Canadian, Please

Says Huffington Post:

Move over, Gangnam Style. Canadian Dance Moves is moving in. A hokey dance video that may rival the Korean viral hit has surfaced on YouTube.
Canadian Dance Moves is an endearing homage to our country’s wholesome personality. It showcases moves dubbed The Lumberjack, The Friendly Backpacker and our personal favourite, Carry The Two-Four. Plus they're easy to bust out on the dance floor -- or on the Grouse Grind in North Van, or on the frozen Rideau Canal in Ottawa, or maybe backpacking in Italy. You know, wherever the mood to dance Canadian strikes.
Liam Kearney, a digital production co-ordinator, his girlfriend Stina Dios, and Jeff Higgins created the video in Toronto over a few days. Kearney says the biggest expense was a pair of $25 red pants.

Lyrics (by Gunnarolla):

Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please

Even if in winter things tend to freeze

We've got the world monopoly on trees

And our country's bordered on by three different seas

Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please

We invented the zipper, we've go expertise

We made insulin to combat disease

Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please

Brits have got the monarchy

The US has the money

But I know that you wanna be Canadian

The French have got the wine and cheese

Koalas chill with the Aussies

But I know that you wanna be Canadian

Et si ce n'était pas assez

On a deux langues officielles:

L'anglais et le français

Oohlala... 

Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please

Where else do you find mountain police

Or go to the hospital and not pay fees

Yeah I know that you wanna be Canadian, please

And when freshwater is in high demand

We've got the world's largest supply on hand

So you know that we could make a pretty good friend

But it's even better if you can be...

Brits have got the monarchy

The US has the money

But I know that you wanna be Canadian

The French have got the wine and cheese

Koalas chill with the Aussies

But I know that you wanna be Canadian

So you're thinking to yourself,

"How do I live in this beautiful country?"

Well, we've got some steps for you to follow...

STEP ONE: lose the gun

STEP TWO: buy a canoe

STEP THREE: live multiculturally

STEP FOUR: you're ready; there is no more!

We got beavers, caribou and moose

We got buffalos, bears and Canadian goose

And we're sorry about Celine Dion

But she did do that good song by James Cameron...

Brits have got the monarchy

The US has the money

But I know that you wanna be Canadian

The French have got the wine and cheese

Koalas chill with the Aussies

But I know that you wanna be Canadian

The Greeks chilled out with Socrates

Can't build a wall like the Chinese

But I know that you wanna be Canadian

In Kenya they have safaries

We've missed lots of other countries

But I know that you wanna be Canadian!

Canada's Birthday is Princess Diana's Birthday

I am a believer in the autopoietic nature of life in the universe, that events in our lives are not just random events, but simply not understood in a seemingly chaotic mosaic. I think everything has a "meaning" in God's eyes, whether we discern it or not. For that reason, I am not surprised that Diana shares Canada's birthday. In some very fundamental ways, this iconic yet unassuming humanitarian embodies the nature and spirit of our nation.

Diana was a philanthropist, characterized for her sense of style, charisma, humour and charity and her selfless devotion to her children, indeed to all children of the world.

Diana became well known for her charity work and her participation in the campaign against the use of landmines, a cause which garnered a Nobel Prize in 1997 in tribute. She also helped to decrease discrimination against victims of AIDS.

In 2001, Bill Clinton said of the Princess: "In 1987, when so many still believed that AIDS could be contracted through casual contact, Princess Diana sat on the sickbed of a man with AIDS and held his hand. She showed the world that people with AIDS deserve no isolation, but compassion and kindness."

True to her humble nature, Diana also made clandestine visits of kindness to the sick, turning up unannounced with instructions that her visit was to be concealed from the media.

Diana could have been a Canadian. I'm proud that Canada shares her birthday.

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day, Canadians! Canada Day marks the establishment of Canada as a Dominion on July 1, 1867. It's a federal holiday celebrated annually on this date. Here are a few facts about Canada:

• Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world by area


• Canada became a confederation of four British North American colonies in 1867


• it remains a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and maintains a parliamentary democracy


• in 1982, Prime Minister Pierre Eliott Trudeau pushed through the patriation of the constitution from Britain, enshrining a Charter of Rights and Freedoms based on individual rights in the Constitution Act of 1982


• Canada is officially bilingual with English and French


• its official national sports are ice hockey (in winter) and lacrosse (in summer)

But what about the interesting stuff, you ask. Okay...okay...

1. Did you know that our national animal is a large aquatic rodent and appears on the Canadian nickel? The hardworking beaver!


2. Or that Canadians consume more macaroni and cheese dinners per capita than any other country? Hmm...not sure I'm proud of that...


3. Or how about those 'loonies' and 'toonies' we use to buy all those mac & cheese dinners? Those are what we call our 1-dollar and 2-dollar coins...because of the loon on the dollar coin; clever, eh?


4. or that the alcoholic beverage Canadians usually prefer is beer? No need to explain that one! :)

Canada Leading Internet User

As promised, and in anticipation of Canada Day (July 1), today's Friday Feature is: "Read/Write Web". No, it isn't a Canadian site nor does it contain strictly Canadian content or viewpoint..."Why, then? What's the connection," you ask. "Ah, well, that will become apparent as you read on," the alien responds with a vague knowing smile. For now though, let's get on with why this site merits a Friday Feature mention: first it is an erudite and succinct collection of great tips on web writing, presentation and navigation. Like Ilker's Thinking Blogger site, Read/WriteWeb provides a well written and well researched location on a variety of topics related to the web and, because it receives a lot of traffic (also like Ilker's site), its comment page is often more illuminating than the original post.