Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

. PAINTINGS AND PHOTOS FROM AN URBAN PRISON . Stephen Weir here. I want to briefly tell you about a special "Christmas" art show that should be of interest to you. There is a special exhibition that opened today in Guelph featuring the work of Toronto's Bryce Christmas Bryce Christmas is a young artist who has been confined by court order to a 2-bedroom apartment in downtown Toronto. For the past 9-months his world has been confined to what he can see and paint from his balcony and to the junk he can find and photograph in the apartment building's musty old basement. Bryce is waiting for his trial on a variety of drug related charges. The courts have put him under the care of Bernard Gauthier, the driving force behind Bravo TV. He has turned his life around because of art and the influence of Bernard. To keep sane Bryce has been creating art every day in his comfortable but claustrophobic prison. Well known Toronto curator Shelley Falconer has just seen Bryce's a...

. New Scuba Products For The Holiday This Year - The Fifth Day of Christmas ( Unedited story in 5-parts - Feature for December issue of Canada's Diver Magazine www.divermag.com ) By Stephen Weir With only a few weeks left until Christmas, the expert buyers at Diver Magazine have once again come to the rescue of weary holiday shoppers with our well-informed gift suggestions. This time, the buyers have zeroed in over 20 last-minute gift suggestions that are all new (or improved) this year. HELP FLAG: When closed a new expandable dive flag is so small that it can easily fit into a loved ones Christmas stocking. When open fully the 150 grams H.E.L.P flag extends to over 1500 mm in height and can be seen up to 3kms away. The yellow colour flag The flag sells for $50 US (plus shipping charges) and can be ordered on line at: www.thediveflag.com/ . Grand Bahama goes all inclusive – shark dive thrown in - The island of Grand Bahamas has long been synonymous with dive tourism in the Cari...

New Scuba Products For The Holiday This Year - The Fourth Day of Christmas (Unedited story in 6-parts - Feature for December issue of Canada's Diver Magazine www.divermag.com) By Stephen Weir With only a few weeks left until Christmas, the expert buyers at Diver Magazine have once again come to the rescue of weary holiday shoppers with our well-informed gift suggestions. This time, the buyers have zeroed in over 20 last-minute gift suggestions that are all new (or improved) this year. Snakes on a Sleigh … Aqua Lung is distributing newly updated and improved Viper and Cobra dive computers this Christmas. Built by Suunato, the Cobra3 and Vyper2 dive computer feature Air, Nitrox and Gauge modes, as well as gas switching capabilities. Both use the Suunato deep stop reduced gradient bubble model algorithm that features continuous decompression for optimal ascent time. www.aqualung.com Fold ‘em to fit under the tree! The new Flipfins began showing up in dive shops earlier this year. ...

. New Scuba Products For The Holiday This Year - The Third Day of Christmas (Unedited story in 6-parts - Feature for December issue of Canada's Diver Magazine www.divermag.com) By Stephen Weir With only a few weeks left until Christmas, the expert buyers at Diver Magazine have once again come to the rescue of weary holiday shoppers with our well-informed gift suggestions. This time, the buyers have zeroed in over 20 last-minute gift suggestions that are all new (or improved) this year. Two, Two cameras in one. If you have a friend in Mexico or the United States you might ask them to buy and Fed-ex the new Sanyo underwater camera up to Canada in time for Christmas. Sanyo has come up with a line of underwater cameras that take both still and video images. The all-HD Dual Camera offers a variety of unique features including High Definition Video with 8 megapixel photos, a still camera option withup to 2 megapixel photos and 30x optical and the ability to work underwater - down to a d...

. New Scuba Products For The Holiday This Year - The Third Day of Christmas (Unedited story in 6-parts - Feature for December issue of Canada's Diver Magazine www.divermag.com ) By Stephen Weir With only a few weeks left until Christmas, the expert buyers at Diver Magazine have once again come to the rescue of weary holiday shoppers with our well-informed gift suggestions. This time, the buyers have zeroed in over 20 last-minute gift suggestions that are all new (or improved) this year. Holiday trip for divers with deep pockets. Sir Richard Branson the owner of Virgin Air, is leasing his newly refurbished Necker Belle to discerning and rich travelers. The Necker Belle is a magnificent 32-meter long 14-meter wide catamaran that has a top cruising speed of 20 knots! She has a crew of seven, including a dive master and a marine biologist and has four double cabins to accommodate eight divers. Necker Belle will be available for tailor-made weekly Caribbean charters in February 2010. T...

Diver Magazine Christmas Article Part Two - New Underwater Toys for Christmas … And some will fit in your stocking! New Scuba Products For The Holiday This Year - The Second Day of Christmas ( Unedited story in 6-parts - Feature for December issue of Canada's Diver Magazine www.divermag.com ) By Stephen Weir With only a few weeks left until Christmas, the expert buyers at Diver Magazine have once again come to the rescue of weary holiday shoppers with our well-informed gift suggestions. This time, the buyers have zeroed in over 20 last-minute gift suggestions that are all new (or improved) this year. Last year Nikon Cameras unleashed the Coolpix paper-thin easy-to-use digital camera to the world. This Christmas Ikelite Underwater has launched an underwater housing so that you can now use the Coolpix when diving. The Ikelite ULTRA compact digital housing for Coolpix L19 & L20 cameras is high quality, and built to last. All camera controls are fully functional through the housi...

… And some will fit in your stocking! New Scuba Products For The Holiday This Year - The First Day of Christmas (Unedited story in 6-parts - Feature for December issue of Canada's Diver Magazine www.divermag.com ) By Stephen Weir With only a few weeks left until Christmas, the expert buyers at Diver Magazine have once again come to the rescue of weary holiday shoppers with our well-informed gift suggestions. This time, the buyers have zeroed in over 20 last-minute gift suggestions that are all new (or improved) this year. De Fog in De Stocking . Nanofilm, a maker of lens care products, has launched Clarity Defog It anti-fog liquid ($5.50 Cdn) and towelettes ($8 Cdn). The new products provide safe, highly effective, long-lasting fog prevention for all lenses including scuba masks. It is sold at Wal-mart Optical. www.nanofilmtechnology.com Little makes Big Gift: MC-1 mini camera . JW Fishers has been designing and building underwater search equipment for over 35-years. The Massac...

. From Thor to Sedna – The Mystical Gods of the North Carvings by Abraham Anghik Ruben November 6th through December 5th. Organized by the Kipling Gallery For Inuit carver Abraham Anghik Ruben, the myths stories and legends of Thor, and Odin, are as much a part of the North, as the Goddess Sedna and the Creator-God Anguta. And so on November 5th when the Kipling Gallery opens the doors on a startling new exhibition of Ruben’s stone and bone carvings, images of gods and goddesses, giants, monsters and demons of the north will fill the gallery in Woodbridge. Reuben’s work will be accompanied by a photo series, “Canadian Inuit, 1946”. National Film Board veteran Canadian photographer George Hunter took the photographs depicting the disappearing nomadic life of the Inuit. “As an artist I have spent the last 30 years developing my craft and having as the focus of my work the arts and cultural traditions of my Inuit background,” said Abraham Anghik Ruben. “There was extensive contact bet...

. ROBERT BATEMAN TALKS ECO-AWARENESS IN STROUD, ONTARIO. What would make the planet healthier and a better place to live? According to artist and eco-activist Robert Bateman, it is as simple as making sure that our children go for a nature walk ever day. "Leave the Play Station, Internet and TV behind and enjoy the outdoors," the artist told a Standing-Room-Only crowd at the Georgina Arts Centre & Gallery in Sutton, Ontario on Saturday October 21st. "Through an understanding of our great outdoors and the balance of nature, our children will get a better understanding of the ecological challenges we all face." Saturday was the International Day of Action on Climate Change and the British Columbia based artist was in Stroud to talk about children and the environment and to show and sell more than 100 pieces of his work. About fifty people attended his one-hour lecture in a basement hall and then jammed the upstairs gallery to talk to the artist while he signed b...

. BULLETIN: BELOW IS A STORY POSTED OCTOBER 21st. ON NOVEMBER 15th NEWS REPORTS OUT OF CDNN NEWS SAY THAT JOHNSIE HUDSPETH 59, A REALTOR IN ELKIN, FLORIDA DIED AFTER SHE ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS WHILE DIVING OFF THE AMORAY DIVE BOAT ( THE SAME OUTFIT THAT LARRY REEVES WAS DIVING WITH WHEN HE DOVE ON THE BENWOOD) AT MOLASSES REEF. (MOLASSES REEF IS ADJACENT TO THE BENWOOD). Dive boats operating within the John Pennekamp State Park Underwater Preserve have been taking divers to the wreck of the Benwood for 50 years. Picturesque. Shallow (50ft max,) close to shore, the Benwood is considered a safe dive and is suitable for novice scuba divers. However on Tuesday August 20th, the body of a diver was pulled from the Florida Keys waters close to the Benwood. According a U.S. Coast Guard press release, a 67-year-old Blount County man died Tuesday in a scuba accident in the Florida Keys. Larry Reeves of Maryville, TN was diving on or near the Benwood wreck dive site, four miles east of Rodriguez K...

McMichael Canadian Art Collection curator, Anna Stanisz beside the "Lone Figure", a carving from the new Nunannguaq: In the Likeness of the Earth exhibition Anna Stanisz is the curator of the new exhibition Nunannguaq: In the Likeness of the Earth now showing at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. This exhibition marks the fiftieth anniversary of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative and celebrates the remarkable achievement of the internationally acclaimed artistic community of Cape Dorset (Kinngait). The show features a large selection of prints, drawings, and sculptures spanning three generations of Cape Dorset artists. Ms. Stanisz stands beside a stone sculpture(The Lone Figure, 2006) carved by Jutai Toonoo. The new exhibition Nunannguaq: In the Likeness of the Earth will be on display at the McMichael Gallery in Kleinburg, Ontario until January 17, 2010. The gallery is open 7-days a week from 10am until 4pm. The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is located at 10365 Is...

. COMING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE IN OCTOBER? DON’T FORGET YOUR FLAMING PUMPKIN Flaming pumpkins, Skeletons, and Scarecrows have taken over New Hampshire and are dyin’ to put a friendly scare on visitors. Canadian travelers consider yourself warned! Pumpkin festivals, haunted houses and other delightfully ghoulish attractions are spooking up the Granite State this October. Looking for a screaming good vacation? Attractions and Howl-aween events range from an actual haunted ghost town to the world-renowned children friendly Pumpkin Festival in Keene. No need to ask your Ouija Board about what to do in New Hampshire this Halloween season. Here are just a few things that are sure to rattle your chains and scare up some great travel ideas! Ghost Town At Six Gun City. Take part in a Sooktacular Halloween Adventure every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October. The White Mountains’ amusement park (near Jefferson), has unlimited free rides and shows. Young ghouls and goblins get in touch with ...

. FROM THE FALL ISSUE OF MAPLE GAZETTE By STEPHEN WEIR The Most Beautiful Time of The Year - Fall Colours Mother Nature's annual rite of fall is spectacular in New Hampshire with an explosion of rich and vibrant colours blanketing the Granite state. With a 6,288-foot elevation change within the state, leap peepers around the world can follow the spectacular fall foliage from the lower altitude valleys to the highest peaks in New England. Since the date for peak colour changes, depending on where you are in the state, what elevation you are at and varying weather patterns, New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development has launched its popular and interactive foliage tracker map at http://foliage.visitnh.gov . Leaf peepers can also sign-up for foliage text alerts and updates on Twitter ( www.twitter.com/VisitNH ) and Facebook ( www.facebook.com/VisitNH ). Fall is an ideal time for Canadians to visit New Hampshire with the spectacular fall colours and many properties...

. Linda Crane and myself have been hired as publicists to promote Robert Bateman's first Russian traveling show. CP received our press release and decided to do a story. After 14 hours over 24 newsources used the story and/or picture Robert Bateman set to head to Russia for his first major European show By Victoria Ahearn (CP) – 23 hours ago TORONTO — Famed wildlife artist Robert Bateman is preparing for his first major European exhibition, a four-gallery tour in Russia that will highlight his passion for protecting nature. "I presume it's a feather in my cap," Bateman, 79, said Friday in a telephone interview from his home in Salt Spring Island, B.C. "Although I have been in a few art museums in Canada, often art museums in Canada turn up their nose at wildlife art so it's nice to be hanging under the same roof for example as Kandinsky." "Robert Bateman in Russia" will open at the Russian Museum's main building, Mikhailovsky Palace, in St....

FINAL UPDATE - Following the announcement that the search for Charles Lynn Titus has ended, his family issued a statement to the media. “On behalf of the entire family of Charles Lynn Titus, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for all the unconditional support and kindness from the community of Grand Cayman in the search and ongoing recovery of our beloved family member,” the statement said. “The amount of time, resources and dedication to this tragic situation from the staff of Divers Down, the Grand Cayman police department, the staff at the Marriott Grand Cayman Resort and from all the volunteer boaters and divers has been unequivocal. Our family will be forever grateful for the immediate and relentless attention to this catastrophic event.” THURSDAY UPDATE - The Cayman Police announced today (Thursday 24th) that the search for a missing American Diver has been called off. The 60 year old missing diver has been identified as Charles Lynn Titus. A Las Vegas television stat...

. . Sidebar #3 Five Great Places To Dive and Take Underwater Photographs in the Florida Keys Sidebars for Stephen Weir article in Diver Magazine October 2009 1. Biscayne National Park - 95% of this park is underwater. Outstanding reefs covered in picturesque elk horn coral. Shipwrecks abound. Northern tip of the Florida Keys. 2. Wreck of the USN Spiegel Grove. 510ft retired warship scuttled to create artificial reef, 6 mi offshore of Key Largo. Ship originally lay on its side but after Hurricane Dennis (‘05), the ship is now upright 130 ft down. Experienced divers only. 3. Jules’ Undersea Lodge. La Chalupa Underwater Research Lab has been converted to world’s only underwater hotel. Its 2 rooms have glass picture windows onto the reef, air-conditioning, hot showers, a stocked galley, and unlimited diving! Key Largo 4. Ten-Fathom Ledge - Unusual coral caves and dramatic overhangs provide refuge for both lobster and grouper, while pelagic life frequently cruises by. Key West 5. Tortugas...

. SIDEBAR# 1 FOR DIVER MAGAZINE ARTICLE (printed in next item below this) South Florida Diving Headquarters’ Manifest: A slice of Americana (with a Canuck thrown in) The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick Maker is so one hour ago. Try three legless vets, three holidaying tattooed DEA divers, a spear totting husband and wife and a self-confessed air points whore. One morning late in April, the following signed up for a morning of diving. • Three members of SUDS (Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba). One man lost both legs in Afghanistan. The other two each lost a leg in Iran. They are accompanied by a wife and Captain John W. Thompson, president of SUDS. The group tries to dive in Pompano once every 3-months. The men don’t talk much, but, the Afghanistan vet, walking in full gear on two stumps cut above the knees, says that underwater he “isn’t disabled”. The trip is sponsored in part by Body Glove. • Seth Miller is a freelance computer expert and an avid collector of air miles. F...

. SIDEBAR #2 - STAYING IN TOUCH Florida Keys & Key West Visitors Bureau, Key West FL 800-FLA-KEYS. www.fla-keys.com . Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Fort Lauderdale, FL 800-356-1662 www.sunny.org Olympus Imaging America Inc. Center Valley, PA www.getolympus.com underwater@olympus.com Pro Dive International 429 Seabreeze Blvd. www.prodiveusa.com Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 776-3483 Quiescence Diving Services, Inc Key Largo, FL 33037 305.451.2440 phone www.keylargodiving.com South Florida Diving Headquarters 101 N. Riverside Dive Pompano Beach, Florida www.southfloridadiving.com MV Spree Live Aboard Charter Boat Key West, Florida http://www.spreeexpeditions.com/dry_tortugas.asp Martin Štěpánek Performance Free Diving Pompano Beach, Florida martin.stepanek@performancefreediving.com Underwater Music Festival Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce Big Pine Key, FL 33043 Phone:(305)872-2411 www.lowerkeyschamber.com/underwatermusicfest.htm Visit Florida Toronto, Onta...