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Hospital Information Access Denied
In early April, CBC (Canadian Broadcast Company) launched an investigation into individual hospitals across Canada. ‘Rate My Hospital’ part of the Fifth Estate includes statistics, letter grades and detailed surveys regarding the hospitals closest to you. In order to access this information CBC asked the Canadian Institute of Health Information – the CIHI receives information directly from the hospitals, which it in turn shares with the public – but when the CIHI went to health officials from provinces across the country they gave a collective “no.” It gets worse. In Nova Scotia, health minister Kevin McNamara approved the release of data only to revoke his approval six days later: “In those six…
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Vancouver Fan Expo
My first assignment for Hush lead me to the Fan Expo, basically Vancouver’s Comic Con. I arrived at noon the first day, two hours after doors had opened, and the line was still the length of the Convention Center. The costumes or ‘cosplay‘ was fascinating, and a little confusing for someone who doesn’t pay too much attention to this world. The details were outstanding, it was so fun seeing a glance of something cool and hunting it down for a photo. People were friendly and excited and the panels were hilarious and random – James Marsters and Juliet Landau talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, crazy. I also came back just…
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Hush Social
I have just accepted the position of Events Photographer for Hush Magazine. Hush is a local online webzine, and soon to be print mag, that features an honest look at the great city of Vancouver. My audition was to shoot their staff social, and the pictures speak volumes on the magazine. It’s a good group and I cannot wait to start shooting events around the city. To view the images, mine are the first seventeen, until the two girls hugging, click here.
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Kraft Blames Consumers For Food Dyes
Kraft Dinner has organic, natural products but says fans prefer the original formula – filled with harmful dyes. Synthetic dyes are used not only to create a fun product but to maintain colour life. While natural alternatives exist and are used in the United Kingdom, American and Canadian companies still use these harmful substances. Since 2008, England has asked for a voluntary ban of of six common synthetic food dyes: Tartrazine (Yellow 4), Quinoline Yellow (Yellow 13), Sunset Yellow (Yellow 3), Carmoisine (Red 3), Ponceau 4R (Red 7) and Allura Red (Red 17). These dyes were flagged when a government funded study in The Lancet showed increased hyperactivity in children…
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How Much Salt Is In Your Diet?
In 2005, the Kellogg’s Company – an American company, founded in Michigan – along with other companies, committed to United Kingdom citizens to reduce salt. In 2010, Kellogg’s finally folded in their attempts to halt this commitment, and said they would reduce 300 tons of salt per year. This is a 70 percent reduction and the company has also reduced their total sodium count by 45 percent since 1998. This has saved over 9, 000 lives, not a huge number considering over 100, 000 people in the United States alone die from heart attack and stroke, but it’s a start. The salt you use on your food accounts for only twenty…
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Trainers Cash in on Weight Loss Supplements
The Biggest Loser has been running on NBC since 2004. The show involves credible personal trainers, Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper, who say diet and exercise are all you need to lose weight. It turns out even reputable celebrity trainers are looking to cash in on weight loss supplements, even unproven ones. Off the show, and far from any website claiming to be affiliated with the show, Michaels and Harper both sell weight loss supplements. These are products not just sold under their names, these products have been cultivated by the stars who believe in their success. Because supplements do not need to be approved by the FDA (The US Food and Drug Administration), Michaels and…
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East vs West Vancouver
This week Vancouver was outrageously beautiful. The mood in the city lightened and everyone was friendly. This was a spectacular Easter weekend, especially seeing both sides of Vancouver. All of the flowers and trees are beginning to bloom adding a pop of colour to the streets and it was so clear that you could see every inch of the city.
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The Sugar Associations Sour Past
“That’s the beauty of argument. ‘Cause if you argue correctly, you’re never wrong…Gentlemen, practice these words in front of the mirror. “Although we are constantly exploring the subject, currently, there is no direct evidence that links cell phone usage to brain cancer.” – Nick Naylor, Thank You For Smoking. Thank You For Smoking takes a look into the world of tobacco and the tactics lobbyists use against the public. Like the tobacco companies, the Sugar Association has been using award winning Public Relations firms to clear sugars bad name. Cristin Couzens, a dentist, decided to dig through the Sugar Associations past to see why leading figures were denying the harmful…
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Lynn Canyon and Wreck Beach
The best part about living in Vancouver is living so close to nature. While some childhood friends were down we spent the day at Lynn Canyon and Wreck Beach. The morning was freezing, it hailed when we were walking up Lynn Canyon, but the fog in the trees was stunning. By the time we reached Wreck Beach the sun was out and skies were blue. The ocean was so still, you could make out every detail in the reflections. This also allowed for a breathtaking sunset.
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Seattle
Last week, my roommate and I decided on a spur of the moment trip to Seattle, Washington. The bus is only four hours and 34 bucks round trip – it was perfect. Seattle didn’t feel as much like the United States, or the stereotypical picture of the US we have come to know. The people were friendly, although servers were not as we received horrendous service in two different restaurants. The first day was spent walking up and down very large hills. We began by visiting the Public Market, which included talking to a store owner about his JFK posters so much, he chased me down to show me the…
