The Unit

Dating 101 with Sarah Jay

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:27:16 -0400

1. When was your first date and what was it like?

We went to Millennium skatepark, smoked cigarillos and talked about marrying each other. I was 14 at the time, I should mention. It was really romantic and I lied to my parents about it and told them I was seeing a Lindsay Lohan movie in the theater with my brother.

2. On average how many dates do you go on every week?

I usually go on 1-2 dates per week, 2-4 if I am seeing someone exclusively.

3. What was your best date like? What about the worst?

The best date I had was with Vincenzo, an Italian banker. He knew the owners of Prego (this nice Italian place in Eau Claire) and got the entire restaurant booked just for the two of us. There were rose petals everywhere and they let us smoke on the patio. Then we went for a walk down by the Bow and it was really beautiful.
My worst date was my Ikea date. I met the guy when I worked at Chinook Centre. He worked at Le Château and I worked at XXI Forever. He took me to Ikea to furniture shop—it was weird first date material. “Let’s plan out our future together,” type of thing. And then he told me that he was an extreme Christian and that his dad beat him with a belt when he was little. Then he tried to give me a foot massage in Second Cup and asked if I would be okay with a hickey. It was just odd.

4. Do you think it’s acceptable for a guy to take a girl on a date using Calgary transit, or does he need to have a car?

I used to be a twat about this, but I think that some of the best dates are the nice casual ones. Cars are over-rated. I don’t even own a car so I feel like it’s a double standard to expect the guy to have one. I rep public transit.

5. You’ve probably been taken to a number of fancy restaurants and Operas. Are your standards permanently high now? If a guy wanted to do something like smoke cheap cigars in that park downtown across from Crack Macs would you be down?

I used to be really pretentious about where I went and what I did, but I’ve come to realize that I am not an extravagant person. I’m a student making minimum wage. One of the best dates I had was drinking lukewarm coffee and playing 007 on N64 until 2 in the morning. For me, the best component of a date is definitely conversation. What makes a date ‘great’ is if you can talk openly with one another, and share a similar sense of humour. I’ve done the sugar-daddy dating type-of-thing and it was so depressing. Sure Vegas is nice, and it feels fancy to eat a $200 steak, but if the date is boring, there’s no amount of money that can make it interesting.
Cheap cigars+crack mac park= awesome date.

6. Do you have a policy on how many dates you need to go on with a guy before you take things to *~the next level~*. Do you think that’s something that the guy has to initiate?

I’ve had sex on a first date. I’ve waited two months to have sex. It really depends on the guy. Some people are worth it, and some are not. I think it’s always best if the guy initiates it, but when its supposed to happen, it’s usually a mutual thing. Oh, I should mention. Erectile dysfunctions are a lot more common than people think. Especially during the first time. There’s such a stigma against it, but it happen to a lot of guys.

7. Have you ever had a guy try to jump the gun and take things to *~the next level~* after the first date? How do you deal with that?

In the past, I used to just go along with it and have really unsatisfying sex. Now I’ll just tell him that I don’t have sex on first dates (even though sometime I do. It’s a great cop out). Or I’ll make up an excuse. (Late night coffee with a friend is always a good one). I’ve had to slam a door on a guy once because he was being too persistent and I kneed another in the groin.

8. What are some things you wish all guys knew about going on dates?

Hygiene and style. I don’t go on second date with guys who wear flip flops. I think that how a guy takes care of himself is representative of how he’ll treat me.
Also, I hate when guys try to pretend that they are much more than they are. I dated a guy who took me out to extravagant places and vacations, only to find out that he was $300,000 in debt. I would have been perfectly content if he had been upfront about his situation and taken me for McDoubles.
And women are actually pretty easy to impress. I’m not even kidding. Just don’t bring up your childhood trauma/drug addiction/deep rooted emotional issues until the third date.

9. Do you think it’s okay for the girl to pay?

I am more comfortable if it’s an equal thing. I love paying, but some guys have told me its emasculating to have a woman pay. I like being able to organize dates though, and feel like I’m taking the guy out. It doesn’t happen that often though. Boys are silly.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance review

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:14:53 -0500

The comic books of 30 years ago contained binary characters who were often completely good or completely bad, simple plots that involved preventing a bomb or a world takeover and sensationalist writing.

Descriptions like “And before Doctor Octopus could move, Spider-man shoots his amazing web directly at the startled scientist’s face,” were not uncommon.

The comic books of the modern era are more like an episode of “Lost.”

The characters and the plots are extremely complex, and more emphasis is placed on subtlety than sensation.

Movies based on Marvel comic book often imitate the comic books of 30 years ago, not of today.

They usually follow the same formula:

A hero is introduced, a villain is introduced, then after an amazing display of special effects the villain is vanquished and the hero gets the love interest he’s been eyeing all movie.

With “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” the story of how Johnny Blaze became a motorcycle-driving skeleton on fire was already portrayed in the previous film.

The film begins with Blaze, portrayed by Nicholas Cage, hiding out somewhere in Europe.

He is then approached by a mysterious figure who offers to lift the curse of the “Ghost Rider” under one condition, Blaze must drive the Devil’s son to a sanctuary.

The interesting thing about the character of Ghost Rider is that he is a perfect example of a complex character.

Rather than protecting the innocent he punishes the guilty, often by igniting them or eating their soul.

Blaze can’t control the rider, and once the rider is out it attacks anything guilty of sin.

This represents a dilemma for the good natured Blaze.

Much of the film is focused around Blaze trying to find a compromise between these two extremes, between remaining human or unleashing the rider.

In essence this is a modern tale of “Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

It’s a film with a serious plot and premise that still manages to include the special effects splendor found in other Marvel movies.

Finally Marvel has made a film that truly captures the essence of it’s comics, not just in plot but also in presentation as well.

The rider is wise-cracking yet thoroughly haunting.

Cage does a good job of portraying a character who is teetering on the brink of insanity.

Although a flaming skeleton is one of the most special effects-intensive characters Marvel has ever portrayed, it feels like real characters are being portrayed that the audience can relate to on a personal level.

This film will undoubtedly go down as one of the top Marvel films made to date.

The Brakumentary

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:42:05 -0500

The summer of Brak, the Autumn of Brak, the Winter of Brak.

In a city where there’s a DJ on every block, 27 year old Bracken Townrow, known by his stagename “Brak!,” has quickly gone from being relatively unknown to being one of the most discussed names in the Calgary underground.

After a string of appearances at high profile venues including the legendary Sal’s on 17th and Modern Math, many have been wondering exactly where Townrow came from.

For Townrow, the journey began when he went to school to become a recording engineer.

“I have been producing on reason and a bunch other software for years and wanted to do something live, I figured that mixing would be a good route to take” he said.

Luckily Townrow’s friend had some spare equipment that he wasn’t using. Townrow borrowed it and quickly got to work learning the art of DJ mixing.

Learning to DJ can be hard and even frustrating at times. But thankfully Townrow got a boost from the United Kingdom’s DJ Dan O’Driscoll, who happened to be living in Calgary at the time.

“I met Brak partying in Calgary. Nearly every show I went to, I would run into him and that Racoon toque of his,” says O’Driscoll.

I think it was actually a night in HiFi we started hanging out, after that it was every time we went out. I think we went to nearly every Modern Math together and countless nights at HiFi. Amazing times.”

Townrow ended up buying the DJ equipment from his friend. Initially he began making mixes of Hip-hop, however O’Driscoll’s affinity for the fast rising genre of UK bass soon wore off on him.

“When I started to mix I was spinning mostly dubstep and grime tracks with Dan. I liked to toss in a few top 40’s to be a goof and because I thought it was funny,” says Townrow.

“We would spend hours mixing together and bouncing ideas around. I’d say I didn’t teach him anything he didn’t already know, I just got him thinking about it differently.

It was more motivation from each other that allowed us to push our interests forward in a positive way,” says O’Driscoll.

Despite the growing demand for UK bass music in the city, it would be a new form of music from the underground of Washington D.C., that would drive Townrow into the spotlight.

This style is called Moombahton, a mix of latin Reggaeton and Dutch house.

Townrow first discovered the style when he was playing at a house party and saw some Moombahton songs on his girlfriend’s computer. He made the spontaneous decision to play it and was hooked from the start.

“It’s just so fresh and bouncy, plus it has a bit of everything in it, like its got a lot of bass and you can just move to it. No matter who you are it will more than likely make you want to move, also I like that there’s a lot of vocal samples in it that aren’t english. That spices it up a bit too.”

O’Driscoll believes that Canada’s open mindedness is responsible for the success of Moombahton here.

“Moombahton seems to be getting a huge response everywhere. In my opinion most Electronic based music succeeds in Canada because people are very open minded to it.

Canada has a great bass scene and is expanding in so many ways and I feel this is leading to the hype in Moombahton because you can clearly see its influences from all this other genres. (and also because BRAK is on a mad hype ting!)”

The combination of Moombahton’s energetic, international flavor and Townrow’s determination and personality was a hit. Views quickly started pouring in to his page on the website Soundcloud.com, a social media platform for artists.

Townrow tries to use Soundcloud and other social media to connect with his listeners and promote himself.

“I will post that I’m spinning and send out invites to events on Facebook,” he says.

He also uses these platforms to stay on top of what’s happening in the music world.

“My girlfriend helps me find a lot of new stuff too because she’s on the computer a lot more often than I am,” he says jokingly.

Despite the prevailing stereotype that DJ’s are rockstars, at the end of the day Townrow still enjoys some of the same quiet hobbies that he’s enjoyed for years. He likes painting, skateboarding and also making music.

“I want to work on getting some new tracks recorded in the near future,” he says.

His girlfriend Shani also belies that Townrow remains unaffected by the hype.

“He remains humble with his interest in pursuing the joy of dj-ing, rather than the hype, which is another great quality about BRAK!”

Year End Countdown 2011: Top 5 Songs

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 04:48:27 -0500

5. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

I’m only putting this here because if I didn’t my lovely internet wife Chelsea would probably hunt me down. This probably wouldn’t be a bad thing because i haven’t seen her in like 4 months and i really miss her.

4. Azari & iii - Manic World

Canadian house icons Azari & iii (pronounced Azari and third), had a massive year. On August third they dropped their first album ever, a self-titled release overflowing with massive hits like this track, Hungry for the Power, Manhooker and their new single Reckless. Azari & iii was on absolute fire in 2011 and it looks like their reign is going to continue well into the future.

3. Tittsworth and Alvin Risk - Pendejas

2011 was the year of Moombahton, and although Munchi was responsible for turning out the most heavyweight anthems it was this gem that truly demonstrated the power of the genre. Although this track probably falls more into the “core” side of Moombahton, it managed to escape the novelty shock-value feel that many other Moombahcore tracks slipped into. This track simply delivers a well crafted burst of energy that will dismantle any floor.

2. Breakage - Fighting Fire

In 2011 the dubstep scene split into two halves. On one side were the truskoolers, loyal to the ancient ways of England. On the other half were the brosteppers, loyal to the new drill-filth style of America. This track managed to unite both halves, a feat rarely accomplished. It delivers heavyness in a sublime way, combining haunting vocals with fiery synth pads to create a sound that even people not familiar with dubstep can get into.

1. Tyler the Creator - Yonkers

I didn’t really grasp the full significance of this track until the MTV VMA’s where Tyler was juxtiposed with all the puppets of the pop music industry. For years the industry has attempted to make rap music more accessible to a white audience by infusing it with faux-electro, RnB vocals and lyrics about opening and consuming alcoholic beverages inside of a night club. This track represented a complete negation to that. The instrumental and the video are incredibly stripped down and the vocals echo the macabre and raw style of Gravediggaz, which Tyler has resurrected and brought to a younger audience. This track also arguably returned real American-style rap music to the public conscience. Many kids who previously worshipped Kanye were now demanding more of the raw vocals from a kid wearing skinny jeans and a supreme hat. The fact that he also overtly endorses satan means that many of today’s youth are undergoing a very pronounced change in values. Bottles in the club won’t cut it anymore. This is the age of rawness.

Year End Countdown 2011: Top 5 Albums

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:22:35 -0500

5. Tom Waits - Bad as me

If I didn’t include Tom Waits’ first album of original material since 2004 I would probably be hunted down in the night.

4. Buraka Som Sistema - Komba

I decided to include this because I think more people should listen to stuff like this. When international flavor meets electronic music the result is always a fun time. While Mediterranean sounds (balearic) and even African flavor have long been part of house music, it’s only in the past five years that music infused with sub-equatorial stylings have emerged into the public conscience thanks to acts like Major Lazer. Komba represent a flawless marriage between African, Portugese and south American sounds with western styles like House and Techno. A must have for any collection.

3. The Weeknd - House of Balloons

I think most year-end countdowns will have one of the Weeknd’s albums on their lists. We could probably go into detail about how raw and powerful each track on this album is, but for me the amazing part was that this was entirely free. This album left many people shook in the summer when it dropped, and it’s tracks will continue to grip people well into the future.

2. SBTRKT - SBTRKT

One of the most discussed crossover acts of the year. The soaring vocals of Sampha and Little Dragon, among others, created a post-dubstep album that many North Americans were able to get into. Even the biggest filth-heads stop dead in their tracks when the bells at the start of Trials of the Past come on in the club.

1. James Blake - James Blake

A timeless classic in the vein of O.K Computer and Dark Side of the Moon. He powered up his computer systems and out flew his soul.

Year End Countdown 2011: Top 5 Fashion Items

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:44:33 -0500

5. Bolli Imports

In what can only be described as some kind of strange sequel to last year’s spirit hood phenomenon, this year saw the emergence of a new kind of hood into the western Canadian bass scene. Instead of representing animals, the majority of these hoods, including the famous shambhala version, represented… No one really knows. What is evident, however, is the fact that no bass party this year went without one of these strange head-dresses flying through the air.

4. Crewnecks

I really have no idea why these became in style. Without a hood you can’t sneak around and pretend to be Altair, master assassin.

3. Snapbacks

The main advantage here is that you don’t have to worry about ordering the wrong size off karmaloop.

2. Rolling up pant legs

I actually never saw anyone rocking this but pretty much every mannequin at every store had rolled up pants so I assume I was just hanging out at the wrong place all the time.

1. TOMS

The last time a fashion trend hit this hard was probably that one year when fashion Keffiyehs were big and everyone had like six of them. TOMS combined the two things white people love the most - being trendy and feeling philanthropic. With colorways to suit every personality and an array of different styles, TOMS remained in beast mode the entire year.

The New 52

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:17:25 -0500

This holiday season more students are heading to their local comic store thanks to DC comics’ “The New 52.”

Launched on August 31st of this year, the New 52 was a relaunch of DC’s entire line of comics.

Each of the 52 titles, some old and some new, also started at the first issue.

Superman, for instance, which was previously at issue 714 is now at issue 4.

Many of the characters had new costumes and were portrayed in younger and more contemporary ways.

“For us, it’s always been about the fans and we wanted to channel all of the excitement they’ve shown by giving back with a big event,” said Dan DiDio, co-publisher, DC Entertainment in a press release.

“We’re really excited about ‘The New 52’ and we think all fans - old and new - will love the journey we’re about to embark on.”

Since then the response has been huge.

“So far the reaction has been really positive,” said John Tinkess, manager of Another Dimension comics in Kensington.

“There’s been a lot of people who haven’t looked at DC in a while who are checking it out again.”

Tinkess believes that the strength of The New 52 lies in the decision to restart every title at the first issue.

He’s noticed that people who have abandoned comics for the last few years are now returning.

“It gives them a nice easy place for a fresh start,” he says.

Within six weeks, DC comics sold six million issues, allowing it to surpass rival Marvel comics in sales for the first time since 2002.

Ironically, it’s been some of the newer titles such as “Animal man” which have seen some of the biggest increases in readership.

The readership of this particular title increased by 14% in the second issue.

For those that don’t have time to check out a comic store, DC is releasing a hardcover that contains each of the first issues of The New 52 on December 13th for only $150.00.

DC also broke new ground by releasing the digital copies of each issue on the same day as the physical copy.

Each issue is available for iphone, Android, PC and Mac.

air-kentucky: ….awesome

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:37:29 -0500

air-kentucky:

….awesome

As Bold As Lions "Deliverance" review

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:46:00 -0500

No one really understands what happened to metalcore.

What started out over 10 years ago as an extremely emotionally gripping genre with bands like Botch and Nodes of Ranvier has now transformed into kids from Chinook station, Tiger streaks, Monroe piercings, infinity clothing companies owned by lead singers, more synths than band members, whiney-ass clean singing, wobble basslines and crab stances.

The only thing deep about metalcore these days seems to be the V-necks of the Chinook station kids as they crabwalk through a maze of Korgs.

Yet there are some groups that have survived the goblinification of metalcore.

One of these groups is As Bold As Lions.

As Bold As Lions makes classic metalcore for classic hardcore kids who want to have a classic time at a classic hardcore show.

There’s no pretentiousness or marketing gimmicks here.

I doubt any of the band members even know what a tiger streak is.

The album opens with “Conviction,” a stripped down yet violent and imposing burst of chaos.

From there it travels from panic inducing sections reminiscent of vintage August Burns Red to soaring melodic heights reminiscent of vintage Hopesfall to energy charged slowdowns reminiscent of A Perfect Murder.

This package is then sent barreling through the speaker at speeds of over 9000, propelled by the weaponized voice of vocalist Jon Maheswaran.

Maheswaran truly treats every word like a creation within a creation, expertly crafting each one from an infinite arsenal of tonalities to keep the listeners on their feet.

Deliverance is an album that will pull metalcore away from Chinook station and give aficionados of the genre something to be proud of.

yggdrasill: Good Guy Lucifer

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 13:48:47 -0400

yggdrasill:

Good Guy Lucifer

Yeti Discovered in Siberia

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:07:59 -0400

Russian researchers believe they are 95% sure that the Yeti exists deep within the Russian tundra.

“During the expedition to the Azasskaya cave, conference participants gathered indisputable proof that the Shoria mountains are inhabited by the ‘Snow Man.’ They found his footprints, his supposed bed, and various markers with which the yeti uses to denote his territory,” said a representative of the Kemerovo region of Siberia.

So far all researchers have to go on are a few tracks and a clump of hair found in a cave. No attempts were made to set up a hidden camera in the cave, leading some Russians to believe that the announcement is a publicity stunt, meant to bolster tourism to the region.

No mountain expedition has ever found conclusive proof of the Yeti. Large tracks have been found around the Himalayas over the years, however they have been attributed to large native bears.

The researchers believe the creature is either dark gray or reddish brown, and stands shorter than bigfoot at around six or seven feet.

Yahoo! News:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/russians-claim-indisputable-proof-yeti-231402825.html

The Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/oct/10/siberia-home-to-yeti-bigfoot

The Inquisitr

http://www.inquisitr.com/149822/yeti-evidence/

Time

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/10/11/scientists-95-sure-bigfoot-lives-in-russian-tundra/

The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8818086/Yetis-do-exist.html

Original Article

Luanne Ronquillo discusses Jalu

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:30:54 -0400

1. If you could be any member of the wu-tang clan which one would you be and why?

Rza - because he’s the mastermind behind the scenes. Jedi like.

2. How did you get into fashion design and how long have you been doing it?

I’ve always been interested in fashion. I took fashion studies in high school, I would make my own clothes often, and then I started deconstructing hoodies and other clothes, then finally got into designing my own collection. I guess I’ve been doing this for about 8 years now, unofficially.

3. Why did you decide to start your own house (is it called a house or a line??) as opposed to working for someone else. Was it stressful?

(Line) house seems more prestigious and I’m not sure if we’re quite there yet. Haha. my best friend, and now business partner Jacile, persuaded me to start a line. She really wanted to support my creativity so we decided to partner up and make this hobby a business. Working for yourself is always better than working for some one else. There is no one dictating my creative process, Jacile and I get to grow the company how we see fit, and no one else can tell us otherwise. It’s of course stressful at times, but it’s the type of stress that i like, because this stress is just a result of achieving a goal for our company, not for another persons approval or deadlines.

4. What is the inspiration behind Jalu’s new collection? What were some main elements that you tried to focus on in this collection?

With everything I design there is no specific inspiration. I am inspired by everything. It could be a feeling, an experience, a person I meet, or someones style that I like who is walking down the street. With this collection, I really wanted to focus on comfort, and oversized silhouettes. I also love androgyny and the fact that a woman can put on a man’s piece and still look great it in, and vice versa.

5. Have you been significantly inspired by anyone else, either in the course of creating this collection or just in general?

I’m always inspired by Helmut Lang, Alexander Wang, Haider Ackermann, Peter Lindberg, Lauryn Hill, as well as Mount Kimbie and Bonobo’s music.

6. Would you say that your pieces reflect current trends in fashion, or are they meant to be an alternative?

Some of the pieces definitely reflect current trends, but I would like to stay away from trends as much as I can, and provide people with something that is a bit forward/alternative but still timeless.

7. Where is Jalu manufactured? Have you made an attempt to establish a “green” manufacturing process?

Jalu is manufactured in Calgary. Everything is currently made to order, in which case we do not have anything made in a factory as of yet. Being “green” is of course something we strive to do as a company, but for monetary reasons we are unable to adhere to any major “green” practices right now. But we do recycle! :)

8. I noticed that Mr. Geography is featured extensively throughout the lookbook. How can DJ’s become more involved with the fashion scene in Calgary, either as models or as soundtrack providers for events?

Well it helps that i’m dating mr.geography :). I mean if there’s a DJ who wants to be a model, or provide music for an event, they just have to start asking. Start going to fashion events as frequently as you would music events. Once you put the desire in, a universe of opportunity has to arise. I regard music and fashion as part of the same family. The creative process is very similar, just expressed through different mediums. In my opinion it would be difficult to have one without the other

9. Do you have any advice for people who may be thinking of starting their own line?

My advice would be, nothing is as hard as it seems. It’s all just little steps to a greater goal. And ask questions!!! Always see an opportunity to learn.

Kora Morris Discusses Hooping

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:34:00 -0400

1. Where did hula hoop dancing come from?

Hoop dance never really came from one definite period in time, or culture. The hoop has been used in plenty of ways as a form of recreation, religious ceremony and even as a medical tool. They’ve been made of bamboo, grapevine, stiffened grasses, but were popularized in the 50’s by a toy company from the States who made them out of plastic and sold massive quantities, creating a huge fad. Modern hoopers as we see them today could be considered the results of that fad—but hoop dance goes much deeper than that. And honestly, today it has nothing to do with Wham-O or any sort of corporate marketing. Artists are the ones creating hoops, the dancers are the ones giving it its image. The hoop is an art form; likewise it’s evolution goes beyond how it’s been used and perceived at any one time in history.

2. How did you get into it? What interested you about the dance?

I got into hoop dance because a friend of mine showed me a couple tricks he learned while traveling around B.C. in his van. After that point I went to Shambhala, and like plenty of other hoopers you’re sure to meet I was driven. I loved the meditative, yet playful space it put me into—and today that’s my biggest draw to hooping—and I also loved how it brought smiles to anyone’s face watching it. It was just so cool to me, I had to pursue it.

3. Does this dance have any spiritual elements to it? What about therapeutic elements?

Hoop dance is intimately connected to sacred geometry, and the motions of flow and engulfing spin that you engage in are reminiscent of yoga practice and such spiritual elation as seen in the whirling dervishes. Of course everyone extracts something unique from the experience of hooping, and will describe it differently, but for me it’s a matter of harmony. It’s a relaxed flow in tandem with vigorous aerobic exercise, it’s a childlike enthusiasm paired with a sensuous engagement in rhythm, it’s response and surrender to the motion of the hoop in order to direct and control it at the same time.
I’ve heard great stories of hoopers who have overcome severe depression, obesity, even muscle atrophy thanks to the hoop. Its spiritual and therapeutic benefits are pretty far-reaching.

4. Why do you think this dance has gotten so big over the past year?

All the awesome hoopers and all their awesome antics—that’s how! From growing festival scenes to the tons of flow-toy retreats and workshops you can catch almost anywhere across every country; there are countless how-to videos and the use of the hoop as an artistic tool is growing. It’s used in all sorts of dance, for the creation of videos and for use as a prop. It’s also great for fitness; my good friend Amanda Syryda (Hip Flick Hoops) teaches hoop dance and aerobic hoop fitness classes in schools and at gyms in Grande Prairie. There are a ton of reasons to get into the hoop, so naturally it’s been spreading like wildfire.

5. If someone wants to get started where would they be able to get this particular type of hula hoop? What advice would you give to people starting out?

For anyone starting out, I would suggest finding hoop groups, classes, watching videos online and networking. Having friends to hoop with is the biggest contributor to a solid practice, and makes it far more enjoyable.

http://www.hoopcity.ca/ a site started by SaFire, this is the most solid hoop resource I know. You can lessons, participate in monthly and weekly challenges, get inspired by others’ photos and videos, get pretty much ANY question answered in the forum and find hoopers in your area. Also great resource for learning how to make your hoop or get reviews on various hoop-making companies.

When purchasing a hoop, it’s a great idea to get one that is a little thicker, 3/4 “ is the usual starting size. These hoops will keep their own momentum going, so you can focus on perfecting your own motion rather than just keeping the hoop up. They’re also great for exercise because of the extra weight. For an intensified practice, get a water hoop. It feels great(the massage a hoop offers is just gooorgeous, btw) and pretty much walks along your body, so it’s great for learning how to move the hoop up and down.

As you advance, it might be appealing to get a smaller, thinner hoop. This is because it requires less exertion to keep the hoop moving, as long as your movements are synced up. Moving from trick to trick will flow much more quickly, and off-body moves are much sweeter with a lighter, smaller hoop. It may be ideal when starting out to have a water hoop for your larger, practice hoop and a skinny hoop to practice off-body moves and your sync.

As far as where to purchase hoops, I offer hoops for beginners through to advanced. I have infinity design hoops(they collapse by twisting the hoop to form a figure 8, and then you can fold it over) and a new design where you can collapse the hoop into sections(these hoops are ideal for international travel, and you can turn one large hoop into two poi-hoops). I also offer uncollapsable hoops, which are best weighted for isolation movements.

Kelly Janes(hoop-di-do.com) is a solid contributor to the hoop scene here in Calgary, and is one of my inspirations. You can buy some beautiful hoops through hoop-di-do, and their secret design is flawless. She offers classes and performance—a pretty solid package there.

6. Who are some of the dancers that have inspired you?

For one, my friends. Whether hoopers or not, my friends are constant inspiration for my flow. But here’s a list of my faaav hoopers, have fun ☺

Baxter from Hoop Path for one(teaches 3 day workshops annually, traveling through Calgary usually around Feb http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqu9jkHYqvA&feature=related
Brecken, also of Hoop Path
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phZQzPK9t0Q
Mona (Shpongled Hoops) brings some serious class.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ShpongledHoops?blend=8&ob=5
Carisa Hendrix, of course, is an amazing contribution to Calgary’s performance art scene. She’s gonna be at Fragments, Oct. 6 at the Plaza, and hosts a festival with SaFire called Light & Motion
http://www.youtube.com/user/carisahendrix
SaFire and Babz (Edmonton and Canmore, respectively)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXNsETVRDGA
N’ my dear friends Amanda (Hip Flick Hoops) and Andy (Celestial Cirque)
http://www.youtube.com/user/asyryda

Check out Kora’s website at http://weavingdissonance.wordpress.com/

Curtis Fagan Discusses Sex Now

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:27:00 -0400

1. What exactly is the Sexnow survey and who made it?

The Sex Now Survey is run by the Community Based Research Center and had 8000 voluntary and anonymous responses last year. Many men in the gay community are still living in hiding and having an independent resource for research into the unique needs and outlooks of the gay community is essential.

2. Why is this important?

Independent study helps to provide unbiased information for helping to build healthier communities. SexNow offers a quiet way to be Out and get talking about health issues within the gay community. Things like HIV research topics, sexual preferences and styles, stats on sexual coercion and molestation, support networks and challenges in entering into those networks, family life experiences and even who is married to a woman and hiding their homosexuality from their friends and loved ones, who is gay, bi, trans to female, female trans to male and hetero-sexual identified. All of this helps to paint a picture of what the community is seeing and experiencing in success, struggles and growth points and it helps our brothers to not feel alone as many still do.

3. What changes do you think will come from this?

I do not believe as a single initiative this will “change” anything in a revolutionary way. That said, it has the intended potential to open a man who is struggling with confusion, fear, depression and anxiety around his sexuality to privately and anonymously learn he isn’t alone.

Everything mentioned in the last answer is asked in this survey without cheek, condescension or patronization of the respondent participating in the survey. The simple fact some of the questions are being asked to find out who is still hiding is really encouraging. It’s a way to know more about the gay communities needs and can help generate a dialogue without putting them at risk of castigation or marginlization.

4. Why do you think we need to have something like this? Why now?

We still live in a time where people are marginalized for their sexuality and cannot go about their regular lives with work, friends and family as a whole person. The inequality is staggering even in 2011 and the more exposure and open discussion that is carried out by folks of all walks in support of that kind of change is essential. When was the last time I ever had to watch the gender indicators of the words I used when describing what I did over the weekend or who I am dating or intimate with? Never. I want everyone to have that freedom!

There’s globally impacting reasons why this is important. To name a few:

-Russia still lists homosexuality as a mental disorder.

-Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was JUST repealed on September 20th this year. Tuesday of this week! That’s stunning to me.

-The US Senate still has members vowing to have DADT reinstated because there are folks in authority who feel a persons sexuality in their personal lives will put other people at risk of death in combat.

-In Sudan, recent legislature before their government was quashed that would allow courts to sentence a homosexual identified person to death. Modern witch hunts aren’t uncommon even today.

Canada is a rich tapestry of people and research like this right here at home is leading the way to a global restructuring of the social paradigms that permit these kinds of laws, societal pressures and attitudes to persist.

Some folks have said, “But I’ve never felt homophobia, I don’t see persecution of my gay friends, why do we even care now?” Simply put: We must carry the torch loud, proud and way over head so others can follow and run this race WITH US. It’s simply not enough to keep it all to ourselves.

I hope that before I die I can see a world free of that prejudice abroad and at home. I fear often that this will not be the case. It’s important to me and to all people because if they can kill you for having romantic and sexual feelings for someone of the same sex in one country, marginalize you corporately and collectively as a social norm in another and the biggest, most powerful country in the world can’t even let it’s citizenry feel peace and security that their men and women in uniform fighting for a country they love will be loved and accepted no matter what, then we MUST speak louder.

I am a proud hetero identified straight man, Allied with my brothers and sisters. No one should marginalize anyone else for being who they are and I am not one to stay quiet about things like this as you all know :{D

Please, share this with your friends, folks you know are afraid to come out and friends who are out. We need to support our fellow persons in being seen and accepted the same as any other person and we sit with an opportunity to lead the way and blaze a path of excellence on the world stage, and who can’t get excited about that!?

Curtis currently works on the LGBTQ team at Telus.

If you’re a gaylord you can take the survey at http://cbrc.net/sexnow/survey2011

Marc Doll Discusses the Provincial Government

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:17:16 -0400

1. I know basically nothing about any level of politics. What is the current situation in the election?

Here’s a brief timeline. Premier Stelmach resigned last Spring sparking a PC leadership race. Over the last several months 6 people have been campaigning to replace him. From my favorite to least favorite…. Doug Grifitths, Alison Redford, ………………………. then the rest Horner, Mar, Orman and Morton.

On Sept 20th the first vote was held. To win a person needs 50% of the vote. No one got it, but Gary Mar received 41%. The bottom 3 were dropped leaving only Redford, Mar and Horner.

Now that all 3 of the candidates forced to drop out have supported Gary Mar the chance of any of the other candidates making up the difference is slim to none.

2. Can you explain your status in which you claimed the hopes for a renewed PC party have died?

There were really only 3 candidates that would have significantly changed the PC party. On the progressive side it would have been Alison Redford and Dough Griffiths who both represent(ed) a significant shift from where the Tory’s have been over the last couple of decades and promised a return to something closer to the old Peter Lougheed days. Ted Morton was another change candidate that would have moved the party a lot closer to the Wild Rose Alliance Party. Not a change I agree with but a change all the same.

The other candidates did not offer much that differed from what the PC gov. Has been doing over the last few years.

Today Doug Griffiths a “change” candidate put his support behind Gary Mar. The affectively puts an end to the Alison Redford’s slim chances of victory. She can still hope that enough people in the Mar Camp believe they have won hands down and stay home. Although supporters of a candidate do not always follow his/her endorsement, the significance of Griffiths aligning himself with the frontrunner and not with the candidate with whom he had the most in common is in my opinion the death nail of the “Change from within” movement of the PC party.

3. If you could somehow send a message to every student in Alberta about the coming election, what would it be?

As a former teacher my message would always be GET INVOLVED! As a partisan Alberta Party Supporter I say get involved in the Alberta Party!

4. What is the easiest way for people to research the candidates and stay up to date with election information?

The most fun and easiest way to be in touch with candidates and their parties is to get onto Twitter. Following the #ableg, #abpoli #abparty, #pcaa, #ablib, #wrp #ablib hashtags should keep anyone abreast of everything political in Alberta.

After that, every party has very detailed websites that can easily be referenced.

5. For people like me who don’t follow politics, what were some of the weak points of the Stelmach administration? What do you think a new administration could do to improve on these things?

No government should be in power for 40 straight years. The lines between Party and government become blurred. The amount of baggage piles up and the party spends more time trying to cover up past mistakes instead of governing. Decisions are made behind closed doors with the power brokers who do not want to give up their influence.
“A government is much like a diaper. It needs to be changed every so often and for much the same reason.”

So in answer to your question the only new administration that could improve things would have to come from a reasonably centrist alternative party… Might I suggest the #abparty for example…

6. Are there any candidates that have caught your attention?

Within the PC party I liked both Doug and Alison but they are still saddled with a lot of dirty party baggage. It is time for us to look to alternative.

Marc Doll is a former Teacher and Liberal candidate and is currently a real estate agent with Sutton Real Estate.

Dsquared Discusses Headphones

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:27:04 -0400

1. Why do Beats by Dr. Dre suck?

I don’t necessarily think they suck. Owning a pair of headphones is entirely personal preference. Logically to me tho, Beats are not worth the price they claim to me. Very flimsy feel, seem too breakable and they are also Balanced sound, which alters the original signal before output to add more bass and high-end. Good for some applications, I however like hearing my music as unaltered from the original source as possible. In the end, Beats is a brand that is endorsed by a separate figure (Dr. Dre) which jacks the price up higher then it needs to be.

2. What is your opinion on Skull Candy?

From the few pairs that I’ve tried I think they are terrible. When I first got into DJ’ing I bought a cool looking camouflage over the head pair for $80 if I remember. The sound was so flat, the earcups were not very cushioned at all and the whole thing felt really cheaply built. I didn’t understand why they were so expensive other then the camouflage appearance. Returned them to the store and haven’t touch a pair since. They are a brand based on style over performance and that’s all that needs to be said about them

3. What do you use for just casually walking around the streets? Do you like earbuds on on-ear?

Well I don’t own any earbuds at the moment, but I’d like to get a decent pair soon. I’d have to do some searching on what’s a good model. I’ve probably blown over 8 pairs of shitty apple ones over the years. I like the over the ear sound you get because they are a bit more comfortable than in ear, but I also don’t like the bulky feel. I think I’ll get a pair of in-ears for the gym and still use my over the ears for airplanes and such.

4. What is sensitivity and impedance?

Without getting too technical, when buying a pair of headphones you’ll want to match the sensitivity rating and impedance for the use you’re going to be using them for. Portable smaller headphones and earbuds require a lower sensitivity and impedance ratings because they require less power to sound “loud”. Professional studio grade headphones will be able to be turned up in volume without blowing on a high-end stereo system, mixer, or studio environment. But plug them into your iphone, and there isn’t enough power on board to pump the headphones up to the same volume.

5. Does the magnet type make a difference?

Well most headphones that use a magnet are designed in whats called a Dynamic Drive style. It usually uses a rare earth metal, Neodymium, to push and pull the diaphragm of the voice coil in and out to reproduce sound waves from the incoming electrical signal. This is pretty much what all headphones on the market use.

6. What should DJ’s look for when buying headphones?

It’s entirely personal preference. First and foremost, comfortability. These will be on your head for an hour or more as well as resting around your neck. Find something light, but durable. Secondly have a listen to them in the store through a powered stereo system like an home theater amplifier. This way you can hear the clarity and loudness in full. Test multiple pairs at the same time and see if any of them “colour” the sound (add extra bass & high-end). Pay attention to the 1/4” TRS connector jack and make sure it is at least gold plated for optimal connectivity. Make sure the cord is long and durable and won’t break down on you. Choose brands that are renowned for the sound quality and reliability, not for their fashion.

7. Would you ever rock a single cup headphone?

No. I mainly do my mixing all in the headphones and don’t even use the on-stage monitors. I find the slight delay in time from being in a large club room throws off my beatmatching and I generally don’t like the in house sound in most clubs. It’s often poorly EQ’d with a massive limiter on it just destroying the nice dynamics of an original song. I’ve actually even considered looking into a custom pair of in-ear monitors molded to your ears. Wolfgang Gartner & Laidback Luke are 2 well known artists that use these. Plus I can control the volume that my ears take in this way. Clubs are often damaging to your eardrums so it’s nice to be able to leave at the end of my set and not have ringing for 2 days straight

Video

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:30:30 -0400

Fall 2011 Menswear Preview feat. Rudy & Cory Brown

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:43:03 -0400

1. What are some emerging trends for Mens fashion in fall 2011?

Cory: Menswear, not workwear. Camo.

Rudy: Don’t be afraid to dress well, menswear is definitely the future.

2. What is the overall color scheme of this fall?

C: Same as every fall. Muted colors, maybe with one colorful piece. And camo.

R: Agreed, winter is pretty much always the same. But camo is going to be huge.

3. What are you guys going to be wearing this fall?

C: Functional boots, heavy selvage jeans, oxfords and everything camo.

R: Functional boots, nice jackets, heavy selvedge jeans, Pompom toques, Long johns.

4. Have you started looking ahead to the winter yet? Do you have any predictions for winter fashion?

C: I actually put together a blog that is entirely my predictions for the fall and winter. It’s called mensfw2011.tumblr.com and there should be more camo.

R: I’m not so much into the whole tech side of it. I would rather see everyone dressing well then dressing cool you know. Dressing up isn’t for business men anymore, but it’s just a lot more affordable and easier to go buy a wings + horns coat rather than a Brooks brothers coat.

5. Who are some emerging designers we should be aware of?

C: I don’t know about emerging… But look for lots of Mcnairy, Norse Projects, Nanamica, Wings + Horns, Original Fake and everything new from Bathing Ape, believe it or not. These brands will be copied by everyone. They all have camo stuff. And unfortunately, watch for every dinkus with access to the Internet to be wearing supreme. That brand is dead, so it’s time to move on while culture vultures destroy it.

R: I don’t know anything about designers but check out Henry holland he looks just like Cory.

Photo

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:57:59 -0400

Sideshow Discusses Alkatraz

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 23:21:00 -0400

1. Can you expand on the concepts behind Alkatraz?

The idea of Alkatraz is to bring together artists from around the world to come together and work as a community to create new music, share ideas and knowledge, collaborate on projects and have a bigger worldwide push when it comes to promoting our music. A little power in world wide numbers.

2. Why did you decide to co-create Alkatraz?

I had pondered the idea of Alktraz for a while and I spoke to Hydrogen Jukebox about it and we discussed the idea and ironed out a few little things about it together. Then we took the idea to our friend in Ottawa, DubSpec, and he helped us out a little more with some ideas and a logo. Its all about being a community, no one person would be able to take on a project like this. The entire idea is everyone from all around the globe working together to make this happen. Really if you are on the Alkatraz team you share the responsibilities that everyone else does. Its a passion, not a business.

3. Do you think that soundcloud can stand on its on as a social networking tool, or do you think it relies heavily on facebook?

I think that soundcloud can be a great tool used on it own, but for this to work well you need to get a little exposure first so that people can better find you through people you are following or are following you. Once you have a reputation and a fan base on soundcloud it’s a great way for people to keep up to date on what you are uploading. To achieve a fan bass on soundcloud I find facebook to be a great tool. Its a was to guide people around you towards your music. Other great ways to help promote your soundcloud are blogs that have direct links to your soundcloud and online radio.

4. Will the Alkatraz members be collaborating on productions/mixes, or is it just mainly a hub?

Alkatraz artists are now all connected in ways that they never have been before. We now have a family of artists working under the same name. The idea is that everyone will share knowledge and work together on ideas and projects. Whether that is artists helping each other with personal projects or collaborating on something together. I know for one I will be working with as many of the Alkatraz artists as I can. We all have our own ideas and im excited about sharing some ideas and making some new sounds!

5. Will there be any Alkatraz live events in the future?

Alkatraz is now hosting a monthly event at the Bamboo Room in Calgary, kicking off this month with the Alkatraz Launch Party on the 24th of August. Its a huge line up of all Alkatraz artists. There will be two B2B sets between artists of similar styles working together for the first time! Its going to be one hell of a month.

More Alkatraz live events will be springing up all over the world. Its up to an Alkatraz artists to throw an event if they want to. The beauty of this is, if one of our artists wants to travel to another part of the world where Alkatraz is already set up and running they have a friend out there to promote shows with while they travel, and a bed to crash in.

6. I noticed that the Alkatraz artists cover a broad range of sounds from nu-disco to filth. When you recruit are you trying to pick artists to cover a broad range, or do you focus on certain genres?

Alkatraz is a international muli-genre music community. Something which frustrates me about so many labels and crews is there are so genre specific, if you dont play at 140bpm they aren’t interested. I have never seen a crew where disco, glitch and filth have all come together.

There is so much music out there that is amazing that if you close your mind and stay focused on one genre you will never expand your sound, and you will miss out on hearing so much talent. Alkatraz is all about up and coming talent. If someone plays something that catches our attention, regardless on what it is, they will be welcomed to the team with a friendly handshake and a cold beer to cheers on.

7. What is on your rider for the coming tour?

By far the best question I have been asked for a while. Pilsner and Hendricks Gin. Summer is all about cheap beer and expensive gin. That’s how SIDESHOW will be getting down on the ‘I can’t remember last night tour’.