Icy, Icy: Niagara Falls as You've Never Seen It

The world watches as Niagara Falls freezes over:

If there's going to be a polar vortex, we might as well enjoy the pretty sight! Check out other pretty sights at this site.

Which Europeans Got Here First? The Spanish? The French? Or the English?

You know their names--or at least the first one. Columbus. Cartier. Drake. Cabot. Vespucci. And countless others who left all to pursue the New World. They came for gold and fame and glory. And later, they came for freedom from religious persecution.
But who got here first, and how would we know?
Until recently, most people thought it was the Spanish who got to the Pacific Coast first. Recently, however, evidence has been found that seems to indicate someone got here before the Spanish did. Check out the findings in this article, and respond with your comments below!

Congratulations, Lorelei and Neil, for Getting Published in NewsLINC! Doubly!

In this winter's issue of NewsLINC, Lorelei and Neil saw their blogged articles published! Read them and others', and be inspired to write and publish your own!

Apologies to Lorelei for the earlier misattribution of her writing.

Canadian Does It Again! Alex Bilodeau Gets Olympic Gold Again!

Alexander Bilodeau, who opened the gold haul for Canada in Vancouver four year ago, recaptures gold in Sochi this afternoon.

Check out these screen captures from CBC Sports:

Alex with older brother Frederick, his inspiration!

Connect on FaceBook and discuss your thoughts as a new Canadian!

Woohoo! Here Come Gold and Silver!

screen grabs from CBC Sports

 

Watch sisters Justine and Chloe Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal here!

Spring Back to NewsLINC!

Almost no snow left!

Hello Folks,

Time to hit the outdoors, the fresh air, and the open water!

It's time again to think about the next edition of our NewsLINC student magazine!

This edition invites spring-related write-ups in addition to the usual stuff on biographies, traditional celebrations, recipes, etc. You're free to write on any of these topics and to post the articles on your blog. We will then edit your work a couple of times before submitting it for publication.

Please post your work on your blog by February 14, 2014. All the best on your sharing and writing!

Category	Description / Idea Prompts
Activity	Submissions reflecting sports and leisure activities.
Arts	Submissions related to the arts (visual arts, crafts, design, dance, film, literature, music, theatre). ·         Write a short story or poem. ·         Share your artistic talent/hobby. ·         Provide a review of your favourite book / movie / artist / etc.
Bios	Student profiles that exclude information about birth date or age.
Canada	Submissions which highlight Canada. ·         How do you describe Canada to your friends or family living abroad? ·         What do you like about living in Canada? ·         Write about a famous Canadian personality, landmark, historical event, etc. ·         Recommend places to visit or day trips in Ontario / Canada
Celebration	Occasions or events that result in celebration! ·         Share a personal success story (big or small) ·         Write about a special/milestone life event (wedding, birth, anniversary, etc.) ·         Write about a traditional celebration
General	If the submission does not fit with any of the other categories.
Heritage	Student reflections about their homeland or ethnic origins. ·         What do you miss the most about your homeland? ·         Describe a custom from your homeland ·         Write about where you came from
Recipe	Special recipes that have not been reproduced from the web or a book.
Seasonal	Submissions related to seasonal themes. Some ideas for spring: ·         Compare spring to winter. ·         Share your gardening tips. ·         Explain how maple syrup is made. ·         Describe your mother and why you appreciate her on Mother’s Day ·         Write about an environmental issue for Earth Day. ·         What do you like about spring?
Settlement	Student settlement stories. ·         Share a funny story about settling in Canada ·         What has surprised you the most? ·         What are some of the challenges you have faced? ·         What or who has helped you to adjust?
Skills	Tips, challenges and experiences related to finding work, working or learning in Canada. ·         Workplace culture ·         Looking for work / networking / volunteering ·         Studying / learning new skills

Watch the animals celebrate!

Would you ban these words?

Check out this article about a U.S. university banning certain words like twerking, YOLO, and selfie.

What do you think? Should we do the same in Canada?

Post your comment below!