Abracadabra!

by SCOTT C

Today I was sitting at the computer working while the TV teased me from the other side of the room like it always does. Usually, I’m able to plow right through whatever has to get done while Dr. Phil or whoever’s on does their thing, but this morning I was knocked out of my chair by a bit on The View about a new-fangled invention that the geniuses at Hewlett-Packard came up with. Apparently, somebody decided that something had to be done about the generation of Luddites that still refuse to get on the information superhighway and converge with the rest of us, and that’s how Presto was born.

Presto is the answer to all my prayers, eliminating the need for a person (in this case, my mother) receiving e-mail to actually own a computer. Presto’s magic “printing mailbox” receives e-mail and conveniently prints it out for the technologically inept (sorry, Mom). This is the kind of invention that you come up with after firing off multiple drunken birthday e-mails to your 80-year-old grandma, only to realize while nursing a hangover the next day that she will never, ever read them. I have to say that the idea of a stand-alone printer connected to nothing but the phone line, printing off holiday photos and Father’s Day wishes, is a bit creepy, but I’ll be the first in line to buy one of those thingies for my mom and dad. Can’t wait to spam Mom with Nigerian investment schemes, but the best part is, it’s only one-way communication. Oh, technology!

Tonight, June 7, you can check out Amerythmes when they put on a show at la Place à Côté. This is a hip hop collective that was born out of the Montreal delegation for the opening ceremonies at the 2004 Oxfam International Youth Parliament in Sydney, Australia. The artists—Monk-e, Stack Money, Sola, Baby K and Chele—hail from North, Central and South America, and have continued to collaborate since returning to Montreal back in 2004. They’ll share the stage with Heavy Sounds, K6A, Societies and Smoke & Bless for a $7 show. Peep www.myspace.com/amerythmesmtl for a musical taste.

Seven reasons you should call your mother:
1. Frank n Dank “Mama” (CDR)
2. Lanu “Mother Earth” (Ubiquity)
3. Les Chan “I Feel Sorry for Your Mother” (Fatbeats)
4. D’Angelo “Mothership Connection” (CDR)
5. Ghostface “Momma” (Def Jam)
6. Darondo “My Momma and My Poppa” (Ubiquity)
7. Trickski “Maingirl” (JCR)

Okay Eragon Shen Ku... fathead@videotron.ca