"Changes" by David Bowie

And so, as a suitable accompaniment to the previous post, it's David Bowie performing Changes, as introduced by Ellen DeGeneres.

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

A change is as good as a rest, or so they say, which makes all of this a bit overdue, as I am well exhausted. Fortunately, though, it's a good exhausted; the kind of exhausted that comes from countless hours of doing what I love.

Yes, the ongoing evolution of the Pop Culture Institute proceeds apace.

Some of you regular readers will notice that I've added a poll to the top of the page, so please feel free to vote early and vote often, and thanks to Y | O | Y for putting me onto Pollcode.com as well.

I've also added a new team member in Seumas Gagne, a frequent commenter and sounding board, as part of what I refer to as my brain trust. Over time I hope that Mr. Gagne and I will be joined here by Mr. Barr and Mr. Davey as part of my diabolical scheme to eventually conquer all media.

Introduction of a flesh-and-blood colleague lends itself to the introduction of felt-and-foam colleagues, and the much-vaunted appearance here (and on YouTube) of the Poppets has entered an exciting new phase. Mark 3 - in other words the third version of the prototype - is awaiting its facial features as we speak, putting its first appearance in these pages less than a month away now.

All of which makes for the kind of heady times I'll look back on in my old age (next year) with fond remembrance.

RIP Lois Maxwell

Lois Maxwell, Canada's pride and the inhabitor of Miss Moneypenny, died Saturday at Fremantle Hospital in Perth, Australia. She was 80.

Throughout fourteen films Moneypenny was the smart, beautiful secretary of James Bond, and seemingly the one woman he couldn't conquer, which I always liked because, well, Bond was a bit big-headed so he kind of had a comeuppance coming to him.

She was also stronger than I; if the 1960s version of Connery so much as smiled at me I think I'd have a fatal aneurysm. I shudder to think what their sexy banter would have done, as merely watching it is enough to make me all squelchy inside, even when viewed at a remove of four decades.

"Tango Shoes" by Bif Naked

I liked Bif Naked even before I met her; a talented singer-songwriter and an energetic, charismatic performer, the former Beth Torbert is not just beloved in the Canadian music industry but worldwide. No doubt admiration for her extends to the animal kingdom as well, since she is an outspoken (though not especially militant) vegan.

Lately, though, I have yet another reason to admire her.

The two previous posts I've made about Bif Naked (one on the occasion of her birthday and another at the recent announcement of her then-impending nuptials) are responsible for about half of the traffic to my site this week, which (to be entirely honest) is partly the reason this one is here. It would be one thing if those hits were coming just from Vancouver or even Canada, but they're from Japan, Australia, and Finland as well.

On Saturday, September 29th, Bif Naked married sports-writer Ian Walker in Vancouver, and as such drove my traffic stats through the roof. This makes me feel bad, as she's the one who got married but I'm the one who got the gift.

I think I speak for people around the world - not to mention pigs and cows and chickens - when I say: congratulations Bif and Ian.

Jenna Bush's Book Tour Underway

Oh well, better "Jenna Bush's Book Tour" than "Jenna Book's Bush Tour"... (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

I only hope that when she swings into Washington she takes the time to help her father sound out the really big words. I understand her novel is written at a young adult level, and while the President's come along way singe he finished My Pet Goat (last year), he could still have trouble with those three- and four-syllable monstrosities. Mon-straw-sit-tease...

At least we know which side of the family she takes after.

Congratulations to the First Lady and her iron-clad DNA.