The Snowbird Human-Powered Ornithopter was designed and constructed by a team of students from the University of Toronto. On August 2nd 2010 it sustained both altitude and airspeed for 19.3 seconds, becoming the world’s first successful human-powered ornithopter. Music by Nicholas Martel and Daniel Gauthier. Visit hpo.ornithopter.net.

We arrived in Washington early Saturday morning to discover that enterprising Americans were already hard at work hawking everything from t-shirts to bumper stickers with Rally graphics plastered on them. However they were also really helpful in guiding the way, and minutes later were on the subway.

While not everyone on the train was going to the Rally, it was clear the majority were. But even this didn’t prepare us for the sheer number of people who had made the trek down to Washington DC (try and spot the people in …

When Nic and I first heard that the Daily Show was going to stage it’s own rally in response to the one thrown earlier in August by Glen Beck, we weren’t sure we’d be able to do it – despite both really wanting to. Thankfully Torontoist, a very good source for all things Toronto, came to the rescue after securing some sponsorship.
Gathering in the growing gloom of that cold Friday evening, we waited outside the Royal Ontario Museum, and looked ever hopefully for our expected buses. After checking in with …

For several years now, high tea has been one of my favourite indulgences. Any excuse to go has been a good one, whether it be a birthday or a long-overdue afternoon out with friends. There’s something decadent and relaxing about spending a few hours stuffing yourself to the gills with tea and sweets. More often than not, I just treat it as brunch – goat cheese tarts and little sandwiches balance out all the scones and cream, yes?
We’ve been to a few tearooms across the city in …

When I got to Tokyo, I was homesick before the jetlag even wore off, and I was both horrified and confused.  I’d dreamed of this trip for years, much longer than I’d been studying Japanese culture or language. My initial dazed attempts at communication with the people at the shops in the suburb we were staying in on the way in from Narita had gone well.  There was nothing wrong.
But for a few days, I couldn’t eat much, and when I did, all I craved was the familiar, even passing …

In both my personal writing and the stuff I do in preparation for the roleplaying games I run, the meaning behind a name is often important. Wherever possible, I try and find names that will best foreshadow the type of story I’m going to tell with them (especially with the protagonists). So Abraxas got me to thinking, why Abraxas?
Visiting their site and Facebook page, very little was provided as to the mythos behind Abraxas. Researching the name itself I discovered that it was given to a being with great …

While we still have to make a post about our trip down with the Toronto delegation to Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, I wanted to talk about an unexpected discovery we made while wandering around Washington DC after the rally searching for food and sightseeing before getting back on the bus for the long ride home.
Working our way over to the White House, we rounded a corner and discovered a rather large dragon pulled up against the curb as a swarm of people circled …

This interview with Lupe Fiasco on Tavis Smiley shows why both men are awesome – but Lupe in particular is a rarity in rap – none of the regular hip hop tropes apply in his music.  He’s thoughtful and intelligent and, as Tavis points out more than once, is willing to speak truth to power – not all that common in general, let alone in music.

Watch the full episode. See more Tavis Smiley.
In the interview, they cover Lu’s new album, the difficulties he had in getting it released, his fans …

Over the years I’ve run tabletops and larger live action games in a variety of ways, and nothing yet has proven to have the same ability as music to propel the game and set the mood.  Tried and true this method is often utilized to signal the beginning of a game, and a great aid for getting the session started on time (a feat I know many of us have struggled with).  Whether it’s the opening theme song chosen for the game, or some generic music the storyteller has found …

Excellent points made for International Woman’s Day by 007 and M.  Consider the other inequalities we’d be talking about were they discussing different women – or were Daniel Craig actually the woman he was presented as.
via Strombo.