Search This Blog

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Stress of Stress



August 27, 2014 (which was actually written August 26, but go with it...)

So, I'm sitting here at my computer desk typing away while nursing a migraine headache with a couple of Extra Strength Advil and a single-serve size container of Breyer's French Vanilla ice cream wondering why in the world I would ever think that something that potentially can cause "brain freeze" would ever be a good thing to nurse a headache with.

Well, turns out that whenever I have a migraine headache (which lately seems to be every two weeks like clockwork), it's usually brought upon by stress.  Headaches come because I am stressed.  If you read the word stressed backwards, it becomes desserts.  And, desserts are naturally one way to alleviate stress. 

Hence the French Vanilla ice cream.  But, hey.  I consider that a minor stress attack.  If it were a full blown panic attack, I'd go after the stuff that had four kinds of fudge in it.

But, at any rate, I think that when it comes down to the idea of dealing with stress, I tend to fail miserably in that category.  Not that I'm literally walking around the streets like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.  I don't think I feel like things are that bad, although some may disagree with that statement.  However, I know that stress is something that we all go through in our lives, and that we all have our own different ways of dealing with it and coping with it as best we can.

I have heard that one of the best things that one can do to deal with extreme stress is by talking about it with someone that they feel really close to, because obviously if people have a significant support system to help them through some of the most stressful times of their lives can be a really good coping mechanism in hopes of dealing with it.

Though, I have a major confession to make.  Part of the reason why I have such a low tolerance for stress in the first place is because I tend to be one of those people who tends to let it build up inside of them until there comes a time when I feel like I just want to EXPLODE!!!

(Ironically enough, as I type this blog enrty out, I am watching "The National" on CBC, and they are doing a special feature on stress management.  This blog could not have come at a better time!)

Anyway, getting back to the discussion at hand, I tend to have a really bad coping mechanism for dealing with stress - in particular, over the last six months or so.  I don't really want to go into too much detail over it.  Let's just say that things have been a little bit out of control lately.  There has been a lot of situations where I have felt like I have been unable to function because of stress.  And, because it's not really all that appropriate to just let off steam at any given time, it becomes even harder to manage stress.

And, this leads to migraine headaches, like the one that I'm trying to get rid of right now.

The part about talking to someone about stress levels is also something that I find really difficult.  Having had issues with trusting people in my life, it's not that easy to go up to someone and tell them that you're stressed and that you need some help in dealing with it.  Because before you know it, word gets out, and spreads like wildfire, and before you know it, the entire town knows your business.

Trust me.  This has happened before.  I've seen it first hand.  It isn't fun.  And believe it or not, it actually causes even more stress this way.

I also find it difficult to discuss stress levels with relatives or loved ones because I don't really think that they have any idea how things are.  They seem more concerned with their own problems and their own levels of stress to take on any additional problems.  And granted, there are some times in which I completely understand this thought...but there are also other times in which I sort of wish that they could understand my problems too, and offer me some reasonable advice instead of "cheer up", or "get over it".  Alas, they are who they are, and whether I like it or not, I don't foresee them changing in the future.

I also find it difficult to speak to the people in charge at a workplace or what have you.  Half the time, it is a never ending battle to keep stress levels in check, and I fear that if there ever comes a time in which I do get a sit down with the higher ups, I'll have things so bottled up that I will EXPLODE at them and I'll find myself at the end of the unemployment line.  So, I find myself suffering in silence a lot.  I don't like causing a scene or drawing attention to things that really bother me, but with my lack of trust in people, I find it difficult to get everything out in a way that doesn't make me feel like a raging lunatic.  So I keep things bottled up.

Problem is...I can't keep doing this.  It's causing me to be in a mood that I wish I weren't in.  It makes me act like a person that I don't even like.  It makes me feel as though I can't figure anything out.

And while I realize that I am not the only one who has probably felt this stressed out, I have absolutely no coping mechanism on how to deal with it in a healthy way.


So, I guess my question to all of you is...how do you deal with stress?   The ice cream and Advil is a temporary fix for now and already my headache is starting to heal.  But I really consider that to be a Band-Aid solution.  I know that with the way things are - trying to find a balance between work life and personal life, and trying to make sense of everything - I'm probably going to have another instance where stress has me down for the count.

So, let's hear it.  What are some of the ways that you have dealt with extreme stress? 

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

August 26, 2004

Hello, everyone!  It's time for another edition of the Tuesday Timeline, and today's subject has to do with music.  But here's the thing.  You might not know the name of the person of which I will be doing the spotlight on.  But by the end of the timeline, you'll know all about them...including the moment in which their life was tragically cut short.

But before we go ahead with today's feature presentation, we have some previews to watch beforehand.  So, what happened on August 26?  Have a look.

1498 - Michelangelo Buonarroti is commissioned to carve the Pieta

1748 - The first Lutheran denomination in North America is founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1768 - Captain James Cook sets sail from England on board the HMS Endeavour

1789 - The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is approved by the National Constituent Assembly of France

1791 - John Fitch is granted a United States patent for the steamboat

1883 - The eruption of Mount Krakatoa begins its final stage

1910 - Missionary and Nobel Prize laureate Mother Teresa (d. 1997) is born

1914 - The German colony of Togoland is invaded by French and British forces

1920 - Women are given the right to vote following the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution

1952 - Actor Michael Jeter (d. 2003) is born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee

1966 - The Namibian War of Independence begins

1970 - Betty Friedan leads a new feminist movement, leading to a nation-wide Women's Strike for Equality

1977 - The Charter of the French Language is adopted by the National Assembly of Quebec

1978 - Pope John Paul I is elected to the papacy

1980 - John Birges plants and detonates a bomb at Harvey's Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada

1986 - Actor Ted Knight passes away at the age of 62

1997 - As many as one hundred people are killed in Algeria's Beni-Ali massacre

2009 - American journalist Dominick Dunne passes away at the age of 83

2011 - The Boeing 787 Dreamliner receives certification from both the EASA and FAA

So, that wraps up the event portion of the Tuesday Timeline.  Let's move on with celebrity birthdays.  A very happy birthday to the following people; Jane Merrow, Vic Dana, Stephen Greif, Maureen Tucker, Alan Parker, Valerie Simpson, Mark Snow, Will Shortz, Steve Wright, Brett Cullen, Rick Hansen, Wanda De Jesus, Branford Marsalis, Ola Ray, Allegra Huston, Jon Hensley, Shirley Manson, Christopher Douglas, Elaine Irwin, Melissa McCarthy, Thalia, Meredith Eaton, Macaulay Culkin, Chris Pine, Cassie Ventura, Dylan O'Brien, Hayley Hasselhoff, and Keke Palmer.

All right.  So, what day will we be going back in time to this week? 



Well, we're only going back a decade.  August 26, 2004 to be exact.

Sadly, in the world of music, this date ended up being the last day of this singer's life.

Prior to her passing, she had undergone severe headaches for a period of weeks, but never sought medical attention for them believing that they would simply go away on their own.  Sadly, the headaches were a warning sign that something very serious was going on, and before she realized it, she was gone - dead of a cerebral aneurysm at just 52 years of age.

But you know...in those 52 years of life, she crammed a whole lot of her natural singing ability and her catchy pop songs can still be heard on the radio today, ten years after her passing.



This is the story of the late Laura Branigan - who passed away ten years ago today.

If Laura Branigan had lived, she would be 62 years old.  Born on July 3, 1952 in the small community of Brewster, New York, she discovered that she had a love for music while she was a student at Byram Hills High School in Armonk, New York.  In 1973, she was in a band called "Meadow", and the group even recorded an entire album entitled "The Friend Ship".  The record was never released, but it did prove one thing.  Laura Branigan had major talent, though it wouldn't really be until a decade later before people began to realize it.

Even though her work with Meadow didn't really amount to much (the band split up shortly after recording the material for their album), it encouraged Branigan to continue with the music industry.  She even worked as a back-up singer for Leonard Cohen while he was on tour in Europe!

But for Laura, the year in which she would begin her own solo career was in the year 1979.  That was the year in which people were getting sickened of disco music and were looking for something a little bit different.  She was signed to Atlantic Records that year, and to say that she waited patiently to get her work out is an understatement.  Because Laura's singing voice was unlike any voice that was heard at that time, it took Atlantic about two years before they could figure out what genre of music to place her in.  I suppose that makes some sense.  The period between 1979 and 1981 was quite unstable in the world of music, with disco dying and New Wave rising out of the ashes. 



Finally, the decision was made to have Laura Branigan added to Atlantic Records' pop music roster, and in 1982, she began working on her debut album, "Branigan".  She had her first taste of success when her first single "Looking Out For Number One" made a brief appearance on the Billboard Dance Music Charts, and she enjoyed her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 when her first single from her debut album, "All Night With Me" peaked at #69.  It was a modest start.

Little did Laura know that her decision to record a song that had previously been recorded by Italian pop/rock singer Umberto Tozzi in 1979 would become her signature hit.  Would you like to hear it?  Allow me.



ARTIST:  Laura Branigan
SONG:  Gloria
ALBUM:  Branigan
DATE RELEASED:  June 18, 1982
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS:  #2

Yes, "Gloria" will probably never be known for its rather simplistic music video, nor will it ever be known as a Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit.  But what if I told you that at the time, it was the longest charting single by a female artist?  It stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for a then record-breaking 36 weeks - 22 of which were on the Top 40. 

And, although "Gloria" never quite made it to the top of the Billboard Charts, it did hit #1 in Australia and Canada, and reached the Top 10 in the UK, Ireland, South Africa, and New Zealand.  It even charted in Italy's Top 40.



A true international hit, that "Gloria" was.  Reportedly, "Gloria" became such a huge smash that fans began calling Laura Branigan by the name of Gloria whenever they saw her on the street!

And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

"Gloria" helped earn Laura Branigan a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and she was up against some really stiff competition.  The other nominees were Melissa Manchester, Olivia Newton-John, Juice Newton, and Linda Ronstadt.  Though she ended up losing to Manchester's "You Should Hear How She Talks About You", this was not the end for Branigan.  After all, she had other hits along the way.  How about 1983's "Solitaire"?



Or, from the same year, this single which became a huge hit for Michael Bolton in 1988?  Branigan's version was a Top 20 smash.



And, then there was this synth-pop classic from 1984 - a hit that peaked at #4 on the Billboard charts, and became another radio friendly hit for the young singer.



I definitely remember hearing "Self Control" a lot when I was a kid.  The radio station that I listened to when I was a kid (PAC 93) certainly seemed to like playing this song a lot!

Over the years, Laura Branigan changed her style of music.  One year, she was issuing powerful rock songs, and the next, she was teaming up with Stock/Aitken/Waterman to add a taste of Europop to her powerful vocals.  She even made guest appearances on CHiPs and Knight Rider, and even contributed a song to the Baywatch soundtrack by singing a duet with David Hasselhoff!

Don't believe me?  Here it is!



Oh, and here's some trivia about Laura Branigan that I never knew until now!  In Canada, one of Celine Dion's very first English language hits was recorded back in the early 1990s.  It was a track called "Unison", and I have to admit, it is one of the few Celine Dion songs that I actually enjoy listening to.

But here's something that blew my mind.  Laura Branigan recorded it first!  Here's her version below.



Now, Laura Branigan continued recording albums for a little while, with her last studio album being released in August 1993.  But shortly after that release, her husband - Larry Kruteck - was diagnosed with colon cancer, and Branigan left the industry in order to take care of him.  He died in June 1996.  Branigan never remarried.

However, as the 1990s ended, and the 2000s began, Branigan was very much looking forward to making a return to music.  Rather than release another album though, she focused more on performing on the stage.  Unfortunately, there were a couple of incidents that really prevented her from making much of an impact on stage.  A fall in 2001 broke both of Laura's femurs which postponed her return to the stage, and she had to drop out of the Broadway production of "Love, Janis" after two performances because producers didn't file with Equity using the proper procedures...however, Laura saw this as a blessing in disguise, as she was supposed to provide the singing voice for the actress who would be portraying the late Janis Joplin, and she didn't think that she could do it.

At the time of her death in August 2004, Branigan was on her way to attempting a comeback in music recording.  She had re-released dance mixes of "Self Control" and "Gloria", and word was that she was ready to consider making her first studio album in eleven years.  Sadly, she never got the chance.

Her body was cremated and her ashes scattered over Long Island Sound, and since 2005, an annual event held in her memory called the "Spirit of Love Memorial Gathering" is held.  There is even a scholarship given in her name at her old high school, given to a senior for excellence in Performing Arts.

But of course, the greatest legacy that Laura Branigan can give us is the seven albums and many, many singles that she gave us to listen to whenever we want.  I think that will be the ultimate memorial to a singer who left us far too soon.

Monday, August 25, 2014

School Signs 101

Hey, everyone!

Today is FUNNY MONDAY, and in the spirit of back to school, today's topic is all about school once again. 

Now, if you remember last week, I posted a whole bunch of test answers from test papers that make you laugh, chuckle, chortle, and think outside of the box.  I'll admit that some of the ways that people answered the tests were quite clever, and had I been a teacher, I would find it difficult to tell them that their answers were wrong!

I suppose that it's probably a good thing that I'm not a teacher. 

Anyway, test answers are fun, but do you want to know what else is fun?  Preparing for back to school by advertising back to school sales, welcoming students back for another year of classes, or just some miscellaneous signs that have to do with school being posted all over school hallways.

So, it got me thinking.  Surely there has to be some examples of some school signs that got lost in translation, were spelled incorrectly, or were just a really bad idea all around.

So, that's what this post is all about.  A post I like to call "SCHOOL SIGNS 101". 

Now, I should note that some of these signs are funny.  Some of them are wrong.  Some of them are funny AND wrong (I like those ones best of all).  But of course, I can't take credit for the images.  So, I would like to give credit to The Ellen DeGeneres Show official website, World Wide Interweb, Smosh.com, Flickr, Pinterest, and Huffington Post for the inspiration behind the fifteen signs you're going to see today.

This is going to be a fun post!

So, are you ready to go back to school?  Let's go!



I'm not sure what the big college fads were back in 2010, but if beer pong is just as popular as it was a couple of decades ago, then the person who came up with this endcap display deserves a huge raise simply for creativity!



Somehow I feel really cheated.  I had to get my Brother printer for $150.00.  Mind you, it wasn't marked down from $10,000, but still...I'd like to find a printer for that price, just so I could save more than 98% off!



Apparently the class of 1990 didn't get in on the purchase of this high school sign.  I'm guessing they were too busy spending their money on the beer and pornography inside...



Ah, yes.  Colton High School.  Their standards are high on everything...except maybe, you know, the English language.



Okay, I've heard of many different kinds of races, but I don't know how one could do a race for "eduction" when I'm not exactly sure what "eduction" is.  I could understand a race for education, or hell, even a race for "reduction", but "eduction" doesn't exist.

Then again, I blame the fact that this sign seems to care more about when school is CLOSED, rather than open.



Implementing live music at a school for the deaf fundraiser is like implementing an art gallery at a national institute for the blind.



Yes.  Beware.  School is coming back in full force.  And this school is scared.  They're so scared, that they ran out of E's, and had to resort to backwards 3's to get the message across.



Sweet Jesus, some schools start earlier than I thought!  The red background and "YOU WILL LEARN THINGS" sort of makes it out like this is a school for the damned, doesn't it?



Oh dear.  Here's hoping that the "differance" that these teachers are making aren't in their ability to teach spelling...



Hmmm...well, I suppose that in botany class, this deal would be one to jump all over.  Or, at the very least, you could grow a vegetable garden for extra credit in science class - well, in the precious time before the first frost anyway.



Ahem...not that I would actually know anything about this at all...but when you're in high school, some schools offer these for free!  It's also a sad statistic on the state of the world, but not as sad as the one that the next photo showcases.



See what I mean?



Since when do pharmacies sell beer?  Maybe it's an American thing?  At any rate, it seems like kind of a pointless deal, since anyone in high school would be too young to legally purchase it.  Unless of course, it's for the teachers.



Ah...wine displays for Back to School.  Yep, it's definitely for the teachers!




On that note, what a perfect quote to end this blog off!  See you next Monday, everybody!

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Where Did Our Love Go?

I hope that you're all prepared to time travel, because for this edition of the Sunday Jukebox, we're going back in time a whole half-century!

Now, I don't remember the year 1964, for obvious reasons.  It was, after all, a good seventeen years before my birth.  I don't even know if my parents had even met each other yet.  They didn't get married until August 1965.  But 1964 was one of those years in which there was a lot of good music on the radio.  As someone who is a huge fan of 1960s era music, I find that 1964 was one of the better years of the decade.  I would rank it third on my list.

(Personally, I always saw 1967 and 1969 as being slightly better, but 1964 ranks right up there.)

And just what was it about 1964 that was so special?  Well, it kind of links to another kind of music that I love listening to.



I don't know what it is about classic Motown music, but I can't get enough of it.  From The Temptations and The Spinners to Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell, and Mary Wells, there's very few examples of Motown music that I don't like.  You know how in that Rod Stewart song from a few years back talked about bringing over some of your old Motown records and putting the speakers in the window?  Well, I'll admit to doing exactly that - only I was born a little too late for the record era.  I mean, yes, records still existed in the 1980s, but cassette tapes were more common at that time.  Regardless, Motown music is awesome.  And even though many of the artists who were the stars of Motown are now deceased, I still find the music coming out of that record company to be some of the best pop music ever recorded.  I can't get enough of it.

So, when I discovered that the #1 song on the Billboard Charts fifty years ago was recorded by a group who epitomized the Motown charm, I simply couldn't resist talking about it.  And to make this even sweeter, this song is considered one of this all girl group's biggest and most remembered hits.

So, what was the #1 song some fifty years ago?  Why, it would be this one, of course!



ARTIST:  The Supremes
SONG:  Where Did Our Love Go
ALBUM:  Where Did Our Love Go
DATE RELEASED:  June 17, 1964
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS:  #1 for 2 weeks

So, where did the love go?  Actually, when it comes to The Supremes, it didn't quite leave right away.  If anything, this song marked only the beginning for this Detroit, Michigan based group, as it was the first single of theirs to top the Billboard charts.



Of course, you all know that The Supremes at that time were made up of Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson.  But what you probably didn't know was that the song was one that the group wasn't initially enthused to sing.

Of course, that could also be because the song wasn't initially given to The Supremes to sing.

According to Mary Wilson, the song was originally offered to The Marvelettes (the group behind the single "Please, Mr. Postman").  But Motown's main production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland, refuted this claim.  The Marvelettes also denied that this was the case, although Marvelettes member Katherine Anderson-Schnaffer would later state that the song wouldn't have fit the group anyway.  They were more used to upbeat, fast songs, and "Where Did Our Love Go" was considerably a lot slower.

And, well...considering that "Where Did Our Love Go" is considered to be a song that one might listen to when their relationships go on the rocks, I doubt that I would classify this song as being upbeat.

So, whether you believe Mary Wilson's tale or not, regardless, when The Supremes were handed the song "Where Did Our Love Go", they recorded the single, albeit begrudgingly.  The group had hoped for a stronger single that would have gotten them noticed, and they didn't believe that the song had the hook necessary to get people interested in the single.

Little did they know that the single would become so popular that it would be the group's first major success!

Coincidentally, there is an interesting story behind the actual recording of the single itself.  And this story surrounds the actual choice of who would record the lead vocals.  The song's background music was arranged in such a way that it fit Mary Wilson's vocals almost perfectly.  However, Motown president Berry Gordy seemed to recognize the fact that Diana Ross was slowly becoming the leader of the group, and he decided to have Ross sing the lead vocal, while Ballard and Wilson sang the word "baby" at periodic intervals. 

Poor Ballard and Wilson.

Now this lead to some problems.  Because Diana Ross' vocals were at least a couple of registers higher than the song called for, when the first recording was completed, she was told to sing it at a lower register.  Ross did so, and when the group listened to the song's playback, they were all very pleased with how it came out.  Diana Ross reportedly ran down to Berry Gordy's office in excitement and anticipation to hear his thoughts on the song.  His thoughts?   It had the potential to be a Top 10 hit!

And it was.  It became the group's first #1!

Released in June 1964, the single debuted at #77 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It only took six weeks for the song to reach the top of the charts - an impressive feat!  What was interesting about the timing of the song release was that during this period, The Supremes were on tour with Dick Clark's "American Bandstand Cavalcade of Stars" as one of the groups.  At the beginning of their tour commitment, they were one of the lesser-known groups on the tour.  By the time the tour wrapped, they were considered the best of the bunch!

What a difference a month and a half makes!

The Supremes would later go on to make a German language version of the single (as Germany proved itself to be a huge Supremes supporter), and the song also seemed to be released at exactly the right time in the United States.  The song reached #1 just as the American Civil Rights movement was beginning to pick up steam and as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed.



Over the years, the song has continued to make an impact in the world of pop culture, and in the last 50 years, quite a few artists have covered or sampled the single for their own works.  Perhaps the most famous version of this comes from the British New Wave band Soft Cell, whose 1981 single "Tainted Love" (itself a cover version of the original performed by Gloria Jones) contains a version of "Where Did Our Love Go" after the initial song played.  As well, the Pussycat Dolls redid the single in 2005 for their "PCD" album.  Other artists who have sang the song include The J. Geils Band, Ringo Starr, The Spice Girls, Sinitta, and Declan Galbraith. 



Believe it or not, it was even re-recorded by the fictional group Kidd Video for their NBC Saturday Morning cartoon of the same name!

Oh, and one final piece of trivia?  The footstomps that you hear in the song?  They weren't done by the Supremes.  They were performed by Mike Valvano.  And, yes, he did get credited for it!

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Ed



Well, earlier in the week, I wrote a piece on the movie "Matinee", which was one of the ten movies that were featured on the above compilation of family favourites that I purchased from my workplace a few weeks ago.

I was supposed to post this last Saturday, but a time crunch caused me to make a change in plans.  It was just as well.  "Matinee" was worth the wait, as it happens to be the best of the lot of films that are featured on this compilation, and I was really happy to do a film that was well-liked by moviegoers.  The movie itself was a classic, and I really am glad that I waited to do a proper entry on it instead of attempting to rush through it.

With today's film selection, on the other hand, I can't say the same.  In fact, this film currently holds a Fresh Rating of ZERO per cent on the film review website "Rotten Tomatoes".  Of the ten films that are on this compilation, it easily is the worst of the lot.  And, after watching this movie, I would be inclined to agree with that perspective.

In fact, this may very well be the shortest movie entry that I ever do because I can't find any sort of trivia on this movie whatsoever.  At least any trivia that would salvage this hot mess of a movie that I'll likely never watch again.  Thank goodness that the other nine on the compilation are somewhat decent.

This is a movie in which the main star of the picture isn't a man, woman, or child, but an animal.  Now, I'm sure we all have our favourite movies that have an animal as the star.  "Flipper" made you laugh, "Free Willy" gave you hope, "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" was nice, and "Old Yeller" broke your heart. 

Mind you, there have also been some absolute clunkers in the movie world.  Did we really need all those "Air Bud" movies?  One would have been plenty!  And, don't even get me started on that 1981 film "Going Ape".  It's a wonder that Danny DeVito and Tony Danza even got work after that mess!

I guess the point that I'm trying to make is that depending on who the director is, and the cast members who are involved, and even the type of animal that is used can have a huge factor in whether a movie does incredibly well at the box office, or incredibly poorly.

In this case, the film made four million at the box office...on a budget of $24 million.  Ouch.

The film also had the unfortunate distinction of being nominated for four Razzie Awards, including nominations for main human star Matt LeBlanc (whom most of you remember from "Friends" as Joey, the soap opera day player who couldn't catch a break).  Luckily for LeBlanc, he lost out to Pamela Anderson.  And luckily for this movie, the awards that this movie was nominated for lost to Demi Moore's "Striptease".

But that's not to say that the nominations weren't warranted though.  Truth be told, I think if this movie had won any Razzies, I would not be shocked. 

You see...this film has a dirty little secret.  One that isn't quite so secret now that it's been out for eighteen years, but nevertheless, it's still pretty scandalous.  You see, most movies that have animals in the starring roles use real living animals.  They use real dogs, cats, mice, hamsters, elephants, porcupines, rattlesnakes...whatever the animal that is needed for the scene, they usually bring in the real thing.  Sometimes the animals are added in via CGI, which admittedly I find annoying, but I can at least understand the reasoning behind it.  You wouldn't put a poisonous snake in the arms of a seven year old, so you'd simulate it to protect the child.  Sometimes it doesn't work out, but other times it can look amazing (see any and all of the Harry Potter series of movies).

But when your idea of inserting an animal into a film involves using a part-time mechanical chimpanzee model who plays baseball?  Yeah...that's a recipe for box office Kryptonite.



Such as the case of the film "Ed".  The film, directed by Bill Couturie, was released on March 15, 1996 to scathing reviews. 

The most depressing part of the story?  Couturie is a multiple Emmy Award winner, and even won an Academy Award!!!

Anyway, the film in addition to Matt LeBlanc also starred Jim Caviezel (clearly BEFORE he made it big in Hollywood), Jack Warden, and Jayne Brook.  I wonder how each of these actors feel now about being a part of the film back then.

(Well, okay...we can't ask Jack Warden.  He died in 2006.)

It's just so unfortunate how this film turned out.  I mean, if they did manage to find a monkey that could actually play baseball.  If anything, that would have been cool to see, and might have salvaged some of the film.  That said, the mechanical chimp that they did use was so...what's the word I'm looking for...cheap, that it really destroyed whatever little credibility the film had.

In fact...the plot can only really be summarized as this.  Farm boy Deuce goes to an open baseball tryout to join a minor league team.  He makes the team because of his natural talent and insanely wicked "rocket arm" pitch.  And as the newest member of the team, he becomes the roommate of one of the other team members.

Did I mention that the roommate just happens to be a chimpanzee named Ed?  Yeah, that's not contrived at all.

The rest of the movie pretty much goes as planned.  Ed and Deuce develop their skills and become friends.  Deuce falls in love with a woman who has a little girl.  Ed is sold by the owners of the team, and Deuce tries to rescue him before it's too late. 

Yeah, you know something?  I think that's all I really want to say.  The less said about the film, the better.

One final note.  Matt LeBlanc's co-star from "Friends", Matthew Perry, was offered this role.  For some reason, Perry turned it down.  I can't imagine why.

Sigh...you know, maybe I'll just hope that the next film that I review is better than this one.  Maybe one with Burt Reynolds.  Yeah, that might work.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Betcha Can't Create Just One Potato Chip Flavour!

Are you ready for another edition of FOODIE FRIDAY?  I hope you are!  And believe it or not, I have to say that someone else gave me the idea behind today's blog post!

So, I want to give credit where credit is due, and I want to thank
Viki A. of Pincourt, Quebec, Canada for the inspiration behind today's post!  Thanks, Viki!  What a great idea!

All right.  So, today's topic was inspired by a post that I happened to come across on Viki's Facebook page.  You see, she and I have known each other for a few years from a mutual discussion group that we both belonged to years ago, and somehow we decided that we would become friends.  And, I'm glad we did because she's become quite a great pal.

Anyway, back to the story.

In Canada (the country where both of us were born), we just wrapped up a contest sponsored by Lay's Potato Chips.  Lay's, of course, is one of the biggest potato chip makers in the Western Hemisphere, and certainly you can see all sorts of different flavours of Lay's chips over the years from Original to Sour Cream and Onion.  From Barbecue to Dill Pickle.  From Smokey Bacon to Sea Salt and Pepper.  And many many more.



Well, over the last couple of years, Lay's has come up with a contest that allowed Canadians to come up with their own flavours of potato chip.  By going online to the Lay's "Do Us a Flavour" website, you could choose a variety of different ingredients and flavour combinations to make your own flavour of potato chip and give it a creative name.

The stakes were quite high for having the winning chip flavour.  The winning chip would get $50,000 in cold hard cash, plus 1% of all future bags of chips sold.  I know that percentage doesn't seem like a lot, but if, say, 75,000 bags of your flavour sold in a week, you'd get $750 that week.  And, if that trend continued, you could make $39,000 a year.  Not a bad chunk of change for just coming up with a flavour idea.

I remember entering that contest last year.  I would have thought that my flavour idea of Spaghetti and Meatballs would have done extremely well in the competition, but alas, it was not chosen.

In fact, last year, the four top contenders were Grilled Cheese and Ketchup, Perogy Platter, Maple Moose, and Creamy Garlic Caesar

I certainly had my favourite flavour (Perogy Platter received my vote), and I really wanted it to win.  Alas, the concoction known as Maple Moose (which was reportedly inspired by adding maple syrup to roadkill), ended up pulling off the biggest upset ever, winning the whole kit and kaboodle.  To be honest, it wasn't my favourite flavour, although I didn't dislike it.

And, well...to be honest, the flavour was pulled after ninety days due to low sales.  But hey, you had to admire the fact that the person who created the winning chip added a Canadian flair to the flavour combo.



The contest has also been held in America, and lets just say that some of the flavours they came up with are just as strange.  Chicken and Waffles, Cheesy Garlic Bread (yum), Sriracha, Wasabi Ginger, and Cappuccino.

Somehow, I don't see potatoes and coffee going very well.



Well, in Canada, they once again have come up with four brand new flavours to choose from.  This year's choices?  Bacon Poutine, Cinnamon Bun, Jalapeno Mac 'n Cheese, and Tzatziki.  Once again, I have my favourite (go Bacon Poutine!), and once again, I have the flavour that I really question (surprisingly enough it isn't Cinnamon Bun, but Tzatziki).  It's too soon to tell which flavour will win, but it looks like a fairly close contest.

So, this leads to the main body of the blog entry.  If you could come up with your own potato chip flavour, what would you make it taste like?  Would it be salty?  Sweet?  Bitter?  Spicy?  Or, would it be absolutely gross?

Well, once again, I submitted a couple of choices to the Lay's people...and once again, I was denied.  I keep saying that one of these days, my flavour will get chosen. 

Anyway, I'll share my two rejected flavours, as well as other ideas that I came up with.  Many of them I think are tasty...but I threw in one flavour that is kind of a joke one.  Would you try any of my creations?



1.  SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Yes, this was the very first flavour idea that I came up with for the Lay's contest, and I thought that it had real promise.  If anything, I thought that it would have a real Italian kick to it.  After all, the ingredients I selected were cheese, tomatoes, and beef.  Really, if anything, it would have been a combination that nobody else would have thought of.



2.  HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN WING

Okay, so whenever I grab an order of chicken wings from a deli or a restaurant, I typically like mine to have a little bit of sweetness to it.  I tend to gravitate towards honey garlic flavouring.  Surprisingly, I think this flavour would work very well as a potato chip flavour, and this was the flavour that I submitted this year.  Again, it got ignored.  Probably considered too safe a flavour.



3.  PRETZEL AND MUSTARD

Okay, bear with me folks.  If you've ever tried one of those fresh baked pretzels that you see on the streets of any major metropolitan city in North America, you know that for some reason, they always taste a little better with mustard.  It would definitely be a weird flavour for a potato chip, but I would eat them.



4.  SESAME CHICKEN

Okay, maybe it's the "I love Chinese food" part of me talking here, but colour me crazy - I think sesame chicken could be potentially a delicious flavour for a chip.  If you combine it with the right dip, it could be a flavour explosion of pure joy.



5.  LEMON POPPYSEED

Well, if Creamy Garlic Caesar can be a finalist last year, you could try other salad dressing combinations.  Somehow, I think Lemon Poppyseed would work better than Raspberry Vinaigrette.



6.  TOOTHPASTE AND ORANGE JUICE

(Heh.  Just kidding.)

Okay, so what flavours of chip do you think you would create?