The Souls Of Acheron by Adolf Hiremy-Hirschl, 1898.

Toy Story 4: Life Lessons from (Not So) Lost Toys - Loud And Clear Reviews

https://loudandclearreviews.com/toy-story-4-review/

Toy Story 4, the latest instalment of Pixar’s beloved saga, is a heartwarming tale of love, friendship and adulthood with more than one lesson to teach.

Will there ever be such a thing as too many Toy Story films? Judging by the quality of John Lasseter’s latest film, we certainly hope we’ll be seeing our favourite toys again, even after a new adventure that sometimes feels like a goodbye to the franchise. But if Toy Story 4 might actually turn out to be the final chapter of Pixar’s saga, it is also undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable and heartwarming movies the Inside Out Studios have given us so far.

At the beginning of Toy Story 4, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen) and the rest of the gang have a lot to deal with. Bonnie, “their” child, is growing up, and her playing habits are beginning to change. Dust is starting to appear on the most unsuspectable toys, who don’t always get to be involved in Bonnie’s playtime. Not only that, but time has come for the little girl to start going to school. Changes are in order for Bonnie’s toys, and with change come ghosts from the past, new acquaintances and, most of all, important decisions to make.

In line with Pixar’s best tradition, Toy Story 4 is the perfect example of a film that will mean different things to adults than what it will mean to children. From the film’s cutest moments to its most hilarious sequences, every single scene is permeated by that very special, bittersweet layer of emotions that can always be perceived, under the surface. They remind us of our own childhood, they bring us back to a different time and place and they wake up our “inner child”, surprising us and moving us Pixar-style, in the most unexpected ways.

But Toy Story 4 does even more than that, because these toys are starting to look – and feel – less like toys by the minute. Just like “their” children, these little beings have grown up, and are now asking very adult questions. What happens when toys have served their purpose and their tiny humans don’t need them anymore? How can they keep the “voices in their head” at bay when they are not able to create happy memories for their children anymore? And, most of all, what happens to a toy when it becomes lost?

Though themes like memory, loss and purpose have certainly been explored by Pixar in the past Toy Story films, the fourth chapter is particularly successful at sending its message across, and that is due, first and foremost, to the quality of its screenplay. In what feels like the end of a long journey, every single character gets its chance to shine. As our favourite toys find new ways to get into trouble and keep us entertained with their ingenious plans, not only do we get plenty of catchprases and throwbacks to iconic scenes from the past movies, but we witness their evolution from Bonnie (and Andy)’s toys to (non) human beings in all and for all.

“Lost” toys come in all shapes and forms, and Toy Story 4 shows us exactly what that means. Forky (Tony Hale), the new member of the family, feels like he doesn’t belong to the group, so he declares himself as trash – which isn’t so far-fetched after all, since Bonnie made him from items that did, in fact, come from the trash. This fork-turned-toy doesn’t really know what it is and where it should belong, but there are other characters who feel lost, starting from two very old acquaintances. If Woody is looking for a purpose and asking life’s big questions, Buzz is trying to develop a conscience and listen to his own will. And then there’s a very independent Bo Beep (Annie Potts), who lives in an amusement park version of Neverland with her own family of lost boys toys. But there’s even more than that.

If Buzz and Woody are the foundation that holds every single Toy Story movie together with a strong friendship that lasts a lifetime, Toy Story 4‘s new characters are just as essential. There are hilariously evil plush toys who conjure up improbably plans, flawed action figures that save the day with unexpected acts of courage, and, of course, there are villains who turn out to be so much more than what they seem.

Most of Toy Story 4‘s memorable sequences take place in an antiques shop, which is also the place where we find some of the most interesting new characters, who are all-too-familiar but also more than a little creepy. 1950s talking pull-string doll Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) is one of them, and she is the perfect antagonist for the film. Her adorable exterior doesn’t match her cunning mind, and that is the result of a factory defect that prevents her from being any little girl’s “best friend” and fulfilling her purpose as a doll. But, just like most Pixar villains, Gabby Gabby isn’t as one-sided as she initially appears to be: just like all the other objects in Second Chance Antiques – from hilariously disturbing “Benson” ventriloquist dummies to imperfect Canadian hero/action figure Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves) – she is the very definition of a lost toy.

Toy Story 4 is Pixar at its best. Just like the very first Toy Story film, it feels like a childhood memory in itself, one that we never want to forget. It has the same level of adventure as The Incredibles, with a good dose of Up-style originality, Cars-level excitement and Ratatouille-like cuteness. It has clever inside jokes, immensely endearing characters and genuinely funny laugh-out-loud sequences. Most of all, just like Finding Nemo, Wall-E, Inside Out and every single movie Pixar has ever done, it has a great deal of heart.

Toy Story 4 was released worldwide on June 21, 2019.

Just finished watching Carnal Crimes (1991) and In Praise Of Older Women (1978)...

Just finished watching Five Nights At Freddy's 2 (2025) and The Sisters Brothers (2018)...

Finding Your “Permission to Rest”: Challenging Productivity Guilt | NeurodiverseNights Blog

https://www.neurodiversenights.com/blog/finding-permission-to-rest/

Do you ever feel guilty for resting? Do you feel like you need to "earn" downtime by being sufficiently productive first? In a society that often glorifies busyness and constant achievement, taking time for genuine rest – especially when your energy levels or processing style differ from the norm – can feel like an act of rebellion, often accompanied by a nagging sense of guilt.

This pressure can be particularly intense for neurodivergent individuals who may already be navigating different energy capacities, sensory needs, or the exhaustion from masking (The Weight of a Day). It can lead to pushing past limits, contributing to burnout and making true relaxation feel impossible (When "Just Relax" Doesn't Work).

The guilt around resting often stems from:

- Societal Productivity Standards: An ingrained cultural belief that our worth is tied to our output and achievements.
- Internalized Ableism: Unconsciously absorbing negative societal messages about disability or difference, leading to beliefs that needing more rest or different kinds of rest is a sign of weakness or laziness.
- Comparisons: Measuring our capacity or need for rest against neurotypical standards or seemingly high-achieving peers.
- Fear of Judgment: Worrying that others will perceive us as unproductive or unmotivated if we prioritize rest.

Challenging these pressures requires a conscious shift towards self-compassion and affirmation. NeurodiverseNights exists, in part, to offer a space that embodies this permission:

- Rest is a Right, Not a Reward: Your need for rest is valid, regardless of how much you accomplished today. Rest is essential for physical, mental, and emotional health, just like food or water.
- Honour Your Unique Needs: Embracing neurodiversity means accepting that your energy patterns, sensory requirements, and processing speeds might differ. Your need for rest is tailored to *your* system.
- Redefine Productivity: Recognize that "productive" activity includes acts of self-care, regulation, and restoration. Resting *is* productive for maintaining long-term well-being.
- Listen to Your Body (Gently): Practice noticing your body's signals (Listening to Your Body's Signals) for fatigue or overwhelm, and try to respond with kindness rather than pushing through unnecessarily.
- Find Affirming Resources: Surround yourself with messages and communities (like this one, we hope!) that validate the importance of rest and honour diverse needs.

Finding your "permission to rest" is an ongoing practice. It involves gently challenging ingrained beliefs and actively choosing self-compassion over guilt. Every time you allow yourself genuine, unapologetic rest – whether it's listening to a calming story, engaging in a quiet hobby, or simply doing nothing – you reinforce the vital message that your well-being matters, exactly as you are.

Now reading The Mind Of The Mathematician by Michael Fitzgerald & Ioan James…

Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit by various artists and Toys In The Attic by Aerosmith...

On Pacific Street in Downtown Vancouver. Summer of 2018.

Pacific Street is a vibrant east-west thoroughfare in the heart of downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, running parallel to the waterfront and serving as a key connector between the West End, Yaletown, and False Creek. It’s part of the city’s iconic seawall network, blending residential luxury, commercial energy, and recreational access. It’s a sought-after address for high-end condos and urban living, with a walk score often exceeding 90 due to its proximity to beaches, transit, and amenities.

Pacific Street stretches approximately 2 km through downtown, from the edge of Stanley Park in the west (near English Bay) eastward to Main Street, skirting the southern boundary of the West End and transitioning into Yaletown. It runs parallel to Beach Avenue and Davie Street, offering easy access to the Vancouver Seawall—a 28 km pedestrian and cycling path. It borders the upscale West End (residential and beachfront) to the north and the bustling downtown core/Yaletown to the south. Key intersections include Pacific & Hornby (luxury towers) and Pacific & Burrard (near Sunset Beach). Served by multiple transit options, including the SkyTrain’s Canada Line (Vancouver City Centre station nearby) and bus routes along Davie and Beach. It’s a short walk to the Vancouver Convention Centre and ferry terminals.

Named in the late 19th century during Vancouver’s early urban planning, Pacific Street emerged as a residential and commercial corridor amid the city’s post-1886 Great Fire rebuild. In the 1960s–1970s, it became part of broader downtown revitalization efforts, influenced by the development of Pacific Centre mall (opened 1974), which reshaped nearby Granville and Georgia Streets but indirectly boosted Pacific’s accessibility. Just north at Granville & Georgia, Pacific Centre Mall, a 578,000 sq ft shopping hub (built 1971–1973), was Vancouver’s largest indoor mall upon opening. It displaced heritage buildings but integrated with SkyTrain via skybridges to Hudson’s Bay and Vancouver Centre Mall. Today, it’s anchored by Holt Renfrew and features over 100 stores (e.g., Apple, Sephora, Tiffany & Co.), drawing 22 million visitors annually. A 2020s redevelopment added a glass-domed Apple Store at Howe & Georgia. Pacific Central Station (1150 Station St, near Main & Terminal Ave) is a short walk east. This 1919 Beaux-Arts railway terminus (built for $1 million) features granite, brick, and andesite facades with Doric columns and ornate interiors (skylights, mouldings). Originally for Canadian Northern Pacific Railway, it’s now VIA Rail/Amtrak’s western hub, with bus services added in 1993. It holds historical ties to Black Strathcona porters. The street reflects Vancouver’s shift from industrial port to modern condo haven, with 1970s towers giving way to 2020s luxury builds emphasizing seawall views.

The 501 (501 Pacific St) is a 33-story tower with 295 units, completed recently. It steps from False Creek and Sunset Beach. Amenities include gyms and rooftop decks; recent sales show competitive pricing (e.g., units sold $30K–$75K under asking in 2025). The Pacific by Grosvenor (889 Pacific St) is a 39-story, 221-unit development (2021), featuring Italian Snaidero cabinetry, Dornbracht fixtures, and deep balconies mimicking cloud textures. Units range from 1–4 bedrooms; a recent penthouse sold $75K under asking in October 2025. The Californian (1080 Pacific St) is a 7-story, 84-unit concrete building (1982) with rooftop decks, saunas, hot tubs, and recent upgrades (new plumbing, elevators). Walk score: 92; near Sunset Beach. 1215 Pacific St is a 5-story, 50-unit mid-rise (1977) with underground parking and storage, in the West End near Bute St. Lined with cafes, boutiques, and seawall access points, Pacific Street is a hub for cycling/jogging, with proximity to English Bay, Stanley Park, and Granville Island via bridges. The area supports an active lifestyle, with gyms, spas, and markets within blocks. Upscale yet accessible—think sunset strolls, yacht views, and quick hops to downtown shops. Real estate is hot, with 2025 sales reflecting Vancouver’s densification trend.

High walkability (92+ score); bike lanes and seawall paths abound. Parking is limited—use underground spots in condos or nearby lots. Buses run frequently; SeaBus is a 10-minute walk. Pacific Street embodies Vancouver’s “live-work-play” ethos, evolving from 1970s mall-driven commerce to 2020s luxury residential.

 

The Unique Weight of AuDHD Masking: Compounded Energy Cost | NeurodiverseNights Blog

https://www.neurodiversenights.com/blog/audhd-masking-energy-cost/

Masking, or camouflaging neurodivergent traits, is an exhausting endeavour for anyone who does it. As we discussed in The Weight of a Day, it involves constant self-monitoring and suppression. For individuals with AuDHD, this effort is often compounded, requiring the navigation and concealment of traits associated with *both* Autism and ADHD, which can sometimes feel contradictory.

Understanding this unique and intensified energy drain is crucial for recognizing the profound need for genuine rest, recovery, and spaces where unmasking feels not just possible, but safe and welcomed.

Masking AuDHD might involve simultaneously trying to:

- Suppress Autistic traits like stimming, avoiding eye contact, literal interpretation, or intense focus on specific details.
- Suppress ADHD traits like fidgeting/hyperactivity, interrupting, impulsive speech, visible distractibility, or outward signs of executive dysfunction.
- Perform neurotypical social norms regarding conversation flow, appropriate emotional expression, and small talk.
- Manage sensory sensitivities (Autistic trait) while potentially also needing to suppress sensory seeking behaviours (ADHD trait) that might seem out of place.
- Appear organized and attentive despite internal challenges with focus, planning, and working memory from both neurotypes.

This constant internal calculation – "Should I suppress this stim? Should I force myself to seem more energetic? Am I making enough eye contact? Am I talking too much/too little?" – requires an immense amount of cognitive resource.

The compounded effort of AuDHD masking leads directly to:

- Intense Fatigue: Not just physical tiredness, but deep cognitive and emotional exhaustion.
- Increased Risk of Burnout: Sustained masking depletes resources faster, making Autistic or ADHD burnout more likely.
- Delayed Emotional Reactions: Emotions suppressed during masking may surface later with greater intensity (Intense Emotions).
- Difficulty Connecting Authentically: Masking hinders genuine connection and can lead to feelings of isolation.
- Reduced Capacity for Anything Else: When so much energy goes into masking, there's little left for hobbies, self-care, chores, or even basic functioning.

Recognizing the unique weight of AuDHD masking underscores the critical importance of:

- Creating Unmasking Sanctuaries: Establishing times and places (your calm space) where you can drop the mask entirely and just *be*. This might be alone time, or time with trusted, accepting individuals.
- Radical Self-Acceptance: Working towards embracing all parts of your neurotype, reducing the internalized pressure to conform.
- Energy Conservation: Learning to say no and set boundaries to protect your limited energy reserves.
- Deep Rest & Recovery: Understanding that recovery from AuDHD masking requires more than just sleep; it needs low-demand periods, sensory regulation, and potentially engaging gently with special interests.

The effort involved in AuDHD masking is real and significant. Acknowledging this burden is the first step towards prioritizing the authentic rest and self-acceptance needed to thrive.

Understanding AuDHD Fatigue: Why Managing Two Neurotypes Takes Extra Energy | NeurodiverseNights Blog

https://www.neurodiversenights.com/blog/audhd-understanding-fatigue/

Fatigue is a common experience for many neurodivergent individuals, but for those with AuDHD, it can often feel like a constant companion – a deep, pervasive exhaustion that goes beyond typical tiredness. Understanding *why* navigating the world with both Autistic and ADHD traits requires so much extra energy is crucial for self-validation and developing sustainable self-care practices.

This isn't just about needing more sleep (though quality rest is vital - see The AuDHD Sleep Puzzle); it's about the cumulative energetic cost of managing two distinct, sometimes conflicting, neurological profiles throughout the day.

Consider the combined load:

- Constant Internal Negotiation: The ongoing mental effort of balancing the Autistic need for routine and predictability with the ADHD drive for novelty and stimulation (AuDHD Rhythm).
- Compounded Executive Function Demands: Managing challenges related to planning, initiation, task switching, time management, and working memory from *both* neurotypes simultaneously (AuDHD EF Support).
- Intensified Masking Effort: The need to potentially mask traits from both Autism and ADHD, often requiring complex self-monitoring and suppression (AuDHD Masking Cost).
- Complex Sensory Processing: Simultaneously managing hypersensitivities *and* seeking specific sensory inputs requires constant environmental scanning and regulation effort (AuDHD Sensory Experiences).
- Emotional Regulation Load: Processing and managing the intense emotional experiences common to both neurotypes takes significant energy (Intense Emotions).
- Social Navigation Difficulties: Interpreting complex social cues (Autistic trait) combined with potential impulsivity or conversational differences (ADHD trait) makes social interaction highly demanding.
- Sleep Difficulties: The confluence of restlessness, sensory issues, and potentially delayed sleep phases often leads to chronic sleep debt, exacerbating daytime fatigue.

Recognizing this compounded load validates why individuals with AuDHD might need more downtime, more frequent breaks, and different kinds of rest compared to others. It reinforces the importance of:

- Radical Permission to Rest: Actively challenging productivity guilt and accepting rest as a fundamental need (Permission to Rest).
- Low-Demand Time: Scheduling periods with minimal expectations, allowing for unmasking and quiet sensory regulation.
- Effective Sleep Strategies: Prioritizing personalized, flexible, sensory-aware sleep routines.
- Energy Conservation: Using external aids, simplifying tasks, setting boundaries (Saying No), and pacing activities.
- Self-Compassion: Understanding that fatigue is a valid response to the demands of navigating the world with an AuDHD brain, not a character flaw.

If you experience AuDHD fatigue, know that your exhaustion is real and understandable. By acknowledging the unique energetic costs involved, you can begin to prioritize the deep, restorative practices needed to sustain your well-being.

Эрмитаж. Искусство Франции ХIХ века (1980)

Год производства: 1980

Из 24-серийного цикла “Эрмитаж”.

Фильм знакомит с собранием французской живописи XIX века, в котором представлены разные направления - от классицизма до импрессионизма. В коллекции картины Давида, Делакруа, Курбе, Коро, Теодора Руссо, Дюпре, Добиньи, скульптуры Огюста Родена. Во второй половине XIX века в результате обострения между официальным искусством буржуазии так называемым "салоном" и неофициальным искусством, с 1874 года, со дня устройства первой выставки, появилось новое направление – импрессионизм. Блестящие его представители Эдуард Мане, Огюст Ренуар, Камиль Писсарро, Альфред Сислей стали по-новому передавать восприятие действительности. Вступительное слово директора Государственного Эрмитажа, академика Бориса Пиотровского.

Sci-Fi Skyscrapers: 14 Futuristic Visions for Vertical Cities

https://weburbanist.com/2015/12/09/sci-fi-skyscrapers-15-futuristic-visions-for-vertical-cities/

As the global population grows and the world’s largest metropolises evolve into mega-cities, skyscrapers stretching higher than ever before could hold our transit hubs, parking garages, parks, museums and even food production systems. Some of these concept designs seem feasible for the near future while others could serve as the settings for science fiction.

Light Park Floating Skyscraper

This concept for a floating skyscraper takes a similar tack, reacting to the infrastructure problems caused by rapid, unchecked urbanization by literally having no earthly footprint at all. The Light Park features a helium-filled cap and solar-powered propellers keeping it looming over Beijing like a ghost ship, and it contains parks, sports fields, green houses, restaurants and other public facilities.

Alternative Car Park Tower

With all of its spiraling open levels, this parking garage tower envisioned for Hong Kong seems chaotic and unstructured, but it’s actually a well-thought-out automatic system that automatically sweeps cars from the ground floor to parking spots surrounding a central atrium.

Flex Towers for NYC

An overflowing, overpopulated New York City could be in dire need of new technology to meet energy needs by the year 2040, as designer Paolo Venturella imagines with his ‘Flex Tower.’ This moving skyscraper tilts and rotates itself to follow the sun to perfectly position its envelope of solar panels at all times of the day.

The Tall Tower by Project Hieroglyph

Sci-fi author Neal Stephenson, known for cyberpunk classics like ‘Snow Crash’ and ‘Quicksilver,’ has teamed up with the Center for Science and Imagination to design an incredible 12.4-mile-tall tower capable of launching rockets into space. 24 times the height of the Burj Khalifa, which is currently the world’s tallest building, Tall Tower would scrape the bottom of the stratosphere.

Twin Taiwan Towers

Tangled with lush greenery, these tall, narrow twin towers stretch up to an observatory and sky park looking down over Taiwan. The base is inhabited by a set of museums focusing on the nation’s past, present and future, while the stems contain four different kinds of hanging gardens as well as high-end residences.

Sand Babel

Taking inspiration from plants as well as skeletal systems, the 3D-printed Sand Babel tower system is designed to optimize cross-ventilation, encourage water condensation on the tops of the structures, and hide infrastructure like a multi-functional tube network underground. Connected beneath the sand, the towers offer scientific research facilities and tourist attractions in desert locations, with their ‘root systems’ helping to hold the sand dunes in place.

Fibrous Towers

Looking like part of a nervous system or the buds of a plant, this odd concept structure was envisioned as an observation tower and Taichung City Museum for Taiwan. Genetic algorithms found in natural growth processes were applied to digital models to create a system of tubes that separate and regroup to create an amorphous, flowing silhouette.

LED Observation Tower

Standing at the junction of two rivers in Doumen, China, this 328-foot-tall observation tower features a scaled facade mimicking the movement of water as schools of fish swim and jump into the air. Standing as a landmark for the area and a symbol of environmentalism, the tower contains a ground podium, technological programs and an observation facility. At night, it’s illuminated with LED lights from the inside.

Climatology Tower

“If the city is sick, what should we do?” ask the designers of the Climatology Tower. The answer is a research center that “evaluates meteorology and corrects the environment through mechanical engineering.” The tower purifies the air and water, collects and generates solar energy, inspects the local microclimate, offers green public space at its base and communicates with its sister towers around the world.

Spiraling Skyscraper for Taichung

Over 1300 feet tall, this iconic green tower is “an evolving column of life” acting as a vertical museum for Taichung, Taiwan, rotating to provide optimal views of historical landmarks around the city as visitors move up through the tower. The ‘roots’ start in the oldest part of Taiwan’s history, and as guests ascend, they also pass through time. The tower also acts as a carbon sequester, and its spiral form allows wind to pass through it to decrease structural loads and harvest energy.

Asian Cairns by Vincent Callebaut

Stacks of oversized glass pebbles reach into the sky in Vincent Callebaut’s ‘Asian Cairns’ design for Shenzhen, China. Encouraging density to deal with the region’s rapid urbanization, the system of towers produces more energy than it consumes and fosters the sense of an enclosed village by encouraging residents to also work within the towers, sustaining their own families and their neighbors.

Himalaya Towers

Spiraling tendrils send the Himalaya Water Towers straight up into the sky to collect and store water, bringing it down to the settlements on the ground. This mountain range’s 55,000 glaciers contain 40 percent of the world’s fresh water, and the towers absorb it with their six stem-like pipes, which contain water-holding cells that grow stronger as they reach their maximum capacity.

Water Re-Balance Skyscraper

Shanghai’s water supplies are under serious strain from the city’s burgeoning population, but plentiful rainwater and monsoon season floods could be put to use to remedy the problem. This skyscraper concept envisions collecting and purifying both rainwater and water from the river, pumping the clean water underground. The organic matter sifted from the water is used to develop and feed farmland and wetlands and to grow green algae within the tower.

High-Speed Vertical Train Hub

The megacities of the future will require far more robust public transportation systems, ideally taking up the least amount of land space possible, since all square footage is already at a premium. The Hyper-Speed Vertical Train Hub “will ‘flip’ the traditional form and function of the current train station design vertically, and re-form it into a cylindrical mass to increase the towers train capacity. This tall cylindrical form aims to eliminate the current impact that traditional stations have currently on land use, therefore returning the remaining site mass back to the densely packed urban Mega City.”

Soviet footage of the Battle of Kursk (1943)

1975 Soviet educational film 'The Battle on the Kursk Arc.'

Conversation At The Fountain (1883) and Lorelei (1890) by Friedrich Bodenmuller.

Now listening to Slip Of The Tongue by Whitesnake and Bad Boys by Bill Conti...

On Georgia Street in Downtown Vancouver. Summer of 2017.

Georgia Street is an east–west street in the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Its section in Downtown Vancouver, designated West Georgia Street, serves as one of the primary streets for the financial and central business districts, and is the major transportation corridor connecting downtown Vancouver with the North Shore (and eventually Whistler) by way of the Lions Gate Bridge. The remainder of the street, known as East Georgia Street between Main Street and Boundary Road and simply Georgia Street within Burnaby, is more residential in character, and is discontinuous at several points.

West of Seymour Street, the thoroughfare is part of Highway 99. The entire section west of Main Street was previously designated part of Highway 1A, and markers for the '1A' designation can still be seen at certain points. 

Starting from its western terminus at Chilco Street by the edge of Stanley Park, Georgia Street runs southeast, separating the West End from the Coal Harbour neighbourhood. It then runs through the Financial District; landmarks and major skyscrapers along the way include Living Shangri-La (the city's tallest building), Trump International Hotel and Tower, Royal Centre, 666 Burrard tower, Hotel Vancouver and upscale shops, the HSBC Canada Building, the Vancouver Art Gallery, Georgia Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel, Pacific Centre, the Granville Entertainment District, Scotia Tower, and the Canada Post headquarters. The eastern portion of West Georgia features the Theatre District (including Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts), Library Square (the central branch of the Vancouver Public Library), Rogers Arena, and BC Place. West Georgia's centre lane between Pender Street and Stanley Park is used as a counterflow lane.

East of Cambie Street, Georgia Street becomes a one-way street for eastbound traffic, and connects to the Georgia Viaduct for eastbound travellers only; westbound traffic is handled by Dunsmuir Street and the Dunsmuir Viaduct, located one block to the north.

East Georgia Street begins at the intersection with Main Street in Vancouver's Chinatown, then runs eastwards through Strathcona, Grandview–Woodland and Hastings–Sunrise to Boundary Road. East of the municipal boundary, Georgia Street continues eastwards through Burnaby until its terminus at Grove Avenue in the Lochdale neighbourhood. This portion of Georgia Street is interrupted at several locations, such as Templeton Secondary School, Highway 1 and Kensington Park. 

Georgia Street was named in 1886 after the Strait of Georgia, and ran between Chilco and Beatty Streets. After the first Georgia Viaduct opened in 1915, the street's eastern end was connected to Harris Street, and Harris Street was subsequently renamed East Georgia Street.

The second Georgia Viaduct, opened in 1972, connects to Prior Street at its eastern end instead. As a result, East Georgia Street has been disconnected from West Georgia ever since.

On June 15, 2011 Georgia Street became the focal point of the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot.

 

Honest Trailers - Armageddon

Strap in for a mega-dose of Michael Bay-hem in 1998's second movie about a giant rock hurtling towards Earth from outer space - Armageddon!!

Now reading An Introduction To Celtic Mythology by David Bellingham...

Gang of Muslims storm nudist pool in Germany yelling 'Allahu Akbar' and threatening to 'exterminate' women for being 'sluts'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3710274/Gang-Muslims-storm-nudist-pool-Germany-yelling-Allahu-Akbar-threatening-exterminate-women-sluts.html

Nudists were told they would be 'exterminated' after a gang of Muslims who stormed into a German swimming pool yelling 'Allahu Akbar'.

The six men, described as being in their 20s and with beards, spat at women and children because they were swimming in the nude and called all the females 'sluts'.

The revelers were at a pool in the town of Geldern in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, known for its preference for natural form of swimming.

One of the nudists, a local mother, said: 'We [German] women are all sluts and they would exterminate all of us.'

She added the aggression made her 'really afraid' and according to according to other witnesses the men referred to the bathers as 'infidels', reports Breitbart.

The Muslim gang were fluent in German, but also threatened people in Arabic.   

A staff member at the pool, Lisa-Marie Theunissen, told Junge Freiheit she asked the men to be quiet after her customers had complained.

It is understood the men then went to a water skiing facility where they abused more civilians and staff before they were chased out by one of the workers.   

Meanwhile the professional swimming association in Germany wants to reduce escalating sex attacks by refugees at public baths by training migrants to become pool lifeguards.

The Federal Association of German Swimming Professionals (BDS) says this would be 'an inclusive measure that would benefit everyone.'

Last month a secret police document was leaked in Duesseldorf voicing the 'grave concern' of police chiefs about escalating sex crimes carried out by refugees at public swimming baths.

BDS President Peter Haiyang added: 'We lack skilled workers. That's why it would be negligent not to use these resources.' 

There have been several reports of rape and other sex attacks committed against women and children at public pools both in Germany and neighbouring Austria this year.

Many municipalities, including Munich, have begun displaying charts in numerous languages aiming to teach migrant to respect women and children at the local pool.

Sexually repressed young Muslim men have taken the sight of women in skimpy bathing costumes as an unspoken statement that they want sex, especially in Germany.

The idea of turning them into lifeguards responsible for security, order and cleanliness, water quality monitoring and maintenance of technical equipment would lead to a decrease in sex crimes, the group claims

Incredibly, BDS president Peter Harzheim claimed: 'Often it is the case that women feel sexually harassed by a group of migrants just because they look at them. 

'Such situations could be disarmed faster' with migrants as pool attendants.'

The SPD, Greens and the Left Party in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, support the proposal.

'People with multilingualism can dispel misunderstandings faster', said Left Party spokesman Özlem Demirel.

And the SPD - Labour Party - state parliamentarian integration expert Ibrahim Yetim added: 'If there is a way to educate refugees to become lifeguards, that would be a great thing. It is important to give a perspective to the young refugees.'

But Cologne lifeguard chief Berthold Schmitt believes there is a 'fundamental problem' for refugees in 6,000 indoor andoutdoor and school swimming pools in Germany.

He said: 'The 'new people', as we call them, have three problems: they speak no German, have no knowledge of German or European bathing culture, and most cannot swim.'

At least 20 refugees are reported to have drowned in Germany this year. 

Just finished watching The Messenger: The Story Of Joan Of Arc (1999) and Predator: Badlands (2025)...

Just finished watching Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) and The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)...

Now listening to Pride by Robert Palmer and The Empire Strikes Back by John Williams...

Near St. Paul's Hospital in Downtown Vancouver. Summer of 2017.

St. Paul's Hospital is an acute care hospital located in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the oldest of the seven health care facilities operated by Providence Health Care, a Roman Catholic faith-based care provider. St. Paul's is open to patients regardless of their faith and is home to many medical and surgical programs, including cardiac services and kidney care including an advanced structural heart disease program. It is also the home of the Pacific Adult Congenital Heart Disease unit. It is one of the teaching hospitals of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine. 

The original St. Paul’s Hospital was founded in 1894 just eight years after the incorporation of the City of Vancouver by the Sisters Of Providence who (from their base in Montreal) founded schools, hospitals and asylums all over North America and other continents.

The 25-bed, 4-storey wood frame building cost $28,000. It was designed and constructed by Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart and named after the then-bishop, Paul Durieu of New Westminster.

Mother Mary Fredrick from Astoria, Oregon was the first mother superior and administrator to lead its charge. In keeping with the philosophy of the Sisters of Providence, the new hospital was founded on the pledge of providing compassionate care for everyone in need - tested by a surge in Vancouver’s growth brought on by the Klondike gold rush in the 1890s.

St Paul’s became one of the first hospitals with their own X-Ray machine in 1906 and opened its School of Nursing in 1907.

In 1912, the original building was demolished and replaced with a new structure to accommodate 200 patients at a construction cost of $400,000.

In 2010, the hospital established Angel's Cradle, the first modern Baby hatch in Canada where mothers could anonymously provide their newborns to the hospital rather than abandon them elsewhere. Thirty seconds after a baby has been placed inside the modern version of a 'foundling wheel', a sensor alerts emergency staff. A social worker contacts the Ministry of Children and Family Development which then assumes responsibility for the baby. In its first five years, two healthy babies had been placed in the baby hatch.

St. Paul’s Hospital is listed on the City of Vancouver's Heritage Register category “A” but is not a designated heritage building and is not protected by legal statute.

In the 21st Century, there has been ongoing advocacy for redevelopment of the facility. A redevelopment plan was drafted in 2010. In 2012, Premier Christy Clark said at the hospital that business case and development plans would be completed in order to begin construction in 2016.