SteveThe Owl

Oh yeah... Go, man, go.

Thank God for the Globe. The print edition of the Ottawa Citizen that showed up on my doorstep this morning hadn't caught up with reality yet, but the online edition has...

Rescue photo brings flood of relief for Fats Domino's daughter

NEW YORK - Fats Domino apparently rode out the hurricane in his New Orleans home and was rescued by boat from his flooded neighbourhood, his daughter Karen Domino White said yesterday.

>>Whew.<< I'll take good news where I can find it.

Our prayers are answered; he's fine.

Look here: www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/01/katrina.fats.domino/index.html

A little good news like this is just what we need right now.

Why this car is automatic

It's systematic

It's hydromatic

Why it's Greased lightning.

Okay, I'm sorry. That was utter uncalled-for. I will never do that again. Well, not today.

Mmmm... butterflies.

Hear, hear.

Whoa. We can do away with those clumsy labels that are supposed to cover the entire disc? Cool.

And I thought digital watches were a pretty neat idea...

Actually, that kinda works.

Mmmm... trippy.

That's why I like it!

By the way...

What national guard? I thought they were on duty in Iraq. On the scale of one to ten for good thinking: negative several million.

Exactly.

[color:purple]Holy smokes! What a coincidence!

Mmmm... crack.

Mmmm... cool designs.

"Far better dressed than his fans"?

Some people's kids. Man.

Ohhhhh... Ahhhhh...

Nice. Really, really nice.

Where did you get it? Do you know who the artist is?

Of course, the scope of this disaster is horrifying. But to see the cultural damage too -- the night spots, the musicians' losses, and the musicians as well...

Bloody hell.

Oh my gosh!

I almost forgot about this -- been really busy.

I'll be in touch about tickets very soon -- if there are still tickets left! Aiieee!

One more thing...

I would never accuse Lonie Glieberman of good taste, but for once his timing was -- thankfully -- impeccable:

www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=4f00bcdf-966b-477d-8233-af949ab0ab44

Yeesh.

Sorry this is last minute (next time we do something like this we'll give you guys at least a couple weeks' notice)...

Support Ottawa's literary community! Dusty Owl -- the near-legendary reading series and the micropress publishing house -- will be the beneficiary of this month's World Beats and Eats at the Mercury Lounge (@ 56 Byward Market) Friday evening 7pm. Food, music, art, spoken-word performances, all for $8.

For more info check out:

www.dustyowl.com/news2005.htm

and

www.artengine.ca/worldbeatsandeats/

Heck, while your there, check out these photos (by the way, September is shameless self-promotion month):

www.dustyowl.com/news/phish.htm

...And watch for word of our annual Chocolate House benefit for the Ottawa Food Bank on 18 December.

Yes, it positively breaks the heart.

Even from up here, you can imagine the impending impact: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0508/katrina_goes12_big.jpg

...and I actually winced when I first saw this one: http://www.anthonymontalbano.com/Katrina1615z-050829-1kg12.jpg

Keep you ears and eyes peeled for any fundraising efforts in your neighbourhood (I am thinking about it, but won't be able to until later on in Sept.). If nothing's going on near you, get in touch with the Red Cross and chip in: www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=014588&tid=032

Every little bit helps.

I've had the Tragically Hip song stuck in my head too. Problem is, you won't hear it on the radio (at least not in Ottawa): www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2005/08/31/1195132-sun.html

One more thing. I didn't know the guys at Popular Mechanics were into the Hip (check out the publication date... creepy): www.popularmechanics.com/science/research/1282151.html

Now let us open our hymn books to a little ditty by brother John Fogarty...

I hear hurricanes a-blowing.

I know the end is coming soon.

I fear rivers overflowing.

I hear the voice of rage and ruin.

Yeah. Zeller's sounds just right. And if they run out, there's the Dead's site. And if you wanna save cash, there's eBay.

But Wal-Mart? I don't want to get too sanctimonious on you, as I buy hemp shavings for my guinea pigs there, but that's because I can't find them anywhere else, and they're the only thing I buy there, and they're not outsourced to far-east sweatshops. And, besides, it's [color:green]hemp. It almost -- almost -- balances out.

But buying ANY GD stuff at Wal-Mart -- no matter how economical -- well, you just have to ask yourself if the saving is really worth it. And why not spend the extra to buy it right from the Dead?

My wife and I have had this running joke for the past couple of years, ever since I bought one of those Gund Jerry dolls off eBay. When I first saw the doll listed, I imagined our own little one -- when she eventually arrives -- coming up to me and hugging the Jerry doll, saying, "But, Daddy, Jerry doesn't want to go to Wal-Mart!" We repeat the joke to each other when, say, we see Dubya on TV, or when we pass a McDonald's.

Go the extra distance, and use your powers for good.

Was watching "When We Were Kings" last night on CBC-TV, the doc about the Ali-Foreman Rumble in the Jungle in the mid-70s.

Knowing about Tyson's latest mess while I watched Ali fight and talk just about brought tears to my eyes.

Sad, sad, sad.

(And the look on that prison guard's face who was escorting hammer-sports fan guy in the photo accompanying the SI story: intended or not, rarely have I seen such a look of disgust and disbelief.)

Yeah. Barring any catastrophes, Cathy and I are in.

Mmmm... spits.