Latest news with #wheel
Business Insider
22-07-2025
- Business Insider
I went to Seattle for the first time and made 6 mistakes in 3 days
I took a three-day trip to Seattle for the first time in May. My packing, booking, and planning mistakes kept me from making the most of my trip. I left with regrets about skipping attractions and nature hikes. When I rolled into Seattle on an Amtrak train two months ago, I didn't know I had already made decisions I'd regret later. And I definitely didn't know I would make a few more in the coming days. Although my first trip to Seattle was only three days long, I'm still thinking about the mistakes I made months later. These mishaps kept me from making the most of my time in a city I'd wanted to visit since I was a kid. I should have booked more than three days in Seattle. Three days wasn't nearly enough time to explore all Seattle had to offer. I found myself rushing around the city to pack in as many sights as possible, which made it challenging to be present. I also realized that the more you see, the less you actually do. Although I covered a lot of ground in Seattle, I didn't go inside many places. I simply photographed buildings like the waterfront Seattle Aquarium and wondered what marine life I was missing out on. I passed museums and countless coffee shops but didn't enter one. I should have brought just a backpack. I regretted bringing my carry-on suitcase to Seattle as soon as I left the train station. My first hotel stay was about a mile from the station. I decided to walk, but I didn't realize the road was almost entirely uphill. During my visit, I stayed in two other hotels and dragged my suitcase up and down multiple hills in the area. A couple of times, I had to carry the case over cobblestone streets I hadn't anticipated. In these irritating moments, I wondered why I hadn't just brought a backpack. I had backpacked on trips as long as two weeks in the past. And since I was visiting in May, I didn't need many extra layers. Next time I go to Seattle, I'll consider the weather, trip duration, and terrain when deciding how to pack. Visiting Pike Place Market on a Thursday afternoon was a mistake. I was really excited to see Pike Place Market in person. Growing up, everyone I knew who visited Seattle raved about the iconic outdoor market upon their return to school. So, as soon as I checked into my hotel, I went to the popular shopping center, where more than 200 stores and restaurants were waiting for me. I practically ran down a hilly street until I was slowed down by crowds entering, exiting, and simply standing in groups in front of the market. The whole experience felt more like waiting in line than shopping or exploring. I shuffled from stand to stand, trying not to pause in one place too long to keep traffic flowing. I later learned from the market's website that it's typically most crowded after noon on Thursday through Monday. In the future, I'll visit Pike Place Market on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning so I can take my time without the crowds. I shouldn't have skipped the Ferris wheel. The Seattle Great Wheel stands on the waterfront in downtown Seattle. It's an architectural anomaly in the city's skyline, so I noticed it every day and even considered riding it for $23. But I assumed it was probably a tourist trap that was not worth waiting in line for. After my trip, I saw photos taken from the top that made me realize I was wrong. I didn't even consider the sights I'd see on board. The 175-foot-tall Ferris wheel faces downtown on one side and Elliott Bay on the other, creating two strikingly different views. I'll be back to see it for myself someday. I should have booked a longer stay at 1 Hotel Seattle. When I checked in at 1 Hotel Seattle for my last night of the trip, I had one thought — I should have been here the whole time. The luxury chain 1 Hotels opened its Seattle location less than a week before my stay. From the lobby to the room, the hotel brought nature indoors with biophilic furniture, live plants, natural surfaces like quartzite, pebble stones, and reclaimed timber. The blend of nature and luxury was so serene and unique to my other stays that I wish I'd booked it for my entire trip. I wish I had spent more time in nature. Living in New York City, I see skyscrapers on walkable streets every day, but I rarely get a chance to visit a national park. And in my experience, the West has some of the most epic natural landscapes in the US. So, looking back on it, one of my days in Seattle would have been better spent about 70 miles southeast of the city at Mount Rainier National Park. Instead of exploring more of the urban metropolis, I could have had a completely different experience hiking through mountains, forests, and fields of wildflowers. With a longer stay, a lighter load, and a better idea of what I want to see and do, my next trip to Seattle should be much more fulfilling.
Hamilton Spectator
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
This lakeside Niagara park has one of the oldest carousels in the country and it costs pennies to ride
Moments before the Lakeside Park Carousel greets visitors on a warm July morning, workers swiftly and quietly weave through the enclosed space, ensuring every hand-carved horse, lion, camel, goat and giraffe is perfectly prepped and polished. Ready for the first ride of the day. As the clock strikes 11 a.m. and the doors roll open, what seems like a banal building on the edge of Lake Ontario comes to life in a swirl of music and light. A magical, whimsical, glittering display of charm and history lights up the faces of the children at the main entrance, waiting patiently in the summer sun — with nickels in hand — to climb aboard one of 68 storybook creatures spinning beneath the wooden carousel's golden canopy. Children clamour to select one of the jumpers, prancers and standers among four rows. Before the carousel starts to spin, staff sprinkle in fresh tidbits that make each three-minute ride a little different. The Lakeside Park Carousel has dozens of hand-crafted animals. Did you know the Lakeside Park Carousel is one of only eight in North America featuring four rows with the majority of animals being originals? Twenty-six horses were crafted by Marcus Illions and seven courtesy of Alan Herschell and Edward Spillman. Did you know jumpers are animals suspended in mid-air, which move up and down as the Carousel circles? Music from the antique Frati band organ begins, as the beloved century-old carousel spins with views of Lake Ontario, the pier and the park — a vintage ride that has charmed generations. Lakeside Park's historic treasure is one of only nine carved wooden carousel still operating in Canada. In its 100-plus years in Port Dalhousie, it's become a piece of living history — and still costs only a nickel a ride. 'The best thing is opening day, and you see the smiles on the kids and the adults. Everybody is smiling (and) that's what it's all about,' said Garry Unger, a volunteer with The Friends of the Carousel, a group that repairs and maintains the carousel. 'Jumpers are the favourite. Although, that said, on the outside is a white horse we call the bride, there's been a lot of wedding photographs, and beside the bride are three other white jumpers, we call them the bridesmaids.' Beyond the painted horses and music, the walls inside the carousel are lined with photographs and stories that bring its history to life, holding the memories of millions of people — including thousands who filled Lakeside Park every summer from the 1920s through 1951 to mark Emancipation Day. The carousel was brought to Port Dalhousie in 1921 after being purchased from an amusement park in Scarborough. The Lakeside Park Carousel was carved between 1897 and 1905 in Brooklyn, New York by Charles I.D. Looff. The Danish carver became famous for building the first carousel at Coney Island and the Ferris wheel along the Santa Monica Pier. It's one of the largest remaining examples of a Looff menagerie carousel in North America, featuring four rows of hand-carved characters, with the outer row featuring faceted glass-jewelled animals. One standout, the lion, is one of five existing Looff lions in North America, but Leo (as named by the Friends of the Carousel) is the only one whose head faces onlookers. The lion is perhaps the most iconic of the dozens of carved wooden animals in the Lakeside Park Carousel. Lakeside originally had a second lion, but it was stolen in the 1970s. The Friends replaced him in 2004, naming him Paws through a community competition. In 1921, the carousel was purchased from an amusement park in Scarborough and brought to the growing Lakeside amusement park, which included rides and an old wooden water slide. The park was purchased and privately run from 1950 to 1970, before Sydney Brookson put it up for sale. Generations of families have enjoyed riding the animals on the carousel over the years. Not wanting to lose a piece of history, the community banded together, raising $20,000 to purchase the carousel, on two Brookson conditions — that its price remains five cents and that it remain in St. Catharines. Both were honoured. In 1999, the City of St. Catharines partnered with the newly-formed Friends of the Carousel to restore the carousel, which Unger said has been key in keeping it running, as it has experienced its share of disasters. In 1973 and 1978, the carousel was flooded by water, and a 1974 fire at the Old Muir Dry Docks destroyed some animals and badly damaged others. The Lakeside Park Carousel is like a spinning, carved animal safari. The Friends undertook its meticulous restoration, re-creating the original appearance of the carousel, completing the work in 2009. 'It looks the way it does because we're all working together for the common cause and that's to make sure there are smiles on the kids,' said Unger. '(The crafters) probably didn't expect it to last 100 years.' But the work is never done. Once the season ends, The Friends examine every animal for scratches or breaks, restoring and painting in their nearby workshop. 'You can't tell the damage until you scrap some paint off, and it's all done manually. Sometimes we have to scrap the whole character, sometimes it's minimal repair,' said Unger. For Bonnie Cameron, who has been with The Friends group since its founding, it's an honour to have a key to the carousel, spending weeks surrounded by history. 'Even when you're at the workshop and you're scraping something that's over 100 years old, there's a passion and that's what's required,' she said. With another Lakeside Park Carousel season in full swing, her wish is for every rider, whether local or visitors, to leave with a smile — while recognizing its rich history and treating it with reverence it deserves. 'I hope that they realize this has to be respected,' she said. 'Come down and enjoy the experience of something that was built so long ago.' While the carousel may be the star attraction, there's plenty more to enjoy in Port Dalhousie. Here are five things to do while you're in town: Stroll the historic Port Dalhousie Pier — either east pier, west pier or both — taking in sweeping views of Lake Ontario, with views of Toronto to the north, Niagara-on-the-Lake to the east and sunsets to the west. Also enjoy views of the inner and outer Port Dalhousie lighthouses, which helped ships and boats enter and exit the narrow harbour. The outer lighthouse was built in 1878 and inner lighthouse built in 1898. And make sure you take a blanket to cool down along Lakeside Park Beach. Browse a variety of small eateries, but for ice cream , standouts include gelato at II Gelato Di Carlotta at the Lock and Main Marketplace (featuring additional food and coffee options) and Old Port Dairy Bar on Lakeport Road. Stop by several local breweries for a cool pint, including Lock Street Brewery right on Lock Street. Its drink menu boasts a wide range of options from Portside Pilsner, The Jealous Mistress, Black Sail and Industrial Pale Ale — and much more. Pick up your next summer read at Thistle Bookshop and Café . The independent bookstore in downtown Port Dalhousie can help you find your next literary adventure — while enjoying another beverage. And with familial ties to Scotland, the shop also features Celtic and ancestry section. Enjoy several cruise options Port Dalhousie Cruise Lines . Tuesday through Saturday, take advantage of a two-hour afternoon cruise (from 1 to 3 p.m.) aboard the historical M.V. Chippewa III where you can see highlights of Niagara region, Welland Canal and Niagara River. From 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Sundays, enjoy a 2.5-hour sunset cruise that takes you onto Lake Ontario, up the Niagara River and by the historic Fort George and Fort Niagara.
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Classic 'Jeopardy' clip revealed wildest coincidence has happened twice
A post shared by Jeopardy! (@jeopardy) A few days ago, we brought you the wildest Jeopardy! coincidence that we labeled as NOT a controversy: a contestant named Emily Croke nailed Final Jeopardy, in part because the answer to the clue was her great-great-great-aunt whom she was named for. While some people questioned if that was fair or not, it was merely an improbable, million-to-one coincidence that has probably never happened before in Jeopardy! history, right? Wrong! Turns out there was another contestant who had a familial connection to a clue. As the game show shared on Instagram recently, back in 2001, a man named Bill O'Donnell rang in on a clue in which the answer was George Ferris, as in the Ferris wheel. And George Ferris turned out to be ... his great-grandfather! Watch this interaction with the great Alex Trebek and enjoy: This is just amazing that it happened not once but TWICE! There should never be any questions about if this is all rigged or something, or if it's unfair. If there just happens to be a family connection, so be it.
Fast Company
15-06-2025
- Science
- Fast Company
Computer simulations reveal the first wheel was invented nearly 6,000 years ago
Imagine you're a copper miner in southeastern Europe in the year 3900 BCE. Day after day you haul copper ore through the mine's sweltering tunnels. You've resigned yourself to the grueling monotony of mining life. Then one afternoon, you witness a fellow worker doing something remarkable. With an odd-looking contraption, he casually transports the equivalent of three times his body weight on a single trip. As he returns to the mine to fetch another load, it suddenly dawns on you that your chosen profession is about to get far less taxing and much more lucrative. What you don't realize: You're witnessing something that will change the course of history—not just for your tiny mining community, but for all of humanity. Despite the wheel's immeasurable impact, no one is certain as to who invented it, or when and where it was first conceived. The hypothetical scenario described above is based on a 2015 theory that miners in the Carpathian Mountains (now Hungary) first invented the wheel nearly 6,000 years ago as a means to transport copper ore. The theory is supported by the discovery of more than 150 miniaturized wagons by archaeologists working in the region. These pint-size, four-wheeled models were made from clay, and their outer surfaces were engraved with a wickerwork pattern reminiscent of the basketry used by mining communities at the time. Carbon dating later revealed that these wagons are the earliest known depictions of wheeled transport to date. This theory also raises a question of particular interest to me, an aerospace engineer who studies the science of engineering design. How did an obscure, scientifically naive mining society discover the wheel, when highly advanced civilizations, such as the ancient Egyptians, did not? A controversial idea It has long been assumed that wheels evolved from simple wooden rollers. But until recently no one could explain how or why this transformation took place. What's more, beginning in the 1960s, some researchers started to express strong doubts about the roller-to-wheel theory. After all, for rollers to be useful, they require flat, firm terrain and a path free of inclines and sharp curves. Furthermore, once the cart passes them, used rollers need to be continually brought around to the front of the line to keep the cargo moving. For all these reasons, the ancient world used rollers sparingly. According to the skeptics, rollers were too rare and too impractical to have been the starting point for the evolution of the wheel. But a mine—with its enclosed, human-made passageways—would have provided favorable conditions for rollers. This factor, among others, compelled my team to revisit the roller hypothesis. A turning point The transition from rollers to wheels requires two key innovations. The first is a modification of the cart that carries the cargo. The cart's base must be outfitted with semicircular sockets, which hold the rollers in place. This way, as the operator pulls the cart, the rollers are pulled along with it. This innovation may have been motivated by the confined nature of the mine environment, where having to periodically carry used rollers back around to the front of the cart would have been especially onerous. The discovery of socketed rollers represented a turning point in the evolution of the wheel and paved the way for the second and most important innovation. This next step involved a change to the rollers themselves. To understand how and why this change occurred, we turned to physics and computer-aided engineering. Simulating the wheel's evolution To begin our investigation, we created a computer program designed to simulate the evolution from a roller to a wheel. Our hypothesis was that this transformation was driven by a phenomenon called ' mechanical advantage.' This same principle allows pliers to amplify a user's grip strength by providing added leverage. Similarly, if we could modify the shape of the roller to generate mechanical advantage, this would amplify the user's pushing force, making it easier to advance the cart. Our algorithm worked by modeling hundreds of potential roller shapes and evaluating how each one performed, both in terms of mechanical advantage and structural strength. The latter was used to determine whether a given roller would break under the weight of the cargo. As predicted, the algorithm ultimately converged upon the familiar wheel-and-axle shape, which it determined to be optimal. During the execution of the algorithm, each new design performed slightly better than its predecessor. We believe a similar evolutionary process played out with the miners 6,000 years ago. It is unclear what initially prompted the miners to explore alternative roller shapes. One possibility is that friction at the roller-socket interface caused the surrounding wood to wear away, leading to a slight narrowing of the roller at the point of contact. Another theory is that the miners began thinning out the rollers so that their carts could pass over small obstructions on the ground. Either way, thanks to mechanical advantage, this narrowing of the axle region made the carts easier to push. As time passed, better-performing designs were repeatedly favored over the others, and new rollers were crafted to mimic these top performers. Consequently, the rollers became more and more narrow, until all that remained was a slender bar capped on both ends by large discs. This rudimentary structure marks the birth of what we now refer to as 'the wheel.' According to our theory, there was no precise moment at which the wheel was invented. Rather, just like the evolution of species, the wheel emerged gradually from an accumulation of small improvements. This is just one of the many chapters in the wheel's long and ongoing evolution. More than 5,000 years after the contributions of the Carpathian miners, a Parisian bicycle mechanic invented radial ball bearings, which once again revolutionized wheeled transportation. Ironically, ball bearings are conceptually identical to rollers, the wheel's evolutionary precursor. Ball bearings form a ring around the axle, creating a rolling interface between the axle and the wheel hub, thereby circumventing friction. With this innovation, the evolution of the wheel came full circle. This example also shows how the wheel's evolution, much like its iconic shape, traces a circuitous path—one with no clear beginning, no end, and countless quiet revolutions along the way.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Aylmers Circus returns to Stroud with 70s-inspired disco spectacle
AYLMERS Circus is returning to Stroud with a disco-inspired show. It will be at the Cotswold Playhouse in Parliament Street, from July 4 to July 6. The show, called Dancing Queen, will be a 70s disco-inspired celebration. The show will star Nancy Trotter Landry, best known for her work with Giffords Circus, who will bring her clowning to the dance floor. There will also be acrobatics, including tightwire feats, the Cyr wheel, and the art of hair hanging, as well as chair balancing. Harvey Aylmer, founder of Aylmers Circus, said: "It's a celebration of the disco era, but it's also a reminder of joy and freedom. "This show was born from a dream to create magical experiences that inspire people of all ages. "I can't wait to share this show with Stroud." Performances will take place at 7.30pm on Friday, July 4, and at 11.30am, 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday, July 5. On Sunday, July 6, show times will be at 11.30am, 2.30pm and 5.30pm. Tickets are £22 for adults and £16 for under 16s and can be purchased through the Aylmers Circus website. Aylmers Circus is suitable for all ages. Children aged two or over need a ticket, but under twos can go free if they sit on a parent or guardian's lap. Aylmers Circus was founded by Harvey Aylmer in 2024. Mr Aylmer's circus journey began at the age of 10 when he transformed his garden into a circus to raise money for charity. His fascination with the big top led him to write to Nell Gifford, asking how he could join her at Giffords Circus. Under her guidance, he found his way into the circus, where he spent three years working whilst also juggling two apprenticeships. He worked under the acclaimed director Cal McCrystal, whose expertise in physical comedy and theatrical storytelling helped shape Mr Aylmer's vision. Inspired by this experience, he founded Aylmers Circus in 2024 - a creative venture that fuses theatrical elegance with the timeless magic of the circus.
