Tokyo Rose

I'm a film buff or at least I like to think I am. One day I was watching some WWII movie about the Pacific Theatre and somebody mentioned the name Tokyo Rose. The first thing I thought was, "that sounds like a nice brand of tea", followed by "or maybe it's a ship". This was immediately followed by a radio broadcast with Tokyo Rose signing off. So I thought, either that was a talking ship, talking tea leaves or I have it all wrong. Fortunately for you, I decided to find out what was going on.

This was actually the name the Allied forces in WWII in the South Pacific gave to an English-speaking women who broadcast Japanese propoganda. Geez that's a mouthful.

It's also a name associated with a woman named Iva Toguri D'Aquino. She was an American citizen visiting relatives in Japan at the beginning of the war. Because of this and somebody's testimony, she was convicted of treason in 1949 by the US government. So she was imprisoned and then released six years later and in 1977, she was pardoned by President Gerald Ford who also restored her citizenship.

Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Yarr! I almost totally forgot about today until I turned on the radio this afternoon and heard CBC talking about pirates. For some reason I found this odd and then I remembered today was the 19th. So for the first time in three years, I remember what today is. So Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

100 Posts!

I suppose this post should feel like a milestone or something because it did take two years to get here but I have mixed feelings about it. I'm wondering about revamping the blog. I find that I have lots to talk about but the blog seems to have become about news. I'm definitely going to be putting more stuff on here, about books and movies and all that good stuff. So here's to another 100 posts!

67 years ago today, Canada declared War against Germany

On September 10, 1939, Ottawa declared war against Germany. We were the last of the "great" Dominions to declare against them but it was the first time we'd made our own declaration of war as a sovereign province. Yay us.

It's hard to imagine something that happened so long ago had such an impact. From that day onward nothing was ever the same. Of course, the innocence of the world had was smashed to pieces in the Great War but can you imagine how people must have felt when they heard the country was going to war again? The last years of the 10s were terrible, the 20s were a small reprieve and then the Depression was really, well, depressing. Then the 40s come along and yes it lifted people up out of the 30s but at what cost?

And what about the men who had been young enough in the Great War that they were still technically eligible to fight in WWII? Do you have any idea of how depressing that must have been? WWI was a slaughter, with cavalry still being employed and elderly officers commanding young men to die in the mud because they stuck to tactics that had died out with the last century.

I can't even imagine having to live through that. Whether it was on the front lines or at home. Each seemed equally horrible. But I have to say, I'm really worried about it happening again. All these crazy old men with nukes just makes me nervous. All I can say is, our grandparents were tough folks and I don't think I could do what they could.

40 years of Star Trek

40 years ago today, Star Trek, the original series debuted on TV. While it only ran for three seasons, it's impact can still be felt today. Not only did it result in four spin-off series, ten movies and countless collectibles, it changed pop culture forever. If you've been alive for any significant portion of time and have interacted with other human beings, you will eventually hear words like "Live long and prosper", "Tribbles" and "Trekkies". And occasionally you may be the victim of a bad Klingon joke.

So what exactly was going on 40 years ago that produced this show? Well, it was the 60s... (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, say no more). It was basically a time full of political conflict and racial tensions, some examples being Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement.

What Gene Rodenberry did was address these issues on a sci-fi tv series that didn't seem to take itself too seriously. And there was that whole thing with the Klingons looking like humans wearing evil dictator goatees.

But what he did changed the face of sci-fi forever and for that I will always be grateful. Even in tv today I feel like sci-fi series get the short end of the stick but I'm sure that if you count them, they are more of them on now then ever before. And part of the reason for this, was Gene Rodenberry and the universe he created.

Elvis Stojko to put out album

What's this about Elvis Stojko putting out an album? With singing on it?

"I've always loved music — skating to music, moving to music [and] singing," Stojko said. Elvis please, don't ruin our memories of you by making this attempt. Now, you may be one of the few people who can successfully make career transition but I have to be honest. The odds are against you.

My personal opinion is that the golden age of celebrities being able to act, sing and dance is over. Face it folks, Gene Kelly was it. These stars just don't exist today. They went the way of the bison, vanishing in one big swoop.

As for stars attempting this impossible feat today? Does Mariah Carey come to mind? Need I mention "Glitter" to anyone? And like sand in our eye, these people keep coming back to cause us more pain and irritation. Maybe they think we like it or they just can't take a hint from critics that they should just stick to what they're good at.

Painful as it may be to admit that our stars aren't as talented as their predecessors, they're all we've got. Scripts aren't the same and special effects have become an increasingly large crutch for "blockbusters.

So what am I trying to say? Elvis, stay on the ice rink. The microphone doesn't love you, so stop calling. Oh and get this. According to the Soulshine website, "he also hopes to pursue a film career". Kirk save us.