I’d like to thank mhalachai for bringing it to my attention that the logo for the 2010 Games in Vancouver is an unpronounceable inukshuk
How the hell do you say, “Illanaaq”?
For that matter, Americans can barely prounouce “fajita”. I seriously doubt they’ll be able to master “inukshuk”, much less “Illanaaq”.
“Illanaaq”. Since when do we even have Inuit in Vancouver? Or is this just a lame attempt to grab hold of some semblance of uniquely Canadian indigeneous culture? I have a maple leaf tattoo – not an Inuit symbol – because it’s not my culture. If anything, I’d pick up a Coast Salish symbol before I’d get anything from the Far North. Why is a symbol of Canada’s much ill-treated native people being used for a Eurocentric gong show event that half the city didn’t even want? (That last part is irrelevant; I was just in the half that knew the Olympics would be a mistake, and I will stand by that for the next five years)
On another Vancouver related note, I left the TV on too long after the OC on Thursday, and suddenly saw people playing soccer by the Burrard Bridge. Turns out “Tru Calling” is shot in Vancouver. I watched it, because I enjoy playing “Spot the Vancouver Landmark”, and because watching things filmed in one of my home cities never fails to amuse me.
Finally, there’s a new commercial running to the L.A. market for Tourism BC. It specifically cites “getting away from stress and traffic” as a reason to visit British Columbia. Now, I will admit, Los Angeles traffic is very frustrating, but I have never had to wait FORTY FIVE MINUTES TO GET ACROSS A BRIDGE in L.A. Saying that “getting away from traffic” is a reason to visit BC is slightly unrealistic, but hey, who’s going to find out until they find themselves on Oak Street in rush hour? (Then again, at least Vancouver has a rush hour…L.A. seems to have rush days)
Oh, and that photo in the header on the BC Tourism Page? Yeah, that’s Oak Bay, the view from the beach not far from where I grew upl. I know the shape of the Straits and the Islands too well not to catch it.
Jillian's Blog 
Wow – good rant! 🙂
And I absolutely agree (Even though I don’t live in Vancouver anymore).
(*goes back to eating her fajeetas*)
I’m going to pronounce it “ill-ANN-Aack”, which is the way drunk Newfoundlanders pronounce “Atlantic”.
ILLANNAACK ATTACKS TOKYO! News at eleven.
what happens when I have no exams:
one day, I will learn to make shadows.
Re: what happens when I have no exams:
dude, image of
ilanak, um,anorak– whatever it is – attacking a major city? priceless!ps. for shadows, duplicate layer, convert all colors to black (i just dial down the bright) and then use Gaussian blur & drag over a few pixels. move that under whatever you’re shadowing…and voila!
Re: what happens when I have no exams:
(el la nawk) according to mytelus news at least.
Re: what happens when I have no exams:
See? SEE? I was totally pronouncing it “ill-a-naak”. This is obviously going to be ridiculous.
Re: what happens when I have no exams:
well, that’s only if you assume anyone has any intention of actually saying it out loud.
i think the logo’s kind of cute. i think it’ll sell heaps of merchandise. i also think that it’s fine for vancouver…what with all the inukshuks that people build all over the sea wall.
You always see them when you’re hiking, they mark the trail sometimes, and people tend to make them at mountain summits as well (even in Ontario!) and beaches that have good rocks for doing so. i think inukshuks are very cool.
my 2 cents. but i dont like all the colours they used, it looks like a crayola man.
We should have taken the time to teach our troop to make them, instead of teaching them the hand motions to “2 Legit 2 Quit”
The article referred to them not as a useful, uniquely Canadian way of marking trails nationwide, but as a symbol of welcome by native peoples – I just don’t know how the rest of the world will understand it, much less pronounce it.
I think I’m the only one who likes the logo… I think it does a good job of being simple, friendly, and representative of something that is distinctly Canadian. I think we need to get over the whole issue of misappropriating the icons of other cultures in situations such as these. If Paul Martin can go to a Khalsa Day parade wearing that orange thingy on his head, then we can use an inukshuk as a symbol of the games.
besides, I think he’s cuuute. and ever-so-marketable. imagine all the little Illanaaks walking around during the games.
but chris doesn’t like it. he’s opposed to the green pac-man head.