Archive for November, 2010

“Large, different and gone” is how paleontologist, Doctor John “Jack” Horner, describes dinosaurs as he starts his talk today. The dude pretty much owns dinosaurs. He knows why children love dinosaurs, why my son own son who is not yet two years old already can’t stop talking about them. He also knows a lot more than most other paleontologists (his peers) know and you should watch his talk once it gets uploaded in case you weren’t watching the live feed. And of course, my main focus of today: his shoes. Doctor Horner wears Grey Adidas running shoes with Adiprene soles and orange stripes. Perfect for hunting dinosaurs in.

Photo by KK on Flickr

Greg Power took the stage and discussed storytelling and media, he tackles the Maple Leaf listeriosis story and due to action by Maple Leaf CEO it was told around in the media for very early in the game that Maple Leaf were the good guys. He discussed how that sort of manipulation (for lack of a better word on my part here) can be a good thing and of course a very bad thing. As the president of a large advertising firm in Canada, Greg knows the power and the importance of good storytelling, which is why today he wears shiny yet weathered leather loafers (remember, my theme today is our speakers’ selection of footwear). As a former broadcast journalist with Radio Canada International and CBC Radio, a communications executive with Avon Canada and a senior executive at PR agencies including Weber Shandwick Canada, Optimum-Cossette, Edelman Canada, Hill and Knowlton Canada and Rapp Collins Worldwide, if these obviously well worn shoes could talk I imagine they’d tell some interesting tales of clients he’s worked with over the years, and the stories he’s helped them relay.

Photo by KK on Flickr

Yael Cohen runs a cancer charity that she founded in 2009 when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. She speaks today about this charity, F**k Cancer, which promotes early detection, and that we should be looking for cancer instead of just finding it. Part of the reason why her charity has been so successful is that she directly targets people’s apathy by shaking them out of complacency with humor and language. She aims to put an end to late stage cancer diagnosis by grabbing your attention and if you will remember that my observations today are about the speakers’ shoes, she most definitely grabs the audiences attention with the incredibly high Loboutin pumps she rocks.

Photo by KK on Flickr

As I said in my introductory post, I’m not here to make light of these important and potentially heavy talks but I’ll definitely be providing a different perspective than one you might not see unless you were here. Heck, even if you were here you might not even take note of it: my blog posts today are going to focus on our presenters shoes.

If you watched Nazanin Afshin-Jam‘s talk, she discussed human rights violations, the Stop Child Executions Organization and how “We can be a voice for the voiceless”. Her talk is deep, with some heavy slides, it is revealing and it is inspirational to say the least.

Her shoes reflect the freedoms she talks about, the freedoms and opportunities of living in Canada that she has “never taken for granted” after escaping an oppressive life with her family in Iran. Today Nazanin wears incredibly fashionable, shiny black Burberry pumps that feature a black and white check on the side. She talks about her mother and how a change in government went from her wearing “the latest fashions off of Paris runways” to having to cover her face. Our freedoms, her freedoms, are reflected in her selection of shoes that she has the right to wear today. Her overall message is “Use your blessings to advance humanity in your own way” while not taking your freedoms for granted, and the audience receives it loud and clear.

Photo by KK on Flickr

Photo by KK on Flickr

Pictured above are the TedXVancouver 2010 speakers! Today through theLIVE FEED on their site you’ll be able to watch their talks and glean some insight and hopefully walk away with some serious inspiration. I’m sitting here next to Uncle Weed, second row from the front at the Ray Meek Centre in West Van where we’ll be “live” blogging this incredible event for the TedXVancouver web site, and I’ll be re-posting my posts here. I put the word “live” in quotations because I’m perhaps not going to deliver a stream-of-consciousness nor a play by play, which my more-seasoned co-live-blogger, the aforementioned Uncle Weed, is likely going to deliver on his half of the speaker’s he’s chosen to blog about (we did a highschool PE Class style selection of who we will be blogging about when we arrived).

What I’m going to bring you are thoughts on each of my 6 presenter’s shoes. Their styles and how they may somehow relate (or not relate) to the stories they’re telling you today (you are watching the LIVE FEED right?). I’m not here to make light of some potentially heavy talks, I’m simply going to bring you a different persepctive from the one you might expect, or even be looking for. Up first is human rights advocate, Nazanin Afshin-Jam. Allow me a minute here to frame my take on her shoes…

You’ve heard the phrase ‘honour among theives’, well believe it or not, there’s honour amongst cheap ass shoppers like me.  Which is why I’m not blowing this one up until now.  This one is a no brainer, and it’s pretty tough to leave without buying something.  Wings and Horns, is running a sale simultaneously next door, so it’s one stop shopping for three great men’s brands all with local connections.  If you’re strapped to buy a guy a present, you can’t go wrong with a hoodie, it’s like a man’s version of the spa package.

This year’s highlights!

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Every day we share a single photo from our Flickr Pool shot by one of our faithful and talented readers (that’s you!).

Here’s a nice winter scene of the bunny hill from Havarti. I bet all you shredders are looking at that handrail and thinking “where is that?”

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Dano

It’s a new dog twice a week! Click here to find out how to get your dog posted if you haven’t sent in your photos yet!

Today’s dog featured in Dogtown Vancouver is Derick, Jessica G’s pup. Here’s what she had to say about him…

NAME: Derick. BREED: Pom cross. HOOD: Yaletown. FAVOURITE SNACK: Peanut butter. OTHER INFO: Derick enjoys long walks along the sea wall, showing off his robust chest hair at the dog park, stealing treats from his best pal Senor Lopez, and growling at boys. If you’re interested in adopting a pet, check out our Happy Tails feature. If you adopted your pet from the SPCA and would like to share your awesome story on Happy Tails, send an email to dogtown@vancouverisawesome.com or Rory.Blanchard@novusnow.ca.

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