Attack of the Snowmen Car Commercial

I love the commercial below.

True, it is a car commercial for the 2014 Nissan Rogue - and this post is in no way an endorsement for the SUV itself - but it is a ringing endorsement for the good people in marketing who made the commercial.

Someone should make a mock apocalyptic movie called "Attack of the Snowmen". I think it would be hysterical.

They could even make a sequel called "Attack of the Snowmen 2 - The Icepocalypse!"

Archery Lessons in Toronto

Some people call it the Katniss effect.

Whatever the reason, the Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Avengers, Arrow (Green Arrow), The Walking Dead, Revolution, Reign and every other recent movie and TV which has archery of some form in it is promoting archery as the hottest growing sport in North America.

Young girls and boys are keen to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow and the shortage of archery schools in Toronto has never been so apparent - with waiting lists for people looking for archery lessons in Spring and Summer 2014.

The sudden surge in archery's popularity has been connected to the Hunger Games book and movie franchise, with Jennifer Lawrence topping the current box office as ace archer Katniss Everdeen in the recent film Catching Fire. But it isn't just the movies and TV shows that is fueling the archery movement. Some argue it is because some people want more personalized sports and have lost interest in team sports like baseball, hockey and football.

“Without a doubt it’s because of the movie. It’s the only thing we can account the huge increase in numbers we have,” says veteran archer Joan McDonald, who coaches the Canadian Olympic team and teaches students interested in Olympic recurve archery. Note - Getting into Olympic recurve archery is really expensive! It is about $2,000 for the equipment and another $20,000 per year for an Olympic coach.

“We certainly have more girls sign up than I’ve had for years and years,” says Joan McDonald, adding that enrolment in an all-girls Olympic recurve class tripled in just three years. She now operates a waiting list of people wanting to get into her classes - and the waiting list is over 30 people waiting for their turn to have the former Olympian coach them in archery.

“I keep turning people away, which I have to tell you hurts my soul,” says Joan McDonald, who keeps an eye peeled for Olympic talent. “Maybe I’m missing someone that could be really good.”

But thankfully there are other archery coaches in Toronto.

#1. Cardio Trek Archery Lessons

One such coach is Charles Moffat from Cardio Trek, who is a sports trainer / personal trainer who has been featured on the CBC, TSN and writes articles about archery accuracy for magazines. Cardio Trek offers archery lessons in Toronto where you can get 10 two-hour lessons for $520. Or you can sign up for a single lesson for $60 to see if you like it. All equipment is provided by the trainer.

Note - For special events like Halloween, Cardio Trek also offers zombie archery targets and similar "for fun" archery targets for a variety of events. The poor zombie on the right side here got what was coming to him. :)

#2. Elite Archery Lessons Toronto

Another company available is run by Micah of Elite Archery Lessons Toronto, which offers 20 three-hour archery lessons for $2,000 and *gives* you $500 worth of archery equipment as a signing bonus. So you get the lessons PLUS you get to keep the equipment.

#3. The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre

The JCCC offers kyudo lessons, beginner and intermediate. But they only offer the lessons on Saturday mornings and admittedly kyudo is probably NOT what you are looking for. Kyudo is more like Japanese tea ceremony and is a very slow methodical process - and if you lack patience you are more likely to fall asleep during a kyudo class. The equipment is provided in the beginner class, but for the intermediate class you need to buy your own equipment.

#4. You Could Teach Yourself

Yes you could even take the DIY Approach to Learning Archery, in which case you should read the Canadian Daily article written by Charles Moffat of Cardio Trek. So this is a real possibility. You could buy your own archery equipment (costs you about $350 for all the equipment, $1,000+ if you want to learn compound bow instead, or $2,000+ if you want to do Olympic recurve). Thus you can learn archery by yourself, but if you discover it is harder than you were expecting then you might want to hire one of the above coaches to teach you archery the proper way.

Learn more about archery in Toronto by visiting the Archery Toronto website.

Frank Baum's Magical Stories

Written by Tamyka Bullen 

Recently, I started collecting Frank Baum's classical books about the adventurous world of OZ. Probably, his works were just the seeds for next generation writers to bring more fantasy and magics in novels in the Christianized countries. Christianity doesn't allow any magics as they believe that they are the practices of the devil.  When the Wizard of OZ movie was on the T.V; my blood rushed, I took the seat excitedly before it had started. When the movie started, my eyes fixed on the rich and colourful world full of fascinating creatures such as Tin Man, Lion King, Scarecrow man, flying monkeys, Munchkins, Witches, and the fake Wizard! Because at my time, closed caption for Deaf people didn't exist. I was fascinated with magics because all my life, witchcraft was my number one obsession. Years later, the Disney company decided to sell the DVDs of the movie, I rushed to the HMV and bought it. 

Yay yay yay...OZ: The Great and Powerful movie came out on the theatre. I was like WHAT!!! I WANT TO WATCH IT. I waited until the DVDs were on the shelves in any stores, I bought it and watched it right away. The movie was so good. I started to develop my admiration for the Green Witch. Eventually, I bought the Wizard of OZ monopoly game from the bookstore and the LIFE magazine featured fully on the Wizard of OZ. I have all Frank's books of the Wonderland of OZ. In the future, I will buy my favourite characters, Dorothy and Wicked Witch of the West! 

Here are the pictures of my collection so far! 

Frank Baum wrote fifteen stories about the OZ.

I bought this magazine a few months ago because the movie is still the number one favourite for 75 years! 

I used to play the Monopoly game with my family when I was a kid. When the bookstore was selling this game with the Wizard of OZ features, I was like I MUST HAVE IT! So I have it! Lalala lalala 

Tom Jones - A Foundling, the BBC Mini Series

One of my favourite mini series of all time is a BBC production of "Tom Jones - A Foundling", which tells the story of an orphan boy adopted by a wealthy nobleman...

And the chaos that ensues as the rascally boy comes to age.

Written by Henry Fielding and first published in 1749 it has nothing to do with the singer "Tom Jones", who is himself named after the fictional "Tom Jones" from the book: "The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling".

The plot includes rowdiness, drunkiness, swordfights, lies, schemes, wanton females (and males) and a great deal of humour.

Which is to say it has lots of things going for it. Part comedy, part soap opera, part three-musketeers-style duels.

In other words it is really entertaining television. In its original book format it included an handful of moral and ethical dilemnas that forced Henry Fielding's contemporaries to think hard, ideas that by today's standards of marrying for love, honesty in a relationship, fidelity and so forth - doesn't seem so unorthodox these days, but instead just helps to make a great comedy / drama.

And you can watch all of it for free on YouTube. :)

Ponchos back in Fashion 2014

Apparently ponchos are back in fashion for Winter 2014. They're warm, durable, stylish, and also work well in Autumn and Spring too.

The one below I spotted at H&M.

Underdog Knight - Chinese Movie with English Subtitles

Underdog Knight is a Chinese martial arts movie about a young naval officer who suffers a mental injury and is discharged from the navy... only to become a vigilante protector of the common people, fighting "evildoers", thieves and the mafia.

I also find it interesting because the villains in the story are after a famous historical spear made from meteorite.

I give it four stars out of five. You can watch it on YouTube for free, with English subtitles.

Camo Dress Jackets - Huh???

I saw the jacket below on Friday at the Hudson's Bay Company store near the Eaton's Centre.

It is evidently a stylishly made jacket, but using a camouflage print. Bizarre and definitely made for the hipsters out there.

Hipsters that want to look tough, but still dress stylishly...

I think it looks lame. Anyone who buys a jacket like this needs to have their head examined.

I suppose it would be okay if your name was Don Cherry, but if it is not then you have no business dressing like that.

If you are into hunting, you are in the military (or former military), or you are some kind of protesting hippie / anarchist, then you could wear camouflage like that - possibly even the jacket below if you want the more posh look while you are out hunting deer, moose, elk, etc.

But if you are not knee deep in snow covered bushes, not carrying a loaded weapon, not carrying deer hunting tags - well then stop wearing camouflage. Then you are not fooling anyone. You just look lame.

2C 55W Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Honestly.

They're garbage.

The 2C 55 watt fluorescent light bulbs only last about 5 to 10 months before burning out - although the
packaging claims they will work for 4 years.

They are also overpriced. $16 for a 55 watt lightbulb. You can buy a better quality lightbulb for $1 from the Dollar Store.

Conclusions? Complete rip off. They sell lamps that only use these lightbulbs and then charge an arm and a leg for the replacements light bulbs.

It is basically the same marketing ploy as the cheap computer printers and then super expensive ink cartridges. Complete rip offs.

Mark's Work Warehouse doesn't honour its sales

I just bought an outdoor work vest which was SUPPOSED TO BE ON SALE but instead was not.

The sale was "save up to 50% off all men's regularly priced outerware."

An outdoor work vest is obviously outerware. It is basically a sleeveless jacket.

And judging by the price it was definitely "regularly priced". No discounts whatsoever.

So why was it not on sale? Because it is a vest? Because Mark's Work Warehouse doesn't consider an outdoor vest to be outerware?

Rubbish!

They just don't want to honour the wording of their sale.

So now they get this negative review and I will be back on Sunday to return it / demand a refund. Or maybe they will be tempted and shamed into giving me the sale price.

Subscribe to find out what happens next!

UPDATE - Yesterday I argued politely with the staff (I have been through this before and know you never get anywhere with staff if you are rude to them), they admitted the wording could have been better, but they still refused to honour the wording of the sale. Returned the item for a full refund. Staff was very rude and snarky about it even though I explained the problem in a calm and evenly toned voice (although I might have sounded a bit condescending, like I was talking to a little kid who can't do basic math). Not much Christmas cheer there either.

If any Mark's executives read this, it was the Mark's Work Warehouse located at the Eaton's Centre.

So word to the wise, if you want a place to honour their sales, don't shop at Mark's Work Warehouse.

For future reference here is Mark's Customer Service info if you have a complaint about their service / lack of honour.

customer.service@marks.egain.net

Mark's Work Wearhouse Customer Service
Po Box 2000
Welland, Ontario
L3B 5S3

Phone		1-800-663-6275
Fax		1-800-452-0770

Glass and Aluminum Vs Plastic SmartPhones

Have you ever seen a broken iPhone or BlackBerry smartphone? Usually it will be the glass front that is broken.

They're so breakable they can fall from a mere 2 feet and shatter easily.

And then it costs you between $60 to $120 to replace the front glass piece - a piece of glass that costs the manufacturer less than $1 to make, but they make huge profits off of selling new glass pieces to people with broken iPhones and BlackBerries.

In contrast plastic smartphones like Samsung and similar companies don't break as easily. They're more durable and don't shatter like glass does.

Plastic does scratch more easily than glass, but it doesn't shatter and break.

And it is the same deal with aluminum cases for iPhones and BlackBerries. They get dented more easily and once broken are useless. In contrast the high grade plastic used in many smartphones is more durable because it absorbs shocks more easily.

Speaking for myself I have had 5 different cellphones in the last 11 years. All of them were made of plastic, and while they did get scratches I never broke a single one of my cellphones. Never had to replace any parts. I never had any complaints about their build quality.

My first cellphone back in 2003 was a LG. It was used, but I got it in South Korea which is a country obsessed with cellphones and new tech devices. If a new device comes on to the market it is often available in South Korea any where from 6 months to a year before it is available in North America.

I was immediately addicted to my 1st cellphones ability to send text messages. Texting quickly became one of my favourite things to do on my cellphone.

My 2nd cellphone I picked up when I returned to Canada in 2004. I opted for a LG again because I liked the one I had used in Korea.

When I returned to South Korea in Summer 2005 I took out my old LG phone from my first visit there and voila, it still worked. And I was getting free phone calls off it because somebody else was now using the same signal I was - so they were paying the phone bill and I was getting free calls. Waha! (South Korea reuses the same signal codes on cellphones. I don't know how it works precisely, I just know they reuse them.)

When I came back to Canada I started using my 2nd cellphone again. Lasted me a long time. I still have it in a box somewhere. Still works technically.

My 3rd cellphone was another LG, purchased in 2006. Came with a camera and video camera, which was a nice change. Meant I could have more fun with my phone. The display was black and white, but the photos it took were still in colour.

My 4th cellphone was a Sanyo, purchased in 2008. A change for once. Used it for 4 years and was very happy with it. Like #3 it had a camera and video camera, but more importantly it has a colour display. It had many more options too, like internet and other gadgets on there (many of which I didn't even use).

My 5th cellphone (and first SmartPhone) is my current phone, which is a Samsung Galaxy SII. Been using it since 2012 and it has no dents, no scratches, I have dropped it numerous times, and I never have any hardware or software* problems with it.

* I do sometimes have software problems with 3rd party apps that I download, in which case I just delete the offending app and then it is back to normal.

Phones 1 to 4 sometimes got scratches on them. My 5th phone is still in pristine perfect condition despite being dropped numerous times.

In contrast I have lost track the number of times I have seen people using broken screens on their iPhones or BlackBerries. Or trying to use a dented aluminum phone that can't get a proper signal any more.

Clearly, based on the evidence, plastic phones are far more durable.

And what is more in the future there are a number of companies planning to release flexible plastic phones - making them even more indestructible.

Some of the companies that are working on such flexible phones are LG and Samsung. No surprise there. They are leading the way in making phones more indestructible.

And I shake my head at any parents dumb enough to give their child or teenager a glass / aluminum phone. That thing will probably break in the first month!

I can guarantee that if someone surveyed teenagers in a highschool as to what manufacturer they got their cellphone from and whether it is broken or not, all the broken ones will have glass / aluminum cases. And the broken ones will all be iPhones (because teens don't buy BlackBerries).

Now that doesn't mean you cannot break a plastic phone. You can throw it against a wall, slam dunk it against a hard floor, run over it with your car - and absolutely, it will break. But simply dropping it during normal day to day use, no, it won't break.

You would have to be an idiot to buy a glass phone.

Plastic 1

Glass / Aluminum 0