Tag Archives: Travel

Travel

Five Summer Road Trips

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Ahhh, the Summer road trip. Time for cooler packing, map folding (or GPS charging) and a car tune up. Does anyone drive a station wagon anymore?

Within the past 12 years I have traveled to and written about over two hundred travel destinations, many within a few hours drive of Niagara. That said, I ‘m often asked what are my favorites. Well, I’ve finally taken the time to think back and jot them down. Before I begin, I should say that I have learned to love the journey just as much as the destination. My primary route to get to a place, when possible, is usually the back way, not the highway, preferably with lots of twists and spectacular scenery. I don’t sweat about getting lost; I’ve found some of my most interesting adventures that way. Another thing that makes for a pleasant journey is to travel on the arm of someone you love. The following are the Coles Notes version of some of my favorite trips.

A yummy car. Memories of old old spice (you know the white bottle?), adidas shorts, sweatbands, the Cars on 8-track and road trips….lots of road trips. #thepastwasablast

Port Rowan, Ontario (138 kilometers)
When you discover this lovely community that hugs the northern shoreline of Lake Erie you’ll be charmed. Nothing shouts. When we walked their tiny main street, which consisted of restored century old stores, we could feel the past. At one end was one of the prettiest habors in Ontario. The whole world slows down when we walked the mature tree-lined side streets where we found historic turn-of-the-century homes that called out to be photographed. If you decide to stay over there are plenty of cozy Bed and Breakfast places to choose from.
Stratford, Ontario (159 kilometers from Thorold- the center of Niagara)
This is a jewel of a city located on the Avon River surrounded by a plethora of affordable eateries, restored Victorian homes on streets lined with majestic mature trees. We fell in love with their walkable downtown filled with plenty of unique shops and a majestic 12–sided red brick building with Queen Anne features built in 1898-99 that serves as their City Hall. The place was buzzing with life. Stratford Tourism offers two free escorted walking tours, a Downtown Historic Tour and a River Walk Heritage Tour.
And of course, there’s the Stratford Festival which serves up top-notch live theater. This season’s calendar opened in mid-April with the musical 42nd St.
This is the home of teen idol Justin Beiber and your teenagers can get a free map from the tourist folks outlining his favorrite places.
www.visitstratford.ca or 1-800-561-7926

The author George Bailey: “I’m often asked what are my favourite [travel destinations] withina few hours drive of Niagara. Well, I’ve finally taken the time to think back and jot them down.”
Elora, Ontario (126 kilometers)
This lovely 177 year-old village is a place that will grow on you the minute you arrive. It’s located on the Grand River where the Elora Gorge begins. Check out the magnificent waterfall and the high rock known as The Tooth of Time, behind the Elora Mill Inn.
We continued to explore the shops, boutiques and restaurant found on Mill and Metcalfe Streets. One unique shop is The Village Olive Grove. It’s one of the few stores in Canada that sells (and allows you to sample) exceptional olive oils and vinegars. One site not to miss is the reflection in the Grand River of the back of the downtown stores.
www.elorafergus.travel or 519-846-0971.

[If you are planning a long road trip with a dash of night driving- remember to fully rest up and stop driving when you are feeling tired CP]

We have to agree with luckysod04 on this…but check out TOSH.0 parallel parking a Mini Cooper LOL

Lindsay, Ontario (229 kilometers)Lindsay is the gateway to the Kawartha Lakes tourist region. It’s pretty as a picture. One of the main features is Kent Street, the town’s wide main street. It looks like a Norman Rockwell painting. The first to fall under the lens of my camera was the renovated 1893 Academy Theatre at one end of town. Lindsay’s renovated City Hall and Firehall also weren’t too shabby to photograph.
Their Saturday morning Farmer’s Market proved to be a real farmer’s market. It was filled with real farmers who sold produce they have grown on family owned farms for centuries. www.explorekawarthalakes.com or 1-866-397-6673

Aylmer, Ontario (187 kilometers)
Like many of my trips, you have to look beyond what’s found in the tourism publications to experience a community. It’s more than the location of the Ontario Police College. It has a large farming community. Take a ride along the back roads where you will share the road with an industrious Amish community who travel by horse and buggy and operate farms without most modern-day luxuries. Aylmer’s indoor/outdoor Farmer’s Market held on a Tuesday is top-notch. Check out the nearby quaint village of Sparta where you’ll come upon examples of restored period homes dating back to 1825.Don’t miss visiting the Winter Wheat attraction set in a five-acre forest of towering pines.
http://www.aylmer.ca/. or 1-519-773-3164.

for the Silo by George Bailey  wonderful.life@sympatico.ca

Click to view on I-tunes
Click to view on I-tunes
Culture

Ontario Greens- partisan bickering brought province to “another election” edge

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GPO- We almost had a Summer election (yikes!)
“Ontario needs responsible leadership and instead we’re seeing partisan bickering, brinkmanship and flip-flopping from Queen’s Park politicians. Bringing us twice to the edge of another election only seven months after the last one is not responsible governance. I want to see the political establishment at Queen’s Park focus on solutions for the very real problems facing Ontarians. The people of Ontario do not want a summer election, and I welcome the cooperation that has averted one.However, the GPO remains concerned about the erosion of transparency, accountability, and public participation represented by the omnibus budget bill. Although we are pleased that our call to preserve the Endangered Species Act was answered, the budget bill still weakens environmental protections and opens the door to privatization of public services without proper oversight.

The GPO is disappointed that the parties at Queen’s Park slammed the door on an open, public discussion about merging the Catholic and public school boards. Before cutting essential services and closing schools, Ontarians need to talk about moving to a more equitable and financially responsible education system. The GPO remains opposed to the government’s misguided priority to spend a billion dollars on subsidies for wasteful electricity consumption, instead of a full-funding increase for Ontario’s most vulnerable children and investments in programs that help people save money by saving energy.

I believe minority government can work if the political establishment at Queen’s Park can put the public’s interests before their own partisan interests. The focus needs to be on long-term solutions instead of political as usual.” GPO Leader Mike Schreiner

Sent to the Silo by Jaymini Bhikha (O) 416-977-7476 (C) 416-275-8573 [1] jbhikha@gpo.ca  Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada
Culture

Unlike Quebec and United States, Ontario has no transportation budget $ for cycling infrastructure

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Still from the classic Queen song- Bicycle Race

Toronto – GPO leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the McGuinty
governmentto dedicate1% of the transportation infrastructure budget
to cycling and another 1% for pedestrians. Sustainable infrastructure
is a sound investment that will help people choose healthy
transportation options.

[The song  featured is by Mercury and was supposedly inspired by his observing a leg of Tour de France. It starts with a chorus unaccompanied by instruments. The chorus is followed by two verses connected with a bridge, both followed by a chorus. Around the middle of the song there is a solo played with numerous bicycle bells. During the live performances, it was often played by the audience who specially brought the bells for this purpose. The song has a very unusual chord progression with numerous modulations, a change of meter (from 4/4 to 3/4) in the bridge, and the multitracked vocal and guitar harmonies.

The video for the song became scandalously famous for featuring 65 naked women, all professional models, racing at Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium. It was filmed by Dennis de Vallance. The group rented the stadium and several dozen bikes for one day for filming the scene; however, when the renting company became aware of the way their bikes were used, they requested the group to purchase all the bicycle seats. The original video uses special effects to hide the nudity.

“Bicycle Race “é um single da banda de rock inglesa QUEEN. Foi lançado em 1978, no álbum JAZZ e escrito pelo vocalista da Queen FREDDIE MERCURY. Ela foi lançada como um duplo lado-A única juntamente com a canção” Fat Bottomed Girls “. A canção é notável por seu vídeo com uma corrida de bicicleta com mulheres nuas em Wimbledon Stadium, que foi editado ou mesmo proibido em vários países. A canção tem uma progressão de acordes muito incomum com modulações diversas, uma mudança de metro (de 4 / 4-6 / 8) na ponte, e os vocais multipista e harmonias de guitarra.

A canção foi escrita por MERCURY e foi supostamente inspirado por sua observação de uma perna do Tour de France. Ela começa com um coro acompanhados por instrumentos. O coro é seguido por dois versos conectado com uma ponte, ambos seguido por um coro. Ao meio da música há um solo com sinos de bicicleta numerosos. Durante as apresentações ao vivo, muitas vezes era tocado pelo público, que levavam os sinos especialmente para esta finalidade.

O vídeo para a canção tornou-se famoso por escandalosamente com 65 mulheres nuas, todas as modelos profissionais, competindo em Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium. Foi filmado por Dennis de Vallance. O grupo alugou o estádio e várias dezenas de bicicletas durante um dia para filmar a cena,. Porém, quando a empresa que alugou tomou conhecimento da forma como as suas bicicletas foram usados​​, eles pediram ao grupo para adquirir todos os assentos das bicicletas, o vídeo original usa efeitos especiais para esconder a nudez.  Courtesy of http://www.youtube.com/user/lcsRamone CP ]

 


“If Premier McGuinty can find $1 billion dollars to build his
‘people’s highway,’ why can’t he find a few million dollars to make
streets safe for people?” asks Schreiner.

Today marks the launch of Bike Month in the City of Toronto. Cycling
plays an important role in the health of our citizens, strengthening
our local economies and our general quality of life.

Quebec spends $200 million on cycling infrastructure and earns $135
million each year from bicycle tourism alone. The US dedicates 1.6% of
its transportation budget for states to invest in cycling
infrastructure. Ontario has no dedicated funding to support cycling or
pedestrian infrastructure.

“Ontario needs infrastructure if we are serious about making our
streets and roads safe,” says Schreiner. “A small investment to
support cycling will reap big rewards — combating gridlock, reducing
health care costs and supporting local businesses.”

Two Danish studies showed that when 1% of car drivers switched to
riding bicycles, health care costs were reduced by 1%. Copenhagen
saves $300 per person per year on health costs because almost 80
percent of its population bikes regularly. Cycling and walking
projects create 11-14 jobs per $1 million spent, compared to just
seven jobs created per $1 million spent on highway projects. These and
other studies show that Ontario cannot afford not to invest in cycling
infrastructure.

The GPO’s 1% percent solution would create two funds for
municipalities to access the dollars they need for cycling and
pedestrian infrastructure. By doing so, Ontario would finally
recognize that cycling and walking are important forms of
transportation for growing numbers of Ontarians.

“We need a Complete Streets Act in Ontario to ensure that our streets
are safe for all users: cars, trucks, bikes, pedestrians, wheeled
mobility devices, and transit users” says Trinity-Spadina candidate
and GPO critic for transportation Tim Grant.

Jaymini Bhikha
(O) 416-977-7476
(C) 416-275-8573 [1]
jbhikha@gpo.ca

For the Silo by Green Party of Ontario
PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Culture

Ontario Girls Camp Stands Apart Via Social Action And Self Esteem

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Our future- values and esteem guide young girls development at Camp Stella Puella

Camp Stella Puella (“star girl” in Latin) is a summer camp “with a higher purpose,” says co-founder Mina Kazemi. Since she began in Dunnville,Ontario in 2008, along with cousin and co-director Julia Salco, the goal has been to provide young girls with a fun environment in which to explore issues of self-esteem, as well as introduce them to social action on a global scale, in hopes of instilling a passion to make positive change in the world.

It wasn’t long before Mina’s older sister Yasmin joined the team, two young women uniquely qualified to bring the world to Dunnville’s children. Mina is studying global health at the University of Toronto, has taken a world literacy trip to Ek Balam Mexico, and travelled to Kenya in 2009 with the Me to We program who, along with their charitable partner Free the Children, seeks to empower youth through activism at home and across the planet.

Yasmin also studies science and global health, has spent time in Ecuador volunteering at a childcare centre, and has been active since 2009 with Community Living. Last year she was president of the Best Buddies program, which matches a university student with a developmentally disabled adult to provide mentoring and friendship. All three young women are lifeguards with National Life Saving and first aid certification.

An emphasis on self-esteem and social action is what “sets us apart from other summer camps,” Yasmin says. Here’s how it works: at the beginning of the week, counselors introduce their campers to three issues of global significance—could be child labour, global warming, and how to find slave and sweatshop-free merchandise for more conscientious consumption. Or, perhaps, why girls can’t go to school in India. Through the process of building consensus with the children, a theme for the week is chosen, and the kids begin learning through age appropriate activities. Always they are taught that thinking globally begins with how we act locally, right here at home. Every week, as well, the children help plan a fundraiser based on their chosen theme. As an example, last year, after a week of learning about environmental issues, they organized an eco-spa with proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund to help save endangered species.

After 5 summers, things are going well. This year a sister camp is active in Hamilton, and the Dunnville contingent is adding some overnight trips to their agenda. When I asked Mina what her motivation for all this work was, she told me that when she was a little girl, she loved going to camp. “It’s a place where long lasting friendships can be forged. And it can be character building too.” It sounds like these three ambitious young women have come up with a formula for a summer camp experience that can be both fun and formative. Every day there is some self-esteem building activity. Building on that foundation of self-love, a bunch of young girls are discovering there is a whole world out there waiting for people of conscience, just like them. For the Silo, Chris Dowber.

UPDATE March1, 2017– Camp Stella Puella does not currently have an active camping program but they continue to engage and offer services. There are plans in place to renew the camp program to learn more, visit www.stellapuella.ca or call 905-774-8601. Please mention The Silo when contacting.  

Politics

Ontario Green Party still championing merging of public and Catholic school boards

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Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to establish public input on the possibility of a public school and seperate school board merger. Several other provinces including Quebec have already ended the two-tier system of publicly funded schools based on religion.

May 15th Queen’s Park GPO leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to establish a public commission to explore merging the public and Catholic school boards. “The Liberals have a clear choice,” says Schreiner. “Prioritize high-quality education for all kids or protect the entrenched interests that want special funding for one religion at the exclusion of all others.”

With schools facing financial and social pressures, the GPO believes now is the time to engage public discussion on modernizing Ontario’s education system.

The GPO believes inaction is failing our kids. At a time when parents across the province are rallying to prevent school closures, the Toronto District School Board is considering cuts to cafeterias, educators, mental health professionals, and support staff. Further, Catholic Trustees are opposing student efforts to stop bullying with Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs. Ontario can no longer turn a blind eye to wasteful duplication that compromises quality education and fails to protect at-risk youth.

“The Green Party has the courage to confront social and financial realities,” says education critic and Parry Sound-Muskoka candidate Matt Richter. “Greens want to end expensive duplication and promote an equitable education system where every religion is respected, and no religion is privileged.”

Both Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador modernized their outdated denominational school systems in the 1990’s. The days of needing to publicly fund Catholic schools to protect a minority religion from discrimination or assimilation are long past.

The GPO believes there is no longer justification for maintaining a separate school system when we face cuts to essential services. The government has never studied the costs of a separate system. However, the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods of Ontario estimates savings of $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion.

The GPO encourages Premier McGuinty to follow his own advice: “If we’re going to bring about more improvement in publicly-funded schools, it is regressive to contemplate segregating our children according to their faith,” McGuinty said. “I want our kids to continue coming together.”

The GPO supports a unified public education system with French and English school boards that prioritize helping all our diverse students meet their full potential.

For The Silo by  Jaymini Bhikha (O) 416-977-7476 (C) 416-275-8573  jbhikha@gpo.ca
Green Party of Ontario  PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada

Culture

13% Of All Working Ontarians Are Public Sector Employees

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13% of all adult Ontarians are public sector workers- accounting for over half of Ontario government spending

Let’s find alternatives to layoffs and program cuts. On May 16th, I introduced my Private Members Bill titled: An Act to address Ontario’s debt through alternatives to public sector layoffs and government program cuts while reducing the fiscal pressure on the people of Ontario who are having trouble paying their bills. This legislation offers options for tackling runaway spending that has us staring down the barrel of a $411.4 billion debt.

[ More on private member’s bills- http://www.revparl.ca/english/issue.asp?art=348&param=91 CP ]

Servicing this debt impairs the ability of Ontario to function and has led to levels of taxation that restrict the ability of businesses to compete, and of individuals to survive financially.

There are over one million public sector employees in Ontario  [ according to statistics in one recent study by the CMAJ http://www.cmaj.ca/content/178/11/1441.abstract ,  in 2007 the estimated adult population of Ontario was 7,996,653 which means 1/8 adult Ontarians or 13% of all adult Ontarians are a public sector employee, a staggering statistic CP ]- 70 per cent unionized compared to 15 per cent in the private sector. Labour costs account for over half of Ontario government spending. This spending sees public sector workers receiving higher compensation – wages, benefits, pensions… – than their private sector counterparts. The total amount paid to the public sector has jumped by 46 per cent since 2003.

My bill aims to take legislative steps address this trend, recognizing the Drummond report https://www.thesilo.ca/the-next-day-ontario-receives-drummond-commission-suggestions-on-public-service-reforms/  advice, “one recommendation that crosses all sectors is the need for prolonged moderation of growth in public-sector total compensation”. While the McGuinty team continues to dodge and weave through credit downgrades, flagging job numbers, and mounting debt, the truth is that unless the province gets its house in order, there will be no alternative but continued cuts to government programs and continued layoffs resulting in a lower level of service for all of us.

To limit the need for such extreme and harsh solutions, I feel the Government of Ontario needs to act immediately to limit compensation paid to employees in the public sector. At the same time, as spelled out in my bill, government must continue to recognize its legal duty to consult fully with those employees and their bargaining agents, and to negotiate with them constructively and in good faith.
My bill [if passed CP ] would amend the Crown Employees Collective Bargaining Act, 1993 to:

1. indicate government’s responsibility and objectives to fully engage, consult and conduct genuine and constructive negotiations with public sector workers on legislative changes to collective bargaining and compensation
2. link the total compensation package to the rate of Ontario’s real GDP economic growth per capita
3. allow for public sector furlough i.e. days off without pay. It’s important to note that between 2007 and 2009, over half the states have imposed mandatory furlough for their public sector employees
4. allow change in public sector pensions to defined contribution from defined benefit. Here as well, at least forty states have enacted significant changes to their public sector pension plans
5. limit length of public sector collective agreements to one year, after which wages are frozen until a new contract is settled, until budget is balanced
6. introduce a comprehensive and transparent benchmarking system for compensation, which would include a costing of the full compensation package, including benefits, pensions and moving through seniority grids
7. mandate stricter criteria for compensation awards in researching private vs. public comparables – achieved through a provincial wage board.

I look forward to providing more details as we approach debate of my bill June 7th  For The Silo by Toby Barrett, Haldimand-Norfolk MPP

Culture

New flirting concept FlipMe empowers Women to ‘make the first move’

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Rachel DeAlto- flirting expert and brain behind the concept of FlipMe

May15, 2012– Introducing FlipMe, LLC—a revolutionary new way for women to flirt without providing their personal information, but before we get to that, Rachel DeAlto (flirting expert and the mastermind of FlipMe) offers her  Top 5 Flirting Tips for Men: 1) Make the Approach – Flirting from afar should last about 1 minute. Take the initiative and start a conversation – even “Hi” works! 2) Play it Cool – Women definitely want to know you are interested, but we don’t want to feel like the last woman on Earth. Let us know you like us, but play a little cat and mouse along the way. 3) Pay Attention – It’s easy to get distracted, but try to give your full attention when you are just starting to get to know her. Listen to what she is saying and ask follow-up questions. 4) Stay Humble – You may be super successful and drive a fancy car, but don’t boast – it is a complete turn off. Let her figure it out on her own, and be impressed by your down to earth style. 5) Go Solo – We know you love your friends, and one day we might too! Until then, keep your boisterous buddies at bay while we get our flirt on.

Rachel DeAlto  is a seasoned expert who has been featured on several television shows and programs and regularly teaches courses on flirting at The Learning Annex, America’s leading adult education center.

Radio show: www.webtalkradio.net/shows/the-naked-truth-about-dating/

What is FlipMe?

FlipMe Revolutionizes “How to Date” Rules & the Online Dating Scene and this popular flirting tool empowers Women to channel their inner coquette & make the first move.

How does it work?

– Give a prospective love interest a card with a sweet, sassy or sexy statement

– Log into your profile to see if he has responded

– Upon a response, connect and become intrigued with the new form of flirting

About FlipMe:

What FlipMe really is, is a philosophy. It’s here to say – let’s have fun again, and be confident. Get out there, meet people and make a connection. It’s breaking the ice made easy. You take charge of your dating life by giving your sassy, flirtatious side the perfect sidekick. FlipMe brings a casual confidence to meeting newpeople by offering a clever way to say “hi.” This stylish accessory is a simple and intriguing way to break the ice and let someone know you’re interested without divulging your personal details. When you purchase a pack, you get 30 cards, each with a unique code that lets the lucky recipient view your profile and send you messages. No one gets access unless you give them a card, and no one gets to see your personal information. It’s a safe, secure way to put the fun back in flirting.  http://flipme.com/index.php

Katherine Fleischman for The Silo

Art

Toronto crooner Ori Dagan ‘cooks a tasty stew’ of standards and originals

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Canadian crooner Ori Dagan (well at least half of him)

Ori Dagan  (twitter @oridaganjazz) seems to me like a man on a mission. With a rich baritone voice, he has tried to craft a jazz album that is both hip and playful, and, at the same time, a genuine jazz album, complete with standards and heavyweight musicians, and some original tracks as well. Dagan’s album, Less than Three, is a tasty stew of standards and originals with a classic Hebrew song thrown into the mix, and one from his own pen: Nu Az Ma, a call for peace of truly universal dimensions.

Ori Dagan (still from performance) image: www.thesilo.ca

After an opener of Madonna’s Lucky Star (yep, THAT Madonna CP ), which reminded my friend Sophie of a 60’s beat poetry track, with minimalistic base and percussion and funky vocals, Dagan moves to his mother tongue with Eretz Zavat Halav, a Hebrew song featuring the magnificent Jane Bunnett on soprano sax. Bunnett is a true jazz superstar, a multiple Juno award winner and multiple Grammy nominated musician and bandleader who has worked combining Cuban music with new and avant-garde jazz. There was a house down the street from me in west-end Toronto where people told me Jane Bunnett had moved. I used to hear her sax emanating out into the street from a third-story window. It was truly wonderful.

[If there’s any doubt about Ori’s capabilities as a live-on-the-spot performer this youtube video should alleviate. CP]

The material on Dagan’s CD is eclectic. I’ve already mentioned the Madonna cover. There’s also a totally scat version of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance that is exceedingly fun and features some great scatting too. Not everybody can do that you know. And he throws in some very sensitive renditions of Elton John/Bernie Taupin (This is your Song) and Lloyd Webber/Rice (I’d Be Surprisingly Good for You), to demonstrate a surprising range that can cover modern hits to a cutting, up-tempo Sweet Georgia Brown to round off the album.

This is a very dexterous record featuring a range of styles, and Dagan’s voice is rich, and according to my friend Sophie, sexy. She’d go see him “in a minute.” –CD

Ori on i-tunes: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/less-than-three/id523987928    www.oridagan.com

Supplemental– http://www.janebunnett.com/biography.html

 

Our MAY print edition powered by downtown Simcoe,Ontario's The Studios at Erie Music
Culture

Ontario Energy Board/Green Party – Rising electricity costs due to Nuclear; not so much Wind/Solar

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A few examples of the fantastic Cooling Tower art found at: http://weburbanist.com Did you know Cooling Towers (the nuclear style) predate nuclear power?

Ontario Energy Board report reveals nuclear causing rising electricity rates. “We need an honest discussion about rising electricity prices in Ontario. The misleading rhetoric blaming green energy for rising electrical rates is a disservice to the people of Ontario. According to the Ontario Energy Board, since 2006, 45% of the increase in our electricity costs are from subsidies for the nuclear industry, while only 6% are due to subsidies for green energy.

This will only get worse if the McGuinty Liberals proceed with their $33 billion nuclear spending spree. We still have not paid off the $19.8 billion debt from our last nuclear fiasco.  The bottom line is that the cheapest and greenest kilowatt is the one we save. We have to stop burning money and deliver a long-term energy plan that prioritizes energy efficiency programs.

The stakes are too high to have politically partisan rhetoric derail an adult conversation about our energy future. We need to protect our pocketbooks with an honest look at the causes of rising electrical rates.”
The full OEB report is available here-  OEB MSP green report [ It’s not a ‘light’ read at 106 pages but it’s quite detailed CP ]

Jaymini Bhikha
 Cell: 416-275-8573
 Office: 416-977-7476
 jbhikha@gpo.ca
Green Party of Ontario  PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada

Supplemental: http://weburbanist.com/2010/07/18/nuclear-coverup-10-cool-examples-of-cooling-tower-art/?ref=search

http://pcgladiator.blogspot.ca/2009/04/largest-cooling-towers.html

Culture

Ontario Greens: Liberal budget excludes public input on important environmental protections

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Don't they want to listen anymore? The Green Party of Ontario believe that the recently passed budget bill " muzzles public input onchanges to important environmental protections."

[Ontario]Liberals have voted to pass a budget that muzzles public input on changes to important environmental protections. With these changes buried in the budget bill (Bill 55), the government has in effect exempted them from the public participation process normally required by law.

The Ontario Legislature at Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario Canada

“The GPO is all in favour of working together, and we applaud the cooperation that has averted another election. But it’s wrong for the Liberal government to use the budget bill to silence public input on changes to environmental protections,” says GPO leader Mike Schreiner. “The public has a right to comment on legislation that protects Ontario’s natural legacy.”

The GPO is calling on the Liberals to remove changes to laws prescribed under the Environmental Bill of Rights from Bill 55 before final passage. Greens oppose using omnibus legislation to avoid the mandatory 30-day public comment period.

“Changes to environmental protections have no place in a budget bill,” says Schreiner. “Solving a financial deficit by creating an ecological one isn’t sound management or good leadership. It’s time for the Liberals to do the right thing and address changes to environmental laws separately from the budget.”

Jaymini Bhikha (Office) 416-977-7476  (Cell) 416-275-8573  jbhikha@gpo.ca

Green Party of Ontario  PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada

Supplemental-

 

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – April 19, 2012) – The Quetico Foundation is deeply concerned that the Ontario Government’s omnibus budget bill will impact Ontario endangered species and parks. Significant amendments to dozens of important pieces of legislation are contained within Bill 55, Strong Action for Ontario Act. These changes being proposed, without consultation, include serious modifications to the Endangered Species Act, 2006 (ESA) that allow for exemptions, and to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA) that threaten and weaken the process for preparation and review of park management plans. These modifications have no relevance to budget matters!

The Foundation is concerned that Bill 55 both weakens crucial global initiatives to preserve biodiversity and relieves government of its duties with respect to proper management of our Ontario Parks.

Further, inclusion of multiple legislative amendments in a budget bill disregards the process that normally opens such changes to public consultation. The standard process of the posting of changes on the Environmental Registry has been ignored.

The Foundation urges Ontarians to demand that the proposed endangered species and parks legislation amendments to the PPCRA and the ESA, along with a number of other Acts that fall under the Environmental Bill of Rights, be removed from Bill 55. Citizens need to insist that due process be followed and that any proposed amendments be posted on the Environmental Registry and be open to public discussion in accordance with the normal government process.

About The Quetico Foundation:

The Quetico Foundation was formed as a not-for-profit organization in 1954 with a mandate to protect the wilderness values and ecological integrity of Quetico Provincial Park and other wilderness areas in Ontario for the benefit of future generations.

www.queticofoundation.org

ESA/PPCRA BACKGROUNDER

Bill 55: The proposed changes are enabled in Schedule 69 of Bill 55, Strong Action for Ontario Act, “to enact and amend various Acts”. (Specific changes to the ESA are in schedule 19, and to the PPCRA are in Schedule 58): http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2600

ESA: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_07e06_e.htm

PPCRA: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_06p12_e.htm

EBR: The Environmental Registry is available at: http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/

The Quetico Foundation: The Text of the letter that the Foundation sent to the Ontario Minister of Finance, The Honourable Dwight Duncan, is available at: http://www.queticofoundation.org/pdf/2012_budget.pdf

The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario has issued a report criticizing the procedure being used to amend the ESA and the PPCRA acts. See: http://www.eco.on.ca/blog/2012/04/02/the-omni-budget-surprise/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-omni-budget-surprise

The Green Party position on this legislation is at: http://www.gpo.ca/blog/2012-04-11/budget-bill-threatens-environmental-protections-transparent-and-accountable-governme

ORA: Ontario Rivers Alliance’s position on this issue can be found at: http://ontarioriversalliance.ca/strong-arm-tactics-to-take-away-protection-for-our-environment-and-endangered-species-press-release/

Law Firm: The Toronto based law firm, Iler Campbell’s opinion on this issue can be found at: http://www.ilercampbell.com/blog/

Culture

Now playing- Complete Game 4 NHL playoffs -Preds vs Wings

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Bringing you a little hockey 'something-something'

Who doesn’t love playoff hockey? Especially a game like this one with great goaltending and lots of energy. We sure aren’t complaining… enjoy CP

Boyko Source for all your sporting needs downtown Simcoe, Ontario
Sci-Tech

Iowa Farm Robots Prospero And Aquarius

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In a future where all flora is extinct on Earth, an astronaut (Bruce Dern) is given orders to destroy the last of Earth’s plant life being kept in a greenhouse on board a spacecraft. His robotic farmer friends Huey, Dewey, and Louie factor heavily into the storyline.

(Originally published in print and online April5, 2012) Will the new Robot Farmers being launched this July, at the 2nd annual Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech X-Change, become the future of farming? That question may be answered during planned robotic demonstrations.

Iowa based engineer, David Dorhout believes the Robotic Farmers he invented can help the modern farmer more efficiently produce food.
Increasing labour costs, new stringent health and safety regulations plus the increase of average farm size, are all factors that will measure the practicality and economics for early adopter producers. Dorhout suggests, “Agriculture has been at the forefront of innovation and demand has led to better efficiencies. I think robotic support will become mainstream, starting in the high value horticulture sector”.

Dorhout R&D will be showing off their field and row crop concept Robotic Farmer – “Prospero”. This spider like robot is the working prototype of an Autonomous Micro Planter (AMP) that uses a combination of swarm and game theory. It is meant to be deployed as a group or “swarm”. Dorhout says, “Prospero will eventually have the ability to plant, tend and harvest – autonomously transitioning from one phase to another”. This might not be so far off when you consider that robots are now milking, feeding and cleaning dairy operations around the world. The first milking robot in North America was installed in Ontario in 1999 and just 12 years later they are mainstream with thousands in operation. Thus the question, “Can robotics work on-farm?” has been more than adequately answered if the economics support it.

In addition to Prospero, another highlight of this July’s horticulture trade show in Norfolk County will be Dorhout R&D’s global launch of the new “Aquarius” robot, designed to aid greenhouse operators with dispensing water and other nutrients to plants. Astonishingly enough, this robot will be ready for pre-order at our event.

Have Your Own Farm Invention, Or Know Someone That Does?
Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech X-Change will be recognizing innovative equipment and tools directly related to on-farm applications.
Enter your custom fabricated tools and equipment for a chance to win one of three cash prizes!

DETAILS
–  FREE to enter
–  Max 3 items per producer
–  Items will be displayed in an outdoor setting
–  Cash Prizes for the top 3 entries:
1st – $500, 2nd – $250, 3rd – $100
–  Judged by attending producers – based on most creative and best implemented
–  Equipment is to be dropped off during the days of Saturday July 7th – Wednesday July 10th
–  All equipment must remain at the site for the 3-days of the event – July 12, 13, 14  2012
–  Equipment can be picked up during the days of Sunday July 15th – Wednesday July 18th
– Winners will be included in post show press release!

 

Additional Highlights…
Other event highlights included in the price of admission are:
–  “Meet the Buyers” Complimentary Brunch
–  “The Wealthy Barber” Celebrity Speaker, David Chilton
–  Irrigation Demos
–  Cover Crop and New Variety Plots
–  Organic XPO, Woodlot XPO
–  Educational Speaker Series
–  Various equipment demos and much more!

Supplemental- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Running   http://www.dorhoutrd.com/about_us

Politics

Green Party of Ontario: “Conservative Kill-Green Energy Bill will damage economy and environment”

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TORONTO: Green Party of Ontario (GPO) leader Mike Schreiner is calling on MPPs to vote against Tim Hudak’s bill to nuke the province’s long-term, green energy strategy.

“Mr. Hudak’s willingness to sacrifice homegrown green jobs in a politically expedient attempt to exploit fears over rising energy prices is just bad economics,” says Schreiner. “I want him to look farmers and small business owners in the eye and explain how he wants to kill their businesses and their chance to earn income producing pollution-free electricity.”

Mr. Hudak’s Bill 42  [this Bill was defeated on second readinghttp://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet&BillID=2587 CP ] , being considered in the legislature today [ March 22nd CP ] , would abolish the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program. The FIT program provides stable fixed-rate, long-term contracts to green energy producers.

“Let’s not kill the FIT program, but fix it so that it better benefits communities,” says Schreiner. “The GPO will continue to push for a community-based green energy program with local ownership, decision-making and benefits.”

Although Conservatives claim that green energy is causing prices to rise, the reality is this — most cost increases are due to infrastructure upgrades and nuclear cost overruns. The Liberal and Conservative support for new nuclear will drive up costs far more than FIT contracts for green energy.

“The establishment parties are completely out of touch with the true causes of rising electricity prices,” says Schreiner. “Energy efficiency, combined heat and power, hydro imports from Quebec, and a diverse mix of other renewables provide our most flexible, low cost options.”

Jaymini Bhikha Cell: 416-275-8573 Office: 416-977-7476 jbhikha@gpo.ca

Culture

Since 1945, (O.F.F.) Ontario Flying Farmers have been promoting use of airplanes in agriculture

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Farmers Fly into RCAF Museum Last Fall, on Saturday, November 19th,  30 members and 2 guests of the Ontario Flying Farmers (OFF) paid a return visit to the No. 6 RCAF Dunnville Museum at the Dunnville Airport. Four planes flew in from the Goderich, Kincardine and the Elora area. Poor weather prevented more from flying in, but members drove in from as far as Peterborough. Adrian and Hortense Verburg were the conveners of the event. Adrian was one of the first members of the No. 6 RCAF Dunnville Museum.

Among other objectives, the Ontario Flying Farmers (O.F.F.) promote the practical use of airplanes in agriculture*, and encourage landing strips close to towns and cities. The O.F.F. promote safe flying through continued education and upgrading; help develop the public acceptance of light aircrafts; speak on behalf of farm familites at a national level and cooperate with aviation organizations to promote general aviation through legislation.

*Silo Direct Link to What is Aerial Topdressing?

 

A Hangar1 (which is home to the RCAF Museum) display of a World War 2 trainer

The No. 6 RCAF Dunnville Museum, which they visited, preserves the memory and artifacts of the No. 6 Service Flying Training School. Part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, the No. 6 was one of 41 such facilities built in Canada during WW II. The Museum, housed in half of Hangar 1, has 4 WW II trainers that still fly as well as extensive displays of course records, photographs, uniforms, training materials, flight log books and other RCAF-related artifacts from WW II.

The Flying Farmers is an international organization that was established in 1945, members are families or individuals interested in flying and or agriculture.
The OFF are celebrating their 50th year in 2011.More information is available by sending email to gc.paisley@hotmail.com Please mention that y0u found this article at The Silo.

Ian Durand is the Vice-President of the No. 6 RCAF Dunnville Museum. The museum is located at the Dunnville Airport at 536 Port Maitland Rd. in Dunnville. Contact information is available at Silo Direct Link to Dunnville Airport

 

 

Culture

Here’s a few reasons why one of the prettiest villages in Ontario is Elora.

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In Elora, life unravels a bit slower

It’s worth saying again: One of the prettiest villages in Ontario is Elora. It’s so nice very time I visit this village of 5, 500 I want to move here. A lot of people have done just that. Elora is a place that grows on you from the minute you arrive. Over dinner at a local favourite eatery, The Shepherd’s PubI struck up a conversation with Nadine McEwen and Stan Winegard who told me they moved here about two and a half years ago from Timmons. Stan said, “It’s a real pretty place and a very welcoming community with an active artistic community. Since Nadine is a sculptor, it fits perfectly into our life style”. Even the owners of this authentic British pub had moved to Elora from Guelph just a few months ago. Throughout the weekend I bumped into others who made the move. Well now, let me think more about this moving thing.

Known for its unique limestone architecture, Elora was founded in 1832 by Captain William Gilkison, a British officer recently returned from India.

Shopping
Elora is an artists’ community specializing in handcrafted and one-of-kind items. The two main streets to stroll are Mills and Metcalfe.
One stand out worth finding on Mill Street, near The Shepherd’s Pub, is The Village Olive Grove (it was the free olive oil tastings sign outside the store that first caught my eye). I met one of the owners, David Medeiros (He’s from Toronto). Medeiros believes their shop is the only one in Canada selling exceptional olive oils and vinegars from around the world.  A few other shops that caught my eye were; Sante’s it’s a natural grocery store with organic and fair-trade foods and gifts. A Weed Bit Natural features hemp products and organic clothing. Jammed Lovely is filled with unique one of a kind gift items. Sweet Trash has clothing and accessories from the 1920’s and onwards. At Grand Gourmet KitchenwareI had to have some of the items explained to me as to what they were. You can tell how much time I spend in the kitchen.

The Village Olive Grove occassionally has free olive oil tastings.

Culinary Walking Tour
If you arrive on a Saturday sign up at the Village Olive Grove for the $10.00 walking tour between 1 and 3 pm. During the tour, you’ll sample specially created dishes from eight restaurants while learning about the history and architecture of the area.

One of the prettiest villages in Ontario-

Holiday Happenings
-Santa Claus Parade, Saturday, November 26 and Parade of Lights begin at 6pm.There’s another parade in nearby Fergus on December 3rd at 1:30 pm.
-Starlight Shopping November 24-25 until 9pm.
-Elora Centre for the Arts Show and Sale, December 8-22.
-The annual Elora Festivals Singers’ Christmas Concert series in December is an annual rite of winter.

The Elora Gorge
Here’s the gorge part. Elora is located on the Grand River where the Elora Gorge begins. The gorge has a waterfall that forms behind the Elora Innand continues for 4 kilometres. The Elora Inn is currently closed for renovations. In the middle of the falls is the, “Tooth of Time”. This is a huge rock that has become the symbol of the village of Elora.

The Elora gorge on the Grand River has a waterfall that forms behind the Elora Inn and continues for 4kms.

Where to Stay
I picked the Tynavon Bed and Breakfast (Tynavon means House by-the-River in Scots Gaelic) to be home for the weekend. This quaint circa 1856 home at 84 Mill Street is a short walk from downtown. It has a gracious verandah overlooking the Grand River. Expect to pay around $125.00 a night for one of the best sleeps you’ll ever have and a scrumptious breakfast. (Silo Direct Link to Tynavon Bed and Breakfastor 1-866-334-3305).

Welcoming gate post- the Tynavon B and B

Here’s the goat part.
When you force yourself to leave Elora take a 10 minute trip on Highway 6 north to Arthur, Ontario. That’s where you’ll find River’s Edge Goat Dairy.(Silo Direct Link to Goat Milk Products Website or 1-800-209-7330) at 8102 Wellington Road 109, Arthur. If you have children with you they’ll love it. Chances are you’ll find owners Katie Kormet or Will Makxam tending to their herd of 120 mature does. The farm produces, with hard work, milk as well as cheese, yogurt and even soap.

Will told me- “We are a small goat dairy, and we process all of our own milk but we also raise the male goats for meat. In general, we tell our frequent customers, if our chain is down, come on in we are open. However, if our chain is up, we are unavailable  but not necessarily closed or away. Not only are we artisan cheese makers, we are farmstead cheese makers. Not many farmers who do it all. We feed and milk  our animals and make cheese on the farm. We are a provincially licensed dairy plant, like all other commercial dairy plants in the province. Our advantage: we use the freshest milk and process it into milk yogurt or cheese sooner than  our competitors.

Visitors are welcome to visit the farm (no charge) and you might see the goats being milked. River’s Edge Goat Dairy hours of operation vary. Katie said, “Call us ahead of time to see if we’ll be home”.

Delicious goat dairy products

For More information
Elora and Fergus Tourism Silo Direct Link to Elora and Furgus Tourism Website or 519-846-9841.GPS users can punch in 9 Mill street East, Elora.

Travel and tourism writer, Silo contributor George Bailey

Written and photographed By George Bailey Niagara Falls,Ontario  e-mail: wonderful.life@sympatico.ca.

Culture

Bollywood Movies Popular In GTA

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The importance of Toronto for the world movie industry is becoming more and more substantial. It has already gained the nickname “Hollywood North“ and now the major Indian film studios are tightening their co-operation with the city of Toronto. More and more Bollywood movies are being shot in Toronto, a huge number of Torontonian cinemas screen Bollywood movies, and even this year’s International Indian Film Academy Award celebration Silo Direct Link to Intern’l Indian Film Academy Award Video took place in Toronto. It won’t be a surprise if Toronto becomes “Bollywood West” in a few years.

Not sure what “Bollywood” means? Here’s a quick refresher: Silo Direct Link to Wiki’s Bollywood Def’n

The Front Page from the Sun- Bollywood North. The GTA has embraced the Indian film industry

Cinemas Showing Bollywood Movies in Toronto and the GTA
Golden Eye Media Cinemas Silo Direct Link to Golden Eye Cinemas
Golden Eye Media Cinemas include three very similar cinemas located in different parts of Toronto and the GTA. Albion Cinemas are located right in the centre of Etobicoke at the Albion Centre (1530 Albion Road Etobicoke). Woodside Cinemas can be found in east Toronto in the Woodside Square Shopping Centre (1571 Sandhurst Circle Scarborough). Bayfield Cinemas are located in Bayfield Mall (320 Bayfield Street) in Barrie.

Ticket prices in all three cinemas are very reasonable, and parking is free. If you want to see the latest and most popular Bollywood movies with your family, Golden Eye Cinemas are just what you’re looking for. It’s very easy to find them, and there are many different restaurants near each one where you can find something to eat after the show.

Cineplex Theatres
Cineplex cinemas  Silo Direct Link to Cineplex Theatres

Cineplex cinemas have been playing Bollywood movies since the ‘90s and are very popular among Torontonian Bollywood movie lovers. Chief executive officer of Cineplex Theatres Ellis Jacob expressed his ambition to continue to screen Bollywood movies in a recent interview for The Globe and Mail, “We’ve been committed to it as a company for the longest time… There’s a great desire for us to continue to grow that business.” There were no doubts that Cineplex would be the main cinema partner of the 2011 IIFA film festival.

If you want to enjoy Bollywood movies with great sound and screen quality, visit one of these theatres: Sheppard Grande Toronto (4861 Yonge Street, Toronto, (416) 590-9974), SilverCity Brampton (50 Great Lakes Drive, Brampton, (905) 789-6797), Coliseum Scarborough (Scarborough Town Centre, 300 Borough Drive, Scarborough, (416) 290-5217), or Cineplex Odeon Eglinton Town Centre (22 Lebovic Avenue, Toronto, (416) 752-4494).

Silo Direct Link to AMC Theatres

This huge cinema chain has been regularly showing Bollywood movies for the past several years. Watching Bollywood dancing and singing on a gigantic screen in an AMC cinema is a great experience, and you’ll definitely love it unless you prefer smaller independent cinemas. If you’re ready for a huge dose of Bollywood, visit one of these AMC theatres: AMC Courtney Park Mississauga (110 Courtney Park Drive E, Mississauga), AMC Kennedy Common Scarborough (33 William Kitchen Road, Scarborough), AMC Winston Churchill Oakville (2081 Winston Park Drive,
Oakville), or AMC Yonge and Dundas Toronto (10 Dundas Street East, Toronto).

The Queen and Dalton McGuinty at the Bollywood North celebration 2011

Bollywood Movies Shot in Toronto
We’ve already mentioned that Toronto is a famous location for Bollywood movie producers. Let’s see in which parts of Toronto the most famous Bollywood movies were shot. The centre of the city (e.g. Yonge Street) is the most common place where movies are shot in Toronto, thanks to low production costs and Toronto’s resemblance to any other bigger city. This is also the case of Bollywood/Hollywood (2002) and Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003). Another very popular Bollywood movie, Thank You (2011), was shot at Toronto’s Flatiron Building, the Air Canada Centre, and Niagara Falls. There are many other spots in Toronto where parts of Bollywood movies were shot; the most common are St. Jamestown, University of Toronto, and the Old and New City Halls.

Bollywood Movie Rentals

One can easily recognize that there’s a strong community of approximately 550,000 Indian people living in Toronto and the GTA, thanks to the abundance of Indian restaurants, bistros, shops, dance schools, etc. However, it’s quite a surprise that it’s so easy to find a Bollywood movie rental in almost every neighbourhood in Toronto. They’re usually small, hidden shops with an astonishing collection of Bollywood flicks. If you want to have a Bollywood movie night in your home, try one of these rental shops: Bollywood ‘N Varieties (25 Overlea Boulevard), Bollywood 4 U (683 Markham Street), R K’s Bollywood Entertainment (1395 Queen Street W), Bollywood DvD Center (31 Street Dennis Drive, North York), Fieldgate Video (2465 Cawthra Rd.,Unit 127, Mississauga), or Golden Groceries Silo Direct Link to Golden Groceries  (2975 Drew Rd. Mississauga; 5995 14th Ave. Unit A-1, Bldg. A, Markham; 305 Charolais Blvd. Brampton; 4525 Ebeneyer Rd., Brampton, Cottrelle Blvd. Brampton).

For the Silo, Jamie Sarner.

Culture

Paris (Ontario!) for the Holidays

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That’s Paris, Ontario. This lovely town of about 12,000 is an easy hour and a half hour drive from Niagara. It was amalgamated in 1999 to the County of Brant but the locals don’t like to admit to it. It’s named for the nearby deposits of gypsum used to make plaster of Paris. It is referred to as, “the cobblestone capital of Canada” because of the towns large number of aged cobblestone homes.

An example of one of the historical cobblestone homes found in Paris.

When I arrived a few weeks ago to do Christmas shopping, I found a vibrant downtown tucked away in a wide valley. It was sheltered from big-box retailing and I soon learned chronic 21st century hurry-up ism wasn’t here either. The place reminded me of earlier times when I would walk the downtown of my own hometown. The pace was slow. It reinforced in my mind, how nice the world can be.
Parking is free along Grand River Street, the Main Street, and there’s lots of interesting stores to explore.

Always looking for a “sweet deal” I stumbled upon Chocolate Sensations Silo Direct Link to Chocoloate Sensations Website Like so many other shops in town, this delightful aromatic place is family owned by John and Sarah Chalmers. John said, “This business began as a humble home-based hobby in a family kitchen over 20 years ago. Today we do a thriving on site business and a large volume of catalogue sales”. Once inside chocolate enthusiasts will think they have died and went to chocolate heaven. I recommend before you leave take home some Christmas, Candy Cane Bark. Come on, you can afford to take out the belt a notch, after all it’s Christmas.

Sarah and John Chalmers inside their Chocolate Sensations shop.

Next door is a “cheesy place”. The Three Blind Mice Cheese Company Silo Direct Link to Three Blind Mice Cheese Company WebsiteOkay, I promise no more cheesy stuff. The owner, Lindsay Dawdy with an ear to ear smile said, “We only opened in June of this year and so far it’s been a runaway success. So much so, we’ve opened another store in Elora”. Believe it or not, this is a fun place. Step inside and see what I mean. Ask Lindsay to push the reset button on her 1951 Juke Box and you can hear one of your golden-oldies. Sticky Toffee and Wensleydale with Cranberry are the featured cheeses for the holidays.

Lindsay Dawdy, owner of Three Blind Mice Cheese Factory shows us one of her unusual cheeses
The Three Blind Mice Cheese Company storefront

Down the road is the John N Hall House of Quality Linens. This is an old-fashioned dry goods store. Their heavy front doors are the same ones customer’s have been pushing since the 1860’s. If you’re looking for a ladies embroided white cotton nightgown or fleece or flannelette blankets you’ve arrived.

The Brown Dog Coffee Shoppe Silo Direct Link to The Brown Dog Coffee Shoppe Website at 63 Grand River St. N. was so popular with the locals there must have been something to it. And there was.

For starters, everything is made from scratch and from what I observed servers worked at spoiling their customers. They roast their own coffee and they specialize in nostalgic hard to find sandwiches like the classic Monte Cristo. The Apple Waldorf Salad platter is a crowd pleaser. I loved their Deep Dish Corn Meal Crust Quiche and hand crafted Hot Apple Fritters. The apples were prepared in front of me using an 1800’s hand operated peeler. I washed the meal down with chocolate milk delivered to my table in an old-fashioned dairy bottle. In the warmer months you can eat on the second floor outdoor patio that overlooks the Grand River that flows through town.

I stopped in 'at the dog' for a meal washed down with chocolate milk delivered in a retro glass bottle

Before you leave Paris walk to the end of the town to the Williams Street Bridge and take a photograph of the back of these historic buildings that house these shops. It will be a keeper.

As I headed home I came across a group of people who were unloading Balsam Firs to be sold at their annual Christmas tree sale for St. James Anglican Church. It was a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting. One of the parishioners Steve Howes, who had lived in the town for 45 years told me, “This is a small town with a lot of heart. People still treat each other with respect. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else”. That sums this town up nicely.

Christmas tree sale in support of St. James Anglican Church

How to get There
From Niagara take the QEW to Highway 403 towards Brantford. Cut off onto Highway 2 to Paris. GPS users can punch in 89 Grand River Street. North, Paris.

Since 1850 Ontario Parisians have been warmly welcoming visitors

Written and Photographed by George Bailey. George is a writer who has a unique way of finding ‘hidden gems’ and sharing his experience in words and pictures.

Gaming

Dead Island Is Anything But Just Another Zombie Game

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The hands on book of the Video Game Dead Island

It all began with an amazing trailer, one which captivated gamers and zombie fanatics alike. To some, it was projected to be the most epic zombie game ever created! Well…almost. I can recall after watching the 30-odd, brief second commercial I said in an ironically zombie-like tone “gotta get that game”. The problem however, just may have been the hype. Read me out. The game Dead Island (never mind the trailer for a moment) is by far one of the coolest, addictive zombie games I’ve played in a good while.

You begin your zombie mashing quest on the fictional island of Banoi. You awake to find out that you’ve been bit by a zombie yet miraculously you, and only you, are immune to the zombie “infection” that has infiltrated the island. You are then sent out to complete various missions while also trying to find a way off the island. Of course, this is the game in a very tight nut shell, but you get the idea.

Played in first person, Dead Island is a zombie game that strays from the pack. Unlike other zombie games (Call of Duty: Black Ops) there’s a point to all the bloodshed! Rather than barricading yourself in an old, blown to bits, refuge waiting to die, you are continuously following quests and searching for either a cure or a way off the island. Furthermore, you are completing missions while hacking zombies to bits! (Of course this is all done for the protection of the other survivors and not for the sheer enjoyment). Dead Island also offers a great deal of discovery and has the detailed graphics to go along with the experience.

The bulk of your gameplay is going to rely on questing and exploration but it’s a gorgeous island to explore. Another point of interest is the open concept within the game. You are on an island! You are not surrounded by cement walls or debris covered roads but rather lush trees and a sparkling ocean which I think adds to the creepy factor. I mean, think about it…taking a vacation to a sandy beach resort is nothing out of the ordinary. Now imagine if that was your vacation ruined by zombies!
In terms of characters, there is enough character choice to satisfy and not overwhelm. Four characters, each of whom have their own background stories and their own weapon of expertise. For example, I played as Sam B who is skilled in the use of brass knuckles. Ha ha yeah, I thought it was pretty gritty too. I would change one thing though in regards to the characters; I would have preferred the ability to create your own character and the choice to choose your own expertise. I figure by creating your own character this allows you to better connect the game to the player.

One of the filthy Zombies from Dead Island BRAINSSSSS

Now for the zombies themselves, it’s nice to finally see some variety! You have your traditional “walkers” who can only be described as resembling something stumbling out of a bar at 2 in the morning, and you also have your “infected” who can occasionally sprint at you from any direction while releasing an ear piercing scream. Hell, there are even ones that go boom! The variety in zombie types requires you to be a quick thinker and an even quicker player. When you’re being attacked by a gang of eight zombies, ranging from useless to deadly, you need to utilize your weapons effectively and efficiently or else it’s game over.
Finally, let’s talk weapons. Of course you can use anything that’s lying around: a paddle or broken stick, but you can also improvise, upgrade and modify your weapons. For example, you can begin with your ordinary baseball bat, find some nails or barbed wire and you have one mean heavy hitter. This really gives you a chance to test your creativity and get the big points. All the random objects you find around the island are good for something, especially weapon modification so even the exploration has a purpose. Find yourself a stick, rags, nails and gasoline and you have a torch as well as a weapon! There are guns to be found or traded on the island but I actually preferred not using them. I mean let’s just pretend for a moment that zombies really did break out on my tropical island vacation, the chances of me finding a gun on the island….slim. So I played with what I had and what I could create. This method actually tests your abilities more than you’d think.
Overall, Dead Island is what I’d like to call a pallet cleansing game. It’s a break away from the shoot em’ up zombie games and provides a fresh new take on the idea of “infection”. However, I should mention that if serious amounts of blood and gore ain’t your thing, then perhaps Dead Island should stay on the shelf otherwise, it’s money well spent! Have fun gamers and remember to double tap! For the Silo, Holly LaRue.

Art

Terezin,MacDougall and Hana’s Suitcase- So What’s the Connection?

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Definition of art is very difficult to pin down.  As an oil painter I look at art one way.  An actor would think of it another way.  But really the definition doesn’t matter all that much.  Art surrounds us wherever we are, if only we choose to see it.  Sometimes though, we need to be reminded of that.

When I entered the concentration camp at Terezin in the Czech Republic that November day, the last thing I thought I would see was art.  I didn’t know that the children who lived there drew pictures, coloured them, and even wrote poems.  But there they were.  The paintings and words hung up on the museum wall. The wall was at least 50 feet high.  They had miraculously survived Terezin, even when the children themselves had not.  I stood in front of that wall for a long time, hesitant to leave.  Afraid that maybe I would need reminding again once I was back home.

Fast forward a year and Terezin has touched my life again.  Hana’s Suitcase, which is set in Terezin, is being presented by Theatre Norfolk and COMPASS Theatre Productions, in partnership with W. Ross MacDonald School for the Blind, and I had the opportunity to meet the cast and talk about my experiences at Terezin.  I also had the opportunity to watch renowned actor and director Lee MacDougall guide the cast of talented local and emerging actors through the paces of this emotional, heart wrenching play which took me right back to that wall.

Silo Behind the Scenes: Rehearsal of Hanna's Suitcase

In this play child actors play some of the main characters.  Hana was sent to Terezin when she was 11.  This play is being performed for over 1200 students in Grades 4-12; Children teaching children and because this play is for everyone; children teaching adults.  It speaks to hatred and intolerance.  It also speaks to hope and beauty.  It’s amazing how children are able to see both at the same time.  I wonder when we, as adults, forget how to do that.

I hope that you will take the time to see Hana’s Suitcase and be reminded of all the things that you should never forget while watching art at its finest.

Hana’s Suitcase, adapted by Emil Sher based on the book by Karen Levine, is being presented at W. Ross MacDonald Auditorium Dec. 2nd, 3rd & 4th.  Tickets are on
sale at Scotia Bank, Lynden Road, and at the Lighthouse Festival Theatre.  For more info and to purchase tickets visit Silo Direct Link to Theatre Norfolk Website

By Karen Wilson.  Silo Direct Link to Karen’s artsco Gallery Page

Designed by Dean Gailbraith of Picasso Fish
Reviews

I’ve Seen All Good People – Ex-Yes Frontman Jon Anderson

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Any veteran professional athlete who has performed at a high level for many, many years knows that a career threatening setback can occur at almost anytime. Given a long and reliable service to his team, he can reasonably be assured that if something grave happens, he’ll be allowed a chance to reclaim his position once back to good health.

Not so for lead singer Jon Anderson of classic 70’s progressive rock band Yes. Anderson was struck down in 2008 with an acute respiratory failure that left him without his voice and close to death. His band mates, eager to cash in on a reunion tour, cast him aside and scoured Youtube for a replacement. They captured Benoit David, a Canadian and singer for Yes tribute band Close to the Edge, and they went on their merry way. Fans cried foul and Anderson was left miffed and alone to face his illness.

That unfortunate story made Anderson’s August solo show and return to health at Festival of Friends in Hamilton all the more triumphant. Armed with only his magical voice, an acoustic guitar and his supportive wife side-stage, at age 66 Anderson showed us all that he can still deliver the powerfully high alto vocals that personified the original Yes sound. He ran through a 15 song set that included Yours is No Disgrace, Owner of a Lonely Heart, I’ve Seen All Good People and the mega-hit Roundabout among many others.

Stripped of the power of his supporting players, Anderson re-invented the songs- exposing the soul of each one at its very core. It was a magical show and although Anderson’s tenuous situation with Yes is quite well documented, he took nothing but the high road when interacting with the audience between songs. He only expressed gratitude for getting his health and voice back, and more thanks for all the support afforded him by those that truly loved him at time when he was deathly ill.

Anderson earned enormous applause from an appreciative audience throughout the entire set. It was a wonderful sight to witness at the end of the night- a waving Anderson beaming from ear to ear- a man betrayed leaving the stage with the most important thing of all- his integrity intact. I’ve Seen All Good People by Silo contributor and songwriter/performer John McIntosh.

Go check out his new video “Together’s All We Got” and feel free to ‘like’ Johnny Mac’s Music Kitchen on facebook.”  Silo Direct Link to Johnny Macs Music Kitchen on Youtube and Silo Direct Link to Johnny Macs Music Kitchen on Facebook CP

Art

Remembering The Children Of Terezin

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The first thing I noticed was the pebbles. There had to be a hundred. Maybe more.

All perched lovingly atop the unmarked grave. I took a deep breath and went closer.

Each step taken with respect. To those underneath the pebbles, their families, their communities, their lives.

Time stopped.

I knelt.

My hand reached out. Hovered over the pebbles asking permission to enter their world for just a few hours.

I was humbled. I was ready.

I will never forget.

So began my journey to Terezin in the Czech Republic that November day. I knew it would change me. I knew what I would see.

I knew nothing. Absolutely nothing.

How could I know? I had not yet seen. I had not yet felt. I had not yet heard the door slam behind me.

I didn’t know about the children. I didn’t know they drew pictures. Pictures of flowers and trees, family and dogs. Pictures like all kids draw. Only they weren’t all kids. They lived at Terezin.

I was ready.

I had watched the movies.
I had watched the documentaries
in my comfortable chair in my warm living room.

Now I’ve stood where they stood.
Sat where they sat.
Cried where they cried.

I know it’s not enough.
But I will never forget.
Will always speak up.
Will always remember the pebbles.

There were a hundred of them.
Maybe more.

IF WISHES WERE PEBBLES by Karen Wilson

Politics

Ontario Greens Pledge To End One-size-fits-all Family Farm Regulation

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

GREENS TO END ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL REGULATIONS THAT PUNISH LOCAL BUSINESSES

DUNEDIN, ONTARIO – Today, Green Party of Ontario (GPO) Leader Mike Schreiner joined Neil Metheral, owner of Dunedin’s Metheral Meats, to announce the Green Party’s plan to end the one-size-fits-all regulations that punish local businesses and limits access to local food.

“Local food processors are an essential part of building strong local economies with good local jobs,” said Schreiner. “We must create a level playing field for local food processors and family farms by introducing regulations that recognize the differences in the size and scope of operations.”

The decline of local processing facilities in Ontario makes it difficult for farmers to access higher value markets and to brand local products. The loss of local processors also restricts consumer choice and access to healthy local food.

Over the last decade, governments have written regulations to address health and safety concerns at large operations without consideration of the unique needs of small and medium sized processors. The number of small and medium sized abbatoirs, like Metheral’s, in Ontario has declined by approximately 70% in the last
decade.

“The cost of regulations imposed on processers will most affect the profit for the farmer and the price for the consumer,” said Metheral “With better support we could hire a student to oversee HACCP to assess our quality at a decent wage. In most small plants we can’t keep up with these costs.”

The Metheral’s small Dunedin processing plant was founded in 1991. It is an essential part of the family’s farm – in operation for 8 generations – and the local economy.

As part of the Ontario Food and Farming Strategy, the Green Party will work with the food and agricultural sector, as well as other levels of government, to develop regulations, by-laws and zoning laws appropriate for family farms and farm-based businesses.

“We have to reverse the closure of local food processing facilities since they are essential to building a local sustainable food system,” said Schreiner “We need smart regulations to promote food safety while putting local processors on a level playing field.

According to a 2010 survey conducted by Farmers Feed Cities, an overwhelming 99% of Ontarians agree that farming is important to Ontario’s well-being. It’s time to ensure that local farmers are supported so that all Ontarian’s have access to healthy food grown close to home.

GREEN MPPS WILL:

· End one-size-fits-all regulations for family farms and local food processors

· Implement smart regulations that recognize differences in the size of operations.

· Eliminate tax penalties and reduce zoning restrictions to facilitate local, on-farm food enterprises and innovative sources of farm income.

· Improve income stabilization programs so they are more accessible for family farms, cover a wider range of products and don’t penalize farmers who experience bad years.

For more information on the Green Party’s 5 Point Plan visit: Silo Direct Link To Green Party’s 5 Point Plan

Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
905 999 5479
rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
http://Silo Direct Link to Green Party of Ontario’s Press Site
Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Links:
——
[1] http://www.gpo.ca/

Culture

Jukasa: World Class Music Studio Open For Local Artists

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From our Sept/Oct 2011 PRINT Edition (Jukasa has a whole new team of amazing people on board! Please check their website for a list of their amazing staff CP)

If I were to tell you that musicians like Willie Nelson, Steven Tyler, Snoop Dogg, Derek Miller and The Tea Party have spent time in Ohsweken Village, what would you say?
I know what I said: “Wow, why haven’t I heard about this place?” The place I am talking about is Jukasa Media Group. Jukasa Media Group is a $3 million dollar studio complex that is currently expanding – and rapidly I might add. Upon its construction in 2009 Owner Kenny Hill wanted a place for his son and friends to record their music. In 2010 Mix Magazine named Jukasa as 2010’s “top three new studios on the planet.” What brings such talented musicians to Jukasa? The Gear? The Studio? The Staff? The Price? All of the Above?


The answer is all of the above. Jukasa currently features 2300sq ft of beautifully architectured live recording space, their famous sound board the SSL 8072 Console that spent a decade Abbey Road Studio 3, living accommodations on site, a space for editing daily recordings, and they are currently building a second recording studio, and will be opening a private Recording Arts School as of October where students will be in classes of no more than 9, learning the theory of sound, while recording real artists with the mastering engineer Nick Blagona and other staff.


Mixer and Mastering Engineer Nick Blagona has been in the music industry for decades and brings his experience around the world to Jukasa. Blagona has worked with Chicago, The Beegees, Cat Stevens, Nazareth, Alexisonfire (R.I.P.), Kim Mitchell, Protest the Hero, The Police, and Deep Purple to name the tip of the iceberg. Also under the Jukasa roof is Stevie Salas, Director of Aboriginal Development and U.S. Operations who has received the Life Time Achievement Award from the Native American Music Awards, and has the largest deal Island Records has ever signed. Salas has also brought his long time friend Rob Lamothe into the mix. Rob Lamothe is the General Manager of Jukasa, he has received an Edison Award from Holland, and has toured over 30 European tours.


Aside from the Gear, the staff and the facility itself, what makes Jukasa so unique is the price for the quality. Prices for recording at Jukasa are comparable to prices to record in basement studios in the area however the final product is the highest of quality production, thanks to the experienced staff and incredible equipment available.  For the Silo, Lacie Williamson

 

Okay you didn’t think we were going to NOT show you the famous SSL 8072 did you? Here it is-

Click to view on I-tunes
Click to view on I-tunes
Culture

A Dollar For Compressed Air – Are You Getting Gouged?

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The Silo does a lot of travelling and we take notice of the highs and the lows that go along with working in parts of four counties.  Some standouts are the comparative condition of the roads, the comparative prices of gasoline and diesel and one thing that surprised us: the rising cost of compressed air and the variations in the amount of time you get for the compressed air.

But why do we notice these things?

You see, we live in a wonderfully exotic environment. In just a few months time, air temperatures can vary between -20 degrees C to + 25 degrees C and this temperature jump combined with a (seemingly) growing number of potholes means checking your vehicles tire condition and pressure is a must. If you want to drive safely and economically and comfortably.

And that’s the rub

The vast majority of service stations are no longer Ma and Pa operations that cater to the automobile enthusiast. Sure they have candy and coffee and DVD’s and scratch lottery tickets. But what about putting the word ‘service’ back into service station? None of us on staff are old enough to remember a time when pulling your car into a gas station meant at a minimum a check under the hood. None of us are old enough to contemplate a time when your car was jacked up and inspected like a ship in dry dock. But all of us are aware of the rising cost of not only fuel but compressed air.

As we make our way around the different county lines and roads, our vehicles are taking a toll. On average, the roads are spotty and checking tire pressure has become a bit of an obsession. [If any of you are driving a vehicle with Nitrogen or another gas in your tires, please let us know if you’ve noticed a difference]

We are shocked by the rising costs of air pumps. The average cost of filling your tires is now 1$. The fill rates vary between pump manufacturers and it’s plausible that station owners may adjusting the length of time that 1$ will buy. We will report back our findings.  In the meantime- visit Burcham’s Service on Main St. in Port Dover for FULL service gas [sorry no diesel] and FREE compressed air. Pay attention to the warning sign above the air pump- this is a high pressure nozzle but when used properly, does a great job of filling your tires at no cost.  CP

 

Culture

Terroir

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Wine and cheese pairing is not just for the snobby connoisseur or the elite diner. Anyone can be a part of this wonderful dining experience and spend an evening savoring it yourself. Since all of us are different and more importantly, all of our taste buds are different, what master vintners and world class fromagiers may say is a correct pairing, may not work for the rest of us. By all means listen to what they might suggest, because they have a lot of experience with taste –but, remember they are just suggestions.  It’s the differences that make life interesting.

Cheese and wine by their very nature are even different from vat to vat. You may be making the same product, but in the food world, there are many variables to production. Terroir plays a significant role in both wine and cheese.  Grapes taken from sunny slopes of Italy have a different terroir than grapes taken from valleys in France. It’s the same with cheese. Milk coming from animals in Swiss Alpine regions possesses distinct flavors that differ from milk from animals on Canadian Prairies.

Understanding the basic concepts of flavors and how they pair, will give you a platform to make your own pairing decisions.  Cheese influences the taste of wine more than vice versa. Wines with lots of flavour work with cheese that also have lots of flavour.  Subtle wines work with delicate cheese; therefore hard cheese with red wines and soft cheese with white. Fruity wines pair nicely with tangy acidic cheese. A sour salty cheese makes a wine taste milder. Sometimes, pairing wines with cheese from the same area works well together. Spicy flavored cheese work well with sweet desert wines.

Sometimes a heavy sugar wine works with a blue cheese. But, in the long run, it’s all up to you to try it out, and find out what sits well with you.  Your goal is to create a balance of flavors of wine and cheese together.

Here are a few pairings of wine and cheese that you might care to try out.

Florence Estate Winery from Langton has a delightful chardonnay -with its light oak and hints of fruit pairs well with the Swiss Alpine Gruyere from the Canton of Fribourg. The subtle textures of the cheese draw out the fruity hints of the wine.

Villa Nova Estate Winery has a Riesling that is clear and floral, and the terroir of their region adds a slight twist of richness that differs slightly German Rieslings. This makes pairing with the English Double Gloucester a true experience. The saltiness of the cheddar takes the edge from the sweetness of the wine.

I am looking forward to sampling the other Norfolk County wines from Burning Kiln, Burning Mills Villa Nova Estate and Wooden Bear-L , when I get the chance. Maybe this weekend I can give it a shot with some close friends and a board of cheese. For the Silo, Scott Jensen. 

 

Reviews

Moon

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Art imitates rural life.

If you’re like me and grew up on a rich diet of 1980’s science fiction films, you should walk (no make that moonwalk) to your nearest video store and ask for MOON. This little gem is an existential journey into the mind of a lonely farmer-astronaut and hits close to home. Sure there’s the usual high contrast and gritty sci-fi production values, but there are also some poignant connections to our rural habitat. Picture a massive, rambling, white combine harvester gathering hay under a full, late fall moon, except that in this case the moon is the earth. A tiny, lonely man is hunched over the controls in an elevated and sealed cockpit. Now remove all semblance of colour, add a few craters and hills, and you get part of what makes this film so familiar and, dare I say, rural.

Growing up here as a boy I imagined that the once plentiful silos and drive-sheds in Norfolk (especially the aluminum ones) were rocket platforms and moon bases. Even the large, four wheeled crop sprayers had a space age look to them. And that is why I felt especially connected to Duncan Jones’ incredibly moving MOON. It pulled me in and felt familiar.

If I had to bet the farm I’d say the production designer looked at both farms and farm machinery while working out the aesthetics of this movie. But more than that, the story pulls at your heartstrings.

Sam (played by the remarkably versatile Sam Rockwell in a breakthrough role) is a lonely astronaut working on the moon, farming the soil for energy until he begins to suffer from extreme isolation- complete with lucid dreams and hallucinations. What follows next is one of the finest surprise plot twists in contemporary cinema.

Satisfying space fiction from son of iconic rocker David Bowie. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.