rants and observations

Do you want to laugh? I mean REALLY laugh? The type of laugh that makes it hard to breathe and forces you to touch your forehead to your knees? If your answer is yes, I suggest you visit 27bslash6.com.

David Thorne is an Australian humourist who received media attention in late 2008 for one of his email exchanges, in which he attempted to pay an overdue bill with a drawing of a seven-legged spider. He used his web site to annoy hapless victims on social networking sites under the pseudonym Tabitha Gnillort (pictured above). After his seven-legged spider email the site traffic exploded and Mr Thorne’s email conversations with unwitting victims all produced from real life experiences became a sensation. He’s also written a book called ‘The Internet Is A Playground’ which I’ve added to my must-read list.

According to Wikipedia, the name of his website is a reference to the fact that George Orwell lived in Apartment 27b on level 6 while writing the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Terry Gilliam also used the term in his movie Brazil, one of my absolute favourite films of all time so this guy endeared himself to me from the beginning. He’s pulled a variety of hilarious stunts over the years, one of which, Kate’s Birthday Party is detailed on Wikipedia. Frigging hilarious.

I particularly like Mr. Thornes email exchanges titled ‘Please design a logo for me. With pie charts. For free.’ and ‘Dear Neighbour, you are not invited to my party‘, both of which had me peeing my pants.

The posted email exchanges on 27bslash6.com contain his victim’s innocent and most often annoyed and expletive laced responses to his hilarious comments and observations regarding the subject at hand. It’s all highly recommended for anyone with a sense of humour. And for those that don’t, I suggest you have a look at today’s Herman cartoon.

Way back in December of 1979 and again in June of 1980, Doug Bower, a friend and fellow employee, went to see Queen perform at The Pacific Coliseum here in Vancouver. Back in these days of festival seating and lax security, a young aspiring photographer like Doug could bring his camera along to take photos of the band while standing a few rows back from the stage. (Yes, those were the days when we could get close to our rock idols without guard rails and security personnel. We refer to them as the good old days of rock.)

Doug mentioned the photos he had taken back then as we discussed our favourite bands from the 70′s and I asked him to dig them out and let me have a look. For a 17-year-old rookie photographer who was being jostled about in the front row mosh pit and without the aid of a tripod or any other stabilization hardware, the photos he took are fantastic. I appreciate this great piece of rock history and thank Doug for allowing me to post them here for all to see.

Have a look at Doug’s photos by clicking the thumbnails below.

[View with PicLens]

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Two animated figures chat amicably about the quality of their respective cell phones and use lots of bad language in the process. Not for children or sappy whiners who can’t stand a few four letter words. For those sappy whiners I suggest you go watch Oprah. For everyone else, enjoy.

Remember the 2010 Winter Olympics? Remember how fun they were? Remember how much is cost? Well it continues to cost the taxpaying victims of VANOC’s success well into the summer as the bills just keep rolling in.

ICBC reports that over $2.3 million of damage was done to VANOC’s fleet of General Motors vehicles used during the Olympics and Paralympics. The 4,791 vehicles suffered a variety of scratches, dents, crunches and smash-ups that will probably contribute to the cost of your automobile insurance. Don’t ya just love these guys?

As of May 5, there were 4,679 claims worth $2,300.392.34 when the vehicles were gathered at one location and inspected by claims personnel. There were no payments made on 757 of the claims and damage details were not disclosed. The drivers of the damaged vehicles were not identified nor were they hung from the nearest tree and beaten with sticks. Whew…that was close! Someone may have actually been made accountable for costing taxpayers more money than most of us will make in a lifetime.

A list of 2009 payments made to VANOC by Vancouver city hall was made public recently. Here’s some of the details:

• A $25,147.25 cheque issued Dec. 8, 2009 with the comments “Reimburse VANOC re BOGOG wire transfer loss” was later identified as a payment error according to the city’s Olympic operations director. Paul Henderson said the city rented a wheelchair-accessible van from the Beijing Olympic organizing committee during the 2008 Summer Games for Vancouver’s past idiot mayor, Sam Sullivan. “We, in error, were reimbursed for a deposit that VANOC paid for that vehicle” Henderson said. Yeah, right.
• City hall sent 66 cheques totaling $11,705,548.20 to VANOC last year.
• Included in the payments was $7,549,748.14 paid VANOC to build the aquatic centre attached to the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Centre curling arena.
• Another $3.1 million was spent on the curling rink and project managers
• A list of miscellaneous items totaling $1,044,803.53 include $339,715 for Olympic tickets. Yes, they spent more than a quarter of a million dollars on tickets for undeserving public trough-feeders. I wonder what other items are on the list.
• The city spent $250,744.42 for street banners, those dopey pieces of crap that hung from various light posts throughout the city. Imagine how that money could have been spent to better the lives of residents and taxpayers. Good God, money is certainly no object for these city idiots when they don’t have to work for it.
• These clowns spent $120,000 on public art displayed here and there throughout the city to be ignored by residents and vistors alike.
• VANOC charged the city $200 and $210 for appearances by those goofy mascots. Yes, Miga, Quatchi and Sumi are no better than hookers but they cost a bit more and don’t offer a happy ending.
  
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