Our pal and local web and photography icon Kris is currently down in the Gulf of Mexico snapping photos of the oil spill effects before heading to Washington, DC for TEDxOilSpill later this month.
On Twitter June 14th: Looks like we’re headed to Biloxi Mississippi bright & early to photograph a 3-State Rally for Vietnamese Fisherfolk #tedxoilspill #oilspill- kk
TED is a non-profit foundation that hosts exclusive conferences that bring together the top minds in the world each year. TEDx events are interdependently-run conferences of the same vein, organized by local groups. While Kris had just returned to Vancouver from a trek across Asia, he took off for this new adventure shortly after we saw him at WordCamp on Saturday.
If you’re wondering why Kris, and his fearless companion Danielle, have hopped another plane, this blog post by James Duncan Davidson explains.
Yesterday, I tweeted and posted a Facebook status that I was going to the Gulf of Mexico to document what’s going on down there and to bring back images and stories to TEDxOilSpill.
I’ve been ramping up for this for days, if not weeks, and you might have gotten the clue from my tweets and advocacy for the event. But, the time for being coy is done. Here’s the full scoop as it stands right now.
We have a team of three photographers and videographers—Kris Krüg, Pinar Özger, and myself—confirmed to go to New Orleans on Monday to spend a week documenting the oil spill and its effects from land, sea, and air.
They are going to experience, document, and be witnesses to this disaster. Then the group will report their findings, photos, and videos at TEDxOilSpill on June 28th.
On Twitter June 16th: Today’s wildlife death tally: 770 birds, 341 sea turtles, 41 mammals. http://bit.ly/9pE96u #oilspill – kk
“There is a sense of anger sadness and frustration building about the oil spill back home,” Kris told me over Twitter. “A feeling that the news we’re getting isn’t the full story. I was asked to go down, check things out, get to the bottom of the story. Report back. We’re talking to locals, fisherfolk, community leaders, etc… to hear whats going on for them. And it’s not pretty.”
Leroy Stick (pseudonymous humorist behind @BPGlobalPR) will be at TEDx along with other speakers including Philippe Cousteau and Sylvia Earle. Topics at the conference will include mitigation of the spill and the impending cleanup efforts; energy alternatives; policy and economics; as well as new technology that can help us build a self-reliant culture.
On Twitter June 16th: at the Gulf Restoration Network in New Orleans hearin’ stories bout Leroy Stick of @BPGlobalPR & the $20k he’s donated from tshirt sales – kk
I had the chance to catch up with Jillian Harris (The Bachelorette, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) to chat about this Thursday’s Cocktails for a Cause supporting Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. Ever-grounded and with her lovely mother at her side, we had a great chat at a local coffee shop.
On Vancouver…
Visiting Vancouver (from Chicago) for about one week each month I asked Jillian what’s on her list of “must see” or “must do” things each time she returns. “Granville Island is my happy place,” she mentioned immediately. “Rodney’s Oyster House is my favourite place to go chill and have a bite to eat. Then my favourite place to shop here is Aritzia and The Cross on Homer.” However, when it comes to feeling at home, there is no landmark or shop on the very top of her list. “My all-time favourite place is my backyard. I love my backyard it’s got tons of greenery, it’s my safe-haven. I love Chicago but I miss nature — I miss the outdoors.”
On Big Brothers…
“I was a mentor for Big Brother years before I ever did Bachelorette,” said Jillian. “I’m going to say something cliche but it really changed my life. I was a workaholic, I was very stressed out in my life, and I was self-absorbed with all the things going on in my life, which I think we all are in some way. We just get so busy and I felt like I missed that small town community so I signed up for Big Brothers and I just fell in love with it.” Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
It was 124 years ago last Sunday (June 13th, 1886) that Vancouver was completely destroyed by fire. It began as a controlled fire to clear brush on the land, however it quickly spread out of control.
The Great Vancouver Fire of 1886
Vancouver before the Great Fire, Water Street 1886. Archives item #Str P8
The entire city (only a few months old at the time) was engulfed in flames within 45-60 minutes.
Day after the Great Fire, June 1886. Photo by Louis Denison Taylor. Archives item #CVA 1477-416
880 buildings were destroyed in Vancouver and 20 people lost their lives. Due to the wooden construction and lack of a fire brigade with equipment to battle the blaze, only stone or brick buildings in Gastown, Yaletown, and parts of the West End survived.
Quick facts:
After the Great Fire the City of Vancouver passed a by-law that all buildings be made of brick and stone only1.
Through fundraising afterward, Vancouver purchased its first fire engine and it was brought to town July 30th, 1886.
In 1929 Vancouver City Council named June 13th as “Vancouver Day” — a time of remembrance and thanksgiving2.
St. James’ Anglican Church at Gore and Cordova is the third church of this name. The very first burned down during the Great Fire and its melted bell now resides in the Museum of Vancouver.3
“In 20 minutes, Vancouver had been wiped off the earth. In 12 hours, it was rising again.” Chuck Davis, Vancouver History
Businesses in Gastown rebuilt 1 month after the Great Fire, July 1886. Archives item #Str P7
While only a few buildings from the original Vancouver townsite still exist today, it’s amazing to hear about how the city was rebuilt so quickly. Even today it seems as though Vancouver is in a constant state of construction. 124 years later we’re still an ever-changing city but at least we are building our own history as we go.
For the third year in a row we’ll be covering Canada Day in Surrey live from the Cloverdale Millenium Amphitheatre. John and I head out to Western Canada’s largest Canada Day celebration each year to provide live blogs, Tweets, photos, and videos. This year is no exception and with an ever-impressive line up, this free festival is always a good time.
Where
Cloverdale Millenium Amphitheatre [Google Map]
I was just sent a link to this “Dear Vancouver” video on YouTube and I have to say, it’s pretty neat.
One night after dinner a few months ago, John and I went for a walk in the West End. Even though I had traveled the same path hundreds of times before, I took out my phone and snapped photos along the way. I captioned each “Dear Vancouver, I love you” and uploaded them to Flickr, pinging Twitter along the way.
Sometimes it’s nice to just stop, take a look around, and appreciate where we live. It is beautiful, it is miserable, it is charming, it’s fabulous, and it’s heartbreaking. It’s not perfect by any means, but it is home. I chose to live here, as did my American husband.
The video above is yet another reason I love my city. It’s full of creative people and every once and a while someone decides to spread that word that Vancouver isn’t all that bad.
