Attract attention to your feet with these two new VENUS additions to the 2568’s collection.
Are you a shoe junky? If you are, you might take a special interest in 2568’s men’s and women’s new footwear line.
These shoes are comfortable classics with a twist: moccasins, loafers and boots, ballet and pointy flats, in unexpected materials and pattern featuring distinctive fabrics and leathers. Unique details also include colorful laces and decorative tassel bows. 2568 Shoes http://2568shoes.com are inspired by Guatemalan creativity found in garments, handbags and small leather goods.
Fun,bold and funky colour patterns. The Venus line from 2568 Shoes.
The Venus loafers and Vanessa flats come in five different patterns with colors ranging from dark blues and blacks to reds and oranges. The colorful fabrics can make any outfit and can easily transition throughout the seasons.
The Vanessa line from 2568
Sizes range from 8.5 to 12. Price points range from $79 [USD] and up, and for every shoe purchase, 2568 will send a free Guatemalan friendship bracelet. About the owners: Lorenzo Castellon is the Manufacturing/Business Manager and Jamie Lawenda is the Creative Director. The couple met on a job interview and thirty years later are married, have a child and own a sourcing and shoe Design Company.
Another Vanessa example
At first they created shoes and boots for other brands, including Sendra, a Goodyear welted high-end line of leather boots made in Spain. The couple continues to design and sell Sendra in the US.
The SAMOSA boot has a decidely Guatemalan influence. #goodlooking #boot
Cross-border shopper alert! The Venus loafers and Vanessa flats can be purchased at PiperLime, ThomShoes, ShoeInn and FreePeople. The Newman is available in four other colors: patent leather black and red, silver snakeskin embossed leather, and white leather.
The next time that you sit down to a table in a local restaurant for a nice meal with friends, rest in a waiting room, or even thumb through an Ikea catalogue (apologies to those that ‘yuck’ on that idea)—take note of the furniture that stands before your eyes…have you ever given it more thought than the function it is about to perform for you? It has been designed by someone, who, perhaps, has been hired to make sure it is (hopefully) structurally sound, aesthetically appealing (again, hopefully), and possibly economically purchased, therefore mass produced.
The Eames’ designed Christmas Card
Is it a work of art? Do you consider it the work of a master?
Often little attention is given to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of design, so in order to pay it a little respect, I would like to introduce you to a pair whose work you might be somewhat familiar, or dare I say “comfortable” with, Charles Eames and his wife Ray Kaiser Charles Eames (American, b.1907), studied architecture at the Washington University in Illinois, during a time of great innovation in the discipline.
Great advances in building technology at the turn of the 20th century, namely steel reinforced concrete, allowed architects the design freedom to build taller buildings on a steel skeleton permitting the use of more glass and therefore, more natural light and a better view of the outdoors. After graduation in the late 1920s, Eames was fortunate enough to tour Europe and see the revolutionary designs of such masters in his field as Le Corbusier, Mies Van der Rohe and Walter Gropius. Although this was a time of reconstruction after the Great War and utilitarianism was the mode, steel technology allowed this group of architects the freedom to use more organic forms in their designs and, as a result of the option to employ more glass in their structures, buildings that were based more around their external surroundings.
Eames’ own work really began to take off when he joined forces with his second wife, Ray Kaiser (American, b.1912). Ray was a student of famous painter Hans Hoffman and had keen interest in all the arts, including film and dance. The pair, finding it difficult to secure work during the depression, settled in Los Angeles, Eames finding work designing sets for MGM and Kaiser creating covers for architectural magazines.
Secretly, in the evenings, the couple conducted plywood experiments in their apartment turned studio.
Their aim, along with several collaborators, was to make functional furniture with an attractive design that could be produced cheaply and quickly on a massive scale. Their experiments and designs proved to be successful and the Eames began to get contracts for their moulded plywood furniture that combined an organic aesthetic with technical ingenuity. Branching out from wood, the couple also pioneered such technologies that are widely used today, such as fibreglass, plastic resin, and wire mess chairs. Most notable is the 1956 Lounge Chair, made from leather and plywood, a design that is still quite popular in rec rooms today.
For the sake of the Eames lasting legacy in the history of modern architecture, it is necessary to mention the Eames House was constructed in 1949. The design for this landmark structure was proposed by the husband and wife team for the famous Case Study house program for Arts and Architecture magazine. The goal of this program was to have an architect design a modern house, elaborating on its functional requirements and then actually build the home. The house proposed by the Eames reflected their needs as a young married couple looking for a place to live, work and entertain.
They choose a site along the Pacific coast, and using mostly pre-fabricated steel and glass walls, constructed a home heavily influenced by cubist painter Mondrian’s “Composition in Red, Yellow and Blue”.
As a result, of the replacement of concrete walls for glass, the inhabitant of the home is afforded a spectacular view of the coastal property and exterior greenery, meanwhile, taking advantage of the natural light that is allowed to stream throughout the house. Of all of the proposals that were submitted for the Case Study houses, the Eames House is considered to be the most successful, as it not only made a definite architectural statement, but also functioned quite well as a comfortable and practical living space. The property is still maintained by the Eames family, who continue to use it as an occasional residence, and it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.
So… consider this: although you might not find the Eames furniture in your hospital waiting room, rec room,or local restaurant, many mass produced models still bear their innovative legacy, either in their design, comfort or materials. For the Silo, Eve Yantha.
IRVINE, Calif. – Waaaay back in Summer 2011, BenQ America Corp. announced that as the official gaming monitor sponsor of Major League Gaming (MLG), the world’s largest competitive video game league, it would be supplying monitors for the then upcoming 2012 MLG Pro Circuit Summer Championship that were held in Raleigh, North Carolina. At the tournament, hundreds of the top gamers from around the world competed using BenQ’s RL2450HT and GL2450HM monitors, designed specifically for professional gaming and engineered to meet the specific needs of eSports athletes. The GL2450HM was also featured in the Virtua Fighter(TM) 5 and Skullgirls(TM) Exhibition Tournaments, alongside the Pro Circuit competition.
At the 2012 MLG Pro Circuit Summer Championship, gamers — including BenQ-sponsored Team Dynamic and Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen — competed for their share of nearly $215,000 in prizes playing the real-time strategy (RTS) games StarCraft(R) II: Wings of Liberty and League of Legends(R) on PC, and fighting games Mortal Kombat(TM) and SoulCalibur(R) V on the PlayStation(R)3 (PS3(TM)).
[Then] 26 year old Dutch professional videogamer Manuel “Grubby” Schenkhuizen and friend Cassandra. How good is he? Check out- http://www.sk-gaming.com/player/90-Grubby image:courtesy MechWarrior onlineThousands of spectators watched the tournament at the Raleigh Convention Center, and hundreds of thousands of fans watched the action online at www.majorleaguegaming.com/live.
For those retro system fans, there was even a Summer Championship that let fans get in on the action with Virtua Fighter 5 and Skullgirls Exhibition Tournaments, played on the good old PS3.
Anyone with a Raleigh Spectator or Competitor Pass could participate in these tournaments, which were sponsored by PlayStation. Winners of the best-of-three matches held the station until defeated and could re-enter as many times as they wished. The two players for each game with the longest winning streaks battled it out for $2,000 per tournament in the Finals on the
Fighting Games Main Stage.
Crowd shot from the MLG #gamerompfest
“The Summer Championship in Raleigh [was] sure to provide an exciting culmination to an amazing summer season, and we [were] honored to have our RL2450HT and GL2450HM in the middle of the action,” said Bob Wudeck, Director of Retail and e-Commerce at BenQ America Corp. “The fast response times of BenQ’s monitors result in high-action competition, while features such as the RL2450HT’s Black eQualizer help eSports athletes not just play the game, but conquer it. In addition, the incredibly low lag of the GL2450HM provides perfect timing in fighting and shooting games.”
Delivering a supreme RTS gaming experience, the RL2450HT was used for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and League of Legends PC games tournaments at the Summer Championship. The RL2450HT was engineered with input from the world-class StarCraft II professional gaming team, STARTALE, which is sponsored by BenQ. For top-level RTS gamers, the monitor features a 60-Hz refresh rate for smooth movement, an LED light engine for great color and low power consumption, and a 2-ms GtG response time with 12 million to 1 contrast ratio.
The RL Series RTS Mode maximizes StarCraft II visibility and optimizes color, while its Black eQualizer enables total visibility by allowing gamers to adjust the screen brightness without over-exposing white levels — revealing critical combat details with improved visibility in darkened areas. The RL Series Display Mode allows gamers to interchange between monitor screen sizes, while the Smart Scaling feature gives them the freedom to scale the screen manually to any custom size — from 17 to 24 inches — depending on their preferences. In addition, the unit’s adjustable height stand allows for optimal screen positioning.
The 24-inch-wide GL2450HM monitor is an ideal choice for console gaming platforms, featuring brilliant LED backlighting, a dynamic contrast ratio of 12 million to 1, and a 2-ms GtG response time that yields high dynamic videos without ghosting or other artifacts.
At a later MLG Summer Championship, console games Mortal Kombat and SoulCalibur V were played on the GL2450HM, in addition to Virtua Fighter 5 and Skullgirls in the Exhibition Tournaments sponsored by PlayStation.
Supporting competitive and competitive retro gaming, BenQ offered the monitors used in the tournament at special discount pricing available to all MLG tournament fans.
As a technology writer for the Silo, I am always focusing and thinking about the evolution of technology. I write about how computers and video games have changed over the years, but of course, many other things change around us and the one I have been thinking about a lot lately is shopping. ( Consumers Distributing may be back, the relaunch namesake follows us on Twitter )
CD had some serious PPMP’s (Portable Personal Music Players)- notice how the colour and graphic schemes are totally late 80’s/early 90’s?
When I was a kid, I remember getting the Consumers Distributing catalog and taking it into my room to read thoroughly. Of course, I tended to go directly to the toys section and more specifically I looked at the video games and computers. I dreamed about the day I would own some of these items, and I patiently saved my pennies from my job as a paper route carrier. Life can be tough when you are 12.
Started in 1957, Consumers Distributing tried to save costs for consumers by creating a warehouse like environment that allowed them to operate in smaller locations.
Customers would typically shop through a catalog (which they could take home or use in-store) and fill out a request form. This form was taken to the counter where a customer service representative would go fetch your item(s) and ring up the sale.
At its peak the chain would grow to 243 outlets in Canada and 217 in the United States. By 1996, however, the customers were fading as frustration grew with items being out of stock (or, more accurately, the customer perception was that items were always out of stock). In 2006, the company appeared to emerge from bankruptcy protection but little has been done to revive the stores to the way they once were.
Nothing says vintage or captures the ‘aura’ of shopping in a Consumers Distributing store quite like a polaroid.
Even though the end of the chain could be considered a failure, the evolution of the concept continues to this day. Stores like Home Depot and Costco operate in a warehouse-like environment, there are just no catalogs.
Canadian retail giant Hudson’s Bay Company also thought it was a pretty good idea since they purchased and ran a competitive chain of stores called “Shop-Rite” that were open from 1972 to 1982.
.At its peak, Shop-Rite had 65 stores in Ontario before conceding defeat to Consumers. It wasn’t the competition that was really the problem, it was the concept.
With the recent closing of the retail operations of Blockbuster and Rogers Video, we are seeing another step in the evolutionary process. Decades from now, people will probably think it was quite strange to obtain our movies from a retail store because everything will be digitally beamed into our homes and the physical disks and tapes we use now will be completely gone.
My friend Dave Thielking is a lot like me and he remembers the days when we were kids flipping through those catalogs.
So when he obtained some old catalogs I knew we could work together to put them online and share with our other friends who remember the old days of shopping and the great toys and items we wanted to save our pennies for. The result is a new website called the Consumers Distributing Archive and you can find it at http://www.cdarchive.ca.
We are never going to be able to stop evolution – of any kind – but it doesn’t mean we have to like it, or that we can’t go back to the way things were even just for an afternoon or two. For the Silo, Syd Bolton.
SUP- Stand up paddling is a popular sport along the Grand River system. image: grandriverrafting.ca
Is the water level in the river going to be okay for canoeing or kayaking on any given weekend?
This is a common question that people call the GRCA to ask. It is also an important question. Usually what they mean is ” will there be enough water?”, but occasionally, there is actually way too much water for most people to canoe or paddle safely.
Fly fishermen too need to check river levels so they are safe and don’t get swept off their feet by a strong current.
An angler will likely move to a different area rather than take a chance. As an organization, the GRCA does not make recommendations as to appropriate water flows for recreational activities along the Grand River and its tributaries because there are many variables to consider. Some people have the expertise and training to enjoy high flows that could be fatal to inexperienced and ill equipped paddlers.
Very low flows make for slow going as there may not be enough water for the canoe to float and it may need to be pulled to deeper water at certain times. A skilled paddler will be able to read the water to find the deepest water and will have fewer problems. Some people have a bad day if they have to step out of their boat even once, while others are more tolerant of low flows. That is why there is no definitive answer to this question.
Appropriate water levels are a favorite discussion among paddlers. Those who paddle regularly have their own personal chart, whether it is in their head or on a spreadsheet.
Checking flow information
Many avid river recreation enthusiasts in Southern Ontario bookmark the River Data section of the GRCA’s website and check it when trip planning. This is one of the most visited sections on the GRCA’s website and provides hourly updates on river flows from 39 gauges on the Grand and eight tributaries. Some gauge information is also posted on an Environment Canada website that includes rivers in other parts of Canada, but the GRCA site has data for more gauges from this
watershed.
The main chart here is called the Flow Summary.
Recreational users should pay attention to the column headed “flow.” This one is measured in cubic metres per second or cms. If the rate is 10 cms, that means that 10,000 litres of water is moving past the flow gauge each second at this part of the river. The cms gets bigger as the river moves towards Lake Erie. There are huge changes in river flow due to seasons, weather, ice jams and dam operation.
Compare this to the “summer lowflow” which is the average flow during the dry summer months and you will see in relative terms how much water is flowing down the river. Following this Flow Summary is a list of sections of the rivers and tributaries with graphs. For example, one of the most popular sections of the river for a day trip, Cambridge to Paris, a paddler would check the Galt gauge on the “Middle Grand River“section. The graph will tell you if the level is going up, down, or holding steady. Occasionally a flow gauge does not operate and the information can be inaccurate, so the information is provisional. There is also a River Flow Information line that is updated regularly and can be reached at 519-621-2763, ext. 2511.
Photo by Judi Thompson
Outfitter information
There are several local outfitters in the area and they have cut off levels, when they stop canoe rentals. Canoeing the Grand in Kitchener has a safety section on their website with a five step rating chart for paddling. This scale goes from “Excellent” to “No Go” with five levels, depending on the paddler’s age, skill, expertise and river conditions.
Grand River flow rates chart
When river flows skyrocket
As the graph above shows, the Grand River may not give much warning of a sudden increase in river flows, which is why the GRCA must sometimes issue high water safety warnings to the public. This is the flow information from the week of May 2 to 9 from a few years ago. Note that it shows heavy rain on Thursday night May 3 in the northern part of the watershed meant flows ballooned from 8 cms to 120 cms within a couple of hours, as the data from Marsville shows. The GRCA issued a warning after the storm. The rainwater gushed down the river and by the afternoon of Friday May 4, flows were dropping at Marsville but skyrocketing at West Montrose. By Saturday May 5, the river flows in Brantford were extreme and then they peaked at York on the southern Grand on Sunday.
A final important note, Dams can make the impact of a rainstorm less severe but they don’t eliminate flooding or high flows.
For the Silo ,Janet Baine, GRCA Communications Specialist
In this game, has The Dark Knight become (dare we say it) too dark?
Batman: Arkham City Review – Rated T (for Xbox and Play Station)
Welcome ! I am going to begin this review with a confession: I am a retro gaming fan and somehow have missed out on a number of wonderfully aging titles. In fact, I had never played Batman: Arkham Asylum. It’s not that I was never interested, in fact quite the opposite, but our paths just never seemed to cross. Before beginning Batman: Arkham City I figured it was best to equip myself with some knowledge of its precursor. With an effortless search of Google I quickly found myself lowering my head in shame for all that I had missed out on. Nevertheless, I managed to convince myself that this was an opportunity to go against the grain, travel the road less traveled and yes, play out of sequence!
And so begins the adventure and the review. . .
After reading the necessary details and other reviews for Batman: Arkham Asylum I had a pretty good hunch that it’s follow up, Batman: Arkham City would be nothing short of fantastic. This game is a true indication of how far video games and their technology have come and the possibilities that still remain. Now, I could dive in to the guts of the game and discuss graphics, weaponry and overall gameplay but that would be jumping on the band wagon (which I’ve already determined is not my game plan). Instead, I feel there is something else that stands out above all other criteria: the theme of filth and decay. Darkness and death consumes Arkham City, its people and even Batman himself.
From the game’s beginning we are placed in a world that is full of shadows, crime in every dark corner, filth and grime smeared on every surface yet somewhere, within this dismal world, an intricate story unfolds.
A section of Gotham city has been walled off and is home to some of the city’s worst criminals and madmen, each of whom are fighting for power and fighting each other for it. With only a few far fetches Batman: Arkham City represents a world not unlike our own.
Take Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, for example.
It has its own areas of the city that are run down, considered ‘ghetto’ and known for acts of crime. Imagine if the mayor decided to build a wall around these areas and seclude them. The people within those walls are now left to fend for themselves – finding their own food, shelter, warmth and safety. It is only a matter of time before those communities begin to deteriorate more and more in to a state of delusional chaos. Stores shut down and become abandoned, buildings are neglected and covered in graffiti, and even the weeds are breathing new life now that there is no city maintenance.
If you can imagine such a scenario and the feeling that one might experience living in such a place, then you now know what playing Batman: Arkham City is like. I think that’s part of the reason why I enjoyed this game so much. Unlike almost every other video game, I could actually see Arkham city as a feasible scenario within our own world, hell, our own city! Furthermore, this allowed me to really sink my gaming fingers into Batman’s character and get a feel for what it might be like to be the cape crusader of Steel Town.
Some of the greatest things about Batman are his gizmos and gadgets which I used religiously throughout the game.
Soaring high above the city and the smog I could see crimes happening and swoop in on un-expecting villains and their goons. Whether I was using my trusty zip line to quietly whiz from point A to point B or using the cover of darkness to conceal my presence, I was using my surroundings, my city – my home. Or perhaps I should say what was my city and what used to be my home. Like the city of Arkham, Batman too deteriorates as the game goes on. His suit and cape become more battered and torn the more fights he’s in and the more evil he defeats. Once again I can only draw on the parallels of our own local cities and communities. Living within the confines of a dying city is a great recipe self-deterioration both physically and mentally.
When it comes to villains, enemies and ‘bad guys’, Batman: Arkham City I applaud you.
I was happy to see appearances by the Joker, Penguin and even the Mad Hatter! However, these guys are not quite how I remember them to be from the cartoons as a kid. No, no – these ugly, vile villains are far more disturbing. Each character that we encounter looks as though they are decaying in some way, shape or form. Some have cuts and scars all over their bodies, while others are losing their minds with insanity. Some just visually look broken down, worn out and even dead (much like the city they are trying to run). Each character has their own story to tell adding to your understanding of the plot and overall game.
Now, if we take a minute, once again this is not unlike the people within our own communities. Okay, we may not have a Riddler running around town leaving giant green question marks on things or gigantic science experiments who can shoot lightning bolts at us but every person has their own background and a story. All these details help explain why they are the way they are and why they live their lives the way they do. For all we know, there are Jokers and Penguins living amongst us, walking our streets and plotting their victories. Scary thought.
Another great addition to the game is the inclusion of Cat Woman and Robin characters.
Each character has their own missions and side tasks to complete apart from Batman. The world still stays the same but the stories become completely different. For example, if you are playing as Cat Woman the side missions that the Riddler has littered all over Arkham are different yet unique to your character in comparison to the tasks given to Batman. Inevitably, you are playing an entirely different game depending on the character you choose. The upside to this is being able to play as a character that you yourself might have a better connection with. Personally, I loved playing as Batman but Cat Woman did connect with my female side and added a certain finesse to my gameplay.
Besides Catwoman, another of The Bat’s fem fatale nemesis makes an appearance in Arkham City- the lovely Harley Quinn
So, I find myself with yet another finished game to add to the shelf however, there still remains a vacant slot for which to place the predecessor of this game. Playing out sequence and blazing my own trail did not seem to hinder how I played Batman: Arkham City, in fact I was able to grab the concept of Batman: Arkham Asylum quite well with help from various hints and stories provided by characters throughout the game.
Not every video game you partake in has the ability to draw you in and allow you to become immersed in its world. Batman: Arkham City however, does just this. Every aspect within this game from the setting, the characters and the missions themselves all have incredible attention to detail, making its world more realistic.
Don’t get me wrong, I love burrowing into the world of fantasy every once and a while. I love being taken into a world where there is no comparison to the world outside my window and furthermore, fantasy worlds require you to play with a different type of gameplay and mindset. But then again, those games don’t necessarily evoke the same response or feelings that a gamer might experience while playing a game that’s hits a little closer to home. The realistic components to Batman: Arkham City is what did it for me. The frightening parallels, the visuals and the overall story within this game gave me goose bumps.
If there are two pieces of advice I can give to my fellow retro gamers it is this: I encourage you to do as I did and every once in a while throw caution to the wind. Play to the tune of your own gamer heart and don’t be afraid to start in act three in a five act play. Also, don’t hesitate to drench yourself in all that an old video game has to offer. Take your time, smell the fumes of sewer smog and embrace the dark shadows that lurk in every corner. After all, you’re Batman – you laugh in the face of danger. For the Silo, Holly LaRue.
For over 25 years archaeological efforts have been ongoing to delineate where potential prehistoric trails exist across the landscape of southern Ontario. Trails were created and used by the earliest inhabitants of the region after glaciers disappeared some 15,000 years ago. One of the roles for a trail system was to help keep people alive.
The challenge to identify the existence of these trails is that they existed approximately 10,000 years ago. The primary region for this research has been Haldimand-Norfolk County. In the past seven years the search for prehistoric trail systems in these two counties has become increasingly intensive as part of the Haldimand-Norfolk Archaeological Regional Project (HNARP) http://www.hnarp.ca/ .
The premise of the regional project is to better understand how early people lived and managed their lives on a landscape once rich with animal, plant, and raw resources such as rock for making stone tools.
A critical activity that has assisted this regional project is permission to walk over farm lands from supportive agricultural land owners to help find these trails. Access to farm lands assists archaeologists to identify where people lived in the region. The land mass of the two counties combined covers approximately 2,000 square kilometers.
Historically, it was always possible to read information written down and recorded about trails in the region. This would include place names and popularly used trails. Even oral history in Haldimand County by senior land owners some 30 years ago mentioned trails used by people to walk across the landscape to neighbouring farms, villages, and the shores of Lake Erie.
To date, archaeologists have identified artifacts left behind by people still exist after 10,000 years of changes to the landscape. One piece of evidence has been the type of stone used for making tools. Throughout the world people searched out different types of rock for making stone tools.
In Haldimand County, chert formations created over tens of millions of years ago can be found. These chert formations have different identifying markers such as colours and fossils that make chert distinct from others. It is these identifying markers that help chert to be identified from its original source and help to develop new evidence to show where and when people lived and crossed the landscape.
It is hoped that finding and identifying the different colour cherts and fossils in the rock will help archaeologists piece together Haldimand-Norfolk County’s long forgotten past. For the Silo, Lorenz Bruechert.
When I think back to the 1980’s I have mostly fond memories. It was time of great fun and discovery for me personally. I had both Commodore and Apple computers and a hairstyle that is happy to remain in my past. I listened to cool groups like “Twisted Sister” and wouldn’t publicly admit that I enjoyed “Culture Club”. Being in high school, I was painfully shy and didn’t have a lot of success with girls.
Apple had a pretty similar experience if you think about it. They were a little shy and reserved, but very much loved by those who understood them. They didn’t go out much – choosing to stay in schools and in a very few select homes. They had their share of identity crisis’ in the early 80’s and tried to break free with a whole new persona called “Macintosh” in 1984.
They walked around confused between educational, business, and recreational use and staggered out of the fog towards the end of the decade.
The 1990’s brought about a new confidence and independence. I had started a business just at the end of the 80’s and took my experience to heart as I tried to find the right niche for me. I knew that computers was where I was meant to be and grew a business from nothing to exceptional sales in a short time.
Steve Jobs and Apple’s Macintosh Computer.
I also saw the market hinge and my sales erode and I wasn’t quite able to move fast enough to recover my previous glory.
Apple saw their market share grow and decline in the 90’s as well. They knew that computers were where they were meant to be, but they couldn’t decide if they were the company to make them. They tried licensing out their operating system to others in a move that ultimately
muddied the market and left their loyal customers wondering just exactly where they were going next. Following graph courtesy of www.saypeople.com
The 2000’s became a year of maturity for me. More confident in the path I was following, I followed my dreams to open a computer museum and finally saw it through in 2005. I refocused my energies with my passion for video games to acquire the largest collection in Canada while at the same time educating others along the way.
I worked my way towards a global following for those that have shared my vision. Apple made the move from niche computer to dedicated
music device, to a more advanced smart phone in the 2000’s. They grew their loyal following in the computer market by making some radical
changes to their core operating system and integrating their new consumer devices flawlessly. They became the company they had always
dreamed they could be.
Today, I ’m following my dreams and am no longer the shy, awkward guy I was in high school. I ’m successful and I ’ve moved on from “Culture Club”. My life is very interesting because I like to keep one foot in the past to enjoy the good times, while putting another foot forward into the exciting future.
The best is yet to come, and I think the same is true for Apple. For the Silo, Syd Bolton. Check out www.pcmuseum.ca in Brantford,Ontario.
The white trillium is a spring wildflower with 3 distinct leaves and petals. It has been the provincial flower of Ontario since 1937 and is also the logo of the Ontario Government. It’s white flower is seen as a symbol of peace and hope.
While it is a popular belief that it’s illegal to pick the White Trillium in Ontario, in reality they are only protected in provincial parks and land owned by conservation authorities. However, if the leaves as well as the flower are picked, the plant could die as it no longer has any means to produce the energy it needs to take it through the winter into another spring.
Sometimes mutant plants with green striped petals are found in White Trilliums. These plants are diseased — infected with parasitic mycoplasmas that cause the greening. Over time, the mycoplasmas will cause deformity in the petals and eventually the death of the plant. For the Silo, Dixie Greenwood.
Mutated Painted Trillium. by Roger Grinnell (Burnsville, NC) NOTE- the four leaves courtesy: www.dougsgreengarden.com
This is the most famous painting in the history of art. It is titled the Mona Lisa but it’s original name was Monna Lisa- a short form of “Madonna” or “my lady” but thanks to a spelling error we know this work as the Mona Lisa. Painted by Leonardo Da Vinci in the years 1503-1507, there are actually three different versions painted beneath the visible version. In one hidden version (discovered using xrays) she is seen clutching the arms of a chair. image/info courtesy of prlog.org
Every year 8.5 million visitors see the renowned work of art that is the Mona Lisa. It is a vision that graces t-shirts, calendars, coffee mugs, and art history books worldwide. Still, among those millions, I would wager that few are those that have left Paris remarking on the wall on which Mona is placed. More on this later….
Did you know that the Mona Lisa is the only work of art to be stolen from the Louvre( in 1911) and recovered? Not only that, but in 1956, it was attacked with acid and, in that same year, cut open with a rock thrown at Mona’s elbow. It would seem that times haven’t changed much either. In 2009 a coffee mug was thrown at it by a gazing woman.
Art hygiene: the Mona Lisa is protected by bulletproof glass while on display at Paris’ Louvre photo: Gilli8888/flickr
Time has provided the foresight to maintain Mona’s beauty. With 2 centimeters of bullet proof glass and an inner casing protecting against heat and humidity the artwork seems safe. But what about the wall ‘holding’ the Mona for all of us to admire?
Take a look at these choppers…are they healthy enough to support a Mona Lisa smile? Pay attention because we’re about to switch gears and talk a little oral health.
As a dentist I am prone to notice the wall and that famous Mona Lisa smile. That smile, seen on TV and used in advertising everything from vacations to toothpaste, would be worth little without considering the healthy gums and bone that keep it in place. In other words, without noticing the wall. Years spent in my business have taught me, that if not protected properly, a smile can be stolen from us, chipped, and worn away with acid leading to very costly repairs. If you value your smile then the bullet proof glass is a worthy investment.
By focusing on in-office prevention and care the need for extensive intervention is often averted. It is more time and cost effective to put up and maintain a very impressive wall for your work of art than it is to meticulously rework the masterpiece. This analogy holds true for your teeth, gums and your smile. Maintenance is the greatest security from acid and coffee alike and with it, your smile can continue to break the ice… but I wouldn’t count on 8.5 million visitors. That may be a little more than any of us can chew. For the Silo by Dr. Peter Gunn. Dr. Gunn’s practice is in Port Rowan, Ontario. www.facebook.com/caredental
I first took notice of this film because of where I live- which is not that far away from Long Point, Ontario, a mecca for birdwatchers. I find that it’s a more immersive experience to watch a movie that is connected thematically in some way to the sorts of activities that the area I live in has to offer. This reinforces the suspension of disbelief while watching and serves to supercharge the imagination. If you live in a seaside community and you’ve ever watched Jaws followed by a bit of swimming you know exactly what I mean.
Back to the birds
The main story arc of The Big Year goes a little like this: A ready-to-retire-but-not-quite-sure-its-the-right-time-to-retire businessman and a mid-thirties-divorced-unemployed-savant (he can identify any bird just by hearing a few notes of its birdsong) aim for beating the current single year record of bird sightings. In the parlance of the ‘birding’ community, this is known as doing a ‘big year’. The current record holder, played by Owen Wilson, is the rock-star of the ‘birding’ community and is completely obsessed with stopping anyone else from beating his record- even if this means missing the birth of his child and ruining his second marriage.
Highly competitive obsession
Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson in the The Big Year.
I always believed that birding was a slowly paced albeit serious hobby but this movie turns the notion on its head. The story develops and moves quickly. The characters are highly competitive and race against each other as the suspense and intensity builds.
The Big Year is satisfying, clever and funny . If you are a birder there is a good chance that you will love this movie (especially if you can relate to the obsessive compulsive behavior of the main characters) but then again you might end up blaming this movie- you might decide on doing a big year and to hell with anything and anyone in your path. For the Silo, Doug McKenzie.
Jack Black’s character feeling bad (but not that bad) about Steve Martin’s character picking up the dinner tab.
I’m sure we all read the distressing poll that about a third of Canadians still don’t believe the threat of climate change is real. Even more illuminating: only 30 per cent even know we are taking action in Ontario to fight climate change.
This is the reason why Canada and Ontario are working together to take action on climate change and find clean solutions to help homeowners and families save money, reduce energy waste, create jobs and support healthy communities.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, and the Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, announced a federal investment of up to $100 million to help the people of Ontario make energy efficient retrofits to their homes – including apartments, townhouses and low-income housing – and businesses.
This funding will support the province’s GreenON Rebates program, which helps cover the cost of eco-friendly retrofits across the province. This investment is supported by the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund.
GreenON Rebates will assist property owners make energy efficient changes like installing better insulation, high-efficiency ventilation systems and heat pumps, and other devices to save energy and reduce costs.
This is an opportunity for us here in Haldimand-Norfolk to take action and do our part in fighting the climante change. We can take advantage of receiving some of our own tax dollars back by improving our houses and businesses while saving money in the long run at the same time.
As part of its Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), Ontario in investing up to $1.7 billion over the coming years into GreenON to support a wide range of programs, including rebates and programs to help families, business and farmers make environmentally friendly changes. The CCAP is a five-year action plan that is making life more affordable for people across the province and making Ontario a leader in the global fight against climate change. Revenues from Ontario’s carbon market, which puts a cap on the carbon pollution businesses can emit, are funding this action plan.
The Government of Canada’s Low-Carbon Economy Leadership Fund provides $1.4 billion to provinces and territories that have adopted the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF), to deliver on commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Today’s announcement is part of the almost $420 million Ontario is receiving through the Leadership Fund.
Did you Know:
Through GreenON, property owners are currently eligible for rebates up to $7,200 in savings on new insulation; $5,000 in savings on replacement windows; $5,800 in savings on some air source heat pumps; and $20,000 in savings on installation of some certified ground source heat pumps.
In January, Ontario became part of the second-largest carbon market in the world, which forms the backbone of Ontario’s strategy to cut greenhouse gas pollution to 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, 37 per cent by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2050.
Ontario’s carbon market has generation approximately $2.4 billion in revenue to improve schools, hospitals, transit and other projects like new bike lanes that are building a greener, more energy efficient province.
Ontario has committed up to $1.7 billion over three years to support a wide range of programs under the Green Ontario Fund (GreenON).
The bypasses and bridges of Haldimand County On February 28, 2006, Janie Jamieson and Dawn Smith led a blockade shutting down construction of Caledonia’s Douglas Creek Estates. The subdivision has been occupied by native activists ever since.
Protesters tend to a burning blockade at Douglas Creek Estates in 2006.
Over the ensuing nine years, protests and demands have had an impact on traffic, construction and plans for future transportation projects in the area.
For example, last year work to replace the 1924 Cayuga bridge ground to a halt twice because of aboriginal protesters occupying the site. Charges weren’t laid for stopping construction. Arguments can be made occupying the bridge impedes the public’s ability to use the bridge, and further I consider this mischief.
During debate in the Ontario Legislature, I maintained the shutdown was beyond the control of the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. When the protestors show up, construction workers pack up and go home. Last week, as well as last December, I advocated the Minister of Community Safety take control of affairs.
And there’s another ongoing question: Nine years ago, I distributed every MPP in the Legislature a photograph showing a group of people throwing a van off an overpass at Haldimand County Sixth Line, on to the provincial highway below. In my estimation, that goes beyond mischief. Theft over $5,000 and public endangerment come to my mind. Still, despite photographic evidence of the perpetrators nine years ago, no charges have been laid.
If you break the law, you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and nobody is above it. The rule of law is based on a strict set of principles to which we all agree as a society. The rule of law is not subject to raw emotion, financial influence, or political correctness.
Our debate of Bill 31, the Making Ontario’s Roads Safer Act has now opened the proposed legislation for public hearings.
I also believe government is missing the mark and endangering lives on Haldimand County roads and bridges by not tackling other long-overdue construction issues on provincial highways #3 and #6. In my speech to Bill31, I highlighted other public safety and traffic congestion concerns related to Highway #6 that aren’t being addressed.
Unfortunately, yet another fatal accident last month north of Caledonia highlighted the need. Several residents contacted me with ideas on how to address the problem. I forwarded those to the minister along with a cover letter, and communication continues. There are four lanes, high traffic volumes and no barriers between Caledonia and Upper James in Hamilton. I advocate relieving traffic volume by completing the planned link from the Hamilton airport bypass to the Caledonia bypass bridge – a new stretch of road that would parallel the problematic #6.
The downtown Caledonia bridge, which was built in 1927, is long overdue for replacement. Hopefully, after 11 years of lobbying, we will see action this year.
There is also obvious need for a Hagersville truck bypass to finally deal with the noise congestion and serious accidents downtown.
I suspect DCE and the protests at the Cayuga bridge are fuelling reticence in a government that construction will re-ignite tensions and result in more protests. This is truly unfortunate as not addressing the problem can be downright dangerous.
Now that’s something the Making Ontario’s Roads Safer Act could address, but probably won’t. For the Silo, Toby Barrett MPP Haldimand-Norfolk
There are several cover variants for Toews novel, but we like this one.
Miriam Toews’ Irma Voth follows the trials and tribulations of a rebellious, yet eager to please, 19 year old young woman from a strict Mennonite community near Chihuahua. The story begins with Irma recalling the failure of her marriage to local Mexican man. Irma provides the reader with a brief glimpse into her past while she pines over her botched marriage. Her family’s mysterious and seemingly unexplained relocation from the Canadian prairies and her father’s disapproval and disownment over her marriage are vaguely addressed. The story, told by Irma, weaves her past with her present in an effort to understand her situation and the situation of those around her. In her attempt to reason and understand her surroundings, Irma reveals what she knows and what she longs to understand.
As Irma guides the reader through her interactions with the family and community that has cast her aside, the reader catches a glimpse into her very foreign and complex world. As the story unfolds, different characters are exposed. Irma’s younger sister, the 13-year-old Aggie, sees her older sister’s life as an adventure and longs to follow in her footsteps—however resistant Irma may be to this. Aggie’s innocence seems to mirror what Irma has lost in her recent actions and through her actions, the reader can understand the difficulty facing Irma: protecting her sister vs. letting her find her own way, no matter what mistakes she may possibly make. The reader cannot help by admire Aggie’s eagerness and lust for life. Irma robustly contrasts this and the reader is left to try to decipher Irma’s motivations.
Miriam Toews was born in 1964 in the Mennonite town of Steinbach,Manitoba. Did you know? Miriam was a CBC freelancer making radio documentaries. photo: Carol Loewen from www.randomhouse.ca
The novel is told through the eyes of Irma. Much of the dialogue and action is driven by Aggie’s character. Irma takes the position as an observant watcher, but through her actions and inner musings, drives the plot and offers the reader a detailed insight into her past. Not until the end does Irma take a long overdue aggressive stand and make bold moves for reasons she feels justified in. With an ending that will resonate with any reader, this novel tells a haunting tale of moral obligations and maturity.
Sarah Purdy is an educator and a book and literary reviewer for The Silo. Search “Sarah Purdy” from our site to read more Canadian book reviews.
November 1, 2012 His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D. Governor General
Your Excellency:
I am going to start with this quote i read today “I am a Canadian, free to
speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I
think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, and free to choose those
who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold
for myself and all mankind.” – John Diefenbaker.
Now as a proud First Nations citizen of Canada, I strongly urge you to use
your discretionary reserve powers as the Head of State of this country and
to suspend Stephen Harper as Prime Minister and to dissolve Parliament in
order to preserve and protect our democracy. The method in which Prime
Minister Harper negotiated in secret the Canada-China Foreign Investment
Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) and his refusal to have any
debate or discussion on it in the House of Commons is extremely
undemocratic. There are many who believe he no longer nor ever acted in
the true benefit of Canada as a whole, i speak for myself and for my
peoples, as i know many will be, or would have wanted to, sending letters.
The First Nations are only just getting word out with regards to the full
effect this will have on our peoples. We are begging for our
Constitutional Rights given to us through our treaties. I see Elders
crying, these people lead our communities not the false leaders imposed on
us. i cry as i write this…our Elders gave a unanimous decision to reject
any deals to use our lands. We have been closed out of any trade
agreements, some based on technicalities…now to quote from of the
government documents our growing youth population (which is getting
healthier) is excepted to be “400,000” these children are what we fight
for. Our beliefs are that we are here as maintainers or caretakers of this
land. Mother Earth will be here long after we leave, our children’s
children should not have to “maintain” our messes. I was raised outside
the First Nations community, taken away as a child isolated(almost
literally) from people for around 6 years of my life, i had school and i
had my sister but i was forced to spend a lot of time alone, plus
physical/psychological abuse, i am one of the lucky ones. But our
communities are only just starting the healing process, and on top of that
educating ourselves. We need to be able to Listen to our Elders, our
Elders are begging for our Treaty rights and I do know “hear” news of our
tribal leaders asking for the same.
All citizens of Canada have a democratic right to be informed and consulted
on any such far reaching agreements especially when they have the potential
for very dire repercussions as does FIPA. In ratifying this agreement,
which provides communist run corporations the power to sue Canadian
governments at all levels should our laws and policies impede their
expected profits, it is not only completely contrary to the best interest
of Canadians it in fact serves to undermine the very core of our democracy.
By ratifying this agreement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is providing
Chinese corporations the ability to challenge and overturn our laws and
strike down our democratic process and that is without question an attack
on our democracy and our ability to be sovereign country. The vast majority
of Canadians strongly oppose this agreement but their Conservative Members
of Parliament choose to follow party lines rather than to represent their
constituent’s wishes. The people of Canada have lost confidence in the
Harper Conservative Parliament and our elected representatives refuse to
act accordingly. One of the Governor’s General most important
responsibilities is to ensure that Canada always has a prime minister and a
government in place that has the confidence of the people who elected the
Parliament. For the sake of Canada and Canadians, please execute your
duties and suspend Stephen Harper as Prime Minister and dissolve Parliament.
The above is a quote from a fellow citizen, but I have done research.
Everything I have been looking up over the last month with regards to
environmental amendments and First Nation goals are extremely disturbing,
and to mention on top of those are budget indiscretions and the
environmental impact he has allowed to happen. I am not someone that can
sit on the sidelines and not do something or say something when you know
something being done is wrong. What the Conservative government is doing
to Canada is wrong, what he has planned for the First Nations communities
is wrong. This government can not be allowed to continue on with it’s
agenda.
Sincerely
Lenore Gold
From the Cree Nation and a Canadian Citizen
*The Silo is a non-partisan online and print publication and welcomes open-forum debate and comments. The opinions expressed in letters to the Silo are not necessarily those of the Silo.
“20th Century Limited Train on Tracks” by Alfred Eisenstaedt
The deficit projection for the current fiscal year has improved by more than $400 million from the 2012 Budget forecast to $14.4 billion. The province remains on track to meet the 2012 Budget deficit targets in 2013-14 and 2014–15 and for the deficit to be eliminated by 2017–18.
Ontario is projecting growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.0 per cent in 2012, 1.9 per cent in 2013, 2.3 per cent in 2014 and 2.4 per cent in 2015.
As of September 2012, Ontario employment was 356,000 net new jobs above its recessionary low in June 2009. Ontario is expected to create nearly 350,000 net new jobs by 2015, reducing the unemployment rate to 6.8 per cent from a high of 9.4 per cent in June 2009.
The fiscal plan provides no funding for incremental compensation increases for new collective agreements. The government is currently consulting on draft legislation that proposes to freeze compensation for executives and managers across the Ontario Public Service, and the Broader Public Sector (BPS) who are eligible for performance pay. It also proposes to ensure future BPS collective agreements are consistent with the province’s goals to eliminate the deficit and protect jobs and public services. The proposed draft legislation would support avoiding increased spending in the BPS of $2.8 billion over three years and help to protect roughly 55,000 public sector jobs.
QUOTE
“Despite ongoing global economic uncertainty, Ontario is ahead of its targets for lowering the deficit for the fourth year in a row. We will work with anyone who is willing to work with us to meet the objectives of eliminating the deficit and protecting jobs and public services.”
— Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance
QUICK FACTS
• The 2012–13 revenue projection of $113,019 million is $445 million above the 2012 Budget outlook, largely reflecting a higher estimated 2011–12 tax base. Consistent with the government’s continued effort toward managing the growth in expenses, total expense for 2012–13 has decreased by $3.7 million compared to the 2012 Budget plan.
• Robust business capital investment, a rebound in net trade and increased consumer spending will be key contributors to growth. Over the past two years, business investment spending on plant and equipment has risen by more than 22 per cent, or
$11.1 billion.
• In the 2011–2012 Public Accounts of Ontario, the government announced the deficit for 2011–12 was $13.0 billion, marking the third consecutive year in which the province has improved on its fiscal projections. This result is also 47 per cent lower than the 2009–10 deficit of $24.7 billion forecast in the fall of 2009, at the depth of the global recession.
• The government has brought together business, labour and public sector leaders to form the Jobs and Prosperity Council. Reporting to the Premier, and headed by RBC President and CEO Gordon Nixon, the council will explore additional opportunities in the next few months for a path to sustainable growth that will also help inform the 2013 Ontario Budget.
• The 2012 Budget extended the pay freeze for MPPs by a further two years — for a total of five years.
Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller. The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario is the province’s independent environmental watchdog. Appointed by the Legislative Assembly, the ECO is tasked with monitoring and reporting on compliance with the Environmental Bill of Rights, and the government’s success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in achieving greater energy conservation in Ontario.
Queen’s Park – The McGuinty Liberals have consistently failed to deliver simple policies and programs to protect and conserve our environment. These failures negatively affect our economy, communities and well being.
A [Sept 25,2012] report from the Environment Commissioner of Ontario cites many examples of how the government has failed to provide adequate water protection programs, monitor wild life populations and protect public health from industrial dust pollution. Ontario needs water protection and conservation programs to deal with the more extreme weather events caused by climate change.
We saw the importance of this first hand with this summer’s drought. Not having proper water supply affects our ability to grow food, our health and the productivity of industry.
The government’s failure to invest a relatively small amount in monitoring wildlife threatens forestry, one of Ontario’s most important industries. It is short sighted and irresponsible to not have a functioning wildlife monitoring program in place.
The government’s failure to provide responsible environmental protection directly affects our health. One of the most obvious examples is the government’s inaction on complaints related to industrial dust pollution. Ontario can do better. We must do better. Getting back in touch with environmental issues is important for our health, economy and quality of life. For the Silo by the Green Party of Ontario
Come on, breastfeeding is not obscene. Breastmilk has evolved into an immune-building milk tailor-made for each child to protect infants and children from illnesses in their environment. There are over 400 ingredients in breastmilk whose reasons for being there are not fully known. There is a component in breastmilk which is only there to grow the baby’s brain. That’s it. It can’t be replicated. Saying a certain non-humanmilk-based formula is ‘closer to’ breastmilk is akin to saying Michigan is closer to Hawaii than Pennsylvania. True, but one wouldn’t be closer to Hawaii’s environment, would they?
Our September Print edition cover- It is western culture that has sexualized breasts to the point where seeing a mother breastfeeding her child is obscene. image: courtesy of the author
Did you know that if you leave a naked baby on mom’s chest right after birth, they have the knowledge and ability to crawl to the breast and nurse perfectly by themselves (especially if mom was un-medicated during the birth). It is a beautiful moment to watch. That instinct is there for 3-4 months.
Should breastfeeding ever hurt? No. Just because many women do have pain in breastfeeding, doesn’t make it ‘normal.’ Most pain in breastfeeding, in my 20-year experience, is from poor latching or lack of knowledge. There isn’t enough time in a full prenatal labour/birth class to give breastfeeding instruction the time it needs. Attending La Leche League (LLL) meetings while pregnant can help prepare you (www.LLLc.ca). Or, talk with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant if you are nervous speaking in a group. Plus, partners may feel more comfortable speaking individually. IBCLC’s are listed here: http://www.americas.iblce.org/ibclc-registry. Both LLL and IBCLC’s are available before and after you have your baby and are a tremendous resource and support.
Maternite (Motherhood) by Maria Blanchard. Due to physical conditions that prevented Maria from ever being able to have children, she powered up her paintings with sentiment and substance. CP
The World Health Organization, and the Canadian Pediatric Society both say to exclusively nurse your baby for the first 6 months of life and to breastfeed for 2 years or more. That is the world standard. It is western culture that has sexualized breasts to the point where seeing a mother breastfeed her child is obscene. There is no food on earth which can replace the vitamins, minerals, and immunities which are found in human milk. How is seeing a baby nurse in public worse than seeing the lingerie models in the mall?
Dads should not be left out of baby’s life. But, if dads were meant to feed babies, they would lactate. Skin-to-skin bonding with dad/baby increases parenting hormones and normalizes baby’s temperature, heart, and breathing.
Public breastfeeding- what’s the big dealio? image: courtesy of the author
Dads, or other support people, may use a medicine cup (like what comes with children’s fever medicine) to feed the baby. In addition, baby’s tongue works similarly to breastfeeding, so feeding a baby with cup and at the breast should not cause nipple confusion.
There are documented risks to formula-feeding (increased risks for obesity, diabetes, and general colds/flus). Plus, moms may have an increased risk of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes if she chooses formula feed. Breasts are part of our anatomy to feed our babies. Honour that.
For the Silo by Aboriginal midwife Stephanie MacDonald, IBCLC. Contact Stephanie on twitter @StephIBCLC
Supplemental- 30$ per scoop Ice cream made from human breastmilk on sale in London, England
The stunning three sheet movie poster for the lost 1926 Paramount big budget silent film The American Venus realized $35,850 to lead the day in Heritage Auctions’ July 25-26 Vintage Movie Posters Signature Auction in Beverly Hills. The auction realized, in total, more than $1.45 million. All prices include 19.5% Buyer’s Premium.
Controversy surrounds this 1932 Disney cartoon- in one scene, Mickey Mouse is seen using a cigarette lighter that has a painted swastika on it. In 1932, the world did not fully understand the significance of the swastika as it would relate to the rise of Naziism. image: Heritage Auctions
“Demand was steady and prices were, overall, quite good across the more than 1,300 lots we featured in this auction,” said Grey Smith, Director of Movie Posters at Heritage. “We saw a trifecta of focuses in this auction as collectors went after early Hollywood, Disney animation and Universal Horror. At the end of the day, we were all quite pleased with the solid results.”
The American Venus (Paramount, 1926) three sheet is a film that is now lost to history, minus a few trailers. What is known about it, however, is that the poster spectacularly features Louise Brooks, though this was only her second film appearance. She was relatively unknown at the time and her role in the film was very minor. The producers, however, obviously realized her star potential as they featured her exclusively on the poster. Brooks would go on to become one of the most iconic female stars of the late silent era.
“Brooks crafted a personal style that left an indelible mark on 1920s popular culture that’s still imitated today,” said Smith. “She achieved a cult status rarely garnered by entertainers of that time and is clearly a star that still resonates with collectors at the top of the hobby.”
Vintage posters were emotional, engaging and uniquely hand-crafted before hitting the printing press. image: Heritage Auctions
Rare and early Disney posters always create a stir when they appear at auction and the presence of a 1932 United Artists one sheet for Disney’s The Wayward Canary, depicting Mickey and Minnie Mouse, set collectors buzzing on its way to a $26,920 final price realized. Released in November 1932, the same year that the Academy awarded Disney a special Oscar for his creation of a nationwide phenomenon, Mickey Mouse, this is a key addition to any top Disney collection.
Universal Horror posters are still the gold standard in movie posters and this auction boasted several prime pieces from the top films of the genre, including a beautiful pre-war 1935 Belgian one sheet for Bride of Frankenstein, James Whale’s sequel to his 1931 masterpiece Frankenstein that quickly became a classic in its own right, realizing $20,315 from a determined collector, while a 1943 one sheet for Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man — often cited as one of the best posters in the Universal horror cannon — was the subject of intense collector interest before finding a new home at $15,535.
Time flies. Seven years ago, The Silo visited the AGO’s Picasso exhibition. We were not disappointed. Approximately ¼ of the entire second floor was dedicated for displaying works from Picasso’s private collection. That’s right- these are the pieces that Pablo himself deemed specially significant for archiving and for his personal reflection. We were not disappointed.
Blowup and detail from Portait de Dora Maar (Portrait of Dora Maar), 1937. Oil on canvas, 92x65cm
Organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and the Musee National Picasso , Paris- the exhibition is chronologically organized with each period having its own dedicated gallery space and covers the following phases of Picasso’s VASTLY productive lifetime: From Spain to Paris 1900-1905 Ancient, African and Oceanic Inspirations 1906-1909 Cubism, Collage and Constructions 1909-1915 Classicism, Marriage and Family 1914-1924 Surreal Anxiety and Desire 1924-1934 War Paintings 1936-1951 and lastly The Joy of Life and Last Years 1950-1972
According to the Picasso’s Picassos (Picasso’s Early Life and Art) on pg 2 of the AGO’s exhibition catalog, Pablo Picasso was recognized as “an artistic prodigy and began…formal artistic training when he was only seven years old” with his father, who was a painter and an art teacher. For the next 85 (!) years Picasso would go on to not only change the art world, but would leave behind a vast legacy that is as fresh and relevant today as it ever was. Strolling around this fine exhibition and noticing how the other visitors were dressed is proof enough for this writer that Picasso’s influence on society is far from over. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.
Picasso at 73years of age in 1954. “When I paint I feel that all artists of the past are behind me.”
On Saturday August 18th- hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the main entrance gates of Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario. At stake was the ethical treatment of animals used for performances and entertainment. Over the past three years there have been increased reports by the media regarding the attacking of trainers by killer whales and other performing animals.
Messages on protest signs were simple, bold and clear. photos:The Silo/Mith Media
Many researchers believe that this sort of behavior is inevitable because killer whales are adversely affected by forcible confinement and pavlovian conditioning and that in turn has many questioning whether theme parks such as Marineland and Seaworld are capitalizing on animal cruelty. It’s not a new topic- zoo’s and circuses are not strangers to demonstration and protest and the relationship between humans and animals is a theme often employed by conscientious artists.
[Warning- the following video contains disturbing images. Viewer discretion is advised CP]
Segment from Umwelt (2010) exhibition catalogue- Jarrod Barker’s installation at the Norfolk Arts Centre explored the connectedness or non-connectedness (ie: the umwelt) of humans and animals. image:courtesy of the artist
Marineland denied our request (along with the Toronto Star’s request) for an interview and requested that the media respect “private [their] property”. That sort of reaction makes it difficult to investigate a story of this magnitude- and many questions remain unanswered. For example, earlier this year an infant beluga whale was attacked repeatedly by two adult belugas until it was killed. Media leaks reveal that the baby whale may have been ill and that the other animals acted out of fear since they may have detected signs of a contagious disease.
image: The Silo
Although no date has been set, The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is planning on bringing independent Sea Mammal experts and Marine Biologists into Marineland for an inspection according to an online report at www.thestar.comCP
Delegates at yesterdays Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario general meeting in Toronto- voted in favour of funding secular (non-religious) schools image:ETFO/The Silo
KITCHENER-WATERLOO – Green Party of Ontario candidate Dr. Stacey Danckert was joined by Leader Mike Schreiner in Kitchener to outline the Green Party’s plan to strengthen Ontario’s school system by ending wasteful duplication in the public and Catholic boards.
“With the issue of school cuts dominating these by-elections, the choice for voters is clear,” says Schreiner. “Prioritize high-quality education for all children or protect the interests that want special funding for one religion at the exclusion of all others. Only the Green Party will fight to improve our children’s education with a fair and equitable school system.”
At the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) general meeting in Toronto yesterday members voted in favour of a motion that would see public funding of public education in Ontario be limited to secular [ non-religious-based CP ] schools. Only the GPO is calling for a public commission to study merging the Catholic and public systems.
Ontario is the only province that provides full public funding for a single faith while providing no funding for other faith-based schools. As a result the UN Human Rights Committee has censured Canada in 1999 and 2005 for the discrimination in Ontario’s school system. “McGuinty has repeatedly slammed the door on talking about this issue. Instead he continues to ram the Liberals’ political agenda down the throats of parents and teachers,” continued Schreiner. “Ourchildren deserve a fair and equitable system regardless of their faith or sexual orientation.”
Recently Catholic Schools have come under fire for discouraging Gay Straight Alliances, student-run clubs that promote tolerance for diversity. “The McGuinty Liberals are quick to place the burden on teachers and have failed to recognize how wasteful our system is,” added Danckert.
A study prepared by William J. Phillips, Past-President of The Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods of Ontario Inc. estimates savings from merging the school boards of $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion per year. “It’s time to demand a better solution for our children and this province’s future,” added Dancket. “As your first Green MPP in Queen’s Park I will not let the other parties evade this issue any longer.” For the Silo by Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
“Ontario needs responsible leadership and instead we’re seeing partisan bickering, brinkmanship and flip-flopping from Queen’s Park politicians. Bringing us twice to the edge of another election only seven months after the last one is not responsible governance. I want to see the political establishment at Queen’s Park focus on solutions for the very real problems facing Ontarians. The people of Ontario do not want a summer election, and I welcome the cooperation that has averted one.However, the GPO remains concerned about the erosion of transparency, accountability, and public participation represented by the omnibus budget bill. Although we are pleased that our call to preserve the Endangered Species Act was answered, the budget bill still weakens environmental protections and opens the door to privatization of public services without proper oversight.
The GPO is disappointed that the parties at Queen’s Park slammed the door on an open, public discussion about merging the Catholic and public school boards. Before cutting essential services and closing schools, Ontarians need to talk about moving to a more equitable and financially responsible education system. The GPO remains opposed to the government’s misguided priority to spend a billion dollars on subsidies for wasteful electricity consumption, instead of a full-funding increase for Ontario’s most vulnerable children and investments in programs that help people save money by saving energy.
I believe minority government can work if the political establishment at Queen’s Park can put the public’s interests before their own partisan interests. The focus needs to be on long-term solutions instead of political as usual.” GPO Leader Mike Schreiner
Sent to the Silo by Jaymini Bhikha (O) 416-977-7476 (C) 416-275-8573 [1] jbhikha@gpo.caGreen Party of Ontario PO Box 1132Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada
“Ultimately, governments will be the saviour of the Internet,” said keynote speaker, Dragon’s Den star Robert Herjavec at the 2012 Canadian Internet Forum photo: Scott Parker , The Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA – June 11, 2012 – The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) and the Swedish company OpenDNSSEC AB (svb) are pleased to announce they are partnering on an initiative to make the Internet more safe and secure. CIRA will provide support for the continued development and enhancement of OpenDNSSEC, a free administration tool that uses open source code to simplify the implementation of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC). DNSSEC is a set of extensions that will significantly improve online security.
“The support from CIRA is valuable to OpenDNSSEC AB in its effort to develop the software. It gives us the opportunity to strengthen the project with Sara Dickinson from the research and development company Sinodun as a project manager,” said Patrik Wallström, Acting President of OpenDNSSEC.
“We are pleased to offer our support to the OpenDNSSEC project,” said Byron Holland, President and Chief Executive Officer of CIRA. “It is through initiatives like this that CIRA can help foster a safe and secure Internet experience for all Canadians.”
OpenDNSSECis being developed in an international co-operation project with several participats: .SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation), Kirei, NLnet Labs, Nominet, SIDN, Sinodun Internet Technologies, and SURFnet. The OpenDNSSEC software was released in beta in 2009, and it has undergone significant improvements since that time.
Patrik Wallström, Acting President of OpenDNSSEC photo: Mith Media/The Silo
OpenDNSSEC AB was formed in 2011 to support other top-level domain administrators in their use of the tool to manage Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC). The company develops the software and offers training and support agreements.
More about the software and DNSSEC
OpenDNSSEC simplifies the management of DNSSEC, an extension of the Internet’s open directory service DNS, which prevents Internet and e-mail addresses from being manipulated and ensures that they lead to the right online destination. In OpenDNSSEC, which .SE was involved in the development of, the necessary processes are automated to eliminate the need for manual management.
Under DNSSEC, Internet zones are cryptographically signed. When looking up a domain name, the signature is controlled using a key published by the party responsible for this zone.
.SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation) is a not-for-profit public-service organization that acts to promote the positive development of the Internet in Sweden. .SE is responsible for the Internet’s Swedish top-level domain, .se, encompassing domain-name registration and administration, as well as the technical operation of the national domain name registry. Proceeds from domain-name registrations are used to support projects that contribute to the Internet development in Sweden, through proprietary operations and the financing of independent projects. Read more at http://www.iis.se.
About CIRA
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority is the member-driven organization that manages Canada’s .CA domain name registry, develops and implements policies that support Canada’s Internet community, and represents the .CA registry internationally.
Toronto – GPO leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the McGuinty
governmentto dedicate1% of the transportation infrastructure budget
to cycling and another 1% for pedestrians. Sustainable infrastructure
is a sound investment that will help people choose healthy
transportation options.
[The song featured is by Mercury and was supposedly inspired by his observing a leg of Tour de France. It starts with a chorus unaccompanied by instruments. The chorus is followed by two verses connected with a bridge, both followed by a chorus. Around the middle of the song there is a solo played with numerous bicycle bells. During the live performances, it was often played by the audience who specially brought the bells for this purpose. The song has a very unusual chord progression with numerous modulations, a change of meter (from 4/4 to 3/4) in the bridge, and the multitracked vocal and guitar harmonies.
The video for the song became scandalously famous for featuring 65 naked women, all professional models, racing at Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium. It was filmed by Dennis de Vallance. The group rented the stadium and several dozen bikes for one day for filming the scene; however, when the renting company became aware of the way their bikes were used, they requested the group to purchase all the bicycle seats. The original video uses special effects to hide the nudity.
“Bicycle Race “é um single da banda de rock inglesa QUEEN. Foi lançado em 1978, no álbum JAZZ e escrito pelo vocalista da Queen FREDDIE MERCURY. Ela foi lançada como um duplo lado-A única juntamente com a canção” Fat Bottomed Girls “. A canção é notável por seu vídeo com uma corrida de bicicleta com mulheres nuas em Wimbledon Stadium, que foi editado ou mesmo proibido em vários países. A canção tem uma progressão de acordes muito incomum com modulações diversas, uma mudança de metro (de 4 / 4-6 / 8) na ponte, e os vocais multipista e harmonias de guitarra.
A canção foi escrita por MERCURY e foi supostamente inspirado por sua observação de uma perna do Tour de France. Ela começa com um coro acompanhados por instrumentos. O coro é seguido por dois versos conectado com uma ponte, ambos seguido por um coro. Ao meio da música há um solo com sinos de bicicleta numerosos. Durante as apresentações ao vivo, muitas vezes era tocado pelo público, que levavam os sinos especialmente para esta finalidade.
O vídeo para a canção tornou-se famoso por escandalosamente com 65 mulheres nuas, todas as modelos profissionais, competindo em Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium. Foi filmado por Dennis de Vallance. O grupo alugou o estádio e várias dezenas de bicicletas durante um dia para filmar a cena,. Porém, quando a empresa que alugou tomou conhecimento da forma como as suas bicicletas foram usados, eles pediram ao grupo para adquirir todos os assentos das bicicletas, o vídeo original usa efeitos especiais para esconder a nudez. Courtesy of http://www.youtube.com/user/lcsRamone CP ]
“If Premier McGuinty can find $1 billion dollars to build his
‘people’s highway,’ why can’t he find a few million dollars to make
streets safe for people?” asks Schreiner.
Today marks the launch of Bike Month in the City of Toronto. Cycling
plays an important role in the health of our citizens, strengthening
our local economies and our general quality of life.
Quebec spends $200 million on cycling infrastructure and earns $135
million each year from bicycle tourism alone. The US dedicates 1.6% of
its transportation budget for states to invest in cycling
infrastructure. Ontario has no dedicated funding to support cycling or
pedestrian infrastructure.
“Ontario needs infrastructure if we are serious about making our
streets and roads safe,” says Schreiner. “A small investment to
support cycling will reap big rewards — combating gridlock, reducing
health care costs and supporting local businesses.”
Two Danish studies showed that when 1% of car drivers switched to
riding bicycles, health care costs were reduced by 1%. Copenhagen
saves $300 per person per year on health costs because almost 80
percent of its population bikes regularly. Cycling and walking
projects create 11-14 jobs per $1 million spent, compared to just
seven jobs created per $1 million spent on highway projects. These and
other studies show that Ontario cannot afford not to invest in cycling
infrastructure.
The GPO’s 1% percent solution would create two funds for
municipalities to access the dollars they need for cycling and
pedestrian infrastructure. By doing so, Ontario would finally
recognize that cycling and walking are important forms of
transportation for growing numbers of Ontarians.
“We need a Complete Streets Act in Ontario to ensure that our streets
are safe for all users: cars, trucks, bikes, pedestrians, wheeled
mobility devices, and transit users” says Trinity-Spadina candidate
and GPO critic for transportation Tim Grant.
Our future- values and esteem guide young girls development at Camp Stella Puella
Camp Stella Puella (“star girl” in Latin) is a summer camp “with a higher purpose,” says co-founder Mina Kazemi. Since she began in Dunnville,Ontario in 2008, along with cousin and co-director Julia Salco, the goal has been to provide young girls with a fun environment in which to explore issues of self-esteem, as well as introduce them to social action on a global scale, in hopes of instilling a passion to make positive change in the world.
It wasn’t long before Mina’s older sister Yasmin joined the team, two young women uniquely qualified to bring the world to Dunnville’s children. Mina is studying global health at the University of Toronto, has taken a world literacy trip to Ek Balam Mexico, and travelled to Kenya in 2009 with the Me to We program who, along with their charitable partner Free the Children, seeks to empower youth through activism at home and across the planet.
Yasmin also studies science and global health, has spent time in Ecuador volunteering at a childcare centre, and has been active since 2009 with Community Living. Last year she was president of the Best Buddies program, which matches a university student with a developmentally disabled adult to provide mentoring and friendship. All three young women are lifeguards with National Life Saving and first aid certification.
An emphasis on self-esteem and social action is what “sets us apart from other summer camps,” Yasmin says. Here’s how it works: at the beginning of the week, counselors introduce their campers to three issues of global significance—could be child labour, global warming, and how to find slave and sweatshop-free merchandise for more conscientious consumption. Or, perhaps, why girls can’t go to school inIndia. Through the process of building consensus with the children, a theme for the week is chosen, and the kids begin learning through age appropriate activities. Always they are taught that thinking globally begins with how we act locally, right here at home. Every week, as well, the children help plan a fundraiser based on their chosen theme. As an example, last year, after a week of learning about environmental issues, they organized an eco-spa with proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund to help save endangered species.
After 5 summers, things are going well. This year a sister camp is active in Hamilton, and the Dunnville contingent is adding some overnight trips to their agenda. When I asked Mina what her motivation for all this work was, she told me that when she was a little girl, she loved going to camp. “It’s a place where long lasting friendships can be forged. And it can be character building too.” It sounds like these three ambitious young women have come up with a formula for a summer camp experience that can be both fun and formative. Every day there is some self-esteem building activity. Building on that foundation of self-love, a bunch of young girls are discovering there is a whole world out there waiting for people of conscience, just like them. For the Silo, Chris Dowber.
UPDATE March1, 2017– Camp Stella Puella does not currently have an active camping program but they continue to engage and offer services. There are plans in place to renew the camp program to learn more, visit www.stellapuella.ca or call 905-774-8601. Please mention The Silo when contacting.
Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to establish public input on the possibility of a public school and seperate school board merger. Several other provinces including Quebec have already ended the two-tier system of publicly funded schools based on religion.
May 15th Queen’s Park GPO leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to establish a public commission to explore merging the public and Catholic school boards. “The Liberals have a clear choice,” says Schreiner. “Prioritize high-quality education for all kids or protect the entrenched interests that want special funding for one religion at the exclusion of all others.”
With schools facing financial and social pressures, the GPO believes now is the time to engage public discussion on modernizing Ontario’s education system.
The GPO believes inaction is failing our kids. At a time when parents across the province are rallying to prevent school closures, the Toronto District School Board is considering cuts to cafeterias, educators, mental health professionals, and support staff. Further, Catholic Trustees are opposing student efforts to stop bullying with Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs. Ontario can no longer turn a blind eye to wasteful duplication that compromises quality education and fails to protect at-risk youth.
“The Green Party has the courage to confront social and financial realities,” says education critic and Parry Sound-Muskoka candidate Matt Richter. “Greens want to end expensive duplication and promote an equitable education system where every religion is respected, and no religion is privileged.”
Both Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador modernized their outdated denominational school systems in the 1990’s. The days of needing to publicly fund Catholic schools to protect a minority religion from discrimination or assimilation are long past.
The GPO believes there is no longer justification for maintaining a separate school system when we face cuts to essential services. The government has never studied the costs of a separate system. However, the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods of Ontario estimates savings of $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion.
The GPO encourages Premier McGuinty to follow his own advice: “If we’re going to bring about more improvement in publicly-funded schools, it is regressive to contemplate segregating our children according to their faith,” McGuinty said. “I want our kids to continue coming together.”
The GPO supports a unified public education system with French and English school boards that prioritize helping all our diverse students meet their full potential.
For The Silo by Jaymini Bhikha (O) 416-977-7476 (C) 416-275-8573 jbhikha@gpo.ca
Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada
13% of all adult Ontarians are public sector workers- accounting for over half of Ontario government spending
Let’s find alternatives to layoffs and program cuts. On May 16th, I introduced my Private Members Bill titled: An Act to address Ontario’s debt through alternatives to public sector layoffs and government program cuts while reducing the fiscal pressure on the people of Ontario who are having trouble paying their bills. This legislation offers options for tackling runaway spending that has us staring down the barrel of a $411.4 billion debt.
Servicing this debt impairs the ability of Ontario to function and has led to levels of taxation that restrict the ability of businesses to compete, and of individuals to survive financially.
There are over one million public sector employees in Ontario [ according to statistics in one recent study by the CMAJ http://www.cmaj.ca/content/178/11/1441.abstract , in 2007 the estimated adult population of Ontario was 7,996,653 which means 1/8 adult Ontarians or 13% of all adult Ontarians are a public sector employee, a staggering statistic CP ]- 70 per cent unionized compared to 15 per cent in the private sector. Labour costs account for over half of Ontario government spending. This spending sees public sector workers receiving higher compensation – wages, benefits, pensions… – than their private sector counterparts. The total amount paid to the public sector has jumped by 46 per cent since 2003.
My bill aims to take legislative steps address this trend, recognizing the Drummond report https://www.thesilo.ca/the-next-day-ontario-receives-drummond-commission-suggestions-on-public-service-reforms/ advice, “one recommendation that crosses all sectors is the need for prolonged moderation of growth in public-sector total compensation”. While the McGuinty team continues to dodge and weave through credit downgrades, flagging job numbers, and mounting debt, the truth is that unless the province gets its house in order, there will be no alternative but continued cuts to government programs and continued layoffs resulting in a lower level of service for all of us.
To limit the need for such extreme and harsh solutions, I feel the Government of Ontario needs to act immediately to limit compensation paid to employees in the public sector. At the same time, as spelled out in my bill, government must continue to recognize its legal duty to consult fully with those employees and their bargaining agents, and to negotiate with them constructively and in good faith.
My bill [if passed CP ] would amend the Crown Employees Collective Bargaining Act, 1993 to:
1. indicate government’s responsibility and objectives to fully engage, consult and conduct genuine and constructive negotiations with public sector workers on legislative changes to collective bargaining and compensation
2. link the total compensation package to the rate of Ontario’s real GDP economic growth per capita
3. allow for public sector furlough i.e. days off without pay. It’s important to note that between 2007 and 2009, over half the states have imposed mandatory furlough for their public sector employees
4. allow change in public sector pensions to defined contribution from defined benefit. Here as well, at least forty states have enacted significant changes to their public sector pension plans
5. limit length of public sector collective agreements to one year, after which wages are frozen until a new contract is settled, until budget is balanced
6. introduce a comprehensive and transparent benchmarking system for compensation, which would include a costing of the full compensation package, including benefits, pensions and moving through seniority grids
7. mandate stricter criteria for compensation awards in researching private vs. public comparables – achieved through a provincial wage board.
I look forward to providing more details as we approach debate of my bill June 7th For The Silo by Toby Barrett, Haldimand-Norfolk MPP
