007 in... Meh

Not to long ago I went to the movies to see the latest instalment of Ian Fleming's James Bond in Spectre.  In my overall opinion without there being any spoilers... it was okay.  The main issues I had at a glance were the villain and the love interest.  Though I don't feel particularly cheated after seeing the film (having liked the visuals, music, and other characters), there were some things that could be improved upon and that shall be the main concentration of this post.

Note: below may contain some spoilers.  If you have plans on seeing the movie and don't want to have you're viewing experience, please skip this post.

What Worked:
-The Characters
     The characters were great as always.  It was nice to see M and Q have a larger role in this one and (in my opinion) being the actual heroes of the day.  Ralph Fiennes and and Ben Whishaw did a great job in how they portrayed their characters.  Fiennes was convincing of portraying M as a person who is trying to not only run the organization, but also have to convince the world that there is still a place for the Double O organization in the modern world, a theme that continues from Skyfall.  Whishaw was great as Q and was very reminiscent of Desmond Llewelyn's Q, cantankerous and fussing over the state that Bond left the gadgets.

     Bond was... well... Bond.  I've been on the fence on how Daniel Craig fairs as 007 but he met my expectations in Skyfall but this time, it wasn't as good as I hoped.

     I have to say I was impressed by Christoph Waltz as Blofeld.  He was fantastic job at giving us a villain who thinks himself superior to his adversary and does not tolerate being out smarted.  I would very much love to see Waltz return to the role so long as the plot is right.

     I did enjoy Andrew Scott as Max Denbigh, I liked how he did a great job at being a smug character who has all the power in his hands and knows it.  That said, it would have been nice to have seen him as the main villain rather than sharing the spot light with Blofeld (an issue I will discuss later).

-Cinimatography
     Before I start, I'm not an expert on this topic but I thought the film work was spectacular.  I find this is often done well in Bond movies (with some exceptions obviously).  I'm not sure how to properly describe it but everything looked great, I really loved the long shots of the scenery, the desert looked beautiful in the shots shown.


What Didn't Work:
- The Plot
     I found this part to be confusing to be honest, almost like there were two plots going on.  First Bond is trying to find out what's going on with a new program being introduced that would compromise the privacy of the whole world but then there's this plot to stop Blofeld, who is the mastermind behind the organization and has been orchestrating this whole thing.  To be honest, the writiers should have taken a page out of Thunderball, one of my favourite of the Sean Connery movies.  In that Blofeld is the villain but he isn't the main villain, that's reserved for his No. 2, Emilio Largo.  What could have been done (if they wanted Blofeld in the movie) is have Blofeld act as the man in the shadows like in Thunderball while having Max Denbigh be the one Bond is always at odds with, not Bond chasing Blofeld and M and Q dealing with Denbigh.  Or, just make Blofeld or Denigh the main villain.

-Chemistry with Bond and love interest
     This part felt flat to me.  Neither Bond nor Dr. Madeleine Swann seem actually interesting.  I got really annoyed during the scene where Swann wants to stay behind.  That scene felt poorly paced and awkward.  This aspect in the movie felt, as a whole, to be just shoe horned in at the last minute because they wanted Bond to have a love interest this time since there wasn't much of one in Skyfall.

-Music
     Again not an expert in this area so it's gonna be short.  Not as energetic as in the past.  The opening song Writing on the Wall just felt depressing and the score not the greatest but it did have those moments where it worked well so it wasn't all bad.

Closing Remarks
     Overall, not my favourite Bond movie.  The disjointed plot and the lack-luster chemistry and music make it difficult to enjoy.  Despite this, I would be still willing to watch it because of the spectacular scenery and the actual charaters like M, Q, and Blofeld.  I would still say see it if you're a Bond fan as it still comes with all the usual fixin's and you can still make scene of what's going on despite the battle-of-the-two-plots.

References

 "SPECTRE Teaser Poster." James Bond 007. Accessed November 18, 2015. http://www.007.com/spectre-teaser-poster/. 

Alternate Christmas Message

Ladies and Gentlemen, fish people, Margaret Thatcher and all things in between,

    I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Dwali, and <Insert Holiday Here>.  Since Her Majesty the Queen of Canada can have a Christmas speech (which can be seen here) I figured maybe I should also get in on this message thing.

     Let's be honest, 2015 was crap... well, not as bad as 2014... but crap none the less.  There's been some good stuff.  I've moved out on my own for a spell and have had to deal with some anxiety.  I think you can tell the year is not going to pan out well when not even the new Bond film is that good.  Despite that: Avengers 2, Antman, and Mad Max were pretty good.  Harper's gone too... but now everyone hates Trudeau even though they didn't like Harper and voted him out...

    Well, that's all I got for now.  Merry Christmas to you and your family and a Happy New Year.



References:

 "History of Christmas Trees." History.com. Accessed December 25, 2015. http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas-trees. 

Sunday Sweetness: What's so Funny about Peace, Love, and Understanding

In the wake of the events that unravelled in Paris on Friday, it seems the stupidity of society has come out of wood work to try and label blame on people who are of Muslin faith.  In the town where I lived a mosque was vandalised by what could be only described as barbarous bigotry.

What's the point of calling this a Western Civilization if no one can be civil?  I see most of my Facebook feed full of anti-Muslim trash and the only defence these posters can come up with: "Well, they aren't doin' a good job trying to defend themselves or distancing themselves from it."  (*Sarcasm*) Yeah, cause everyone associates Christians with the Nazi Party and K.K.K. (*sarcasm*).  Where is sanity? Where is the courtesy and and respect?  What happened to love thy neighbour and love the sinner not sin?  I've had about enough of the insipid and pugnacious stupidity.

Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure: A Review

This year, fans of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends are treated to not one but two specials this year.  The first, The Adventure Begins, told of how Thomas made his start on the North Western Railway.  The second, the one I will be talking about,  known as Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, tells of the construction of a new branch line with treasure hunting in tow.

Before I start, I need to let off some hype.  THIS is how you do a special/movie.  The stakes are made a little higher with Thomas losing his branch line and a HUMAN villian in the form of Sailor John.  We get to see old friends and new(ish) faces as well, making it a treat for fans.

Story:
In a nutshell, after disgracing himself, Thomas is stripped of his branch line and sent to help building a new branch line with Duck, Oliver, and the Scottish Twins Donald and Douglas (did I mention old faces were coming back?).  After another chaotic accident, an old pirate ship is found, attracting the attention of the villainous Sailor John, who is after the ship's treasure for his own greedy ends.

Sailing!  Sailing! Down the tracks we go!  Will Thomas stop Sailor John?  Watch the special and you'll know!

Andrew Brenner did a great job with this story.  Though just a simple redemption plot, Brenner  utilizes this by upping the stakes.  For starts, Thomas loses his branch line.  Up to this point, such a thing only happened once when Thomas fell down a mine and so he would have had to have really messed up to force the Fat Controller to make such an action.

My only two complains with the over all plot was the motorized crane Kevin and accident at Knatford.  Kevin is a fun character, his clumsiness complements the seriousness of Victor.  The problem is that as the series is moving to the more realistic style of the Railway Series, Kevin becomes more of a hindrance than comedy relief.  Granted, I've read from some people that Kevin's model type had been notorious for falling over and such, which could be interesting to have mentioned on the show in some form.

The major accident at Knatford that leads to Thomas' situation could have been avoided.  Since he was given his branch line, Thomas was relieved of shunting duties.  Percy and Duck's arrivals were based on the need to fill in his place but both were soon promoted from such work (Percy joining Thomas' branch and Duck getting one of his own).  It could be argued that Thomas now takes on both responsibilities since there is no one to do so.  That said, it's not established in the plot to why Thomas would be taking care of Gordon's coaches and makes this incident a bit confusing.

Characters:

-Thomas: We definitely get to see the classic Thomas in this special.  He cheeky, rude but still wanting to do what's right.  His accident at Knatford shows Thomas' classic mentality in how he refuses to put up with Gordon's high and mighty attitude and deciding to take the express himself.

-Marion: Though mostly a secondary character for the most part, Marion's hilarious curiosity over the Arlesdale engines (thinking they are magic and grant wishes) allows for some cute humor while also helping move the plot such as the case of finding the treasure.

-Ryan: I found Ryan to be an interesting character.  He's really keen on trying to befriend Thomas (who feels threatened by Ryan's arrival).  He has some personality in that he wants to please everyone, which could prove to have potential in future story-lines if done properly.

Ryan's arrival doesn't bode well with Thomas the Tank Engine.

-Skiff: Unique to say the least.  Inspired by the real sail boats that were often used by hobbiests (one can even be found at the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highlands Railway in Wales.  One thing I liked about Skiff was the fact that they emphisied the fact that he was powerless without someone to drive him, making the poor sailing train trapped in the control of Sailor John

Skiff the Sailboat.

-Sailor John: When watching this special, Sailor John is basically your archetypical gravel-voice villain.  That said, it works for this special.  Since HiT started releasing these specials, the villain was often some engine but John not only changes this by being a human but also causing some harm in his path to find the treasure.  This is something that I have not seen in a special and makes me feel a little bit cheated when I remember watching Thomas and the Magic Railroad.

-Arlesdale Railway Engines: I won't say much about these three as I want to wait until they appear in the TV series to draw a better opinion on Rex, Bert, and Mike.  Their appearance in the special was very welcomed and definitely played a part in the climax.  I'm hoping stories like "Tit for Tat" and Really Useful Railway" will make it to television after this appearance.

Left to Right: Mike, Bert, and Rex

Visuals:

Before I begin, I am going to say something about the CGI.  IT WORKS.  Don't get me wrong, I miss the models and I will always enjoy that period the TV series.  That said, the use of CGI has allowed for better scope and angles that could not be done with the models.  People who ramble about CGI looking fake forget that a tin can was used for a shed support in the "Diseasel".  Plus, you're going to ague that models are more real even though CGI can introduce more textures and angles that were not seen in the series.

Rant over.  ARC did a great job. The scope and intensity of some of the scenes were great.  I've put one of my favourite moments for just an example of ARC's work in the special (and to support my argument for my rant above).  As a side note: one of the most important people to Thomas the Tank Engine appears on a bike at the end.

Closing:
     To make it short: Sodor's Ledgent of the Lost Treasure was well done.  Brenner was able to make a story that was in line with the spirit of the series and also playing homage to the 70th Anniversary.  For that reason alone, I would recommend this special to any Thomas fan.


Bibliography:

http://rattlerjones.deviantart.com/art/Mike-Rex-and-Bert-546235537

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/09/08/eddie-redmayne-thomas-tank-engine-movie

http://www.myvue.com/latest-movies/info/film/thomas-friends-sodors-legend-of-lost-treasure.  Accessed August 28, 2015.

http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/File:Sodor'sLegendoftheLostTreasure33.png

http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/File:Sodor'sLegendoftheLostTreasure49.png

"I'm a President. I'll do What I Want"

  

The Legendary
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

     In my final year at Laurentian University, I took a class on the history of Protest and Political Change.  One of the topics we looked at was the abolition of slavery in the United States.  My professor told us an interesting incident that occurred during the reconstruction period.

The wigged, sassy,
and awesomely named
Thaddeus Stevens
(1792-1868)

     Let me set the stage.  The Civil War is over and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is dead, assassinated at Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth.  His successor, the Democrat Andrew Johnson, is at odds with Congress for favouring the South, even claiming that the South never seceded as they were never allowed to in the first place (prompting the Republican Thaddeus Stevens to reply that it was like saying one could never commit murder as it was against the law).

The Untouchable
Andrew Johnson
(1808-1875) 

     The United States Congress, disgruntled by the actions of their President, took it upon themselves to try to impeach Andrew Johnson.  The Congressman John Ashley claimed that Johnson was connected to the assassination of Lincoln.  Both attempts of impeachment in July and December of 1867 were failures due to a lack of evidence.  Despite this, Congress was determined that they soon had their smoking gun.

The Bearded and Awesome

Edwin Stanton

(1814-1869)

     Around the same time Congress was trying to remove Johnson, the 17th president of the United States decided to fire Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War. Stanton refuses to leave (citing that the Senate need to approve of the termination), even when Johnson appointed Ulysses S. Grant to the posting. Stanton quickly set up camp in his own office to prevent Johnson from having the locks changed with whiskey and crackers to keep him company.   Johnson approached the infamous General William Tecumseh Sherman (the one who set the South ablaze during the war). Sherman quickly fled town and told his brother tell anyone who asked for him that he was dead! Johnson was still determined and appointed General Lorenzo Thomas as the new Secretary of War. Thomas planned to storm the War Department and but on the morning of the attack he was arrested by the police, had a warrant issued by the Secretary of War (can you guess who it was?).  The incident gave Congress the chance they needed to impeach Johnson.  Tragicaly, they were short by one vote and the tired Congress returned to reconstruction.

     What was the point of all this?  Nothing.  I just thought it would be a fun story to share.


Bibliography:

"Abraham Lincoln." Wikipedia. Accessed August 19, 2015.

"Andrew Johnson." Wikipedia. Accessed August 19, 2015

 "Edwin Stanton" Wikipedia. Accessed August 19, 2015. 

 "Thaddeus Stevens." Wikipedia. Accessed August 19, 2015. 

1949: Europe gets out of Achor

     Some time ago one Christmas, I can remember my Grandfather telling us what Christmas was like for him as a kid in Western Germany just after the Second World War.  Amid the antidotes, I remember him saying that everything got better after 1949.  Of course in Europe that would be the case.  Policies like the Marshall Plan allowed for Europe to rebuild from the ravaging war that had taken lives and homes across the continent, it's safe to say that after 1949 things really did start to get better.

     Thinking about that makes me remember that bad stuff isn't going to to last for a long time.  There has to be a point where it turns around.  The Bible tells the story of the prophet Hosea, who was commanded by God to marry a prostitute named Gomer.  Hosea saw his life as an example of God's relationship with Israel.  Just as Gomer was disloyal to Hosea and sleeping with other men, Israel was rebellious to God.  Despite this poor relationship, both God and Hosea were forgiving, each leading the other from a valley of trouble to a door of hope.

     Things will turn around... at least that's what I keep telling myself.  Does that work all the time?  Nope.  But it helps a lot sometimes, sometimes a little.  If your in a valley of trouble, don't worry.  There should be a door of hope some where ahead.



Bibliography:

http://acciolacquer.com/notd/lucky-13-lacquer-softening-the-bad-things/

http://www.theseedofhope.com/post.cfm/when-god-opens-a-door

"Back and there again: The Vexing Problem with Prequels"

Vol. 1 of Shaman King by Hiroyuki Takai 

One of my favorite parts of the Manga Shaman King by Hiroyuki Takai is found in  volumes 19 and 20.  These two volumes take a break from the main plot (Yoh droping out of the Shaman tournament by order of Lady Jeanne in order to save Ren's life) to look at the background of Yoh and Anna's relationship.

What makes this story work is how it tries to provide background information without trying to ram down your throat the fact that it is before the main story, which is common problem among prequels and why I'm not a big fan of them.  I had this same problem with The Hobbit movies when they came out.  It's one thing to have references and little Easter eggs about but it shouldn't be the main focus.  The Hobbit is a separate story with only a few connections to Lord of the Rings.  Nobody cares about the stuff going on with the ring, in fact Jackson ruins the whole mystery of the ring by reveling that it is Saron's ring in The Hobbit  as it spoils the suprise of some silly old magic ring being something so powerful and dangerous (whether you saw Lord of the Rings or not).  The prequel break in Shaman King works because it is telling a separate story that has only a few connections to the main plot, which is what a prequel should be. 

Bibliography 

http://shamanking.wikia.com/wiki/Shaman_King

Sunday Sweetness: Disagreements

Hey all!  Been a while since I've done a Sunday edition so here goes.  I wanted to spend a bit of time to talk about tiffs, disagreements and feuds between friends and loved ones.  I've had my fair share of them and, without going into detail, am currently dealing with one right now.  It was my fault.  I did something that shouldn't have been done and now a very good and close friend of mine are not talking.  I'm sure there is a way out sometime, just right now it doesn't seen that way.  While I'm here alone, I just wanted to send positive vibes to the rest of you all.  Stuff happens.  We all mess up, sometime worse than other times.  But if you are like me, in the middle of some a tiff, don't worry.  If you've been able to be friends for this long, I sure you can weather this storm.

Bibliography:

 "Thomas, Percy and the Coal - UK (Restored)." YouTube. Accessed July 5, 2015. 

BulkBarn. http://www.pennysaverblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bulk-barn.jpg. Accessed July 5, 2015.

Oh Canada!

1868-1921 Flag

1921-1965 Flag

1965-Present Flag

Happy Canada Day All!

     This blog post will serve to celebrate my home country Canada.  Founded in 1867 through talks by members of the United Province of Canada (today's Ontario and Quebec) and members of the Maritime Colonies (mainly Nova Scotia and New Brunswick as PEI and Newfoundland saw little need to join at the time).

Sir John A. Macdonald (1815-1891),
 Canada's first Prime Minister,
1867-73 and 1878-91.

John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham.
Known to Canadians as "Lord Dur-
ham".  (1792-1843)

        What is interesting to note is though the process was peaceful, Canada is no stranger to rebellion.  The rebellions of William Lyon Mackenzie in Upper Canada and Louis-Joseph Papineau in Lower Canada forced the British government to send John Lambton, First Earl of Durham (known by Canadians who slogged through Pre-Confederate Canadian history as "Lord Durham") to the provinces to understand what led to such a mess.  It is from Lord Durham's report that led to Upper and Lower Canada being merged into one colony known as the United Province of Canada.  It is in this setting we (those who have studied Canadian history) are introduced to individuals like Thomas D'Arcy McGee (one of two political assassinations in Canadian history,  other was Pierre Laporte, killed by a cell of FLQ militants), Sir George-Étienne Cartier, Sir John A. Macdonald (Macdonald is spelt this way! many a Canadian historian has died to make sure that D remained lower case!) and many others.  Some of these men, like Macdonald or (if you bothered to look at the list of other members) Tupper, went on to become Canada's early Prime Ministers.

Lester B. Person (1897-1972),
Prime Minister: 1962-68.

     Canada has had an interesting history.  Fighting in both World Wars, it made itself a part of the world stage through building up the image of being a peace keeping nation.  This idea is owed to  Lester B. Pearson,who not only served as Prime Minister (giving Canada its current flag and making Tommy Douglas' dream of universal health care a reality), but also served in the United Nations as Canada's representative.  It was there Person stopped the UN forces from being used as a private army everytime there was a conflict (such as the case with the Korean War and the Suez Crisis) and even stood up to the US by refusing to go into Vietnam, much to the displeasure of then US President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Person on the right with three of his cabinet ministers
who would go on to be Prime Ministers of Canada themselves
(left to right: Pierre Trudeau, John Turner, and Jean Chretien)

Queen Victoria (1819-1901)
Queen: 1836-1901

Queen Elizabeth II (1926- Present)
Queen: 1952-Present

     Unlike most countries in North America, Canada is a constitutional monarchy, meaning that our government is headed by a King or Queen and is represented in Canada by a Governor General.  When Confederation reached reality in 1867, Queen Victoria reigned over Canada and the rest of the British Empire.  Since then, Canada has had six monarchs, the current being Queen Elizabeth II, who will surpass Victoria as longest reigning monarch in September 2015.  There are some who want the monarchy replaced with a republic but I personally think that it is necessary as it is what makes Canada unique from the rest of North America, especially when we are being bombarded with so much American culture these days.

     To conclude this post for Canada Day, I would like to (in the ye old Canadian fashion) thank you for taking the time to read this blog post and wish you a happy Canada Day (or Dominion Day if you're an older than old school Tory).  To finish, I would like to share a vid from when I was a kid, Mike from Canmore. :)

Bibliography

 "Canadian Red Ensign." Wikipedia. Accessed June 29, 2015.

 "Elizabeth II." Wikipedia. Accessed June 30, 2015. 

"Fathers of Confederation." Wikipedia. Accessed June 29, 2015. 

"Flag of Canada." Wikipedia. Accessed June 29, 2015.

 "I Am Canadian-Royal Canadian Air Farce." YouTube. Accessed June 29, 2015. 

 "Lester B. Pearson." Wikipedia. Accessed June 29, 2015. 

 "Queen Victoria." Wikipedia. Accessed June 30, 2015. 

Woke up and said Hallo

 Hey everybody.  I wanted to take this post to talk about an album that I really enjoyed.  David Usher's Wake Up And Say Goodbye.  This CD came out when I was in Grade 11 of high school and is one of few that I listen to all the way through.  I have many fond memories sitting in my room on a mild March day when the temperature felt warmer than it really was.  I would crack the window in my room to let in the fresh air while I poured over a book with a cup of Lady Grey tea to keep me company.  I still get a little tear eyed when I hear songs like "And So We Run" or "Everyday Things".  These songs still motivate me to read or do a little writing (I'm listening to the album even as I'm writing this very post.  These songs still remind me of those far off days when I was young and full of myself.  I can remember hurling insults at my friend Zach in food and nutrition class or walking out in the cold fall weather with friends after a trip to the movies.  To end this post, I'm gonna share one of my favourite songs from this album, "Secret Garden".

Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Hey everybody.  I know that there hasn't been many posts this week so I thought I would send out a message to show I'm alive and let you  know that there will still be posts.  I have one planned for July 1st as it's Canada Day and there maybe one tomorrow if I can get around to it.

We new return you to whatever it was you were doing.

Oh PokéSnap!

Hey You, Pikachu!

     So, how many of you grew up in the late 90s/ early 2000s with Pokémon?  I sure do.  The first game I had was Blue Version (started with a Squirtle and the game still works to this day) and used to watch the show at 4.30 on the Zone on YTV.  The games I remember wanting to play were Hey You, Pikachu and Pokémon Snap.  My mom managed to get me the former as a kid and I can still remember sitting in the basement shouting into the microphone different commands to Pikachu.

Pokemon Snap

     I first heard about Pokemon Snap in a Pokémon magazine that I had because it contained a walk through for Gold Version.  I always wanted the game, but never got a chance.  Just a few months ago I happened across Pokémon Snap at a used video game store in the town I moved to for school.  Since I still have my Nintendo 64, I thought this was chance to play the game I always wanted to try.  It's a bit dated but is just what I expected in regards to playability.

"I say good sir/madame!  Would you perchance like to play a game of Monsters that Live in Your Pocket?"

Bibliography
"Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander Wallpaper." Wallpaper Converter. Accessed June 23, 2015.

 "Don't Get a Reply in 24hrs to Win! (KingSam Memorial Game)." Don't Get a Reply in 24hrs to Win! (KingSam Memorial Game). Accessed June 23, 2015.

"Hey You, Pikachu!" Wikipedia. Accessed June 23, 2015.

"Pokémon Snap." Wikipedia. Accessed June 23, 2015.

Le Book! Sure, I guess...

     Hello all, today I wanted to talk about a book I had to read in History of North American Religion entitled La Guerre, Yes Sir! by Roch Carrier (author of the short story "The Hockey Sweater"). It is the darkly comedic story of when the body of a dead French Canadian soldier is returned to his home village in rural Quebec. Chaos is unleashed when Anglo soldiers arrive with the body the villagers arrive to pay their respects, bringing drinking, shouting and fighting in their wake. Carrier's novel lampoons the classic view of Quebec identity since of being largely rural and pious, something politicians like Maurice Duplessis had been emphasising during the 1930s and '50s under the power of the Union Nationale. La Guarre, Yes Sir! is not only a commentary of life during the reign on Maurice Duplessis, but is also a glimpse into Quebec society during the Quiet Revolution.

     The idea of rural Quebec being separate from its urban counter is quickly thrown away early in the beginning of La Guerre. The introduction of the railroad means the village is now dependent on the both the city and the rest of Canada by providing them with goods not normally found in in the country. It is also through the railroad that the body of the dead soldier Corriveau is brought home from the battle fields of Europe. Carrier is showing that the rural Quebec is dependent on industry as it assists the countryside by giving it the supplies that it has become reliant on and also serving as the only means to bring Corriveau's body home for burial. Despite this contact with the outside world. The village is still ignorant to what is really out there, even claiming at one point that young men would turn into homosexuals from visiting the city (149).

     Religion is seen as only casually observed by French Canadians. The finest examples of this can be found in the interactions between Arsène and his son Philibert, the two being constantly at odds due to Philibert being an atheist.  Throughout the book, Philibert makes blasphemous comments, prompting his father to beat him.  After hearing his son make a comment about the hard ground and Jesus Christ, Arsène proceeds to hit his son until he hears Philibert mention that kicking him will be pointless as he is just reminded how happy he will be to bury his father when Arsène dies. The two then go on to compare the ground to a knot in the crucifix and the Pope’s mattress. These scenes show the lose the influence of religion was in rural Quebec. Philibert is a staunch atheist, constantly rubbing against his father’s Catholic faith. But upon realizing that his son is now a grown man, Arsène becomes willing to join in with his son’s blasphemous remarks, showing that he too is not as serious in his faith as he had appeared.

     In conclusion, Roch Carrier's book is an excellent source on not only what life was like during the government of Maurice Duplessis, but also on the mind set of those viewing the past during the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s.  The growth of industry in the early twentieth century had opened access between rural and urban Quebec.  These two formerly separate worlds were now able to interact, though the rural part was still ever cautious of the urban.  In addition,  religion was not as strongly observed as believed as some villagers were willing to forsake their faith in the name of good humour.  The question that now remains is how does this all play into the Quiet Revolution's perception of the past.  It shows that 1960s Quebec was beginning to see its past as exactly what it was: the past.  Rather than trying to up hold values that their forefathers obviously couldn't do themselves.  Therefore, Carrier's books is an interesting read for how he uses dark humour to lampoon the past.

Maurice Duplessis (1890-1959)

Bibliography

Carrier, Roch. La Guerre, Yes Sir! In La Guerrer Trilogy, by Roch Carrier, trans. Sheila Fischman, 105-203. Toronto: House of Anansi Press Inc., 2013.

"La Guerre, Yes Sir!" Goodreads. Accessed June 22, 2015.

"Révolution Tranquille Et Démocratie Au Pluriel." - Articles. Accessed June 22, 2015.

Matter of Opinion

    Hey everybody.  I'm taking a break from the normal stuff (I think it's normal).  I'm wanting to know what you guys think of all this so far.  I want to post some more original stuff, like a weekly/bi-weekly serial of some sort but I want know what's been working.  So please, comment and let me know.

Welcome to Below the Fiftieth Wall and its Stream of Unconsciousness

     Today I wanted to talk about two web based programs that I've been watching for the past while.  These are Atop the Fourth Wall by Linkara and Suede's Stream of Conciousness/Suede XS by Suede of Channel Awesome fame.  The year 2014 had been a tough one for me and these two shows gave me something to escape to during that period.  To be honest I only happened to get into these shows because of my friend Brad, who is also a fan of Atop the Fourth Wall.  After watching a few episodes Linkara's show, I started exploring the rest of Channel Awesome and happened across some of the other personalities who  appeared in some of the cross over episodes, among them was Suede, whose Anime reviews and his opinion program Suede's Stream of Conciousness (later renamed Suede XS) I have found enjoyable.

Linkara - Atop The Fourth Wall
     Atop the Fourth Wall is a comic book review program that looks at (of course) bad comics.  These range from comics from Marvel and DC to lesser known publishers and obscure comics that you didn't know existed.  Throughout the show, Linkara has had a running story line parodying and honouring the insanity of comics.  With his trusty magic gun (where'd her purchase that?) and his companions the robot Pollo, 90s Kid, Harvey Finevoice, Doctor Linksaino amongh others (including an insaine yet endearing DC character named Snowflame), Linkara faces off against robot copies of himself, universe-eating entities and the dreaded Lord Vyce all from the comfort of his space ship Comicron 1.  In Atop the Fourth Wall, Linkara not only shows what works for sequential art and storytelling, but also celebrates why comics are still so endearing. An example of the humour found in Atop the Fourth Wall can be seen in his review of Superman At Earth's End.  If you like this and want to check out more, please visit him on Channel Awesome or on his own website, atopthefourthwall.com.

Suede - Suede's Stream of Consciousness/Suede XS

     The programs Suede's Stream of Consciousness and Suede SX are opinion pieces that look at various topics relating to anime and fandom.   In addition to this show, Suede also reviews anime on his Animenia program, where he looks at anime shows and movies such as his reviews of the Pokemon movie franchise, which also features Linkara.  His most resent review to date is of the film adaptation of Ace Attorney. What always put a smile on my face when watching Suede is the excitement he seems to have when discussing his topics, like it's something he really wants to put out there and contagiously make you excited for what's in store in return.  If you want to check out more by Suede you can find him on Channel Awesome.

Bibliography

Lovehaug, Lewis. "Welcome to Atop the Fourth Wall!" Welcome to Atop the Fourth Wall! Accessed June 16, 2015.

Suede. "Suede's Stream Of Consciousness: The Pros And Cons Of Patreons." Channel Awesome. Accessed June 16, 2015.

 Suede. "Watch Suede XS: Introduction | Suede Episodes | Comedy Videos | Blip." RSS. Accessed June 16, 2015.  

The Lord God Made Them All

     Hallo!  Recently I just got back into a show I used to watch on the local PBS when I was young called All Creatures Great and Small, a series based on the books by the late James Harriot chronicling his career as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales from the 1930s to as far forward as the early 70s (from what I can can gather but the show concentrates itself on the 1930s and 50s).  It not like Game of Thrones, with its political intrigue, violence and infamous episode 9 ready to give everyone a shock like clockwork.  Despite being the opposite, much like Game of Thrones, All Creatures Great and Small can also boast of some connection with Doctor Who, with Peter Davidson (the Fifth Doctor) playing Tristan, Patrick Troughton (the Second Doctor) making a guest appearance and the notorious John Nathan-Turner producing.  In addition, the program has a Harry Potter connection with Robert Hardy as Sigfried(who played the misguided Cornelius Fudge in the film series).

     These slice of life shows can be a nice change up from heroes fighting dragons, politicians stabbing each other in the back, maidens with hair long enough to climb, and more.  They help us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.  House of Cards, Games of Thrones, Sherlock, and Doctor Who are nice programs but sometimes a nice change is always good.  It's slices of life that make us laugh, cry, and relate with the world around us while making us find joy in the small things (while ignoring the trouble small things can cause).  Sure, those shows can due the same thing, but there is something about shows that are grounded in the realms of reality that are nice every now and again.

Cast from Left to Right: Christopher Timothy as James; Robert Hardy as Sigfried; Peter Davidson as Tristan; Mary Hignett as Mrs. Hall;Carol Drinkwater as Helen (series 1-3, replaced later by Lynda Billingham for series 4-7)

 Bibliography
"James Herriot Series." - Exodus Books. Accessed June 15, 2015.

Wikipedia. Accessed June 15, 2015.

The Puff Puff Parson

The Rev. W. Awdry (1911-1997) observing his self-made model of Thomas' Branch Line.

     Today marks the 104th birthday of the Rev. Wilbert Vere Awdry (1911-1997).  This clergy man had made many a childhood with his creation of a certain little blue tank engine.  Originally written as stories to entertain his son Christopher when he was sick with measles, the Rev. Awdry's Railway Series has since held strong for 70 years and continue in the form of the television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.  It has been very much a part of my life since I can remember and still is.  A lot of people like to think that the Awdry made a killing with his books, but all it really did was give him a new modest home and a proper pension for when retired from his service in the Church of England.

     He was more conserned with his role as a clergyman than a writer of children's books.  In Brian Sibley's biography of the reverand, The Thomas the Tank Engine Man, Awdry discribed his philosophy is that this is God's world.

He makes the rules.  We have free choice, we can obey or disobey; but we cannot choose to disobey him and live happily our way.  [...]  Like us humans, [Thomas and his friends] go their own way and, inevitably come to a sticky end.  Then offender has to show that he is sorry and accept his punishment.  But the point is, they are punished, they are never scrapped. (331) 

To put it simply, we mess up but we can be forgiven for it.  There is always a change to prove yourself.  It not a new thing, it can be found in the Bible.  The Rev. Awdry just made it easier to understand with his stories.  When asked how he wanted the remembered, the Rev. W. Awdry answered that he would want his epitaph to read: "He helped people to see God in the ordinary things of life, and he made children laugh." (Sibley, 331)  I certainly think he did.  Do you?

The original model of Thomas.

Bibliography
Sibley, Brian. The Thomas the Tank Engine Man: The Story of the Reverend W. Awdry and His Really Useful Engines. London: Heinemann, 1995.
 
"The Thin Clergyman." The Rev. Wilbert Vere Awdry. Accessed June 15, 2015.

 "Thomas the Tank Engine." Characters of the Railway Series:. Accessed June 15, 2015.

Sunday Sweetness: Running

     Today, I thought I would talk about something that I've been doing for the past few years, running.  I know this'll turn a lot of you away but I thought I would just like to mention about how I've found running helpful outside of a healthy routine.  I find when I go out I'm able to put all my stress and frustration into each step.  The idea is it's better to put all that pent up energy into something productive, whether it is running, cleaning, or even some hobby of sorts.  Does it always work?  Not really.  But it beats losing it on folk all the time.

     So, happy Sunday everybody!  I hope it's relaxing, what ever it is you do to spend it.

Bibliography

 "Cross Country Logo Clip Art." Cross Country Logo Clip Art. Accessed June 14, 2015.

 "Is Candy Really a Food?" Saloncom RSS. Accessed June 14, 2015.  

Labor omnia vincit

     Hey.  Sorry for the gap, work has been keeping me busy.  While on the topic I think I'll make this post about that very topic.  Without going into detail, I work in the retail industry.  You meet all kinds of folk in that world.  I've seen people in their sixties throw temper-tantrums and people just ask for help but ignore everything you have to say.  I've even had one customer lose it on me for telling him that he can't climb the shelves in the store.  Despite all these little things, there are those little things that pop up that make showing up to work just a little bit tolerable.  Example, I was walking down the aisles when an old woman came up to me beaming.  There had been a part to an old lamp that she was looking for everywhere and it wasn't until she came to the shop that she found it.  She was so happy, she was looking for an employee to tell about it.  It's those little things that help keep me going and I hope they do the same for you.  So to end this post, here's a memorable quote from my favourite sci-fi series, Doctor Who.

  

Bibliography
"Doctor Who." Pinterest. Accessed June 14, 2015.
 
"Industry Clip Art Free Vector." Industry Clip Art Free Vector / 4Vector. Accessed June 14, 2015.

I've got some locomotions

Comemortive Stamp of George Stephenson
(1781-1848)

     I have a great passion for railway history and today marks the 234th birthday of George Stephenson, the renowned innovator of the steam locomotive.  When I found out about this my mind was quickly thrown back to grade 12 in high school, when I took a general Western Civilization course.  Upon arriving at the Industrial Revolution, we were told that George Stephenson build the Rocket, the grandfather of modern steam engines.  In actual fact, George Stephenson's son, Robert, was the one behind the Rocket, though his father did build another engine known as Locomotion.  So determined was I to prove that this was wrong that I brought one of my train encyclopaedias to class to make my point!  This was rekindled when the text book for one of my classes said the same thing, so I wrote an entire essay for my final assignment outlining the history of the steam locomotive from Watt's steam engine to the Rainhill Trials.

An artist's rendering of Trevithick's famous wager along the Pen-y-Darren Tramway in 1804.

     Though Stephenson and his son are often remembered for bringing the steam locomotive to the forefront of public transport, few seem to remember Richard Trevithick the Cornish inventor and mining engineer.  Trevithick's Puffing Devil set the stage for people like Stephenson to get in on the railway game by proving that the steam engine had the power to pull goods and passengers.  This was cemented February 1804 when Trevithick was challenged to use his innovation to haul 11 tons across the 10 mile Pen-y-Darren Tramway to Glamorganshire Canal in Abercynon.
     Though not quite the epic that was Rainhill, Pen-y-Darren wager is something that too needs to be remembered and shood be noted as an important stepping stone in the evolution of railways.  I'm not trying to undermine George Stephenson's efforts, I'm merely showing that he wasn't the one who kicked off the railway boom.  Even Stephenson recognized the importance of Trevithick and supported his predocessor in his later years when Trevithick fell into hard times.

J. M. Turner's Rain, Steam, and Speed - The Great Western Railway (1839).

Bibliography
"Cifunderground." Cifunderground. Accessed June 9, 2015.

 "Rain, Steam, and Speed - The Great Western Railway." Joseph Mallord William Turner. Accessed June 9, 2015.
 
"Stamp Catalog : Stamp ‹ Industrial Revolution- George Stephenson, Railways." Stamp: Industrial Revolution- George Stephenson, Railways (United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland) (Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution) Mi:GB 2739,Sg:GB 2920,WAD:GB043.09,Un:GB 3255. Accessed June 9, 2015.

Sunday Sweetness: This ain't no cookie cutter world

     Happy Sunday everyone!   Sorry for the delay.  I didn't have much to say yesterday so I will try to make up for it.

     This morning, I woke up to go to church  (yes I'm a Christian, suck it up and move on) an as I sit and wait for my pick up, my mind starts to wonder over stuff from the past.  One of these things is about some bad patches a friend and I had about faith.  I won't go into details of what happened but I can say that we differ greatly from one another.  Though we do have our differences, we have been able to move on from this to greener pastures.  It's the fact that we can disagree and move on that gives me hope for society.  Don't get me wrong,  humanity has gone down hill in some points but I firmly believe that we will eventually find a way to climb out of the mess we're in and improve.

Always rememeber...

     I was going to wait 'til later to post something but I think now is a good time.

     A friend of mine messaged me this morning telling em that a friend of her's from high school passed away.  Her friend was our age and died in a car accident, I won't go into any further details than that.

    The reason I mention this is because it reminded me of my post from last night (I won't make a habit of it, I promise).  You know, we have people in our lives, some who are there for a short moment and others who remain for the rest of out lives.  The tragedy is, we never know which group the people we love fall under.  So remember, tell them that you love them and care and say thank you.  They may be snatched from us when we least expect it, whether it be natural or sudden.  So remember, don't be afraid to say thank you and I love you.

Works Cited

 "Snoopy & Friends ~." Pinterest. Web. 5 June 2015.  

Long distance run.

    Two in a row!?  My goodness I've got stuff to say!

    Continuing on my topic of school I thought I would share another observation.  There have been two important friends who have been there for me named Zach and Brad.  They been inspirations and rocks for me during my darkest points in university and have been forces in driving me to do better.

     I met Zach in grade nine in high school.  That day there had been a motivational speaker.  The speaker invited students to get up and mention what our goals in life were.  I mentioned that I wanted to be an author.  At the end of the day, I was walking home from school.  It was fall and there were leaves about.  Some guy no older than me with blonde hair came up the street corner next to me and said: "Hey!  You're the one who said he wanted to become a writer." (or something to that extent) and then asked what I was working on.  That's how it began.  Since then I've known Zach for nine years.  We have an interesting dynamic of making shots at each other for fun.  He has been there when my grandfather was hospitalized and eventually passed away by listening the stresses that were going on at the time.  He has also been there when I was dealing with a bad funk that lasted for several months.  Now, I live out in Peterborough as one of his room mates.

     Brad and I met in first year of university.  Just by randomly.  He and I both shared a few classes.  Much like Zach, Brad has been my support during some of my lowest points.  Not too long ago.  Brad and I got into an accident driving home from class one snowy day.  It was scary for the both of us.  While Brad suffered only a few scrapes, I was left suffering from a concussion.  That incident still bothers me to this day.  Despite all this, Brad and I have be come close as friends.  Though I now live out in Peterborough and not my home town of Barrie, Brad and I are still as close as ever.

     What does yammering about friends have to do with what I talked about yesterday.  Well, much like celebrating small achievements like getting a diploma despite the calamities that we're facing to day, friends are there to give us strength in times of trouble.  They can be are biggest allies and critics, always willing to lend a hand of kindness in times of trouble or to knock you down a peg when you get too uppity.  So for that reason, here's to good friends!  A source of comfort and joy!

Works Cited

 "Friendship Quotes, Friendship Quote Graphics, Friendship Sayings." Friendship Quotes, Friendship Quote Graphics, Friendship Sayings. Web. 5 June 2015.  

Where are the Places We Can Go?

     I just recently graduated from my program at Laurentian University and something just occurred to me. I know a lot of people who went out like me and went and got a university degree and I've heard them gripe about the debt they're now in and how there's little work for them 'cause of those bloomin' boomers. All I have to say is this. Look at that piece of paper. It is a symbol of three or four or more years of blood sweat toil and tears (emphasis on the toil and tears part) that had to be endured. And guess what? You did it. No one but you went out to up your knowledge for better things. To climb mountains and swim seas. You're going to get in debt in other ways anyroad and jobs are going to come and go but you get to say: "I [insert name here] went out and got by myself a [insert your degree here] and no one can take that away."

     We can get pretty bogged down with the way the world is going. I always like to remember Dr. Seuss' book Oh, the Places You'll Go!. Unlike New York Post writer Kyle Smith, who claims the poem to be "trite, shallow and (an occupational hazard that can accompany writing for children) childish" (Smith para. 13), I think this book still has relevance. Smith is missing the point. Seuss isn't trying to give a fluffy message. He is saying that life is hard and you are going to face challenges but you can persevere and that life is full of highs and lows.  We have become a world of pessimists and cynics, thinking that the world is a darker place so there is no point in having some level of hope, joy, or optimism.  I'm sure that if we all took a step back - ignoring the cynics and pessimists who prefer to drag everyone down - I'm sure this world could be a small bit better than before.


     To end this.  You did it!  Congratulations!  You've fought long and hard and have made it.  No one ever promised it would be an easy road, but you did it so be proud of that accomplishment and not let the debt and unemployment get you down.  Those things will always be there whether you continued school or not.  Celebrate what you've done and don't let the bad pull you down.

Works Cited:

 Shmoop Editorial Team. "Oh, the Places You'll Go! Images." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 3 June 2015.

Smith, Kyle. "Why This Dr. Seuss Book Should Never Again Be a Graduation Gift." Web. 3 June 2015.