December 2, 2009
comments 7

Yesterday

I occasionally monitor traffic to this space using the handy graph the good folks at WordPress provide me with. I do this mostly to see if there are any oddball trends. Occasionally my hit-count will spike and usually it has to do with something specific that gets picked up by people searching for something or another.  Yesterday, however, my hit count spiralled downward and was way, way lower than the normal range of visitors. I wonder what happened yesterday?

I wonder also the degree to which popular key words effect visitors to a blog? For instance, if I were to list:

Michael Jackson
Madonna
Amy Winehouse
New Moon
Sarah Palin
Oprah Winfrey
Obama
Swine Flu
Britney
iPhone

Now let’s see how many people actually stumble over here looking for choice tidbits around these swell search terms. To those who do land here, read this and become irritated, geez I’m sorry about that. I won’t do it again. Promise.

I’m not very good at predicting these things. Sometimes I’ll make a post that I think will generate a lot of commentary and nada. But then again, I play the accordion.

December 1, 2009
comments 3

Trouble continues for Toronto Humane Society

Now the Ministry of Natural Resources is probing the way the Humane Society released wildlife.

Other  stories:
Ottawa Humane Distances Self...
How one woman fought Shelter boss…
Province questions Shelter’s use of donor funds…

I think the Toronto Humane Society is going to need some kind of third party to run the place and re-establish some credibility.

November 30, 2009
comment 1

Accordion Gift Guide

The thoughtful folks over at Let’s Polka have once again produced an Accordion Gift Guide. Now, when you start considering just what kind of Christmas gift is appropriate for your favourite accordion-loving blogger, you know where to go for some suggestions. I happen to also know that almost all accordion-loving bloggers have a taste for obscenely good scotch too. What a broad range of choices. Har!

Here’s Sivuca performing A Chamo do Amor

November 29, 2009
comments 10

Creole Fish Stew in Pictures

This post is for Az, who asked for some pictures.

the Trinity

For the cook

Preparing the roux

Add tomatoes and stock

Monkfish

And shrimps too!

Ready

I used plenty of fresh basil, thyme and marjorum, a few cloves of garlic, and added hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. It’s just hot enough so you know it’s spicy. This stew is exceptionally good!

November 28, 2009
comment 0

Bad Lieutenent: Port of Call New Orleans

This film was directed by Werner Herzog and stars Nicolas Cage with support from Eva Mendes and Val Kilmer. It shares part of a title and the concept of a corrupt cop with the 1992 film The Bad Lieutenent starring Harvey Keitel.

Herzog has stated he doesn’t consider this film a re-make. Check out this quote from Wikipedia about the reaction of Abel Ferrara, the director of the first film:

Abel Ferrara, director of the 1992 film, has been quoted by various media outlets as being very angry about this film. After the film was first announced, Ferrara was quoted as saying “As far as remakes go, … I wish these people die in Hell. I hope they’re all in the same streetcar, and it blows up.” When asked later for his response to Ferrara’s statements, Herzog stated that he does not know who Ferrara is, saying “I’ve never seen a film by him. I have no idea who he is.”[13] At a press conference at the Venice Film Festival after the film’s premiere, Herzog said of Ferrara, “I would like to meet the man,” and “I have a feeling that if we met and talked, over a bottle of whiskey, I should add, I think we could straighten everything out.”

That said, Bad Lieutenent: Port of Call New Orleans is a good but not great film. The stand-out elements of the film are Nicolas Cage’s performance, which was really fantastic, and the cinematography, which I thought was excellent. On the negative side, the film needs some firm editing, and the ending is limp at best. There were parts of this film when I couldn’t decide if it was a comedy or not, and I think that edge is explored nicely for a chunk of the film.

All that said, I think this film is well worth seeing. By the way, there is an interesting musical highlight in the film – Sonny Terry’s incredible “Hootin the Blues” harmonica solo is used during a key scene.

On the 5-fish anchovy rating scale, I give this one a solid 3 salties.