Afternoon Drive with Jeff & Carly

Mother Jones magazine has published a list of songs used during torture sessions at American military prisons. 

• Here’s the list (in no particular order):
  “F*** Your God” - Deicide
  “Die MF Die” - Dope
  “Take Your Best Shot” - Dope
  “White America” - Eminem
  “Kim” - Eminem
  “Barney Theme Song” - Barney
  “Bodies” - Drowning Pool
  “Enter Sandman” - Metallica
  Meow Mix TV commercial
  Sesame Street theme song
  “Babylon” - David Gray
  “Born in the USA” - Bruce Springsteen
  “Shoot to Thrill” - AC/DC
  “Stayin’ Alive” - Bee Gees
  “All Eyes on Me” - Tupac
  “Dirrty” - Christina Aguilera
  “America” - Neil Diamond
  “Bulls on Parade” - Rage Against the Machine
  “American Pie” - Don McLean
  “Click Click Boom” - Saliva
  “Cold” - Matchbox Twenty
  “Swan Dive” - Head P.E.
  “Raspberry Beret” - Prince

Some of the tunes are simply on the list because of their references to the U.S.A.  Others are there because they are macho and scary.  And then there are the songs that, if played once never mind repeatedly, could certainly drive you around the bend.  As much a I loved Sesame Street growing up, hearing that theme song over and over and over again could probably make me sell out my grandmother!  Ditto for the Meow Mix commercial.  The best way to torture me, though, would be to play Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel”.  Never a fan of the cheesy lyrics to begin with, I have heard that tune way too often.

What songs are like nails on a chalboard to you?  Share your list via the No Comments/Comments link below.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is TORTURE.  Enter it by March 2nd and it will make your pain worthwhile.

Barack Obama  &  Will Smith

Barack Obama recently said that if they ever turn his life into a movie, Will Smith should be cast in the starring role.  Obama claims it’s because they have the same ears.  I guess I can sort of see that.  But it got me thinking - who would I want to play me in a movie?  I would like to think Julianne Moore because we have similar colouring and I think she’s elegant, but Joan Cusack is probably more appropriate, especially if you consider the roles she usually plays and some of the quirky things that have happened in my life.

Julianne Moore  &   Joan Cusack

Who would play you in a film?  It could be because of their looks, their personality or real life experiences.  Heck, it could be pure fantasy.  I would really like Salma Hayek to play me, but unfortunately for her, we look nothing alike. :)  Click on the No Comments/Comments link below to regale us with your thoughts.  And don’t stop there.  Feel free to tell us who should play your family, prominent politicians, your boss, your mailman…  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is ACTOR.  It’s valid until March 1st.

By the way, today is the last day to vote for Toronto to appear on the World Edition of Monopoly!  At last check, Montreal was kicking our collective GTA butt.  Go back a few blog postings to retrieve the link.  There’s also a bonus code on that page that is valid until February 29th, so if you haven’t entered it, it’s definitely worth your time.

Jeff and I were talking about potholes earlier today.  Since we’ve had such a crazy winter - freezing, thawing and then freezing again - the pothole situation is particularly bad this year.  You can’t blame the crews, though, because they’re busy clearing the snow.  They haven’t gotten around to filling potholes just yet.  However, you do hear stories of how some areas are so bad, the hubcaps are flying off cars!

If you have a bad road story to share or if you know of an area in desperate need of repair, rant about it by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below, then call it in at 1.800.268.4686.  Your Jack Nation bonus code is - you guessed it - POTHOLE.  It’s valid until Feb. 29th.

Two years from now, we’re going to be so sick of hearing the term “carbon footprint”.  Like “value added” and “thinking outside the box”, it’s one of those catch phrases that has popped up everywhere.  But until then, let’s think inside our green and blue boxes and add value to our planet by measuring our carbon footprints.  (What can I say?  This stuff just writes itself!)

All cheesy segues aside,  there’s a website where you can input all your pertinent info - like how often you drive and your recycling habits - and your carbon footprint will be measured.  The site is called Zero Footprint Toronto.  Click HERE to check it out.  The site also provides tips on how to reduce the size of your footprint, as well as opportunities to challenge others who want to reduce their contributions to environmental damage.

Have you measured your carbon footprint?  What catch phrases do you think are overused?  Have your say by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is FOOTPRINT.  It’s valid until Feb. 28th.

Of the 10 Canadian nominations at this year’s Academy Awards, there was one in particular that piqued my curiosity.  “I Met the Walrus” is an animated short film that features Torontonian Jerry Levitan’s interview with John Lennon when Levitan was just 14 years old.  The story in and of itself is fascinating - Levitan, a Beatlemaniac, heard on the radio that John Lennon and Yoko Ono were in T.O., so he grabbed his recording equipment and snuck into their hotel hoping to meet them - but when the animation is set to the audio, it’s like candy for your brain.  Directed by Josh Raskin, you can check out the trailer HERE.

I had seen the trailer and was delighted to learn that Bravo! would be broadcasting the entire short film at 9:30 p.m. last Thursday.  I wrote it down… and forgot all about it.  Then during the Oscars last night, I heard that CTV would be showing the short right after the awards show.  Great!  Except that I was watching some U.S. affiliate and when I realized it (the Buffalo news was a dead giveaway), I didn’t know the channel for CTV off the top of my head.  I found it just as the credits were rolling.  After all, it’s only 4 minutes long.  Sigh.  I missed the “Walrus” - again!

I did manage to see “In Bruges” this past weekend, though.  It’s the new Colin Farrell movie, kind of a dark comedy about hitmen - very politically incorrect.  I didn’t really know anything about it beforehand - I mainly went for the popcorn - but it was laugh outloud funny.  I would definitely recommend it if you like irreverence or, you know, if you’re in love with Colin Farrell (hands off, that womanizing drunk is mine!).

Have you seen “I Met the Walrus”?  Is there a movie that seems to have escaped under the radar, maybe it went straight to DVD, yet you really enjoyed it?  Share your thoughts by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is WALRUS.  It’s good until Feb. 27th.  And don’t forget to vote for Toronto to be included in the worldwide edition of Monopoly.  Go back to Thursday’s blog posting for the link if you missed it.

Police in the Netherlands have discovered that the scent of oranges has a calming effect on criminals.  After a month of pumping the citrus smell into prison cells in Rotterdam, law enforcement noticed a significant drop in fighting and aggressive behaviour.

Frankly, I think that aroma would drive me around the bend.  I like eating oranges, but the odour reminds me of peeling clementines or tangerines at Christmas and bits of the rind getting stuck under my fingernails - yuck.  I do enjoy smelling other citrus fruits, namely lemons and limes, but only the real thing.  The simulated scent used in many candies and cleaners can be annoying as well.

There’s also something about the smell of gasoline that I find intoxicating.  I haven’t owned a car in a number of years and what I miss most is not the convenience of a vehicle, but rather the trips to the gas station and the smell at the pump.  Weird, I know.  And then there’s the smell of pine.  I find it fresh and relaxing.  I guess it reminds me of walking through the woods and cherished holiday memories.

What scents turn you on?  Which ones make you want to plug your nose?  I can’t be the only person who likes the smell of gasoline, can I?  Click on the No Comments/Comments link to share your likes and dislikes.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is ORANGES.  Make sure you enter it before midnight on February 25th.

I used to love board games as a kid, especially the original Monopoly.  There’s just something about the tangibility of the game pieces and the dice and the funny money that is lost when games are played on the computer.  Monopoly would keep us entertained for hours.  I usually won, but only because I was ruthless - no deals for you!

There are many new versions of Monopoly, including one that functions through the use of debit cards.  It supposedly speeds up the time it takes to play the game, but beneficial lessons are lost, like learning to count money and make change, as well as the value of a dollar.  If you can’t “see” it as you earn it, you won’t fully appreciate it when it’s gone. 

However, a new edition I am excited about is called Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition.  This version will incorporate geography by featuring cities from around the globe, and our beloved Toronto is in the running!  The cities with the most votes by February 29th will make the final cut, so don’t forget to cast your vote.  Click HERE to access the website.

What were your favourite board games as a kid?  Do you still play them?  Do your children play board games?  Have your say by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below. 

Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is MONOPOLY.  I’ll bend the rules and give you until Feb. 29th to get it in because I really want T.O. to be included, so tell all your friends.  Heck, tell your enemies, too.  Why not?

Did you hear about this poor guy in Vegas who thought he had found a rare, nude photo of Marilyn Monroe?  He and his wife spent months researching the picture and then took it to Chris Harris, who is considered an expert on the blonde bombshell, for authentication.  Harris concluded that it was indeed Monroe and called a press conference.  But after granting some journalists a sneak preview, the expert was informed that the “find” was actually a shot of Madonna from her 1992 book Sex.  Not sure how Harris obtained his Monroe credentials (Cracker Jack box?), but clearly they need to be revoked.

Do you think the shot is a dead ringer for Marilyn?  I don’t, but then I remember the picture from the book, which made quite a splash when it was released.  Have you ever come across something you thought was valuable, only to discover it was worthless, except for sentimental value?  Or perhaps you’ve experienced the opposite scenario, you bought an item at a garage sale because you liked the look of it, and then later learned it was worth top dollar.  Share your story by using the No Comments/Comments link below.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is DUPED.  It’s valid until midnight on Feb. 22nd. 

The other day I overheard someone say that you don’t realize the true value of a plunger until you need one at 3 a.m.  I have never needed a plunger when one wasn’t available, but I can see how that situation would make you run out and buy one a soon as possible.  Come to think of it, I don’t currently own a plunger.  Maybe I should hit Canadian Tire on the way home tonight…

An item that I didn’t make a conscious effort to keep on hand until recently is matches.  I don’t smoke, so I didn’t really miss them until I wanted to light some candles for atmosphere over the Christmas holidays.  I searched high and low, but having moved in October, I couldn’t think of where I might have put a lighter or a book of matches.  That situation isn’t quite as dire as the plunger predicament, I know, but it could be serious if we had a blackout.

Have you had a similar experience with an object?  Something you took for granted until it wasn’t available?  Please enlighten the rest of us, so we aren’t caught without it at a crucial moment.  Just click on the No Comments/Comments link.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is PLUNGER.  It will do its duty to award you points until Feb. 21st.

It’s Family Day, which got me thinking about being a kid, which reminded me of my favourite TV programs growing up.  It seems like everyone from my generation watched Sesame Street.  Of course, there are a number of reasons for this.  It was an educational show that we could relate to.  It introduced us to a second language (French in Canada, Spanish in the U.S.).  It featured Muppets interacting with humans, some of whom were visible minorities.  But maybe the real reason we all watched the show was because we didn’t have videos or the many channel choices that kids have today.

Regardless of our reasons for tuning in, we all had our favourite characters.  Memories of those adorable Muppets came flooding back to me when I watched this radio interview with Cookie Monster (click HERE).

Guy Smiley

Who did you like?  When I was really young, I liked Ernie, probably because of his infectious laugh.  I also liked the shape of game show host Guy Smiley’s head.  As I grew older, I began to appreciate the sarcasm of Oscar the Grouch, even if he did stink.

The Count

Were you afraid of any of the Muppets?  My little brother used to be scared of the Count (sorry, Chris!).  We had a Sesame Street album that we played on a Fisher-Price record player and I always had to skip over the song with the Count when Christopher was on the scene.  A few years later, though, he asked for a Count birthday cake.  Therapists will probably tell you it has something to do with him conquering his fears, but I think it’s because he liked purple icing and black liquorice (the main ingredients my parents used to decorate the dessert).

Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is COOKIEMONSTER.  It’s valid until Feb. 20th.  Don’t forget to have your say about Sesame Street by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below, then check back later to see what others had to say.  I look forward to reminiscing with you.