Fagstein » Weird http://blog.fagstein.com Can you think of a better name? Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:54:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Let there be night light http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/08/04/let-there-be-night-light/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/08/04/let-there-be-night-light/#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:05:48 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=10778

Someone want to explain to me what this is? Taken at 4:20am (more than an hour before sunrise), facing south-southeast toward downtown.

Is it ... aliens? The moon? Some secret government experiment? Aurora borealis? Patrick Lagacé?

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/08/04/let-there-be-night-light/feed/ 17 Ici on commerce en français during store hours http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/05/18/en-francais-store-hours/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/05/18/en-francais-store-hours/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 04:58:03 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=10534

Seen at a store on Ste. Catherine St.

There's quelque chose that strikes moi about this image, but je can pas put my doigt on it.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/05/18/en-francais-store-hours/feed/ 34 Does someone understand street-light morse code? http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/05/07/street-light-morse-code/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/05/07/street-light-morse-code/#comments Sat, 07 May 2011 19:25:38 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=10509

I'm pretty sure the aliens are trying to send us a message.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/05/07/street-light-morse-code/feed/ 4 Clip du Plateau http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/01/31/guy-a-lepage-poster/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/01/31/guy-a-lepage-poster/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:33:41 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=10224

I was a bit curious why, on a bus at 2 a.m., a woman would be carrying a poster with pictures of Guy A. Lepage tied to it with white paper clips. I'd even considered asking her.

But I fear any rational explanation for this, and so I kind of prefer it to remain a mystery.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2011/01/31/guy-a-lepage-poster/feed/ 6 Dooo dooo gooooo! http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/10/10/cake-on-the-metro/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/10/10/cake-on-the-metro/#comments Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:48:56 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=7176 Spotted at Cremazie metro on Oct. 3

Spotted at Cremazie metro on Oct. 3

I have seen a lot of strange things happen in the metro system before, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone decorate a cake.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/10/10/cake-on-the-metro/feed/ 9 One of these things is not like the other http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/23/one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-other/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/23/one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-other/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:59:01 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=5180 Appareils

Can you guess which one?

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/23/one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-other/feed/ 7 Natinals http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/22/washington-natinals/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/22/washington-natinals/#comments Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:00:29 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=5155 Just when you thought the ex-Expos couldn't embarrass themselves further, quickly grabbing the worst record in baseball by losing their first seven games of the season (and 10 of 11), they made themselves into even more of a laughing stock by misspelling their own name.

I'd laugh if it wasn't so sad.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/22/washington-natinals/feed/ 4 Here it is, your bus ride of zen http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/16/bus-ride-of-zen/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/16/bus-ride-of-zen/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:33:56 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=5084 Paper with quotation on a traffic light post on St. Denis St.

Paper with quotation on a traffic light post on St. Denis St.

Sunday night on my way home, I noticed a piece of paper with a quotation on it taped to a bus stop post. I didn't think anything of it until I passed by another stop and noticed another quote on another piece of paper. In the end, there were similar pieces of paper taped on or near bus stops along the 361's route from Old Montreal to Ahuntsic.

No idea why. Naturally, their flimsy construction and unauthorized nature meant they didn't last long.

Quote and bus stop sign

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/04/16/bus-ride-of-zen/feed/ 0 Y’a pas d’choix, y manque un bras! http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/11/26/reading-the-journal/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/11/26/reading-the-journal/#comments Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:01:50 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=3259

You know, part of me imagines that everyone reads the Journal de Montréal like this.

Or 24 Heures like this.

There are, amazingly, hundreds more where these came from.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/11/26/reading-the-journal/feed/ 3 Oh. Canada. Our. Home. And. Native. Land. http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/10/28/shatner-petition/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/10/28/shatner-petition/#comments Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:42:32 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=2955 Unionized journalists aren't the only people spreading around online petitions. Kristian Gravenor is peddling one to convince the Canadiens to have William Shatner sing the national anthem at a game.

Yeah.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/10/28/shatner-petition/feed/ 2 Proulx unplugged http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/10/11/proulx-unplugged/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/10/11/proulx-unplugged/#comments Sat, 11 Oct 2008 06:13:50 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=2824 Steve Proulx's slow descent into madness continues, as he locks himself in a small room with only a recorder and a webcam to keep him company.

He's taking requests (Freebird?). He's already done the Passe-Partout theme.

Now I'm gonna spend all night doing air recorder.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/10/11/proulx-unplugged/feed/ 0 CHOM ferme ses portes http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/09/24/chom-ferme-ses-portes/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/09/24/chom-ferme-ses-portes/#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2008 07:31:48 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=2713 Ad in Metro (Sept. 22)

Ad in Metro (Sept. 22)

Cute. Though it did confuse a lot of people. And I still don't quite get it.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/09/24/chom-ferme-ses-portes/feed/ 5 Back in the closet http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/07/30/otakuthon/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/07/30/otakuthon/#comments Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:44:56 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=2161

You can relax now, folks. Otakuthon is over.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/07/30/otakuthon/feed/ 2 I have a hot tip, officer http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/06/18/rabbi-speeding-for-bleeding-penis/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/06/18/rabbi-speeding-for-bleeding-penis/#comments Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:36:36 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=1894 You'll be pleased to know that bleeding penises are valid excuses for speeding. Even if they're not yours.

(There Jeff, I posted one of your stories. Happy now?)

UPDATE: Farked.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/06/18/rabbi-speeding-for-bleeding-penis/feed/ 0 Please publsh and send a reporter http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/06/17/ueog/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/06/17/ueog/#comments Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:49:24 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=1883 I got this email this morning:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Thurai Moorthy <xxxxx>
Date: Tue, Jun 17, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Subject: United Earth Day, June 21, 2008, Saturday 5:00-11:00 PM, at 4775 Anthime,Pierrefonds, Quebec H9H 4L3, Please Publsh and Send a Reporter
To: letters@thegazette.canwest.com

www.ueog.org

United Earth Organization (UEOG)

United Earth Day, June 21, 2008, Saturday 5:00-11:00 PM local time, everywhere on Earth, (local location at 4775 Anthime,Pierrefonds, Quebec H9H 4L3) in your own space.  Neighbours, friends, relatives. Inform everyone from Tokyo to Vancouver. Visit www.ueog.org starting at 5:00 PM Tokyo time and continuing east ward at 5:00 PM local time around the globe. United Earth Organization (UEOG), Presentation, Music, Dance. Vegetarian potluck, No disposables.

Folowing ing messsage is meant for the editor and not for publication:

Please send a reporter to cover the above event.

Regards,

[Contact info here deleted]

Some suggestions:

  1. This is a blog. I don't have a reporting staff.
  2. Your luck with media outlets is usually much better if you're not obviously forwarding an email you sent to another media outlet.
  3. Media outlets have dedicated public addresses for assignment editors. They don't start with "letters."
  4. Don't ask the media to convert Tokyo time to local unless it's necessary.
  5. Your event listing appears to be missing what the whole point of the event is.
  6. Is SeaQuest DSV coming back?
  7. I'd list the things wrong with the website, but let's just say it's everything, from the constant text colour changes to the lack of any specifics about what exactly this organization does.
  8. All that said, good luck with creating that united Earth government that controls the world.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/06/17/ueog/feed/ 0 Santobama http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/02/29/santobama/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/02/29/santobama/#comments Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:56:01 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/02/29/santabama/ I see I'm not the only one to notice an eerie similarity between the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign and the final two seasons of The West Wing (which coincidentally is airing now on CLT).

In the West Wing presidential election, the Republican primary is quickly wrapped up by a western, moderate, security-conscious old senator who has to struggle with the fact that he's losing the support of the religious conservative right. The Democratic primary, meanwhile, drags on for months, with an inside-the-beltway establishment front-runner being unexpectedly eclipsed by an inexperienced lawmaker with modest roots, trying to break the colour barrier and avoid being characterized solely by his race.

(via TV Feeds My Family)

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/02/29/santobama/feed/ 0 Worst. Kerning. Ever. http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/02/16/worst-kerning-ever/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/02/16/worst-kerning-ever/#comments Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:48:58 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/02/16/worst-kerning-ever/ Seen at the Berri-UQAM metro:

Horrible kerning

Horrible kerning (2)

Looking at the website of the Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois, I admit it's possible this comically awful kerning job was done on purpose. But if so, it looks silly.

And the fact they misspelled "québécois" inconsistently (note a missing accent on the second version), I'm thinking maybe Astral Media was just incompetent designing these ads.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/02/16/worst-kerning-ever/feed/ 7 Another eBay story too good to be true http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/12/30/another-ebay-story-too-good-to-be-true/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/12/30/another-ebay-story-too-good-to-be-true/#comments Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:51:01 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/12/30/another-ebay-story-too-good-to-be-true/ Hey, remember that guy who sold a snowbank on eBay, getting $3,550 to donate to charity?

Yeah, it was a junk bid.

I appreciate that journalists did their due diligence and contacted the guy who was selling the snowbank, to determine that 1. He's really selling a snowbank and 2. He's really donating the proceeds to charity.

But once again, they seem to take an unconfirmed winning bid as if it's a completed transaction. And when the bid is ridiculously high after lots of media coverage, there frankly should be an assumption that the bidder isn't going to pay.

Same deal with the Guitar Hero auction, which sold at 100 times its suggested retail price just because it came with some story of a guy whose son smoked pot. Though the winning bidder in that auction is a long-time account with good feedback, the deal hasn't been concluded yet so we shouldn't assume it's good.

Is a little bit of healthy skepticism (and patience) too much to ask?

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/12/30/another-ebay-story-too-good-to-be-true/feed/ 1 Cherry Chocolate Rain http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/12/02/cherry-chocolate-rain/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/12/02/cherry-chocolate-rain/#comments Sun, 02 Dec 2007 07:33:09 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/12/02/cherry-chocolate-rain/ Good God.

Tay Zonday has gone mainstream:


Cherry Chocolate Rain (via Transmission Marketing)It's cute, but the fact that the original song "Chocolate Rain" was about how racism still permeates society, having its remix/sequel video done throwing money around, surrounded by gangsta rappers and video skanks and shelling a soft drink... I'm not sure if it's supposed to be ironic.

Good for Tay Zonday for capitalizing on his immense success. As for Dr. Pepper's marketing department...

UPDATE: I got an email from a company whose job it is to search the Internet for Tay Zonday blog posts, pointing out another version of the song promoting Comedy Central's Last Laugh '07 tonight, singing about celebrity gossip (is that worse than a soft drink?). No word on when The Comedy Network will air the program in Canada.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/12/02/cherry-chocolate-rain/feed/ 0 Taking a dump on the driveway http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/08/22/taking-a-dump-on-the-driveway/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/08/22/taking-a-dump-on-the-driveway/#comments Thu, 23 Aug 2007 03:57:14 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=682 This story is beyond strange: Someone, for some reason, dumped a load of construction waste onto a West Island driveway. It cost $400 to hire people to remove it, and police have no leads.

Someone must really not like this woman.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/08/22/taking-a-dump-on-the-driveway/feed/ 0