As 2009 draws to a close, it's time to reflect upon the past twelve months. Here are 12 blog entries of 2009 worthy of another visit.
Scientology, Autism and the Death of Jett Travolta
January 2, 2009
Early in the year, I decided to set my sights a little higher. I decided to bring down Scientology.
It's a work in progress, but the comments in this entry still make for a fantastic read. Amber and El Diablo had this blog peaking early in 2009.
Details are still emerging about Jett's death, but it sounds as if his affliction was acknowledged by everyone who knew him, except his parents. It would be difficult to believe devout followers of Scientology would do all they could do for someone suffering from a neurological disorder.
My Interview with Justin Pogge
February 13, 2009
In hindsight, this interview was the kiss of death for poor Justin in Toronto. But what the hell, it was a lot of fun.
Justin Pogge was drafted in the third round, 90th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He's currently a Toronto Marlie who gets called up to play for the Maple Leafs now and then. I had a few questions for him, as did you, and the Marlies were nice enough to let me into today's practice at the Ricoh Coliseum so I could pepper young Pogge.
I Want to Watch The Wire
March 7, 2009
One day I woke up and decided I wanted to watch every episode of The Wire. I wrote this entry and thanks to regular reader McNulty, I had all 60 episodes in my posession by the end of the month. The Wire changed the way I see everything and has most definitely made me a better person.
I want to watch The Wire. I understand there are five seasons and 60 episodes in total. From everything I've read, The Wire is right up my ally and I'm certain I'll love it.
Swansea Hockey Plays the ACC
March 8, 2009
I still can't believe my son played hockey at the ACC in front of 18,000. It happened, and it was a thrill for this very proud papa.
Last night was one of those once in a lifetime experiences you never forget. It's a story I'll be telling for some time. Last night, I was a very proud papa watching my son play on ACC ice in front of 18,000 spectators.
Humble and Fred's 20th Anniversary Podcast of Memories
May 20, 2009
I was honoured to be a part of Humble and Fred's 20th Anniversary Podcast of Memories. We took a trip down memory lane with a number of special guests and it was a blast.
Back on May 2, 2009, a bunch of us old time Humble and Fred fans got together at a Toronto pub to witness the recording of the 20th Anniversary Podcast of Memories.
Martin Streek Dead
July 6, 2009
On July 6th, long-time CFNY DJ Martin Streek, who was let go two months earlier, took his own life. I would learn in the following weeks that many of Martin's friends and former colleagues learned this news from this entry.
I'm not sure how to write this one, so I'm just going to tell you what I know.
The Ballad of Martin Streek and Me
July 25, 2009
Following Martin Streek's dismissal and subsequent suicide, Bert Archer wrote a great piece for the Globe and Mail around the demise of the Spirit of Radio. I was quoted.
Over the past week or so, I've been communicating with Bert Archer who's been writing an article for the Globe and Mail on CFNY / Edge 102. Bert and I had a nice phone conversation and exchanged several emails and Gtalk messages. He was interested in where CFNY was going following the dismissal and subsequent death of Martin Streek.
The Top 200 Songs Of The 90's According to 102.1 the Edge
September 12, 2009
When the Edge aired their Top 200 songs of the 90s, it sparked quite the discussion in the comments. The absence of such 90s staples as "Jesus Built My Hotrod" and "Cannonball" should have told me this list wasn't for me.
Here's their list. Actually, they're claiming this list was compiled from listener votes. It's a pretty good top 10, actually, but I am surprised we got three Nirvana songs and Pearl Jam doesn't appear until 22. Then again, Alice in Chains doesn't debut until 75. Go figure.
Mr. Sub Produces Worst Ad of All-Time Contender
September 28, 2009
I saw an ad for Mr. Sub on YouTube and I hated it so much I had to write about it. That prompted a mother of one of the kids in the ad to feed me inside info on the entire clusterfuck and resulted in cease and desist orders from the advertisting agency.
Mr. Sub's new "Dinner" ad might just be the worst ad I've ever seen. Granted, that's a pretty subjective analysis, so I'm wondering if I'm alone.
H1N1 Flu Shot Myths Infuriate Me (or Why Your Ignorance Makes Me Feel Superior To You)
October 29, 2009
This entry, more than just about any other, buried me with hate mail. Good fun!
I am not a doctor. It's highly likely that you're not a doctor either. When it comes to decisions for me and my family regarding vaccinations, I speak to medical doctors I trust. Every single one I've spoken to or heard from say, without hesitation, that we should all get immunized as soon as possible. The scientific evidence is overwhelming. As a responsible parent, I'll ensure my kids receive the H1N1 vaccine as soon as possible. As a responsible member of society, I'll ensure I get the H1N1 vaccine as soon as possible.
This is a Blog. This is My Blog.
November 27, 2009
In case anyone had forgotten...
I started blogging here exactly 7 years ago this week. It was a place to sharpen my writing skills and a chance to test various SEO practices and web development techniques. In the beginning, the number of daily unique visitors was often less than ten, and I knew them all in "the real world".
Barilkosphere Call to Arms: Our Time is Now
December 16, 2009
After my visit to the ACC press box to catch a Leafs game, I wrote the Barilkosphere manifesto. Our time is now.
Are you a passionate Toronto Maple Leafs fan? Are you intelligent? Are you active in digital spaces, either blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or other? If you answered "yes" to all three questions, this entry is for you. All others can pick apart my 40 favourite Christmas songs over here.
