I’ll Read What They’re Reading

I’d just like to thank Vman magazine for their Bruce Weber photographed shoot entitled “How To Read“. Perhaps it should be incorporated into high school curriculums with a female photo counterpart in order to encourage adolescents to pick up a book or six. Just a suggestion.

My Favourite Americans

Kevin Bacon in Footloose: The dictionary and Shakespearian play equivalent in 1984

Concerned American Parents,

How did it take you 400 years to realise Romeo and Juliet has sexual undertones?

This is technically old news (from the 26th), but it’s too funny to not get a mention on the good ole bloggy blog. For those of you who don’t read / listen to / watch the news, quick recap:

Toronto theatre group (Classical Theatre Project) goes to perform their take of Romeo and Juliet in Nashville Tennessee. A group of angry self appointed censors try to halt the performance or at least wholesomeize it.

The show, however, went on. Within the crowd of cheering students and teachers were some unhappy campers. A home-schooling mother (SHOCK) had this to say:

iPad?

Really Apple?

TTC Diaries: Awkward Timing

Dear Diary,

Toronto Transit Commission has been getting a lot of media coverage in the past week eh?

But does the good press outweigh the bad? Let’s investigate!

Nielsen: Welcome To The Internet Age

Known for measuring media audiences since the 1950s, Nielsen is finally taking into account Internet TV show viewings as part of their ratings system come August of this year. What took them so long?

If successful in expanding their rating system using this “extended screen service”, Nielsen could potentially change the way that people consume, companies advertise, and essentially, what stays on the air and what is no longer relevant.

Right now, networks don’t have a clear idea of which shows have a huge online following. Programs that have low ratings when watched live could potentially be viewed by thousands if not millions more online (over and over again) causing their ratings to be much higher than anticipated.

This online focus may encourage advertisers to invest in online commercials thus supporting the accessibility of online features of television shows.

Looking forward to seeing this play out.

TTC Diaries: Sleeping On The Job

Dear Diary,

It’s been a while since my last entry. I’ve been adjusting to the winter morning commute. Luckily there hasn’t been enough snow to freak out the bus system and drive it into a frenzy, but I wouldn’t put it past them.

Have you seen this picture?

zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Bizzaro World (News)

Congrats to Scott Brown on ruining a Kennedy legacy, and aborting a tradition of class. Welcome to the Senate.

Oh the weirdness of the world. To divert your attention from your schooling and working, or to push you further into the procrastination pit, I’ve compiled some of the oddities of the week right here on the wonderful blog of me.

The Mexican ruling party wants to send some musicians to jail for performing songs that glorify drug use / trafficking. Afroman probably shouldn’t go to Mexico.

It seemed like a good idea at the time when 10 brave young Germans decided to drink chili sauce 200 times hotter than normal. Eight ended up being hospitalized, all of which are the laughing stock of their high school. For shame.

Adil Says: Inane Thoughts from an Inane Individual

As we approach the birth of my baby (and by ‘baby’, I mean My City Lives), it’s time to close shop on my guest blogging here on Romi Says and tend to the impending demands of my little guy. Accordingly, my hope was to close out with a bang but with that goal in mind, I found it impossible to settle on one topic. Eventually, like a true dabbler, I settled on several topics and providing my inane thoughts regarding them:

• I’m not a cat person (nothing against them but my preference are Angora Rabbits) but I found myself really interested and moved by the death of Casper the Cat, who boarded the bus  outside his house every day to hitch a ride. I couldn’t help but wonder if Casper were in Toronto, would they make him pay the extra fair now that the TTC has raised its prices? My guess is yes and refusal to do so by Casper would have resulted in a trip to the Toronto Humane society which we recently learnt was one of the more inhumane places in the city.

• I recently received a Facebook Fan Page invite for an individual I have as friend on Facebook. Nothing against them, but I thought it was a peculiar thing for them to do themselves, so much so, that I’m considering the ‘de-friend’. If you’re the one making the fan club of yourself, its probably premature. Just saying.

• Still on Facebook Fan pages, like everyone else I get invites for everything under the sun (and in some cases, a fan club for the ‘sun’ itself). I usually hit accept to support those doing the inviting but the result is a totally skewed picture of who I am on my profile page. I wouldn’t have cared all that much until I started doing interviews and noticed that someone can see who you’re a fan of despite not being friends. So think twice next time you Fan your friend’s Toronto Tantric Lovers page. I know I will.

• Hands up if you know someone trying to improve their exposure by creating a “Help Haiti” campaign. My PSA: There are so many ways to help people; you can easily avoid the self serving.

• Apparently Tiger Woods was spotted coming out a Sex clinic. Do you think a lot of people hear this and think in their head, “I would love to have the problem which lead to that problem”.

All right, that’s it for me. It’s been a pleasure contributing to Romi’s virtual destination of debauchery and I encourage you to do the same. No lie, I just came back from an interview with a journalist who read my first piece on the Mayor race so it really, truly, does get you places. Especially if you are a sex addict who just started your very own Facebook fan club and was looking to drum up followers.

Help Haiti, seriously.

Adil (adil@mycitylives.com)

Let Him Eat Cake

I’ve always thought that Stephen Harper looks like a bratty little boy. Thank you for agreeing with me, Mercer.

And thanks to Greg for linking me 🙂

Late Night Host Fight

Can’t we all just get along?

The following, in point form, are my thoughts on the Conan – Leno debacle:

– They should have given Conan more time to fill the Late Night shoes.

– There is overwhelming support for Conan (team “coco”) from viewers and celebrities alike.

– Perhaps Conan (and/or NBC) should think about the 200+ people who work for him on the show that may cease to exist when the show ceases to exist.