
Northern author talks about her new novel
Northern Ontario author Brit Griffin talks with Tony Ryma about her new novel 'The Haunting of Modesto O'Brien'. The book tells the tale of a man haunted by his past who finds his way to Cobalt, Ont., during the silver boom of 1907.
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CTV News
11 minutes ago
- CTV News
‘This is totally unique': Why the RAM is rejuvenating a taxidermied elephant from the 60s
The Royal Alberta Museum is giving new life to a taxidermied elephant and using it as an opportunity to show guests what goes on behind the scenes. The Royal Alberta Museum (RAM) is giving new life to a taxidermied elephant that lived in the Calgary Zoo in the 60s. The museum says Gyro the elephant has been hidden from the public for most of his life. 'We're just happy to have it out front of house and having fantastic conservation staff working on it,' said Nick Cairns, curator with the RAM. Gyro is a juvenile Asian elephant who came from Toronto in the 1960s. He lived in the Calgary Zoo until his death in 1967, after his female mate, Gyrette II, knocked him into a dry moat. He was 6-years-old and wasn't fully grown. The museum acquired him in 1979 through the Riveredge Foundation and has never been displayed to the public before. Now, visitors will be able to see history conservator Gigi Kulis give him a fresh look close to the entrance. Gyro the elephant Natural history conservator Gigi Kulis working on Gyro the elephant at The Royal Alberta Museum (Miriam Valdes-Carletti/CTV News Edmonton) 'I love working on taxidermy and I fortunately get to do that with the work I do but this is totally unique and novel, it's pretty amazing,' Kulis told CTV News Edmonton. Cairns says having Kulis working on Gyro in the public eye is also a way to show guests what goes on behind-the-scenes at the museum. 'They're working really, really hard at making things look amazing when they might have been stuck in a basement or stuck in an attic for half a century,' Cairns said. While elephants aren't native to Alberta, the museum says Gyro's time spent at the Calgary Zoo makes him a part of provincial history. Gyro the elephant Gyro the elephant celebrating one year living at the Calgary Zoo with a cake. (Glenbow Archives) 'He is, as far as we know, the only taxidermied elephant in western Canada and in our collection,' said Carme Li, head of curation at the RAM. It's one of the biggest reasons the museum is giving him a makeover. Part of the conservation process includes fixing the cracks on his body and getting rid of over paint to unveil more natural characteristics. The museum says Gyro will be on display for the next couple of months.


National Post
4 hours ago
- National Post
Raymond J. de Souza: Hulk Hogan told a simple story, but his life was far more complex
Article content Hogan did have charisma, as much or more than any other performer in any field. Wrestling is all about lights and music and grand entrances, but Hogan was his own source of energy, uniquely able to connect with mass audiences. The frenzy of a full Saddledome that night was a formidable thing — a frenzy that the world would see at the Silverdome the following year when Hogan body-slammed the Giant. Article content It was the capacity for public frenzy that struck teenage me as a bit frightening. I recall a woman, climbing atop her chair, face contorted and screaming, resembling a woman possessed. She was my mother's age, so should have known better. Article content The performers in the ring were scripted, directed toward telling a story. The frenzy on the outside was harder to control. In time, others would learn, in wrestling and the broader culture, that frenzy could be put to other purposes. Article content In the 1980s, McMahon presented Hogan as utterly wholesome, advising kids to 'train, say your prayers, and take your vitamins.' Eventually, Hogan's fans would discover that he 'trained' with steroids, said nasty racist things, and took other men's wives. Alongside that, as is always necessary in wrestling, Hogan became a villain. Frenzied adulation or frenzied vituperation matters less than the frenzy itself, which generates attention and relevance and revenue. Article content Article content Fifteen years after the Saddledome, Hogan fought The Rock at the Skydome in the most memorable match of WrestleMania X8 (18). Remembered now as one of the historic moments in wrestling history, it was the pro-Hogan frenzy of the crowd that determined the outcome of the story, an unusual reversal of manipulators and manipulated. Article content Toronto 2002 would be the effective end of the Hogan era. Then, nearly fifty years old, boasting a litany of back and hip and knee surgeries, Hogan was losing the sheer athletic ability demanded of professional wrestlers. Soon, he would descend into scandal and, despite WWE's attempts to restore him to prominence, his last wrestling appearance ended in an embarrassment of booing. The frenzy had turned. Article content Hogan's career then slipped from wrestling into reality TV — and eventually to politics. For those of us who long ago explained that Donald Trump could not be understood apart from professional wrestling, Hogan's introduction of Trump at the Republican National Convention last summer was sad confirmation of a malign cultural force converted to demoralizing political effect. The frenzied woman of 1986 was the Trump voter long before there was Trump to vote for. Article content Article content WWE will honour Hogan in death, recalling the glory days of the 1980s. Vince McMahon himself will not do so, banished from the company he built after a flurry of sexual misconduct claims. Perhaps his wife Linda might, serving as she does as Trump's secretary of education. Article content


CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
‘People coming together': Nova Multifest marks 8 years of continued growth
Dartmouth's waterfront will be alive with a global mix of music, entertainment and food this weekend. The 8th annual Nova Multifest will be held at Alderney Landing from Friday to Sunday. Organizers call it the 'biggest multicultural festival east of Toronto'. 'It's about preserving, promoting and celebrating our art, culture, and community' said Vishal Bhardwaj, the president of the Nova Multifest Society. The volunteer organization behind the event expects it to bring in more than 30,000 people over three days. In 2024, they welcomed more than 25,000 attendees. crowd The crowd is pictured under the pavilion watching a performance at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth, N.S., during Nova Multifest. (Courtesy: Nova Multifest Society) 'We're seeing exponential growth,' said Bhardwaj. 'Every year, we have more cultures and countries coming in. It's just now to the point where we have to select what performances we keep or not.' There will be more than 50 performances, including dancing, music and fashion showcases representing more than 35 different cultures. 'Ukrainian, Indonesian, Spanish, Egyptian dance, Latin music, and more,' said Bhardwaj. The event is also attracting visitors from outside Atlantic Canada. 'We get a lot of inquiries from different provinces or countries, even people from Europe, asking if it's free, if there's a charge, or how can they book seats,' said Bhardwaj. 'It's pretty amazing when you see those kinds of inquiries coming up. We're in the top ten events happening in [Halifax] the summer.' drummers A group of drummers are pictured, performing onstage at Nova Multifest. (Courtesy: Nova Multifest Society) Alongside the performances on the Main Stage there will crafters, heritage displays and more than 25 food vendors. The three-day event takes a year for the society to organize. They also support other cultural organizations with their events and fundraising initiatives. 'When people come together smiling and dancing, that's the biggest reward we get it. And it's so powerful, so satisfying. It motivates us to do more.' Expenses increase every year but Bhardwaj said volunteers and sponsors for help keep admission free. 'It's not possible without their support having such a large event going safely and smoothly.' Dancers A group of dancers are pictured performing onstage at Nova Multifest. (Courtesy: Nova Multifest Society. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page