This is by far the most fun I’ve had in days. This is a very cool applet that takes any web site url and turns it into a graphic.

Here’s what this blog looks like.

And the dots represent:

blue: for links (the A tag)
red: for tables (TABLE, TR and TD tags)
green: for the DIV tag
violet: for images (the IMG tag)
yellow: for forms (FORM, INPUT, TEXTAREA, SELECT and OPTION tags)
orange: for linebreaks and blockquotes (BR, P, and BLOCKQUOTE tags)
black: the HTML tag, the root node
gray: all other tags

This story about one of the films at Cannes should make you feel a bit better about YOUR day.

Morally and metaphysically confused, unfunny, heavy-handed and as prone to waste, excess, idiocy and decadence as the emphatically allegorical world it imagines, it comes across as the dopehead nerd hipster’s alternative to ‘The Da Vinci Code’

Ok. I took the test.

Here are my results, eh.

***Your Linguistic Profile:*** 55% General American English 20% Yankee 10% Dixie 5% Midwestern 5% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Poaching the Big Boys…
How big is the mobile phone business ? Big enough to scoop one of the world’s top bankers.

World Follower…
Even though Canada is a world leader in broadband connectivity, it’s wired connectivity. In the US, citywide wi-fi is all the rage. New York is seeing some interesting development, and here for Philly and New Orleans.Meanwhile, in Canada, proceed at your own peril. Maybe we should just let Starbucks do it.

iWiFi…
Stranger things have happened. The iPod seems to be saving the music industry. Maybe this is what will eventually drive citywide wi-fi.

Breaking story…
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Manitoba discovers a new “high-tech phone”. Wow, who knew ? You can use the Internet to call people.

Speaking of Manitoba…
Someone there should get onto these and make a bundle this summer.

Speaking of Canada…
Here’s what we’ll all be watching on TV next season.

If It Isn’t On Fire It’s a Software Problem…
LA’s most ambitious opera delayed due to computer. I guess it ain’t over until the FAT partition sings.

Broadcasters – Nervous Yet ?
Audio on the Internet grows by 50% from a year ago, and they aren’t listening to traditional radio stations online. Video on the Internet clocks 165% increase in 3 months.

Vinyl Never Dies, It Just Gets More Expensive…
When all we had were vinyl records, we longed for music that wasn’t filled with snap, crackle and pops. It’s been 25 years since the first CD players hit the consumer market. And still we’ve got vinyl envy.

Is this BC’s version of outsourcing ?
Why import 1600 keys of pot into the pot capital of Canada? The RCMP acknowledges that Mexican pot isn’t as potent as BC bud but “some people like domestic wines, and I guess some people like imported wines. There’s a market for this. That’s why it’s here.”

Last year Eileen and I produced How I Learned to Drive at Performance Works on Granville Island.

Today, that production received an amazing five nominations for the Jessie Richardson Theatre awards.

The nominations are in the small theatre category and include:
(drum roll)

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role – Alan Morgan
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role – Eileen Barrett
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Kelly Metzger
Outstanding Direction – James Fagan Tait
Outstanding Production – Overdrive Productions

The web site for the production is online here.

This is an interesting example of how passion and people make things happen, not necessarily big budgets or access to cutting edge technology.

Overdrive Productions is the epitome of small theatre - it’s really just Eileen and I.  Our 2 boys ran the concession at the theatre, one of them had to stand on the cash box because he couldn’t see over the counter.  The actors and director and lighting designer all got involved because they were passionate about the script, and felt they could do it on a world-class level. Performance Works made it possible by partnering with us on the venue. Friends helped out on all sorts of levels, including helping put together the opening night goodies.

The production got rave reviews and it was gratifying to see critics acknowledge that good theatre can be done on small budgets. I’d like to personally thank everyone on the Jesse committee who nominated the production.

The awards will be announced June 19th at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver.