Schwartz's Deli

I had many smoked meat sandwiches in this joint when I was young and now there's a movie about it!

Via Neatorama

Funny Headline

Supreme Court Strips Gore of Oscar; Declares George W. Bush Winner

Funny, funny headline Via YesButNoButYes

Murals

Above is a mural from the Russian town of Borovsk where the walls tell stories. Via

Closer to home are Welland's 29 murals. The one below features a ship on the Welland Canal.

Not One

If Iraq is such an "honorable" cause, how come not one -- not one -- of Bush's extended family has joined the military to fight there? Not one.
Same for Cheney's family.

Via Grow a Brain

It's Johnny Cash's birthday. Here's the good stuff about him. Want to see his dark side?

The Nag is Skeptical

They're all great but how does one rate the best? Is it possible to rate the best male artist? And, much as I like Cindy Sherman, is she the pinnacle of women's art?

Recent decades have witnessed an outpouring of research on the contributions of women artists. But as is typical in the humanities, these studies have been qualitative, and consequently do not provide a systematic evaluation of the relative importance of different women artists. A survey of the illustrations of the work of women artists contained in textbooks of art history reveals that art historians judge Cindy Sherman to be the greatest woman artist of the twentieth century, followed in order by Georgia O'Keeffe, Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse, and Frida Kahlo. The life cycles of these artists have differed greatly: the conceptual Sherman, Hesse, and Kahlo all arrived at their major contributions much earlier, and more suddenly, than the experimental O'Keeffe and Bourgeois. The contrasts are dramatic, as Sherman produced her greatest work while in her 20s, whereas Bourgeois did not produce her greatest work until she had passed the age of 80. The systematic measurement of this study adds a dimension to our understanding of both the role of women in twentieth-century art and the careers of the major figures.

Via Kottke

Instant Karma

Next time I run an election I'm going to rip off this campaign, catchy song and all. I wonder if the NDP would mind changing their name to the Instant Karma Party?

Via the always entertaining Everlasting Blort.

Bring a small plastic snake and a big toy frog for the kids

This is sort of fun to play around with. Listen to people read the following paragraph in any accent you like:


Please call Stella. Ask her to bring these things with her from the store: Six spoons of fresh snow peas, five thick slabs of blue cheese, and maybe a snack for her brother Bob. We also need a small plastic snake and a big toy frog for the kids. She can scoop these things into three red bags, and we will go meet her Wednesday at the train station.

Via Cynical-C

Lambs In The News

I bought these cute little lamb egg cups yesterday. I like the way they're smiling. Lambs are so cute - unless there are one hundred of them and they're dead and smell bad and are in your back yard. Does this story seem a little weird to you? Especially the part about the police not pressing charges and letting the guy continue to go about his grisly business.

The Great Tommy Douglas

The well-known founder of both medicare and Canada's social democratic movement died on this day in 1986 in Ottawa at the age of 81. But Tommy Clement Douglas was lesser-known as a Baptist preacher in Saskatchewan. It was the pulpit that prepared him as one of the nation's most eloquent orators: a talent that helped him get his medicare message across. As premier of Saskatchewan in 1961, Douglas introduced the first hospital insurance program.

CBC Clip

Conduite autour de Paris la nuit

I've always been afraid to drive in Paris but it's not so bad when there's no traffic.

The Passenger has made my day. Thanks Ursi,

Tinariwen

The birth of the band Tinariwen in 1992 is closely linked to the exile and wandering situation of the Tuareg people.It is the emanation itself of this diaspora. The musicians of the badminton Tinariwen are all from the Adrar des Iforas and found refuge in the 70’s in Tamanrasset (in Algeria).Their sung poetry calls for the political awakening of consciousness and approaches the problems of the exile, of the repression in Mali, of the policy of explusion to Algeria and of the claims for sovereignty and self-determination.

"Arawan" is a tribute to the Tuareg leader Ahmad Baba Massufi, a 16th century Malian writer and political philosopher. Born in Arawan, he was renowned for his rebellious struggle against injustice.

Listen to Zin Es Gourmeden as well.

10 Very Unusual Restaurants

Some very unusual restaurants here. Dinner In The Sky in Brussels (pictured above) would probably give me severe vertigo.

Via Reddit

Don't Send Me One Of These

For some reason I get regular emails from Hallmark at work and I delete them. Perhaps I should take the time to read them. This line of cards is unbelievable!

• A friend has cancer? No problem. Just send him/her this blythe greeting:
• No one said it would be easy to lose your hair. But knowing you, you'll find a way to turn this situation around and use it as a badge of honor. What you really mean to say is: "Trust you to turn everything to your own advantage."
• Buddy lost his job? This'll make him feel better:
• I'm sorry you lost your job, but please remember that your job is not who you are. You have many great qualities, and that's what really matters. What you really mean to say is "So stop griping about where your next meal is coming from. Nobody likes a whiner."
• I'm sure your fertility-challenged friend will feel better when she reads this message from you:
• I wish I could make things happen for you the way you want them to. I know how much a child would mean to you. What you really mean to say is: "Everyone knows you desperately want a child- you never shut up about it."
  

Can you imagine going to the Hallmark store and choosing just the right greeting for one of life's more challenging moments, buying a stamp and mailing it to a friend? You can? Well, if I'm that friend, I swear I'll delete you from my address book.

Link Via Toner Mishap

Online cheese comparator

The other day I asked if you thought one of my posts was cheesy. (Only got one response - it was NO). I'm sure I'll get no arguments about the cheesyness of this post though. It appears The Nag's signature cheese is Wensleydale.

Via J-Walk

Islamic tiles reveal sophisticated maths

The complex geometrical designs used centuries ago in Islamic art and architecture were planned with a tiling system that was not discovered in the West until five centuries later, two physicists have claimed. More...

Via The Daily Jive

23 Fascinating Facts About the Number Twenty-Three

To most, it's just what comes between 22 and 24. Yet to surprisingly many - including the makers of a new film - it means much more. Cahal Milmo and Tom Willetts explore a bizarre obsession . More

This Is A Good Thing

South Africa's environment minister announced long-awaited restrictions on hunting Tuesday, declaring he was sickened by wealthy tourists shooting tame lions from the back of a truck and felling rhinos with a bow and arrow.
Dismissing threats of legal action by the hunting industry, Marthinus Van Schalkwyk said the new law would ban "canned" hunting of big predators and rhinos in small enclosures that offer them no means of escape. More

Via Information Junk

The Nag's Been Getting Around

One of my photos of Monsieur Chat appeared on Look At This today. Earlier this week Coudal linked to my Habitat post and Everlasting Blort linked to one of my YouTube entries. Links from my favourite blogs make The Nag feel good as do the links from all my other blogger buddies. I especially like having one of my photos featured because I am not a very good photographer (this is very much akin to Martin Short's understatement that he's not a very good swimmer in the synchronized swimming bit he does).

P.S.: Is it cheesy for me to mention this?

Alex the Parrot

I listened to a show about Alex the Parrot on CBC yesterday. He's a better conversationalist than a lot of people I know . The audio clip is priceless - he has such a dear little voice. He also has his own website .

More audio/video

My New Painting

I bought this from Rob over at Alla Prima Painting. It arrived from Seattle today. Don't worry, Rob, it won't be lonely. I've found it a couple of friends to play with until I decide where to hang it.

More Pigs

A slideshow of Chinese new year celebrations around the world.

It's Shrove Tuesday

That means crepes for dinner. Here's some background info on this kickoff to Lent.

McCain on Rumsfeld

"I think that Donald Rumsfeld will go down in history as one of the worst secretaries of defence in history," Mr McCain said.

The Arizona senator had better watch his step or Dick Cheney will be taking him on a little hunting trip.

And The Marquee Came Tumbling Down

My friend, Blogless Barry, who lives around the corner from The Revue, sent me this photo. Apparently the chains holding the sign gave way. I've blogged about the demise of this neighbourhood theatre a few times (here and here). Now that the sign is gone I guess it is truly au revoir.

Shopping In The Year of the Pig

We shopping gluttons will use any excuse to go on a spree - even the Chinese New Year. Cool Hunting features a range of swinishly cool products, everything from bacon of the month to a cute little piglet tv.

New Sedaris

No one can make me laugh out loud the way David Sedaris can (except his sister, Amy).

My Inner Superhero

What's yours?

Toast Me Timbers

Wash down this pirate breakfast with a flagon of rum, me hearties. Then you'll be all set up for a hard day of raping and pillaging.


Via NotCot

Happy New Year

Create Your Own Reef

Go crazy - create your own reef.

Via Ursi's Blog

Habitat For Urban Dwellers

Habitat 67 turns 40 this year. This site has everything you ever wanted to know about that icon of urban housing. I was quite young then but this housing project was just one of many things that made me proud to be a Montrealer during that Expo summer.

Habitat ‘67 developed out of architect Moshe Safdie’s 1961 thesis design project and report ("A Three-Dimensional Modular Building System" and "A Case for City Living" respectively). The building was realized as the main pavilion and thematic mblem for the International World Exposition and its theme, Man and His World, held in Montreal in 1967 (movie).
Born of the socialist ideals of the 1960s, Safdie’s thesis housing project explored new solutions to urban design challenges and high-density living. His ideas evolved into a three-part building system which pioneered the combined use of a three-dimensional urban structure, specific construction techniques (the prefabrication and mass-production of prototypal modules), and the adaptability of these methods to various site conditions for construction conceivably around the world (Safdie would later be commissioned to design other 'Habitat' projects in North America and abroad). More.

She Reminds Me of Someone

Is it just my cataract clouded vision or does Paris look a lot like Dolly did before she became one of plastic surgery's tragic casualties? Listen to Dolly sing "I Wish I Felt This Way At Home"

Song Via Mr. Dante Fontana

Portrait of a Nag

Hey, I made a Nag with Portrait Illustration Maker! They didn't have rat's nest hair so that's a little off but Baby Nag asked me if I plugged a photo in so I guess it kinda looks like me. As enigmatic as the Mona Lisa, don't you think?

Cultural Revolution Mango under Glass Dome

Tropical fruit or communist icon only $600US (plus shipping and handling). Weird.

Via Grow a Brain

Not In Our Name

A powerful coalition of 100 scientists, lawyers, church leaders, actors, writers and MPs is today demanding a halt to the rush by Tony Blair towards a replacement for Britain's Trident nuclear weapon system. More

A Million Reasons To Raise The Minimum Wage

OPSEU has launched a campaign to raise the minimum wage in Ontario to $10.00 per hour, where it would be today if it had kept pace with inflation.

The facts are compelling.

Ski It If You Can

I've written before about Mad River Glen where we skied every year when my kids were younger. It's a trip back in time to the early years of skiing in North America - wild and beautiful. Here's a NY Times article on the hill via Kottke . Also a photo of Nag Jr. swooshing along there circa 1989 in his pre-snowboard years and another of the view from the top of the single chair lift. We had some of the best times of our lives there - sigh.

Inspiration on tap

Why do we buy so much bottled water when there’s a greener alternative in every kitchen? We asked five top advertising agencies to sell us the cheap stuff.

Winning people over to the tap water side one drop at a time.
Via Exploding Aardvark

Now That's What I Call Retro!

What's the newest fashion trend? Medieval chic. I'm going to the darkest recesses of my closet to dig around. I'm sure I've got a few chainmail vests that have been kicking around there since the Medieval Period.

It's Going To Be a White One

Looks like it's time to stock up on essentials (wine), get a roaring fire going and curl up with a good book (or someone who's read one). Today we party, tomorrow we dig out.

Ontario's Bottle Return/Interrogation Centre

Ontarians now pay more for wine and liquor and get a refund when they return their bottles to the beer store. The aim of the new program is to keep as many as 80 million bottles and containers a year out of landfills. Sounds like a good idea, right?
Mr. Nag returned a bunch of wine bottles to a local pizza business which is handling returns because our community doesn't have a beer store.
The proprietor of the business gave him the third degree about when he bought the wine, "Did you buy all those this week?" Like who died and made him the new temperance god?
Mr. Nag answered "Well yeah.'" but he assures me that his tone implied, "Wanna make something of it, punk?"
If I were Mr. Nag I would have responded, " I didn't buy them for myself, honest. I bought them for my wife who's a hopeless alcoholic. It's her medicine; she needs it to prevent the dt's. I promise I won't do it again, mister."I would then have broken into loud, snotty, hacking sobs guaranteed to make potential pizza customers run for the nearest exit. That'd teach him to keep his nosey questions to himself.
Next time we're taking those empties to a beer store in another town where no one knows us. Perhaps we'll split them up and take them to various beer stores throughout the Niagara Peninsula. Or maybe we'll just put them in with our regular garbage and let them go to the bloody landfill and forget about the lousy $1.20 refund.

Not That I Support Piracy

OscarTorrents is the Oscars as it should be -- everyone can download the year's nominations using the popular BitTorrent service, watch the movies, then use our rating system to choose their favourites. Why restrict the voting to a few bought-off jurors when the whole world can have their say?

Via The Consumerist

Some of My Best (Animal) Friends Are Gay

Live Science gives us the lowdown on alternate lifestyles in the wild.

Chinese Horoscopes for 2007

The Year Of The Pig is almost here. Things are looking up this year for The Rabbit, my Chinese zodiac animal. How about you?

Shaw Festival Films - my take so far

I saw Little Children this weekend as part of the Shaw Festival film series. It's a disturbing as hell indictment of suburban life and middle-class marriage. The group of park and pool mums and tots is as frightening as any gang in the Bronx. Three mothers in particular remind me of a coven of witches. Kate Winslett is Sarah, a mum who doesn't fit in. She forgets to prepare snacks for her daughter and is vilified by the other mothers for it. Her husband is a constipated, frustrated guy and it's tough to imagine how they ever hooked up and produced a child. Kate has an affair with Brad, a childish, hunky, underachiever who lies about everything to his wife, Kathy, a beautiful documentary maker. His pouting about not being allowed to have a cell phone illustrates the marital dynamic: Brad is a bad little boy who won't do as he's supposed to; Kathy is the hard working discipinarian. When Kathy discovers Brad's infidelity she calls her mother in to ride herd on him while she's at work. In the background of this sex in suburbia tale the story of a recently released pedophile who has become the focus of the community's deepest fears unfolds.
The performances are terrific; I especially like the older women who play small but sympathetic roles in the film. The book club scene, with these women and two "little sisters" is my favourite. The mother of the pedophile also engages us in a positive way.
The humour is very dark and the main characters are all damaged in some way. I left the theatre feeling very unsettled but I liked it. I suspect, though, that it's not everyone's cup of tea.

The other films I've seen in the series are: Little Miss Sunshine (I liked it, who wouldn't?) ,Catch a Fire (so-so but I thought Tim Robbins was great), Joyeux Noel (overly sentimental but perfect for Christmas), Shut Up and Sing (pretty good, I liked the way the largely older, upper middle class audience booed George Bush), Marie Antoinette (a very pretty movie. I liked it more than my friends did), Volver (funny, great direction by Almodovar who got terrific performances out of all the actresses).

Bobcat's Advice

I was reading an interview with Bobcat Goldthwait in today's Guardian. This quote made me laugh:

Goldthwait offended many with his remarks following the actor Nick Nolte's arrest for taking the so-called date-rape drug, GHB. Nolte's defence, he suggested, should have begun: "Your honour, people have been telling me to go fuck myself for years. I decided I would, but I was afraid I might resist."

Unchain Your Heart

Give fair trade and organic chocolate and flowers on Valentine's Day. While you're at it Send a message to the "Anti-Valentine's Five": Nestle Dole Wal-Mart M&M-Mars Inc. Hersheys

What's Playing On Radio?

This site lets you know what's playing right now. I don't know how useful it is but it's kinda fun.

Via Coudal

A Cell Phone For Max

This is truly revolutionary - and only $400.00 US. I can now call Max from work to tell him to start dinner. Or when I'm on vacation he can let me know whether Baby Nag is wrecking the place. Or we could just chat a bit.

Me: "Hey dude, what's up?"
Max:
Me: "Nothing much, eh? Not much happening here either."
Max:

Via Mental Floss

This One's For You, Britney

How to get out of a car gracefully without showing your underwear (or worse).

Via Information Junk

World’s most complex origami

Pink Tentacle brings us some amazing origami. Sort of like my folded creations - not.

video

Love These Vans

Saw these cool Vans on Neatorama . Just the thing for Valentine's Day.

It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp

Cupid or pimp - you decide.

Via Yesbutnobutyes

Where the Art Comes With Bullet Holes

The cloakroom is a pokey, bullet-riddled bar. The security consists of motorbike-riding teenagers with assault rifles strung across their chests. But if you make it past the police checkpoints and the concrete barricades, the good news is that entry is free. And so far there has not been an art critic in sight.
The heavy artillery on show might suggest otherwise but this is Rio de Janeiro's newest, most unusual and certainly most dangerous, modern art gallery. It is located at the heart of the Vila Cruzeiro shantytown. More

Another of Life's Great Conundrums Solved

The secrets of the pompatus revealed. This didn't exactly keep me awake at night but it did get me thinking "WTF?" whenever I heard it.

Via Look At This

I'd Say Silverman Was Asking For It

This optician may be a scamming SOB but it looks to me likePeter "Watch it, buddy" Silverman was intruding on his turf. The guy pulled a couple of really feeble moves on Silverman, CITY-TV's one man vigilante squad, but I'm certain that he could have punched him in the nose or something if he really wanted to. The most surprising thing is that they called out the ETF. WTF? I guess these guys are just hanging around the ETF clubhouse waiting for some action: "Let's go get that optician who won't stay in his store!"
That said, I have a soft spot for Silverman who wrote a book called Who Speaks For The Children? in 1989. It was an indictment of the child welfare sytem in Ontario and influenced my thinking way back when. All the same, he should know when to back off a bit.

Silent Bob is Fighting the Battle of His Life

The battle of the bulge, that is. I think that's the before picture below - at least I hope it is. **Profanity warning **

Redecorating?

Do muggers, flies and foetuses fit your theme? The Timorous Beasties have just the wallpaper for you.

One critic described their work as William Morris on acid, though to my eye they're more like Damien Hirst on Ovaltine. "The imagery in the original French toiles from the 18th century is actually quite shocking," says McAuley. "They have scenes of workers womanising, smoking and drinking. What we've done, in the Glasgow toile, is update the imagery. So a pipe becomes a rollie, an old man sitting on a stool in a rural scene becomes a tramp on a park bench, a glass of wine becomes a can of super lager."

Download your free Timorous Beasties wallpaper

Oscar Quiz

It's that time of year again, folks. I hope you do better on this quiz than I did.

Paris, A Roman City

An on-line tour of Roman Paris Via Why Travel To France , an informative blog for all you francophiles.