“I must recognize Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the chair of this year’s G8 and G20 meetings and his health minister, Leona Aglukkaq, for demonstrating, once again, their incredible ability to take credit where none is due."
Read the full story from the Globe & Mail here.- Dr. Julio Montaner, President of the International AIDS Society
Yesterday, during his closing address at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria.
This was the horrific last moment of Capt. Brian Bews' CF-18 Hornet after he had to eject from the jet during a practice run for the Alberta International Airshow in Lethbridge, AB, yesterday afternoon.
Cool skyline, right? It's got the former WTC, the Sears Tower, John Hancock Centre, Chicago Spire, Empire State Building, and those are just the ones I can name off the top of my head.
“Ground Zero Mosque supporters, doesn’t it stab you in the heart as it does our throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, please refudiate.”
CTV has announced that Lisa LaFlamme (and not Tom Clark, as C&C predicted) will replace Lloyd Robertson as chief anchor and senior editor of CTV National News when he retires in 2011. LaFlamme is current CTV News' national affairs correspondent.
But then again, I watch CBC News. Now, if Diana Swain were to pull a Lloyd and jump over to CTV after Lisa LaFlamme is ousted after half a season as anchor, I could easily be persuaded to jump too.
Lloyd Robertson, the longest-serving news anchor in North America, has announced that he will retire from his position as chief anchor and senior editor of the CTV National News late next year.
No doubt there are many individuals who have been holding their breath for Robertson to retire, leaving his coveted position vacant. CTV plans to announce his replacement later today. Create & Commerce would like to officially put $20 on Tom Clark, the host of CTV News Channel's highly-rated political show Power Play with Tom Clark, replacing Robertson as chief anchor. Clark previously served as CTV's Washington bureau chief, as well as host for W5, CTV's investigative news magazine program.
In case you haven't already heard/live on a remote island in the South Pacific, Lindsay Lohan is going to jail for 90 days for repeatedly violating her parole stemming from her 2007 DUI conviction.
Here, an Iranian official shows off the latest summer styles in men's hair fashion. Well, not quite. He's actually displaying hairstyles that are especially-permissible Islamic styles. That's right, the Iranian government has set out specific guidelines for men's hair in an effort to curb Western influence on the country.
“There are times in one’s life when things get put in perspective, one being when my father passed, and obviously what I’ve been going through lately."
"The Canadian government is not content to merely submit us to the merchant oligarchy and to deliver it our resources, it demands that we enslave other people. Suffering the effects of the dangers of gas exportation is not enough, we have to secure a pipeline route (TAPI) on Afghan territory. The soldiers of the Canadian Army, let it be very clear, they are not 'ours, they belong to the one to whom they foolishly pledge allegiance, Her Majesty Elisabeth II."- Résistance Internationaliste
From a statement sent to La Presse today claiming responsibility for an explosion at a Canadian Forces Recruitment centre in Trois-Rivières.
Read the full story here.
We are all equal, and no one has the right to dictate to another who they can and cannot love.
This is a photograph I took at Parliament Hill in February. It is pretty self-explanatory. Canada is great. Period.
The Social Network stars Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg (who clearly only got the role because of his last name) and tells the story of the creation of Facebook, from its origins at Harvard to its growth into the crown jewel of the social networking movement. The screenplay was written by none other than Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, Charlie Wilson's War) and the film is directed by David Fincher (Curious Case of Bejamin Button, Fight Club). It also features Andrew Garfield (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), Rashida Jones (The Office, Parks and Recreation), and everybody's favorite triple threat, Justin Timberlake.
It has been a big month for Create & Commerce. Not only was June the innaugural month of publication, there were also many high profile events to cover. The announcement by Quebecor that they are launching a new conservative cable news network, Sun TV News, was a perfect platform for C&C's media coverage. The ongoing World Cup is a big one too, as is the BP oil spill. And of course, the G8/G20 Summits and the ensuing aftermath still fill C&C's front page. There was also a slew of new pop hits to review, creative ad campaigns to cover, and even some linguistic commentary.
This was C&C's first forray into the editorial pool. I went to see Toy Story 3 last night at the Cineplex Galaxy here in Guelph and it completely reinforced everything I had written in this column. Big cinema chains are sucking the magic out of the movie-going experience and replacing it with fake butter.
The unveiling of Sun TV News made this quote by Ted Koppel all the more relevant. When business imposes expectations of profitability, ratings hits, and advertising revenue on the news media, we all suffer.
This was the first review published on Create & Commerce. It is funny how much more attention you pay to a song when you've reviewed it. Since I wrote this piece, "Alejandro" has grown considerably on me. It has found it's way into my iTunes Top 25 and I just can't help but to sing along in the car whenever it comes on, which is a lot, by the way. I you still haven't watched the accompanying music video, you are missing out.
This photo of reporter Rich Matthews diving into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill still amazes me. And several weeks later, thanks to clumsy underwater robots, tropical storms, and political posturing, BP is no closer to cleaning up their mess.
Readers and myself including were extremely touched by this photograph showing a married couple as children on separate trips to Disney World caught in the same frame decades before they had even met. This photograph remains my favorite Daily Image to date.
The unseasonably-wet summer so far has depleted the value of my sunglasses collection considerably. Nevertheless, they remain an essential element of my wardrobe. This piece was especially fun to write.
Ah yes, Miley Cyrus defending herself against those who would call her new revealing image "slutty". This was published before the Much Music Video Awards. Did anybody not see how she looked at the MMVA's? Here's a link. And another.
It's a good thing I reviewed this song because it is looking to be the anthem of Summer 2010. Not that I am complaining - I do love it, but on my way back to Guelph from Sudbury this past weekend, I heard it played on Virgin Radio five times. FIVE TIMES. I still can't make sense of the video, however. But I don't think I'm meant to. After all, Katy Perry is naked. What more do you want?
The Bilz & Kashif is a pop/hip-hop/electronic music group based in Montreal. Its three members are all of South Asian decent: DJ Vicious is South Indian, Master-D is Bengali Indian, and Kashif Khan is Pakistani and their hard-hitting dance sound reflects their ethnic roots.
Professional athletes have a lot of money, and as such, can have some of the most eclectic personal styles. No matter what the sport, on or off the field, sports stars, like their Hollywood celebrity counterparts, spend a lot of time and money on how they look...for better or for worse.
The video of the irate shopper outside a closed Toronto Eaton Centre after it was locked down on Saturday due to G20 protests has gone viral. Now, as is customary in YouTube success, scores of remixes, re-dubs, and re-edits are popping up all over the internet.
No, this is not a joke. Al Qaeda, the multinational organization most famous for its jihadist mission against the West, plans to diversify its operations into new ventures, starting with the new magazine Inspire. The organization has announced the magazine in an online ad. It will be based upon the already popular online magazine Sada al-Malahim (translation: Echo of the Battle).
Inspire will feature guest writer Anwar al Awlaki, the American Muslim cleric blamed for stirring up violence among Western Muslim youth - including the so-called Toronto 18. Articles will include profiles of terrorist leaders and suicide bombers and helpful tips on how to not divulge information if caught or interrogated.
Toronto's Chief of Police Bill Blair admitted today that the so-called "5-metre rule" never actually existed. The much-publicized law was supposedly passed by the provincial government prior to the G20 Summit in secret and allowed police to arrest and detain any individual who came within 5-metres of the security perimeter and either refused to provide identification or would not state their business for being at the fence.
Guelph Mercury reporter Rob O'Flanagan immersed himself in the chaos of the downtown Toronto "Red Zone" on Saturday afternoon. I urge you to read his riveting account of the scene and the thought-provoking question he poses: which comes first, the riot or the riot police?
Love, it seems, will always prevail - even in the midst of a $1.2 BILLION riot squad. Take that, Paris!
Well, Toronto is (slightly) back to normal today after a whirlwind weekend of rule and order - G20 style. Here are some select videos from the weekend.
Today, General Stanley A. McChrystal was fired from his post as the commander of American forces in Afghanistan after a meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House. Obama called McChrystal in for the meeting after he made comments criticizing administration officials and the War in Afghanistan policies in a highly-publicized Rolling Stone article.
While I tried to find one quote that exemplified McChrystal's detraction from the administration, there was just too much gold to choose from. So here is a series McChrystal quotes taken directly from the Rolling Stone article that best exemplify the former commander of American forces in Afghanistan:
"All these men, I'd die for them. And they'd die for me."- Referring to a dinner in Paris where he is to deliver a speech.The article goes on to describe McChrystal as a man who hates anything too "Gucci."
- At an Irish pub in Paris called Kitty O'Shea's, referring to his inner circle of military advisors, who at the time of this comment, the writer of the article describes as "completely shitfaced."
- Referring to the civilian death toll in Afghanistan as a result of the war.
"I ask you what's going on in your world, and I think it's important for you all to understand the big picture as well. How's the company doing? You guys feeling sorry for yourselves? Anybody? Anybody feel like you're losing? Strength is leading when you just don't want to lead. You're leading by example. That's what we do. Particularly when it's really, really hard, and it hurts inside."- During a discussion with two-dozen soldiers in a tent on an army base in Afghanistan.
- Referring to the idea that American forces can not kill their way out of Afghanistan."Even Afghans are confused by Afghanistan."
- Referring to the wild, tumultuous history of Afghanistan
As the G20 Summit gets set to rock Toronto this weekend, make no mistake: this is not TIFF or the Virgin Music Festival. Toronto will literally be ground to a halt as 20* of the most important people in the world flood the city.
The Great Fake Lake was unvieled today at the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place. The lake, with a price tag of $57,000, is part of the $1.9 MILLION Experience Canada tourism pavillion in the G20 media centre. The outrageous cost of the media centre, and specifically the fake lake, became a contentious issue in the House of Commons in past several weeks. The lake itself became the icon of the controversial $1.2 BILLION cost of the G20 Summit.
The Prize is an incredible eight-part documentary series that tells the story of petroleum from its first discoveries through its critical role in industrializing the world. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name by Daniel Yergin, the series follows the history of oil from the 1850's when oil was first extracted and marketed in the United States through the 1990's and the first Gulf War.
"Sprayed with reflective paint, this barrier shimmers in the sun, making it impossible to take pictures of things on the other side. On the elevator a colleague and I were discussing the fact that it was impossible to shoot through. I felt compelled to explain to the other passengers that I meant "shoot" as in video camera. Though I suspect these metal fences would do a good job of deflecting bullets as well."
A city worker puts the finishing touches on the three-meter high security wall surrounding the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in preparation for the G20 Summit this weekend (June 26-27). The wall is just one of the more visible signs of the intense security being put in place in Toronto, which includes thousands of uniform and plain-clothes offices, snipers, traffic diversion, a sound cannon, and now a water cannon.
Yes, it's true. Michael Jackson's estate has grown by over $250 MILLION since his death almost a year ago on June 25, 2009. The executors of his estate, John Branca and John McClain, have used some of that revenue to pay off Jackson's remaining $70 MILLION worth of debt. The rest is payed to his children and various children's charities.
As was the case of the estates of both Elvis and Yves Ste. Laurent, Jackson's death has spurned renewed interest in the King of Pop's music. A Sony Music deal to distribute unreleased tracks by the late artist worth $200 Million over seven years has already contributed $125 MILLION to the estate. The Jackson film This Is It grossed $252 MILLION worldwide last year. Sony Pictures paid the estate an advance of $60 MILLION with more to come from DVD sales. Merchandise deals and a Ubisoft video game have added $26 MILLION. Jackson's music catalogue made $25 Million over the last year. And the Beatles' catalogue, of which Jackson's estate owns 50%, made an addition $11 MILLION. There is also the $25 MILLION from the rerelease of Jackson's autobiography, Moon Walk.
