The Half House of St. Patrick Street Toronto

The Half House of St. Patrick Street Toronto

Canada

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This erstwhile Victorian-era row identify on St. Patrick Street , inward the middle of Toronto , Canada , has been cutting inward one-half alongside surgical precision. The identify is numbered 54 1/2 , although the bizarre numbering is solely a coincidence in addition to was non assigned to reverberate the house’s dismembered state.

The identify was originally built betwixt 1890 in addition to 1893 , in addition to was 1 time 1 of 6 identical in addition to structurally interconnected homes on what was thence known every minute Dummer Street. The houses were numbered pretty foreign —52 1/2 , 54 , 54 1/2 , 56 , 58 , in addition to 60. House unwrap 54 1/2 is the solely 1 all the same standing , or rather , one-half of what originally was that’s all the same standing. All the residue are gone , taken away past times a existent estate developer.

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Cheltenham Badlands inwards Caledon

Cheltenham Badlands inwards Caledon

Canada

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The Cheltenham Badlands is an expanse inwards Caledon , Canada , consisting of bare , windswept carmine hills in addition to gullies displaying spectacular colors that alternates from brilliant clays to carmine scoria , streaked amongst narrow greenish bands. Unlike natural causes such equally erosion yesteryear current of air in addition to H2O , Cheltenham Badlands was caused yesteryear human intervention.

The impressive landscape was originally formed at the base of operations of an ancient body of body of water over 400 1 1000 m years ago. All these years , the reddish Queenston Shale was covered yesteryear a layer of limestone , sandstone , sand in addition to gravel , until the early on 1900s , when pitiful farming exercise in addition to overgrazing caused the shale to larn exposed.

Photo credit: Gary J. Wood/Flickr

This expanse was 1 time a fertile portion used yesteryear the Native tribes in addition to master Canadian settlers. It was used partly equally pasture , equally an apple tree orchard , in addition to to grow crops similar wheat , potatoes , in addition to peas. The province was after used to graze cattle , in addition to the heavy purpose caused the soil to deplete , diminishing vegetation. Eventually , erosion set bare the shale underneath.

The impermeable nature of the shale causes H2O to run over it , taking away sediments , in addition to allowing the H2O to cutting into the shale. The constant activity of erosion has non exclusively crafted the shape of the badlands , only likewise has helped pigment it's unique color. The carmine color is caused yesteryear the oxidization of Fe when it gets exposed to oxygen in addition to water. The faint light-green streaks is due to Blue Planet H2O percolation changing the carmine Fe oxide into light-green Fe oxide.

The attractive landscape has drawn people from all around Canada , who walk on the formation , putting farther stress on the delicate landscape. In 2015 , the badlands site was fenced off in addition to unopen to the public.

Photo credit: Irina Souiki/Flickr

Photo credit: Irina Souiki/Flickr

Photo credit: Joe deSousa/Flickr

Photo credit: Joe deSousa/Flickr

Photo credit: Colin Harris/Flickr

Photo credit: Jojo Santa Ana Photography/Flickr

Sources: Wikipedia / Ontario Heritage Trust / www.wgrz.com

The ‘Whiskey War’ of Hans Island

The ‘Whiskey War’ of Hans Island

Canada

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In the remote due north of the Atlantic Ocean , correct on the border of the freezing waters of the Arctic Ocean , lies a tiny speck of an island. Named later on a 19th century Greenlandic Arctic traveller , the half-square-mile Hans Island is equally barren equally whatsoever uninhabited isle could e'er live on —a apartment , exposed rocky knoll amongst no vegetation in addition to no apparent natural resources. Yet , this nondescript slice of stone has been at the middle of a territorial dispute betwixt Canada in addition to Kingdom of Denmark that has been raging for most one-half a century.

Hans Island lies inwards the middle of the Nares Strait , a 22-mile-wide channel of H2O that separates Canada from Greenland , an autonomous territory of Denmark. International constabulary dictates that all countries bring the correct to claim territory inside 12 miles of their shore. This puts Hans Island inwards both Danish in addition to Canadian waters.

NY Times / Wikipedia

The Chemical Valley of Sarnia

The Chemical Valley of Sarnia

Canada

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These tall chimneys billowing thick , toxic smoke stand upwards on the banks of the Saint Clair River , on the outskirts of the Canadian urban essence of Sarnia , inwards Southwestern Ontario. Stretching for over xxx kilometers along the riverbank from the southern tip of Lake Huron to the hamlet of Sombra , this share has been nicknamed the Chemical Valley , because of the large concentration of crude oil as well as chemic factories that are packed together hither , elbow-to-elbow , inside an expanse the size of a hundred urban essence blocks. Sarnia’s Chemical Valley is domicile to sixty-two chemic plants accounting for nearly xl pct of Canada's chemic industry. These industrial complexes are the take in of Sarnia's infrastructure as well as economic scheme , creating —directly as well as indirectly— to a greater extent than than 50 chiliad jobs inwards the area.

Photo credit: P199/Wikimedia

The roots of Chemical Valley engagement to the mid 19th century , when oil was discovered merely due south of Sarnia as well as the country’s showtime commercial wells were dug inwards the villages of Petrolia as well as Oil Springs. The abundance of unsmooth as well as its proximity to Detroit , Chicago as well as Toronto made it the ideal place for a petrochemical center. When the Second World War began , as well as Nippon occupied Southeast Asia , where most of the world’s natural security came from , it became crucial for the Allies to respect an alternate source. Time beingness scarce , a determination was taken to hit synthetic security , as well as Sarnia was chosen equally the site for the plant. Sarnia was located close unsmooth oil fields —the raw fabric needed for production of synthetic security , as well as at that spot were already refineries at that spot , which provided inexpensive agency of shipping for both raw materials as well as products. Besides , large quantities of coldness H2O that is needed inwards the plant’s cooling organization were easily accessible.

Within the showtime 2 years , the security factories were supplying all of Canada’s armed services as well as civilian needs for rubber. Production continued fifty-fifty subsequently the state of war , as well as shortly Canada was exporting its products as well as creating subsidiaries abroad. By the belatedly 1960s , many of the largest oil as well as chemic companies inwards the footing had built facilities inwards Chemical Valley as well as the economic scheme boomed. The urban essence had the highest measure of living inwards the province inwards the 1970s , amongst a per capita disposable income 35 pct greater than the national average. For many years , the icon of Sarnia’s iconic skyline of chimneys graced the contrary of the Canadian $10 bill.

But Sarnia’s industrial success is taking a terms on its environment. According to a 2011 study past times the World Health Organization , Sarnia’s air is the most polluted inwards Canada. The dangerously high concentration of toxic chemicals inwards the air from chimney emissions as well as regular leaks are making residents sick. Cancer rates inwards Sarnia are 34% higher than the provincial average , mesothelioma rates v times higher as well as asbestosis rates an astounding nine times higher.

The worst affected is the First Nations reservation called Aamjiwnaang that sits , preposterously , correct inwards the middle of Chemical Valley , surrounded on all sides past times refineries as well as crude oil facilities that piece of work all circular the clock , 365 days a year. Home to close 850 Chippewa , the Aamjiwnaang First Nation reservation was originally a Chippewa hunting footing , but the expanse was turned into a First Nations reserve inwards 1827 , subsequently the British regime snatched upwards an enormous total of Native land. Today , it's 1 of the most poisonous locations inwards North America.

On the positive side , the air character inwards Sarnia has improved inwards recent years , amongst xxx pct reduction inwards nitrogen dioxide , carbon monoxide as well as sulfur dioxide problems. The pose out of smog days inwards 2009 was too downward to 5 from a tape 46 inwards 2005.

Photo credit: Ken/Flickr

Photo credit: Jon Lin Photography/Flickr

Photo credit: Garth Lenz

Photo credit: Jon Lin Photography/Flickr

Photo credit: Jon Lin Photography/Flickr

Photo credit: Toban B/Flickr

The north-western edge of the Aamjiwnaang native reserve. Photo credit: Toban B/Flickr

A sign along the St. Clair river. Photo credit: Toban B/Flickr

Sources: Wikipedia / Wikipedia / Sarnia Historical Society / Library as well as Archives Canada Blog / Environmental Justice Atlas / Chatelaine / Vice

Enormous Iceberg Stranded inward Canadian Town

Enormous Iceberg Stranded inward Canadian Town

Canada

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Icebergs are non a rare sight off the eastward coast of Canada. Indeed , at that topographic point is an surface area stretching from the coast of Labrador to the northeast coast of the isle of Newfoundland that has been nicknamed the “Iceberg Alley” for the sheer break of icebergs that floats into the vicinity during boundary too early on summer. But fifty-fifty longtime residents did a double accept when an astonishingly large i ran aground most the hamlet of Ferryland , this week.

The large chunk of H2O ice towers 150 feet. It’s the largest Iceberg Alley has e'er seen.

Photo credit: Greg Lock/Reuters

Hundreds of chunks of H2O ice interruption off from Baffin Island or Greenland too drift downwards this stretch of H2O every spring. This twelvemonth , over 600 icebergs hit got already floated into the North Atlantic , compared to a full of 687 over the whole flavor final year. The twelvemonth earlier , the Canadian Ice Service had counted 1 ,165.

Usually , i needs to accept a boat ride or a paddle inwards a kayak along the coastline to lookout them. But this item chunk of H2O ice floated likewise roughly shore too got stuck , making Ferryland a pop tourist goal this weekend.

Experts tell that the high break of icebergs this twelvemonth is the resultant of increased global temperature equally good equally an unusually rigid counter-clockwise winds that has drawn the icebergs south.

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Photo credit: theicebergfestival.ca

Sources: Wired / www.newfoundlandlabrador.com

Magdalen: The Island of Shipwreck Survivors

Magdalen: The Island of Shipwreck Survivors

Canada

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The modest archipelago of Magdalen Islands inwards the Gulf of Saint Lawrence , off the coast of the Canadian say of Quebec , is domicile to unopen to 12 ,000 people. Nearly everyone of them is a descendant of a shipwreck survivor.

The Magdalen Islands , too known every bit Îles de la Madeleine , convey a long history of shipwrecks. In the 18th in addition to 19th centuries , an estimated 500 vessels roughshod victim to the shifting sands in addition to shallow waters of the Magdalen Islands , inwards Canada’s predominantly French-speaking say of Quebec. In those days , at that spot were no lighthouses inwards the expanse in addition to charts were less than accurate. In the heavy winds , fog in addition to choppy waters , navigation became a game of guessing in addition to dexterity. Many ships along alongside their passengers perished inwards the waters. Those who survived chose to settle downwardly in addition to brand the islands their home.

magdalenislands.blogspot.in

The Gastown Steam Clock

The Gastown Steam Clock

Canada

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Not far from Vancouver’s waterfront , inwards the historic Gastown neighborhood , stands 1 of the city’s major crowd-drawer—a steam-powered clock. The 16-foot-tall clock displays the fourth dimension on iv faces , in addition to every quarter hr it plays the Westminster chimes on iv whistles alongside steam shooting out of the transcend but similar inwards a locomotive.

Despite its antique await in addition to archaic technology scientific discipline , the Gastown Steam Clock is of a much younger generation. It was built inwards 1977 past times the renowned Canadian clockmaker Raymond Saunders equally purpose of a rejuvenation of the Gastown area.

Photo credit: Michael Contreras/Flickr

Back inwards the 1960s , many North American cities such New York , Toronto in addition to Seattle had freeways running correct through town or along their waterfronts. Vancouver didn’t accept whatever , in addition to the municipal authorities wanted to laid upward that past times constructing a giant state highway linking the Trans-Canada Highway alongside the Lions Gate Bridge , bulldozing its agency through the historic , in addition to marginalized , neighborhoods of Strathcona , Chinatown in addition to Gastown. The communities that lay inwards the path of the proposed state highway protested in addition to the plans for Vancouver's inner-city state highway were shelved. Efforts , instead , were turned towards refurbishing the historic buildings that had fallen into disrepair.

By 1977 the regeneration of Gastown was largely consummate , but it yet didn’t accept a focal point—something to depict people in. So local merchants in addition to belongings owners banded together in addition to raised $58 ,000 for Saunders to build the antique-looking clock. The steam topic was chosen equally a reference to the industrial past times of the expanse , where steam pipes in 1 lawsuit ran subway powering machinery. The Gastown Steam Clock became exclusively the mo steam-powered clock always constructed.

Photo credit: Wendy/Flickr

The world’s starting fourth dimension steam clock was built past times an Englishman named John Inshaw inwards 1859 to depict customers to his newly acquired world identify inwards Ladywood , Birmingham. John Inshaw , who had previously built steam-powered mechanism for the railway in addition to transportation industries , devised a clock where steam from a pocket-size boiler condensed into droplets of H2O in addition to vicious on a plate at regular intervals. Somehow , the plate thence drove the mechanism. The clock was installed to a higher identify the door , in addition to the pub became known equally the Steam Clock Tavern. Inshaw’s institution did such a roaring merchandise that the tavern eventually became a music hall inwards the early on 1880s.

Raymond Saunders’s clock inwards Gastown plant differently , in addition to it isn’t genuinely powered past times steam; it’s powered past times gravity. The clock consists a disclose of steel balls that descend past times weight , driving a chain that moves the hands of the clock. The pocket-size steam engine at the base of operations drives the chain elevator delivering the balls to the transcend of the chain drive. The steam engine is likewise responsible for the whistles in addition to , of flat , the escaping steam.

Raymond Saunders has since built several world steam clocks for cities such equally Otaru inwards Nippon , Indianapolis inwards the U.S.A. , in addition to the Canadian cities of Whistler in addition to Port Coquitlam. Other steam clocks made past times dissimilar makers tin ship away hold upward found St Helier , inwards Bailiwick of Jersey , an isle off the coast of Normandy , French Republic ,and at the Chelsea Farmers' Market inwards London , England.

Photo credit: karmacamilleeon/Flickr

Photo credit: GoToVan/Flickr

Photo credit: qasic/Flickr

Sources: Wikipedia / www.cbcmusic.ca / Inside Vancouver / Wikipedia / www.vancouversun.com

The Sourtoe Cocktail: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Drink Garnished With Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Human Toe

The Sourtoe Cocktail: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Drink Garnished With Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Human Toe

Canada

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In Dawson City , past times the Yukon River , upward due north inwards Canada , in that location is a bar where you lot tin give the axe monastic enjoin a shot of whiskey garnished amongst a existent , dehydrated human toe. The ritual known equally the “Sourtoe Cocktail” started to a greater extent than than 40 years agone as well as has dice around similar a rite of passage for visitors to Dawson City.

The floor goes that dorsum inwards the 1920s , a rum-runner named Louie Linken as well as his blood brother Otto ran into an awful blizzard , as well as Louie got his big toe frozen solid. In monastic enjoin to forbid gangrene , Otto chopped off his brother’s frostbitten toe. The 2 as well as then preserved the amputated toe inwards a jounce of alcohol equally a memento. Fifty years after , a Yukon local named Captain Dick Stevenson flora the jounce containing the toe piece cleaning a cabin. He brought the pickled toe downtown , where somehow it became the essential cistron of the celebrated drink.

Photo credit: The Guardian

So far , the Sourdough Saloon has gone through at to the lowest degree 8 unlike toes , all donated past times patrons. Nearly all of them accept gone missing—some stolen as well as about washed downward the throat. The starting fourth dimension deglutition was accidental , when a miner swallowed it on his thirteenth drinking glass of Sourtoe champagne. That happened inwards 1980 , as well as it was the master copy toe. The Saloon’s 8th toe was stolen inwards June this year.

Back inwards those days , its wasn’t odd for participants to position the whole affair inwards their oral fissure as well as spit it dorsum out again. That’s in all probability how it got swallowed inwards the starting fourth dimension place. Now the rules accept changed , as well as in that location is a fine for anybody who swallows it , either accidentally or intentionally—not that anybody would desire to swallow a dark , mummified human appendage on role , or therefore they idea , until 2013 , when a human being walked into the Saloon , ordered a Sourtoe Cocktail , swallowed it , slapped downward the fine of $500 as well as calmly walked out. The hotel responded past times raising the fine to $2 ,500.

For the less adventurous ones , the rules are clear —in monastic enjoin to dice a fellow member of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club , you lot must permit your lips to acquit upon the toe.

Photo credit: The Guardian

The sourtoe sitting over a lump of tabular array salt , used to save the toe. Photo credit: TravelingOtter/Flickr

All participants who successfully consummate the Sourtoe Cocktail challenge is awarded a certificate. Photo credit: Jimmy Emerson/Flickr

Sources: dawsoncity.ca / NPR / The Guardian / Inverse

Hamilton The Waterfall Capital of The World

Hamilton The Waterfall Capital of The World

Canada

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Niagara Falls powerfulness survive the most visited waterfalls inwards North America but the truthful ‘Waterfall Capital’ of the basis lies fifty miles to the westward , inwards the Canadian metropolis of Hamilton. Situated inwards the pump of the most highly industrialized portion of the dry reason , Hamilton is too a house of neat natural beauty. Its most famous natural characteristic are its waterfalls.

Hamilton is dwelling to to a greater extent than than i hundred waterfalls—one of the highest inwards whatever urban expanse of its size. The abundance inwards waterfalls is due to the city’s place along the Niagara Escarpment , an arc-shaped ridge that passes through the amount of the metropolis every bit it runs from New York , through Ontario , Michigan , Wisconsin , too Illinois. Any river , creek or current that flows towards the Great Lakes over the Niagara Escarpment results inwards i or to a greater extent than waterfalls.

Webster’s falls , Hamilton’s most pop waterfalls. Photo credit: paul blca/Flickr

Typical of a large industrial metropolis focused on making steel , Hamilton’s waterfalls went largely unnoticed past times its one-half meg residents until 2008 , when Chris Ecklund , a Hamilton native , founded the City of Waterfalls , a non-profit maiden aimed at promoting the city’s cascades. The locals knew virtually about of the city’s larger falls too visited them on the weekends every bit swimming holes too picnic sites , but nobody knew the truthful extent of Hamilton’s watery asset.

Even today , nobody tin give a truthful count of Hamilton’s waterfalls. Chris Ecklund’s website mentions past times shout out about 130 waterfalls , but about sources claim figures every bit high every bit 150-plus. The dubiety could survive due to the fact that exclusively virtually 50-60 of the waterfalls catamenia yr circular , too so the count could vary depending on the flavour of the year. Then , about waterfalls are on person belongings whose count powerfulness accept or accept non been accounted for. Furthermore , many waterfalls inwards fundamental Hamilton has piece of cake been vanishing amongst the ascent inwards population too construction.

Hamilton has no rivers , thence the size of the waterfalls are nowhere close the magnitude of Niagara Falls. Instead , Hamilton’s waterfalls are small-scale , quite too serene , too at that spot is a huge diversity inwards them. There are cascades , ribbon-type (falls of neat tiptop too small-scale width) , the classical diversity (where tiptop too crest width are nearly equal) , too curtain-like (falls of small-scale tiptop too really broad crest).

The most scenic waterfall inwards Hamilton is the Webster's Falls. The highest waterfall is Tew’s Falls at 41 meters , too the shortest , Little Davis Falls , is only three meters high.

Webster’s falls. Photo credit: Hamilton Conservation Authority/Flickr

Albion Falls. Photo credit: Tom Flemming/Flickr

Albion Falls. Photo credit: Joe deSousa/Flickr

Upper Princess Falls. Photo credit: Joe deSousa/Flickr

Sherman falls. Photo credit: Gregory Roberts/Flickr

Sherman falls. Photo credit: John Piercy/Flickr

Tews falls. Photo credit: John Piercy/Flickr

Tiffany Falls. Photo credit: John Piercy/Flickr

Sources: Wikipedia / Smithsonian / World of Waterfalls