Columbus may have know of the New World in advance

Reuters reported yesterday, that the 15th century Vinland Map, is the real McCoy and has been radio carbon dated to 1440.

Controversy has swirled around the map since it came to light in the 1950s, many scholars suspecting it was a hoax meant to prove that Vikings were the first Europeans to land in North America -- a claim confirmed by a 1960 archaeological find.

That would be the find at L'Anse aux Meadows, on Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula.

The Vinland Map is not a "Viking map" and does not alter the historical understanding of who first sailed to North America. But if it is genuine, it shows that the New World was known not only to Norsemen but also to other Europeans at least half a century before Columbus's voyage.

Photo of the Norse settlement replica, a few hundred feet from the actual archaeological site.
L'Anse aux Meadows photo taken by my good friend Lionel, during his visit two years ago.


Lionel getting his "viking" on.

Darwin Award Candidates

Heck, why not? I love pointing out the inanity of humanity ...especially, Sean Hannity.
And to prove that I'm not going to show favouritism, I'm gonna start with a story close to home.
The two candidates decided that it was a good idea to jump aboard a small, 11 foot/3 metre, plywood boat, with a 2 H.P. outboard motor, no life jackets, one oar, and venture out into the North Atlantic, in late May...... at NIGHT! AT THE FOGGIEST PLACE ON THE PLANET!1!

Alex Day, who fishes for crab from Portugal Cove, found the overturned boat on Monday. He said it was only 11 feet long and five feet wide (3.35 by 1.5 metres).

"It was only a little pond boat," Day told CBC News on Tuesday.

"Not what you'd call a fishing boat. Just plywood. [It] was just built with staples, with a staple gun or something," he said. "It didn't seem like a hardy, strong outfit at all."

If only we lived in an age where people could easily learn some boating information.

Saturday Night in the Oldest City in North America

The thing that I miss most about living in St. John's, was the local music scene. If I had my twenties to live again, I'd be on George Street again tonight.

Bill Clinton visits Newfoundland

A former president of the United States spoke to an almost full Mile One Centre in St. John’s this afternoon. Bill Clinton told the crowd he wanted to come to Newfoundland and Labrador as it and Prince Edward Island were the only Canadian provinces he hadn’t visited to date.

Premier Danny Williams made some opening remarks and welcomed Clinton to the province. Former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna introduced Clinton.

Mile One Stadium holds 7000 people, and ticket prices ranged from $100 to $1000. Not too shabby for an hour's work... rock bands should be jealous. No word on whether or not he was "Screeched In".

Story and photo via The Telegram.

Meet Michaelle Jean, the Sarah Palin of Canada

I screeched with laughter at Gawker's take on the Michaelle Jean story. The Governor General of Canada gutting and eating raw seal heart at a celebration in Nunavut, is making news around the world.

Kicking off a weeklong visit to Nunavut on Monday as part of the territory's 10th anniversary celebrations, Jean gutted and ate some fresh seal at a community festival in the central Nunavut community of Rankin Inlet.

The move, to show support for the beleaguered seal hunters, comes as the European Union voted earlier this month to impose a ban on seal products after years of intense lobbying by animal rights groups.

Asked Tuesday whether her actions were a message to Europe, Jean replied, "Take from that what you will."