“Animals in captivity debate refueled” was the latest headline sparked by a recent death of a baby beluga whale, Nala, at the Vancouver’s Aquarium. This is the seventh baby whale to have died at the aquarium. This death has also prompted more calls to end the ongoing captivity of whales and dolphin in Stanley Park. The cause of the death was an “accumulation of fluid in the lungs”, and also found were two small stones and a penny swallowed by the baby whale.

A group called No Whales in Captivity is hoping that the Vancouver Park Board will allow Vancouverites to vote on the issue of keeping whales in captivity by including the referendum question on the ballot in the next civic election in 2011.

Interestingly, the debate was rather split down the line among callers to the CKNW radio show. I was fascinated to hear the rationale from those who sided in keeping animals in captivity. Their arguments for were either for education or for (affordable) entertainment. One caller cited the educational value by allowing children to see these animals live in person so that they can aspire to working with animals later on–particularly endangered species. Another caller justified the need for keeping the whales because most families could not afford the whale watching experience offered by local tour companies. The cost to do so could be upwards to a thousand dollars per family. A thousand dollars for a family trip whale watching may actually be cheaper than taking the family to watch the Canucks play!

Whatever the excuses are, I don’t see any real justification to keeping any animal in captivity. Perhaps it’s because I never was astonished as a kid being at the zoo or aquarium. Actually, the aquarium is pretty cool, but that’s about my excitement towards these tours. I remember dreading field trips to the zoo as a child. I didn’t care to see the lions, rhinos, elephants, crocs… Nothing piqued my curiosity. I was more intrigued watching them on the wildlife documentaries on TV than seeing them in the flesh lying in one spot at the zoo. There is nothing exciting and majestic about seeing animals in artificial environments. And how does all this translate to saving the animals?

June 22 was two years since George Carlin passed away. This recent debate reminded me of stand-up he did on “saving the planet”. I couldn’t agree more.

Tags: aquarium,canucks,george carlin,vancouver,video
Categories: humour, in the news, rants, video
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This is too funny… and INCREDIBLE!

Just watch!

Tags: chinese,music,video
Categories: arts & entertainment, humour, video
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This was forwarded to me by a friend. It is really refreshing to see other forms of talent other than singing and dancing. A breath of fresh air and the artist is extremely pleasing to the eyes.

This video shows the winner of “Ukraine’s Got Talent”, Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch.

The images, projected onto a large screen, moved many in the audience to tears and she won the top prize of about £75,000.

She begins by creating a scene showing a couple sitting holding hands on a bench under a starry sky, but then warplanes appear and the happy scene is obliterated.

It is replaced by a woman’s face crying, but then a baby arrives and the woman smiles again. Once again war returns and Miss Simonova throws the sand into chaos from which a young woman’s face appears.

She quickly becomes an old widow, her face wrinkled and sad, before the image turns into a monument to an Unknown Soldier.

This outdoor scene becomes framed by a window as if the viewer is looking out on the monument from within a house.

In the final scene, a mother and child appear inside and a man standing outside, with his hands pressed against the glass, saying goodbye.

The Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine, resulted in one in four of the population being killed with eight to 11 million deaths out of a population of 42 million.

The art, especially when the war is used as the subject matter, even brings some audience members to tears. And there’s surely no bigger compliment.”

Take time out to see this amazing piece of art.

Tags: video
Categories: arts & entertainment, video
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And the next best performance at the 2010 Grammy Award goes to Pink for her high-flying singing act. (Oh my, that was campy… The Gazela is kicking in.) But in all seriousness, I think that was the most love Pink has ever received. (She got a well-deserved standing ovation.) Okay, so you’ve probably seen twirling acrobats at your local fabulous clubs and all… But the more thought I put into it, Pink is one ballsy chick! And she pulled off the routine flawlessly. Hats off to Pink.

I also loved 21 Guns by Greenday.

And then there’s Taylor Swift’s atrocious duet with Stevie Nicks. Okay, I understand that Taylor is a young and bright songwriter, but the girl can’t sing. (Where is Kanye to set the record straight?) Now to Beyoncé, it seems as if marriage life has crossed into her music. I don’t know, is she singing or nagging?

Tags: 2010 Grammy Award,21 guns,Beyonce,Greenday,Kanye,pink,Stevie Nicks,Taylor Swift,video
Categories: arts & entertainment, music, video
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Sorry, I can’t help it… I *heart* Steve Perry’s voice! This song will definitely be on the playlist at my wedding. (If that ever happens.)

Tags: Journey,music,music video,Steve Perry,video,when a man loves a woman
Categories: arts & entertainment, music, video
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