By Tormaigh Van Slyke On April 28, Harpdog Brown and his gang of thirsty Bloodhounds rolled over to the underground concert with a wayward appetite for some gritty, down and dirty, playtime. Oh yes, these… [more...]
By Susan Thompson What would you say if I told you St. Isidore is home to a popular up-and-coming dubstep producer? I know, we were surprised too. At 17, Léandre (Leo) Bérubé, aka Tristam,… [more...]
By Chris Zwick You can still find snow in the darkest crevices of the forests that line the Peace River and surround Historic Dunvegan Park, but there was a warm sun in a cloudless sky May 6 as locals… [more...]
By Chris Zwick There’s something about the allure of the road I grew up in the Peace Country, and when I was 21, I had a lot of reasons to get as far away as possible. I was bored; I was caught… [more...]
By CJ Lyons (Warning! The following article uses nerd-speak. Be ready with your translating dictionary for words like ‘con’ and ‘glomp’.) Epic! There, summary done. To be more precise, the… [more...]
To the Editors:
I very much anticipated consuming the pages of “The Censorship Issue”. Given the fresh approach I’ve seen in previous volumes of The Vault I expected no less in covering this topic, one towards which I’ve had somewhat of a particular interest (I wrote my Theatre History term paper on it in college). And for an issue that started out so promising, I have to say I was somewhat disappointed.
By Chris Zwick
Missile defense still touchy subject
In a very blunt reminder the Cold War is not so far behind us, a Russian official told a NATO conference last week it would not hesitate to use pre-emptive force against American missile installations in Europe if it thought its security was being threatened.
General Nikolai Makarov told American and NATO officials the missile defense system, which is expected to be completed by 2020, is a threat to Russia as it will give the U.S. the ability to intercept its intercontinental ballistic missiles, which in turn will degrade Russia’s nuclear deterrent.
American officials said the anti-missile shield, with installations in Poland and Romania, is meant to provide the U.S. and its allies with a defensive position against Iran and is not meant to be a threat to Russia.
The two countries have been negotiating on the subject for several years and have made very little progress. Russia says it wants a legally binding agreement the missile defense system will not be used against them, but the U.S. says it will not agree to any limitations on its capabilities in the region.
The announcement of the completion of the first of four phases is expected to take place later this month.
By Susan Thompson
It’s fun to be a tourist and go check out other places and new sights, but there’s a big difference between going to the usually over-priced, over-crowded tourist traps versus finding out where the locals themselves go. Sometimes the best trips are the ones where you get off the beaten track, and it usually takes someone from the area to show you the way there. The same goes for the Peace. Here at home, we tend to point out the beautiful river valley or the jetboating or the fishing to tourists. But where are the secret, hidden local gems? Where do we, the locals, go to have fun or enjoy our area? Why not take this summer to explore some of these spots in your own backyard? They may not be as obvious, but they can be even more rewarding when you get to discover them. Plus, your support helps keep such local attractions thriving and creates an appreciation for the beauty of our own home. Here is a list of 10 hidden local gems, but don’t be afraid to find your own this summer! We’re sure we missed many more.
1. Where the Whitemud River meets the Peace River
You’ll need to travel between Weberville and Manning, and find out the right gravel backroad to take down into the valley because there’s no sign, but once you venture on the twisting road down through the trees and past the sleepy farm at the bottom of the valley you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful spot to have a campfire, go boating, or look for rocks and fossils. Colourful, semiprecious ammolites can be found in the sandstone rocks if you hike back up the Whitemud and know where to look, or you can just sit back and enjoy the zenlike sounds of water rushing down to meet water where the Whitemud empties into the Peace River. It’s not a long trip from the town of Peace River and makes a great weekend day adventure for a family. Make sure to go with a 4×4 or, if taking a car, at least once the snow has totally cleared and the ground is dry.
2. Peace Island Tours
This gem is better advertised but still often under-visited. Take a boat from a boat launch in the town of Peace River down the river to a tiny island where you can enjoy a steak dinner, explore the massive poplar trees and rocky river beaches, and even stay overnight in a cute little cabin. Peace Island Tours make great corporate or family events and are an experience you’ll always remember. Last year some tours were cancelled due to the high river, so take advantage of what looks to be a calm, lazy river this year.
3. Heart River trails
We wrote about the Heart River trails in the PeaceFest article in one of our recent issues, but we had to recommend them here again. Not only are there hiking trails where you may be able to find wild asparagus and enjoy the beautiful hills and trees, white sand beaches also await you without the expense of heading to Mexico. For now, there is little access so you need to travel out of Peace River and up the road on Judah Hill with a local and walk down. Peace River’s Deputy Mayor North Darling is Heart River’s biggest proponent so you may want to pester him for a guided tour.
4. Elk Island Park
Just over 20 km from Fairview, take a detour down to Elk Island Park. Not to be confused with the national park, this pretty campground is found down a gravel road that takes you up close to the river. Bring some hot dogs and a tent and enjoy.
Complied by Jenelle Lizotte
Oregon Vortex
Located in Gold Hill, Oregon, the Oregon Vortex and the House of Mystery attract visitors from all over the world. According to the attraction’s website, the vortex is “an area of naturally occurring visual and perceptual phenomena, which can be caught on film.” Such phenomena includes balls rolling uphill, objects (and people) standing at impossible angles, and a seemingly level platform where two people can drastically change height depending on which side of the platform they are standing.
www.oregonvortex.com
Winchester Mystery House
Located in San Jose, California, the Winchester Mystery House is a mansion that endured “round-the-clock” construction (38 years worth) until its owner died in 1922. Mrs. Winchester, widow to a gun magnate, believed spirits were after her and the only way to quell their advances was to keep building her home. The result is a nonsensical feat of endurance. The monolith, which lacked a master building plan, once housed 160 rooms, including 40 bedrooms, 2 ballrooms, 47 fireplaces, 10,000, 17 chimneys, 2 basements and 3 elevators. An earthquake knocked the WMH from 7 stories into 4. The house even inspired Rose Red, a Stephen King TV miniseries. The WMH has regular tours open to the public.
www.winchestermysteryhouse.com
L’Anse aux Meadows
Located on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, L’Anse aux Meadows is considered the oldest European settlement in the New World that we know of. The archeological site was discovered in 1960 and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The site is said to date back to the year 1000 and is the only evidence of a Viking village in North America.
Downtown Hotel
Located in Dawson City, Yukon, the Downtown Hotel is the place to go if you want to join the Sourtoe Cocktail Club. Joining is easy if you have an iron stomach. All you have to do order a drink, plop in a human toe, and suck ‘er back—the drink not the toe. There is only one rule to qualify: “You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow—but the lips have gotta touch the toe.”
FUN FACT: The original toe was accidentally swallowed by an eager Sourtoe Clubber. Since then, the bar has acquired 7 more by donation.
www.sourtoecocktailclub.com
By Tormaigh Van Slyke
On April 28, Harpdog Brown and his gang of thirsty Bloodhounds rolled over to the underground concert with a wayward appetite for some gritty, down and dirty, playtime. Oh yes, these dogs took us on one hell of a fun blues ride, and it was a good thing too because no one could have known it was the last underground Music Society concert of the season.
The band began to play, and they really got into it. Chris Brzezicki on the upright bass and Grant Stovel on the drums filled out a tight and groovy rhythm section, and Ben “Little Charlie Trouble” Sures pulled With a harmonica mic draped across his shoulders and his hands in the air, Harpdog Brown started warming up to the crowd speaking gently and sincerely. “We’re going to have some real fun tonight…We hope to turn you on to something you’ve never heard before…You won’t be hearing any “Mustang Sally” here tonight,” he promised.
out the licks and tricks on his guitar as the Harpdog led them all, drawing and blowing each song down deeper and deeper with his sometimes serious, sometimes playful sharp-harp and vocal
submissions.
Between songs Harpdog kept the crowd engaged. A story was told between every song. Some were about the history of a given song—who originally wrote it; who recorded it first; or who took credit for it.
When he was able, he pulled up a sleeve to reveal a portrait tattoo of the particular bluesman he was talking about.
By Burt Jones
Ho Hum, another summer of cheesy romance flicks and lame action movies full of aging stars (The Expendables 2, Oy!).
What would summer be without Hollywood ignoring original movie ideas and shoving decades-old comic book franchises down our throats? Personally, it’s my favorite season.
I opted out of Mr. Efron’s latest snore and went with something I know, Marvel Comics.
What can I say about this movie that has not already been said? Whatever I want, I guess, since I haven’t read any other reviews. I, for one, really enjoyed this movie. From start to finish, I felt wholly immersed in the Marvel universe—caring about the lives of the characters, and, like any other guy in the place, staring at Ms. Johansson’s perfectly tight suit.
If you have access to a Smartphone—a cellphone with computer capabilities—struggling to “search” or “retrieve” information using their tiny little keypads is yesterday’s pain. What’s more is the alternative is fun and FREE. Just scan a QR Code.
With a simple “Scan” app (application), you can point your phone at a Quick Recognition (QR) Code and gain access to the information stored within—display text, contact information, a wireless network, or a web page—whatever it may be. Try it. Go to your “App Store,” and search “qr code scanner.” Get one that is free and has a strong rating.
Originally invented in 1994 by Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota, for use in the automotive industry, QR Codes were designed to decode information at high speed.
While it is similar, a QR Code differs from standard UPC barcodes that are found on most items in a grocery store. Instead of using a beam of light, QR Codes are detected as an image and digitally analyzed by an internal processor and the black “dots” are converted into zeros and ones (binary code).
Today, QR Codes can be found on just about any physical object from signs and posters to inside bathroom stalls. Keep an eye out and your phone handy.
By Lindsey Ulaszonek
You’ve typed in your Visa card number, your flight details are being sent to your email, and now you have 2 weeks to get into prime shape for your hot vacay away.
Minimal carbs, tons of water, and, of course, exercise. You are set to look and feel great for your holiday away.
So what happens when you arrive to your destination? You eat, drink, laze around and come back feeling 5-10 pounds heavier. Sweet deal!
This sort of thing is so typical of people going away somewhere hot. They want to feel great about themselves in a bathing suit for their vacation but throw out all their hard work once they’ve arrived and come home feeling like a blimp. No offence, but that’s dumb. Really dumb! But guess what? I have definitely been there.
By Megan Frizzell and Chris Zwick
It was truly a showcase of Peace Country talent. For the fifth year in a row, local recording artists Dana Blayone and Sherry Crawford, perhaps better known as No Limitz, organized and hosted the Peace Region Music Industry Conference Showcase and Workshop (PRMICSW) at the Belle Petroleum Centre in Peace River May 4-5. It’s an opportunity for up-and-coming local musicians to not only shine in their own light but to pick up a few pointers from those who’ve seen success. It was the kind of thing I wanted to do, since I was a little kid making up lyrics and singing for my parents. For some people, music is a part of their being.
With industry sessions taking place on Friday, the budding musicians who took part heard from several speakers with first hand knowledge of the music industry. Crawford and Blayone kicked of the event, sharing a bit of their own success, while guests from Peace River Broadcasting, the Songwriters Association of Canada and the Alberta Music Industry Association segued into a later panel discussion which included Hines Creek-borne country music sensation Duane Steele, TV and film songwriter Blair Packham, producer and engineer Josh Gwilliam and Peace River Broadcasting’s Kent Shumaker.
By David Suzuki
Science Matters
Vol. 14, No. 18
1 May 2012
Evironmentalism has failed. Over the past 50 years, environmentalists have succeeded in raising awareness, changing logging practices, stopping mega-dams and offshore drilling, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But we were so focused on battling opponents and seeking public support that we failed to realize these battles reflect fundamentally different ways of seeing our place in the world. And it is our deep underlying worldview that determines the way we treat our surroundings.
We have not, as a species, come to grips with the explosive events that have changed our relationship with the planet. For most of human existence, we lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers whose impact on nature could be absorbed by the resilience of the biosphere. Even after the Agricultural Revolution 10,000 years ago, farming continued to dominate our lives. We cared for nature. People who live close to the land understand that seasons, climate, weather, pollinating insects, and plants are critical to our well-being.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of the environmental movement. In 1962, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, which documented the terrible, unanticipated consequences of what had, until then, been considered one of science’s great inventions, DDT. Paul Mueller, who demonstrated the effects of the pesticide, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1948. In the economic boom after the Second World War, technology held out the promise of unending innovation, progress, and prosperity. Rachel Carson pointed out that technology has costs.
By Billy Joe Laboucan
Treaty No. 8 was signed on June 21, 1899, near the present-day hamlet of Grouard, Alberta (then Northwest Territories). The treaty’s landmass covers 840,000 square kilometers and encompasses most of northern Alberta, portions of eastern British Columbia, southern Northwest Territories and the western part of Saskatchewan. It includes both a document written by government officials and an oral understanding by Aboriginal people. The written document was largely prewritten, however the people whose land was being negotiated had clear ideas of the conditions by which they would share the land.
The stipulations of Treaty No. 8 as remembered and understood by our Elders based upon oral tradition (now recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada as a valid testimony), were the following:
1. School/Education; 2. Doctors; 3. Hospitals/Medicine; 4. Hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering rights retained; 5. Indians retain minerals; 6. Sub-surface rights retained; 7. Land acquired by Queen was only 6” surface rights; 8. An exemption from taxation; 9. Land purchased for farming did not include forests; 10. Rations provided; 11. Policing; 12. Legal representation; 13. Exemption from war participation; 14. No Indian shall hang by rope; 15. Right to barter; 16. Canvas for tents; 17. Bullets were supplied; 18. Cattle/horses provided; 19. Farm and haying equipment provided; 20. Gardening tools/seed; and 21. In case of hunger, all gates shall be opened.
Before I started grade school, my father and other Elders taught us that treaties were agreements between Aboriginal people and the Crown and we were to all benefit—both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal are beneficiaries of Treaty No. 8.
By Susan Thompson
What would you say if I told you St. Isidore is home to a popular up-and-coming dubstep producer?
I know, we were surprised too.
At 17, Léandre (Leo) Bérubé, aka Tristam, is already a man of many talents—even something of a prodigy.
He is part of the award-winning original Francophone acoustic trio, Ménage à trois, a group that has played at the last three Carnavals in St.Isidore and also won a national Francophone music competition in July 2011, beating out a band from Quebec.
Meanwhile, his dubstep is what’s making him famous. He won a MusicKing contest on KingoftheWeb.com and was featured on Digilove. His Facebook page has over 16,000 fans and his YouTube channel has over 25,000 subscribers. You can buy his music on iTunes, thanks to his membership in the Monstercat family of artists, and he’s released EPs and has been featured on a Monstercat compilation album.
The talented musician and producer took time out from producing his next album to explain to theVAULTmagazine how he started his musical career at the young age of 11 in the Francophone music scene.
By Chris Zwick
You can still find snow in the darkest crevices of the forests that line the Peace River and surround Historic Dunvegan Park, but there was a warm sun in a cloudless sky May 6 as locals from around the region gathered for Matta Fest, the annual spring festival, held in one of the most picturesque locations in the Peace Country.
There are always hundreds of people, spanning generations, and this year’s welcome to spring offered patrons a look at talented local singers, dancers, spinners, artisans and performers of all stripes.
Besides the general atmosphere of the event, the highlight is always the dance around the maypole, a tradition that goes back to pagan rituals of medieval times, and back to the late ‘90s at Dunvegan.
Twenty-two coloured ribbons flowed from the top of the 13-foot wreathed pole as 22 people circled and bobbed in a hypnotic dance to weave their ribbons together to form a tightly woven braid around pole to honour the Earth and bring down energy from the sky, all with a constant drumbeat booming through the valley.
By Chris Zwick
There’s something about the allure of the road
I grew up in the Peace Country, and when I was 21, I had a lot of reasons to get as far away as possible. I was bored; I was caught up in a bad scene; my friends were going nowhere and I was following close behind. I learned a young man in northern Alberta soon finds himself with a critical life decision very soon after high school—get into the patch or get out of the patch altogether. I decided to apply to college and I had boiled it down to either Lethbridge or Medicine Hat because they were the furthest possible points away from here, while still staying in Alberta—as far away from my home as I would be, there was a safety in staying in the province I had been in for my entire life.
By CJ Lyons
(Warning! The following article uses nerd-speak. Be ready with your translating dictionary for words like ‘con’ and ‘glomp’.)
There, summary done. To be more precise, the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo this year pretty much kicked ass! With notable celebrities in attendance, such as Stan Lee (no big deal, eh?), as well as the entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, this year’s con was freakin’ biblical.
There were approximately 50,000 nerds and Trekkies all over the BMO Centre in Calgary on 27, 28, and 29 April this year, nearly double the attendance of the previous year. It was so crazy swamped inside the building that for a while on Saturday, anyone who left the building wasn’t permitted entrance inside because of fire code things.
Year Seven of the CCEE brought on huge amounts of all types of fans, from anime to video games, Doctor Who to Star Trek. Literary fans also took their place at the con this year, as The Hunger Games increases with popularity, and the last minute attendance of James and Oliver Phelps, (the Weasley twins from the Harry Potter series).
Fandoms met and flourished within the halls of the BMO centre, and the camaraderie met by being in a room full of sweaty nerds cannot be matched—especially when the sweaty nerds have awesome cosplays on. This year, the insane mix of all of the fandoms and interests was especially evident. Only one versed in all areas of nerd culture would recognize the multitude of unique characters running about with oversized swords and spiky wigs, armour made of spray painted cardboard, and casual cosplay that can somehow make a fangirl shriek and glomp someone.
Watching from afar in the Artist Alley, I had the pleasure of meeting some truly fantastic people, and even chortled upon seeing celebrities in disguise perusing the vendor’s hall. And what a hall! Nearly the entire BMO centre was full-up with merchants, and creator guests, and lowly artists peddling their wares. Compared to the first year I ever attended, it was craziness. But a good kind of craziness, like the delight on someone’s face upon finding a really rare video game in the corner of a vendor booth, or the absolute joy at meeting one of your idols.
Being at a con is like an epic adventure, with treasure-hunting, and meeting incredible people, while avoiding the pitfalls and perils. Such perils include the never-ending queue, which reached record lengths by wrapping about the building and then twisting around the front carpark. Never-ending queues were also rampant within the building, especially for photo ops and meeting celebrity guests. Not to mention for the food. There’s nothing scarier than seeing a really hungry Darth Maul in line for a pizza and lemonade and growling at anyone he deems to be a line jumper.
All in all, however, you can’t deny the awesomeness that is incredibly prevalent throughout the entire con. Queues fade into obscurity when considering the destination; shaking the hand of the creator of your favourite comic, or hearing the voice of the Captain himself.
It’s these things that make being a nerd worthwhile, and waiting in line gives you lots of time to banter with the dude in front of you about who would win in a fight, Batman or Spiderman.
So cheers, nerds! See you next year!
Dear Max,
My girlfriend cheated on me with my best friend, and they don’t know that I know. His girlfriend has offered to sleep with me a few times, and I know she’d keep it a secret (I don’t know if she knows about them). Should I do it with her to get back at them?
Dear Dumbass,
Firstly, beat the shit out of your friend. The guy is a real douche. Secondly what ‘s the fun in revenge if she doesn’t even know? I say go bang this bitch and video it so you can put it on her Facebook or whatever. That’s fucking revenge!
-Max
Hey Max,
I think my neighbor killed my dog. I don’t think it was on purpose, but he won’t admit it! How can I get him to fess up?
Hey Stupid,
Baseball bat to the groin?
-Max
Dear Max,
My mom grounded me for taking money out of her purse but it’s because I needed money for clothes now she’s being a bitch about it. Tell her she’s wrong!!!
Dear Kid,
Seriously?? You don’t sound old enough to be reading this. Stop being a whiny brat and respect your damn mother! Seriously, go get a paper route or sell some fucking cookies or whatever the fuck you dumb kids do for money. Don’t steal! Is your mom single? Is she hot? You know what, nevermind, I don’t care. Tell her I’ll be over later.
-Max
Max,
My best friend’s been copying my homework for a long time. Recently my teacher caught on and asked me if I was copying his work. I denied it but I don’t know what to do! Help!
Dear Cheater,
Whatever you do, don’t be a rat! Nobody likes a rat! If you gotta take a little shit from your teacher, then take it. If this guy is your best friend, it shouldn’t come to that. It’s called honor, assholes!
-Max
Max,
My girlfriend has recently stopped eating meat. It was hard at first but now she doesn’t want to give me oral sex either. What can I do??
Dear Deprived,
Dude, your girlfriend is crossing the veggie zone into complete lesbianism! Get the fuck out now before you start doing yoga classes with her! Really though, you should remind her that her new veggie diet is very low on protein, and swallowing a hot load of splooge is a great way to balance her diet. Point out how safe and natural it is.
-Max
