Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad kicks-off 180 performances to showcase Canada’s depth and diversity Tanya Colledge staff reporter Tis Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad kicked-off last weekend launching 60 days of three multi- disciplinary festivals and hundreds of performances held at venues across the city. Working closely with the community, this celebration of contemporary imagination showcases the best Canadian and international arts and pop culture. From artistic collaborations and emerging talents, to digital media experiences and outdoor spectacles, the featured guests will help recreate Young’s songbook; and Dance Canada Dance, where two of the country’s top dance companies will join forces in performing a contemporary dance piece. The.Olympiad will also present a number of free exhibitions for the general public’s viewing. The exterior wall of Vancouver Art Gallery for example will be the location of a massive and colourful hand-painted mural entitled A Modest Veil from Taipei-based artist Michael Lin. New media and technology junkies can enjoy CODE, an extensive roster of digitally-based art, electronic music and unique collaborations from international artists. As culture is one of the International Olympic Committee’s three core pillars, along with sport and the environment, the IOC’s Olympic charter requires it not only to showcase the culture and tradition of the host city, “The Cultural Olympiad helps round out the Vancouver 2010 experience not only for the tourists flocking to our beautiful city, but for the well-deserving locals.” Cultural Olympiad helps round out the Vancouver 2010 experience not only for the tourists flocking to our beautiful city, but for the well-deserving locals. Presented in part by Bell Mobility, events will take place from the Sea to Sky corridor to all of Metro Vancouver. The festival began with Joni Mitchell’s The Fiddle and the Drum, a full-length work that combined Mitchell’s folk and rock songs with the choreography of Jean Grand-Maitre and the Albert Ballet dance company. From there, many other talented performers will take the stage such as Maria Pagés, one of the world’s premier flamenco dancers; Hal Willner’s Neil Young Project, where but to involve international artists from all spectrums: entertainment, music, dance, theatre and the arts. Having such a varied festival wrapped around an international sporting event also allows to IOC to cater to those who may not be interested in sport, but want to feel part Vancouver 2010 experience. Although many performers chosen to participate in the Cultural Olympiad may not be household names, the IOC has carefully chosen artists that represent unique voices and points of view in our world in hopes that people take a chance and try them out and realize the remarkable depth and diversity that Vancouver and Canada have to offer. Apple’s long awaited iPad debuts By Kristina Mameli, News Editor s the tech world waited with bated breath, Apple A Steve Jobs unveiled Apple’s latest technology last Wednesday: the iPad. The iPad is being hailed as the next generation of must-have technology, a device that can pretty much do it all. The device itself is much like an iTouch/ Macbook hybrid, its high resolution 9.7 inch screen “remarkably crisp and vivid,” according to the manufacturer’s website, “Which makes it perfect for web browsing, watching movies, or viewing photos.” It weighs about one and half pounds, and is 0.5 inches thick—all in all, slightly smaller than a magazine with 10 hours of battery life and over a month of standby. Along with all of the standard features of the iTouch, it is compatible with over 140,000 apps including Apple’s new e-bookstore which is expected to overtake the popular Kindle and potentially revitalize publishing the way iTunes did the music industry. The e-bookstore application, however, is currently only available in the U.S. The option of a plug in keyboard may also prove to be the nail in the coffin for traditional laptops, which are considerably more bulk than the sleek new device. This leads to speculation that rather than industry dictating the way these devices will be built, the iPad has the potential to force content producers to adapt to its changing technology. It could also lead to a multimedia experience as far as books and publications are concerned. 4 The device’s feature that is perhaps the most refreshing and appealing, however, is the price. The 16GB Wi-Fi ready device starts at $499 USD, the 32GB at $599 and the 64GB at $699. Factor in an additional $128 for a 3G version. Douglas College Wrap-Up By Kristina Mameli Toonie Tuesday for Haiti Today, February 2, third year Bachelor of Science in Nursing students will hold a “Toonie Tuesday” on both campuses. All of the money collected will go directly to the Red Cross of Canada to be passed on to relief efforts in the devastated nation of Haiti. The DSU is backing the efforts of students by offering use of its resources and matching funds raised up to $500. “If anyone has any other ideas about how to fundraise and would like to do so through the DSU, we encourage ideas,” said DSU External Relations Coordinator Priscilla Bartleman in a press release on the College’s website. The Canadian Government will also match the donations of private citizens up to $50 million until February 12. Have your say at the DSU’s AGM This Wednesday, February 3, the Douglas Students’ Union will hold its Annual General Meeting. The event, which will feature free wings and pizza, will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Upper Lounge of the DSU building on the New Westminster campus. “The Douglas Students’ Union needs to have an annual general meeting every year,” explained Priscilla Bartleman, the DSU’s External Relations Coordinator, in a recent interview with The Other Press. “We want to make some structural changes that well help enhance the services we provide to students.” The meeting will give students the opportunity to hear what has been done of their behalf by the current representative committee over the past year, to ask questions, to vote, and to voice ideas for improvement. The DSU hopes to make quorum this year ultimately to help improve how the DSU operates its events, campaigns and services. Health and Weliness Fair Also on Wednesday, the Douglas College Centre for Campus Life presents the Health and Wellness Fair at the New Westminster Campus from 10 a.m. to 2pm. Free health assessments, wellness education and prizes including Canucks tickets will be offered along with a myriad of other activities related to student health and wellbeing.