By: Elyse Lefaivre
Enforcers, players whose entire purpose is to intimidate the other team, have always been a part of the National Hockey League. In recent years, however, they have been garnering attention for reasons other than their tough play and intimidating presence. In the last few years medical researchers have begun to examine the effects repeated head injuries have on professional athletes. Researchers have discovered that repeated blows to the head suffered by athletes can result in a form of dementia. This form of dementia known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a new disease that has only been seen in people who have suffered repeated blows to the head. CTE is a progressive degenerative disease that has been linked to the deaths of many young athletes, including Minnesota Wild enforcer Dereck Boogaard. Boogaard was 28 years old when he died from the disease in may 2011. The disease results in the degeneration of brain tissue, which in turn causes dementia, as well as addictive and depressive behaviour. CTE is the only form of dementia that is preventable yet the National Hockey League (NHL) is plagued with head injuries. Although the NHL has made changes to rules in order to help prevent head injuries, players are still suffering from concussions.
Flickr image.
Derek Boogard grew up playing hockey in Saskatchewan. He was never much of a skilled player but he was big. Boogaard was encouraged to fight and use his size to intimidate the other team. When he was 16 years old he was drafted by the Western Hockey League as an enforcer and he continued to fight his way, both literally figuratively into the National Hockey League (NHL). Derek Boogaard began his career as an NHL enforcer in 2005 with the Minnesota Wild and would continue to play that role during the entirety of his NHL career. During the six years that Boogaard played in the NHL he three goals and 589 minutes in penalties. It was his career choice and vast number of fights that ultimately lead to his death. On may 13 2011 Boogaard's brother's found him dead of an accidently overdose in his home. After his death, his family gave his brain to scientist so they could study the effects of head injuries on the brain. What the scientists found astounded them; Boogaard's brain showed signs of CTE. Repeated blows to his head had caused degeneration of brain tissue. His death has since been blamed on CTE.
What is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy?
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a degenerative disease of the brain that occurs as a result of repeat head trauma, including concussions. The disease dates back to the 1920's when boxers began showing signs of the disease. Eventually retired football
players, who also regularly receive blows to the head, began showing symptoms of the disease. Today the disease has been linked to a wide variety of athletes who have sustained repeated blows to the head, including professional hockey players. The repeated trauma triggers progressive degeneration of brain tissue, which results in an abnormal build-up of protein called tau. These changes in brain tissue can occur anywhere from months to decades after the last brain trauma. The damage to the brain tissue is associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgement, addiction, impulse control problems, aggression, depression and eventually progressive dementia. Derek Boogaard suffered many head injuries during his NHL career, which cause his brain to develop CTE and as a result of CTE he died of a drug overdose.
Head injuries still occur at an alarming rate in the NHL
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a serious form of dementia that can be prevented; in fact it is the only form of dementia that can be prevented. Yet fighting still remains an important part of the NHL. The commissioner of the NHL, Gary Bettman, explained that fans find fighting far too entertaining to remove it completely from the game. Instead the NHL has introduced more severe penalties and fines for players who check anyone intentionally in the head. While this might help the number of head injuries suffered in the NHL it does not fix the problem. Players are still getting injured. Sidney Crosby, one of hockey's greatest was injured after receiving two head shots in January of 2011, and did not return for the entire season. He finally returned to play on November 21st 2011 but in December of 2011 he received another hit to the head, which cause his concussion symptoms to return; he has not played since. As seen in the case of Sidney Crosby, players are still suffering from head injuries in the NHL. The league has tried to prevent intentional head shots, but they still occur. How many more players will develop CTE before the NHL does something to better protect the brains of their players?
"They won't treat you unless you show up with a severed arm in your hand" is what Michel Lemieux has said about the treatment in Montreal emergency rooms. Michel has had his fair share of Montreal emergency room experiences this year, having visited the Lakeshore General Hospital numerous times in the spring of 2011. Despite this severe assessment of Montreal emergency rooms, Michel and those around him still believe in Montreal's emergency room system. Image source: Flickr
When asked what he thinks of Montreal emergency rooms, Michel says that despite being sent away earlier this year and then being left waiting hours during his second visit he still has complete faith in the system saying "the healthcare system in Quebec is great." He believes that although there are some hiccups in the system, for the most part the system works well. The only major issue with healthcare in Canada is that the system is having trouble supporting Canada's aging population. As the population ages, he believes there's not enough resources for the elderly and therefore emergency rooms are becoming overcrowded.
Michel's faith in the medical system in Quebec might rest with the fact that he has access to a general practitioner, something that only 67% of the population in Quebec have. Michel says that being able to visit his doctor was and is extremely helpful, that his doctor has been essential in his long term recovery. He also says that his doctor could not have done anything differently to prevent him from getting sick. He does however believe that his first emergency room visit could have gone a lot better and is still dumbfounded as to why they sent him away because he was not in enough pain to be treated, yet they sent him home with morphine pills. "I can't figure that one out" he said, but still he praises the system.
Once Michel was finally diagnosed in April, he says his treatment was impeccable. He says that the Lakeshore General hospital took extremely good care of him and that the twelve hour wait was not their fault. Although, the emergency room was overcrowded, he didn't think there was any way that they could have improved the situation. He also was quick to give Quebecs CLSCs (centre local de services communautaires) praise, saying that he was astounded with their efficiency during his visits to them as an outpatient.
Although Michel's experience with the healthcare system did not go as smoothly as he would have liked, he believes there isn't much they could have done to improve the situation. Although he still tells people that "They won't treat you unless you show up with a severed arm in your hand", what he means is that Montreal emergency rooms will either turn you away or keep you waiting unless of course you are visibly in distress. He says that it's not the hospitals fault, that they can't control the number of patients that show up to their emergency rooms. Although Michel is quick to deflect blame from the hospitals, his wife Ginette is not. She strongly believes that the emergency rooms could have done more to treat him that first time he visited the Lakeshore, but that she still believes in the system because she says "What choice do we have?". Based on his own experiences, Michel believes that there isn't much to be done to improve the situation in Quebec emergency rooms, except to create more resources to treat people when they are sick.
Attention Montrealites readers and contributors! We are currently inviting members of the Montrealites community - meaning you guys - to submit entries for the short story/ personal essay competition. If you're interested, here are the guidelines:We're anticipating your entries and encourage everyone to go for it! Competition information may also be found on our twitter and facebook pages.
Good luck you talented lot!
Shakespeare's Petruchio left Verona en route to Padua, Italy to meet his Shrew; "I come to wive it wealthily in Padua", he declared. He left Verona on an empty purse and an empty stomach confident Padua would fill both. Padua would certainly have a lot to offer Petruchio but can it match Verona, a city famous for certain indiscrete elopers and pizza topped with mushrooms and Prosciutto crudo?
Image source: Flickr.
The place was empty except for Sergio behind the counter decked out in a red apron. He was quick to explain the cone shaped concept of the KonoPizza. It came about when the founder R. Boscolo, had the brilliant idea of creating a pizza that can be eaten while walking without having tomato sauce turn your white shirt into red and also to avoid "pizza palate", burning the roof of your mouth. I was curious, hungry and sold; I asked Sergio if he could make me a "Verona" pizza; after he stopped laughing I chose the "Carni", sausage and bacon. It was smaller than I expected especially for the price but would it pass the "walk" test? I thanked Sergio, who as soon as the glass door closed behind me could be heard guffawing.
The KonoPizza held like an ice cream cone, easily passed the "walk" test but what about taste? It tasted like pizza, yes, in a cone. It was good but gone in less than five bites, give or take. It certainly is not enough for a meal and having only two hands, a cone in each would certainly have looked "foreign." I almost turned back for seconds but feared Sergio would fall over laughing seeing me walk back in. Verona pizza in Padua, indeed.
Back in Montreal I had completely forgotten about Padua when one morning to my surprise my phone told me about a KonoPizza Groupon right here in Montreal on Ste-Catherine near Guy. 2 for $6! How could I resist. I ordered one voucher wanting to compare the taste and size. On a cold January evening I made my way to the store with my son, who tagged along to see what all the fuss was about having heard about it through friends. The store layout was very similar to Sergio's back in Padua, a fast food counter with stools and a lean counter along the wall. The restaurant was empty and we were told they were about to close for the evening because of lack of business. I asked about the Groupon deal and was told that it was very popular. I ordered two "Carni's", the same as in Padua. Knowing what to expect I watched my son's reaction to see his first impression. "That's it? Kind of small. No? It's good you got the 2 for $6 because no way would I spend 6 bucks for this." I said yeah, but you can walk with it and like roasted chestnuts it will keep your hand warm. He answered that it was so small that your hand wouldn't have the time to get cold. He was right; five bites give or take, but it was good and tasted like pizza in a kone.
It has been disputed that Katharina, the Shrew, really was not tamed at the end kissing Petruchio's feet even after he abused and starved her. I am not sure about the abuse part but if she was served KonoPizza she most likely wasn't tamed. Petruchio should have brought Katharina back to Verona for a pizza with mushrooms and Prosciutto crudo.
KonoPizza
1446 Ste-Catherine West
Montreal, Quebec
Tel: (514) 544-5066
note: the title is a play on words - Che Kono Facciamo - Che coso Facciamo, which translates into "What are we doing?" Don't be confused. Eat Pizza!
From what Iʼve seen, a bad convict runs his mouth about how smart he is (even if he isnʼt), a good convict will be honest with how much intellect he has, and a great convict wonʼt tell you a thing. So as I ran my mouth about how much I knew about the stars my interviewee sat quietly. I told him when you look into the stars, you are also looking into the past, because it takes thousands of years for the light of a star to travel to us. As I continued running my mouth, my interviewee eventually told me about looking into the past, and I could understand he meant much more than what his words said alone. The life of crime is as far from me as the stars are, and each time I read over this interview, I see something new in it. Itʼs because of this, and for his own protection, that I named the interviewee after his favorite nebula,the Dark Horse Nebula, or DHN for short.
Warning! This article contains adult language.Watching the high speed car chases or struggles for power on the silver screen fuels an interest in crime that might be latent otherwise. After watching these types of movies, and when I need to buy groceries, I stand in the checkout line thinking to myself, "These groceries are going to put me back. It would be great if I didnʼt have to buy them. What if I just walked out of here without paying?" Iʼve always paid. Iʼve never gathered the strength to walk out. Though each time I pay, I can envision the exciting life I would lead if I hadnʼt.
The thought starts with the groceries, than eventually it leads to driving as fast as I can on a desert road in a flat-black 1969 dodge charger while shooting at the cops chasing me. I say this to show that, minor offenses aside, I know nothing about real crime.
Both my parents work for Prison Fellowship, which is an organization that tries to spread the message of God throughout prisons, because of this, my childhood house always had a couple more places set at our dinner table for an ex-convict or two. They sit and talk with us about how hard it is to get over drugs, or how much the miss the rush of their old life. In one particular instance, during one of his many visits to our house, I asked one in particular if I could hear his story of how he made it into the big time of crime. He agreed.
DHN: Let's see, the first memory of Ma was Ma holding a- grabbing my hair and holding a knife to my throat at about four. Telling me she was going to cut my head off. Thinking that's normal. Um, she used to throw knives at me. I was the best dodgeball player on earth. Hehehehe. (pause) Than I moved onto getting kicked out of school in grade kindergarden, because I wasn't paying attention in class, the teacher asked me what her name was, and she asked me again, and I told her her name was Miss Fuckface, and I was asked to leave the school.
J.D.: You serious in kindergarten? You said Miss Fuckface?
DHN: Miss Fuckface. Ya.
J.D.: Miss Fuckface. Not Mrs? She didn't have a Mr. Fuckface at home?
DHN: No. Well, I don't know. That was my name for her. (pause) I think I started
stealing in grade 2. It started as a joke, going in to see if I could steal a bag of Caramilk bars.
J.D.: Ya?
DHN: Ya, a bag of Caramilk bars. I scooped it, got away with it, and I was like "Cool" cause I was all nervous eh. When I got away with it, it was a rush. So I got hooked on the rush. And, as I grew older the more- the larger the thing I stole, the more value that was on the object, or whatever, the bigger the rush. So I started breaking into safes.
J.D.: You still with your mom at this point?
DHN: No. I moved outta the house at 15 cause I couldn't handle it. I was getting drunk everyday at 12 or 13 just to go home to deal with the bullshit.
J.D.: Must have been pretty heavy.
DHN: Ya. I would come home from school, "What's for supper ma?". "Whatever the fuck your cooking yourself". Hehehehe
J.D.: Holy.
DHN: So, that was the life and times of me when I was a kid. J.D.: Where is your dad in this?
DHN: Either at work or sitting on the couch watching TV. J.D.: He never tried to intervene?
DHN: No. I got whipped with electrical chords. Cigarettes put out in my face. Knifes thrown at me, various objects. Cans of soup, like full cans of soup.
J.D.: That was the both of them? DHN: Just my mom.
J.D.: Just your mom? Your dad was just passi- DHN: He docilely sat there till I flipped out. J.D.: He's kind of an asshole.
DHN: That sorta ended at 13, that's when I was too big. She pulled a knife, threatened to stab me. I took the knife from her, threw it into the wall. Picked her up, carried her to her room. Threw her on her bed and said, "Don't ever pull a knife on me again or I'll stick it in you."
J.D.: Ya, no shit.
DHN: And that ended that ordeal, but I got a licking when my dad came home . . . a good licking. (impersonating his father) "Take it like a man son!" "Screw you" (makes sound of fast wind) Hehehehehe. Catch me if you can't. Hehehehehe. (pause) Than when I hit 15 the reason I moved out cause I was, uh, I screwed my knee up. I was working.
J.D.: Where were you working?
DHN: I was a short order cook at the Happy Wanderer restaurant in Niagara Falls.
J.D.: Happy Wanderer.
DHN: German food. And uh, I blew out my knee. I was smoking pot. My mom ratted me out to the doctor that I was doing drugs. So the doctor refused to give me pain killers for the knee.
J.D.: Cause of pot?
DHN: Cause of pot. My knee was like a football. So, I knew some people in Niagara Falls New York that were doing angel dust. So I did a rail of that and I was doing cartwheels. I couldn't feel shit right, it was all good. When I came home one night after doing my stint of dust my dad was waiting up and said, "Where the fuck were you?", "Well I was out partying. What do you think". Well, than he punched me. Can't remember where, but it didn't hurt and I laughed. He took that the wrong way and started punching me in the face. So I came off with - I don't know what you call it, that shot - up and down? (demonstrates)
J.D.: A Haymaker.
DHN: And I caught him right in the horn and broke his nose right. And then I went
"Oh fuck", cause he was 3 times the size of me. I was just 15. I was a kid. So I booked it, and never went home after that right. Hehehehe. (pause) Moved in with my cousin for a while, that was a party, 27 years old. I was going to strip bars at 15 and shit.
J.D.: Oh, your cousin was 27? DHN: He was 27. I was 15.
J.D.: Must have been an old looking 15 year old.
DHN: I had to shave. J.D.: Really?
DHN: Yep. So, I was going to strip bars and all that. By the time I hit 19 strip bars were boring. Seen 'em all. I didn't even reach legal age to go out.
J.D.: You were saying, "fuck tits I've seen 'em all",
DHN: Ya they're all the same, their all pink in the middle. Hehehehehe. Somehow, when I was living on my own, I was still staying in school. I managed to stay in school.
J.D.: On your own accord?
DHN: Yep. And I was robbing motel offices, like um, without them knowing it, at 15. So I was stealing all their money and they didn't even know I was stealing it. I never got caught. I had a trick I used to do. It took them a long time It took them like 5 years to catch me. So I kept myself alive that way for 5 years. I earned more money than my father at 15. I took home more money than he did.
J.D.: What did your dad do?
DHN: He worked for the city. So he was making good money. But I made better money. Hehehehe. I was selling dope and all that stuff right.
J.D.: It's a hard job selling dope because a lot of people seem to be doing it. DHN: Well in high school it was easy. I was rolling. I had 3 or 4 girls that I used to sit with on the bus on my way to school. They would keep an eye out while I was rolling doobies on the way to school to sell.
J.D.: So you were a ladies man even then?
DHN: Ya, and I would be like, "Here girls, here's your doobie for keeping six", and give each a joint. Than I would get really good pot, and I would end up skipping school and going - I was going to a catholic school in grade 9 - so I would skip school and go to the canal bank with some girl. Instead of going to school I said, "fuck school".
J.D.: And go out necking, why not.
DHN: So we would go to the canal band and party. Drink beer and smoking. It was all good.
J.D.: Doesn't sounds so bad.
DHN: I was doing bumps. I was doing acid. I had a list of drugs I wanted to try at 15.
J.D.: You did the acid.
DHN: I was doing acid at 14. J.D.: That's intense.
DHN: Dust, speed, And all this other shit right. Robbing hotel rooms. J.D.: Robbing hotel rooms?
DHN: Well not the rooms but the offices. And they never caught me. I got one and uh, I was 15 I ripped off about 25 hundred dollars cash. This was in 1980. So now it would be like, huge right. When I 18 I ripped off a place for 10 thousand cash. That turned into a 2 week party extravaganza in Toronto. That was a lot of fun. I started at the Royal York; got kicked out of the Royal York. Went to the Harvard Castle; got kicked out of the Harvard Castle. Went to the Sheraton; got kicked out of the Sheraton.
J.D.: Holy shit you must have been- you were a rupple rouser.
DHN: Ya I even puked in the elevator and everything right. We had one bar we used to go to first thing in the morning, I had a wicked hangover. It was called the Mug. I would go in there, and the girl knew me so well she would grab me a giant- it was called a mug cause it was a giant mug of beer size of a pitcher, and three shots of Gran Marnier. That was breakfast. Either that or a half a 40 of jack daniels. Hehehehe.
J.D.: You know Jack Daniel's well enough to call him Jimmy.
DHN: Ya, so that was that one. I was seeing a girl and my liquor there ended that.
J.D.: What girl were you seeing?
DHN: I was going with her for 3 years. I started when I was 16, she was 19. So she taught me lots. The 3 year difference was big back when you're 16 and she's 19, that's huge right.
J.D.: I've had something like that.
DHN: Ya they teach you all kinds a neat tricks, so you can try it out on the new girls. Ya I learned lots. I learned how to handle a thing or two at a young age. When I was younger I would go with older girls, and now that I'm older I go with younger girls. About 10-12 years younger than I am. Just so they can keep up. Hehehehehe. J.D.: You're a dog.
DHN: Ya, I never did anytime till I was 21 years old. I managed to duck and dive the legal system till I was 21. At 21 I got my first sentence of 7 months. Cakewalk.
J.D.: What did you do for the 7 months?
DHN: I had 13 charges. I got silly. I got too drunk, and I did 15 B&E's in one night. I got caught on the last one. They couldn't prove all the other ones, but they knew it was me right. So I ended up getting 7 months on one B&E or some shit like that, can't remember. So I did that, got out, started hanging out with the crazy fuckers I met in jail. I remember stealing, when I was 14 or 15 we stole 3 cars, and we went into a field and played smash up derbie with stolen cars. It was fucking fun. When the cops show up we all bail and run. We all get away. It was fun man. Especially when the cops show up, "The cops are here. Run away!" We all looked like the coyote and the roadrunner. You just saw this blur. Shoo. Gone. Big blurs running down the road. (pause) When we used to smuggle booze from the States to Canada, we would go to the States and get booze for - a 60 pounder for 13 bucks. In Canada it was 50 bucks or some shit, something crazy. So we would go over there and buy the booze. Over by the Rainbow Bridge there's land that goes underneath a road, before you get to the sights. We would have a guy there with a jacket catching the bottles. We dropped it, doop, so we did the same with drugs. Big duffle bag, big bags of dope, and throw it over the side. Dope from the States, we would drop it over the side and then sell it. We got away with it too for a long time. They finally they caught a guy, not us, but they caught someone doing it. He went down for it. So we can't do that no more. It was fun while it lasted.
J.D.: How did you guys figure out who was doing what, that one guy got caught for doing that? Did the word spread?
DHN: I think the word spread on the bottle thing, cause we kind of let people know, but we didn't tell anyone about the dope right. So I think the word spread on that. I know people started doing other shit and one guy got pinched, I don't know what he got pinched for, if it was dope or - not sure, but he got pinched dumping something over the side and another guy catching it. So now they got camera surveillance all over that. So can't do it no more. Back then you could get away with it. You could cross the train bridge into the States, drop onto the train and take the train across.
J.D.: Seems like you guys had a tight community.
DHN: Ya, it was easy. I had buddies in the States. I seen a guy get shot right in the face when I was 15 with a 12 gauge.
J.D.: Why?
DHN: We were sitting there partying on the porch. Me and another guy - I don't know there were 4 our 5 of us, mostly Americans. I got in with them I brought in a case of Blue, Labatt, cause they were drinking that frigin' pony piss. American beer eh. I was like, "This ain't fucking beer. I've drank 20 beers and I'm still walking. Nay." So I thought I'll take care of this. So I go in there with a 2/4 of Blue, "Hey check this out". My buddy drank 3 beer and was catching a buzz and was like, "Holy fuck that was good beer" and I was like "Ya that's real beer buddy. You got good beer". It was cool man.
J.D.: Ya, so why did your buddy get shot?
DHN: Oh! The guy next door, wasn't our friend it was just a neighbor. All's I hear is "Don't shoot me baby", this black guy right, and we hear this gunshot. Bang! And everyone runs, it's fucked up over there, everyone runs outside with a weapon: Nunchuks, fuckin' machetes, guns, whatever right, to see what's going on. In the States it's weird. We all go out, we're watching, and this guy comes barreling onto the floor, and he's yelling at her again, "Don't shoot me baby!" He falls and she walks out and shoots in the face with a 12 gauge. She winged him, he fell, than she shot him in the face. She stood over his body with a smoking gun till the cops showed up. Hehehehe. Than the cops show up, everybody's got weapons behind their back hidden away from the scene, they ditch the weapons and then come back out without the weapons. It took them a half hour to get there for this. Half hour for the cops to get there after someone got shot in the face with a 12 gauge.
J.D.: Where was this?
DHN: Niagara Falls New York. I used to go over there drinking all the time. They had a drink and drown and a late show. Girls paid 4 bucks or 4.50. Guys paid 6 or 6.50. Canadian money accepted at par. They stamp your hand, give you an empty glass and it's bottomless. How can you go wrong? Hehehehehe. One night I drop two hits of acid, go in, and I'm fuckin' just pounding them right. Then I went to another drink and drown party, and I was drinking large there, and I couldn't find the bridge. I could only see 10 feet cause I was so hammered. So my buddy had to escort me to the bridge, like onto the bridge. I'm looking and I'm like, "Where's the bridge?" He said, "just go straight". I look up and I see the girders and go, "Oh, right on dude!" Hehehe. I get to the other side and the customs guy is like, "Citizenship?" - "Fucking Canadian Eh!" He goes, "Keep going".
J.D.: That was at 15 or 16? DHN: About 15 ya.
J.D.: Was it 17 you got the 7 month sentence?
DHN: No at 21. Took me until 21 till I got put in jail. I got probation when I was 17 for 18 months. I made it through that.
J.D.: Where was your first time?
DHN: Fort Detention Center. The next time I got pinched I got, I think I got 10 months or something. Than I ended up getting shipped to - oh no I didn't get shipped. Than I went to Burtch Correctional Centre.
J.D.: For stealing?
DHN: Ya. B&E's, thefts, little bit of violence, assault, reference charges, shit like that. Nothing major. They caught me for the bullshit, I got away with all the good stuff. Hehehehe. They caught me for the partying afterwards. So I finished going all that crap, I moved to London. I tried to go on the straight and narrow in about '89.
J.D.: Why?
DHN: I got tired of doing time. I did 2 1/2 years out of 3 in jail and I said, "fuck this, it's a losing battle. Let's try something else." So I picked up my high school diploma while I was in the joint, in Burtch Correctional Centre. I applied to Humber College, Fanshawe College, and George Brown College. Got accepted at all three. Chose Fanshaw cause the cost of living is cheaper in London than it is in Toronto, by far. So I moved to London and completed a 2 year course as a technician, and I graduated. Worked in the services as a service technician. For 2 years, maybe 2 1/2 years. I got really hammered, at my grad, and I blacked out, did a B&E, got pinched.
J.D.: You blacked out than did a B&E?
DHN: Ya I don't remember doing it. I woke up in a cell. I came to in a cruiser for a second, than when I came to in the cell I asked myself 'what the fuck did I do?'
J.D.: Must be freaky to know that the very base of you can do that.
DHN: I felt it. I felt it coming. I was trying to bail out of the party. No phone. So I said, "Where's the nearest phone", and I was heading towards the phone. The next thing I knew I was in a prison cell.
J.D.: That's kind of creepy. To know that if you black out you'll do a B&E. When I black out and I pass out.
DHN: I've never passed out or puked. I never got sick or nothing, I would just go out and do something stupid. Punch someone out or stab them, whatever, anything: Shoot somebody. Stab somebody. Rob somebody. Anything. So I got scared when I felt it coming I tried to go home.
J.D.: What stopped you?
DHN: No phone. I was trying to call a cab. Hehehehehe.
J.D.: (impersonation) Damn you why don't we have cellphones yet.
DHN: So I ended up getting a - I had a buddy of mine in London who owned a tow truck company who wrote me a job letter. Than I had another buddy that was doing designated driving, free limo service for drunk drivers, he told me I was doing that for him so I had a job as leverage, submit it into the courts. I beat the system and got out of jail in 2 weeks on a 9 month sentence. I was out 2 weeks later in a halfway house, and of course you get parole. Than I fucked the parole up, yadda yadda, and was in jail some more.
J.D.: How did you fuck up the parole? Old habits? B&E's, drugs.
DHN: Ya. And then when I went in I got shipped. Oh ya, I had charges in Niagra Falls. I punched a guy out in a bar. Broke three ribs. Broke his cheekbone. Broke his jaw. Broke his nose. Fucked him right up. Ya, and, I got charged for that right. Assult, common battery right.
J.D.: I guess you were a scrapper for a while.
DHN: Ya. So I go back there, they ship me from London bucket end up in the
Toronto East on a long weekend. So I got stuck there for 2 weeks red bagged. So I can't get access. I've got three cartons of smokes and a bunch of canteen money and it's locked up in a bag, and I'm transfered. I'm getting pissed eh. And the East is fucked up back then, it's about '90 . . . '91 I think?
J.D.: How old are ya then?
DHN: Uhh . . . I don't know (whispered numbers) 27? Something in there. Late
20s right.
J.D.: Wanna take a smoke break?
DHN: Ya okay . . . This is funny. You're going to laugh at this one. J.D.: I think so
CUT (Smoke Break)
DHN: Okay where was I? J.D.: Toronto East.
DHN: I'm in Toronto East I'm red bagged, bla bla bla tripping on a couple of wounds. Wanting to get home, back to Niagara. I try to get a phone so I can get money, cause I'm stuck there 2 weeks so I can buy a canteen cause I'm redbagged and I can't get money. Three days go by, during which time an illiterate Jamaican fella had me help him write a letter to his buddy in the pen. So I asked him what he wanted to say in the letter, and then we became friends. Than the Jamaicans were hogging the phones, I was waiting three days. Finally someone hung up the phone, actually put it on the cradle. I grabbed it, made a call to my old lady tell her, "Listen, bring me money to the Toronto East right fucking now cause I need cigarettes now." So while that's happening,
I'm yaking to her and all of a sudden this guy comes up, "Yo man that's my phone man". So I whisper to the old lady, "Hang on, I gotta take care of something." So I go, "here buddy here's your phone man, sorry about that dude." He got close enough I clocked him in the chicklets, took his teeth out, threw him on the ground, wrapped the chord around his neck, gave him three shots in the face, kicked him in the ass and said, "Yo, it's mine now fuck you." Hehehehe. With marks from the chord on his neck hey. Hehehehehehe. This goes down right, so I get back on the phone with the old lady. Hey ya, I took care of that fuckhead, he's done. In about 10 seconds it was finished right. Than I look over and then I see 5 of them conjugated with pencils. So I go, "Oh baby, this don't look good. I think I'm going to be Shish Kabobed." Hehehehehe. You know?
So fuckin' ah, now it's fuckin' fuck it right, and I go, "Hang on if I don't come back I'm Shish Kabobed, in the hospital or dead." So I drop the phone. Than I fuckin' stepped up and go, "Okay come on motherfuckers lets rock, I ain't taking your shit no more." Well the Jamaican guy I helped just finished doing a bit in Collins Bay, which is a rough pen back home. Gladiator school was the nickname of it.
J.D.: What?
DHN: People are shanking each other with swords and shit, homemade swords. J.D.: Gladiator School.
DHN: Ya Gladiator School, that's what they called it right. So he comes up beside
me and then my roommate, this french guy, R--- R----, I still remember his name. And he goes, "Ah, kill the nigger. I get them. I kill them all." He's just howling. So now there's 3 on 5, well the odds weren't good for them now so they back off. So I'm saved. I'm like, "fucking cool." Then one of the guy comes up and hands me a smoke. Then I'm like, "Well fuck me, if all I had to do was punch one of you fucks in for a cigarette I would
have done it 3 days ago." Hehehehehehe. (pause) So I finally get shipped to Niagara. I get there and I get hooked into the kitchen. I bump into this dude, something of a crime family in Toronto. We start negotiating and talking, I think he's full of shit I don't know for sure. So I get out, and low and behold he shows up at my house. He's got a stack of
50s on him. He hands me a 50 dollar bill, and I go, "Cool man, I'll go buy a couple more boxes of beer and party it up, I got steaks on the barbie." He takes it back and burn it. I go, "What are you doing? That's good money buddy". He goes, "Ain't real, it's counterfeit. Here's 8 grand this is what I want for it." So I take the 8 grand, flip it, make money off of that. I take a key (kilo) of hash, flip it, make money off of that. I take a quarter pound of coke, flip that, make money off of that. All in one shot. And a quarter pound of oil. One road trip I made about 8 thousand dollars cash in about 4 1/2 hours.
J.D.: That's incredible
DHN: Ya, in the pocket. All of it was on the cuff. I didn't pay for shit. They hand me a bunch of shit. They hand me a .32 browning, A clip, and another clip full and said, "Away you go. If anyone gives you trouble shoot them." I go, "okay". Hehehehehe.
J.D.: What's going through your head at this time?
DHN: Cool. Hehehehehe. I go, "Right on I hit the big time on crime." So I made- in 2 1/2 months I earned 60 thousand cash. Real money. Plus - that was put away - all the expenses were paid for. Plus this. Plus that. Like, go to a bar - we went to Rasputin's in Toronto, Russian owned bar, sit down and "Hey boy how are you, bring vodka." We sit down drink and drink, we're playing cards, and we got girls under the table giving us head while we're playing cards. Hehehehehehehe.
J.D.: Holy shit.
DHN: "Which girl you want, take home." Hehehehe, I wanna take that one. Ya so fringe benefits right, shit like that. Throwing shit at you. They go, "here here here", everything was free. I could have made a phone call and had your house blown up. It was that cool right. I felt like Al - like Scarface or some shit. Al Capone.
J.D.: Probably dressed to the 9's.
DHN: Oh ya: suit, 3 1/4 inch trench coat, another trench, briefcase, short hair cut, tie. I looked like a business man. I was, but it was the wrong kind of business. Hehehehehe. Meanwhile the cops are taking pictures of everything. At the end of this they did a background checks on my grandparents, my parents, my sister, what kind of money they spent at the store. (impersonating cop) "What they spend a 50? Give it." And then they'd check it to see if it was real or not. All this shit going down.
J.D.: Why your grandparents?
DHN: Well they were looking for Mafia ties back home. Italy right. Cause my grandparents are from Italy. They thought I had ties to Italy, and the mafia, cause I was involved in this. Cause I got pinched in- um, that bank robber guy I was telling you about earlier?
J.D.: Ya.
DHN: I don't wanna mention a name but anyway. Well, that guy was hooked into our crew. There was 11 of us. And we were charged with conspiracy to possess counterfeit currency. And I go, "What you make that fucking up?" Planning to possess? I think you just made it up. J.D.: It sounds made up
DHN: They did make it up. I ended up getting a 4 in 1 sentence of all of this. And it took them 3 years to go to court. And it was a black cloud over me for fucking 3 years. I was under surveillance. 52 cops were on our case for 2 or 3 years. They had a task force on us, especially for the drugs. Late 20s.
J.D.: Late 20s.
DHN: Yep. This was in the '90s, this was like '91, '92, '93. J.D.: Were you still doing business?
DHN: Oh ya. I was under surveillance. I would go in the front door, jump out the back window. I had a car in another girls name, not my old lady, but another girl. I was always seeing like 3 of them. So I had my old lady and I had my 2 girlfriends. So I had it in her name, parked it in a church parking lot. So I would: go in the front door, jump out the back window, jump over the fence, jump in the other car, do my business real quick, jump back into the window, cook the kid's breakfast. Then when I read my disclosure it says, 'target bla bla bla, seen entering the house at this time. Target bla bla bla, seen leaving home at this time'. Meanwhile there's this big 12 hour gap. I'm like, "Ya!" It was fun, just fucking with them was fun.
J.D.: So that's how you got into the big time? DHN: Ya, that's how I got into that stuff.
J.D.: Just some guy?
DHN: Ya, just bumped into him. Well, we knew the same people. Just cause - well we knew the same people. Than we clicked and we got into stealing 60 foot trailers full of shit - electronics - those transport semi-rigs full, steal them, and we would sell them off- we would have them sold before we took them.
J.D.: How would you steal them?
DHN: We would steal the rig, or you go to a truck-stop and wait till they go into eat, jack it, hotwire the fucker and drive away. Hehehehe. They caught me with a GPS with the last one I did. Did 18 months in Remand. I beat it on the charges. Hehehehehe. J.D.: Ya you got the . . . like you were saying.
DHN: Gotta learn how to fuck with the system, early. Learn how to manipulate it so I got minimal time. Do a crime so I got minimal time, and I always got minimal time.
Health (Photo credit: 401K)
As you already know cancer kills. It kills the young and the old, men and women, friends and enemies; it can kill anyone. The fight against cancer is one that has been as lengthy as it has been expensive. That is why charities that raise money for cancer research are necessary to the fight. One of these charities is the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC), a Canadian charity, whose goal is to cure cancers of the blood. The LLSC has raised millions of dollars since its creation in 1956, and relies heavily on volunteers to help them raise the funds needed to find a cure. One of the more recent ways that volunteers have begun raising funds is through LLSC's Team in Training. Team in Training is a group of athletes who train together to run marathons. The marathons are used as a way to raise money for the research. In 2012 Team in Training has joined with Montreal's The Beat 92.5 radio station to create a team of dedicated volunteers to train for a marathon to be held this June in Alaska.
Most people who give up hours of their time to volunteer for cancer research do so because they have experienced the effects of cancer first hand, not Teresa. For the second year in a row she is donating hours from her busy schedule, as a mother of two young children and full time employee at a bank, to raise money for a cancer that has not directly affected her. Last summer she participated in a 60km walk and raised$3450 for the weekend to end breast cancer. The walk was so intense that six months later she still has scars on her toes. So when I asked her why she's putting herself through another intense weekend to raise money for something that hasn't affected her. Her answer was simple, "because a few scars on my toes is nothing compared to what cancer patients and their families go through". And so for the second time she has volunteered herself to raise money for cancer research.
Teresa says her inspiration for this year's chosen charity comes from her two young children. She explained "Leukemia is a cancer that often strikes children and being the mom of two young kids makes leukemia important to me". And so with her children in mind, she has embarked on the feat of raising $6000 for the LLSC by the weekend of June 23rd-24th of this year. Along with the feat of raising $6000 in less than six months, she is also expected to meet with her Team and Training group twice a week to train for a marathon to take place in Alaska the same weekend. Together they will raise a minimum of 48000 for the LLSC.
What Teresa is doing is simply amazing. My family has had the unfortunate business of losing someone to a blood disorder. In May of 2009 my uncle lost a long and painful battle to an extremely rare blood disorder. Knowing that there's a person out there raising money to help research blood cancers like the one that killed my uncle is amazing. Teresa never knew my uncle, yet she is giving up hours of her time to help people just like him, for that I thank her. For my uncle it is too late, but with Teresa's help other families will get more fortunate outcomes than the one my family got.
You will need:
* An able and willing partner
* Hair Dye
* Vaseline (Optional)
* A loose t-shirt that you aren't too fond of
* Junk towels
* Newspaper or some kind of drop cloth
* Disposable gloves
* Dying Brush / Comb (optional)
* Aluminum foil (optional)
* Bleach powder and liquid (optional)
Set Up:
It hleps if the area is clean but you're gonna want to spread your newspaper on the ground and then place the chair you'll be sitting on top of that. Make sure that you cover a 5'x5' area for good measure. Get all of your supplies ready. The worst thing is running around for stuff while in the middle of your dying project.
First things First: The Dye.
Before the set up and before you get the rest of the supplies, you need to choose your hair dye. The type of dye you use is essential. Do not use Manic Panic. I have never met anyone who has had good results w/ MP. It is too liquidy and most people complain that it completely fades in only two or three washes. What you need is a cream dye. I usually use Punky Colour by Jerome Russel, but there are plenty of other good brands out there.
Now the second thing: The Bleach.
I know for a lot of people, that is a scry word, but it's gotta be done. The fect of the mater is; unless you have naturally blonde hair, you won't get vibrant colours w/out bleaching your hair first. If you do it properly, it's not that damaging.
You'll need:
* Bleach Powder
* Bleach Liquid
* Disposable Gloves
* Dying Brush / Comb (optional)
You can find these things in the same aisle with the all the hair dye at any pharmacy. It doesn't really mater what brand you; they all work the same.
When you mix the powder together you want about 2 parts powder to 3 parts liquid. (If you're bleaching your whole head you'll need at least 1 full packet of powder. Otherwise, if you're just doing your roots, half a packet of powder should do you.)
You're going to want to wear gloves. It's easier and safer for your skin that way. Now glop that mixture into your hair and rub it in. You really want to get that bitch in there 'cause the darker your hair is, the more obvious it is when you miss a spot. Take your time to really make sure you get every last strand of hair. (If your hair is long, take a clip and twist is up when you are done applying bleach)
Now for the tricky part: Waiting.
It's hard to say how long to leave the bleach in. Every person's hair is different. It depends on how dark your hair is or whether you've dyed your hair a bunch of times before. So you really gotta watch your hair. You will start to see results within five minutes but it takes longer than that for all of your hair to go a nice shade of platinum. (Don't leave it on too long, specially if you have sensitive skin. Bleach can burn the skin!)
Once you are satisfied, it's time to wash it out. The is probably the most annoying part. You're hair will be more tangly than usual and the bleach will be hard to scrub out. You may have to spend a while shampooing. (Warning: Do not scrub your scalp too hard, the skin will be raw/irritated from the bleach.) The most important step is conditioning; use lots of conditioner, leave it in as long as possible, and don't rinse it out completely.
Now the fun part: Colour Application.
Once your hair is sufficiently light enough, it's time to get down to the good stuff.
If you are only putting one colour in your hair, you apply it the same way you applied the bleach.
If your are like me and are putting more than one colour in your hair, it gets a little more complicated:
Before you put your gloves on, separate the different sections of your hair. I have found that it is easiest to braid the sections of hair you will not be starting with but you can also clip it back.
Once you have decided which colours are going where, it's time to whip that dye out. Rub some Vaseline along your hairline on your forehead, neck, and on your ears. This will keep any dye from staining your skin. You're going to rub the dye in as thoroughly as possible, taking care not to miss any spots. (You can use a dye brush or a comb to apply the dye, if you prefer.)
When the dye is rubbed in, it's time to finish with that colour. Carefully twist that section of hair into a small bun and then wrap it tightly with the aluminum foil. Wash your gloves and then repeat until you have dyed each section.
If you're only dying a small chunk of hair the steps are similar only you need to be more careful about not getting dye everywhere.
Now that the dye is in your hair, you need to let it set. The longer the dye is in your hair, the darker and more vibrant it will be. For the best results, I recommend leaving it in for at least and hour. (I leave it in for longer.)
The grand finale: Washing it out!
I know you're probably thinking, "but I know how to wash may hair". Never the less, here are some tips:
- If you've left the dye in long enough, you don't have to worry about bleeding between colours.
- If you don't want to stain your pillowcase or towels, I recommend shampooing your hair twice.
- Use lots of conditioner and leave it in as long a possible (at least five minutes).
Some tips for preventing premature fading:
If you've followed this guide, the colour should last at least a month before it goes pastel but here are some tricks to keep your hair bright for as long a possible:
- Use colour-stay shampoo and conditioner.
- Don't wash your hair as often. (Really your shouldn't be washing your hair more than a couple times a week. Your hair needs a bit of natural grease to keep it healthy, especially after the shock treatment you've just given it.)
- If you keep dying your hair the same way, over time, you won't need to dye it as often.
Image source Flickr.
In fact, because Jerome Russel has a whole line of professional hair products, Punky Color can be found in salons around the city as well as being sold for use at home. In the five years that I have been using Punky Color, my hair has always turned out positively vibrant - no matter what colour I used. It is very easy to use, the dye has the consistency of finger paint, making it less likely to drip everywhere and much easier to work into your hair, which makes it easier to tell if you've used enough or missed any spots. It also smells like Koold Aid so you won't be overwhelmed by strong chemical smells and unlike box dyes, you don't have to mix anything together. The added bonus is that the dye has a much, much longer shelf life after it has been opened and used.
The nice thing about Punky Color is that it is a semi-permanent dye, which means you only have to re-apply once every month or a half or so. Assuming you're using some kind of colour-stay shampoo, the colour should stay pretty bright for that time. But if you're like me, and don't always get around to doing things as often as you should, Punky Color has the tendency to fade into these beautiful pastels. In terms of how far one bottle will go, depending of how much hair you are dying, usually there will be enough left to re-apply the next time. Best of all is the price - at $10 a bottle, you won't break the bank.
Ask your stylist is this product is available at your salon. Otherwise, Punky Color is available at Rio-X2O Montreal 3456 rue Saint-Denis Montreal, QC H2X 3L3
(514) 281-0986.
Cover of Whitney Houston
The following is an interview with Peter McQueen, City Councillor for NDG, who was halfway through his term at the time of this interview in October. He will be up for re-election in 2013.
Peter McQueen: Project Montreal wants to reclaim the street life of Montrealers by reclaiming its transport mode.
I do drive a car, I own a car, so I don't want this to sound anti-car, but we can have a better, safer, greener, more culturally and economically vibrant city by making sure people get around safely and conveniently by bicycle, by foot, and through the public transit system. The main idea is to make it safe for people to enjoy their neighbourhoods, and to get services there so they don't have to go far or to so many places to get them. A perfect example would be daycares.
In our opinion, the Quebec government totally dropped the ball as it introduced daycares over the last 20 years in terms of waiting lists, calling one place or another so many times, and then finally, maybe you're in. And then having to shuffle the kids halfway across town back and forth... it's ridiculous. I mean, they should have associated daycares with every single primary school, or several for each primary school, right in the neighborhood. These daycares should have served in those neighborhoods.
Montrealites: As a father I have to agree. We were on waiting lists for over two years, and it took a lot of wrangling to find a daycare for my youngest son. Admittedly, I did find one within a four minute walk from home. In that way I'm one of the lucky ones.
Peter McQueen: One of the very rare and lucky ones. What we're trying to do is encourage people to take their kids to daycare on foot, or on the back of their bicycles as much as possible. I mean, occasionally I take my own kid in a car, like on a rainy day or if it's way too cold. But even when you need to do that, it's better if the daycare is just a few blocks away, but sometimes it's halfway across town.
Montrealites: There must be a massive carbon-footprint for daycare travel?
Peter McQueen: Yes! And for what? It's an issue that can be resolved with a bit of planning.
Montrealites: So other than the environmental and safety issues surrounding transportation, what are some main goals?
Peter McQueen: So yes, transportation is a main thing, but it's completely related to where our conversation is going today in terms of cultural facilities.
Why should people always have to travel to the Plateau or downtown for cultural facilities or events? We feel that there is enough of a need here. The people of NDG and the boroughs have a lot of talent. They're interested in performances and so forth. We think the Empress should reopen as a cultural facility for people in NDG, Westmount, Cote-St-Luc and the wider West-end. Hampstead and St. Henri could come to view performances here, Anglos and Francos alike.
Montrealites: This might seem a little left field, but who do you respect most from all the opposing parties, and why?
Peter McQueen: Oh....respect most? I have an easy answer to that. One of my opponents here in NDG is David Hanna who ran for the Division Party. He's a professor at UQAM. He's a very intelligent, personable individual. We agree on most everything and we're good friends. Well, I haven't known the guy for 20 years, it's not like that, but before the election I knew him some, and after the election I furthered that relationship because he's a professor of urbanism, urban planning, so I want to get his point of view. I have complete respect for Professor Hanna, and he has respect for me.
Montrealites: Speaking to people in the area, I got the impression that your popularity here is inspired by the job you're doing. How has holding office been so far?
Peter McQueen: It's been a learning experience; I've learned a heck of a lot and the learning is continuing with one goal in mind: I, We, haven't been able to put our platform into effect just yet, either citywide or in eastern NDG, and believe me, I am eager to. We have to take the power in order to implement our vision of the city.
Montrealites: What presents the main obstacle to your vision?
Peter McQueen: Umm...heh... (mayor) Michael Applebaum. You see, I'm a lone opposition Councillor, but they are a machine - a well-organized machine that's entrenched; it's been there for a long time, so I think that they still believe perhaps that my victory was a fluke, like a one-time shot that they somehow missed, like they didn't see me coming or something. We'll see in 2013 if the people of NDG think that, or if they think it's time for change.
Montrealites: Time to talk about our lady Empress. For the people who aren't familiar with her history: What is the Empress, and as of right now, where does she stand?
Peter McQueen: OK, the Empress was a cinema built in NDG facing Girourd Park, right on the corner of Sherbrooke and Old Orchard. It was built in 1927 in art-deco style specifically with an Egyptian motif. To put this in perspective, it was one of the larger cinemas with more than 1000 seats, and it also had Vaudeville theater performances.
In its heyday during the 1930's and '40's, a thousand people a night from across NDG and the West-end would take streetcars to come see performances here. Can you imagine what it was like in that time? I mean, this is before TV or computers or Facebook; people were more social, more invested in the social life of going out and coming together for different kinds of performances. It was a much more prevalent part of the community back then. (...) And the Empress was the largest of a number of cinemas, it wasn't the only one. There was also the Monkland, the Kent, the Clairemont, the Snowdon - these places were full on a regular basis.
Montrealites: What's going on with the Empress now?
Peter McQueen: What's still great is the exterior, and the location. The problem is the interior. The first tragedy of the Empress starts in 1967 or '68 when a decision was made to break it into two theaters, and corrupt the Egyptian motifs inside. A solid concrete slab was put into place that would be very hard to demolish and remove. Also most of the Egyptian stuff is covered up by gyprock, boring colors, plain international modern style. So right away, it loses a bit of its historical appeal.
The second problem is that it slowly runs down in the 1980's and '90's due to lack of investments. Cinemas changed into 5, 12, and even 30plexes because that's the way to make money in the movie business. Other theaters in repertory cinemas had difficulty too. So the Empress closes in '93.
Finally, there's a small fire that does some damage. And then the owner at the time steals some of the Egyptian motifs, rips up some of the walls and moves them to New York apparently. There's some water damage, especially on the roof where the water gets in and causes more ongoing damage. We're not telling anyone anything new in saying that the inside is in pretty bad shape.
Montrealites: There is quite a severe mold problem. I considered renting space upstairs where the offices of Head and Hands used to be, but just one whiff turned me away. The damages were too extensive. It would take hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars and ostensibly years to restore it to any usable condition. Still...
Members of the community seem to feel very strongly about saving the Empress.
How would it be possible to get people to put their money where their mouths are?
What would be a viable strategy to propose to anyone willing to help preserve the Empress?
Peter McQueen: The existing board of the Empress Cultural Centre is a competent, trustworthy organization.
A viable strategy is exactly what they are currently following. We need a public/private partnership because the ground level retail has appeal to private investors. For example restaurant, bookstore, things like that on the ground level. This would then allow the upper floors to be used, the performance spaces especially. A number of NDG groups like Head and Hands and J2K for instance would hold cultural activities here instead of having to travel to the Plateau or elsewhere. Community and professional performances, as well as repertory cinemas could do well. So a mixture of all those things makes it clear that some private money is what's needed. As for as a community's involvement, I think everybody's just waiting for someone to get the ball rolling.
Montrealites: The community has tried drawing attention to the plight of the Empress for over twelve years, but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. So really now, for purely practical purposes, try playing Devil's Advocate: Imagine yourself to be a Real estate developer with the primary goal of making money with the property. What plan would you implement in taking over and developing the Empress?
Peter McQueen: Before addressing the Empress directly, I think we'd need to do something with the vacant lots near the Empress along Sherbrooke, and we have our eye on several of them from Decarie to Marcil. Then there are air-rights.
Montrealites: What are air-rights?
Peter McQueen: The borough should increase the density allowances, allow larger taller buildings, and in return get a Community Benefits Agreement from the developers to help finance the Empress. And it's a win win... If those higher densities and higher buildings were allowed, that would be like creating money (snaps his fingers) out of thin air. That money could then go into creating the arts and cultural center at the Empress, and that would make the street vibrant, bring more people, make it a more trendy, interesting district. This would benefit the developers when selling their condos. See, I'm not against condos. I'm just against condos on the Empress.
There's a vacant lot that is under construction now, right on the corner of Prud'homme and the expressway where the arts old gemst gallery had been.
I favoured the idea of building a tower there, a twenty-story tower. I'm not going to mince my words, I mean it's not like it would be out of place; there are already several twenty-story towers along Sherbrooke from here to Decarie Blvd. It's right against the expressway so it seems to me that the higher up people live, the better off they are being far above the traffic. I don't think this would be a bad thing, and if it could help get the Empress open it would be a great thing.
(...available in March...Click to read a more detailed account of City Councillor Peter McQueen's ideas for repairing and revitalizing the urban fabric of the CDN-NDG area.)
Montrealites: So basically, higher buildings would mean more people living in the area, which would help it thrive while creating higher demand for a large, historically relevant cultural community center in a convenient location?
Peter McQueen: Yes. Say, five towers, two hundred apartments each. That's a thousand apartments - two thousand, three thousand people minimum, right here, walking distance from Vendome metro. I mean the street life around here, which, don't get me wrong is already good, would be great. And if the Empress were open too, this would just be a rockin' neighborhood.
Montrealites: So what about the people who would use that theory as ammunition for gutting the interior of the Empress to build condominiums, or worse, tearing it down completely for the same purpose?
Peter McQueen: There are two things: the first is that we're trying to save the outside of the Empress. It has great deal of architectural value; it is a beautiful building.
And second, We want a cultural center in it. It would become the heart of NDG, as it once was. Also, there are already a number of lots where condos are being built, can be built, and I don't think there's any need to tear down the Empress to build condos at all.
Montrealites: What impact would losing the Empress, for whatever reason, have on the community?
Peter McQueen: A part of our history would be lost, and the dreams of a number of people here in NDG... let's just say they would be disappointed.
Montrealites: Are you at liberty to name some of the people who go to bat for the Empress?
Peter McQueen: Of course. People like Jason Hughes at the co-op has worked so hard on this; and Sharon Leslie, former City Councillor of Loyola has worked incredibly hard; David Hanna who I mentioned before has worked hard, and people close to him. That really is to name just a few...
Montrealites: ...and Peter McQueen, City Councillor for Notre-Dame-de-Grace...
Peter McQueen: Absolutely. Also, a good thing that's happened here is a great number of meetings where discussions of the history of NDG has taken place - even that is an excellent corollary of what is happening. It's almost like a little NDG historical society has formed.
Montrealites: It's obvious that you are knowledgeable about this topic, and have clearly given it a lot of thought both professionally and personally. On a personal note, what is your first and/or fondest memory of the Empress?
Peter McQueen: I grew up in NDG on Oxford just near NDG Avenue so the Empress was close. It was called cinema five then I went to see many movies there. Rocky Horror, Swept Away, and other films by Lina Wertmüller, it was my cinema education. It played a huge role in what I learned through the more daring movies I saw at that time. I can tell you a funny anecdote, probably my one of the first memories... A few buddies and I went to see a 3D movie there, we were really young, maybe fourteen, fifteen. Well, one of my friends, John, got sick, really sick - he had imbibed a bit too much before the movie, and he puked in the cinema while wearing the 3D glasses that were crooked on his face. Everybody at the time thought it was incredibly funny in the way he was ill and disoriented with those glasses.
A little bit later than that, I dated a young woman who was the cashier. I am probably 20 or 21 so I'm not just hanging with the buddies anymore...so I'd been there a lot and she was a cashier and that's how I met her, and asked her out. So that was a fond memory. It didn't last very long, but it was a nice experience.
Montrealites: Love in the Empress, at the Empress, and for the Empress. What could be done at a grass-roots level to support her?
Peter McQueen: As I said I have complete confidence in the current board. You can visit their website, there's a regular newsletter. And you could donate money there, you can donate your time; they are always looking for volunteers. They will put you on track as to which politicians to write. Clearly Mayor Applebaum is one of them so keep working it. You know...Mayor Applebaum has made somewhat encouraging moves...I'm not...put it this way, I really did not like Jeremy Searle's article in the Gazette about a month (before this interview), "Ohh, just sell it for condos..."
Montrealites: I remember that, but I remember your online reaction to it even more.
Peter McQueen: I prefer Mayor Applebaum's vision to Jeremy Searle's vision. It's just that Applebaum has lost confidence in the current board which I don't think is fair or productive, but he does now seem committed to opening it as a cultural facility and I respect that. So encourage Mayor Applebaum to continue on that track, but just, you know, encourage him to keep negotiating with or including the current board, even if he has other partners interested to help too, because I think the more partners the better.
Generally to make a cultural center work financially, you'd be using it 24/7, well maybe not 24/7, but as much as possible. Cultural activities every matinee and evening, all days on the weekends with children's groups, with adults, theater stuff, rep-cinema stuff. So yeah, the more people involved the better.
Montrealites: In your previous comment, you mentioned that we could make donations. What would you say to people worried about the allegations or rumours over gross mismanagement of funds? People I've interviewed seem wary to hand over cash fearing it would just to go to waste.
Peter McQueen: Oh yeah I can be clear on that - I cannot speak for right at the beginning when Sonya Biddle, who was the city councillor at the time, first started the project. I cannot speak for what happened then. Perhaps, but I don't know, maybe there was a problem then, I don't know. But I can assure you that the current group has been administering its funds wisely and parsimoniously. And the board before as well with Mr. Mccausland from the brewery, and a number of other people, also honest and hardworking people did their best I can assure you of that. I cannot assure you about what happened 10 to 15 years ago, but in the last five years it's all been good people working hard trying to get the Empress going.
Montrealites: So any donation$ would be put too good use?
Peter McQueen: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
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Hidden away beneath the shadow of its commercial, highly visible cousin, the world of underground dubstep is set to deliver an excellent year of releases. The third Deleted Scenes single from originators Distance and Pinch has finally dropped after three years of waiting, Goth-Trad's New Epoch LP is just weeks away and there are many rumored upcoming LPs from seminal artists such as Quest and V.I.V.E.K. I can think of no better way to herald what has the potential to be a monumental year than a brand new, totally unexpected, DMZ release. For their 22nd release, DMZ has chosen to put out a pair of Digital Mystikz (producers Mala and Coki) singles entitled "Marduk" and "Enter Dimensions."
The A side, Coki's "Marduk," comes as fairly typical fare. Over the years his releases have tended towards a restricted pallet of textures and moods, and this track is no different. Not that it isn't an excellent addition to anyone's library-it's sure to get dance floors going-but this is Coki, and if you know him, you know what to expect. The intro does an excellent job of building up a sense of tension and panic that gets released with the huge drop. The song shifts into his signature brand of heavy, choppy, sci-fi psychedelia that really digs into your brain, while the sound bed beneath that could fit right into the score of a horror film. Together, you end up with a truly demented sound.
To be perfectly honest, I've never really been the biggest fan of Coki, but seeing Mala at Igloofest this year and hearing him venture into the sonic realm that's synonymous with Coki productions on a loud system really opened me up to the possibilities there. It's aggressive, yes, and that can feel like it takes away from the deeper, meditative qualities that someone like Mala brings to the table, but when given enough space to breath, it becomes something else entirely. It takes on a heavily hypnotic quality that is equally capable of taking you into your own head as the best productions of his meditatively-inclined counterpart.
Speaking of, onto the B side. For me, Mala's "Enter Dimensions" is where this release really shines. It's little wonder that he's widely recognized as dubstep's most consistently strong and innovative producers. First off, the drop on this tune is huge; after a restrained opening, the bass just explodes out of the gate. I'm only listening to it in headphones and it's suffocating; I can only imagine the strength it hits with on a proper system. It comes in deep, rolls hard, and barely ever lets up throughout the whole song. There are moments where it'll cut out for a split second, but then comes right back. The silence serves as little more than a reminder of just how heavy this track is. The rest of the song remains pretty minimal, like a throw back to the early dubstep productions that DMZ really pioneered; I particularly like the ancient sounding sample that I feel should be from a kung fu movie.
For those who don't know, don't take my description here as fanciful rhetoric. There's a very good reason that proper dubstep tracks are described as "deep" or "heavy": this is physical music, and when you're hit by the first blast of bass - I mean really hit with it - you feel it down to your core; you'd barely think the human body was made to withstand this kind of pressure.
For anyone who considers themselves a fan of the deeper, foundational sounds of dubstep, this is an absolute must have. DMZ retains their throne as the top dog of dubstep record labels, and as long as they keep putting out stuff like this, I can't see that changing.
Map shows participation in Kyoto Protocol as of 2011. Image via Wikipedia Commons.
Review: A
Critique on Canada's Withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol
If Canada should be praised for its climate change efforts, it's definitely not something we can make out in the map above. Prior to 2011, Canada proudly boasted its green status in that map, but now it has shamefully drifted into brown zone, which is not a good thing if you consider Canada's size and what we usually associate the color brown with- it's kind of hard to miss, eh?
Well, when Minister of Environment Canada, Peter Kent, announced that we've officially withdrawn from the Kyoto Protocol last year, let's just say people weren't exactly too happy or too proud about the news. The Kyoto Protocol, joining 194 developed nations together in consent to negotiate on ways to reduce CO2 emissions into our planet's atmosphere, is a historic milestone. It is the first and only international agreement that obliges nations to respect target rates of green house gas emissions into the atmosphere. It's basically one of the most important commitments a developed nation could commit to in its fight against climate change, and Canada, the alleged "pro-green nation", was the first nation to ever withdraw from it after only six years of quasi-contribution. Why, oh Canada, why?
So if the Conservative government of Canada, alongside the Ministry of Environment, insist that the withdrawal was strictly financial, then we should trust them, right?
Not necessarily. Critics and environmentalists have a hard time believing Canada's motives, claiming the cost to staying in Kyoto is "absolutely" made up (NDP Environment critic Megan Leslie).In his letter to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Mike Hudema, a representative of Greenpeace Canada, wrote, "The Harper government has imposed a death sentence on many of the world's most vulnerable populations by pulling out of Kyoto."Tim Gore, international climate change advisor for Oxfam, also criticized Canada's decision:"Canada's exit from the Kyoto Protocol, the one existing agreement that legally binds some countries to emission cuts targets, is an affront to the nearly 1 billion people who struggle every day to feed their families in the face of increasingly frequent and severe droughts, floods, heat waves and storms."
"Withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol is a reckless and totally irresponsible act", said Greenpeace when Canada pulled out of Kyoto. Who can disagree with what the critics say, it's no secret that Canada selfishly pulled out to save its own pants.
What bothers me the most in this is that the Stephen Harper government blamed the previous liberal government for signing the Kyoto Protocol claiming it wasn't well prepared for the commitments Kyoto entailed. Critics would agree with me when I say it was Canada's international duty to sign the Kyoto Protocol as we are amongst the top 5 pollutant nations who emit the most carbon dioxide and green house gases into the earth's atmosphere. Signing an international agreement on the environment and abiding by its requirements is the least we can do in our fight against global warming.
Canada and U.S highest carbon emitters in the world. Image via Wikipedia
But no siree, the Canadian government turned its back on Kyoto and said it had a better, more suitable alternative to reduce CO2 emissions. The plan includes reducing emissions to 3 % below 1990 levels by the year 2020. However, scientists and critics disproved this as a good reduction plan because science-based targets for avoiding dangerous levels of global warming necessitate reducing emissions to 25 % below 1990 levels. It looks as though Canada is having a bit of a calculation problem.
Peter Kent's defense was that Kyoto would never work because China and the U.S weren't committed, and they're the world's biggest pollutants. Well Kent, way to go quitting on the rest of the globe and certainly not setting an example for China and the U.S. The government defends itself by saying Canada is doing its best as a proactive environment-friendly nation. Oh, please. Let's see, should we start discussing the tar sands in Athabasca, Alberta and the tons of toxins it emits on a daily basis, or should we just go straight into the slaughtering of seals in New Foundland and Nova Scotia? The thing is that Canada, as a developed country, is not doing half the work it should be doing for the environment.
Smoke stacks. Image via Wikipedia
Withdrawing from Kyoto is just another way of making more profit within Canada and keeping it within Canada instead of spending it on nations that are in need of it, which is what Kyoto is eventually all about. Let's just say the tiny island of Tuvalu that faces rising sea levels on a daily basis was not too happy to hear that the second largest country in the world withdrew from a commitment that would save their island from catastrophe.
Many other nations roundly criticized Canada's decision- some of them have already begun creating technologies to reduce emissions even more rapidly than Kyoto requires of them. Canada's back step definitely discouraged the advancements of other nations who are equipped with a lot less resources than Canada is.
Ultimately, Gore said it best: "If Canada is not willing (to commit to Kyoto), it should step aside and at least not harm efforts of those who want to move forward."
The concert led with a darkened Bell Center and screams of anticipation. While the guitarists punched holes through a wall that separated them from the excited audience, the lead singer bored one through that same wall with a laser cutter, expelling a glowing red light. This was it. It was about to begin. The minute he sang, I don't think anyone could help but notice the LED light was in his mouth! The drums exploded, ringing out like hammers. This was the beginning of a spectacle Montrealers had been awaiting for the better part of a decade.
After a ten-year absence from Canada, fans were beginning to wonder whether Rammstein would ever cater to North American again. The last time they were in this region was during the Mutter tour in 2001. However, December 9th of 2010 changed everything. They came back from their hibernation, rocked North America and are planning to do so again on May 1st, 2012. The German sextet is back and better than ever!
This concert was different than all the concerts Rammstein has put on. Although they have always dealt with pyrotechnics and other explosives, they used them more frequently and to a higher level. Although the atmosphere is already very energized and fun, it is mysterious because no one knows that the band is capable of anymore. With every tour, there is more amazement. The props bring mystery and wonder to the crowd. People expect the old songs that are very popular, such as Feuer Frei, where the band put attach flamethrower masks to their faces and then shoot a large stream of fire 25 feet into the air. This has become their trademark.
Figure 2: Pyrotechnics during Feuer Frei
The work Rammstein has done is very important to German culture because it has changed it. Germany went through a cultural crisis after the wall came down and Rammstein helped bring recognition to their country. Rammstein is a very popular band, everyone has heard about them and whether they are liked or not, people are aware of what their shows are like. The fact that they came to Montreal after such a long time drew a lot of attention. Through the show, they demonstrated what they had been doing during their five-year hiatus from touring and amazed all of the spectators.
I have been a Rammstein fan for the better part of ten years and I find that the concert was a very good experience. It was a very big production, especially seeing as though it was filmed for the new live-concert DVD. Rammstein uses a variety of fire equipment that make their concert possible. They include: Lycopodium Masks, Glitterburst Trusses, Pyrostrobes, Comets, Flash Trays and Mortar Hits (wiki). Not only does Rammstein use these explosions, but also they have light shows to create different effects depending on the song. They do this because, according to drummer Schneider, "99 per cent of the people do not understand the lyrics, so you have to come up with something to keep the drama in the show" (Wiki).
Figure 3: Pyrotechnics at the Plaines of Abraham during Ich Tu Dir Weh
This is exactly what they did in the December show. However, there were some technical difficulties that did cause the effect of the show to diminish. The worst feature of the show was during the song Engel, when front man Till Lindemann had massive angel wings strapped to his back that could spout fire out of the ends. One of the wings failed to ignite. It was still amazing to see, but it would have been a lot better is the other wing had worked. Another weakness was that the show took place inside. I went to the Rammstein at the Plaines of Abraham during the summer and the band could do a lot more because they were outside. They set up tens of fireworks in the air during the song "Ich Tu Dir Weh" which wowed the crowed. Doing that in the Bell Center would be a little far fetched and dangerous, not to mention the Habs would have to find a new place to play hockey. When you know there is something great coming up in the song and it doesn't happen, it's a bit of a let down. It also would have been nice if there had been screens for people who were farther away from the stage.
That being said, the show was very much a success and filled all expectations. Rammstein delivered everything they should have and more. A few songs from their new album "Liebe ist fur Alle Da"were played, like Rammlied (the first song), Bückstabü, Waidmanns Heil, Wiener Blut, Frühling in Paris, Haifisch, and P****. During the song Waidmanns Heil, flames shot out from the first level of the stage. It was dangerous, seeing as though the flames were all around the lead singer. If he were off just a little bit, he would probably look like a singed Wile E Coyote. It was quite amazing to see and it was very well done! Through this particular event, the spectators can see how experienced and talented the band is. In Ich tu Dir Weh, keyboardist Flake got up some courage and hit Till Lindemann. However, his actions were short lived as Lindemann picked up the 6'8 Flake and dumped him into a bathtub and poured fire sparks in it. Flake emerged about a minute later in a sparkly jogging suit and danced all the way back to the keyboards before an explosion went off, engulfing him in smoke. This, of course, completely entertained the crowd and made everyone laugh. During P****, which was just before the first Encore, Till Lindemann got on a cannon that shot white confetti all over the crowd. It was great because it made everyone feel so connected.
The band also took the crowd back in time. They performed songs from their first album, Herzeleid, such as "Du riechst so Gut", which featured a light show and a little dance by a few of the band members, which amused the crowd. It was nice to have some variety in the show and not have just the songs from the new album. The audience knows what the old songs like that and what the band does during them. They've been together for 17 years. They played their most famous song, Du Hast, where everyone in the Bell Center knew the lyrics. During the chorus, however, fire shot out of the bottom and top of the stage and no one could see the band! It was a wall!
Figure 4: Pyrotechnics during Du Hast
In all, I found the Rammstein concert to be an amazing one. The band did a very good job in bringing back their most popular songs and playing songs from the new album with new pyrotechnics. It was the best concert I have ever been to and I think everyone in the Bell Center would have agreed. The band put a lot of effort and time into making the show a success and it was obvious. With the new show coming up this May, it will be curious to see what they will come up with next!
Bibliography:
http://myaimzistrue.blogspot.com/2011/05/concert-review-rammstein-at-air-canada.html
http://www.evenko.ca/en/show/pressrelease/1501
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1427256/kmfdm-rammstein-speak-out-about-columbine.jhtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rammstein
By: Sara Bojarsky
For years, FedEx has been my company's choice courier. I have been surrounded with FedEx forms, labels, envelopes, boxes, and trucks - the logo floating constantly in front of my eyes, yet I failed to spot the arrow.
Evidently I was not the only one. Countless other John Does experienced that same embarrassing ah- hah moment. Moreover, when the logo was presented to the FedEx executives, the CEO "Mr, Smith was the only executive that spotted the hidden arrow right away." Despite its many praises, the logo was also criticized.
Did Leader intentionally design the arrow to be inconspicuous, only for the elitists to discover, or did he miscalculate the general's artistic IQs? It is conceivable, that Leader and the FedEx rebranding team became so entranced with the artistic genius of logo that they neglected to dissect it from a Jones'- eye- view and evaluate if the intended message can easily be conveyed to the general FedEx consumers.
Leader downplays the arrow's significance: "The power of the hidden arrow is simply that it is a hidden bonus. It is a positive-reverse optical kind of thing: either you see it or you don't. Importantly, not getting the punch line by not seeing the arrow does not reduce the impact of the logo's essential communication. The power of the logo and the FedEx marketing supporting the logo is strong enough to convey clearly FedEx brand positioning. On the other hand, if you do see the arrow, or someone points it out to you, you won't forget it."
But was this his argument when conceiving the logo, or was it an addendum to the design? If the former is the case, it would contradict the rebranding criterion of the FedEx CEO: "If I'm standing on a street corner, I need to see a FedEx truck from five blocks away. Meaning that the brand expression needed to be large, impactful and differentiating." How then, did the arrow escape that equation? As John Mayer would simplify: [In life you need to] say what you need to say.
Federal Express was the company's name prior to the rebranding. The word "express" unambiguously personifying the company`s speed and precision. So Linden had the challenge to incorporate and convey that message in its circumcised version; hence, the inclusion of the arrow in the "Ex"- a pivotal component in the rebranding. Since FedEx serves the public, they would have had to consider that their targeted audiences automatically connect to that message. The fact that the majority of people have been unable to spot the arrow indicates that the logo failed in its purpose. Riddles and codified languages belong to the Da Vinci Code, but FedEx should have said what it needed to say.
It is ironic that the world's chief message carrier failed to deliver its own message.
Sources:
A new gym can be a lot like going to a new school for the first day. You're not quite sure what to expect and you're very afraid of the people there. After some getting used to though, the new school eventually becomes "your" school, likewise with a gym.
Image source Flickr
Emotional attraction is how the area makes you feel, are you happy when you get to the gym, or do you feel like you're in a prison slog. Like when you walk into a friends home, you either love it or hate it - you just compliment them on it anyways though. The same is said for any gym. The person working out at the gym needs to feel a certain level of comfort, a certain connection to the gym. Not a connection like a spiritual yoga guru type, but the connection that makes you say "I like it here."
I never knew how particular I am about my gyms until it finally came time to switch to a new one. I had been a member at a tennis club that had a very big gym with every sort of machine imaginable so I was pretty spoiled back in Toronto. Then I got to Montreal and saw all the massive gorilla guys walking around and stick thin girls and thought "Well, it shouldn't be too hard to find a good gym will it?" Boy was I ever wrong.
Picking out a gym is like picking out a new car, it takes time, thought, and there's a big chance that you'll have to sign a million papers so that you're stuck with it for a while. I considered myself to be semi active and would go to the gym between two and three times a week for a random workout, doing whichever muscle group I felt was best. A fairly ineffective method of doing things, but I would only later find that out. In residence at Concordia, I met a guy in my hallway that was about my height and weight and found out that he was interested in working out also. Sweet, a new city, new gym, and now a workout partner. We didn't actually start working out until a while after we met, and that's mostly because I went through a flip flop of gyms first.
I packed my shorts, socks, shoes, water bottle, and everything else I needed for my first official workout in my new city. I walked the short distance from St Mathieu and Rene Leveque up to Le Gym. Le Gym is Concordia's gym on its Sir George Williams downtown campus. It's located in the modern EV engineering building at Guy and St Catherine across from JMSB. Its got about 75 cardio machines, a gym, a few studios, and a decent sized free weight section. Sounds pretty good right? Well maybe if you're interested in playing basketball on a Tuesday night, or going to a kickboxing class during the afternoon. But good luck even getting into that. I was at the gym for a grand total of an hour and a half before I went back to the desk and put my card on the desk asking for a membership cancellation. The young guy at the desk was shocked because he was the one who had signed me up 90 minutes ago. He asked what was wrong and why I didn't want to keep my membership, so I went easy on him just saying it was too busy. He said every gym will have its peak hours and I gave him a half hearted shrug and that was that. Like I said, I didn't want to hurt his feelings but this place was beyond busy. Try cramming 100 some buffalos into a swimming pool, throw some rocks in, and let them "workout." That was the exact picture that I have in my mind of my quick workout that day.
It was barely 3:00pm when I had gone and already the gym floor was packed. After awkwardly walking around with a mat trying to find room to stretch I eventually put myself in the corner behind the cardio machines. I looked up near the end of my stretches to start scoping out a treadmill. Nope, all full. Okay, maybe I would just go for the bike, not as effective but whatever cardio is cardio. Nope. Really? All right fine I would have just taken a elliptical at this point. Wait for it. Nope. Every single one of their cardio machines was taken. At 3 in the afternoon!! It felt more like 10 cardio machines instead of their proclaimed 75. Onward I went to the free weight section slightly annoyed and without a warm-up. My annoyance was soon met with a "yo, I'm on this bench bro." the second I made a move for a flat bench. I looked up and around, and guess what. Yup. All the benches were taken. Okay I could handle this; I've waited for a bench before. Had I waited for 30 minutes though? Never. Between the vast herds of these half human half buffalo meatheads that were using the benches as if they were in their own invisible lunch line and the guys who horded weights to themselves - like that kid who took the last piece of cake right in front of you. I had had enough. Le Gym is great if you are on a budget and have a lot of time to spare. I've heard many similar stories from other friends, who joined there for a short period of time, and all of them had the same general consensus. Good ascetics, cheap, people around the university age, but way to busy. I'd give it a 5/10.
The day after my failed attempt to have a good workout, I met up with my friend from residence and decided to have a second first workout, this time at the YMCA on Stanley. After the brief sign up period where I was able to get a student discount we headed up the 4 flights of stairs to where the gym was. After having done a warm-up from the stairs, we walked through the doors to find the top floor of a building where working out was its business. The gym was separated nicely with a machines section on one end and on the other it was a free weights section with a mirrored wall in-between. Around the whole gym there was a walking/running track, which was a nice change of pace if you didn't feel like going on their cardio equipment. We began our workout and the first thing I noticed about the gym, is the equipment was old. Not old like a little out of date, but old where you're not sure while laying on a bench if it's a loose thread poking your back or a rusty screw. Same could be said for the cardio equipment. I swear one of the elliptical machines looked like it was out of an infomercial, one of those silly things that you need a 50 page manual to understand how it works. The facilities of the gym downstairs were actually quite nice. It had a full sized swimming pool and hot tub for all members, and the studios and classes that they offered were quite inviting. I enjoyed the spinning classes the most because they gave a great workout, but to get a spot you had to line up 20 minutes before the class and it was on a first come first serve basis so sometimes my workout was over before it started. Overall the YMCA is much better than Le Gym, a little more costly but the classes that come included with the membership are well worth it. I would give the YMCA a 7/10.
After about two months of the YMCA my workout buddy and I hadn't really seen much of a change in our bodies. I was still a mere 180 lbs and stick thin, and started to lose faith in the YMCA. After awhile all I was going to were the spinning classes where sometimes I wouldn't even make it in to that days class. So the hunt for a new gym began again. I had heard from a few of my gym rat friends of a chain of gyms call Nautilus that were centered in downtown Montreal but were a little bit pricey. My workout buddy and I decided what's the worst that could happen if we went in to check it out. We went in together and talked to the girl at the front desk. She had a thick French accent and right away we became skeptical because neither of us knew a word of French. After sitting down and talking for a few minutes, we had been roped into some clever signup act. We were set up with a yearlong membership, a trainer, Marvin who was supposed the best and most exclusive trainer in the gym, and a nutritionist. When we walked out we looked at each other and asked "did that just happen?" I was surprised at myself, one of the pickiest people with their gym that I know and I was signed up to some new gym I've barely seen in less than 20 minutes. I missed my racket club gym in Toronto.
We met Marvin a few days later. The 5'8, 230 pound monster machine of a man sat us down and asked us what we wanted. We told him we wanted to be big, and ripped, like every adolescent male wants to be. He looked at us both and nodded with a smile, "okay. Okay I can do that." Next thing we knew, we were on a tight training regime, strict diet, and were on a level of organization that I don't think I had even reached in school. Within 2 months I weighed in at 215 pounds, and lowering my body fat percentage every week. I was getting comments from everyone who knew me saying how much bigger and better I looked. I was ecstatic. I started to love my gym, the simple layout of cardio, machines, and weights, all within sight of each other. It had a very pleasant atmosphere, with the gym taking up a full half floor and huge floor to ceiling windows that gave a large amount of natural lighting. The way that the gym was set up was such that it made everything easy and accessible with enough room to move around. It wasn't cramped together like so many other gyms are, but had that open spacious feel. For once I felt at home again. Instead of feeling out of place like at a hotel gym, Nautilus had become my new gym, my gym.. The gym staffs' organizational skills, and their willingness to put as much into me as I was into the gym were overwhelmingly attractive. The people there were kind and helpful, the peak hours seemed empty compared to other gyms and I finally felt that emotional sense of attachment that had been missing from the other gyms. It just needed to feel right, and Nautilus gym on St Catherine was just right. I would give it a 8.5/10.
The thing about gyms is to each their own. Distance, price, people, anything may be the deciding factor. I have just given a brief overview of what weighed in as most important to me when finding the right gym, everyone has different interests. Nautilus happened to be the right fit for me, and I'm generally a trusting guy of brands. I love my gym, and find it hard to workout anywhere else but there. Although I could always just do pushups and crunches on my bedroom floor.
Warning! This video contains adult language.
Giorgio, Old Port Montreal. Photo by Tegan Wiebe, 2011.
Hooves clop along the cobblestone paving with a carriage rolling behind. The driver and I exchange nods as the carriage passes. I pause to fill my lungs with the sweet air of vacation and new experience, condensed into one afternoon. But after having trolled around for the better part of the afternoon, tilting my head back to see the top of Notre-Dame Basilica's two steeples, watching a man riding a unicycle in a no-car zone, and walking past historic architecture, my stomach tells me its time to move on.
Notre-Dame Basilica, Old Montreal.
Image via Wikipedia
I find a road running beside a quay and begin walking East, peeking up streets looking for restaurants. At the first street I come to, I glance up: a red sign leans out from a stone wall and says "Rue de Vaudreuil" in white script. The street it labels is paved with brick. At the end, it turns sharply avoiding a stone building of four towering floors, lined with latticed windows: the lowest ones capped with burgundy awnings. Connected buildings line each side of the street forming an unbroken brick and stonewall from the end to myself. No restaurants down there.
But it's not long before I cross in front of a stone archway, opening into a dim courtyard, and surrounded by old buildings. I enter to explore and find my search rewarding: red letters spelling "Giorgio" hang from an iron ornamented sign. Imagined or real, I can taste Tortellini Portobello salivating in my mouth. I think I've found what I'm looking for.
Once the real dish is in front of me, I let my thoughts drift back over the day. Cobblestones. Brick. Lamp stands. French signs. Italian food. It feels like half of Europe has dropped by. I have to remind myself; I'm 20 minutes from downtown Montreal.
Of course the European feel of Old Montreal is in keeping with its history. Although it's gone through several forms of itself, and exchanged French and British rule, since its founding, Montreal has remained European throughout.
In 1642, French Catholic settlers arrived on the shores of the St Lawrence River and built a village of temporary shelters called Ville-Marie, soon changed to Montreal. Some of the settlement's street grid is still visible.
A sketch of Ville-Marie's streets as they were in 1672. Drawn by François Dollier de Casson.
Image via Wikipedia
In the mid to late 19th century, rapid industrial development arrived in Montreal. The Old Port saw merchandise delivered by train from across North America and by boat from across the Atlantic. By 1964, at which point Montreal's downtown had shifted further inland, Old Montreal was titled a historic district, preserving the district from being swallowed by Montreal's modernization.
As a result, we can still see some of Montreal's earliest buildings. One such example is the St-Sulpice seminary. Built in the 1680s, it is the oldest building in Montreal. That said, it is not the oldest piece of architecture; there are archeological remains for even older sites located in the basement of the Montreal Museum of Archeology and History, Canada's largest archeological museum: its basement houses remains of a Catholic cemetery that was created in 1643, built only a year after the French settlers arrived. Also, near these ruins, lie more recent remains of The Royal Insurance Building, which housed a custom's office from 1871-1917.
With so many buildings created by first-generation immigrants from Europe and a mandate to preserve this district's history, it no wonder it feels like there's a little bit of Europe living in our backyard.
For more Old Montreal information and images feel free to read on:
Food, Activities, History: http://gocanada.about.com/od/montreal/tp/Old_Montreal.htm
Image Gallery: http://www.hanifworld.com/Montreal-Pictures.htm
Old Port Information: http://www.quaysoftheoldport.com/home.html
For more articles on Montreal areas see:
http://www.montrealites.ca/habitat/choosing-a-neighborhood.html
Sources
* http://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/eng/accueila.htm
* http://pacmusee.qc.ca/en/home
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Montreal
Poster for The Prestige.
Image via Wikipedia
The Prestige is a film adaptation of Christopher Priest's novel of the same title. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film winds its way through mystery, romance, double lives, and magic. The two principal characters are Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale). These two men begin the film as apprentices of a magician, but an accident and finger pointing drives them to a life-long rivalry: sabotaging shows and stealing secrets. As physical injuries mount, lives end, and magic tricks become more daring and fantastic, the movie's climax twists everything we thought we knew, into something else entirely. The films mixture of a Victorian atmosphere, mystery, glamor, science fiction, and betrayal, unfortunately, also mix with Hollywood's poor examples of morality. However, the technical skill displayed in this movie's script astounded and intrigued me. The cover warned me that I'd want to watch it again. I did.
]]> White Bread MoralityThe Prestige shows good examples of poor choices, ruined lives, bad attitudes, and questionable attire. Once again, Hollywood shows us men taking revenge onto their own shoulders, and paying the price, but doesn't speak of whose shoulders revenge should be placed on. The portrayal of women isn't much more satisfactory: the main female characters spend a good deal of time flaunting voluptuous breasts in Tinkerbell dresses or feeling the brunt of falling for a bad-boy. The over-sexualization of women in this movie only encourages attitudes that tell women the way to a man's heart is through giving your body, and he won't want it unless you A) have huge breast and B) show them off. Overall, the film almost exclusively provides examples of what not to do and or think, but in a glamorous light that make the consequences the characters experience all too easy to overlook.
Contortionist Twisting
So morally, The Prestige warrants caution. However, technically it is incredibly well done. Most markedly, it keeps viewers from knowing that they are clueless as to what is going on, making the revelation of what has actually just occurred all the more astounding. Ending twists that give a different sense to a story are nothing new, but are rarely executed in a manner that doesn't give away the twist ahead of time or leave several loose ends out of sync with the new conclusion.
While watching Shutter Island, another film that relies heavily on twists, I was reminded of how this style of writing can so easily slip into mere ambiguity. This movie leaves viewers in partial confusion as they watch the film, explains in the twist why things weren't making sense, and leaves the viewers still not understanding the loose ends. Perhaps, the writers wanted to give viewers the same uncertainty about reality that the mentally unstable characters feel. Granted, this is a commonly accepted style that many people enjoy. Granted also, that this common method of ambiguous twisting is less impressive and less technically demanding than the method successfully employed by The Prestige.
The Prestige creates a lovely experience of clarity in its real and facade plots, using impeccably placed cuts, a complex weaving of time shifts, and strategically placed misleading remarks. This technical achievement wrapped in a mysterious Victorian ambiance, strong acting performances, and the intrigue of magic create an over-all tantalizing film.
Judge for Yourselves
The Prestige is a gem of scripting, telling two distinct plots simultaneously and tying up loose ends logically. Unfortunately, this film's enticing atmosphere and technical achievements are slightly tarnished by Hollywood glorification of immodesty and focus on looking where we don't want to go.
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E-readers like Amazon's Kindle, Barnes & Noble's Nook, and the Kobo have been around as early as 2007, but now, more than ever, are proving that they may really change the way the world reads. In 2010 e-reader sales hit almost 13 million dollars worldwide while e-books made up more than 8% of sales in the trade (Carlson). Imagine the amount of books bought worldwide every day, from Twilight to The Bible, than consider that 8% of those innumerable purchases were for e-books. E-readers and their corresponding e-books are certainly rising in popularity, but is this a positive evolution or marring disadvantage for literature? (Image source flickr) 
Perhaps though, e-readers are revitalizing literature and encouraging more people to read. Ever since the first public radio broadcast in 1910, books have been fighting a losing battle against technology ("History of Radio"). From radio, to film, to a television set in every home, books could not compete with the entertainment that these advancements brought. Literature has finally reaped the rewards of technology with e-readers and e-books. One can access millions of books on a single hand held device, carry a library everywhere, socialize through literature and most importantly, it encourages reading.
I recently began reading on an e-reader, a Kobo. It was not an easy decision. As an English Literature scholar books took up half my time and most of the surface area in my room; if I am an expert on anything, it is on books. I told myself that there was no way I could use one. I needed to hold the book. Own the book. Place the book on my shelf upon completion like a trophy. I thought the words on an e-reader would seem fake and that the literature would lose its effect, making the book inauthentic. I thought it was the wrong medium for the words on the page; James Joyce wrote Ulysses knowing it would be read off paper and H.G. Wells crafted The Time Machine with the understanding that his work would be cover bound and something his reader could hold. The indescribable experience of holding, reading and having a book would be forgotten, wiped away by the marring encroachment of technology.
In retrospect, I was overly dramatic and completely wrong. I unsuspectingly received the Kobo as a gift. The Kobo has a soft-quilted back with smooth skin which makes it comfortable to hold. The screen is 6 inches, about the size of your average book page. The Kobo can literally fit in my back pocket. The E-ink mimics the look of paper perfectly, there is no difference. With the Kobo, because it is just a tablet, I can read in a number of different positions that I could not with a book. I can lay it on a desk without having to hold any pages open, I can read it with one or two hands and there is no fumbling with the pages, a simple tap turns the page of the book. I felt powerful carrying two Mark Twain books, one Oscar Wilde novella, one Edgar Allen Poe poem and the entire works of Ernest Hemingway all in my jacket pocket. From now on I can take my extensive library anywhere. There are also thousands of e-books are that offered for free, a lot of them being classics (which is good for a Literature student). Furthermore, rather than placing a book on my shelf like a trophy, I receive actual awards for reading and completing books and I am able to share them with the world on Facebook. The Kobo enables me to track my read statistics like how long it takes me to finish a book, how many books I have read, how long I read in a single session, etc. Best of all, as soon as I finish one book I am seconds into another because any book is a simple download away. The e-reader brings new excitement to reading without losing anything that a book provides other than bulk and paper, which is good for shelf space and the environment.
So in a world of e-readers the rain forest is saved because half the wood supply is no longer used for paper, literacy rates are up because of the link to social media encouraging people to read and back pain has diminished because bags are lighter--also the whole world is smarter because everyone reads more.
Perhaps this is a slight exaggeration, but to be honest, it is not far off. E-readers really are changing the way the world reads and I believe that it is an advantageous change. They are not the technological book destroyers that I thought they were. In fact, they enhance and bring new excitement to the reading experience. Go to an Indigo book store and test one out for yourself. For anyone like me, who thought that e-readers would kill literature, you may find they are far less evil than you think.
Works Cited
Carlson, Ronald. "Bye bye, Christmas books, it's eReaders under the 2011 tree" TECH.BLORGE. Blorge.com, 11 Nov. 2011. Web. 10 Jan. 2012.
"History of Radio." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 26 January 2012. Web. 10 Jan. 2004.
5. The Bell Center
This immense capacity may also be the Bell Center's greatest vice. It's
clear that the venue was built with the primary function of housing
sporting events as its cavernous rafters don't provide the best
acoustics. Sound quality may vary between decent and pretty terrible
depending on where you're seated. Witnessing a concert from the front
row can be an impressive sight, but don't expect a comparable listening
experience. The same goes for anyone who gets stuck with seats along the
side of the stage. Most bands have to pump out their music at eardrum
popping levels in order to fill the arena. At this intense volume many
bands end up sounding somewhat distorted and unclear.
All this aside, you can firmly bet that if the band you're going to see is capable of attracting such a large crowd, enough money and technology has probably gone into making one heck of a show. It isn't an intimate experience by any means, but something magical does happen when so many people gather in one place to appreciate a band's music. There are few things more emotionally invigorating than witnessing a crowd of 20,000 fans singing their favorite song in unison. For a pure sense of grandeur and crowd atmosphere, the Bell Center is my 5th pick.
4. Club Soda
What Club Soda lacks in size, it makes up for with heart. Located smack in the middle of Montreal's "quartier des spectacles," this venue (which can accommodate just shy of 1000 people) is usually quite full no matter who is playing.
Known as a place where many famous bands played their first shows in
Montreal (Club Soda's website lists such acts as The Tragically Hip,
Oasis and Soundgarden), it isn't a place where you will typically see
huge acts play. However, if one of your favorite artists does happen to
book a show there, you can guarantee that it will be a good one.
One of my best concert experiences was seeing Raine Maida (of Canadian
band Our Lady Peace) play there in promotion of his solo record. I was
standing at the foot of the stage, literally feet away from him, without
the usual intrusion of some sort of barrier patrolled by security
guards that you often find at concerts of the sort. Not only was my
proximity to the performers amazing, but so was the sound, even in my
less-than-ideal listening position. If you find yourself farther away
from the stage, then you will benefit from great sound quality. With the
venue's fairly small dimensions and streamlined (some might say boxy)
interior there isn't much place for the music to go before it gets to
your ears.
Viewing the show from the rather flat floor can be difficult for those
of us who are vertically challenged, but if you don't mind being
slightly farther away, you might try to find a place on the balcony
where you won't have any trouble seeing the show.
Due to its limited size, you're unlikely to find huge international
acts visiting this venue, but if you do happen to watch a show here, you
will probably find a great deal more intimacy than in many of the
city's larger venues
http://www.clubsoda.ca/en/index.php
3. Le National
Far less modern, but with much more history behind it, Le National and sister venue La Tulipe, represent a totally different side of the Montreal music scene. Originally open in 1900, Le National has been a highly trafficked spot for francophone artists in the city. One only has to take one look at the walls and floor to know that this venue acts as a time capsule, preserving a little bit of the city as it was over a century ago.
Having been both a spectator and a performer at both Le National and
Club Soda I can say that there is a distinctly different feeling between
the two of them. Despite having similar capacities, Le National Feels
larger and more open. Visually it gives up any attempt at modernity for a
warm, rustic look. With a rather steeply curved floor and upper
balcony, seeing the stage isn't a problem from anywhere in the venue.
In terms of the entertainment available at Le National, its schedule is
generally dominated by francophone acts, but hey, what better way is
there to get a taste of Montreal culture than to embrace its French
music scene? You will also find many music events celebrating a
particular era or style which is worth checking out in its own right.
Regardless of your taste in music, Le National is an active venue where
something is happening almost every night. If anything, it's a beautiful
place to go and see something unexpected and take in a little bit of
the city's history at the same time.
2. The Olympia
If Le National represents a bit of history, then the Olympia represents a lot of it. At more than double the size, this theatre is made for larger events. While sharing some of the characteristics of its smaller cousins, the Olympia takes things to a grander scale.
Built in 1925 for "cinematic theatre," this unique venue has lasted the
test of time and remains a real treasure in the music scene. From the
red walls to the old fashioned moldings on the ceiling; it retains a
distinct look not shared by any other venue in the city.
The Olympia is large enough to accommodate popular touring bands while
still maintaining a certain sense of closeness and intimacy. Many
serious international acts (including many hard and alternative rock
bands) have chosen to play at the Olympia when they stop in Montreal,
even though they could easily fill up a larger venue. Why could this be?
Simply because when you play or watch a show at this venue, it gives
you a sense that you're part of something even greater, part of the
history of this city. It's a feeling that you won't find in many other
music venues.
Whether the theater is configured with seats in place, or standing room
on the floor, it's easy to see the show and you feel relatively close no
matter where you are. The balcony is a slight exception. It's nice, but
it doesn't wrap around the venue like most modern ones, so if you are
sitting up there you may feel a little bit removed from the event.
If you do find yourself seated up there, don't worry because you will
still have a clear video of the ample stage and you'll also get the best
of the sound that the venue has to offer. For infusing a sense of
history with the contemporary ability to accommodate modern rock bands
and put on some unforgettable shows, the Olympia is my second pick.
http://www.olympiademontreal.com/en/olympia/
1. Metropolis
If you're a Montrealer, you've been waiting for this one. It's a
commonly used name on the island, made all the more popular by achieving
the 9th spot on Pollstar Magazine's list of Top 100 Worldwide Club
Venues in 2011, as the highest selling club in Canada. Known for hosting
mostly rock bands, Metropolis is where the majority of concertgoers end
up when their favorite groups come to town.
But why is this venue so popular? Like many of Montreal's music venues,
Metropolis underwent a significant transformation since its construction
in 1884. It started out as an indoor skating rink and endured countless
renovations and reconstructions, serving as a cinema and theatre until
in 1997 it became the live performance venue it is today
(metropolismontreal.ca). Ever since, it has drawn consistently large
crowds and hosted some of Montreal's most memorable concerts.
Metropolis can accept up to 2300 people, making it large enough for any
major act, but without causing the sense of detachment from the artist
that can be experienced in mega venues like the Bell Center. Sound
quality is also infinitely better and makes for a complete and enjoyable
overall experience.
Its layout is similar to that of Club Soda, albeit quite a bit larger.
Its upper balcony features television screens that display live shots of
performances as they go, a nice feature, but you should be able to see
the stage perfectly well from any position.
Some of the best shows I've seen have taken place at Metropolis (Pixies,
Them Crooked Vultures and Silversun pickups to name just a few) and I
am among many Montrealers who have succumbed to its charms. For its
ability to take all the strengths from the other venues on this list and
very few of the weaknesses that go along with them, Metropolis is
undoubtedly The best spot to watch an indoor rock show in Montreal, and
it gets first place.
http://www.montrealmetropolis.ca/metropolis/default-en.aspx
For those who haven't attended the festival, the event is five days of intellectual food for your soul. Novelists, journalists, historians, poets, and industry experts from all over the world gather to participate in panel discussions, one-on-one interviews, readings, and lectures. Some past participants include Gore Vidal, Michel Tremblay, Paul Auster, Heather O'Neill, Norman Mailer, and Margaret Atwood, to name a few.
You don't have to be familiar with a particular author to have a great time, either; panel discussions are centered around an interesting theme, and the interviews are conducted by the industry's best, guaranteeing an engaging discussion. General topics change from year to year, but many events are focused on issues of interest to students, such as human rights and other political topics.
I stand to greet the foundation's new president and artistic director, William St-Hilaire, who ushers me into her office where the interview will take place.
" I don't consider myself a writer. I'm a passionate person who likes to DO things."
That's correct; William is a she. She gave herself the name William after being repeatedly looked over for jobs as a sailor in Quebec City. And she is just as creative and unorthodox as her name suggests.
Elegant, composed, tall, and slender, St-Hilaire is dressed in all-black and adorned with a heavy necklace and fashionable glasses, much like what you might expect an art gallery director to look like.
"I decided to try to write erotic novels to try to keep my marriage alive, which was collapsing," she tells me. " I don't consider myself a writer. I'm a passionate person who likes to DO things," adding that she continued writing as a form of therapy. Much of her work is short stories, and she writes completely organically, not planning anything out. Instead, she sits down at her computer and writes until the idea or emotion is completed.
"I write as fast as I speak and I never go back. I rarely work on my novel.... I want to enjoy myself when I write." She insists that if writing were to begin feeling like work, she would stop and take up another activity to entertain herself.
During this period of writing, William St-Hilaire worked for the CBC as chief of communications "...of something." Meaning, she demonstrated her flexibility by working in several departments--from promotions to Radio Canada International to the hip music division that is Bande A Part FM. When she was laid off during the CBC cutbacks a couple of years ago she took a contract job at Usine C.
After completing the contract, she met a headhunter who suggested she apply for the position of president and artistic director at Blue Metropolis. She did apply, but thought they would prefer an anglophone, despite 40% of the festival's clientele being francophone. As with every position she has held, she jumped right in. Although she took office last winter, this April will be the first time the festival will be completely under her direction since founder and former director, Linda Leith, resigned.
"...Sometimes tough times free you from a certain type of concept."
This is no ordinary takeover, though. Around the same time as the CBC cuts, the foundation saw a significant decrease in donations and grants not only from the government but also from individuals and businesses, making her transition a particular challenge. St-Hilaire looks on the positive side.
"The money is not there...(but) sometimes tough times free you from a certain type of concept. The model has to be redefined from scratch." The new model she refers to is one in which she envisions a much more diverse festival by incorporating more mediums, such as visual art, and by involving the community in the festival's programming.
"I think that a festival is a community affair. You have to share and bring people into your dream. More and more there is going to be the integration of other people's vision." She adds, "It's nice to have a festival in a hotel, (this year's will be at the trendy urban hotel, Opus, located on the corner of Sherbrooke and St. Laurent), but it has its limits. You have to be careful because it may just look and feel like a conference."
"A book is the beginning of a long journey, so you can create programming with just a tiny, little idea."
She plans on keeping many of the festival favourites, and would like to attract more young adults by placing a greater emphasis on alternative types of literature, such as the graphic novel, and by introducing themes popular with that age group. The subject of politics is always a big draw at the festival, with the "Writer's in Peril" series being a favourite. St-Hilaire would like to see that area expanded to include a "Journalists in Peril" series, as well as the non-fiction events broaden to include more social issues.
She expands on this, explaining how you can take a single topic and build upon it in any number of ways to include a variety of authors and events. As she discusses the possibilities, one can't help but be inspired by her enthusiasm and passion."A book is the beginning of a long journey, so you can create programming with just a little, tiny idea."
What: 14th edition of the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival.
When: April 18-23, 2012.
Where: Opus Hotel, corner of St. Laurent and Sherbrooke.
This year's schedule will be released March 20, 2012. In the meantime, visit their new website to find out more about the foundation and this year's highlights, which include Charles Foran, winner of the 2011 Governor General's Literary Award for Non-Fiction for his book,"Mordecai:The Life and Times" about the Montreal author, Mordecai Richler; Indian novelists Amitav Ghosh and Bharati Mukherjee; and Egyptian author, Alaa al-Aswany.
Graffiti Enters the Mainstream
Graffiti may have started off as a nuisance to the upper classes or rather, those in power, but graffiti has become so much more than that. There is a thriving community of graffiti artists, or taggers as most refer to them as. Tagging in public spaces is a way for these artists to communicate with each other. Taggers know who each tag or signature belongs to. Graffiti on freight trains is used as a way to communicate over great distances as well. (Fine)
However, this community is making into mainstream society in many different ways:
In the arts world, you have artists like Banksy, a British stencil artist whose work sells for millions of dollars even though no one has every discovered his real identity. How anyone can possess something that is painted on the side of a building they do not own is still up for debate. Many other artists have been able to turn a profit off their illegal art, as well. As well it has become quite common for galleries and museums to put on exhibitions centring on graffiti art. It is now possible to study graffiti as a viable art form. (Lehmann)
Corporations have also clued into the appeal of graffiti. They use the implied energizing, dangerous, youthful, and illicit qualities of graffiti art and culture in marketing campaigns. Most marketing companies now employ taggers to create their ads. This is where most legitimate work for taggers now lies. Marketing companies will go to great lengths to recruit graffiti artists. One such company, Murad Communications Inc., routinely hosts graffiti festivals in order to bring fresh talent into the fold. (Britnell)
Academics have made an intense study of the phenomenon in an attempt to understand the nature of graffiti. They look to answer questions such as what motives someone to pick up a can of spray paint and leave their mark on the wall. Others have sought to categorize they different types of graffiti and the best locations for each. There have been papers written on the ways that graffiti identifies the socioeconomic climate of a city among many other topics under the subject of graffiti.
The Debate in Action
Outside of the worlds of art or academia, it is still possible to see the debate raging on in Montreal. The city has budgeted a great deal of money to the prevention and criminalization of graffiti. There are news reports every time important building or monuments are covered with tags or when the graffiti in a certain area is getting out of hand. These reports inevitably carry a very negative tone and express a view that most citizens do not approve of their city being defaced. On the other hand, the city has starting giving more space to young artists who wish to express themselves. Graffiti festivals such as Under Pressure are being given more attention and being allowed to showcase the artistic and cultural aspects behind tagging. There are also groups creating a more positive graffiti prevention movement. One method has been to hire artists to paint murals on buildings with the idea that taggers would avoid the mural out of respect for the artist. (Lunau)
Public Opinion Changes
In years passed, graffiti was never given the time of day. It now seems that people are coming around. Graffiti is given much more positive attention within society. It is starting to find its appropriate space. However, some might argue that this is a bad thing. Part of the thrill of tagging, is in the risk of being caught and not simply in leaving a mark. Graffiti has long been a form of defying the powers that be. If graffiti becomes mainstream enough that it is given free range of specific spaces to be preformed then the powers will have the ability to monitor and control graffiti. Therefore the main motives behind graffiti will be corrupted. Where once we would have seen brilliantly coloured tags and hand painted images, we would see ads for clothes, movies. and products and services instead.
Who is to say which is better?
Work Cited
"NDG War Memorial hit by Vandals." CTV Montreal. CTV.ca. [26 September 2011]. Web. 27
September 2011.
"Tagged NDG Cenotaph Cleaned, but Veterans' Pain Remains." CTV Montreal. CTV.ca. [27
September 2011]. Web. 27 September 2011.
Britnell, Allan, and Brian Banks. "Hello, old paint." Canadian Business 69.9 (1996): 11. Academic
Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Sept. 2011.
Fine, Philip. "Continental canvas for graffiti art." Times Higher Education Supplement 1389 (1999): 13.
Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Sept. 2011.
Lehmann, Henry. "Art, Ads and Vandalism: Graffiti Artists used to be Urban Outlaws. Now they'Re
Looking for Respect. and they'Re Getting it in Unlikely Places - the Corporate World and Even from the City of Montreal." The Gazette: J.1.BRE. Canadian Newsstand Major Dailies. Mar 25 2000. Web. 28 Sep. 2011
Lunau, Kate. "Fighting graffiti, with more graffiti." Maclean's 122.31 (2009): 25. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Sept. 2011.
Wickens, Barbara. "Montreal through a lens darkly." Maclean's 109.42 (1996): 10. Academic Search
Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Sept. 2011.
By: Skittles
Montreal is known for its many festivals. Some of the bigger ones that come to mind are the Jazz Fest or Just for Laughs, but did you know that Montreal plays host to the longest-running graffiti festival in Canada? This Past summer, the 16th annual Under Pressure Graffiti Festival took place on Saint Catherine Street between Saint Laurent and Berri Streets. The festival is open to the general public and draws artists and spectators from all over the world, but what is it all about? It's a showcase of Graffiti, Hip Hop and Skateboarding culture.
By Skittles
Graffiti has become a hot topic recently with municipalities starting to propose and pass legislation that aims to put an end to the art form. The four-story mural that stands across the street from my apartment is a vivid reminder of the impact graffiti has on our culture. I decided to speak with my friend Joe Garque about his role in Under Pressure, Montreal's International Graffiti Festival and about the impact anti-graffiti legislation will have on graffiti culture.
Me: What drew you to graffiti culture?
Joe Surprisingly enough, it wasn't the fame. I think it was just kind of a movement that everyone was moving into and a lot of people, especially the hip-hop culture were drawn to different aspects. Especially people who didn't know a lot of hip-hop culture. So they found out that graffiti, b-boy, mc-ing and DJ were all elements. I think that for me specifically because I was tied to guys who were already involved that culture it was just a natural evolution in our friendship for me to go hang out with them and discuss graffiti and then start to be interested in graffiti as a form of expressions.
Me: What is Under Pressure?
Joe: Under is a international graffiti/hip-hop convention that takes place in Montreal, Quebec every second weekend in the month of August.
In the Municipalities of Cotes-des-Neiges/Notre-Dame-de-Grace certain member of City Council have started a movement called Operation Graffiti. The purpose of Operation Graffiti is to curtail the rampant vandalism of public and private property that has been occurring at an alarming rate. They have put forward legislation that will allow the city to fine landlords who fail to clean up graffiti on their property.
Me: What do you think of the City's treatment of graffiti? Do you agree with the policies they are making about graffiti and tagging?
Joe: I am a bit on the fence about this. To be perfectly honest I don't whole-heartedly disagree with their policies on graffiti. I think that the manner in which they are trying to control or fence off the widespread phenomena that is graffiti is poorly executed. I think there are better ways for them than saying just buffing the walls, and saying that it's a crime and this and that. I think that kind of mindset is very controlling as a whole and I don't think it allows for any flexibility unless it's hypocritical; when they say ' well this guys a known artist so he can do it on the wall' but how did he become a known artist. I think they are trying to treat it in a manner that is above board but they've really gotten fed about since the scene really exploded. From the mid-nineties on they thought this was going to be a Band-Aid in the way they were approaching it. Now we're talking about almost twenty years later where graffiti is so wide spread that they're just fed up with so they're trying to be hard about it.
Some of the more extreme legislation being put forward by Operation Graffiti begins with a ban on selling spray-paint to minors and expands to a province-wide registry of all sales of spray-paint. In effect, they want to make spray-paint into a control substance much the way alcohol and tobacco are.
Me: What do you think of the proposed province-wide registry of spray-paint sales and the banning of sales to minors?
Joe: I think that is ridiculous. It's not like this is gun control. I feel that one you start having a wide registry for a common item like spray-paint is absolutely ridiculous. That's the government trying to solve the problem by amputating a whole arm and making everyone suffer for it is kind of what that is. If a parent wants to buy spray-paint to re-varnish something that they have to register for it is ridiculous. To be perfectly honest, a graffiti writer can be anyone. It could be a 12 year old kid to friends of mine who are graffiti artists well into their fifties. I don't think that has any specific benefit to say that anyone who buys spray-paint is a graffiti artist.
Me: How do you think this will affect graffiti artists?
Joe: I think that graffiti writers - and all artists, for that matter- will find ways around it. I think that just because you are registered as a spray-paint buyer that won't suppress graffiti writers any more than putting up signs that say don't graffiti.
Fortunately, not everyone is out to get graffiti artists. There are groups, like Prevention NDG, who are trying to educate kids about graffiti culture in an effort to change the way young kids participate in the culture.
Me: Have you had any involvement with Prevention NDG and their work educating kids about graffiti culture?
Joe: A close friend of mine, actually one of the founding members of Under Pressure, Sterling Downey is directly involved in that initiative. I've worked with him in assisting to clean up neighborhoods. I myself have worked directly with youth groups sometimes to educated them about graffiti: what it is and how it works in the real world. But I have not worked directly with Prevention NDG.
Me: Do you think they are having a beneficial effect on the tagging scene?
Joe: I think it is on a lower scale that people anticipated. People think that just by talking to them and having them clean it up, that it will have an immediate effect. This is a long-term process, the culture of graffiti is already built a certain way and for the rest of society to accept it I think it will take a longer period of time for them to realize that it won't go away but there are ways for them to prevent or protect themselves against. The writers need to realize that there are certain places they should be respecting or not respecting. If you instill good values in graffiti writers with good values from an early age, they aren't going to go write on some guy's car. They'll pick abandoned houses; they'll pick empty buildings and spaces not being used in any way instead of writing on somebody's front porch.
Me: There seems to be a communication breakdown between the graff scene and the powers that be. What would you say to those who think graffiti is just wanton destruction and should be done away with completely?
Joe: I think anyone who thinks it is wanton vandalism is just too much of a clear black and white person and has never had a gray moment in their life. To say that is it is plain out destruction of public property is the assumption that everything belongs to everyone and that everything is being put to use in a productive way. If an abandoned factory under a highway has been sitting there for 18 years and no one is using it, what harm is it to let people who want to tag and want to do graffiti there where no one will have any issues it. If you say "Well it's fine where no one can see it" Now, you've gone back on your word. You either accept some aspect of it or you don't. If you're a clean cut, white and black case like that, I don't think anyone really is. Some people say these things and they're just labeling people. "Well you're a graffiti writer so you must do tags and I don't ever want to see it" but that's not entirely true; some people are only muralists, some people are only caricaturists. I'm sure those people don't complain when they see a nice mural done on open public space but that makes them hypocrites to say that's how it's supposed to be,
When I go to a wedding, I'm thrilled to bask in the happiness of the event. The flowers, the dancing and the smiles on the couple's faces when they see each other down the aisle. Everything looks absolutely perfect. But, how much does it cost for a wedding day to be "perfect"? There is a trend starting where weddings are costing almost as much as a mortgage and couples are putting themselves in debt so their special day can be the best. This issue is important because a special day should not be so stressful. It should be a day of celebration, not a balance statement of 20,000 dollars.
Source:boncyboutique.com
A wedding is a ceremony-in which two people are joined together in matrimony. Usually the wedded partners are male and female, but in many jurisdictions same-sex marriages are now legal. The word wedding comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word wedd meant pledge (Bell, 1). The pledge was for the father to take care of the wife. The first civilization to "create" marriage was Ancient Egypt (Jacks, 1). Pharaohs would take on their own sisters and daughters as their wives so the bloodline would remain intact. The engagement was also invented by the Ancient Egyptians, for the couple to "get to know each other better, and see that they were indeed compatible" (Jacks). Much like today, the engagement's purpose was so the couple would know what to expect of each other before the wedding. Marriages were thought to have emerged so that families and clans could come together and prevent serious feuding, which was very common. The wedding ceremony was a great one. For example, Viking wedding festivities were a lengthy affair involving much rowdy feasting, music and drunkenness, which depending on the wealth of the families, could last up to a month! The guests here seemed to get a good deal, all this for free and they received a gift as well for their attendance, and did not have to reciprocate on this generosity. In Scotland though, the guests had to more than pay their own way. Each invited family to a Highland wedding were expected to thank the couple for their invite by providing their own food for the marriage banquet, as well as often pay extra for festivities that might occur, and to give gifts as well on the day after. So most couples did very well indeed out of their weddings, and were comfortable for some time after (Jacks, 3).
Wedding dresses were often made of white wool, and quite simple in appearance, and perhaps the bride had made it herself in anticipation of the big day. Although the dress itself was traditionally simple, there was also to be a highly complicated knot tied in the sash holding it up, to tease the groom and test his patience on the wedding night (Jack). The marriage of Queen Victoria to her cousin Albert of Save in 1840 has had a big influence of modern weddings. She chose to wear white at her wedding, while other brides wore different colors. The emergence of the department store meant women could be married in the new white dress of the time. Women would then dye their dresses a different color so they may re-wear them later on. The white dress stands for "purity, virginity and innocence" however, many women today have not waited for marriage to engage in sexual activities.
The new price
Between 1984 and 2002, the average cost of tying the knot in the United States shot up from $4,000 to $22,000. In Britain, recent estimates peg wedding costs at between $20,000 and $23,000 (Gomstyn, 1). In Currie's article, one of her participants said, "We never initially intended to have a big deal. I think, maybe I wanted to wear a nice dress or something, but I didn't have this idea- and neither did Bill- of a great big wedding. It just kind of happened...We kind of conceded to the fact that this was more for other people than for us, which is really ironic" Currie). So, one of the reasons a wedding costs so much is because of the guests. There are some brides who are comfortable with a small group, but others want to celebrate elaborately on their special day. Is it just like Currie's participant said and brides spend so much money on their wedding because they get carried away? Another big cost is the wedding planner. Wedding planners treat the bride as a novice and instruct her in seeing wedding-related tasks and times as amenable to management. However, planning a wedding requires multiple tasks and times that may be intertwined in ways that make both their representation and their execution highly complex (McKenzie, 1). Wedding planners and bridal magazines were a major contributing factor to the amount of work involved and to the subsequent feeling that respondents were "out of control" of the events which unfolded. A wedding planner, while expensive, helps a bride by helping to take some of the load off of her (Currie, 7).
According to Rebecca Mead, an author on weddings, "We live in a consumerist society. You're not a bride, you're a consumer of bridal products. And second, there's something very profound psychologically happening. A wedding once marked a major transition in a person's life--the first time you slept with your spouse, lived with your spouse. Today, you're just not that different the day after the wedding, so the wedding planning has to function as a traumatic experience. So you can say, "I've been through this experience that was so demanding, it must mean something" (Kelley, 1). Mead goes on to state that "In a celebrity-saturated culture, this is your opportunity to be a movie star for a day" (Kelley, 1). That does explain why brides now would like a replica of Duchess Middleton's wedding dress. Brides want something to make them look special and to set them apart for other brides. But should that mean spending seven thousand dollars on a dress?
Ms. Otnes, an associate professor of business administration, and Ms. Pleck, a professor of history and of human and community development, write in Alice Gomstyn's article, "the unique "once in a lifetime" status of a wedding motivates consumers to spend vast sums to fulfill romantic fantasies without feeling guilty. It's one of the few occasions that consumers feel they can embrace perfection through consumption," says Ms. Otnes. Ms. Boden, a sociology research associate at the University of Leicester, argues that splurging on weddings allows couples to express their love through the use of material goods and services. Couples seek to "set the scene" with ornamentation and elaborate dress, she says, to "openly display" their commitment to one another.
The current situation
Although a wedding was originally a practice to bring a man and a woman together in matrimony, things today are quite different. While the majority of men and women marry today for love, their lives cannot begin lawfully without a wedding. Unfortunately, consumerism has made its way into the special day. Couples spend so much money on a day that will only happen once. They hire wedding planners, buy exceedingly expensive dresses and try to pull out all the stops. But why do they do this?
There are television shows in the United States that are exploiting this important day for women by introducing them to things they don't need. One of the shows, Say Yes to the Dress, brings the viewer into the inner workings of the world's premier bridal salon, Kleinfeld Bridal (Kleidfeld, 1). The role of the staff members is to help the brides find their perfect dress. It is very common for a bride who is on a budget to find a dress beyond her means. This causes a very realistic complication. Women save for years on the event, even though it lasts one day and it is very easy for them to become in debt. There is another television show, which fueled me into writing about this topic.
TLC picked up a show called Four Weddings, where four brides-to-be attend each other's weddings and then critique them. This is a very touchy subject to critique, especially because each bride invested so much work and money on that special day. These television shows are a bad example to modern brides because they are giving them a false idea of what a wedding should be. Instead, a wedding should be a very intimate celebration with the people the couple loves to rejoice their new step. It is not a crime for a bride to want to look great on her day, but these television shows will provide false representation. With the dress, there are the tiaras, the nylons, the perfect bra, the glitter to make your dress the best it can be. There is even that beautiful necklace that, when you walk down the aisle, will make your eyes sparkle in the perfect light. If a couple is not careful, they can start of their marriage in debt. One of Currie's participants said about her wedding, "We rented a limousine for four hours which is fairly expensive and rented a car for our parents to drive in. They could of used their own, but we wanted them to have a nicer sleek white. And we put the fathers in tuxedos, the ushers in tuxedos- we paid for all of that. The ring bearer, we paid for his tuxedo. The two flower girls, we bought their dresses and accessories. We had real flowers too". She had spent money on things she could have avoided and maybe used that money for other things. Another participant "balanced" her wedding finances and deferred them for "another month she and her husband had some money in the bank account" (Currie, 8). The repercussions of big, expensive weddings are that newly wed couples will have bad credit ratings and this will hurt them later on when they have children or they are trying to take out a loan for something they absolutely need.
Weddings back home
In Quebec, weddings are on the rise. In the late 60's, people were not getting married, but rather living together instead because civil marriage was instituted (Byfield, 1). Since couples now had "choice," the assumption was that they would choose to leave church, priest craft, solemn vows and all the other religious falderal behind. People who were married after that time seemed to do so because that is how tradition dictated it. Their ancestors were married in a church, so the couples felt they should also. Now that weddings are on the rise, will Quebec be subject to consumerism like in the United States? Will there be a Say Yes to the Dress: Montreal?
Bibliography:
1) B.F. Timmons. The Cost of Weddings. American Social Review (1939). 224-233. Web.
2) Byfield, Ted, Byfield, Virginia. "Church weddings are back for good reasons though they might mystify the 60's people". Alberta Report (1995). 39. Web.
3) Currie, Dawn H. "Here Comes the Bride": The Making of a "Modern Traditional" Wedding in Western Culture". Journal of Comparative Family Studies. (1993): 403-421. Web.
4) Kelley, Raina. "The Price of Marriage". Newsweek 149 (2007). 12-12. Web.
5) McIntyre, Kelsey. "The History of the White Wedding Dress". Web.
6) Bell, Ellen. All about Weddings. Toronto: Dundurn, 2088. Print.
7) Gomstyn, Alice. Hot Type. Chronicle of High Education (2003). Web.
8) Jacks, Matt. The History of Weddings- Tying the Knot though the Ages. TheHistoryOf.net. Thur. 11. 2008.
9) KleinfeldBridal. Say Yes To The Dress. New York. 2011.
10) Boden, Sharon. Consumerism, Romance and the Wedding Experience. 2003. Print.
A Cultural Landmark, (Or the Mechanics Behind the FIFA)
To put it simply, the International Festival of Films on Art, commonly called FIFA, is a non-profit organization who's primary mission is to "increase public awareness, knowledge and appreciation of the arts by promoting works by artists and professionals from the fields of film, television and video." (FIFA) For it's main event, the 10-day Montreal-held competitive festival⎯which is the most important of its kind in the world⎯productions from around the globe are presented while exchanges and networking forums, seminars, presentations, and workshops are offered to professionals. The city becomes a mecca for artists, artisans, film enthusiasts, and those involved in the niche market.
The Competitive Festival
As with most film festivals, those who wish to submit a production to FIFA are first assessed by a selection committee. An administrative fee, as well as a registration fee are required and may vary, depending on the submission date. FIFA encompasses all of the arts, representing all eras and styles, and any discipline such as painting, sculpture, architecture, design, arts and crafts, fashion, decoration, museology, restoration, photography, film (portraits of directors and actors, film shoots, special effects), literature, dance, music, theatre and media arts) are valid subjects. (FIFA) Films, which much be in French or in English, in their original, subtitled or dubbed version, are judged by an international jury composed of at least five professionals from the art and film communities.
Awards include Grand Prize, Jury Award, Award for Best Educational Film, Award for Creativity, Award for Best Canadian Film, Award for Best Essay, Award for Best Portrait, Award for Best Reportage, Award for Best Film for Television, Liliane Stewart Award for Design Arts, ARTV Springboard to the World Award, ARTV People's Choice Award. "Every year, the prizewinning films of the latest edition of FIFA are presented on an international circuit that includes the Louvre in Paris, the Studio National des Arts Contemporains Le Fresnoy in Tourcoing, the AIA/Center for Architecture, the Mid-Manhattan Library and the Morgan Library in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Musée national des beaux-arts in Quebec City, the National Gallery of Canada and the Tate Modern in London." (FIFA)
That being said, the festival is also comprised of five smaller segments: the horizons (screenings of the latest films which take a look at art in all its forms), the tribute of a producer, director or distributor who has distinguished himself or herself in the field of films on art, media arts (exploratory videos, video art and experimental cinema), "focus on the 7th art" (films on cinematography, portraits of filmmakers, actors, and technicians) and finally, "time recaptured" (anniversaries, memorials, archival films).
Quintessential "Art Film Matinées" and "Les Découvertes du Film sur l'Art"
Beyond the film festival, shorter national events and activities are also organized throughout the year. On one hand, Art Film Matinées consists of that edition's prizewinning films, presented every October Sunday, usually in exchange for a small fee; on the other, Les Découvertes du Film sur l'Art are presentations of previous editions, scattered throughout the autumn, followed by discussion panels with special guests.
Although the 2011-2012 editions of the Art Film Matinées and Les Découvertes du Film sur l'Art, all films have been presented the past autumn save one. Magritte le Jour et la Nuit, which was originally introduced in the 28th FIFA edition, will be open to viewing on Wednesday February 15th 2012, 7p.m., at the Stewart Hall of the Pointe-Claire Cultural Centre. The guest panel will be hosted by Francine Moreau. For more information, visit http://artfifa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=401&Itemid=752 and http://artfifa.com/index.php?option=com_film&task=view&id=2081&year=28&Itemid=562.
VIDEO EMBED: Excerpt of the film Magritte: Day and Night (2009), by Henri de Gerlache
FIFA as a Slice of History
Since its inception in 1981 under UNESCO's International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication, FIFA has strived to promote and develop the industry of films on art. From being sponsored solely by the Montreal Contemporary Art Museum and the screening of 50 films from 12 countries over five day at the Cinémathèque Québécoise, FIFA has become an independent institution (1983), doubled the amount of awards and its total day of days of festivities (2003), and introduced an entire new range of genres to its repertoire⎯mime, circus arts, tattooing and comics. For last year's 29th edition, FIFA inaugurated the International Market of Films on Art, a segment devoted to the development of professionals.
What Now?
Cultural Significance and Community Involvement
While it is indisputable "the quality and originality of its selected works have made FIFA a fixture on the cultural landscape, and a major player in the international and cinematic communities," (FIFA), FIFA's interest in cultural exchanges has also helped to make it a landmark.
Every year, the location of FIFA's screenings and activities is divided among some of the most distinguished cultural institutions of the city⎯Place des Arts, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Arts, Concordia University, La Grande Bibliothèque, the Canadian Center for Architecture, the Cinémathèque Québécoise, the National Film Board Theatre and the Goethe-Institut⎯and gives locals and visitors alike the opportunity to connect or reconnect with Montreal culture. As a side note, FIFA's website possesses a section devoted to Montreal tourism.
FIFA relies heavily on volunteers. From information and reception in theaters to reception in theaters, VIP events, administrative tasks and distribution, the mulitlingual exchanges between volunteers, participants and visitors add to the cosmopolitan aspect of the Festival.
FIFA partners with local and international organizations. In 2008, for instance, Concordia University joined forces with FIFA out a shared desire to open their doors to the world. According to an announcement made by the university at the time, "FIFA and Concordia are aiming to bring together Montreal's cultural communities and develop the interest and appreciation of university students for films about art and artists from here and abroad." (Concordia University) Several films were screened at the J.A. De Sève Cinema that year.
VIDEO EMBED: Local French-Canadian coverage of the International Festival of FIlms on Art 2011 by ARTV
The 30th FIFA, 2012
Although much of the information for the upcoming 2012 festival has yet to be released, FIFA's website indicates this year's International Film Festival on Art will be held in Montreal, from March 15th to March 25th, its joint International Market of Film on Art will be presented from March 21st to March 24th. This second Market edition will include new activities and services designed for film industry professionals and international cultural institutions such as roundtables on 3D filming and editing, training and pitch sessions for emerging artists, workshop on new distribution alternatives, and pitch sessions for professionals.
VIDEO EMBED: Excerpt of Quarantaine and the Official Trailer for the International Festival of FIlms on Art 2010
Conclusion
Over the years, FIFA has established itself a platform for the film industry, one that will help develop and broaden what we know and think of art. In regards to its involvement with the promotion of art, culture, and cosmopolitain exchanges, the title of 'cultural landmark' is without a doubt well-deserved. Who knows what we can expect in the future from such an ever-growing organization...
Keep your eye out for the program.
Bibliography
But as long as the production remained oceans away, my knowledge of the quality relied on third hand information. After several years of contemplating, I decided to manufacture my own line of wigs right here in Toronto, which would enable me to have complete quality control.
One individual who has inspired me on this journey is Michael C. When the manufacturing industry in North America deteriorated, enterprises closed down their local plants and subcontracted in China. Michael however, went against the popular trend: While business owners scrambled for competitive labour costs, Michael focused on quality and started his own plant right here in Toronto, manufacturing frames. "By doing so you have complete quality control in addition to guaranteeing expedited delivery."
Indeed, Michael rose from a garage start-up to a 200, 000+ square foot plant in Toronto, employing 500 people. His company is one of the world's largest in his industry, with clients such as Wal-Mart, Target and Homesense.
Although dealing with China has tremendous cost benefits, the downside can be detrimental. If the shipment arrives tardy and is faulty, you lose the sale. With such an overflow of competition in today's economy, you want to minimize errors as much as possible, and the best way of doing that is by monitoring the process from start to finish. Companies that honour the promised delivery time and produce unparalleled products have in the end proven to prevail.
As I write this article, I have just commenced this project. All beginnings are arduous and the cul-de- sacs I am encountering are more than I anticipated. "For a super natural wig, you need Russian hair, and only the Chinese can sew it:" the mavens have been informing me. But I will not surrender to all that nonsense. I am determined to move forward and think outside the Iron Wall. After all, hair is not a rare commodity, and it's not rocket science to sew a wig.
As Michael said: "Whoever tells you this is impossible, tell them that 'impossible' is not part of your vocabulary. Oh, and by the way, do you know how to sew wigs?" Not at all, I replied. "Well," he continued, "to train others, you must first know the trade." And so the art of wig making has now crept into my life.
I look forward to informing you more, but I will have to have relegate that to a sequel article when hopefully this project becomes a reality.
A) is a documentary,
B) has no dialogue (and the scraps of spoken language that can be heard aren't subtitled),
C) is not narrated, and
D) will last for more than an hour ?
When Mari goes to the zoo for the first time and screams in terror when confronted with the close proximity of a gorilla and a tiger, I found myself thinking, 'Well, how reasonable of her. Why would she enjoy being within mauling distance of vicious predators?' When Hattie's mother brings her into the hot tub and Hattie is considerably freaked out, it suddenly seems clear that it should be disturbing to be dunked into overwhelmingly hot, loudly bubbling water.
Now, even if you aren't the kind to be conquered by mere adorability--if the prospect of watching babies be babies for 75 minutes doesn't thrill you--the film's cultural aspects might still be sufficient bait to draw you in. In each of the four very different environments, Babies allows its viewers to witness the intimate details that constitute parenthood and early childhood within those cultures. There are touching moments of familiarity that transcend the geographical distances (the scenes of each of them crawling--that identical motion--across the ground in such different places; the way in which a loving parent coos to their baby). There are also moments of striking opposition. At one point in the film, the camera cuts between scenes of Hattie's father, in San Francisco, vacuuming the floor around her and then de-linting her, and Ponijao, the Namibian baby, sitting at her mother's feet, playing unimpeded in the sandy dirt, finding a bone, and then putting it into her mouth and sucking on it with curiosity.
This way of cutting between opposite approaches to parenthood (in this instance, the protective American model versus the much-less-so Namibian version) has the effect of redefining each, in relation to the other. Interestingly, I found that it made Hattie's father come across as the more extreme and bizarre parent in his behaviour--his North American concerns about maintaining sterile surroundings for his child appear odd and over-protective when compared with the complete lack of these worries in Ponijao's mother (especially since her baby seems just as happy and healthy as his does).
This, perhaps, is where Babies' most impressive quality lies: in its ability to take us as viewers and show us our own culture through entirely fresh eyes. When we see Bayar, in Mongolia, crawling between the legs of cows (with those big heavy hooves) and emerging completely unhurt and unworried, we are forced to wonder whether babies might be more resilient than we give them credit for in Western culture--that maybe we go too far, here, in our concerns over an infant's fragility and vulnerability.
Photo credit: SanShoot
So, even if you find the idea of a non-talking, un-narrated documentary to be somewhat daunting, keep in mind that this is not your run-of-the-mill documentary. It is an experience of four different countries and lifestyles, it is a warm basket full of warm-and-fuzzy baby moments, it is a hilarious look at the quirks and humour involved in human behaviour, and it is a new way of looking at the world and our own culture. So whether or not you are a person who loves babies, you still might love Babies.
By Celia Ste Croix
The following article does not make claims of expertise on the subject matter.
The world's oceans are full of garbage.
There is no plan to clean it up and the problem is growing.
In 1997, scientific researcher Captain Charles Moore was the first to report witnessing huge collections of floating garbage in the Pacific Ocean. GyreCleanUp.org estimates that 11 million tons of plastic pollution is floating above and below the surface just in the North Pacific Gyre alone.
The way that currents and wind move across the earth's oceans creates a kind of vortex effect. This vortex is called a gyre and it draws floating debris into huge areas at the ocean's centers. There are five gyres in the world and it is believed that there is a garbage patch in each one.
For marine life this debris is an ever-present disaster. Birds can easily swallow bottle caps and large plastics that stay in their stomachs, eventually starving them. Sea turtles mistake clear flexible plastic for jellyfish, their main food source, and often choke on the debris. Marine mammals, like seals and dolphins, can be strangled or immobilized by plastic netting and other materials wrapping around their mouths, necks and extremities. There are countless other heart breaking examples.
For humans, the implications are less visible. Plastic products break
down, through sunlight and saltwater, releasing various toxic chemicals
such as PCBs, PVCs, dioxins and phthalates. Because the chemical
elements of plastics are not water soluble, the broken down particles
get ingested by marine life as solids. Many of the chemicals present in
the gyres, like mercury and pesticides are known carcinogens and many
others are suspected carcinogens. Small fish ingest the plastic
particles and, if they are not killed by the debris, these small fish
are in turn eaten by larger prey until eventually those tiny particles
and chemical elements end up in our food supply, either indirectly as
feed for livestock and as an ingredient in farm fertilizers or directly
as our high price salmon fillet. For many countries with large coastal
regions, fishing is a main source of food.
There is also the implication that, if left unresolved, this problem
could grow, killing off all marine life and leaving the planet with a
massive ecological crisis.
What is being done?
Because the oceans are international space and the waste comes from
all over the world there is no one government or ruling body that can be
held accountable or lay blame. The United Nations Environmental Program
(UNEP), affiliated with the United Nations, is attempting to address
the issue. For example, at the Stockholm Convention in 2001 twenty-one
Persistent Organic Pollutants (a term for plastics and other waste
materials that break down slowly or not at all) were put on the
"strictly controlled" list. The UNEP maintains that there must be a
collective effort at all levels of government, as well as socially and
commercially, to solve the problem and prevent further damage.
In the United States, some cities string nets across rivers to collect
debris that washes into the water system during heavy rainfall. They
then remove this debris to land-fills.
Most of the burden of action, however, seems to fall to the
Non-government Organizations (NGOs) and non-profit organizations. The
Five Gyres Institute is one of many organizations promoting awareness
and conducting research of the garbage patches and their impact.
Algalita Marine Research Foundation, founded by Charles Moore, holds
Algalita's International Youth Summit through which it attempts to
engage students and educators around the world in "action-oriented,
solutions-based education about plastic marine pollution."
Even with all the conferences, resolutions, research and awareness
campaigns the solution is not a clear-cut one. There have been and still
are many people working on solutions for cleaning up the garbage
patches but no viable, lasting solution has been found.
To date, the following proposals have been made:
Manual removal
Why don't we just take a big net out there and scoop up the mess? The problem with this straightforward solution is three fold. One: only a small percentage of the physical debris floats on the surface, the rest is submerged and can be as far down as the ocean floor. Two: contrary to what one might imagine, the garbage patches are not unified masses of floating debris that collect and stay together. The plastics only collect when physically attached together as in a discarded fishing net, an inlet or bay, a bird's stomach or a sticky substance like crude oil. This means you would have to troll vast areas to collect the loose debris. Also, as time passes, more and more of the plastic materials break down and some plastics start out tiny, such as minute beads in cosmetic skin cleansers. This debris is so small that you would need a screen-like material to collect it. This brings us to problem number three: when scooping waste out of the ocean you are also scooping out mass amounts of zooplankton, invertebrates and tiny fish that are the basis of the food chain of all marine life. The negative impact on the ecosystem would be enormous.
Plastics ban
Many environmentalists say that reducing the use of plastics and finding alternative packaging modes will stem the growing problem in the gyres. However, more than a decade after the garbage patches' discovery even if the whole world were to suddenly stop producing any form of plastic or rubber-based items there would still be an estimated 74 000 plastic items per square kilometre swirling in the oceans with nowhere to go but straight into the food chain. It is also unfeasible for humans to stop using plastic, latex and rubber products at this time. If you consider scientific and medical uses alone, we are dependent on these products for many, many applications until we come up with alternative options.
Recycling
As with the idea of banning plastics, recycling is a long-term plan and a viable solution for stemming the growth of the garbage patches. However recycling alone will not take the plastics out of the oceans.
Converting plastics into fuel
Project Kaisei proposes creating an economically driven solution by finding a way to make the gyre plastics into a fuel or transform the material into some kind of derivative product. This model suggests that if investors or companies wanted to collect the plastic material they could then turn it into profit. No technology exists yet to transform the plastic materials in this way and no financial body or person seems interested in developing it.
Plastic consuming microbes
Scientific research has developed microbiological technology for oil spill clean-up and this could potentially be applied to the problem in the gyres. Scientists at University College Dublin have been working on a kind of microbe that will actually consume plastic materials without disrupting the surrounding ecosystem. This technology is still mostly theoretical but it is not science fiction so it could become part of the solution.
What can I do?
You could buy a boat and dedicate your life to sifting the trash out
of the world's oceans. But if that is not the best solution for you
there is still a lot you can do to prevent the patches from growing.
Recycle
Each time you throw something away you are making a choice about the environment. Currently, only 5% of the world's plastics are recycled, but it is in your power to raise that percentage.
Buy wisely
Many consumer goods, like cosmetics and household products, contain toxic chemicals and tiny plastics that wash down the drain and out to sea. Consider what is in what you buy and where it goes when you dispose of it. Two alternatives to plastic products are biodegradable and hemp plastics. Many green and environmentally-friendly products exist that can replace those with toxic ingredients. Inform yourself about low impact products and use your wallet to change corporate policies in favour of eco-friendly ingredients and products.
Get political
Pressure your government to change civic and state policies in order to put in place mandates to prevent more ocean pollution and to do our nation's part in cleaning up what is already there.
Organizations:
Education Under Fire Trailer:
Rainn Wilson BIHE Video Appeal:
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By Meghan DenisonMarriages were thought to have emerged so families and clans could come together and prevent severe feuding, which was very common. Viking wedding festivities were a lengthy affair involving much rowdy feasting, music and drunkenness, which depending on the wealth of the families, could last up to a month!
The guests got a good deal. The festivities for free and they received a gift as well for their attendance and did not have to reciprocate on this generosity.
Wedding dresses were often made of white wool, quite simple in appearance, and perhaps the bride had made it herself in anticipation of the big day. Although the dress itself was traditionally simple, there was also a highly complicated knot tied in the sash holding it up, to tease the groom and test his patience on the wedding night (Jack).
The Issue:
Weddings today are incredibly expensive and the cost is only increasing. There are television shows in the United States, such as Say Yes to the Dress, that are exploiting this important day for women by introducing them to things they don't need. Brides will now think that what they see on television is what they must have because they want their day to be perfect. They will mimic what they see on television because it promotes having a modern wedding.
According to Rebecca Mead, an author on weddings, "We live in a consumerist society. You're not a bride; you're a consumer of bridal products. And second, there's something very profound psychologically happening. A wedding once marked a major transition in a person's life--the first time you slept with your spouse and lived with your spouse". Brides are now a product of consumerism, not special women celebrating her special day. Couples are now going into debt because of their wedding expenses. I personally think that couples do not have to spend so much money and go into debt for this occasion. Do you really want to remember your special day for the moments, or how much debt you put yourself in?
Position:
The wedding industry - considered a true "recession-proof" industry - generates in the United States over 60 billion dollars a year in wedding and ceremony related expenses (Bridal market). Between 1984 and 2002, the average cost of tying the knot in the United States shot up from $4,000 to $22,000. In Britain, recent estimates peg wedding costs at between $20,000 and $23,000 (Gomstyn, 1), meaning that the average cost of a wedding per couple is $22,000. 28.3% of the money from a wedding goes towards the reception, 11.5% for the wedding rings and 6.1% for the bridal gown. Other things couples spend their money on are: photography, video, music, flowers, rehearsal dinner, formal wear for the bridal party, clergy and ceremony fees and the limousine. Things bridal stores sell to their customers are: garters, gloves, toasting glasses, cake tops, ring bearer pillows, flower girl Baskets, etc (Bridal).
The perfect example of an extravagant wedding. When Donald trump married Melania Knauss, the bride reportedly spent a whopping 100,000 to 200,000 dollars on a Dior dress made "from 50 pounts of fabric, rhinestones and pearls" (Treehuggers). She later changed into another tress for the rest of the evening.
The Other Side:
Couples spend so much money because they want their day to be special. Marrying someone you love is something to celebrate. Although I am against consumerism taking over, I can understand why couples want to spend so much. There are so many things that are needed for a wedding, including the reception hall, the cost of the priest, the rings, the wardrobe and the food.
The dress is a very important symbol to the bride. It represents her purity in the new marriage, even when some women wear white to their second wedding. It is a mandatory thing to have in a wedding and it will no doubt cost a bit of money. However, is it really necessary to spend over three thousand dollars on it? The reception costs quite a fair bit, and I think maybe each venue has a fixed rate for a wedding and how many people are attending. It is also a mandatory cost. However, do you need to spend 100 dollars a plate for three hundred people? Weddings bring families and friends together on a joyous occasion.
The Debt-free solution:
I believe that while planning the wedding, couples should really think about what they want out of it. If the bride is willing to spend money on a wedding planner to help her out, then that is more than acceptable. When going into the bridal salon for the dress, brides should be firm with the consultants and tell them what their budget is and they are fixed on it. This will eliminate some of the buying game consultants play in order for the bride to pay more. One way for couples not to spend so much money on a wedding are the following:
Bibliography:
During the summer months, between May and September, I work as a pit crewmember for my uncle. It's a lot of fun and I have the opportunity to meet a lot of people. Everyone is nice and all of the racers bond as a family. I decided to interview the coolest racecar driver I know: Nathan Blok.
Nathan Blok was born on April 27th, 1994 and is currently racing in Formula 1600 with my uncle. This year he came first in the Formula 1600 Quebec championship. He also finished on the podium at almost every single race, coming in first, second or third. I've hung out with him on multiple occasions at the races and he always has a smile on his face. At the age of six years old, actually two days past his birthday, his ten-year-old cousin decided to take him go-karting and enrolled him in the race. Nathan won.
Nathan races for Clubine Racing, owned by David Clubine and he has a personal trainer to guide him through races. Last year, after a horrible crash in qualifying that left the car disabled, Nathan managed to go from last place to 4th. With that very impressive feat it was clear to the rest of the racers that Nathan was indeed someone to contend with. When Nathan crashed during that qualifying, he came to the paddock a bit shaken up but with a smile on his face. Most racers would be running around, trying to get the car fixed in time for the race two hours away, but he was unusually calm.
When Nathan is not racing for pole positions, which acquired nine of, he works hard in school, is an honor student, and he practices Karate (he is a 1st degree black belt). When he's at the racetrack, he zooms around on a bicycle or scooter. He also threatens my uncle because his golf-cart is too loud. It is true; you can hear that thing from across the racetrack. During those race weekends, he tries to be very serious and dedicated to his race. When I asked him what he does during the 2 day race weekends, Nathan replied with, "I mostly hang around with my team at tour trailer, go over data, and various aspects of my driving where I can improve for the next session, race strategies, and so on. Once all the business is taken care of, I like to socialize around the paddock.
The best part of the interview was when I asked Nathan what his most memorable racing experience was. During race weekends, racers usually have to sleep over night because there are two races during the weekend. Despite all the stress, Nathan said "I've had lots of fun and funny moments for sure but the single most memorable experience I had was, I think, one year at Mosport, when I was karting. It had snowed and everyone in the paddock got into this huge snowball fight".
Interviewing Nathan was the most interesting thing I could have done for a profile. He is a great teenager who is very well rounded. Not only does he have a racing career, which he is doing so well in, but he is also a fantastic student. Not only that, he is teaching karate! Although he still has many steps to go through before getting to the top at Formula 1, he has so many career goals during the way. Even though the odds for being in Formula 1 are slim, he is still happy knowing he could one-day race the 24 hours at LeMans, which is a 24-hour race in France. I look forward to cheering him on at that event while he is competing against other fantastic racers, like Marc Webber or Sebastian Vettel. He is definitely someone to keep your eye on!
Figure 1: a Mazda 2000 race
Source: Richard Crawford Photography (Flickr.com)
1. At what age did you first drive a car?
Well, that's a bit of a long story. To make it short, I was in an invitational karting race at ICAR when I was 14, & the winner would have a chance to test drive a race ready Ford Mustang & a Formula Euro Series car. I won the race, but I touched a cone early on & was demoted to 2nd. However my performance improved the judges enough to open up another seat to allow me to have the test session.
2: How did you get into racing?
I think what got me into racing was one weekend when I was about 4, I went to the Grand Prix of Mosport with my parents. That Christmas, my dad got me a used go kart & i did some driving on the backyard track that was originally used for my pedal bike. The next spring, I did my first race the day after my sixth birthday.
3: What is the worst crash you've been in?
I've been very lucky to have stayed away from my fair share of accidents in racing. My worst one was this season when I ran into my teammate who lost control, and instead of running into the grass and hit the wall, I slowed down & hoped I would miss, but I didn't. I took two corners off the car, but we were both uninjured.
4: Do you have any pre-race rituals?
No, I've never really been one to do that kind of stuff. The only thing I really do, is i always exit the car from the opposite side I enter.
5: What do you do during a race weekend?
Well, I mostly hang around with my team at tour trailer, go over data, and various aspects of my driving where I can improve for the next session, race strategies, and so on. Once all the business is taken care of, I like to socialize around the paddock. One thing about racing is the family is very small, so at a track, there's very few people who you haven't seen or heard of before, which is really nice.
6: Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In 10 years, I would like to see myself in Formula 1, but I would be happy to race in Indycar, grand am, ALMS, or any other major professional racing series. In today's super competitive environment, and economic state, its getting harder and harder to find sponsorships, and contracts. Ultimately my lifelong goal is Formula 1, but i could make a professional career at any point along the way, its as good as a dream come true.
7: Where would you like to be?
Ultimately, I would want to be Canada's next Formula 1 champion, but I really want to win the triple crown of motorsports (Monaco GP, Indy 500, 24 hours of Le Mans). Even to just win one of the three, I would be over the moon to join the legends that have won there in the past.
8: If you could be in Formula One, what team would you like to be on and who would you have as your partner? Why?
I would want to race at Ferrari for sure. Red Bull is having some great success with Vettel recently, but Ferrari has decades of experience to back them up, and they've almost always been competitive for 60 years.
Who I would want as my teammate, that's a really tough question. If I could pick any driver from History, i would take Ayrton Senna in a heartbeat, but if I had to choose from today's active drivers, I would take Sebastian Vettel.
9: What are the expectations for next year?
For 2012, there's lots of different pathways I could take, and everything's still up in the air. I'm leaving all my options open, but I'm leaning towards racing in the USF2000 series. It would make a nice stepping-stone in my career, and put me in with some really fast competitors.
10: How do you feel you've grown as a racecar driver?
I feel I've grown lots, especially this season. In go-karts, for the longest time I was having some technical issues, and I was a back marker for the longest time. It was really difficult at the time, and was really tough on me, especially at that age to everything I could on track, and still come out almost empty handed. But it's made me stronger, and its shaped me to be the driver I am today, and I don't think I would be the driver I am now without my childhood karting experience.
11: What is your next step in your racing?
My next step is to race in the American Based USF2000 series, but right now, all possibilities are still on the table. The cost of racing in the series is very great, but the reward for victory is also very big (scholarship to race in Star Mazda).
12: What was the best highlight of this year?
Well, there's been so many highlights this season, its hard to choose between any of them. I would say winning the Trois Rivieres Grand Prix is certainly the one closest to my heart. In 2009, I wasn't able to compete at all, and in 2010, I had some mechanical difficulties, and I never even finished as much as a practice session. To finally come though, and win the second oldest street race in the world, the longest running race in Canada, after all the trouble I went though in the two years before was such a relief.
13: What would you like to work on?
As a driver, I've found you never stop learning. I would like to improve on my initial race pace, and qualifying times though. It usually takes me several laps to get up to race pace, and I can rip off many consistently fast times, buy not so many "one, and done" laps I call them
14: If you could meet any racecar driver, who would it be and what would you like to learn from them?
If I had a time machine, I would go back to meet Ayrton Senna. He may not have been the most successful driver in the world, but the stuff he could do with a car, his tactics, precision, and outright speed has never been matched by anyone before. I haven't had the pleasure of watching the documentary yet, but I have seen clips from the Internet, and it's unreal what he could do with a car.
15: You did a test with a Mazda 2000 a few weeks ago. How did that feel?
I was really surprised with the speed, and grip of the Formula 2000, even on a slow, cold, wet track. It was unreal, never driving a car with lots of down force before. When I got in the Star Mazda, it blew everything the F2000 had to offer right out of the water. The outright speed, acceleration, and grip of the car is indescribable, and I enjoyed every moment I could.
16: What work have you been doing with the rest of your team?
Well, most of my work is spent trying to raise the money to race. I offer lots of promotional opportunities to my sponsors, and they are all really satisfied with what I can offer them. As for the team, I'm constantly trying to learn how each aspect of the car works, and learn from the team how to I can go faster.
17: What sports or activities do you do outside of racing?
Outside of racing, I do lots of other activities. I'm a first-degree black belt in martial arts, and I'm an honor student in school. I'm beginning to take on the role of instructing now as part of my training in Martial arts, and it's better helping me communicate with people. A lot of my time is spent trying to acquire partners in my racing career, but I still find some time here and there to hang out with my friends.
18. What is your most memorable racing experience?
I've had lots of fun and funny moments for sure but the single most memorable experience I had was, I think, one year at Mosport, when I was karting. It had snowed and everyone in the paddock got into this huge snowball fight.
http://www.nathanblok.com/bio.php
by Scott bloomquist
I went to wine country once, on business; it seemed out of the way. Simi Valley I think it was; sunny, rolling hills carpeted with grape vines, distantly surrounded by crowning mountain peaks. Wine is an art and a craft to lots of folks, but to me, as I sped south down the highway it was a sideshow to life.
There is something sporting about wine, in that, there is a game and a technique to the practice of enjoying it. Wine is ideally paired with companionship; it's something people get good at enjoying, and something people talk about after the fact. I've enjoyed plenty of wine in my day and shared bottles and meals with some professedly advanced palates, but no matter how much someone else's discriminating taste congratulates or rejects the qualities of a particular wine, I try to maintain my individual appreciation without the suggestions of a more seasoned drinker than myself.
However, this buddy of mine moved out West a few years after his campaign of extra-curricular driving and it wouldn't be until I went to visit him that I would come across that exact bottle of obscure, non-vintage wine again. Its looks hadn't changed much; although, the once lacquered and crisp red lettering on the label had been marred by rough handling and negligent storage among unlike items in a plastic milk crate at the back of a closet in my buddy's pool house apartment, but they still read clearly; the red lacquer shown threw the web of minute scratches, Steeple Chase Red.
The very sight of the words in my mind harkened back to the warm, softly rolling country side of Maryland in summer from were the wine had come a few years earlier. When I asked by buddy if we could drink it, he wasn't even sure what I was talking about at first, but judging from his face when I showed him the bottle his mind was filling with old memories. So, out on his patio in the in the warm, dry evening wind of the South West we toasted to the old days and sipped as we recounted moments and longer instances of memory.
As we did, I felt as though I could sense the sweetly damp South Eastern air slowly moving and lingering on my skin, carrying with the smell of hone
ysuckle and magnolia through the ripe, summer oak leaves. Upon finishing my glass, I was brought back to the present with the rush of a freshly baked, gusty breeze that rustled the rosemary bush's piney branches.
It was saddening to see the bottle empty, its hollow greenness accompanied with the white and red lacquer of its label gave it the pallor something drained of life. I cannot describe to you how that wine tasted, only the thoughts and feelings it evoked. All that can be said about it is that the wine gained sentimental qualities for us when taken out of its time and place but felt in its context. It was just an obscure non-vintage wine, and perhaps didn't require much occasion to open, and maybe, just maybe, it wasn't so great, but for us the occasion and appreciation was homemade.
Lots of folks will recommend waiting for the perfect moment to open a special or vintage bottle of wine, but others will maintain that the occasion to open a special bottle should be a celebration of the wine itself and the moment present because there is an organic, living quality to wine that ages and changes over time, just like any living, breathing thing. Nevertheless, drinking wine is usually seen as a celebration of human life and moment in the reflecting pool of whatever wine is special to us and those around us.
Although the federal government of Canada permits abortion, members of the Canadian public should become knowledgeable enough about abortion to make a decision for themselves on whether or not abortion should be permissible. The following report will examine abortion's political history, fetuses' developmental stages, and current abortion methods.
In 1969, the Supreme Court of Canada legalized abortions under certain conditions: if continuing the pregnancy was deemed by a committee of three doctors to potentially endanger a woman's physical or mental health, abortion was now legal (AbortionInCanada).
These conditions for permitting abortions were removed in 1988, when the Supreme Court of Canada decided that the laws making abortion illegal under any circumstances were unconstitutional. This ruling meant that a child could be aborted at any point during pregnancy for any reason (Boland).
However, the question still remained as to whether the mother was the only person to have the power to decide if her fetus was aborted or not. In 1989, two cases set precedents for the rights of fathers in this matter: Barbara Dodd and Chantal Daigle's boyfriends were refused the legal ability to prevent their girlfriends from having abortions (AbortionInCanada). These decisions prevent fathers from vetoing their partner's choice to abort.
In 1991, another legal precedent was set. This time concerning at what point a fetus gains the legal standing of a person. In this case, Gloria Lemay and Mary Sullivan, two midwives, were not held legally accountable for the death of a fetus who was partially born: the Supreme Court stated that a fetus is not legally a "person" while in the process of birth. This status of a fetus remains to date, meaning there are no legal ramifications in Canada for aborting a fetus at any stage prior to or during birth (AbortionInCanada).
For the most part, this is the stance held throughout North America: in the US, there are only nine states that have made partial-birth abortion illegal. Some state legislatures are discussing making fetal anesthesia mandatory; however, Canada has not followed suit with any regulatory laws of its own that have succeeded in being passed (Woodard).
Fetal Development
Gaining a basic understanding of the start of a human life and the developmental stages is helpful before delving into the perspectives on when an unborn child should be considered a person and debates on what stage of pregnancy, if any, an stillborn should be permitted to be legally aborted.
According to AbortionInCanada, the American Pregnancy Association, and womenshealth.gov a human fetus develops as follows:
Conception: A Zygote forms when sperm and ovum unite. The zygote begins to rapidly grow and within four days it has already developed into about thirty-two cells. Within two weeks, the zygote has reached the uterine wall and implanted itself, entering the embryonic stage.
Week 3: The gastrointestinal tract, arm and leg buds, and spinal cord begin to form. About, 21-25 days after fertilization the heart begins to beat.
Week 4-5: In addition to the continued growth of what has already become visible, the brain, heart, and circulatory system see a rapid increase in development in the fifth week. As well, the preliminary formation of the eyes and ears begins.
Week 6: The palate, jaw, and external ears start to take shape. The central nervous system and the beginnings of a skeleton develop. A vaginal ultrasound may pick up a heartbeat.
Week 7-8: Although only "one inch long and the size of a bean" each component that is "in an adult human is now present in the small embryo" (American Pregnancy Association). The fingers and toes are visible, the muscles can contract, and the cartilage that will later turn to bone is forming.
Week 9-12: Now referred to as a fetus. External components of sexual organs have formed adequately to identify the gender, but not yet by ultrasound. The vocal cords have begun forming and the digestive system is now functioning. By twelve weeks the fetus can make a fist.
Week 13-16
: The second trimester begins. The fingernails have formed, and the bones continue to harden. The fetus can now make sucking motions and feel pressure and touch. By the sixteenth week, the fetus can swallow, and his mother may feel movement.Week 17-20: The fetus' heart may be heard with a stethoscope. Eyebrows and hair are forming. By the end of this period, the fetus may scratch herself and will have developed a sleep pattern, which will continue to guide her sleep pattern after birth.
Week 21-24: The fetus has begun gaining weight and by the end of this period has reached viability, although she would still need the help of medical technology once outside of the womb. In addition, the fetus has a startle reflex and eyes that are fully developed, with pupils that can respond to changes in light.
Figure 3. Fetal skeleton made visible, Curious Expeditions,
6 Month Old Dyed Fetus, Flickr, 26 Jan. 2009. Web. 27 Sept. 2011.
Week 25-28: Blood is now formed entirely in the bone marrow, instead of the liver. Fingerprints are present, and the eyelids can open and close.
Week 29-32: The fetus does breathing motions and rapidly gains weight.
Week 33-term: The organs are ready to function on their own. Most fetuses will turn head downwards in preparation for birth.
Although medicine has advanced to a point where these developmental stages are understood, they have not led to any federal regulations for fetuses' treatment.
Types of Abortions
Abortions may be performed in a variety of ways depending on a mother's preference and the gestational stage, but all of the methods fall under two main categories: surgical and medical.
Surgical Abortions
Suction Aspiration: Also known as dilation and curettage (D&C). With 90% of reported abortions in Canada useing this method, it is the most extensively used. It involves dilating the cervix during the first trimester or early in the second. The fetus is then suctioned out of the uterus. Often the fetus does not stay intact during this process. As a result, special care must be taken to ensure that no pieces remain inside the mother, or they may cause infection (AbortionInCanada).
Menstrual Aspiration: This a very rare procedure in Canada with only 1% of reported abortions using this method. Usually performed in the first three to ten weeks, it involves a tube that is attached to a large syringe being inserted into a slightly dilated cervix and used to suction out an embryo (AbortionInCanada).
Dilation and Evacuation (D&E): This method is most frequently used after thirteen weeks and removes the fetus with suction, forceps, and instruments for gently scraping the uterus wall. Once the fetus is removed, the pieces of tissue are examined to ensure that no parts of the fetus remain in the uterus because they would cause a risk of infection to the mother (Abortion; AbortioninCanada). Feticides may be administered to kill the fetus before the procedure is performed (AbortioninCanada).
Dilation and Extraction (D&X): This procedure is a variation of D&E that leaves the fetus intact. It is also dubbed "partial birth abortion" because the fetus may be partially delivered feet-first before its skull is collapsed to allow it to pass through the cervix. As with D&E, feticide may be used prior to the procedure (Hammond; AbortionInCanada). Although technically legal in Canada, it is not certain if any of these abortions are actually occurring (AbortionInCanada).
Surgical Dilation and Curettage (D&C): The cervix is dilated allowing a loop-shaped knife to be inserted into the cervix. It then is used to scrape the uterine wall, break up the fetus, and pull the fetal and placental parts out of the cervix.
Hysterotomy and Hysterectomy: Hysterotomy occurs when an incision is made in the mother's abdomen and uterus, allowing the fetus and placenta to be removed. The fetus may be born alive if pre-operative feticide is not used (AbortionInCanada).
Medical Abortion Methods
Medical abortions use medication rather than surgery (Winikoff).
Misoprostol and Methotrexate: Misoprostol may be used on its own; however, it is more effective when used in combination with methotrexate, succeeding in aborting 70-90% of the time when used in combination, rather than 22-94% when used alone (AbortionInCanada). This combination may be used until the forty-ninth day of gestation (AbortionInCanada).
Mifepristone and Misoprostol: Globally, this is the most commonly used combination medical abortion. By blocking glucocorticoid and progesterone receptors, mifepristone produces abortive effects, such as dilating the cervix, causing the uterine membrane to break down, and encouraging contractions (Winikoff; Hammond; AbortionInCanada). Because of side effects deemed too severe, the use of mifepriston for medical abortions has not been approved in Canada (AbortionInCanada).
Labor Induction Methods: These methods inject substances, such as saline, prostaglandins, and urea, into the amniotic sac to induce labor; however, since they pose a greater risk to the mother's health than some other methods outlined above, they are rarely used on their own in Canada. More frequently, they are used as feticides in combination with other methods, such as D&E (AbortionInCanada).
With these methods there have also been instances where the abortion was not successful and fetuses have been born alive: One such example is Gianna Jessen, who survived a third-trimester saline abortion. As a result of the abortion, she now has cerebral palsy; however, she has survived until adulthood and is well enough to do public speaking (giannajessen.com).
Reasons for Abortion
Federally, there are no regulations governing what reasons are acceptable grounds for an abortion; however, there are some common reasons that women give. Often women feel that they cannot handle the responsibility of a child due to their financial situation, career/life goals, maturity level, relational circumstances, or any combination of these challenges (AbortionInCanada). In addition, if a fetus is diagnosed with an undesired abnormality, some parents respond by aborting: According to Cassing Hammond, access to prenatal diagnosis has increased the rate of second-trimester abortions.
One of the least common reasons for abortion is rape or incest: the New York Times and AbortionInCanada.ca cite surveys completed by the Alan Guttmacher Institute in which the results indicate that 1% of women in the United States give rape or incest as their reason for aborting their fetus. Even among women who said their pregnancy was due to rape or incest, 95% said it was not their only reason (NewYorkTimes).
Other women feel external pressure from partners or spouses to have an abortion, overtly or through lack of support. According to Katrina Kimport et al, when a woman does not feel she was fully allowed to make her own decision to bring her child to term or not, her abortion is often accompanied by more negative emotions afterward than women who felt their decision was entirely their own.
What Now?
Although the federal government has legalized abortion, during any stage of fetal development, there continues to be debate over which methods of abortion should be allowed and if abortion should be permissible under all circumstances.
For further discussion on personhood debates please see: A Note to Old Zygotes
Bibliography
AbortionInCanada.ca. LifeCanada. Web. 15 Sept. 2011.
"Fetal Development." American Pregnancy Association. American Pregnancy
Association, 2005. Web. 15 Sept. 2011.
"Gianna Jessen's Biography." giannajessen.com. (2005). Web. 21 Sept. 2011.
Hammond, Cassing. "Recent advances in second-trimester abortion: an evidence-based review." American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 200.4. (2009): 347-356
Kimport, Katrina, Kira Foster, and Tracy A. Weitz. "Social Sources of Women's Emotional Difficulty After Abortion: Lessons from Women's Abortion Narratives." Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 43.2 (2011): 103-9. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Sept. 2011.
Lewin, Tamar. "Rape and Incest: Just 1% of All Abortions." TheNewYorkTimes. 13 October 1989. Web. 27 September, 2011.
Napier, Stephen. "Abortion and the Onus of Proof." National Catholic Bioethics Centre. N.P. 22 Dec. 2008. Web. 27 Sept. 2011.
"Pregnancy." womenshealth.gov. N.P. 27 Sept. 2010. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.
"Speak no evil: The lack of any debate on abortion in canada is deafening." The Ottawa Citizen. ProQuest. A.20-A20. 5 Dec. 2003. Web. 14 Sept. 2011.
"Abortion." Women's Web. 2010. Web. 5 Dec. 2011.
Woodard, J. "A generation of death: Abortion survives a quarter-century, but public repulsion is growing stronger." Report Newsmagazine. 22.9 (1998): 38. ProQuest. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.
]]>Figure 1. There is continuous development from conception onward.
Curious Expedition; Young skeletons at different stages of development,
Flickr, 26 Jan. 2009. Web. 27 Sept. 2011
Significant biological and observational evidence indicates that human life begins at conception. If the unborn are alive, equal worth should be attributed to them as to newborns. However, the Canadian government does not legally protect these unborn individuals. In the same way, proponents of abortion assess the worth of a fetuses' life by measures that are not accepted as determiners of a newborn child's worth, such as lack of physical or cognitive ability. It is imperative that the standards for measuring human value and worthiness of legal protection are applied consistently; otherwise, decisions made concerning the rights of the unborn will be built on faulty rationalizations.
In the following discussion, the term human zygote refers to a single cell formed when a human sperm and egg unite [1]. Between implantation and the second month, the term embryo describes the being [2]. From the second month until fully birthed, the term used is fetus. When a fetus is able to survive outside the womb with the help of medical technology, he or she has reached viability (also called survivability) [3].
Conception of Human Life
In Canada, according to the Canadian Charter of Rights, regardless of age, mental disability, or physical disability any human life is to have the same legal protection as any other [4]. Therefore, establishing when human life begins is imperative.
This article proposes conception as the beginning of life; the reasons being as follows: Firstly, at conception a unique individual forms with his or her own genetic makeup. This is the point at which the continuum of human development begins and continues until adulthood.
Many proponents of abortion propose that life does not begin until a developing individual reaches a certain physiological or cognitive milestone [5]. However, physiological and cognitive developments are symptoms of the presence of life.
Test the logic. Name one dead or not alive thing that converts nutrients into physical and cognitive development. Is it more reasonable to assume that a being that is developing in size and complexity is alive or not alive?
Fact Check
• The gender of an individual is determined at conception and depends on whether the sperm carried an X or Y chromosome [6].
• Genetic information for "all the essential factors for development" exists at conception [7].
• Three weeks after fertilization "although smaller than a grain of rice the embryo has a primitive heart" [8].
• By the sixth week, there is measurable brain activity [9].
• At the twelfth week, the fetus can make a fist [10].
In this blur of fetal development, how could one claim to have found a point along the continuum at which life ignited other than conception?
Reasons for Devaluing Unborn Lives
The reasons given by supporters of abortion for why an unborn life should not have full human worth reduce to arguments based on degrees of physical and cognitive ability. However, these abilities are not generally accepted as sources or measures of human worth outside of the womb. As a result, the conclusions resulting from using these standards provide faulty reasoning.
Physical Justifications
Two common rationalizations for not attributing full human worth to the unborn are that embryos and fetuses have not reached the point of viability or that they appear to be part of the mother [11].
The argument for viability, as the point after which fetuses have full human worth and should be legally protected, bases its position on dependency reducing the humanness or worth of people [12]. That is, since fetuses depend on their mothers exclusively, their lives are not of equal worth to their mother's.
However, if someone's degree of dependence or lack of independence determines human worth, there should be a gradient of worth even among adults and variance in worth within individual's lives. Further, the Canadian Charter of Rights would have to be revised to reflect these varying human values.
The second physical justification for not attributing full human worth to the unborn relates to dependency during the period after implantation and prior to birth during which the fetus is physically attached to his or her mother. Due to the physical connection, some have proposed that until this bond is broken, the fetus is "as an anatomical extension of the maternal body" [13]. However, this is biologically unsound.
Embryos are not merely a growth of their mothers' bodies because they only share half of their mothers' genes [14]. Although there is a physical attachment between them, the embryos' and mothers' blood does not mix during the exchange of nutrients and waste: if the blood were to mix, because of the genetic discrepancy, the mother's body would reject the embryo as a "foreign organism" [15]. Therefore, since embryos and fetuses are not part of their mothers even while living inside their mothers' bodies, birth should not mark the beginning of their worth and protection as the individuals they already are.
Cognitive Justification
Some proponents of human worth occurring at a point along the course of development choose consciousness as the most important milestone; however, the definition of consciousness remains rather imprecise.
Figure 2. Consciousness requires a brain.
Lewis, Christopher, Brain, Flickr, 15 Jan. 2006. Web. 19, Oct. 2011.
According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, consciousness "depends on the function of the brain" [16]. As a result, consciousness, in the very least, requires the presence of a brain, which starts taking physical shape in embryos by the fourth week [17] and produces detectable activity by the sixth week [18]. In addition, most definitions associate consciousness with awareness [19]. Therefore, in the words of the Oxford English Dictionary, "an organism's consciousness may thus range" [20].
Since degrees of consciousness exist, not all supporters choose the first presence of mental activity as a satisfactory level of development for designating legal status to a person. For example, Michael Tooley, John Harris and Peter Singer propose that aborting a life should be allowed until the human has enough consciousness to be aware of and to value his or her own life: they acknowledge that this stage occurs at some point after birth [21].
Regardless, if consciousness, which has varying degrees, determines the worth of a life, then not all human life has equal value. Human levels of consciousness change from the first measurable brain activity and continue to evolve and fluctuate as an adult.
Furthermore, consciousness does not determine when life becomes present: an organism having a brain or consciousness is not generally accepted as necessary for the presence of life. For example, sponges "lack a definite nervous system" [22]. Nevertheless, they (and other animals, such as jellyfish) are alive [23]. Therefore, the presence of a brain is not required for something to be alive. As a result, it does not follow that the lack of a brain would prove that a human embryo is not yet alive.
Figure 3. Jellyfish are alive but have no brain.
Cody, Jellyfish, Flickr. 18 Aug. 2008. Web. 19 Oct. 2011.
Therefore, the variability and vagueness of consciousness and its lack of correlation to life being present make it a poor determiner of how embryos and fetuses should be valued and protected.
Physical and Cognitive
Some supporters of regulated abortion state that abortions should only occur before a fetus has developed the physiological and cognitive abilities to feel pain [24].
Again, fetuses' physical and cognitive abilities to feel pain have developed because fully valuable life is already present. Whether or not fetuses can feel pain when this life is aborted does not infuse anyone with the right to do so anymore than using anesthesia would justify ending an adult life.
Summary of Justifications
As can been seen, the justifications for dehumanizing human life focus on levels of physical and cognitive ability. But these standards have little to do with the presence of human life, and outside of the context of the womb, they are not attributed with an ability to determine worth. As a result, a double standard becomes apparent.
Political Views on Unborn Lives
A double standard on the worth of human life exists on the governmental level, as well. Despite no proof that human life does not begin at conception and despite avowing to human equality before the law, Canada provides no legal protection for embryos and fetuses.
In light of the Charter of Rights, legally, the protection provided to fetuses and embryos should not be measured by physical or mental ability or age. The government must decide: either abilities and age are the measures of human worth or they are not.
Recommendations for the Canadian Public
Unfortunately, polls suggest that the Canadian public is currently supporting the government's double standard: according to a Gallup Poll, 52% of Canadians do not want the laws on abortion to change [25]. This means they share the government's conflicting standards, leading to not all human lives being treated as equal. Canadians should exercise their democratic privileges to encourage the Canadian government to legally protect even unborn human lives.
But as the people of Canada, we do not need to wait for the laws to change for us to change our behaviour. Let's value unborn lives.
Further Reading
Please see "Resources for Low-Income Women in Montreal, Quebec," for more information on provincial and community services available for low-income pregnant mothers.
Footnotes
1. "zygote." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 15 Oct. 2011.
2. "human embryology." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 15 Oct. 2011.
3. de Roubaix, J. A. Malcolm, and Anton A. van Niekerk. "Separation-survivability as moral cut-off point for abortion." South African Journal of Philosophy 25.3 (2006): 206-223. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
4. "Canada's System of Justice," Department of Justice Canada. 31 July 2009. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
5. de Roubaix
6. "human embryology"
7. "zygote"
8. Human Reproduction: Fertilization and Fetal Development. Video. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 15 Oct. 2011.
9. AbortionInCanada.ca. LifeCanada. Web. 15 Sept. 2011.
10. "Fetal Development." American Pregnancy Association. American Pregnancy Association, 2005. Web. 15 Sept. 2011; AbortionInCanada.ca
11. de Roubaix
12. de Roubaix
13. de Roubaix
14. Human Reproduction
15. Human Reproduction
16. "consciousness." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
17. "Pregnancy." womenshealth.gov. N.P. 27 Sept. 2010. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.
18. "consciousness." OED: Third edition, Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
19. "consciousness." OED
20. "consciousness." OED
21. de Roubaix
22. "sponge." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
23. "sponge."
24. Woodard, J. "A generation of death: Abortion survives a quarter-century, but public repulsion is growing stronger." Report Newsmagazine. 22.9 (1998): 38. ProQuest. Web. 21 Sept. 2011; AbortionInCanada.
25. Winseman, Albert L. "Most Canadians, Britons Satisfied With Abortion Laws: More Americans Dissatisfied with U.S. Laws," Gallup. 7 June, 2005. Web. 28 Dec. 2011.
Montreal, Quebec--November 2, 2011--Many women present financial limitations as their main reason for having an abortion. For example, surveys by the Alan Guttmacher Institute found that feeling financially unprepared constitutes one of the top-two reasons American women abort a pregnancy [1]. Since material resources can factor so strongly into a woman's decision to have an abortion, becoming aware of the resources available in one's own region is imperative.
In addition, the province of Quebec offers programs for low-income families, including benefits reserved for pregnant mothers. Quebec's shelter allowance program gives up to $80 per month to help support low-income households, which meet certain requirements, such as having one dependent child[4]. While children attend school, Quebec offers support for back-to-school costs. During the nursing stage, the province supplies nursing and formula allowances, depending on the mother's preference. Even during a pregnancy, women may receive a specialized monthly benefit. The province also gears one of their benefits toward pregnant minors [5]. From prior to birth until adulthood, Quebec has programs to financially help developing children and their mothers.
Although, these programs supplement, rather than supply, living costs, women should become acquainted with them in order to make informed appraisals of the resources at their disposal. Some women may have more than they think.
Further Reading
For details on financial services and child tax benefits offered by Quebec, visit http://www.mess.gouv.qc.ca/thematiques/aide-financiere/index_en.asp
For more information on food banks, see http://www.banquesalimentaires.org/
Also be sure to check out local community service centers for information on their services.
Sources
1. Finer, Lawrence B., et al. "Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives," Guttmacher Institute. 37.3 (2005). Web. 29 Oct. 2011
2. "OLO program (nutritional aid for pregnant women)," Services Québec. 4 Oct. 2011. Web. 29 Oct. 2011.
3. "OLO program"
4. "Shelter Allowance Program," Société d'habitation. 23 Aug. 2011. Web. 29. Oct. 2011.
5. "Financial Assistance," Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale. 2011. Web. 29 Oct. 2011.
Montréalités exists as a venue for community voices. Largely student run, this online publication touches on topics ranging from food and parks, to social justice and death.
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Fabergé, defined as a breakfast restaurant and lounge, first opened its door during the Summer of 2010, at 25, Fairmount W. It is the success project of brothers Devin and Chaz DeSousa and their friend Costa Darsaklis, three men in their mid to late twenties. Located in the vibrant heart of the Mile End, Fabergé is as refined and modest as the inhabitants of its neighborhood. A mural of the city's landmarks, designed by local artist Howie Dewitt, runs along the walls and ceiling, exemplifying Montreal's unique ability to be trendy in keeping with an underground vibe. As I sit and sip my cappuccino on a Friday morning, Bugs Bunny is featured on the several television screens and the Black Keys is playing in the background; the restaurant is buzzing with style.
Stylish and inviting, delicious and affordable, Fabergé is quickly becoming the most talked about brunch spot in the Mile End. A must visit for both locals and tourists, I have no doubt that the Fabergé experience will live up to the hype.
www.restofaberge.com
He's not the drug dealer you see on Cops hustling on the streets of L.A. He's actually the complete opposite. I sit down with John DiGenova at his home in Beaconsfield near Montreal on a casual Tuesday night. He and I are in his kitchen drinking coffee after a hearty dinner. He is a tall man with a large build; his dark black hair and olive skin are strong indicators to his Italian heritage. We talk about how the pharmacies are doing briefly before the interview and he is in good spirits.
Moving to Montreal had a huge impact on Bowly's musical journey. "I was really involved with music, but that changed dramatically when I came here, because being in France - being in a small town - there was not much happening in my hometown." After moving to Montreal by sheer chance, driven by a desire to experience something different than the environment in France, Bowly met a community of likeminded people, including many people he's still involved with today that make up the E.S.L. crew (a group of DJs and promoters in Montreal that were the first to push the UK Funky sound locally), like Skinnybones. In Montreal he's found what he describes as a small scene that's built primarily on the strength of the individuals within it. He doesn't feel the city has one coherent sound, but instead fluctuates and changes with every new new sound a well-known local artist adopts.
That diversity is present in Bowly's own music. As a producer, he makes music that's influenced by a blend of dubstep, grime, UK Funky, garage, electro, techno and house. His fascination with bass heavy genres began when he picked up Burial, Kode9 and Boxcutter's first albums. "I got them all on the same day after reading a review in 2006. I was like, 'Alright, what is this thing they call dubstep?' It's funny, because if you listen to all three they're really not cannons of what dubstep is." His love of techno and house go back further to when he first moved to Montreal, they were the styles that he was first introduced to. These then distinct musical genres were finally brought together when he discovered UK Funky, which he describes as a combination of house and techno with UK sounds. After hearing it, he decided it was the music he wanted to make. However, he says he's never been the type of producer who can finish up with the track he set out to make. His track "Our Groove", a New York garage influenced, bass heavy house track, for example, started out with an attempt to produce a techno track. Because of this, he has a hard time really describing the music he makes. Rather than give it a name, he just wants there to be a line that can be followed that makes something sound like his style.
When he first started attempting to make UK Funky, it was the very beginning of the movement; there were few producers making it, and even fewer from outside the UK. He reached out to his favourite artists through MySpace, and that's how he managed to grab the attention of Geiom, which led to his first release. Geiom liked his productions, and they developed a back and forth conversation; Geiom would send Bowly extensive break downs of his songs, and pointed out areas to work on. Getting such close attention from a well-established producer helped him develop his sound quickly, and in short order Geiom selected two songs he liked, "Idee d'Une Tropique" and "Bleeps" for release on his label, Berkane Sol.
To get a taste of this DJs wide range, you can tune into his weekly radio show on Nasty.fm from 7-9pm (or later) every Saturday night, alongside his other E.S.L. crewmembers.
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The Other Life
Are you an athlete, but stuck working a job or going to school? No sweat, you are going through what many athletes experience as they make their way to the top. Some athletes like Tobias Eberhard of Austria and Bulgaria's Nina Klenovska hold the job of police officers, which helps pay for their way to the Olympics (China). This is something that many athletes have in common. Hockey players in the 1940s had day jobs and then played hockey in the evening. Although the circumstances were different, hockey players during that time worked day jobs because it contributed to the war effort.
Figure 1: USA vs. Canada game
Source: Innsbruck 2012
Figure 2: Michigan State Hockey Team
Michigan State University Archives
Although they make their countries proud and win medals, Canadian athletes receive $1,500 a month from Sport Canada and some need to maintain their jobs to support themselves and while training for the Olympics. According to the book Heat Stroke by Michael Simonson, 80% of Canada's amateur athletes live below the poverty line. A silver or gold win at the Olympics would dramatically increase an athlete's marketability (Network). Unlike some nations that compete at the Olympics and sponsor their athletes fully (for instance Russia, China and to some extent the United States), Canadian elite athletes are often not provided for financially in ways that allow them to devote themselves fulltime to their sport (Monster). Markus Wiitness and Karin Huttary are massage therapists who also do ski cross. Along with working, athletes like curling athlete Jacquie Armstrong train 20 hours a week with cardio, interval, core and flexibility training and 12 hours on the ice (Coach). Canadian sled racer Jon Montgomery is an Olympic hopeful by day. But despite being ranked number two in the entire world for his sport, he still has to make a living like the rest of us. So he works part-time as a Sales Consultant/Automobile Auctioneer while spending most of his days training for the 2010 Winter Olympics being held in Vancouver, British Columbia (Coach).
Figure 3: Lake Louise
Doubleplusgood crimethink
There are some athletes who have another type of job in between their athletic pursuits. Alexandre Bilodeau is a now 23 year old freestyle mogul skier who joined the national team at 17, won four straight World Cup events in 2009 and won the first gold medal at the Olympic Games in 2010 (Vancouver Sun). Since the Olympics are over, Bilodeau is interchanging skiing with school. He is studying finance and management at the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University (Concordia).
In conclusion, athletes have many obstacles when it comes to their sports. Although they would love to devote themselves fully to the sport, they do have to pay for their coaches and training. Even through this, it shows that athletes are completely dedicated to their field and the nation is still proud to have them support us in the World Games. It really is an honor.
Bibliography:
http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?BioId=42127
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2010/11/11/1807266/remembering-canadiens-and-bruins-1940s-wartime-support-efforts
http://www.hockeycentral.co.uk/nhl/movers/Hockey-in-World-War-II.php
http://canuckshockeyblog.com/?p=8325
http://www.china.org.cn/sports/2010-02/26/content_19478716.htm
http://career-advice.monster.ca/in-the-workplace/work-life-balance/canadas-olympic-athletes-have-regular-jobs/article.aspx
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/teachable_moments/gold_medal_endorsements.cfm
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Moguls+gold+goes+Canadian+Alex+Bilodeau/2565068/story.html
http://www.alexbilodeau.com/en/bio.html
http://nsb.com/speakers/view/alexandre-bilodeau
http://www.concordia.ca/now/newsmakers/students/20110920/olympic-medalist-alexandre-bilodeau-back-on-the-slopes.php