Product of NewfoundlandFog is the new sun.2010-02-21T15:25:51-05:00Roberthttp://www.rjproduct.carob@rjproduct.catag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundlandPivotCopyright (c) 2010, Authors of Product of NewfoundlandBest Served by The Pathological Lovers2010-02-21T15:25:00-05:002010-02-21T16:55:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.833Great song + great video = monster-ific entertainment
Great song + great video = monster-ific entertainment.
Watch the brand new video for The Pathological Lovers song Best Served from their album Calling All Favours. The video is directed by Jordan Canning who's been responsible for some fantastic short films and cool Hey Rosetta! videos. It's totally worth watching and be sure to stick through to the end to see the creepiest shot of Cabot Tower ever.
Listen to: The Pathological Lovers
]]>Robert HiscockFact #1542010-02-07T13:17:00-05:002010-02-12T07:30:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.826In 2008 more than 14 000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians were enrolled as full-time students.Robert HiscockFishing Friday: Strange Newfoundland2010-02-12T14:25:00-05:002010-02-12T00:00:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.829Welcome back to another week of Friday Fishing – my weekly hunt for Newfoundland trivia through the web. This week my search query was ‘Strange Newfoundland.’ It didn't let me down -- I did indeed walk some strange stretches of the information super highway
Welcome back to another week of Friday Fishing – my weekly hunt for Newfoundland trivia through the web. This week my search query was ‘Strange Newfoundland.’ It didn't let me down -- I did indeed walk some strange stretches of the information super highway.
1. My first find was a blog post by photographerRobert Bieber. After visiting the bird sanctuary at Cape St. Mary’s Beiber returned to his hotel to learn "just how strange Newfoundland can be.”
Beiber discovered that the shower in his room had the knob for hot water on the right and the knob for cold water on the left. The knob on the coldwater knob turned to the left to open but the hotwater knob turned to the right -- meaning the user has to turn the knobs in two opposing directions to get a mix of cold and hot water. The kicker, according to Bieber, is that the shower drain is in the opposite side of the tub from the faucet.
I don’t know, maybe you have to live in Newfoundland a while before you realize that the intricacies of our plumbing are really just the tip of our big iceberg of strangeness. I surf onward...
2. Karen, of BitStop, told readers of List of the Day’s World’s Best City Names that strange Newfoundland place names include: Come by Chance, Spread Eagle, Joe Batt's Arm, Blow Me Down, Tickle Cove, Ha Ha Bay, Snake's Bight, Bad Bay, Dead Man's Bay, Savage Cove, Wreck Cove, Petticoat Harbour and Devil Cove.
I may be a little biased but I think she forgot the best one, my hometown, Happy Adventure. Coolest. Name. Ever.
3.
This video of a strange fish caught in Burgeo was posted to YouTube in July 2008. According to a commenter it is a lesser deep sea angler… or maybe a decomposing bird. My money’s on the anglerfish hypothesis and not just so I can segue into this conversation...
Did you know that the male anglerfish lives solely to find a mate?
I know what you’re thinking – how’s that any different from the male of any species? Well, the male anglerfish has elevated to quest to a whole other level.
Male anglerfish2 are signifantly smaller than their female counterparts and have trouble getting food in the harsh deep sea environment. The men...er males... need females to take care of them. When they find a female they bite into her and secreate a digestive enzyme that causes the breakdown of their bodies. The males slowly lose their digestive organs, then brain, heart and eyes before finally becoming nothing more than a pair of gonads fused to the female's side, releasing sperm in response to her hormones.
In the anglerfish world that's a healthy relationship. Think about that on Valentine’s Day.
4. GI Jane told the users of the Lounge at the Calorie Count forum that Newfoundland is the “place to go if you want to hear English spoken as it might have been a few hundred years ago." She continues, “I found a web-page of 'strange Newfoundland expression' and, to me, they sound perfectly normal!!”
Some of GI Jane’s expressions include 'smudge’ 'flipper' 'swig' and ‘clobber’.
Hmm... they sound perfectly normal to me too, but what do I know? I’m from an outport village called Happy Adventure1.
5. Finally, Anne Porter told members of the Leonard Cohen Forum that Phil Churchill and Andrew Dale of The Once called Amelia Curran "Leonard Cohen's strange Newfoundland daughter (if Leonard Cohen had a strange Newfoundland daughter)."
I love Curran and you don’t have to listen long before you understand the comparison. If you’re not familiar with her work you should remedy that – her collection is available at iTunes.
If you’re still in the mood for Cohen check out The Once and their beautiful cover of his Coming Back To You.
Well, that's Friday Fishing for another week... tune in next Friday for more who-knows-what. Until them, I'll be quietly, praying not to be reincarnated as an anglerfish.
1. but at least I own a standard English dictionary.
2. Anglerfish Image by Dr Tony Ayling, some rights reserved.
Top Image: Man with Fish, Library of Congress/Public Domain
More: Fishing Friday
]]>Robert HiscockHe's Bringing Sally Back2010-02-12T07:40:00-05:002010-02-11T22:00:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.832Where Justin brought the sexy, Matthew Osmond is bringing the Sally
Where Justin brought the sexy, Matthew Osmond is bringing the Sally. Check out his crazy Salvation Army parody of Justin Timberlake's SexyBack. He created this video for the Salvation Army National School of Music at Jackson's Point last summer. The video features looks of cool imagery of the St. John's. It's well-worth watching and passing along.
Check Out: SalvationArmyTV
]]>Robert HiscockThursPlay! Rebus2010-02-11T07:05:00-05:002010-02-11T00:00:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.827It's time again for ThursPlay! -- a weekly all-things-Newfoundland game time. This week I invite you to find the name of a Newfoundland community for each rebus.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Post your answers in the comments section... Answer as many or as few as you'd like or you can indulge your inner wallflower and play along quietly at home... But where's the fun in that?
More: ThursPlay!
]]>Robert HiscockLuis Castro: OogaboOga2010-02-10T05:36:00-05:002010-02-09T13:08:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.831Professor TIki is pulling out all the stops, desperately trying to hold back an erupting volcano
Professor TIki is pulling out all the stops, desperately trying to hold back an erupting volcano. Watch this nifty animated short by College of the North Atlantic student Luis Castro -- it's pretty impressive. Castro, who is originally from Mexico, was part of the team who brought us last year's uber-popular Shame of the North Atlantic.
Watch in HD: YouTube
]]>Robert HiscockFive: Animal Bands from Newfoundland2010-02-09T13:03:00-05:002010-02-09T07:18:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.8215 local bands live up to their name
and free the creative beast.
5 local bands live up to their name
and free the creative beast.
.
1.Quiet Elephant. Family makes for fun music, in the case of the Twin brothers and brother/sister combo that make up St. John's band Quiet Elephant at any rate. Check out My Heart Goes Boom it's an energetic piece of pop that could even make your Nan smile.
2.The Wolves. Hatesong has become one of my more favouritish tunes of late. It's like their bio says, “All the better to make you dance, dear.” Check them out on Reverbnation.
3.Mopey Mumble Mouse.
This cool, and somewhat creepy, video for Compassion Comes From The Barrel of A Gun is from Mopey Mumble Mouse's 2009 release I Am Happy Being Nothing. The album also features a somewhat punkier cover of Wonderful Grand Band's Babylon Mall. It's streaming in the player on the band's website. Check it out.
4.Bird & Bear. Part Human. Part Animal. All heart. That's what their bio says and I'm not gonna challenge it. The duo, comprised of Jon Janes and Jillian Freeman, has just released its debut ep Into The Moon to general fanfare. Check out their songs on MySpace and buy the album online from CDBaby.
5.The Black Auks. Sounds Provocative, a research project on experimental music performance at festivals and concert venues across Canada, calls The Black Auks “a legendary noise band from St. John’s, Newfoundland whose work is in the long tradition of idiosyncratic Canadian ensembles made up of ordinary guys who meet faithfully for the sheer pleasure of creating improvisational mayhem...”
They definitely do make some interesting sounds. You can see one of their performances online at Sounds Provocative.
]]>Robert HiscockAbbyshot Wins2010-02-08T10:49:00-05:002010-02-08T20:38:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.820I'm always happy to see a local company get recognized for its efforts
I'm always happy to see a local company get recognized for its efforts. I'm even happier when the company's efforts result in genuinely cool products -- like those of Abbyshot. The Mount Pearl-based clothing company has been named Canadian SME Innovator of the Year for their designs styled after clothing worn in movies, anime series, TV shows and computer games. Not only is the clothing screen-accurate it is completely wearable, everyday apparel. AbbyShot sells their products around the globe through their website.
I'm a a fan of their Dr. Who-inspired creations... but there's lots there to like. Check it out.
Visit: Abbyshot Clothiers
]]>Robert HiscockWebcams of Newfoundland and Labrador2010-02-08T10:54:00-05:002010-02-05T10:53:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.819Environment Canada has issued a blizzard warning for a huge chunk of the island todayEnvironment Canada has issued a blizzard warning for a huge chunk of the island today. The forecast is calling for nearly 40cm of snow1. It's perfect weather for staying inside, all cozy and surfing the web. I plan to look at tropical sunset screensavers but, in case you haven't achieved my advanced level of denial, you might be curious about the progress of the storm the province has a bunch of webcams that can help you out:
This list is by no means exhaustive. If you know of any others please post them in the comments section.
1. I guess, the bat saw his shadow.
]]>Robert HiscockNewfoundland Legend2010-02-05T07:52:00-05:002010-02-05T07:47:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.812Welcome back to another week of Friday Fishing – my weekly hunt for Newfoundland trivia through the web. This week my search query was ‘Newfoundland Legend.’ Here are some of the top results1. A Ghost Legend of Old Newfoundland
Here’s a video posted by mulg1 telling the fairly well-known story of the ghost of Ellen Dower. When you click play, you'll notice a bit of a long introduction... it takes a few minutes for the story to actually kick in
You may have read this story. It was popularized by Earl Pilgim in his appropriately titled book The Ghost of Ellen Dower which is, incidentally, the only Earl Pilgrim book I’ve ever read. If you’re willing to let your imagination run, it’s a pretty cool and somewhat creepy tale.
2. In June 1880 The Public Ledger published A Newfoundland Legend. It tells a tale
“Happening in a stirring city,
lying in a northern portion
Of the great Atlantic Ocean”
The author goes on to tell the reader that the tale should be related:
"After style of ‘Hiawatha,”
Hiawatha the “big injun,”
He the son of “Mudje Keewis,”
He that spooned sweet “Mineehaha”
And was told of by Longfellow”
You can read the entire thing right here, if you dare.
3. South coast musicians Simani are, according to Tidespoint “a true Newfoundland legend and have twelve recordings to their credit having sold almost too many to count.” And who am I to disagree? The duo, responsible for The Mummer’s Song, have crafted a modern Christmas classic that has certainly helped to keep the tradition of mummering in public consciousness. And really, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Their songs have often explored interesting pieces of our culture:
4. The St. John’s Newcomer’s Club, a non-profit, social organization that welcomes women who have recently moved to St.John's, recently read Paul Butler’s NaGeira. They decided it was “an interesting spin of the popular Newfoundland legend from the earliest settlement in the New World.”
I agree. NaGeria is an interesting spin on the local legend but. More than that, it’s a good book. Well worth checking out.
5. According to Google, in Vernacular Religion and Nature: “The Bible of the Folk” Tradition in Newfoundland author Marion Bowman writes “in another Newfoundland legend, Christ is involved in the marking of the haddock.” I’m curious to read more but the rest of the article is locked behind a pay wall and, really, I’m not that curious.
More: Fishing Friday
]]>Robert HiscockThursPlay! All Around The Circle2010-02-05T17:10:00-05:002010-02-04T00:00:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.816Few of Newfoundland`s place names are better known than the three mentioned in chorus of the classic folk song I`se The B`y
Few of Newfoundland`s place names are better known than the three mentioned in chorus of the classic folk song I`se The B`y. Throughout the province, country and world people have sung the names Fogo, Twillingate and Moreton`s Harbour without knowing a thing about them. Not so, the readers of Product of Newfoundland, I’m sure. Readers of Product are a different breed – a trivia loving breed – so, I’m sure you’ll be able to figure out which of the three communities is the answer to each question.
Which community…
1. Plays host to the Fish, Fun and Folk Festival?
2. Is an important travel destination for members of the Flat Earth Society?
3. Has the smallest population (2006)?
4. Is home to Auk Island Winery?
5. Is connected to Newfoundland by ferry?
6. Is home to painter Ted Stuckless’ studio?
7. Is on New World Island?
8. Has the largest population (2006)?
9. Claims to be the oldest settlement in NF north of Bonavista Bay?
10. Was home to Eve Kelly, host of travelogue The Skinny Dip?
11. Provided the inspiration for an opera singer’s stage name?
12. Is the site of a National Film Board theatre?
13. Hosts the annual ‘To There and Back’ punt race?
14. Is thought to be named by Portuguese sailors?
15. Is profiled in the doc My Ancestors Were Rogues and Murderers?
16. Has a well-known land formation called Brimstone Head?
Come on Sally Tibbo! Join in Sally Brown!! Answer as many or as few as you’d like, post your answers in the comment section or, if you’re feeling as unwanted as a magotty fish in winter, play along quietly at home… but that’s not as much fun.
Oh, and if you have more facts, fun or stories to add about these places please share.
More: ThursPlay!
]]>Robert Hiscock2010-01-28T17:41:00-05:002010-01-28T19:11:00-05:00tag:productofnewfoundland,2010:ProductofNewfoundland.811French missile? Hobby rocket? The truth is out there.Robert Hiscock
Male anglerfish2 are signifantly smaller than their female counterparts and have trouble getting food in the harsh deep sea environment. The men...er males... need females to take care of them. When they find a female they bite into her and secreate a digestive enzyme that causes the breakdown of their bodies. The males slowly lose their digestive organs, then brain, heart and eyes before finally becoming nothing more than a pair of gonads fused to the female's side, releasing sperm in response to her hormones.
5. Finally, Anne Porter told members of the Leonard Cohen Forum that Phil Churchill and Andrew Dale of The Once called Amelia Curran "Leonard Cohen's strange Newfoundland daughter (if Leonard Cohen had a strange Newfoundland daughter)."
Environment Canada has issued a blizzard warning for a huge chunk of the island today. The forecast is calling for nearly 40cm of snow1. It's perfect weather for staying inside, all cozy and surfing the web. I plan to look at tropical sunset screensavers but, in case you haven't achieved my advanced level of denial, you might be curious about the progress of the storm the province has a bunch of webcams that can help you out: 
Here’s a video posted by mulg1 telling the fairly well-known story of the ghost of Ellen Dower. When you click play, you'll notice a bit of a long introduction... it takes a few minutes for the story to actually kick in
“Happening in a stirring city,
4. The St. John’s Newcomer’s Club, a non-profit, social organization that welcomes women who have recently moved to St.John's, recently read Paul Butler’s NaGeira. They decided it was “an interesting spin of the popular Newfoundland legend from the earliest settlement in the New World.”