Category: Travel

Photographer TJ Watt has seen more than his fair share of clearcuts through his work for the Ancient Forest Alliance. Still, the sudden transformation of an old-growth forest in the Caycuse watershed on Vancouver Island into a “bleak grey landscape” caught Watt off guard.His before and after photos, published on Instagram and featured in The Guardian, also struck a nerve with the public. “I think it’s just with the before and after it’s very plain and simple: you can clearly see what was there and what was lost,” Watt told The Narwhal. “These photos are going around the world now,” he said, adding he’d just sent a gallery off to a newspaper in France.In an Instagram post that has received more than 8,900 likes, Watt noted the photos are a series he hoped to never complete. The Ancient Forest Alliance has campaigned for months, asking the province to introduce immediate and long-term measures to protect the last remaining old-growth in the Caycuse watershed around Haddon Creek, south of Lake Cowichan.Watt said the Caycuse watershed was heavily logged in the 80s and 90s, “save for a few last groves on these slopes in the upper regions of the valley, where there they’ve kind of stood, alone, for the past 10 years or so.”Now that those groves have been logged by company Teal-Jones and he has completed the photo series, Watt said he hopes the images will serve as a stark reminder of what is at stake when endangered old-growth forests are left without protection.“This is essentially what we stand to lose, every time there is more talk and log and delays from the government,” Watt said.

Source: Photos reveal scope of old-growth forest logging in B.C. | The Narwhal

SITUATED ON A SMALL HILL that leads up to Mt Faber, the abandoned Keppel Hill Reservoir serves as a hidden sanctuary for thrill-seekers and urban explorers. Although its origins are unknown, it dates back more than a century, yet was absent from official maps for decades until it came to the attention of the National Heritage Board and local media in 2014.Roughly one-third the size of an Olympic swimming pool, the enclosed body of water once served the needs of  nearby residents, although its use shifted from hydration to swimming and leisure. The remnants of a diving board are still visible, and maps from the era of Japanese Occupation label the area as a swimming pool. Just as the reservoir may have brought bouts of laughter and enjoyment, it was also the site of some tragedy: Newspaper reports from the mid 1900s note several deaths due to drowning.Emerging out of the jungle, the reservoir feels like a secret, if not a fairy tale. Nonetheless, it fell into disuse, possibly because its paltry size made it an ineffective water source. Today it is overrun by vegetation and overhanging branches that can exude a menacing aura. Still, the Keppel Hill Reservoir is evidence that much remains to be discovered even in the dense urban jungle that is Singapore, and that such landscapes still exist in the liminal space between public consciousness and history.Know Before You GoFrom Harbourfront MRT station, a 15-minute walk will take you to Wishart Rd. Turn right and walk up Keppel Hill. At the fork, take a left and follow the stone path all the way into the foliage where you will be greeted by the sight of the Keppel Hill Reservoir. Turning right at the fork would lead you to 11 Keppel Hill, which was formerly known as Keppel House.While the site is in a public park, local authorities advise caution when exploring, as the reservoir has not been prepared for visitors and has potential to support wildlife. As of 2019, the organization My Heritage offers a tour that includes a visit to the reservoir.

Source: Keppel Hill Reservoir – Singapore, Singapore – Atlas Obscura

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Not all big-name sporting events have been crippled by the pandemic. The craziest of them all is in full swing, riveting a million fans around the world to their screens – me among them.The event is the Vendée Globe sailboat race. Sailing races are usually plodding affairs, not much fun unless you are actually on the boat in a duel to the finish line (I raced sailboats in my youth). This race is different – big time.The Vendée is a non-stop solo race around the world, covering about 44,000 kilometres in scary-fast boats. The rules are simple: You cannot seek help, and the moment you step on land you are disqualified. You can’t even pull up to another boat or ship for supplies or technical help. The skippers have to be navigators, mechanics, cooks, computer technicians, survival experts and medics – all at once.You are entirely on your own, although a dazzling array of technology connects you to your home team on dry land, who supply weather analysis, navigation and repair advice, as well as mental and spiritual counselling.The loneliness, the fatigue, the fear and the constant, terrible noise of the hull smashing into waves can be punishing.

Source: On the high seas, COVID-19 can’t slow down the world’s wildest sporting event – The Globe and Mail

Whether you’ve been backcountry skiing for decades or this will be the first winter you strap skins to your skis, there are a number of reasons to consider hiring a guide. A good one will find you better snow than you may be able to on your own, and they’ll help you make smart decisions related to route finding, avalanche danger, and general safety. Plus, they’re generally awesome people to hang around with. These guides are some of our favorites.

Source: These Ski Guides Will Improve Your Backcountry Game | Outside Online

This year has been unlike any other of our 12 years of trading. We’ve had to adapt fast and now have a busy web shop, so when the shop had to close we were still working flat out packing and biking or posting books. One week back in April, our manager Jo somehow delivered 75 books by bike. One of our most biked books was Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez (Little, Brown, £14.99). It’s a coming-of-age story about a Jehovah’s Witness turned sex worker and his self discovery through faith, race, sexuality and love; it’s a page-turner with a lot of heart.Our busiest period coincided with this year’s demand for a renewed focus on Black Lives. While it’s good that so many people started reading about the reality of racism, it’s important to remember that joy and love are also part of the black experience. Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola (Headline, £16.99) retells mythical love stories from around the world and serves as a reminder of this. And Poor by Caleb Femi (Penguin, £9.99) is an arresting blend of poetry, memoir and photography underpinned by a strong sense of place.

Source: The best books of 2020, chosen by booksellers | Booksellers | The Guardian

Researchers in China claim to have achieved quantum supremacy, the point where a quantum computer completes a task that would be virtually impossible for a classical computer to perform. The device, named Jiuzhang, reportedly conducted a calculation in 200 seconds that would take a regular supercomputer a staggering 2.5 billion years to complete.Traditional computers process data as binary bits – either a zero or a one. Quantum computers, on the other hand, have a distinct advantage in that their bits can also be both a one and a zero at the same time. That raises the potential processing power exponentially, as two quantum bits (qubits) can be in four possible states, three qubits can be in eight states, and so on.

Source: Chinese quantum computer completes 2.5-billion-year task in minutes

Though many COVID-19-related delays have hit the construction industry this year, 2020 has still produced more than its fair share of superb architecture. From a hotel with a hole in the middle, to a village community building made from mud. Read on for a look at the fantastic projects that make up our top 10 buildings of 2020.Our pick of the best buildings of 2020 consists of 10 projects that vary in style and type, but each displays a commitment to design excellence. Europe leads with four projects, while there’s three in Asia, two in the United States, and one on the Indian subcontinent.

Source: The best buildings of 2020

Simon Fraser University alumnus Lance Uggla, CEO of the London, England,-based financial data giant IHS Markit, has gifted $34.1 million to his alma mater, the largest private donation in the school’s history, to establish a perpetual scholarship fund that will support 10 new undergraduate students every year.The Uggla Family Scholarship’s first 10 students will carry out their studies in SFU’s Beedie School of Business or the Faculty of Applied Sciences starting in 2021, but the program will expand to other faculties in future.

Source: Simon Fraser University alum donates $34 million towards scholarship | Vancouver Sun

RG Richardson Interactive Guides keeps you up to date with careers, restaurants, real estate, money, banking and cities worldwide.

Never out of date!

Interactive finance, money and banking dictionaries and notes. Enhance your Financial literary with all the current definitions.

Interactive city guides help you find out about everything going on in your city.

Interactive Restaurant Guide keeps you up to date with who is open or closed, dine in or take out.

Interactive Career, City and Finance Guides

Here are the resources to help you throughout the process, from identifying a promising opportunity and writing a resume to interview with potential employers and negotiating a job offer. Get expert tips and advice for landing the right role for you. There are hundreds of job boards, both generic and niche, as well as aggregators, social media channels, networking groups and staffing company websites to choose from.

Stop using paper guides and brochures! Since 2015 using the power of the internet RG Richardson City Guides has published over 230 guides, glossaries and notes. No typing, search with over 10,900 links on hundreds of topics on everything you need to know about your city in over 10 languages and available in 190 countries! Never out of date and very fast with 5G! Google App (IOS and Android) for phone, pad, pc and Kindle on Amazon.