Scene PG November 2017

NOVEMBER 2017

Cover story

Walking the RED ROAD PAGE 4

Beer & Wine Special Section

Grains & Grapes PAGES 20 - 27

The Canadian

STARK

PAGE 12

STEAL ME!

FORWARD

Welcome to the missing issue of Scene PG. Over the past 6 years, I have been extremely lucky to be driving this magazine towards the different stories, directions and people featured in it’s pages.

There comes a time in every person’s life when you recognize that in order for something you love to survive, you need to let it go.

This is one of those times for me. Due to my commitments to “The Doctor’s Case”, Barker Street Cinema and the cultivation of future film productions in Northern BC, I no longer feel I have the time required to steer the Scene PG. So, this issue you read will be the last with me in the driver’s seat for now. I will still be along for the ride for future issues but for now, I will leave the magazine in the capable hands of our partners at the Citizen. Thanks for all the amazing years and enjoy this issue’s stories.

-Norm Coyne, Creator of Scene PG magazine

Publisher Editor Creator Writing Photography Graphic Design Cover ART

Contributors

Advertising

Colleen Sparrow Neil Godbout Cheryl Stewart Norm Coyne Chris Dias, Kenna Lloyd Bo Dannefaer, Christos Sagiorgis, Kelly Bergman (Bergmedia) Grace Flack Bo Dannefaer

Available online at www.pgcitizen.ca General Inquiries 250.562.2441 Scene PG magazine is produced in partnership by UNLTD Media & Events and the Prince George Citizen, a division of Glacier Media Group. Copyright ©2017. All rights reserved.

Walking the red road

Towers of geek

Homemade Bacon

The time of your life

In the crossfire at Crossroads

Northern Fancon

Remakes

Wine On

H.E.R.O.S.

PAGE 10

PAGE 22

Canadian Stark

Queens of the cask

CONTENTS

PAGE 4

PAGE 8

PAGE 12

PAGE 18 PAGE 21

PAGE 26 PAGE 28 PAGE 30

PAGE 25

PAGE 18

PAGE 12

PAGE 22

PAGE 4 11.17

03

Wal king t he

red ro ad

Written by Chris Dias

It’s one matter to know the path, to stand upon it, and another to commit to the journey. Walking the red road equates a belief that one is living a life of respect, humbleness, and truth, a path requiring commitment while also being predetermined. For some, said road is unclear, little more than a muddy path plagued by bushes.

Larry Garnot’s believed his road was paved. A journey governed by righteousness, a calling impossible to ignore.

He also saw someone get stabbed.

Larry admitted that nugget while discussing his upbringing, a critical fact considering every journey requires a point of origin. Many readers aware of his name know the destination. Larry Garnot is the Program Manager of the Cariboo Action Training Society at Camp Trapping. He achieved that position after many years helping troubled youth, the first of whom was himself, with Larry being an alumna of the very program he currently runs.

And one time he witnessed a guy get stabbed.

It was mentioned so matter-of-fact to stress how

Story continued on page 6 04

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thick-skinned Larry is to criminal activity. He admitted such a tough exterior is not a positive aspect and hopes to ensure others are not as afflicted. By the time Larry was sixteen, he had dropped out of school, the culmination of a life already beleaguered by petty crime and a dysfunctional upbringing. He was a confused youth, lacking direction. Admittedly not a stretch for many of us. Even after a youth conference where Larry was queried as to why he dropped out, salvation remained out of reach. The downward spiral continued, resulting in Larry’s period in the criminal justice system.

This wasn’t the end for Larry, neither was it the beginning of the end.

It was the end of the beginning.

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05 Photography by Bo Dannefaer

He became eligible for Camp Trapping and found himself an occupant on May 1st, 1991 (and yes, that date will be important in exactly 224 words). Trapping operates as an alternative to jail for Aboriginal males aged 12-18. In operation since June of 1971 and still to this day, Trapping’s precise location is not public knowledge, leading me to believe those eligible are locked in a burlap bag like characters from Suicide Squad.

Larry was subjected to the traditional battery of challenges at Trapping, testing occupants’ physical, emotional, and spiritual limits.

One such trial is a peak experience, which to employ Wikipedia’s jargon is an “a moment accompanied by a euphoric mental state often achieved by self-actualizing individuals,” though here is taken literally as attendees are tasked with actually climbing a mountain.

Subtlety is not in effect, here.

“Once you climb a mountain, you feel different,” Larry explains. “You feel capable. You have conquered something, and once you have, you’ll want to conquer something else.”

Larry boasts attendees crossing between 400 and 600 kilometers over the course of the program. “These kids get lean, healthier. It provides skills and physical fitness.”

When finally released from the program, a young Larry Garnot returned to complete his high school diploma. He worked group homes, for the school district as an aboriginal educator, and kept with his education, eventually pursuing criminology at CNC. In time, Larry would return to Camp Trapping, this time as a staff member. It was May 1st, 2000, nine years to the day when he first arrived as a troubled youth (told you that date would be important). It was a paved road, as Larry 06

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saw it. He didn’t select his career; it selected him. Not everyone is so blessed.

“Kids are more complicated, today,” Larry stresses. “There is always the gang dilemma, but mostly, we’re dealing with mental health and addictions issues.”

And it was at this moment Larry mentioned about how he once saw someone get stabbed.

It’s that personal experience that Larry does not shy away from. He literally wears his emotions on his sleeve (tattoos, the metaphor is apropos). Larry employs his pragmatism and bluntness as a key, unlocking barriers to reach his most difficult cases. He doesn’t sugar coat problems or their solutions. It helps that he can offer his history on the other side of the room as proof of the program’s success. It helps establish trust, helping Camp Trapping’s low recidivism rate.

In 2012, Larry became Trapping’s Program Coordinator; in 2015, he became its program manager, effectively responsible for every youth that passes through the doors of the bunkhouse. Beds are not often filled due to low numbers across the province. Larry doesn’t get discouraged with failure; it makes him more driven.

“The peak challenges are only the beginning. Structure breeds predictability, and that breeds success. It’s about the patterns and structure so the kids respond instead of reacting. It’s important that these kids have some idea what’s about to happen.”

Larry hopes to expand the camp in the future.

In time, Larry would like to operate his own

Photography by Bo Dannefaer

From page 4

group home to help inner city youths, perhaps the dream retirement hobby. Larry is drawn to altruism, while the best I can be drawn to is Pasta Tuesday at Boston Pizza.

Larry made me ashamed at my own selfishness. Camp Trapping works, and its support is vital to the social consciousness that benefits us all, even if most people will never see it, or even be aware of its location. Those emerging successful from the program gain the opportunity to return that investment.

Three former students that resided at Trapping eventually returned there to pay their reformation forward.

For the second time as Larry and I talked, he gently ran his fingers across his arm. I thought it was him stressing the dramatic tattoos of his spirit animal. “Seeing young people succeed gives me tingles,” he replies with a smirk.

He has found his path, and I can see Larry walking it for a very long time.

The time of your life Written by Chris Dias

When Ben Nemtin, the creator and cast member of the MTV series The Buried Life, took the stage at the Bucket List Gala, it was only a crescendo within an opus.

The evening commemorated The Bucket List Initiative, aimed at raising money for the Prince George Hospice Society. It was a celebration of one’s drive for personal happiness, and that such contentment rarely comes from the acquisition of currency or the flaunting of ornamented accessories, but rather the amassing of cherished memories.

At some point in the past decade, the idea of unfulfilled dreams, five-year plans, and life-long goals became condensed into one concept—the rather morbid notion of a bucket list. Shockingly enough, the idea of a bucket list did not originate with that mediocre Morgan Freeman/Jack Nicholson flick, though that did popularize it. Nowadays, many people have a list, some with only a handful of entries, others with items in the hundreds.

A bucket list for many is like a quantum particle—it alters as we measure it. We don’t realize we have one until sitting down in front of a paper—sorry, 2017, I meant our tablets— and enumerate it. We often realize an item has been scratched after it’s been accomplished, and the need to complete a list becomes desirable, that is before it becomes imperative.

On Saturday, September 22nd, the Prince George Hospice Society placed the metaphorical cherry atop a long-running endeavor. The gala was not only meant to celebrate said venture but also as a means of sharing dreams and satisfying a big one for a particular winner.

I…was not that winner.

But before the event concluded, moments before we took our seats, I met with Selen Alpay of PG’s local Canadian Tire and discussed a recent trip to Edinburgh that matched my own a few years prior. For me, that was a bucket list item as it involved a meal at a Michelinstar restaurant. Selen topped my accomplishment by sharing the time he toured behind the 08

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Mayor Lyn Hall and Todd Doherty MP have fun at the Green Screen Magic photo booth at the first annual Bucket List Gala.

Photo by Kelly Bergman (Bergmedia/Green Screen Magiz)

paddock at the Montreal Grand Prix with none other than the great Jackie Stewart. I’m not saying it’s a competition, but I started to think it could be.

Selen is always adding items to his bucket list, with the new topper including The Rolling Stones and Paris (as one item). Mine returns to the topic of cars--racing a Porsche around the Nürburgring.

It’s a race track.

Yes, it’s real.

We don’t always have the resources to scratch certain items off our list, though the obstacles are not always money. For many, it’s will. We procrastinate, we prioritize—the coin jar in the opening sequence of the film Up immediately springs to mind. That’s why you mix up a list, a blend of simple and challenging goals.

One friend at the gala wanted tickets to a Seahawk game. Achievable. After my crowning item, the other entries pale in gravitas. Learn a card trick from a master magician. Ride a zip line (and I mean a long one). Bake an epic cake start to finish. Go commando.

The keynote moment of the gala was when Ben Nemtin took the stage. He shared about his life, the inspiration for his list. He encouraged others to achieve their dreams while also paying that accomplishment forward. The condition set by his massively successful show was for every bucket list item he or a friend crossed off, they would help a stranger achieve a dream of his or her own. It was touching, that hardly needs to be said.

And then we saw a video of four men streaking at a soccer game. It was censored, thankfully. Like my list, Ben’s mixed modest goals with lofty ones, like #95: Play Basketball with Obama. Wait, that was number ninety-five?

What was number one, land on the moon?

Well, it happened…playing ball with Obama, not the moon thing, though after the first part, he might as well go for the other. It proves anything is possible when you make your list and set about finishing it. I was surely not the only one to start adding to their list that very moment. Mine doubled, then tripled. Ben was undeniably inspiring. His entries are not

just about meeting someone. There is complexity; there is action.

Ben then turned to the audience, urging them to share their own goals. A husband wants to take his wife to Norway. Another intends to cycle across in Ireland. One woman wanted to go on a date with Sean Connery. Okay, I admit, not every item is attainable. The winner of the grand prize handed out that evening will take a halibut fishing trip on the ocean, thankfully more achievable than Connery.

However, the emotional climax of the night was undoubtedly when Don Wilimont from host sponsor Wood Wheaton Supercentre took the stage to present Dirk Finger and family with an all-inclusive trip to Disneyland in a surprise addition to the prize giveaways.

Dirk was a high-school acquaintance I never reconnected with (a regret), and I was stunned when his illness was revealed, a ruthless reminder of how fleeting our lives are, how brief a tenure we can claim upon this potentially infinite universe. Don Wilimont crystallized his thoughts on the need of seizing one’s life.

“People ask me, ‘why are you always outside?’

Because I choose to,” said Don. “If it’s a Tuesday or a Sunday, I guarantee you I have a pack and boots on, and I’m on a mountain someplace. Because work’s going to be there when I get back. But that moment and that sunrise, that sunset, the smell of the leaves in autumn, that’s there right now; I want that right now.

That’s what this evening is about.” I couldn’t agree more, and Don’s remarks perfectly describe the purpose of that night. “Make a list and get after it. Life’s about living.”

The Bucket List Gala’s other sponsors included Accent Dental, Carpet Superstore, CBIG – Canadian Benefits Investment & Insurance Group Inc. and Pacific Western Brewing. The event concept and collaboration was courtesy of UNLTD Media & Events. The event raised over $30,000 for the Prince George Hospice Society and next year’s Bucket List Gala has already been confirmed for September 21 at the Prince George Civic Centre. If you are interested in supporting next year’s Bucket List Gala or would like to donate to hospice, email dflood@hospiceprincegeorge.ca or call (250) 563-2551.

REMAKES:

bringing multi-generational gamer’s together Written by Kelsey Polnik

In some forms of media the word “remake” can be a scary thing. In the realm of Video Games though that word is often embraced and encouraged.

trum home computer, and those are just a few of the dozens of options. Essentially to expand your potential audience to as many people as possible a company would have to release their game on as many platforms as possible.

In fact the word remake often doesn’t do this “new” release justice so many sub-catergories have been created to better describe this new version of an old favorite. You may have heard terms such as: Port, Enhanced Port, HD Remake, Re-Release, Localization, Director’s Cut, Compilation, Backwards Compatibility, Virtual Console, Emulation, Complete Edition, Game of the Year Edition, Legendary Edition, Demake, and so many others to better describe the type of experience you can expect from the impending release.

Even hardware has become prone to remakes and has been gaining momentum as of late.

While Plug n Play systems Such as the Atari Flashback with a collection of classic games bundled into the console itself has been around for decades the NES Classic Mini and more recently the SNES Classic Mini consoles have been filling up wishlists and shopping carts for gamers lucky enough to score one of these highly desirable consoles. These kinds of hardware/software bundles are being rereleased for much the same reason that just software does. Maximize your audience that may not have the ability to experience these games without modern technologies.

The practice of remaking video games for new audiences has been around since nearly the beginning and can be traced back to at least the 1970s. It’s basically a necessity in most markets since unlike movies or music there is no universal standard, such as DVD/ Blu-Ray or CD/Vinyl, to experience video games on in any given generation. It’s a very fractured medium. If you wish to experience the seminal classic that is Street Fighter II for example your options are staggering. You can play it on arcade hardware, a SNES cartridge (even on that one console you have multiple options available), digital emulation is an option, brand new remastered and enhanced version available on the Switch, if you grew up in Europe you may have even had a copy on Cassette to play on your ZX Spec-

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It’s not all sunshine and roses in the world of remakes though. Sometimes companies make mistakes and have to deal with the ire of fans.

The cult classic Nintendo 64 game Conker’s Bad Fur day as remade on the original Xbox hardware after Microsoft purchased developer Rare added heavy censorship to the title that was known for it’s lewd content. This didn’t go over well with fans of the game. The upcoming Final Fantasy VII remake is something fans have been pleading for for nearly 2 decades. When initially announced there was much celebration. As more information is given about its impending release many fans are becoming nervous as developer Square Enix seems to be taking many liberties with the original content such as messing with the classic turn based battle systems or deciding to release it as episodic content

rather than one stand alone release.

With the recent sales successes of Crash N. Sane Trilogy, the NES Classic, Metroid Samus Returns any countless others there is no reason to believe remakes are going to slow down, and I for one could not be happier.

While I already own many of the games being remade and don’t wish to purchase too many of them myself it fills me with great joy knowing that a whole new generation of bright eyed gamers are digging into some of the very games that shaped who I am as I grew up playing them. It also ensures that new game developers growing up now are going to be influenced by material from a wide variety of generations and not simply the small window they were accidentally born into. So far this has allowed my son and I to share a love of games like Zelda, Shovel Knight, Duck Tales, Pokemon, Mario, Marvel vs Capcom and so many others. When it comes to movies, music, and books we share very little in terms of common interests, but because of how widespread and accepted remakes are in the world of Video Games it’s allowed both our generations to blend and merge into a general acceptance of a wide variety of content. A trend I hope never ends.

4158 Cowart Road | 250.981.0034 gamequestpg.ca

Canadian

Starring

Written by

Photography

Brent Marshall

Chris Dias

Submitted

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At several points during this article, I’ll stop being frivolous with the comic-book comparisons and focus on the actual human being that is Brent Marshall.

Admitting full disclosure, I was solicited for the interview (requiring zero additional enticement) by this magazine’s editor given Brent’s attachment as a producer for The Doctor’s Case, the film based on a Stephen King short story being shot locally. I was instructed to focus on Brent’s role as producer, how it came about, as well as Brent’s history with philanthropy including children’s charities and his investing in local businesses.

Brent also races supercars.

And he owns a jetpack.

Guess what I’ll be focusing on?

Brent Marshall is a producer for The Doctor’s Case. The film looks fantastic. Water is also wet.

It’s not just the possession of a jetpack that invokes allusions of Marvel

metaphors. Brent’s background is in engineering, and after a string of successful business ventures—owning or managing eighteen companies by the time he was 40—he came into undeniable wealth.

(Side point, I’m 43 and still don’t own a home.) How else would someone like Marshall implement such wealth than to immediately invest in aid organizations and children’s hospitals. To name just a few, Brent worked with Northern Health, University Hospital, Kordyban Cancer Lodge, Spirit of the North, Festival of Trees, sat on no less than five charity boards, and in nine years was responsible for over $3 million dollars donated to local causes.

Brent also invested in a movie, an adaptation of a Stephen King short story set in the world of Sherlock Holmes.

He’s no pauper, and enough scratch remained for Brent to own a small collection of nicely painted, highly polished, very expensive examples of German, Italian, and American workmanship.

“I’ve owned seven Lamborghinis. I currently have the Huracán, got a Ferrari 458 Spyder, McLaren 650 and 675 LT. I’ve had 4 McLaren’s and waiting on the next one that’s coming. I had the only Spyker Spyder in Canada. Waiting

for my 840 horsepower Dodge Demon. Teslas, I love Tesla, I own two of those.”

Yes, another contrast. Elon Musk. This time a real person, also a genius and philanthropist. “He’s my hero, a brilliant man.”

Then we returned to talking about cars…

“I have a couple of prowlers,” Brent continued, “including the last Plymouth, modified by Jesse James.” In total, Brent keeps his collection hovering between seven and nine cars.

The McLaren 650S is his daily driver, totally 45,000 kilometers on the odometer. As for other hypercars, Brent has been courted to buy the Bugatti Veyron, a Koenigsegg Agera, and the upper echelon of all automobiles, the Pagani Huayra, which Brent declined to purchase based on its price (pfft, amateur).

And he races, because of course he would.

Brent spends some spare time at the exclusive Area 27 racing circuit in Oliver (which allows friends, so the bootlicking will be following hastily).

“I’ve had a dozen cars that all could do over 200 miles per hour, I’ve had every one of them doing that (that’s over 345 km/hr!?). I started racing in a Mustang GT Cobra. That’s when it all started, at around eighteen. I’ve been racing ever since.” That’s when Brent brought up the fact he owns a fly-board and a jetpack.

I’m honestly surprised he didn’t own an Iron Man suit.

Story continued on page 14

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13

At this point, we needed to talk about the movie Brent was helping to produce for director/writer James Douglas, the Stephen above King adaptation. But no, we went back to talking about cars, about the Hennessey Twin Turbo Viper that Brent owned that set the world record at The Texas Mile, or about the car I currently drive and race, a Lancer Evolution…which honestly seems a little anticlimactic by this point. The fastest vehicle Brent probably owns returns the conversation to Tesla, battery-power delivers the whole of its energy instantly, generating acceleration that is faster than falling.

From page 13

FINE, we’ll talk about the movie!

“I’ve known Norm (Coyne—producer/publisher, including this magazine) for years, and he’s done quite a bit of cool stuff like ScenePG (free plug). We got to work on lots of different projects. He got a hold of me, and it’s really funny, I’m a huge Stephen King fan, read all his books growing up.

Norm told me about this idea. The whole premise, about Dollar Babies, a Stephen King short story based on Sherlock Holmes. It’s stunning. We’re taking it to Sundance, which is in Park City Utah, which I had been to earlier as part of a Lamborghini rally.”

A Lamborghini rally?

Photo Submitted

“I do about five charity rallies a year, including the Diamond rally, which is another fundraiser for children charities.” And then we talked about cars for another twenty minutes. Hey, don’t judge me, I hit the high points about the movie. It’s brilliant, but let’s be honest, the achievement and laurels inevitably earned by The Doctor’s Case will deservedly be claimed by many, though most importantly James Douglas, it’s writer and director. Brent Marshall is a gifted businessman and an engineering enthusiast who obviously discovered a sensible investment.

Listening to his achievements just from the financial perspective were intimidating enough, and I found myself desperately fighting the urge to not boast about my own sales achievements in a futile effort to turn this conversation into a job interview. Brent is semi-retired despite being only halfway through his forties. He still owns a helicopter business and participates in projects in the Okanagan involving supercars and wine.

Wouldn’t you?

“Prince George is a great place to film when you think about it, with the resources we have here, the way the dollar has been. I go to Vancouver a lot, and I see them shooting films there steady. It would be nice to see some of that come north into Prince George.”

So, let’s conclude with the qualifying list: Brent has an engineering background. He’s altruistic. He owns many cars, including an Audi R8. He also owns jet packs. And he spends money on projects that interest him. He’s as close to a Canadian Tony Stark as we may ever see. Brent admitted to loving those films, seeding my theory that Brent was not enjoying a fantasy; he was exploring options. He could fly to japan tomorrow. Powered armor technology intensifies weekly. He could fill that gap with a phone call. All he’s missing is that characteristic goatee.

“I shaved that a few years ago.”

I knew it.

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Written by Chris Dias

Towers OF Geek

Marc Bernardin is a talented writer, one that I greatly admire. Overlooking his work with the LA Times, Hollywood Reporter, GQ, Wired, Empire, and Entertainment Weekly, Marc has contributed to the SyFy series “Alphas” and will be returning to television as a recurring writer for the new series Castle Rock.

However, he’s most often known as the author of several comic books for DC, Image, and Marvel including Push, Static Shock, The Highwaymen, and though more critically, the series Genius, which Marc himself created.

Recently, Marc has accepted the promotion of geek figurehead—one who speaks for the masses, the channeler of nerd angst, and the trumpeter of the socially awkward. He wades through the torrent of social media and filters out the machinations of the emotionally crippled, the anonymous misogynists, and the reactionary demagogues, condemning the faults plaguing our modern media while also parading the virtues of originality, integrity, and fearlessness still present within.

Marc is a conduit of essential geek news, simultaneously contributing to that wellspring of pride we take in, all the while ignoring the harmful effects of that same culture.

Marc Bernardin is coming to Northern FanCon… …and he’s bringing Kevin Smith. …

I know what you are thinking. You assume the previous 194 words were a facetious play at burying the lead, of making an ironic jab at the expense of the lesser known host of the famous Fatman on Batman series of videos and podcasts. I will admit not having read any of the comics Marc is accredited with. I’ve seen Alphas, loved that show, and I lament its departure. I discovered Marc via one of Smith’s many outlets of expression, along with Jay & Silent Bob Get Old (which I saw in person) and Hollywood Babble-On (of which I am paid supporter of). But like those other channels (or “orific-

For Northern FanCon, Kevin Smith sits squarely at number 1—the one guest desired from the very first year.

metaphor, not an implication that suggests a relation between Kevin’s mass and his gravitational pull). Marc would be one of those, a man who has never kowtowed to sniff the Smith throne.

But truth be told, I admit looking forward to a potential Smith meeting, of personally conveying the significance his behavior and achievements have had on me, from his dogged determination to stick to his principles to his sincerity regarding social issues and the struggles over his weight-loss (the latter I relate to). Recently, UNTLD (the business responsible for this very magazine), helped organize a fund-raising initiative for the Prince George Hospice society, the theme of which revolved around the fulfillment of one’s bucket list. I have mine, and Kevin Smith sits on not one, not two, not four or five, but three of those entries. I’ve already checked one involving him (the aforementioned Jay & Silent Bob get old), leaving only two. For Norm, the organizer for Northern FanCon, Kevin Smith sits squarely at number 1—the one guest desired from the very first year. It is less about the achievement, the feather in a cap, in claiming the accomplishment of snagging Smith and Bernardin, and more about the often-altruistic tendency Norm has about trying to increase the happiness of those around.

Next May, there will be many of us, not just Norm and myself, looking forward to checking an item off our bucket list.

es” in an attempt to pander to Smith’s adorable childlike humor), I discovered to my surprise that Fatman on Batman is as much about Kevin Smith’s promotion and admiration of his talented friends than it is about him standing on a pedestal.

Smith requires no such soapbox, preferring to push those upward for others to see. Such a statement is not meant condescendingly; more so, it is for us to see them as Kevin sees them, a pinnacle he hopes to aspire to.

As such, thanks to Kevin Smith, Marc is becoming the writer I aspire to be…but, consequently, it makes Kevin Smith the man I want to be.

Kevin Smith does not require such fanfare. He’s earned it through sheer will and talent, including his fearlessness to follow his path against the demands of Hollywood, critics, or even his fans. Kevin is proof that you don’t go out alone to get noticed and land some lucrative corporate contract; you go alone in hopes of gathering those that share your vision.

Marc has Solitude accepted the promotion is fleeting of geek figurehead—one so that who speaks those loyal that gather for the masses, the have room to channeler of nerd stand. It’s a fact angst. that there are no sycophants or bootlickers in orbit around Kevin Smith (it’s a 11.17

19

Prince George is fast becoming a major player on the beer and wine markets. With micro-breweries, to massive VQA wine selections, connoisseur’s can delight in having many choices just a short jaunt from home. Take note in this scene special section to see why you should be spending your pennies on beer and wine locally.

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norance with that judgment that Patrick had to dismantle first.

To facilitate that change in the involved an extensive process of drinking copious amounts of fermented cereal grains. And like a proper wine pairing, I was also Written by Chris Dias treated to one of Wayne’s proven manifestations of talent in the form of a robust The name of the article is literal. charcuterie. Starting from the Hail Mary IPA, I was fringed on all sides by purPatrick refused to accept a summary judgveyors of pints, bosses of the brew, ment, grilling me like Tom Cruise in A Few artisans of ale.

Good Men. What was I tasting? What could I Pundits…of…pilsners? smell? If something was adverse, where are on Leaders…of…Lager. my palate did it occur and when? We started Probably should have quit at three. with an IPA, followed soon by stouts, pale ales, There’s no doubt that Crossroads features one and amber lagers. I discovered that the sharp of the best dining areas in Prince George. bite I often experienced at the back of the Staffed by master chef and aptly named Wayne throat was fleeting. The clean aromas of beer I Kitchen, Crossroads offers astounding cuisine always enjoyed, often more than wine, but as I designed from the ground up to pair with my glass reached half full, I also realized it was their wide selection of originally crafted beer. half empty, and I began to enjoy myself.

However, even I must admit the overwhelmNot everyone likes every type of beer. What ing success of the kitchen (referring to the Bo enjoyed I didn’t care for while the ones actual kitchen and not Wayne like he’s royalty) I responded positively to he avoided. I was almost threatened to overshadow the rest surprised how broad a flavor of the establishment, ironic considering the spectrum beer was, majority of said establishment is the name perhaps even more under the title. so than fermented My history with beer bares similarity to my fruit, to past with wine, having only acquired a taste the disfor the latter in the past five years. Beer, and may and I stress all varieties, have never worked well chagrin with my palate. So, it would be understandto my able when praising the quality of Crossroads wine that I’d leave the beer out of the assessment, but that is like praising The Dark Knight and leaving out Ledger’s Joker. That was a failing of mine, and one Bjorn Butow from Crossroads was committed to addressing.

This led me to sitting on a chair with my photographer, Bo, beside me, surrounded

by Crossroads’ staff who were committed to educating me on how to appreciate beer.

This crusade was led by Patrick Moore, a man emerging from shadows in the dim brewery, flanked by polished fermentation tanks, a king comfortable in his kingdom.

Patrick had a mission to open my horizons and teach me how to appreciate the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drink in the world.

Truth be told, whenever someone claims to have a bad experience with beer (I fully admit perhaps being the only one), it usually involves some cheap mass produced can, as reflective of its potential as jug wine is to the whole of viticulture. It was my ig-

crossfire

Photography by Bo Dannefaer

at Crossroads

swilling aficionados. That’s why Crossroads offers eight varieties, currently only available directly from their solitary location and then exclusively in Meowlers and Growlers—god, I love those names—and certainly also by the glass, but this is changing. IN fact, by the time anyone reads this, Crossroads will be available in tall cans from government and private liquor stores.

Do I have a favorite? Well, of course, that was the entire purpose of this experiment, and not to get me slightly tipsy given I have a liver disposed to rapid inebriation. It was the Mother Heffer, with its soft wheat malt and clove aromas, as well as the Old Westie Amber Lager, a traditional Vienna style lager. They all run around five to six percent alcoholic with a bitterness rating between 15 and 60, new points of trivia I get to share with others. It was understandable I would gravitate to the lower numbers. Food pairing is another aspect I never realized was important, explaining why so many kitchens paired with breweries (not just Crossroads) feature pizza ovens.

Wayne and Patrick have succeeded in marrying their two professions perfectly, and I await with bated breath for their food pairing nights I am holding them to deliver on. I must accept some personal responsibility for praising the quality of one aspect of the much larger operation. Not to diminish the miracles occurring in the kitchen by Kitchen (I love saying that), but Crossroads is a brewery, and a true passionate thespian is operating in the shadows. Patrick’s zeal for brewing is contagious, and one cannot help but get excited as he brandishes his ingredients and boasts about what he produces, imparting the realization that I had been in an art gallery of a painter’s collection all this time.

I did get a little sloshed; that’s just what happens. One thing is certain; there will never come a time I will pass through the doors of Crossroads and not order a beer, something appropriate to pair with the fabulous cuisine. A new journey begins…wow…I guess I truly am at a crossroads.

508 George Street 250.614.2337 cheers@crossroadscraft.com crossroadscraft.com 11.17

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Photography by Bo Dannefaer

WINE ON AT SAVE ON FOODS Written by Chris Dias

You don’t need a vacation to Sonoma or Tuscany to experience wine country when there are over 300 wineries in BC. In August of 2016, my girlfriend and I embarked on our first (and not last) full-fledged viticulture-themed vacation, traveling from Prince George to Osoyoos. My girlfriend ran up the tally as we unpacked on our return.

We had acquired 120 bottles from sixty wineries.

It might have been a tad excessive.

What’s the biggest lesson to take back from such a trip? For one, don’t feel pressured to buy wine from every winery, because you may end up trying to squeeze over a hundred bottles into a Nissan Versa Note, a car the size of a Dixie cup that’s so underpowered, it has trouble crossing the painted lines on the road. The irony was that two months later, the Spruceland Save-On opened its Wines of British Columbia department.

Such a vacation is worth it if you have the time, though you may not be able to afford every bottle, and if you could, the transport could be impractical given vehicle temperatures and distances traveled.

This is where the Wines of BC at Save-On comes in. Not only can you acquire the wines you couldn’t get while on vacation, but you can also replace empty souvenirs without the burden of having to repeat a vacation (darn).

But even more than that, Save-On allows those incapable of the journey the opportunity to see what fuss is about. There is a com22

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mon saying that dining on the cuisine of a nation equates visiting it; this extends to wine as well. Only here, it’s not some broad cultural swathe but rather the focus of a particular location, and in some situations, a particular winemaker.

What makes the Wines of BC so essential is that it truly embodies the broad collection of wine unique to BC without distraction or compromise. The average liquor store will only offer a handful of BC wine; even the largest stores can only scrape the surface, preferring to focus on the recognizable brands.

Wines of BC offers bottles found nowhere outside the wineries making them. Allow me only to give you the briefest examples of such wineries you could visit in the Okanagan, wineries represented by the Wines of British Columbia at Save On. OSOYOOS/OLIVER The desert between Osoyoos and Oliver is populated by some of the largest wineries in the country, spread across a twenty-minute drive. You can find Burrowing Owl, Cassini Cellars, Road 13, Church and State, and Hester Creek, the latter having a local connection.

It feels less like British Columbia and more like Southern California, including the potential temperatures in the summer. Although you may expect to purchase bottles from quite

a few of those, you may be shocked by one sure to earn your business, Desert Hills.

Desert Hills appears quite reserved, with only its picturesque vineyards to add any grandiosity. Tanned ceramic roof tiles are the only mark of pageantry amongst the concrete yards and garage doors. Inside, you are welcomed by an immense tasting and a memorable host who will blow you away with his charisma and knowledge of winemaking. A consummate salesman, he will expertly pour, swirl, and extol the virtues of his collection.

You will swallow everything, words and wine.

Photo by Chris Dias

OKANAGAN FALLS Unlike other regions, Okanagan Falls can be a little tricky to navigate. Kraze Legz, Wild Goose, and See Ya Later Ranch are all worthwhile destinations, but most tourists will drive up the east side of Skaha Lake, and hit up the six famous wineries including Painted Rock, Pentage, and Blasted Church. However, the most beautiful view of all is claimed by Nighthawk.

It’s a narrow margin, I will admit when you

consider Bench 1775 or Arrowleaf. But at the end, Nighthawk takes the top prize. There’s a valley with a lake sitting at the base. Vineyards are crawling up to the winery. A solemn log house fringing freshly cut grassy hills.

This place is incredible, and if you are coming out this direction for See Ya Later Ranch (another must-see location), hitting up another justifies the diversion even more. The wine is good as well, an obvious requirement.

sion, lacking the funds and infrastructure to build great architectural testaments to viticulture. And there are such wineries to be found here—Terravista, Serendipity, and Hillside.

However, there is no place I could recommend more than D’Angelo. Ignore the view.

Ignore the pageantry. Ignore the architecture.

It’s about the people; it’s about engagement.

D’Angelo is the exemplification of a perfect winery. Sal D’Angelo, in fact, and that’s why I love privately owned wineries. There is no filtration, no suppression of passion, no performance.

From the outside, Vibrant Vine is unassuming, Inside, within a minute, you’ll figure someone had slipped you LSD. I can’t say for certain that the idea for The Vibrant Vine came about via recreational drug use, but I’m going to assume something stronger than Advil was involved. Even with 3D glasses off (yes), the winery is a colorful mélange of animals and landscapes. The star wine is the Whoops 2015, named after a mistake in its creation when it’s label was wrapped upside down.

One of these days, I will buy all the bottles just to keep in a collection.

Photo by Chris Dias

NARAMATA It cannot be stressed more how consolidated this region is. The drive along the Naramata Bench is maybe seven minutes. Maybe. And in that time, you’ll pass thirty wineries that you’ll notice, overlooking the ones you missed while lamenting the previous thought. You can see many of them as you drive by, their parking lots just an expansion of the road without a curb. Smaller estate wineries only have their signature buildings and their pas-

Photo by Chris Dias

KELOWNA The Vatican of BC wine, which can be divided into four regions. To the west, you have the icons of Mission Hill and Quails Gate. To the north, Ex Nihilo and Gray Monk await you.

Tantalus and Cedar Creek sit in the south.

However, the wines many people forget but shouldn’t are the Fab Five in the east, including my personal favorite, The Vibrant Vine.

Photo by Chris Dias

…bottles, I might stress, which are all available at the Wines of BC at Spruceland’s Save On, and nowhere else in town. The department runs tastings as often as it can, and there is rarely a moment I go in where I don’t get to sample something new. It’s worth a visit, as are the wineries Save-On represents. Begin your journey.

Photography by Bo Dannefaer

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Queens of the cask like McDonald’s versus your locally owned It’s difficult to ignore the obvious sandwich shop. It’s not just supporting a local observation that most of the staff at company, local jobs, and keeping your money Barkerville Brewing are female. This in your community. It’s about the quality of includes the general manager, front the ingredients you are consuming. I find host, and brew master, not to emonce people start drinking craft beer, it’s hard phasize some attempted adorable to go back to what they drank before. They yet ultimately condescending statefind the taste, the quality, and the overall expement about accomplishment, but rather an interesting side-point to be rience more enjoyable.”

That I can attest to. I would further that point mentioned once and never again, as by stressing that when you get to talking about this article focuses on the true subbeer with a brew master, you end with the stance of Barkerville Brewing. feeling that someone is talking about their Its beer.

But yes, a group of women running a brewery is probably the coolest thing I’ll write about all month. But, as mentioned previously, I will speak of it no more.

The easily accessible brewery was built out of a forgotten nightclub, the fermentation tanks sitting like forsaken eligible companions on the floor waiting for someone to dance with. Their dining area is rustic and simple, dominated by a single large table often filled Photo by Bo Dan nefaer with potential friends.

Barkerville Brewing is pushing on four years; child. And that zeal for quality was back then, craft brewing was not as big. It’s rewarded when Barkerville Brewing a tribute to the perseverance of Barkerville won a Silver medal at the Canadian Brewing that its brand is cultivated to the Brewing Awards in their first months of extent it is now, in some places more recogoperation. The passion of brew masters is cernized than the historic town it is named after, tainly compelling, and Barkerville is no excepagain paying credit to the hands behind the tion. Erin, the brew master, insists on showing operation. off her work with little encouragement. When And what an irony that a business producing offering samples, the glasses were tall and content catering by a majority to men would overflowing, though she was quick to correct be run by women…which is something I my assumption. would say if that mattered, but like I said, it “The title brew-master is usually reserved for doesn’t. braumeister,” Erin clarified, “graduates who go “The struggle was real,” explained Justine to school in Germany. I got my start here at Pelletier, the General Manager. “Education Barkerville Brewing, I think mostly by having about craft beer quickly became our full-time a great cover letter. I had worked for years in job. While there are many craft lovers in the the bush primarily as a tree planter, and filling North, there are even more loyal customers in the winters with other odd jobs. I also to the big brands. I would compare it much

drank a lot of beer. When I heard that a brewery was opening in Quesnel, I was determined to work there. I followed Troy (our former brewer) around for three years, and he taught me lots of things.”

Barkerville Brewing is quickly becoming one of the most recognized brands in the region, and its reach is growing across Canada, quite the accomplishment considering the cutthroat competition, especially from large parent companies.

And the idea of a group of women triumphing in what would be assumed a male-dominated industry is the type of shot in the arm this industry needs. Right, last time.

As for the growing local competition, they love it. “Half our job is educating people,” Justine said, “so we love places like Crossroads, in that they’re helping spread the concept of craft brewing across the north.”

This is not a Spice Girls allegory, as that would be insulting.

Barkerville Brewing’s success is natural, as is the line-up of its current staff. And as I’m an 80’s child, the parable I would bring up is… ohh… Bananarama.

Hey, don’t knock it, they were and still are huge. It’s not about competing in a field and receiving a pat on the head; it’s about dominating a field and creating a legacy of admirers will talk about decades from now.

185 Davie Street | Quesnel BC TF: 1.855.922.7537 barkervillebeer.com 11.17

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100%

Natural

Local

Home

Made

Bacon

Photos Submitted

100%

p r e m iu m q u alit y

The problem is the bacon that you and I have come to know and call “bacon” is a mere shadow of the flavour profile you CAN get from natural, in house cured, locally sourced bacon. And, good news, making your own bacon is simple, its so simple its ridiculous!

Follow our foolproof guide for making the most delicious bacon you’ve ever tasted. Guaranteed !

Pro tip: use pork cheek for a more marbled rich bacon use brisket for a lean beef bacon Step #2 The Cure For every 5lbs of belly you’ll need ¼ cup of coarse salt & 2 tsp of curing salt #1. That’s it! It’s

2 tbsp cracked black pep per ½ cup maple syrup ½ cup brown sugar 4 tbsp dried sage OK this one is a secret, but of I can tell you it has a lot lic, gar e, enn brown sugar, cay . ces spi us icio del er oth and

Mix the cure together, coat the belly evenly, place in a zip-loc bag, refrigerate for 3 days, flip over to redistribute the cure, let sit for another 4 days.

Step #3 cook!

Run the belly under cold water to wipe off any excess cure. Place in an oven at 200 degrees F for 90 minutes (or until internal temperature reaches 150F) Pro tip: once the bacon cools you can cut it as thick as you like! Try 2.5” x 2.5” squares for a unique breakfast item.

Pro tip: turn your charcoal BBQ into a smoker and smoke your bacon.

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What you’ll need: *4 cups of wood chips (mesquite & hickory will give a strong smoky flavour, apple or pecan will give a more subtle smoke kissed finish, both awesome, if you like it, it’s the right way) *disposable tin tray * 6 cups charcoal.

Light your charcoal, push lit charcoal to one side of the BBQ, put wood chips on the disposable tin tray and set on top of the charcoal. Put a grill on the opposite side of the BBQ as the charcoal, (this is call indirect cooking) . Smoke for 2 -3 hours. Add more wood chips if you notice smoke dissipating.

per 4 tbsp cracked black pep h the wit d she cru – lic 6 cloves gar side of your knife ¼ cup honey ry 2 Tbsp crushed juniper ber me thy h fres igs 5 spr

SWEET

Step #1 Purchase Pork Belly Pork belly isn’t readily available for sale at the grocery store, but, a quick visit to your local butcher shop (like the soon to open Birch and Boar Butchery ), you’ll be able to find locally sourced, pasture raised pork belly.

We source our bellies direct from small local farms like Tenish and Wolfe which you can find at the Prince George Farmers Market.

To help get you started, here are some flavours that we have tried, tested, and love:

Savoury

Bacon is rich, fatty, sweet, smoky, crispy, a staple for breakfast and even better at lunch and dinner!

so simple. If your feeling adventurous & want to have some fun, feel free to add any flavours you like! And by any, I mean ANY! The only limitation is your imagination. Our head Salumist, William Miller will flavour bacons with candy cane, or black tea with orange, and Betulla Burning Pizzeria Head chef Brian Quarmby likes to play around with coca cola in his curing.

Nancy O’s

Do this and you’ll never buy grocery store bacon again!

This recipe was brought to you by Birch and Boar Butchery, a new retail concept making in house bacons, sausages, & charcuterie from local farms. Opening downtown Prince George in 2018, by the people that brought you Nancy O’s Restaurant & Betulla Burning Pizzeria Napoletana Furthering our commitment to providing high quality local products to our customers since 2009.

Check us out : nancyos.ca betullaburning.ca facebook.com/birchandboar

Proudly brewed at

twowolvesbrewing.ca

Factory Brewing

Photography by Christos Sagiorgis

Northern

FanCon Something for Everyone

Written by Kenna Lloyd Ever since I was four, I can recall watching the Lord of the Rings movies, or rather, watching the woolen fibres of a blanket pulled over my head as I heard Gollum creep across the screen. Being the third born child in my family meant that restrictions had become a little more lenient, and if the majority of the family wanted to watch a movie, we would watch it regardless of my presence. Needless to say, I now have a deep-seated fear of Gollum instilled within me.

And yet, even after all of the frightening scenes a four year old Kenna had to suffer through, I cannot deny the tempting allure of those Lord of the Rings movies. It was nearly impossible not to peek my eyes above the covers, to catch glimpses of elves, and epic battles, and fantastical lands from far, far away. Before long, we had revisited the beloved Star Wars series, and let Harry Potter infiltrate our household. I think I speak for many of us when I say that these films and pop-culture sensations were a huge part of our childhoods. They told us stories and tales that have stayed with us throughout life, and taught us lessons that still affect us to this day.

When I heard about Northern Fancon for the first time on the radio two years ago, I was immediately interested. Though my ears had perked at the prospect of such an event, I was hesitant to actually consider going. There’s really no use in pretending that multigenre entertainment and comic conventions don’t get a bad rep from time to time. They can be linked to unfortunate connotations, and may even be viewed from a negatively “nerdy” angle. However, on a more uplifting note, I find that our society today has began embracing what is known as “geek culture,” and allowed it to evolve into something more cool and acceptable. Though in previous years I will admit, with a dash of shame, that I was 28

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afraid to attend Fancon for these very reasons, I am equally as proud to say that this year when I was finally given the opportunity to attend Fancon, I pounced.

Despite that fact that I had arrived at Northern Fancon 15 minutes prior to early admission for VIP guests, a long line was already forming, people twitching with anticipation at getting their hands on what the doors in front of them withheld. Since this was my first Fancon, I was completely inexperienced and unsure of what to expect, and when the doors at last opened I was pushed into the venue along with the swell of the crowd. As I walked along the group, it was impossible not to notice the elaborate costumes many of them wore. There were tons and tons of cosplayers, yet none alike. I saw beginners, professionals, and amateurs; welcome all the same.

Hogwarts students scuffled past me, wands in hand, before a trio of three young children dressed as Star Wars heroes swept by, clashing lightsabers and laughing. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor at the impressively realistic costumes that had begun swarming around me, and I could only imagine the time and dedication that must have gone into them.

Like a lost sheep, I followed behind the hoard, letting the more experienced con-goers lead the way, until we had reached Kin 1. In place of the typically quiet and empty atrium was a pop-up arcade, retro games stacked beside one another, drawing people in with their flashing lights and upbeat melodies. On the wall a large screen was set up, displaying a car racing along a winding road accompanied by a jumpy 8-bit tune. I had never been very good at video games, or card games for that matter, so it didn’t take me long to discover the entrance to the Kin 1 rink, in which I entered a completely different, but equally as immersive atmosphere.

As I wandered down the floor lined with ornate stands and booths, friendly vendors showcased their products and offered conversations about themselves and their crafts.

I saw sculptings with intricate designs, and posters that had been unbelievably hand drawn by artists, who sat, heads down and pens in hand, at their tables as they created artwork right before your eyes. If you somehow managed to make your way throughout all the fascinating exhibits without spending every nickel in your wallet and every ounce of energy in your body, you would reach the back panel where a lineup of special guests were stationed. Kevin Sorbo, Karl Urban, Alicia Witt, and Charles Martinet were just a few celebrities I saw gracing the tables of Fancon this year, and I was given the lucky opportunity to speak with many of them and ask some questions. Would you believe me if I told you that the voice of Mario had at one point planned on becoming a lawyer? And that Sam J. Jones, the headman of Flash Gordon, had once intended to become a professional football player in the NFL? As a student on the verge of graduation, I can say that they had some very encouraging things to say in regards to the approaching future. I addressed the somewhat instability of careers in the arts and entertainment businesses, and asked them what they had to say to youth planning on pursuing careers in those areas. “The entertainment industry is all about rejection,” said Kevin Sorbo, “the key is you never, ever give up, and you

have to really believe in yourself to make it.”

Charles Martinet offered some good advice as well, and added, “have a job, have work, have things that will pay the bills, but seek your dreams. Keep working for your dreams. Get an education, learn everything you can about acting, or whatever it is you’re going into: learn, learn, learn.

When you actually go to do something, may it be performing, writing, or anything that is done of substance, you train and learn. Then, when you actually do it, you let go, and become it.”

Seeing these accomplished celebrities and being able to speak with them is just one of many great opportunities dispensed at Fancon. I believe that for young people studying the arts, it is an incredibly valuable experience to meet people who have been successful in their craft. It shows that careers really do exist in those fields, and that you actually can make

a living off of your passions if you truly love them and work hard. “Just go for it.” Karl Urban stated with a smile.

Once back inside the busy doors of the CN Centre, I ventured down towards the floor level where I explored, yet again, more exhibitors and local creators. Expert cosplayers flanked the entryway, displaying beautiful ensembles that looked as though they had been peeled straight off the pages of comic books. Ainsley Bircher of “Pigtails and Power Tools” provided me with some insight into the cosplay world, telling me about the process of creating costumes and the work that goes into them. When I asked her about advice for people considering joining the world of cosplay she responded, “just do it! If you really want to cosplay a character, or there’s something out there you really want to make, do it. Because it’s about having fun. At the end of the day, for me, cosplay is about having fun.” In regards to those who are uncertain of how to begin or are scared to try the activity, she said, “don’t be afraid, like, ‘oh man, a lot of people have already cosplayed this,’ or ‘oh, it’s really popular, it won’t look that good.’ If you think you will have a genuinely fun time in it, go do it. My first cosplay was made out of foam. I looked up lots of tutorials, did lots of reasearch, and I reached out to people saying, ‘hey, I’m trying to make this, how did you make it?’ Take baby steps. Any costume can be achievable, you just have to break it down

and take it in baby steps.”

I continued throughout the concourse, observing incredible pastries with colourful fondant delicately placed over top of them to create an illusion of perfection, and superhero themed cupcakes that I traded some cash in to try. I made my way over to the main stage, practicing self control as I passed by stands selling neat, little trinkets and clothing from my favourite movies and TV shows. Finally, I reached the main area, sitting down in my chair as the ominously lit panel laid before me.

Throughout the course of the weekend, that empty stage would be filled with filmmakers, comic artists, screenwriters, actors, and many more people, all sharing their own knowledge and guidance in their respective realms.

When the end of my experience at Northern Fancon came at last, I was eminently sad to see it go. There is, in all honesty, nothing else like it in Prince George. Stacked with unique vendors, educational seminars, and plenty of fun to go around, Fancon is a must see attraction for anyone, of any age, and of any interest. I found the convention scene to be an exciting and welcoming community as a first timer, and cannot wait for its return next year. May you be a novice cosplayer, soon-tobe screenwriter, budding artist, or aspiring actress, the opportunities presented at Fancon are limitless, and the memories you make there will last a lifetime.

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Written by Chris Dias

H.E.R.O.S. Helicopter Emergency Rescue Operations Society

This is an addendum to The Canadian Stark.

I’ll admit poking fun associating Brent’s accomplishments with a certain over-the-top stock protagonist in an exceedingly popular film/ comic series.

However, despite allusions of illusion around us, this is still the real world, and ordinary people can choose to be incredible; it’s not determined by destiny. We can neither ask nor expect supermen to swoop down to save us. Brent is a normal person, one with substantial amounts of wealth, I admit, but normal nonetheless. It’s by actions that we judge, and one such action was to donate a half-million dollars to Ronald McDonald House.

That’s tangible; that’s consequential. Ignore

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powered armors or super serums, these are real actions making an impact. You’ll never read about that level of altruism in a comic book.

Adding to that, Brent is also forming the “HEROS Initiative.” …Wait…What?

The “HEROS Initiative”?

I just spent 122 words humanizing a millionaire, attempting to demythologize the comic-book veneration in the prior article, and Brent goes and forms the “HEROS Initiative.” He’s not even trying to hide it anymore.

HEROS stands for Helicopter Emergency Rescue Operations Society, comprised of a group who, according to the website “strongly believe the emergency needs of the

province are underserved because of the lack of a dedicated air ambulance system of helicopters based in strategic locations around the province.”

Individuals flying around the province saving lives…so, it’s not the Avengers.

Brent Marshal just formed the Thunderbirds.

Because that’s not what every super-rich philanthropist should do with his money.

By next year, Brent will have a walled estate somewhere in the mountains guarded by a ragtag group of hard-rocking scientists he’ll dub the Hong Kong Cavaliers, and will entirely not be saving the world by defeating a band of inter-dimensional Red Lectroids from Planet 10.

Seriously, next time I see Brent, I’m calling him Buckaroo.