2:30am...minus 20 degrees... and art galleries...bring it on!

Montreal's annual High Lights festival arrived with the signature cold, that every year I also anually ask myself why the hell I am in this god-forsaken ice cube still....and then I take part in only-in-Montreal style activities like last night's all nighter.

Amongst the many activities popping up all over the city - I went to the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal at 2:30am in the freezing cold that characteristicallty grips Montreal each February. In true montrealer form - the place was packed, art-lovers - rosy cheeked from the cold, and pre-boozing - getting too close the art, milling around, and generally having a good time.

Checked out the massive painting/sculpture/metal work of the Anselm Keifer exhibition - its debut in Canada. it was wonderul, with each piece towering higher and larger than the last. The description taken from the MACM newsletter:
"Kiefer is himself a monument in contemporary art. Born in Donaueschingen, Germany, just as the Second World War was ending, he is considered one of the most important and relevant artists of our day. Now based in Barjac, France, he continues to explore the fundamental experiences of human existence through mythology, history and time. To convey these rich historical and philosophical metaphors, Kiefer makes use of highly symbolic materials such as clay, ash, gold leaf, seeds, dried plants and lead."

And of course, amidst the cultural festivities (at 2:30am), you can always count on some goodhearted ol' sign-changin' funness (yes- funness is the appropriate word here...
Here's this "cultural" moment - that you won't find in any art gallery...
click here to see mini-film

PC Revolution 1981

So here's the funny thing, and I know that we all know it, and we all comment on it when it happens. but, damn! How useless am I when I can't use my computer?!

Was at work, and the power goes out, and I realized that the last time I had bothered to write anything down on a piece of paper was...well it, embarrassing actually. and, to go along with my carpal tunnel syndrome in my wrists, I cannot actually write for very long...at least not legibly.

So, not being the only one who felt useless because their whole lives were stored in an electronic box, my work was closed...and ironically I go home and find this little gem from the past:

current.tv's flashback the PC revolution 1981

I watched it on my FireAnt video player , which I recommend to anyone to download. It is still in the beta stage - but its great little RSS powered video/vlog player. This great news bit (love D.Rather's hair..) was aired on macTVshow #109.

check it out...the revolution of the "small personal computer"!

Connectivity across borders

The exciting revolution of wireless connectivity is spreading further each day - and more and more organizations are looking in keeping this decentralization of information and communication sustainable. One collective Wireless Networking in the Developing World has written a guide on low cost wireless infrastructure building, that can be downloaded free under creativecommons licence on the website.

"Wireless infrastructure can be built for very little cost compared to traditional wired alternatives. But building wireless networks is only partly about saving money. By providing people in your local community with cheaper and easier access to information, they will directly benefit from what the Internet has to offer. The time and effort saved by having access to the global networkof information translates in to wealth on a local scale, as more work can be done in less time and with less effort. "

also check out Rana Ghose's film How Can Wireless Connectivity be of Use in a Development Context? An Acacia Connectivity Africa Project

This global movement to make connections and access more readily available to rural localities will be interesting and exciting to watch to see how this decentralization of media will change many people's preception of how media can be used, and where it is being used.

i hope what they say about 1st impressions isn't true...

As the first post - this one will be short and sweet:
Going to break past the natural tendency to introduce myself to you...chances are you did not happen across this blog, but are someone I actively wanted to read it... so me explaining my loves and interests is more than a little futile. Though, for pure egotistical fun (which has a huge role anyway!), it could be entertaining, for me anyway.

Me:
1/2 Chinese-Jamaican
1/2 Irish
100% Nova Scotian
100% adopted Montrealer

there, we covered the surface.


how about i answer the question of Why when I come up with something more interesting than, I want to tell you about my day...

deal?

cheers.