Back of the Class

There’s some excitement and buzz downtown Vancouver. The new Apple Store is opening in Pacific Centre soon. Just how soon, I am not sure, but a stroll through the mall last week, showed some hype and mystery behind those big white panels. Any hope of seeing into the store was halted by the security guard.

I won’t have to drive for miles to get to H&M in Coquitlam anymore either once they open their new store in Pacific Centre on May 22. The old Holt Renfrew store is being demolished and 12 new tenants will occupy that space. I won’t miss it. How many of us could afford to shop there anyway? One of the new stores is “Teenflo” - no not a store for teenagers, rather for modern women, already with stores back east. Looks like we have some fun shopping ahead of us!

Tragically, the body of Japanese student, Ai Ito was found on Blackcomb Mountain. It is not exactly clear what happened, but more than likely she fell into what’s known as the Water Basin and could not get herself out and died of hypothermia.

Sad end for her family and for search and rescue teams.

Today, April 4th is Pay it Forward Day. The idea comes from the novel Pay It Forward, by Catherine Ryan Hyde, which was made into an inspiring movie in 2000, starring Helen, Hunt, Kevin Spacey and Haley Joel Osment.

Do between one and three good deeds for others without asking for anything in return. Instead the recipient should be instructed to pay it forward to someone else in need.

Actually, the concept goes back to Benjamin Franklin in 1784, when he said: “I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you […] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro’ many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money”.

Shouldn’t we all try “Pay it Forward”on any day, not just on this particular Day?

I came across this really amazing website, with link after link of more amazing websites, and 3 hours later, I thought “Now, what was it I originally wanted to look up?”.
It’s so easy to get “lost” on the internet - it truly is a maze of information, sometimes useful, sometimes useless.
So, here’s the link - keep going, to next page and next page. search and enjoy some really cool stuff, and post your comments and share what sites you found interesting.

So many of us, head out on day trips into the woods, hiking or to the mountains, snowboarding, skiing or whatever and neglect to tell family and friends where we are going and when we are expected back.

This has hit home the past couple of days when we heard about a 25-year-old female Japanese student who went snowboarding in Whistler on Thursday and her homestay family only became concerned about her whereabouts on Sunday when she did not return home for the weekend.

Ai Ito, a Japanese student studying English in Whistler, was headed on a solo run. You could call it shear bad luck that her school was closed for the Good Friday holiday and her home-stay family thought nothing was unsual because Ito sometimes stayed overnight with friends.

She wasn’t reported missing until Sunday, when an immediate search was launched, but that delay may not bring the positive result we wish for.

Her family has since arrived in Whistler from Japan, but hope is fading fast as temperature have dropped to -12 to -15 in that part of the search area.

We pray for a miracle and her safe return.

I just realized that for many people Spring Break starts tomorrow afternoon, and for some people that is a frightening thought, for others a welcome break from early mornings, packing lunches, rushing kids off to school, hassling with homework, and schlepping them to or from extra-curricular activities. For us older folk, its a welcome break from our work or studies, time to catch a breather and perhaps do some fun stuff in slighter warmer weather.

You can spend a day at Science World and /or Imax, the Aquarium at Stanley Park, take a ride on the skytrain to New West Quay, go up Grouse Mountain or take the Seabus to Lonsdale Quay. A day trip to Bowen Island is always great - perhaps take your bikes for some exersize too.

Don’t forget Monday is St Patrick’s Day and you can check out the 5th Annual Parade on Granville Street Sunday, March 16 at 11 am.

Many Jazz lovers are mourning the untimely death of Jeff Healey, a Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter who died of lung cancer on Sunday, aged 41.

Healy lost his sight as an infant and developed a unique guitar style, forming his first band at 17, performing his passion for old-time jazz, playing the trumpet and clarinet.

The Jeff Healey Band was formed in 1985 and signed with Arista Records in 1988 and released the Grammy nominated album, See the Light. He earned a Juno award in 1990 as Entertainer of the Year.
He leaves his wife, Christie and two children aged 13 and 3.

Camilla Parker-Bowles’ ring from Prince Charles

Jennifer Garner’s ring from Ben Affleck

Jessica Alba’s ring from Cash Warren

Fergie’s ring from Josh Duhamel

Katie Holmes’ ring from Tom Cruise

Nicole Kidman’s ring from Keith Urban

No Country for Old Men was the big winner this past Sunday. Joel and Ethan Coen’s movie lived up to expectations and was awarded Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem.

The Oscar for Best Actress went to France’s Marion Cotillard for La Vie en Rose. Best Actor went to Britain’s Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood. Tilda Swinton took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Michael Clayton.

Other big winners of the night were the Bourne Ultimatum for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing, There Will Be Blood picked up an award for Best Cinematography and La Vie en Rose won for Best Makeup. Ratatouille was named Best Animated Film. Oscar for Best Original Song went to “Falling Slowly” from Once.

For a complete list of the nights winners, click here.

Don’t look directly at these rings.

Eva Longoria’s ring from Tony Parker

Christina Aguilera’s ring from Jordan Bratman

Katherine Heigl’s ring from Josh Kelley

Jennifer Love Hewitt’s ring from Ross McCall

Salma Hayek’s ring from François-Henri Pinault

Heidi Klum’s ring from Seal

Jennifer Lopez’s ring from Marc Anthony

Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law will take over Heath Ledger’s last role in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parmassus. The three actors will play the role of Tony in the film, done by Ledger before his death.

Terry Gilliam, the director, will keep the original scenes with Heath, the remaining portions of the film will be completed by Depp, Farrell and Law as incarnations of Heath’s character.

It has also been reported that the three actors will donate their salaries in Heath’s memory.

Amy Winehouse and Kanye West had amazing performances at the Grammy awards lastnight. They both took awards home with with too.

Winehouse, who had visa issues, couldn’t make it to the awards show in LA. She performed live via satellite. Her performance was much improved from her singing a few months back at the European MTV Music Awards. She even paid homage to her husband, who is incarcerated.

Winehouse took home five trophies.

West impressed the Grammy audience with his glow in the dark performance of “Stronger”. Many in the crowd shed tears while the listened to him sing “Hey Mama” - a tribute to his mother who passed away from complications following a cosmetic surgery. He even shaved “Mama” on his head.

West won four trophies.

The City of Vancouver had its fourth homicide of 2008. A 19-year-old man was killed on Saturday night in the city’s south side. Police has said that this incident was targeted.

The victim has been identified as Pritpal Singh Virk of Richmond. Virk was found lying on the street around 11:00pm by a passerby.

Virk was rushed to a hospital, but died as a result of his gunshot wounds. Apparently, the victim was visiting friends nearby and was shot after he stepped outside.

The police are asking anyone who may have been in the area and witnessed the incident.

For more information, please click here.

The underdogs win Super Bowl. The New York Giants were a team many had discounted time and time again this season, go home as victors.

The Giants defeated an undefeated team - the New England Patriots. The Patriots had a 19 game winning streak, unfortunately they fumbled in the game that mattered the most.

Eli Manning was named the Super Bowl MVP.

A victory parade is planned to be held on Tuesday to honour the Giants win. Hundreds of thousands of supporters are expected to attend the event. The parage will begin at Battery Park at 11:00am and proceed northbound in the Financial District - along the “Canyon of Heroes” route - to Chambers Street.

Giants players, team officials and city notables will ride in the parade, culminating at a victory rally at City Hall around 1:00pm.

A spy satellite, from the US, has lost power and could hit the Earth. The satellite is about the size of a small bus and could plummet to Earth in a few weeks, government officials said Saturday.

The out-of-control satellite could contain hazardous materials, what is known is that it contains rocket fuel - hydrazine, a colourless liquid which is toxic and can cause harm to anyone who comes into contact with it. Officials are unsure of where the satellite may come down. The officials revealed this information on a condition of anonymity as this information is classified as secret.

Experts believe that this satellite does not pose a threat to people.

If the re-entry of the satellite isn’t controlled, the US runs a risk of exposing its secrets.

It is still unknown when the satellite lost power or how.

For information, visit CBC or BBC.

A 15-year-old boy, a recent immigrant from the Philippines, died due to a fatal stabbing early Sunday. A 19-year-old man, who was also stabbed is in stable condition in a Vancouver hospital.

Police were called to scene when residents nearby Gray’s Park complained about noise. Police found the two victims in an alley way.

This is the third homicide in Vancouver in 2008

Deward Ponte, 15, had left his house after telling his parents that he was going out to play basketball with his friends. He was a grade 10 student at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School.

If anyone has any information on this case, place call the Major Crime Section at (604) 717-2500.

For more information, click here.

Ricardo Scarpino was fatally shot on Saturday just as he arrived at a Vancouver restaurant for his own engagement party. Scarpino, a 37-year-old resident of West Vancouver, had been released from prison a week ago.

Scarpino was one of the two victims shot to death in a gangland-style shooting. The name of the second victim has not yet be released by police, but it is known that he was a 38-year-old man not known to police.

The two victims, Scarpino’s fiancee and another man were in their stopped SUV outside the restaurant when shots were fired around 10:00pm. The shooting has be described as “targeted” by Vancouver Police Spokesman Const. Tim Fanning.

Scarpino was “well-known” to police. He was connected to criminal activities, it is believed that this is the reason he was targetted.

The restaurant the Scarpino and his party were outside of is located in the busiest part of downtown Vancouver.

After about 11 shots were fired, the suspects fled on foot and “disappeared” in the busy location.

For more information please visit: CBC or; canada.com.

Over 2,000 fams turned out for a tribute gig to jazz legend Oscar Peterson at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

Herbie Hancock and Nancy Wilson were among the performers who paid tribute to the Peterson and entertained at this free event.

Peterson passed away in his home near Toronto at the age of 82.

Peterson died at his home near Toronto in December of kidney failure at the age of 82.

For more information, click here.

After the tragic events which took place early Saturday, students have returned to Bathurst High School.

On Saturday, the Bathurst High Phantoms basketball team met with an accident killing seven members of the team and the wife of the team’s coach, who was also an elementary school teacher. The team was returning from a game in Moncton, New Brunswick. Their ban fish-tailed and slammed into a truck head-on.

The team was only minutes away from where the parents of the players were waiting for thier arrival. The young athletes were between the ages of 15 to 17 years. The teacher was 51 years old. Her husband, who was driving the van, and his daughter were among four survivors.

The small community is still in shock. Counsellors have been made available for students and staff at the high school.

A wake will be held on Tuesday and a funeral for crash victims will be on Wednesday. Both the wake and funeral will be open to the public.

Please click here, for more information.