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Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
Consistent rain over three days causes flooding of the street. Taken by Teddy on 19 Aug 2013. Fortunately there is a first floor and although the water was about a foot deep Saturn Street was like a river, as seen through the gate.,
Each month I have been able to take stock, it's been something I have been able to stay consistent with. While taking stock I open the Diana layering app and layer over a self portrait. It just sorted of started happening and I have also kept with that theme for taking stock.
Some observations on boiling apple butter.
The Fire: There needs to be a consistent high intensity fire with a broad base (extending a bit beyond
the kettle base). Wood pieces need to be of a size that permits steady additions under the kettle area.
Wood needs to be dry for quick ignition. Our cider boil down stage was a bit slow . . . the fire a bit small
and of inconsistent intensity. The photos attached show different firing scenes.
The Sugar:
There is always a controversy about how much sugar to put in the apple butter. We added 6 pounds. An approximation calculation gives a 1 once per pint ratio. I found this to leave the taste quite on the tartr side, so I added 1 ounce of sugar to a pint of the Hertzler mix.
I have 3 other samples in my fridge. Comparing the Hertzler Mix with the addition of 1 ounce per pint or 12 pounds vs. 6 pounds in our product), I found : Peachey Family - Very similar ( 12 pounds in the mix) , Smucker’s – Very similar (no spices added). Musselman’s - More sweet (cinnamon & clove)
The Smucker Apple Butter has the same simple ingredients: apples. Cider and sugar (corn syrup)
On batch size and time:
We use the full family recipe size which produces a large amount of apple butter and takes a long time.
Question – Would not a 3⁄4 size be advantageous in several respects. It would take less time, require less wood and all ingredients and also be less weight on the 3 leg kettle support (on which I want to consult a blacksmith regarding the age and possible weakness under intense heat)
A three quarter recipe would be: 2 1⁄4 bushels of apples (Grade A)
. 19 gallons of cider
. 9 to 10 pounds of sugar.
Consistent rain over three days causes flooding of the street. Taken by Teddy on 19 Aug 2013. Fortunately there is a first floor and although the water was about a foot deep as shown in this picture.
The New Chanel Boutique Opening and Charity Event, on Robertson Blvd , SIMPLY CONSISTENT INC.
www.simplyconsistent.com/management
"-Chanel Boutique."
"-Kathleen Checki."
"-Checki."
"-Simply Consistent."
"-Simply Consistent Management."
"-Emma Roberts."
Business surveys in Latin America consistently show that skills gaps are a serious bottleneck to firm growth and competitiveness. Lack of responsiveness by providers of technical education and professional training is often blamed for this situation. What innovations are possible to improve the quality and relevance of those programs? What role should governments, employers, universities, and civil society play in shaping the approach to technical education and professional training in Latin America? What can we learn from reforms in the region and abroad? The Dialogue and CAF - Development Bank of Latin America hosted a wide-ranging full-day seminar that brought together academics, policymakers, and other experts from the Western Hemisphere to discuss the future of technical education and professional training in Latin America.
Marina Barrage, Marina Way, Singapore
As my consistent style, you know what happen to Wednesday. Yup, indeed... this Wednesday without the bokeh shot. Strange isn't it? I find it odd too, as matter fact, i don't have a single shot for it, and I am crazy for that, why why... why i didn't have the bokeh shot for this shooting. Absolutely a careless mistake i had made, gotta to set a reminder whenever i have outdoor shooting. Darn ...
Do you think they're eligible for trivial commercial ads? Well, that's the tricky question really, isn't it? LMAO... I purposely pick up this shot simply the reason, the visibility sense of happiness. They have a few experiments on posting, facial expression, but i wanted them to have a cheerful smile. Hence, what i did was come up with some jokes and make them laughing, then quickly press the shuttle and here you go.
I find the laughter quite easily persuasive, even with the dull or boring texture at the backdrop. Still we able to produce the simplest way of happiness atmosphere.
Exposure:0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture:f/4.8
Focal Length:46 mm
Exposure:+0.30
ISO Speed:100
Exposure Bias:0 EV
Flash:No Flash
You must see this on large View On White
** Last but not least, Happy Bokeh Wednesday (HBW) everyone : ) **
-----
Ps : As usual, the Camera Raw v4.5 editing parts can be seen in the commentary too.
I used the website ipiccy.com to create these postcards.
The images for the quotation comes from Microsoft clipart.
The quotations were inspired by discussions between WRDSB principals and vice-principals.
Before the redesign and renovation of Beverly Hills Medical Office & Spa created by Simply Consistent management.
www.simplyconsistent.com/services/medical%20spa%20and%20p...
Hayes' first Mindstorms NXT project. It's a catapult that can sense the distance to a target and hit it fairly consistently.
pharmacy-7days-canadian.com/health/consistent-quality-is-...
Source of your CBD
Quality in any kind of item is ensured via the use of high-grade components. Hemp vegetations have a tendency to take in anything present in the ground and if it is actually developed in an abundant ground atmosphere, it will certainly be actually of premium and also the resulting CBD oil will certainly be actually of high quality. As a matter of fact, if the hemp vegetation is actually grown in a property identified by metals at that point the resulting hemp oil will definitely possess traces of the metals due to the hyperaccumulating quality of the plant. The CBD product are going to not be safe for individual usage due to the air pollution of metals. Search for the label resource of the provider's CBD as well as search for products coming from hemp grown in credible countries.
ITAUNA BEACH, Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro / Brazil (Wednesday, May, 25, 2011) – The ASP World Prime Coca-Cola presents Oakley Saquarema Prime was begun in good waves at Wednesday at Itauna beach. The first call at 7am was observed in near flat conditions. However, in the second call at 11:30am, the low-tide brought clean and consistent 3-5 ft. (1-1.5 meter) waves which increased in size throughout the day with light winds. Feeling right at home in the peeling lefthander point break, current No. 20 in the ASP World Ranking, Jadson Andre (BRA), scored the day’s highest heat-wave total with an 18.20 out of a possible 20 points.
On his first wave, he started off with a floater and connected it with a huge full rotation air to earn a solid 9.17 points. On his second wave, he began with a big front side punt, followed by several cutbacks all the way to the shore, for a 9.03 to punch in the day’s highest scores; only to be topped by Raoni Monteiro (BRA) in the following heat.
“This event is really important for me,” said Jadson Andre. “Not just because it’s a Prime, but also because it’s being presented by my sponsor (Oakley), so I really want to do well here.”
When asked about how easily he won his heat by using his aerial attack, Jadson commented: “Actually the conditions aren’t that great for throwing airs because the wind is blowing sideways, away from the lefts. But I’ve got a magic board, I feel confident and I’ve got a special way of setting up aerials when the wind is like this. I just let the board follow the wind and the wave. Everything went right and I’m happy to begin this event well.”
Raoni Monteiro (BRA), who lives in Saquarema, threw a powerful backhand hack with total commitment and a high degree of difficulty to get the event’s highest single-wave score, a 9.40 out of 10. “I had some good scores, so I tried to catch the biggest waves of the set because they were really good, opening-up and with a nice face,” said Monteiro.
On the day’s highest single-wave score, Monteiro said: “That high score came off of a left that opened up well and I made that first turn the way the judges like to see them, by really blowing-out the tail. Afterwards, I just kept surfing powerfully until the end of the wave.”
The first heat of the day saw currently ranked #11 ASP World Ranking surfer Michel Bourez (PYF), take control of the smaller waves in the beginning of the contest to win by a small margin over Jay Quinn (NZL) who obtained second-place, 11.50 to 11.27 points. Bourez was questionable to partake in the contest due to a shoulder injury in a wipeout during the Brazilian ASP World Tour in Barra da Tijuca last week.
“It’s still really difficult to surf,” said Bourez. “I’d say I’m at about 60% right now, but the ocean helped me out a lot today. The waves weren’t that powerful, which was good for me because I’m still in a lot of pain”.
Another elite surfer who made it directly to the Round of 48 was Australian, Matt Wilkinson. Wilko qualified in second-place behind Nathan Yeomans (USA), eliminating Shaun Joubert (ZAF) and young surfer Caio Ibelli (BRA).
“The waves were really tough during my heat,” said Wilkinson. “I ended up making a bunch of mistakes, but I was still able to qualify. The waves started breaking in different directions and it was a really difficult heat. I hope the next few days bring bigger and better waves so I can surf better than I did today (Wednesday).”
The second heat of the day was an all-international affair, with Marc Lacomare (FRA) getting the day’s first single-wave high score of an 8.5 out of 10 to defeat Yadin Nicol (AUS), Alain Riou (PYF) and Maxime Huscenot (FRA) respectively.
“It’s my first time here in Saquarema,” said Lacomare. “These kinds of waves really suit my style, I like them a lot. So much so that I was able to win the heat with one really good wave which I rode to the end. I like this place a lot. It´s really beautiful and I want to do my best here.”
Heat 3 of the day saw each surfer finish in the 12 point range. Granger Larsen (HAW) who was sitting at #31 of the ASP World Ranking (the first 32 qualify for the elite tour after the mid-season rotation) was eliminated from the event. The closely fought heat was won by Lincoln Taylor (AUS) with 12.90 points and Ben Dunn in second place with a 12.40. Larsen with 12.24 and Chris Waring (USA) with an exactly 12 points were eliminated.
Leading the hunt for the ASP World Tour title, #1 ranked surfer, Adriano de Souza (BRA), was scheduled to surf in the last heat of the day (Heat 12) at Itauna beach. However, due to the setting sun’s diminishing light, the heat will be the first to start off tomorrow (Thursday) at 7am local time against Hodei Collazo (EUK) and fellow Brazilians, Junior Faria and Gilmar Silva.
The Coca-Cola presents Oakley Saquarema Prime 2011 is sponsored by Coca-Cola and Oakley with support from the State of Rio de Janeiro through the Secretary of Sport and Leisure, the City of Saquarema, CCR and the Surfing Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro.
Photo ASP/Daniel Smorigo
Consistently rated as one of the best finishing holes in golf, McLemore’s 18th hole features a dramatic landscape with an awe-inspiring rocky ledge, surrounded by beautiful hillside and a breathtaking view of the horizon and Lookout Mountain. The luxury resort’s northwest Georgia course also features AU Victory, the revolutionary bentgrass developed at Auburn, with a beautiful, durable and exceptional putting surface. (Photo by Dave Sansom)
WASHINGTON - Consistent with the initiatives outlined in the 2011 Beyond the Border Action Plan, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Steven Blaney signed the Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine, and Air Transport Preclearance Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Canada. This new agreement reaffirms the United States and Canada’s commitment to enhancing security while facilitating lawful travel and trade, and supersedes the existing U.S.-Canada Air Preclearance agreement signed in 2001. Official DHS photo by Barry Bahler.
The consistent choice for beautiful portraits at any moment. It could be the pose you've lit meticulously. Or a subject that's suddenly in perfect light. In either situation, you can capture every detail with Kodak Professional Portra 160-speed films. Their very fine grain reveals Portra 160NC film or Portra 160VC film to get the ideal levels of color saturation and contrast to match the situation.
Very fine grain and medium contrast help bring out the rich colors in flowers, wardrobe, and other vibrant details.
Check out Matt Marrash's blog on the "new" Kodak Portra here:
filmphotographyproject.com/content/features/2011/08/mat-m...
FPP Video:
filmphotographyproject.com/video/2011/08/kodak-portra-160...
The Corvette has been a consistent seller for GM, through good economic times and bad.
So it's a mystery why this particular economic downturn has sent Corvette sales into the proverbial toilet; down by almost 2/3 since 2007. It's a sign of extreme loyalty to this car within the company that the Corvette survived GM's bankruptcy, when the Solstice (indeed, the entire Pontiac division), Sky, and the Corvette's brother-under-the-skin, the Cadillac XLR, all went extinct.
Why have Corvette sales suddenly hit the doldrums? It may be that consumers increasingly see a two-seat car as impractical, even though, according to the Government's Office of Technology Assessment, 95% of all work commutes and 83% of all car trips are taken with ONE person in the vehicle. Isn't it more impractical to buy a 5000 lb, 13mpg, 8-passenger SUV to haul 50 lb. bags of manure home from Lowe's once a year, or a bunch of Little Leaguers to an away game once a week?
But perception is perception, and even at Porsche, the sales situation with the 911 is sufficiently dire that, for a short time, Porsche was promoting it as a "family car" on the basis of its vestigial rear seats.
But back to Corvette. Maybe the upcoming 2014(?) C7 will bring things back to 30,000/yr. volumes.
Or maybe GM will have to live with 10-15K as the new normal. In any case, GM would be foolish indeed to get rid of the one car that sets almost every American male jaw to drooling, whether they admit it or not. Or maybe they can pitch its relative ease of driveability and 25mpg highway gas mileage to well-to-do, professional women.
Just tossing out ideas here, but the idea is to keep it in production, and the way to do that is to increase sales, by any means necessary. Something like Dean's recent pitch for eggnog as an Easter beverage, too. Or Swanson in the '50's, inventing TV dinners (now frozen entrees) to get rid of an oversupply of leftover Thanksgiving turkeys. Whatever it takes, folks.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
Merge (2020)
Bob Mould has been nothing if not remarkably consistent since releasing 2012's The Silver Age. Since that time he has cranked out four more albums of good, crunchy, Sugar-style guitar rock. I've loved all of those records, but the only one that has had real staying power with me has been The Silver Age. I can't really explain it, but that's the one that keeps standing out.
I'm unsure where Blue Hearts will settle in when all is said and done. I'm sure listening to it a lot right now and I do love it. It's got the great aggressive pop sound that Mould is known for. His loud roaring guitars, his strained vocals and lyrics full of piss and vinegar. It's fucking great. But, I have really liked all of his recent records and they all have fallen into a similar pattern. I play them a lot for a couple of months, I put them into the record collection and then they just sort of hang out there. When I'm in the mood to listen to Bob Mould, I tend to just keep going back to the Silver Age or Sugar's File Under Easy Listening.
It's nothing against those other records, but when you have an album so strong, it can dominate over the rest of your discography. For me, ultimately time will tell how I end up ranking Blue Hearts against the others. Maybe this will be one I keep going back to or maybe it's a record that I'll play a ton now only to have it fade gracefully into the background. It doesn't really matter to me either way, Bob Mould puts out great records and I'm happy to buy as many as he releases, even if they end up not being in permanent heavy rotation.
Bob Mould - Blue Hearts:
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
I was stunned at how consistently perfect the sunsets were on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula - like this one at Playa Junquillal, a remote beach beloved by locals, expats & surfers. Costa Rica’s dry Western coast offers the most perfect series of isolated and beautiful beaches: really, it’s the best large, wild & pristine beaches this photographer has seen in all her world travels ... Pura Vida !
Judy Bishop - The Travelling Eye Photography
Okanagan Valley, BC Canada
Flickr photo site| Instagram: The.Travelling.Eye @travellingeye | Facebook Page
Getty Images 'featured photographer' page
Imagery taken 6 August by DigitalGlobe.
DigitalGlobe satellite imagery analyzed by SSP shows at least six clearly visible positions consistent with Sudan Armed Forces-aligned (SAF) checkpoints reportedly established in and around Kadugli. As of 17 June, DigitalGlobe imagery shows six checkpoints, 3 of which are fortified, including one with vehicles consistent with main battle tanks, established on main roads leading in and out of Kadugli.
1. On 17 June and 6 August, two armored vehicles consistent with T-55 main battle tanks are present at an apparent checkpoint 1.9 km south of SAF 14th Division base. Multiple structures and a road block are present in the center of the checkpoint.
2. Further south of the SAF 14th Division base, at a distance of 3.9 km, is a second apparent checkpoint along the road leading out of Kadugli. Fighting positions are visible along the perimeter of the more southern checkpoint.
3. DigitalGlobe satellite imagery confirms a checkpoint 0.75 km northeast of the SAF 14th Division base that showed signs of refortification on both 17 June and 6 August. Also multiple structures and light technical vehicles are present within the fortifications. Possible fighting positions are located outside the fortification.
4. Light technical vehicles consistent with those used by SAF and Popular Defense Force (PDF) militias are positioned on the bridge connecting Kadugli town to El Gardud and Tilo. This is consistent with multiple eye witness reports of the bridge to Kadugli being used as a choke point by SAF forces.
5. An apparent checkpoint with tent-like structures and light vehicles present is positioned approximately 300 meters behind the school in the village of Tilo, on the road leading east out of Kadugli.
6. DigitalGlobe satellite images confirm another apparent checkpoint 1 km north of Kadugli airport, on the road between Kadugli and the airport. A second checkpoint is stationed at the airport.
Jim Hart's Gemini
"Hart's writing is consistently interesting and the playing, by an all star group, exceptional"
The young multi instrumentalist Jim Hart is one of the most exciting young talents to have emerged in British jazz in recent years. Although a more than competent pianist and drummer it is his skills on the vibraphone that have brought him to national attention both as a leader of his own groups and as a star sideman with Michael Janisch, Alan Barnes, Ivo Neame and others.
Hart is a young man with a thorough understanding of the jazz tradition as his work with Barnes suggests, something re-enforced by the release of the excellent quartet album “Words And Music” earlier this year on Barnes’ Woodville Records label
. Here Hart explored the melodies of jazz standards and popular songs that had inspired him but did so with a rigour and a contemporary edge that made the record essential listening. “Words And Music” is reviewed elsewhere on this site.
Gemini represents the more contemporary side of Hart’s music. He is a member of North London’s increasingly influential Loop Collective, an aggregation of talented young musicians exploring contemporary jazz and beyond. Gemini is less experimental than many of the other Loop bands but is none the worse for that and “Narrada” sees Hart and his group displaying an increased maturity in both writing and playing in comparison to the earlier (and already very good) “Emergence”.
“Narrada” takes it’s name from an ancient settlement on Bodmin Moor in Hart’s home county of Cornwall. Since “Emergence” Gemini’s personnel has altered with Jasper Hoiby (bass) and Dave Smith ( drums) replacing Mick Coady and Tom Skinner respectively. Ivo Neame, better known as a pianist, appears here exclusively on alto saxophone and gives an inspired performance. His unorthodox saxophone technique gives Gemini much of it’s unique flavour but really this is an inspired grouping incorporating four of Loop’s leading lights, it is perhaps the line up Hart aspired to all along.
I’ve seen Hart play several times in various contexts and he is a stunning and spectacular improviser with an astonishing four mallet technique inspired by the likes of Gary Burton and his one time mentor Joe Locke. “Narrada” sees him taking an increasing interest in the marimba which is featured on several of the album’s eight tracks. Hart’s tricky but invigorating themes are inspired by bebop and the music of Ornette Coleman but also by more contemporary figures such as John Hollenbeck’s Claudia Quintet (which contains vibes player Mat Moran) and guitarist Bill Frisell.
All the tracks are Hart originals and the quartet kick off with “Four Little Words” a tricky bop inspired theme that summons some passionate alto from Neame and busy yet controlled drumming from the consistently excellent Smith. Hart’s increasing maturity as a writer is revealed by a gentler, more exploratory central section that contains excellent solos from himself and bassist Hoiby. The Dane also excels throughout, big toned and lyrical in his solos, anchoring the group together Charlie Haden style elsewhere.
“Dark Moon” opens atmospherically courtesy of drummer Smith’s sometimes spooky solo. Subsequently frenetic unison bursts led by Neame’s alto alternate with haunting, freer passages in a restlessly evolving composition. As on the opener Hart features on both vibes and marimba.
At over ten and a half minutes “Narrada” itself is the album’s stand out track. It builds from a gentle vibes/drum intro through Hoiby’s bass solo in a quiet opening section. There is then a lengthy, more propulsive passage framing strong solos from Neame and Hart. Even when Hart is not in the spotlight his insistent chording pushes his colleagues forward in tandem with Smith’s neatly energetic drumming. This is a band where all four members contribute to the overall group sound, there is some great ensemble playing here and throughout the album. Hart’s choice of band name makes it clear that this is indeed “a band”, an integrated unit not just the “Jim Hart Quartet” doing the theme/solos/theme thing.
“Kindred” is a beautiful abstract ballad that lowers the temperature and reveals the sensitive side of the band with pensive alto and shimmering vibes, woody bass and delicately shaded percussion. Much of Gemini’s output is, dazzling, high octane stuff so this atmospheric piece represents a welcome change of pace.
“Deviation” is a return to typical Gemini territory with a slippery bop inspired theme; complex yet engaging and accessible. Hoiby impresses with a vibrant bass solo and Hart sparkles at the vibes. The dazzling closing passages offer something of a feature for Outhouse drummer Smith.
“Crunchy Country” is Hart’s tribute to the music of guitarist Bill Frisell and shares something of the American’s famous quirkiness. In the tune’s more abstract moments Hart can be heard using a bow on his vibes, a technique frequently deployed by the Claudia Quintet’s Mat Moran.
The unhurried “Colette” makes greater use of space and Hart shows a more lyrical touch at the vibes. The pace increases in the second half of the tune as Neame’s alto begins to take flight.
“Last Of The Leaves”, an appropriate title given the album’s November release date concludes proceedings on an elegiac note. The gentle almost, folk like melody is sketched by Neame’s alto and enhanced by Hoiby’s deeply resonant bass solo and Hart’s flowing vibes. It’s lovely way to end a magnificent album.
“Narrada” represents a considerable step forward for Hart. His writing is consistently interesting and the playing by an all star group, each is a bandleader in his own right, exceptional. The ensemble playing is tight and focussed and the solos powerful and distinctive. Neame’s playing is particularly striking, on alto he relishes the chance to get out there blow, it’s a marked contrast to the self discipline he displays on piano when leading his own groups. Essentially though this is a fine team effort all round with each member excelling in his own way.
The value of consistent prayer is not that He will hear us, but that we will hear Him. Let us plug our earphones to Him.
TIDE POOLIN'
Leo Carrillo beach in Malibu is consistently one of my favorite places to visit and photograph. I just love climbing around the rocks and investigating the tide pool. There are several ways to get there, but I usually take the 101 North to Malibu Canyon, head south over to Pacific Coast Highway, then West (a right turn) on PCH approximately 25 miles until you hit Leo Carrillo. From the Valley to Leo it's about a 45 minute to hour drive each way. The tide pool is just in front of the #3 lifeguard tower (and incidentally, dogs are allowed on leash from this tower and continuing west up the beach). I just google low tide Malibu to find out the best time to go there and check out the tide pool. Usually there's a several hour window about an hour before to an hour after low tide that's good. If you go after that, the waves usually are just hitting the rocks too hard and it can be dangerous to stand there. I always see tons of starfish (many different colors including orange, light blue, and purple), sea anemones (they are really fun to touch), mussels, crabs (little teeny black ones and bigger red ones), and even little fish swimming in the watery crags and crevices of the tide pool rocks. And I've spotted dolphins and whales from this beach. After an outing at Leo Carrillo, I always stop at this little food shack called Malibu Seafood, located just before you find yourself back at Malibu Canyon. It's totally no frills - you order food inside, wait for your number to be called, and find an open bench to sit down. My fave meals there are swordfish with rice pilaf and salad (the ranch is really good), fish and chips, clam chowder, or a pot of steamed clams in a nice broth.
Leo Carrillo State Park / Malibu photos by Lydia Marcus
As seen on my blog: fotonomous.blogspot.com/2008/08/tide-poolin.html
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
TIDE POOLIN'
Leo Carrillo beach in Malibu is consistently one of my favorite places to visit and photograph. I just love climbing around the rocks and investigating the tide pool. There are several ways to get there, but I usually take the 101 North to Malibu Canyon, head south over to Pacific Coast Highway, then West (a right turn) on PCH approximately 25 miles until you hit Leo Carrillo. From the Valley to Leo it's about a 45 minute to hour drive each way. The tide pool is just in front of the #3 lifeguard tower (and incidentally, dogs are allowed on leash from this tower and continuing west up the beach). I just google low tide Malibu to find out the best time to go there and check out the tide pool. Usually there's a several hour window about an hour before to an hour after low tide that's good. If you go after that, the waves usually are just hitting the rocks too hard and it can be dangerous to stand there. I always see tons of starfish (many different colors including orange, light blue, and purple), sea anemones (they are really fun to touch), mussels, crabs (little teeny black ones and bigger red ones), and even little fish swimming in the watery crags and crevices of the tide pool rocks. And I've spotted dolphins and whales from this beach. After an outing at Leo Carrillo, I always stop at this little food shack called Malibu Seafood, located just before you find yourself back at Malibu Canyon. It's totally no frills - you order food inside, wait for your number to be called, and find an open bench to sit down. My fave meals there are swordfish with rice pilaf and salad (the ranch is really good), fish and chips, clam chowder, or a pot of steamed clams in a nice broth.
Leo Carrillo State Park / Malibu photos by Lydia Marcus
As seen on my blog: fotonomous.blogspot.com/2008/08/tide-poolin.html
CORMORANTS
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.
Names
There is no consistent distinction between cormorants and shags. The names "cormorant" and "shag" were originally the common names of the two species of the family found in Great Britain, Phalacrocorax carbo (now referred to by ornithologists as the Great Cormorant) and P. aristotelis (the Common Shag). "Shag" refers to the bird's crest, which the British forms of the Great Cormorant lack. As other species were discovered by English-speaking sailors and explorers elsewhere in the world, some were called cormorants and some shags, depending on whether they had crests or not. Sometimes the same species is called a cormorant in one part of the world and a shag in another, e.g., the Great Cormorant is called the Black Shag in New Zealand (the birds found in Australasia have a crest that is absent in European members of the species). Van Tets (1976) proposed to divide the family into two genera and attach the name "Cormorant" to one and "Shag" to the other, but this flies in the face of common usage and has not been widely adopted.
The scientific genus name is latinized Ancient Greek, from φαλακρός (phalakros, "bald") and κόραξ (korax, "raven"). This is often thought to refer to the creamy white patch on the cheeks of adult Great Cormorants, or the ornamental white head plumes prominent in Mediterranean birds of this species, but is certainly not a unifying characteristic of cormorants. "Cormorant" is a contraction derived from Latin corvus marinus, "sea raven". Indeed, "sea raven" or analogous terms were the usual terms for cormorants in Germanic languages until after the Middle Ages. The French explorer André Thévet commented in 1558 that "...the beak [is] similar to that of a cormorant or other corvid," which demonstrates that the erroneous belief that the birds were related to ravens lasted at least to the 16th century.
Characteristics
Cormorants and shags are medium-to-large seabirds. They range in size from the Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmaeus), at as little as 45 cm (18 in) and 340 g (12 oz), to the Flightless Cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi), at a maximum size 100 cm (40 in) and 5 kg (11 lb). The recently-extinct Spectacled Cormorant (Phalacrocorax perspicillatus) was rather larger, at an average size of 6.3 kg (14 lb). The majority, including nearly all Northern Hemisphere species, have mainly dark plumage, but some Southern Hemisphere species are black and white, and a few (e.g. the Spotted Shag of New Zealand) are quite colourful. Many species have areas of coloured skin on the face (the lores and the gular skin) which can be bright blue, orange, red or yellow, typically becoming more brightly coloured in the breeding season. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Their feet have webbing between all four toes, as in their relatives.
They are coastal rather than oceanic birds, and some have colonised inland waters - indeed, the original ancestor of cormorants seems to have been a fresh-water bird, judging from the habitat of the most ancient lineage. They range around the world, except for the central Pacific islands.
All are fish-eaters, dining on small eels, fish, and even water snakes. They dive from the surface, though many species make a characteristic half-jump as they dive, presumably to give themselves a more streamlined entry into the water. Under water they propel themselves with their feet. Some cormorant species have been found, using depth gauges, to dive to depths of as much as 45 metres.
After fishing, cormorants go ashore, and are frequently seen holding their wings out in the sun. All cormorants have preen gland secretions that are used ostensibly to keep the feathers waterproof. Some sources state that cormorants have waterproof feathers while others say that they have water permeable feathers. Still others suggests that the outer plumage absorbs water but does not permit it to penetrate the layer of air next to the skin. The wing drying action is seen even in the flightless cormorant but commonly in the Antarctic shags and red-legged cormorants. Alternate functions suggested for the spread-wing posture include that it aids thermoregulation, digestion, balances the bird or indicates presence of fish. A detailed study of the Great Cormorant concludes that it is without doubt to dry the plumage.
Cormorants are colonial nesters, using trees, rocky islets, or cliffs. The eggs are a chalky-blue colour. There is usually one brood a year. The young are fed through regurgitation. They typically have deep, ungainly bills, showing a greater resemblance to those of the pelicans', to which they are related, than is obvious in the adults.
YANGSHUO
Yangshuo County (simplified Chinese: 阳朔县; traditional Chinese: 陽朔縣; pinyin: Yángshuò Xiàn) is a county in Guilin, Guangxi Province, China. Its seat is located in Yangshuo Town. Surrounded by karst peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River (漓江) it is easily accessible by bus or by boat from nearby Guilin. Over the years, it has become popular with foreign backpackers.
The town borders the Li River on one side, and is situated on a small plain between a number of karst peaks. Two main roads run away from the water and form the central part of the town, Chinese Street (Dei Chui Lu) and West Street (西街, xi jie). Most foreign-oriented businesses, such as hostels, hotels, rock climbing companies, restaurants and entertainment venues, are situated on West Street or the pedestrian only Xian Qian Street which runs between Chinese and West Street.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
As start-up ideas go, this has to be one of the best: Ajan Reginald wants to mend broken hearts.
www.bcg.com/alumni/cure-broken-heart-alumni-interview-aja...
Medically speaking, that is.
Heart disease affects about 30 million people globally, causes an estimated 4 million deaths per year in Europe, and is the primary cause of death in the developed world. Although modern medicines can provide a degree of relief, the harsh reality is that today there is no cure.
But there may be. Ajan (Chicago, Zurich, 2003-2005) is the founder and CEO of Cell Therapy Limited (CTL), a biotech firm he started in 2009 to experiment with stem cells as a way to fix damaged heart tissue.
“It was my dream to start a company that melds great science with great business to produce great benefits,” said Ajan.
It doesn’t hurt that his cofounder is Professor Sir Martin Evans, a Nobel laureate who first isolated and grew embryonic stem cells at Cambridge University back in the 1980s.
“Martin has a vast depth of understanding, expertise, and intuition, all of which are fantastic leadership qualities. But he also brings strong contributory assets that make him a brilliant person to start a company with,” said Ajan.
For the first six months, it was only the two of them. “We were a genuine start-up, doing everything ourselves: designing experiments, registering the company, raising funds, and setting up the website. We were certainly unique in that we had a Nobel Prize winner answering the phones.”
CTL has since identified a way to treat people with the most severely damaged hearts—those whose only hope is to receive a transplant.
“We’re treating people who have a life expectancy of less than one year—with 70 percent one-year mortality,” said Ajan.
And this is where the “great science” part of his dream comes in to play.
CTL’s proprietary cell therapy claims unique properties. “It’s a paradigm-shifting technology. Today’s medicines can only keep a patient from getting worse. We’re looking, for the first time, at a medicine that is able to regenerate a damaged organ.”
Heart failure develops after a person has a heart attack or when the arteries of a person’s heart are blocked. The heart muscle gets damaged and forms nonfunctioning scar tissue. Without treatment, this scar tissue expands, leading to heart failure and a significant chance of death within a few years.
CTL’s stem-cell therapy can be injected into scar tissue to reduce the size of the scar, stimulate repair, improve the heart’s ability to function, and mitigate the likelihood of heart failure.
Although there are other biotech firms working to produce stem cells for the broad treatment of diseases—using the same stem cell for, say, the treatment of lung disease or a chronic joint problem—CTL is unique in that it has been able to identify and isolate heart-specific stem cells.
The firm has already completed successful clinical trials, which brings us to Ajan’s vision of a “great business.”
The fast-growing high-tech stem-cell market is projected to reach about $20 billion in five years, and CTL hopes to tap into that market. Last year, in what was an unusual move for a biotech start-up, the firm ran an external fund-raising campaign that included crowdfunding; the goal was to raise £1 million. Ajan anticipated it would take up to three months to hit his target.
It took just ten days.
“The fact that we met our goal in such a short time shows that exceptional science for the benefit of society is an exciting investment proposition. This outcome is consistent with my BCG experience: clients with a focus first and foremost on quality produced highly differentiated products with demonstrable benefits, and profits followed. BCG gave me the analytical skills to understand these important drivers of great companies; hopefully I can replicate these characteristics in our small firm.”
In CTL’s case, demonstrating benefits demands a meticulousness in the way it generates value for heart patients. “Scrupulousness in value-generation for our patients translates into value-generation for our shareholders,” Ajan says.
In addition to Sir Martin Evans, CTL’s leadership team boasts other prominent figures, including Rhodri Morgan, a former first minister of Wales, Mubasher Sheikh, a former transplant surgeon and the current head of Permira health care, and Lord Digby Jones, a former UK minister of state for trade and development.
“It’s important to surround yourself with smart, critical people and to listen to them. Again, this is something I learned at BCG. I’m fortunate to have an exceptional board and executive team, and I am careful to listen, but ultimately I’m responsible for the decisions, good or bad. And I’m happy to make those calls.”
Ajan likens his role among these iconoclasts to his position as a central midfielder in field hockey. (He currently represents the England Masters at the international level.) “In other words,” he says, “I’m expected to see everything, anticipate everything, and cover every inch of the pitch. I’ve got to be a total team player—attacking, defending, and fulfilling whatever role is required by the team.”
“CTL is like most biotech companies in that it requires a CEO to understand and connect the science with the biotech business,” says Ajan. “However, where CTL may be different is the dual-fold novelty and ambiguity of both our field of regenerative medicine and CTL’s unique approach. The novel approach in an unproven field and being at the fore-front. There is no path to follow. Therefore, we believe an in-depth level of science and business expertise is necessary to make these critical (and novel) decisions.
“BCG was the best preparation for this role. I found my BCG experience very challenging and the hardest job I’ve ever done. But in hindsight, it was great training. The intellectual capacity needed, the speed of thought and execution required, and the unrelenting pressure and ‘stretch’ is how I developed my capacity to perform critical operations under high stress. BCG trained me to think and to work in a high-performance team. I learned to be data driven and to recognize excellent analysis and the singular value of insight from that analysis. Ultimately, leaving BCG was right for me. But the hard-won BCG skills gave me the ultimate confidence to use data to make the most critical decisions.
“My experiences from high-performance sports teams and BCG are complementary. High-level hockey is fast and dynamic; tactical thinking on the fly is very hard. But for me, the single well-executed tactical decision that wins the game is compelling. In contrast, business is more strategic and tactical, and there’s more time to think. However, it’s much more difficult to produce ‘game winners’ in business, and it’s much harder to build a high-performance team. That may be because the time frames are longer, prolonged years of rigor are required, and the rewards are less connected with actions.
“When we started CTL, we decided to combine the teamwork of high-performance sports with the strategy and execution required to excel in business. Therefore, our team is nontraditional—perhaps to match our nontraditional scientific approach.
All of which, he says, is borne out in the success of CTL.
“If your high-performance team can work synergistically, excellence is a more likely outcome—be it at BCG, international hockey, or a biotech firm. I truly believe there are few limitations on the productivity of such organizations. You also need luck, however, and then you just might develop the world’s first regenerative medicine.”
CTL, which is based in Cardiff in the UK, now has 30 employees, holds more than 100 patents, and is affiliated with labs at leading universities in Oxford, Toronto, Denmark, Greece, and China.
“Our goal is to treat 100,000 critically ill patients within the next five years,” Ajan concluded. “Realizing the great responsibility of lifesaving medicines, we focus on bringing Heartcel to market rapidly. It’s an amazing time—simultaneously frightening, humbling, and awe-inspiring.”
Paula Abdul and Supermodel @ Simply Consistent , Inc. at a Beverly Hills red carpet event.
323-653-1205
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
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Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
**********
Hashtag metadata tag
#Canada #Canadian #Toronto #TorontoCanada #CityofToronto #TorontoCity #CityToronto #Ontario #TorontoOntario #TorontoOntarioCanada #LakeOntario #The416 #HollywoodNorth #TO #T.O. #Tee-Oh #TeeOh #T-dot #Tdot #CNTower #VisitToronto #VisitCanada
Photo
Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
2025 was a really good year for moths in my garden and further afield, the consistently mild and calm evenings through late Spring in to Summer was a huge contributing factor to the diversity and numbers.
Species wise, it was my best year in the garden with 672 species recorded in my tiny village garden. Field trips were also very profitable with always something of interest turning up for the effort.
This was my first year of dipping into larger battery territory, running 1 or 2 traps from a 1500wh battery pack, this will easily run a couple of actinics or a 160w blended bulb for 6 hours, more than enough time during the summer months.
It allowed me to drive to other areas of fenland or woodland and drop it off with a trap, further away from the main base of operations (where the heavy generator would be sited).
Happy mothing all and I will see you in the new year.
1. Caloptilia falconipennella 25/03/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) Netting at dusk seems to always throw up a good moth or two, and on a warm late March evening this was no exception, with several Caloptilia species including a garden first falconipennella which was dissected by Colin Plant. It is one of the less recorded species of Caloptilia in the county, particularly in adult form.
2. Mompha jurassicella 08/04/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for Cambs) Whilst out in the garden, I spotted a small moth fluttering around our shed during late afternoon, and luckily it landed! I shouted 'You are quicker than me, grab a pot'. He ran back and returned with practically a jam jar! which was way too big and wouldn't sit flush on the shiplap wood, so I told him to go and get a glass tube, quickly potted up I could already see what it might be, a regular moth in my old Herts haunt, a potential Mompha jurassicella, a few weeks later and dissection proved it to be correct.
3. Leucoptera laburnella 17/04/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) Conditions were fairly good for late April, and with highs of 17 degrees and little wind, it was time to put the net to good use once more out on the patio. I spent close to an hour searching the sky and sweeping at tiny specks in the sky, hoping that they were moths. Now you see, when I first started this dusk netting game, I found it very difficult to differentiate between a fly and a moth, now I think i've finally cracked it. In basic analogy, flies dance and moths flutter, it's as simple as that, and once you get your eyes adjusted it becomes a breeze. The best moth netted was an extreme tiny, a Leucoptera laburnella and a garden first.
4. Choreutis nemorana 27/04/25 - Stetchworth, East Cambs (New species for me) New moths for my records are few and far between now, having chased moths for nigh on two decades. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw a presumed Nettle-tap, land on a leaf whilst at work, which then turned out to be my first Choreutis nemorana. I ran back to the van for a pot (my prune tub), came back and it was still there! Note to self (again), when you've used a pot up in your pocket the previous day, replace it ready for the next day.
5. Cydia servillana 28/04/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New species for me) The best moth on a busy April night was a new moth for me, netted at dusk (the deadly method strikes again) a spankingly fresh Cydia servillana was very pleasing. I did have the lure for this particular species hanging in my garden at the time, so maybe just maybe it was mildly attracted to the scent? who knows, but it was the first time i've used the lure in the garden.
6. Coleophora otidipennella 30/04/25 - Chippenham Fen, East Cambs (New species for me & 2nd for Cambs) 69 species were recorded over the 4 hours at my local fen despite it rapidly cooling down after midnight. Best moth for me was a confirmed Coleophora otidipennella, a fairly distinct looking Coleophora with streaky white stripes on a grey background.
7. Grey Carpet 11/05/25 - Cavenham Heath, West Suffolk (New species for me) I did my (what it turned out to be) annual trip to Cavenham Heath during May, I really must do more than 1 trip a year here in 2026. It is a superb site and i've had great success in the daytime netting, although the Horse-flies can be quite problematic. A single Grey Carpet was a new moth for me. It is a nationally threatened species with it's UK stronghold around the Thetford area, so it was nice after 3 years of trying to see one, to finally nab the moth.
8. Teleiopsis diffinis 11/05/25 - Cavenham Heath, West Suffolk (New form for me) Amongst 10 Teleiopsis diffinis recorded on the night of the Cavenham Heath trip, one stood out as being 'odd' an unusual brown form that seems rarely recorded was worthy of a mention on this list.
9. Phtheochroa schreibersiana 17/05/25 - Fordham Hedgerows, East Cambs (New species) A few minutes in, netting at my local mature hedgerows, I didn't expect to get a new moth for me! A slightly shabby but equally impressive Phtheochroa schreibersiana. This fantastic little micro that came from a mixed deciduous hedge. With only a handful of Cambs records, I considered it an extremely lucky capture during an hour walk with the net.
10. Tinagma ocnerostomella 28/05/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) The best moth of the night was the rare and tiny Tinagma ocnerostomella, with it's fairly plain grey speckled wings and it's distinct 'Terminator' eye. The eye proved very hard to get a photograph of as the light wouldn't play ball. The moth was a nightmare itself to calm down as it raced around the pot even after fridging it. Then I lost it! with just a pot photo oops. Then luckily I caught another and then another. I think I ended up recording 5 during the course of the year.
11. Alder Kitten 30/05/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New species for me) A gloriously marked Alder Kitten was the highlight of a busy trap of 80 species, a May record for here. This completes the Kitten checklist for my garden.
12. Elegia similella 09/06/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (2nd for Cambs) Elegia similella Represented the 878th moth species for the garden at the time of going to press, and a second record for Cambs to boot. A moth that was more regular in broad-leaved ancient woodland in my old stomping ground in Hertfordshire. Even better was that I recorded another on the 26th.
13. Monochroa tenebrella 13/06/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (3rd for Cambs) After recording the first and the second of this species for Cambs in years past (In the garden and at Chippenham Fen) It was great but less surprising to record another at home. Sheep's Sorrel is its foodplant, and there are areas where it grows in dense sporadic patches locally.
14. Monopis fenestratella 19/06/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (Not seen in Cambs since 1877) Probably my best moth of the year, a drab little Tinea species. Luckily it didn't need the chop to get to species level. Monopis fenestratella is a jittery Tinea species that just wouldn't sit still. Finally it cooled down in the fridge for a few hours I was able to get it under a hand lens and notice that it wasn't all the same colour, with pale patches dorsally and ventrally, and a distinctive opaque window marking (fenestra meaning window in Latin). A new moth for me, and even more exciting was that it hadn't been seen in the county since 1877, which was the 1st British record! Since there have been less than 12 records nationwide.
15. Scarlet Tiger(s) 25/06/25 - Chippenham Fen, East Cambs (Sheer Abundance) The most shocking thing that happened on my late June trip to Chippenham Fen was a huge influx of Scarlet Tigers, counting over 500 in and around one trap, and a further 200 odd in the grass and on the walls, I then went to the next trap, and it was the same! All 4 traps were like this, so a conservative estimate would be around the 2500 mark, utter madness and sadly it was hard to see past them all and pick out the micros.
16. Small Mottled Willow 29/06/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) A migrant moth that has particularly good years and on others it is almost absent. This year was a good one, and I was lucky to bag two, one at home and one at my local nature reserve.
17. Hornet Moth 04/07/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) When I got home from work, I did the lure bucket trap rounds and saw a large yellow moth buzzing around inside one of them. It was to be a garden first Hornet Moth (In the initial excitement I mis-identified it as a Lunar). An excellent garden record and the 9th Clearwing species to be recorded in my garden, even better was that overnight I had two Hornets arrive at my trap, so it was nice to pop them side by side, showing the differences and also the similarities side by side.
18. Ypsolopha vittella 06/07/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) At the start of July there was a real drop in species and numbers of moths, with cooler conditions throughout the day and night, a north breeze was blowing into the garden (being north facing made this worse). But it was well worth the effort of getting up at 4am, as there was a tiny non-descript moth on one of the outer egg trays that I didn't initially recognise.
A quick fumble with a glass tube and it was safely retained for a better look.
The moth turned out to be Ypsolopha vittella, a first for the garden and the 8th species of Ypsolopha to be recorded here.
19. Mompha sturnipennella 10/07/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) A species I am familiar with from trapping on chalk grassland in Hertfordshire a couple of times. The biggest of the group, and when fresh like this one, sports black longitudinal streaks.
20. Depressaria sordidatella 10/07/25 - Hadstock, NW Essex (3rd for Essex) A second visit to this small nature reserve yielded some lovely moths. Of note was at least 20 Magpie Moths. One micro really stood out as something different, and indeed it was. I sent the moth off to Chris Lewis in Essex, and the genitalia dissection came back as Depressaria sordidatella a moth I recorded once on my parents old farm in Hertfordshire, a similar chalky habitat and both sites being roughly 400m above sea level. This record being the 3rd for Essex.
21. Isophrictis striatella 13/07/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) An unexpected species here. The caterpillars feed on the stems of Tansy & Sneezewort, neither of which I have seen locally. There are currently 7 county records, all at one site on the south Cambs/north Herts at RSPB Fowlmere, so a very good record indeed, and only my 2nd record of this species having taken my first one in Bedfordshire in 2021.
22. Acrobasis tumidana 14/07/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (2nd for garden) Another migrant that has done well this year, much like the Small Mottled Willow. I recorded 4 in the garden in 2025. It can be distinguished from the similar Acrobasis repandana by the ridge of reddish raised scale tufts next to a white crossbar.
23. Ground Lackey 17/07/25 - Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk (2nd for Norfolk) My first time at this site, which is technically a car park near the sea, I won't over-glamourise it! It did well though, with a spectacular female Ground Lackey, only the 2nd record for Norfolk, a female was found out of habitat in Norwich in 2013. My previous records have come from Dungeness.
24. Scrobipalpa nitentella 17/07/25 - Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk (New species for me) A new moth for me, and there were several present to the trap nearest the sea. It is listed as one of the more regular Scrobipalpa along the coastlines of Norfolk.
25. Dark Crimson Underwing 18/07/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New species for me) Some real quality moths as we headed just past the peak of moth trapping. A brand new moth for my records, a stunning Dark Crimson Underwing took top spot, the third Catocala species to grace my garden trap (Red & Blue being the other two). I have seen this moth before at Bramfield Woods in Hertfordshire, where two came to Trevor Brownsell's trap, but it felt like cheating ticking them off!
26. Scythris limbella 18/07/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) The best micro on the same night as 'big red', were not one but two Scythris limbella. My first encounter of this species was in 2017 in Hertfordshire.
27. Jersey Mocha 19/07/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden & 2nd for Cambs) A cooler night and it seemed the early rise wouldn't be worth it, with lots of repeats of brown moths. However, it only takes one moth to be worth it. Jersey Mocha was rather unexpected to say the least. It was to be the 2nd county record for Cambridgeshire, with the 1st one recorded in 2019 in Stretham. My first one was also extremely unexpected when Ian Bennell and I took one in Hertfordshire in 2016, nearly a decade ago! And then a second one turned up on the 8th of September, unbelievable.
28. Hellinsia carphodactyla 16/08/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) I was extremely pleased to pot up a Hellinsia plume species on the fence early evening in mid August. This is my second of this genus after taking Mugwort Plume (Hellinsia lienigianus) 3 years on a trot. This newest addition being the Citron Plume (Hellinsia carphodactyla) and was the 909th species for the garden.
29. Dark Spinach 19/08/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) Another new macro moth was a really fresh Dark Spinach on the 19th of August. It is one i've taken a few times before in Essex, and more recently in nearby Norfolk, a stunning looking moth.
30. Coleophora lineolea 20/08/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New species for me) Coleophora lineolea is a species I have never seen before, so I was very pleased to get two to my trap late on in the year. I must get out more to look for the larval cases next year.
31. Chevron 02/09/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) An expected species eventually I guess, a regular species at Wicken & Chippenham Fen and I've also taken it over the border in Norfolk a few times. Lively and hard to photograph!
32. Apomyelois bistriatella 08/09/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New species for me) Back on the 8th of September I potted up a rather dark pyralid that was flittering around the trap. initially it looked like a dark Ephestia species, but when brought inside and under a hand lens in good light, revealed that it was infact the scarce moth, Apomyelois bistriatella.
A new moth for me and my garden. There are a few records from one site in Cambridge but that is it (although there are no photographs available I assume these records are correct).
33. Four-spotted Footman 09/09/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) Best moth of the night went to the migrant Four-spotted Footman. A seemingly good year for this species in the south and east. I recorded another a week later and whilst on holiday in Hampshire back in August.
34. Agonopterix propinquella 17/09/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) A very welcome Agonopterix propinquella was potted up on a breezy night, I get subpropinquella regularly here, the slightly larger cousin to this species.
35. Epinotia caprana/maculana 16/10/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) The most interesting moth of the night was a medium sized micro moth, a tortrix spotted on the vanes of my actinic trap. Identifying it as one of the Epinotia species, things would get trickier now once it was potted!
A unincolorous form, so not easy to identify. I've ruled out sordidana on the darker hindwing, and leaning more towards caprana with the dark streak present, but then it could be maculana! A difficult one that will no doubt lead to dissection eventually, unless someone can enlighten me. Specimen retained for the time being.
36. Crocidosema plebejana 07/11/25 - Fordham, East Cambs (New for garden) Crocidosema plebejana, a small migrant moth much like Plutella xylostella and Udea ferrugalis. I get these sporadically at various sites, but never in the garden, until this night.
The New Chanel Boutique Opening and Charity Event, on Robertson Blvd , SIMPLY CONSISTENT INC.
www.simplyconsistent.com/charity.php
www.simplyconsistent.com/personalassistant.php
"-Chanel Boutique."
"-Kathleen Checki."
"-Checki."
"-Simply Consistent."
"-Simply Consistent Management."
200 Block East 19th Street, North Vancouver, BC.
Description of Historic Place:
Set amongst other low density housing, Finlay's Row is a group of eleven similar wood-frame houses with front gable roofs built in the Edwardian vernacular style, that form a consistent streetscape on the south side of East 19th Street.
Heritage Value:
Finlay's Row is valued for its association with the development boom in North Vancouver before the First World War. The Lonsdale area grew explosively from the turn of the twentieth century until the general financial depression in 1913 halted the ambitious construction of the previous years. The streetcar, ferry to Vancouver and the Pacific Great Eastern railway converged at the south foot of Lonsdale Avenue, the major transportation hub on the North Shore. The area represents a formative period in B.C.'s economy, driven at the time by major industries including logging and shipbuilding.
This row of eleven identical houses was built in 1910 on a speculative basis by local developer William Finlay, anticipating continued population growth on the North Shore. Despite a variety of minor alterations, these houses retain a high degree of integrity and, with their similar landscape treatments and siting on each lot, together represent the typical appearance of a residential street of the Edwardian era.
Source: Heritage Planning Files, City of North Vancouver
Character-Defining Elements:
Key elements that define the heritage character of the Finlay's Row grouping and the eleven individual houses include the:
- consistent rectangular plan form, one and one-half storey plus basement scale and symmetrical massing of each house
- spatial relationship of each house within the grouping
- wood frame construction, including lapped wood siding and cedar shingles in the upper gable ends
- consistent setback from the street
- Edwardian vernacular vocabulary, including full open front verandahs and ground floor projecting bays on the front facade
- front gable roofs with side shed dormers
- extant double-hung 1-over-1 wooden-sash windows
- consistent landscape treatment including front hedging and fencing
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It's a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.
Toronto is a city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, with the original city area lying between the Don and Humber rivers.
For more information on visiting Toronto visit:
For more information on visiting Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
********
About this day of the trip:
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada
Skylon Tower This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
Toronto, ON
Lake Ontario Cruise Lake Ontario Cruises offer gorgeous views of the city of Toronto from the waters of Lake Ontario, one of the famous Great Lakes of North America. See the city of Toronto and the surrounding area in a new way!
Toronto City Hall This unique building complex is one of the most famous in Toronto, and also the home of the city's municipal government. The Toronto City Hall offers self-guided tours which are available in five languages (including English).
University of Toronto Routinely placed in the top 30 institutions of higher learning in the world, the University of Toronto has been educating the masses since 1827. Widely considered the best university in Canada, it is known for its pioneering research.
Casa Loma This century-old Gothic-style house in Toronto was originally the home of financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Today, it serves as a museum that showcases the history of life in Toronto and what life was like in the early 1900s.
CN Tower Toronto's CN Tower is a Canadian icon and one of the most recognizable North American buildings. Made entirely of concrete, this massive monolith was the tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion in 1976.
Ontario Legislative Building The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the seventh structure to function as the parliamentary building of the province of Ontario. This impressive building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style and was built in 1893.
Chinatown One of the largest Chinatowns in North America is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Toronto contains several Chinatowns. This one is the oldest, dating back to the 1870s, and the historical area features many authentic groceries, restaurants, and shops.
Toronto Chinese Dinner Treat yourself to a specialty dinner in one of the largest Chinatowns in the Western Hemisphere! Freshly-cooked meats and vegetables decorate the windows of the esteemed restaurants, from whole cooked ducks to beef ribs and so much more. Enjoy!
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
**************************
3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
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Toronto city, Ontario province, Canada country, North America continent
July 12th 2014
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Wright County MN 2011
Independence Day-July 4, 2011
"Isn't our choice really not one of left or right, but of up or down? Down through the welfare state to statism, to more and more government largesse accompanied always by more government authority, less individual liberty, and ultimately, totalitarianism, always advanced as for our own good. The alternative is the dream conceived by our Founding Fathers, up to the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with an orderly society. We don't celebrate dependence day on the Fourth of July. We celebrate Independence Day." ~ Ronald Reagan (1984)
“Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the democrats believe every day is April 15.” - Ronald Reagan
Jaguar were consistent but not good enough to beat the fabulous sounding V8 Mercedes. They looked and sounded great though! I really like the low light shot on the straight.
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the Modi Government too. Throughout these months, AISA has taken on the issue of corruption head on, consistently mobilising public opinion on a positive radical left agenda. Most unfortunately, other left organisations have remained completely silent on the issue, not bothering to take the left agenda to the masses at this crucial juncture. Not just this, the DSU has now woken up from months of slumber ONLY to launch a virulent attack on AISA and CPI(ML) Liberation. According to the DSU, we are opportunistically riding the right-wing, fascist, anti-reservation wave by joining the anti-corruption masses at Ramlila Maidan, Jantar Mantar and elsewhere. .
Opportunist Abuse Against AISAs Anti-Corruption Movement Apart from conveniently and deliberately ignoring the well-known fact that AISA had launched an independent campaign on corruption, DSU is now alleging that we have uncritically joined the Anna Hazare movement! We would like to state loud and clear: we have taken our message on corruption to the masses on our own political banner. Though the agenda as defined by Anna Hazare is undoubtedly limited, the aspirations of the lakhs of people on the streets today are driven by a genuine urge to end the impunity of the corrupt and powerful, and resist corruption. Whose responsibility is it to reach out to these people, heighten their consciousness, talk about the real roots of corruption, and mobilise them to think beyond the limited Lokpal agenda? Is this not the job of a radical left force? .
Let us quote a press release issued by the CPI(Maoist) on April 13, 2011: .
The Central Committee of the CPI (Maoist) welcomes countrywide response of the people against corruption.
We call upon workers, peasants, students, intellectuals, employees, pro-people Gandhians and all other patriotic forces to come forward and to form a broad alliance to fight against corruption which has affected our country. .
Comrades from DSU: we have few simple questions: .
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Why is the CPI(Maoist) welcoming the countrywide response of people if it is all elite, casteist and fascist in nature? .
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Isnt the CPI(Maoist)s above statement referring to Anna Hazare as a pro-people Gandhian and patriot ( which is much more than the CPI(ML) has ever done in its many commentaries on the Anna phenomenon!)? .
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Is the DSU ready to call their parent, CPI(Maoist), a cheerleader of Anna, too?! .
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Or will DSU admit that their anti-Anna rants are limited to JNU alone (while their Maoist parents extend an embrace to him) because their agenda is not so much anti-Anna as to malign and berate AISAs painstaking campaign on the streets against corruption?! .
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We would like to ask DSU: who will talk to the pro-people Gandhians, students, intellectuals and workers? Only Anna Hazare and Co.,RSS, BJP and NGOs? Today, lakhs of people are in Ramlila Maidan and all over the country, under the mistaken impression that Anna is a demi-God and that the Lokpal is a panacea for combating corruption. How will DSUs fulminations in JNU campus against Anna Hazares agenda (and we agree with many of DSUs apprehensions) reach them? Will some mysterious supernatural force carry their message through the air from a corner of Ganga Dhaba or Tapti mess or from the jungles of Jharkhand straight to Ramlila Maidan? Comrades, the fact of the matter is that there is no short cut to engaging with the masses. Today, every radical left force will have to reach out to the positive, anti-corruption sentiment of the people, and give the right direction to the mass anger. This cannot happen merely by remaining in our comfort zones, pious statements against Anna Hazares agenda, and ranting against AISA! It requires hard work .
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The 20 of Matt Kenseth and the 22 of idiot kid Joey Logano fight for position in the closing laps. Matt Kenseth has long been a very consistent racer, even if he was a little boring. But something in Kenseth's mind snapped a couple of years ago, and he's been getting in a lot of fights. He's been especially angry at drivers who are connected with the Penske Racing team. A couple of years ago, he jumped Brad Keselowski behind the car haulers in one of the funnier such incidents I've seen. Last year, he got into a long, slow-burn war with Joey Logano that culminated with Kenseth intentionally wrecking Logano out at Martinsville, killing Logano's shot at the Championship. I don't like Logano very much, so I was okay with this, but this kind of thing's kind of a silly side attraction. It's just the sort of thing the artificially engineered excitement of the current iteration of the Chase is designed to do.
"Say, Clint," you might be asking. "What is this Chase thing you keep talking about?" The answer is I can't really explain it, as it's one of the more complicated topics I touch on in these pictures, and it involves a level of math I can't begin to fathom. In short, the Chase is the way NASCAR determines its champion. And the funny thing is that it all traces back to the guy in that 20 car, none other than formerly boring Matt Kenseth.
Back in the old days, NASCAR used to base its championship on a point system calculated over the course of a racing season. Drivers would get different values for different things. You'd get a point for leading a race a lap, say, and you'd get points for winning, points for coming in second, third, and so on. At the end of the season, the driver with the most points was named Winston Cup champion. (NASCAR's top circuit was sponsored by Winston cigarette company back then, and that's still how I think of it.) This could lead to some excitement--1992 came down to the last lap of the last race--but usually it was pretty obvious who would be the champion well before it happened. A lot of people didn't much care about it.
And then in 2003, boring Matt Kenseth came along and won the points championship while only winning a single race. Ryan Newman, on the other hand, won 8 races that year, but Kenseth was more consistent. He had 25 finishes in the top 10, and the points for that overrode Ryan Newman's frequent victories. You could kind of say Kenseth won an electoral college championship.
So the next year, NASCAR decided to change things up and invented the Chase. This was meant to mimic a post-season tournament like what you'll see in other sports. Points would be tallied for the first 26 races of the season. After that, the top 10 drivers (plus anybody else within 400 points of the leader) would be made eligible for the championship. Everybody's still racing, but only a few are in the Chase. Points would reset, and the highest number of points for the rest of the year would win the championship. But NASCAR kept running into special circumstances, so they kept changing it up to try to make it more exciting.
In 2014, they came up with the most complicated scheme of all, one so complicated I can't explain it without forcing you to scroll down about 50 feet. Basically, the Chase has been divided into rounds of three races each. On the third race of a round, a certain number of the lowest ranked drivers get eliminated, and everybody else moves on. You whittle it down through the rounds until the last race of the season, when the four guys left compete against each other for the highest position in that race, and that guy wins the championship based on that race alone. So it's possible for a guy to win every race during the season, then come in second at Homestead and not be champion.
I'll be honest, I liked the format the first year, but since then it just seems more and more insane. Every third race, the drivers turn wild as they try to keep from getting eliminated, and it encourages a lot of dumb moves made in desperation. I don't like dumb moves, so it's lost its appeal. And it's absolutely broken Matt Kenseth, who now has this permanent crazed look in his eye. I'd rather it go back to just points, I think.
Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.
This is NOT my image. I downloaded it from somewhere (that I do not remember) long ago.
Why is it here VR, if you did not take it?
(this is going to be a very long reply, so if you're not a reader, go back to watching, "Duck Dynasty" or "Dancing With The Stars").
This is about "Passion". Real, 'get up before dawn, forget to eat lunch, go to bed after midnight, and do it all over again, day after day, month after month, year after year, consistent overachieving,' "PASSION!"
One morning about 8 years ago, I woke up about 4 am (on a weeknight), and I couldn't go back to sleep. I had a job (typical, working-class, cubicle jockey job). It paid O.K. I had health benefits, dental, vision, the whole 9. I was incredibly fortunate compared to millions of people who want to work, but can't find a job of any kind, much less one that pays halfway decently. I was never going to get rich doing this job; hell, I wasn't ever going to even ascend to the ever-shrinking Middle Class (which is about this || <--------------thin nowadays). The rich, mega rich, and wealthy are growing exponentially, as are the poor and very poor. I was moderately comfortable. I could pay my bills, and buy a few mid-range photographic toys every now and then, but that was about it. Fortune is relative. I was fortunate compared to people who stand on the side of the road wearing a costume or holding signs. Fortunate compared to fast-food workers. Fortunate compared to a coal miner. But, not in the same hemisphere of financial fortune as a Wall Street hedge fund manager, an "A" list Hollywood actor, a school superintendent, or a pharmacist. I did not like the job and had only a modicum of intermittent passion for it. The job was actually tolerable, it was the people I dealt with (co-workers and clientele) that I really had no use for. I was great at the job. I was consistently #1 of the 9 other people in the company who did the job. The problem is that society did, and does not place a high financial value on what I did, and thus the 'market' dictated that it was not, and never would be, a high-paying job. But, is "tolerable" the way you (I) want to go through life?
No. But, the reality is, that the majority of us, do not have (or have not been able to identify) the talent, aptitude, drive, guts, credentials, luck, etc. to do what we truly would or could be "one of a kind" great at. Our driving, all consuming passion. Maybe we are missing 1 or 2 of these things. Maybe we are missing all of them.
Anyway, at 4am that morning, I turned on the TV. The channel just happened to be on PBS, and there was Jimi Hendrix playing (I think it was 1967, at the Monterey Pop Festival). I watched this man play the guitar, like that was what God placed him on this planet to do. The whole time (and the set ran for what seemed like 20 minutes), he looked like he was in the most peaceful Zen-like state imaginable. He looked totally at peace. He did not just "play" guitar. He did not just pluck at it dispassionately. Hendrix lorded over, and DOMINATED that guitar, Hendrix made that guitar his b!tch, with the ease that mere mortals walk through the park. And after he made that guitar his b!tch, he set it on fire. I watched with envy. I was transfixed on him. It was like I was in a trance. I was in awe of his talent and passion. I thought to myself, "What if Jimi Hendrix had never picked up a guitar?" or "What if he had never reached notoriety?" "What if Jimi Hendrix took the 'safe' route and became an accountant or a bus driver or worked at The Department of Motor Vehicles?"
For the past 3 days, I have been watching/listening to Eric Clapton's live version of, "I Shot the Sheriff" on YouTube. While I realize that this song was written by Bob Marley, and some would consider it sacrilegious to acknowledge any version except for Bob Marley's, I prefer Clapton's version. In this live version, Clapton plays a guitar solo for about 4 and a half minutes, and, while (in my humble opinion), he is no Hendrix, he is up on that stage doing something he LOVES, and is doing it with PASSION! I have probably replayed Eric Clapton playing, "I Shot the Sheriff" 100 times in the past 3 days. Clapton is a very rich man because he has the type of musical talent which will make thousands of fans stand in line, overnight, for the privilege of parting with their "hard earned" just to watch and listen to him. The talent and artistry that makes tens of thousands of fans yell themselves hoarse and cry while watching and listening to him sing and play. The talent to make me play his YouTube video 100 times within 3 days.
When I was younger, I could not understand why (famous) entertainers made so much money. It wasn't until Michael Jordan was well into his career that it hit me. There are only a small number of people on the planet (Maybe 1000. Maybe 10,000. Maybe 100,000) out of 6 billion, who are, "at the top of their game" and were smart enough to find out at an early age what they either were extraordinary at (or had the aptitude to be extraordinary at), and work their @$$es off to reach the top. People who, even when matched against the best of their peers, still consistently, stand head and shoulders above them. But even then, talent and hard work are not enough. You need luck. You need to be at the proverbial "right place, at the right time". I remember getting into a (argument is too strong a word, let's go with disagreement) a disagreement with an acquaintance years ago, because he felt that "luck" had nothing to do with it. Do not misunderstand me, you will never be a physician, if you don't graduate from medical school. You will never be a world-class race car driver if you are blind. You will never be a center in the NBA if you are 5'7". Despite what all the "feel good", self-esteem proponents tell children these days, there are limits, and there are things that, despite how much you practice and want, you simply will never be able to do. But, you can be as talented as all get out, and despite the "feel good" saying, the cream does NOT always rise to the top; whether it be due to poor choices, poor advice, bad influences, bad luck, bad timing, etc. I am not a musician. I cannot read music. Everything I know about music, would fit in a cat's @$$, but I know what I like. The night before last, I watched and listened to an anonymous guy from Milwaukee, play the guitar on YouTube. The guy appeared to be in his late 50's or early 60's and identified himself as a music teacher. It's debatable whether the guy was drunk, but, someone off camera was calling out songs, like, "Hendrix, All Around the Watch Tower" and "Isley Brothers, Voyage to Atlantis" and this guy would riff those songs, and to my untrained ear, this (possibly) drunk, old, anonymous guy would play what to me, sounded EXACTLY like the original, and he did it as effortlessly as I have ever seen anyone do anything. He did NOT just 'play the songs'. HE, 'PLAYED THE SHYT OUT OF THE SONGS!' This was obviously a man who had been playing the guitar for a 'minute'. You don't believe in luck? Why is THAT guy not world famous? You say, "Well, VR, he is probably an alcoholic blah, blah, blah." My reply is that, half (or more) of the famous 'commercial' musical artists you have ever heard about, were some of the worst drunks, coke heads, meth addicts, weed smokers, and dope fiends that ever walked the earth. Again, "Why is miscellaneous YouTube guy not a household name?" That guy had talent coming out of his @$$. "Well, VR maybe he did not want to be famous." Possibly, but a lot of people (who just happened to be in the proverbial "right place, at the right time") did not pursue fame and fortune, but fame and fortune FOUND THEM. Why did fame & fortune not come knocking on this guy's door? I would argue that you don't post yourself on YouTube if you are shunning the spotlight.
The world is full of extremely talented people who just didn't catch a break. Poor timing, bad luck, poor choices, poor advice, poor health, (maybe a combination of all of the above) etc. etc. etc. "Well, name a few VR." I will name 3: Gary Kildall (it has widely been written that he had the opportunity to be Bill Gates or what Bill Gates is today. Bill Gates has even called him, 'One of the original pioneers of the PC revolution.'), there are multiple versions of the story, but he certainly had the opportunity to at least be a billionaire, but instead died rich, but anonymously. Look it up.
Sam Bowie. Drafted ahead of a player you might have heard of named, Michael Jordan, in the 1984 NBA draft. Bowie was an outstanding high school and college athlete. However, Bowie was plagued by foot and leg problems throughout his 10 year NBA career. As a result, Bowie posted only unexceptional career stats, and has been called the, "worst draft pick in North American sports history". Ouch. Oh, that Jordan fellow? You're probably wondering, "Whatever happened to him?" He went on to win 6 NBA championships, and, a very strong case could be made that Michael Jordan is THE greatest NBA player of all-time.
Nikola Tesla. Inventor. Electrical Engineer. Mechanical Engineer. Physicist. Inventor of the Alternating Current (or what charges your i-phone, camera battery, what your skinny TV is plugged into. Tesla immigrated to the U.S. from Serbia. Worked for Thomas Edison for a while, and quit in a dispute with Edison over money. Both men went on to invent competing technologies: Edison invented the DC (direct current). Tesla invented the AC current. AC was the better system, and more technically efficient however, Edison was the better business man and his system won out (even though, the AC (alternating current) is what is used today). Tesla died alone, virtually anonymously, in a hotel room, impoverished and in debt. "Whatever became of that Edison fellow?" Edison, a prolific inventor (over 1000 patents associated with his name) and business man, invented (or credited with inventing), among other things, the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the lightbulb, went on to become a multi-millionaire, who had an estate near that of Henry Ford, and died in 1931 as a world-famous, wealthy inventor.
Sure, money is/was the byproduct, but I do not believe that Gates, Clapton, Edison, Tesla, Sam Walton, Michael Jordan, Kildall, Steve Jobs, etc. etc. did what they did for money. I think these elite 'players' all did what they did, "for the love of it", and the money was a byproduct of their passion. Until the very end of his career, Jordan was never even near the highest paid NBA player. Billionaire Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak, (the software programming genius counterpart to Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, wanted to "give away" Apple's intellectual property in the early days. Without Jobs' business sense, Wozniak would be a retired Hewlett Packard engineer, living off of his 401-k contributions. We all want and need money. Most people love 'nice' things. (I would LOVE to live in the part of the country where I truly want. Be insulated from the irritations and banalities that the 'average' person is subjected to on the daily. Drive the car that I truly want. Be able to go out and buy a Nikon D4 and all the best glass, and be able to afford it all without even blinking an eye). Money certainly makes life easier and more pleasant, but, I believe that none of these above people, who are and were among the elite in their fields consider their work, "work" or a "job". Call me crazy, but I believe they would consider what they do, their "calling" or their "passion". Watching Hendrix up there on that stage that morning, dominating that guitar, was not watching a man performing a mere, "job". Watching game 6 of the (I think it was the 1997 NBA finals), when Jordan played 40 minutes of NBA championship basketball, with the flu (most people can't even sit at their desk and shuffle papers around while they have the flu), was not watching a man with a "job". Reading about Steve Jobs, and how he used to stay up for days at a time, driving his people to the edge of their sanity, was not about a man performing a 'job'. And, ironically, in all 3 examples (Hendrix, Jordan, and Jobs), they had all reached the pinnacle of success (financial and otherwise). They did NOT have to push themselves. They could have easily rested on their laurels. So, to my mind, this was not about money. Each of them had a maniacal, insane, almost spiritual work ethic, drive, and passion to be THE best.
The gist of this 'stream of conscious' manifesto can be summed up by a minimum of 2 thoughts:
1) It is crucial that you help your child find his or her area of expertise and aptitude, so that no matter what they do, whether they're a world-class composer, a botanist, or a clerk at the Department of Motor Vehicle, they have a passion for it, and that passion makes them aspire to be THE best composer or botanist or DMV worker. So, that people remember him/her, as they do Hendrix, Gates, and Jordan, and say, Lisa/Larry was "THE best to ever do it!"
2) Do you truly LOVE what you do for a living? Is it your PASSION? If not, do you even know what your PASSION is? What that thing is, that you could do on an elite level, do so passionately that you could and would do it for free (or to use a Michael Jordan saying, "For the love of the game"), competing against the very best on the planet?
For me, my answers are: (and I hate to admit it). "No." "No." and "No."