For no particular reason other than that I find them neat, here's some clips of the arrival and speech of Pres. John Kennedy to Parliament in 1961.
Speech to Parliament - May 18, 1961
Arrival on Parliament Hill (reminds one of Obama's reception on the Hill?)
For some reason the Arrival on the Hill link goes to the Obama reception link, but if you click either link just below the Obama clip you'll find JKF's visit clip - it's #17 in the sideways scrolling list.
enjoy!
random uni student
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
In search of Canadian cuisine...
What food can be connected to a Canadian identity as authentically Canadian? What is the Canadian national dish? What can be considered specifically and uniquely Canadian cuisine?
Recently in a lecture we discussed how Chinese restaurant menus were the first in Canada to specifically differentiate between Canadian food and 'other' food. Think about it, what general Chinese food restaurant sign or menu doesn't say Chinese AND Canadian food. Of course, even the food labeled as Chinese food can really be considered Canadian food but such restaurants during the 20th century were the first to define what constituted Canadian cuisine in contrast to the food of a foreign, 'other', culture.
A recent CBC program, The Main Ingredient, discusses Chinese restaurants in Canadian cuisine history as well as engaging in a debate of what is truly Canadian national cuisine.
To top it off, ever want to know about when pizza become popular in Canada? Check out the CBC Archives clip and choose Who's The Happiest Homemaker?
Enjoy!
random uni student
Recently in a lecture we discussed how Chinese restaurant menus were the first in Canada to specifically differentiate between Canadian food and 'other' food. Think about it, what general Chinese food restaurant sign or menu doesn't say Chinese AND Canadian food. Of course, even the food labeled as Chinese food can really be considered Canadian food but such restaurants during the 20th century were the first to define what constituted Canadian cuisine in contrast to the food of a foreign, 'other', culture.
A recent CBC program, The Main Ingredient, discusses Chinese restaurants in Canadian cuisine history as well as engaging in a debate of what is truly Canadian national cuisine.
To top it off, ever want to know about when pizza become popular in Canada? Check out the CBC Archives clip and choose Who's The Happiest Homemaker?
Enjoy!
random uni student
Monday, August 16, 2010
Log Driver's Waltz as nostalgia?
For an exam I was re-introduced to The Log Driver's Waltz, an old NFB Vingnette from 1979. For me it brings back some childhood memories of seeing it on tv and is just a pleasant piece of historic Canadiana, regardless of its nostalgic aspects.
I made a surface connection of this production of this film as a nostalgic and romantic expression of the log driving industry in Canada during a time when it was fading out of the industry. Perhaps connected to the same nostalgia that placed a log driving image on the the back of the 1970's to 1980's Canadian One dollar bill?
Would anyone with more expertise on the history of the log driving industry in Canada be able to say yae or naye to this observation/connection?
Cheers,
random uni student
I made a surface connection of this production of this film as a nostalgic and romantic expression of the log driving industry in Canada during a time when it was fading out of the industry. Perhaps connected to the same nostalgia that placed a log driving image on the the back of the 1970's to 1980's Canadian One dollar bill?
Would anyone with more expertise on the history of the log driving industry in Canada be able to say yae or naye to this observation/connection?
Cheers,
random uni student
Friday, August 13, 2010
Nature, Humanity and History
Discussed this well known idea in class and came across it in an article. I thought it might be a nice one to share. It is, as mentioned, a well known thought as often seen in nature and climate change television documentaries. It might be comforting to note then, that the idea impacts history as an academic discipline. That was a comfort to me. Also, I just like how this is worded.
"In recent years, many environmental historians have argued that a perceptual division between ideals of "nature" and ideals of "culture" is at the root of many current environmental problems (see, e.g., William Cronon; Richard White; Neil Evernden). The notion that "nature" exists outside of and stands separate from human society and technology presents a challenge for addressing ecological problems in the twenty-first century. Not only does this dominant way of thinking mask many environmental tensions, but also it creates a sense of separation between most people's lived experiences and the environmental impact of their day-to-day activities. To conceive of "nature" as existing separately from "culture" is to deny the sense of interconnectedness that affects all forms of life on Earth. As Neil Evernden argues, "Nature is [. . .] nowhere near as independent or as 'given' as we like to suppose" (xii). For those concerned with addressing twenty-first century environmental issues, a critical re-thinking of what "nature" is and means is necessary....
Cultural production has long dictated the ways in which animals are conceived of and, ultimately, treated in Western society. From novels and fairy-tales to paintings, films, advertisements, and postcards, representations of nonhuman species continually shape the dynamics of interspecies interactions. These representations have firmly solidified the perceptual gap that exists between "nature" and "culture" in North America. In the realm of nature, such animals as bears, deer, and bighorn sheep are conceived of as "wild" and "untamed," while nonhuman animals encountered in spaces characterized by notions of "civilization" fit into very different systems of representation. In urban centres, for instance, nonhuman animals tend to be grouped into categories that label them as either "pets" or "pests," both commonly recognized as resulting from human desires, behaviours, and habits."
Cronin, Keri. "The Bears are Plentiful and Frequently Good Camera Subjects": Postcards and the Framing of Interspecies Encounters in the Canadian Rockies." Mosaic : a Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature. Winnipeg: Dec 2006.Vol. 39, Iss. 4; pg. 77, 16 pgs.
Enjoy,
random uni student
"In recent years, many environmental historians have argued that a perceptual division between ideals of "nature" and ideals of "culture" is at the root of many current environmental problems (see, e.g., William Cronon; Richard White; Neil Evernden). The notion that "nature" exists outside of and stands separate from human society and technology presents a challenge for addressing ecological problems in the twenty-first century. Not only does this dominant way of thinking mask many environmental tensions, but also it creates a sense of separation between most people's lived experiences and the environmental impact of their day-to-day activities. To conceive of "nature" as existing separately from "culture" is to deny the sense of interconnectedness that affects all forms of life on Earth. As Neil Evernden argues, "Nature is [. . .] nowhere near as independent or as 'given' as we like to suppose" (xii). For those concerned with addressing twenty-first century environmental issues, a critical re-thinking of what "nature" is and means is necessary....
Cultural production has long dictated the ways in which animals are conceived of and, ultimately, treated in Western society. From novels and fairy-tales to paintings, films, advertisements, and postcards, representations of nonhuman species continually shape the dynamics of interspecies interactions. These representations have firmly solidified the perceptual gap that exists between "nature" and "culture" in North America. In the realm of nature, such animals as bears, deer, and bighorn sheep are conceived of as "wild" and "untamed," while nonhuman animals encountered in spaces characterized by notions of "civilization" fit into very different systems of representation. In urban centres, for instance, nonhuman animals tend to be grouped into categories that label them as either "pets" or "pests," both commonly recognized as resulting from human desires, behaviours, and habits."
Cronin, Keri. "The Bears are Plentiful and Frequently Good Camera Subjects": Postcards and the Framing of Interspecies Encounters in the Canadian Rockies." Mosaic : a Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature. Winnipeg: Dec 2006.Vol. 39, Iss. 4; pg. 77, 16 pgs.
Enjoy,
random uni student
Friday, July 30, 2010
Albert Kahn - Early 20th Century Colour Photographs
I was sent a daily link from Very Short List and wound up searching the Albert Kahn Museum site.
Albert Kahn, (Under 'Albert Kahn (1860-1940)' , "... realising that his era was to witness great changes, he began to build up an iconographic memory of societies, environments and lifestyles – many of them traditional – around the world. From 1909 to 1931, he commissioned photographers and film cameramen to record life in over 50 countries. The images were held in the Archive of the Planet, a collection of 180,000 metres of b/w film and more than 72,000 autochrome plates, the first industrial process for true colour photography, of which the museum now has the largest collection in the world."
I'll be taking my sweet time and gazing through as much of the collection as possible, it's absolutely fascinating and I'm not quite sure how I havn't heard of this man before.I'm sure this is probably a case of me just being out in space/unobservant and hence never encountering this collection.
In navigating the french site (Mon francais, c'est terrible!) I eventually found colour photos from Canada in the 1920's.
Always good to keep in mind that a photograph is not always an accurate representation of reality. As with paintings, photographs are the interpretation of the photographer of the scene or people in which he/she is taking a picture. With that interpretation comes the photographers message (whether intentionally or not) of class, culture, gender, etc. A photograph is often more useful in giving insight into the photographer's perception of the world than it is information on the subject.
Enjoy gazing and musing!
random uni student
Albert Kahn, (Under 'Albert Kahn (1860-1940)' , "... realising that his era was to witness great changes, he began to build up an iconographic memory of societies, environments and lifestyles – many of them traditional – around the world. From 1909 to 1931, he commissioned photographers and film cameramen to record life in over 50 countries. The images were held in the Archive of the Planet, a collection of 180,000 metres of b/w film and more than 72,000 autochrome plates, the first industrial process for true colour photography, of which the museum now has the largest collection in the world."
I'll be taking my sweet time and gazing through as much of the collection as possible, it's absolutely fascinating and I'm not quite sure how I havn't heard of this man before.I'm sure this is probably a case of me just being out in space/unobservant and hence never encountering this collection.
In navigating the french site (Mon francais, c'est terrible!) I eventually found colour photos from Canada in the 1920's.
Always good to keep in mind that a photograph is not always an accurate representation of reality. As with paintings, photographs are the interpretation of the photographer of the scene or people in which he/she is taking a picture. With that interpretation comes the photographers message (whether intentionally or not) of class, culture, gender, etc. A photograph is often more useful in giving insight into the photographer's perception of the world than it is information on the subject.
Enjoy gazing and musing!
random uni student
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
New Podcast - 'Stuff You Missed in History Class'
A friend in one of my classes suggested this podcast and so far I'm in love.
Stuff You Missed in History Class
enjoy!
random uni student
Stuff You Missed in History Class
enjoy!
random uni student
The Mythological Card Catalog
I've heard far far too many times from my grandmother how much she enjoyed using card catalogs. My impression is that she thinks they are still used in libraries...Gram's a bit behind the times. We all get nostalgic about tools and skills no longer used, however I'm pretty sure most of us can agree that this is not one of those things. Granted, I wasn't around when card catalogs were in use, but I'm very glad I wasn't...I'm a fan of catalog search software.
random uni student
random uni student
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Social Media and the Long-Form Census
A great point from ACANADEMICS blog concerning the long-form census debate...
"Perhaps census questions change every year, and perhaps I missed the census that asked more "intrusive" questions. I can understand why some people would not want to divulge this kind of private information, but in the age of Twitter and Facebook (dont' even get me started on foursquare) it seems reasonable to suggest that the general population is okay (and by "okay" I mean "eager") to share information. We've even had to assign an acronym (TMI) to ask people to stop. Facebook is worth hundreds of millions of dollars because each and every one of us wants others to know where we are, what we're doing, and how we feel. "
The whole blog post can be found here.
Cheers,
random uni student
"Perhaps census questions change every year, and perhaps I missed the census that asked more "intrusive" questions. I can understand why some people would not want to divulge this kind of private information, but in the age of Twitter and Facebook (dont' even get me started on foursquare) it seems reasonable to suggest that the general population is okay (and by "okay" I mean "eager") to share information. We've even had to assign an acronym (TMI) to ask people to stop. Facebook is worth hundreds of millions of dollars because each and every one of us wants others to know where we are, what we're doing, and how we feel. "
The whole blog post can be found here.
Cheers,
random uni student
Monday, July 19, 2010
Technology killed the history star?
In response to an article by Sir. Keith Thomas about his working methods as a historian. I've been sitting on this for quite some time but, honestly, I'm bored in my poli-sci class so I'm zoning out and writing this. Historians, by nature and necessity, must be organized in their work. The evolution of a historian, or in my case a history student, is in part predicated on the evolution of the processes and methods by which one assembles, organizes and tracks information. I worry, however, that the rapid change in technology (specifically software and new forms of reading ie. electronic books, online journals, excell, word, Kindle et al. etc.) may disrupt this evolutionary process by which research skills are honed in that a researcher must constantly adapt to the new technology and indeed re-invent their research techniques to fit the new technology.
That's all, don't have more time to put anymore detail into it, but perhaps it's something to muse on.
Cheers,
random university student
That's all, don't have more time to put anymore detail into it, but perhaps it's something to muse on.
Cheers,
random university student
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
1891 Canadian Census Free Online for Canada Day Weekend
Gleaned from Chris Moore's blog...
"Christopher Moore's History News"
The 1891 Canadian Census is open on ancestry.com free of charge for the Canada Day Weekend...
1891 Census Temporarily Available for Free
I know I'll be taking advantage of this to track down the records of some family members information for posterity's sake. Perhaps my grandmother will like copies...
Happy hunting!
Random uni student
"Christopher Moore's History News"
The 1891 Canadian Census is open on ancestry.com free of charge for the Canada Day Weekend...
1891 Census Temporarily Available for Free
I know I'll be taking advantage of this to track down the records of some family members information for posterity's sake. Perhaps my grandmother will like copies...
Happy hunting!
Random uni student
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