Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth.
YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them.
Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.
Any views or opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people or organizations that the blog may be associated with, unless explicitly stated. All content is for informational purposes only.
Did you know that the World Vision 30 Hour Famine started in our very own city of Calgary? The first 30 Hour Famine began in 1971, when 17-year-old Ruth Roberts and his friends had a church basement event in Calgary to raise money for children suffering during a famine. Today, thousands of teens across Canada and several other countries pledge money and then fast for 30 hours. This year, I encourage everyone to become part of this amazing fundraising effort.
The 30 Hour Famine is one of the largest World Vision events, and together in unity with other youth, we can fight against hunger. To those in developing counties, many do not have adequate access to food, and they struggle to have enough to eat every single day. If you do not like the idea of a 30 hour fast, there are other ways to be involved, such as making direct donations or to give up something that they would not do normally. These participants can fast by giving up on things like cellphones, TV, social media, snacks, etc. Everyone and anyone can get involved to fight hunger in the 30 Hour Famine.
Ready to join? Just visit the official 30 Hour Famine Website to sign up and start fundraising. You may sign up as an individual, or join with friends as a group or team- anything works. In addition, there are many local famine events in your community that would love to have your support. Check out some amazing Famine Resources and get ready for the Global Famine Date on April 25 and 26, 2014. Start now, and make a change to see what hunger really is.
Over the last couple of weeks I have had the opportunity to watch the movie The Vampire Academy. Personally I loved the movie, everything about it was really well presented and very enjoyable. The romantic aspect of the film is what really caught my attention, along with all the sass. The dialogue between the characters was comedic and extremely sassy, it really added another layer to the movie. In my perspective it was the perfect blend of romance, comedy, drama and action. I would definitely recommend all of you to also watch it and join in on all the madness. This movie was definitely worth my time and hopefully yours as well, it will leave you on the edge of your seat wanting more.
And here is a quick glimpse into The Vampire Academy; I chosen my top five favourite scenes from the entire movie.
1. A Friendly Kiss
2. All good love stories sprout from war?
3. A Fairytale Type Couple
4. When a stranger becomes like family, sisterhood is born.
5. Time to party? Maybe?
I’d love to hear what your thought are on the movie; tweet me at @malikadayaxx or leave a comment below.
Hitler did do some great things which not a lot us know about because of his extensively communicated negative persona (not that it did not exist). These good deeds are not an excuse for all the bad he had done, however they are still noble.
The magnificant oil baron of the west, Calgary, was named second best livable Canadian city of 2014, falling just one place from it’s consecutive firsts in previous years. DAVESBLOGGS007
It is without a doubt that Calgary is an amazing city. We are often a humble Western folk who don’t necessarily adore being praised, but when we do, we accept it with much gratitude. It also doesn’t hurt if you are second place in MoneySense’s 2014 Best Places to Live in Canada list.
People in Calgary often complain though about the high costs of living in this city of the west, but what Calgarians don’t realize is that we have it quite well here. Compared to other Canadian cities, many houses up for sale in Calgary cost thrice as much in major cities like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. Calgary has been the first best place Canadian city to live in the past consecutive years, yet this year it fell, due to what the report calls, “largely due to minor hiccups in the unemployment rate, home affordability and an uptick in population growth, which can lead to more strain on the city’s infrastructure.”
Yet, Calgary is flourishing in ways that, if you were told that Calgary were to become a major cosmopolitan city 30 years ago, people would have thought you were insane. We’ve gone from a desolate pioneer train stop in the 1900s to Canada’s oil boom success child. We are a city on our way to champion even the likes of Toronto. We came from 30 years ago, only hailing 350,000, to a city surpassing one million strong. Canada will soon have a rival to Vancouver’s arrogant claim as the only major city in Western Canada.
Calgary is, in fact, much more affordable. Being a British Columbian expatriate myself, the main reason to why we moved to Calgary was mostly due to its large job market. Calgary is a job haven for many Canadians. Many flock from their provinces to this Albertan city in search of employment. The report suggests this as being the sole reason why Calgary has faired much better on the list saying, “[Calgary’s] unemployment below 6%, household incomes averaging above $100,000, low crime and access to transit. Sure, home prices are higher than 80% of the rest of the country, but the people here can afford them.”
According to the report, the trend that they see that mid-sized cities and small towns often do much better on the list due to their affordability and better living standards. Now before I get Torontonians, Montrealers, and Vancouverites insisting their cities have all of that, I’d like to point out, Vancouver is currently the world’s second most expensive city in world in terms of living, while Toronto and Montreal have it hard to pay for their own homes because the housing markets in those fair cities has been inflated due to the housing bubble, making homes their extremely expensive.
It’s just fact that smaller towns and mid-sized cities just have affordability in their names. They also have a patriotic citizenry who often will choose to reside in their respective towns and cities due to their love for the vibes of a small town. Home is defined by some as a strong knit community, by those standards, Calgary sure deserves it’s place up so high on a living list, because community is what makes Calgary so amazing and homey. We’re a large city, with a small town feel. For all those expatriates who found refuge in Cowtown, you will snuggle right in, just have one of our pancakes wrapped in bacon breakfasts and make yourself comfortable.
With this new series, Viral Thursday, a Thursday of every month will be dedicated to covering the most viral stories all over the internet. Intended to make you feel all sorts of emotions, from happiness, frustration, anger, and everything in between, as the little trolling introduction may have done, let us kick this series off.
1st Destination: Viral Videos
The Must See Video of the Week
In case you missed it, Justin Bieber is headlining the news and social media for all the wrong reasons. Again after again after again after again. The latest installment to “Justin Shore” is a highly entertaining video of his deposition.
What: Justin Bieber’s deposition. Now a deposition is where an attorney will orally ask questions to a witness or an involved party in a criminal case, before the trial of the accused takes case. This interview will be recorded and documented (as you can see in the video). The deposition as reported by Law Profs (source), is for the following complaints regarding Bieber’s bodyguards.
“7. At the aforedescribed date, time and place, Plaintiff, who is a 56 year old professional photographer, was legally on the sidewalk outside of the Hit Factory, taking photographs of Defendant BIEBER.
8. Defendant BIEBER, who is an internationally famous recording artist, did not want the Plaintiff to take photographs of him, so he directed HESNY and three other bodyguards to confront Plaintiff, and to forcibly take the memory card from Plaintiff’s camera.
9. In compliance with BIEBER’s instructions, Defendant HESNY threw Plaintiff against a wall, began choking him, and threatened Plaintiff with a gun, while the other bodyguards (whose names are unknown to the Plaintiff, pending further discovery), assisted him in threatening Plaintiff and forcibly removing the memory card from his camera.”
Arron’s Analysis:Maybe Justin Bieber wants to look at starting a relationship with Sasha Fierce, AKA Beyonce. Bieber certainly was sassy, dismissive, rude, ridiculous, and comical in this interview. Of course, a deposition is the worst time to pull out your “bad boy card,” but as we now know, the Biebs does anything. From resisting arrest, and being charged with DUI, spraying graffiti in Brazil, going to a brothel in Brazil, to publicly urinating in a janitor’s mop bucket while cursing at the 42nd American President Bill Clinton, Biebs really has done it all. I’m honestly wondering if Bieber needs to go on “Beyond Scared Straight” so that he gets his act together, and learns that he might need to associate himself with different people, I don’t know. According to the Olympic bet, Canadians shouldn’t have to worry about him, so I’ll just stop now.
Memorable Lines/Moments
1)
Lawyer: Do you remember earlier today when I asked you…
Bieber: No.
Lawyer: [Now agitated] Why don’t you listen to what I have to say first. And then maybe you’ll tell me yes or no.
Bieber: [Agitated and with attitude] I don’t have to listen to anything you have to say.
2)
Lawyer: Would you please look at the film that’s up there? [Film starts playing on a television screen which appears to be footage of Bieber with his bodyguards]
Bieber: [Turns away from the film and asks the lawyer with attitude] This is a film? This is a film?
Lawyer: Pause It. Would you please watch the television.
Bieber: You said it’s a film. You said watch the film. Is this a film?
Lawyer: Is there a difference between a film and something else?
Bieber: Yes?
3)
Lawyer: Have you ever disciplined Mr.Hensy?
Bieber: Disciplined… what kind of question is that? Is he my son?
The whole interview is filled with laughs that at the end of the day makes you cringe about any hope left regarding the Biebs. Definitely a must watch.
The Most Powerful/Moving/Meaningful Video of the Week
Like a good film, this video has a great theme and moral, while adding in comedy and suspense, all in less than a minute and thirty seconds.
What: Watch the video!
Spoilers ahead in analysis!
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Arron’s Analysis: This video definitely sheds light on the pressure that is put today in the 21st century for everybody; in particular, teens, to look “beautiful.” This video reveals that we can often be (and are) fooled by the media as to what “beauty” really is, in this day and age of mass marketing. The most important thing to take away from this video in my opinion is the fact that there are no “standards.” Everybody is honestly beautiful in their own unique ways the way they are. Although it can often be easy to compare yourself to others, there are things about you that make you unique, and loved by others. Forcing an inorganic change should never need to happen. I definitely think it’s important to stress the difference between an actual health problem that can lead to physical detriments, vs. potential problems that can arise from trying to fit “beauty standards,” such as eating disorders, and other mental health disorders, which lead to both physical and mental detriments.
Memorable Lines/Moments
When you figure out that the model is actually a pizza.
“Share this video if you think all pizzas are beautiful!”
What: Featuring a video from 2011, this video shows the Global BC crew actually picking the winners of a massive Children’s Hospital Dream lotto draw. The prizes, several houses that are valued at around 2.5 million, or 2 million in cash, the winner turned out to be no other than… Global BC sports anchor, Barry Deley. But the video takes a few interesting turns leading to many laughs and some frustration as a result of one jealous friend. (This is beginning to sound like the plot to a movie… It could be turned into a horror movie though, right?)
Arron’s Analysis: I can’t decide if the fact that one of the reporters doesn’t recognize (or didn’t draw a comparison) to the name of their sports anchor, Barry Deley, is the most funny moment, or if the male anchor (Squire) losing his cool is the most funny moment. Comment and let me know! Poor Squire though, you have to feel for that guy. The female anchor (Sophie) may very well be the best friend of winner Barry Deley, as she looked almost as happy as he was.
2nd Destination: News
The Must Follow/Know/Read Story of the Week: Malaysian Airlines MH370 Disappearance
Calgary is a city known for its oil, cowboys and apparent love for country music. But nothing could truly symbolise Cowtown compare to the Calgary Tower. Yes, the Calgary Tower, if you ever been driving downtown, you’d know it’s that awkward building giving a halt to Centre Street. Others know it for its occasional fire that happens certain days of the year. This building held all that was essentially Calgary as it slowly became our city’s spokesperson.
Calgary Tower, originally named the Husky Tower, was a joint venture between Marathon Realty and Husky Oil. Construction started in Feb. 19, 1967 and finally, the tower was inaugurated on June 30, 1968, costing the public $3.5 million. The original purpose of the Tower was to revitalize the downtown core as well as to celebrate Canada’s centennial birthday. This free-standing structure once was the tallest building in Canada outside of Toronto at a towering 191 metres. Over the years, many renovations have taken place to the Tower, such as an additional rotating restaurant, a bell system donated in kind by the Dutch for Canada’s centennial, and finally, the torch addition given to celebrate the Calgary Olympics in 1988.
Calgary Tower, originally named the Husky Tower, was inaugurated February 19, 1967 to revitalize the downtown core as well as to celebrate Canada’s centennial birthday. This free standing structure once was the tallest building in Western Canada at a towering 191 metres.
With such providence and importance to many Calgarians, it just leaves one question. Where is the Calgary Tower? I’ve only lived in Calgary for three years, and I’ve only come to know of its existence for five months. The building is a long sleek tower with an awkward point that seems to surmount over the Rockies in certain angles, especially if seen from the level of how ants view the world. It isn’t very tall, either, which could be reason why I never considered the Tower to hold such importance. Maybe, the reason why it never occurred to me that it even existed was that, compared to its fellow glass giants, it is modest at best.
With the recently built Bow Building, as well as some Art Deco office towers, by comparison, almost looks like a kid trying to reach for the top shelf but is just short from her goal. Standing atop of the tower, seeing the breathtaking view of city parking lots and mass pileups of traffic, it almost makes you feel somewhat small. No seriously, you feel small. Seeing the view of looming skyscrapers and glass office giants, you almost wish that you could see the view from the towers up there. As my eyes glance around, spying for life off of Calgary’s desolate Sunday Morning streets, I see empty lots such as Telus Sky and Brookfield Place, buildings planned to become the third and first tallest buildings in Calgary respectively.
Future projects and current buildings already surpassing the Calgary Tower in height.
Since its inauguration in 1978, the only massive changes to the Calgary Tower were a rotating restaurant that takes 45 minutes to complete a turn (exciting!), and the addition of an Olympic Torch. Look on the bright side, No other building can say they can go afire only for certain days of the year. One of which is Canada Day, the day to which it owes its commemoration to, which to me is just an expensive Birthday Candle at best.
The problem is, unlike other cities with proud free standing towers, Calgary has no building restrictions. In terms of city planning, Calgary has a laissez-faire attitude towards where contractors can build towers. In Toronto, there must be a buffer zone around the CN Tower, composed of small and mid-sized buildings to differentiate itself from the large skyscrapers the make up Toronto’s downtown. Sydney, Paris, and Seattle also follow the model of Toronto, in order to protect their own prized buildings. It doesn’t even have to be buildings, some cities like Tokyo and Vancouver impose restrictions in order to preserve their view of the mountains.
The Calgary Tower gets lost amongst the cityscape into mediocrity and averageness. The Calgary Tower no longer dominants the skyline, not like the Bow does by comparison.
The lack of excitement is one of the Calgary Towers biggest flaws. It’s not exactly pretty with the likes of the Eiffel and the CN. Besides the fact it rotates and goes afire certain days, the Calgary Tower isn’t exactly that great. Sure you can take a perfect view of the city, but being a growing, developing city like Calgary, the downtown core from up high may not exactly be Calgary’s most flattering view. Plans of future projects are taking place such as having heaven soaring skyscrapers don the skyline and the developing East Village which plans to be a brand new edition to downtown neighbourhoods. Until then, the downtown view from up high looks bare, empty, grey, and lacking of colour. It isn’t necessarily the Tower’s fault to why Calgary’s downtown generally is poorly designed and lacking of interest.
All short jokes aside and my views on the mundane nature of the Calgary Tower, I actually want the Tower to retain it’s former glory. It almost saddens me to see a once former lion have it’s mane stripped and casted aside to the corner of the downtown core, making way for bigger, better developments. An opportunity arises, one that could possibly give reason to any new renovation to the once great tower.
Looking down from the Tower, seeing all the bleak grey of undeveloped downtown Calgary almost diminishes the view from up high. Calgary has a desperate need to excite the streets like trees, street furniture, public art, and better use of public spaces.
Canada nears in three years its sesquicentennial, which is just a fancy word for 150 years. If the Calgary Tower was dedicated for the centennial of Canada, why not revive the tower for Canada’s 150th birthday? Honestly, I don’t mean the bag the Calgary Tower. I actually enjoy its presence. In certain sideways angles of the city, it almost gives the illusionary effect to the Tower, almost seeming taller than the others that rule the concrete dominion. At the end of the day, when the lights dim and the city lights flourish, it’s the tower whose flame lights the night, almost striking the dark sky the same way that of a comet.
It may not be tall, it may not be interesting, but it’s the history and former glory that the tower once held and still holds, is the reason that makes it a keepsake. It’s history of erection, being a pioneer of Calgary’s downtown, during a time when the Oil boom transformed this insignificant prairie train stop to a booming cosmopolitan city. It celebrated the Calgary Olympics, cheering on victory for Canada’s chance for gold. It witnessed mass corals of citizens garbed in cowboy attire and western wear, as the stampede celebrated 100 years. It lit up the night sky with fire, as downtown’s lights stood silent during the floods of last year. It stood by this city, watched it’s development. Like some silent archivist who stood in docile contemplation to a city who’s role in our Canadian dominion greatened. The symbol of the Tower isn’t just some awkward, red structure, it stands for a city. A figurehead who stands by all of the hustle and bustle bellow. The former glory, as it slowly vanishes away in the sunset, takes on a new glory, lighting up a city towards a even more amazing future.
In a memorable and creative video, YouTube user MonsieurCaron has created a short video featuring the Simpsons with its classic couch gag, all entirely animated with Lego pieces. To make it even more interesting, characters from the LEGO movie also make an appearance.
Quirky and humorous, this video is sure to make anyone smile.
A few weeks ago, my blog was “all about winning,” with debate being my inspiration (I came 1st). This week, I failed to make it to nationals, so I decided that I would make a “second chapter,” and talk about losing. I’ll be analyzing this idea of losing in depth, and give some personal insight on it as well.
Here’s a brief outline of how I “failed to win.” If you want to make debate nationals, you would first have to get either first, second, or third place in the provincial debate. To do this, you would have to win 3/3 debates. Unfortunately I failed to do so, only winning two.
So what does losing feel like? Of course, as we all know, it is a depressing and miserable feeling. After putting so much effort into something, and dedicating so much of your time and energy towards it and losing, isn’t the greatest thing. At the same time, losing can also help you develop a sense of resiliency. Losing allows you to grow and learn from your mistakes. It can also make you a more experienced person. So next time when you’re competing, learn from your mistakes and take these things into consideration. Surprisingly, losing can also make you better at whatever you’re pursuing. In debate, for example, you might lose to another team. You can then take into consideration what areas other team did well in, and what areas you need to improve in. For example, style of speaking, body language, speech structure, charisma, etc. Going into your next debate, you will be much more prepared.
What did it feel like when I lost? Well, to start off 20% of debate tournaments in Calgary are all about luck (in my opinion). When presenting your speech, you might have the best points, structure, and evidence. The other team might have a speech that has scattered ideas, little evidence, and no structure. The only thing that differs between the two is that the team with the “bad” speech might have an excellent way of presenting themselves, something that your team lacked. Even though the debate is more about the speech, some judges fail to take this into consideration, because they don’t know what debate is about. Many judges evaluate your presentation by the way you look, or how “sophisticated” your speech sounds. Debating, in my opinion, can be very, very subjective. But no matter what, you still have to try your best.
How do you deal with a loss? The best thing to do is to learn from your mistakes. Learn from others, and get help from others. Know that there will always be another chance to achieve success. In my opinion, winning something big after losing many times before can be very rewarding. This year, I had only won 1/3 debates leading up to regionals. After coming first in regionals, it felt amazing, because you feel like your hard work paid off. But sadly, I lost in provincials. So now what? I just have to try harder next year. Learn from others, and from your mistakes, and I guarantee you will succeed. Even if you don’t end up with that gold medal, know inside that nothing can stop you from winning, so don’t take it too personally.
We’ve all experienced that horrible feeling after finishing a great novel. You never really accept that the last few pages will eventually run out, but once they have, you’re consumed by an overwhelming cloud of despair and sadness. Thankfully, I’ve suffered through enough of these dreaded “book hangovers” to come up with a few ways to overcome them.
First off, try and have another novel you plan on reading available with you when you suspect you’ll be finishing your current book. I find it’s easier not to think about the ending of one book, when I’m already too indulged in the beginning of another. This makes for a quick and easy transition and doesn’t really let you get too emotional about what you’ve just read.
Even though this next method is pretty opposite to the one I’ve just mentioned, I find discussing your novel with everyone and everyone possible and sharing your afterthoughts on it can also be effective for overcoming the dreary sadness that comes with the end of a good book. Talking to your friends, your family and occasionally finding entire forums dedicated to the book allow you to gain new perspectives and ideas about certain events and characters.
Of course, there’s always that one novel that’s just too obscure too have a large fan base and you finish it completely unprepared. When this happens, light a candle, make a cup of tea, put on your comfiest pajamas, and cuddle with an animal. While there are many great ways to deal with the end of a book, there’s nothing wrong with wrapping yourself up with a blanket and getting worked up over what has happened. Just surround yourself with as many things that will make you happy (maybe other than a book) and take as much time as you need to mope over the last chapter.
Women are getting over-sexualized in almost everything we see nowadays. We see it in the media, songs, television shows, and even in just general conversation. But most of all, we can see woman get over-sexualized and degraded in almost every video game, comic, and character in the science fiction and fantasy communities. Seeming the first work of science fiction was created by two women, this may make it even worse to see the gradual degradation of woman throughout this genre.
We all know that the demographic for video games and comics are men, and that in order to entertain costumers and beat their competitors, companies make their female characters skimpy and degrading, but then keep their men in normal clothing or more simple, conservative costumes. If men are too uncomfortable with seeing degraded male characters, or don’t want them in their games in order to keep their “male pride,” then how do they think woman feel? We get shamed on a daily basis because of it and get yelled at and harassed by men, and even other women, for wearing these character’s costumes when we Cosplay!
photo creds
If you can’t handle an average looking woman, 125-140 lbs, in her sexy Cosplay costume, than you have no right to have a young and attractive, 90 lb, fictional woman with gigantic breasts wearing the exact same outfit in your video game. Many females, including myself, feel uncomfortable or nervous to Cosplay, simply because they are afraid of getting sexually harassed of verbally abused by men and women for what they are wearing. Many women and young girls would love to make a hobby out of Cosplay, but these kinds of people are stopping them from pursuing what they love, yet the science fiction and fantasy community send out a positive message to be yourself and do what you love. How are women supposed to be encouraged to follow the these words of wisdom when people and video game companies are being so hypocritical to the message that our community tries to send?
At the end of the day, something needs to be done about this problem, whether it be that woman finally get some diversity in their character’ clothing and looks or that men get equal costumes to what the woman are receiving is up to us. Women and men who feel like females get treated unfairly need to stand up for ourselves in order to make this change!
The newest Samsung Galaxy S5 has nearly arrived. Here are its pros and cons.
Pros
Faster Processor
Fingerprint and heart rate detector
16 mega pixel camera with a focus speed of only 0.3 seconds plus it can record and take pictures in 4k resolution
5.1 inch screen programmed to adjust brightness to every situation
Dust and water resistant
Cons
The design of the phone has been constantly disapproved of by media and potential customers alike, especially the back plating.
The dust and water resistant part of the S5 has been said to make its design look worse
Build quality
The Galaxy S5 does not have many new features
Overall, if you are considering upgrading from a phone from last year to an S5, I would personally not do it as the S5 does not seem worth the extra cash with very little new features.
In my quest for the ultimate Vietnamese cuisine, I recently visited Thai Tai.
The service at Thai Tai was fairly good. The waiter came by several times to check how we were doing. When ordering, I was able to get a few changes to the food I ordered. Overall service at Thai Tai is fast-paced, efficient and friendly.
The menu is quite large and contains a variety of things. From Pho to salad rolls and even bubble tea. The menu is not set in stone as the waiters will likely let you substitute some things. In short the menu and food is accommodating to anyone.
I ordered shrimp spring rolls as an appetizer. It was quite good and flavourful, served with a great sauce. I definitely recommend the spring rolls. My main meal was not as great; I ordered a stir-fry. It had a very bland flavor with very little sauce and dry noodles. All included the food was average and I would not recommend ordering a stir-fry.
Overall, is Thai Tai the ultimate Vietnamese restaurant? Nope, but it’s pretty tasty and has great potential.
So in my last post I taught you how to keep your face protected from the harsh winter, but now we’re going to focus on keeping your kisser kissable. Why? Because I suck at eye and face makeup, but my lips are on point. Plus, when you’re sick, chapped, lifeless lips are the first giveaway. Enter the Revlon Kissable Balm Stain – my holy grail. I bought it in the shade honey, which is a pretty nude for warmer skin tones, and a rosy pink for those with paler ones. It goes on with the pigment of a sheer lipstick, but is very light like a lip balm. It does transfer a little if you eat or drink but I don’t mind – why?
Honey on a warm skin toneHoney on a fair skin tone
BECAUSE IT’S A BALM AND A STAIN.The balm part is obvious – the packaging is very quasi-Clinique. That is to say, it very closely mimics the packaging of Clinique’s chubby sticks. The balm comes in a crayon-esque tube with a swivel on the bottom. The texture itself is very smooth, but it does tug a little bit when you first apply it.
But the stain?
The balm, once it wears off after an hour or two, actually stains your lips underneath that lasts up to six hours (I counted). Now the colour between the balm and the stain are a bit different – while the balm gives off a slightly metallic nude pink colour, the stain is a very nice rosy pink similar to that of Benefit’s Benetint (but about $23 cheaper. I can’t afford
overpriced food colouring). With a second application of the balm the stain also becomes more opaque, turning my lips into a wonderful rosy red that’s perfect for spring. The stain itself doesn’t transfer either – perfect for smooching your significant other.
Not that I would know.
Because I don’t have a significant other (but I got 50 per cent off chocolate on Feb. 15 and that’s all the love I need).
Only four days await until the ultimate accomplishment of fans arrives on the big screen. Unless you have been under the hood of a car or baking under the blazing sun in Neptune, California, you are probably aware of the Veronica Mars movie that premieres this Friday. What makes this movie such an accomplishment of the fans, is just that, the fans.
Upon news that Warner Bros. was unwilling to sponsor the film due to “lack of interest,” creator Rob Thomas and protagonist of the series, Kristen Bell, looked to Kickstarter to launch their fundraising campaign. Their initial goal was to raise $2 million; they surpassed that amount, to say the least. At the end of their campaign, which included donations for guest starring roles in the film, personalized video messages and even a voicemail from Veronica Mars herself, the crew had reached nearly $6 million, all thanks to 91,585 backers on the site.
The whole production of Veronica Mars—lasting only 24 days—has stayed true to its source. Throughout the last year, multiple video messages from the cast and consistent updating of social media, like Twitter and YouTube, has further fueled the interest in the series and its film. As a fan of Veronica Mars myself, I have sincerely reveled in seeing the familiar faces of the cast members. It truly feels like this whole process has been solely for the love shared among all the supporters of Veronica Mars.
Indeed, Veronica Mars has set the record of being the largest film fundraising campaign on Kickstarter. But this matter is beyond the monetary values, this accomplishment is founded on the love of the fans. Veronica Mars has dignified that fans have a voice in Hollywood and sometimes, the “big” corporations are ignorant of that voice. This Kickstarter campaign validates that the devotion of fans triumphs any obstacles, which is what resources like Kickstarter ultimately stand for. Veronica Mars was created by the fans for the fans. I guess we are all just a bunch of marshmallows after all.
Curling was the only sport I ended up watching during the Olympics, as it conveniently came on live around 10 p.m. MST. Surprisingly, in contrast to my initial impressions of the sport, I ended up more interested than I expected. Now that the Canadian Brier has just finished, I thought this the perfect time to remind everyone that is there another sport out there apart from hockey.
1. Interest
Curling uses an interesting combination of two skills: not only do you need strategy, but the technical ability to aim. Perhaps the more intriguing aspect of curling is how every end can turn out so differently when at first it only appears to be a simple match of shooting out the opponent’s rocks.
Hockey brutality is somewhat scary, but on the other hand, in curling you have the glorious vocal assault of full-blown yelling, which surely boils the blood of any fan in the same ferocious, but less violent, manner.
3. Tension
Curling is a sport filled with waiting and planning. You watch whether the strategy time between each shot or determine which rock is closest to the centre of the button.
The slower pace allows viewers to follow along. While it’s possible to lose your place in any other sport, this is not likely to happen in curling, letting the strategy of each team to be observed and understood.
Like the 1971 Summit Series, curling has its own historical moment in the spotlight, the 1959 Scotch Cup, the first worldwide curling competition, won by a team from Regina. It continues to be another “adopted” sport that somehow fit its way into Canadian culture.
