Canadian Culture and the Group of Seven (musical group)

As I mentioned before I took a class about Canadian Culture...and it almost entirely was based on the Canadian search for/lack of a national identity. Then a friend of mine sent me this link about the Canadian band the Group of Seven (named after the best-known Canadian artist group). I listened to Passport a few times and it covered almost all of the themes of the course.


When they refer to getting identity from beer commercials they mean things like this:





...extraordinarily nationalistic considering Molson Coors is half American-owned.

Wikileaks and U.S. National Security

Despite many people, including the Secretary of Defense saying the impact of the leaks are minimal, and many of the leaks turning out to be things we already know (including one UNCLASSIFIED commentary about Canadian views of the US), and one (ex-National Security Council member) Columbia University professor even mandating International Relations students view the original documents, I don't see how anybody can honestly defend leaks like this, which made public a list of overseas facilities that are crucial to U.S. national security. The unfortunate fact is that these leaks can't be undone, but that doesn't mean they should be taken as uncritically 'good' for free speech or freedom of the press. Some things really should be kept secret. From the L.A. Times:

U.S. denounces WikiLeaks' release of list of crucial overseas facilities

Making the list public has threatened national security, officials say. Named are vaccine makers, undersea communications cables and mines that supply key metals.

By Andrew Zajac, Los Angeles Times
December 7, 2010
Reporting from Washington

U.S. officials on Monday denounced a WikiLeaks posting that catalogs hundreds of crucial overseas facilities that, if attacked by terrorists, could harm American interests — including vaccine makers, undersea communications cables and mines that supply key metals.

Officials said the Internet posting of the list — compiled by the Department of Homeland Security with the assistance of the State Department and other government departments — threatens national security.

The scope of the list, and the wide range of facilities that have potential national security implications, also highlights the U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers, and the near-impossibility of making the country fully immune from the consequences of a terrorist attack.

America's reliance on foreign vaccine makers appears to be a particular vulnerability, according to Randall Larsen, an advisor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Center for Biosecurity.

"Would we rely on the Chinese or the Brazilians to make our next-generation fighter jet?" Larsen asked. "In the 21st century, that capability to produce vaccines is just as important as the ability to produce our own fighter jets."

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano on Monday condemned the disclosure, saying it contained information that could "jeopardize our national security."

U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. said America's espionage act is just one of the laws the U.S. could use to prosecute those involved in the WikiLeaks releases. He declined to say which others might come into play. Possibilities include charges such as the theft of government property or receipt of stolen government property.

Also Monday, a lawyer for Julian Assange told reporters in London that he was arranging for the WikiLeaks founder to speak to British police seeking to question him in a sex crimes probe.

The Department of Homeland Security list on overseas sites, known as the Critical Foreign Dependencies Initiative, includes oil and gas pipelines, telecom cables, rare-metal and other mines, military contractors, ocean navigation chokepoints, and such obscure facilities as an Australian laboratory described as the sole supplier of Crotalid Polyvalent Antivenin — an antidote to rattlesnake venom.

The list, "whose loss could critically impact the public health, economic security, and/or national and homeland security of the United States," according to the leaked cable that contained it, is maintained by the Department of Homeland Security, which was seeking to update it in February 2009 by getting recommendations from State Department diplomats.

The February 2009 cable instructed diplomats to focus on key energy and telecom links, sites that produced hard-to-get goods or raw materials important to U.S. industry, as well as maritime bottlenecks.

The list includes graphite, tungsten and rare-earth metal mines in China, military components makers in Britain, Germany and Israel, and a Siemens plant in Germany described as responsible for "essentially irreplaceable production of key chemicals."

It also includes many of the world's key ocean passageways, including the straits of Gibraltar, Hormuz and Malacca, the Panama Canal and the landing points of numerous undersea telecom cables crisscrossing the globe, plus oil and gas pipelines, including one in Russia described as "the most critical gas facility in the world."

The list underscores heavy U.S. dependence on foreign pharmaceutical firms, including European producers of vaccines for rabies, whooping cough, flu, typhoid and smallpox.

azajac@latimes.com

Brian Bennett in the Washington bureau contributed to this report.

Atlantic International Studies Organization January Conference: Keynote Speaker: Ian Smillie

 Noted Blood Diamond Expert Ian Smillie will be the Keynote Speaker at the Annual Atlantic International Studies Organization (ATLIS) January Conference. He will be discussing the research from his book published in August on the diamond trade in Africa.

Blood on the Diamond     

ATLIS Initiatives for 10/11
’10/11 Theme!
ATLIS’s theme for this year is ‘Alternative Solutions: Looking to a sustainable future’. We are looking for presentations that would explore a particular idea or innovation, evaluate its potential, and critique its effectiveness in the context of an ongoing issue. This includes a range of diverse, global issue, from health, justice, bio- conservation, security, to technology. We are hoping by emphasizing on a multi-disciplinary approach, we can gain new perspective and insight to persistent issues

Dear Mount Allison Students,

The Atlantic International Studies Organization (ATLIS) is requesting submissions for its annual conference on January 21-23, 2010. This year's theme is "Alternative Solutions: Looking to a Sustainable Future". This is a wonderful chance to experience presenting an academic paper and to receive feedback on your work and research.

The deadline for submissions is at November 21, 2010 at noon (e-mail to atlis@mta.ca). We encourage students from all years and all disciplines to submit their work for consideration.

Class papers, honours theses and individual research are all eligible for submission. An abstract of your work is sufficient for the submission deadline.
Work does not have to be complete by the time of presentation but should be sufficiently well developed as to allow for discussion.

Presentations will be 20-30 minutes in length, followed by questions and a round table discussion with conference attendees and faculty. Please note that all presenters are guaranteed to be published in our spring academic journal if they so wish.

All students (whether presenting or not) are invited to attend the conference, which will include social events, roundtable discussions about sustainability, and a keynote speaker Ian Smillie.

Smillie is an Ottawa-based consultant and writer and has worked for more than 30 years in international development. He will speak on the subject of implementing sustainable practices around conflict-free diamonds in Africa.

Please kindly confirm your attendance by November 21 and conference fees must be paid by December 5, in order to qualify for our early bird special.

Go to our website to see examples of previous years' presentations and for information on our year-long events: www.atlismta.org

Also join our Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=81172322054&ref=ts

Thanks, and please feel free to contact us with any questions.

The ATLIS Staff

About

The Atlantic International Studies Organization (ATLIS) was created in the winter of 2003 at Mount Allison University with the purpose of fostering informed undergraduate participation in international issues through scholarship and social and political involvement.

The ATLIS Organization is committed to finding new and innovative ways to engage students with the world around them. Our peer-reviewed journal is one of the first of its kind in the region, and provides a much-needed venue for high- quality undergraduate essays.

In attempts to promote scholarship and develop invaluable professional skills, ATLIS hosts an annual conference relating to a major issue facing the international community as an opportunity for students to present their own papers to their peers and professors. The conference also draws NGOs and government agencies from across Canada to speak, participate in discussions and present their activities.

The ATLIS Organization is a dedicated group of students from many disciplines. We are united in the common goal of promoting undergraduate involvement and scholarship in international issues. ATLIS actively seeks partnerships with other organizations and clubs, other universities, and faculty and experts in the diverse fields of international studies

John Reardon: Mount Allison University All-Star Football Player (1993-1997). Oh yeah...and he's in Tron: Legacy

For all those all-star athletes studying Marine Biology...you might want to find a fall back career...like acting.

Halifax native making a mark with Tron: LegacyHalifax native John Reardon, now living in Los Angeles, is part of the big-budget Tron reboot.
The 35-year-old is starring in Tron: Legacy as Young Kevin Flynn and Clu Performance Double. Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges, who starred as Kevin Flynn in the original Tron, is reprising his roles as Kevin Flynn and Clu from the 1982 movie.
Reardon has a B.Sc. from Mount Allison University where he was a receiving star for the football Mounties for five years.
The six-foot-one actor’s credits include the movies White Chicks (2004) with the Wayans brothers, Scary Movie 4 (2006) and Merlin’s Apprentice with Sam Neill. .
Next up is the TV movie Bringing Ashley Home with A. J. Cook, formerly of Criminal Minds.

John Reardon
Biography

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, John Reardon is one of three children, and is part of a large extended family. In fact, he estimates he has over 300 cousins living in Canada’s Maritimes. He returns to his hometown as often as his busy schedule allows, but spends much of his time working in Hollywood and Vancouver.

During his school years, John performed in many plays, but he had never considered going into acting professionally until he saw a riveting cinematic performance. “I was just finishing high school when I saw Paul Newman in the movie ‘Cool Hand Luke’ and decided he had the best profession in the world, “says John. “Paul Newman has definitely been a very big idol for me--not only in acting, but also in the way he lives his life. He is an incredibly talented performer with great range and can do comedy and drama. He also has been married to the same woman for the last 40 years, runs a charity that makes over $200 million a year and is also a professional race car driver at the age of 75. He is pretty cool.”

Although motivated to follow in the footsteps of his idol, John choose to complete his education first. He studied marine biology at Mount Allison University where he was an all-star football player, an academic All-Canadian and Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Upon graduation, John pursued his ambition of becoming an actor. He performed with a few improv comedy groups, and then studied acting at Second City in Toronto. His first break in showbiz came in 2001 when he was cast in an episode of “The Chris Isaak Show,” in which he was credited as John Henry Reardon. He followed that by appearing in an episode of “The Twilight Zone” and in the TV series “Andromeda” as well as in the TV movie “1st to Die.”

After shortening his name to John Reardon, he found continued success, playing the recurring character Josh Wyatt in the CBC series “Edgemont” and playing Randall Thompson in three episodes of the series “Tru Calling.” In 2004, he also landed his first movie role, playing Heath in the Wayans Brothers’ outlandish comedy, “White Chicks.” After a turn the lead character, Greg, in the horror movie “Severed,” John went on to spoof the genre, appearing in “Scary Movie 4,” along with a star-studded cast that included Leslie Nielson, Bill Pullman, Molly Shannon, and Michael Madsen.

Meanwhile, John began to land major roles on TV, playing the title character in “Merlin’s Apprentice,” a Hallmark mini-series that also starred Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson. In the series, “Painkiller Jane,” John had a continuing role as Brian, the boyfriend of the tile character, played by Kritanna Lokens (“Terminator 3”).
A leading man in the TV movies “Valentine’s Carol” and “7 Things to do Before I’m 30,” John also played the lead in another mini-series, “Son of the Dragon,” filmed on location in China and set to air on the Hallmark Channel in April of 2008. Here he demonstrates his athletic skills in his convincing portrayal of D.B, a young man who trains under a martial arts master played by David Carradine.

In the upcoming dance movie, “Make It Happen,” starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John plays her brother, Joel. The conflict centres on his disapproval of her desire to be a dancer.

As a working professional, John has continued to hone his acting skills, studying with Michael David Simms and Jeff Seymour in Vancouver and Chris Fields in Los Angeles. A great humanitarian, John supports a number of charities including Save the Oceans, Sharkwater, Amnesty International, the Canadian Wildlife Fund, and he also sponsors a child in Africa. For many years he was a volunteer in an aviary to help save and rehabilitate injured birds.

An all around athlete, John has competed in several adventure racing events in Vancouver, including the Nike Five Peaks and Sea to Summit races. John has traveled to more than 30 countries and has a passion for SCUBA diving. He would like to explore all five oceans of the world. Meanwhile, John is riding the wave of success in his acting career and spends much of his spare time writing. He is currently trying to develop a TV series he’s written to be shot in Halifax and is also looking to produce his screenplay about the civil war in Cambodia.

News

Actor John Reardon stars in the mini series ‘Son of the Dragon’, premiering on the all-new Hallmark Movie Channel HD April 2nd

Watch for John this summer in the feature film ‘Make It Happen’.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 2008 - An accomplished actor, John Reardon, continues his surging success in 2008 as the lead character in the exciting mini-series ‘Son of the Dragon’ scheduled to premiere on the all-new Hallmark Movie Channel HD April 2nd. Filmed on location in Hengdian, China, this Asian martial arts epic borrows its storyline from ‘The Tales of the Arabian Nights.’ The U.S. television premiere of ‘Son of the Dragon’ HD will be featured on two nights: night one, Wednesday, April 2 (8/7 c) and night two, Thursday, April 3 (8/7 c).

In this lavish production, John portrays the youthful hero, D.B., who studies the skills of deadly combat under the guidance of the master, played by David Carradine. The
international cast includes Rupert Graves, Desiree Siahan, Eddy Ko, and Bollywood star, Nitin Gantatra.

Later this summer, John can be seen on the big screen as one of the leads in the upcoming feature film ‘Make It Happen.’ The movie depicts the trials and tribulations of an aspiring young dancer, Lauryn, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Lucy McClane in the Bruce Willis thriller ‘Live Free or Die’). Produced by The Mayhem Project and the Weinstein Company, ‘Make It Happen’ is a fine vehicle for John Reardon, who is cast as Lauryn’s older brother Joel who stands in her way as she pursues a dancing career. John’s other feature film appearances include ‘White Chicks,’ ‘Severed’ and ‘Scary Movie 4.’

Now in the prime of his career, John has already delivered stellar performances with leading roles in romantic comedies and TV movies such as ‘7 Things to do Before I’m 30,’ and ‘Valentine’s Carol.’ He has also appeared in the title role of the 2006 mini-series ‘Merlin’s Apprentice.’ Other television appearances and recurring roles include ‘Painkiller Jane,’ the role of Josh Wyatt in the CBC series ‘Edgemont,’ ‘Tru Calling,’ ‘The Chris Isaak Show,’ ‘The Twilight Zone’ and the TV series ‘Andromeda.’

When not on set, John loves to travel, has a passion for scuba diving and supports a number of charities, including sponsoring a child in Africa. John also spends much of his spare time writing and is currently trying to develop a TV series he’s written to be shot in Halifax. He is also looking to produce his screenplay about the civil war in Cambodia.

Update: Mount Allison University Branding Campaign

An update on the branding campaign I wrote about earlier. A brand concept should be coming out in late January. Story from Sackville Tribute Post.

Staff at Mount Allison is currently working to identify the university’s greatest strengths and assets in order increase their competitive edge when it comes to attracting top students.

Mount Allison looking to distinguish itself from competitors

Staff at Mount Allison is currently working to identify the university’s greatest strengths and assets in order increase their competitive edge when it comes to attracting top students.

Published on December 23rd, 2010
Katie Tower


What makes Mount Allison unique? What differentiates it from its competitors? And how exactly does a small-town undergrad university vie for the best students and faculty in an increasingly-aggressive market?

These are just a few of the questions being explored as part of a branding project that aims to provide a snapshot of the university’s greatest strengths and assets.

The purpose of the initiative is to provide Mount Allison with its own distinct identity, says Tony Frost, director of marketing and communications for the university, “so students really know what they’re getting when they come to Mount A.”

This will help pave the way for the university to distinguish itself more clearly from its peers, he says.
Today, universities need to be more competitive than ever in their efforts to attract top-notch students, faculty and donors, says Frost, and Mount A has to keep up with the best if they want to attract the best.

But with the number of high school students declining in the Maritimes, that poses a significant challenge for universities in the region that rely on 50 per cent of their students coming from the Maritime provinces.

“There’s a demographic challenge here in the Maritimes,” he says, “so we need to start looking outside the region.”

Through the brand positioning project, Mount Allison will be taking a “more integrated approach to who we are and what we are saying,” in order to market the university to a wider audience outside the Maritimes.
Fortunately, he says, the good news is that students, both national and international, are now more transient than they were 20 or 30 years ago and many of those students are looking for an experience outside their home university.

“So this is an opportunity for us to say, ‘hey, why not an Atlantic experience, why not a Mount Allison experience?”

The research phase of the project has just finished up, with a number of participants involved, including current, past, and prospective students, as well as business and government leaders.

“We spent time revisiting who we were and what it is that makes us different . . . and how we can market that to an external audience,” says Frost.

Of course, the size and the reputation of the school were the two key distinguishing features that were brought up time and time again during the discussions, says Frost.

But also gaining attention is the “experience” that comes with attending an institution in which students are treated to a “personal , intimate environment” where they can become their own individuals.
“That’s something not found anywhere else.”

The strategy development phase is now under way with the university expecting to come up with a proposed concept in late January, followed up by the creative development stage of the project.

"Sleep is Awesome!":An infographic on the Importance of Sleep

Speaking of sleep, check out this infographic that summarizes some of the most important conclusions from recent sleep research from inoveryourhead.net: