Friday, August 13, 2021

"Technology triggers compassion"/ "Filmmakers strew light on Syrian interloper crisis"/ At what age do you remember being the happiest to date?

 Sept. 13, 2016 "Technology triggers compassion": Today I found this article by Craig and Marc Kielburger in the Edmonton Journal:


The image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi lying dead on a Turkish beach etched the plight of Syrian refugees into Canada’s consciousness. If only the world had actually felt his dinghy capsize, been thrown into the churning waters after fleeing a rubble worn country. Maybe more would be willing to act.

Now, virtual reality promises to mimic these experiences, with tools to view and hear and feel the world as a Syrian refugee, or a girl fetching water in East Africa. If our brains can be tricked into the immediacy of these events, our emotions could follow.

We are hardwired for empathy. A landmark 2012 study found that human interactions are unique because of a neurological overlap in our understanding of the self and those closest to us. 

Our brains don’t differentiate — our loved ones’ emotions affect us the same as our own.

We’ve all experienced this physiological connection when we’ve felt the pain of a friend. But what about people in distant countries? Virtual reality can close that gap. The technology could revolutionize empathy.

Jeremy Bailenson, communication professor at Stanford University, has been researching the neurological and psychological impact of virtual reality for 15 years at the Virtual Human Interaction Lab. 

Visual, auditory and dynamic spatial cues mimic real-life responses in the brain. Bailenson has found that the immersive quality of this technology leaves an indelible mark on users in a way that still images don’t.

Bailenson’s lab is harnessing this potential, pioneering simulated experiences that create selfless behaviours. 

One recent study found that giving test subjects superpowers in virtual reality, like the ability to fly, made them more likely to help a lab technician with a task in real life.

Virtual reality is inspiring people to become everyday superheroes.

It’s no surprise that non-profits are leveraging this technology. In the face of charity fatigue and whiplash-quick news cycles that lurch from crisis to crisis, there’s a more intimate way to connect donors to a cause.

Hundreds of people donned simulation goggles at a charity gala in New York last year. They experienced the daily routine of a 13-year-old girl in Ethiopia as she trekked for miles to fetch 25 litres of water for her family. The event raised US$2.4 million for clean-water projects — far more than projected.

Journalists, too, have harnessed virtual reality to lift their stories off the page and screen.

 Nonny de la Peña’s Project Syria puts users on the ground in a refugee camp. It debuted at the 2014 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, giving some politicians a rare chance to experience the conflict themselves. Refugee camps don’t make for good memories, but they’re something everyone should see.

We visited Dadaab, a sliver of land in Kenya, during the 2011 drought that plunged East Africa into crisis. It was home to 300,000 refugees fleeing conflict and famine. Aid workers went without sleep; mothers starved to save food rations for their children. 

Because of our history and infrastructure in the region, our partner communities fared better. Still, as a non-profit, we struggled to get the world to pay attention, taking photos and writing stories that didn’t do justice to the crisis.

We hope the next frontier for virtual reality is the classroom, where it promises to immerse students — our future leaders — in worlds beyond textbooks. In a small way, we wanted to do the same for guests at our WE Day events this year, with goggles that take users to one of our partner communities in Kenya. Walk a mile, or several, with a Maasai woman collecting water.

If a single image can transcend borders, imagine what virtual reality can do for global compassion.


Sept. 19, 2016 "Filmmakers strew light on Syrian interloper crisis": I found this article by 

Craig and Marc Kielburger in the Edmonton Journal:


Worried that a Syrian interloper predicament is slipping from a daily news and a conscience, businessman and humanitarian Frank Giustra challenged Canada’s artistic village to share memorable stories of displacement, detriment and hope.

“To effectively residence a interloper crisis, we need a energy and transformation of many,” he told us.

In June, his charity, a Radcliffe Foundation, launched a foe for Canadian filmmakers to furnish a one-minute film that raises recognition about refugees and inspires Canadians to action.

Craig was asked to assistance decider submissions, alongside executive Atom Egoyan and musician Sarah McLachlan and others. From 10 entries, they chose a tip three. Now, until Sept. 23, Canadians can opinion for their favourite. It won’t take prolonged — Craig watched a videos on his phone in a behind of a cab — and we guarantee these will be a many absolute and relocating 3 mins of your week.

The winning film will be screened during a Vancouver Film Festival, Sept. 29 to Oct. 14, and Giustra hopes broadcasters and film theatres will collect it adult and uncover a video to widespread awareness.

The one-minute format was selected to fit complicated observation trends. “People today, generally a younger generations, devour news and information by shorter pieces, we saw a need for a brief film that could rivet this audience,” says Giustra.

Although only one leader will be chosen, a 3 finalists are some-more absolute when noticed together. They form a triptych that beautifully illustrates, from commencement to end, a interloper predicament and Canada’s intensity impact.

Begin with Helpful Hand, destined by Vancouver’s Alexandru Nagy. Without words, a elementary though beautiful animation immerses we in a fear, despondency and wish of one small lady journey destruction for Canada. This brief film captures a intensity within each interloper when they’re given a palm adult (as against to a handout).

Those postulated haven arrive in Canada with small some-more than a garments they wear. Helping accommodate their many needs isn’t only a pursuit for a governments and interloper sponsors. We can all play a part.

Humanity, destined by another Vancouverite, Zeeshan Parwez, is an lenient call to transformation that captures a many ways Canadians can continue to make a disproportion in a lives of those we have postulated retreat — from donating garments and domicile equipment to assisting refugees find jobs and bond with village services.

And afterwards there’s a personal favourite — Show a World by documentary association The Cutting Factory. The film interviews Ian Crerar, an businessman from Kingston, Ont., who says he “won a lottery” when he sponsored a Syrian family. In one shot, a Syrian and Canadian families are congested around a little table, pity a meal. There’s no fear or strife of cultures. “At a finish of a day, good people are good people, and we all have a same dignified values,” says Crerar.

Those heartwarming images of common joy, of dual families from opposite worlds finding they’re only a same were impossibly relocating and put this film over a tip for us.

In a face of a interloper crisis, Canada is in a most opposite position than a nations of Europe. We do not have hundreds of thousands of unfortunate people crashing on a shores. Ours is a weight of conscience, as we can select who and how many we welcome.

What will we do with that choice?

That’s a doubt for Canadians to answer: Are we finished with a 30,000 refugees we’ve welcomed into a country, or will we do more?

The summary in these films is that, if we select to do more, we will uncover a universe what a truly merciful republic looks like.

Vote for your favourite interloper story at: http://refugeestories.viff.org/






This week's theme is about charity articles by Craig and Marc Kielburger:

"Young caregivers lack right support in Canada"/ "Thinking inside the box" (environment)



"Make your 2018 count" (donate all year)/ "CSI: Congo"





My week:

Aug. 6, 2021 Leo opinion:


Jean-Marc Léger from Montréal, QC, would like to know:

At what age do you remember being the happiest to date?

Between 18 and 24 years old: 26.06% (1231)


Between 25 and 34 years old: 23.96% (1132)

Younger than 12 years old: 15.45% (730)

Between 12 and 17 years old: 12.91% (610)

Between 35 and 44 years old: 9.70% (458)

Between 45 and 54 years old: 5.33% (252)

Between 55 and 64 years old: 4.15% (196)

65 years old or more: 2.43% (115)


My opinion: I chose 25-34 yrs old.  It's not about the age, it's about my actions and life.  I was following my dream of getting my TV script produced from 22-27 yrs old.  

I also learned a lot about jobs, careers, and business from 2010-2012 (25- 27 yrs old).  I continue to learn about that.

I usually go year by year like 2019 was the Year of the Out of Box Job search.

2020 was the Year of COVID-19 and Work from Home.  I'm sure a lot of people would call 2020 that.  However, I spent more time looking for a job than working at one.  I had a few temp work from home jobs.


Jul. 22, 2021  "Beekeeping dog helps owners deliver honey in Edmonton": Today I found this article by Sydney Upright:


EDMONTON -- Growing up on a hobby farm on the northwest coast of British Columbia, Tracy Brindley has lived with many dogs in the past, but none quite as fashionable and fearless as Moose.

The one-year-old yellow Labrador sports his own beekeeping suit, co-inspects the hives, and even helps deliver honey produced by his owner’s urban bee colony in Edmonton.

Brindley says it all started when Moose showed interest while she was outside inspecting her backyard bees.


“I’d put him inside and he would be barking and his nose would be shoved against the glass,” said Brindley. “I was just a little nervous about bringing him out here because he was so curious all the time, and then I thought, ‘You know what? Maybe I could get him a bee suit.”

The white head-to-toe uniform keeps beekeepers protected against stings during inspections.

After no luck finding a dog bee suit online, Brindley decided to fit Moose with a beekeeping veil she already owned, which he’s been sporting ever since.






Jul. 26, 2021 "Raccoon copies girl's hip hop dancing": 


A raccoon with smooth moves has over 10 million views on TikTok after a video of the animal and her human dance partner went viral earlier this month.


Aug. 8, 2021 We Bare Bears: Here is the episode "Panda's Birthday."  At the 26-29 sec part, Panda is hip hop dancing to a music video.




Here's the full ep:


Self- care: Today I didn't feel good.  It's important to take care of yourself.

1. I took a shower.

2. I watched 2 hrs of TV.  1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.

3. I could have attended this Vegan and Vegetarian Meetup, but I wasn't up for it.  I stayed home and rested.

Aug. 10, 2021 Screenwriter's Meetup: Today I read someone's script and made my list of pros and cons and sent it to him.  I haven't read a script from anyone since probably like 2019.  The script was average.


"Bartender shares secret code women use when they're feeling unsafe: '[This] actually did save my life'": Today I found this article by Kelsey Weekman on Yahoo News.  The video was edu- tainment: 


TikTok user @BenjiSpears explained that ordering a nonexistent “angel shot” is a secret code to alert staff that you feel unsafe. 

In a viral post, the Los Angeles-based bartender reenacted a situation where he spotted a woman who looked uncomfortable. 

As he checked on the pair, the woman requested an angel shot, which @BenjiSpears explained has become more common among bartenders lately. He then stayed by her side until the “shot” arrived.

The concept of the angel shot first went viral back in 2017 as an open secret among women and bar employees. The exact name of the drink may vary, but bars sometimes post the code words in the women’s bathroom. 

The angel shot has three different versions now, @BenjiSpears explained. The angel shot with lime suggests that bartenders need to get the police involved; ordering one “neat” is a request for an escort to your car and “on the rocks” means you need someone to call a car to get you home safe.

Bartender shares secret code women use when they're feeling unsafe: '[This] actually did save my life' (yahoo.com)

Aug. 11, 2021 My birthday: I woke up this morning and my little brother says: "Happy birthday."

Birthday cake: I usually get an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.  Last year I didn't.  I usually get to pick which cake with the design.  One time my dad picked one with Garfield on it.  This time I made a guess that it was Garfield.  My mom chose Hello Kitty.  That was a close guess.  

Facebook: 13 people wished my a happy birthday.


Fantasy Island: I then watched my recording of the pilot that aired last night.  This was shot in Puerto Rico and the place was beautiful.  The episode was average.  I recorded the show and will watch more.  I saw an ad on ET Canada to enter into a contest to win a trip to Puerto Rico so I did.

Edmonton Travelers Club: This meeting was about how to travel on a budget like working on a cruise, or being an Au Pair.  There is so much people working from home, you can ask your boss and company if you can work for them in another country.

The Edmonton Travelers Club - JoinMyTrip (Edmonton, AB) | Meetup



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