Back of the Class

I came across this really amazing website, with link after link of more amazing websites, and 3 hours later, I thought “Now, what was it I originally wanted to look up?”.
It’s so easy to get “lost” on the internet - it truly is a maze of information, sometimes useful, sometimes useless.
So, here’s the link - keep going, to next page and next page. search and enjoy some really cool stuff, and post your comments and share what sites you found interesting.

Camilla Parker-Bowles’ ring from Prince Charles

Jennifer Garner’s ring from Ben Affleck

Jessica Alba’s ring from Cash Warren

Fergie’s ring from Josh Duhamel

Katie Holmes’ ring from Tom Cruise

Nicole Kidman’s ring from Keith Urban

No Country for Old Men was the big winner this past Sunday. Joel and Ethan Coen’s movie lived up to expectations and was awarded Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem.

The Oscar for Best Actress went to France’s Marion Cotillard for La Vie en Rose. Best Actor went to Britain’s Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood. Tilda Swinton took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Michael Clayton.

Other big winners of the night were the Bourne Ultimatum for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing, There Will Be Blood picked up an award for Best Cinematography and La Vie en Rose won for Best Makeup. Ratatouille was named Best Animated Film. Oscar for Best Original Song went to “Falling Slowly” from Once.

For a complete list of the nights winners, click here.

Don’t look directly at these rings.

Eva Longoria’s ring from Tony Parker

Christina Aguilera’s ring from Jordan Bratman

Katherine Heigl’s ring from Josh Kelley

Jennifer Love Hewitt’s ring from Ross McCall

Salma Hayek’s ring from François-Henri Pinault

Heidi Klum’s ring from Seal

Jennifer Lopez’s ring from Marc Anthony

Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law will take over Heath Ledger’s last role in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parmassus. The three actors will play the role of Tony in the film, done by Ledger before his death.

Terry Gilliam, the director, will keep the original scenes with Heath, the remaining portions of the film will be completed by Depp, Farrell and Law as incarnations of Heath’s character.

It has also been reported that the three actors will donate their salaries in Heath’s memory.

Here are a few pictures of celebrity homes.

Donald Trump

Will Smith

Arnold Schwarzenneger

Larry King

Avril Lavigne

Playboy Mansion

Ashlee Simpson

Amy Winehouse and Kanye West had amazing performances at the Grammy awards lastnight. They both took awards home with with too.

Winehouse, who had visa issues, couldn’t make it to the awards show in LA. She performed live via satellite. Her performance was much improved from her singing a few months back at the European MTV Music Awards. She even paid homage to her husband, who is incarcerated.

Winehouse took home five trophies.

West impressed the Grammy audience with his glow in the dark performance of “Stronger”. Many in the crowd shed tears while the listened to him sing “Hey Mama” - a tribute to his mother who passed away from complications following a cosmetic surgery. He even shaved “Mama” on his head.

West won four trophies.

The City of Vancouver had its fourth homicide of 2008. A 19-year-old man was killed on Saturday night in the city’s south side. Police has said that this incident was targeted.

The victim has been identified as Pritpal Singh Virk of Richmond. Virk was found lying on the street around 11:00pm by a passerby.

Virk was rushed to a hospital, but died as a result of his gunshot wounds. Apparently, the victim was visiting friends nearby and was shot after he stepped outside.

The police are asking anyone who may have been in the area and witnessed the incident.

For more information, please click here.

The underdogs win Super Bowl. The New York Giants were a team many had discounted time and time again this season, go home as victors.

The Giants defeated an undefeated team - the New England Patriots. The Patriots had a 19 game winning streak, unfortunately they fumbled in the game that mattered the most.

Eli Manning was named the Super Bowl MVP.

A victory parade is planned to be held on Tuesday to honour the Giants win. Hundreds of thousands of supporters are expected to attend the event. The parage will begin at Battery Park at 11:00am and proceed northbound in the Financial District - along the “Canyon of Heroes” route - to Chambers Street.

Giants players, team officials and city notables will ride in the parade, culminating at a victory rally at City Hall around 1:00pm.

A spy satellite, from the US, has lost power and could hit the Earth. The satellite is about the size of a small bus and could plummet to Earth in a few weeks, government officials said Saturday.

The out-of-control satellite could contain hazardous materials, what is known is that it contains rocket fuel - hydrazine, a colourless liquid which is toxic and can cause harm to anyone who comes into contact with it. Officials are unsure of where the satellite may come down. The officials revealed this information on a condition of anonymity as this information is classified as secret.

Experts believe that this satellite does not pose a threat to people.

If the re-entry of the satellite isn’t controlled, the US runs a risk of exposing its secrets.

It is still unknown when the satellite lost power or how.

For information, visit CBC or BBC.

A 15-year-old boy, a recent immigrant from the Philippines, died due to a fatal stabbing early Sunday. A 19-year-old man, who was also stabbed is in stable condition in a Vancouver hospital.

Police were called to scene when residents nearby Gray’s Park complained about noise. Police found the two victims in an alley way.

This is the third homicide in Vancouver in 2008

Deward Ponte, 15, had left his house after telling his parents that he was going out to play basketball with his friends. He was a grade 10 student at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School.

If anyone has any information on this case, place call the Major Crime Section at (604) 717-2500.

For more information, click here.

Over 2,000 fams turned out for a tribute gig to jazz legend Oscar Peterson at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

Herbie Hancock and Nancy Wilson were among the performers who paid tribute to the Peterson and entertained at this free event.

Peterson passed away in his home near Toronto at the age of 82.

Peterson died at his home near Toronto in December of kidney failure at the age of 82.

For more information, click here.

Organizers for the Vancouver Olympic Games have released the daily schedule for the 2010 Games. There will be an average of five gold medal events held each day.

The men’s ice hockey (gold medal game) will be the closing event held in the 17-day schedule. The International Olympic Committee has approved the schedule.

When organizers put the schedule together, much attention was given to weather conditions at each location.

The Games will open on Friday, February 12, 2010 at BC Place Stadium. The closing ceremony will be Sunday, February 28, 2010. The price for tickes range from $25 to $1,100 (announced October 17) and will go on sale October 11, 2008.

For more information, please click here.

Did you know that some of your favourite celebrities may also blog? Some like Donald Trump write about how hard they work and how great they are, and some like Rosie O’Donnell add video, often made by her, and Canadian born actress Elisha Cuthbert blogs about hockey!

Here are some celebrities who might give you some entertaining reading.

Alec Baldwin
David Beckham

Barbra Streisand
Rosie O’Donnell
William Shatner
Donald Trump

Elisha Cuthbert
Meredith Viera
Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen

Michael Moore
Tori Spelling

With over 110 million iPods in circulation today, its easy to spot the person with their ear buds in, music cranked up, oblivious to who or what is going on around them. In this zoned out state, its easy for a petty thief to push them over and grab the iPod. Now some guy has started a website to help people find their missing iPods. Having looked at the website, it seems like quite a commercial venture, but possibly a worthwhile one.

The site redirects the visitor to unloseit.com, and they claim that if you register your item with them, such as cell phones, PDA’s, camera, iPod etc, it will significantly increase your chance of recovery, when the item is lost or stolen. Once someone finds the item, and visits their website to track the serial number, they will immediately know who to return it to. $4.00 USD per item lifetime protection is all it will cost you.

Seems a cheap price to pay for your $450 iPod video!

For those “24″ addicts, its going to be a long summer until Jack Bauer returns…..

After last nights 6th season finale, I thought I should post about “24″. Believe it or not, I am one of the few people who have not gotten addicted to this hit TV series, starring Kiefer Sutherland, son of famed actor, Donald Sutherland and stage actress Shirley Douglas. Interestingly, he is the grandson of Tommy Douglas - the former Premier of Saskatchewan. I did catch a few minutes of one episode, but not one who enjoys violent, tense shows, I did not stick around long. I must admit that Kiefer Sutherland has come a long way since he gave great performances in movies such as The Lost Boys, and Stand by Me.

24 is presented in real time, with each gripping season depicting a 24-hour period in the life of Jack Bauer, who works with the U.S. Government as it fights terrorist threats. Each episode is nail-biting, with Jack the hero, trying to save the world and his loved ones. Sutherland’s powerful portrayal of the Federal Counter Terrorism Agent, has earned him recognition as the Best Actor in a TV Drama at the 2001 Golden Globe Awards and the 2004 & 2006 SAG Awards.

After the 5th season, Kiefer signed a $40 million deal with 20th Century Fox and will appear in additional seasons of 24 till 2008, making him the highest paid actor in a TV drama. He was also promoted from Co-Executive Producer to Executive Producer of 24.

** There are three leading causes of death among terrorists. The first two are Jack Bauer, and the third one is heart attack from hearing Jack Bauer is coming for them.

** When a convicted terrorist was sentenced to face Jack Bauer, he appealed to have the sentence reduced to death.

** Most people would need months to recover from 20 months of Chinese interrogation. Jack Bauer needs a shower, a shave and a change of clothes.

** Chained to a chair, tortured, and with the threat of death hanging over him, Jack just wanted something to eat.

Hollywood gossip is that a movie has been written, and is scheduled to be filmed this year, for release in 2008.

There are some amazing shows on at this years 30th Vancouver International Children’s Festival, which is on at Vanier Park from May 14th- 21st.

Ticket prices range from $14 to $20 (plus service charge) and include access to over 20 activities such as kite making, face painting, circus skills and music making. All the ingredients needed for a wonderful fun-filled day. Gate passes are also available from $8 for entertainment around the park, without the shows.

Developed as a social networking web-site, facebook has become a phenomenon, particular amongst high school and college students.
Currently there are over 17 million members. Their traffic is only second to myspace. That’s a lot of people connecting with each other! Not a bad business idea either, created by two Harvard students, with last years revenue estimated at $50 million.