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Happy Easter!

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The Marcus Cyganiak VLOG Facebook Group

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Benefits Of Using Gmail As Your Email

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The HD Re-release Of VLOG #6: AIG Bonuses Editorial

Originally released on March 17, 2009, VLOG #6 appeared on CNN's American Morning on March 18, 2009. Now for the first time ever in the history of The Marcus Cyganiak VLOG, this editorial on AIG Bonuses has been re-released in High Definition (HD)!

To view the video in true HD, simply click the "HD" located on the bottom menu bar of the embedded video.



AIG BONUSES ----- MARCUS CYGANIAK/SELF ----- MAR 16/09

IT’S WIDELY KNOWN RIGHT NOW. WE’RE IN A GLOBAL RECESSION SO GOVERNMENTS ARE BAILING OUT LARGE CORPORATIONS IN DIRE NEED. THESE CORPORATIONS ARE INSTRUCTED TO USE THIS GOVERNMENT WELFARE TO RECONSTRUCT THEIR BUSINESSES IN ONCE AGAIN REACHING A PROFITABLE MARGIN UPON LATER PAYING BACK THE GOVERNMENT IN FULL. THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP SEEMS TO THINK OTHERWISE.

AFTER BEING LENT A 170 BILLION DOLLAR BAILOUT, IT BECAME WIDELY KNOWN THIS WEEKEND THAT AIG IS GOING TO PAY ITS EXECUTIVES 165 MILLION DOLLARS IN BONUSES. FOLKS, THAT AMOUNTS A LITTLE LESS THAN ONE ONE-THOUSANDTH OF THE BAILOUT AIG RECEIVED FROM THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION LAST MONTH.

THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS THAT AIG’S BONUSES RANGE FROM ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO 6.5 MILLION DOLLARS FOR APPROXIMATELY 400 EMPLOYEES. THESE ARE THE SAME EMPLOYEES THAT ALMOST DESTROYED AIG FINANCIALLY FOR GOOD; THAT IS BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT ASSISTED THEM WITH A PREVIOUS BAILOUT LAST YEAR. SO THIS MEANS THE US GOVERNMENT CURRENTLY OWNS 80 PERCENT OF AIG UNTIL AIG CAN PAY BACK THE US GOVERNMENT. FURTHERMORE, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE NOW FUNDING AIG THROUGH THEIR TAX PAYMENTS TO THE US GOVERNMENT.

THIS IS A MESS… THIS IS NOT PROPER ALLOCATION OF THE MONEY AIG BORROWED FROM THE STIMULUS PACKAGE AND IT’S THIS KIND IDEOLOGY WITHIN BIG CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE FOUNDED THE CURRENT GLOBAL RECESSION. IF THIS IGNORANT GREED CONTINUES, IT WILL DRIVE THE ECONOMY INTO ANOTHER GREAT DEPRESSION. AIG CLAIMS THAT THEIR BONUSES ARE NECESSARY DUE TO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS. WELL… TELL THAT TO THE FORMER EMPLOYEES OF AIG. TELL THAT TO THE ONE’S WHO GOT LAID OFF.

INSTEAD OF CUTTING CONTRACTS ALTOGETHER AND LAYING PEOPLE OFF, AIG COULD AND SHOULD CUT THE BONUSES OUT OF THE CONTRACTS AND THIS WOULD IN TURN LEAVE MORE CAPITAL SPACE FOR CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES. IF AIG AND OTHER BIG CORPORATIONS COULD ABIDE BY THAT SIMPLE FACT ALONE, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WOULD SLOW ITS RISE.

US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA REALIZES THIS DISASTROUS MOVE PERPETRATED BY AIG AND THAT’S WHY HE HAS EXPRESSED OUTRAGE AGAINST THEIR MOTIVES THIS WEEK. HE HAS GONE AS FAR AS TO ASK TREASURY SECRETARY TIMOTHY GEITHNER TO PURSUE ALL LEGAL AVENUES TO BLOCK THE BONUSES.

IF AIG CONTINUED FORTH WITH THEIR PLAN TO PAY BONUSES, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION SHOULD MANDATE A LEGISLATIVE CAP ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATIONS AND/OR RELEASE COMPANIES LIKE AIG FROM THE BAILOUT PLAN BECAUSE OF THEIR RECKLESSNESS AND GREEDY DECISIONS DURING THE BIGGEST FINANCIAL CRISIS SINCE WORLD WAR TWO.

IT’S TIME TO TAKE A STAND BY PUSHING FORTH RIGHTFUL CONSEQUENCES WHEREVER NECESSARY. THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP IS NO EXCEPTION; THEY’VE HAD THEIR CHANCES.

External Link:
1) YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wTCWlHxY24 Sphere: Related Content

VLOG #8: April Fools Snow Day

What a trick Mother Nature played on me here in Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada yesterday on April Fools Day. The rest of the lower mainland had rain falling, but I had snow falling over top of me instead.

My mom Cristina, equally surprised, came and woke me up that morning and said it snowing. Not believing her, I immediately jumped out of my covers and headed towards my window. She was right. I even checked my calendar to double check if it was spring or not, and sure enough winter is in fact over with the spring season in full force as it was April 1, 2009.

If anyone was going to get me with an April Fools prank that day I guess it would be Mother Nature in trying to make me think it was still winter. Well, it certainly did feel like winter with the amount of snow coming down. I just couldn't believe it was coming down at this time of the year. Sphere: Related Content

The G-20 Summit Commences In London

United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived in Great Britain this week where they met with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Despite being tired from jet lag, President Obama and the First Lady also visited Queen Elizabeth II on the day of their arrival. Together the Obama’s gave the Queen a gift, which happened to be an iPod fully complete with uploaded photos from the Queen’s many visits to the United States. The Royal couple also gave the Obama’s, which was a silver-framed photo of themselves. The photo was signed.

The much-anticipated G-20 summit commenced today as it banded world leaders together upon collaborating new ways to repair the seriously dire economy that’s troubling many countries around the world right now. The G-20 is a collection of the world’s 20 largest economic powers.

President Obama said that G-20 delegates had “a responsibility to act with a sense of urgency” upon coming up with “tough new rules” in managing the world economy. Prime Minister Brown seconded this notion.

Passing through an “era of profound irresponsibility,” President Obama mentioned that “we cannot afford half-measures and we cannot go back to the kind of risk-taking that leads to bubbles that inevitably burst.” He continued by realizing a choice, “we either shape our future or let events shape it for us.”

Prime Minister Brown, who has been very supportive of President Obama during his visit in the United Kingdom, made mention that all world leaders are needing to cooperate more than ever right now. History needs to look back on this moment in time as the years of when the entire world banded together for one universal cause – a restored economy that’s stable. That’s the simple goal on paper. The hard part is putting this in motion and achieving this as soon as possible.

There were five tasks at the one-day summit and it started with restoring growth to emerging market economies. The second was agreeing the betterment the global banking system that essentially became a fraudulent system over the past decade under President George W. Bush. However, Prime Minister Brown stated that in order for there to be sustainable recovery, they would first need a new regulatory system in place for banks.

Further more, Prime Minister Brown is asking countries to do whatever necessary to encourage growth. For growth to happen, help needs to be issued to the poor and protectionism needs to be rejected with a mandated push for investment in the environment. However, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are taking exception to the plans laid out at the G-20 Summit. They have made it clear that they will not sign up to an agreement if the new rules were not tougher.

“Germany and France will speak with one and the same voice,” French President Sarkozy said. “These are the red lines.”

Nearly 90 people were arrested during protests outside the G-20 Summit today in England. Thousands gathered to voice their anti-capitalist remarks along with anarchists and environmental campaigners.

Another hot topic at the G-20 summit was the first meeting between President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao. The United States’ closest ally in Europe is Great Britain, while the closest ally in Asia remains to be Japan. However, with its steadily increased growth economically along with a growing military during the years of the Bush Administration, China has become one of the strongest nations.

With China’s success though comes dependence on the western world, particularly the United States and Canada. China relies on these countries in North America when it comes to exports – the main catalyst for their upward moving economy.

With President Obama’s recent “Buy America” rhetoric, concerns in China have arisen especially when China over-invested into the US Treasury debts. Premier Wen Jiabao of China said last month that they are “concerned about the safety” of their assets while calling on the Obama Administration to “maintain its good credit” and honor its promises in safeguarding China’s assets.

President Obama has reassured Beijing that “not just the Chinese government, but every investor can have absolute confidence in the soundness of investments in the United States.” Obama continued to state, “China is concerned that the massive printing of money by the United States will lead to massive inflation, which will decimate the underlying value of China’s massive dollar holdings. Each dollar China holds now is hard-earned money mostly from the exports.”

China’s growth rate on exports of its products stands at around 40 percent right now. Though the recession has not hit China as hard as other countries around the world, they have in fact dropped from 12 percent in annual economic growth in 2007 to 9 percent in 2008. This year’s growth rate is projected to spiral towards 8 percent or lower, which would see more factory closures and a wider spread spree of job layoffs.

In November, Beijing announced their own $586-billion stimulus package in aiming to encourage Chinese consumers and businesses to spend more money. This would in turn create millions of jobs. However, Chinese President Jintao will need the help of US President Obama to succeed in this economic stimulus plan, just as much as Obama will need the Chinese government to assist in the US stimulus plan.

US President Barack Obama will be meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for the first time later this week. Their meeting comes at a time of great hostility against one another as Cold War tensions brewed last year.

Sources:
1) http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/04/02/g20/index.html
2) http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/04/01/g20.china.us/index.html
3) http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/what-does-one-g.html Sphere: Related Content

Snow On April Fool's Day?

What a trick Mother Nature played on me here in Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada today. The rest of the lower mainland has rain falling, but I instead have snow coming down hard over top of me.

My mom Cristina, equally surprised, came and woke me up and said it was snowing. Not believing her, I immediately jumped out of my covers and headed towards my window. She was right. I even checked my calendar to double check if it was spring or not, and sure enough winter is in fact over with the spring season being in full force as it is April 1, 2009 today.

If anyone was going to get me with an April Fools prank today I guess it would be Mother Nature in trying to make me think it is still winter. Well, it certainly does feel like winter with the amount of snow coming down. I just can't believe it's coming down at this time of the year. Sphere: Related Content

A Happier You By Eckhart Tolle

Bestselling author of "The Power of Now," Eckhart Tolle recently released an article in The Oprah Magazine.

Born in Dortmund, Germany on February 16, 1948, Tolle experienced what he called "inner transformation," after suffering long periods of suicidal depression at 29 years of age. Since 1996, Eckhart Tolle has been a living author in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

In keeping happiness fully in tact, Eckhart Tolle released ten powerful insightful steps he believes must be followed to attain and maintain true happiness. Here they are:

1. Don't seek happiness. If you seek it, you won't find it, because seeking is the antithesis of happiness. Happiness is ever elusive, but freedom from unhappiness is attainable now, by facing what is rather than making up stories about it.
   
   
2. The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking. Separate them from the situation, which is always neutral, which always is as it is. There is the situation or the fact, and here are my thoughts about it. Instead of making up stories, stay with the facts. For example, "I am ruined" is a story. It limits you and prevents you from taking effective action. "I have 50 cents left in my bank account" is a fact. Facing facts is always empowering.
   
   
3. See if you can catch the voice in your head, perhaps in the very moment it complains about something, and recognize it for what it is: the voice of the ego, no more than a thought. Whenever you notice that voice, you will also realize that you are not the voice, but the one who is aware of it. In fact, you are the awareness that is aware of the voice. In the background, there is the awareness. In the foreground, there is the voice, the thinker. In this way you are becoming free of the ego, free of the unobserved mind.
   
   
4. Wherever you look, there is plenty of circumstantial evidence for the reality of time—a rotting apple, your face in the bathroom mirror compared with your face in a photo taken 30 years ago—yet you never find any direct evidence, you never experience time itself. You only ever experience the present moment.
   
   
5. Why do anxiety, stress, or negativity arise? Because you turned away from the present moment. And why did you do that? You thought something else was more important. One small error, one misperception, creates a world of suffering.
   
   
6. People believe themselves to be dependent on what happens for their happiness. They don't realize that what happens is the most unstable thing in the universe. It changes constantly. They look upon the present moment as either marred by something that has happened and shouldn't have or as deficient because of something that has not happened but should have. And so they miss the deeper perfection that is inherent in life itself, a perfection that lies beyond what is happening or not happening. Accept the present moment and find the perfection that is untouched by time.
   
   
7. The more shared past there is in a relationship, the more present you need to be; otherwise, you will be forced to relive the past again and again.
   
   
8. Equating the physical body with "I," the body that is destined to grow old, wither, and die, always leads to suffering. To refrain from identifying with the body doesn't mean that you no longer care for it. If it is strong, beautiful, or vigorous, you can appreciate those attributes—while they last. You can also improve the body's condition through nutrition and exercise. If you don't equate the body with who you are, when beauty fades, vigor diminishes, or the body becomes incapacitated, this will not affect your sense of worth or identity in any way. In fact, as the body begins to weaken, the light of consciousness can shine more easily.
   
   
9. You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you and allowing that goodness to emerge.
   
   
10. If peace is really what you want, then you will choose peace.

Source:
1) http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200901_omag_tolle_happier Sphere: Related Content

Canucks Fighting For Division Title Could Hurt Them

Having won five division titles in 1975, 1992, 1993, 2004, and 2007 respectfully, the Vancouver Canucks are better off not trying too hard to win their sixth title. After all, when has winning the division title led the franchise to a Stanley Cup finals appearance? The answer is never.

In 1982, the Vancouver Canucks made it to the Stanley Cup finals after placing second in their division. The New York Islanders swept the Canucks to win their third straight championship that season.

In 1994, the Vancouver Canucks made it to the Stanley Cup finals once again and they finished second in their division yet again. The Canucks were again battling New York, but this time it was the Rangers and the series would see a game seven. However, the Canucks would fall short when New York Rangers won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years.

With that in mind, lets look at a memorable moment in hockey history where fighting for that division title proved to be a detriment in the end. The New Jersey Devils were adamant on winning their sixth division title in 2006, just like the Vancouver Canucks are this year in 2009.

In accomplishing their goal to win the division title, the Devils closed the 2005-2006 season with an 11-game winning streak. They would go on to sweep the New York Rangers in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, extending their winning streak to 15 games. Unfortunately though, the Devils ran out of steam the next round when the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated them in game five.

With the Vancouver Canucks defeating the Minnesota Wild today in overtime at a score of 2-1, they move into first place in the Northwest division as the Calgary Flames fall short a position. Sure it’s exciting for Vancouver fans, but could all this hard work be a disservice in disguise to the Canucks like it was for the Devils in 2006?

So much focus and energy is being put on winning their sixth division title, and while it would be a great feat, it’s nothing to be overly excited about. You never hear an NHL team boasting about how many division titles they have won, it’s always about the Stanley Cup victories.

Does this mean the Vancouver Canucks should start losing then? No, it just means they have to change their mindset. It’s their current nearsighted approach that needs to transcend into a farsighted outlook. It’s time to think about the Stanley Cup and look beyond the division title because history backs up that approach with a better success rate. History has always been a valuable tutelage for any endeavor.

Better yet though, the Vancouver Canucks could just rewrite history in 2009 entirely different from years past. Sphere: Related Content

The National Post Covers Wrestling Demons

Wrestling fans like myself are all too used to hearing of deaths year-by-year. It’s never a surprise anymore when you check the wrestling headlines and learn that another wrestler has lost his battle against the wrestling demons.

We’ve learned by now that no wrestler is immune to demons as some of the most recognizable and respected wrestlers have fallen through the cracks. WWE wrestlers like Eddie Guerrero and Andrew “Test” Martin have been taken away far too early while wrestlers like Chris Benoit and Mike Awesome have committed suicide after putting themselves through years of strenuous work in the squared circle.

The National Post out of Canada has a very informative article looking at deaths stemming from professional wrestlers working with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling.

Wrestling deaths related to drug and alcohol abuse stretches back to 1985 when Vince McMahon’s then-World Wrestling Federation (WWF) supported the bulky look of a wrestler. Steroids were of the norm in those days before World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) came around and introduced the smaller wrestlers, but that came with a more dare devilish environment in the ring. However, despite many attempts of ending the use of anabolic steroids, even by WWE and TNA today, the wrestlers are still using them to keep their spots on the rosters while also taking in painkillers to keep up with the schedule.

Former five-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion, Bret Hart, who nearly lost his life to a stroke in 2002, weighed in heavily with his thoughts in The National Post’s article.

“If all these hockey players were dying across the country the way that wrestlers are, there would be an inquiry,” Hart said while discussing about the Congressional investigation into steroid use in baseball. “It's not a secret, a lot of people are aware of it and I think a lot of people are aware that it is becoming an epidemic (in wrestling).... It’s the exact same story every time.”

Bret Hart has lost many friends in the wrestling business over the years through Curt Hennig, Rick Rude, and Bam Bam Bigelow among others. His brother Owen lost his life when a wrestling stunt went wrong during a live WWF pay-per-view in Kansas on May 23, 1999. Davey Boy Smith, his brother-in-law, passed away on May 18, 2002 from a heart attack.

Click here to read “Wrestling Demons” by the National Post in Canada.

Source:
1) http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=1437430&p=1 Sphere: Related Content

Cygy's Corner: Terry Funk - A Legend Of Legends

When it comes to Terry Funk, he really is a legend of legends. He’s the total package in every sense of the matter when it comes to wrestling and his reigns as NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion feed into that proclamation.

Starting his career in 1965, Terry and his brother Dory Funk, Jr. began working under their father Dory Funk, Sr. in their hometown of Amarillo, Texas. Dory, Jr. would quickly rise to the occasion and become that ‘big money’ drawer when it came to live gates, as he would defeat Gene Kiniski on February 11, 1969 to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. It would take younger brother Terry a bit longer to reach that level of success.

Six years later, the dream was finally realized for Terry Funk when he immortalized his name in professional wrestling by defeating Jack Brisco on December 10, 1975 to win his first and only NWA World Heavyweight Title. His fourteen-month title reign would see a gruesome feud with Harley Race, the brawler he would eventually lose to title to. It was during this reign that the soft spoken, well-mannered, and highly respected wrestler seemed to have found a new niche – the ring of hardcore.

Traveling over to Japan, Terry Funk got an early taste into the blood fest that goes along with that hardcore style. In fact, Funk wrestled in the earliest barbed-wire match ever recorded during this time against a future NWA World Heavyweight Champion, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

After exploring that hardcore-natured style though, it was quickly back to business as usual in the United States as no wrestling organization supported such brutality in the ring yet at that time. Both Terry and his older brother Dory decided to join Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation, and they would debut in 1985. However, their time with the WWF would only last a mere four years after the brothers fled back ship to the National Wrestling Alliance. Perhaps their biggest highlight with the WWF though was defeating The Junkyard Dog and Tito Santana at WrestleMania 2, an event that returns this year in celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Terry Funk and the NWA proved once again why both parties, Funk and the creative team, needed each other because both sides brought out the best in one another. “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair was the NWA’s top superstar at the time as Jim Crockett Promotions was beginning the transition into what would eventually become World Championship Wrestling under Ted Turner. So with Funk back in business, the two were instantly paired into a feud that still holds ground for being one of the most influential feuds in North American wrestling history – a catalyst of sorts for modern day hardcore wrestling.

The feud between Funk and Flair would conclude at the NWA’s Clash of the Champions IX on November 15, 1989 during an “I Quit” Match, in where Funk uttered the infamous words, “I quit” – allocating NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Ric Flair the win.

It didn’t matter who won that match that night though because what mattered most was the performance. It was a performance of a lifetime for both wrestlers and it was one that captivated the minds of all 4,000 fans in attendance at the Houston Field House in Troy, New York. A hardcore match of this magnitude was not yet of the norm for fans in the United States, but the reception it received merited a future for this style.

That future was with Extreme Championship Wrestling, where Terry Funk became a two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion. He became more than just a champion for Paul Heyman’s organization though, he became the embodiment of what ECW was and that was the essence of never selling yourself short while never giving up.

No matter the predicament, there was always a way out and Terry Funk showed that when he beat The Sandman and Stevie Richards in a three-way dance at ECW’s first ever pay-per-view in 1997 called “Barely Legal.” Immediately after that bout, Funk beat Raven to win the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. Funk’s never-give-up attitude paved ECW a road towards licensing deals with Acclaim to produce video games, it brought ECW action figures, and most importantly it brought them a television deal with TNN.

Though Terry Funk would leave ECW for WCW in 2000, he left behind a legacy that inspired the likes of Shane Douglas, Tommy Dreamer, Raven, The Sandman, Sabu, Public Enemy, and Taz among others. That inspiration led Shane Douglas over to WCW and TNA after Paul Heyman’s misguidance led ECW into bankruptcy in 2001. That same inspiration directed Tommy Dreamer over to WWE and it showed him that he could hang with the big superstars even if he was just a kid from South Philly. It also showed Raven that faith in destiny was no wrongdoing when he won the NWA World Heavyweight Title in TNA on June 19, 2005.

Even though Terry Funk was not there physically to hold everyone’s hand along the way thereafter ECW’s demise, the aura of Terry Funk’s presence in each one’s past changed their individual future because everything Funk did or said was a lesson to be learned.

It was that reward for Funk that made it increasingly difficult for him to finally hang up the boots after having more “retirement” matches than anyone else in the business. He just couldn’t stop giving back to the boys in the back while giving the fans in attendance their money’s worth. It didn’t matter if it was a crowd of 30,000 or 50 people; Terry always performed his best no matter what.

Finally on April 4, 2009, Terry Funk’s legendary status will finally be christened into the WWE Hall of Fame, where he will forever be remembered for his contributions to this great sport of professional wrestling before it was ever called sports entertainment.

For TheSuplex.com, I’m Marcus Cyganiak.

External Link:
1) Cygy's Corner at TheSuplex.com: http://www.thesuplex.com/terryfunk.htm Sphere: Related Content

Cygy's Corner: 25 Years Of Remembering Terry Fox

During the past week I have been collaborating all my past work I want to include into my E-Portfolio website I am currently producing. This new website will showcase all my work over the years, but there's one piece of writing I really liked that I felt needed to be presented to a wide audience once more.

This was just my second column ever for TNAwrestling.com on September 16, 2005:

Cygy’s Corner: 25 Years Of Remembering Terry Fox
By Marcus Cygy - September 16, 2005 - TNAwrestling.com

Bonjour and welcome to this week’s edition of Cygy’s Corner.

This week in my corner I’m going to bypass the continuation of my story on becoming a fan of wrestling due to a really important topic I would like to cover this week. I am turning our attentions to one of the greatest Canadian persons in history.

It was 25 years ago when the dream began. He was just a regular guy like all of us, but he had the will and spirit to never give up hope. His courage made an entire nation stand up and cheer. That man was Terry Fox.

I consider myself very fortunate to be living here in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia because this is the home of the great Terry Fox. He was voted in being the most famous Canadian and second greatest Canadian in history as part of “The Greatest Canadian” television program last year on CBC. He was a man of courage filled with an unbreakable spirit and soul with that will to never give up.

Now for those of you who do not know, you may be wondering just who Terry Fox is and why I am speaking so highly of him. What did Terry do to achieve his fame? Well, it all started at just 18 years of age. Terry was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, or bone cancer for better understanding. This led to the amputation of his right leg upon leaving just a stump. Inspired to make a difference for cancer patients, Terry set a goal like no other upon landing himself fame. Before I go into greater lengths though, I would first like to share an inspiring story that was shared by his basketball coach this past Friday at the Terry Fox Secondary School assembly.

Bob McGill, the basketball coach of Terry Fox told us all a story dating back to when Terry was just an 8th grader. He had been training to get onto the basketball team at the Port Coquitlam High School (now Terry Fox Secondary School). He would eventually make it onto the team of 19 players, only to be rated 19 of 19. It was no secret, Terry was not the most athletic player nor strongest player, but he had the most heart.

That season, Terry only saw court time for a mere minute. That was all, but Terry didn’t deter. He continued to pour his heart into something he believed. The one thing everyone learned about Terry was that if a personal goal was set, it had to be achieved, there were no ifs, ands, or buts, it just had to be completed. That was Terry Fox, a young ambitious man from the small town of Port Coquitlam.

Upon continuing his basketball career into the next season, Terry finally had the opportunity to play against a team in the playoffs. McGill told us that this team was the toughest, meanest, and scariest team to play as they were always number one. Nonetheless, Terry Fox had his first chance to shine away from being a benchwarmer. In being place on court for a rare shift, Terry attained the basketball and dribbled his way down the court. Full of adrenaline and excitement, Terry went from one end of the court to the other so fast that he missed the opposing hoop and went full throttle into a concrete wall. This accident occurred because he kept his head down while dribbling and before he knew it, there was the concrete wall.

Terry was hurt and coach Bob McGill realized it right away. He had blood coming out of his nose and his ear. McGill told us all at the presentation last Friday that back in the day, when Terry was never playing and was just being a benchwarmer, he actually told Terry that this sport was not for him. Terry denied that though and continued to be at each practice and game before anyone else. He was even the last to leave each practice and game.

Bob McGill learned the passion and determination Terry had. McGill learned something more valuable through Terry though and that was simply to never give up. Terry wasn’t going to leave the game, never in a million years. You have to put Terry in a hospital bed to stop him. So he continued playing even though he was battered and bloodied up.

This is no fairy tale, nothing miraculous happened like Terry’s team winning, no, in fact they lost. What was surprising though was that the other team’s coach ironically told coach Bob McGill after the game that his team from little Port Coquitlam was the toughest team they’ve ever faced.

Terry Fox continued his basketball career to post secondary where he made it onto the Simon Fraser University team and was named the captain. Even then, Terry’s coach was Bob McGill. By that time, Terry was one of the best players in town and it really looked like the short kid, curry-haired man was going to make it big in the sport. Just when things were looking up though, Terry would find out some troubling news.

After noticing much pain in his knee to the point of not being able to get up anymore, Terry Fox was faced with the fact that his right leg must be amputated because he had bone cancer at just 18 years of age. Everyone was devastated, and the young energetic athlete was now stuck stranded in bed at a hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Coach Bob McGill went to visit him, and Terry told him that he couldn’t stand being in that bed. Terry continued in saying that he felt so bad for all the other cancer patients beside him because they too would either be stuck in bed or in wheel chair for the rest of their lives. So in being the team player that he was, Terry told Bob that day that he wouldn’t be able to be on the basketball team anymore. Coach McGill understood of course.

While conversing, Terry miraculously never seemed down on himself, he understood it was no one’s fault and that there was no need to dwell or mourn. The important thing to him was that he was still alive and well. Instead of making a self-impact for himself in basketball, Terry now wanted to make a national impact on society. He said he could not just sit there and witness all the other cancer patients sitting and suffering while seeing more cancer patients come in.

So Terry Fox came up with a plan. His plan was to run across Canada with one leg and one prosthetic leg. It was a new goal set by Terry and it was the grandest goal of all for this young man. While running, he wanted to raise one million dollars by getting each Canadian to donate at least one dollar for cancer research and thus the run was named the Marathon of Hope.

“I want to set an example that will never be forgotten. It is courage and not foolishness.” – Terry Fox

Terry Fox began the Marathon of Hope in the farthest city in eastern Canada, which was St. John’s, Newfoundland. On April 12, 1980, Terry dipped his foot into the Atlantic Ocean to signify the beginning of his Marathon of Hope with the hope being that he would achieve all his goals along the way upon finishing his run by dipping his foot again, this time into the Pacific Ocean back home in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Terry’s pace was daunting; he ran an average of 42 kilometers (26 miles) a day, which is the distance of a typical marathon. He ran those 42 kilometers everyday for 143 days with hope to find a cure for cancer in the back of his mind. He did this for everyone that has been touched by cancer in one way or another and for those that may be touched by cancer at some point in their life. He didn’t want to see anyone have cancer in the future and that’s why he took on this tough task to run across Canada. Terry thought his care would inspire others to achieve his same dream.

However, after running for 143 days straight, Terry Fox was forced to stop his run in Thunder Bay, Ontario on September 1, 1980. It was discovered that the cancer had returned and was now in his lungs.

Terry Fox ran a total of 5,373 kilometers (3,339 miles) in those 143 days through the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. The remaining provinces he had to run through were Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and finally British Columbia. Along the run, Terry had the opportunity to meet several personal childhood heroes such as NHL stars to the likes of Bobby Orr and Daryl Sittler among many others.

By February 1981, Terry’s wish of raising one dollar from every Canadian was realized as the Marathon of Hope fund totaled $24.17 million, which surpassed Terry’s original one million dollar mark of satisfaction. Four months later on June 28, 1981, Terry Fox sadly passed away at the age of 22, exactly one month prior to his 23rd birthday.

Today, the Marathon of Hope has captured national attention. Through his hard work in battling cancer, Terry Fox has been proclaimed a national hero and the annual Terry Fox Run occurs all across Canada, the United States, and around the world. To date, Terry Fox’s message has raised more than $400 million for cancer research.

Terry Fox may not physically be here anymore; however, his spirit still remains stronger than ever as we all fight for one cause in the end and that’s to put an end to the deadly disease known as cancer.

That’s what Terry wanted when he knew he was going to die. He didn’t want to lose this dream; he still wanted the dream to continue without him here. He even said, “I’m not going to lose, even if I die.”

Each year, there are more than six thousand Terry Fox Run sites around the world. Millions of participants walk, jog, and bike in memory of Terry Fox every year to help raise money for cancer research. It’s a phenomenon that transpired through one man’s dream.

“If I don’t finish, we need others to continue. It’s got to keep going without me,” Terry said.

That’s the story of Terry Fox, a young man who poured his heart for goodwill. You never know, statistics say that one in three persons in Canada will be touched by cancer, so this Sunday in your local neighbourhood, make sure you take the generosity to donate at least one dollar to the Terry Fox Foundation or any cancer research foundation. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Terry Fox Run.

To take the one dollar story even further, 11 millions Loonies (one dollar Canadian coins) featuring Terry Fox went into general circulation. Another nine million were released this month. This is the first time the Royal Canadian Mint has ever featured a Canadian on a coin.

In celebrating 25 years of the annual Terry Fox Run, I will be at the run here in Port Coquitlam early Sunday morning. Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin will also be there.

“I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if they try, that dreams are made if people try.” – Terry Fox

Don’t procrastinate, if you say you’re going to do something, follow forth like Terry did. Break out of that shell and make an impact.

“I wanted to try the impossible, and show it could be done.” – Terry Fox

“I’m not doing my run to become rich or famous. To me, being famous is not the idea of the run. The only important part is finding a cure for cancer. Don’t forget that. I’m no different from any of you – I’m no better, no worse. You are cheering and clapping for me but if you have given $1, then you are part of the Marathon of Hope. Even if I don’t finish, we need others to continue. It’s got to keep going without me.” – Terry Fox on July 11, 1980.

Thank you for reading -- to send feedback or questions, please email tnacygyscorner@hotmail.com. Next week, I’ll go into answering a few of your emails right here on Cygy’s Corner.

Remember to keep the dream alive…

Ciao,
Marcus Cygy

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Tech Today… Tech Tomorrow… The T4 Show

If you’re someone exploring the world of Apple like me, then I highly recommend current, new, and future users of Mac to visit and watch the T4 Show at T4Show.com with Michael Manna.

The T4 Show reviews products that are relating to Apple for the most part; however, PC products also get their place every now and then on the show. Since I converted as a PC user to a full on Mac user earlier this year, I have always been seeking tutorials along with all the greatest gadgets and applications to assist me in producing the greatest and latest when it comes to my future endeavors.

Before you make any purchases like me though, the T4 Show is there to provide you a very real view of each featured product on their website. If there’s a screw-up with any product on the show, it’s not edited out, in fact the screw-up is acknowledged in keeping the show honest and sincere since these reviews are meant to influence your spending patterns.

The T4 Show features reviews and tutorials for the following categories:

• Accessories
• Blackberry
• Consumer Electronics
• Featured
• Gaming
• iPhone
• Mac
• News
• Palm
• Software
• Video
• Windows Mobile

As for the host Michael Manna, he is a former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Superstar who wrestled under the “Stevie Richards” ring name. Having also wrestled for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), Manna does still occasionally step into the spotlight for Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling on their “iMPACT!” program every Thursday on Spike TV.

Link: T4Show.com Sphere: Related Content

North Korean Rocket Can Reach The United States

North Korea has announced that sometime between April 4 and 8, they will launch a communications satellite. US Secretary of State Hilly Clinton believes otherwise in saying that North Korea’s claim to launch a satellite could quite possibly be a cover-up for a series of missiles being tested.

Chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen told CNN today that he believes a North Korean rocket has the capability of reaching Hawaii or Alaska. This possibility poses a great threat to the entire continent of North America, especially with North Korea possessing atomic weapons.

Though North Korea has not yet demonstrated their ability to construct and fit a nuclear warhead onto a missile, a series of test fires would further their knowledge in this regard. As for the launch itself in April, Mullen says it doesn’t matter if it’s a missile or satellite because “the guidance, the engineering, the engines, those are all identical to the kinds of capabilities you’d put on a ballistic missile.”

Should this launch be a missile directed towards the United States, any possible use of the US military has not yet been announced. However, North Korea has boldly stated that shooting down their rocket would be treated as an act of war.

During Hillary Clinton’s visit to North Korea in February, she said, “Everybody is trying to sort of read the tea leaves as to what is happening and what is likely to occur, and there is a lot of guessing going on.”

North Korea has been known to stir the pot so to speak to attract attention, but in a time like this no country wants to take any chances. Clinton noted though that tensions have been building with North Korea and other Asian countries among various international nations, including the United States. Ignoring North Korea at this time would be like ignoring any terrorist threat in the same stature of 9/11.

Source:
1) http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.92e661444313b232e8931de00c29c73b.de1&show_article=1
2) http://marcuscyganiak.blogspot.com/2009/02/tensions-with-north-korea-putting-us-on.html Sphere: Related Content

Miracle At St. Anna (2008) Film Review

Official Film Description:

The untold story of courage and brotherhood...

From Touchstone Pictures comes the powerful and uplifting World War II epic Miracle At St. Anna, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee (The Inside Man). Experiencing it on Blu-ray puts you right in the middle of the intense battles.

Stationed in Tuscany, Italy, four members of the US Army's all-black 92nd infantry Division, the Buffalo Soldiers, are trapped behind enemy lines after on of them risks his life to save a traumatized Italian boy. Separated from their unit, they find themselves in a remote Tuscan village where they experience the tragedy and the triumph of war. Base on the highly praised novel by James McBride, it's filled with exceptional battle scenes and action made even more gripping in Blu-ray High Definition.

Marcus Cyganiak’s Review:

This movie shows a rare perspective of World War II that has been kept out of the spotlight forever. The storied inclusion of African-Americans in the US army during the war has always been laid low, largely because of the racist infractions against their involvement at the time. Finally we get to see their story through this film.

The only awkward moment within the entire film is the sequence of scenes. The movie opens with a scene that should really be slotted at the end of the movie to give the viewer a better understanding. The opening scene takes place in 1984 and then it transitions back to 1944 during the war before going back to the 1980's, where the film ends. Showcasing the scenes in chronological order by years would have made the story easier to understand because you can only fully grasp all the happenings in this movie if you watch it twice.

Regardless of the sequence of scenes though, there's no other film out there that explains the story of the Buffalo Soldiers like this one, and it remains to be seen if there will be anymore in the future. This may be perceived by some to be a high rating from myself, but I think the test of time will solidify this film as an instant classic.

Marcus Cyganiak’s Star Rating: 4.5 / 5

With Miracle At St. Anna being based in Tuscany, Italy during 1944, this movie really hit home for me as my nonno, Alfredo Vannucci, was living in Tuscany during that time at age 7. He was born in Italy in 1937 before immigrating to Canada in 1955, where he still lives today in Kitimat, BC at age 72. Sphere: Related Content

VLOG #7: Lightning Storm In Port Coquitlam

VLOG #7 features exclusive footage I captured today in his hometown of Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada. The footage features hurricane-like conditions, never before seen in Port Coquitlam!

Take a look:

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VLOG #6 Gets On CNN American Morning

For the second day in a row, the second vlog in a row, I have appeared on CNN's television network and this time it was CNN American Morning at 6:00 am ET.

I have attained a transcript of the show from CNN.com. Here it is:

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. Twenty- one minutes past the hour right now. It's our special "ROAD TO RESCUE" coverage this week.

We're finding a lot of outrage actually everywhere over AIG's executive bonuses. IReporters flooding our Web site with their comments and ideas as well.

Here's one from Marcus from Canada. He says that if executives can't control themselves, their compensation needs to be capped for them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCUS CYGANIAK, CNN IREPORTER: If AIG continues forth with their plans to pay bonuses, the Obama administration should mandate a legislative cap on executive compensations and/or companies like AIG should be released from the bailout plan because of their recklessness and greedy decisions during the biggest financial crisis since World War II.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: All right. Thanks, Marcus, for weighing in.

Here now is VLOG #6 in its entirety from iReport.com:



Finally, here is VLOG #6 at its original home on YouTube:



You can visit my YouTube page by clicking here, where you can stay tuned for upcoming vlogs. In the meantime, you can watch previous vlogs posted on the site!

External Links:
1) CNN Transcript: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0903/18/ltm.01.html
2) iReport: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-231266
3) YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwkdj1A9ojU Sphere: Related Content

VLOG #6: AIG Bonuses Editorial

Here is the transcript for the VLOG #6 Editorial, which was also used for an assignment in broadcast writing at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT):

AIG BONUSES ----- MARCUS CYGANIAK/SELF ----- MAR 16/09

IT’S WIDELY KNOWN RIGHT NOW. WE’RE IN A GLOBAL RECESSION SO GOVERNMENTS ARE BAILING OUT LARGE CORPORATIONS IN DIRE NEED. THESE CORPORATIONS ARE INSTRUCTED TO USE THIS GOVERNMENT WELFARE TO RECONSTRUCT THEIR BUSINESSES IN ONCE AGAIN REACHING A PROFITABLE MARGIN UPON LATER PAYING BACK THE GOVERNMENT IN FULL. THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP SEEMS TO THINK OTHERWISE.

AFTER BEING LENT A 170 BILLION DOLLAR BAILOUT, IT BECAME WIDELY KNOWN THIS WEEKEND THAT AIG IS GOING TO PAY ITS EXECUTIVES 165 MILLION DOLLARS IN BONUSES. FOLKS, THAT AMOUNTS A LITTLE LESS THAN ONE ONE-THOUSANDTH OF THE BAILOUT AIG RECEIVED FROM THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION LAST MONTH.

THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS THAT AIG’S BONUSES RANGE FROM ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO 6.5 MILLION DOLLARS FOR APPROXIMATELY 400 EMPLOYEES. THESE ARE THE SAME EMPLOYEES THAT ALMOST DESTROYED AIG FINANCIALLY FOR GOOD; THAT IS BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT ASSISTED THEM WITH A PREVIOUS BAILOUT LAST YEAR. SO THIS MEANS THE US GOVERNMENT CURRENTLY OWNS 80 PERCENT OF AIG UNTIL AIG CAN PAY BACK THE US GOVERNMENT. FURTHERMORE, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE NOW FUNDING AIG THROUGH THEIR TAX PAYMENTS TO THE US GOVERNMENT.

THIS IS A MESS… THIS IS NOT PROPER ALLOCATION OF THE MONEY AIG BORROWED FROM THE STIMULUS PACKAGE AND IT’S THIS KIND IDEOLOGY WITHIN BIG CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE FOUNDED THE CURRENT GLOBAL RECESSION. IF THIS IGNORANT GREED CONTINUES, IT WILL DRIVE THE ECONOMY INTO ANOTHER GREAT DEPRESSION. AIG CLAIMS THAT THEIR BONUSES ARE NECESSARY DUE TO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS. WELL… TELL THAT TO THE FORMER EMPLOYEES OF AIG. TELL THAT TO THE ONE’S WHO GOT LAID OFF.

INSTEAD OF CUTTING CONTRACTS ALTOGETHER AND LAYING PEOPLE OFF, AIG COULD AND SHOULD CUT THE BONUSES OUT OF THE CONTRACTS AND THIS WOULD IN TURN LEAVE MORE CAPITAL SPACE FOR CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES. IF AIG AND OTHER BIG CORPORATIONS COULD ABIDE BY THAT SIMPLE FACT ALONE, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WOULD SLOW ITS RISE.

US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA REALIZES THIS DISASTROUS MOVE PERPETRATED BY AIG AND THAT’S WHY HE HAS EXPRESSED OUTRAGE AGAINST THEIR MOTIVES THIS WEEK. HE HAS GONE AS FAR AS TO ASK TREASURY SECRETARY TIMOTHY GEITHNER TO PURSUE ALL LEGAL AVENUES TO BLOCK THE BONUSES.

IF AIG CONTINUED FORTH WITH THEIR PLAN TO PAY BONUSES, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION SHOULD MANDATE A LEGISLATIVE CAP ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATIONS AND/OR RELEASE COMPANIES LIKE AIG FROM THE BAILOUT PLAN BECAUSE OF THEIR RECKLESSNESS AND GREEDY DECISIONS DURING THE BIGGEST FINANCIAL CRISIS SINCE WORLD WAR TWO.

IT’S TIME TO TAKE A STAND BY PUSHING FORTH RIGHTFUL CONSEQUENCES WHEREVER NECESSARY. THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP IS NO EXCEPTION; THEY’VE HAD THEIR CHANCES.

External Link:
1) YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwkdj1A9ojU Sphere: Related Content

VLOG #5 Apears On CNN!

Hi folks, I got some exciting news here!

I received an email this morning from Henry Hanks of Turner Broadcasting and he asked me my name, location, and who I supported during the US Presidential Election. So I told him my name, my location in Vancouver, and that I supported Barack Obama during the election.

I of course first asked Mr. Hanks why he was asking me for this information and he said they "contact all the respondents for potential iReports for TV." Hours later, VLOG #5 appeared on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer on CNN in discussing the AIG bonuses fiasco.

Here is VLOG #5 again, this time via iReport.com on CNN:



You can of course watch VLOG #5 again from its original host at YouTube.com:



External Links:
1) iReport: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-230815
2) YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uaSOb2JZV4

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