(In retrospect, this post turned into a little more than I intended. It is based on the royalty issue, but really encompasses the state of the western world I suppose.)

It makes me sad that I wouldn't have recognized Taft had Par not written it at the top of his post. He appears to me as a good advisor, though unfortunate for the liberals, and the entire province not a good leader. Why does there appear this lack of quality leadership in politics? Little to no oposition to Mandell. No viable alternative to the conservatives for alberta. Fricken Bush is still in power in the states. Has it always been this way? Or is it just now, that nobody is willing to step up and take responsibility for our lives/ province/city/country/etc? Are our lives that comfortble, that nobody is willing to get off their ass? why the apathy? why no urgency? In the royaties issue alone, 1 BILLION dollars apparently missmanaged. Is that number too big for us to comprehend? How is everyone not up in arms over this? why is this post the most I've said on the issue? What is wrong with us? Has big money won? has the commmon man been placated by video games, pro sports, anti depressants, and as the RHCP puts it, "Californication"? Why do I have sooooo many questions? I'm at a loss......

Layer Tennis. This shit blows my mind:

Two artists (or two small teams of artists) will swap a file back and forth in real-time, adding to and embellishing the work. Each artist gets fifteen minutes to complete a "volley" and then we post that to the site. A third participant, a writer, provides play-by-play commentary on the action, as it happens. The matches last for ten volleys and when it's complete, everyone with an opinion sounds off in the Forums and we declare a winner.

Phenomenon - a new show where illusionist Criss Angel (trained by James Randi) goes head to head against charlatan Uri Geller (debunked by James Randi). Should be interesting...

Kevin Taft's Royalty Position:

damnit, why is this house such a shithole?

I think I just found mold in the basement...

were my friends who lived here before us really un-observant or something??

So... Pitkanen is hurt now, too? Great. As if tonight's game wasn't set to be painful enough.

To review, after Steve Staios, the total number of games of NHL experience amongst the Oilers defencemen tonight is 451. And 113 of those are Matt Greene. Yikes. It's like last season all over again.


...


So, how about those Oil Kings?! I hear they're not godawful!

Actually, I was kind of thinking in the vein of another video, but, uh, thanks.

(Of course, it occurs to me that if there were ever a meta-Mehta video, it would probably be taken so far as to end up with me getting punched in the face several times. Maybe it's too hazardous to my health to actually do.)

Good call on waiting for somebody to make the obvious joke. You would have looked foolish making your own joke, but if you didn't, there was the risk of no one making it. Luckily I took your bait!

Colbert on Meet the Press.

Two things I got out of this video: i) Colbert explains a possible endgame for his bizarre "I'm running for president, but only in South Carolina" announcement; ii) Tim Russert is far more hard-hitting with a comedian portraying an ignorant ass than he is during interviews that actually matter with people who actually need to be held to account, and that saddens me.

(Oh, and thanks, Tay. I was already thinking about how I would do that without seeming like it was too much of a direct rip-off.)

Nice, but it's no Mehta-comedy.