What if this is it?
August 27 2008 - 12:25 AM | SupaDawg | Comments ()
In the aptly titled song "Do you realize" by The Flaming Lips, they speak the utmost of bittersweet lines:
"Do You Realize - that everyone you know - Someday will die
And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last"
This begs the question: What if this is indeed all there is?
Let's for a moment assume the controversial (but possible) idea that there is no god, no afterlife and no spirit.
Now, the idea of this is not to attack or debate religion, so take that elsewhere. The idea is however, if you only have this one life, and nothing else, you are a biologically ticking clock. You will die, as well everyone you know and love, and the real possibility exists that you will never see them again.
No, i'm not here to be a downer. As a matter of fact, the subtle point of all of this is quite the contrary. Regardless of whether you believe in an afterlife or not, the only guarantee is the life you are living... Make it the best you can. Show your friends that you care, spend time with your family, and let old anger go.
If we can all do that, and make a point of realizing how important our very short time is, we can go a long way to making things around us a whole lot better.
A lesson in basic economics
August 24 2008 - 10:32 PM | SupaDawg | Comments ()
News came out in June that the City of Calgary was again considering a location for the development of a new hockey arena - this time on stampede grounds adjacent to 17th ave.
No sooner than word hit the streets of this new plan did the detractors start voicing their simple-minded opinions. These are the usual folk who protest and scream that they don't want municipal taxes being used to fund the interests of a corporate entity (in this case the Calgary Flames and the various other tenants).
Now, I'm not going to say that the city should finance 25% of the development of a new building -- As a matter of fact, it's my belief that is should be even higher than that (read: 51%), and let me explain why...
Even in the event construction costs in excess of $400million (the AAC in Dallas had a $420m tag), the taxpayer portion of this is a paltry $200m-$300m. What the layperson fails to realize is that by financing the building with public funds, the city maintains ownership control of the facility, and thus takes a substantial cut of all profits. By building the new arena, you entice acts that would otherwise have skipped past Calgary to come play, and over the life of the facility this should more than pay for the initial investment. The city of Dallas split the cost of the AAC 50% public funding and 50% out of the pockets of the Stars & Mavs.. and it has worked out great for the taxpayers.
Moreover, build a new arena and you never know what sports could land here. With so many new Calgary faces it's not hard to think that this city could be in line for NBA expansion should we build a flexible venue.
Lets face facts. The SaddleDome has seen better days. It was built for the Olympics and re-purposed for the NHL. It was further re-purposed recently for lacross. The cooling pipes are old, the sound dampening roof tiles kill any sort of positive atmosphere and the limited concession options are just plain painful.
I will say one thing. I did like the last proposed plans much better. The Calgary Stampeders are in dire need of a new field, something that would have been a distinct possibility under the plan to build a sporting complex north of the airport... But that's an argument for another day.
Movies I'm waiting for (2008)
July 24 2008 - 2:23 AM | SupaDawg | Comments ()
With The Dark Knight officially behind us, we now look forward to the rest of the 2008 Movie year, as well as early 2009 releases. Already we've seen one of the most entertaining years of cinema in recent memory, and the rest of the year looks poised to continue this trend.
With no further adieu, and in no special order, I present my (remaining) ten most anticipated films of 2008.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Release: November 21 2008
Harry potter is a story that has grown with many of us, and has become more interesting as the saga has unfolded. The Half-Blood Prince proves to be no less interesting, and will wind up the box office smash of the winter.
Star Trek
Release: May 8 2009 (bumped from 2008)
The massively anticipated reset to the Star Trek universe, this film will dispense with the cast of The Next Generation in favor of a return to the roots with a story surrounding a young version of the crew from the classic television series. While the bumping of the release may frustrate some, many die-hard "trekkies" expect it to be worth the wait.
007 Quantum of Solace
Release: November 7 2008
A continuation of the story that took place in the last film, Quantum of Solace appears to actually refine Craig as 007. Whatever disappointment you had with Casino Royal, this film appears pretty badass.
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Release: August 1 2008
While I'm far from a fan of Brendan Fraser, Adding Jet-Li as the villain makes this a pretty solid must-see.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Release: August 15 2008
As the Clone Wars sweep through the galaxy, the heroic Jedi Knights struggle to maintain order and restore peace. This animated feature will help bridge the gap between the two trilogies and set the stage for a 3D animated television series.
Hamlet 2
Release: August 22 2008
The most interesting possibility put fourth, the movie surrounds a drama teacher who produces a very politically incorrect sequel to the Shakespeare play Hamlet. This movie is getting mixed reviews on the festival circuit, but should be worth a watch for the camp value alone.
Religulous
Release: November 5 2008
Atheist Bill Maher looks to understand the beliefs behind different world religions. More of a documentary, by one of the most opinionated men on TV, this should be an interesting, and at times extremely offensive, film.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Release: October 31 2008
The latest film from "Clerks" director Kevin Smith. This film follows a pair of lifelong friends on their journey to make an erotic film in an effort to alleviate some financial problems. Another slanted Kevin Smith love story set up to impress.
Bolt
Release: November 26 2008
A TV animal actor, the main character Bolt (a dog) breaks out into the real world and slowly realizes the super powers he thought he had don't actually exist. This looks to be great fun for moviegoers of all ages.
The X-Files: I Want to Believe
Release: July 25 2008
Mulder & Scully have returned after a hiatus of nearly a decade to again chase down the paranormal. Even if it were to have a sucky plot and terrible special effects, this would still be one of the best movies of the year based purely on the nostalgia of seeing the on screen chemistry of these two 90s superstars yet again.