2008 Canadian Blog Awards...UPDATE!!!

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Hello again!

We are pleased to report that our blog has made it through to the final round of voting in the 2008 Canadian Blog Awards!! THANK YOU to all our readers who took the time to vote! We appreciate your continued support of this blog.

The Stroumboulopouli is now among one of five blogs vying for top honours in the Group Blog category. The final round of voting takes place from November 30-December 6. Once agan, we would ask that you take a few moments and cast a vote for us. Just a reminder...you can only vote once in the final round. Click here to vote!

Thank you!

The Stroumboulopouli

What's on The Hour for the week of December 1-4

It's the last weekend in November and the holiday season is stealthily sneaking up on us... so make sure you take some time to kick back and relax with George this week.

The Strombo Show

Well kiddos, the moment we've wanted for weeks is finally here... a brand spankin' new Strombo Show is on the air LIVE from 5-8 ET (2-5 PT).  According to The Strombo Show Facebook page, Brendan Canning from Broken Social Scene will join George as co-host in the third hour of the show.

Tune in to the LIVE show tonight, on 102.1 The Edge in Toronto, Y108 in Hamilton, FM96 in London, Power 97 in Winnipeg or 99.3 The Fox in Vancouver. And don't forget you can always listen live on the interwebs from any of the station website. 

The Hour

Monday

Ingrid Newkirk

Whether you agree or disagree with them, you can't deny that PETA knows how to make a statement.  PETA's awareness campaigns are all over the spectrum, from shocking the "Holocaust on a Plate" campaign to the silly "Ben & Jerry's should make ice cream with human breast milk", and PETA Founder and President Ingrid Newkirk is right in the middle of it all, doing whatever she can to save and protect animals around the world.

In September, Newkirk released a book titled, "One Can Make A Difference", which is a collection of essays by "dozens of extraordinary people" including the Dalai Lama and Paul McCartney.

Brent Butt

As he winds down the final season of his quintessential Canadian hit "Corner Gas" Brent Butt is looking to his next project, writing and producing the pilot for a new CTV comedy series, starring his Corner Gas co-star (and wife) Nancy Robertson, titled "Hiccups". 

Earlier this year, Butt received the Comedy Network's Peter Ustinov Awards at the Banff World Television Festival, joining the likes of John Cleese, Bob Newhart and Rick Mercer.

Tuesday

Malcolm Gladwell 

According to Gladwell.com, an Outlier "is a scientific term to describe things or phenomena that lie outside normal experience", and in his new book "Outliers" Gladwell takes a look at how everything from the time of year we're born or our cultural background can seemingly impact our personal success.

Cheech and Chong 

It's easy to say that this dynamic duo defined an era with their irreverent outlook on life and their counter-culture comedic routines.  After their not-so-amicable breakup in the eighties, they finally officially announced their reunion and played their first show of their "Light Up America" tour in Ottawa this past June. 

Wednesday 

Sonja Bata

She is one half of the well-known Bata business partnership that built one of the most successful family-owned businesses in Canada. Last week, in memory of her late husband, Sonja Bata announced the Thomas J. Bata Lecture Series on Responsible Capitalism. The lecture series will reflect the ideals that the Batas held firm to: that business leaders should serve and care for the people they employ, just as their employees serve them. The Batas have also set up a yearly scholarship to help promote the study of responsible capitalism. 

Thursday 

John Bolton

As the American interim representative to the United Nations and as the Undersecretary of State for arms control (in charge of preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction), John Bolton has weathered his share of controversy and scrutiny. John Bolton is in Toronto this week to participate in The Munk Debates at the Royal Ontario Museum to debate the following statement: "Be it resolved that if countries like Sudan, Zimbabwe and Burma will not end their man-made humanitarian crises, the international community should..."

Bob Cole

Sitting in the play-by-play chair at Hockey Night in Canada for over 35 years, Bob Cole has made a mark on the Saturday night landscape with his unique commentary on his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Don't forget to check out The Hour's website for more interviews, the blog and tickets to the show.  

Meanwhile, at the Gemini Awards...

Mercy Mercy Me...My Acts of Green.

I don't know about saving the best for last but here goes with my turn - sharing what I'm personally doing to support the One Million Acts of Green initiative. Am I the greenest person in the world? Hardly. But I think if anything resonates in the spirit, approach and intent of the One Million Acts of Green initiative is that it's not a 'hey look what I can do to one up you'. It's about doing what we can manage to incorporate in our daily lives and routines. Ideally a change that we can make on a permanent basis - rather than just making a virtual tick mark on the OMAOG website to assuage our guilty consciences that we're collectively not doing enough and slowly killing mother earth.


For my part, I am doing a few things that you might want to consider - some of which aren't options on the website.


My guiltiest confession? I LOVE paper. I mean, it's almost pathological. Perhaps it's an ode to my grandfather's many years working as a Pulp and Paper Mill foreman? Nope. I trace my love of the hard copy to a stint working for a boss who was wonderfully high maintenance and insisted that any press release, ad copy, article, letter, speech, proposal or any other ghost written document were printed neatly - one sided only please - and nestled with love in her In Tray.


So... as one of my 'acts' I have resolved to wean myself from the urge to print out my documents and scrutinize for typos. It's going well. I may need stronger contacts or a wider monitor - but it's definitely a step in the right direction. With the volumes I deal with at work, I'd estimate I'll save 3,000 sheets of paper per year.


Unlike Michelle who posted about vegetarianism as being kinder to our world, I am an unabashed carnivore. On a good day, I'd kill for a BBQ steak. However, I actually love tofu and as such have vowed to work my way through my 101 Things to do With Tofu cookbook - one 'Soy-riffic' experience at a time. I do tend to eat veggie at least two days per week. Contrary to my brother's opinion - there IS more than one thing to do with tofu. He thinks heaving it in the garbage is the best and only option.

In the last year, I have purchased a more fuel efficient vehicle. Not a Hybrid mind you - it was a little out of reach, but I am running a vehicle that is much 'cleaner' than my older car.

Recently on a pleasure trip, I decided to take the train. It was relaxing, a chance to catch up with a dear friend and I left the car at home!

I am sure there are other little things that I will do as I go along... I would love to hear about what readers are doing too...

So in closing - regular readers will know that I centre many of my posts to my passion for music. So - why stop now? Looking for inspiration in song to get on a greener path? Look no further than your Ipod! It's interesting to note how many seminal artists have been making music about our environment for years and years. Here's a list of suggested tunes to check out.

What are YOUR favourites that I missed? I am sure there's tons!


Marvin Gaye - Mercy Mercy Me... The Ecology.


So many artists have remade this... if you're surfing? You have to check out the remake done by The Strokes, Eddie Vedder and Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age. Still, can't beat the original... right on Marvin!



Blackened - Metallica


Metal with a message? Yes! 'Death of Mother Earth. Never A Rebirth. Evolutions end. Never will it end."



Nothing But Flowers - Talking Heads


A timely choice so fast on the heels of the brilliant David Byrne's appearance on The Hour, this is a great and quirky tune... 'If this is Paradise, I wish I had a lawnmower'


Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell


NO, not the Counting Crows version --- although it's not bad. The original, from one of Canada's pioneers.



Idiotique- Radiohead


Thom sings it... "Ice Age coming... let me hear both sides." Who were they talking about? Al Gore? Hmmm... a classic from way back.



The last one I'll leave you with is a new song that was performed live a few months ago on the Strombo Show. One Last Round by Ron Sexsmith


Wonder of wonders Our eyes behold This scaffold of stars

But look under for truth be told We're leaving a scar On everything we've found

And we're going into town for one last round One last round

If all that glitters Is not gold Should our rainbow's end Be just the winter cruel and cold Of our discontent My friends we're trouble bound Yet we're going into town for one last round And it's the children who have yet to come Who'll have to pay our tab What kind of world will we have left for them The odds now will be stacked We've all the wisdom Our minds can hold But no common sense All the live long day the joke Was at our own expense We've drained our bottles down And we're going into town for one last round

So... keep it up Canada and friends and readers around the world! What's YOUR act of Green? As of now... the total stands at 375,453 Acts of Green and 17,366,630 KG's of Greenhouse gasses saved!

Register and log your acts.... at ONE MILLION ACTS OF GREEN

The Canadian Blog Awards 2008

Greetings Readers!

Earlier this month, our blog was nominated in the Group Blog category for the 2008 Canadian Blog Awards: Celebrating the best in the Canadian Blogosphere.

The first round of voting takes place from November 23-29. If we are among one of the top five blogs with the most votes at then end of round one, we will then move forward to the final round of voting!


We would greatly appreciate it if you would be so kind as to take a few moments to register your vote for our blog. Click here, scroll down to "The Stroumboulopouli" and vote. It's that easy! Please note that you are able to vote once per round.

Thank you for your support!

The Stroumboulopouli

What's up...November 23-27th

It's Sunday...but not just any Sunday...it's Grey Cup Day!

If you are able to multitask, might I suggest that you watch the big game AND listen to

The Strombo Show on these Corus Radio stations:

The Edge 102.1 (Toronto) The Fox 99.3 (Vancouver)
Power 97 (Winnipeg) Y108 (Hamilton) FM96 (London)

Now I know what you are asking yourself...will it be live or pre-taped?

Tune in and find out!

Hint: Throughout the weekend, George's Facebook has a few photos of him

participating in events at The Bell Centre in Montreal since Friday.

Coming up on The Hour this week:

Monday, November 24th

Co-founder of the Talking Heads, Scottish-born musician and artist

David Byrne.

The name Ben Goldhirsh may not mean anything to you. But his philanthropic efforts mean much to so many in need. Ben, son of the late Inc. Magazine founder Bernie Goldhirsh, chose to use his substantial inheritance to help others by creating a new publication aptly named GOOD. Billed as "an entertaining magazine about things that matter", the subscription fee from the magazine goes to twelve worthy charities, among them, UNICEF. Goldhirsh is also the founder of Reason Pictures.

Tuesday, November 25th

Boston Bruins defenceman and Right to Play Athlete Ambassador Andrew Ference.

One of my favourite bands...The Killers. Their new CD Day & Age

is being released November 24th.

Wednesday, November 26th

For 30+ years, Canadians and music fans worldwide have enjoyed the musical artistry known as RUSH. Lead vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson will be on The Hour.

Making a return visit to The Hour is the most excellent Stephen Lewis, former United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa and founder of The Stephen Lewis Foundation.

If you happen to be in the Toronto area this Friday, you may wish to check out Ending sexual violence in the DRC: An evening with Stephen Lewis & Dr. Denis Mukwege being held at Convocation Hall, University of Toronto. Tickets can be obtained here.

Thursday, November 27th

By now, most Canadians are familiar with the story of Syrian-born Canadian citizen Maher Arar and his wife Monia Mazigh that began in 2002. The simple tagline on Arar's website speaks volumes to the frustration he and his family must still feel..."we all have the right to the truth".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In other news...

Have you registered your Acts of Green? The total acts of green is on the rise...as of this very moment there have been 359,246 acts registered...but of course there is always room for more! One Million Acts of Green...register today and tell your friends!

Teach your children well

There are many, many individual things we can do to make a difference in making this planet a healthier place to live. Whether it's at work, home, traveling, or just being outside. Our actions have an impact and whether we want to realize it or not, what we do today will affect what happens tomorrow.

One of the most powerful resources we have for making a difference in our fight against climate change is our children.

Paint for the planet
Description: Paint for the Planet is an exhibit and auction of children's art to launch the global United Nations campaign "UNite to Combat Climate Change". The event will feature a selection of paintings from UNEP's International Children's Painting Competition. Showcasing children's fears and hopes for the planet, the paintings are a powerful plea from children for leadership on climate change before it is too late.

Now, some would argue that WE are the ones that are destroying the earth and it should not be left up to the next generation to "fix" what we have done/are doing. I partially agree with that sentiment, but I also disagree.
The compassion a child holds for beauty & happiness is infectious. They see things simply, uncluttered & straight forward....they know what they want, what they like, what they don't, they love to please & have amazing ideas that can absolutely knock you on your ass.
It is our responsibility as parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents & guardians to show them what is beautiful, what is right & what needs to be done. You can start with little things like, why you should flick off a light in an empty room, show them what to recycle & where to put it, explain the difference in buying local produce versus imported, to compost, teach them how & why to grow plants & the sense of accomplishment and appreciation that comes with doing so. These actions will be second nature to them in no time. We don't give children enough, the credit they deserve in what they can learn and absorb from us.
Children are the warriors of tomorrow and the spirit they constantly reveal should be the torch leading the way to a cleaner earth. They have the potential to be whatever they want to be, so why not nudge them down a greener path in their discovery of life.

Check out One Million Acts of Green for ideas on how to make a difference.....one act at a time.
In the three weeks since it's launch, participants have made 324,654 Total Acts of Green!
Greenhouse Gases Saved: 15,480,664 kg.

WCU in the week starting Nov 16

The Strombo Show is going to be a nice fresh blend of cool and hot music and interviews. It's pre-recorded for this Sunday. You can tune each Sunday on air or online from 5-8pm EST (2-5PT) on 102.1 The Edge (Toronto), 99.3 The Fox (Vancouver), Power 97 (Winnipeg), Y108 (Hamilton), and FM96 (London).


What George is doing live this Sunday night is explained in this press release.

Dr. Jane Goodall to be Honoured at

Reason for Hope Tribute Dinner

TORONTO, Nov. 14 /CNW/ - Internationally renowned primatologist,
global environmental advocate and UN Messenger of Peace
Dr. Jane Goodall
will be honoured at the "Reason for Hope" Tribute Dinner,
on Sunday, November 16 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

   The dinner is chaired by Michael Budman and Don Green,
co-founders and co-owners of Roots Canada,
and their wives Diane Bald and Denyse Green.
Master of ceremonies George Stroumboulopoulos
(Host of CBC's The Hour)
will be joined by Dr. David Suzuki, the Honorary Dinner Chair.
Special guests will include Eugene Levy, Norman Jewison,
Michael Burgess, Ken Dryden, Stew Gavin, Jeffrey Latimer, 
Ben Mulroney and John Tory.
At the dinner, Dr. Jane Goodall will receive an honorary
degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of
Haifa for her lifetime achievements as a
humanitarian, conservationist and peace activist.
These include her initiative in founding
Roots and Shoots, a program that encourages young people
toaddress environmental and humanitarian issues
in their communities.
The program operates in more than 100 countries around
the world.
Proceeds from the dinner will support the development of
Roots and Shoots in Canada and Israel.
Entertainment will include a performance by the Canadian
Tenors, and the Roots & Shoots Soul Revue
led by musical director Terence Gowan,
with vocalist Voyce Alexander.

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In other G news as you know this past Friday 
George Stroumboulopoulos received the 
Bob Edwards award
at a luncheon in Calgary.
Here is an interview from Nick Lewis of The Calgary Herald
as found on City Guide Calgary on Canada.com

Congratulations to George and the crew of The Hour
from all of us here. 
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on The Hour this week

Monday Nov 17th
On the show this night

Author and Journalist
Mariane Pearl , widow of Daniel Pearl.
Her memoirs have been made into a film called A Mighty Heart.

also on the show country singer George Canyon.

I was researching him and I came across this video of his
called My Name

Tuesday Nov18th
George interviews a muse Patti Boyd
As well as

American politician and activist Andrew Young 
Young has received many awards during his career, including the Presidential Medal
of Freedom, America’s highest
civilian award; the Legion d’Honneur (France); and
more than 45 honorary degrees from universities such as Notre Dame, Yale,
Morehouse and Emory.

 Wednesday Nov19th
Susie Essman from Curb Your Enthusiasm will be on the show.
I found this clip with Susie for your enjoyment.


The Brian Scudamore entrepreneur and CEO of 1-800-GOT JUNK ?
is also on the show.


and that's not all there is still more

Thursday Nov 20th
Hit man David Foster

and
Olympic warrior Donovan Bailey


Plus you can watch Fridays Best of the week show to catch what
you missed and more importantly to not miss what goes on
between interviews...
Like for instance, have they done something different to
the Mile a Minute?  

Eat Your Way to a Greener Planet

There are so many little things we do in our lives to make a difference. Almost everyone does something. This week, I thought I'd talk about how what we eat can impact the environment.

The biggest choice I make to eat environmentally is eating meatless meals.

I'm a vegetarian, so this one comes easy to me. Both One Million Acts of Green and The David Suzuki Foundation suggest eating at least one meatless meal a week can make a difference. When I first heard of this, I didn't really get it. Why would my eating vegetarian made a difference? Then I did a little research. Animals raised for meat are the largest land users on the planet when you combine their pasture land with the land used to raise crops to feed the animals. Once the meat is brought to slaughter, the methods used also tax the environment: a massive amount of water is used, the processing and packaging plants emit high amount of carbon, not to mention the amount of fossil fuels used to transport the meat. And don't forget, the animals themselves create a significant amount of gasses that impact the environment.

I know to many of my meat-eater friends, the thought of giving up their yummy meat is kind of scary and limiting. It doesn't have to be. There's a lot to choose from out there, and it's getting easier and easier to find good vegetarian choices.

We live in a world of fast food and convenience food. Most fast food outlets are now offering vegetarian offerings along with their beef, chicken or fish choices. Yes, veggie burgers are tasty and if they are made properly, no they don't taste like sawdust. Also, salads and other healthy alternatives are popping up as fast food, so keep your eye out for vegetarian and healthy choices.

If you're not the fast food type, most restaurants are also becoming more and more vegetarian friendly. There is usually at least one offering on the menu that is vegetarian or that could be easily modified to be vegetarian. Just ask the wait staff about hidden ingredients like bacon bit toppings or stock used in the sauce and usually the kitchen will be able to modify their menu selection to make it vegetarian. If you're considering getting a vegetarian sounding soup, make sure you double check if the stock used to make the soup is vegetable based. Most soups are made with either chicken or beef stock.

There are lots of options to try vegetarian cooking at home, and it can be a real adventure to find the perfect recipe. There are some great vegetarian cookbooks out on the market, and the internet is a wealth of vegetarian websites and vegetarian recipes are available on most cooking sites. I highly recommend taking a look at the vegetarian recipes on The Food Network and Whole Foods, both of these sites have a great variety of meatless recipes for cooks at any skill level. If you'd rather try something premade, there are now a wealth of pre-made vegetarian options available.

The trick to remember when you're eating meatless is variety. Choose a diverse palate and try new things. Don't be afraid of the much maligned tofu. Yes, if you eat it the way it comes, it will taste gross. I won't lie, plain tofu is not tasty. But the beauty of tofu is that it takes on the flavours of a dish so nicely. Soft tofu is a great addition to drinks or soups or even some desserts, and firm tofu can be crumbled into soups and sauces, or it can be fried or grilled after it's been marinated. I promise you, if you prepare it correctly, tofu is a great addition to any meal.

If you like eating one vegetarian meal and eventually decide to become a vegetarian, make sure you do your research so you do it right. You need to know where to the best sources of protein are and how to combine different foods for optimal nutrition. If you don't, you run the risk of getting quite ill from a lack of needed nutrients. That said, it's not that hard to be vegetarian, but there is more planning involved.

Good luck, I hope some of our readers try a vegetarian meal. If you do, I'd love to hear what you tried and what you thought.

Lest we forget...

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders Fields.

~ Lt. Col. John McCrae

Courtesy Veterans Affairs Canada

This Hour Has One Week

For those who love the spontaneity of the live Strombo Show... sorry kids, it's a pretape today. It still promises to be full of some interesting convos, good music and likely some angst from intrepid co-host Alex.

Tune in from 5-8pm EST all across the Corus radio network.

Monday November 10th

Shaun Majumder

Brilliant Canadian Comedian Shaun Majumder graces the Red Chair for a return visit. Shaun's accomplished a ton in his career. A featured performer on This Hour Has 22 Minutes, a hugely successful stand up career, stints in sitcoms and a popular guest turn on 24 - Shaun is poised for even greater stardom. My favourite Shaun moment was his sentimental and sweet "Best Story Ever" where he retold the story of his father reuniting with his first love. They've since married and settled together in their little cottage on 'The Rock'. The funniest reference I saw for Shaun lately? A Facebook Group dedicated to his alter ego - the perspiration laden interviewer Raj Binder. 'I'm Bringing Sweaty Back. ' - Take that Justin Timberlake!

David Thewlis

I didn't realize who David was till I hit up his IMDB page as I must be the only person never to read a Harry Potter novel, nor see one of the movies. David however is a multi award winning actor who will be known to most viewers as Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter films... I knew David from his brilliant turn in 1993's Naked. He also appeared in one of the worst movies nobody ever saw - the disastrous Basic Instinct 2.

Randy Couture

Ultimate fighting, banned in Ontario is a relatively young sport that's taken a firm hold in the sports entertainment field. Many men I know travel to Montreal to see the latest matches. While once kids worshipped more conventional wrestlers - the bloodsport of Ultimate Fighting is an emerging force. Champion Randy Couture joins George for a chat. Hopefully, there won't be bloodshed...

Perhaps they'll compare belt buckles and answer the age old question... does size really matter?

Tuesday November 11th

Hopefully, this day will find you taking time to truly Remember and honouring our fallen soldiers who fought and died for us to be free...

Another hero of the day will be Hockey legend... and former spokesperson for Steelback (man I hope he got paid before they went out of business) Beer.

Phil Esposito

A Bruin. A Ranger. Not a Hab nor a Leaf...

Esposito is one of the most respected and admired players ever to strap on skates in the NHL. Known for his scoring ability and finesse... Phil is a winner of a shelf full of NHL trophies.

Interesting bar trivia? In the first Canada Vs. Russia hockey series in '72, Phil took a faceplant exiting the bench. Proving that that first step is a doozy, is apt in every walk - or skate- of life. Take your knocks and move onward and upward.

A proud native son of The Soo' Esposito's scoring record held until some young upstart named Gretzky came along!

Wednesday November 12th

Serena Ryder

Canada is known for a few things: Political apathy, comedic actors, being a nation of diplomacy and our richness of natural resources. One of our most treasured resources seems to be a wealth of incredibly talented female solo artists like the lovely Serena Ryder. An old soul with a voice as rich as honey and so full of emotion - it's easy to forget that Serena is only in her mid twenties. Her last release 'If Your Memory Serves You Well' is an ode to Canadian Singer songwriters of the past. Her renditions show her skillful twist on classics - making them her own while still honouring the voice of the songwriters who'd crafted them - many of them before she was born. Serena is currently on tour to promote her upcoming release and to those privy of my Facebook status updates... YES, I did fail to secure tickets to her November 16th show and NO, I am not happy about it ...but remain optimistic.

Thursday November 13th

Super Dave Osborne

Not many folks called Einstein can or would willingly zip on an Evil Knievil style jumpsuit. Albert certainly couldn't carry one off... he couldn't have even begun to shove that hair under his crash helmet!

Super Dave Osborne (real name Bob Einstein) has been a cult figure for years. Most Canadians know him from his many appearances with his loyal sidekick Fuji. Super's hilariously hazardous stunts on the low budget but funny series Bizarre made kids laugh till we cried.

Prior to his persona as Super Dave - he'd worked as a writer in the cutting edge Smothers' Brothers Comedy Hour - a show that stirred up controversy and a hell of a lot of laughs .

And the Siren's song of Alberta tries to lure George out West again... first an Honourary Doctorate and now this...curious indeed.

A quick note that George will be in Calgary this Friday receiving an honour as this year's recipient of the 34th Annual Bob Edwards Award - to be presented at a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Calgary. Congratulations George on this prestigious honour. Check out http://www.atplive.com/ if you're interested in tickets.

Have a Happy and safe week, consider what YOUR act of green might be and don't forget to check out The Hour's channel on You Tube. Over 10 million hits and counting...

I am most curious to see what will replace the fun and frolic of the 'Second Most Important Federal Election of 2008' (Yeah Obama!) Please don't let it be the speculation of the Liberal Party Leadership contest. That would be the equivalent of a Nationally televised sleeping pill...

<<<< Rewind <<<<<

Enjoyed the show as always this week. Quite a few stood out:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (I missed this one last week, so it was awesome I got to see it on Tuesday)
~ Enigmatic, says what's on his mind, great sense of humour, very well spoken & down to earth (a fortunate recipient of JFK-like leadership genes there). I admire his fierce protectiveness of the planet & those living in poverty. There is talk that Obama is considering him for cabinet as Chief of Environmental Protection Agency....I for one, certainly hope to see that happen. Perhaps he'll converse with the other great environmentalist interviewed this week: Ray Anderson.
Jay Baruchel
~ Very entertaining! Watching him makes me think of a future De Niro/Edward Norton/Johnny Depp. Mmmm.....can't wait to see what he looks like in 15yrs.
For the uncut, uncensored interview: check it out - a "cat nerd" & a Habs fan to boot!
Farley Mowat
~ I admit it.....totally got choked up when he was recalling his experience with the German soldier. What an amazing life he's led & the passions he fights for.
Scott McClellan
~ his book should be one hell of a read!
Kings of Leon
~SO glad George introduced me to this amazing music.
Jenuine
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Has bins...

I happen to live in what is known as the "greenest town in Ontario". This honour comes in part as a result of our community's efforts with regard to our natural resources and the responsibility assumed by individual citizens to do their part.

The Region of Peel provides residents with the tools required to make recycling easy. We have a bin for pretty much everything from newspapers to lawn clippings to kitchen compost to rainwater for plant watering. I am proud to say that I am down to half a bag of garbage per week and have been for over three years.

Continuing with the bin theme, I also purchased these nifty "Greenboxes" (love the name...Bin Shoppin') for my expeditions to the grocery store. I also have begun using the reusable tote bags for smaller purchases.

What else???

Two years ago, my furnace passed on and I decided to invest in a high-efficiency replacement with a programmable thermostat. As the One Million Acts of Green website suggests, I have also cut heat to the rooms of my home that are rarely used.

I use both low voltage and solar lighting outside the house. I wash the majority of my laundry in cold water. I have become quite accustomed to hand washing dishes and usually only use the dishwasher when I have company for dinner. My home was one of the first on my street to be installed with a "Smart Meter".

One thing my 'green' community does not have is public transportation and depending upon where you live in the town, ammenities are quite spread out. When I need to do errands, I try to bunch them together so that even if I have had to drive my car to location, I can walk from place to place. I also keep my tires properly inflated and the car goes for a yearly tune-up in the spring.

So, what's your act of green?

This Week on The Hour....with 1 very surprising guest!

Listen to the Strombo Show every Sunday afternoon from 5-8pm EST (2-5PT) on 102.1 The Edge (Toronto), 99.3 The Fox (Vancouver), Power 97 (Winnipeg), Y108 (Hamilton), and FM96 (London).
Nothing on their fan page as of yet, to who will be on the show, but I believe that the show was pre-recorded earlier in the week.

Mon, Nov 3
Matt Taibbi

Rolling Stone's chief political reporter & occasional contributor to Real Time with Bill Maher - having been quoted as saying that investing any emotion in the ideals of American democracy is “digging for hope in a shit mountain.”

Farley Mowat

One of Canada's most widely read authors - Never Cry Wolf ring a bell?
Actively involved with the Green Party of Canada & an environmental advocate.

Tues, Nov 4
Yes, that's right folks.....you heard it here first!

Having caught election fever, tonight George Stroumboulopoulos makes Canadian & International headlines by being the first reporter in history to interview the soon to be, 44th President of the United States, immediately following the election.*
Take that Harper!
; )
(This would be the place where George shakes his head and says "no not really".)
Wed, Nov 5
Jay Baruchel

Co-host of 97/98's Popular Mechanics for Kids & Canadian actor who played the memorable role of the hopeful boxer, Danger Barch, in Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby.

~ UPDATE:
Scott McClellan

Former White House Press Secretary sits down with George on "The day after".

Thur, Nov 6
Ray Anderson

OOPS! Sorry, that's X-ray Anderson.....
Anyways, back to tonight's guest, who is making a second appearance on The Hour. A CEO with a mission: Mission Zero.
Being a leader in the floorcovering industry, Mission Zero is his company's promise to eliminate any negative impact it may have on the environment, by the year 2020.

Kings of Leon

One of Strombo's professed fave bands & if you check out their music on MySpace, you may see why.
Made up of 3 brothers (who's father was a travelling United Pentecostal Church preacher) and a first cousin, the band claims that their music was influenced equally by their religious upbringing and Jack Daniels.

*US Election-a-palooza tonight, just you try & escape it!

<<<< REWIND <<<<

It was an interesting cast of characters on The Hour this week. I wonder what it's like sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner with William Shatner, like Henry Rollins did. The Pop Cardz that George talked about in The News? Good lordy... really? Seriously? We need more trading cards, this time with celebrities on them? Right. Moving on. Charlie Kaufman was really fascinating, it's unfortunate that he doesn't do more interviews because I'd like to hear more from him, but what a coup for The Hour since he doesn't.

The punchline in Tuesday's cold open... hi-freakin'-larious! "Hello and welcome to The Hour... I'm your boyfriend Paul Martin." Awesome. Speaking of Paul Martin, I really enjoyed his interview, I think it's my favourite of the week. I thought he was very engaging and open to George's questions and was able to inject some humour and a few good zingers into the interview. Richard Price has done some pretty crazy stuff in his life, some of it in the name of "research", so it's no surprise why he's a kickass author.

I'll admit that I've read a lot about the Kennedy family over the years, so I was really interested to hear from Robert F. Kennedy jr. I enjoyed his reminiscing about the Democratic convention he went to as a child compared to this year's. I also thought that he was bang on when he said that "foreign policy is a sense of the use of the different kinds of power and understanding other people's cultures." I've followed Waterkeeper in Canada since doing some research about the Lake Ontario watershed and I recommend taking a look at their website. Lewis Black is one of those comedians that is hit or miss for me. Sometimes he makes some really good points and other times I think he's just a raving lunatic. I think this was the first time I'd heard him just talk, rather than rant. It gave me a little insight into where his rants come from.

I love the War of the Worlds broadcast, I think it's absolutely brilliant. I can't believe it's 70 years old. Orson Welles was definitely ahead of his time. And the CEOs at Google bought a FIGHTER JET? Really? I remember being fascinated by Ray Zahab when he was on The Hour last season, but running in the Antartic? Really. Insanity. I mean, running to bring attention to global warming is a great thing, but running in moon boot-like boots? Yeah. No. Honestly, I think it's great that he's pushing himself to do all of these runs and I think it's great that he's trying to inspire the younger generations. Kevin Smith is... Kevin Smith and I honestly don't know what to think of the guy. I think it's absolutely amazing that he got his first movie made for 27 grand and that it launched his amazingly successful career, and his new movie definitely appeals to a specific target audience (as all movies do). I don't know, I just don't know what to think about the guy. I absolutely agree with the Top Five Worst Hallowe'en Treats, I hated getting apples in my treats... but I found the perfect solution for the raisins. By themselves in the box they are pretty lame, but I used to get so many of them that we'd have enough to use them in a batch of Oatmeal Cookies. Problem solved. ;)

~Mich