Ah Professional Wrestling.. or as someone once called it, "Male Soap Opera". Full of all sorts of plots, storylines, and drama. While there are highs and lows with regards to the motivation of the players, the one thing that is consistent is the fact it is a very physically demanding occupation.

 

I don't watch any of it these days, but I was a bit more active during what is known as the "Attitude Era", which took place during the 2000s. This wonderful time made many prominent new stars, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, as well as continued the development of preexisting players like The Undertaker and of course, master of The Pedigree - Triple H, Hunter Hearst Hemsley, The Cerebral Assassin, The Game, The King of Kings... whatever you like to call him.

 

Picked him up on a whim cause he was cheap and more importantly, I had visions of Woody getting slammed and was curious how well articulated the wrestling bodies were.

 

My best guess is that this is based on a beefier standard body, and not the Tamashii Nations "Fighting Body" that the Street Fighter figures are based on.

 

Content wise, the set does alright. You get the figure, three total expressions (neutral, yelling, smiling), three sets of hands (closed fists, weapon grabbing fists, opening and closing fists), sledgehammer, and bottle of water. The only thing that would have been nice to add would have been a water spay effect.

 

Triple H certainly looks the part.. well mostly. The body is never going to be 100% accurate, but it does get his musculature and overall silhouette pretty accurately, with a somewhat undersized chest and honestly, not enough body hair for Attitude era Triple H.

 

The hair on his head, much like with Infinity War Widow, is gold instead of blonde, and is decently detailed for a figure of this size. Faces are hit and miss - the neutral face is fairly well done. They got expression, and the general shape of Triple H's brow, nose, and eyes. In the right light, you get a really good photo of him.

 

The yelling and laughing faces are... serviceable. In the right light, they're terrible, and you can be sure I had some fun with that.

 

Articulation isn't as refined as I'd like for a wrestling figure. I mean sure, the main points of articulation are there - ankles, double jointed knee, hips with thigh swivel, mid torso, shoulders with chest collapse, double jointed elbows with elbow twist, wrists, neck, and head. The hair, much like other figures with hair that drapes down close to the body, affects the ability of the figure to turn its head.

 

Ankles can rotate a full 360 degrees so you can replicate Kurt Angle breaking it, I suppose.

 

The chest collapse allows for pretty good replication of various holds, but the posing of the upper body is somewhat hampered by the elbows not allowing as deep a bend as I'd like.

 

While the hips pull down to allow for greater range of motion, the thighs are designed such in a full seated position they do no come together, which can make posing posing drivers or other seated slams a bit challenging.

 

Similar to the elbows, the knees could have used a bit more range of motion, but to do that you'd probably have to cut into the thigh and mess with silhouette.

 

From a paint perspective, he's deceptively simple looking. While not as vibrant as the other figures I've looked at. there's actually quite a bit of paint on the figure. For starters, the flesh coloured parts are almost all painted, with some dark airbrushing to emphasize muscles. It's the lack of colours that makes things hard to see. Overall, you get smooth paint applications, with average-at-best masking, especially given how simple the actual masking spots are. The digital face painting itself seems to be reasonably sharp, with the sculpt itself being what throws things off.

 

Build quality is what you expect - solid across the board. No issues with joint strength, limbs are the right length, parts hold together well, and no alignment issues. The finish isn't quite a strong as a Figma in terms of hiding seam lines, but again, Fiiguarts rarely are.

 

A neat figure and a pretty good Triple H, probably no worse off in terms of accuracy as any other figure based on a live action property. Not sure how well these (the WWE Figuarts line) sold, based on the pricing I've seen, but I imagine over here it's a bit tougher to get wrestling fans to buy based on the MSRP, even if the body and accuracy are better than your run of the mill figure. The sledgehammer was definitely a must have in this set... Triple H without a sledgehammer is like selling Stone Cold without a beer.

 

I've got a few interesting figures waiting to be unboxed, and one or two coming in the mail, a group of which includes a few things that effectively showed up because of "support local business" and aren't in my appetite.

 

So stay tuned!

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...

The National Wallace Monument commemorates Sir William Wallace. He was one of the very few who consistently opposed the efforts of King Edward I of England to impose his will, and ultimately his supremacy, over Scotland and the Scots in the years around 1300.

 

The Wallace, as he is often known, is one of the most powerful, most evocative, and most well recognised figures from Scottish history. It is a fair bet that today his name is better known worldwide than most, if not all, of Scotland's monarchs.

 

Yet he was never a king; his notable deeds took place over a very short period of time, part of which he actually spent in France; he fought just two major battles and emerged with a score of won one and lost one, and in the end he was betrayed and executed.

 

There's a contradiction here. Behind it lies the stunningly good press that William Wallace has received over the centuries. Most notably, the bard Blind Harry wrote an epic 1470 poem, The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie. This introduced the story of Wallace as the heroic figure we now all know, at times without too much regard for the actual historical facts.

 

But it was not Blind Harry who brought Wallace's story to the attention of a worldwide audience, it was Mel Gibson. His 1995 film Braveheart added another layer of artistic license to the one already applied by Blind Harry. The result has been criticised for its lack of historical accuracy. But critics of what is, without doubt, a superbly entertaining and enormously popular film, miss the point. The point is that the historical accuracy of the film doesn't really matter, just as the historical accuracy of Blind Harry's poem didn't really matter. People believe what they want to believe, and for a nation in search of national heroes, William Wallace fitted the bill perfectly: and still does.

 

But let's wind the story back to the mid-1800s. Scotland, with more than a little help from Sir Walter Scott, was going through an earlier phase of the rediscovery of its sense of national pride and identity after a period during which for many it had become "North Britain". Blind Harry's William Wallace was a perfect focus for the celebration of this new sense of identity and as a result statues of him and monuments to him began to spring up all over the country, with more than 20 being built in all.

 

But many wanted a national monument to William Wallace that could be venerated by everyone in Scotland. Funds were raised from the public, and a competition was launched for a design for the monument after an initial proposal was deemed too anti-English (of a Scottish lion in the act of killing a mythical English creature). 106 entries were submitted and the design that was selected was by the Scots Baronial architect J.T. Rochead.

 

His approach was to marry together two uniquely Scottish features. He took the traditional design of a Scottish tower house castle, complete with an external stair turret, and stretched it vertically. Then he added to the top a stone crown spire, of the sort seen atop the towers of St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh and King's College in Aberdeen.

 

The question of location had been decided some years earlier. Both Edinburgh and Glasgow wanted to be home to the monument, and Stirling was chosen mainly because it could be seen as neutral territory. Having decided on Stirling, the choice of the rocky outcrop of Abbey Craig was an obvious one for the monument, for three main reasons. Firstly, if you are going to build a monument intended to make a statement, putting it on top of a high outcrop of rock allows it to make the biggest statement possible. Secondly, Abbey Craig could be quarried to provide the stone needed to build the monument.

 

The third reason for the location was that Abbey Craig overlooks the site of William Wallace's most notable victory over the English, the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which took place on 11 September 1297. This was fought around the original wooden bridge over the River Forth at Stirling, in the shadow of Stirling Castle and just below Abbey Craig. The original bridge lay a short distance upstream from the stone bridge known today as Old Stirling Bridge. The Scots attacked from the Abbey Craig when the English were half deployed across the bridge and won an overwhelming victory. After the battle, Wallace was knighted by an unnamed Earl and became Sir William Wallace "Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland and leader of its armies." His co-leader, Andrew Murray fared less well, dying some time later from wounds received during the battle. Wallace followed up the victory by leading the Scots into Northumberland and Cumbria, retreating only when the weather became too bad to continue the campaign.

 

The true historical significance of the Battle of Stirling Bridge is debatable. The English returned to Scotland in early 1298, trying to draw Wallace into open battle. This eventually happened at the Battle of Falkirk, on 22 July 1298. Defeat there was the beginning of the end for Wallace who was eventually executed in London on 23 August 1305. But as we've already said, none of this is really about history: the myth of Wallace has a life of its own that remains hugely influential.

 

The National Wallace Monument you see today was completed in 1869 after eight years' construction. It stands some 220ft or 67m high, and Abbey Craig adds a further 300ft or 91m, meaning that the top of the monument stands 520ft above the (tidal) River Forth below.

 

 

Why not start your day with a little bit of inspiration? I do!

 

And in fact, this post today is #264 for the year, one for each and every workday - except for September 8, 2022 - the day Queen Elizabeth died. It's the only day I've double-posted and sent a second Inspiration to the 13 different locations that this post travels to.

 

I thought I would end the year by sharing a few totally irrelevant and useless facts about this fun little obsession of mine. I know that not everyone reads every post, and in fact, in these days of attention-deficit information-surfing, few will read the post at all. They only follow me for the pictures. (Insert LOL!)

 

- the posts consistently go out each morning by at least 630 AM if not sooner. It takes a bit of work to hit the deadline - I can't miss if I've got a plane to catch or a 7 AM golf tee time to make (which happened a lot this year. The first tee is 6 minutes from my home!)

 

- the posts go out each morning to multiple networks - in addition to being posted here on my blog, they also go out to several thousand people on a mailing list, as well as to mailing lists on Substack, Medium, and LinkedIn. In addition, they make their way to a LinkedIn post, my personal Facebook page, my business Facebook page, my Flickr account, Instagram, and Mastodon.

 

- I used to post on Twitter, but since the crazy guy went full-blown crazy, I stopped actively posting there. I won't return until he is no longer in charge. (I own a Tesla. I'm not a fan of him anymore)

 

- for a brief time this year, I experimented with preparing a short video version of the Daily Inspiration that went out to TikTok. It drew quite a bit of interest - much more than I thought! But in retrospect, it was a lot of work for an audience that is unlikely to ever grow without a tremendous amount of work

 

I posted every single 'workday,' with that being rather loosely defined. It included posts on the Canadian holidays (Victoria Day Weekend and Thanksgiving October) and the US Holidays (Memorial Day and Thanksgiving November) as I do business in both countries

It's become a bit of a complicated routine, and I actually have a sheet that I use to make sure I've hit all the locations each morning.

 

Where do the images come from? Some are stage shots, but many are images where I'm posing. Most of those posed images of myself come from the virtual broadcast studio I have in my basement! (virtual.jimcarroll.com)

 

How do I make them? First off, this year I discovered the magic of Canva, which has allowed me to greatly improve my creative capabilities. I can; 't say enough about the tool - it's magical, powerful, and a creative ally to my non-creative self!

 

Every once in a while, when I need a fresh inventory of posed images, I head into the room - put on some really loud music! - and dance around, making various pose moves that might fit into a photo. My wife tends not to like loud music, so I close the door and then turn it up louder. I have to be in the right mood to do this goofy thing! Here's a short clip.

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzpb6CCacv4

 

I then feed these videos an OS/X program that extracts several hundred images; each video, of course, features a different outfit. I can then feed these into a template in Canva, remove the background, and wrap the quote text and design around it. Magic! My Daily Inspiration!

 

Most of the images this year were based on this method. However, a number were based on pictures from various keynotes during the year and prior years; for a long time, this was the primary source of photos. In a few other cases, I used other photos - sunrises, selfies, and pictures of my family. And every once in a while, my wonderfully tolerant and patient wife makes it into a post.

 

The year in inspiration? Watch this - all 264 images in 40 seconds. it's a lot of stuff!

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn1FkHxsA1w

 

Whoah! That's the fast version - here's one that is a bit slower!

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThDbdJQgZ_k

 

I must admit, I've become pretty proud of my work - over a 6-year time span, I've come a long way in my design. Here's one of the first of my Daily Inspirations from early August 2016. It's pretty bad!

 

Progress has been slow and steady. By mid-2017, I had graduated somewhat to using a signature block that made things look a bit better, but it stayed pretty basic until late 2021 when I finally began to exploit the magic of Canva.

 

I've also expanded what I've been doing with them each day. Originally, the post only consisted of the image with the text. That was it! Then gradually, over time, the post grew a bit longer, with some explanatory text. Today, many posts now run some 4,000 to 6,000 words, with images, video, and other context. Most of this text is written between 5 and 6 am; I've mastered the art of waking up to my creative self. I will admit though, that on occasion I'm working on a quote at 4 am as I am waking up.

 

A bit more detail on the process:

  

- over the years, my timing and process have shifted. Originally, I'd wake up in the morning, bleary-eyed, with coffee. I'd think of a quote, do some work, and blast it out within 10 minutes. Today, I wake up in the morning, bleary-eyed, and with 3 coffees, get it out within the hour. When my wife wakes up around 6 am, I'm already quite adrenalized and apparently somewhat annoying, as she is emerging from her sleep to my fully awake, fully motivated caffeinated self!

 

- given that the images have become somewhat more elaborate, I've started pulling together the images the day before, usually around 4 or 5 pm.

some days it is incredibly easy to come up with an idea as to what to say; other days, it is blindingly hard!

 

- I'm always thinking of a quote - I've come to annoy my wife and family and others when we are out for a walk or in the midst of dinner and I have an inspirational quote come to mind. I stop everything, grab my phone or la[top, and type it in so as to not lose the thought!

 

- I have a backlog - right now, my Google Mail folder tells me I have well over 1,000 potential quotes. Even so, sometimes, I will look at the folder and find that nothing will work for the context of my day. Sometimes a quote just randomly pops into my head.

 

- the writing process. I must say, LOVE GRAMMARLY! You see it advertised on Youtube frequently - and here's the thing: it works extraordinarily well. While I seem to be great at typing in a lot of creative thoughts at 5 am, my typing is not great, and so it has become my morning friend

 

The quotes themselves? Some are inspirational; some are trends oriented; some are personal, some are corporate in nature; some tell a story; some make a point.

 

The most popular of all time? This one is from late 2020 and has to do with the long-lasting impact of the pandemic.

 

jimcarroll.com/2020/12/daily-inspiration-it-takes-21-days...

 

The most popular in 2022? This one! It came about after my wife's van was rear-ended and written off. (She's ok!). The insurance company rather failed in its duties, and I wrote my frustration in a post. I guess someone in the company saw the post - my web traffic analysis program tells me it was shared a few thousand times within the company. I guess I got my point across!

 

jimcarroll.com/2022/07/daily-inspiration-when-you-cant-de...

 

Last but not least, why do I write these posts? I wrote this into a post similar to today's for the year 2021: A Quiet Reflection: A Look Back at My Daily Inspiration Posts for 2021

 

--

 

What kept me sane through the twists and turns that defined 2021? Mindset matters! And one of the ways I accomplish that is by pausing with a moment of reflection, each moment, as I start my day. That involves writing one of these Daily Inspirations each and every workday. It's ALWAYS the first thing I do as I start my day, between 5 and 6 am... my laptop, some coffee, some quiet thinking, as I reflect my thinking on our world, innovation, creativity, future trends, or just plain inspirational thinking.

 

The backstory? These Daily Inspiration posts go way back to August 2016, when I wrote my very first one after a complex set of difficult personal circumstances in my life. In a short time, the simple act of spending a few minutes in the morning to calmly reflect and think before starting my day became the spiritual balm that I needed to move forward with a commitment to an important purpose. Since that time. I have put together 1,440 of them - not missing one single workday.

 

--

 

So that's a wrap for 2022!

 

Onwards to 2023!

 

Original post: jimcarroll.com/2022/12/daily-inspiration-a-little-bit-of-...

 

Images taken 6/17/11 and 7/4/11 (DigitalGlobe)

 

A cluster of objects in a lot in Kadugli is consistent with eyewitness reports of white-colored, plastic tarps or body bags being used to cover bodies. Satellite imagery shows the cluster of white objects was not present on June 17.

 

For full details of the eyewitness accounts, see the report at www.satsentinel.org

Would it kill them to be consistent with the apostrophe?

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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

The New Chanel Boutique Opening and Charity Event, on Robertson Blvd., SIMPLY CONSISTENT INC.

 

www.simplyconsistent.com/

"-Chanel Boutique."

"-Kathleen Checki."

"-Checki."

"-Simply Consistent."

"-Simply Consistent Management."

 

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 New Chanel Boutique Opening and Charity Event, on Robertson Blvd hosted by Simply Consistent Inc

www.simplyconsistent.com/services/event-planning

"-Chanel Boutique."

"-Kathleen Checki."

"-Checki."

"-Simply Consistent."

"-Simply Consistent Management."

  

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.

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:

bobmould.bandcamp.com/album/blue-hearts

 

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

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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

Paula Abdul and Supermodel @ Simply Consistent , Inc. at a Beverly Hills red carpet event.

323-653-1205

simplyconsistent.com/

simplyconsistent.com/services/event-planning

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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

The New Chanel Boutique Opening and Charity Event, on Robertson Blvd , SIMPLY CONSISTENT INC.

 

www.simplyconsistent.com/

www.simplyconsistent.com/charity.php

 

www.simplyconsistent.com/personalassistant.php

"-Chanel Boutique."

"-Kathleen Checki."

"-Checki."

"-Simply Consistent."

"-Simply Consistent Management."

 

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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

Hawaii is consistently one of the most popular vacation spots in not only America, but the entire world. Millions of people are drawn to its sunny beaches, tourist attractions, and its natural radiant beauty.Please visit our website for more details www.wonderlandresorts.com/

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

Take a photograph that will embarrass you and make your audience uncomfortable.

– Erik Kessels

 

Erik adds…

A lot of photographs these days feel very comfortable, stereotypes and clichés are consistently being repeated in both style and subject matter -we’ve seen it all before. It’s difficult to create an image that feels genuinely new and unique. Even harder still is taking an image that makes people feel uncomfortable; shock value has been overused and as a result people have become desensitized. I challenge you to take an image that makes you and your audience squirm; don’t stop until everyone is blushing. Nothing new happens in the comfort zone. Be afraid, but enjoy the ride!

 

Challenge #9 is set by Dutch photography curator, publisher and artist Erik Kessels:

www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/245793-erik-kessels

 

--

 

How it works

Take photos that interpret the challenge and upload them to Flickr or Instagram. Then add them to the Challenge #9 Flickr group or use the #12by12challenge9 hashtag on Instagram. It’s possible to add up to five images per challenge to the Flickr group.

 

Once you're underway if you'd like some feedback on your work in progress images before you submit them you can add them to the WIP Album post. Once you've submitted your image(s) you can add them to the Final Albums post to make your images easier to browse for members and challenge setters alike.

 

Each challenge has its own group on Flickr, if you like to take part be sure to join the Challenge #9 group. www.flickr.com/groups/12by12challenge9/

 

Community

Each challenge has its own thread, inviting first reactions, thoughts, ongoing progress and old photos. Why not join the discussion: www.flickr.com/groups/12by12challenge9/discuss/7215766078...

 

The Challenge #8 Flickr group is now closed to submissions but you can continue respond to the instruction on Instagram.

 

Consider becoming a Supporting Member

If you've been enjoying the project so far please consider backing us by becoming a Supporting Member. The donation amounts range from the price of a chocolate bar to a nice meal out, and all come with rewards. We’re supporting the wonderful photographic charity PhotoVoice, so half of your subscription goes to them.

 

Good luck to everyone taking part!

 

– The 12 by 12 Team

.

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: .

.

Why is the CPI(Maoist) welcoming the countrywide response of people if it is all elite, casteist and fascist in nature? .

.

.

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!)? .

.

.

Is the DSU ready to call their parent, CPI(Maoist), a cheerleader of Anna, too?! .

.

.

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?! .

.

.

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 .

.

 

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.

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."

   

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.

Mike Krause knows the challenges sales leaders and business professionals face every day, having sold well over $100 million in products and services in his twenty years of professional sales, consistently achieving high levels of success in sales, management and training. He is a seasoned veteran of driving and achieving quantifiable results across a wide array of business models and organization sizes.

 

Since running his first lemonade stand at the age of seven, Mike’s proven approach to sales is to roll up his sleeves, jump into the trenches with his client’s salespeople and do whatever it takes to teach them his customized tools, tactics and strategies to generate income and strengthen positive branding.

 

From building a landscape company from inception to 130 accounts in two years to being recognized as a top producer in each of the Fortune 500 companies for which he worked, Mike always exceeds his goals. Mike funded his undergraduate education at St. Bonaventure University with his landscaping company and later obtained a Master’s degree in Strategic Leadership with a concentration in entrepreneurship from Roberts Wesleyan College.

 

After spending over twelve years in Corporate America, Mike discovered his true passion in helping business leaders and sales professionals achieve their sales objectives more rapidly through his highly effective selling processes. His previous book, Sell or Sink: Strategies, Tactics and Tools Every Business Leader Must Know to Stay Afloat! is available online through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 

My latest book, SMART Prospecting: That Works Every Time! (McGraw Hill, March 2013)blends old school proven sales strategies with new age tactics and technology that make all sales people more productive and more effective. My clients have measured 40 to 65 percent growth in prospecting calls and increases of 22 percent in closed sales. In fact, Brian Tracy, universally acknowledged self-help author, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, business coach and keynote speaker − and 18 other top selling experts − endorse SMART Prospecting, “This is a terrific, intelligent book that shows you how to get in front of more and better prospects−faster than ever before.”

 

Today, Mike Krause is the president and founder of Sales Sense Solutions, Inc. where he delivers measurable results with his clients using Fortune 500 strategies, tactics, and tools. The company’s mission is to customize Fortune 500 sales experience and success systems for small and mid-sized companies. In addition to his thriving consulting work, Krause is an in-demand speaker and has received numerous awards for his acclaimed training programs. In his spare time, Mike enjoys piloting his sailboat on the Great Lakes, having successfully earned his marine captain’s license three years ago.

 

Visit: mdkrause.com/

 

To your sales success!

 

Michael D. Krause

585-704-6453

Author | Consultant | Strategist

www.MDKrause.com

Best Selling Author:

SMART Prospecting That Works Every Time!

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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

Dyddiad / Date : 1283

Disgrifiad/Description : Stylised seven-petalled flower ('Tudor rose' type)

Rhif ffeil delwedd / Image file no. : sea00131

  

Rhagor o wybodaeth am brosiect Seliau yng Nghymru'r Oesoedd Canol

 

More information about the Seals in Medieval Wales project

 

Atmosphere

The New Chanel Boutique Opening and Charity Event, on Robertson Blvd , SIMPLY CONSISTENT INC.

www.simplyconsistent.com/non-profit/childhood-obesity

"-Chanel Boutique."

"-Kathleen Checki."

"-Checki."

"-Simply Consistent."

"-Simply Consistent Management."

"-Simply Consistent Charity Event."

"-Kathleen Checki Charity Event."

"-Kathleen Check."

 

Oscar-Claude Monet (14 November 1840 – 5 December 1926) was a founder of French Impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein-air landscape painting. The term "Impressionism" is derived from the title of his painting Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise), which was exhibited in 1874 in the first of the independent exhibitions mounted by Monet and his associates as an alternative to the Salon de Paris.

 

Monet's ambition of documenting the French countryside led him to adopt a method of painting the same scene many times in order to capture the changing of light and the passing of the seasons. From 1883 Monet lived in Giverny, where he purchased a house and property, and began a vast landscaping project which included lily ponds that would become the subjects of his best known works. In 1899 he began painting the water lilies, first in vertical views with a Japanese bridge as a central feature, and later in the series of large-scale paintings that was to occupy him continuously for the next 20 years of his life.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_...

 

Profile: ERNESTO FONSECA

   

As Ernesto Fonseca began consistently finishing on the Supercross podium in 2003, he felt he was home again. The prior season, Fonseca's first year with Team Honda and first in the 250 class, was filled with ups and downs for the Costa Rican-born talent. After recording a second place and a pair of third place finishes, he ended the series ranked seventh. But Fonseca and his supporters knew he was capable of more. And he indeed achieved more-much more-in 2003, and also did it in a big way. Beginning at round 11 in St. Louis, Fonseca went on a six-race rampage, finishing on the podium clear through the series final in Las Vegas to conclude the season ranked third in points. His performance was reminiscent of the Fonseca that won five of eight 125cc Western Regional Supercross races in 2001 and six of seven Eastern Regional races in 1999, earning championships in both years.

   

"I had a rough start last year, but once I finished on the podium I began to gain more confidence," says Fonseca. "After that, running up front got a little bit easier. Things started going my way and everything started to click again."

   

Although only 22, the road to motocross stardom has been a long one for Ernesto Fonseca. He began his racing career in Costa Rica, but earned recognition outside his Latin American homeland when he traveled to the U.S. as a teenager to compete in high-level amateur events. His efforts landed him a factory support ride in 1999 and it didn't take long for Fonseca to make his presence felt. Snatching two 125 Supercross titles in the period of three years garnered attention from the factory teams, but it was the Honda team that always fascinated Fonseca.

   

"I've always dreamed of riding for Team Honda because it's where most of the guys I looked up to came from. It's been my goal since I was a little kid in Costa Rica. Now that I'm a Red Rider, I plan to take advantage of it."

   

Being the first and only Costa Rican to earn a factory ride in America, far from family and friends, Fonseca appreciates the support he gets from his team. His friendship with Honda Motocross Team Manger Erik Kehoe formed immediately after moving to America. The racer-turned-team-boss is the only manager Fonseca has ever known: The duo first and worked together in their factory support team days prior to joining Team Honda.

   

"Since I came here Erik is the only guy that I've had as a team manager. We get a long great because there is a lot of mutual respect. Plus, he's on top of everything and I think that comes from his experience as a professional racer."

   

And then there is the bond Fonseca has forged with his #24 Honda CR250R. With a smooth riding style that many have compared to that of seven-time Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath, Fonseca has matured into his role as a full-time 250 rider in all venues of racing. In addition to the deep respect he earned on the Supercross track, Fonseca demonstrated to his fans and peers that he's also a force to be reckoned with on the National motocross circuit. Switching from the 125 class to the 250 class in 2003, Fonseca spent much of the 11-round series dicing with legends of the rough outdoor sport, such as fellow Red Riders Mike LaRocco and Larry Ward. The 250 motocross rookie finished eighth in series points and looks to be an even greater threat in 2004.

   

"Riding the 250 outdoors was tough, but it was also fun. It was definitely a challenge because it was my first year on the bigger bike on the fast outdoor tracks. I had some good results, but now that I've got a year under my belt, I'll have even better results this year."

   

If you think 22-year old Fonseca has everything going for him in 2004, you share his sentiments exactly. Armed with the potent CR250R and the technical assistance from his long-time wrench, Kenny Germain, Fonseca gladly accepts his role as the 250 class' potential spoiler.

 

Medieval stonework featuring Saint Maurice at Dom zu Magdeburg St. Mauritius und Katharina from supernaut.info “Saint Mauritius is the reason I wandered south and west into old Germany. Saint Mauritius, the black knight who appears consistently in mediæval and renaissance art (not as frequently as Balthazar does in Adoration of the Magi), particularly in northern-central Europe and along the Hanseatic trade routes (later in Flemish and Dutch art, and spreading across western Europe and the Mediterranean), had his first known and extant representation in a stone sculpture mid-late 13th century, probably around 1250-70, which currently sits in the Hoher Chor in Magdeburger Dom, opposite his companion Saint Katharina, sculpted by the same artist at the same time.“ photographs by Frances D’Ath

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:

www.seetorontonow.com/

 

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