CBC News: Judge denies plea for media ban in Homolka case
Background: She and ex-hubby Paul Bernardo raped and killed girls (including her own sister for which she's never been charged) in Ontario in the early 90's. In what's been called 'a deal with the devil' She spilled the beans in a plea deal that pissed a lot of people off when it turned out she had far more involvement than first thought. She was sentenceed to 12 years in jail for 'manslaughter' for which she served the full term. Now, fearing for her life, and rightly so, she wants special treatment an to be left alone.

Whatever. You're a sex offender. Perhaps you should have thought of consequences when you over-anesthetized and killed your sister so Paul could rape her. Or considered your future while helping hubby dismember Leslie Mahaffy and encase her in concrete to toss her unceremoniously into Lake Gibson. It should have entered your head that you had messed up when cutting off Kristin French's hair to hide her identity after another video taped rape/murder session.

I don't believe anyone, regardless of gender, should get any kind of a break for crimes as heinous as these unless there's obvious rehabilitation in the way of taking responsibilities for one's actions. The fact that this murderer has the gall to request privacy is completely irksome and shows there's not much rehabilitation here. According to some (not all) recent psychiatric testimony she still shows no remorse for what she has done and that she is at risk to reoffend. Pretty scary. I personally would like to know if this creep was in my neighbourhood.

Karla Homolka was lucky to have gotten away with only 12 years in prison and long life of guilt (if she's even capable of that). I've read a lot about this case and the evidence I've seen and heard (that which we've been allowed thanks to Canadian publication bans) all points to her being as culpable as Paul Bernardo. As I don't believe in the death penalty I don't think she deserves to die. However, karma works in that she might just live every day of the rest of her life in fear. She has a life to live. There are three who don't have lives to live as a result of her actions...

/end rant

Look who it is! It's nerdboy me, Mike Browne TAD/PA (sneaky producer type), on the set of the BBC 1 docu-drama about the 1980 Mount St Helens eruption called "Fire Mountain". What's that beside me? Why a helicopter of course. No they didn't let me fly it although I did yell the Arnie-esque lines, "If you want to live, run to the choppah now!" many times throughout the day. Fire Mountain was written by, produced by, and being directed by up and comer, Matthew Wortman. This is his first big foray into the world of directing drama and he seems to be having a good time. He takes his tea - Earl Grey, milk, no sugar in case you're wondering.

I have more pics and video from yesterday after the jump.

Boffins create zombie dogs...
Yikes! Thanks for the link Kellie.

TAD yesterday... PA for locations today... TAD tomorrow and Tuesday. PA for locations everyday until July 4th. Headache... bad sunburn... ugh ...still having fun. :) BBC show... can't type much... dying for sleep. Will blog more tomorrow.

Some people may be wondering (or not) the reasons I'm posting far less on my blog since I stopped working at my old gig. I think it's because I'm far busier now than I ever have been. Making movies happen, a.k.a. producing, as I'm finding out, is no small task. However stressful and sometimes frustrating I am having a ton of fun doing it. I'm learning lots and meeting oodles of creative folks in the meantime who I have a lot in common with, namely a love of film and the biz.

Here's how things have been going lately:

I'm networking like mad and sending out resumes for work in the film industry to help me pay the bills while working on my own projects.

I've joined the IFA, the Independent Filmmakers Alliance of Canada, an organization founded by Andrew van Slee of, among other things, Extraordinary Films. The IFA is "dedicated to encouraging indigenous filmmaking in Canada". The organization is headquartered out of Lions Gate Studios just ten minutes from here on the North Shore. I recently attended the seminar on "making a feature film for $50,000" and came away with renewed hope of things happening sooner rather than later. Van Slee, who lives in LA but travels back and forth to BC regularly, seems a rarity here in Vancouver as a very organized individual and producer with a track record who is willing to assist up and comers like myself. Just walking on to the Lions Gate lot gave me quite a boost, but it was after hearing Andrew speak I truly felt inspired.

Starting tomorrow I am working as TAD or Trainee Assistant Director (yes, a paid gig and DGC I presume if I'm to be a TAD) a few days on an MoW, movie of the week, called Fire Mountain. It chornicles, documentary style the Mount St Helens eruption of 1980. And before you ask, yes, the old man, Harry Truman, who refused to leave is in the film. Although its a few positions below what I've already done It's a step in the right direction for a number of reasons namely its paid, and I will get days toward possible union membership. Also, as I was offered 3rd AD and turned it down as I would be offset and would prefer to see how the film is shot as the style is one I'm hoping will work for my first film. I got the call to work from John Penhall, the 1st AD from Daingerfield, and am happy to work with him again. What will I be doing?

TRAINEE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (TAD): A candidate who has entered the Assistant Director Department to be trained as an Assistant Director. The work functions of a TAD shall be assigned to him/her and performed under the immediate coordination, direction, and supervision of the 1AD. - DGC TAD job description. So I'll be working directly with John again.

Just today alone I've written a to-do list for the day and am crossing things off as I go. Here's what I have completed of the list:

• I watched and wrote analysis of a film similar to the one I am going to shoot (I don't want to give too much away just yet)
• I am rewatching the first disk in HFI's DVD Filmschool. Dov rules!
• I watched the full footage of the hoaxy alien autopsy video for research
• Finishing the reading of the Fire Mountain script in prep for tomorrow's shoot
• Researching funding options through HRDC for self-employment programs. UGH!
• Tweaking the tagline and synopsis of my feature, Zone 63
• Filling out copyright forms, and sending tagline and synopsis, with a money order (that means going to the bank and post office), to the department of congress in the US

As you can see I'm too busy to heavily blog, but I'll keep y'all in the loop and blog as often as I can.

I'm reading Art & Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland. This book is speaking to me directly as I am still a pretty fearful guy, especially when it comes to making moves toward shaping my own destiny. This quotation, mentioned in the book, sums up my fear nicely:

"Fatalism is born of the fear of failure, for we all believe that we carry success in our own hands, and we suspect that our hands are weak."
Joseph Conrad, in chapter 4 of An Outcast of the Islands

Shit. The cat's out of the bag. Get back in there cat...

Holy shit! I got a phone call from Paula Murrin at the Nova Scotia Community Services Adoption Disclosure branch two days ago. I called back, left a message and finally got another call this morning. It was good news! Paula has been in contact with my birth mother and she is very positive about exchanging information with the hope of that leading to a reunion of some kind. I got pretty misty hearing what Paula had to say about the phone call especially that I have two younger (I presume) half-brothers who also know I exist. Also interesting is that I was not a 'secret' as my birth mother's ex-husband also knew of me. I'm not sure if he is my birth father or not, but I assume not. My birth mother told Paula that she had worried a lot about where I was and how things were for me (Pretty damned good actaully!) and that she had waited for more than 35 years 'for this day'.

The next step is to await a letter and picture from my birth mother along with a consent form for direct contact and the exchange of identifying information from NS Community Services. I'm so excited the waiting is going to kill me. However, the length of the process is good as it is easing everyone involved toward a resloution slowly rather than at blazing speed, which is my tendancy. I've waited almost 36 years, what's another few weeks?

Already I'm feeling relieved a) that contact is coming b) that the experience is so far positive and c) I have some concrete information namely the fact that there's more family to meet! I think I'm a little in shock that things are actually happening too. I honestly didn't expect to hear anything this soon. I am so glad its been good news to this point. I guess the glass really is half full.

Being the creative and dark individual that I am I had every crazy scenario possible about my genetic relatives worked out in my head over the years. I think being adopted has helped me to become the imaginative nut bag I am. I've always had to wonder about who I look like, walk like and talk like etc. My birth family is has been merely guesswork in my noodle until this point. Now that they are becoming a firm reality I can put that wonderful speculative tool I've developed over the years to work doing something else. Watch out world. Here I come!

Coming to you from Waxy.org you can watch Tom Cruise give Oprah what for in this little quicktime video: Tom_Cruise_Kills_Oprah.mov (4.1 mb)

Laugh? I nearly peed my pants. Short and sweet...

I'm a subscriber to Fangoria magazine and get online newsletters and promotions from them. This morning they sent me a promo for a product I would buy instantly:

Zombie Outbreak Survival Kit (you know why I want this)

However, as I live in Canada I can't get it. That's just stupid. I'd pay the extra shipping and handling to have it in my hot little hands. Perhaps one of my readers/family/friends in the U.S. would be so kind as to be the middle man/woman and I will pay all costs for two of these kits.

I know Americans love to be helpful. This isn't rescuing Europe from the nazis but I'll wave a flag on July 4th if I get some assistance.

Please email me using the 'contact me' link to the left if you can help and before you pay for anything.

UPDATE: Thanks Bull. Friends rock.

How to Perform Strong Man Stunts by Ottley R. Coulter

BEWARE: I'm coming over to your house to tear your phonebook in half.

It would be pretty easy to do on the South Shore of Nova Scotia as its only about 300 pages anyway. An old lady could probably pull it off.

Boom Chicago : Videos
Check ot these videos especially the Michael Jackson and Guantanamo Bay Torture Toys Set. Thanks to the Zookeeper for the link.

CBC Arts: People prefer to see movies at home: poll
Surprise 73% of people don't want to go out to the movies any more. I'm one of them.

Here are some of the reasons why:

- Stress. I'm tired of having to run for the best seat in the house (FYI It's at the back of the theatre where no assholes can kick your chair) when I can just chill in my favourite chair at home and the dog's the only one I have to fight for a seat with (I always win).

- Inconvenience. I'm sick of having to hold on to my ticket to be able to get back in to the theatre after I have a pee during which time I've missed a few crucial moments of the film as I can't 'pause' it.

- Privacy. At the theatre I can't hear the movie because some jackass's cell phone not only rang, but he answered and is having a heated discussion with someone on the other end. There's also the constant yacking among the twits. Hey! Keep your comments for a chat over pie in a coffee shop afterward shithead!

- Time. I have to watch films at the times the theatre is showing them. At home, even though I have to wait a month or two for the DVD, I can turn it on and pause at my leisure. If Carol falls asleep (as she has been known to do) we can finish the film later.

- Distance. Bus or drive to a theatre or wheel my chair over to the living room? hmmmm...

- Cost. The movie itself and food after that can run upwards of $50 for Carol and I. If I want to wait and buy the DVD, yes own the movie to watch over and over, it costs no more than $30 bucks on average. If it's a rental, even new releases are only 6 bucks tops.

There has to be other reasons, but those are the main ones. I'll be staying in wishing Star Wars and Batman would come to DVD sooner.

Shooting on 35mm is expensive, and although film looks prettier than HD, the technology is changing rapidly enough that soon enough you won't be able to tell the difference. I guess I'll be making movies that go straight to DVD to please myself and that other 73% of folks. I love cutting out the middle man. There's no reason for the theatres to be making a penny.

However, looking at the box office numbers week after week sure does make theatre movies an attractive business. Not that I'm George Lucas, or even Uwe Boll for that matter, but it looks like tehre's a ton of money to be made there.

Ugh. I feel like such a dirty 'ho, but... well you know.

Before you forward any stupid email chain letters watch this. Thanks Big Al. He sent it to me via email... I guess it was forwarded to him.

Remember Se7en starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman with crazy Kevin Spacey as John Doe? One of my favourite creepy flicks. I loved the exchanges between Spacey and Pitt in the police car at the end of the film, especially Pitt's lines. For example:

Mills: When a person is insane...as you clearly are...do you know that you're insane? Maybe you're just sitting around, reading Guns & Ammo, masturbating in your own feces...do you just stop and go: "wow, it is amazing how fucking crazy I really am?" Yeah? You guys do that?

Anyway, there was no need for all those actors. Shatner could have done it all - as seen here: William Shatner in Se7en or just download the 6.16 mb MOV file right here. The Star Trek sound effects are hilarious...

Coming to you courtesy of iFilm and The Movie Blog.

Homeless man sentenced to house arrest
Just when you think the system has done the stupidest thing ever something like this comes along...

Thanks to Prairie Woman for the link.

At my Mom's request here are some more photos of our new place.



They definitely give a better sense of the scale of our loft with furniture.
Click the read more link to see more pictures.

The first picture I scanned is one of my favourites. It's me and my 'Nanny' Hall. My mom's mother who passed away in 2000. I still miss her a lot. She was a good egg. I used to stop into her place on the way home from school for cookies and root beer.

As well as a scanner this new gadget, a Brother MFC-210C is a copier, fax machine and photo capture device. Now I have a ton of photos I can scan and share. I'll finally be able to use that PHP gallery software that comes with my hosting package.

OMFG! I can't believe I found the
Casino Taxi Jingle (LINK DEAD). Just click play on the graphic and turn up the sound. It plays over and over again. I don't even have to cheat to remember the words:

If you’re a person on the go write down this number
It’s the key to traveling quick
It’s Casino Taxi’s number
4296666

Casino Taxi they’re the fast ones
Casino Taxi as near as your phone
No need to run, don’t get wet
Dial that number
429-6666
Or 425-6666!

As a kid in Nova Scotia we heard this jingle over and over again. Just like this graphic... Weeee! I love it.

Wanna listen to some music by a dead deaf guy? Go to BBC - Radio 3 - Beethoven Experience - downloads

CBC Arts: Actress Anne Bancroft dies
Sad. One positive thing. There won't be a terribly cheesy sell-out remake of The Graduate with her making a cameo as someone's grandma.

No it's not a Photoshop job. It's the real thing. Ananova - Clothing for chickens
I think the only dressing I'll have with my chicken is of the Stove Top variety. This I just don't get...

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

Although this is the popular form of this quotation, a more correct translation from the original Chinese would be "The journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one's feet." Rather than emphasizing the first step, Lau Tzu regarded action as something that arises naturally from stillness. Another potential phrasing would be "Even the longest journey must begin where you stand." [note by Michael Moncur, September 01, 2004]

from quotationspage.com

The note makes it even more profound. All movement is an inside job. The obstacles are within not without. Pitfalls galore here...

Tired of listening to that same tired story about your pal's kid crapping itself for the first time? Try Outsource a Friend...

Thanks Big Al.

Here are some pictures of our new pad at on Carol's blog at CarolBrowne.com.

Looks great doesn't it? There's a little hiccup already. The garage door opener is 'missing'. I was hoping to move stuff in today but because we can't get into the garage we can't leave the car unattended with our stuff in it. *sigh*

The landlady, Diane, said she left it for us and told Carol exactly where but, no dice. Carol and her friend Kellie scoured the place last night but couldn't find it. I suspect that either a) Diane forgot to leave it as she was moving or b) Diane's cleaning lady picked it up thinking Diane had left it behind by accident. If either of those two are right then we'll surely find it. But if Diane has it then it is in Nanaimo. Argh!

/open rant

I just want to get moved in. Enough of this waiting around crap.

/close rant

Check out Banana Phone - Flash Animation

The song these guys are cussing about is a tune by kids' performer Raffi. Great stuff if you're a four year old. But when I tell someone to speak into the banana phone I don't mean anything nice at all. It makes me angry too... "Ring, ring, ring, ring..." SHUT UP!!!!

Thanks to Etrigan for the link.