Snatch is, of course, the new Guy Ritchie movie (insert pre-requisite mention of Madonna here). If you’ve seen Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels you know what to expect. Snatch is even more frenetic, fast-paced and violent than it’s predecessor, but doesn’t really cover any new territory.

See this movie anyway, if for nothing else than Brad Pitt who spends the majority of the movie covered in either soot, blood, bile or alcohol and speaks in a hilarious and indecipherable Irish dialect. Snatch is funny, it looks absolutely amazing, but there just isn’t anything beneath the surface.

Babe: Pig in the City, on the other hand, has a lot going on. While Snatch merely feigns social commentary, the second Babe contains almost nothing but. Class warfare, the loss of cultural identity and social decay are the primary topics. I’m not kidding here, the first Babe movie, is nothing like Pig in the City – which has to be the most disturbing movie to ever be labelled “General”. The movie includes a dog being hung and nearly drowned, a poodle prostitute and any number of other characters and scenes that are entirely inappropriate for a “children’s” movie. Hampered only by a weak ending which feels out of place, this movie both looks incredible and has a lot to say.

Read this bizarre review of Babe: Pig in the City by a group called the “ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture.” Among the areas they rate are “Offense to God,” “Sex/Homosexuality,” and “Impunity/Hate.”
This site rates a lot of movies, and is usually both entertaining and frightening.

The oil slick in the Galapagos is covers over 300 square kilometres.

I was trying to think of a good comparison to illustrate how large that actually is, but nothing suitable came to mind.

Picture it: 300 square kilometres!

I do not receive enough adulation from the public. Is it so much to ask that, instead of fallacy ridden emails that obliquely threaten legal action*, you send me gifts? Of course not.
My only thought has been that perhaps I am too difficult to shop for. To that end I present you with a short list:

Mr. Suicide Bathtub or Sink Drain Plug – better than a rubber duckie.
Beck Stuff – I like red.

Actually, that’s it. That’s all I want. I just want a bathtub plug and a t-shirt (or a sweatshirt)! That’s it!
I mean, sure I’d like to own a car that I could kick snow off without simultaneously ripping holes in the frame. And, sure, when Stats Canada called, I was embarrassed (see Jennifer, I can spell) to admit that I hadn’t spent a thing on “paid companions” (who are grouped with gardeners and maids for some reason). But really, all I want is some Beck swag and a lousy bathtub plug with a dead guy hanging from the chain.
I’m doing my very best to be reasonable folks. It’s not easy.

* I regret that I cannot produce said email for your perusal. You would laugh and cry. You would – but you will not.

A few weeks ago, we solicited submissions of writing for an upcoming aov feature on memorable rock concert experiences. We have been working hard writing our own experiences (this statement is not true) and we would like some help.

While the standard has been set high by an astounding account of a Platinum Blonde concert in the Sherwood Sportplex in the mid 80’s, we welcome all kinds of submissions regardless of length, format, quality, relevance, etc.

Send your submission to thegeniuses@actsofvolition.com.

The arbitrary deadline for submissions is January 31.

KirbyFerguson (.com) has abused his photo-editing skills and turned what he calls a “dream” in to a horrible nightmare for all of us.

In another flagrant abuse of the tools at his disposal, Kirby may have inadvertently created some prize winning work.

I, being frightfully young, criminally immature and not possesing cable television, cannot say that I knew Al Waxman’s work well. It came as somewhat of a surprise to me then, that I should be at all affected by his death. For this turn of events, credit should go to one Kent Bruyneel. Read his moving tribute to the “King of Kensington” here.

Check out this great thread on IslandEdition.com.

The chain of events took place as follows:

1. A co-worker gets a computer game, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (warning, this links to a totally x-treme website – mountain dew big-slams recommended), for Christmas.
2. He leaves it at the office.
3. My life deteriorates into a blur of late nights full of kick-flips, 720’s, and ollie transfers.

A real low point in my addiction to the ridiculous game came when a few of my friends were sitting around complaining about our injuries from the playing the game (sore wrists, etc.). As soon as we realized what we were doing, the conversation came to an abrupt end.

This post was not meant to be about my pathetic addiction to a computer game, which appears to have been inevitable, but rather about a triumph of the Internet search technology.

One of the goals in the foolish game is to “Bluntside the Awning”. This meant as much to me as it does to you (nothing) and it was an important goal that I needed to complete in the game (I know, I know). Frustrated, confused, and all the while ashamed of myself, I went to AskJeeves.com and posed the simple but arcane query, “How do I bluntside the awning?”

The first result was my answer. Well done, Internet.