Tag Archives: norfolk county heritage and culture

Reviews

Canuck Book Review: The Sister’s Brothers

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Patrick DeWitt’s The Sisters Brothers is everything a good western should be. Set during the Gold Rush of the 1850s and littered with gun fights, loose women, saloons and robbery, this novel would easily appeal to any western enthusiast or history buff. However, just buried beneath this classic western narrative, is a story about the power of relationships, family, redemption and self-awareness.
They story is narrated by one of the Sisters brothers, Eli Sister. From the very beginning the reader can tell Eli is more brains than brawn—the introverted, overweight polar opposite of his brother, the notorious and lethal hit man, Charlie. As a duo, they are given the job to kill a man named Hermann Kermit Warm. Their orders are given to them by a man who is only known as Commodore and who only meets with Charlie. Everything the reader knows about the job is second-hand information given by Eli. The lack of information engulfs their mission in a cloak of secrecy and mystery. The reader, along with Eli, is not quite sure why there is a hit on this man, only that there is and the brothers are the ones to execute it. From this point on the brothers travel from Oregon City to San Francisco meeting a variety of noteworthy characters from all backgrounds along the way.

Patrick Dewitt (L) and author Peter Benchley (R) more than a passing resemblance?

The most engaging aspect of this novel is DeWitt’s ability to engage the reader through fast dialogue and deep inner thoughts. Eli serves as a vehicle for the reader to see and understand what is going on in the novel. Although Eli lives a disgusting life full of violence, lust and indignity, his words and thoughts produce a character that is truly human and surprisingly relatable. Eli suffers with feelings of inadequacy when it comes to his relationship with his brother and the line of work they pursue. This inadequacy is subtly mirrored by his relationship with his horse, named Tub, who seems like more of a burden to Eli and the mission than anything else.
Perhaps the most striking theme in this novel is the theme of relationship and family. Eli forms and fosters many relationships throughout the novel—most notably his relationship with Charlie, his brother. Eli’s venerability is exposed through this relationship. At one point, when asked about his relationship with his brother, Eli states, “Our blood is the same, we just use it differently.” A very thought provoking statement gets to the very heart of human nature and relationships. Throughout the novel, Eli’s relationship with Charlie is tested through action and dialogue. As the novel comes to a close, relationships change due to circumstance and the roles they both play in each other’s lives will not be reversed, but destroyed in an unlikely way.
A book wholly deserving of its Scotia Bank Giller Prize Short List nod, Patrick DeWitt’s The Brothers Sisters is a surprising hard edged exploration of what makes us all human at our very core. Book review by Silo contributor Sarah Purdy. Read more from Sarah by searching her name from our homepage. Silo Direct Link to Patrick DeWitt Website  CP

Gaming

DJ Hero- Blurs the line between videogame and performance art

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Question: what do William Shakespeare and DJ Hero have in common? Well, in the famous words of Will himself, “If music be the food of love, play on”. That’s right, the soundtrack is the star in this new video game! We’ll get to the gameplay in a moment but first let’s jive to the beats.

Saturday morning, I’m sitting in my living room, morning coffee in hand staring at a turn table. I think to myself, so that’s it? A box with some buttons and a spinny thing? How bad could this be? I mean really, how is this game going to be any different than guitar hero (minus the obvious difference in “controllers”)? As a newbie to the turn table scene I was confused but anxious to give what little skills I had a try. Now, with bloodshot eyes, cramped fingers and a twitch from drinking copious amounts of coffee, I am here to tell all. Far beyond what I had initially set out to review this game for, the music in DJ Hero is by far the most creative and energetic. It’s new, original and truly defines what the game is all about. All the tracks are original mash-ups created by such talent as DJ Jazzy Jeff and Grandmaster Flash. If you are looking for funk, hip hop, techno or maybe all three spun together, you’ve got it! Even if you’re a soul man, look no further. Unlike Guitar Hero and Rock Band, DJ Hero is comprised of never before heard tunes that are incredibly well matched. My favorite – the Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer mash-up. Yeah, it’s a way back playback but I loved it! I’m going to say, with great certainty, that it is nearly impossible to play this game without a single toe tap or head bob. Simply put, the music featured on DJ Hero well surpasses my expectations. 10/10.

In terms of gameplay, DJ Hero is actually quite intense. Although the game does a walk-through of all the controls and allows you to play on either easy, beginner, medium, hard or expert levels the tricky part is somehow managing them all at once. Unlike Guitar Hero for example, you are doing more than just pressing buttons and strumming – you are pressing buttons, controlling the effects dial, sliding the cross fader, scratching either up or down or all around (depending on the directions), oh yeah and remembering to blink and breathe. I love games that really test my abilities including my use of hand-eye coordination and this video game certainly put those abilities to the test. DJ Hero requires each hand to work separately and perform its own task. You earn stars based on your performance and it is through this that you are able to unlock new mixes, characters and costumes. DJ Hero is incredibly challenging but always leaves room for improvement which is part of the reason why this game is so awesome.

Speaking of improvements, this game could use one or two. More specifically, the multiplayer function in DJ Hero is slacking. I will give Guitar Hero and Rock Band the points on this one simply because they offer more variety. For example, Rock Band allows for several different instruments to all play together and help “create the music”. DJ Hero’s multiplayer function allows for another turntable to be added to the mix but you are still playing the same song, the same notes and not contributing to the overall sound. DJ Hero also allows for a guitar to join in however, the songs to be played on guitar are limited and don’t come together as smoothly as you might think.

Despite my two “needs improvement” comments, overall DJ Hero is a definite must have! It challenges your mental and physical abilities and successfully frustrates you to your core. I can recall shouting several profanities at my television screen therefore, I caution you to refrain from playing this game in the presence of small children (if you’re anything like me that is). As I mentioned in the beginning of this review, the music/soundtrack is truly the star of this game and works well even as the background music at your next shin-dig! I now have a new appreciation for the guy running the beats up in the little booth at the clubs. Next time you’re out, shakin’ it like a polaroid picture, buy the guy in the booth a drink would ya?
Reviewed & Written By: Holly LaRue

Silo Direct Link to Wikipedia History of Turntablism

Transportation

Loving The Carrera S 911 Porsche

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all photos- Robb Price

A metallic silver bullet, 300+ km/h roaring blur on the Autobahn. 6th gear, 355+ HP, 3.8L-6cylinder, variable timing at full advance, breathing in through a K&N filter system and exhaling out of a Fabspeed Max-Flo exhaust. Automatically adjusting shock absorbers stiffening as you pass and corner. Porsche’s PSM stability control system controlling the power to the wheels, keeping you on the road as you throttle and shift. Signature auto adjusting spoiler in the up position. If you need to stop in a hurry, having full confidence in Porsche’s best-in-the-biz 4 channel ABS and huge cross drilled rotors.
These are the type of thoughts I get just looking at this beefy, wide stanced, Carrera S (911). As sleek as it is fast, these cars actually keep a “Low Emissions Vehicle” status, and family car class fuel economy. (This is a pretty cool way to be green if you ask me!)
These cars really pay homage to the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” in the sense that they (Porsche) have used a lot of the same body lines, and same rear-engine design, in the 911’s over 40 years of production. Being of rear-engine design though, makes these cars hard to master driving, truly making the driver conform to it.
By constantly improving on something that has worked since day one, Porsche has kept the focus where it really counts, on the suspension and drive-line.


Marshall Thompson, owner of Thompson Chiropractic (Simcoe and Waterford) and this sweet car, says that he was really drawn to this particular model for a few reasons:
1) He really wanted the signature Porsche model, the 911.
2) He really liked that in 2006 they went back to the traditional 911, oval headlight shape (Porsche had gone away from this for a few years, using a headlight similar to their Boxster model)
3) The wide body style of the ’06 Carrera S and the impressive much improved interior. This car touting a very stylish and ergonomic, leather interior, navi-system, uber sporty gauge package, and Bose 13 speaker sound system. Unheard of in older 911’s as they were more like a streetable race car than a luxury car.
Don’t be fooled by its good looks though. This 911 is just as wicked as its predecessors. This one apparently easily breaking the 250km/h in 5th gear with a full 6th gear still at the ready.


You might catch this car in the Simcoe or Waterford areas but only on sunny days. Good luck actually catching up to this one. Robb Price is a regular automotive writer for The Silo and owns and operates WC Kustoms in Windham Centre.

[Much like the 911, the seminal electronic band Kraftwerk innovated and pushed the boundaries of form and function. Recommended listening for Porsche owners when you’re ripping through gears CP] Update- Silo Direct Link 2012 911 Porsche makes North American Debut

Vintage

Songs For Rainy Weather – What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?

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How can we honestly say that today’s rain and overcast skies influenced our choice for today’s 90’s flashback…umm, urr, we can’t. But this throwback track from R.E.M. rocks. Pack your umbrella for the next few days and if you’ve got room on your ipod (we’re guessing you do, and if you don’t drop us a line explaining why not) , add this song to your playlist. It just might be a cure-all for the turn in the weather. Now where did i put my can of orange Crush?
CP

Politics

Ont. Greens: End Biased School Funding Based On Religion

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GREEN PARTY OF ONTARIO ADDRESSES INEQUITY IN PUBLICLY FUNDED SCHOOLS

TORONTO, ONTARIO – The Green Party of Ontario today called for a Citizen’s Assembly to address the transition to a single school system (French and English), a move which several other provinces have made
over the past decade.

“Greens believe in a fair, equitable, and financially responsible school system that enriches learning for all students. All Ontarian’s fund our school system, and it is government’s job to ensure that the public has a voice in how that money is spent.” said Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.

Currently both Public and Catholic boards are funded per student from the same public fund. Canada ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on May 19th, 1976, with the consent of all provinces, including Ontario. In November 1999 and again in November 2005 the same committee censured Canada again for failing to ‘adopt steps in order to eliminate discrimination on the basis of religion in the funding of schools in Ontario.’

“Our current system operates under a constitutional privilege that dates back to when women were not permitted to vote,” explains Justin Trottier, Green Party candidate for Parkdale High Park. “Other provinces, like Quebec, have achieved a bilateral agreement with the Federal government to unify their school boards so that no particular faith is being funded by the province.”

Recently the issue of inequality in our school system has been underscored by Catholic school boards openly denying students the freedom to form Gay Straight Alliances to create more inclusive environments for students and staff.

“Ontarians pride themselves on their diversity,” said Toronto Centre candidate and LGBT rights activist Mark Daye.”Our education system needs to reflect that.”

The Green Party of Ontario believes that our education system must be fair, equitable and efficient for all students, teachers and families. The Green Party is the only party with a plan to allow Ontarians to address equality in our school system, by moving towards one publicly funded school system, in French and English.

GREEN MPPS WILL:

* Call for a citizen’s assembly to review moving to one publicly funded French and English school system to study and offer recommendations on the constitutional, procedural and logistical issues relating to a single public school system in Ontario. The citizens assembly will provide an opportunity for all Ontarians to comment on and participate in this important discussion. Citizen input is essential to help determine the best way forward.

FACTS:

* Under the Constitution Act of 1982, Constitutional change in an area of provincial jurisdiction (such as education) can be accomplished through bilateral agreement between the province and the Parliament of Canada alone. Ten post-1982 amendments have been made to the Constitution, five of which concern denomination education rights. Quebec and Newfoundland once had denominational school systems. Both provinces modernized their school systems in the 1990s.

* Ontario’s school boards are publicly funded according to the province’s ‘funding formula’, which is based primarily on student enrolment. Municipal ‘school support’ designations have no effect on the amount of funding a board receives. Catholic taxpayers are not the sole supporters of Catholic schools. All taxpayers support all schools.

* Canada ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on May 19th, 1976, with the consent of all provinces, including Ontario. In November 1999, the United Nations Human Rights Committee found Canada in violation of the equality provisions of that Covenant by virtue of Ontario’s discriminatory school system. In November 2005 the same Committee censured Canada again for failing to ‘adopt steps in order to eliminate discrimination on the basis of religion in the funding of schools in Ontario.’

* Source 2005:
The State party should adopt steps in order to eliminate discrimination on the basis of religion in the funding of schools in Ontario.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
905-999-5479 Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Links:
——
[1] rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
[2] Silo Direct Link To Green Party of Ontario Press Page

Gaming

Duke Nukem Forever Reviewed After 13 Years Of Game Development

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Duke Nukem Forever – released June 14, 2011. Yeah we know this is an ‘old game’ by most standards but it deserves a special Silo re-visit.

The Duke is back.. and with harsh criticism.

If you’ve ever played any of the previous Duke Nukem games from the 1990’s then you’ll know what to expect from the latest Duke, Duke Nukem Forever. The majority of reviews about the June released  Duke Nukem Forever game are filled with gamers’ expectations and high hopes but immediately reveal their dream crushed realizations. C’mon folks, it’s Duke Nukem! A game that was popular in the 90’s and for good reason – it’s meant to be silly, fun and contain some cheese factor. Known for its incredibly macho yet vulgar main character who strives off his ego and his chicks, Duke Nukem is a game forever built on stereotypes, cheesy one liners, and ridiculous scenarios! My question is simply, is this a bad thing? In a way, I found Duke Nukem Forever a breath of somewhat fresh air. Instead of planning attacks and trying to survive deadly missions and zombies, I was cruising around in a buggy and fighting miniature aliens!

Duke Nukem Forever has nothing on games such as Call of Duty or Gears of War but I think it’s safe to say that this was not the intention here. For example, the plot itself is simple and to the point: aliens land, aliens start stealing women in order to breed while turning men into cops to assist in taking out Duke Nukem.  (of course, its such a simple premise, we could come up with that just walking down the street CP )Duke’s objective: kill aliens, rescue women. This game is not intended to spark the creative and mystical part of your brain rather, allow you to sit back and enjoy the entertainment! Sure it’s not as intense or as gritty as the rest of the games of today, but you also don’t spend the whole game clunking around like a trashcan full of potatoes peeking over chest high walls to shoot at things. After all, it’s a throwback to your youth; you run, you jump, you shoot things.

In terms of the graphics, only mediocre but despite the opinion that the gameplay is slow and non-interactive, I beg to differ. There is lots of chance for adventure depending on how you’re playing the game. If you’re willing to loosen your mental grip on missions and tactics and just have fun with the game, then you’re more likely to see the exciting potential the Duke has to offer.

Some of the points people and critics alike are missing with this game is the sheer compatibility factor to the age group playing this game. Why did everyone love it so much in the 90’s? Duke himself – a stereotypical “manly man” with a foul mouth and the need for ass slapping women from time to time. Nothing has changed in Duke Nukem Forever nor should we expect it to. The game is fun, entertaining and doesn’t rely on continuous strategy. Nor does the game try to get deeper than it needs to be which proves that less rigid gameplay can be a bonus from time to time.

When did video games become so serious? Lighten up a little people and enjoy the silly potty humour once in a while. Duke Nukem Forever is nothing to rave about but it deserves its praise nonetheless. As mentioned, if you pick up this game expecting to have your mind blown then you would be in for disappointment but if you are picking it up and thinking to yourself “what the hell, why not” then you’ve got the right idea. On a scale of 1 to 10 I would rate it a 7.5 for delivering what I had expected and hoped it would, pure entertainment. Also, it’s been in development for 13 years so if you’ve waited that long you should at least play it.

Holly LaRue is a new videogaming writer and reviewer for The Silo and hails from Hamilton, ON She can probably kick your butt at your favourite first person shooter. BANG!

Culture

Jukasa: World Class Music Studio Open For Local Artists

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From our Sept/Oct 2011 PRINT Edition (Jukasa has a whole new team of amazing people on board! Please check their website for a list of their amazing staff CP)

If I were to tell you that musicians like Willie Nelson, Steven Tyler, Snoop Dogg, Derek Miller and The Tea Party have spent time in Ohsweken Village, what would you say?
I know what I said: “Wow, why haven’t I heard about this place?” The place I am talking about is Jukasa Media Group. Jukasa Media Group is a $3 million dollar studio complex that is currently expanding – and rapidly I might add. Upon its construction in 2009 Owner Kenny Hill wanted a place for his son and friends to record their music. In 2010 Mix Magazine named Jukasa as 2010’s “top three new studios on the planet.” What brings such talented musicians to Jukasa? The Gear? The Studio? The Staff? The Price? All of the Above?


The answer is all of the above. Jukasa currently features 2300sq ft of beautifully architectured live recording space, their famous sound board the SSL 8072 Console that spent a decade Abbey Road Studio 3, living accommodations on site, a space for editing daily recordings, and they are currently building a second recording studio, and will be opening a private Recording Arts School as of October where students will be in classes of no more than 9, learning the theory of sound, while recording real artists with the mastering engineer Nick Blagona and other staff.


Mixer and Mastering Engineer Nick Blagona has been in the music industry for decades and brings his experience around the world to Jukasa. Blagona has worked with Chicago, The Beegees, Cat Stevens, Nazareth, Alexisonfire (R.I.P.), Kim Mitchell, Protest the Hero, The Police, and Deep Purple to name the tip of the iceberg. Also under the Jukasa roof is Stevie Salas, Director of Aboriginal Development and U.S. Operations who has received the Life Time Achievement Award from the Native American Music Awards, and has the largest deal Island Records has ever signed. Salas has also brought his long time friend Rob Lamothe into the mix. Rob Lamothe is the General Manager of Jukasa, he has received an Edison Award from Holland, and has toured over 30 European tours.


Aside from the Gear, the staff and the facility itself, what makes Jukasa so unique is the price for the quality. Prices for recording at Jukasa are comparable to prices to record in basement studios in the area however the final product is the highest of quality production, thanks to the experienced staff and incredible equipment available.  For the Silo, Lacie Williamson

 

Okay you didn’t think we were going to NOT show you the famous SSL 8072 did you? Here it is-

Click to view on I-tunes
Click to view on I-tunes
Art

Politics in The Arts- Are Canadians Concerned With Art Funding?

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During the Federal elections [circa 2011 Ed], it became clear that the Canadian public interest in an arts and cultural policy had declined since 2008, in fact the majority responded that this policy was unimportant to them in comparison to other policies. This leads me to question the degree of concerns Canadians do have with other policies. Perhaps the overall concerns are too great to allow a focus on more fun or abstract facets of their Canadian lifestyle such as arts and culture, or it may simply be that Canadians overall would rather engage with more mainstream topics.

It is interesting yet disconcerting to see that it is mainly the younger population, ages 18-30, that are the least interested in the arts and culture policy. If the younger generation doesn’t fuel the arts and keep them flourishing who will? In their (or our) defense though, little awareness about the policy and its impact is made known. Personally, I had never heard of an arts and cultural policy before reading the article critiquing the different Government parties’ role in the policy as discussed in The Arts Advocate publication.

The policy involves the government allotted a specific percentage of taxes that go towards varying sectors within the arts, for example advantages for artists or funding for different organizations. Each federal party has their different views on appropriate expenditure in the arts and culture sector, and specifically our Conservatives’ main commitment is to the children’s artistic activity tax credit, support to the Royal Conservatory of Music for a national examination program, and support to the Canadian Periodical Fund (Used to subsidize newspapers not including The Silo. Check the info box found on the bottom of page 2 in most papers to see if you are subsidizing their bottom line- CP).

With the Conservative party now being back in power, it is hard to say if the policy will see any positive growth. Although I understand and admire Harper’s plan to stabilize and improve the markets in the depths of a global recession, I feel it necessary to include arts and culture as a part of this. Canada has such a unique combination of cultures throughout its provinces and these are the people who create and work at the jobs Harper is trying to develop or advance.

So, should not this rich arts and culture naturally be showcased as it is echoed throughout the Canadian business world Harper is focused on? I believe Canadians on the whole would appreciate more recognition for their creative efforts that make our country special. Yes we need economic growth, but there needs to be a balance in the funding between businesses and the arts in order to make for a balanced country and to account for or showcase the people who inhabit it.

It is positive to note that the 2011 Ontario budget indicated spending at Tourism and Culture would grow $76 million.

The estimates confirm that $47 million of this is to continue support of the Community Cultural Fund (used to support local ‘big crowd’ draws such as last year’s Port Dover Marine Festival- http://www.ocaf.on.ca/en/project.aspx?ProjectUID=985 or 2005’s Norfolk County Fall Festival- http://www.ocaf.on.ca/en/project.aspx?ProjectUID=884 -CP), the small-scale (!) capital program administered by the Ontario Trillium Foundation to support diverse cultural organizations. As well, the Ontario Media Development Corporation will be permanently funded, showcasing the province’s commitment to the film sector of the policy and estimates show an increase of $8 million to $25.8 million. Although the Conservative platform for the policy is the most bleak of the Bloc Quebecois, Liberal, and NDP, perhaps a strengthened economy will help to account for areas our country’s arts and culture are struggling in.

In their platform it is stated that our “Government believes that a vibrant cultural, media, and sporting sector is crucial for our well-being and quality of life,” however many artists and cultural advocates still feel that the re-elected Conservatives will fall short in fulfilling the essential aspects of the policy and hearing the voices of those affected.  For the Silo, Jennifer Waslowski.

 

 

Culture, Earth

Ancient Stones Being Discovered

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An artifact recovered near Port Dover, ON

Generations of Haldimand and Norfolk citizens have found and collected stone artifacts from their lands. Artifacts were kept out of intrigue and interest and often displayed prominently within homes. Some were valued as family heirlooms, others placed in boxes and kept packed away on a shelf. This is where I enter the story. My name is Lorenz Bruechert and I am an archaeologist.

Not long ago a land owner told me that artifacts had been collected from his family property over many, many years. I was invited to make an examination because the owner knew they might be important to my regional archaeological study (www.haldimandarchresearchproject.com). There still was a little hesitation, primarily out of concern that I might confiscate the artifacts. But that is not what I do. My interest in private collections from prehistoric times is based in public outreach and education.

I was able to provide the owner with a time period of the artifacts, the type of rock used in their manufacture, and their origins. You see, I believe it is important to foster trust and to empower landowners with information, thereby ensuring their collections are valued, respected and hopefully made available for scientific study.

Private collections reflect the richness of our homelands and confirm the reality of past human occupation. Trying to make sense of who primitive occupants were and how they lived is helped immensely by studying the ages and quantities of found artifacts. Artifacts date from within historic periods to as far back as when glaciers still existed in Southern Ontario. In fact, many land owners are surprised to learn that their collections are much older than a few hundred years.

At least 80% of human history is represented by stone artifacts. The rock used is generally a sedimentary variety containing silica. The more silica a rock has, the easier it is to break apart. The geological name for the type of stone used in most tool manufacture is chert or flint. Chert formations date as far back as the age of the dinosaurs. They were scoured and scraped by the movement of glaciers and carried along until the glacier melted. What this means is that an artifact found in Haldimand or Norfolk may have originated thousands of kilometers away!

In Southern Ontario, stone tool artifacts have been recovered and dated within several different main time periods. Each period shows variations thought to reflect climate changes that made an impact on animal and plant species. As species changed or disappeared, new types of stone tools were manufactured to keep up with these transitions. Dating artifacts, therefore, helps to identify migrations of different people groups across our counties’ deep past.

Most landowners truly enjoy having their artifacts interpreted. Their private collections remain intact and local people become, in a sense, guardians of local history. If a family is not interested in acting as stewards, I always encourage them to donate their pieces to a local museum, to ensure that the artifacts remain in the community.

Lorenz Bruechert will return soon for another installment of local archaeology. You can contact Lorenz at hnarproject@gmail.com.