CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI — Hon. Carolyn Bertram, Minister of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, has announced the appointment of poet, editor and novelist Hugh MacDonald of Brudenell as the new poet laureate for Prince Edward Island.

With nine books to his credit as author and editor, Hugh MacDonald is perhaps best known to Islanders through his Random Acts of Poetry which, for the past five years, have brought poetry to the streets and workplaces of P.E.I.  Hugh MacDonald retired after more than thirty years of service in the educational system of the province and, since 1999, has been a full-time
writer. His work has also been included in four anthologies of the best of Canadian poetry.
Mr. MacDonald has served on the executives of both the Prince Edward Island Council of the Arts and the P.E.I. Writers Guild.  Recognition for his work and leadership includes awards and prizes in the P.E.I. Literary Awards, a first prize from the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia, and first prize in the Atlantic Poetry competition.  In 2004, he was presented with the Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Literary Arts on Prince Edward Island.
Minister Bertram said she was very pleased that Hugh MacDonald agreed to serve as the province’s poet laureate. “Mr. MacDonald is an excellent choice for the position,” she said. “He has a dedication and energy and an enthusiasm for poetry which will certainly contribute to the mission of the Poet Laureate to bring poetry into the lives of Islanders.”
Mr. MacDonald said he was looking forward to his term as poet laureate. He indicated that he felt honoured and humbled by the recognition and that he looked forward to exploring new ways of increasing knowledge of the importance of poetry.  “I am delighted, in this poetry blessed province, to be chosen as the next Poet Laureate. I will do my best to add a new voice
to those of my extraordinary predecessors, Frank Ledwell, John Smith and David Helwig, and  to do honour to my beloved Prince Edward Island,” said Mr. MacDonald.
The post of Poet Laureate does not have fixed duties and previous holders of the post have used a variety of approaches to making poetry a more central part of the lives of Islanders.
Minister Bertram also paid tribute to David Helwig who has completed his term. “I want to thank David Helwig for his service throughout the past two years as the Prince Edward Island Poet Laureate. The creation of the Poetry PEI website under Mr. Helwig’s direction has provided access to both the creators and readers to P.E.I. poetry both past and present. I know he
will continue to contribute to the literary heritage of our province.”

BACKGROUND:
The Provincial Poet Laureate Program:
The Poet Laureate Program was established in Prince Edward Island in 2002.  Past Poet Laureates are John Smith (2002 – 2004), Frank Ledwell (2004 – 2007) and David Helwig (2008-2009).
Objectives of the P.E.I. Poet Laureate Program include the following:  to celebrate Prince Edward Island and its people, to raise the profile of Prince Edward Island poets and poetry in general, to promote a higher standard of literacy, and to provide for the expression of culture and heritage through the literary arts.
Selection of the Poet Laureate is based on criteria including the following:  active and recognized as a poet of stature who has published at least one volume of poetry within the last ten years with a reputable publishing house, or whose body of work over the years has brought honour to themselves and the province; and a full-time resident of Prince Edward Island and have been a resident of the province for at least the five years preceding the appointment. Poetry produced in either the English or French
language is considered in making the selection of poet laureate but age, gender and ethnic background are not considered.

Introduction:

This is my first novel being published, I have few readers, it’s not time to tell any details about me, symbols make a great anxiety in person (stop with that nonsense talk and tell the story). This story is about a group of persons that castaway in a place, it’s an “robinsonade” with thriller aspects, like abc series “Lost”, don’t think that you will find new characters, all my stories are connected into a great web of horror, this one of my best until today. Some people may say that story is too short to be a novel, I reply saying “but is too long to be a short story”. This story will bring back two of my persons: John Smith and Trevor Wallshore, I hope you enjoy the story.

I’ll try to wrote a chapter per day, but I’ll not write just this novel until it finishes, I also will bring you poems, short stories,  a lot of songs of Love Händel, another novels, will be my best month.

Prologue:

Airports are a place where you have to hurry, even if you are the most punctual person in the world.  Everybody is running, you see happy faces of tourists with their big cameras, children crying for food, and a lot of people angry. Isn’t the same thing in plane, here you will see smiling faces, people  talking in many languages, fat mans eating a lot of food, the kids keeping with the bad attitude, It’s a boring place, but is the fastest ans safety(?) way to travel.

The flight 8014 of Thërtien airline will bring passengers from Germany to New Zealand, an easy flight, a beginner pilot was designed to command his first flight. Several people from Wales, France, USA and Switzerland were in this flight, because will be held three conventions of business in Germany, New Zealand and Japan. The weather conditions were good, was Winter in North, but summer at South. A bit nervous Kurt Händel,the pilot, entered into the plane, his first flight a dream becoming true, in some few hours he will be at New Zealand with a lot of money and that strange sensation of well done job.

After some hours flying the airplane reached a wind current, after a tropical storm, common in those season of the year, they were losing height…

The much-loved jazzman Jim Goodwin died this year just shy of his sixty-fifth birthday.  I’ve written elsewhere on this blog about his talents, but what struck me when I first heard him on record was his surpassing heat, a pushing intensity that drove the musicians around him.  Red Allen had it, as did Roy Eldridge.  Think of Louis on HOTTER THAN THAT, or the closing choruses of I NEVER KNEW by the Chocolate Dandies, or Joe Sullivan in his prime. 

Jim always played — no matter what the context or the tempo — as if his life depended on it.  Not necessarily loud or high, not necessarily spattering the listener with fancy runs, but taking chances, never coasting.  Even when he playing the opening chorus of something like PLEASE BE KIND, you knew that the request wasn’t an idle one: he meant business!

Many of Jim’s vinyl recordings haven’t yet made it to compact disc, and there are private sessions treasured by those who have heard them.  But he and his friend Dave Frishberg made DOUBLE PLAY, an enlivening duet session for Arbors Records (they were both passionate baseball aficionados).  [As I write this, the CD and cassette versions are available at the Arbors site for reduced prices. ]

And, more recently, the Blue Swing label has issued two sets featuring an incendiary little band, the Sunset Music Company, recorded live in Europe, under the leadership of banjoist / singer Lueder Ohlwein, and featuring Jim alongside such notables as Dan Barrett, John Smith, Bill Carter, Mike Fay, and Jeff Hamilton.  Think of a cross between Fats Waller and his Rhythm circa 1935 and the Rhythmakers, and you’ve got the collective ambiance of these rewarding concert recordings.

Finally, Jim’s dear friend and musical colleague Retta Christie (whose singing is full of feeling and swing) has created a website to honor Jim — content and photographs provided by his friends, so it has a delightful, often hilarious candor not always found on the web.  And — there are audio clips for those for whom Jim was just a legendary name.   

Instead of reading the grim headlines in the newspaper or cyber-shopping, look and listen here.  I assure you that the experience will be uplifting.  And Hot.  http://jamesrgoodwin.com/

These ads have been suggested as the 10 best Ads of the decade in the Guardian, the Ads are brilliant and I wanted to have them all on one place and spread the question to others. Have a look at the Ads and comment as to which you think stand out as winners. I also leave us asking what the best digital ads would be?

Number 1: John West Salmon

Number 2: Levi’s Odyssey

Number 3: Honda Cog – a favourite?

Number 4:The John Smith Ads with Peter Kay

Number 5:Sony Bravia bouncing balls

Number 6: Rhythm of life Guiness

Number 7: Cadbury’s Gorilla Ad

Number 8: Skodia Fabia Original cake car

Number 9: PG Tips ‘The Return’

Number 10: T-Mobile Ad

Great Ads, great seeing them all together, I wonder how we would do identifying the best online Ads of the naughties – any suggestions?

Before fashion week starts,  anticipation levels are high. But when your favorite designer releases a new collection, it’s your chance to observe and conjure ideas for your own wardrobe. There’s nothing more liberating than being a leader, and starting a trend. Fashion designers can be that much needed guide to give you that extra needed little push. There were an abundance of trends in the spring/summer 2010 fashion weeks, but Rouz Daily picked the ones worth noting.

Set 1. If you feel your wardrobe needs some inspiration, consider the theory of perspectival illusionism. Trompe l’oeil (trick the eye) is an old baroque method that’s making a comeback in fashion this spring.  Hiroko Koshino, Caroline Charles, and Iodice have all adapted the technique in their spring/summer 2010 collections creating soft, playful, fascinating minimalist dresses. But because the look creates a dramatic effect, accessories are best kept to a minimum.

Set 2. Practical and roomy, breeches are a must-wear item for 2010. Replacing the harem pant, the breech is refined fashion emblem going back to the 1920s. Whether worn in tradition beige (RM by Roland Mouret), bright neon (Salvatore Ferragamo)or Spanish inspired (Falguni & Shane Peacock), there’s no correct way to wear them, it’s just fashionable to have them.

Set 3. Don’t believe the stereotype, grey is not a gloomy colour. Fashion Editor Christine Centener of Harper’s Bazaar Australia wears it exquisitely, and she was the inspiration behind me selecting this trend. Designers Wayne, Fin and Yigal Azrouël know not to underestimate the power of the monochromatic hue. Grey can be accentuated with loud shoes, the bag and accessories, or be left simple and it’s still guaranteed to illicit a chic effect.

Set 4. It started in 1607 as a single turkey-plume headpiece for Pocahontas, the temptress to Captain John Smith. Now it’s been extended to shoes and particularly – dresses. The Feather Hem Dress is dainty and ravishing. And designers such as Roksanda Ilincic, Giambattista Valli and Naeem Khan are relishing in the ruffle of features this spring.

Set 5. Victoria Beckham spearheaded a movement in the fashion industry. Her ingenuity for sharp edges, cleans lines and short bouffant skirts had designers including Dennis Basso, Elie Saab and Elise Overland fleeing to the drawing board to emulate her look for their collections.

Set 6. Caped-sleeves personify that 1930s movie star whose fashion eloquence we all craved. Designers Eva and Delia, threeASFOUR and Erin Fetherston are utilizing the look and as you can see, it’s produced successful results. Bring out your inner Carole Lombard and Joan Crawford with a cape-sleeved coat. Match it with some long leather gloves and fedora to complete the look.

My post on the IAR solicitation continues to get hits, so when I saw this article in the Marine Corps Times I thought you would be interested:

Marine acquisition officials are considering a high-capacity magazine that could hold 50 or 100 rounds and fit numerous 5.56mm weapons, raising questions about the Corps’ plans to move forward with development of the controversial infantry automatic rifle.

Marine Corps Systems Command, based at Quantico, Va., is “seeking potential commercial sources for a high capacity magazine for use in a semi or fully automatic rifle,” with responses that were due by Nov. 17, according to a new advertisement to industry. The magazine would need to fit “the M16/M4/HK 416 family of weapons,” which includes the new 5.56mm auto-rifle SysCom is considering as a replacement for the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon in most fire teams.

Marine officials did not respond to requests for comment, but adopting a high-capacity magazine for the IAR would address concerns posed by some grunts worried that replacing the SAW with the IAR would cut firepower in situations where a sustained rate of fire is needed.

The SAW typically holds a 200-round drum of 5.56mm ammunition, while the IAR is designed for use with 30-round magazines.

Maj. John Smith, the weapon’s project officer, said in September that the Corps was “close to having a decision” on the IAR contract competition, which pits one rifle from FN Herstal, two variants from Colt Defense and one from Heckler & Koch against each other. At the time, Smith acknowledged that Commandant Gen. James Conway had questioned how the IAR will fit into fire teams, but said that his concern was “answered in short order.” Smith declined to elaborate, and Maj. David Nevers, a spokesman for Conway, said the commandant was unavailable for comment.

At the Modern Day Marine exposition held at Quantico in October, FN Herstal displayed a high-capacity magazine for its IAR variant that can hold 100 to 150 rounds. Another contractor, Armatac Industries, has approached the Corps about a 150-round magazine it makes and says is compatible with each of the finalists’ weapons.

Early in the evaluation process for the IAR, the Corps’ requirement called for the weapon to use 100-round magazines. That was eventually eliminated in favor of using the same 30-round magazines, as Marine officials sought to cut weight from the SAW’s replacement.

According to Darren Mellors, LWRC had been developing a high-capacity magazine like this for its candidate as well. I am not sure what this bodes for the IAR or the SAW, but I would be curious to see how well they perform in the field. To say the least, the BETA C-Mag has not gotten very flattering reviews. In theory, I like the idea of a system like the RPK that can alternate between drum and box magazines. However, drum magazines are much more complex and getting them ‘right’ is no easy task. It might be worth looking into 40- and 50-round box magazines akin to the RPK and Galil as another option. (For more information on Kalashnikov drum magazines, see this thorough article in Small Arms Review.)

With all this talk of high-speed low-drag mags, it is worth noting that soldiers could always use more regular vanilla 30-round magazines. These things are intended to be disposable items, and their springs wear out from repeated compression and decompression. Bad magazines are a top culprit of M16/M4 malfunctions, and they are a lot cheaper than a brand-new weapon system–particularly when the new system uses the same mags a la the SCAR. I have heard too many stories about warfighters not having enough, good-quality mags, and it is a pretty sorry commentary. I do not have an exact figure for what the DoD pays for a plain Jane STANAG magazine, but I have to imagine its less than $10. That’s $10 for truly life-or-death equipment.

The History-When the pilgrims crashed the Nina, Pinto and Santa Domingo into Plymouth rock some thousand or so years ago, the native population of Indian folk decided to throw them a party complete with cylinders of gelatinous cranberries and an honest to gosh turkey sacrifice. This ladies and gentlemen, was the first Thanksgiving.  It wasn’t long after this party that Pocahontas, in search of a meal to satisfy the voracious appetite of her boyfriend John Smith, conjured up a sandwich culled from the remnants of the feast, this more importantly was the first Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich.  Unbeknownst to Pocahontas Smith, this very sandwich would not only put the United States on the map as the sandwich capital of the new world, but redefine our definition of leftovers for ever.   In memory of this sandwich, millions of Americans and their pets hold a “Thanksgiving Dinner” one, to three days before they assemble their annual Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwiches.

The Challenge-To recreate, to the best of your ability a leftover sandwich utilizing the components of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  Such elements may include, but are not limited to: turkey(light and dark), stuffing, cranberries(both jellied and not), gravy, rolls, potatoes (mashed, baked, sweet and the like), ham, turdecken, tofurkey, pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, small marshmallows, alcohol of various sorts, etc.

Title: The Lady of the Night, The Master of the Stars
Author: Forge
Rating: PG
Word Count:
Characters: Drusilla, The Master (Delgado)

Do I seriously need to say more than Drusilla’s narrative ‘voice’ is perfect and she meets the original Master? I feel somehow anything else is unnecessary.

***

Title: Of Blood and Time
Author: jinxed_wood
Rating: PG / All ages
Word Count: 682
Characters: John Smith (Human Nature), Drusilla

Another cross with an excellent Drusilla POV and a more vulnerable, human Doctor who nearly meets his end in 1913 as a result.

***

Title: Moving On
Author: Clarissa
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 569
Characters: Sarah Jane Smith, Rupert Giles

A brief character vignette with an ending that brought a smile to my face. Somehow, I just love the idea of these two together. Hmm… (Interesting idea; both of them might have stories to share about leading teenagers into danger at a later time).

I go to change into barn clothes to feed the horses.  I take my cell phone out of my pocket and notice there is a name on the screen.

John Smith

The last phone call I got was from Steve.  The last phone call I made was to Shannon.  I haven’t checked voice mail for over a day.  I also had not used the house phone to call my cell.

I click on details.

12/15/08

I rack my brain trying to remember if there was any significance of the date.  I can’t think of anything.  That was before Stage IV.  John and I really didn’t call each other often.  Who knows.

Odd…

Another sign.

I smile and tell John that I love him.

I didn’t have the opportunity to interview this artist face to face so I asked him for some words via email.. Below are his words ,images, and music; listen, read, be enlightened.

On the Artist:

Justin Hopkins grew up in a creative environment. Both of his parents found success as artists. His mother, Jan Hopkins, is a renowned organic sculptor who is showcased in galleries and museums around the world. Justin’s father, Chris Hopkins, is a well known illustrator who’s been in the business for 30 years. Both parents served as artistic mentors and instructors. Justin has been illustrating and composing music for himself and others since childhood.

On the Work

In more recent works Justin has found inspiration in the writings of Lewis Carroll, Japanese calligraphy, as well as traditional mayan line-work.

Its a study on the the convergence and interconnectivity of things. Different harmonies and rhythms woven into patterns that are pieces of a whole and distinguished by the counter patterns created in the negative space that are just as meaningful as the “lines of color”… An interpretation of John and Alice Coltrane’s interpretation of INFINITY. Layered misinterpretation leads to a manifestation of personal truth… or are they just diversions?… could be…what isn’t?

My thoughts:

When I met Justin I had no idea he was an artist of any sort. I thought he was a cool guy but that changed when I stumbled upon some “doodles” of his. I basically stole the first two and pressured him relentlessly for the third. It brings me to the point of interpretation: each of the works below looks like something different  but Justin claims he had no intended picture when he created them. So the questions begs, “Who decides what something is?” Some people say that only the artist can determine what they have created. Others say that the artist releases the work for the world to interpret.  What do you see? Here you are world.. Justin Hopkins.

I’ve got your first look at the brand new A Team starring Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton “Faceman” Peck, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson as Sgt. “B.A.” Baracus, Sharlto Copley as Capt. “Howling Mad” Murdock, and Liam Neeson as John “Hannibal” Smith in the Joe Carnahan-directed The A-Team. The team kicks into action with Jessica Biel in theaters June 10, 2010. I also am bringing you a nice little comparison of the old gang.

Before:

Now:

Marker Text:

About six miles directly out to sea, this cluster of islands abounds in legend and history. Before 1614, when the famous Captain John Smith mapped the rocky and surf-lashed Isles, early fishermen, traders and explorers had a part in their history.

Erected on Rt 1A just North of Wallis Sands Beach, in 1963.  This marker is no longer present, as vandalism seems to have gotten the better of it.  All that remains, is the post it was mounted on.

“That part wee call New England is betwixt the degrees of 41. and 45: but that parte this discourse speaketh of, stretcheth but from Pennobscot to Cape Cod, some 75 leagues by a right line distant each from other: within which bounds I haue seene at least 40. seuerall habitations vpon the Sea Coast, and sounded about 25 excellent good Harbours; In many whereof there is ancorage for 500. sayle of ships of any burthen; in some of them for 5000: And more then 200 Iles ouergrowne with good timber, of diuers sorts of wood, which doe make so many harbours as requireth a longer time then I had, to be well discouered.”

The description of New England,

Captain John Smith

1616

Captain John Smith. The tales he could tell even before exploring and being the first to map the New England coast.  As you can see in the top picture, the Isles of Shoals was originally mapped and Smith named them after himself.  “Smith Iles” bottom center of Image.  We’ll get to his journey to the New England coast in a minute after we get to know our Captain a bit better.

The Isles of Shoals from the Marker 11/1/09

At 16 years of age he set off to sea as a mercenary for hire.  He worked for the French, killing Spaniards; the Dutch, killing Spaniards; the Austrians killing Turks; Romanians killing Turks, and being an occasional high seas Pirate. Yarr!

The Prince of Transylvania is purported to have Knighted him, given him a coat of arms and a horse for being particularly good at Dueling and killing Turks.

Finally, his luck ran out in 1601 or 2 he was wounded, captured, and then sold in Slavery to a Turk!  Yow, that had to sting. To make a long story short, he escaped and crossed present day Russia and Poland to return to England just in time to earn himself a lot of statues and a New Hampshire roadside marker.

At that time, two companies had been formed in England to colonize the new world.  The London Company, and The Plymouth Company. Smith set sail with the London Company, and became one of the leaders at Jamestown in May of 1607.

It didn’t take long for out brave Captain to get bored, and he unexpectedly walked into a major motion picture shoot and quickly landed the Male Lead for his angelic voice.

Does this guy have “it” or what?

The whole Pocahontas legend is outside the purview of this story, so I’ll let you determine it’s veracity on your own.  Suffice it to say, that in 1609 the Jamestown colonists were in open war with Pocahontas’ tribe and John Smith beat feet back to England.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.

And this finally brings us to his second voyage in 1614 Mapping and exploring the New England coast, and the Isle of Shoals.

His mapping expedition took him up and down the New England coast, evaluating potential harborage and depths, key rivers and tributaries, and types of forests game and fish.  He makes note of individual Native American tribes and their settlements, habits and languages.

This information he brought back to London and would prove to be very valuable.  All of the Early English settlements in New England relied on his work to succeed.  His complete book regarding the voyage and full sized detail versions of his maps can be downloaded here.

Captain Christopher Levitt was the first Englishman to set foot on the isles that we know of in 1623.  And he wrote:

"The first place I set my foot upon in New England was the Isle of Shoals, being islands in the sea about two leagues from the main.

"Upon these islands I neither could see one good timber – tree nor so much good ground as to make a garden.

"The place is found to be a good fishing-place for six ships, but more can not well be there, for want of convenient stage room, as this year’s experience hath proved."

From Nooks and Corners of the New England Coast pp 155-156

Samual Adams Drake

1875

I’ll leave you with this. From this past August, Hurricane Bill at the Isle of Shoals.

The Dead Zone is a 1983 science fiction-thriller film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. Directed by David Cronenberg, the film stars Christopher Walken, Tom Skerritt, Martin Sheen, Herbert Lom, Brooke Adams, Anthony Zerbe, Ken Pogue, and Colleen Dewhurst. The plot revolves around a schoolteacher, Johnny Smith (Walken), who awakens from a coma to find he has psychic powers.

Tagline:  In his mind, he has the power to see the future. In his hands, he has the power to change it.

Trivia:

• Director David Cronenberg had to re-shoot the scene in which John Smith has his first premonition. It showed a little girl’s room burning and a small E.T. doll could be seen on one of the shelves. The scene had to be re-shot when Universal Pictures threatened to sue.
• Cronenberg fired a .357 Magnum loaded with blanks just off camera to make Smith’s flinches seem more involuntary; this was Christopher Walken’s own idea.
• Before the accident, Johnny instructs his class to read “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. Christopher Walken would later go on to appear in Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow (1999).
• Martin Sheen’s character says he has had a vision that he will be the President of the United States. Sheen went on to play the President of the United States in the mini series “Kennedy” (1983) and in “The West Wing” (1999).
• Greg Stillson, played by Martin Sheen (né Ramon Estevez), has damning pictures taken of him by a photographer, played by Ramon Estevez, Sheen’s son.
• A stuntman was severely burned around the legs and groin when a squib went off too near him during the shooting of the WWII flashback sequence.
• The “sweat” on Christopher Walken’s face during the “burning bedroom” sequence was in fact a flame-retardant chemical that had been sprayed onto him. The resulting effect, which hadn’t been anticipated, looked surprisingly dramatic on film.
• David Cronenberg wanted to change the name of Christopher Walken’s character: “I’d never name someone ‘Johnny Smith’”, he quipped, but in the end it was left as is.
• One of only three David Cronenberg films that do not have a score by his friend, composer Howard Shore. This was due to studio politics in which Paramount wanted a more familiar composer to write the music for the film. Michael Kamen, who had written the music for the film Venom (1981) for the studio, was chosen instead.
• During the time Michael Kamen was composing the music for the film in London, he would play the score on the piano in his home. He received several complaints by his neighbors who asked, “Can you please stop playing that music? I can’t sleep and it’s giving my family nightmares.”
• This film (and Stephen King’s novel) are both loosely based upon the life of famous psychic Peter Hurkos. Hurkos claimed to have acquired his alleged powers after falling off a ladder and hitting his head.
• The poem Johnny reads in the beginning of the film is the end of “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe.
• There are several deleted scenes that were filmed and completed but have never been seen publicly and are thought to have been discarded prior to the films release. Among them: – A prologue showing John Smith as a boy (played by Stephen Flynn) who sustains a head injury during an ice hockey match. The scene features actor Sean Sullivan as John’s father. – An alternate scene of John Smith’s vision of the Camp David scene (featuring Martin Sheen) in which John himself appears in the vision as a helpless spectator. Photos of these scenes appeared in the December 1983 issue of Cinefantastique.
• Hal Holbrook was Cronenberg’s original choice to play Sherrif Bannerman, but Dino De Laurentiis rejected this idea as he had never heard of Holbrook at the time.
• In the WWII scene, civilians in the burning city are speaking Polish.
• Three people were involved in the James Bond franchise. Anthony Zerbe (Roger Stuart) would later appear in Licence to Kill (1989), while Christopher Walken (Johnny Smith) would later appear in A View to a Kill (1985). Michael Kamen, who did the music for this film, would later do the music for Licence to Kill (1989).
• Before his accident, Johnny Smith is an English teacher. Stephen King was also an English teacher before becoming a full-time writer.
• The Dead Zone was the first of several Stephen King novels and short stories that took place in the small town of Castle Rock. Others include Stand by Me (1986), Cujo (1983), The Dark Half (1993), and Needful Things (1993).

Ok, so it’s already 2:36 and I’m at a loss for a topic and not really feeling writing anyways. So instead I’m gonna share with you my favs from Lemondrop.com today—one of my fav sites to procrastinate on.

There is always so much talk about the Disney princesses… finally one for the ladies:
From Who Is the Hottest Disney Prince? by Andrea Zimmerman

Aladdin
Pro: He’s got the cute little monkey and that flying carpet thing, which would be AWESOME for romantic, moonlit dates, you know … in the sky.
Con: He’s got those unflattering drop-crotch jumpsuit pants. Ew.

Hercules
Pro: His super-duper-strength means we’d always be protected from creepy dudes the bar.
Con: That EGO. Sure, he’s like pretty much the most perfect mythological being ever to exist, but would we always have to hear about it?

Prince Philip:
Pro: He’s got the horse, which means he could carry us away us in the perfect fairy-tale ending we’ve always dreamed of.
Con: We can’t really remember who he is or what movie he was in — “Sleeping Beauty”? “Cinderella”? “Snow White”? — which makes us think he’s kind of bland.

The Beast
Pro: He’s beast-turned-man, which means things could get really animalistic in the sack.
Con: That temper may have worked for Belle, but it sure as hell ain’t gonna stand with us.

John Smith
Pro: A lot of land.
Con: We’d never have the heart to steal him away from Pocahontas, because can you imagine how cute those mixed kids would be?

Tarzan
Pro: Swinging from trees means amazing upper arm strength.
Con: Would we have to, like, pee in the forest all the time? Where would we take showers?

Peter Pan
Pro: He’d keep us young at heart.
Con: Um, we’re pretty sure he’s underage. And he wears tights.http://www.lemondrop.com/2009/10/14/who-is-the-hottest-disney-prince

Who is your favorite?
I’d have to go with Tarzan; I like the monkey thing.

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One on the age-old dating question of when is it too soon to say “I love you:”
He Said/She Said Advice—He Said ‘I Love You’ Too Soon by Kristin Rollins (one of my personal favs) and her ‘platonic guy friend,’ Peter, who she can to ‘for the male perspective.’

Quick Excerpt:
Peter: Wait a second, who does that?
Kristen: Oh, I’ve had it happen not once, but twice, so I know how it feels. You think everything is going great with this new boy because you’re obviously in the honeymoon stage, then boom. Too soon!

They had never seen my temper, we hadn’t had our first argument, and I still popped gum in my mouth upon waking to avoid morning breath. I feel like saying “I love you” that soon is cheating and kind of copping out of actually loving someone because you’re not giving the best and worst sides of each other a chance to mesh.

When this happened to me, I think I smiled politely and said something along the lines of ‘no, you don’t …’

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And one for a bit of ‘female’ controversy (because what’s more fun than a bitch-fest/cat-fight scenario):
More Women ‘Opt Out’ of Being Housewives by Amanda Marcotte
I’ll let you read that one for yourself…

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Oh, and I didn’t even finish reading this yet, but the title alone qualifies it to be listed:
I’m Asexual (and Why It’s Not That Bad Not to Want Sex) by Katherine Chen

A pioneer navigation of the Ottawa Valley’s Mississippi River was an expedition by a group of Scottish emigrants one hundred and forty years ago. In the traditions of some district families the Mississippi adventure of long ago seems to have been elevated to first place over the transatlantic sailing from Greenock as being the Mayflower voyage of the settlement of the township of Ramsay. That there were capable and daring river navigators among the settlers of Ramsay township in its first year is suggested by an October 1822 report of Colonel William Marshall, the North Lanark settlement superintendent, on a trip of exploration of the Mississippi River made then by him from the Clyde to the Ottawa. Listing the main falls and rapids encountered in Drummond, Beckwith and Ramsay townships and in the new surveys from there to the Ottawa River, he wrote, at a time when the building of the Rideau Canal was proposed and its route unsettled: “Notwithstanding these difficulties, a boat twenty-four feet long built by the settlers at Shepherds falls in Ramsay went from that place to Lachine in five days and returned in seven. The people in that quarter are in high spirits at the idea of the navigation passing that way to Montreal.”

Mississippi River Route

The first bold venture of Scottish settlers of Ramsay upon little-known local waterways was made in 1821 down the Clyde and Mississippi rivers from Lanark village to the falls at the site of Almonte. The boats, made of boards sawn at Lanark, proved fit to survive the rocks of the numerous rapids and the difficult portages of the excursion. The water borne explorers appear to have included Walter Black, James and Thomas Craig, John Downie, James Hart, Arthur Lang, John Lockhart, William Moir, John Neilson, William Paul, John Smith, John Steele, John Toshack and others. It seems that those undertaking boat building at Lanark probably also brought their families to Ramsay in the expedition by lake and river. As recalled by Arthur Lang’s eldest son, William Lang (1811-1902), their craft were “rough boats build by the men. A good many portages had to be made and it took some days to complete the trip. When coming down Mississippi Lake they stopped at an island, and while preparing a meal a big Indian hove into sight. Fear filled every heart. The late John Steele was equal to the occasion. He seized a huge loaf of bread and presented it to the Indian as an evidence of their friendly intentions. The peace offering was not accepted and the Indian passed by on his way to his camp on another part of the island, paying no attention to them. A night was spent on the north shore of the river above the falls at Carleton Place, beds being spread on the ground.” At the present location of the Almonte town hall shelters were made in wigwam style for use as a headquarters until all had completed the building of cabins on their lands.

Indians of the Mississippi

Five years earlier the native Indians had been in undisputed possession of the whole region of the unknown Mississippi. In the beginning of the surveys of the district, the first superintendent of locations in the Rideau Military Settlements had written in May, 1816, to the Lieutenant Governor’s secretary at York : “Having been informed by Indians and others that in the rear of the River Tay there was a much larger River which emptied into the Ottawa, I directed Mr. Groves about ten days since to follow the line between Townships No. 1 and 2 (Bathurst and Drummond) until he struck this river, which he did in front of the 11th concession. He reports it to be a fine river, and the land between this and it of an excellent quality.” The Indians of the Mississippi area are seen in a description of them by the Rev. William Bell, recorded within two months of his 1817 arrival at Perth : “In the afternoon two families of Indians in three canoes came down the river and pitched their tent upon the island in the middle of the village. They were the first I had seen since I came to the place. They had deer, muskrats and various kinds of fowls which they exposed for sale. The deer was small but they sold it at a dollar a quarter – the head with the horns at the same price. Their canoes were all of birch bark about eighteen feet long and three feet wide at the middle. They had in each canoe a capital fowling-piece and several spring traps for taking game and all the men were armed with the tomahawk. They had all black hair, brown complexions and active well-formed bodies. All of them even the children had silver ornaments in their ears.” (Five days later:) “While we were at breakfast the whole band of Indians with their baggage passed our house on their way to the Mississippi River ten miles distant. Each of the men carried a canoe on his head. The squaws were loaded with blankets, skins, kettles, tents etc., like as many asses.” Over the five year period before the pioneers of Ramsay had arrived settlers had located at points along the Mississippi from Morphys Falls and Mississippi Lake up to Dalhousie Lake. Sections still occupied by Indians included those at Mississippi Lake where as then noted by the Rev. William Bell, “some of the islands in the lake are still inhabited by Indians, whose hunting grounds are on the north side and who are far being pleased with the encroachments our settlers are making on their territories.”

Zac Efron (re)desenhado

A Disney já não é mais a mesma ? Será já reflexo da união com a Marvel ? Nada disso. Mas vale a curiosidade sobre diversos personagens masculinos de desenhos e filmes da Disney desenhados apenas… de cueca ! Nomes de carne e osso, como Zac Efron e o Príncice Edward de ‘Encantada’, e heróis da animação como Aladdin, capitão John Smith, de ‘Pocahontas’ (ou seria, agora, de “pouca roupa” ?), entre muitos outros. Até Peter Pan entrou na onda. A explicação é do Terra:

Não se sabe se o artista David Kawena se inspirou na Dolce & Gabbana, mas é certo que ele bem tentou trazer uma sensualidade semelhante para personagens cinematográficos da Disney que, em desenhos, desfilam sua própria coleção de cuecas.

Kawena tomou emprestada as imagens de príncipes, heróis e, de uma maneira geral, galãs dos filmes Disney (animações, em sua maioria), para transformá-los em modelos bem nutridos sem medo de exibir suas peças íntimas.

Clique nas imagens abaixo para ver todas as figuras em tamanho completo.

Apenas 4 de 17 personagens recriados 'à vontade'

Update 09.10.2009 – Leia também, no Televisão é Magia:
- Cristiano Ronaldo, Marge Simpson… Todo mundo nu (ou quase)

It is hard to believe that the first week of our trip Down Under is over.  Much to my discouragement the weather here in Sydney has been cold and wet – not much fun for Black Stump where most of the speaking was in tents.  I came back to my mother’s with very muddy shoes and feeling i needed to dry out before embarking on the next part of our trip.

However we still thoroughly enjoyed the festival – an opportunity to reconnect to old friends like John and Glenna Smith as well as to make new ones like Ash Barker and Jim Reiher from UNOH (Urban Neighbours of Hope).  I also loved the emphasis on social justice issues.  Lots of fair trade tea, coffee and chocolate.  Lots of talk about issues of slavery, poverty and human rights.  We spoke mainly in the TEAR Australia tent.  The only disadvantage was that in the background they were making rice and dahl for lunch and the wonderful aroma wafted through our speaking area tantalizing our senses.

We are really looking forward to speaking at the UNOH conference this weekend and from there i will fly to Launceston Tasmania for a week while Tom stays in Melbourne where he will be working with World Vision.  We then drive to Adelaide together and spend a week at tabor College before flying back to Sydney for the last week of our trek.  Hard to keep all the bits and pieces in the air but hopefully we will all be at the right place at the right time.

One of the things I really enjoy about a trip like this is that it stretches my understanding of God and of what it means to be a person of Christian faith.  I realize that it is very easy for me and in fact for all of us to put up barriers to listening to people and perspectives that are different from our own.  A trip like this blows out the cobwebs for me and helps me to see a bigger and more incredible God than I ever thought possible.

This does not mean that I unconditionally accept everything I hear but it does force me to think, to analyse and to reflect.  It also forces me to go back to the Bible to to see what it really says about a variety of issues from poverty to women’s rights and what it means to be holy.  My thinking is constantly changing which can make me feel a little insecure at times but the great part is that it helps me to see that God is far bigger and more impressive than I ever thought.

Part of what I realize is that whenever we think we understand God we limit God’s ability to reveal himself to us and we limit our understanding of the awe inspiring nature of God.  Not that we can ever understand God – in fact the longer I am a Christian the less I feel I understand God – which I am sure is healthy because I realize that it is rather arrogant of me to think that I could ever understand the creator of the entire universe.

Anyhow I am probably rambling here.  Hopefully as I continue to travel I will be able to more coherently express what i am thinking here particularly as it relates to my interest in interpreting our daily activities as spiritual practices.

I’m gonna poop in the corner.

H: I don’t like it when people say I should be a priest.
C: You should be a priest Harry.
H: Thanks.
J: Actually I can see you being a really good dad.
C: Yeah Harry you would make a good dad.

John’s Spiritual Period.

H: I don’t think they make a tampon that big.
C: Its called the confessional.

Tom C: No John, don’t do it!

John: Naw guys, it’ll go through.