Life in the Fast Lane

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Looking for inspiration for your next great job, some travel ideas for Alberta, Canada, or where to take your next vacation for an incredible adventure? We have some suggestions for you.

I’ve been tagged by the incredible arteest Kim Barker at Laketrees for the Fabulous Favorites 4×4. I have no qualms with participating in the odd meme, provided that I can give you something worthwhile to read about. Kim has indeed given me a challenge for this one, but I believe you’ll find some worthwhile information, so please do read on.

The meme is to list:
1. Four favorite jobs
2. Four favorite local places
3. Four favorite foods
4. Four favorite international places
and Four people that I’m tagging

I’m sort of a rebel without a cause with tendencies to do things ‘my way’ — I’ve written this post with my own spin on it to hopefully provide you with something you’ll enjoy. For those I’ve tagged, you can see Kim’s Favorite 4×4 post for the original meme.

So here we go …

Favorite Cool Jobs

Movie Critic

Hobnob with the best in the movie industry and attend the extravagant Hollywood premieres and galas. You’ll be able to watch the movies for free, and tell the viewers at large whether they’ll like them or not. You may even gain some new friends, and make some interesting adversaries. Photo by RigbyMel.

If this sounds up your alley, begin by watching as many flicks as you can to form a basis of comparison. Frequent local video stores and exercise your fingers on the remote to surf cable and satellite channels for a wide selection — but don’t limit your intake to moving pictures. As Dan Kimmel once said, “Read as much as you can about movies, including serious books about the business, genres, and the industry.”

So if free movies, all-you-can-eat popcorn, and an unlimited supply of goodies sounds appealing to you, take your notebook, a lighted pen for those dark theaters, and get started!

Food Critic

Have your cake and eat it too. What better way to earn a living than to be waited on and get paid to eat fine foods. Photo by Melodrama.ca

Indulge in an endless array of hors-d’oeuvres, feast on a steak done to perfection with a side of delectable king crab legs, top it off with a scrumptious delight of crepe chocolate mousse, and then cleanse your palette with a mulaté café. I’m making myself hungry just talking about it.

You may not enjoy the feast so much — considering you’re working and all — but if your vocabulary is as developed as your palate, then you’re in for luxury living at its finest.

You’ll never have to say ‘check please’ again.

Rocket Scientist

Why NOT, if you have the brains and intellect to pull it off? Becoming a rocket scientist could be the ultimate thrill for the mathematically and scientifically inclined, but getting there requires enormous focus and intellectual application.

Keoki Jackson and Bob Polutchko knew they’d become rocket scientists from early on. “I was born on July 22nd, 1969,” said Jackson. “Mom used to talk about watching the Apollo moon landing from the maternity ward with me in her arms. Maybe that gave space exploration added significance, but I clearly remember being very affected when I saw pictures of the first drop-test landing from Space Shuttle in the eighth grade.” Photo by Sycophotog.

The connection was even more direct for Polutchko. “My father was an engineer on the Mars Viking Lander mission, so aerospace engineering was always a consideration,” he said. Both Polutchko and Jackson earned advanced degrees in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“The rewards of the career are great,” said Jackson. “It’s something everyone can immediately respond to, especially kids. You definitely make a contribution, working on programs often critical to national defense or NATO. It’s work that attracts very dedicated, often patriotic people who really understand the wider implications of what they’re doing,” he said.

According to Polutchko, it’s not about money, “although that’s a factor, of course. This is an endeavor that attracts true believers, people with serious, long-term scientific objectives. It’s all about the intellectual allure of solving really hard problems. And hopefully, seeing what you’ve worked so hard on actually fly.”

Film Producer

What could be more fun than rubbing elbows with Hollywood’s elite from the silver screen?

Few film directors are in the business for the money. It’s a tremendous sense of accomplishment that outlives you. Long after you’re gone, there will still be a piece of work people can look at and appreciate. Photo by Cinencuentro.

If you can name a movie director off the top of your head, chances are it’s a member of the Hollywood select who earns copious sums of money. But for every Steven Spielberg there are a multitude of lesser-known artists. There are all kinds of movie makers, just as there are all sorts of movies — major motion pictures, independent films, cable movies, documentaries, sitcoms, TV dramas, and more. Some directors make exceptional livings while others merely scrape by, looking for a lucky break.

The majority of directors in Hollywood work outside the classic notion of big-studio filmmaking with hundred-million-dollar budgets and six months to shoot in some exotic location.

Here’s a job that not many would envy…

Firefighter — What Was He Thinking?
You might have second thoughts about being a firefighter after watching this safety demonstration.

Favorite Local Places in Alberta, Canada

The Mountains — Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper National Park

The mountains in Alberta are absolutely breath taking. It would take a post completely unto itself to cover the magnificence of the local Canadian Rockies.

Sunset at the Banff Springs Hotel

Photo by Daniel Schwabe

Peyto Lake Banff National Park

Photo by Marc Shandro

Lake Louise – Banff National Park

Photo by Scooter.John

Spirit Island, Jasper National Park

Photo by Nuthatch

Banff Lake Louise Tourism
My mere words cannot convey the beauty of the countryside like this video can. This is a fantastic collage of the Banff Lake Louise area set to music. Celebrate Life. For information on the Banff Lake Louise experience visit www.banfflakelouise.com.

Drumheller — Home to World’s Largest Dinosaur

The town of Drumheller, Alberta is home to the world-famous Royal Tyrrell Museum, the best Badlands scenery in the country, and the richest deposits of fossils and dinosaur bones in North America.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum has the world’s most extensive collection of dinosaur fossils and exhibits on prehistoric life found.

Tyrannosaurus rex

The species Tyrannosaurus rex, commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is one of the dinosaurs most often featured in popular culture around the world.

Tyrannosaurus was a bipedal carnivore, the largest to ever walk Alberta, with a massive skull balanced by a long, heavy tail. Relative to the large and powerful hindlimbs, Tyrannosaurus forelimbs were small and retained only two digits.

Although other theropods rivaled or exceeded T. rex in size, it was the largest known land predator, measuring over 13 meters (43 feet) in length and weighed in at more than 6.5 tonnes (6,500 kilograms or 14,330 pounds).

Powerful hind legs, teeth larger than bananas, and a hinged jaw that enabled it to swallow large portions of meat made it a formidable predator.

This dinosaur is truly an impressive sight. His tail acts as a cantilever to balance the rest of his body. Photo Lluisr

Mammoth Steppe

Glacial ice and meltwater shaped the landscape and affected the climate. A patchwork of grassland, parkland and other habitats developed, known as the Mammoth Steppe. Resembling a cold version of Africa’s savanna, the steppe environment allowed mammoths and other herbivores to flourish.

In due course the African mammoth migrated north to Europe and gave rise to a new species, the southern mammoth.

North American Mammoth

This eventually spread across Europe and Asia and crossed the now-submerged Bering Land Bridge into North America.

Making its way from Asia, the woolly mammoth arrived about 100,000 years ago. It lived alongside the Columbian Mammoth and mastodon, two other elephant species that evolved from earlier migrants. Photo top Hirosan, photo bottom Zachary Tirrell

.

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Albertosaurus

Even though the Albertosaurus is smaller than its relative Tyrannosaurus, it would still make for a formidable foe to Jaws.

The type species, A. sarcophagus, was restricted in range to the modern-day Canadian province of Alberta, after which the genus is named. Scientists disagree on the number of species represented in the genus, recognizing either one or two species.

As a tyrannosaurid, Albertosaurus was a bipedal predator with a massive head, jaws lined with dozens of large teeth and tiny, two-fingered ‘hands’. It may have been at the top of the food chain in its local ecosystem. Photo Waynem

Triceratops Dinosaur

Triceratops was a herbivorous genus of dinosaur that lived in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event.

Bearing a large bony frill and three horns on its large four-legged body, and conjuring similarities with the modern rhinoceros, Triceratops is one of the most recognizable of all dinosaurs. The name Triceratops literally means “three-horned face”. Though it was preyed upon by the fearsome T. rex, it’s unclear whether the two battled the way they’re commonly depicted in movies. Photo WBeem

Although no complete skeleton has been found, Triceratops is well-known from numerous partial specimens collected. The function of their frills and three distinctive facial horns has long inspired debate. Its massive head made up almost one third of its total length.

Though traditionally viewed as defensive weapons against predators, the latest theories claim that it’s more probable that these features were used in courtship and dominance displays, much like the antlers and horns of modern reindeer, mountain goats, or rhinoceros beetles.

Drumheller Hoodoos

Erosion is what makes these bizarre geological structures but it will soon destroy them completely.

Hoodoos take millions of years to form and stand 5 to 7 meters (16 – 23 feet) tall. Each hoodoo is a sandstone pillar resting on a thick base of shale that is capped by a large stone.

Hoodoos are very fragile and can erode completely if their capstone is dislodged — in other words, no climbing allowed.

The Hoodoos site is located 16 kilometers (10 miles) south of Drumheller on Hoodoo Trail (Highway 10).

The name “Hoodoo” comes from the word “voodoo” and was given to these geological formations by the Europeans. In the Blackfoot and Cree traditions, however, the Hoodoos are believed to be petrified giants who come alive at night to hurl rocks at intruders. Photo by Radio Ado.

Calgary Stampede

The Calgary Stampede, which bills itself as The Greatest Outdoor show on Earth, is a large, non-profit festival, exhibition, and rodeo held in Calgary, Alberta for 10 days in the second week of every July.

It’s one of Canada’s largest annual events, and the world’s largest outdoor rodeo.

It features an internationally recognized rodeo competition, a midway, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon races, First Nations exhibitions, and pancake breakfasts around the city, among other attractions. Photo by Leanne Eddie.

It is also an organized sport in which professional rodeo cowboys compete for millions of dollars in prizes.

Staged in outdoor arenas, the modern rodeo comprises 5 classes:

Bareback bronco-riding,
Saddle bronco-riding
Bull riding
Calf roping
Steer wrestling (bulldogging).

Wagons were used by North American pioneers, typically to travel long distances. A chuckwagon is usually pulled by one or more horses and is equipped with a stove and provisions for cooking.

The city of Calgary is transformed for 10 days into town celebration of the cowboy culture. Photo by Vancity.

Favorite Foods

Nuts
I love them, in all their savory glory – pistachios, cashews, salted and malted, or roasted to perfection.

Bird That Uses Cars as a Nut Cracker

Thanksgiving Dinners
Thanksgiving isn’t complete without a feast fit for a king with roast turkey and glazed honey ham — or even the occasional food fight.

Cheers Thanksgiving Food Fight
The one time that we finally get to see Vera …

Pasta
Pass da pasta! Fusilli, rotini, vermicelli, fettuccini, cannelloni, manicotti, linguini, tortellini, spaghetti, ravioli and lasagna (as much as it doesn’t rhyme) — I love it ALL!

Muppet Show – Swedish Chef
Spaghetti pasta.

Pizza
C’mon, what creature on this earth doesn’t love pizza???

Pizza Party photo by The Wisdom Cube

Favorite International Places

The Amazing Iguassu Waterfalls
Iguassu Falls, one of the largest and most impressive falls in the world. The name Iguassu comes from the Guarnani Indian word meaning “great water.”

Situated on the border of Brazil and Argentina, the 275 falls plunge over a precipice more than a mile and a half wide with an average drop of 300 feet to the Iguazu River below. Every second, 450,000 gallons of water come tumbling down.

Seventy percent of the falls are actually in Argentina, but much can be seen from the Brazilian side. Each year, millions of visitors gaze at the falls, which are 60 feet higher than Niagra Falls and about one and half times as wide. Clouds of spray continually emerge from Iguassu against a backdrop of lush tropical growth.

Ancient Egypt

Part 1: Secrets from Ancient Egypt
Watch incredible things not seen on TV! This documentary is about a journey to the ancient sites with Emmy award winner and symbolist expert John West. You’ve never seen Egypt like this before — the sophistication and skill from the Ancients is beyond amazing.

Part 2: Hidden Treasures in Ancient Egypt

Part 3: Hidden Secrets from the Ancient Past

Videos created by Fred777.

Amazing Thailand
An Insider’s view with adventure traveler Mike Shiley.

Since the 1960s, Thailand has been a major vacation destination because of its stunning tropical islands, trekking trips to visit hill tribe villages and world famous cuisine. But did you also know that Thailand has …

The longest reigning monarch in the world
13 different words for smile
Always been an independent country
Is the most stable country in Southeast Asia

The Thai people are very proud of their independence and it radiates through their delightful smiles. Thailand literally means the Land of the Free — the Thai’s value and cherish that freedom each day. So join me on this adventure through Thailand for an insider’s view of the people and places of this amazing country …

Experience temples, markets, people and food
Ride an elephant through the jungle to visit hill tribe villages
Kayak to uninhabited islands
Float through the famous canals of hidden Bangkok
Learn the cultural arts of Thai cooking, massage and kickboxing

Jerusalem Present for Eternity

Jerusalem plays an important role in the three monotheistic religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Despite efforts to maintain peaceful religious coexistence, some sites, such as the Temple Mount, have been a continuous source of friction and controversy.

Jerusalem has been sacred to the Jews since the 10th century BCE, as the site of Solomon’s Temple and the Second Temple. Today, the Western Wall, a remnant of the Second Temple, is a holy site for Jews, second only to the Temple Mount itself.

Christianity reveres Jerusalem not only for its role in the Old Testament but also for its significance in the life of Jesus. According to Biblical accounts, Jesus was brought to the city of Jerusalem not long after his birth and later in his life cleansed the Second Temple.

The Cenacle, believed to be the site of Jesus’ Last Supper, is located on Mount Zion in the same building that houses the Tomb of King David. Another prominent Christian site in Jerusalem is Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion. The Gospel of John describes it as being located outside Jerusalem, but recent archaeological evidence suggests Golgotha is a short distance from the Old City walls, within the present-day confines of the city.

The land currently occupied by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered one of the top candidates for Golgotha and thus has been a Christian pilgrimage site for the past two thousand years

The city’s lasting place in Islam, however, is primarily due to Muhammad’s Night of Ascension. Muslims believe Muhammad was miraculously transported one night from Mecca to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, whereupon he ascended to Heaven to meet previous prophets of Islam. The first verse in the Qur’an’s Surat al-Isra notes the destination of Muhammad’s journey as al-Aqsa (the farthest) mosque, in reference to the location in Jerusalem.

Today, the Temple Mount is topped by two Islamic landmarks intended to commemorate the event — al-Aqsa Mosque, derived from the name mentioned in the Qur’an, and the Dome of the Rock, which stands over the Foundation Stone, from which Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to Heaven.

Jerusalem and its incredibly amazing sites.

The theme of this meme is to tag 4 people. Rather than surprising anyone with being tagged, I’ve chosen to contact a number of bloggers to invite them to be tagged if they wish to be. Below is the list of those that have replied that they’d like to be involved.

I’ll add others as they respond that they would like to partake. If you wish to be a part of this meme, consider yourself tagged and let me know so that I can get you linked in.

Made to be Great – Alan
Greg Lunger – by Greg Lunger, of course
Make Money Online The Quick and Easy Way – EJ Cooksey
Jonathon-C Phillips by Jonathon-C Phillips

Related Stories:
5 Top Reasons I Blog — Weird Science, Discoveries, Offbeat News, Humor, Art

Tags:Albertosaurus Ancient Egypt Badlands Banff Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races cool jobs dinosaur Drumheller film producer firefighter food critic Hoodoos Iguassu Waterfalls Jasper National Park Jerusalem Lake Louise Mammoth movie critic nuts pasta pizza rocket scientist rodeo Royal Tyrrell Museum Thailand Thanksgiving Triceratops Tyrannosaurus rex

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