Fact or fiction, people love to let their minds wander in the possibility of an alternate twist to mainstream acceptance. This was the driving concept behind ‘The Davinci code’ books and films, and carries on through in the film ‘Anonymous’.
With convincing performances and a lesser known cast, which many times allows the audience to focus more on the story and less on the actor; the story of the Shakespeare we never actually knew takes an interesting twist. While the movie may irritate some lit fans, it is a well put together political thriller that may invoke some questions in your mind. Did history happen the way we were told? How has politics influenced our society? Maybe the most widely accepted and perceived factual events didnt even happen at all? Allow your mind to escape the accepted, and dwell into the realm of alternate possibilities, watch ‘Anonymous’.
It was 100 years ago that the National Parks system was created in Canada. The first of its kind in the world, the National Park system has grown to encompass more than 42 National Parks, 4 National Marine Conservation Areas, one National Landmark, and 167 National Historic Sites. Managed by Parks Canada, these areas have been set aside by Canadians to protect them from development, and to preserve the natural landscapes and wildlife of the country. With that I find it fitting to include a gallery of photos of some of the countries national parks, you can see the photos below.
Starting with the first national park in 1885, Banff National Park was merely a stepping stone into the network of terrestrial and marine areas in the park system today. By 1911 the Dominion Parks Branch was created, the beginning of our current system, and by 1930 the National Parks Act was put into legislation protecting all National Parks. These parks play a familiar role in the lives of many Canadians, from canoe trips on great rivers, camping in thick boreal forests, to skiing and snowboarding one of the world’s most spectacular mountain ranges. The expansiveness and the privilege of the natural beauty can often be overlooked, however it is important to value what so many other places on earth do not have, a natural beauty that attracts visitors from all over the world to see.
2011 is the anniversary of this century old system and the Royal Canadian Mint is commemorating the milestone with special coins that you might just come across in circulation and a pretty cool commercial as well. So the next time your find yourself in one of Canada’s Parks, take a minute to appreciate not only the wilderness around you, but the effort involved to create such an icon of sustainability in our great country.
Photos courtesy of National Geographic, you can view the gallery on their website here.
You can also visit the Royal Canadian Mint website here.
For such a small population, Canada does put forth a lot of musical talent into the world. The Sheepdogs are no exception. Pushed into the spotlight by the “Do You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star?” contest put on by the Rolling Stones Magazine, this Saskatoon band is starting to get their name heard. With the band struggling for exposure since their inception in the Canadian prairies, the news of winning the contest couldn’t have been sweeter news to their ears.
And with a sound reminiscent from the 1960′s and 70′s that could easily fool you into thinking you accidentally flipped to the classic rock station, its nice to hear the blend of modern and classic rock in their music. Catching a glimpse of the band members will further make you wonder what decade this really is as well, yep, that’s a lot of hair. You can check out more from the Rolling Stones Magazine here.
While you may recognize the track “I Don’t Know”, I urge you to explore some of their other tracks that are just as good. So with that said, add them to your playlist, click around YouTube, and enjoy the music that is The Sheepdogs.
On Wednesday October 5, 2011, the founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, passed away. A visit to apple.com (I don’t do that too often) displays simply, Steve Jobs 1955-2011. By the time you will read this the media will be filled with stories and headlines about his death, but also about his life. And with good reason, while Steve Jobs was just a man, he was a man who changed the world.
It is no secret that I personally dislike apple products, and have periodically bashed them ever since the iPod came out. However while I may not of liked his products, the man and the company founded under Steve Jobs has played an important role in shaping our world.
One must give credit to Steve Jobs for keeping his vision of technology that can do more than just merely crunch numbers, for a technology that is not just functional, but technology that is fun. Steve Jobs brought products to the marketplace that billions of people use around the world. He was another example of American ingenuity, bringing value added technology to the world, and his name will most definitely be listed with the likes of Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford. He has kept competitors on their toes for decades, and will no doubt continue to do so even after he is gone. So while you may not have joined the apple craze, you must pay a little respect to a man who gave us so much. Thanks Steve Jobs.
Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. –Steve Jobs
It was 10 years ago that I woke up to goto school, and flipped on the television only to realize that it would not be an ordinary day. 911 2001, will always be one of those moments when people think back and can pinpoint exactly where they were when they first heard of what was happening in New York City.
As September 11, 2011 approaches, and with a coming trip to New York on my horizon, I was curious as to what the site was like today. Currently the site of the once massive World Trade Center buildings holds a host of memorials and busy construction activities. It seems there is no stop to the movement, constantly building, rebuilding, never replacing, but creating something new in a place so needlessly destroyed. Even as hurricane Irene pushed through the city, the site was flooded, but the construction activity continues.
There is one man who see’s more than a mess of construction on the site, but rather a beautiful process of rebuilding. Marcus Robinson is an artist and photographer who has been documenting the world trade center site for the last 6 years. And with those horrible events 10 years in the past, maybe we can bring some good and beauty to the world. Take a look at the video, and check out his website.
If you have been following the news lately, you would know that a string of Tornado’s have been wreaking havoc in the central section of the U.S that makes up tornado alley this spring. The latest tornado hit Joplin, Missouri and killed 90 people so far. The storm is being classified as the 4th deadliest since 1950 record keeping in the U.S.
There has been a pretty disturbing video taken of a group of people at a store as the tornado hits. The audio in this video being a good example of just how terrifying a tornado experience really is. Watch the video below, the winds really pick up at about 2:00 as you hear the glass breaking in the store, and at 3:00 the tornado seems to pass right overtop of them. We can only hope for the best as this spring turns out to be one of the worst in tornado history.
Since the photos of Osama bin Laden dead have yet to be released, there is one photo that is quickly becoming one of the most popular. This photo shows Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden along with other staff as they watched live feed of the raid on the compound that housed the most wanted man in recent history.
On sunday, the man responsible for the worst terrorist attack in the United States which instantly took the lives of nearly 3000 people, was shot dead by navy seals in a compound in Pakistan. And as those events unfolded just outside of the capital city of Islamabad, the heads of the administration that have actively been hunting him watched intently. The look on Hillary’s face, and the seriousness of Obama indicating that this was a shocking, but major moment for not only the U.S, but the world.
This photo will surely prove to be one that captured a major historical event in the coming years. It will be a photo that makes magazine covers, newspaper front pages, and in books and media to come. But in the meantime until the death photos of Bin Laden surface, it will continue to be the most popular photo depicting the scenario that unfolded that night.
If you have been following the ‘Fault Line’ trailers of the upcoming game Battlefield 3, you know that this game release is building a lot of momentum. The teaser gameplay trailers have kept us interested in one of the slickest looking games to date. And with the recent release of the full ‘Fault Line’ 12 minute trailer, one can only get a little more excited. But if you can’t wait to get your hands on a copy, you have to wait a little longer, the game is not set to be released until November 2011.
Set in 2014, the current trailer scenes document a squad of marines in Iran carrying out missions against the PLR. From walking through the marketplace, gunfights on the street, to crawling across the rooftops, the visuals are impressive.
From a generation that used to play Wolfenstein 3D, and Duke Nukem 3D; games that included the ’3D’ heading just to let us know we were stepping out of the traditional 2D realm, BF3 is a fantastic example of how far gaming has come. Check out the new trailer below, but be sure to watch it in HD.
For each tank that is manufactured in the world, 131000 teddy bears are made.
For each stock exchange that plummets, there are 10 versions of ‘What a Wonderful World’.
For each corrupt person, there are 8000 donating blood.
For each wall that exists, there are 200000 welcome mats.
While a scientist is designing a new weapon, 1 million moms are making chocolate cakes….
There is a recent commercial circulating in Latin America right now, and its gathering a lot of attention. What you just read is a section of the ad appropriately named ’Reasons to Believe’ that is put out by Coca Cola. I am not sure why this ad has not been released in an english version elsewhere, but I think it definitely should be soon. Until then, there are a couple translated versions floating around on YouTube, and I am here to share one of them with you. Put aside all your liberal-anti-big-business-damn-the-man thoughts and just enjoy a simple ad with a great message to start your Sunday
Theres a new park open in the lower west side of Manhattan in New York City, and its no ordinary park. Built atop the old freight rail tracks once known as the West Side Line, this 2.33km elevated parkway is one of the most unique models of urban renewal.
The elevated rail line used to serve the factories and warehouses in the district, with parts of the line running right through some buildings. But in the 1960′s the line was officially closed down. For years the looming ironwork of the line was slated to be demolished, but just recently was revitalized into a beautiful parkway. With native trees and plants, a street view ampitheater, and amazing views, the High Line park has been well recieved. The new park sits above the traffic of the busy streets below, and is even encouraging new real estate developments around it.
"The dirty little secret - the fact often denied - is that unlike the mythical epiphany, real creation is sloppy. Discovery is messy, exploration is dangerous."
