This is just a short and sweet post to say Happy Pi Day to all of you who participate in such events!
No idea what I’m talking about? Click here and find out.
And even if you do know what I mean, here’s a crazy little graphic you might not have stumbled across yet:
Have you heard the news? Pantone has declared emerald to be the colour of the year for 2013! I couldn’t love that colour more if I tried, and I think it’s high time I posted something related to Pantone’s decision. As St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, now seems like an appropriate time to post (another) tribute to the Emerald Isle with a photographic journey through the ever-so-emerald Cliffs of Moher.
Having spent a few hours at the Cliffs in the summer of 2010, I still can’t get over how massive and awe-inspiring they are. In fact, to say the Cliffs are massive is a major understatement. Majestic, humongous, and indescribable would be much better adjectives in this instance. And they are nothing if they aren’t cloaked in emerald.
But rather than trying to describe them with words, I’ll just let my photos do the talking for me.
Without further adieu, here are the Cliffs of Moher: Continue reading
If you’ve spent a decent amount of time with anyone from Ireland, you are likely well aware that they’re a straight-up bunch of lads and lassies. Unless there’s good craic to be had, or a bar stool to keep warm, the Irish just don’t have time to beat around the bush. Maybe it’s the ever-present threat of rain, or the need to get to the punchline before someone else comes out with a better joke. Who knows? Either way, the Irish get to the point and they do it quickly.
While it’s a little difficult to validate such a sweeping claim (and one that I make with love, to be clear), here are a few contrasting examples to clarify my point: Continue reading
If you’ve ever wondered what Christmas in Ireland is like, I’m pretty sure this Guinness ad is about as accurate as you can get. As of this moment there are less than 12 hours to go until Christmas Day, so here’s to hoping there’s snow in the forecast…
Merry Christmas Eve from Dublin!
Very rarely do you get to witness the birth of a widely-observed cultural event. Most holidays and celebrations have deep histories rooted in the veneration of a significant figure, commemoration of an ancient religious feast day and/or festival to usher in a new season. Given that they generally have historically-significant backgrounds, new holidays haven’t sprung up very often in the past.
But then the era of mass consumption came along. And now all the rules have changed.
Each November, Canadians take a day to reflect on and remember the sacrifices of those who fought for our freedom. Known as Remembrance Day, many (but not all) Canadians are given a day off work/school on November 11th to participate in the events held to commemorate our military veterans. If November 11 falls on a weekend (as it does this year), some employers and schools provide a day off in lieu on the Monday after the 11th.
I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day.
~ Frank Sinatra
Since the day after the first person realized ingesting rotten food could lead to euphoria, the search has been on for a way to ensure a smooth ride the morning after.
Each alcohol-loving culture has developed their own folk remedies for the common hangover, and I have to admit that some of the cures sound worse than the illness itself. For instance, Romanians apparently swear by the healing properties of sour soup featuring tripe (aka cow stomach) as the main ingredient, and Russian overindulgers somehow gulp down pickle or sauerkraut juice to get through the day after. Eek.
With global alcohol consumption rates on the rise, it should come as no surprise that more and more companies are out to lighten the wallets of those who have overindulged. Of all the cities where you can acquire a hangover, it seems obvious that people suffering in Las Vegas would be most willing to fork out some serious cash to get rid of their pain. Afterall, the whole point of leaving your hotel room in Sin City is to engage in the serious business of enjoying the hell out of yourself. Right? Continue reading
A few months ago I wrote about having the great fortune to discover that Heritage Minutes are available for viewing online. Canadians of almost any age will remember this series of history videos that began airing on television in 1991. Each Minute depicts a significant moment, person or event that influenced Canadian history and they left many a viewer (including yours truly) transfixed back in the day.
If you didn’t grow up watching Heritage Minutes, you likely a) are not Canadian and b) have no idea that history can be interesting enough to make you anticipate commercial breaks. If either of those options apply to you, dear reader, I am truly sorry. While I can’t help you with the first issue, you should check out this post to resolve the second issue. I’ll wait for you to come back…
…okay, now that we’re all on the same page about history commercials being cool, you should brace yourself because Continue reading
If you live in North America and have been following the news at all in the last month, you’ll be well aware that the National Hockey League (NHL) is in the midst of a lockout. The labour dispute has left hockey fans scrambling to find alternative forms of entertainment while the NHL’s players and team owners squabble over how to divide more than $3 billion in revenue between themselves.
As the 2012-2013 season slips away, many fans who miss watching their beloved hockey team while sipping heroin beer have turned to video games to help ease their pain. Lucky for them, Burnaby-based EA Sports released NHL ’13 last month to help fill those hockeyless nights.
Normally, I would never ever take the time and energy to write a post about a video game. Don’t worry, this is sure to be a one-off topic. No need to stop following me now.
But here’s the thing: NHL ’13 is kind of a big deal when it comes to gender equality. Continue reading
If you don’t mind, I would like to start this post off with a few stupid questions:
Yeah, I didn’t think so. Continue reading
Cultural Quirks 