap, and have "black friends".

Blondie is a bit over-emotional about it, no?

Motivational Posters of the Day

Your kid is going to try to kill themselves in the first 5 years of life....it's your mission as a parent to make sure they don't succeed.

Prison Inmates Get "Low"

glumbert - Prisoners Get Low

Apparently they do a new song every month.

I wonder if Russian or Chinese inmates are having this much fun?

Boxing Fan



(From List of the Day)

Top 10 Ugliest Male Athletes Who Don’t Deserve
Their Hot Wives Or Girlfriends

If it's any consolation, your wife loves you for who you are.

Retro Fashion and Beauty



(click on Twiggy for sugerpie honeybunch's photostream on Flickr)

How to Prepare Absinthe



Eh, too much work for me...

(thanks Chris)

Just eeeewwwww.

-- Former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, an adviser to the Barack Obama campaign and godmother of chief Obama foreign policy adviser Dr. Susan Rice, carried on an affair with Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci in a flagrant abuse of her office. WMR has received further confirmation from well-placed sources in Croatia, Serbia, and Kosovo that Albright had Thaci at her virtual beck and call for sexual encounters. Thaci was in his late 20s and early 30s when he was having the affair with Albright, who was in her sixties at the time.

On December 10, 2007, WMR reported: “It is rumored that during negotiations on Kosovo in Rambouillet, France in 2000, [Secretary of State Madeleine] Albright had more than a diplomatic interest in Thaci, who was then 31. Thaci is to become the Prime Minister of Kosovo.

We are Poseurs

This morning while watching CP24, the correspondent was touring a downtown gas station interviewing people filling up their tanks with gas at a lower price this morning.

Apparently, they found the only 4 people in Toronto who "hardly ever" use their cars...but, decided to TODAY!

It's astonishing!

All of these people "usually take the TTC"...(which was praised by the reporter, and should be...because they're losing valuable time) but TODAY...everyone at that gas station decided to drive.

So, it appears that driving is becoming a thing to be ashamed of if you're caught doing it downtown.

I'll bet that if asked, a lot of downtown drivers "hardly ever" drive.
The traffic downtown is obviously just all those damn 905ers.

(Found @ Bock's Car)

Smoking on Screen

In May 2007, the MPAA made headlines by announcing: "Now, all smoking will be considered and depictions that glamorize smoking or movies that feature pervasive smoking outside of an historic or other mitigating context may receive a higher rating." Almost a year later, anti-smoking advocates are not satisfied with the results. No film has yet been rated R due to its tobacco content, and the MPAA has been lax in noting instances of smoking in their ratings descriptions. It bears mentioning that an R-rating can seriously hurt the box-office success of film that's meant to have wide appeal. The health department's letter states, "Any film that shows or implies tobacco use should be rated R." Exceptions may be made in the case of "a real historical figure" or if the film "unambiguously reflects the dangers and consequences" of smoking. Under these guidelines, Edward R. Murrow can smoke, but Jack and Rose from "Titanic" cannot, unless Jack dies from emphysema rather than hypothermia.

There are certain types of movies, and characters that just would not be believable if they didn't smoke.

I'm afraid that in real life, people still do...and teenagers will more likely start, the more taboo you make it.

I know it's hard to believe, but most smokers don't smoke because they saw it in a movie.

The article I linked to is pretty good.
You should read it.

I'll stop now, so that Hollywood censors can go back to erasing scenes with people smoking in them, because in the real world Mafiosos and members of South American cartels are health conscious and care about your children, and should be depicted that way in film.

Miss Kosovo is an Albanian in Serbian dress.

I can't help but find that painfully funny.
...and not in a "ha ha" kind of way.

13 Things Your Waiter
Won't Tell You

3. When customers' dissatisfaction devolves into personal attacks, adulterating food or drink is a convenient way for servers to exact covert vengeance. Waiters can and do spit in people's food.

**I worked as a Bartender and Waitress for years while I was dragging myself through school, and frankly...I've never done this, and I've never seen it done....and believe me, I've had some ornery bitches and pricks who deserved it in my section over those years.**

"There's something both weak and arrogant about saying, in an offhand way, "I wish I were divorced." From the comfort and security of your marriage and family, it's very easy. Actually going through it is hell. It's not just two individuals breaking up but two families. It's dealing with it, and then having to tell your parents, your friends, the neighbors, the frigging dry cleaner. Throw some kids in the mix and increase that hell by a hundred-fold."

I love her.

I never get tired of these.

(See more at Popped Culture.)

Classy

You know, I could do a whole long winded post on the sad, misled, self-esteem deficient women of today who think that behaving in this kind of way is "liberating", "powerful", and "hot", and not whorish, and stupid.

But, as Dorothy Parker once said:

"You can lead a whore to knowledge, but you can't make her think"

"I used to work for Boeing in Wichita. Boeing sold the Wichita division and all of the workers, including me, to another company. We still did the same work, but Boeing was just one customer of several.

Nearly a year after the sale, someone at Boeing lost a laptop that had the names, addresses and Social Security numbers of nearly all of the 12,000 Wichita ex-employees on it. They waited an unknown period of time before telling anyone, then another couple of weeks before they offered to pay for credit reporting subscriptions for us. They offered no compensation for people that had been actual identity-theft victims and they wouldn't pay for identity-theft insurance."

How to clean your kitchen sponge

Using the kitchen sponge to clean the table, the dirty counter and possibly the stains on the floor can add bacteria to the surface you are trying to clean. Even sponges that appear clean can contain thousands of bacteria per square inch.

To avoid harboring germs, yeast, and spores in your sponges, clean them at least every 3 to 4 days using the following method.

Click on text to watch the video

Last Days of the Rickshaw

Kolkata is bent on burnishing its modern image—and banning a potent symbol of India's colonial past.

Click on image for National Geographic' photo gallery.

Maila Nurmi



The original "Vampira"

glumbert - Drunk History 3

Russian Hancock



(More Russian Hancock at English Russia)

Conan on Jesse Jackson's most recent faux pas



Today's Quote:

"In life, sometimes you have your moment. You have your window that lies upon you and then it leaves. This is not Jesse's time right now. This is Barack Obama's time, and I think he's having a problem with that."

Spike Lee

Perfecting the Art of Moneygrabbing

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Guests at an Israeli wedding hall can now insert a credit card into a machine at its entrance, tap in a sum and leave a gift for the bride and groom.

Because it's such a hassle dragging that box home, and sorting through all those damn cards!

In fairness though, it is pretty convenient...and I'm actually ok with it, considering the recent trend of robbing weddings. I've heard of people actually hiring security companies to guard their money boxes.
Let's face it, if your wedding is one of those giant circus weddings with 400 people, that's quite a haul of moolah.

JAMES MOODY, a 31-year-old who drowned to death in a New Orleans swimming pool in 1985. Although not a lifeguard himself, Moody was at a party attended by at least one hundred lifeguards. The party was being thrown in celebration of the previous year’s record of zero drownings at local swimming pools. Still, those hundred-plus lifeguards were ALL apparently too fucked-up to realize that Moody had sunk like a sad little stone to the pool’s bottom.

Click on text for more ridiculous deaths.

Check the Bank of Canada for unclaimed bank account balances.

The clearing house for Canadian Banks

Is this really the most expensive house on earth?



Here's an article on it.

OMG!!!


http://view.break.com/534959 - Watch more free videos

(Found at Cynical-C)

Tito Seif - Male Bellydancer



How come he isn't half naked?

Here's one that is:

Vintage Russian Ads for Alcohol




(Click on picture for more)

7 Movies Based on True Stories (that are complete bullshit)

Only seven?

I think that we can safely assume that all movies that Hollywood says are "based on a true story" are very, very loosely based...and are more often complete horseshit, with a couple of true facts floating through them.

While we're on the topic, ReelFaces.com breaks down a lot of "true story" films for you.

I found the site pretty interesting.

The Human Mirror



From Improv Everywhere:

For our latest mission, we filled a subway car with identical twins, creating a human mirror. Enjoy the video first and then see below for our report with tons of photos.

Paper Dolls



When I was a little girl, paper dolls were a staple for me.
For a kid who couldn't have all the dolls I wanted, paper dolls were the next best thing.
I spent hours carefully cutting them out, and dressing them up.
The one above is Marlo Thomas from "That Girl"...a sitcom that I watched.

Here is a site with a bunch of paper dolls, some familiar...some, not so much.

Then there are the vintage ones I found...

People in cars.

Worth posting again...

The Forgotten 500



Read an article about it here.
(thanks Anna)

I agree with FrankC.

In case you're here to make friends...



(Found at FourFour)

61 Deaths that Shocked Us....

In presenting to his little readers “The Book of Accidents,” the Author conceives he cannot render a more important service to the rising generation and to parents, than by furnishing them with an account of the accidents to which Children, from their inexperience or carelessness, are liable. If generally studied it will save the lives of thousands, and relieve many families from the long and unavailing misery attendant on such occurrences.

The Book of Accidents looks like a handy book that should be updated and forced reading for children.

(Found at Ectoplasmosis)

This discussion can be had about every race....(ask Jerry Springer)



So, while one of the women concurs that women should "close their legs", she also stated that men need to be better men.

Ok.
Granted.

But, it's women who choose to pro-create with a loser. In many cases, more than once.

So, while the argument can be made that as soon as you lay down with a woman, you should be prepared for the possibility that you could be a father.

The fact of the matter is that as women, we're in control of whether we choose to be a parent, and make someone else be a willing or unwilling parent as well.

The rest of the discussion revolves around whether hip hop is responsible for promoting a negative lifestyle.

Which is the argument that has been made about music since that bastard Johann Strauss encouraged dancing with his blasted waltzes.

How To Stick It To The Man

Pick something groovy Alex...don't be an L 7!

I love this stuff...

The School of Life



(stick with it if you can...)

Thank you Russell Peters for cracking the door wide open for "ethnic" comedy.
Political correctness...be gone!

So, while I hate weddings...I LOVE first date/proposal/how we met stories.

Click on the picture for a whole bunch of videos with just such stories from The N.Y. Times.

This is a job for Miz Pee!

The battle of who can use a store bathroom is coming to a head.

All stores from the smallest shoe boutique to giant big box outlets are required under the provincial building code to provide washroom access to customers, but many merchants routinely turn away people who ask to use the facilities, Toronto city staff says.

But the province, which writes the building code, says it's up to store owners to decide who can use the bathroom.

Toronto Councillor Howard Moscoe tackled the sticky issue after a constituent complained about a large retail store that cut off access to its public washrooms when it closed its lunch counter.

This is an interesting discussion.
The City of Toronto, piggy backing on small business on the public washroom issue.
The fact of the matter is that there should be public washrooms, period.

I don't blame a small business allowing only customers to use their washrooms.
Have you seen the state of some washrooms?
People are pigs.
Why should some poor small business person have to clean up after people who aren't even buying anything from him/her?

If Howard Moscoe thinks that every store should allow everyone to use their bathrooms, then the city should subsidize them by cutting some of their taxes to help toward paying for manpower and cleaning supplies...if the city doesn't want to do that...then build and maintain public washrooms instead of unloading that responsibility onto small business.

Mind you, I've never had a problem using a Timmy's, McDonald's or whatever without buying anything...and no one has ever given me any trouble.

But then, I'm not rollin' with a shopping cart full of cardboard and dirty bags with a years worth of dirt caked on me either....you get my meaning...

Rupaul misses Sam the Record Man too!

Today's LOL



(Thanks Chris)

Calypso Girl



Caribana is Coming...

Henry Morgantaler up for Order of Canada?

What's the big deal?
In a few years they'll be giving that award out to anyone who spends more than $200 at Canadian Tire.

I just don't know why people are getting their panties in a knot over it...well, if only people kept their panties in a knot in the first place....

Wedding Betting

Ever been to a wedding where you know it's a waste of a gift, and the purchase of a dress?

I recently could have won big money on the timeline I gave one wedding...the problem is that my cousin wouldn't bet me...because she gave it only a couple of months more than I did.

At Wedding Betting, you can read the bio on the couple and bet on how long the marriage will last. Why anyone would willingly post themselves on something like this baffles me.

I'd say something like: "Oh, it must be fake" or "Eh, no one would do something like that!"...but, I know that some people are stupider than stupid.

(found at Guanabee)

Winehouse Watch

Ok...I'm sorry, but I find both of these videos highly amusing.

In the first one, at 2 minutes in, Amy states: "I won't open for a c*nt like Kanye".
Well?!?
Someone had to say it!



(found at D-Listed)

In this second gem, Amy can be found clocking someone in the crowd while she's singing.



(found at Hasta Los Gatos Quiren Zapatos)

UPdate: Apparently, Amy was beating down a boob grabber!

We're Back!



It was a relaxing time.
I don't think we would have enjoyed it as much if we hadn't stayed at The Wavecrest Bed Breakfast..such a lovely place...such gracious hosts!

You'll see the beautiful house in the slide show...and the room we stayed in had a fantastic ensuite with a huge, deep tub!

Just so you know, The Wavecrest is for sale...they're moving to a warm climate for good.

Seriously.
If you're considering a trip to Pelee Island, stay at The Wavecrest.
Barry is an excellent cook, and Thom is entertaining as hell!
519.724.1111 if you want to reserve a very comfortable room.