Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

. 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

. SIDEBAR 3 All of the photographs used in Diver Magazine's feature on diving in south Florida were taken with Olympus cameras -- most using a new Tough 8000. The camera is shock proof, waterproof to 33 feet and is relatively goof proof (perfect for a writer who has been taking bad underwater pictures for more than 30 years). The use of the shockproof camera had me thinking about Tough jokes. Here is a sample. Tough underwater camera humour Police call to the wife of a diver. We have good news and bad news. The bad news? Your husband is dead; he was run over twice by a van. The good news? His Tough 8000 waterproof camera still works!

. Original version of story which appears in this month's Diver Magazine ( http://www.divermag.com/v2/index.php ) Florida Redux Battered, Shaken and Baked, But Still Going Strong By Stephen Weir Bleeding ankle – rusty spur lurking inside a sunken tanker. Sliced shin – rogue wave hits while seal-hopping onto bobbing stern platform. A divine blessing – but no miracle cures – from a reef bound Jesus. From Key West to Pompano Beach, field-testing an underwater camera is a full contact sport. There is a scuba highway that stretches from the tip of the Florida Keys to the hyper-busy Greater Fort Lauderdale Airport. More than 650,000 snorkelers and divers travel this route every year, making it the most popular dive destination in the world. Accessible. A rich variety of dive sites. Government regulated boats. North America’s biggest scuba stores. Relatively cheap places. No wonder the southern tip of Florida is the place to dive, dive, dive. And, if you are testing a camera, the place

. Photo provided to Toronto Weekly Newspaper First West Coast totem pole raised at an Ontario public institution in decades Haida artist and carver Don Yeomans came to Toronto yesterday (September 1, 2009) to oversee the installation of a totem pole he carved for the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. The 1,000 lb red cedar carving was trucked to the public gallery in Kleinburg and installed in the building's lobby. Don Yeomans is one of the most highly respected artists on the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. The gallery, with funding provided by the McMichael Canadian Art Foundation, commissioned the full-scale totem pole by this artist to create a new, unique piece for the Collection that will remain on permanent view in the gallery’s Grand Hall. On the totem pole, Yeomans uses traditional iconography and totemic animals as a point of departure to comment on today’s different modes of technological communication. With this imagery, which includes an eagle holding a cell ph

Photos provided to Toronto Daily Newspaper First West Coast Totem Pole Raised At An Ontario Public Institution in Decades Haida artist and carver Don Yeomans stands beside his totem pole outside the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. The 1,000 lb red cedar carving was delivered today to the public gallery in Kleinburg and installed in the building's lobby. Don Yeomans is one of the most highly respected artists on the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. Also pictured above is the20ft totem being raised inside the gallery. A gantry lifts Don Yeomans totem pole upright inside the McMichael Canadian Art Collection lobby in Kleinburg, Ontario. The west coast artist and carver oversaw the installation. The gallery, with funding provided by the McMichael Canadian Art Foundation, commissioned the full-scale totem pole by this artist to create a new, unique piece for the Collection that will remain on permanent view in the gallery’s Grand Hall. On the totem pole, Yeomans uses traditio

10th Annual Boating for Children’s Charity Special Preview Night raised $65,266 in Toronto. Divers are boaters too! And each year thousands of certified divers attend the Toronto International Boat Show which is held each January. Not only did divers buy boats, motors and dive accessories, many also attended the 10th Annual Boating for Children’s Charity Special Preview Night. This year the evening raised $65,266. The donations will go to four children’s charities: Camp Oochigeas, Ontario Sailing, Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada, and Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund. Beneficiaries of the night include the following children’s charities close to the boating community: • Ontario Sailing: Able Sail, Access BOOM Program - Access BOOM is a mobile sailing school that brings sailing into the lives of children and youth with disabilities. • Camp Oochigeas – For more than 25 years, Camp Oochigeas has been enriching the lives of children who have cancer through the magical experience of campin

. . Message to the Girls: Celebrate Summer With Wallet-Friendly Packages Toronto, July 23, 2009 – When the sun beams down all day and even the nighttime temperatures are pleasant, it's a sign that the summer season is in full bloom. Many people know that spending time in Ottawa during the warm holiday months will create a lifetime of memories. To make a Capital City getaway more alluring, Ottawa Tourism is promoting the new "Girlfriends Getaway" package that gives women travelers the chance to stay, shop, dine, spa and take in a cultural event, all at a special affordable price. Ottawa’s new "Girlfriends Getaway" package is a fun choice for a 'girls only' holiday shopping trip tailored for two (but more guests can be added on). The package offers a two-night stay in a downtown Ottawa hotel, discount Rideau Centre Saving coupons and the choice of an add-on. The “Girlfriends Getaway" optional add-ons are numerous and varied. Guests can receive one

. This story crossed Bloomberg's wire this morning. The feature is the first time in my memory of Scotiabank Caribana (going back 10 years before it was even called Scotiabank) that a business news service has looked at the festival. I obviously didn't write it, but, Bloomberg did use a few of my photographs. Socca Music, Wild Parade Send ‘Vibe’ Through Toronto Caribana By Sean B. Pasternak July 22 (Bloomberg) -- Mention Toronto and steel drums, Carnival and reggae music probably aren’t the first things that come to mind. From July 14 through Aug. 3, however, Canada’s biggest city opens up for Scotiabank Caribana, which promotes itself as North America’s largest celebration of Caribbean culture. Now in its 42nd year, Caribana gives 1.3 million local residents and tourists the chance to see buttoned-down Toronto letting loose, as this year’s slogan -- “Won’t Stop De Vibe” -- suggests. Caribana is best known for its signature parade, set for Aug. 1. Rambunctious crowds line the

. Slighty expanded story which appeared in Maple Gazette (Cdn newsletter for travel agents) Top Seven Beaches By Stephen Weir So many lakes. So many rivers. And then there is the wide-open ocean. We went to the experts to find out where the seven top beaches and swimming spots in New Hampshire can be found. You might be surprised at the answers! Hampton Beach. MSNBC rated it in the top 3 cleanest beaches in the United States. Miles of white sand. Supervised swimming. There is camping at the Hampton Beach State Park. Lots to do from the annual summer sand sculpture competition (pictured above) to the February 1st Penguin Plunge! www.hamptonbeach.org/ Rye on the Rocks. This beach is best known for being the home of the best surf breaks in New England. The beach is off Route 1-A a few miles from Rye, NH. www.townrye.nh.us. Wallis Sands State Beach. When the tide is out, this is one of the best beaches in the state. Wide expanses of clean sand. This is a family-ori

Driving down Yonge Street on Saturday night, heading for the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the new location for the Soca Monarch competition. I was running late, I had been at the Junior Carnival (Kiddies Parade)all day and was not expecting to be interviewed. Its reporter Jasmeet Sidhu from the Toronto Star, -- Toronto's biggest newsaper had not covered the parade. Other papers had. Reporter interviewed me, and the story below appeared on line an hour or so later. Appeared in print this morning. Posted the story not because I was interviewed, but, because they were in need of a photo ... I sent them one I had taken early in the day. Caribana's Junior Carnival lights up Jane and Finch Jul 18, 2009 08:35 PM Jasmeet Sidhu Staff Reporter They danced, they laughed, their glittered costumes sparkling in the afternoon sun. The Jane and Finch area was the scene of jubilant festivities and the bright colours of the Caribbean as the annual Junior Carnival took to the streets Saturday aft

. Summer Music Festivals: Big Names. Odd Names. Heck just play! The Hill (and the Ottawa Valley) is alive with the sound of music Toronto, June 12, 2009 – When the curtain drops on 2009 there will have been almost 50 (48 to be exact) festivals played out in Ottawa. And while opinions may differ on which festival was the best, all will agree that the Capitol’s summer music festivals are something to sing about. Sometimes Unconventional. Always World Class. In Ottawa it is the summer of the Treble Clef. Jazz. Blues. Classical Music. Three different genres and three separate multi-stage festivals with enough star power to draw visitors from around the world. The TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival (OIJF) features some of the jazz world’s most popular cutting-edge musicians. The OIJF provides visitors to the city with a unique opportunity to enjoy free and ticketed performances both indoors and out. Audiences can enjoy over 80 different jazz performances day and night

- Classy Friday Night Fund Raiser at the McMichael A Celebration of Canadian Art, Music, Cuisine and all that Jazz background info/article for Vaughan Citizen, Corriere Canadese (Toronto daily Italian newspaper) and Vaughan Today The woods, the hills and even the galleries of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection were alive with the sound of music. Jazz at the McMichael, an annual fund raising celebration of art, music and cuisine, was blessed with picture perfect weather and a large supportive crowd, the evening of Friday May 22nd. Attending and speaking at the Jazz concert was the Honourable Aileen Carroll, Ontario’s Minister of Culture. 200 people joined the Minister, who enjoyed an exceptional evening of fusion jazz with the Vaughan based VSM Trio. The trio featured popular musicians Vito Rezza, Shelly Birger, and Mario Romano. The three musicians were joined on the McMichael stage by violinists Valentina Romano and Leonid Pejsahov. This unique fundraiser benefits ongoing exhibi

DIVER MAGAZINE SIDEBAR (TO BE PUBLISHED IN JUNE 09) ABOUT DIVING AND SNORKELING FOR STEPHEN WEIR STORY ON DIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO THE FLORIDA KEYS AND POMPANO BEACH (AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN) Five Great Places To Dive and Take Underwater Photographs in the Florida Keys 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 Speigel Grove. 155m. (510ft) retired warship scuttled to create artifical reef, 10 kms (6 mi) offshore of Key Largo. Ship originally lay on its side but after Hurricane Dennis (‘05), the ship is now upright 40m (130 ft) down. Experienced divers only. 3. Jules’ Undersea Lodge. La Chalupa Underwater Research Lab has been converted to world’s only underwater hotel. Two hotel rooms have glass picture windows onto the reef, air-conditioning, hot showers, a fully stocked galley, and unlimited diving for divers! Key Largo 4. Ten-Fath

Mathew Rosenblatt, a principal with Cityscape Development Corporation (Distillery), plays with his daughter in the Distillery area's daycare - photo by Toronto Star. GEN-CONS LOOK SKYWARD - THE CONDO GENERATION READY TO RAISE THEIR FAMILIES IN DOWNTOWN HIGH-RISES Published in the Toronto Star, May 2, 2009. By Stephen Weir A new high-rise trend led by the Condo Generation, is pulling into two downtowns. A small but growing number of Gen-Con parents are forsaking dreams of family homes … you know, the one with the white picket fence and the swing set in the large backyard … for condos in the city. There are already family-friendly buildings in downtown Toronto, and Mississauga, with more on the way. Builders, architects and realtors agree that over the next decade an increasing number of parents will decide to raise their children in high-rise condominiums within the city core. Urbanization, a Toronto condo think tank, isn’t so sure. They believe that as long as units are small, pri