Here is an inspiring video on YouTube. It is well worth the 8:33 minutes to watch it. Sand painting is a fabulous technique I have seen on a Vinyl Cafe show. The artist works on a glass surface which allows the light below to be reflected with an overhead projector.
This woman is a talented young artist.
Sit down, relax and understand a little more of history.
Showing posts with label the arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the arts. Show all posts
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Saturday, 29 August 2009
Accuracy in the media
My blogger friend posted an interesting reflection on Canadian, vs. American or UK spelling.
My other pet peeve are Canadian publications or shows citing America data. It doesn't always apply; especially in education and health care. I loathe the mid-day radio or talk shows that interview American authors. With a population of 300 million, let the Americans target Americans. Canadian publishers have a hard enough time promoting to 33 million Canadians whose TV programs, air and print media, seem to fawn all over the big name publishers.
Self-serving lobby groups are another bone of contention for me!
I belong to the Canadian Association of Retired People (CARP), which is an affiliate with AARP. Often, the headlines are grabbed from AARP-written articles. I find that some of their message apply, but others, especially health care for seniors do not apply. We have vastly different issues with our health care system; their's is hopefully becoming more universal, but I speculate still and post this elsewhere: American Health Care Reform. I saw the lobbying on-line in July!
I was reading alive (sic), a magazine purportedly "Canada's Natural Health and Wellness Magazine". As I read through it, I found issues of concern to healthy Canadians, but includes data from American sources. This confounds me. My tax dollars go to supporting this magazine.
An article about ADHD & diet, by Joey Shulman (who runs a weight loss clinic
in Toronto- do you think she has a hidden agenda?), cites DSM-IV and the US National Institutes of Health as her sources for definitions. DSM, which I had to study for my Counselling & Psychology degree, really is a convoluted document, some say massaged by the big pharmaceuticals.
In another article on Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder - ASD) by C. Leigh Broadhurst, she cites US Federal courts, and makes a connection between diet and ASD. Fair enough, but she is a US government geochemist and geobotanist. She is advocating for getting kids off Rx, and onto healthy eating. Not a mistake, but as an educator, I can tell you that I have taught a number of ASD students and for some the medications are the way to go. Tell me how these articles can purportedly be rightly printed in a Canadian magazine? If this magazine is for Canadians, it should be based on Canadian data and issues and written by Canadians.
To move to on-air media, many CBC Arts or entertainment programs (Q, The Hour, Ontario Today, Ontario Morning) interview American entertainers, musicians. Many news programs feature US-based books on issues like education and health care. We really must have a better focus. We know our Canadian health care and educational systems are vastly different. Yet, during my career in education, many of the bandwagons originated in the US, and were guaranteed to fail in a Canadian system. I think it is high time that producers weeded out the free advertising for big time American publishers and promoters, and focused on what it means to be Canadian.
My other pet peeve are Canadian publications or shows citing America data. It doesn't always apply; especially in education and health care. I loathe the mid-day radio or talk shows that interview American authors. With a population of 300 million, let the Americans target Americans. Canadian publishers have a hard enough time promoting to 33 million Canadians whose TV programs, air and print media, seem to fawn all over the big name publishers.
Self-serving lobby groups are another bone of contention for me!
I belong to the Canadian Association of Retired People (CARP), which is an affiliate with AARP. Often, the headlines are grabbed from AARP-written articles. I find that some of their message apply, but others, especially health care for seniors do not apply. We have vastly different issues with our health care system; their's is hopefully becoming more universal, but I speculate still and post this elsewhere: American Health Care Reform. I saw the lobbying on-line in July!
I was reading alive (sic), a magazine purportedly "Canada's Natural Health and Wellness Magazine". As I read through it, I found issues of concern to healthy Canadians, but includes data from American sources. This confounds me. My tax dollars go to supporting this magazine.
An article about ADHD & diet, by Joey Shulman (who runs a weight loss clinic
in Toronto- do you think she has a hidden agenda?), cites DSM-IV and the US National Institutes of Health as her sources for definitions. DSM, which I had to study for my Counselling & Psychology degree, really is a convoluted document, some say massaged by the big pharmaceuticals.In another article on Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder - ASD) by C. Leigh Broadhurst, she cites US Federal courts, and makes a connection between diet and ASD. Fair enough, but she is a US government geochemist and geobotanist. She is advocating for getting kids off Rx, and onto healthy eating. Not a mistake, but as an educator, I can tell you that I have taught a number of ASD students and for some the medications are the way to go. Tell me how these articles can purportedly be rightly printed in a Canadian magazine? If this magazine is for Canadians, it should be based on Canadian data and issues and written by Canadians.
To move to on-air media, many CBC Arts or entertainment programs (Q, The Hour, Ontario Today, Ontario Morning) interview American entertainers, musicians. Many news programs feature US-based books on issues like education and health care. We really must have a better focus. We know our Canadian health care and educational systems are vastly different. Yet, during my career in education, many of the bandwagons originated in the US, and were guaranteed to fail in a Canadian system. I think it is high time that producers weeded out the free advertising for big time American publishers and promoters, and focused on what it means to be Canadian.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
The movies
You know 'Q', a supposedly Canadian Broadcasting (CBC) arts show. It leaves me flat, as they seem to feature people I question as 'artists'. His Billy Bob Thornton interview was priceless, but appalling. With 2 million viewers on YouTube, it made the news. Much of Q incorporates American artists, and I think we need to celebrate more Canadian interviews. The Billy Bob-thing, was just an example of the kind of show I abhor. But this show revolves around movies...
Q Blog asks: Is Hollywood going to the kids? Well, the summer movie season is upon us. We've already seen Pixar's"Up" rise to the top. Many critics have hailed movies like "Up" and "WALL-E" as all round great movies, for both adults and kids. But others are lamenting the lack of movies for grown ups. What do you think?
But, the question remains, who goes to the movies? I do not, being an old f@rt. I cannot abide paying big bucks in public those to sit with those who talk in the theatre as if they on their couches at home. The film begins, music sets the scene, and idiots continue to talk, trying to get the last word in before the movie starts. The movie, though, starts with the lights dimming, and the talkers, who are dim themselves, need to get this. A film is not just the visuals and the dialogue...but I digress.
Perhaps this is we with life experiences are not the target audience. Car chases do not turn my crank - the plot has to have the strength, not the action. Nor do comedies, with actors young enough to be my children, using toilet humour to get across their point. And love scenes with nothing left uncovered. As with clothing, leaving something to the imagination means that, like a good novel, I can create it in my head and fill in the blanks much more richly than any director or photographer.
I do not like animated 'movies', either. We have reduced many a fine novel or memoir to crap in o
rder to make it Hollywood-worthy. What does that mean? Well, I guess a chick-flick, for date nights, and car chases for the boys. The animations are cute, but with no little ones around our house that is not my cup of tea. I appreciate actors who, with wisdom, training, and intelligence can portray humanity on the stage or screen. There is something beautiful about an actor putting his/herself up there on the stage, though.
Comedians leave me flat, for the most part. There are few witty ones left, many use self-deprecating humour and that can be cute, but that clever stand-up seems to be gone. Ones who can examine the human condition and point out our foibles with sensitivity and love. The September TV Season sorely disappointed me and my generation, despite me and mine being a good portion of the potential market. We're the ones who might be home watch TV! My adult kids do not have time...
Elvira Kurt on Q, whose senior-bashing leaves me flat, was on Q, is supposedly appointed to weekly to rave about the 'cultural hall of fame'. Her style, likely her generation, is different than one I can appreciate. Several times her humour revolves around old people. Ageism is not a pretty thing now that I have jumped over that 50 hurdle. "Send the e-mails (of complaint) to the 'old people'.", she says...
(photos © David Cooper Photography)
Q Blog asks: Is Hollywood going to the kids? Well, the summer movie season is upon us. We've already seen Pixar's"Up" rise to the top. Many critics have hailed movies like "Up" and "WALL-E" as all round great movies, for both adults and kids. But others are lamenting the lack of movies for grown ups. What do you think?
But, the question remains, who goes to the movies? I do not, being an old f@rt. I cannot abide paying big bucks in public those to sit with those who talk in the theatre as if they on their couches at home. The film begins, music sets the scene, and idiots continue to talk, trying to get the last word in before the movie starts. The movie, though, starts with the lights dimming, and the talkers, who are dim themselves, need to get this. A film is not just the visuals and the dialogue...but I digress.
Perhaps this is we with life experiences are not the target audience. Car chases do not turn my crank - the plot has to have the strength, not the action. Nor do comedies, with actors young enough to be my children, using toilet humour to get across their point. And love scenes with nothing left uncovered. As with clothing, leaving something to the imagination means that, like a good novel, I can create it in my head and fill in the blanks much more richly than any director or photographer.
I do not like animated 'movies', either. We have reduced many a fine novel or memoir to crap in o
rder to make it Hollywood-worthy. What does that mean? Well, I guess a chick-flick, for date nights, and car chases for the boys. The animations are cute, but with no little ones around our house that is not my cup of tea. I appreciate actors who, with wisdom, training, and intelligence can portray humanity on the stage or screen. There is something beautiful about an actor putting his/herself up there on the stage, though.Comedians leave me flat, for the most part. There are few witty ones left, many use self-deprecating humour and that can be cute, but that clever stand-up seems to be gone. Ones who can examine the human condition and point out our foibles with sensitivity and love. The September TV Season sorely disappointed me and my generation, despite me and mine being a good portion of the potential market. We're the ones who might be home watch TV! My adult kids do not have time...
Elvira Kurt on Q, whose senior-bashing leaves me flat, was on Q, is supposedly appointed to weekly to rave about the 'cultural hall of fame'. Her style, likely her generation, is different than one I can appreciate. Several times her humour revolves around old people. Ageism is not a pretty thing now that I have jumped over that 50 hurdle. "Send the e-mails (of complaint) to the 'old people'.", she says...
Don't criticize the coffee, you may be old and weak someday!Jesse Martyn - Toronto actor, and my son!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(photos © David Cooper Photography)
Monday, 11 May 2009
Writing prompts
Writing is a glorious thing. For me it has been a busy week for posting...here are some writing prompt sites for others who may need a prompt...
This cartoonist explains how he creates his work in a video...It really is a wonderful piece!
Art is an amazing thing.
- Monday Poetry Train Revisited
- NaisaiKu
- One Single Impression
- Read Write Poem
- Saturday Scribes
- Sunday Scribblings
- The American Sandwich
- Totally Optional Prompts
- Write on Wednesday
This cartoonist explains how he creates his work in a video...It really is a wonderful piece!
Art is an amazing thing.
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