Monday, August 10, 2009
Cooling Off..
Well with temps finally nearing what they should be this time of year I thought it appropriate to share this inspiring water slide video - enjoy!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Global Cooling?
Interesting article on the global cooling we've been experiencing the last 11 years. Obviously the article isn't saying that we shouldn't do our part in protecting our planet but still very interesting how our climate seems to be doing the opposite of what the global warming advocates are saying will happen. Planet earth may survive despite what we've done to it as humans...either it is an incredible adaptation or science may need a new theory to get government grants for.
As an academic - I've always thought it important to look at all the angles/perspectives on a issue and I read a book by Bjørn Lomborg a few years ago entitled The Skeptical Environmentalist and it definitely captures another side to the argument. He believes that Global Warming is a reality and we should do something about it but that perhaps there is a smarter way of dealing with it.
He suggest that, "....we focus on the smartest solutions to the problems that the world faces, whether we're dealing with climate change, communicable diseases, malnutrition, agricultural subsidies, or anything else. Lomborg finds that the smartest way to tackle global warming is to invest heavily in R&D in non-carbon emitting technologies, which will enable everyone to switch over to cheaper-than-fossil-fuel technologies sooner and thus dramatically reduce the 21st century emissions. Specifically, he suggests a ten-fold increase in R&D in non-CO2 -emitting energy technologies like solar, wind, carbon capture, fusion, fission, energy conservation etc..."
Here's a little quote that urges us to check out his latest book Cool It from his website:
Anyways - apparently the forecast continues for cool temps, strong chance of rain for the rest of the summer...I may just have to travel where some Global Warming is actually taking place!
As an academic - I've always thought it important to look at all the angles/perspectives on a issue and I read a book by Bjørn Lomborg a few years ago entitled The Skeptical Environmentalist and it definitely captures another side to the argument. He believes that Global Warming is a reality and we should do something about it but that perhaps there is a smarter way of dealing with it.
He suggest that, "....we focus on the smartest solutions to the problems that the world faces, whether we're dealing with climate change, communicable diseases, malnutrition, agricultural subsidies, or anything else. Lomborg finds that the smartest way to tackle global warming is to invest heavily in R&D in non-carbon emitting technologies, which will enable everyone to switch over to cheaper-than-fossil-fuel technologies sooner and thus dramatically reduce the 21st century emissions. Specifically, he suggests a ten-fold increase in R&D in non-CO2 -emitting energy technologies like solar, wind, carbon capture, fusion, fission, energy conservation etc..."
Here's a little quote that urges us to check out his latest book Cool It from his website:
Bjorn Lomborg argues that many of the elaborate and expensive actions now being considered to stop global warming will cost hundreds of billions of dollars, are often based on emotional rather than strictly scientific assumptions, and may very well have little impact on the world's temperature for hundreds of years. Rather than starting with the most radical procedures, Lomborg argues that we should first focus our resources on more immediate concerns, such as fighting malaria and HIV/AIDS and assuring and maintaining a safe, fresh water supply-which can be addressed at a fraction of the cost and save millions of lives within our lifetime. He asks why the debate over climate change has stifled rational dialogue and killed meaningful dissent.
Lomborg presents us with a second generation of thinking on global warming that believes panic is neither warranted nor a constructive place from which to deal with any of humanity's problems, not just global warming. Cool It promises to be one of the most talked about and influential books of our time.
Anyways - apparently the forecast continues for cool temps, strong chance of rain for the rest of the summer...I may just have to travel where some Global Warming is actually taking place!
How Do You Spend Your Day?
Well - I'm back at work...sort of. I actually spent a good chunk of the day preparing for my sabbatical by applying for passports for our kids - so other than doing some reading, I spent a good bit of my day standing in line. Read this article and the accompanying chart to see how different groups spend their day - very interesting results based on age, gender, employment status, & ethnic groups. Unfortunately it isn't based on Canadian statistics but I imagine we are not that far off from our American cousins - although I think we have a better employment rate right now. Apparently 1 in 10 Americans are not employed - something not seen in 27 years.
So how much time do you spend during your day sleeping, eating, socializing, working, thinking, watching TV & movies, etc. ???
So how much time do you spend during your day sleeping, eating, socializing, working, thinking, watching TV & movies, etc. ???
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Radio Interview & Blog Merge
So I finally merged my old explore play blog with my musings blog - and they got married! I'm glad Blogger finally got that feature figured out.
So post-Coldplay recap - my voice is a little strained & still in morning deep-tonality - perfect for a radio interview right. Anyways the local radio station needed a concert review of the show so I shared a couple highlights and I think it went well - it aired at 8:40am and my kids got to hear it - so they were stoked! Of course my daughter Chelsea reminded me that her friends' dad was on the radio everyday and that was his job. :) We actually have a number of friends involved in radio. Honestly - I play my own mixes much more often than listening to radio stations - I just like my mixes right? But hearing local news & talk radio has value don't get me wrong.
Hmm...next concert just around the corner and then I head to Texas for a week. Hot! Hot! Hot! We finally got the sun & the heat + 28 degrees yesterday and the forecast looks great for the week - prep for the deep south I guess!
So post-Coldplay recap - my voice is a little strained & still in morning deep-tonality - perfect for a radio interview right. Anyways the local radio station needed a concert review of the show so I shared a couple highlights and I think it went well - it aired at 8:40am and my kids got to hear it - so they were stoked! Of course my daughter Chelsea reminded me that her friends' dad was on the radio everyday and that was his job. :) We actually have a number of friends involved in radio. Honestly - I play my own mixes much more often than listening to radio stations - I just like my mixes right? But hearing local news & talk radio has value don't get me wrong.
Hmm...next concert just around the corner and then I head to Texas for a week. Hot! Hot! Hot! We finally got the sun & the heat + 28 degrees yesterday and the forecast looks great for the week - prep for the deep south I guess!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Coldplay Concert Review & Set List Winnipeg MTS Centre
An Intro:
The day after we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary - my Wendy & I had the amazing opportunity to see Coldplay in concert at the MTS Centre. This is my attempt at capturing what Wendy called the most entertaining concert she's ever been at and I'm willing to back her up on that. Coldplay is one of those bands that is getting better with age - I first was exposed to them with their Parachutes offering thanks to my cousin's hubby who has a similar taste in good music.
As a musician myself - I am quite picky with what music I purchase & consume but Coldplay fit easy into my music collection with its strong U2 influence, positive but reflective lyrics, great rhythm section, grooving bass lines, and layered, melodic guitar riffs - not to mention the emotive croonings of a lead singer by the name of Chris Martin!
The Review:
The show started out with a giant 10' orb which started to pulsate a deep blue glow - the band appeared on stage behind a shadow box type screen and ran across with sparklers - their first song began - the instrumental Life in Technicolor and then dived into the powerful Violet Hill.
This band knows how to transition & build their setlists. They had us as an audience right from the beginning and took us all the way to the encore - there wasn't really any time to get bored - they took their responsibility as musicians & entertainers seriously. As the setlist progressed - the lighting changed with the orb becoming a video screen, red laser lights pierced the darkness with the powerful song Clocks and suddenly the show's intensity increased. By In My Place the band was in top form - ready to take on the song that was their doorway to fame from the Parachute era - Yellow!
Suddenly giant yellow balloons filled with confetti entered the arena and the audience excitedly played a game of catch & throw with at least 20-25 of them - and the entire arena was lit up with golden lights.
Chris popped one of the final balloons with the head of his guitar at the end of the song - showering the front stage & first rows in confetti. The man knows how to smile & celebrate the gift of music!
The next song Glass of Water - the atmosphere again changed as 5 more video orbs were lowered from the lighting rig above the band. And the band kept chugging away into Cemeteries of London and then seamlessly transitioned into 42 with a retro black & white movie flickering screen as a background.
The song that makes every girl swoon Fix You started out with Chris Martin on a mournful organ - he knows how to play his keys on top of singing his heart out!
The audience was one with this song and was followed by the song Strawberry Swing which had everyone clapping in unison with the kick drum.
We had great seats for the show but were admittedly a little jealous of the other side of the arena - as the band walked over to a mini stage that was designed to look like a lit-up disco dance floor. And they started into one of my favorite songs God Put A Smile On My Face - only a more techno/disco version of the song. Not exactly an intimate rendition of the song but quasi-intimate if that makes any sense? They played a reworked version of Talk and then headed back to the main stage for a solo piano rendition of The Hardest Part - I think this song was more intimate & touching than Fix You.
Again the band is a marvel at transitions and they went big with the song Viva La Vida complete with Timpani - gotta love big drums! I'm a bass player so you know I love a good rhythm!This was followed by Lost! also a great song from their latest CD offering.
Now I wasn't expecting more intimacy at this point but suddenly all four members walked off the stage down the aisle and up the stairs to a hidden stage at the back of the arena and did an acoustic-y version of Green Eyes and a little song they made up that referenced our love of the Winnipeg Jets (somebody did some research - thank Wikipedia I guess) - of course getting the crowd riled up! And then topped the acoustic set with The Monkees hit - I'm A Believer and invited the crowd to a cellphone mexican wave around the arena! I heard people murmur - hey that looks like blue fireflies - cool I've never seen that! This band has class and they adore their audience to go the extra mile to set up these mini-stages where they actually interact with their crowd!
I'm not sure if you call the next part their first encore but they had to run around to get backstage and so the PA played a techno version of Viva La Vida until the band was ready to take the audience into the powerful song Politik - one of the highlights of the show for me because they go so big with it! Big drums, strobe lights, layered guitars - big, big, big!
Again - a great transition into Lovers in Japan - and the band & audience is showered by confetti shaped like neon butterflies - I can't imagine the clean-up crews look at that point! But wow - what a show! It just kept showering down throughout the song! I love this song as well - great imagery on the screen that tied nicely with the lyrics. The band ended the set with Death & All His Friends and again were British gentlemen with thanks to the audience, bows, and were really genuinely enthusiastic about their crowd!
Of course Winnipeg brought them back with applause for the second encore of The Scientist & Life in Technicolor II.
And with that the show ended and the crowd exited the building to be graced with a gift from the band - a live 9 song EP Left Right Left Right Left. This band adores its fans and of course we love them back!
I should make a quick note about the opening bands. I really wasn't familiar with the opening band The Howling Bells but apparently they hail from the land down under - Australia and they had a few songs that stuck out but really we all know the audience was their for Coldplay. Chris Martin recommended the audience download their song Nightingale. The Scottish band Snow Patrol actually had a really good set but it seemed they really had to work at winning over the crowd and did so with the songs: Hands Open, Run & of course the crowd favorite Chasing Cars in their 9 song set-list (short & sweet).
Here's the setlist for Coldplay:
1. Life in Technicolor
2. Violet Hill
3. Clocks
4. In My Place
5. Yellow
6. Glass of Water
7. Cemeteries of London
8. 42
9. Fix You
10. Strawberry Swing
11. God Put a Smile on Your Face (techno)
12. Talk (techno)
13. The Hardest Part
14. Viva La Vida
15. Lost!
16. Green Eyes
17. Death will Never Conquer
18. I'm A Believer (The Monkees cover)
Encore:
19. Politik
20. Lovers in Japan
21. Death and All His Friends
Encore 2:
22. The Scientist
23. Life in Technicolor II
Note: pics taken on a tiny point & shoot digital - so not art but taken for memory's sake.
The day after we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary - my Wendy & I had the amazing opportunity to see Coldplay in concert at the MTS Centre. This is my attempt at capturing what Wendy called the most entertaining concert she's ever been at and I'm willing to back her up on that. Coldplay is one of those bands that is getting better with age - I first was exposed to them with their Parachutes offering thanks to my cousin's hubby who has a similar taste in good music.
As a musician myself - I am quite picky with what music I purchase & consume but Coldplay fit easy into my music collection with its strong U2 influence, positive but reflective lyrics, great rhythm section, grooving bass lines, and layered, melodic guitar riffs - not to mention the emotive croonings of a lead singer by the name of Chris Martin!
The Review:
The show started out with a giant 10' orb which started to pulsate a deep blue glow - the band appeared on stage behind a shadow box type screen and ran across with sparklers - their first song began - the instrumental Life in Technicolor and then dived into the powerful Violet Hill.
This band knows how to transition & build their setlists. They had us as an audience right from the beginning and took us all the way to the encore - there wasn't really any time to get bored - they took their responsibility as musicians & entertainers seriously. As the setlist progressed - the lighting changed with the orb becoming a video screen, red laser lights pierced the darkness with the powerful song Clocks and suddenly the show's intensity increased. By In My Place the band was in top form - ready to take on the song that was their doorway to fame from the Parachute era - Yellow!
Chris popped one of the final balloons with the head of his guitar at the end of the song - showering the front stage & first rows in confetti. The man knows how to smile & celebrate the gift of music!
The next song Glass of Water - the atmosphere again changed as 5 more video orbs were lowered from the lighting rig above the band. And the band kept chugging away into Cemeteries of London and then seamlessly transitioned into 42 with a retro black & white movie flickering screen as a background.
Again the band is a marvel at transitions and they went big with the song Viva La Vida complete with Timpani - gotta love big drums! I'm a bass player so you know I love a good rhythm!This was followed by Lost! also a great song from their latest CD offering.
Now I wasn't expecting more intimacy at this point but suddenly all four members walked off the stage down the aisle and up the stairs to a hidden stage at the back of the arena and did an acoustic-y version of Green Eyes and a little song they made up that referenced our love of the Winnipeg Jets (somebody did some research - thank Wikipedia I guess) - of course getting the crowd riled up! And then topped the acoustic set with The Monkees hit - I'm A Believer and invited the crowd to a cellphone mexican wave around the arena! I heard people murmur - hey that looks like blue fireflies - cool I've never seen that! This band has class and they adore their audience to go the extra mile to set up these mini-stages where they actually interact with their crowd!
I'm not sure if you call the next part their first encore but they had to run around to get backstage and so the PA played a techno version of Viva La Vida until the band was ready to take the audience into the powerful song Politik - one of the highlights of the show for me because they go so big with it! Big drums, strobe lights, layered guitars - big, big, big!
I should make a quick note about the opening bands. I really wasn't familiar with the opening band The Howling Bells but apparently they hail from the land down under - Australia and they had a few songs that stuck out but really we all know the audience was their for Coldplay. Chris Martin recommended the audience download their song Nightingale. The Scottish band Snow Patrol actually had a really good set but it seemed they really had to work at winning over the crowd and did so with the songs: Hands Open, Run & of course the crowd favorite Chasing Cars in their 9 song set-list (short & sweet).
Here's the setlist for Coldplay:
1. Life in Technicolor
2. Violet Hill
3. Clocks
4. In My Place
5. Yellow
6. Glass of Water
7. Cemeteries of London
8. 42
9. Fix You
10. Strawberry Swing
11. God Put a Smile on Your Face (techno)
12. Talk (techno)
13. The Hardest Part
14. Viva La Vida
15. Lost!
16. Green Eyes
17. Death will Never Conquer
18. I'm A Believer (The Monkees cover)
Encore:
19. Politik
20. Lovers in Japan
21. Death and All His Friends
Encore 2:
22. The Scientist
23. Life in Technicolor II
Note: pics taken on a tiny point & shoot digital - so not art but taken for memory's sake.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Preparing For What's Next
Okay - so this blog has been set aside for a long time. Apparently, this happens in the life & death of blogs but I'm not giving up yet. I can see life emerging after a long cold winter - it might be slow but tiny sprigs of green will emerge. We've had a long season of winter this year in Manitoba - not sure why but our spring really was slow this year! So in the spirit of re-awakening - my goal is to record my thoughts a little more regularly.
You see - I'm preparing for what's next! I'm in the midst of exploring life in the context of a future sabbatical come January 2010. We will be traveling as a family overseas to a location yet to be disclosed but it will be warmer than Canada! I hope to capture that experience on an online journal of sorts - along with pictures taken along the way.
Okay but right now you are thinking but hold on - what are you going to do in the meantime? Well other than planning & dreaming - I'm not really sure. I suppose this will be a good place to figure it all out! I'm looking forward to exploring play wherever I am. Tomorrow I'm off on a short backpacking trip with a colleague of mine along with two student friends of his. We are tackling a section of the Mantario trail which I haven't been on for awhile. Looking forward to it! Hopefully the rain is done before we step on to the trail!
You see - I'm preparing for what's next! I'm in the midst of exploring life in the context of a future sabbatical come January 2010. We will be traveling as a family overseas to a location yet to be disclosed but it will be warmer than Canada! I hope to capture that experience on an online journal of sorts - along with pictures taken along the way.
Okay but right now you are thinking but hold on - what are you going to do in the meantime? Well other than planning & dreaming - I'm not really sure. I suppose this will be a good place to figure it all out! I'm looking forward to exploring play wherever I am. Tomorrow I'm off on a short backpacking trip with a colleague of mine along with two student friends of his. We are tackling a section of the Mantario trail which I haven't been on for awhile. Looking forward to it! Hopefully the rain is done before we step on to the trail!
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Life of David
I'm teaching a course on the Psalms this semester and in fact almost through the majority of my lectures and now in the midst of presentations. A big section of the course is centred around the life of David & how we relate to his story. One of my favorite musicians Michael Knott did an album which essentially is his own story interwoven with the life of David. The album is from 2001 and here's the promo:
Monday, March 02, 2009
Magnificent
I love what I do & I can't hide it. Teaching puts a spring in my step and I can't help but grin like the Cheshire Cat at all the opportunities I've had to challenge, encourage, & inspire during my lifetime. 52 days left in the semester and 7 years of teaching at a college level will have passed. Hard to believe just how fast time flies. SO many things to ponder - am I better teacher than when I first began? Or have I lost some that enthusiasm & optimism I had during graduate studies? I'm still being stretched as a teacher and I do think I've become more relational & less tied to my teaching notes. I still feel I'm just exploring the realm of experiential teaching within the classroom - it's hard to let go of the reigns I suppose. I've always believed that experience is the best teacher but I've also learned that you need a phenomenal guide for the learning experience to be of value. We need boundaries to explore - we need boundaries to push against.
I've written about why I do what I do but perhaps I should muse about why I can't not do what I do? So much to explore in this life!
I wrote a little speech 7 years ago that compared my graduate studies to that of the sport of whitewater kayaking. I think that challenge still rings true - we need to face danger, we need to face obstacles, otherwise we grow complacent & cloudy like a stagnant pool. We need change to grow and learning is all about change. I still have an incredibly strong passion to teach but I'm restless & admittedly tired. I'm due for a sabbatical (overdue actually) and I'm looking forward to January 2010 & the "great escape" with Wendy & our kids. New places to discover, new things to learn!
I purchased the BBC Planet Earth series for our family and this past Sunday enjoyed Disc 1 - which includes an overall look from pole to pole. One word captures it all - magnificent! In fact it reminded me of a new track from U2's new album (release tomorrow) No Line in the Horizon:
I've written about why I do what I do but perhaps I should muse about why I can't not do what I do? So much to explore in this life!
I wrote a little speech 7 years ago that compared my graduate studies to that of the sport of whitewater kayaking. I think that challenge still rings true - we need to face danger, we need to face obstacles, otherwise we grow complacent & cloudy like a stagnant pool. We need change to grow and learning is all about change. I still have an incredibly strong passion to teach but I'm restless & admittedly tired. I'm due for a sabbatical (overdue actually) and I'm looking forward to January 2010 & the "great escape" with Wendy & our kids. New places to discover, new things to learn!
I purchased the BBC Planet Earth series for our family and this past Sunday enjoyed Disc 1 - which includes an overall look from pole to pole. One word captures it all - magnificent! In fact it reminded me of a new track from U2's new album (release tomorrow) No Line in the Horizon:
Magnificent
Magnificent
I was born
I was born to be with you
In this space and time
After that and ever after I haven't had a clue
Only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise...
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent
Magnificent
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