BIG SHOOTER
WISHING YOU HAPPY HOLIDAYS LOOK FOR A SPECIAL EDITION OF METRO ON DEC. 27. OUR NEXT REGULAR EDITION WILL APPEAR TUESDAY, JAN. 3
MOOSEHEAD TO LEAD TEAM ATLANTIC
CONTROVERSIAL MAYOR TALKS WITH METRO ABOUT THE YEAR THAT WAS {page 2}
{page 26}
HALIFAX
Weekend, December 23-25, 2011 www.metronews.ca News worth sharing.
A white Christmas? Who knows
RYAN TAPLIN/METRO
Halifax last saw snow on Christmas in 2009, with five centimetres on the ground ALY THOMSON
What are the odds?
HALIFAX@METRONEWS.CA
From 1991 to 2009, Halifax averaged a 47 per cent chance of having at least two centimetres of snow on the ground by 7 a.m. Christmas Day.
So if you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, start begging the weather Gods for below-freezing temperatures. “Once this system goes through, temperatures will be dropping. So whatever is still on the ground by (Friday) afternoon should stick around for Christmas,� said Talbot. “But plus or minus a degree is going to make a huge difference in whether it’s rain or snow.� Inland regions of Nova Scotia should expect to see flakes rather than drops on Friday, she added.
A jogger passes by a sign on the Clay CafĂŠ window as he runs down Quinpool Road on Thursday. Those dreaming of a white Christmas may get their wish.
Local tweets Here’s what Haligonians are saying about the weather: @TheIainJosey: Dreaming of a white Christmas? Sorry to burst your bubbles but it’s probably not gonna happen. At least not here #hfx
@leanne_em: 2-4cm of snow (Friday)! hope those little flakes can survive until christmas morning #dreamingofawhitechristmas #halifax @Woodgar: Ok #halifax, let’s do a snow dance so we can have a white christmas and happy skiers and boards this holiday season! @EmmaJWhalen: I’m dreaming
of a white christmas... #ohwait that will never happen because I live in #Halifax. @PrinMB: Maybe Halifax will have a white Christmas after all. That would be nice :) @myweeview: Dec. 25th is the only day I want a touch of snow! Can’t believe the warm weather! #Halifax
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Whether or not we’ll see the white stuff on the ground on Christmas Day is about as predictable as the flip of a coin, according to Environment Canada. Friday’s forecast calls for about five centimetres of snow, or five millimetres of rain in Halifax beginning in the morning. But determining whether the ground will be wet, or wet and white, hinges on the temperature, said Tracey Talbot, a meteorologist with Environment Canada. “It’s kind of iffy as to whether or not the snow will stay on the ground,� she said Thursday. “It’s going to be right around 0 C, and if the temperatures are a little above zero, we could see some melting.�
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news: halifax
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news
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
A great and not-so-great year, the mayor reflects Peter Kelly sits down for year-end chat with Metro Halifax Plenty of controversy surrounding HRM’s mayor in 2011 Kelly and council return on Jan. 10 RYAN TAPLIN/METRO FILE
Mayor Peter Kelly goes for a skate around the Canada Games Oval in this file photo from January.
Hold on tightly to your significant other: experts say ’tis the season to be jilted. Scan code for story.
To scan 2D barcodes in Metro, download the free ScanLife app at 2dscan.com.
On the web at metronews.ca
A driver has a terrifying near-miss with a jack-knifing transport truck on a Russian highway. Watch at metronews.ca/ video Follow us on Twitter @metrohalifax
HALIFAX FOLKLORE CENTRE
1528 Brunswick St. 422-6350 Located just off Spring Garden Rd.
Come to our
HOLIDAY SALE! Guitars, banjoys, mandolins, ukes etc… at great prices
JENNIFER TAPLIN
@METRONEWS.CA
It’s rare to see Mayor Peter Kelly so relaxed. He’s wearing jeans and a blue fleece as he sips green tea from his usual clear mug in one of the comfy chairs in his office on Thursday. There is still work to do before Christmas but Kelly sat down for half an hour to talk to Metro Halifax about the scandals and triumphs of 2011 — and about what’s coming in the new year. Here are the mayor’s remarks, edited only for space. Q: First of all, what are your reflections of 2011?
halifaxfolklorecentre.com
A: It’s been a great year and it’s been a not-so-great year. There are some great events and outcomes this year, but also on the flipside of that there were some challenges that we had to face that we could
have done better. Q: With criticism over the concert-cash scandal and in-camera meetings, was 2011 one of the worst years you’ve had as mayor? A: We had the best Canada Games ever and we have two strong legacy pieces: the Canada Games Centre and the people’s oval.… I certainly stumbled in my enthusiasm to help secure world-class entertainment for our community. Certainly, I indicated that mistakes were made and certainly (we) learned from those mistakes. Q: How do you feel about the milestone of being Halifax’s longest-serving mayor? A: I’ll tell you right up: I don’t give it any thought. Basically you just do the job that you believe you have to do in which to meet the public’s expectations.
“It’s no longer an ‘if’ situation. It’s a ‘when’ situation.” MAYOR PETER KELLY ON THE PROPOSED STADIUM
Q: This is a tough job and it takes its toll on you from stress, long hours and criticism. Why would you want to do this job? A: For the love of the job and the love of the community. I like to try to bring forward change and new initiatives. I like to make sure we stay focused on the future for our youth and their children’s children. Q: There’s an election coming in 2012 and polls show your popularity has dipped. What do you see coming in the election? A: There is going to be 16 councillors and the mayor, so it will be a smaller council, and I think that’s a good move in a
good direction.... I think you’ll get more competition for the seats and for the mayor. I don’t think there will be any acclamations this time, I don’t see any at the onset…. And with the mayor’s position there’s up to seven people, as you’ve heard, and so it will certainly be challenging, as all elections are and should be. Certainly one that will keep people focused on that discussion. Q: If there ends up being no convention centre, will it mean there’s definitely money for a stadium? A: Nope. I still feel positive about the prospects of a convention centre. It will add to the vibrancy and transform the downtown when you have a half-abillion (dollar) project. The stadium is the last piece of sport-and-entertainment asset that we don’t have. All of the other major urban areas across the country have a stadium and we do not.
No new digs for smaller council When the number of councillors is reduced from 23 to 16 after next year’s municipal election, there will be serious vacancies around the council table at city call. There are rumours of renovations or moving council meetings into another building, but Peter Kelly says no way. “It’s already wired and useable as it is. I don’t think we need to invest money in new chambers,” he said. He suggested the directors of the various municipal offices like finance and infrastructure could sit in the vacant seats. JENNIFER TAPLIN
news: halifax
metronews.ca WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
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‘Employer’ of illegal workers not allowed to leave country
RYAN TAPLIN/METRO
Canada Border Services began executing search warrants Tuesday as part of the ongoing investigation RYAN TAPLIN/METRO
ALY THOMSON
HALIFAX@METRONEWS.CA
A man accused of bringing illegal workers to Halifax is not permitted to leave the country but will be allowed to stay in Toronto until his next court appearance in February. Iftach Jacob appeared in Halifax provincial court Thursday and was released on a $7,500 bond and must return to an address in Toronto. He’s also to report to the Canada Border Services Agency office in Mississauga, Ont., every Friday beginning next week. The CBSA alleges Jacob brought foreign workers to Canada illegally and was working without permission himself. He is one of 11 people arrested in an immigration sweep conducted this week by the agency, but the Israeli man’s charges are stiffer than the others. That’s because the CBSA alleges Jacob was “functioning in more of
Iftach Jacob at court on Thursday.
an employer category,” defence lawyer Lee Cohen said outside the courtroom Thursday. Ten other foreign nationals from Israel were arrested after raids on a home and kiosks at three HRM shopping malls — Mic Mac Mall, Scotia Square and Bedford Place Mall. They were all working for Heat in a Click, selling gel heating pads to Christmas shoppers. Price said the group was also selling the devices at the Greenwood
Mall in the Annapolis Valley last week. Nissan Shitrit, who was remanded on Wednesday, did not appear in court Thursday, but was released on $1,000 bail under the same conditions as Jacob. Eight others pleaded guilty Wednesday to working in Canada without authorization, and each was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. Cohen speculated those eight were regarded as “low-level operatives.” An 11th person was arrested Thursday, and Crown attorney Tom McLaughlin said the man will appear in court no earlier than Friday. Albert Price, manager of the agency’s criminal investigations division, said the foreign nationals were visiting Canada and did not appear to have work permits. For more local news, visit metronews.ca/ halifax
Canada Border Services agents arrest a man outside Halifax Provincial Court on Thursday. The man was the 11th person arrested in a crackdown on illegal workers in HRM.
11th person booked in sweep ALY THOMSON
@METRONEWS.CA
The 11th person arrested in connection with an immigration sweep conducted this week in Halifax will likely face similar charges to the 10 others preceding him, a Crown lawyer said. “I would assume, and it is only an assumption based on the other files,
that it will be similar to what was before the court already with the other 10 individuals,” said Crown lawyer Tim McLaughlin outside of court on Thursday. The man was arrested Thursday outside Halifax provincial court in the late morning by Canada Border Service Agency officers. The other 10 were arrest-
ed Wednesday, either for working without authorization or for hiring people without authorization. For the latter, a conviction could lead to jail for up to two years or a fine of up to $50,000, said McLaughlin. McLaughlin would not say which category the latest arrested man may fall under.
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news: halifax
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
RYAN TAPLIN/METRO
Members of the New Brunswick speed-skating team power their way around the oval in February.
Sydney eyeing oval of its own
Friday, December 23
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The concept of a public skating oval has been brought to the attention of the consultant who is developing the blueprints for the post-industrial use of the tar-ponds and coke-ovens sites in Sydney. Owen Fitzgerald, executive director of the Unama’ki Economic Benefits Office, recently began calling for the establishment of a skating oval at the Sydney tar-ponds site after the current remediation project is completed. Fitzgerald said he was motivated by discussion within his own family of the desire for a facility similar to the oval that is about to open on the Halifax Common. A Facebook page set up to promote the concept in Sydney has attracted just over 200 supporters. Fitzgerald said refrigeration units would make it possible to skate in temperatures up to 10 C. He suggested the remediated tarponds site because of its central location, availability of land and a chance to tap into the tar-ponds legacy fund to cover costs associated with the oval. Fitzgerald said he has also received calls of support. “Perhaps this can be the beginning of a larger conversation,” he said. “Perhaps the transformation of the infamous tar ponds can be the stimulus for the
transformation of Sydney.” Meggan Desmond, communications officer with the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, said the idea of an oval has been brought to Stantec Consulting Ltd., which was recently awarded a $1.48-million contract to provide the engineering design plans for future projects at the sites following completion of the $400-million effort to remediate toxins left over from a century of steelmaking. The designers want to get feedback from the community regarding the support for such a facility, Desmond said. The concept would fit in with one of the intended future uses of the site — to provide recreational facilities and support active living. CAPE BRETON POST
Tar-ponds site The design for the tarponds site calls for a commons area with an outdoor concert venue to accommodate up to 10,000 people, a trail network with bridges and boardwalks connecting downtown Sydney, Whitney Pier and Ashby, and other recreation facilities. The coke-ovens site would be home to a business park that would allow for commercial and light industrial development.
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Police are investigating a firearm discharge in the downtown core overnight Wednesday, but they don’t have much to go on. At 7:40 a.m. on Thursday, Halifax Regional Police were called to the 1800 block of Granville Street at the CIBC building regarding what was believed to be property damage caused by a pellet gun. But police investigators later determined a gun was the weapon used after shell casings were located, along with one bullet hole in the building. “We determined it was a firearm, but we don’t know what happened,”
Know anything? Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
said police spokesman Const. Brian Palmeter. “We don’t know if someone was shooting at a person, vehicle or the building.” Police also don’t have an exact time to when the shooting took place, only that it happened during the overnight hours. No one reported any gunfire in the area and there were no reported injuries. PHILIP CROUCHER
news: halifax BUILDING UP, OPTIMISM DOWN
A question of confidence Consumer confidence is plummeting, but construction confidence is rising in HRM. Mayor Peter Kelly said permits for new buildings are approaching last year’s high. As of Dec. 22, there were 4,773 permits issued this year for construction projects of more than $790 million. Just a few more permits issued before the end of the year would push that figure to more than $800 million and a new record. “It’s confidence in the community, confidence in the growth patterns throughout HRM and confidence in a strong future,” Kelly said. “People would not be spending this kind of money if they didn’t have the confidence that they see in this municipality.” Speaking of confidence — except on
By the numbers Total building permits in HRM: • 2010: 4,609 • 2011: 4,773 Commercial: • 2010: 798 permits worth $188 million • 2011: 895 permits worth $230.5 million Residential: • 2010: 3,158 permits worth $503 million • 2011: 3,164 permits worth $510 million Industrial: • 2010: 12 permits worth $13 million • 2011: nine permits worth $3.2 million
the flip side — the Conference Board of Canada says consumer confidence is at its lowest point in more than two and a half years. The biggest drop is in Atlantic Canada, wiping out a recent gain after the Halifax Shipyard won a $25-billion shipbuilding contract in the fall. JENNIFER TAPLIN/WITH FILES FROM THE CANADIAN PRESS
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Border cops seize $2M in heroin About 150,000 containers a year go through Halifax port Heroin container was targeted by police, who zeroed in on contents with X-rays RYAN TAPLIN/METRO
JENNIFER TAPLIN
@METRONEWS.CA
Two million dollars worth of heroin was discovered in a cargo container in Halifax, bound for Toronto. Border services agents made the discovery on May 16, but could not release details until now because of an RCMP investigation. Dominic Mallette, with the Canada Border Services Agency, said Thursday that the shipment came from India and was destined for Toronto. It was flagged because of its origin, and the container was X-rayed. “We examined the entire container, in which there were 772 cardboard boxes (and inside those) were various food prod-
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Border services in Halifax make four to five significant drug busts each year.
ucts,” he said. Two of the boxes held 19 bags of heroin hidden inside sacks of flour, something the X-ray picked up because of the difference in consistency. The five kilograms of heroin seized is worth about $2 million on the street, police said. “This was a targeted container from our targeting unit here in Halifax,” Mallette told reporters at a press conference. “We look at different things such as country of origin, the routing, where it stopped on the way as well as whether it was a first-time importer.” The drugs were turned over to local RCMP, who
Dominic Mallette of the Canada Border Services Agency releases details of a major drug bust on Thursday..
passed them on to their colleagues in Toronto. Sgt. Richard Rollings, spokesman for Toronto RCMP, said the investigation was transferred to the Toronto jurisdiction because that’s where the drugs were headed.
No charges have been laid and the investigation is ongoing. Rollings could not divulge whether the container had been sent on to Toronto for a “controlled delivery,” to see who would pick it up.
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Good. Cheer
Margaret Sparks receives a turkey from Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank employee Corey Williams as volunteer Jessie Peck helps out on Thursday. The food bank provides hampers to needy families every Christmas season. RYAN TAPLIN/METRO
Extending a hand for the holidays
Amherst man charged in pepper-spray attack Boy, 13, assaulted Monday An 18-year-old Amherst man will remain in jail over Christmas after being charged with several offences after an alleged pepper-spraying incident on a trail in the town. Jordan Kenneth Burke made a brief appearance in Amherst provincial court on Thursday. He is charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon,
Two other teens charged
Pleas entered The other two accused males, 15 and 16, entered pleas of not guilty in court on Wednesday.
wearing a mask while committing an offence and obstructing justice. Burke and two teens
were charged after a 13year-old boy was verbally assaulted and attacked with pepper spray while walking on a path in a field on Monday. The boy was later treated and released from the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre. Police say there was no known relationship between the boy and his attackers. AMHERST DAILY
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news: halifax ANDREW VAUGHAN/THE CANADIAN PRESS
Furnace blamed for church fire Police say a problem with a furnace caused a fire that destroyed a church in Cape Breton last weekend. The East Lake Ainslie Presbyterian Church was more than 125 years old.
Members of the Lethbridge Bulls baseball team carry the casket of teammate Mitch MacLean at his funeral at Winsloe United Church in Winsloe, P.E.I., on Thursday.
Murdered ballplayer mourned P.E.I. funeral draws about 600 The mother of a young man who was gunned down at the side of a highway in Alberta read a poem to her son at his funeral Thursday that included lines recalling home-run glory. Dianne MacLean spoke to hundreds of people at the funeral — many of them ballplayers wearing team caps and holding baseballs — as Mitch’s father Irwin, also a baseball player and a coach, gently held her. Her poem titled Last Time at the Plate described Mitch’s battle with a pitcher that ends with him stroking a fast ball into the bleachers and rounding the bases into the arms of his teammates. MacLean’s verse made mourners smile as she took a playful dig at an umpire. It ended with a heartrending farewell to her son. “The game is now over. You must pack up your gear. We know you’ll keep playing. It’s just not going to be here,” MacLean said. “Love you, Mitchie,” she said as many in the congregation — including dozens
“Words cannot adequately express the debt of thanks we owe to so many who have surrounded us with love and supported and comforted us in countless ways this week.” MACLEAN FAMILY STATEMENT IN FUNERAL PROGRAM
of former teammates from Alberta and Prince Edward Island — wept openly. The funeral for MacLean, who was 20, was held in a United Church on the outskirts of Charlottetown. He was one of four young people shot last week by Derek Jensen, just north of the town of Claresholm, before Jensen killed himself. Police said the shootings were motivated by Jensen’s breakup with a woman in the vehicle, Tabitha Stepple, who was remembered at a funeral service on Wednesday in Lethbridge, Alta. THE CANADIAN PRESS
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
For now ... Parishioners will hold services in a nearby church hall for the time being.
RCMP Const. Brad Anderson says there were problems with the building’s furnace in the past. No one was injured in the blaze. THE CANADIAN PRESS
Blaze leaves pair homeless A Lunenburg County couple are homeless after fire ripped through their home early Thursday morning. The Canadian Red Cross says the house at 301 Clearwater Dr. was completely
destroyed in the 3:30 a.m. blaze and the man and woman living inside lost all of their belongings. No one was injured. A Canadian Red Cross team from Bridgewater helped the couple in buying clothing and food. They are now staying with relatives. A cause of the fire isn’t known. METRO
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news
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Layton is Canada’s Newsmaker of the Year Late NDP leader won overwhelming majority of votes in two surveys — one by editors and news directors and another by the public online ANDREW VAUGHAN/THE CANADIAN PRESS
John Gilbert Layton wore dozens of different name tags in his decades of public service: activist, guitarist, father and, finally, leader of the official Opposition. Most knew the NDP leader by another name: Jack. No other Canadian dominated the headlines like Layton in 2011, making him the clear choice for Newsmaker of the Year by editors and news directors participating in the annual survey of newsrooms across the country by The Canadian Press. Layton received 90 per cent of the votes — one of the most overwhelming margins in the 65-year history of the CP Newsmaker voting. The next closest was Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who received just five per cent of the vote totals. Also earning votes were Canada’s new female premiers, the protesters at the heart of the Occupy Canada movement, former auditor general Sheila Fraser and the Grande Prairie Composite Warriors football team. “Jack Layton singlehandedly shaped Canada’s political narrative in 2011, from the decimation of the Bloc Quebecois, to the marginalization of the Liberal party, to the utter vacuum
Chretien gets $200,000 compensation The Federal Court has ordered Ottawa to pay $200,000 to former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien. The money is compensation for legal fees Chretien incurred while he fought the findings of a federal inquiry into the sponsorship scandal. The Federal Court agreed with Chretien in 2008 that Justice John Gomery had made inappropriate comments to the media about the former PM that compromised the process. The federal government unsuccessfully appealed IMPAIRED DRIVING
Excuses that folks make ... No other Canadian dominated the headlines like Jack Layton in 2011.
left on Parliament Hill by his death,” said Brodie Fenlon, senior news editor, The Huffington Post Canada. “We watched the drama of this scrappy underdog, cane in hand, pulling off an astonishing victory only to be felled months later before he could truly make something of it.” THE CANADIAN PRESS
SKANDINAVISK DYREPARK/POLFOTO/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Siku’s mother failed to produce enough milk to feed him.
Cherry a distant second Layton claimed half of the online votes cast, with hockey commentator Don Cherry a distant second at 16 per cent. Prime Minister Stephen Harper garnered 10 per cent of the vote, narrowly edging the Occupy Canada protesters at 9.5 per cent. Stratford, Ont., pop sensation Justin Bieber, who made tabloid headlines earlier this year when a fan named him in a paternity suit that she later dropped, rounded out the top five with 3.4 per cent of the vote.
Zoo raises polar bear by hand A Danish zoo says a monthold polar bear cub is being raised by humans after his mother failed to produce enough milk to feed him. Scandinavian Wildlife Park manager Frank VighLarsen says Siku is doing “really fine.” Vigh-Larsen said Thursday that the cub was two days old when he was removed from his mother after surveillance video inside
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The cub now weighs 7 pounds. He was 3 pounds at birth the bear cave revealed that he “was moaning and being unruly all the time.” Vigh-Larsen says Siku would have been in danger of death if he had stayed with his mother. Three people are giving round-the-clock care to the cub at the zoo in Kolind, 170 kilometres northwest of Copenhagen. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
“I’m driving my drunk friends home. I’ve had less than all of them.” That’s one of the top excuses police have heard from impaired drivers this month. The Insurance Corporation of B.C. put together the list to caution people on the best way to ensure a safe trip home from a holiday party. “I can’t be drunk ...
that decision, and Chretien was awarded $25,000 early this year for having to fight that round in the Federal Court of Appeal. Chretien had said he spent $300,000 for the initial Federal Court review of the conclusions written by Gomery in his 2005 report on the scandal. The attorney general of Canada argued Chretien should only get $36,205.20, but Judge Francois Lemieux used his discretion to award an amount above the usual guidelines for compensation. THE CANADIAN PRESS
I’m the designated driver!” won’t cut it, and neither will the other excuses police have heard: “I’ve only had a couple,” “I can hold my liquor” and “I was only going two blocks.” ICBC says even a small amount of alcohol can cause impairment, and no matter how close a person is to home, they should think twice about drinking and driving. The company says CounterAttack roadblocks will be up across the province during the holidays and no excuse will work if a person is driving while impaired. THE CANADIAN PRESS
Wayward Journal puffin retracts returns home fatigue report A young Atlantic puffin rescued last week from Montreal’s bustling downtown has arrived in its suspected home on the East Coast. The wayward puffin, believed to be less than a year old, touched down at the airport in St. John’s aboard a flight compliments of Air Canada. A veterinary technician spotted the disoriented puffin toddling down a Montreal street a week ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS
The journal Science is retracting a controversial 2009 report that linked chronic fatigue syndrome to a virus. Science is taking that step on its own. Normally, authors retract their own research papers when serious problems arise after publication. But Science has lost confidence in the report and the validity of its conclusions, editor-in-chief Bruce Alberts writes in Friday’s issue. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
news
metronews.ca WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
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BARRY BATCHELOR/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
File it under bad gift ideas Company apologizes for labelling Mein Kampf as a ‘perfect present’ Found in store’s politics section Odd news. Kids
Twins Danielle, right and Nicole Fisher, 23, delivered baby boys 13 minutes apart at Virtua Hospital Tuesday. JOHN ZIOMEK/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Double trouble Danielle and Nicole Fisher were in adjacent rooms in the same New Jersey hospital when they had their boys within 13 minutes of each other. Their due dates were a month apart. The women were born within 12 minutes of each other 23 years ago.
Toy jewels recalled by Health Canada Health Canada is recalling more children’s jewelry products after a sampling program turned up excessive lead in the products. One recall involves metallic heart-shaped pendants and plastic bracelets imported from China and sold by Toy Land Co. of Vancouver.
The other involves a Writer’s Block necklace with love, peace and globe charms made by Jude M Designs of India and sold in Canada by Liquidation World Inc. of Brantford, Ont. Consumers should immediately take any recalled jewelry products away from children and dispose of them after contacting their municipality for instructions on disposing items containing lead. For more information, consumers may contact Toy Land Company tollfree 1-800-668-6388. THE CANADIAN PRESS
A British bookstore chain has apologized after promoting Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as the “perfect present” for Christmas. Waterstone’s issued an apology after several people spotted the anti-Semitic tome at a store in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire with a sales sticker saying the book is “the perfect present” and “essential gift for anyone
seeking to understand one of history’s most despicable figures. A shocking read and vital warning for future generations.” The online version of the U.K.’s Jewish Chronicle newspaper reports seeing copies of the book displayed in Manchester, Cheshire and Liverpool. A Waterstone’s spokesperson told the Chronicle that the large
bookstore chain doesn’t actively promote the book and its customers “are capable of forming their own opinions on whether to purchase it or not.” “You do raise a couple of instances where we have obviously got things wrong. The book should not be stocked in any politics section,” the spokesperson said. TORSTAR NEWS SERVICE
A copy of Mein Kampf
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‘Geezer Bandit’ faking old age: FBI The FBI says an elderly-looking bank robber dubbed the Geezer Bandit may not be as old as he appears. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller says the robber believed to be responsible for 16 holdups in California may be wearing an elaborate costume. Witnesses have repeatedly told investigators that the robber appears to be wearing a mask and gloves. Investigators also point to a surveillance video of a robbery earlier this month in which a security dyepack exploded as the robber was making his getaway. Eimiller says the speed with which the so-called “geezer,” slang for a grumpy old man, was able to run away does not match his appearance of 60 to 70 years old.
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news
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Spanish lotto win gives tiny town needed boost One cash-strapped town has won the world’s biggest lottery, raking in a combined $940M US The top prize was split between 1,800 ticket holders ALVARO BARRIENTOS/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
People celebrate winning a share in the top prize of Spain’s Christmas lottery, known as El Gordo, in the town of Granen, around 300 kilometres from Madrid.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A tiny town of 2,000 in cash-strapped Spain found itself richer by $940 million US on Thursday after scooping the top prize in the country’s famed Christmas lottery. Billed as the world’s richest, the lottery dishes out some $3.29 billion to winners across the country. The top prize — dubbed El Gordo (The Fat One) — was split among the holders of tickets bearing the number 58268. The number appeared on 1,800 tickets, giving winners $522,000 for their $26 ticket. The state lottery agency
said all 1,800 tickets with that number were sold in the town of Granen, located in the arid and barren northeastern Los Monegros area. The news brought the town’s residents out onto the street to dance, sing, hug each other and spray sparkling wine all over. “It’s brilliant!” Pilar Azagra, who runs the town’s lottery store, told Spanish National Television. She appeared a bit stunned. “I haven’t had time to react — the number came out and then people started flocking to the shop,” she said, adding that many in her family had bought
tickets. Azagra said the windfall was more than welcome as several companies in Granen had closed because of the economic crisis, forcing many residents to seek employment in neighbouring towns and cities. Spain is struggling to emerge from a near-twoyear recession that has left it with a eurozone-high 21.5 per cent unemployment rate. Other lotteries have larger individual top prizes but El Gordo is ranked as the world’s richest for the total sum paid out. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lotto facts The Christmas lottery aims for a share-thewealth system, rather than a single jackpot, and thousands of numbers yield at least some kind of return. Since it began in 1812, the Dec. 22 lottery has become a favourite holiday tradition. Spain holds another big lottery Jan. 6 to mark the Feast of the Epiphany. It is known as El Nino (The Child), in reference to the baby Jesus.
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A stolen Salvation Army Christmas kettle has opened up the wallets and hearts of Regina residents. The thief made off with red kettle, filled with about $800, from the city’s Northgate Mall. When the story got out, listeners of radio station CKRM responded, donating thousands of dollars. Major Doug Binner with the Salvation Army says the group is grateful and
appreciates the outpouring of donations to help reach its goal of $150,000. He says just this morning alone, $4,000 in cash has been donated, while there is another $6,000 in donations committed, plus the local Walmart says it will match donations up to $100,000. Binner says it’s amazing how something bad can turn into something positive. THE CANADIAN PRESS
TARA WALTON/TORSTAR NEWS SERVICE FILE
The story of a thief making off with a Christmas kettle and about $800 from a Regina mall has spurred an outpouring of donations for the Salvation Army.
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Wish comes true for girl who met Kate Dad says 6-year-old’s cancer has gone into remission NATHAN DENTTE/THE CANADIAN PRESS
The shy, bald little girl who charmed Prince William and Kate when they visited Calgary in the summer has received her Christmas wish. Diamond Marshall’s father says she had surgery this week and the biopsies have shown her cancer is in remission, though she still must undergo chemotherapy and a bonemarrow transplant next month. Diamond’s brief meeting with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on a windy July day brought many Canadians to tears. The six year old, who is battling Stage 4 undifferentiated sarcoma, had asked the Children’s Wish Foundation for a chance to meet “a real princess.” She not only got to meet Kate, she managed to get in a hug with her idol and present her with flowers. Diamond will spend Christmas in hospital reCANCER AWARENESS
Trouble over ‘boobie’ bracelet Controversy is stirring at a Catholic school in
The Duchess of Cambridge hugs six-year-old Diamond Marshall as the Royal Couple arrives in Calgary on July 7.
“This is a wonderful piece of news, especially at this time of year and we will be thinking of Diamond in the coming year.” STATEMENT FROM WILL AND KATE
covering from the surgery, but her dad says they’re all OK with that as long as they’re together. If all Woodstock, Ont., over bracelets supporting breast-cancer awareness. The bracelets read “I Love Boobies” and a 13year-old student at St. Rita’s Catholic School has been put on in-school suspension over them. Kelly Millson has been urged by his parents to continue wearing them at school, but he says he
goes well, Diamond will be home for New Year’s Eve. THE CANADIAN PRESS
is not allowed to be in class, in the hallways or anywhere other students are congregating. But he did decide to take the bracelets off this week so he could go out for recess. School board superintendent Tamara Nugent says the decisions on dress code are made by each school’s principal. THE CANADIAN PRESS
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Bombers strike Baghdad Tensions rise in Iraq as attacks, mere days after U.S. forces leave, threaten stability in war-torn country Blasts hit 11 neighbourhoods, kill dozens KARIM KADIM/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A wave of 16 bombings ripped across Baghdad Thursday, killing at least 69 people in the worst violence in Iraq for months. The apparently co-ordinated attacks struck days after the last American forces left the country and in the midst of a major government crisis between Shiite and Sunni politicians that has sent sectarian tensions soaring. The bombings may be linked more to the U.S. withdrawal than the political crisis, but all together, the developments heighten fears of a new round of Shiite-Sunni sectarian bloodshed like the one a few years back that pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. But the bombings bore all
Deadly attack
Iraqi security forces and people gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad on Thursday.
the hallmarks of al-Qaida’s Sunni insurgents. Most appeared to hit Shiite neighbourhoods, although some Sunni areas
were also targeted. In all, 11 neighbourhoods were hit by either car bombs, roadside blasts or sticky bombs attached
The deadliest attack was in the Karrada neighbourhood, where a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the office of a government agency. At least 14 blasts went off in the morning and two more in the evening. Two police officers at the scene said the bomber was driving an ambulance and told guards that he needed to get to a nearby hospital. After the guards let him through, he drove to the building where he blew himself up, the officers said.
to cars. There was at least one suicide bombing and the blasts went off over several hours. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
France’s genocide bill upsets Turkey French lawmakers easily passed a measure Thursday to make it a crime to deny the mass killings of Armenians in 1915 by Ottoman Turks amounted to genocide. Turkey swiftly retaliated, ordering its ambassador home and halting official contacts, including some military cooperation. Within hours of the vote on the bill, which would penalize those who deny the genocide, Turkey suspended joint military
Israel drops Gaza flotilla charges Israel’s attorney general has decided not to prosecute Israelis who participated in a Gaza-bound flotilla that was raided a
Friend or foe? Turkey, a NATO member, is a strategic ally of France and valued trading partner, and the moves diminish ties at a particularly crucial time. Paris and Ankara are both deeply involved in international issues from the uprising in Syria to Afghanistan.
manoeuvres and restricting French military flights. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
year ago. The suspects included an Israeli-Arab lawmaker and an Islamist leader. Nine pro-Palestinian Turkish activists were killed when Israeli naval commandos stormed the Gaza-bound ships. The raid prompted an international outcry. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Canada’s top 10 weather stories
Stranded woman ate candy bars
Brazil. Fire A ďŹ reďŹ ghter rescues a dog from a ďŹ re in the shantytown Favela do Moinho in Sao Paulo.
Devastating floods and fires lead Environment Canada’s list of biggest weather events of 2011 Fires and floods of almost biblical proportions that forced thousands from their homes and cut a swath of destruction through several communities took a heavy toll on Canadians this year, says one of the country’s lead climatologists. While those disasters weren’t as deadly as the Japanese tsunami or the violent weather that battered the U.S., they wore down Canadians and cost the country billions, said David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada, who released his list of the top 10 weather stories of 2011 Thursday. “We were getting our own fair share of misery,
Weather’s top 10
1
Historic oods in Saskatchewan and Manitoba
6
Hurricanes in Atlantic region
2 3 4 5
WildďŹ res at Slave Lake
7
Summer a mixed bag of weather
Richelieu River oods
8 low
Arctic sea ice near record
9 10
Groundhog Day blizzard
Challenging growing season for farmers Tornado in Goderich
hardship and misfortune from the weather,� he said. “There have been tough years but I think this one, in
High winds rip through southern Alberta
many ways, has been difficult from an expensive point of view and the extreme aspect of it.� THE CANADIAN PRESS
ANDRE PENNER/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Shantytown blaze
The fire started on Thursday in a vacant building and spread to the shantytown where about 200 homes were destroyed and one person was found dead, according to local media reports.
A U.S. university student said she had nothing to eat but two candy bars while her car was stuck in the snow for nine days in a remote area of Arizona. Lauren Weinberg, 23, was seen leaving her mother’s home Dec. 11. Coconino County sheriff’s spokesman Gerry Blair said she was driving around with no destination when she came to a dirt road near cliffs that divide the state’s high country from the desert. Her car became stuck after she stopped to try to open a gate. Weinberg told a sheriff’s deputy she put snow in a water bottle and placed it on the car so it would melt, Blair said. She had a cellphone but the battery was dead. Two U.S. Forest Service employees found her nine days later. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank -andSkills Development Centre Year End Report October 2010 - September 2011 With the support of our donors we have been able to provide the following assistance to those in need during the past year. Food Bank Number of people assisted with food Estimated value of food given out Furniture Bank Furniture items Skills Development Number of successful students School Supplies Students assisted with backpacks & supplies Emergency Fund Amount of crisis funding provided Christmas Hampers Provided
29, 012 $2,574,513 4,200 22 518 $47,000 1,013
Families were also supplied with thousands of household items such as cookware, dishes, cutlery, linens, etc. We thank our many donors for their assistance. We wish all our supporters and families a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Please help us to continue our mission of decreasing poverty through our Food and Furniture Bank, the Operations of our Skills Development Centre whereby unemployed individuals are provided training to become productive members of society, and through our Emergency Fund which provides crisis funding to those in need. Your donation will be gratefully received and may be sent to: The Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank, 2415 Maynard Street, Halifax, NS B3K 3V2 t XXX QBSLFSTUSFFU PSH
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS & BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR BEDFORD PLACE MALL THANKS ALL OF OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS FOR A TERRIFIC 2011!
JANUARY CLEARANCE SALE STARTS JANUARY 16
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Consumers reluctant to purchase big-ticket items Consumer Confidence index at lowest point since last recession Spending likely to decline further those do play a big role — but a decline in consumer spending is not to be taken lightly, Crawford said. “I think that’s why most people, and certainly us, are expecting (gross domestic product) growth in Canada to slow over the next two to three quarters.” The board uses a 2002 base of 100 in compiling the index, which reflects how Canadians feel about the economy, job creation, future major purchases and their personal finances. The board said opinion eroded on all four questions, but responses to the major purchases question were particularly gloomy. In December, just 34.1 per cent of respondents said now is a good time to buy a big-ticket item, while
Market moment TSX
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that 54 per cent said now is a bad time to make a major purchase, up 3.5 percentage points from last month. THE CANADIAN PRESS
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The Conference Board of Canada’s latest consumer confidence numbers are back to where they were around the height of the 2008-2009 recession, a troubling sign of what’s to come for the economy in 2012. The Ottawa think-tank said Thursday its Index of Consumer Confidence posted a 6.5-point drop in December, bringing 2011 to a “disappointing” close and signalling that further belttightening by Canadians. “We’ve always seen a link between the consumer confidence level today and consumer spending six months down the road,” said board economist Todd Crawford in an interview. Canadians tend to think their economy is based mainly on exports — and
business GEERT VANDEN WIJNGAERT/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A man tries to catch a ride to Namur, Belgium, while trade union members block a main boulevard in Brussels on Thursday.
metronews.ca WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Strikes hinder holiday travel Protest against pension reform hit rail, road, bus traffic in Belgium Holiday strikes to protest austerity measures paralyzed ground traffic in Belgium, delayed flights in Paris, and promised days of headaches for Christmas travellers around Europe.
Workers were walking off the job to show their ire at budget-slashing measures by their governments to tackle debt and high deficits, and officials were scrambling Thursday to try
to mitigate delays and cancellations. Eurostar and Thalys idled part of their service through Brussels. In France, a strike by airport security personnel stretched into its seventh
day, and in London, football club Arsenal postponed its day-after-Christmas game by 24 hours because of a planned public transport strike on the Boxing Day holiday. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TSX regulator set to quicken enforcement Canada’s largest stock market watchdog is moving ahead with plans to speed up enforcement and says it will be business as usual with other provinces after the Supreme Court scrapped a planned national securities regulator. Ontario Securities Commission chairman Howard Wetston said Thursday the regulator is focused on the best interests of its own investors and companies, though it will review a Supreme Court ruling that quashed the federal plan. The regulator of Canada’s dominant stock exchange — the TSX — has been developing new rules aimed at speeding up enforcement for securities law
Saskatoon scoops up .xxx domains The City of Saskatoon has purchased six Internet domain names ending in .xxx, including Saskatoon.xxx, which were created earlier this year for the adult entertainment industry. Kevin Peacock with the city says it’s all about protecting the brand and image of Saskatoon. He says they were concerned as a municipal government that it would be quite embarrassing if someone typed in Saskatoon and it called up a porn site. The six domain names cost taxpayers nearly $1,000 to hold for two years. Several other local companies and institutions have bought X-rated domain names as well. THE CANADIAN PRESS
cases such as insider trading that drag on for years. “We are currently dealing with important policy, enforcement, market infrastructure and other matters that will require our full commitment,” Wetston said in a statement. The Supreme Court turned down Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s plan as unconstitutional, which effectively puts an end to a years-long push for a unified body to oversee capital markets. The court acknowledged Ottawa has a role in addressing systemic risk to the financial system. Canada is the only country in the G20 without a national securities regulator. THE CANADIAN PRESS
News in brief
Immigration up in Germany DEBT. Figures show that
immigration to Germany from countries hit by the EU debt crisis have risen 29 per cent. A total of 381,000 foreigners have moved to Germany, including about 250,000 EU citizens. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Earnings rise across Canada WAGES. Average weekly
earnings of non-farm payroll employees increased 1.4 per cent to $885.36 in October. Statistics Canada reports average weekly earnings were up 2.7 per cent from a year earlier. THE CANADIAN PRESS
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THE CONSEQU UEN NCES STAY WITH YOU FOREVER. MAKE IT T STOP. DO ON’T DRINK K AND DR RIVE. Eve ery day y, an n average of 4 Canadians are killed in im mpairred driv ving g cra ashes. Sta ay saffe. Sta ay sob ber if you drive. Support MADD Ca anada a and d donate today. Tog gether we can drive change and help keep our ro oads sa aferr fo or eve eryone. Proud Partner
Go to Facebook.com/kiacanada madd.ca KIA is a trademark of Kia Motors Corporation.
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PIPPA AND PERILS OF 2011 THE METRO LIST 1
Royal wedding: Two billion people watched Will and Kate tie the knot — and Pippa NEIL MORTON Middleton’s derriere become METRO world famous. Steve Jobs: The visionary Apple cofounder died at age 56, having led a dramatic cultural and technological transformation. Lindsay Lohan: Lohan salvaged a terrible year with the law — and her career -— by appearing on Playboy’s bestselling cover (which also made Playboy relevant again). Lady Gaga: She arrived at the Grammys being carried in a huge egg. Which is what you do when you’re trying really hard to be cool. Ashton Kutcher & Demi Moore: They break up -— and in keeping with relationship etiquette in the Social Media Age, unfollow each other on Twitter. Kim Kardashian: The woman famous for no reason has a marriage that only lasts 72 days for some reason. Oh yeah — it was her naked yoga instructor. Weinergate: Congressman Anthony Weiner tweets a photo of his penis by mistake, resulting in countless “wiener” jokes, a scandal — and, naturally, his resignation. Margaret Atwood: A public feud between Atwood and Toronto city councillor Doug Ford (Mayor Rob’s older bro) leads to a cheeky “Atwood for Mayor” campaign. Amy Winehouse: Joins the “27 club,” a group of seminal musicians like Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison who died at age 27. Martha Stewart: Martha Stewart tweets, “Do you think I am hip?” That’s one of the tweets of the year. Kate Gosselin: Her reality show is cancelled, and her kids now live in peace. As one blog noted, “(The kids) know not the craven greed machine they were plugged into.” Tim Tebow: The devout Christian NFL QB with an unorthodox throwing style who people keep saying will fail just keeps winning. And Tebowmania and “Tebowing” goes viral. Charlie Sheen: After getting fired from Two and a Half Men, the troubled Sheen launches a bizarre Violent Torpedo Of Truth tour. Thankfully, he’s off whatever Kool-Aid he was on. @bronxzoocobra: A cobra escapes a zoo and someone creates a hilarious Twitter account that goes viral, tweeting its time on the run. (Other awesome Twitter accounts like @S--tGirlsSay also go viral this year.) Piers Morgan: Morgan replaces the legendary Larry King on CNN but has the makings of a legend himself with his intelligent hardball-with-a-cheeky-grin Q & A style. Kissing Couple: During the riots in Vancouver, post-NHL final, an image of a couple lying on a tear-gas-filled street having a tender kiss with riot police around gets circulated throughout the world — becoming one of 2011’s iconic images.
2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Follow Neil Morton on Twitter (@neilmorton).
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Register at metropolitanpanel.ca and take the quick poll
What holiday tradition could you do without? LISTENING TO ELVIS CHRISTMAS TUNES
20%
WRAPPING GIFTS AND OPENING THEM (JUST GIVE THEM TO ME)
20%
ANNOYING CAROLLERS
20%
40%
SNOW
Local tweets @myweeview: Dec. 25th is the only day I want a touch of snow! Can’t believe the warm weather! #Halifax @droptheio: ...“Out of all the liquor I stole, it’s the $13 wine that got me arrested” #heardonthebus #Halifax @AmeliaEmilyS: #Halifax today for some last minute shopping and trip planning. @Thrieman: Kwortet this fraud sentence for Ms. George will be a good comparison when our
sticky fingered MLA’s are sentenced. @megwindsor: John Lennon’s ‘so this is christmas’, come on radio play it. #Halifax @survivortm: Just saw His Worship @mayorpeterkelly going to work. Judging from the weight of his briefcase it’ll be a busy day! #halifax #nspoli @katietower: Still on the hunt for a rental parking spot somewhere near Prince & Barrington in #Halifax. Feeding the meter in the meantime! @chloeemily_: One thing I don’t miss about #halifax: creepy men on the bus
BACK PAGE IMAGES/REX FEATURES
The karate keeper
Goalie and ‘fan’ clash on pitch AMSTERDAM. Film buffs will say he took those moves straight out of 2001 martial-arts/sports movie mashup Shaolin Soccer. This striking image shows goalie Esteban Alvarado Brown, right, of AZ Alkmaar retaliate as he is attacked by a football hooligan during the Dutch cup match between Ajax and AZ Alkmaar.
“He walked to (the hooligan) and kicked him multiple times.” BAS NIJHUIS, REFEREE, ON WHY HE SENT OFF ALVARADO
METRO WORLD NEWS
How the kung fu soccer unfolded TIMELINE. The drunk Ajax
“fan,” 19, invaded the pitch and launched a flying kick towards the Costa Rican goalkeeper. Alvarado lashed out a series of his own kicks before security dragged the supporter away. After the goalie was given a red card for misconduct, Alkmaar’s angry coach Gertjan Verbeek ordered his team to leave the pitch. METRO WORLD NEWS
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
ALL PHOTOS: HANDOUT
Synopsis
2
Since first being published in December 1843 Charles Dickens’s story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s emotional transformation from hoarder to Ho Ho-er has been presented in many forms. A Christmas Carol has been adapted into opera, ballet, a Broadway musical and even a mime show starring Marcel Marceau. On film there have been at least 28 versions of the story and dozens more for television. This week the Reel Guys have a look at the best big screen versions of the classic story.
scene Scene in brief
A Christmas Carol remains a popular story to put to film — with at least 28 versions out there.
Reel Guys
RICHARD CROUSE & MARK BRESLIN SCENE@METRONEWS.CA
Bah, humbug! Sim, Murray and Carrey have all played the miser who finds redemption Crouse and Breslin debate the best movie version of A Christmas Carol Richard: Mark, there is only one must-see out of all the dozens of film and TV versions of the Charles Dickens classic and that’s the 1951 Alastair Sim version. Nearly perfect in every way, it is a tale of redemption that confirms the fundamental spiritual nature of Christmas itself. In other words, it makes us feel good. Accept no substitutes. If, however, you’ve already seen it this year or you’re allergic to black and white movies, there are alternatives. MB: Richard, you are so right. The movie HAS to be in black and white to
make us feel the spirit of Dickensian deprivation. It’s the classic. But growing up in a Jewish household, it didn’t have any importance to me as a child. I discovered it much later, and was transfixed by its narrative power and perfectly gloomy mood. May I contrast this with the Jim Carrey version? Now that’s a movie with no sense of mystery, and a buffoonish interpretation of the lead character. I feel sorry for children who grow up with this bloated, CGI-laden excuse for a classic. Richard, please don’t tell me you like it!
RC: Before I saw the Jim Carrey version of A Christmas Carol I wondered why remake a story that has been done so often and so well in the past. I’ve seen it and I’m still wondering. The weirdly lifeless animation was creepy, akin to a Christmas story performed by zombies. MB: Let me praise Bill Murray’s version Scrooged. It’s far from authentic, light years away from Dickens, but it makes its points in a very modern way. Bill Murray is great in it, and the writing is sharp and satirical. Setting it in the milieu of the television industry
obviously changes the mood of the original, but as long as you see the movie as an interesting and successful riff upon the original story, and not as a substitute for it, it’s a great movie for the season.
If you’re experiencing a joy overload on Christmas Day, revel in some apocalyptic fare at the movie theatre. The Darkest Hour opens Dec. 25. The film follows five people in Moscow fighting an alien race who have attacked Earth via our power supply. METRO
RC: I agree. It’s become a must see for me every year. Although I don’t have to see The Muppets Christmas Carol every year, it is a treat to see Michael Caine as Scrooge. I also like the musical Scrooge with Albert Finney in the lead. MB: I’ve never seen it! I sure hope they gave Tiny Tim a tap solo.
00-who? Daniel Craig excels away from Bond, adds second franchise with Dragon Tattoo
THIS CHRISTMAS
GO HOLMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS
CANADA’S #1 MOVIE!
VIOLENCE
NOW PLAYING
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Top 5 actors to watch next year...
2 4 1 3 5 DOUGLAS BOOTH
Could the role of Romeo in the latest Romeo and Juliet turn Booth into another Leonardo DiCaprio? With a second starring role alongside Disney princessturned-stoner Miley Cyrus in LOL..., well, look at the kid’s hair. It’s a little like Leo.
MICHAEL FASSBENDER
TAYLOR KITSCH
We’re not going to hide our partiality to this IrishGerman export, 34, who was ubiquitous in 2011 with an impressive four releases, including X-Men: First Class and Jane Eyre. His upcoming spy flick with director Steven Soderbergh, Haywire (Jan. 20), combined with all the awards-season buzz he’s been getting for his performance in 2011’s Shame will propel Fassbender to A-List by the time his sci-fi film Prometheus, a semiprequel to Alien, is released in the summer (June 8).
-Peter Travers
A WINNER!
“ YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU CAME.”
CHRIS DIAMANTOPOULOS
The Friday Night Lights star appears in two huge movies this summer: the sci-fi epic John Carter, set on Mars, and Battleship, a sci-fi version of the popular board game. Finally, he’ll be known for something more than his abs.
We finally learned how to spell Galifianakis, so it’s about time another comedic actor with an impossibly lengthy Greek last name take the scene by storm. Audiences first got to meet D-what’s-his-face on the American sitcom Up All Night but the GrecoCanadian actor will get even more exposure this spring (April 13) with the release of The Three Stooges, in which he plays Moe, the only Stooge with a passable haircut.
JOSH HUTCHERSON
This 19-year-old actor has been working steadily in Hollywood, but it’ll be the March 23 release of the highly anticipated film adaptation of The Hunger Games that makes him a star. While we can’t prom-
ise he’ll be the next Robert Pattinson — sorry, RPatz will always have a special vampire lair in our hearts — the series’ rabid fanbase will give Hutcherson a fast pass to megastardom. Especially because it’s a romantic lead. (For younger kids, he’s also in 2012’s Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.)
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“
THE FEEL GREAT MOVIE OF THE HOLIDAYS.”
oNE of tHE bESt
-Jeff Craig, SIXTY SECOND PREVIEW
FilMS oF THE YEAR ‘‘‘
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO’ GIVES OFF A RIPELY KINKY, MENACING GLOW. IT SET A MOOD OF EVIL DIPPED IN BLACK RUBBER. FINCHER IS NOT JUST A GREAT DIRECTOR–HE’S AN ARTIST WITH
THE EYES OF A VOYEUr, AND HE HAS MADE ‘ THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO’ INTO
AN ELECTrIFyING MOVIE
BY TURNING THE AUDIENCE INTO ADDICTS OF THE FORBIDDEN, LOOKING FOR THE SICK AND TWISTED THINGS WE CAN’T SEE. ‘THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO’ IS A BRILLIANT FRANCHISE MOVIE. GRADE A.
OW EN
’’
GLEIBER M A N
A DAVID FINCHER FILM
SEXUAL VIOLENCE
STARTS TODAY!
Check directory or log onto www.empiretheatres.com or www.tribute.ca for locations and showtimes
NOW PLAYING
Check Theatre Directory or SonyPicturesReleasing.ca for Locations and Showtimes
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Top 5 ladies to look out for
4 2 3
1
GINA CARANO
How does a mixed martial-artist end up as the lead in a Steven Soderbergh indie spy thriller? And with a supporting cast that includes acting heavyweights Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender and Michael Douglas? She kicks ass, obviously.
Did you know? “It’s so satisfying watching her beat the (expletive) out of the cast,” Soderbergh told The
Playlist blog about Carano. He caught her on TV one night and thought, Why has no one made a movie with her?
5
ELIZABETH OLSEN
ANDREA RISEBOROUGH
TAYLOR SCHILLING
The Olsen Twins’ younger sister got a major headstart in 2011 with her impressive performance in indie cult film Martha Marcy May Marlene and this thoughtful, wideeyed actress will continue the momentum with Liberal Arts, written and directed by How I Met Your Mother star Josh Radnor. She’ll also appear in the horror flick Silent House (March 9) and paranormal thriller Red Lights alongside Robert De Niro and Cillian Murphy.
Thank the Material Girl herself, Madonna, for bringing this English Rose to the forefront in 2012. Riseborough will start off the year with her lauded performance in Madge-directed feature W.E. (Feb. 3) as controversial paramour to King Edward the 8th, Wallis Simpson. She’ll stay at the forefront with IRA thriller Shadow Dancer, as well as Disconnect, co-starring True Blood babe Alexander Skarsgard and Jason Bateman — finishing it off with English crime thriller Welcome to the Punch.
Oh, to star in a Nicholas Sparks book adaptation. Though she may’ve been the lead in failed TV show Mercy and dead-onarrival Atlas Shrugged: Part One as lead character Dagny Taggart, somebody in Hollywood has some faith in this American 27year-old. She’s been cast opposite Zac Efron in The Lucky One (April 20), a romance about an Iraq war veteran who goes in search of the woman whose photo became his good luck charm while fighting in the war. Schilling will also star in Ben Affleckdirected political thriller Argo in 2012.
“
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LILY COLLINS
The spawn of Sussudio impresario Phil Collins already had her coming out party in 2011 with roles in Abduction and Priest. This year the 22year-old has a starring role in Tarsem Singh’s lighthearted take on the Snow White fairytale in Mirror Mirror (March 16th) co-starring Julia Roberts, along with prominent roles in The English Teacher co-starring Julianne Moore and sci-fi film The Mortal Instrument.
“ONE OF THE BEST PERFORMANCES OF THE YEAR
IN ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF 2011.” “
“CHARLIZE
#####”
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THERON IS A COMIC FORCE OF NATURE.”
Mick LaSalle
”
PERFECT T FAMILY FARE.
Peter Travers
IN
COARSE LANGUAGE
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Movie reviews
We Bought a Zoo Genre: Comedy Director: Cameron Crowe Stars: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church 111
Cameron Crowe might not seem on surface the first choice for a family friendly comedy, but a closer look at his work — from Almost Famous to Jerry Maguire — proves otherwise. Crowe’s pictures almost always deal with family situ-
metronews.ca
scene
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
See it twice 88888 | See it now 8888 | Worth watching 888 | Yawn 88 | Don’t bother 8
ations, mostly unorthodox, but always gripped by truth and sentimentality. His adaptation of the bestselling book, We Bought a Zoo, is really just another Crowe joint: melancholy yet joyous, optimistic and truthful. Matt Damon is in fine form as the stillaching widow who moves his two children to a dilapidated country zoo and he’s matched by Scarlett Johansen as a feisty zookeeper. CHRIS ALEXANDER
War Horse Genre: Drama Director: Steven Spielberg Stars: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson 111
A book-turned-playturned Steven Spielberg epic, War Horse is a manipulated but multilayered telling of the First World War through the eyes of a tempestuous thoroughbred. Combin-
ing several characters from both sides of the battle, Spielberg overextends his focus on sentimentality but as he’s proved in Saving Private Ryan, nobody crafts cinematic combat scenes better and the auteur succeeds most notably with a stunningly filmed cavalry charge that outlines the harrowing carnage of war. STEVE GOW
The Artist Genre: Drama Director: Michel Hazanavicius Stars: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman 1111
Black and white; silent; set in silent-era Hollywood; and subtitled, The Artist may not scream mainstream must see, but it’s one of the year’s most gloriously memorable films. This French jewel is magical, pure and dreamy on
the surface, blazing emotion and irrevocable change underneath. Dujardin is Valentin, the toast of Tinseltown, a matinée idol who charms the birds out of the fake trees that line Mulholland Drive. But he’s about to lose it all if he can’t make the cut to sound. The Artist feels like a fairy tale, something you’re watching in a theatre and it is 1927. ANNE BRODIE
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
THESE PAGES COVER MOVIE START TIMES FROM FRI., DEC. 23 TO THURS., DEC. 29. TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. COMPLETE LISTINGS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT METRONEWS.CA/MOVIES.
HALIFAX BAYERS LAKE 190 Chain Lake Dr., Bayers Lake 902-876-4800 The Adventures of Tintin (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 12:45 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 12:25 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:45 The Adventures of Tintin 3D (STC) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 3:35-7:15-10:10 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 3:15 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 4:10-7-10:10 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 3:35-7:15-10:10 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 12:15-12:45-2:40-3:45-5-7:25-7:559:45 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 12:15-12:30-2:40-3:10 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 5-7:25-7:55-9:45 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:15-12:452:40-3:45-5-7:25-7:55-9:45 Arthur Christmas (G) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 12:05 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 11:50 Arthur Christmas 3D (G) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 2:55-6:25-9:10 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 2:30 The Darkest Hour 3D (STC) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 4:55-7:45-10:05 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:05-2:45-6:25-9:10 The Descendants (14) Dolby Stereo, Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 1:25-4:25-7:45-10:30 Dolby Stereo, Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 12:55-3:40 Dolby Stereo, Digital, Stadium Seating Sun 4:257:45-10:30 Dolby Stereo, Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1:25-4:25-7:45-10:30 Don 2 (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 12:20-3:30-6:55-10:05 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 12:05-3:15 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 6:10-9:35 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:203:30-6:55-10:05 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 1:104:45-8:30 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 1:10 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 4:45-8:30 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1:10-4:45-8:30 Happy Feet Two (STC) Dolby Stereo, Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 1:15-3:50 Dolby Stereo, Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 1:05-3:35 Dolby Stereo, Digital, Stadium Seating Sun 4:15 Dolby Stereo, Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1:15-3:50 Hugo 3D (STC) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 1:10-4:10-7:40-10:30 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 12:45-3:35 Dolby
Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 4:35-7:40-10:30 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1:10-4:10-7:4010:30 Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 11:55-3:15-6:40-10 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 11:40-2:55 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 5:15-9:10 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 11:55-3:15-6:40-10 The Muppets (G) Dolby Stereo, Digital Fri 1:054:05-7:35-10:15 Dolby Stereo, Digital Sat 1-3:40 Dolby Stereo, Digital Sun 4:20-7:35-10:15 Dolby Stereo, Digital Mon-Thu 1:05-4:05-7:35-10:15 New Year’s Eve (PG) Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 12:35-3:35-6:55-9:55 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 12:20-3:15 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 4-6:55-9:55 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:35-3:35-6:55-9:55 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 12:20-4:15-6:50-7:40-9:50-10:30 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 12-3:25 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 4:15-6:50-7:40-9:5010:30 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating MonThu 12:20-4:15-6:50-7:40-9:50-10:30 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 11:45-2:45-7:15-10:25 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 11:30-2:25 War Horse (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 4:55-8:45 Digital, Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:10-3:30-6:55-10:15 We Bought a Zoo (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo Fri 12:55-4-7:30-10:25 Digital, Dolby Stereo Sat 12:35-3:30 Digital, Dolby Stereo Sun 4:05-7:3010:25 Digital, Dolby Stereo Mon-Thu 12:55-4-7:3010:25 Young Adult (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo Fri 1:30-4:30-8:10-10:30 Digital, Dolby Stereo Sat 1:15-3:40 Digital, Dolby Stereo Sun 4:30-8:1010:30 Digital, Dolby Stereo Mon-Thu 1:30-4:308:10-10:30
IMAX 190 Chain Lake Dr., Bayers Lake 902-876-4800 The Adventures of Tintin: An IMAX 3D Experience (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 12-2:15-4:30 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 12:50-3:05 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun-Thu 12-2:15-4:30 Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol: The IMAX Experience (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 7:05-9:45 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun-Thu 7:05-9:45
OXFORD THEATRE 6408 Quinpool Rd. 902-423-7488 The Girl
With the Dragon Tattoo (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital Fri 1:15-4:30-8 Dolby Stereo Digital Sat 1:15-4:30 Dolby Stereo Digital Sun 4:30-8 Dolby Stereo Digital Mon-Thu 1:15-4:30-8
PARK LANE 5657 Spring Garden Rd. 902-423-4860 The Adventures of Tintin (STC) Stadium Seating Fri 1 Stadium Seating Sat 12:25 Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1 The Adventures of Tintin 3D (STC) Stadium Seating Fri 3:55-7:15-9:55 Stadium Seating Sat 3:20 Stadium Seating Sun-Thu 3:55-7:15-9:55 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (STC) Stadium Seating Fri 1:304:05-6:50 Stadium Seating Sat 12:35-2:45 Stadium Seating Sun 4:05-6:50 Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1:30-4:05-6:50 The Darkest Hour (STC) Stadium Seating Sun 4:15-7:30-10:15 Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1:154:15-7:30-10:15 Hugo 3D (STC) Stadium Seating Fri 12:15-3:206:30-9:45 Stadium Seating Sat 12:20-3:10 Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (STC) Stadium Seating, No Passes Fri 12:45-3:45-710:05 Stadium Seating, No Passes Sat 12-2:55 Stadium Seating, No Passes Sun 3:45-7-10:05 Stadium Seating, No Passes Mon-Thu 12:45-3:45-7-10:05 The Muppets (G) Stadium Seating Fri 1:154:15-7:30-10:15 Stadium Seating Sat 12:30-3:15 New Year’s Eve (PG) Stadium Seating Fri 12:50-3:35-6:15-9 Stadium Seating Sat 12:10-2:50 Stadium Seating Sun 3:35-6:15-9 Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:50-3:35-6:15-9 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (STC) Stadium Seating, No Passes Fri 12-3-6:209:20 Stadium Seating, No Passes Sat 12:05-3 Stadium Seating, No Passes Sun 3-6:20-9:20 Stadium Seating, No Passes Mon-Thu 12-3-6:20-9:20 The Sitter (14) Stadium Seating Fri 9:10 Stadium Seating Sun-Thu 9:10 War Horse (STC) Stadium Seating Sun 3:206:30-9:40 Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:15-3:206:30-9:40 We Bought a Zoo (STC) Stadium Seating Fri 12:30-3:30-6:40-9:30 Stadium Seating Sat 12:153:05 Stadium Seating Sun 3:30-6:40-9:30 Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:30-3:30-6:40-9:30
LOWER SACKVILLE LOWER SACKVILLE 760 Sackville Dr., Downsview Plaza 902-869-2022 The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (STC) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 1:10 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 12:50 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1:15 The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn 3D (STC) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 3:40-7:30-9:50 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 3:40 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 6:40-9:20 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating MonThu 3:45-6:40-9:20 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (STC) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 1:20-3:30-6:40-9:15 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 1-3:45 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 7:25-9:50 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12-2:15-4:30-6:20-8:50 Arthur Christmas (G) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 12:30-3:10 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 12:10-3 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (STC) Dolby Stereo, No Passes, Stadium Seating Fri 12:50-4:10-7:45 Dolby Stereo, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sat 12-3:10 Dolby Stereo, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sun 7:45 Dolby Stereo, No Passes, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:45-4:10-7:40
Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (STC) Dolby Stereo, No Passes, Stadium Seating Fri 12:45-3:45-6:45-9:35 Dolby Stereo, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sat 12:15-3:30 Dolby Stereo, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sun 7:15-10:05 Dolby Stereo, No Passes, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:30-3:307:15-10:10 New Year’s Eve (PG) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 6:30-9:25 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (STC) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating, No Passes Fri 12:35-3:20-7:15-10 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating, No Passes Sat 12:25-3:20 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating, No Passes Sun 6:50-9:55 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating, No Passes Mon-Thu 12:20-3:156:50-9:55 War Horse (STC) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 6:30-9:35 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating MonThu 12:10-3:20-6:30-9:40 We Bought a Zoo (STC) Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Fri 1-4-7-9:45 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sat 12:40-3:30 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Sun 7-9:45 Dolby Stereo, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1-4-7-9:45
DARTMOUTH DARTMOUTH CROSSING 145 Shubie Dr., Dartmouth Crossing 902-481-3251 The Adventures of Tintin (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 1:10 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 12 Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1:10 The Adventures of Tintin 3D (STC) Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Fri 4:30-7:109:50 Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Sat 2:50 Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Sun 4:25-7:10-9:50 Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Mon-Thu 4:30-7:10-9:50 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 12:10-12:50-2:50-3:30-5:05-7:257:45-9:55 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 12:30-12:45-3:15-3:35 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun 3:25-4:35-7:25-7:45-9:55 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:10-12:50-2:50-3:30-5:05-7:25-7:45-9:55 Arthur Christmas (G) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 12:35 Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 12:20 Arthur Christmas 3D (G) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 3:15-6:35-9:30 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 3:05 The Darkest Hour 3D (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun 4:45-8:15-10:40 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 1:303:45-8:15-10:40 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Fri 12:40-4-8:05 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sat 11-2:25 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sun 4-8:05 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating MonThu 12:40-4-8:05 Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (STC) Stadium Seating, No Passes Fri 1-4:10-7:1510:30 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Fri 12:30-3:40-6:45-10 Stadium Seating, No Passes Sat 11:45-3 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sat 11:20-2:35 Stadium Seating, No Passes Sun 4:10-7:15-10:30 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sun 3:40-6:45-10 Stadium Seating, No Passes MonThu 1-4:10-7:15-10:30 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:30-3:406:45-10 The Muppets (G) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 1:30-4:35-7:35-10:10 Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 11:302:15 New Year’s Eve (PG) Stadium Seating, Dolby
Stereo Digital Fri 11:45-2:45-6:15-9:25 Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Sat 11:35-2:45 Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Sun 3-6:15-9:25 Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Mon-Thu 11:45-2:45-6:15-9:25 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating, No Passes Fri 12-3-6:25-9:40 Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating, No Passes Sat 11:10-2:10 Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating, No Passes Sun 3:15-6:25-9:40 Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating, No Passes Mon-Thu 12-3-6:25-9:40 The Sitter (14) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 10:35 Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun-Thu 10:35 War Horse (STC) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun 3:05-6:35-9:50 Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 11:503:15-6:35-9:50 We Bought a Zoo (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 12:20-3:50-6:55-10:15 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 12:10-2:55 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun 3:506:55-10:10 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 12:20-3:50-6:55-10:10 Young Adult (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 1:20-4:20-7:55-10:20 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 11:55-3:30 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun 4:15-7:5510:20 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating MonThu 1:20-4:20-7:55-10:20
TRURO TRURO 20 Treaty Trail, Millbrook 902-895-8020 The Adventures of Tintin (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 3:45 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 2:45 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 3:45 The Adventures of Tintin 3D (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 7:15-10 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun-Thu 7:15-10 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 3:30-6:50-9:40 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 2:30 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun 6:50-9:40 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 3:30-6:50-9:40 The Darkest Hour 3D (STC) Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Sun 7-9:20 Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Mon-Tue 3:20-7-9:20 Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Wed 3:20-7-9:20 Stadium Seating, Dolby Stereo Digital Thu 3:20-7-9:20 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating, No Passes Fri 3-6:30-9:10 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating, No Passes Sat 2 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating, No Passes Sun 6:309:10 Dolby
ing, No Passes Mon-Thu 3-6:30-9:10 Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Fri 3:10-6:35-9:35 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sat 2:10 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sun 6:35-9:35 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 3:10-6:35-9:35 New Year’s Eve (PG) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 3:20-7-9:35 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 2:20 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Fri 3:15-6:55-9:55 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sat 2:15 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Sun 6:55-9:55 Dolby Stereo Digital, No Passes, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 3:15-6:55-9:55 We Bought a Zoo (STC) Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Fri 3:40-7:05-9:50 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sat 2:40 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Sun 7:05-9:50 Dolby Stereo Digital, Stadium Seating Mon-Thu 3:407:05-9:50
BRIDGEWATER BRIDGEWATER 349 Lahave St., 902-527-4020 The Adventures of Tintin (STC) Fri-Sat 2:30 Mon-Thu 12:55 The Adventures of Tintin 3D (STC) Fri 6:40-9:45 Sun 6:40-9:45 Mon-Thu 4:05-6:40-9:45 Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (STC) Fri 2:40-7:05-9:15 Sat 2:40 Sun 7:05-9:15 Mon-Thu 12:45-3:40-7:059:15 The Darkest Hour (STC) Mon-Thu 12-3:35 The Darkest Hour 3D (STC) Sun-Thu 7:159:55 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (STC) No Passes Fri 3:10-7:30 No Passes Sat 3:10 No Passes Sun 7:30 No Passes Mon-Thu 1-4:15-7:30 Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (STC) No Passes Fri 3:25-6:30-9:25 No Passes Sat 3:25 No Passes Sun 6:30-9:25 No Passes Mon-Thu 12:30-3:25-6:30-9:25 New Year’s Eve (PG) Fri 3:30-7:15-9:55 Sat 3:30 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (STC) No Passes Fri 2:55-6:50-9:10 No Passes Sat 2:55 No Passes Sun 6:50-9:10 No Passes Mon-Thu 12:15-3:55-6:50-9:10 We Bought a Zoo (STC) Fri 3:15-6:15-9:35 Sat 3:15 Sun 6:15-9:35 Mon-Thu 12:05-3:15-6:159:35
Stereo Digital, Stadium Seat-
FROM THE MAKERS OF GUINNESS
*Smithwick’s is available at select locations only
PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY © Diageo Canada Inc. 2011. All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés.
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22
metronews.ca WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
WHAT TO BUY WITH THE CHRISTMAS MONEY SOUND CHECK
ALAN CROSS SCENE @METRONEWS.CA
With two days to go, what do you get the music fan on your list? Let’s assume for a second that there will be some envelopes under the tree Christmas morning. You could do the responsible thing and apply whatever
cash you get to the postChristmas debts — remember that CPP takes its annual chunk out of your paycheque as of January 1! — or use it for an RRSP contribution. But let’s be honest: you’re going to do neither. Instead, you’ll contribute
to the retail economy by recycling that cash on things that…well, things that you think you need but really don’t. In fact, no one actually needs any of these things.
about those t-shirts that allow you to strum rudimentary chords when you pass your hand across the front. This is just the next logical step in wearable instruments.
The Drum Machine T-Shirt ($30)
The iHorn ($540)
You might have heard
Inspired by the acoustic principles used in oldschool gramophone horns, these things may require rearranging the furniture, but if these things are even on your radar, chances are you’ve already got a place that’s way too big already. iNuke ($30,000)
If the iHorn is too weenie for you, then you need to step up to this 700-pound, 10,000-watt iPhone/iPod speaker dock.
Regular Price: You Save: Discount:
CURRENT DEALS
Follow us on:
No, none of the numbers in the preceding is a typo. A Street-Legal Race Car Inspired by a Bjork Video ($125,000)
Lest you think that Bjork can’t live down that swan dress, take a look at the BAC Mono, a singleseat street-legal track. This thing wouldn’t exist had its designers not been inspired by the video for Bjork’s All Is Full of Love. And although all 50 copies for 2011 have been sold out, the manufacture can promise delivery for 2013. Perhaps you should put that Christmas money aside after all. ALAN IS THE HOST OF THE RADIO SHOW
THE
HISTORY
The Drum Machine T-Shirt
OF
SECRET ROCK.
REACH HIM AT ALAN@ALANCROSS.CA
23
metronews.ca
dish
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Just because he wears a ton of eyeliner...
No Xmas TV at Beyoncé’s house Beyoncé says she and Jay-Z are looking forward to enjoying the holidays free
from the glare of television. “I will be with family. We are both so busy throughout the year that Christmas is just a time to relax with family and count the many blessings in your life,” the pregnant pop star says, according to Contact Music. “Christmas Day is a noTV zone. We just like to sit and talk together as a fami-
Jay-Z and Beyoncé
ly.” She also admits that being expectant parents will likely have an effect on the gifts they buy each other: “We both keep seeing super-cute stuff for the baby, so I am sure even our presents for each other will involve the baby in some way,” she says. METRO
Shocker: Adam Lambert gets into a gay bar brawl in Helsinki
THE WORD DOROTHY ROBINSON SCENE@METRONEWS.CA
Well, this is awesome: Former American Idol star Adam Lambert was arrested and briefly jailed in Finland after reportedly getting into a gay bar brawl with his boyfriend, Finnish Big Brother star Sauli Koskinen, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Lambert is in Helsinki to spend Christmas with Koskinen’s family, and the couple was out drinking with Finnish beauty queen
and ex-Miss Helsinki Sofia Ruusila when an argument between the two men turned violent, causing them to be kicked out of the bar. Their fight continued in the street, where Lambert reportedly hit Ruusila by mistake, she told a Finnish entertainment channel. Lambert and Koskinen were arrested and questioned for several hours before being released Thursday afternoon. Finnish beauty queens, gay bar fights, jail time — and here you thought you'd have an interesting Christmas break if your mother had two glasses of wine instead of her usual one. Adam Lambert for the win! ALL PHOTOS GETTY IMAGES
Adam Lambert
Ashton Kutcher
Kutcher moves on Ashton Kutcher is apparently making the most of his newly single status, as the Two and a Half Men star was spotted hanging out with three young women in Berlin this week, where he’s reportedly researching a new business venture, according to Hollyscoop. Kutcher and the three women were spotted getting into his chauffeur-driven car together, though he was later seen heading into an apartment with just one of them, a brunette. METRO
Is Jamie Bell looking for a ring? The rekindled romance must be working, because Jamie Bell and Evan Rachel Wood are reportedly thinking about marriage. “They have been shopping for rings for at least a month,” a source tells Us Weekly.
Ryan, Blake hit Vancouver
Jamie Bell and Rachel Wood
And the two certainly aren’t afraid of commitment, as they reportedly got matching tattoos during their initial courtship in 2006. “Evan and Jamie were really young and just getting going in their careers when
they first met and they just weren’t ready,” another source tells Radar Online. “Now that they are older and both excelling in their professional lives, I think they feel ready to take their relationship to the next level.” METRO
Ryan Reynolds treated Blake Lively to some preholiday family time while the couple were in Vancouver this week, according to Us Weekly. After shopping for toys and cupcakes earlier in the day, the pair joined Reynolds’ mother and brother for dinner at Tojos restaurant. Sources who spotted Lively and Reynolds around town say they were “really friendly” but kept to themselves. METRO
24
metronews.ca
food
3 life
Tenderloin Tip
The cut of meat in this recipe is very important. When you head to the meat counter, be sure to specify that you want a centre-cut tenderloin. This will ensure that you don’t get a roast that contains several pieces of tenderloin pressed together. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Perfect turkey supporters PETER ROCKWELL LIQUIDASSETS@EASTLINK.CA
Happy healthy holidays This Beef Wellington contains just 11 grams of fat and 328 calories
TWITTER: @THEREALWINEGUY
As sure as the Grinch stole Christmas, it’s a given that we’ll all receive at least one bottle of wine as a gift from a co-worker, guest or neighbour over the holiday season. In my house, I pick the wines that go with Xmas dinner so — while much appreciated — anything that shows up at the door goes into the wine rack for future enjoyment. Of course, considering how my family can plow through my wine selection, it would be nice if more of the freebies came with a roast turkey match in mind. For reds, bring a plump New World pinot noir from California or Canada, a chocolaty old vines zinfandel (also from Cali.) or, for a slightly unconventional Old World partner, a Crianza or Reserva from Spain’s Rioja region. On the white side, think a not so oaky chardonnay from Australia or Chile, a German riesling or a rich, multi-blend like the ripe, refreshing cornucopia of grape flavours (five in all) that is California’s Caymus 2009 Conundrum ($23.95 - $29.99). Happy holidays! PRICES REFLECT THE
Some common sense can help keep food healthy and safe during the festive season
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
RANGE
ACROSS
CANADA. SOME PRODUCTS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IN ALL PROVINCES.
MATTHEW MEAD/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Preparation:
1
Heat oven to 190 C (375 F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Season beef liberally with salt and pepper.
2
In sauté pan over medium-high, heat olive oil. When oil just smoking, add beef. Brown on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Once browned, remove beef and place on a rack to rest.
3
Add garlic to hot pan and cook until lightly browned, 20 seconds. Add mushrooms and onion and cook until soft and tender and all liquid has evaporated, 10 mins. Season with salt and pepper and add 10 ml (2 tsp) of the thyme.
4
Set aside 50 ml (1/4 cup) of mushroom-onion mix. Transfer rest to food processor and pulse to roughly chop until reduced to 5-mm (1/4inch) pieces. Transfer to bowl and refrigerate 5 mins. Once slightly cooled, add spinach and egg whites and mix well.
5
In bowl, stir pancake mix with just enough water, about 75 ml (1/3 cup), to moisten and make dough that holds together but is not sticky. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to a thin rectangle that is 5 cm (2 inches) longer than the beef roast. Place beef on dough. Spoon spinach and mushroom mix on
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Ingredients: • 900 g (32 oz) beef tenderloin, centre cut, trimmed of all visible fat • Salt and black pepper • 7 ml (1/2 tbsp) olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 285 g (10 oz) button mushrooms, sliced • 250 ml (1 cup) diced onion • 12 ml (2 1/2 tsp) thyme • 1 pkg (284 g/10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry • 2 egg whites, beaten • 400 ml (1 2/3 cups) Bisquick Heart Smart Pancake and Baking Mix • 5 chunks dried porcini mushrooms • 22 ml (3/4 oz) beef jerky, finely shredded • 125 ml (1/2 cup) Madeira • 22 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) arrowroot powder • 10 ml (2 tsp) soy sauce This recipe serves eight.
top and sides of beef and pat down tightly. Fold dough up and over top of beef and spinach and crimp seams together.
6
7
Place meat, seam side down, on baking sheet. Cut slits in top to vent. Bake 40 mins. or until centre registers 60 C (140 F). Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place 2 of porcini chunks in a spice grinder and grind to fine powder. Place mushroom powder, remaining
whole porcini mushroom chunks and shredded jerky in a microwave-safe bowl with 500 ml (2 cups) of water. Microwave high until water is simmering. Let sit for 5 minutes and repeat.
8
Pour Madeira into small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil and boil 5 mins. or until reduced by half. Pour dried mushroom and beef broth through fine mesh strainer into Madeira while pushing on jerky and mushrooms to extract as much liquid
as possible. Remove whole pieces of porcini mushrooms and roughly chop; set aside. Discard jerky. Bring broth and Madeira mix to a boil.
9
In bowl, combine arrowroot and 60 ml (4 tbsp) cold water. Mix and add to simmering sauce. Cook and stir 1 min or until sauce thickens. Add soy sauce, remaining thyme, reserved porcini and reserved mushroom and onion mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Slice roast into 8 even slices and arrange on a platter. Serve with sauce. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/ ROCCO DISPIRITO
metronews.ca
food
Walking in a sweet treat wonderland Looking for a new holiday gift idea? Make this Almond Bark to share with family and friends Give Candy Canes new meaning in tasty tarts
THE CANADIAN PRESS H/O
Candy Cane Tarts
Preparation:
1
NEWS CANADA
refrigerate until set.
4 5
Preparation:
1
2
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease a large baking sheet. Set aside. In a separate large baking pan, spread almonds and toast for 8 minutes or until slightly brown. Let cool. In heavy saucepan bring butter, sugar, water,
vanilla, and salt to a boil over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Boil mixture, without stirring, 12 mins. or until deep golden.
3
25
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
6
Ingredients: In bowl, set over saucepan of hot water, melt bittersweet and semi sweet chocolates until smooth. Pour chocolate over cooled almond toffee and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle top with remaining almonds. If desired, drizzle top with melted milk chocolate or white chocolate for contrast. Chill uncovered for about 1 hour or until set.
• 4 cups (1 L) sliced almonds • 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, softened • 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar • 1/3 cup (60 mL) water • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt • 1 lb (454 g) high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped • 8 oz (227 g) high-quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped • 3 oz. (90 g) milk or white chocolate, melted (optional)
2 3
bowl and fold in 2/3 of the whipped topping. Divide plain pudding mix evenly among cooled tart shells. Top with pudding-whipped topping mixture.
Prepare tart shells according to directions for unfilled tart shells. Set aside. Whip topping according to directions; set aside. In bowl, combine instant chocolate pudding and milk. Beat using an electric mixer until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Place half of prepared pudding in separate
Ingredients: • 12 frozen tart shells • 75 ml (1/3 cup) whipped topping
4
Refrigerate filled tarts and remaining whipped topping at least 2 hours. Serve with dollop of remaining whipped topping; sprinkle with crushed candy canes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ TENDERFLAKE
• 1 pkg (250 g/8 oz) instant chocolate pudding • 250 ml (1 cup) milk • 50 ml (1/4 cup) crushed candy canes or mint candy
Break toffee into pieces. Keep layered between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container at cool room temperature or refrigerated for 1 week. NEWS CANADA/ ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA/
Remove pan from heat and stir in 2 cups (500 mL) of toasted almonds. Immediately pour onto greased baking sheet. Spread evenly and then
ADAPTED BY EMILY RICHARDS(PROFESSIONAL HOME ECONOMIST, COOKBOOK AUTHOR AND A TV CELEBRITY CHEF. FOR MORE, VISIT EMILYRICHARDSCOOKS.CA)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS & BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR BEDFORD PLACE MALL THANKS ALL OF OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS FOR A TERRIFIC 2011!
JANUARY CLEARANCE SALE STARTS JANUARY 16
26
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sports
WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
RYAN TAPLIN/METRO FILE
QMJHL
4
STANDINGS W
sports More sports
SCORING
COLE HARBOUR NATIVE
Moose MacKinnon top candidate to be named captain of Team Atlantic
WORLD WOMEN’S UNDER-18 HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP STARTING DEC. 31 IN PREROV AND ZLIN, CZECH REPUBLIC. THE 17-YEAR-OLD BLUE-LINER PLAYS FOR SHATTUCK-ST. MARY’S PREP SCHOOL IN FARIBAULT, MINN.
$500 Loan and more
MATTHEW WUEST
@METRONEWS.CA
Say what you want about Hockey Canada’s controversial decision not to invite Nathan MacKinnon to its world junior selection camp — the Atlantic under17 team’s medal hopes got a big boost from it. With the world under-17 challenge set to begin on Dec. 29 in Windsor, Ont., the 16-year-old superstar from Cole Harbour will be the driving force behind Team Atlantic’s bid for its first medal since 2005.
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UPCOMING GAMES
Something to prove UP FOR CANADA AT THE IIHF
T
• Tuesday, Dec. 27 P.E.I. at Halifax, 7 p.m. • Wednesday, Dec. 28 Halifax at Cape Breton, 7 p.m. • Friday, Dec. 30 Cape Breton at Halifax, 7 p.m.
Nathan MacKinnon, shown here with Team Nova Scotia at the Canada Games in February, is expected to be named captain of Team Atlantic for the world under-17 challenge.
ALEXIS CROSSLEY WILL SUIT
L
*QUEBEC (3)28 6 3 59 *SAINT JOHN (4)28 10 1 57 *B.-BOISBRIAND 20 14 2 42 SHAWINIGAN (5)25 9 4 54 HALIFAX 22 11 3 47 VICTORIAVILLE 21 13 2 44 RIMOUSKI 22 17 0 44 CHICOUTIMI 17 11 8 42 BAIE-COMEAU 19 15 2 40 BATHURST 18 18 4 40 GATINEAU 16 16 5 37 MONCTON 17 18 2 36 VAL-D’OR 15 19 4 34 DRUMMONDVILLE 14 18 5 33 CAPE BRETON 15 21 1 31 R.-NORANDA 12 25 2 26 P.E.I. 8 24 4 20 *—DIVISION LEAD; (#)— NATIONAL RANK
The Mooseheads have brought in Jason Ellis from Cole Harbour’s major midget team to shore up their goaltending depth. The 17-year-old from Lantz will likely join Marc-Olivier Daigle for games Dec. 27, 28 and 30 with Zach Fucale away at the world under-17 and Anthony Terenzio out with a concussion.
“I hope he brings back a little bit of attitude to show everybody he is the best in the world in his age group and that he should have earned a spot (at the world junior camp),” said Atlantic head coach Eric Bissonnette. “I think that’s what Hockey Canada wants to see from him. Not only dominating, but how good of a leader he is and how good he can make our team.” MacKinnon, who leads the Halifax Mooseheads in scoring as a rookie, already helped Team Atlantic to a fifth-place finish — its best
since 2005 — as an underager last year in Portage La Prairie, Alta., tying for seventh among all scorers with eight points in five games. But as important as he will be, it’s the supporting cast — featuring the likes of another Mooseheads forward, Ryan Falkenham of Halifax, and eight other Nova Scotians — that could be the key to success. “We know what Nathan will give us. We expect he’ll be our best guy, so we need the other guys to do their jobs,” Bissonnette said. “A guy like Ryan, if he gives us a real good showing, re-
sponsible defensively, a big shut-down guy, and adding to the scoresheet, that’s what we’re looking for.” Nova Scotia opens on Dec. 29 against Quebec and is in a round-robin pool with defending gold medallist Ontario as well as Germany and Sweden. The top two teams in the pool qualify for the semifinals. “One bad outing can take you out of medal contention,” Bissonnette said. “But if our goaltending is strong, we believe we have a good chance to compete for a medal on the last day of the tournament.”
Z. O’BRIEN, BAT. Y. GOURDE, VIC. S. TRUDEAU, BAT. M. GRIGORENKO, QUE. M. BISSONNETTE, BAT. Z. PHILLIPS, S.J. B. DUFFY, P.E.I. A. MALLETT, RIM. D. GAUTHIER, S.J. F. ROY, QUE.
GP 39 36 40 36 40 32 36 39 37 35
G 31 21 18 25 30 19 20 20 31 16
A PTS 35 66 43 64 45 63 33 58 27 57 35 54 32 52 32 52 20 51 35 51
NBL of Canada STANDINGS LONDON QUEBEC HALIFAX SAINT JOHN OSHAWA SUMMERSIDE MONCTON
W
L
Pct GB
12 12 8 8 6 5 2
3 5 4 8 11 10 12
.800 .706 .667 .500 .353 .333 .143
— 1.0 2.5 4.5 7.0 7.0 9.5
UPCOMING GAMES • Friday, Dec. 23 Halifax at Quebec, 8:30 p.m. • Saturday, Dec. 24 Halifax at Oshawa, 6 p.m. • Sunday, Jan. 1 Halifax at Oshawa, 8 p.m.
Herd loses Frk for duration of world juniors Martin Frk is ineligible to play in the Halifax Mooseheads’ next three games due to an agreement between the Canadian Hockey League and the International Ice Hockey Federation. Frk, who has appeared in the Mooseheads’ past seven games after sitting out the entire season with a concussion, decided not to attend the IIHF world junior cham-
pionship — despite being named to the Czech Republic’s roster — because he is still a long way from being in game shape. But the CHL-IIHF agreement dictates he can’t play for Halifax while the WJC is being played. The Mooseheads play Dec. 27, 28 and 30. “It’s a rule, there’s no fighting it, there’s no trying
to find a happy medium,” said Mooseheads general manager Cam Russell. “It’s just an agreement the CHL and the IIHF have. We’re not going to contest it.” The rule helps prevent CHL teams from holding players back from the WJC. Despite the news, Russell said not going to the WJC is the “right decision” for Frk, who he said “just isn’t
ready” to play at that level. Frk has been sluggish since his return, with just one goal in seven games. The 18-year-old winger is considered a first- or second-round prospect for the 2012 NHL draft. He had three goals and three assists for the Czech Republic as an under-age player at last year’s world junior. MATTHEW WUEST
sports
metronews.ca
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
RYAN TAPLIN/METRO FILE
Away for the holidays Rainmen face challenging road games on Friday night and Christmas Eve RYAN TAPLIN/METRO FILE
“We all would like to be at home for Christmas, but once you are working, once you are playing, I think everything is out of your mind. You give the team what it needs.�
MATTHEW WUEST
@METRONEWS.CA
So this is Christmas for the Halifax Rainmen. Riding a five-game winning streak that has pushed them to third in the National Basketball League of Canada standings, the Rainmen have embarked on a difficult road trip that sees them visit the Quebec Kebs on Friday night and the Oshawa Power on Christmas Eve. Rather than lament the unfortunate timing of the trip, the Rainmen are taking it as an opportunity to show they’re for real.
Rainmen guard Justin Johnson.
RAINMEN HEAD COACH JOSEP (PEP) CLAROS
“It is a good challenge to see how tough we are,� said Rainmen head coach Josep (Pep) Claros. “If we are a team that is going to complain because it’s Christmas, or because we have two games in a row, or because we have to fly (from Quebec to Oshawa) with four hours sleep. ... Or if we’re (a team) tough enough to show we want to win those games.�
The game against the second-place Kebs is of particular importance. The Rainmen beat the Kebs 9783 in their last meeting on Dec. 10 but have a 2-3 record against teams with records of .500 or better. The Kebs (12-5) just added point guard Cedric Moodie and are considered a league favourite along with the 12-3 London Lightning.
“They’re a big team with a lot of experience, athleticism, shooters, scorers. ... They’ve got everything,� Claros said. “We have to play perfect on defence and we really have to rebound or it will be impossible to win.� The Rainmen are flying back to Halifax early on Christmas Day and have three full days off, resuming practice on Dec. 28.
Not merry. In Montreal
yoga
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YEAR
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Blake Wheeler had two goals and an assist to spark the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. Winnipeg goalie Ondrej Pavelec stopped 27 shots for his third shutout of the season. Montreal goaltender Carey Price made 30 saves, but the Canadiens suffered their fifth straight defeat.
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Schwartz moving past the pain Canadian captain focused on gold after missing majority of 2011 WJC and losing sister to leukemia shortly after Jaden Schwartz played through pain at last year’s world junior hockey championship, before having to watch from the sidelines. This time, the 19-yearold from Wilcox, Sask., will look to set the tone throughout the tournament as Canadian captain. Schwartz is one of four players on this year’s team
that had to settle for silver at the 2011 world junior tournament in Buffalo, N.Y. But Schwartz wasn’t able to finish that tournament. He fractured his left ankle during Canada’s second game, yet still had a goal and two assists in a 72 win over the Czech Republic. Schwartz didn’t play an-
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other game after that though, and watched the gold-medal game from the sidelines. Canada led 3-0 heading into the third period, but Russia exploded for five goals to take the title. “Last year was tough, obviously getting hurt and then that third period against Russia,� Schwartz said.
“This year is a whole new group of guys, new faces, new team and everything like that. There’s enough motivation just being here. We’re all here to win gold and that’s the bottom line.� The St. Louis Blues prospect seems older than 19, perhaps because he has a perspective on life that his teammates don’t.
His sister Mandi, a hockey player at Yale, died April 3 of leukemia at the age of 23. She was fighting for her life in Wilcox while Schwartz was with the Canadian team in Buffalo. When Schwartz arrived at the Regina airport after the tournament, Mandi was there to meet him and Schwartz hung his silver
medal around her neck. “She was pretty sick at that time,� Schwartz said. “It was the hardest thing I had to go through and probably one of the hardest things I’ll ever go through. It’s very difficult, but family and friends get you through times like that and thankfully they’re always there for me.� THE CANADIAN PRESS
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CLASSIFIEDS CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1 800 527-6767 – MONDAY TO FRIDAY 8:30 AM TO 6:00 PM (ATL) Metro requests that advertisers check their advertisement upon publication and advise Metro immediately if there are any copy errors in the advertisement as published. Metro will not be responsible for any error other than an incorrect insertion due to any act or omission of Metro. In any event Metro will only be responsible for one incorrect insertion of any particular ad regardless of the number of times such ad is run incorrectly. Metro’s liability for any such error is limited to the amount actually paid by the Customer for a single publication of the advertisement in the space the ad is run. In no event shall Metro be liable for any non-insertion of any advertisement for any reason whatsoever. All copy is subject to the approval of the management of Metro. Metro reserves the right to classify all advertisements.
Cardinals, Beltran have deal Two years for reported $26M US
29
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
— the same figure cited by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced. The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385 onbase percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season.
Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot. Beltran and Berkman are switch-hitters, giving new manager Mike Matheny lineup flexibility. Earlier this month, St. Louis re-signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a $14-million, two-year contract and added left-handed reliever J.C. Romero with a $750,000, one-year deal. The Cardinals appear to need only a few spare parts to finalize the roster.
PERSONALS
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Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, a move that would fortify the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols. The team disclosed the agreement Thursday night and said it expects to make a formal announcement shortly after the holidays. KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26 million US over two years
After Pujols signed a $254-million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said he expected his team’s payroll to perhaps exceed this year’s total of $110 million. Allen Craig, coming off an impressive post-season, gives the Cardinals another strong option in the outfield but will miss at least the first month of the season while recovering from knee surgery. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Correction to the HFX Forum Flea Market ad on December 22nd
Ph: (758) 454-6128 (St. Lucia)
Our Market will be CLOSED on December 25 th , 2011 and
January 1 st , 2012 Re-opening on January 8 th , 2012 Bookings start on January 2 nd , 2012 Please call 463-1406 Have a Safe & Happy Holiday! See You in the New Year!
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 23-25, 2011
Crossword Across 1 Hot tub 4 Physicist’s deg. 7 Cut in two 12 Chop 13 Scrooge’s cry 14 Crosswise, nautically 15 Historic time 16 Four-line verses 18 Atmosphere 19 Seafood entree 20 Dog bane? 22 Very long time 23 Former frosh 27 Needlefish 29 There 31 Perfect 34 Perspectives 35 With 48-Across, “Family Feud” material 37 Bankroll 38 Oliver Twist’s request 39 Clean Air Act org. 41 Send forth 45 Pilfered 47 Inseparable 48 See 35-Across 52 “Monty Python” opener 53 Pianist Eubie 54 Young seal 55 Prepared 56 Disrobe 57 Pigpen 58 Attempt Down 1 Wheat bundle 2 Danger 3 Cognizant 4 Cookouts, for short 5 UFO, maybe
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You can now post your kiss, and read even more kisses, online at metronews.ca/kiss. Me (D.B. my wish) I bet a lot of us hoped to received a similar message. Apologies are always welcome no matter what, and it’s never too late for it. A simple lie might seem innocent at first, but when discovered can hurt a lot, way too much. So many things I should have said, so many questions that haven’t been answered and it's probably why I can hardly move on. Merry Christmas xoxoxo FROM MISSY
Missed Connection May joy & goodwill be your gift on your birthday (The 29TH). May this Christmas day… be as special as you are to me! Wishing you a very heartfelt X Mas & wonderful New Year.
How to play 6 Guitarist once wed to Xavier Cugat 7 Difficult 8 “The — Daba Honeymoon” 9 Island garland 10 Forefront 11 Typog-raphy units 17 Broadway prize 21 Tequila source 23 Insinuating 24 “— on a Grecian Urn” 25 Church seat 26 Storefront sign abbr.
28 Hearty brew 30 Eggs 31 Doctrine 32 Pair with an air 33 Mess up 36 Abominable Snowman 37 Reddish brown 40 Tires (out) 42 Wettish 43 Bury 44 Irascible 45 Dance lesson 46 Catch sight of 48 Brady and Brees, for ex.
will be thinking a lot about your work and your reputation over the next few days. Taurus April 21-May 21 If someone says you should not be concerned about what is going on in your immediate environment that means you should be very concerned indeed. Gemini May 22-June 21 It would appear that you have been worrying about your money situation for no good reason and over the next few days you will see solutions where before you saw only problems. Cancer June 22-July 22 You are in two minds whether to get in-
Yesterday’s answer
volved in a feud that is really none of your business. Leo July 23-Aug.23 This is the ideal time to think of ways to reduce your chores and improve your health. Virgo Aug. 24- Sept. 22 Your confidence is improving by the hour and it won’t be long before your more positive attitude brings some seriously encouraging results. Libra Sept. 23-Oct. 23 You may find it hard to ask for assistance but ask you must because if you go it alone over the holiday period you could find yourself in a bit of a muddle. Scorpio Oct. 24-Nov. 22 The approaching new moon makes it
Fill in the grid, so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9. There is no math involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.
FROM SECRET CRUSH
Yesterday’s answer
For today’s crossword answers and for expanded horoscopes, go to metronews.ca
Today’s horoscope Aries March 21-April 20 You
49 Last (Abbr.) 50 Listener 51 Tackle moguls
easier for you to express yourself – and easier for others to understand what it is you are trying to say.
Sagittarius Nov. 23-Dec. 21 Good news from afar will cheer you up today, not least because it means you could make a lot of money.
DANNY GOHLKE/ DAPD/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Caption contest
MUSADEQ SADEQ/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
“I seem to be going around in circles.” CAROL-FAYE
Capricorn Dec. 22-Jan. 20 You are on the cusp of a positive phase.
WIN!
Aquarius Jan. 21-Feb. 18 Don’t snap at people who try to cheer you up — they mean well. Pisces Feb. 19-March 20. This is a good day to contact friends and relatives and plan a get together for between now and the end of the year.
You write it!
Write a funny caption for the image above and send it to play@metronews.ca — the winning caption will be published in tomorrow’s Metro.
SALLY BROMPTON
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metronews.ca
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
End of the world, or a
1
new era?
news
With just under a year to go to Dec. 21, 2012, experts say there’s no reason to fear the end is nigh The Mayan calendar doesn’t mark the apocalypse, they say, but rather the end of a more-than-5,000-year era PHYLICIA TORREVILLAS
@METRONEWS.CA METRO CANADA IN VANCOUVER
Doomsday is doomed. So say experts, who want to dispel a widespread belief that the ancient Mayans predicted Dec. 21, 2012, to be the last day for all humankind. Jaymie Matthews, an astronomer and astrophysicist at the University of B.C., said the date simply marks the end of a 5,126year era in the “long count” Mayan calendar. This calendar system records how many days have passed since Aug. 11, 3114 BC, the day believed to be the date of creation. But the Mayans weren’t warning future generations about an impending gloom and doom just because they didn’t make any physical records of their calendar that went past the first long count, Matthews points out. “Why would you ever make a calendar that
starts on the second long count, which won’t start for a couple thousand years after you were dead and buried?” he asks, rhetorically. Matthews says it would take a Mayan astronomer at least 10 months to carve a calendar pattern into a huge piece of stone. “There wasn’t a point in making and going through the effort of making a calendar that would cover the second long count and would absolutely be of no use to anybody because nobody was going to be alive.” Justin Jennings, lead curator of the exhibition Maya: Secrets of their Ancient World at the Royal Ontario Museum, agrees that the Mayan calendar predicts not the end of the world but a transition to a new era. “For the Maya, the idea was a cycle of time would end in December, but the next day a new cy-
03
Metro asked If the world were ending, and we needed the best and brightest so humanity could survive, who would you save? Out of the 412 panelists who answered, the three most popular picks were: 1. U.S. President Barack Obama. 2. A doctor. 3. The Dalai Lama.
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cle would begin,” he says. “(It’s like) when you throw out your old calendar: it doesn’t mean the world ends. You get a new one.” Matthews says that if anything terrible happens to the world, it’s not going to be anything the Mayans
HALIFAX FOLKLORE CENTRE
The source of the frenzy: The Mayan calendar
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foresaw. “If something happens to the world on Dec. 21, 2012, it would be something we would do ourselves.”
There isn’t the slightest reason to be worried, Matthews adds, as this would have been the super party of all time for the Mayans.
www.halifaxfolklorecentre.com
04
metronews.ca
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
If it’s over, no need to count calories Dirty bananas, barbecue, all-you-can-stomach frites — if it’s the End of Days, locals say they would pig out ALY THOMSON
CONTRIBUTED
METRO FILE
METRO FILE
CONTRIBUTED
METRO FILE
HALIFAX@METRONEWS.CA
If Doomsday predictions about the Mayan calendar are to be believed, local bomb shelters will be crowded in the waning days of 2012. We asked five locals where they would go to survive the End of Days. Here’s what they said.
Jonathan Torrens, actor:
Megan Leslie, MP for Halifax:
Andre Levingston, Rainmen owner:
Meaghan Smith, singer:
Darrell Dexter, Nova Scotia Premier:
“I’d buy a bunch of Gordon Korman books from Wozzles (children’s bookstore), get a couple oat cakes from Steve-OReno’s ... find myself a pretty frock at Pretty Things Boutique, and ... after going to the Clyde Street liquor store, I’d tee up a pitcher of dirty bananas and just drink myself into oblivion, with my wife and children.”
“I would hope that the world would end in the late summer, and I would be on my back deck in my yard, something delicious on the barbecue, glass of wine in hand, and clean laundry on the line. And Brothers Meats would be closed that day, so on my last day on earth my sheets wouldn’t smell like pepperoni.”
“I would spend it at the IWK because I’d want to be with the kids.”
“I would go down to the The Carleton (Music Bar & Grill) and I would eat maybe three or four plates of their frites.... I hardly ever eat those. They’re so darn good, but not so good for my waist line. They’re the best frites I’ve ever had.... And I’d invite all my friends and we’d just eat frites and wait for everything to burn.”
“At the Rainmen game.”
It was the best Epic travel and sex with of times — for strangers ... now guilt-free! some of us
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When it comes to the best day in our lives, it’s the people around us who make it special, according to Metropolitan Panel members. More than 200 respondents credited loved ones for their most special memories. “The day I married my best friend, my husband,” one panellist said. “The day I met my wife, by happy accident. We met at a convention where we had both planned to leave early. I asked her for coffee and she said, ‘No, thanks. I’ve had enough coffee today.’ But I persevered and asked her to go for dinner the next day.” The birth of children figured prominently. “The two days my children were born,” one said. “The day my son was born. Nothing else comes close to that day,” another added. Some respondents were more into dogs. “Getting my dog.… She
Tom Cruise did it too Best random response to the Metropolitan Panel survey: The best day is the one when I decided to go for braces at the age of 57.
loves me no matter what,” one person said. Only two of the 390 respondents mentioned cats. Secret deeds were behind a lot of memories, too. “My last girls’ night.... We did things our husbands shouldn’t know or see,” one person said. “I went to an amusement park with the person I’m secretly in love with,” another said. Some responses were just sad. “Birth. Everything has been downhill since then.” Another said, “Don’t have one. Something always mucks it up. But that’s life.” FERNANDO CARNEIRO
Travel seems to be the No. 1 item on most people’s bucket lists, according to a Metropolitan Panel survey. Of the 361 respondents, 98 said they would like to go on one last epic trip before time runs out. “See the seven or eight Wonders of the World, and go visit the country where I was born,” one panellist responded. “Spend all my savings on a super vacation,” another said. Some were very specific. One wants to ride a Harley motorcycle across the Confederation Bridge, while another wants to go to the Playboy Mansion. Which brings us to “more sex” — another popular answer. And in the case of one panellist, not just any sex will do. It’ll have to be “kinky sexual relations.” Of note, “sex with a stranger” made the list five times. And while a lot of people want to try scuba diving and sky diving at least
About 27 per cent of Metro’s survey respondents said they would go on one last trip before time runs out.
Cats and dogs Random bucket-list items from the Metropolitan Panel survey: Eat a meaty pizza. “I’m a vegetarian. If I’m going, I might as well take a bunch of animals with me.”
once, many respondents said it doesn’t matter how they spend their last year on Earth as long as it’s with family. FERNANDO CARNEIRO
Meet an alien. Find my dog that was taken away from me. Go to an opera, in full formal, with my husband. Spend plenty of time with my cat.
To join the panel, visit metropolitanpanel.ca
Reader tweets Here’s where some Metro readers said they would be: @BernieRegnier: Doing yoga in Point Pleasant Park... while watching ships going in&out the port. Cause then the world can end @HalifaxProblems: 100% you get majority of answers stating “in a pub” #halifax #halifaxprobs #noissues #mychoice @JenniferPierce: By the ocean in Eastern Passage, because it’s so calming and if there was an apocalypse I’d need some calming down! :) In reply to metrohalifax... @keysto: the shipyards! All kinds of imported goods and maybe a nice ship to sail around on! @keysto: the shipyards! All kinds of imported goods and maybe a nice ship to sail around on! @thedrake1001: Bubba Rays. Where else am I going to get all the things I love: sports, booze, women and wings. @Ghost: with my girlfriend and family @DianneVandenberk The Lower Deck with my guy! :)
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metronews.ca
news
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
Mayan secrets revealed
Mayan people did not disappear There are 10 million Mayan people alive today Mayans communicated with their gods and ancestors to seek advice on decisions such as marriages, warfare, deaths and harvests CONTRIBUTED
PHYLICIA TORREVILLAS
CONTRIBUTED
JORGE PEREZ DE LARA/ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM
JUSTIN JENNINGS/ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM
@METRONEWS.CA METRO CANADA IN VANCOUVER
Justin Jennings, lead curator of the exhibition Maya: Secrets of their Ancient World at the Royal Ontario Museum, tells Metro why the Maya civilization is one of the most impressive in human history and sheds light on some of the most widespread myths about the ancient Maya.
BEAUTY
CHOCOLATE
BLOODLETTING
The ancient Mayans went to extreme lengths to transform their bodies through tattooing, face painting and body piercing. They did cranial modification where they wrapped up and tied boards to the heads of newborn babies to reshape the skull. They also filed their teeth.
The cacao plant is from this part of the world. It was an elite drink and only few people could get the chocolate. The nobles drank a lot of it, usually a mix of chocolate, corn and water. Oftentimes, it would include chili. Instead of a sweet drink like hot chocolate, it would be bitter, spicy and foamy, like a cappuccino.
Piercing the skin and allowing the blood to flow was carried out to communicate with gods and ancestors for advice. They would prick the skin with a stingray spine, bone or rock and collect the blood in a pot with cotton cloth and burn it. A vision serpent would appear in the flames.
MISCONCEPTIONS Maya culture is not dead. There are 10 million Mayan people today. Many of their city-states and the idea of the sacred rulers that organized these cities died out. Maya is not an empire. It was never unified by a single governing body, but made up of numerous independent city-states with a common culture.
metronews.ca
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08
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
NEVER MIND THE ZOTZ, FOLKS: THIS IS NOT THE END PAUL SULLIVAN METRO
Another year, another yearend story. Yawn. However: If you believe hundreds of books and 1,000-plus websites and blogs this will be the last year-end ever. Nothing boring about that. The end really is near, they say. Dec. 21, 2012, to be precise. That’s the day the Mayan “long count” calendar ends, and as the calendar outlasted the civilization, there are no Mayan calendar guys around to tell us what that means. That hasn’t prevented a parade of self-declared Mayan-calendar experts from speculating that the world will end on that day, just shy of a year from now. For example, the movie 2012 featured a
killer solar flare, a biblical flood, a really bad script and wooden performances. Scary. That’s the glass-halfempty crowd. The halffull gang, starring people like bestselling really bad writer William Gladstone, author of The Twelve, prefer the New Age interpretation. “Greed and materialism will have a lesser role in this new era. There will be a greater emphasis on harmony among all living beings.” If you use that prophety voice, it sounds more convincing. There’s more. For the first time in 26,000 years ,the centre of the Milky Way (our home galaxy) and our sun will be in alignment. How cool is that? Not to mention the fact that Dec. 21 is the winter solstice and witchy stuff happens on the solstice. Finally, that glyph of a Porky Pig-like character
JOSHUA TRUJILLO/SEATTLEPI.COM/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Local atheists gathered at Dorky’s Arcade in Tacoma, Wash., on May 21, 2011, the day that radio minister Harold Camping had predicted would be the beginning of the rapture.
on the calendar, going what appears to be “Duhbeeya-duhbeeyaduhbeeya that’s all, folks” in Mayan is somewhat troubling.
Just kidding about the pig. After extensive research (er, Google), I can authoritatively declare it’s all a bunch of “zotz,”
which is Mayan for “bats,” which is as close as I can get to “crazy.” The world will not end on Dec. 21, 2012, say the usual humourless scien-
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tists from NASA etc., any more than it will end on Dec. 31, 2011. Plus there’s no way the Mayan astronomers could have known about that alignment of the sun and the galaxy thing. It’s just a calendar, people. Get a life. Before we go (but not for good!) let’s raise a New Year’s glass to Harold Camping, who, using his own zotz calendar, predicted the world would end on May 21, 2011, and, when that didn’t work, went all out for Oct. 21, 2011. That didn’t work either, probably because he ignored the significance of the solstice, the equinox and reality in general. Still, you never know. But to leave you on an upbeat note, John Cusack, the star of 2012, when asked what he would be doing on Dec. 21, 2012, replied: “Skiing.” Nothing zotz about him.
news
metronews.ca TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
09
Is it the end of the world as we know it? Ready or not?
195
Register at metropolitanpanel.ca and have your voice heard
NO
Do you consider yourself prepared for an “end of the world” scenario?
62 YES
109
NO
46 YES
Fact or ficton? Do you believe the world will end in 2012?
YES! *HIDES UNDER THE COVERS*
2
18
YES, AND I’M GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTING MY FATE
YES! *HIDES UNDER THE COVERS*
NO, BUT I’M PREPARING A HOMEMADE ROCKETSHIP JUST IN CASE.
51
29
2
YES, AND I’M GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTING MY FATE.
186
10
PFFT. THAT’S THE SILLIEST THING I’VE EVER HEARD
NO, BUT I’M PREPARING A HOME MADE ROCKETSHIP JUST IN CASE.
114
PFFT. THAT’S THE SILLIEST THING I’VE EVER HEARD
Metropolitan Panel polled readers to gauge their end-of-the-world preparedness Here’s what they said
10
metronews.ca
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
Mexican city starts countdown to ‘doomsday’ Tourism officials in Tapachula hope to cash in on end of Mayan calendar with installation of digital clock CHARLES DHARAPAK/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A city in southern Mexico wants to live each moment as if it were the last. Tourism officials in Tapachula have installed a digital clock to count down the time left before the Dec. 21, 2012, solstice, when some believe the world will end. The clock was set to start Dec. 21, a year before the supposed apocalypse. Chiapas state tourism regional director Manolo Alfonso Pinot said Dec. 16 that Mayan priests would perform a ceremony at the nearby archaeological site of Izapa. Maya experts say the doomsday fears are a misreading of Maya stone inscriptions that mention the date, saying the Mayans only considered it
the end of one calendar cycle and the beginning of another. Pinot said he doesn't believe the world will end, but looks at it as a sort of beginning, in the business sense at least. “A lot of people know they can fill their body with energy if they come to these exceptional sites,” he said. “If people are interested, we have to take advantage of this.” Tapachula, best known as a gritty border town crossed by Central American migrants en route to the United States, is not a popular Mayan tourism destination. But nearby Izapa is a place where many stelae have been found, including the “Tree of Life” stone discovered in the 1950s and
thought to convey an ancient Mayan tale. At Izapa, close to the Tajumulco volcano, Pinot says a Mesoamerican ball court, a carved stone and the throne of the Izapa ruler face a straight line that on Dec. 21, 2012, is expected to align with the planets. “It is hard to say what you will be able to see that day,” he said. The doomsday theories stem from a pair of tablets that describe the return of a Mayan god at the end of a 13th period of 400 years, which falls on Dec. 21, 2012. Experts say the date marks the end of a 5,126year cycle that began in 3114 BC, and the start of another.
Former U.S. president George W. Bush, centre, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, right, and former Mexican president Vicente Fox walk on the stone stairs of the Kukulcan Pyramid as they tour Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza in this 2006 file photo.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A New World Order with a hearty side of Apple When we have a New World Order, it looks like it’ll run on Apple products. Many of the 394 people responding to a Metropolitan Panel survey said they would include iPods, iPads and iPhones in their New World backpack. “iPod, ebook and a per-
manent power source,” one person said. “My iPad and tons of bandwidth,” said another. One of the more imaginative respondents wants to bring “assorted pet food treats to escape and lure as necessary.” The individual goes on to list rhinoceroses
as animals to escape from and cows as animals to attract. Then there are the sentimental types. “Certain pieces of jewelry and a stuffed animal from my guy,” one said. “My stuffed Pacman from my nanny, my photo
albums…,” another added. And this really smart person. “A book on how to do and make everything.” Umm, does that exist? FERNANDO CARNEIRO
To join the panel, visit metropolitanpanel.ca
Survival Cats and dogs, sometimes ahead of people, will make it to the New World, according to our Metropolitan Panel respondents.
“I would take a photo of my dog and husband.” “My cats, my grandma’s scarf, chocolate. In this order.” “My dog! Hopefully my family will survive.”
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12
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Doomsday prediction flops We take a fond look back at five famous end-of-days prophecies STEVE COLLINS
HALIFAX@METRONEWS.CA METRO CANADA IN OTTAWA
Although some people believe ancient Mayans pre-
dicted the end of the world on Dec. 21, 2012, in reality our mass extinction has been greatly exaggerated many times before. Check out our top five apocalypse predictions below.
MAY 21, 2011 (ALSO, OCT. 21, 2011 AND SEPT. 6, 1994)
Harold Camping of the Family Radio Ministry was the top doomsayer of 2011, a year in which he predicted the apocalypse not once
but twice. Camping and his followers spend a reported $100 million on a campaign of billboards, broadcast ads and RVs to publicize their May 21 cataclysm.
A bus drives by a banner announcing the end of the world.
LAURA RAUCH,FILE/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Are your final wishes on this list?
Warren Jeffs appears in a courtroom in Las Vegas in Aug. 2006. JAN. 1, 2005
s n o i t u l o s e R s r New Yea s d i k h t i w e m i t d n e Sp Exercise more l a r e n u f y m n a l p e Pr Update my will. There has never been a better time to pre-arrange your funeral. • Last chance to SAVE the HST when you pre-arrange your funeral by December 31, 2011 • 60 months interest free payment plan • No down payment J.A. Snow Funeral Home 339 Lacewood Dr | 455-0531 A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home 217 Portland St | 461-0700 Cruikshank’s Funeral Home 2666 Windsor St | 423-7295
Warren Jeffs, polygamist head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, put police
in three countries on high alert, the Vancouver Sun reported, when he advised members in Bountiful, B.C., the U.S. and Mexico to stay in their homes on New Year’s Eve to await the apocalypse and ascension to heaven. The police worried about the possibility of a mass suicide by church members. Fortunately, both Jeffs’ prediction and police suspicions were unfounded. DON RYAN/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JAN. 1, 2000 (AND MAY 5, 2000)
While there were many predictions of the end in 2000, these were overshadowed by warnings of death by technical difficulties. The Y2K bug, in some of the worst-case scenarios, would cause deadly computer glitches, resulting in planes falling from the sky or launches of nuclear weapons. Even after New Year’s came, we were still doomed, at least according
U.S. officials at a Y2K drill.
to Richard Noone’s book, 5/5/2000 Ice: The Ultimate Disaster. He predicted we’d be wiped out by an ice age on May 5.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Marshall Applewhite MARCH 1997
The appearance of the Hale-Bopp comet inspired the 1997 mass suicide of 39 members of the Heaven’s
Gate Cult. The members, led by Marshall Applewhite, believed that all life on Earth would soon be wiped out. The only way to survive, they surmised, was to leave their physical bodies behind and hitch a ride on an alien spaceship they believed was travelling behind the comet. Applewhite and his followers were found lying in their bunk beds in their rented mansion. GENE J. PUSKAR/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER
1982
Colourful and controversial televangelist Pat Robertson won a satirical Ig Nobel Prize for mathematics for predicting the end of days in late 1982, sparked by a Russian invasion of Israel. The former presidential candidate was thanked by the organization for “teaching the world to be
Pat Robertson
careful when making mathematical assumptions and calculations.”
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Vehicle(s) may be shown with optional equipment. Dealer may sell or lease for less. Limited time offers. Offers may be cancelled at any time without notice. See your Ford Dealer for complete details or call the Ford Customer Relationship Centre at 1-800-565-3673.*Qualified retail customers on approved credit from Ford Credit (not all buyers will qualify for the lowest APR payment), may purchase finance a new [2011 Ranger Super Cab Sport 4x2]/[2012 Escape XLT I4 FWD Auto] for [$15,999]/[$ 24,049], a monthly payment of [$267]/ [$401] (the sum of twelve (12) monthly payments divided by 26 periods gives payee a bi-weekly payment of [$123]/[$185] for [60]/[60] months with a down payment of [$0]/[$0] or equivalent trade-in. Cost of borrowing is [$0]/[$0] or APR of [0%]/[0%] and total to be repaid is [$15,999]/[$24,049]. All purchase finance offers exclude optional features, freight & air tax [$1,450]/[$1,500], licence, fuel fill charge, insurance, PDI, PPSA, administration fees, any environmental charges or fees, and all applicable taxes. Taxes are payable on the full amount of the purchase price. Bi-Weekly payments are only available using customer initiated PC (Internet Banking) or Phone Pay system through the customer’s own bank (if offered by that financial institution). The customer is required to sign a monthly payment contract with a first payment date one month from the contract date and to ensure that the total monthly payment occurs by the payment due date. Bi-weekly payments can be made by making payments equivalent to the sum of 12 monthly payments divided by 26 bi-weekly periods every two weeks commencing on the contract date. †From Dec. 31, 2011 to Jan. 3, 2012, receive $500/ $1,000/ $1,500/ $1,750/ $2,000/ $2,250/ $2,500/ $3,000/ $3,500/ $4,000/ $4,500/ $5,000/ $5,500/ $6,000/ $6,500/ $7,000/ $7,500/ $8,000/ $8,500/ $9,500/ $10,000 in Manufacturer Rebates with the purchase or lease of a new 2011 Focus S, 2011 Edge SE, 2011 Explorer Base, 2011 Escape I4 Manual, 2011 and 2012 E-Series, 2012 Fusion S/ 2011 Fiesta S, 2011 Explorer (excluding Base), 2012 Fiesta (excluding S), 2012 Flex SE, 2012 Explorer (excluding Base), 2012 Transit Connect (excluding electric)/ 2011 Mustang 2dr Coupe V6 Value Leader, 2011 Flex SE, 2011 F-150 Regular Cab XL 4x2 Value Leader, 2012 Edge (excluding SE)/ 2012 Mustang V6 Value Leader/ 2011 Ranger Super Cab XL and 2012 Focus (excluding S), 2012 SuperDuty Chassis Cabs/ 2011 Fiesta (excluding S), 2011 Transit Connect/ 2011 Fusion S, 2011 Taurus SE, 2011 Edge AWD (excluding SE)/ 2012 Fusion (excluding S), 2012 Flex (excluding SE)/ 2012 Escape (excluding I4 Manual & V6), 2011 Focus (excluding S), 2011 and 2012 Mustang V6 (excluding Value leader)/ 2011 Edge FWD (excluding SE), 2011 Escape (excluding I4 Manual & V6), 2012 Escape V6, 2011 SuperDuty Chassis Cabs, 2012 Mustang GT, 2012 Taurus (excluding SE), 2012 Expedition/ 2011 Fusion (excluding S), 2011 Escape V6, 2011 Mustang GT, 2011 Flex (excluding SE)/ 2012 F-150 Regular Cab (excluding XL 4x2), 2012 F-250 to F-450 Gas engine (excluding Chassis Cab)/ 2011 Taurus (excluding SE)/ 2011 Ranger SuperCab (excluding XL), 2012 F-150 Super Cab and Super Crew/ 2011 Expedition, 2011 F-150 Regular Cab non 5.0L & 3.7L (excluding XL 4x2)/ 2012 F-250 to F-450 diesel (excluding chassis cabs)/ 2011 F-150 Super Cab and Super Crew non 5.0L & 3.7L/ 2011 F-250 to F-450 gas engine (excluding chassis cabs)/ 2011 F-150 Regular Cab 5.0L & 3.7L (excluding XL 4x2)/ 2011 F-150 SuperCab and SuperCrew 5.0L & 3.7L/ 2011 F-250 to F-450 Diesel engine (excluding chassis cabs) - all Raptor, GT500, BOSS302, and Medium Truck models excluded. This offer can be used in conjunction with most retail consumer offers made available by Ford of Canada at either the time of factory order or delivery, but not both. Manufacturer Rebates are not combinable with any fleet consumer incentives. †From Jan. 4, 2012 to Jan. 15, 2012, receive $500/ $1,000/ $1,500/ $1,750/ $2,000/ $2,250/ $2,500/ $3,000/ $3,500/ $4,000/ $4,500/ $5,000/ $5,500/ $6,000/ $6,500/ $7,000/ $7,500/ $8,000/ $8,500/ $9,500/ $10,000 in Manufacturer Rebates with the purchase or lease of a new 2011 Focus S, 2011 Edge SE, 2011 Explorer Base, 2011 Escape I4 Manual, 2011 and 2012 E-Series, 2012 Fusion S/ 2011 Fiesta S, 2011 Explorer (excluding Base), 2012 Fiesta (excluding S), 2012 Flex SE, 2012 Explorer (excluding Base), 2012 Transit Connect (excluding electric)/ 2011 Mustang 2dr Coupe V6 Value Leader, 2011 Flex SE, 2011 F-150 Regular Cab XL 4x2 Value Leader, 2012 Edge (excluding SE)/ 2012 Mustang V6 Value Leader/ 2011 Ranger Super Cab XL and Regular Cab, 2012 Focus (excluding S), 2012 SuperDuty Chassis Cabs/ 2011 Fiesta (excluding S), 2011 Transit Connect/ 2011 Fusion S, 2011 Taurus SE, 2011 Edge AWD (excluding SE)/ 2012 Fusion (excluding S), 2012 Flex (excluding SE)/ 2012 Escape (excluding I4 Manual & V6), 2011 Focus (excluding S), 2011 and 2012 Mustang V6 (excluding Value leader)/ 2011 Edge FWD (excluding SE), 2011 Escape (excluding I4 Manual & V6), 2012 Escape V6, 2011 SuperDuty Chassis Cabs, 2012 Mustang GT, 2012 Taurus (excluding SE), 2012 Expedition/ 2011 Fusion (excluding S), 2011 Escape V6, 2011 Mustang GT, 2011 Flex (excluding SE)/ 2012 F-150 Regular Cab (excluding XL 4x2), 2012 F-250 to F-450 Gas engine (excluding Chassis Cab)/ 2011 Taurus (excluding SE)/ 2011 Ranger SuperCab (excluding XL), 2012 F-150 Super Cab and Super Crew/ 2011 Expedition, 2011 F-150 Regular Cab non 5.0L & 3.7L (excluding XL 4x2)/ 2012 F-250 to F-450 diesel (excluding chassis cabs)/ 2011 F-150 Super Cab and Super Crew non 5.0L & 3.7L/ 2011 F-250 to F-450 gas engine (excluding chassis cabs)/ 2011 F-150 Regular Cab 5.0L & 3.7L (excluding XL 4x2)/ 2011 F-150 SuperCab and SuperCrew 5.0L & 3.7L/ 2011 F-250 to F-450 Diesel engine (excluding chassis cabs) - all Raptor, GT500, BOSS302, and Medium Truck models excluded. This offer can be used in conjunction with most retail consumer offers made available by Ford of Canada at either the time of factory order or delivery, but not both. Manufacturer Rebates are not combinable with any fleet consumer incentives. **From Dec. 16, 2011 to Dec. 30, 2011, receive 0% APR purchase financing on new [2012 Fiesta (excluding S), 2011 Focus (excluding S), 2011 Fusion (excluding S), 2011 Mustang (excluding Value Leader, GT500 and Boss 302), 2011 Taurus (excluding SE), 2011 and 2012 Edge (excluding SE), 2011 Flex (excluding SE), 2011 Escape (excluding I4 manual), 2011 Expedition]/[ 2012 Expedition]/[ 2012 Focus (excluding S), 2011 Fiesta (excluding S), 2011 Ranger Supercab (excluding XL), 2011 and 2012 F-150 (excluding regular cab XL 4x2 and Raptor), 2011 and 2012 F-250 to F-450 (excluding chassis cabs), 2012 Fusion (excluding S), 2012 Mustang (excluding Value Leader, GT500 and BOSS 302), 2012 Taurus (excluding SE), 2012 Flex (excluding SE), 2012 Escape (excluding I4 Manual)] models for a maximum of [36]/[48]/[60] months to qualified retail customers, on approved credit (OAC) from Ford Credit. Not all buyers will qualify for the lowest interest rate. Example: $30,000 purchase financed at 0% APR for 60 months, monthly payment is $500, cost of borrowing is $0 or APR of 0% and total to be repaid is $30,000.Down payment on purchase financing offers may be required based on approved credit from Ford Credit. Taxes payable on full amount of purchase price. QOffer only valid from December 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 (the “Offer Period”) to resident Canadians with a Costco membership on or before November 30, 2011. Use this $1,000CDN Costco member offer towards the purchase or lease of a new 2011/2012 Ford/Lincoln vehicle (excluding Fiesta, Focus, Ranger Raptor, GT500, Mustang Boss 302, Transit Connect EV & Medium Truck) (each an “Eligible Vehicle”). The Eligible Vehicle must be delivered and/or factory-ordered from your participating Ford/Lincoln dealer within the Offer Period. Offer is only valid at participating dealers, is subject to vehicle availability, and may be cancelled or changed at any time without notice. Only one (1) offer may be applied towards the purchase or lease of one (1) Eligible Vehicle, up to a maximum of two (2) separate Eligible Vehicle sales per Costco Membership Number. Offer is transferable to persons domiciled with an eligible Costco member. This offer can be used in conjunction with most retail consumer offers made available by Ford Motor Company of Canada at either the time of factory order (if ordered within the Offer Period) or delivery, but not both. Offer is not combinable with any CPA/GPC or Daily Rental incentives, the Commercial Upfit Program or the Commercial Fleet Incentive Program (CFIP). Applicable taxes calculated before $1,000CDN offer is deducted. Dealer may sell or lease for less. Limited time offer, see dealer for details or call the Ford Customer Relationship Centre at 1-800-565-3673. WProgram in effect from October 1, 2011 to January 3, 2012 (the “Program Period”) To qualify, customer must turn in a 2005 model year or older vehicle that is in running condition (able to start and move and without missing parts) and has been properly registered/plated or insured for the last 3 months (the “Criteria”). Eligible customers will receive [$500]/[$1,000]/[$2,500]/[$3,000] towards the purchase or lease of a new 2011/2012 Ford [Fiesta (excluding S), Focus (excluding S)]/[Fusion (excluding S), Taurus (excluding SE), Mustang (excluding Value Leader), Escape (excluding XLT I4 Manual), Transit Connect (excluding EV), Ranger (excluding Regular Cab 4x2 XL), Edge (excluding SE), Flex (excluding SE), Explorer (excluding base)]/[F-150 (excluding Regular Cab 4x2 XL), Expedition, E-Series]/[F250-550] – all Raptor, GT500, BOSS302, and Medium Truck models excluded (each an “Eligible Vehicle”). Taxes payable before Rebate amount is deducted. To qualify: (i) customer must, at the time of the Eligible Vehicle sale, provide the Dealer with (a)sufficient proof of Criteria, and (b) signed original ownership transferring customer vehicle to the Authorized Recycler; and (ii) Eligible Vehicle must be purchased, leased, or factory ordered during the Program Period. Offer only available to residents of Canada and payable in Canadian dollars. Offer is transferable to persons domiciled with the owner of the recycled vehicle. Offer can be used in conjunction with most retail consumer offers made available by Ford at either the time of factory order or delivery, but not both. Offer not available on any vehicle receiving CPA, GPC, or Daily Rental Rebates and the Commercial Fleet Rebate Program (CFIP). Limited time offer, see dealer for details or call the Ford Customer Relationship Centre at 1-800-565-3673. ©2011 Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved. ^Purchase or lease any new 2011/2012 Ford Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Escape, Edge (excluding Sport) or Explorer on or before Jan. 3/12 and receive the choice of (i) a winter safety package which includes: four (4) Winter Tires, four (4) steel Rims (Escape receives alloy wheels), and four (4) Tire pressure monitoring sensor; OR (ii) $750 in customer cash, but not both. Customers electing to receive customer cash may apply the amount toward their purchase or lease (taxes calculated after customer cash amount is applied) or receive a cheque for the amount from Ford Motor Company of Canada. This offer is not applicable to any Fleet (other than small fleets with an eligible FIN) or Government customers and not combinable with CPA, GPC, CFIP or Daily Rental Allowances. Some conditions apply. See Dealer for details. Vehicle handling characteristics, tire load index and speed rating may not be the same as factory supplied all season tires. Winter tires are meant to be operated during winter conditions and may require a higher cold inflation pressure than all season tires. Consult your Ford of Canada dealer for details including applicable warranty coverage. ©2011 Sirius Canada Inc. “SIRIUS”, the SIRIUS dog logo, channel names and logos are trademarks of SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. and are used under license.
STANDARD ON MOST NEW FORD VEHICLES
14
metronews.ca
news
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
Fall of civilizations around the globe In order to remain on top, empires need effective governance, vast financial resources and cutting-edge technology Score a three out of three and you’ll be fine, but lose one peg and your throne will teeter Roman Empire: 27 BC to 476 AD If the Romans had written a This Land is My Land
song it’d go something like this: “From the Moors of Scotland out to the Tigris and Euphrates River, and from the North
Seas of Germany to the sands of the Sahara, hail Caesar.” The Romans gave us sanitation and spectator sports, aqueducts, irri-
gation and fine wine. How they collapsed: In the end, the bread and circuses could no longer disguise the crumbling
economy and political corruption. Historians often debate the root cause, attributing the downfall to everything from decadent lifestyle choices to rampant lead poisoning. Lesson learned: Whether you’re an empire or a runway model, spread yourself too thin, and you will collapse.
Ottoman Empire: 1299-1922 In its heyday in the 16th century, during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent, a.k.a. Suleyman the Lawgiver, this Turkish empire’s lands encompassed a wide swath of southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, with Constantinople as the capital. The Ottomans gave us Turkish baths, belly dancers and, of course, the ottoman. How they collapsed: While it was hit with the Sick Man of Europe label back in the mid-1800s, the empire would completely unravel during the First World War as the Ottomans allied themselves with the wrong side and lost the war. Lesson learned: As Rihanna knows, getting a diverse audience to stand under your umbrella isn’t the challenge — it’s keeping them there.
USSR (Soviet Empire): 1917-1989 FRED CHARTRAND/THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE
Legendary Russian goalie Vladislav Tretiak
In addition to blanketing mother Russia, the Soviet spectre shone on an array of satellite states including East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary,
Cuba and North Korea. The Soviets gave us gulags, the KGB and Vladislav Tretiak — a goalie so great that even the top Canadian snipers of the day had trouble finding his five-hole. How they collapsed: Because of what Sylvester Stallone said at the end of Rocky IV: “During this fight, I’ve seen a lot of changing.... In here, there were two guys killing each other, but I guess that’s better than 20 million. I guess what I’m trying to say is that if I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!” Lesson learned: Turns out Gordon Gekko was right: “Greed is good.”
Persian Empire: 550-330 BC CONTRIBUTED
The army in 300.
Spearheaded by Cyrus the Great, the multi-state Persian Empire incorporated Thrace, the lands bounded by the Tigris River and the Persian Gulf and eventually Egypt and Asia Minor. Their mammoth military taught us the importance of an enormous well-trained army. They’re also responsible for breathtaking Achaemenid architecture behind such marvels as the palace of Persepolis. How they collapsed: Alexander the Great’s armies swept in and won decisively in the battle of Issus. Lesson learned: Even the most ornate hand-woven rug can still be swept from under the biggest and baddest kingdom on the block. MIKE DOIC
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metronews.ca
news
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
The new year, by the numbers The world we know now will be changed forever, and numerology predicts 2012 will make it a better place What is numerology?
Numbers have relationships with all things in nature, making them powerful symbolic expressions. Numerology is used to predict life and the circumstances that surround it. It is often used to inter-
2012: 5 positives
1 2 3 4 5
Taking the initiative to create friendships Love connections
Reconciliation
Mental/emotional balance Expression of self
pret a person’s talents, traits and overall character throughout their destiny. When people begin to understand the formula behind numerology, they begin to unlock the deepest secrets in their lives — and quite possibly in the
2012: 5 negatives
1 2 3 4 5
Challenges
Overreacting
lives of others. Breaking down the digits
One important thing to remember when using numerology is that the numerical digits need to be broken down to a single digit in order to decipher the predictable outcome of what you are seeking. For example, take the year 2012. Broken down, it equals 2+0+1+2 = 5. So the influence for the year 2012 will be based upon the expression of the number five. The power of five
Heightened sensitivity
Self-centredness
Controlling
Five itself has a powerful meaning — full of wild primitive adventure and unexpected exciting events. The number-five influence enhances freewill and self-expression. This means
that during 2012, individuals will be living life their way. People who have been putting off projects, important decisions, loved ones or even a vacation will now make the time to accomplish the things that are overdue. While seeking their highest goals and chasing their dearest dreams, as they bounce from one unique experience to the next, during 2012 most people will freely share their emotions and thoughts with the world. With this number-five influence, many people in the world will desire to use social outlets, ultimately as a tool to connect with the world. Money-wise
Folks will take finances to a more serious level, and
although they may not save as much money as they would like to, eventually their spending habits will change, and wiser choices will be made regarding their budget. People will start to get stingy with their cash, spending on only the best deal ... but the competition will be good for business and the consumer will benefit.
Lessons to be learned
Yes, the year 2012 will be somewhat unpredictable with all the frequent changes that five imposes, but 2012 will be a memorable year, packed with valuable lessons which people will learn to live by. The world is not ending, but it is becoming a better place. CERISE FAIRFAX (NUMEROLOGIST)
news
18
metronews.ca TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
GETTY IMAGES
GETTY IMAGES
“Gosh! For my next jubilee I must buy those killer high heels.”
GETTY IMAGES
GETTY IMAGES
In this corner, Obama. In the other corner, a Republican TBD.
Ooh la la — it’s going to be a hard new year.
Guess who will be the next Russian president?
WHAT 2012 WILL BRING Presidential elections in Russia, France and the U.S. London will stage the Summer Olympic Games World is waiting for doomsday Metro rounds up the biggest events that will shape the world in an action-filled 2012 ELISABETH BRAW
HALIFAX@METRONEWS.CA METRO WORLD NEWS IN LONDON
1
Chinese New Year
Puff, the Magic Dragon .... On Jan. 23 it’s Chinese New Year, and this year belongs to the dragon. Fifteen days of celebrations will follow.
2
Jubilee of Elizabeth II
When Princess Elizabeth became Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Feb. 6, 1952, Britain was an empire that ruled large parts of the world. Sixty years later, Britain is no longer an empire; in fact, it’s just a mid-
size member of the EU The Queen, however, remains very popular. The country celebrates her 60 years on the throne with a series of special events any Royal fan will cherish.
3
Putin set for re-election
On March 4, Vladimir Putin looks set to be elected the next president of Russia. Yes, it’s a democratic election, but Putin is widely considered a shooin. Dmitry Medvedev, Putin’s protege who has served as president for the past four years, is billed to become prime minister.
4
Titanic’s anniversary
Was it too big to fail? On April 10, 1912,
RMS Titanic set out on its maiden voyage, from Southampton to New York. But the luxury liner, known as the world’s safest ship, sank when it hit an iceberg. Some 1,500 of the Titanic’s 2,200 passengers were killed. On April 14, the 100th anniversary of the catastrophe, cruise ships will take visitors to the site where the Titanic sank.
5
Anti-Sarkozy
Will the euro sink Nicolas Sarkozy? The French president faces voters at the polls on April 22. With disgraced IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn out of the race, Sarkozy’s main challenger is François
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Hollande, a man so bland that he’s turned it into his trademark. But with the euro in tatters, Hollande stands a good chance of winning.
6
Europe’s feast of soccer
On June 8, Europe’s 16 leading soccer nations descend on Poland and Ukraine for Euro 2012. With a little bit of luck, the host countries will even be ready for the famous event. Delays have hampered the preparations, with UEFA chief Michel Platini threatening to move the championship to Germany.
7
Summer Olympics London is definitely ready for the Summer
Olympics, which begins in London on July 27. London, which last hosted the games as a war-torn city in 1948, has been credited with impeccable planning and finishing construction of new arenas ahead of schedule.
8
Who will face Obama?
It won’t be Herman. Herman Cain, this year’s surprise frontrunner for Republican candidate in the U.S. presidential election, has dropped out of the race. At their convention, which begins Sept. 1, Republicans will likely choose either Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich as their candidate to take on Barack Obama. The De-
mocrats will nominate Obama as their candidate two days later.
9
U.S. elections
More drama for Obama. Barack Obama faces a surprisingly tough re-election on Nov. 6. Many Americans are disappointed with Obama, who won the goodwill of the whole nation — and much of the world — in the election four years ago.
10
The end of the world
Arrivederci, folks. According to one interpretation of the Mayan calendar, the world will end on Dec. 21, 2012.
metronews.ca
news 11 people to watch in 2012
Alexei Navalny This 35-year-old Russian lawyerwhistleblower buys shares in governmentowned companies, uncovers corruption and blogs about it. He may pose big problems for Putin’s presidential bid.
Razan Zaitouneh Look out of Zaitouneh in Syria’s Arab Spring. The 34-year-old lawyer founded Syria’s Human Rights Association and remains a key opposition leaders.
Yoani Sánchez The Castro brothers are still in charge, but the founder of the Generation Y blog poses a serious threat to their decades-long rule.
François Hollande Will ‘Mr Boring’ be France’s new President? Given Nicolas Sarkozy’s poor popularity rating, the self-styled plain guy has a good chance to win.
Newt Gingrich When Metro interviewed the former House speaker last year, he still hadn’t decided whether to run for President. Now he’s the Republican party’s front-runner.
Leopoldo López He’s young, popular and handsome. No wonder Hugo Chavez has banned the former mayor of Chacao from running for office. López still intends to face Chavez in elections in 2012.
Kim Jong Un No one is even sure about his exact age but one thing seems certain: Kim will take over as leader of North Korea now that his father, Kim Jong-il, has died.
Camila Vallejo
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
Hey, it could happen...
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There’s reason to fear new war in the Middle East and euro collapse Metro lists 3 events we may see in 2012
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Iran attacked “The United States has launched a missile attack on Iran’s uranium centrifuges near the city of Natanz. The Americans, backed by the United Kingdom, France and Israel, acted after IAEA inspectors were repeatedly blocked from entering the Natanz facility.” The attack hasn’t happened, but something similar may very well occur in 2012. But while it would set Iran’s nuclear ambitions back, it may also trigger an armed conflict. Since Iran is far from well-liked among its neighbours, the conflict would be unlikely to spread to other countries. But the United States could ill afford another war.
2
Euro collapses Good news, all of you who’ve kept D-mark, Francs and Lire in your drawers: You’ll be able to use them again. The bad news: Your countries, the 17 nations in the eurozone, will plunge into an unprecedented pur-
Iranian anti-aircraft system at work.
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Collapse of the euro could thrust a continent into the jaws of uncertainty.
gatory of financial collapse and bureaucracy.” The collapse of the euro is a real possibility next year, and it’s exactly what Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy, even David Cameron, want to avoid. Even if their citizens nostalgically remember the D-mark and the Franc as stable currencies and don’t see the point of sacrificing to bail Greece out, the eurozone leaders know that the single currency is beyond the point of no return. If the euro fails, the world may face a new Great Depression.
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FIFA accepts goal-line technology in football After a hundred years of pretending that it doesn’t exist, football’s governing body may vote to use goalline technology to decide on the most crucial moments in the game. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is expected to make the decision in March. ELISABETH BRAW, MWN
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These days ‘Comandante Camila’ is the world’s most inspirational rebel leader. The attractive 23-year-old Chilean leads students in a nation-wide revolt against rising student fees.
’08 Mazda 3 Boris Johnson 2012 will be Boris’s year as his city hosts the Summer Olympics. Londoners will elect a new Mayor in May, and Johnson looks set to win. But his eyes are on a higher goal: Prime Minister.
Ai Weiwei The Chinese artist has been a thorn for the Communist government and has captured the world’s attention, as thousands have helped pay a tax penalty fee laid down by the state.
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The Klout Guys Klout, a two-year-old Silicon Valley company, measures people’s online influence (‘clout’). As Facebook is losing its Kool Faktor, Klout may be the next e-sensation.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
If only there were an undo button on life It’s so hard to get it right when it comes to love and money. The two were at the top of people’s do-over lists when Metro asked members of the Metropolitan Panel to assume that the world is ending and to choose one thing they’d like
another crack at. Apparently, one panelist would like to “crack” her husband. “I would never marry the a**hole I’ve been married to for the past 22 years! God, how I hate his guts.” Aside from choice of partner, people also regret-
ted the timing of their marriage. “Not marry so young and finish college,” one panelist wrote. “I wouldn’t have gotten married at 18, would have finished school and been a paralegal,” said another. Yet, many of the 382 re-
spondents said they wish they hadn’t waited so long. “Realize my husband was the one for me many years sooner,” one anonymous participant said. Money was the other popular do-over choice. “Spend less and save more, at least 10 per cent of
every paycheque. No excuses,” one person said. For every saver, there was a spender. “Spend every penny I have and have a blast!” Either way, the smartest answer was probably this one: “Buy shares in Apple and Google.” Speaking of smarts, a number of respondents said they’d like the chance to go back to school. Some said they like their career choice, but wish that it paid more. Others said they hate what they do, but the money is so nice. And while a number of people said they would have had more sex, 33 said thanks, but no thanks to change. They’re happy with the choices they’ve made. “All the tough stuff has
Survey do-overs I never would have plucked my eyebrows to the point of extinction. (I would) come back as Arnold Schwarzenegger. Marry Tom Brady. I wouldn’t have kissed that guy Halloween 2010. It nearly ruined my relationship and because of it my husband is no longer friends with someone he was close to.
made me into the person I am today,” one respondent said. “Every poor choice and failure is an opportunity to learn and grow,” another added. FERNANDO CARNEIRO
What would you do with one year to live? Metro asked its newsdesk editors what they would be up to METRO CANADA, AMBER SHORTT
• Get caught kissing during a Vancouver riot. Come on Canucks! • Build a bunker for three of my favourite Canadians: my sister, my niece and Ryan Gosling.
METRO COLOMBIA, GABRIEL MURILLO
• Dare I say it, I’d quit my job! With one year to go, it’ll be high time to spend every moment with family and friends. • I think travelling is a good idea.
METRO SWEDEN, JESSICA CARLESON
• Take my mom on an African safari. It is her dream and it is my wholehearted ambition to spoil my parents. Dad should come as well.
METRO WORLD NEWS IN LONDON, ANTHONY JOHNSTON
• Coerce world leaders to make George Bush President of Earth: 12 months of hilarity! • Heli-ski down the Kamchatka volcanos!
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
SUBMITTED
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Armageddon at the box office
Clockwise from top left: Charlton Heston in than Omega it is Man; a great John mystery. Cusack in 2012; Sandra Oh in Last Night; Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later. Later
Filmmakers seem just as obsessed with the end of the world as the ancient Mayans were. It almost seems Hollywood could make post-apocalyptic movies until the end of the world comes for real. This week the Reel Guys have a look at our world ceasing to exist.
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Reel Guys
RICHARD CROUSE & MARK BRESLIN SCENE@METRONEWS.CA
End of times in film Hollywood loves a good apocalypse Here are some watchable worst-case scenarios
Richard: Mark, there are so many end-of-the-world-aswe-know-it movies out there it’s hard to narrow it down, but I’ll start our look at the end with Last Night. It’s a dramedy about how people react in the hours before the destruction of the planet. My favourite part has David Cronenberg, in a rare appearance in front of the camera, as a utility company boss spending his final moments calling all his clients to offer thanks for their business. Mark: Oh, Richard, I hated that movie. I found it twee and precious. Maybe I’m just an old-fashioned guy when it comes to the end of the world, but I want to see landmarks crumbling, a body count in the billions, explosions, tidal waves, and most importantly, a dad separated from his estranged wife and child who
saves them, and his relationship. So, I liked 2012, even though I suspect the Mayans were numerically challenged. But I think it’s important to differentiate between a natural apocalypse and one caused by alien invasion. Which do you – ahem – prefer? RC : I’m more of a good oldfashioned apocalypse guy, although I’m also partial to super-plagues as well. At least on film. Omega Man, 28 Days Later and 12 Monkeys all have crazy viruses with the potential to wipe out mankind. One of the best epidemic movies is The Stand. It was made for TV, but doesn’t skimp on the apocalyptica. MB: Let me reverse my stand on my desire to see big special effects in these films. The Road is one of the scariest, most haunting
movies about trying to survive an apocalypse I’ve ever seen. But then again, Independence Day has the White House blowin’ up real good! I think there’s an interesting double bill here, with two widely different takes on the topic. RC : I have to say that one of the best apocalyptic movies didn’t have anything to do with aliens or killer planets but with a very simple idea — mass infertility. There’s few special effects and the White House is probably still standing at the end. It’s more about great storytelling and a thought provoking idea. MB: Children of Men? Brilliant. But when I was a little boy I saw On the Beach, set in Australia after a nuclear holocaust. Not one special effect, but I cried myself to sleep for months.
Top three Richard’s Picks: 1. On the Beach A dystopian drama starring Gregory Peck that set the date for the end of the world just after World War III in 1964. 2. Panic in Year Zero! Begins with one of filmdom’s great understatements. “We've had it, haven't we dad?” as a mushroom cloud rises in the background. 3. Rock & Rule is an animation set on a devastated planet where a rock star tries to rule what’s left of the world. Mark’s Picks 1. Miracle Mile Real-time panic as our hero frantically searches for his girlfriend in L.A. before the bombs drop. 2. The Day After Made for TV, a hyper-realistic look at Lawrence, Kansas after it’s hit by a nuke. 3. I Am Legend Will Smith is great in the Charlton Heston role in Omega Man.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
We asked our Metro Life Panel which celebrity they would want to spend their last 24 hours on earth with Some answers were predictable — Pamela Anderson — and others took us by surprise (your mom? Really?) ALL PHOTOS GETTY IMAGES
Your last
Date night
Angelina Jolie
Who else? Chuck Norris If anyone's going to make it through the apocalypse, it's Chuck. Dr. Oz He’d know just what to do and say to make “everything right.� Ellen DeGeneres I wanna go out laughing and happy. Jann Arden I’d love to sit and drink wine with her and hear her talk. Keanu Reeves He’s boring enough that I would nod off first. Leonard Cohen He seems like an interesting man with an interesting mind.
Leonardo DiCaprio
The Dalai Lama
Brad Pitt
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Is that your final answer?
ALL PHOTOS GETTY IMAGES
JAMIE BELL
WIZ KHALIFA
ACTOR
RAPPER
What is your last meal?
It would definitely be a meat dish. I love meat. It’s so bad, but damn, it’s pretty good. Maybe just cook a whole cow. Actually, probably a steak au poivre or steak frites.
What is the last song you’ll sing in the shower?
Save The Children by Marvin Gaye What is the last movie you’ll watch and with whom?
The Notebook with Amber.
What is the last song you’ll sing in the shower?
Maybe Let it Be. Maybe a Pink Floyd song? Or you could go out on something completely ironic like Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.
What is the one luxury item you’ll bring with you to the New World?
My laptop. Who is the one fellow celebrity with whom you’ll want to travel to the New World?
Amber Rose. PAT HEALY
thing that was really influential, about the goodness of humanity, but it would probably be Jurassic Park.
What is the last movie you’ll watch?
What is the one luxury item you’ll bring with you to the New World?
I would love to say some-
The Complete Works of
Shakespeare. Who is the one fellow celebrity with whom you’ll want to travel to the New World?
Andy Serkis, for sure. I love that man. I genuinely love him. RICHARD CROUSE
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metronews.ca TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
It may not be the end of the world ... yet, but we asked a few celebrities what they’d do if it was want to hear. Or, a better approach would be to take a horrible song like Maneater by Hall and Oates and want to die. What is the last movie you’ll watch and with whom?
I would pick a long movie. There’s a theme here, I want to stretch it out. I’d watch Goodfellas with Joe Pesci and make sure he got drunk and have him re-enact his scenes. I’d have Ray Liotta there too and make them do their crazy laughs.
ADAM CAROLLA COMEDIAN
lobsters raised on Snickers bars then dipped in a buttermilk substance mixed with tempura sauce and then deep-fried. With heroin sprinkled on it.
What is your last meal?
I’d go to the busiest restaurant, whose kitchen was most backed up and then I would change my order three or four times. I’d stretch it out. I’d eat
What is the last song you’ll sing in the shower?
You can go with one of my favourites like John Hiatt or Elvis Costello and hear something you really
What is the one luxury item you’ll bring with you to the New World?
Wait a minute; you can’t transport items. You’re dead, there’s no taking anything with you. Who is the one fellow celebrity with whom you’ll want to travel to the New World?
The world is ending. That’s it. You’re done. PAT HEALY
MINDY KALING
WRITER, PRODUCER, ACTRESS What would your last meal be?
My last meal would probably be Ethiopian food, my favourite kind of food ... it’s super heavy and I love it. What would the last song you’d sing in the shower be?
Countdown by Beyoncé. What is the last movie you’d watch and with whom?
The last movie I would watch would be You’ve Got Mail and I’d watch it with my mom. What’s one luxury item you’d bring with you to the new world?
In the post apocalyptical world where it’s like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and everyone is dirty and disgusting, I’d bring a Judith Lieber clutch, like in my rags. One celebrity you’d want to travel with to the new world?
Aaron Sorkin.
PAT HEALY
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GETTY IMAGES
The most anticipated albums of next year
The new
music stars
Lana Del Rey
King Krule
Escaping the apocalypse? Take some 2012 sounds with you
1
The Dø
Both Ways Open Jaws, the sophomore album by the French duo The Dø, instantly feels classic and contemporary. It is celebratory and it is agitated; it is majestic and it is raw; it is artsy and it is poppy. Basically, it sounds the way you’d expect Lady Gaga to sound if you had only ever seen photos of her.
2
King Krule
If you didn’t know that Archy Marshall was a fresh-faced 17-yearold, and you heard his patient beats, sophisticated guitar chords, moody words and his low London voice, you might think he was in his 30s and possibly was the type of character who accompanied Pete Doherty through every stint in rehab. But luckily
sophomore slump.
Born to Die Jan. 31
for us, Marshall has many years ahead of him.
3
Azealia Banks
Imagine if Rihanna really was into sex as much as she sings about. And if Nicki Minaj was into Interpol! Then you might have an idea of the hot, hilarious awesomeness that is the 20-year-old Harlem native Azealia Banks. PAT HEALY
Lana Del Rey released a video this summer that was so hot that every blogger in the world watched it backto-back enough that they were all fighting to be the first to declare her passé by the next day. But for those of us who are just interested in good music, rather than hearing it first, Del Rey’s sultry take on gangsta will be a breath of fresh air.
Mumford and Sons title and release date undetermined
These lads are in the same predicament as Sleigh Bells, with a second al-
on
the
Dr. Dre Detox, release date undetermined
Sources indicate the good doctor could actually drop the follow-up to 2001’s “2001” before it officially becomes a long-awaited release of Chinese Democracy proportions.
No Doubt title and release date undetermined
Sleigh Bells Reign of Terror Feb. 14
There’s a saying that you have your whole life to make your first album, and then about a year to make the follow-up. With their debut, this duo blew out enough speakers and blew enough minds that they just may be up to the challenge of hurdling past the
bum due, but acoustic side.
Lana Del Rey
It’s been more than a decade since No Doubt released Rock Steady. Luckily they haven’t teased the world with little hints and glimpses of what they were toiling away on in the studio, the way Dr. Dre has. We have a feeling this will just have us feeling hella good all over again. PAT HEALY
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life
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
JENNA CUMBERS/METRO WINNIPEG
5 survival skills your mother didn’t teach you It’s the end of days, you’re alone and you’re going to need a few skills to survive Here’s what you need to know to cope with an apocalypse
3 life
ELISHA DACEY
METRO WINNIPEG
Bored during the apocalypse? Teach yourself to paint.
Winter storms How to sew a button Tools: needle, thread, scissors Put the thread into the eye of the needle. (Tip: Lick the end of the thread to give it some strength.) Pull the thread through the needle until there is an equal length of thread on both sides. Tie the ends together in a big knot. Now position the button on the fabric. Push the needle up through the fabric, behind the button, and up through the button hole. Pull the thread all the way through. Push the needle through a different hole in the button and pull the thread through. Repeat several times until the button is secure. On the backside of the fabric, run the needle through your awkward stitching several times to tie off the thread.
How to cut down a tree Tools: chainsaw, rope, ladder Use the ladder to tie a rope to the top of the tree, or as high as you can get it. Cut a notch (with the chainsaw, duh) that goes more than halfway through the tree, on the side of the tree you want it to fall on. Then cut downward on the other side, toward the notch you just created. When you get close to the notch, it should start to fall. If it doesn’t, pull the rope. Carefully. If it does start to fall, get out of the way, as the butt of the tree can kick back and smack you.
How to de-bone a fish Tools: sharp knife, tweezers Place clean fish on its side. Cut the fish just behind the gill plate until the blade hits the fish’s backbone. Make sure your knife is flat and parallel to the cutting surface. Slice down the length of the backbone right to the tail. Repeat on the other side. Remove the backbone. Then slice between the rib bones into the meat of the fish and pull the bones out. Use tweezers to clasp onto the remaining bones and pull them out. Note: Do not later use these tweezers for your eyebrows.
How to start a fire using ice
How to be alone
Tools: foil, clear water, knife Shape a piece of foil into a bowl. Fill it with about 5 cm of water. Wait for it to freeze. Make a nest of tinder for later. Using a pocket knife, shape the ice into a lens shape. (Remember, lenses are thicker in the middle and narrower around the edges.) Polish your lens with your bare hands (the heat will help the lens become nice and smooth). Angle the lens toward the sun and focus the light on the tinder nest. Be patient…. Fire!
Chances are, you’re by yourself. How do you not go crazy until you find other people? Some suggestions: Write a story or some poetry. Learn something new, like guitar. There must be plenty of guitars and Guitar for Dummies books around. Read. There will be other books near the guitar book. Listen to music, assuming there’s electricity. Sing, dance, paint, do puzzles. Keeping your mind occupied is key.
Here’s what to do during a power outage: • Turn off appliances to avoid a power surge when power is restored. • Do not touch electrical wires, appliances or devices. • Check for gas leaks and turn the valves off if you find one. • Prepare an inventory of what has been lost or damaged. THE CANADIAN PRESS
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2012 Passat
Volkswagen has aspirations of big sales gains in North America and to do that means more product, better product and, especially in the case of the new Passat, product that’s perceived as good value. Following a one-year absence, this mid-size fourdoor returns for 2012 with a base sticker price of about $23,500 on its window, which is about $9,400 less than the 2010 version. The new Passat is nine centimetres longer overall and the distance between the front and rear wheels has been stretched by about the same amount. The new size is in line with models belonging to the rest of the mid-size segment. The Passat’s interior styling, inspired by Volkswagen’s new-look Touareg sport ute, is clean, uncluttered and devoid of the trendy dashboard swoops and swirls. For the 2012 model year, VW has dropped the previously standard 200-horsepower 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged powerplant for a less-expensive non-turbo 170-horsepower 2.5-litre five-cylinder. A 280-horsepower 3.6-litre V6 is optional, as is Volkswagen’s hybrid-challenging 140-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-diesel that will give the Passat a claimed rating of 6.8 l/100 km on the highway (4.4 in the city). Passat’s starting-point Trendline model is equipped with automatic climate control, cruise control, outside temperature display and Bluetooth short-range wireless connectivity. Also back after a year off is the Beetle, but this time with sharper styling, a roomier and up-todate interior and more power. Oh, and the name has been shortened to just plain Beetle, if you please. Gone is the New Beetle's oval, almost cartoonish appearance, replaced by a longer hood and flatter roofline that ends in a rounded hatchway flanked by a set of prominent taillights. The Beetle is wider by more than three inches and has been lengthened by half a foot. Additionally, the distance between the front and rear wheels has been increased to
2012 Beetle
2012 Golf R
Base prices (incl. destination) CC: Mid-sized sedan; $34,700 Eos: Compact convertible; $40,400 Golf: Compact hatchback; $21,400; $30,800 (GTI) Jetta: Compact sedan/wagon; $17,200 (sedan) Passat: Mid-sized sedan; $25,300 Routan: Minivan; $30,150 Tiguan: Compact SUV; $30,000 Touareg: Mid-size SUV; $50,500 create some much-needed rear-seat legroom plus a more generous stowage area. Inside, the more contemporary-looking cabin features easy-to-read dials and massive air vents that flank a carbon-fibrelook dashboard. The base model arrives with a 170-horsepower 2.5-litre five-cylinder that pretty much carries over from the old New Beetle. Optional is the popular 140-horsepower 2.0-litre turbo-diesel (TDI). The toprung and most performance-focused Beetle gets it done with a 200-horsepower 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder. It’s also the only model to include a standard rear spoiler. Entry-level Beetles showcase numerous power-operated accessories plus air conditioning, cloth-covered seats and an eight-speaker stereo. Besting the turbo Beetle’s performance is the new two-door Golf R model with its 256-horsepower version of the GTI’s familiar 2.0-litre turbo-
2012 Tiguan charged four-cylinder engine, only available with a six-speed manual transmission and only available with all-wheel-drive to better help put the grunt to the road. Elsewhere, the Tiger-Iguana (Tiguan) has a little plastic surgery and now looks a bit like the larger Touareg. The horizontal grille splits bi-xenon (high and low beam) headlights and U-shaped LED (light emitting diode) on top-end models, while the rear taillights get some more subtle tweaks. This guide has a rule book . . .The information in this guide is accurate to the best of our ability and knowledge at the time it was written. We say this because manufacturers are completely entitled to make changes after this writing and often do. Therefore, you can expect something to have changed from the time of writing to the time you’ve read it. Most importantly, some manufacturers haven’t finalized their lineups and all the options, etc., as of this writing, which means that we might include carryover pricing, features, etc., in some cases, and indicate it as such. Base price: Prices reflect the entry-level model in a given lineup. That is to say the price provided is the starting point. In most cases, prices have been provided by the manufacturer and then rounded up or down to the nearest $100 to reflect small changes that inevitably occur from time to time. It’s also because the prices provided here are intended as a gauge of affordability and are not today’s sale price, so do not quote these prices to your dealer. Prices do not include the tax you’ll pay, although most include the delivery charges (and are indicated as such where possible) which run from about $1,300-$1,600 (some are as high as $2,200). Where pricing is not yet available, we’ve taken our best guess and added “(est.)” to the number.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
You, 12 months from now
In one year’s time, we’ll have become more ‘sharing and caring,’ the world’s top trend-spotters tell Metro We’ll share songs, docs and files without owning them, and we’ll care more about where our food comes from MIA KORAB/METRO WORLD NEWS
ANTHONY JOHNSTON
METRO WORLD NEWS
Computing on the cloud, holidaying on a farm and interacting with talking billboards are among the top things we’ll be doing in 2012, the world’s leading trends potters tell Metro. “The new year will be a portrait of contrasts — great new techno-breakthroughs and a rush toward embracing anything local, including crafts and foods,” says Marian Salzman, president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR.
Surfin’ in the ‘cloud’
Cloud computing will be the most talked-about trend over the next year. “Twelve months from now, most people under 40 will be logging into a virtual file cabinet to pick up your work assignment or your shopping list,” Salzman tells Metro. “There are obvious privacy issues that come with that,” says Ann Mack, director of trend-spotting at global advertising agency JWT. “But overall, people are moving toward ‘access over ownership.’ Already you can access any song you like online without actually owning it.”
Shop ethical: There’s an app for that
Ethical shopping is set to rise, according to Salzman,
Other trends Eco-cycology. We’re seeking a more sustainable lifestyle — and we want the same from the brands we buy. Already Nike and Dell have programs where they take back old items from customers and recycle the material to use in new products.
You might vacation on a sustainable farm.
Life will revolve around touchpads a lot more.
Depression-era chic. Perhaps as a nod to our economic climate, designers, from Gucci to Roberto Cavalli, showed swingy flapper dresses, complete with drop waists, deco touches and Zelda Fitzgerald as a muse.
The cloud — a virtual file cabinet — will hold your files and music.
Trading in. With wage freezes we all need some ways to get a bit of extra cash. ‘Recommerce’ is the new buying where tech-savvy con- 2012 trend: flapper dress sumers are reselling or trading in old buys. Across the world, companies are already offering trade-in programs.
People will want to know where their food comes from.
SOURCES: MARIAN SALZMAN, TRENDWATCHING.COM
with more and more people concerned about how their food products are sourced — and they’re in-
You see programs that help your child learn teamwork and social skills; they see a…
vestigating with their smartphones. One smartphone app — GoodGuide — allows shop-
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pers to scan a product with their phone camera and find out how ethically responsible the food company behind the product is. “Into the new year, our smartphone will increasingly become our companion to what kind of cheese we’ll buy; we can find out if it was made in that trustworthy farm,” Salzman says. The futurologist believes an overall citizen-led drive to target corporate responsibility is behind this. “On a macro level, it’s due to the general malaise in society that’s still around today. Wanting a sense of control in this chaos is a personal trigger,” Salzman adds. But we won’t just be acting ethical in the supermarket aisles. Salzman
predicts a rise in ecotourism and spending vacation time volunteering at farms over the next year. “Don’t be surprised if families take their urban/suburban gardens one step further by going on ‘farmcations,’” she says. “Think staying at sustainable farms where families can learn to grow their own foods in a nod to 2012 survivalist fervor and to the need to know what they’re eating and to pay less for healthy food.”
Say hi to a billboard
Our lives will revolve even more than they already do around touchpad devices, whether it’s ordering in a restaurant or shopping in a department store. Barney’s department store in New York already
boasts restaurant tables fitted with touchscreens; diners can digitally order their meal, then browse through the store’s catalogue. And we’ll be “talking” to billboards, too: “Siri and other voice recognition devices are a big hitter now, but as people will get used to this phenomenon, we could be interacting with a talking billboard,” Mack told Metro. “Already in Japan, they have billboards that can detect with 90 per cent accuracy whether the passerby is male or female, and then serve up an ad accordingly. “Some people will say this is all straight out of [futuristic sci-fi movie] Minority Report, but in reality this is going to happen.”
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life
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
Get creative with canned food Whether you like buying in bulk or you’re preparing for a disaster, you likely have a stash of canned goods gathering dust in your pantry Emily Richards explains how to turn those staples into easy, tasty meals
ALL PHOTOS BY EMILY RICHARDS
Drink of the week
Hot Chocolate Mix Since this mix includes milk powder, all you have to do is add boiled water and enjoy! • 1 cup (250 mL) instant skim milk powder • 2⁄3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar • 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder In jar, stir together milk powder, sugar and cocoa powder until well combined. Store for up to 2 months. When ready to make 1 mug of hot chocolate, bring about 1 cup (250 mL) of water to boil and whisk in 1/4 cup (60 mL) of the hot chocolate mix until smooth. Tip: You can find instant skim milk powder at bulk and health food stores.
DINNER EXPRESS EMILY RICHARDS FOOD@METRONEWS.CA
The flavour and spice level in this onepot meal will knock your socks off ! If you’re not a fan of heat and spice, simply use half the package of paste. To change up the flavour, look for other paste or sauce packages such as peanut sauce for a Thai-inspired dish.
Preparation:
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EMILY RICHARDS
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In saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and cook onion for about 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in paste and rice until well coated. Add water; bring to the boil.
Ingredients: • 1 can (540 mL/19 oz) cooked diced potatoes, drained well • 1 large clove garlic, minced • 2 tsp (10 mL) dried parsley leaves • 1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme leaves • 1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne • 1 can (398 mL/14 oz) creamed corn • 1 can (370 mL) 2% evaporated milk • 1 can (284 mL/10 oz) vegetable broth • 1 1⁄4 cups (300 mL) water
Spicyot P One- and Rice Toss Tuna
EMILY RICHARDS IS A PROFESSIONAL HOME ECONOMIST, COOKBOOK AUTHOR & TV CELEBRITY CHEF. FOR MORE, VISIT
This recipe makes six 1 cup (250 mL) servings.
EMILYRICHARDSCOOKS.CA
Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is fluffy. Stir in vegetables, tuna and parsley and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
Travel to the ends of the earth If the world is (hypothetically) coming to an end, shouldn’t you see more of it first? Canada has spectacular locations everyone should visit — whether the world is ending or not
Pangnirtung, Nunavut A place where Scottish whalers would stop and trade with the Inuit, the Hudson’s Bay company set up a trading post there in 1921. Renowned for its printmaking and natural beauty, you can visit with locals and learn about traditional Inuit life. If anyone knows how to survive what looks like inhospitable conditions, it’s them. Learn to hunt, tan your own furs and navigate where a compass won’t work.
Sirmilik National Park, Bylot Island, Nunavut The top of Canada is arid, dry and spectacular — and home to thousands of birds, a mountain that looks vaguely like a pyramid and a vast blasted landscape that you might have to get used to on the rest of the planet if the Mayans are right. Go in the summer when the day lasts 24 hours and make the most of the time you’ve got left.
SEAN MCKIBBON
METRO OTTAWA
Nahanni River, Northwest Territories Sometimes billed as “trophy river� for canoeists and whitewater rafting adventurers, the Nahani will test you. Caribou, rushing rapids, rugged forest, grizzly bears — but what are you scared of ? The world is ending, right? You want to learn to survive or what?
ISTOCK IMAGES
Clayoquot Sound, Vancouver Island, British Columbia In the 1990s this was the Ragnarok of the Canadian environmental movement, when foresters and tree huggers clashed. Now it’s an eco-tourism spot. If it doesn’t fall into the ocean when the big one hits, maybe this lush jewel will be a small oasis of life. Who knows? Maybe you can score some B.C. bud and sail through Armageddon stoned.
Confederation Bridge, Prince Edward Island Nothing says the edge of Canada like a giant bridge stretching across the ocean. Sure, P.E.I. with its Anne of Green Gables stories and resort cabins doesn’t seem remote; it’s all rather quaint. But if aliens attack Canada Hollywood-movie style, Confederation Bridge is definitely going to be on their list of targets and that will be something to see.
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metronews.ca
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
The 2012 tech trends
If the Terminator series proves right (and who doubts it?) technology may not be our friend for much longer, so embrace it now Here’s our look into the near future (no hoverboards, yet) As ever, fighting games rule
Grand Theft Auto V
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This is going to be huge. Like, Avatar-huge: The last Grand Theft Auto was the biggest video game launch of its time, and overall, the series has moved more than 124 million copies. V is set in a warped version of Los Angeles, called Los Santos, and stars a family man pulled back into a world of crime. Horrific crime. Previous installments have been
HOTTEST GAME
blamed for inciting reallife violence. Expect at least a mob … at the video game store. No release date yet.
Playstation Vita
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Could this be the iPhone killer? With 3G mobile support and social networking capability, the Vita (means “life” in Latin) is more than a portable video game player. But it is that too:
titles such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Call of Duty will be available near launch. Some can be played via touch screen. Released in Europe and North America in February.
HMINC
Windows 8: Touch
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An intergalactic combat game, Mass Effect has never had the cachet of Call of Duty —in other words, dads haven’t heard of it. But it’s a big deal to gamers. The final chapter continues Commander Shepard’s battle against the evil Reaers. Released March 9. SAM CASTONE
The touch screen revolution comes to the PC, as Microsoft’s rumored new OS will support fingerclicking icons. The company could use the buzz. In the cool wars, they’ve lost to Apple for decades.
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Mass Effect 3
Wii U
The original Wii — with joysticks that looked BIGGEST GAMBLE like nunchucks and family-friendly titles — brought Nintendo back to the forefront of gaming, although the Xbox Kinect (no joystick required) later stole the spotlight. The Wii U does require a controller — but it’s got tionary, or too complia touch screen, which cated? Find out while means games can be playing LEGO City Stoplayed on the television ries or a new Pimkin. or in your hand. Revolu- No release date yet.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Tied into this summer’s movie reboot, this Activision title allows you to venture all over the big city, slinging webs at anyone — a significant change from previous Spidey games where you were stuck on one track. Also a bonus: A writer from Battlestar Galactica helped pen the plot.
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sports
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metronews.ca TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
A brave new sporting world If we’re not all reduced to rubble, we could see sports get a whole lot wackier beyond 2012 MICHAEL COHEN/GETTY IMAGES FILE
JIM MCISAAC/GETTY IMAGES FILE
sports Sports in brief
UFC president Dana White. FRANK MICELOTTA/GETTY IMAGES FILE
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Ask anyone from a previous generation and they’ll surely enlighten you as to how “sports ain’t what they used to be.” Until the end of 2012 those were just the crowings of the bewildered and beleaguered. Fans of the future, know they will have a valid claim… 2037: With ratings on the decline due to the influx of violent and gambling reality shows (“Monkey Knife Fight”; “Trillion Dollar Deficit Coin-Flip”; “Casino vs. Robosaurus”; “Who Has The Toughest Automatic Dishwasher…Literally?”), the now-completely hairless UFC president Dana White melds Mixed Martial Arts with Texas Hold ‘Em: As Real A Semi-Bluff As It Gets! 2049: After locking out its
players for a combined 15th time this century, many NBA and NFL players head back to college to finish their degrees (and to take advantage of the fact the NCAA is now paying its “amateur” athletes upwards of $2 million a semester, along with all-you-can-sit tattoos). The pros arrive to find the March Madness tournament has ballooned to 16,388 schools (14 rounds plus two play-in games) and begins the previous June. Football still rebuffs a playoff system, making all but one of the 78 bowls utterly inane. (Though the Visa Halftime Show sponsored by Doritos at the Meineke Car Care Bowl presented by Fannie Mae would have been great if it wasn’t for
Don Cherry’s love for garish suits will live on.
Thumb wars will be the sports battlefields of the future.
all the commercials.) 2062: Pogs! 2087: Proving Darwin’s theory correct, decades of relentless texting has led to the thumb being the strongest appendage on most humans. What start-
ed with Pro Thumb Wresting (“It’s totally fake!”) evolves into the Thumb Olympics. Events include synchronized scrolling and the modern phalangeathalon. Most contestants aren’t very polished. 2112: In an ongoing effort to reduce concussions, the NHL, which at last count had expanded to 78 teams, finally arrives at a “solution” to head shots by boiling the game down to a 99-shot per team shootout (with the provisos that no
player can skate beyond the hashmarks for fear of running into the goalie and any shot above the waist results in a lifetime ban.) Coaches give themselves concussions from shaking their heads. Don Cherry’s ghost, drawn back from the abyss every Saturday night with the promise of a new garish suit, calls Gary Bettman IV a joke. Of course, fighting is still allowed ... how else to keep up with Ultimate Poker? EDWARD FRASER/FOR METRO
Five sports signs of the apocalypse PHILIP CROUCHER
@METRONEWS.CA METRO CANADA IN HALIFAX
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Professional athletes realize just how overpaid they are and decide en masse to take a 50 per cent pay cut, which in turn sees ticket prices cut in half allowing middle class families to again cheer
on their home teams. As well, fans are in jerseys, instead of three-piece suits, at arenas throughout leagues. Yonge Street is lined for miles with cheering fans as Toronto’s beloved Maple Leafs do the unthinkable and win the Stanley Cup. Sure, the team needed the winning goal in Game 7 of the final to take a
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favourable ricochet off the glass on an overtime dump in, but Leaf fans don’t care. They are happy to be the loveable losers no more. Soccer overtakes hockey to become the most watched sport in Canada. CBC cashes in by dumping Hockey Night in Canada in favour of Soccer Night in Canada,
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with Coaches Corner featuring Ron McLean and Don Cherry in T-shirts and shorts no less. The CFL, in an attempt to boost TV ratings and ticket sales, decides to have a oneround MMA fight between opposing players to decide who gets first possession. This fills seats well before kick-off.
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The golf world is stunned when Tiger Woods, who hasn’t won a sanctioned PGA event in years, quits the tour and joins the LPGA. The LPGA is thrilled to have him, since someone might actually watch. As for Woods, not only does he now have to wear a skirt when he plays, he thinks he can overtake Jack Nicklaus’ major wins.
CLASSIFIEDS CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1 800 527-6767 – MONDAY TO FRIDAY 8:30 AM TO 6:00 PM (ATL) Metro requests that advertisers check their advertisement upon publication and advise Metro immediately if there are any copy errors in the advertisement as published. Metro will not be responsible for any error other than an incorrect insertion due to any act or omission of Metro. In any event Metro will only be responsible for one incorrect insertion of any particular ad regardless of the number of times such ad is run incorrectly. Metro’s liability for any such error is limited to the amount actually paid by the Customer for a single publication of the advertisement in the space the ad is run. In no event shall Metro be liable for any non-insertion of any advertisement for any reason whatsoever. All copy is subject to the approval of the management of Metro. Metro reserves the right to classify all advertisements.
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sports
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
Where do we go from here? Metro guest columnist Greg Downs looks at how pro sports could evolve and the future of athletic culture ABELIMAGES/GETTY IMAGES FILE
Equality in dressing rooms: If the world of sports is the last mainstream closet, then the next 50 years will open doors. There is a short history of openly gay athletes, mainly because of the stigma athletes who come out face. However the mentality is set to change in locker rooms and front offices around North America. The NFL, largely considered to be the toughest arena to be a gay athlete, wrote legislation into the new collective bargaining agreement, barring any discrimination based on sexual orientation. It’s a sign of things to come when high-profile, truculent personalities
such as Brian Burke voice their concerns and walk in the Gay Pride Parade. New national sport: Canada’s national sport will be forced to take a back seat as concussions, and changing population push soccer to the forefront of the sporting landscape. According to Stats Canada by 2031 as much as 28 per cent of the population will be of foreign birth, bringing the world’s most popular game with them. Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps are already among the MLS leaders in attendance and Canada’s third franchise, the Montreal Impact, will join this summer. As concussion information develops, and head in-
Ashtone Morgan, centre, waves to Toronto FC fans at BMO field last October.
juries become more prevalent in contact sports, soccer will become the safer alternative. International Hockey League: With many NBA, and NHL markets struggling to keep up with the growing player salaries, the lure of foreign markets will spawn international leagues.
The money has already been proven to exist. In 2010 SKA Saint Petersburg offered Ilya Kovalchuk the same $100 million deal as the one he signed with the New Jersey Devils, a sum many NHL clubs couldn’t afford. NBA player Deron Williams signed a big deal overseas (one-year, $5 mil-
lion) during the recent lockout. His number was even retired after just 15 games. Pay to play: In the next half century college and university athletes will lose their amateur status. While organizations like the NCAA have fought and fined to keep players from making money, the pressure on big schools to recruit will force the league to adapt. There’s just too much money on the line. Both BCS championship teams, LSU and Alabama will receive $18 million for playing the biggest college game of the season. Many schools and boosters have already shown the willingness to throw large sums of cash at high school
ers and it will be impossible for the NCAA to stop it. Front court — Front office: Athletes will elevate from highly paid stars, to player/owners as teams try to lure them to their city. Owners routinely hand over power of their teams to stars, and based on current contracts, ownership is next. Albert Pujols was handed a $252 million contract this month by the L.A. Angels. It’s a deal worth more than the amount owner Art Moreno paid for the team ($181 million in 2003). Alexander Ovechkin’s 13 year $124 million deal is only $10 million shy of Forbes’ estimated worth of the Phoenix Coyotes franchise.
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play
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011
Mayan Calendar Puzzle
LARRY HUMBER
Across
1 The Mayan Calendar is known as the Maya ___ Round (a word meaning holy) 4 The Maya had ___ day names, nearly three times as many as we have 9 McHattie of Immortals and the disaster film 2012 10 What the Maya
called day 19; it means rain storm (it’s also a kind of canoe if you change the middle letter) 11 If things go as some say in 2012, we’ll be needing more than ___ salts to cure our ills 12 Predominantly Muslim nation in West Africa 13 A New Testament book 15 Scarlett O’Hara’s home 18 Shake violently 21 Basketball’s “Shaq” 23 Information fed into a computer 24 Adopts: 2 wds. 25 John ___ played writer Jackson Curtis in 2012 26 ___ & Demons was a Dan Brown book and later a film starring Tom Hanks Down
1 In the film 2012, Lilly is
the ___ of Noah (they’re Curtis’s kids) 2 Maia Chiburdanidze was women’s world ___ champ 3 Digs up or brings to light 5 Rouse from sleep 6 One who’s into astrology, say: 2 wds. 7 Country folk 8 Terminates 14 The Mayan calendar is used to this day in this part of Mexico (it’s an anagram of APHASIC) 15 The Mayan calendar is known to scholars as the ___ (the answer is close in spelling to The Lord of the Rings author) 16 Crazy person 17 Symbolic figures as found in the Mayan calendar 19 The ___ calendar was an adaptation of the Mayan 20 Erodes, ___ away 22 Come as a result
Number Four
Numerology Numerology offers a personality and lifestyle profile that can help unlock the mysteries of the past, present and future. Numbers help predict outcomes — so you can enhance relationships, career and overall living!
Number One
Celebrate : Folks will come
who have rattled your chain in the past will ask you for forgiveness. Your career will pick up tenfold, so be ready to take on new responsibilities and exciting experiences. Watch out for: Try not to push things. If it does not fit, do not force it. Relax and let things go.
Celebrate: You will inspire
Number Three
people willing to hear your point of view. Not only will they be impressed with your vision, but they will tell others about you. Watch out for: Not just one, but many people will confront you with matters of the heart. If you are not interested, then be honest.
Celebrate: You have done
Number Two Celebrate: Aggressive folks
to you throughout the year. They will use you as a distraction from their woes. Do not shun them. Make money from it, or least earn good karma. Watch out for: All will be merry for the first part of the year, but in mid-2012 you need to be watchful of people who say they love you, but hurt you most.
Number Five Celebrate: Your creative
things for people that others would not think of doing. This year coworkers, friends and family will show their gratitude for your kindness. Watch out for: Your loyalty will be questioned two times in 2012; however, as long as you remain calm and cool, your maturity will shine through.
side will bubble over in 2012. Business, career, love and spiritual ideas you have been putting off will now ignite and you will soar to new heights. Watch out for: People with good intentions will try to persuade you not to take a chance. Hear their advice, but ultimately listen to your heart and go with your intuition.
Solution ACROSS 1. SACRED, 4. TWENTY, 9. STEPHEN, 10. KAWAK, 11. EPSOM, 12. SENEGAL, 13. ACTS, 15. TARA, 18. AGITATE, 21. O’NEAL, 23. INPUT, 24. TAKES UP, 25. CUSACK and 26. ANGELS DOWN 1. SISTER, 2. CHESS, 3. EXHUMES, 5. WAKEN, 6. NEW AGER, 7. YOKELS, 8. ENDS, 14. CHIAPAS, 15. TZOLKIN, 16. MANIAC, 17. GLYPHS, 19. AZTEC, 20. EATS and 22. ENSUE
Many are dreading 2012, as it supposedly means dark days are ahead as foretold by the Mayan calendar. Wrong! The truth is, it’s just the end of a cycle of the Mayan calendar. To the Mayans, that was a time to celebrate. So, 2012 is more like a brand new day rather than an end of days. 2012 is going to be just fine.
NOTE: The solutions for the Dec. 24th crossword and Sudoku will appear in the Jan. 3 issue of Metro. If you can’t wait until then, go to metronews.ca for the answers.
How it works It starts with your birth date — month, day, year. Break down your numbers to a single digit. For example, say you were born on Dec. 20, 1971. December is the 12th month, so break the month down: 1+2 = 3
Number Eight The 20th day — break it down: 2+0 = 2 The year 1971 — break it down: 1+9+7+1 = 18. Break it down again to a single digit: 1+8 = 9 Now add up all three final numbers: 3+2+9 = 14 Break 14 down and your final answer is 1+4 = 5 You are a number 5
Number Six
Number Seven
Celebrate: In 2012 smiling
Celebrate: Say what is on your mind, and do not hesitate to do what you feel. As long as it does not hurt anybody, do as you like and live how you want. Watch out for: Acquaintances may judge you incorrectly. But do not worry, because in the first quarter of 2012 they will learn to appreciate your character and cherish your friendship.
and laughing will have more of an affect on your life than you could ever imagine. Folks may test you many times and in many ways, but you will pass them all. Watch out for: Taking things personally will only cause stress. When others try to dish discomfort, deflect it by saying to yourself: “I am peaceful, and peace is with me.”
Celebrate: Somebody
between the ages of 21 and 35 will praise your name, and if they do this at work, your income will increase sooner rather than later. Watch out for: Do not answer any questions that will turn into deeper questions. Getting into the nitty gritty of things is not necessary.
Number Nine Celebrate: If somebody
owes you money, you can look forward to getting some of it back, and just when you need it most. Watch out for: Focus on your health, especially if you do not have the best of health right now. A SYNDICATED ASTROLOGIST, CERISE FAIRFAX IS PUBLISHED IN VARIOUS NEWSPAPERS AND ONLINE COMMUNITIES. SHE IS ALSO A LIFE COACH COUNSELOR. CHECK HER OUT AT CERISEFAIRFAX.COM
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