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WATCH: The Latest Trailer For “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2”

Jul 23, 2015

The blockbuster Hunger Games franchise has taken audiences by storm around the world, grossing more than $2.2 billion at the global box office. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 now brings the franchise to its powerful final chapter in which Katniss Everdeen [Jennifer Lawrence] realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival – they are for the future.

With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow [Donald Sutherland] in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale [Liam Hemsworth], Finnick [Sam Claflin], and Peeta [Josh Hutcherson] – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong and features an acclaimed cast including Academy Award-winner Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Academy Award-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone with Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland reprising their original roles from The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The impressive lineup is joined by The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 co-stars Academy Award-winner Julianne Moore, Mahershala Ali, Natalie Dormer, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson and Evan Ross.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is in theaters November 20th.

Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur” shows you how a single moment can change everything

Jul 23, 2015

“The Good Dinosaur” asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.

“The Good Dinosaur” opens in theatres November 25, 2015.

Guy Playing Sousaphone Follows KKK Rally…And The Results Are Hilarious

Jul 23, 2015

Anti-KKK protester was playing Sousaphone to make their approach and little less scary and quite embarrassing.

2015 MusiCounts Fred Sherratt Award Recipients Announced

Jul 23, 2015

MusiCounts hosted a special event in Toronto yesterday to celebrate the talent and leadership of the 2015 Fred Sherratt Award recipients. I was proud to be one of the several music industry people in attendance, offering well wishes and a short (ok, long) version of my own story. This year’s celebrations included a visit to Universal Music Canada, a tour of the Bell Media headquarters and an industry Music Mixer where the recent graduates had access to insight and experience from a range of executive-level music industry professionals in attendance. Award-winning broadcasting pioneer Fred Sherratt was onsite to congratulate the 12 recipients who were selected from post-secondary music programs across the country.

“It’s a great honour to celebrate these awards,” said Fred Sherratt. “It was inspiring to see so many promising young graduates getting very impactful advice from industry leaders who have made a great name for themselves in the music world. I know there is a bright future ahead of all 12 recipients.”

The annual award was first launched in 2008 in partnership with Bell Media and named in honour of award-winning innovator Fred Sherratt. It recognizes the outstanding achievement, talent, and leadership of graduating music program students and aims to assist the recipients in their transition from school to career. Each student awarded received $2,500 and a trip to Toronto to attend an educational day of networking and touring top Canadian music industry institutions.

“This scholarship program represents that crucial juncture between music education and the path to future JUNO Award winners,” said Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards & MusiCounts. “Without the support of Bell Media for a program like this to exist, we wouldn’t be able to provide this kind of high-end experience that helps to open doors for promising prospects that represent the future of the music industry.”

The 2015 MusiCounts Fred Sherratt Award recipients are:
Trevor Dubois, Fanshawe College – London, ON
Mitchell Gomes, Harris Institute – Toronto, ON
Philip Gosselin, The Banff Centre – Banff, AB
Nicolas Lajeunesse, Musitechnic – Montreal, QC
Brandon Liew, MacEwan University – Edmonton, AB
Tyler Martin, St. Francis Xavier University – Antigonish, NS
Liam Masil-Mitro, Humber College – Toronto, ON
Phillip McLean, The Art Institute of Vancouver – Vancouver, BC
Justin Miniaci, Trebas Institute – Toronto, ON
Rachel Peacock, Red Deer College – Red Deer, AB
Elijah Quinn Larsen, Selkirk College – Nelson, BC
Jonathan Tobin, Capilano University – Vancouver, BC

Fred Sherratt is a broadcasting pioneer who was instrumental in building CHUM, served as Vice-Chairman of the company from 2000-2003 and prior to that held a number of roles including Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Hall of Fame in 1995, in 1993 received the Ted Rogers Senior / Velma Rogers Graham Award for his “pioneering spirit and contribution to the broadcasting system”, and in 2008, received the Ontario Association of Broadcasters’ inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award and was also honoured by CARAS in 2009 with the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award.

MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) is helping to keep music alive in schools and communities across Canada by putting musical instruments into the hands of children that need them most. MusiCounts’ mission is to ensure that children in Canada, regardless of socio-economic circumstances or cultural background, have access to music programs through their schools and communities. MusiCounts achieves its mission through its Band Aid Program, the MusiCounts TD Community Music Program, the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, Scholarships and other music education initiatives. MusiCounts is funded by many of Canada’s most dedicated corporate citizens including and especially Bell Media, TD Bank Group, SiriusXM Canada, the Slaight Family Foundation, Music Canada, Vista Radio, and Morningstar Canada. MusiCounts has been supported since inception by Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., Universal Music Canada, Warner Music Canada Ltd., JUNO Songwriters’ Circle and JUNO Cup. Since MusiCounts’ establishment in 1997, nearly $8,000,000 has been awarded in support of music education in Canada. These funds have benefitted over 700 schools and communities from coast to coast, supported over 300 post-secondary music program graduates and honoured 10 extraordinary music teachers through the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award.

R.E.M.’s Isolated Vocals For Radio Free Europe, Superman, Driver 8, These Days, Living Well Is The Best Revenge

Jul 23, 2015

“Radio Free Europe” was released as R.E.M.’s debut single on the short-lived independent record label Hib-Tone in 1981. In 2010, it was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry for setting “the pattern for later indie rock releases by breaking through on college radio in the face of mainstream radio’s general indifference.”

https://youtu.be/tbSVnw0Zc9M

“Superman” is a 1969 song by the Texas band The Clique, made more famous in 1986 when recorded by R.E.M. Lead singer Michael Stipe was not as enthusiastic about recording the song as the other band members were, and as a result bassist Mike Mills debuted on lead vocals with Stipe providing background.

https://youtu.be/erGugJx05Wk

Driver 8 was the second single from R.E.M.’s third album, Fables of the Reconstruction. Released in September 1985, the song peaked at #22 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song refers to the Southern Crescent, a passenger train operated by the Southern Railroad until 1979, and continues today (with fewer stops) as the Amtrak Crescent.

https://youtu.be/L_WDZzXGphA

“These Days” is from From Lifes Rich Pagent, which the album title is based on an English idiom, but R.E.M.’s use is, according to guitarist Peter Buck, from the 1964 film A Shot in the Dark, minus the apostrophe.
Now I’m not feeding off you
I will rearrange your scales if I can, and I can
Marching to the ocean, marching to the sea, I had a hat
I dropped it down and it sunk, reached down
Picked it up, slapped it on my head

https://youtu.be/9ybUeY1wnIw

..and from Accelerate, here’s “Living Well Is The Best Revenge”

https://youtu.be/0wjFUNPxFug

How To Perfectly Cook an Egg in 3 Seconds

Jul 22, 2015

This video show you how to perfectly cook an egg in 3 seconds or less. This lightning fast egg cooking technique is currently the world’s fastest. Using this method you can scramble, fry, poach & hard boil an egg to perfection in 3 seconds or less. Spending ages preparing your eggs? Not anymore! Simply follow the step by step instructions in this video & you’ll perfectly cook your eggs at an unbelievably fast rate!

BreakOut West 2015 Announces Lineup

Jul 22, 2015

BreakOut West has revealed its full lineup for this year’s festival, and it’s a big one – featuring 60+ artists across multiple genres, showcasing the very best in emerging Western Canadian talent.

Here’s the full-lineup for BreakOut West 2015:

36? (AB), Acres Of Lions (BC), Alex Mahé (AB), Annette (SK), Attica Riots (MB), Belle Plaine (SK), Bend Sinister (BC), BESTiE (BC), Blake Berglund (SK), Boreal Sons (AB), Carmanah (BC), Chris Henderson (SK), Claire Ness (YT), Close Talker (SK), Dee Erin Band (MB), Def3 (SK), Delhi 2 Dublin (BC), Digawolf (YT), Economics (SK), Evil Ebenezer (BC), Fish & Bird (BC) Gay Nineties (BC), HUMANS DJ Set (BC), Immaculate (BC), Iskwé (MB), Isobel Trigger (BC), JPNSGRLS (BC), Kytami (BC), Leela Gilday (NT), Leeroy Stagger (AB), LONGNUS (BC), Luca Fogale (BC), Matthew Lien (YT), Me and Mae (BC), Mark Takeshi McGregor (BC) , Mike Edel (BC), Paul Cournoyer (AB), PEP (Piano and Erhu Project) (AB), PORT JUVEE (AB), Ridley Bent (MB) , Rococode (BC), Ryan Boldt (SK), Ryan McNally (YT), Sam Weber (BC), Samantha Savage Smith (AB), Sarah MacDougall (YT), SAVVIE (BC), Sc Mira (MB), Sea and Sky Duo (BC) , Shred Kelly (BC), Stella Swanson (BC), The Bennett Sun (YT), The Kerplunks (BC), The Matinee (BC), The Midnight Sons Band (YT), The Noble Thiefs (MB), The Nu:BC Collective (BC), The Pistolwhips (SK), The Provincial Archive (AB), The Treble (MB), The Tumblin’ Dice (BC), The Wet Secrets (AB), Towers and Trees (BC), Transit (AB), Two Bears North (AB), Tyler Hornby (AB), Victoria Baroque Players (BC), Weird Party (BC) and Yes We Mystic (MB).

BreakOut West has also announced that the CBC’s Grant Lawrence will be hosting their 2015 Western Canadian Music Awards Gala, and that Tanya Tagaq, The Harpoonist & The Axe Murdered, Annette, Sarah MacDougall and NoMeansNo are among the nominated artists slated for performance at the Gala.

Ticket and registration information:

Wristbands: This year, a wristband for all shows can be purchased at Rifflandia’s website, as all BOW showcases will be included in the Rifflandia weekend pass.

Full delegate registration: This year, it also includes the Festival showcases + access to Rifflandia shows, and can be picked up at breakoutwest.ca. The full delegate package also includes a ticket to the WCMA’s.

Earl bird registration for the 2015 Conference kicks off today until August 10, full details on what that entails over at breakoutwest.ca.

Bond…James Bond Is Back In ‘SPECTRE’

Jul 22, 2015

Watch the new trailer for SPECTRE. A cryptic message from the past sends James Bond on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he meets Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci), the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal. Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organisation known as SPECTRE.

Meanwhile back in London, Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), the new head of the Centre for National Security, questions Bond’s actions and challenges the relevance of MI6, led by M (Ralph Fiennes). Bond covertly enlists Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to help him seek out Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), the daughter of his old nemesis Mr White (Jesper Christensen), who may hold the clue to untangling the web of SPECTRE. As the daughter of an assassin, she understands Bond in a way most others cannot.

As Bond ventures towards the heart of SPECTRE, he learns of a chilling connection between himself and the enemy he seeks, played by Christoph Waltz.

Released in the UK on October 26, and in the US on November 6, 2015.

Canadian Wins Lottery And Gets Hit By Lightning Strike. The Odds? 1 in 2.6 Trillion

Jul 22, 2015

ABC US News | World News

Lucky would be an understatement to describe one man in Canada.

Peter McCathie survived being hit by lightning when he was a teenager and now he’s won the lottery — both events combined come to about a 1 in 2.6 trillion chance.

McCathie is splitting the $1 million Lotto 6/49 prize with co-worker Diana Miller, the Atlantic Lottery told ABC News today.

He’s getting an additional $10,000 since he owns the Amherst Shore Country Store in Amherst Shore, Nova Scotia, where the duo bought the $3 ticket.

McCathie’s first experience of defying odds — a nearly one in one million chance — happened when he was 14 years old and wading through shallow waters.

“I was trying to lock the boat up, it was a very sunny day, there was one big, white cloud in the sky and the lightning bolt came through the trees and hit me,” McCathie told CTV.

McCathie survived the lightning strike and now years later, he told CTV he plans to use his unexpected winnings to take his wife of 30 years on a second honeymoon.

Via ABC