This is one beastie that "The Blue Planet" missed. A killer shrimp called Stomatopod that is also called the "mantis shrimp". It has two powerful forearms that it can use to smash the shells of molluscs (and other shrimp) and then chew up their soft insides. It amazing how the same body features can develop across species. It definitely looks like a mantis. Mmmmm shrimp.... . Read more on this terror of the sea here >>

I'm putting my not-quite-two year old Canon XL1S MiniDV camera up for sale. I'm concentrating more on my writing and I'm sure there'll be more expensive systems that will catch my eye next year or the year after that. My XL1S should go to a good home. See the details of my sale here >>

Normally I would never quote a Fraser Institute study on a social issue but in this case, I agree with them (haha). The right wing economic think tank says there are statistically many ways of debunking criticisms that video games cause violence tendencies. Read about it here >>. More findings on the Fraser Institute's site >>

Hags.

Why do women egg on their dudes to wail on some other dude? This is just one question.

I'm lying in bed after coming back from a sit down party, reading a book about the CIA and their efforts against terrorism. My window opens into the back alley of a downtown club. There are frequent fights. And the common theme seems to be: "My new boyfriend is going to teach you a lesson". The same theme repeated in a dozen languages, mostly in English, Cantonese, Punjabi, Russian. How can I tell it's the same theme. It's that high pitched semi-drunk female voice advocating something angry. I can guess.

"Hit him! Hit him!"

On the pages of the Steven Coll book I'm reading about constant skirmishes, bombings and drive-by shootings between the Afghan warlords fighting for power in the wake of the fall of the Soviet-backed government. Outside, last night, I hear: "Hit him! Fucking hit him!"

Picture in your mind the ugliest, hag-like screeching. "Hit him! Fucking hit him!" Repeat this same sound every Friday and Saturday night.

The nightclub in question lies conveniently across the street from an ambulance station. I used to not hear the wwhooooooooo of the ambulance but then I realized, why would they bother turning on their lights and wailing when they can just walk across the street, waiting patiently for the bouncers to sort out the bodies.

Vancouver is turning into a gun-haven. There are shootings every other week now. The mounties and the Vancouver PD make a big deal out of busting smugglers carrying pistols in bags across the extremely porous border. Marijuana streams south and pistols come north. There is a lot of alcohol and other substance-induced rage in clubs now. Last month, the story became bigger because nice pretty white girl was shot for attempting to intercede in an streetside execution. But the majority of the shootings have been gang-related. East Indians. Vietnamese. Chinese.

There is a lot of testosterone fuelling this. But last night, something irks me about this one incident. "Hit him! Hit him!" In my mind, I'm thinking: "Bitch. STFU!" And maybe that's what someone down on the street does say. As I'm reaching to shut my window:

BANG-BANG BANG-BANG

Instantly, I freeze and my heart races. Is it something now attuned to the human body that we recognize the sound of real gunfire? Is it just from listening to the SFX on TV (otherwise faked)?

The fights have been so commplace now that I don't think anything of going on with my world as I hear the scrambling and the running and the screaming. But tonight, as I was trying to go to sleep: BANG-BANG BANG-BANG.

911:

"Sir, what do you have to report?"
"Shots fired."
"Where is that, sir?"
"I live behind the Atlantis Nightclub."
"Oh yeah."
"Oh yeah?"
"Lots of people calling that one in."
"Do you want my report?"
"Yes-sir. How many shots did you hear, sir?"
"Four. Bang-bang. Bang- bang."
"At what time was that, sir?"
"1:48, 1:49."
"That was ten minutes ago."
"I called right away but it was busy."
"Right. Did you see anyone after these shots were fired?"
"Maybe. Just a white pickup. Maybe it was part of it, maybe not. It was turning around in the entrance to my parkade. You can't get through that. It backed up and drove off fast. I did hear voices previous to that. Do you want to know about that?"
"What voices, sir?"
"One woman, one man, and another man. Shouting. The woman sounded like she was egging some other dude on. She was saying: 'fucking hit him! Hit him!' Like that. On and on."
"Oh yeah."
"Oh yeah?"
"It happens. Sometimes whoever it is who's saying that isn't even part of the fight. They're just drunk. Or on meth."
"Not even part of it?"
"Sometimes not. Anyway..."

Then she took my contact information. Probably noting that I've reported stuff before. I'm a good citizen. Back to the book and my closed window. What happened in the news >>

I was asked about my Microsoft Word screenplay template again today. Each time I'm asked I send it off and then I get more questions from the person who is using it. So, in expectation of even more questions, I've made a little installation and usage tutorial here >>.

Just ending this week has been a period of lots of meetings, schmoozing and some very valuable time spent thinking about my direction in writing and craft development thanks to Praxis. Last week I had a series of meetings with Brian Freeman, a CBC VP in charge of developing MoWs (movie of the week), who was absolutely the best at challenging me to make my script better. I can honestly say that my attitude toward my work and the professionalism needed has stepped up thanks to Brian. Friday was a seminar given by Semi Chellas, the producer of the CTV TV series "The Eleventh Hour" which provided insight into what sounded like the harried world of a series producer. Last night was the Praxis reception for current fellows and previous fellows and advisors. That, combined with an earlier open house, has really opened up to me the impression of an active community of screenwriters in Canada. My week isn't over. There's another dinner and a meeting with local producers later this week.