X Company trailer

Remember  Flashpoint?  It was co-created by Toronto's own talented Stephanie Morgenstern and Mark Ellis.

Watch the trailer for their latest project, on the CBC YouTube channel:

More funny from the ISS

@wilw Wesley, we've talked about you being on the bridge. I believe you're needed in Engineering. :)

— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) January 5, 2013

Who says Canadians aren't funny?

@cmdr_hadfield Are you tweeting from space? MBB
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) January 3, 2013

@williamshatner Yes, Standard Orbit, Captain. And we're detecting signs of life on the surface.
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) January 3, 2013

Flashpoint auction to benefit The Tema Conter Memorial trust

Back in 2008, I posted about an up and coming TV show created by two talented Torontonians.

As their 5th and final season wraps up, they're having an auction of items donated by Flashpoint cast an crew.  If you loved the show and want to get your hands on a piece of the show's history, go on over to TV-eh?, where Diane has generously set up the auction for free.

Auction proceeds will benefit The Tema Conter Memorial trust.

Auction ends December 14th at 11:59:59 EST.

Talented artist: Seth Wilks

I recently had the good fortune of crossing paths with Canadian artist Seth Wilks as he did caricatures using new technology on a cell phone.

The freedom of his lines appeal to me as does the simplicity of his work.

Have a look and see for yourself!

Remembering the Ocean Ranger

From The Spec:

Today marks 30 years since the Ocean Ranger drilling rig sank in a fierce storm off Newfoundland, killing all 84 men onboard.

Family and friends will gather at a church in St. John’s as they do each year to remember Canada’s worst offshore oil disaster.

Read more.

Let's hope we'll never forget the lessons learned from this terrible tragedy.

Sorcerers Safari lip dub

The campers and crew at Sorcerers Safari did a lip dub at camp last week.

Not only is it a single shot from start to finish, there are some really talented campers showing their stuff! Enjoy!

Donate to emergency relief operations in the Horn of Africa

If you wish to donate to the emergency relief operations in the Horn of Africa, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Canadian Red Cross are accepting donations. The Canadian Red Cross is also accepting donations via text message through www.mobilegiving.ca.

Mabel's mentioned at Forbes.com!

A big shout out to the Canadian moms behind Mabel’s Labels – Labels for the stuff kids lose!®for their mention on Forbes.com!

Way to go ladies!




--
Disclosure: I'm a Mabel's Labels Buzzmama and I receive free products for my involvement in the program. I'm also a Mabel's Labels web affiliate and I earn a commission if you use the following link to purchase your Mabel’s Labels – Labels for the stuff kids lose!®




.

For magic. For life.

The hard must become habit. The habit must become easy. The easy must become beautiful.
-- Doug Henning

A tribute to Doug Henning

The tribute to Doug Henning for his 2010 induction into Canada's Walk of Fame!



[h/t: The Magic Newswire]

AMBER Alert Ontario

From their website:

The Ontario AMBER Alert is a warning system that quickly alerts the public of abducted children who are in imminent danger.

The participation of the public is essential to the success of AMBER Alert. The information you provide to police may help an abducted child before it is too late.

We can take action together to protect and safely recover abducted children.

From the CTV.ca website:

OPP say information posted on the social networking website could reach millions of users who can help in the search for abducted children.

Authorities hope Canada's 15 million Facebook users, including seven million in Ontario, can help them in the first crucial three to five hours after a child is abducted.

Sir Patrick Stewart in Macbeth

From the PBS website:

Following a London West End run in December 2007, a sold-out limited engagement at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in March 2008, and a subsequent eight-week run on Broadway, director Rupert Goold’s gripping stage production of Macbeth was filmed for television at the end of 2009.

The co-production between WNET.ORG and Illuminations Television, in association with the BBC, stars Sir Patrick Stewart in his triumphant, Tony-nominated performance as the ambitious general, and Tony-nominated Kate Fleetwood as his coldly scheming wife.

The production, though retaining the Goold’s exciting concept of relocating the bloody action to a nameless 20th-century militaristic society, has been rethought in vivid filmic terms. The movie, marking Goold’s cinematic debut, will be presented on PBS as part of the Great Performances series Wednesday, October 6, at 9 p.m. (check local listings).

If this is anywhere near as good as the performance of Hamlet they ran earlier this year, we're in for a real treat!






--
Web affiliates:

Aurora borealis webcam!

[photo credit: Jim Trodel, creative commons licence]

From CBC.ca:

Canada's northern lights are coming to the rest of the world, thanks to a new webcam being launched by the Canadian Space Agency.

The space agency has teamed up with partners in Yellowknife and Calgary to develop the AuroraMax website for which webcams set up around Yellowknife will capture real-time images of the aurora borealis.

Read more about AuroraMAX at the Astronomy North website or visit the quick link to the webcam (live feed begins after dusk).

One bad weed

Photo by Flickr user hockadilly



Photo by Flickr user debs-eye

From the CBC website:

Biologists and health officials in eastern Ontario are scrambling to contain an invasive plant that can cause blindness and severe burns.

Heracleum mantegazzianum, or giant hogweed, is a poisonous plant most recently found growing in Renfrew County, west of Ottawa.

The Globe and Mail reports that the weed is also making headway into parts of British Columbia.

The Globe article also states that the Invasive Plants Council of British Columbia recommends an expert wear waterproof gloves, a rubber raincoat and pants and eye protection when they're removing the worrisome weed!

Don't be getting this one confused with Queen Anne's Lace.

For more information, visit OntarioWeeds.com

Trivia:
Genesis had a song titled "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" which can be seen on YouTube.

Interesting lyric:

Still they're invincible,
Still they're immune to all our herbicidal battering.

Happy birthday Canada!

Instructions for creating this Little flag can be found at Craft Day.

In the words of slam poet Shane Koyczan delivering "We Are More":

Way to go Flashpoint!

Almost two years ago, I mentioned a little home grown show called "Flashpoint."

They are doing something right! According to the CTV website:

Last Friday’s episode was the most-watched primetime program in North America, with 1.08 million viewers in Canada and 6.95 million in the United States.

Last Friday's episode was a rerun.

Way to go Flashpoint!

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa Charitable Foundation

Andrea Tomkins, blogger at a peek inside the fishbowl, has recently joined the Board of Directors of the new Youth Services Bureau (YSB) of Ottawa Charitable Foundation.

The YSB Charitable Foundation has set a goal to raise $750,000 in 2010-2011.

This campaign will help:

• Rebuild the Downtown Services and Drop-in Centre, where YSB’s street front programs are offered;
• Support mental health programs for youth;
• Fund employment programs that help young people get their first jobs;
• Expand housing and shelter services to accommodate street-involved youth; and
• Sustain community reintegration programs for youth in conflict with the law.

Andrea is one of 50 community leaders asking 50 individuals to donate $50 to the YSB Charitable Foundation.

If you're able to make a donation to help her reach her target of $2500, please do so, in any amount, using this form so she may track the progress to reaching her target.

For more information about this initiative, please read her post "I've got a big favour to ask."

I am The Doctor, eh?

Did you know that Canadian Sydney Cecil Newman, a Canadian film and television producer, played a pioneering role in British television drama from the late 1950s to the late 1960s?

During his time in Britain in the 1950s and 60s, among other credits, he was involved in initiating both The Avengers and Doctor Who!

He returned to Canada in 1970 and continued to be heavily involved in film and broadcasting. Newman was awarded the Order of Canada in 1981.

[h/t: The Doctor Who Blog]



--
Web affiliates:

Doctor Who most watched show

According to the Space website, last Saturday's airing of Doctor Who won the timeslot for viewers across the board! Not bad for a geek in a bowtie.

Want to see what all the fuss was about? Check it out online at Spacecast.com before Sunday night.



--
Web affiliates: