Tag... you're it!

It's pretty incredible the amount of tags (Wiki) I've used. I started working on PlanetBears in October 2006 however I didn't start tagging articles until the spring of 2007. Could you imagine the amount of tags I would have used had this technology existed when I first started working on the net, back in 1999? Back then it was html and keywords placed into metatags. Tagging is simpler and supposedly more effective (altho I'm not sure how search engines work with tags, and even my sysadmin who is a Google expert says that Google is not even sure how tags work), and tagging is a Web 2.0 (Wiki) technology which is the latest... and it's better to be up with the latest than be last with the greatest... ok that last part didn't make an ounce of sense.

Here's an article about a fugitive by the name of Robert Henry. The mustache black and white is from 1979, the coloured bearded photo is 2009. Robert Henry fled from custody in 1980 and has been 'in hiding' ever since. When they caught him, they stated that he was all gentlemen-like about it. And he's been quite productive these past 30 years: "I'm a Christian, I go to church" Henry said, "I'm a great-grandfather". Ideal citizen, whatcha think...

Life is contagious.

This is not Bear related, it's just a really well thought up advertisement executed by T-Mobile.

This is not Bear related, but it's pretty amazing. Check out this photo. It was taken during President Barack Obama's inauguration on January 20th. Now zoom on in anywhere in the photo... it's pretty frikkin' wild.

The image was taken with the GigaPan EPICTM, which is a "revolutionary robotic camera (that) captures gigapixel images. The Epic allows you to capture brilliant high resolution panoramas with most point and shoot cameras". From what I understand, you can create a profile and they will give you software for you to upload and create your own panorama images. It's still in development (from what I understand), however seeing some of the images from their main page, this is truly revolutionary, as they say.

Last night was the Academy Awards and I didn't watch it since I don't get cable (ergo, I don't watch TV). However, I did come across a few links which I thought were interesting. The first video is a CNN interview with David Babaii, a hairstylist for the stars. He's extremely cute and he's got to be family. There's not many pics of Babaii online yet I did come across this one photo. If only he had a beard... sigh.

2nd link ~ not really related to the Academy Awards... it's kind of like the anti-Oscar awards. It's called the Golden Raspberry Awards (aka 'The Razzies'). It was founded by a Daddy Bearish guy named John Wilson, and he does have a beard. Here are some articles on him (article #1 ~ article #2).

When I checked out the link to watch this video, I couldn't help but get choked up. It's from Courage Campaign and it's concerning all those that got married in California before Proposition 8 (articles). There were approx. 18,000 same-sex marriages and now they are trying to have those nullified and a guy named Ken Starr was chosen to represent the Prop 8 supporters once this goes to the supreme court.

Well the Courage Campaign created this video called 'Fidelity' and the music is just way too catchy - a song from Regina Spektor. The video just might break your heart. And after you watch the video, consider signing their letter that they plan on handing over to the Supreme Court.

Thanks to Jacques aka PandaMontreal (galleries - profile) for sending me the link.

February is the month of love (it's also the coldest month here in Canada, but that's besides the point). It's a great time when you're in love yet it sucks when you're either breaking up or have nobody to love during this time of the year.

Well to those who figure they'll be alone come Valentine's Day, don't fret because surely one day you will meet the man of your dreams. I believe in the power of soul mates. Some meet their soul mates early on in their lives and some don't meet them until much later, yet I guarantee you that one day you will. I met mine at the age of 39 and I wasn't even looking. Meeting Roger was a true miracle, and we'll be soon celebrating our 2nd year together. He's my soul mate, we're so much alike while at the same time we're so different. And he's the cutest thing on Bearish legs.

To those who haven't found their soul mate - patience. Our planet is very generous to us, she provides us with everything, and she will provide you with someone to love. Just be patient... love will soon find you one day.

A pastor named Ted Haggard (Google images) who has been actively professing that homosexuality is a sin, has been under a lot of scrutiny later ever since 2 accusers have come forward, both of them stating that Haggard approached asking for drugs and sex.

The 1st was a male escort who stated that Haggard bought some methamphetamine (aka crystal meth). Now a 2nd accuser has come forward, Grant Haas (pictured), a 20 year volunteer at Haggard's church, stated that the pastor asked him for drugs as well and that he masturbated next to him in a hotel room. See the videos and articles on CNN here.

Since the scandal, Haggard has been defrocked (not sure if pastors are frocked or not, but he's no longer a pastor), and from his Wiki page, "He also agreed to appear in a documentary about his sex scandal titled 'The Trials of Ted Haggard', that premiered on HBO in January 2009. According to the documentary, Haggard has begun a new career selling insurance".

Back in 1989, Benny Wint decided to fake his death. From this CNN article, he did it because "he was 'paranoid' about his narcotics-related activity at the time". There were helicopter searches and boatloads of lifeguards that searched for him at the time, and his death was always considered suspicious since no body had ever washed ashore. 20 years later, Wint was stopped by the cops due to a faulty light, and now we find out that he remarried and has more kids.

(More news about men who'd look hotter with a beard): A Drum leader John Coleman was suspended after he allegedly winked, nudged his head and then saluted to the president Barack Obama during last week's inaugural parade. They suspended him for 6 months from the Cleveland Firefighters Memorial Pipes & Drums, and Coleman said that was just too much so he quit the band. He also said he didn't wink at the prez... check out this video and you be the judge.

So I said to myself... no more video games. Ever since my first computer (IBM PC junior (Wiki) in 1983... what was your first computer...?), I've played computer video games. However the game that hooked me and helped me fuck up my Masters in Anthro was Quake (Wiki).

I got that game in 1996 and am a little ashamed to say I was still playing it in 2008. I don't know how many hours I played that game but if someone in the universe is keeping track of all our doings, I'll probably cry when I see the amount of time I spent on that one simple game alone.

What hooked me was that it was the first true 3D game that you could play against others. And I've always loved mazes, and these maps were all mazy (I must have be a mouse at heart), however once I found out that you can actually make your own maps, well that took a chunk of my soul. I must have made around 30 maps over the years, and some of those maps took me months to make.

I played Quake 2 then Quake 3 (never Quake 4) but I always went back to the original game. However, I came to the conclusion that I will never be good at the game, and I actually don't like the maps they play (since I made my own maps, of course I wanted to play on the ones I made), and there's only a handful of players left and most of them are god-like... and truly, it's a timesuck and I've got way too much work to do.

Well... I kinda forgot that awhile back I had put my name down for this new game that was coming out. It's called QuakeLive, and it's a free online game. Well, stupid me, I tried it, and I might be hooked. Someone please save me. The game is a ton of fun yet... well... I suck at it. I really don't know what it is ~ it's like I have some mental block when it comes to this game. I see others play and how they glide and shoot with ease, and when I play, it's like my brain cells take a vacation.

Anyhow, I'm hoping I'll be mature (41 years old... playing video games... how mature is that), and will limit my amount of play time. I'm also avoiding editing maps because I know that it will take me 3 months full time to come out with something, and nobody plays custom maps anyhow so...

Lastly, check out this very cool wallpaper I found. It's Biker from this new QuakeLive. Hawt!

I betcha that you still have your Christmas decorations all over the house, and you're either just too busy, tired, lazy or can't be bothered to take them down. Here in Montreal, a lot of people just leave their Xmas lights hanging from their homes all year round.

Anyhow, I said all that just to show you this very cool Santa ornament that I found on the net somewhere.

This portly young man has been charged with raping and murdering a 19 year college girl. From this CNN article: "James Biela, 27, is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual assault in the disappearance of Brianna Denison who was last seen alive on her friend's sofa in Reno, Nevada, January 20th, 2008".

Traces of Biela's DNA were found on the Denison's panties that were left next to the victim. This clue has been considered a calling card and they are considering that Biela is a serial rapist. Biela, an ex-marine turn construction worker, was working at the college at the time of the murder. He is pleading not guilty and trial is set for February 2010.

One of the actors from The Sopranos was found dead and they are classifying it as a suicide, according to this People's article. His name was John Costelloe and he played Johnny Cakes; a fireman slash short order cook. In the show, he becomes the secret gay lover of the big Bear mobster Vito (played by Joe Gannascoli - website). Vito runs away from home, hides in a small town and meets up with Johnny, and they fall in love.

As for Joe's reaction to the news of the suicide, he stated: "It still hasn't really sunk in I never detected anything troubling about him. I enjoyed all the time I ever spent with him". He was 47.

Here's another article (CNN videos) about some Bearish guy who's in the news that should be sporting a beard. His name is Vince Acors, he's 34 and he got caught having sex on the beach in Dubai with some lady. Seems there are some strict laws about what you can and cannot do in the Emirate of Dubai and Acors has been paying the price as he's been detained there for the past 6 months.

So you're watching 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' and a son and his father are talking throughout the movie. Just exactly what do you do? You can always throw popcorn at the son and shoot the father in the arm. And that's what James Joseph Cialella did. Not sure why you need to bring a .380-caliber handgun to see a movie, but like Lt. Frank Vanore said (article), it's "scary that it gets to that level of violence from being too noisy during a movie".

He looks normal, yes? You might even say he looks like a 'nice guy'. Well looks are incredibly deceiving in this case. His name was Bruce Jeffrey Pardo and dressed as Santa Clause, he knocked on a door to which a party was going on in which 25 people were attending. A little girl opened the door to which he shot her, then went about the house and shot others. In the end, he torched the home and then killed himself. Read more and see the videos here on CNN.

Does anyone ever use ICQ...? I remember way back in the day when ICQ 'was' the thing to use. I also remember how people would love gloating about how little their ICQ number was (the smaller your number, the earlier you signed up with them). However, this was 10 years ago almost. I haven't used it since, and to be honest, I don't think I ever will.

All this being said, my very cute hubby Roger sent me a cool link and I thought I would share it with you. If you're looking for some really great e-cards to send this Xmas, then check out this ICQ Greetings page. There are some really funny Santa and his reindeer Flash videos and some cool games too. There's others as well which I haven't checked out, yet seeing Santa beatbox is priceless.

To be honest, I'm not sure where I found these pics, it was off of some wild looking Russian site I think, and I was just way too lazy to translate what they were saying, but wow, have you ever seen biceps as big as that? For me, someone who's never lifted weights, seeing something like this actually frightens me. It's as if his biceps are about to blow up. And he looks so young too... wild 'n scary.

I rarely if ever post photos of bears, as in, the 4 legged kind. It's one thing to called men Bears, it's another to get caught up within the semiotics of it all (i.e. ~ how the 4 legged bear symbolizes the 2 legged man). This being said, my hubby Roger (galleries ~ profile) and his email gang sent me the following photos and I just had to share them. It's a photo of polar Bear who approaches a chained husky. What does they do? They play with each other. Nature is incredible.