Big Bang Accident

E.J. Viso currently drives the #8 KV Racing Technology car in the IndyCar series.
This is what he tweeted this morning on Twitter:
"June 30 2007 I had the big bang accident in magny cours France. I call it my 2nd birthday".

That was in the 2007 GP2, Magny Cours, France, race.

Wow, if you can walk away from that, then you can celebrate as many birthdays as you want.
Happy 2nd birthday.
video courtesy of YouTube.

Tracy Ready to Roll

After an incredibly tough Month of May, Paul Tracy has been confirmed to run at the Glen next weekend. Tracy, who's already competed with 3 IZOD IndyCar Series teams (Vision, KVRT, & Foyt) over as many years will make it 4 when he takes to the track in the #24 Dallara for DRR over the 4th of July weekend.

“I feel great. It’s obviously a good feeling to get more races, especially being able to race at the Glen and building up momentum before going into the Canadian events. It’s also great to have the support of Honda Indy Toronto and Motegi Racing for this race as well. I’m really excited about working with Robbie Buhl again and to get to work with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. I’ve known Robbie from our early days in racing back when we competed against each other in the Indy Lights Series. It’s very exciting to branch out with another team I haven’t been with before and I’m looking forward to a good weekend,” - Paul Tracy"

courtesy of 16th and Georgetown

Shame!

Hundreds of people rounded up at Queen and Spadina and held without reason for 3 hours in the pouring rain earlier tonight. Some may be caught up in the G20 protest but others are just regular people being held against their will.

From one extreme to the other.

What the fuck is going on in Toronto?

Thank God tomorrow the sun will come up on a new day and the G8/G20 summits will be nothing but a bad dream.

G8 Turns Ugly

Shocked. Disgusted. Embarrassed. Pissed.

picture courtesy of Chris Young/Canadian Press

G8 Takes Over Downtown

My wife works downtown in the fenced off zone where the G8 summit is being held this weekend. As of today that area is closed to cars, which meant I had to drive her in. The downtown core has become a ghost town with streets closed off everywhere and police officers with riot gear at the ready on every corner. Because it was early in the morning, it was pretty much just us and the cops on the road. I got her as close as I could, and she set out on foot to cover the last few blocks.

After I dropped her off, I parked the car and took a walk to see if I could snap some pictures. The police were not nearly as friendly as the had been the other day. I couldn't get anywhere near the fence and was told that if I ventured anywhere close to it, I would be "investigated". I tried a couple of different streets and was met with the same resistance.

There is no way anyone is going to get close to the fence or the convention centre this weekend. The closest I could come was blocks away in what I was told was a green zone. If I wanted to venture any further into the red zone I needed to have a reason for being there and I would also need to show ID and be prepared to be searched.

And it was at that point that I decided that I really didn't need those pictures after all and would in fact leave the news coverage to the professionals from this point on...

New Law Gives Authorities Power To Arrest Those Who Refuse To ID Themselves Around G20 Security Zone

As if 20,000 police officers on the ground to keep control isn't enough. Now it has been revealed that police have the right to arrest you for not presenting ID or agreeing to a search.
Really.
Check it out:
"Be prepared to present identification and be searched if you’re near the G20 security zone. New and quietly-passed legislation gives police the authority to arrest anyone who refuses to show ID or agree to search in the fenced-in area around the summit venue.
The provincial government passed a new regulation without debate at the Legislature on June 2nd that allows officers to arrest anyone who refuses to adhere to authorities’ requests within five metres of the fence perimeter.
The Public Works Protection Act allowed the measure to be put in place specifically for the G20.
The rule is temporary. It took effect Monday and expires after the summit on June 28. Anyone convicted could face up to two months in jail and a $500 fine.
One man was arrested Thursday under the new law. He’s due in court July 28th.
“[The Canadian Civil Liberties Association] is obviously extremely concerned about the implications of this measure and will seek to challenge them,” the group said in a statement.
Since when did we start living in communist China?!
Isn't in our Charter of Rights, not to be stopped and searched without probable cause?
Don't you have to bring a bill before Parliament before you can enact a law, or suspend our civil liberties?
What the hell? That ain't right.
courtesy of City News

Today In Canadian History

On this date in 1993, Kim Campbell was chosen to be the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, making her the 19th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 25, 1993 to November 4, 1993 (132 days). Campbell was the first and to date only female Prime Minister of Canada, the first baby boomer to hold office and the first to have been born in British Columbia.

info courtesy of Wikipedia.

G8 Comes To Town

Heads of state began arriving in town today for the G8 and G20 summit's tomorrow in Huntsville and this weekend in downtown Toronto.
I took a bike ride downtown to check out the sites and see how bad it really was.

The police definitely out numbered the regular citizens. There are groups of cops on every corner, riot gear at the ready, but very friendly and not intimidating at all.

At first I was a bit hesitant about taking photos, but as it turns out the cops really didn't seem to mind. I have to admit, I have never seen this many cops in my life. There is supposed to be upwards of 11,000 cops here from all across Canada. Which makes me wonder, how easy do you think it would it be to commit a crime anywhere else in Canada this weekend and not get caught, especially since every cop is here in Toronto!

And all within a few blocks, I came across this.

A group calling themselves no fences no borders, who were protesting the fence surrounding the downtown core. That's your beef? Really?

Down the street from that, a car found with a cross bow, baseball bat, chainsaw and containers of gas. The driver was arrested as a G20 security threat. The white truck in the picture below belongs to CNN.And right around the corner from that, at the hotel where the French delegates are supposed to stay, hotel workers on strike, walking in circles banging pots, and drums, and blowing whistles and horns.

It looks like it's going to be some weekend in the downtown core.

Construction On Track

I took a ride over to the Exhibition grounds yesterday morning to check out the progress being made for the Honda Indy Toronto coming up in July and I am happy to say construction is right on track.IndyCar has the month of May and the Indy 500, but for me my "month of May" is July. That's when the IndyCar circus comes to my part of the world, starting with Wakins Glen next week and then my home town race, the Honda Indy Toronto, July 16, 17 and 18th, followed by the Honda Indy Edmonton a week later.

And as an added bonus, Canada's own, the thrill from West Hill, (that's in Scarborough folks!), Paul Tracy, will be participating in all 3 events.

If you have never been to a race, you should check it out. Friday's practice for the Toronto race will be free this year, that's right, I said FREE!

It's a weekend of fun in the sun, right here in the city.

Do yourself a favour, go and check it out. It will blow your mind!

Can You keep A Secret?

Check out this cool contest by Caramilk.

You know, the chocolate bar that has teased generations of chocoholics for the last 40 years with the burning question -- just how do they get the caramel into the centre?

Well here's your chance to finally find out how.

Just like in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, all you have to do is buy a Caramilk candy bar anywhere in Canada and find one of ten golden keys hidden in the wrapper. This will get you a tour of the Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Toronto and a one in ten chance of finally find out the secret to the question, how do they get that damned ooey-gooey caramel into it?!?

But there is a catch.

The person who wins will get $125,000 and a sealed envelope with the secret formula. If that person can keep the envelope sealed for six months and not open it, they get another $125,000.

How crazy is that?

What would you do?

Open the envelope and find out the answer to the secret?

Or would you pocket the extra cash and give back the envelope unopened??

Can you keep a secret????

For full contest details click here.

Tracy Gets IndyCar Ride For Watkins Glen

Great news!

I'm going to the Glen again this year for the IndyCar race and as an added bonus so will Scarborough native, Paul Tracy. Check it out:

"Paul Tracy has signed a contract to drive for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the Izod IndyCar Series event on July 4 at Watkins Glen International.
Tracy will be the third different driver to replace Mike Conway, who was injured in a crash at the end of the Indianapolis 500. Conway is expected to miss at least three months with fractures to his back and leg.
Tomas Scheckter drove the No. 24 car at Texas Motor Speedway, and Graham Rahal was in it on Sunday at Iowa Speedway. D&R team co-owner Robbie Buhl said he's working on a plan that would keep Rahal in the fold for Watkins Glen, likely in the team's No. 23 car.
Tracy, 41, has not started an IndyCar race this season. With KV Racing Technology, his car was withdrawn from the Indy 500 and it missed the show. He is scheduled to return to KV for next month's two Canadian races in Toronto and Edmonton."

courtesy of Autoweek.

First Day Of Summer

Happy first day of summer!Lets go swimming!!

More G8 Action

Today on my morning ride I came across some more G8 fun. Practicing the motorcade.

Early Morning Workout

Some shots I took of some rowers practicing in one of the channels in the Portlands.

G8 Comes To The Beach

I took these shots on my ride this morning down in the Portlands.

This is the empty lot that Cirque du Soleil usually sets up in when they come to town. Two weeks ago this lot was empty and then a week ago a fleet of brand new Dodge caravans appeared all parked row upon row.

Today it had become a parking lot filled with cars. As it turns out this is where all the police officers from other forces across the country are staged. The Dodge caravans were all gone, now in use as police vehicles for the G8 summit.

I also snapped a couple of shots of the coppers training for the up coming summit. This is as close as I dared. No snapping away till I got the right shot this time. This was a quick couple of snaps, then put the camera away and get the hell out of there. These guys did not look like they were in the posing mood, if you know what I mean....

Leave The Vuvuzela Alone!

As I'm sure you are aware, there is growing movement to try to get the Vuvuzela banned at the World Cup, because it is too noisy and a distraction to the fans, players and media commentators. FIFA has shown their support for the vuvuzela by refusing to ban them.

Here is part of the reason why:

"The vuvuzela is not some fad that arrived in South Africa with the World Cup. It is a part of African culture and history.
For communication
The commercial, plastic version that is all the rage today originated from the traditional vuvuzela, made from the horn of a kudu, an African version of a deer.
Hunters hollowed out the horns to create trumpets, which were used for communication.
Different sounds could mean an approaching enemy, an order to advance in battle, a call to an indaba (political meeting) or the funeral of an important person.
When kingdoms were replaced by states, the use of the kudu horn changed to scaring elephants, baboons and other animals from crop fields.
It was also used as a musical instrument.
Today, plastic trumpets have replaced the kudu horns and crop fields have been turned into sports stadiums.
But the menace of the “enemy” remains — now on the soccer pitch — and the noise of the vuvuzela is intended to symbolically scare them away.
Blacks in South Africa have a particularly emotional attachment to the vuvuzela. During apartheid, when their most basic freedoms were denied, it was in football stadiums they felt free to let loose, and, for the duration of a match, to blow all of their frustrations into the vuvuzela.
On one level, the noise was meant to rattle the opposing team and its fans. But symbolically, it was meant to blow away the injustice of apartheid.
To take away the vuvuzela during the World Cup would symbolize to black South Africans a restriction on their hard-won freedoms gained after a long and bitter struggle. And it would be seen as pouring scorn on the uniquely African nature of this World Cup."

I'm glad that the vuvuzela will stay. Every country has their football traditions, this is Africa's way of showing the world their football pride.

Deal with it.

courtesy of the Toronto Sun

Meet the Tiger Dog

"If this strange creature growled at you, you wouldn't know whether to run from his sharp claws or pat him on the head and give him a biscuit. From a distance, its striped orange and black coat makes it look like a particularly odd tiger. But it's actually a retriever, the victim of the latest craze among some dog owners in China to dye their pets to look like other animals. The Chinese are always quick to embrace bizarre trends, and it is not unusual for owners to take their dogs to grooming parlours where they are not only given a shampoo and trim, but a multi-coloured dye job as well."My dog Hobbes hasn't come out of hiding since I showed him these pictures...

courtesy of the Daily Mail.

Toronto Honda Indy Free On Friday

Hey check this out:

"For the first time in its 24-year-existence the three-day IZOD IndyCar Honda Indy Toronto will be free for race fans on opening day Friday, July 16.
The Ontario Honda Dealers Association — who is also the primary sponsor for Paul Tracy’s No. 15 KV Racing Technology entry — will underwrite the entire cost of the event.
“We are very pleased to make this opportunity available to everyone in Ontario and beyond,” Jim Proskos, owner of Cobourg Honda, speaking on behalf of the OHDA, said. “For anyone who has never seen open-wheel racing up close and personal, we encourage them to take advantage of this no-cost opportunity to see some of the world’s top race drivers tackling the streets of Toronto.
A key part of the Honda promotion is Tracy’s tie in with the Make-a-Wish foundation. The charity that grants wishes to children with life threatening illnesses, was named last month as recipient of any funds raised by Tracy, his KVRT team and the Honda dealers during the three-day race weekend at Exhibition Place"

Friday is the best day to go. No crowds, easy access to the drivers and their cars. Great for pictures and great for autographs.

If you are looking for something to do that day, I highly recommend it!

courtesy of the Toronto Sun.

Extreme Border Collie Sheep Herding - With Lights!

Its a bit slow to start, but stick with it, you won't be disappointed.

I knew these dogs were smart, but that was ridiculous!

courtesy of YouTube

I Need Your help

As you know I am an avid biker and have a need to sometimes throw my bike in my car to get to the start of a ride.

I am trying to decide whether or not to install a trailer hitch bike rack like this Audi owner did,

or go balls to the wall like this Porsche owner I saw on the Gardiner Expressway with a roof rack.I was leaning towards the trailer hitch until I saw the Porsche, now I'm thinking the roof rack looks way sexier.

Thoughts anyone?

Biking Update

Stats for May
301 kms road bike
78 kms mountain bike
599 kms total
average speed 25-26kms/hr
best time for my 20 km loop 49:03