Yes Again

You say no and I say yes
Yes again
Like a train
Guess again, it's the same
Yes again
Yes again
You are the Ez Sez reader
Thanks and read on
Thanks again
Yes again
for dropping over.

Toujours bienvenue isistsi.

Ez

Bears in space...

This is no joke... a group of school children in the UK sent several teddy bears into space this week. They used a weather balloon, a digital camera, cute little space suits and a bit of help from a local university aerodynamics student. Read more.

I think more things like this should be tried.

Go, kids!

Go, bears!

Ez

Thanks to Ez Sez reader Mika Goodfriend from Montreal for tipping me off to this story. Mika's my cousin and edits most of my documentaries. When we were growing up together, we would play with our Paddington Bears ("Stissy" and "Moishea") and sometimes pretend they went to space. Now older and wiser, we still consult with our bears from time to time. Let me tell you, when we checked in with them today, they were as pleased to read the article about the 'space bears' as we were!

Phnom Penguin

(Click pic quick for juicy view)

Gravy train...

("Always Free Gravy", 10/08, Toronto, by Ezra S.)

Seen the spoof Times?

Seen the "future version of the NY Times" spoof?

This week, 1.2 million fake copies of the New York Times were handed out on the streets of NYC by volunteers working for the Yes Men.

The papers were dated July 4, 2009 and had utopian headlines (and even ads) reflecting a world of monumental positive changes.

This prank, not endorsed by the actual New York Times (though they swiftly covered it) took six months to plan and pull off. It must be seen to be believed.

I'm already a believer.

Have a look for yourself at the online edition hosted at the almost-Times web address: http://www.nytimes-se.com/

(If you heard about this already and are all like, "this is so 2-day-old-news, Ez", my apologies: I get my tips from a man on a solar farm way out in the country... News travels slower out there, but at least it's good news. Big thanks to you Robbie Anderman of Cool Hemp Ice Cream for passing this gem on to me.)

Enjoy your read of the "Times",

Ez


(A copy of the paper edition purchased for over $100 on eBay)

Watch a video with info on how it was pulled off and with reaction by people on the streets of NYC.

Step forward...

("Danger Afoot", 9/08, MTL, Ezra S.)

Ez Sez:
The real time
to take that step forward
is when you think
you can't possibly do so.

On the streets...

("Bay Street in the Red", Toronto, 10/08, Ezra S.)

I can envision a day without people sleeping on the streets
But not a day without Beetles on the streets.
-Ez

My new cellphone holster...

Dear Reader,

Here's the new Ez Sez Hemp Rope Cellphone Holster.

Made out of necessity while multitasking.

Ez

Welcome Barack Obama...

("Gobama!", 11/4/8, Screen shot of CBC, Chicago/MTL, Ezra S.)

(Click notepad page for juicy view...)

("Windshield Heart", 11/5/08, MTL, Ezra S. - [Thanks to whomsoever drew this on my car!])

"Big Dog"

It's a dog, it's a robot, it's a soldier's sherpa...

Have a LOOK at the latest in robotics. Pretty wild stuff to see this thing in action.

A big digital woof to all,

Ez

Thanks to Shai Agassi's blog for bringing this video to my attention.

Sarah Palin Wigs...

(Reuters photo)

Apparently, Sarah Palin wigs ($650+) are selling like hotcakes in Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn.

Watch the video here.

Yosef 6-Pack would certainly approve...

Ez

Time to enjoy...

(Click pic quick for juicy view)

(Seagull Centred, 10/18/08, Toronto, Ezra S.)

TIME TO ENJOY
(10/22/08, MTL, Ezra S.)

The time to enjoy the fruits life brings you
Is as they are falling from the vine
It'll leave you feeling fine
Like a good book and some wine
The time to enjoy is now
Put the sacred cows to pastures
Life is only getting faster
The time to enjoy is now

Lots of love and hellos to all from Montreal...

Ez

Hedge fund guru quits and calls for a hemp economy...

("Axe to the Hedge", 10/08, MTL)

This is the stuff of Hollywood films...

A successful California hedge fund manager, Andrew Lahde, cashed in his chips this week and wrote a scathing resignation letter saying farewell to clients and thanking "stupid traders" for making him rich.

Here's where it gets most interesting... he also used the frank letter to say the USA needs to get behind industrial hemp as a way to solve the economies woes.

Read more about Andrew Lahde at Bloomberg Business News HERE.

Read his full letter HERE.

Hedge your hemp bets...

Ez

UPDATE: The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) has appealed to Lahde to spare some of his recent multi-million dollar windfall betting against subprime mortgages to help fund the fight to bring hemp farming back to the USA. Read more at the Wall Street Journal's Market Watch HERE.

Towards AVHP...

(Click pic quick for juicy view)

("Ideas Bubble Over ", 10/10/08, MTL)

"Happy Plan (Towards A Very Happy Planet)"
(10/10/08, MTL)

Figured it out, today like a flash
We need leaders with brains... and hearts like a bell
Waking us up... from our glory days of sleep
And bringing it to us in actions, not in speech

That is how we'll grow
Actions make us thrive
Reality check as economies dive

Like a crow to dusty highways
Like a vulture to the kill
Goodbye to greedy times
on the manicured hill

Happy plan...
Happy plan...
Towards a very happy planet

It's the way to understand
Better times, like flowers come
Leader strong, leader lead
Better times for you and me

Happy plan...
Happy plan...
Towards a very happy planet

Dear Reader,

It doesn't take a hero to lead a country. It takes a country of heros to pick the right leader.

Whomsoever wins better have a good plan towards AVHP.

In Canada or the USA, wherever you may be and whatever you're voting for: thanks for voting!

Ez

Newspaper has 'Crush' on CinemaSpace

It was a nice surprise to see my face on the cover of The Monitor today.

A bigger surprise was to see the headline: Celluloid Crush. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but it's always exciting to have word about my projects shared by a reporter and newspaper interested in what I'm up to.

The story, by Monitor columnist Bram Eisenthal, focuses on CinemaSpace, the new screening room I helped create at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts at The Saidye.

Enjoy the article. It's a juicy one with talk about our hemp seats, Cineclub film series and everything we're up to at CinemaSpace.

You can read the full article HERE.

See you at the movies... Drop by sometime!

Ez

P.S. To get on the CinemaSpace email list, drop me an email: ezra at pressuredrop dot com

Stopping telemarketers...

The Canadian Government has just put up a web site allowing you to block your telephone numbers from telemarketers.

A handy site if you don't like your dinners interrupted or your fax machine filled with junk pages.

Click HERE for the link.

Ring you later,

Ez

My friend the junkie...

My old buddy and Pressure Drop collaborator, Marc Ostrick, has launched an incredible blog for all you online video lovers. It's called Notes From An Online Video Junkie.

If you love short, sweet, often hilarious web videos but find it frustrating to surf the web to find them, Marc's blog may be just the answer. He rounds them up, adds some intelligent web-savvy context and poof, you're laughin'.

An easy way to lighten up a stressed out day at the office.

You can also see bunch of Marc's original web videos there... stuff he shot for the series "24", clips on Linkin' Park and many other videos that frequently peer into the fascinating creative process of artists.

Enjoy!

Ez

(Marc Ostrick and Ez in L.A.'s Union Station)

Pickle film picks up Ville de Montréal Prize

Here's a pic of me receiving the Ville de Montréal Prize from City of Montreal Executive Committee member Marcel Tremblay at the closing ceremony of Eurofest at Cinema du Parc this past Thursday.

The prize was awarded to my film Posthumous Pickle Party about Simcha's Grocery on St-Laurent Blvd.

Congratulations to the whole PPP team who worked on the film with me: co-producer Matt Zimbel, editor Andrew David, composer Josh "Socalled" Dolgin, and all of Simcha's customers who appear in the film: Stanley Lewis, Josh Dolgin, Barry Lazar, Sofya Raginsky, Dan Seligman, Miro Corcea, Peter Varvaro and others.

Extra special thanks to Simcha, Fanny and their family for being featured in the documentary.

Copies of the film are available for sale on DVD for all who missed the screening.

This is a great honour. I love Montreal and am pleased to have preserved another important part of it in a movie.

Pickles to all!

Ez

Bamboo-Hemp Bike

A Nevada bike builder grows bicycle frames in a field, with sunlight and water! They are made out of bamboo and hemp.

Wired has the full story here.

Pedal on,

Ez

Shrink-Wrapped Clown

("Shrink-Wrapped Clown", 9/08, Laurentian Mountains, Ezra S.)

Dear Prime Minister Harper...

(Click pic quick for juicy printable view)

Seems like every one, even little old Ez, has something to say about the recent funding cuts to the Canadian artscape.

Make more art, with or without money. This should do the trick.

Ez

Veggie Face

(Click pic quick for juicy view)
("The Face of a Vegetable", 9/08, Laurentian Mountains, by Ezra S.)

Steps of life...

("Steps Of Life", 8/08, MTL, Ezra S.)

CANVAS OF THE SKY (Excerpt)
(7/2001, Montreal, Ezra S.)

Steps of life... and steps of dreaming
Tied together like a lover's knot
Out adrift on the waves of passion
and anchored hard on the river of time
Yeah, beneath the stars, on the canvas of the sky

Quiet now... do you hear the thunder?
Growling deep in the basement of your heart
Spread the news, you’re gonna find it
and set it loose like a lightning rod
Yeah, beneath the stars, on the canvas of the sky...

Trucks upon trucks...

(Click pic quick for juicy view)("Trucks Upon Trucks", 8/08, MTL, Ezra S.)

Spotted (and striped) in traffic yesterday.

Ez

Cross that street...

(8/08, MTL, "Red Socks At Water")

CROSS THAT STREET
(8/19/08, MTL, Ezra S.)

Turn that page
Round that turn
Climb that hill
Cross that street
For all
For you
Forever

Goph-ig-er...

(Click pic quick for juicy view)

I had a dream on Saturday night: strange fuzzy animal looking at me.
The next day I hit a pothole, walked back to it and photographed it with nearby tree apples in it. Therapeutic, I suppose.
I then turned around and saw a gopher eating an apple.
He looked me in the eye and kept eating.
Could it be that dreams come true?

Go figure...

Ez

StrawHeartBerries

(Juicy...)

("StrawHeartberry", 7/08, Laurentian Mountains, QC, Ezra S.)

I like to invent things. In this case I invented a name: StrawHeartBerry

This friendly fraise got stuck with a body that looks a little like a heart.

Thanks to my niece Mia Zee for bringing this fruit to my attention.

Ez

Little boxes...

("Have A Crate Day", 7/08, Lachute, QC, Ezra S.)

Pssst...

HATELESSNESS TONIGHT
(8/8/8, MTL, Ezra S.)

Search tonight for hatelessness
It turns right up alright
Like soldiers dropping guns
Returning home to mum
For them I write this song

Dream tonight 'bout hatelessness
It feels like something right
Like athletes arm in arm
At peace with such alarm
For them I write this song

Find tonight some hatelessness
More true than to just fight
Us all together tied
Olympic human rights
For them I write this song

Dare you to sing it...
With any tune you can
Or as a lonesome jam
Dare you to sing it...
Hatelessness tonight
Hatelessness tonight...


(click pic quick for juicy view)
("Hummingbird In Thought and Thought Alone",
7/08, Laurentian Mountains, Ezra S.)

Today's Ez Sez is dedicated to all the heroes and strangers abused at the hands of their own governments or the hands of someone else's.

Be your own billion dollar tournament, athlete and human right.

(And not just tonight.)

Hope to all from Montreal,

Ez

Ezra Soiferman
Filmaker, etc.
12:12am, 8/8/8

Update: I'd like to send out a big congratulations to all the performers and athletes involved in the incredible Olympic opening ceremonies going on now. What a show!
-Ez, 8:38am.