Bollywoods Schwarzenegger mistaken for LA terrorist. In my view, this all bodes ill for racism rearing its ugly head...

Hollywood sinks fangs into Dracula theme park plan. The original homeland of Dracula doesn't have the rights to use the character. How strange is that?

Lazy Sunday mornings... I've been able to get a few things done so far, but I could always do more. That's the perfectionist in me...

After nearly 6 years of hosting on Geocities, they've now broken the last straw for me with cost cutting...

First, they eliminated free GeoPlus for Community Leaders, which meant their pop-up ads now show on any page that doesn't already hold their Geoguide ad banner. This blocks out a lot of my design. You can click twice to turn it off, but it returns on every page right away anyways.

NOW they've eliminated the Geoguide, so the pop-ups appear on every page, hiding much more of my site messages.

I will now move the site, as I suspect a lot of the more net-savvy denizens will. I just have to find a free host that doesn't put pop-ups everywhere. If you know of such a host, please please let me know.

Harry Potter to boost Bloomsbury. I need something lighter to lower my blood pressure...

I'm still stunned that a Harry Potter book won the best SF Novel Hugo this year, but it's interesting to see how the books are still increasing literary business.

News agency receives purported bin Laden message. If this is indeed legitimate, it only serves as proof of the evil and hipocrisy of this man.

3 fundamentalists killed is a tragedy? Evil vulture... anything over the number 0 is bad, but zealots killed more than five thousand innocents in New York - and the number is rising daily!

It's alright to murder innocents because they are American? Never!

A few hours ago, I watched my tape of the historic American Aid Telethon, which was held Friday night on practically all the networks simultaneously.

To say it was emotionally draining would be an understatement - but then, it was supposed to be. The events that led to it were beyond tragic. I still don't have the words to accurately convey the scope of atrocity last Tuesday.

One celebrity deserves mention right here: Jim Carrey.

I've been underwhelmed by him ever since his debut on a special here in Canada many years ago. I don't find him funny in the least.

I do admire him now, however, for donating one million dollars to the relief efforts. He's Canadian, and no celebrity has ever found need to give so much of their own money - yet he didn't hesitate, didn't even blink here. He just saw that it would help a lot, and gave it. I wish more celebrities were as selfless.

The first steps of a War have begun: the US are sending military forces into the Persian Gulf.

With the Taliban actually trying to negotiate terms for the release of Osamu Bin Laden, I don't blame them. Scumbag terrorists took too many human lives (anything over zero is too many); what right would they now have to dictate terms? NONE.

What I'm upset with though is the now-current trend of PC censorship. A list of songs radio stations should now cease playing because of potentially offensive lyrics has now been released. On that list is Imagine by John Lennon.

Excuse me?! A song extolling peace and unity for all mankind is dangerous? What are they smoking? Whatever it is, keep me far away from it!

I read this on a forum yesterday, and I can't contain it anymore - ESPECIALLY with the jackals of the Taliban spreading the lies:

JIHAD IS NOT "HOLY WAR" NOR IS IT A "PILLAR OF ISLAM" --------------------------- JIHAD: (Striving) Although it is not a pillar of Islam but is a duty in one form or another. The most common media misconception is of calling Jihad a 'Holy War.' The general meaning of the term is "striving for moral and religious perfection." The broader meaning of this term encompasses one's life and community. The constant struggle of striving to remain on the path of Islam by observing the above five pillars of Islam (Witness, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, and Pilgrimage) is Jihad. One who Strives is Mujahid. Being a Mujahid, a striver for moral and religious perfection, involves numerous forms of public and private devotion that charaterizes the 'practice' of islam. This includes respecting the dietry laws against eating pork and drinking alcohol, respecting parents and elders, helping to provide for close relatives and kin, giving to the poor and disadvantaged. On the other side, theft, murder, fornication, adultery, lying, cheating, wrongly accusing or testifying are strictly forbidden by Shari'a (Islamic Law). http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~calmsa/intro.html ------------------------- It is of the utmost importance at this time of justice-seeking and finger-pointing that non-Muslims learn something about the religion of Islam before buying into and passing on dangerous misinformation about Islamic beliefs.(e.g. that jihad is a religious mandate to holy war). Sources of clear information abound on the web, including the FAQ at alt.religion.islam or http://www.faqs.org/faqs/islam-faq/alt-newsgroup/, and the fine longer article "The Spiritual Significance of Jihad" at http://www.al-islam.org/al-serat/jihad-nasr.htm But there are even better sources of information about the Muslim religion: your local Islamic community centers and the Islamic members of your local community. Many American Muslims are currently in deep fear of the reactions of their fellow non-Muslim countrymen; help ease their fears -- and yours. Show them that America is ready to learn about their beliefs and practices from the keepers of those beliefs and not through media-driven misconceptions. Would you expect any less from others if your your own religious tradition were being questioned? America shows her best side when she shows her wisdom as well as her compassion. Let us not add Muslims to the long list of religious and ethnic groups who have suffered due to the ignorance of others or the heinous acts of the few. May the golden lamp of knowledge draw us all together and light our way in the dark days to come. "Without knowledge there is no wisdom" (Sirach 3:25)

- This shows just how evil terrorist fundamentalists are: they perverted the usage of a word signifying peace in their own faith, and convinced people of a lie that it actually represents violence.

A legend to Canadian children died today: Ernie Coombs, the man who played Mr. Dressup on Canadian television for three decades. He died of complications from a stroke at the age of 73.

How significant was his part of Canadian culture? Mike Myers listed him on his list of Top 5 things he loved about Canada - even higher on his list that hockey... and we all know how fanatical he is about that.

Mr. Dressup was a simple children's show. The central character would draw cartoons, or dress-up to enact stories for the puppet boy Casey and his silent dog Finnegan. No explosions, no action or guns. Just a gentle half hour for kids every day.

I saw him perform live on stage when I was a child. That'll be a memory I'll always cherish.

The ABC network are continuing their trend of pointless "Special Reports" to interrupt TV shows.

My friend Pat, a journalism graduate, spoke of the malignancy of the networks in his log, now I've seen it proven: today the tv schedule was supposed to get back to normal, so I tried watching All My Children. After a week of dread, I needed some fluff to lift my spirits. Many people do.

ABC doesn't think so. First they interupted 15 minutes in for a so-called Special Report: the presidential press secretary giving the President's schedule for the day. Considering it was business as usual, did we really need to hear that for 20 minutes?

Then, as they were supposed to go back to the show, they cut in with another Special Report - this time for a briefing by Secretary of State Colin Powell. At this point I turned the set off, but I'm sure nothing he said would be important to know now.

ABC, if grinding life to a standstill was a terrorist goal, you're doing their work for them.

One of the most revolting things about these terrorit attacks is how Reverend Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson of the 700 Club have been using this event to spread hate, intolerance, and ignorance to the masses of the world.

Here's what Falwell had to say - no, dared to say:

"The ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this. And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God or successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen'."

He realized what damage these words may have done for his business ministry, so he claimed afterwards they were taken out of context. NOT a retraction of these hateful words, but that others quoted him wrong.

Pat Robertson did no better. Also on the 700 Club, his words did the work for the terrorists:

On his website, Pat's doing the hateful, anti-American, seditious act of telling people that the terrorism is going to grow worse. He's doing the terrorists' job for them. And get this quote: "We lie naked before these terrorists who have infiltrated our country. There are probably tens of thousands of them in America right now. They have been raising money and preaching their hate."

(Fair credit time. These words came to me thanks to members of the Compuserve Comics and Animation forum.

Can people now get it through their brains that these scum don't do anything good, that they do nothing but program hate into the masses? I hope they get shut out by all like they deserve!

If you're like me, you took the time to light a candle for the fallen at the WTC.

It was almost comical, as I purchased a cheap disposable lighter that I couldn't make work, ended up using a long match anyways.

I've added a Red Cross donation box somewhere on this site. If you can, please use it. Your donation may help in a small part to combat this tragedy.

All day again, the majority of channels carried news about the World Trade Center disaster.

Considering how significant this tragedy was, that's not surprising... but it's still emotionally draining.

At least the speech from my Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, was good. Generally, I don't like him... but he said words similar to what I did earlier today: that an ethnic race can't be called to blame for the actions of a few.

I've been hearing sad news all morning, news that shows the Holocaust didn't teach us a strong enough lesson in the face of this tragic horror... all over the world, people are attacking anyone looking even a bit Arabic.

Even if they don't read this, I hope this message gets through by osmosis: A race isn't responsible for this, individuals are. Break the cycle of hatred.

The Fine Line

This man was there. Fortunately, only on the subways and streets around the WTC, and not in them.

Many of these photos are images burned into our minds already, but the account of someone actually there is very poignant.

Understandably, it's still been an emotionally gruelling day... one with a lot of anger and hatred thrown out - but much of the anger was misplaced in my view.

Last night, I spoke of my disgust with the words of the leader of the Hesballah.

This morning, Osamu Bin Laden was quoted saying that while he wasn't responsible for this atrocity, he wanted to congratulate those who were. Am I deathly in hatred of him? Yes.

The news all showed the same group of Palestinians rejoicing at this action. Am I deathly in hatred of them? Yes again. Such disregard for innocent life is an abomination

Does this mean I now hate all Palestinians, or Muslims, or Arabs? No.

One group of slime does not an entire race make. I have friends who are practicing Muslims; I don't hate them for their beliefs.

As a Jew, the grandson of Holocaust survivors, a culture and ethnic race attacked and killed just for living a mere 60 years ago, I can't perform similar acts of generalization.

How sad that the nation-state of Israel has forgotten those lessons, and helped to fan the flames of similar hatred now.

It was so nice to see how concerned about the loss of life in these attacks that Hesballah and other alleged terrorist group leaders were... having the leader of the Hesballah make a point of saying not to believe Israeli views about this act of war.

Gee... so many people killed, I really care what ideology is taken for the attacks... not.

We've had the first Pearl Harbour of the new century, and I'm both heart- and stomach-sick.

You've likely been hearing about it on all the news: before 9 am, a plane crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City.

At first, it was thought to be a horrible tragic air accident - but at 9:03 am, as Good Morning America was showing the accident, another plane came into view, colliding with the second tower in a horrific fireball.

Shortly thereafter, another plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington. Others were then reported over various areas in the US, which may have been intended for strategic targets in the areas.

Before 11 am, the news announced that the Trade Towers were destroyed, and they showed gruesome footage of the buildings imploding.

Other footage was shown of revellers on the West Bank, and Palestinians also rejoicing that the major power (the US) had been shown to be defenseless.

I wanted to reach through my TV to strangle these vultures. Hoow many tens of thousands of innocent lives were ended by this? How can anyone rejoice at such suffering.

I visited the World Trade Center more than 20 years ago. When I think of how I once looked at the city skyline from a building now fallen, I feel like throwing up again.

Welcome to the 21st Century... too bad people are still as narrow-minded as in the 20th.

Here's the deal: For Better or Worse has been a comic strip in newspapers for decades. It's also one of the few strips where the characters have been aging.

The current storyline has the son (Michael) getting married. The storyline has him getting one of his best friends as best man... said friend happening to be gay.

Cartoonist Lynn Johnson has the mother of the bride worried about this - but the Bible Belt seem to be up in arms about it in real life. How dare she have a gay character in her strip, and how dare she put him in this storyline.

My question: how dare you people still be so closed-minded and ignorant? Gay people have been a facet of life since time began - and in the grand scheme of life, it doesn't matter one way or the other.

I'm disgusted that such narrow-minded people still exist.

I watched an hour or so on the Comedy Network today (our answer in Canada to Comedy Central).

It was amazing to see Victoria Jackson on Bizarre. It was also a trip to read the copyright notice at the end for 1984 - that reminded me I wasn't yet a high school graduate when the show was still on (I graduated in June of 84).

The funny thing was seeing Victoria - who made her fame on Saturday Night Live... and the very next show was an old (1970s) episode of just that show!

Strange Animal's Live Journal

I figured this site merited a plug (even if he's using something other than Blogger), for the simple fact that the writer is one of my best friends... and he's indirectly mentioned me a few times. :)

Even though I'm not a fan of hockey, the news yesterday hit damn hard:

Sacu Coivu, the captain of the Montreal Canadians, was diagnosed with abdominal cancer.

He's only 26 freakin' years old. Hopefully, that and the fact he's strong will hopefully help him to pull through this... but as I said here about two months ago, I lost an aunt to cancer. She was a few years older at 53, but there's really no age when cancer is okay.

26... sometimes, fate is downright cruel.

Did you watch the premiere of The Amazing Race yesterday?

I'm not a big fan of the reality shows, but I actually enjoyed this one. The 'Ugly American' frat brothers were funny in their crassness, and it was interesting seeing a contest that involves a lot of thinking.

The only thing that made me very uncomfortable was the bungee jump. I suffer from vertigo, so I'll never try it (the lack of dexterity helps) - but every leap here gave me chills.

Another icon of 1950s popular culture has left our world: Troy Donahue died, at the age of 65.

My dad will be 63 this November, and like Troy doesn't look his age. Fortunately, unlike Troy, he's never had a drug habit... that may well have contributed to his early death.

I've felt like I unintentionally capitalized on sadness in this Blog of late.

I linked a few articles about a young singer's death in here (I won't say her name again, to avoid increasing my search rankings for that term). Since then, I've had a minimum of 21 visits to the site a day, mostly from people searching for news of her in the major engines.

It's bad enough that so many perverts come to my site looking for nude photos of popular models (notes to pervs: THERE ARE NO NUDE PHOTOS OF CYNDY MARGOLIS - ANYWHERE!). Now death has brought me bounty.

I feel so cheap.