The Virtual Union

Venice, LA – Devil’s Tar. Black Gold. Oil. Whatever name it goes by that thick and viscous fluid that flows through the veins of our planet has been one of the most sought after commodities for decades. First discovered in the 16th century, it wasn’t until after the industrial revolution that the real value of oil started to become apparent. By the turn of the 20th century with its machines that forever altered the future of humanity, oil back not only valuable but essential, as important to the growing world as water, just as it remains today. Scrape TV

Berlin, Germany – There are a few places in the world that can rightfully claim to major centres for human culture. China, Saudi Arabia, and Germany are probably at the top of those lists. Those three countries have been the lynchpins for spreading culture and influence throughout their particular regions, which have then spread further and further outwards. Even today all three of those nations hold an incredible influence not only over their territory but also over the world, boasting some of the largest economies and most influential cultures today. Scrape TV

Montgomery, Alabama – English is perhaps the most remarkable language human beings have yet created. Fusing multiple other languages, pulling in words from vastly different language groups, and boasting the largest vocabulary of any on the planet, it is perhaps the most formidable and powerful language ever. That is also evidenced by the widespread usage of the language. Though ranking behind Mandarin Chinese and Spanish for the most native speakers, English has become a kind of Lingua Franca, a single unifying language that people all over the world speak regardless of their mother tongue. Scrape TV

Vatican City – The ongoing sex abuse scandal that has enveloped the Catholic Church as well as followers of the faith around the world has caused many to question whether or not there is a future to the faith at all. In particular, that question has consumed young German Catholics who looked to Pope Benedict, one of their own, as a kind of saviour for their own personal faith. With the scandal showing no signs of abating many in that country and beyond are questioning whether or not the Catholic Church is even relevant anymore. Scrape TV

Toronto, Canada – There are perhaps as many names for the game of baseball as there are blades of grass in the outfield. A pastoral game, America’s pastime, and dozens of other euphemisms have tried to capture the spirit of the game that has for decades been played by people of all ages. Such romantic affinity has meant a long life for the sport, despite increased competition from upstart disciplines such as football and basketball. They haven’t however ensured the ongoing popularity which has declined dramatically in the last few decades. Scrape TV

Paris, France – The city of lights has drawn many a visitor to her fair shores. Whether young couples in love, old couples renewing their affections, artists seeking inspiration from the greats, or just regular visitors wanting to see all the beauty and history the city has to offer. For decades Paris has held a fascination for all those types of people, drawing millions of visitors every year to bath in the almost otherworldly beauty the city has to offer. Scrape TV

Ankara, Turkey – For almost 5000 years stories of a massive ship housing the entire world’s animals and brining them to safety has been an obsession for billions. Compelling the followers of all the Abrahamic traditions, most notably Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the story of Noah’s Ark has been a largely fanciful but nonetheless compelling story of how our modern world came to be. Because it is such a compelling tale researchers have for decades been trying to prove the truth of the tale and now a group believes they have finally done that in the mountains of eastern Turkey. Scrape TV

Beijing, China – The biggest difference between human beings and all other life forms on the planet is our ability to makes choices. We have created art, philosophy,science, religion, and all manner of other advances but all of those things have been a result of our ability to choose. Lions do not choose what to eat, but we do, and we can even choose whether or not to eat. That ability to go against our natural instincts has allowed our species to become the most successful on the planet Earth. One of the most remarkable choices human beings are able to make is in how we procreate. Choosing how many offspring we wish or even whether or not to breed is something other animals simply cannot do, a mark of how sophisticated we truly are. Scrape TV

Washington, D.C. – Arguably, there is no more frightening natural disaster than a volcano. Unlike tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods a volcano is a totally foreign event, something that unless one experiences it multiple times, it becomes next to impossible to predict your reaction. Add to that the devastating potential of aneruption and the danger posed by such events are more than frightening, they can be profoundly destructive to not only property and lives, but also to one’s sense of security. Scrape TV

Pasadena, CA – The Universe is more massive than anything we can imagine. One light year is equivalent to travelling around the equator 250 million times, and there stars billions of light years away. Here in our little corner of a tiny building somewhere in the massive city that is the Universe we have done remarkable things and thus far proven to be the only living things in the existence. While logic, and dreams, suggest that other life exists in plenty throughout the universe we have not been able to garner even hints of evidence proving it to be true. Scrape TV