Category Archive: Wreckollection

Jan 01

Newsmaker of the Year 2023

Mother Nature

As if a conflict that’s as old as the bible was not enough, Mom served us up a  fire and brimstone chaser.  Everything everywhere was heating up and spilling, if not boiling over.

The good news for those of us who aspire to become too sexy for our planet, everyone got hotter last year as 2023’s global average air temperature made it the warmest year ever recorded while the world’s oceans also experienced their highest temperature in recorded history.  All of this occurred while Canada was experiencing  another new record wildfire season (an event that’s it is nothing new; therefore, hardly newsworthy, but for the fact that it’s now sparking tension, if not an international incident, south of the border). And those that managed to survive the frying pan and the fire found themselves (if they were lucky, only) hip deep in water with the worst floods on record (outside of the bible) in Libya (11000+ dead), China (worst rainfall in 142 years), Australia (worst of the century, Nova Scotia (3 months of rainfall in 1 day), and Noah telling how many others.

Runner Up:    Artificial Intelligence   

Finally, a news maker upper that is more reliable than Repubnican America’s Liar-in-Chief (but the jury is still out on which of the two is potentially more dangerous)

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Jan 01

Person of the Year 2023

Give yourself a pat on the back  unless you can think of a more worthy recipient (because we can’t).  

Jan 01

Feelgood Story of the Year 2023

“Now he’s not just morally bankrupt.”

Rudy Giuliani, defamous ex-mayor of NYC, Borat porn extra, and mini-me to defamous Repugnican Liar-in-Chief, had to declare bankruptcy when ordered to pay damages of $148 million after being found guilty of defamation for his false allegations that the 2020 election was rigged.

In a related story: “Fox finally pays for fake news fraudcasts.”

Fox News paid $787.5m to settle out of court and avoid a verdict in their defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems.  It was the largest known media settlement for defamation in U.S. history.  Less than a week later Fox unceremoniously kicked Tucker Carlson, one of the network’s loudest shock-jockeys, to the curb.

Jan 01

Sleeper Story of the Year 2023

Elon Musk, the man behind The Man

The good, the bad, and the ugly sides of Elon Musk were behind a lot of the goings on last year.  

Jan 01

Innovation of the Year 2023

Innovation of the Year: NeuroRestore’s Parkinson’s Implant

There were many breakthroughs this year but we think this one has a leg (or two) up on all the others.  The first recipient of this spinal stimulation device, a 63-year-old man with Parkinson’s disease, can now walk for miles, when previously he was often housebound and had several falls a day.

Runners Up:

R21 Malaria Vaccine – a new malaria vaccine (the world’s 2nd) that is both more affordable and easier to manufacture than its predecessor.

LEQEMB for early onset Alzheimer’s – the only drug clinically shown to slow down cognitive decline associated with the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

See the rest of the field at: https://www.popsci.com/technology/best-of-whats-new-2023/

Jan 01

Movie of the Year 2023

Sisu starring nobody you know

Action speaks louder than words in this Nobody and Quentin Tarantino meet the Nazis flick that is a lot further along the red spectrum than Barbie with a protagonist that is just about as dangerous as anything Oppenheimer ever created. It might also be the only movie released last year that we didn’t have to take at least one hell deserved vacation away from before plowing on to its eventual end.

Honourable Mention:   Hypnotic starring Ben Affleck

A welcome departure from Hollywood’s ubiquitous Groundhog Day movie genre that is the deepest that any sane individual (and/or me and my voices) should ever want to venture down that rabid hole.

   See what everyone else liked at: Best at the Box Office 2023

Jan 01

Song of the Year 2023

A Symptom of Being Human by Shinedown

 Honourable mention:

A Thousand Heartaches by Mike Zeto, Albert Castiglia,

Dreaming Out Loud by Gov’t Mule, Ivan Neville, Ruthie Foster

Souvenirs by Three Days Grace

Jan 01

Best Book (I Read) this Year 2023

Freezing Order: A True Story of Russian Money Laundering, State-Sponsored Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin’s Wrath by Bill Browder

An eye-popping page-turner from the non-fiction genre that outlines what happens when Russian State sponsored corruption and intrigue uses the American way (i.e. Judicial, Political, Journalistic ineptitude) to further its goals. Not a sleeper! we couldn’t put this one down. We stayed up all night in order to finish it.

What the other guys liked: Top 200 Goodreads of 2023

Jan 01

Quote of the Year 2023

“a real war has been unleashed against Russia by the West’s untamed ambitions…”

— Russian President Putin’s speech at Victory Day parade (shortly after the Kremlin’s forces rained unreal cruise missiles down on fictitious Ukrainian targets)

 

Jan 01

Other Awards 2023

Our “Dog’s Breakfast” award goes to Bailey, the dog

It’s not all fun and Cocaine Bears in British Columbia for some unfortunate pets. If its owner’s dogged belief that drugs are the key to happiness was true, the tail should have been literally wagging this dog. In fact, Bailey’s tail wasn’t wagging at all when [mis]treated on many occasions to a diet of opioids, cocaine, and amphetamines.

Our “Not all fruitcakes are American” award goes to Brazilian Rioters

Almost 2 years to the day after Trump zealots stormed Congress in an attempt to overturn the results of their presidential election, outgoing Brazilian [ex-president] Bolsonaro zealots stormed their Congress on January 8, in an attempt to further the cause of their own fruitcake.

… but some American fruitcakes are unapologetic and happy to export their fruitcake revolution abroad

Our “Boring Achievements” award goes to Elon Musk

Not quite on par with his promise to connect cities with highspeed tunnels, Elon’s first cut in Las Vegas comes full circle back to Las Vegas.  Was this exactly what investors should have expected when the world’s least boring inventor pitched his ambition to run a boring company, or a minor case of “Bugs” in the system?

Our “Here’s Your Sign, Stupid!” award goes to this Colorado Man 

There weren’t any No Parking signs in the lobby of this Colorado police station, so this genius exercised his god given right to be stupid. Pretty sure he will lose his rights and freedom to drive motor vehicles for a while unless he gunned the engine on impact in which case the NRA could come to his defence.

Our “Loose Screw” award goes to Canadian Motor Vehicles Act

A British Columbia family dodged a bullet when no one was hurt after a heavy calibre bolt drilled through their windshield.  If found, the driver of the transport trailer truck that was responsible could face an unsecured cargo fine of $288. In Ontario the fine would be $110.

Meanwhile in Australia, authorities experience a minor meltdown when a truck loses a radioactive capsule somewhere along a 846 mile (1362km) highway. The fine for failing to safely handle radioactive substances in Australia is $1000 AUD ($870CAD).“

Our “I Cannot Not Tell a Lie” award goes to Donald Trump

Perhaps realizing that every time his lips move, he is incapable of getting the facts straight and/or that everything he says will somehow incriminate him, Mr. “If you’re innocent, why are you taking the 5th amendment” was russian to trample his cherished right to free speech.  Donald invoked his right not to serve as a witness in a criminal case in which he is a defendant not once but 400 times during a deposition.  It was probably the right decision given that the first words out of his mouth, “This is the greatest witch-hunt in the history of our country” proved false. Be careful of that witch you say when you and 19 of your colleagues have yet to be convicted and executed by hanging as was the case during the Salem witch hunt. 

Our “Toxic Misogyny” award goes to the Iranian Government

Sick and tired of all the teenage drama, Iranian authorities opt to teach all those rebellious schoolgirls their place by using toxic gasses. Hundreds of Iranian schoolgirls fall ill.

Our “Red Green Wake up and Smell the Coffee” award goes to this guy

Our “Sticker Shock” award goes to grocery labels.

As big grocery continued to leach onto our wallets and stick it to us at the checkout over the course of 2023, we also learned that their sticker price might not be the only thing killing us. A new study tells us that grocers might be extracting an even higher price as toxic chemicals used on some of those stickers could be doing some leaching of their own through packaging, and into the meat, seafood, produce and other foods.

Our “Oxymoron” award goes to Military Intelligence at the Pentagon

It was a case of telephone, telegraph, tell a known braggart and egocentric manchild (no not that one) your top secrets (no not those ones), when the brainiacs in the Pentagon allowed a 21-year-old airman with what appeared to be a history of insubordination and wingnuttedness unfettered access to top secret military information that he shared with like-minded individuals and/or just for likes in various internet chat-rooms. Apparently, they took (or mistook) all the red flags suggesting he was potential wingnut as an endorsement for top-secret clearance (but only because he was in the air force).

Our “Denial is a River in Egypt” award goes to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

Earlier this year the Nile is main street Fort Lauderdale as record rainfalls foreshadow what much of Florida is destined to look like. Later DeSantis dives all in on climate denial when he approves flooding Florida classrooms with Climate Denial videos of dubious origin.

Our “Afraid of Americans award goes to other Americans

On April 13 a 16-year-old black teenager was shot twice after ringing the doorbell to the wrong house in Kansas City. Two days later, a 20-year-old white woman is shot dead she when pulls into the wrong driveway in upstate New York. Couple that with 650 mass shootings last year at a rate of almost two per day and the apparent irreconcilable differences between Democrats and Republicans where each seems terrified of what the other stands for and we have to wonder where they find the time to be so afraid of who may or may not cross their borders?

Our “Lost Luggage” award goes to Toronto International Airport

Anyone who has ever flown, shrugs off news that $15 Million in gold disappeared from an airport.

Our “Frozen Stiff” award goes to the Dickie Berg

A photographer from Dildo, Newfoundland got up one day and took a picture of this natural monument to how hard life on the North Atlantic can really be.

Our “She Did Nothing but Wine” award goes to Lillian Ip

Lillian, an Australian woman who was lost in the outback for five days without water survived on a single bottle of wine.  Yet another argument for proponents of the belief that red wine (when sipped in moderation) has measurable life-giving powers.

Our “I Didn’t Do It” award goes to Vladimir Putin

Be it exploding dams in Ukraine, exploding aircraft carrying Russian mercenary generals he is afraid of, or any number of other dubious diabolical deeds, Vlad can always be counted on to falsely flag blame onto Ukraine, the Nazis, NATO, Americans that didn’t vote his guy, anyone else who comes to mind, and/or all of the above.

Our “Slow Boat to China” award goes to the Port of Vancouver

The good news is Vancouver was not ranked last in a ranking of the 348 busiest container ports on the planet alas it was ranked 347th.

Our “Don’t Bring a Nuke to a Bombshell Fight” award goes to Barbie

In Hollywood’s battle of the bombshells, everyone’s favorite mass-produced blonde bombshell blew Oppenheimer, the father of all bombshells of mass-destruction, away at the box-office.

Our “Special Delivery” award goes to Ukraine

For a series of bomb and drone strikes in the heart of Moscow. Vladimir “Hey Ukraine We Just thought We’d Drop in and Bomb the Shit Out of Your Country” Putin accuses Ukraine of an unprovoked attack on his peace-loving Capital.

Our “First Lady” award goes to Sophie GrégoireTrudeau

The Canadian Prime Minister’s wife was the first Canadian to kick Justin “Office Because of My Last Name” to the curb.  Experts in my head believe she won’t be the last; however, only his Liberal Party has the option to follow suit before the next federal election.

Our “Head Case” award goes to an Australian Woman

An Australian doctor was surprised to find a worm living in the 64-year-old woman’s brain after she had been complaining for months about “stomach pain, a cough and night sweats, which evolved into forgetfulness and depression.” Yes dear, of course I’d like to know what’s on your mind…but not at the dinner table please.”

Our “Back to the Wall” award goes to US President Joe Biden

After campaigning against Donald Trump’s Mexican Border Wall, Joe Biden finds he can stonewall the need no more in the face of an ongoing influx illegal border crossings. Even with his back to the wall, Joe is not likely to become any more dangerous, but at least there will be less danger of him falling.

Our “Right Stuff” award goes to the Queen of Canada Cult

Followers of Romana Didulo, a far-right QAnon conspiracy theorist, are defending their right to be extreme by threatening a public execution of elected officials and other members in and around the small Saskatchewan community of Richmond that the cult now calls home (or rather their “Kingdom of Canada”).

 

 Our “I know you are, but what am I” award goes to Donald Trump

Shortly after being slapped with a Gag Order, America’s Poster-Boy-in-Chief for Chronic Constipation lashed out against the trial Judge and Prosecutor on the courthouse steps calling them “corrupt” while calling the [fraud] case against him a “fraud and a sham.”

Our “Crocodile Tears” award goes to an Australian Rancher

When Colin Deveraux found himself face to face with, and in the jaws of an eleven-foot saltwater crocodile, he wasn’t seeing eye to eye with said reptile’s choice à la carte, so he latched onto the creature’s eyelid and bit back. When the surprised diner let go, Mr. Deveraux got his rump roast out of there in the blink of an eye.

Our “No More Pandaring” award goes to China

China drops the gloves and signals the end of soft diplomacy with America when it repossesses it’s Pandas.

Our “Canary in the Shoal Mine” award goes to Tuvalu

Over 11,000 people living on the south Pacific island of Tuvalu, (Polynesian for we would have called it Canary Island but that name was already taken) are getting that sinking feeling as the stakes (and sea level) continue to rise with global warming.

Our “Free the Inmates, Jail the Guards” award goes to COPS

In a year that saw local governments and police forces everywhere protecting the “bad boy, bad boys” of fossil fuels from the protests of concerned citizens, last year’s COPS28 Climate Conference was hosted by the United Arab Emirates with a COPS President who was firmly aligned with their oil interests.  COPS28 was also polluted by no less than 2,456 fossil fuel lobbyists (not 2, not 3, but 4 times more than that count was at the previous year’s conference).  I admit that the voices in my head, none of whom are rocket surgeons, rarely agree on anything, but this is the one exception.  We all agree the planet is doomed when, after 28 years of greasy, empty promises, its UN organizers who aspire to reduce practically invisible greenhouse particulates over a time span measured in decades seem to be unable to reduce and/or eliminate the very visible contingent of fossil fuel lobbyists (that has just continued to grow at an alarming year over year rate) from their RSVP invitations.

Our “Candies from a Stranger” award goes to Meta

Click bait? Eye candy? What’s the difference.  Facebook and Instagram never Meta child they weren’t willing to entice, follow, ensnare, and/or gather information on via their version of eye-candy.  Apparently, their parent company does not “like” that its business model has Meta a deluge of hundreds of lawsuits in the US filed by families, young people, school districts, and now the 33 State Attorneys General.

Our “Lipstick on a Pig” award goes to fashion consumers.

The sales of beauty and skincare products saw an 18% increase despite last year’s higher prices and hard economic times.  Some experts say this is a common phenomenon that applies to fashion consumers that are addicted to consumption and their tendency to go hog wild on lipstick and other cosmetics in lieu of higher priced clothing, handbags, and jewelry when times are tough.

Our “Litter Tinkle” award goes to the Borrough of Decorum, England

A 69-year-old Englishman with a weakened prostate made waves (perhaps before, but definitely) after a by-laws officer gave him a littering ticket for taking a discrete roadside wee.   

Our “Tastes Like Piss” award goes to this Chinese beer

Whether he was pissed or just pissed-off, this Chinese worker created quite a stir when he streamed a video of himself taking a wee break into a tank of Tsingtao beer.

Our “New Sexual Category” award goes to Hans Niemann

The American chess grandmaster failed to win a $100 million defamation lawsuit after allegations that he cheated in a high-level match last year; however, he still categorically denies using a vibrating anal sex toy to get signals from an accomplice in order to pull some inspired chess moves out of his ass. All parties involved agree they are happy to have it all behind them now.

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