Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Victor Rubilar's grand finale, juggling 5 soccer balls

Hot was the word of the day on Saturday Aug 28 2010, when we took in the Buskerfest in Toronto. It hit 32C and high humidity. There performers were sweating profusely, as was the audience. Arriving at about 12:45pm we took in the shows of Victor Rubilar from Argentina (juggling soccer balls), Mat Ricardo from the UK (balancing, juggling) and saw a couple of others. It was really crowded and we could not see much, which was to bad.

We got a TTC family pass and took an additional 2 kids, so 6 of us went down, all for $10CAD. Parking was free at the subway station. For us this is the best way to get down town.

Victor Rubilar is a juggler from Argentina and brings a Latin flavour to his show. Of course he is crazy about two special subjects: soccer and women. He juggles soccer balls very well, as well as spins them. His grand finale was juggling 5 soccer balls. His comedy centers around ogling the women in the audience, which he pulls off very well. He plays the romantic lover with various audience members. One issue I have was that he placed an audience member in the middle of the performance area, blocking our view of his performance. Still, he was a professional and patient performer. When some kids spontaneously ran into his performing area, he rolled with them with ease. Victor is very comfortable in front of his audience. His bikini routine was very surprising and unexpected. He is so dedicated to his craft.

Did I mention that the heat was oppressive? The City of Toronto had closed off Front Street from Yonge to Jarvis for the Buskerfest. Victor Rubilar’s performance was at an intersection, so there was a lot of room for spectators. Other performers that drew a crowd were in the middle of Front Street, which is 2 lanes each way. These performances were so deep with people that it was very difficult to even bypass them. On the north side of the street some street vendors were cooking some souvlaki, the searing heat baking both the meat and pedestrians. This was not a convenient setup and I would venture to say that it was also unsafe. If there was an emergency there would be no way ambulance or police personnel on bike would be able to pass. In the middle of this corridor of barbecue a bicycle was locked to a street sign. I say the city should cut off the lock or cut through the bike for the safety of the public. Many people got cut up from the pedals of this bike.

I have not been to Buskerfest for a couple of years, but I would say that Front Street is not a good venue for this event. Buskers draw large crowds that assemble in a circular formation. Front street does not lend itself to this type of public event. There were people with small kids in strollers, the disabled in wheelchairs and people walking with their bikes, all that had great difficulty trying to bypass the crowds. Toronto could do a lot better in organizing the street for better pedestrian flow.

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Victor Rubilar of Argentina spins two soccer balls and juggles one on his foot

I have often visited Prince Street in Montreal, where they regularly schedule buskers. They do it right in the Belle Province. The street is very wide in order to accommodate the large circular crowds. Front Street does not do the performers justice. It would have been much better to move all the vendors north, away from the sidewalk so that pedestrians could bypass the large crowds. On top of this it was apparent that some stores on Front Street detested the Buskerfest. A specific hair salon would regularly tell people to move from their front door and window. Not only was this unfriendly but more than a little hostile.

Still, contrary to the Toronto I know, the people were very well behaved. Even in the oppressive heat there was no shoving and pushing, no major temper tantrums from kids, no swearing matches between pedestrians. Torontonians were actually civil with each other. I find this shocking to admit this, as well as saddened that this came as a surprise.

As we walked on Front Street it was very apparent that others were also suffering from the heat. Shade spots provided by buildings were in high demand. There were few areas to sit down, one of which was a “games” area, where people were playing board games. Some of their wooden boxes used for advertising worked very well as impromptu stools.

Interesting was the City of Toronto water exhibit, which was a large truck sized water bottle with 8 taps on each side. There were people there to explain that city water was healthier and better for the environment than bottled water. Water, which was refrigerated, was free for the taking, so you could fill up your water bottle as your leisure. I took the opportunity to wet down my face and cool off some in the shade of the truck. It was a marvelous marketing opportunity and a great public service. To the civil servant that thought of the water truck, a big cookie for you! I should have taken a photo but did not. I do appreciate the effort.

There was nothing happening at Centre stage when we passed by, though I did recognize it from Youtube videos we watched. There were few places for performers to perform, which was unfortunate. That meant that if you wanted to see many acts, you would have to attend Buskerfest for many hours and multiple days. This we could not do with the family. I suppose you should just try your luck and be happy with what you get.

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Silver Elvis poses for photos

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Mat Ricardo from the UK spins a silver tea tray perched on three spoons

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Mat Ricardo whipping his diabolo up to speed

Mat Ricardo from the UK was the last performer we saw. Quaintly attired in trousers and suspenders, tie and top hat, he was sweating profusely. I could actually see him melting from the heat, poor chap. With his English accent he mocked the Americans, to the delight of the local crowd. The one hecker I heard the whole day was right behind me, and he was also from the UK! I suppose Mat got a taste of some home grown medicine? We are too polite here in Canada to heckle a street performer. Maybe we save our best for fellow Torontonians.

I did not see the start of Mat’s performance because it was much too crowded. The little weed, as usual, slid between adults for front row kid’s seats. This is to be expected. Mat started with three large serving spoons, one wood and two metal. Wedging them together on end, then spun and balanced a silver serving tray on the last spoon and put the first spoon in his mouth. His balance was quite grand.

People in the front rows were getting tired and started to semi kneel. This allowed me a better view of Mat’s performance. Once in a while their legs would cramp up, forcing them to stand up.

Mat then did his cigar box routine, where he started with three and quickly built up to 8. He finished with stacking the boxes brick style and balancing all 8 on his chin.

Next Mat went into his diabolo routine. He explains that the diabolo originated from China and is the predecessor of the yoyo. He checks the sun and wind, whips his diabolo up to speed and flings the rubber thing 3 stories high. As it comes down, the sun is in his eyes, the wind blows it off course and Mat sidesteps the diabolo as it come bouncing down to earth. It rebounds up about 8′. He decides to change his body position to not have the sun in his eyes and starts his diabolo tricks. Most of these tricks I did not see because others were blocking my view. My little weed tells me he was quite good and he wants to learn diabolo as well. Mat flings the diabolo up 3 stories a couple of times and successfully catches it before it hits the ground.

For Mat’s grand finale he sets a table with a tablecloth, flowers in a silver container, 4 servings of China for tea, and sugar and teapot on a silver tray. He then tells the crowd he will fling the diabolo up 3 stories. While it is in the air he will pull the tablecloth out from the table setting, without disturbing the place setting and catch the diabolo with the tablecloth. He show the audience that there are no magnets or such keeping the table setting on the table.

Even with the advice to watch the table and not the flying diabolo, at least half the audience watches the flying diabolo and misses Mat successfully pull the table cloth away from the table, leaving the place setting intact. It was a very showy ending.

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Mat Ricardo's Grand Finale was to launch a diabolo 3 stories in the air, pull the table cloth from the table without messing up the China and silverware, then catch the diabolo with the tablecloth

I talked to Mat after his performance and asked him if he did unicycling and rola bola. He said he did it all in his 20 years as a performer but simply could not take all his equipment to his shows. He also wanted to stay firmly planted on the ground.

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Witty Look's stash of unicycles

Toronto Buskerfest 2010: Daiki of Witty Look's 5 wheel unicycle

I really wanted to see the unicycle performance of Witty Look’s Daiki and Cheeky, from Japan. I had seen some of their performances on Youtube and was intrigued. Alas it was not meant to be. They performed at 08:00 on Saturday and we arrived at around 12:45pm. Since there was no performance schedule posted on their web site, we could not have known Whitty Look’s performance time. Poking me in the side was that their unicycles were still on site, enticing me but leaving me unrequited. Oh well, maybe next time. Their unicycles look meticulously maintained and were very colourful. I do like their white tires.

Overall the Buskerfest was good. The performers were entertaining, professional, and not mean to the audience. Still there is a little bit of improvement on the part of Buskerfest organizers. I would hate to see an emergency happen and not allow emergency personnel to quickly enter.

Daou unicycle or bicycle, Chengdu Bicycle Parts Factory #3

Living in North East Toronto, Canada is a very large community of Mainland Chinese, many who are recent immigrants. When they ship their lives half way across the world to Canada they bring with them some surprising gems. I picked up this Daou unicycle at a garage sale. It has a 12.5″ rear coaster wheel with back brake, and a skateboard truck up front. The seat is unicycle style, with a black steel handle in the front. Apart from the “Daou” label, under the seat there are two quality stickers from the Chengdu Zixingche Lingjian San Chang, or the Chengdu Bicycle Parts Factory #3. After a couple of key changes this contraption rides much like a unicycle (no left-right stability), but has anterior-posterior stability, allowing the rider to coast. You can pedal backwards to brake, which is good enough to skid the tire. This unicycle rides quite well, can travel at faster than walking speed and allows the rider to coast. Due to the small skateboard wheels up front it can endo if you hit a large sidewalk crack.

Most consumer products here in Canada are now produced in China, so Chinese labels are common. The coaster brake and tire are both labeled “Made in China“. The Chinese “Hege” label and “You” states that it has passed quality inspection. The 12.5″ tire came with an inner tube with a Chinese valve. Even after searching for 2 pumps the seller could not pump up the tire. Complicating matters is that the 12.5″ wheel allows very little space to attach the pump. The tire has no brand name but comes with a familiar Made in China or Taiwan tread pattern.

Google searches for the “Chengdu zixingche lingjian factory 3″ or “Chengdu Bicycle Factory” yielded nothing. I also did not find any photos similar to this unicycle.

There were two issues with this unicycle. Firstly I could not get air into the tire. Secondly the thing was veering wildly to the left. The first order of business was to remove the inner tube with the Chinese valve and replace it with one with a Schrader valve. It was evident that this tire had never been off this unicycle and was tight. Pumping up the tire with my floor pump was difficult because of the small size of the 12.5″ rim. A 16″ tire and rim will not fit the frame.

Not being a skateboarder I had to read up on skateboard truck maintenance. After taking apart the two rubber truck cushions I noticed that they were beveled in a certain direction. I bisected the lowest points of the two cushions with chalk and aligned them together with the middle of the truck. This solved the steering issues.

I removed a red rear reflector, attached to the seat with two bolts. There was no way I or anyone else would ride this unicycle in traffic, much less at night. The reflector also hindered grabbing the seat from the rear.

Daou Unicycle, right side

As my little weed wanted to try it I had to lower the seat. The seat quick release needed replacement to allow the seat to be lowered to the max. The chain was oiled, the frame was cleaned, and the chrome parts were buffed up with #00000 steel wool. There’s not much to this unicycle so cleanup was quick.

Riding is very similar to but easier than a unicycle. You must start straight or the front wheels will turn and you will fall off. Grabbing the front bar with one hand and letting the other arm swing free aided in balance. As with all bikes, continuous pedaling is required. The uni does have some gyroscopic effect, less than a bicycle and more than a unicycle. Once you start and pick up speed you can let go of the handle bar completely and use both hands to balance. For me most weight shifting is done through the hips, similar to a unicycle. Keeping a straight line of progression required subtle shifting to the right or left. Once riding you can pick up a little speed and actually coast. Large cracks in the sidewalk can cause an endo because the front skateboard wheels are small.

Daou Unicycle, left side

The seat is vinyl covered and unicycle style. Padding is adequate, but I am considering adding an inner tube to the seat for some air cushioning. Other than the seat, everything else seems to be adequate. For a small thing this unicycle is quite heavy and robust. Unfortunately the rear wheel is not in alignment with the centre of the frame and is skewed a little to the left. I will try to realign the wheel later as it bothers me, but it does not seem to affect riding.

The skateboard trucks are not high quality. They have loose bearings and one side was wobbly. I tightened that side up a little. When I have time I will try to clean them and repack them with grease, but they roll and are relatively smooth. On the sidewalk, with a crack every 8′ you cannot get a smooth ride anyway, so I did not notice anything untoward.

The hub has no markings and is made of thick plastic. It holds the tire well. The coaster brake is a back pedal and is sufficiently strong enough to skid the tire. If I find a 12.5″ kid’s bike with a metal hub and rim I will switch this plastic wheel out. I prefer metal to plastic. Similarly the pedals have no markings but rotate very smoothly. This unicycle is certainly built to a price point but is still quite robust. There is rust on the light blue paint that cannot come off.

Daou Unicycle, anterior view Daou Unicycle, posterior. Note rear wheel misalignment

Daou Unicycle: skateboard trucks on front

In terms of safety, the rider is only 2″ off the ground, so at low speed it is easy to hop off the uni without problem. The uni is so low to the ground that the pedals will limit cornering speed if not careful. I have not tried to corner sharply on this uni. Because this uni can coast, you could conceivably start at the top of a large hill and gain speed. The brake should be sufficient to slow the rider down. Because the 5″ cottered cranks are short coupled with a single gear this limits the speed a rider can reach by pedaling.

A rider could raise the two front skateboard wheels off the ground and ride as a traditional unicycle. The centre of mass for your legs would be anterior to the wheel, and would force you to lean backward. Because your legs are about 18% of your body weight each, you would need to compensate for a lot of weight. Because there is no fixed gear as on a unicycle, riding would be similar to doing a wheelie on a standard bicycle, albeit without the fine modulation of brake. The backpedal brake is not super smooth. I have not done this as yet.

Daou Unicycle: Rear Wheel assembly, marked Made in China

Daou Unicycle: manufacturing label says Chengdu Zixingche Lingjian San Chang, or the Chengdu Bicycle Parts Factory #3

Overall I find this Daou unicycle interesting to ride. It is not as challenging as a regular unicycle but still offers a challenge over a bicycle. I do like that you can coast, as without handlebars it has the feeling of flying. For a more traditional look you can add a front wheel and handlebars to this if you wish. My two weeds are having some difficulties riding, the older more than the younger. In time they will master this as they have in the past with other balancing challenges.

Mary Ward's front door archway, a nice piece of steel and glass.

Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School is a high school located in North Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school is part of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, or TCDSB. These tips are primarily from a parent’s viewpoint and will cover uniform, student attitude, working with teacher adviser (TA) and a little on courses. I hope this helps new grade 9 students.

School Uniform

MW will have a uniform fitting day, where new students will be able to purchase their uniform. Uniforms are expensive, and a good fit is important. Note that not all uniform sizes will be available on the fitting day. If your kid is smaller or larger than the norm, it is much better to go to Halpern’s, the uniform store where they have all the options as well as sales folk who know what they are doing. Blouses come in xs as well as youth m and s, which were not available on uniform day. Long sleeve polo shirts can be lengthened or shortened without charge, but you’ll need to wait 2 months. Halpern’s is conveniently located on Consumer’s Road, east of Victoria Park and Sheppard, and is within 20 minutes drive of MW.

Halpern’s has an excellent guarantee policy for their clothing, though you will need to retain your receipt. If you have not worn your uniform yet you can exchange it for a different size. For worn clothing they warranty their clothing for one school year for wear and tear damages. When the serging of one polo shirt started to fray out we returned to the store for a straight exchange. There was no hassle.

MW’s physical education uniform will be given out in PE class. Students receive a “Property of Mary Ward” t-shirt and basketball shorts. The “small” t-shirt is massive. I don’t know if you get a t-shirt each year or one for 4 years.

School uniform adherence varies with the grade. Grade 9 students are monitored somewhat strictly. Some teachers will not allow you to attend class unless properly dressed, while others will give you a warning. Kilts are supposedly to be no more than 13cm from the knee, but due to height differences this reveals more for shorter students and less for taller students. Older students are not monitored as strictly. Older students may be able to get away with wearing non-monogrammed white shirts, for example. While there is no official school tie, some students do wear one, passed down from older students.

Monitoring Students and Teacher Advisor

MW is an alternative school that has no set classes. Students are given lessons and a schedule in which to complete them. It is up to the students to seek help when required. I was initially concerned about this arrangement, as it could allow a student to fail miserably. A Teacher Advisor (TA) is assigned to a group of 16 students. A TA is a regular teacher that also doubles as the overall “helper teacher” for the student’s 4 years at MW.

My fears proved to be unnecessary. Students need check in with their TA thrice a day at 8:30am, 12:45pm and at 3:00pm. There is no ability to surreptitiously skip school. In Grade 9 students are initially coached but are expected to mess up their schedules some time during the year. It is normal for a student to slack off and fall behind the schedule. The first early warning is from the TA to the student, followed by a letter home to the parents, and then a phone call from the TA to the parents. I find this system provides plenty of warning to parents. If parents are uninterested in their child’s progress then the student will fail the course. Summer school is available to those that have done at least some of the work.

There are 18 units in a course. Some units require the student to attend seminars, similar to a classroom lesson. I found it difficult to understand the importance and grading of each unit and how this affects the overall course grade. Instead I focused on ensuring that all units could be completed given the remaining time within the school year. If all units cannot be completed within the school year remedial summer school classes are required. Communication with the TA will help the parent assess if the student has the ability to complete the course within the remaining time.

If a student falls so far behind as to not be able to finish the course they may be told to attend “Student Success” classes, which are classroom taught classes that allow them to catch up. Students do less work and receive a lower mark but still pass.

I found dealing with the TA very friendly and effective. I found Mrs Holmes empathetic, reasonable and effective. She always returned my phone calls. I found it very helpful to cultivate a friendly relationship with the TA early in Grade 9 so that when an intervention is required it will be swiftly dealt with. Other teachers at MW may not return your call, as I found out.

Exams and Preparation

At the end of the year there are exams. Students have one week to prepare for exams but cannot normally start studying beforehand. This is because each unit is returned to the teacher for grading and not handed back to the student. Only a week before the exam, these units are returned. You may ask for your units early but may not receive them. A teacher may tell students to study certain units for the exam but this may not encompass all the exam’s content. There are a maximum of 2 exams per day and there is ample time given to prepare. Early exams are also available.

Extra Fees

The yearly school registration fee of $90 covers locker, lock, yearbook, gym uniform, school BBQ, etc. Almost all courses have extra fees. For us we were charged extra course fees of $60 at the beginning of the year. For music you are required to purchase a mouthpiece or reeds.

Gym had an extra $40 for rock and rope climbing and $20 for a CPR course. Activity day fees are up to $70, depending on the activity chosen.

Grade 9 Elective Courses

I do not have first hand knowledge of all grade 9 electives. It is best to talk to returning grade 9 students before choosing electives. Yes these are optional courses but are still learning opportunities that should not be squandered.

Instrumental Music seems to be elitist and geared to the development of the school band. Students with prior musical experience in Woodwinds and horns are given priority when selecting instruments. Other students will strings or no music experience will be given unpopular instruments that other students have rejected. It may be better to ask to switch courses rather than have a student play an instrument they detest. Instruments are assigned one month after school starts.

Vocal Music is a lot of work and practice. You will perform in the Christmas and Spring concerts as well as the annual play. For those who liked singing students found it interesting. You need to make a commitment to follow the separate schedule for the music department. The teacher can be overly critical of students.

Food & Nutrition actually does very little cooking. There is lots of information about nutrition, which is good. If your child is already somewhat familiar with your kitchen then this course will be boring. On the other hand if your child never helps you prepare a meal, then this course will be a good introduction.

Drama is a simple course where you participate in games in the classroom. This course is for those that detest work. Drama students participate in the annual play. Students really like this course as it is fun.

Visual Arts is a lot of fun. This is a course for people who enjoy art. There are field trips. There is sketching, water colour, sculpting and other aspects of art. Students plan the school art show. Students participate in an egg drop where you build a device to protect the egg as it is dropped off the top of the school.

Business is very technical with a lot of computer time. You are given all your units at once. There are presentations, excel spreadsheets, letter writing, Photoshop, etc. There were mixed reviews from students, who thought it was easy and somewhat boring.

Tech makes projects out of wood. You make a race car, cutting board and a quest project (student chosen project). Tech is very well received, as is the Mr Emer and Harrison, the teachers.

TTC to School, bicycle parking

There are three TTC bus routes to MW: 42 Cummer, 43 Kennedy, and 17C Birchmount (Short turns at Kennedy east of McNichol). 42B Cummer stops at Kennedy and returns westbound. 17C Birchmount can be unreliable and is infrequent. After school it passes the school only ONCE between 3:00 and 3:15, after which there are no other 17C buses. 43 Kennedy is extremely crowded. Leave home early if you rely on this bus.

When the weather is good you can ride your bicycle to school. There is bicycle parking at the school entrance as well as behind the community centre near the fitness centre. Not many kids ride bikes. It is reasonably safe to lock your bike to the bike rack.

Overall my experience as a parent has been positive and reassuring. Yes, there are issues that arise but they are dealt with accordingly. more importantly the feedback from students I have met has been decidedly positive, and they should know.

Rola Bola made of 27 inch long 2x8 pine, varnished

Life can be simple yet fun. Take the example of a Rola Bola, aka rolla bolla, rolo bolo, roly boly, balance board, rocker-roller board or bongo board. Whatever you call it, there is a board that allows you to stand shoulder width apart, a wooden stop board on the underside each end, and a rolling cylinder. You put the board on the cylinder and get on. Simple.

Bola Construction: Cut a piece of pine or other wood you have around to a little longer than shoulder width. Plywood is also great. I had some 27″ 2×8 pine. Add some wooden stops on the underside of the board. I glued and screwed it to the top board with #6 1.5″ wood screws. Only sand the top deck, and only in the middle of the board. Leave the bottom deck unsanded or roughed up so it can grip the cylinder. After 4 coats of varnish to protect the wood and you’re done. I only did one coat for the sides and bottom.

All the rola bolas that I saw on the internet had grip tape on the top deck. As I was varnishing I decided that if sprinkled sand on the deck it would come out roughly the same, and it did. After initially using the board we found grip tape or sand was unnecessary. I sand down the sand and revarnished the top deck.

Bola Finish: For the finish of the board we varnished top and bottom once and then varnished the top another 5-6 times. We used Varathane or polyurethane, and wiped it on. The cleanup is easy if you use a rag as you just throw it away. Use disposable vinyl gloves. One of our boards was stained black, then varnished as above.

Safety: I had read that safety was important when learning the rola bola, so was concerned with allowing my kids to use it. This proved to be unfounded. With a standard 3″ roller the rola bola only goes up a maximum of 6″ on either side. Kids usually shift their weight down on one side, the deck touches the ground and stops all action. Even when moving kids can simply get off the board. As a toy it would be difficult but not impossible to badly hurt yourself. The toy is more dangerous as a swinging blunt object, or maybe if you threw the cylinder. Used as a rola bola it is extremely safe to learn and use. Appropriate ages to start rola bola are from 5 years old up. For smaller kids use a smaller cylinder and hold their hands for support. For use on carpet, first put down a piece of plywood, then the rola.

Rola Types: We tried a variety of cylinders:

• 2.25″ ABS pipe: Available at any hardware store, used as standard drain pipe, there are scraps of this pipe all over. It is very inexpensive and very strong. We found that it is more difficult to learn on this size pipe because the stops keep hitting the bottom. you have less room to recover your balance. For kids it is the safest cylinder to start. Cost: free.
• 3″ circumference propane cylinder: This propane cylinder was empty, discarded as trash after use. Used to solder copper pipes in plumbing, once empty is is garbage. As the tank is a pressure vessle capable of 2,000 psi, empty is can easily handle a 200 lb adult. There are lots of these around. Instead of throwing them into hazardous waste, they make a great cylinder. Cost: free.
• 3.5″ circumference metal tube. We got these out of an old electric lawnmower. They are great magnets as well. While not as wide as the top deck, they are the right size to start rola bola. Inert, will last forever, repurposed and saved from the landfill. Cost: free.
• 3″ ABS drain pipe: The drain pipe walls are thick and rigid and works very well. Note that the 3″ diameter is the inside diameter. The outside diameter is 3.5″. This is my recommendation for beginners, especially kids. Cost: $10.50CAD/3′
• 4″ ABS drain pipe: The drain pipe walls are thick and rigid and works very well. Note that the 4″ diameter is the inside diameter. The outside diameter is 4.5″. This pipe is large and rolls quickly. Cost: $18CAD/3′
• 5.5″ furnace motor fan: Disconnect the metal brackets adn you have a round motor housing. It is heavy but rolls pretty well. A little slippery and difficult to mount, but otherwise Ok. Cost: free.
• 10″ circumference PVC sewer pipe: These took some help getting on the board. A helper can step on the inside of the pipe and balance the board on top. The rider can then get on with two handed help from the helper. Once on, the roller is not any more difficult to ride than a 3″. An alternate mounting method is to hold the helper’s two hands and jump up and on the board. It feels initially scary but really is not. Cost: Free, as I found it at a construction site.
• 11.25″ circomference PVC sewer pipe. Same as the 10″ PVC sewer pipe. you really feel no difference. Cost: Free

Here are some tricks from Wikipedia:

• Acrobalance on the board
• Balance with one knee and one foot
• Center stand (feet together in the center of the board with your feet facing forward)
• Combine with other circus skills (e.g. juggling on the rola bola)
• Free mount and ride for 30 seconds
• Free ride for 3 minutes
• Frog stand (slowly squat down while riding the board)
• Full jumping turns – 360°
• Half jumping turns – 180°
• Hand & foot balance
• Jump mount
• One hand/one foot on both sides
• Penguin stand (feet together in the center of the board with one’s feet facing one of the long ends of the board)
• Quarter jumping turns
• Riding a bowling ball
• Riding two rollers (going in different directions)
• Riding 3 or 5 rollers stacked in a column (see picture)
• Standing on one foot (foot must be right over the roller)
• Surf hop (while surfing, stand on one foot then hoop to the other foot)
• Surfing (riding the rola bola with the feet facing one of the long ends)
• Walking the board (walking the board on the roller from one end to the other)
• Stacking additional boards for height in layers of “board-2 cylinders on end-board”; one must jump up accurately to mount

Other tricks while riding a Rola Bola:

• reading out loud
• Playing “Simon Says”
• juggling balls, diabolo
• partner gives you simple math problems, like addition of the fingers on each hand
• Rubic’s Cube
• girl’s hand clapping games with another partner also on a rola bola

Rola Bola is inexpensive, safe and fun for kids and adults. It will allow you to practice your balance. Try to make one with your kids. They will love it.

Update Aug 25 2010: So I have been trying different rollers. Lawnmower wheels can be bolted together to form a long enough roller. The ones I have are 4.5″ and 5.5″ in diameter. Unfortunately they are rubber coated and squish, so they do not provide enough support. They also flex and twist, throwing me off the board. Made of plastic the wheels seemed strong enough but do flex when weight is applied. I also tried an old metal furnace motor with a diameter of 5.5″. After I took off the clamps it rolled very well, though it was heavier than an ABS pipe. It is a little larger and heavier to be portable.

On a trip to the Home Depot I picked up 3′ of 4″ black ABS drain pipe. Cutting it with my mitre saw was not difficult, though the saw could not cut through the whole pipe. Cut, rotate, place carefully, then cut, and all was well. At 1′ each, I got 3 rollers from the pipe, all for $18CAD. The drain pipe is very rigid and is a very good roller. Note that the 4″ diameter is the inside diameter. The outside diameter is 4.5″, a little larger than 4″. I might try the 3″ pipe, a little safer until I become more skilled.

Update Aug 26 2010: So after purchasing and chopping the 4″ ABS pipe, which has an outside diameter of 4.5″, we found the difficulty level much higher than a 3″ roller. The kids were initially a little afraid. For certain the excitement level is higher because you can swing farther and higher, but with increased risk of falling. We have all fallen off this 4.5″ ABS pipe. On the insistence of my oldest I have purchased the 3″ ABS pipe but have not yet cut it. The OD of the pipe is 3.5″.

Links:
Balance board

Rola bola cartoon depicting it as a surfing alternative

Afghan Kite Flying in Afghanistan. Here in Canada do not use glass covered or metal kite line. They are illegal and dangerous.

Kite flying is a favourite pastime of our family. It is so unfortunate that kite flying at Milliken Park, Toronto, Canada, a very large park near our house, has recently been banned. Kite flying is very kid and family friendly, but has been spoiled by people that come from different cultures. South East Asian (India, Pakistan) and Afghanistan kite flyers in their country use metal wire and glass coated flying line to cut the lines of competitors. They are importing and illegally using this type of line here in Toronto, Canada. They then leave the lines as garbage. Kids and adults using the park get cut up from these types of lines. It is certainly a safety hazard.

The few that spoil it for the majority should be punished. Representatives from these minority groups should spread the word that glass covered and wire kite lines are illegal in Canada and should not be used. Kite flyers should also clean up after themselves. Local parks are for all to use, not just for kite flyers.

I could not be happier about this ban. I certainly wish it didn’t need to come to this, but clearly there is no other way. On April 19th, 2010, my (then) 3 year old son and I were out for a walk. We were on the sidewalk adjacent to the park when my son stepped into a loop of string on an abandoned kite. At the same time that he stepped into it, the kite was caught on a moving car. Luckily the car was slowing as it came to the intersection at Middlefield and Steeles, but it was still moving fast enough to cause the string to slice through my sons pants, sock and flesh. As I have no vehicle, I was forced to call an ambulance to take us to the nearest hospital. The wound took over a month to heal, and my son (now 4 years old) has a nasty scar and is absolutely terrified of kites AND Milliken Park. Hopefully with this ban, we can begin to use the park again. It’s been a long summer without the use of the park that we live right across the road from.

LiamsMommy

MOTHER CHEERS BAN

Liam Forbes is terrified of kites. And his mother is furious with kite fliers.

In April, Liam, then 3, was walking home from Milliken Park with his mother when something grabbed his left ankle. He crashed to the ground and was dragged a few metres, feet first.

His mother, Lauren Forbes, reacted quickly and untangled the boy. The cause: kite line. A loose kite had floated to the street and its nylon line sliced through Liam’s pants and sock before gripping his ankle, Forbes said.

Broken kites and metres of tangled line, the aftermath of kite fights, are found on the ground, in the bushes and trees at Milliken Park — the principal reason the city has banned kites there.

“I think the ban is a great thing,” Forbes said. “I know I’m a little biased, but it’s common courtesy to clean up after yourselves.”

Doctors told Forbes stitches weren’t needed because the string cauterized Liam’s blood vessels, effectively burning the cut closed.

Liam limped around for a month and his wound required cleaning and dressing twice a day. That was an inconvenience. The real problem became Liam’s fear of kites — and the park. “He freaks out if he sees a kite now. He won’t even go near one,” Forbes said.

Liam will only venture near the park if he’s wearing his rubber boots so his ankles are protected. The family used to fly their kite at the park, but it now rests under the stairs.

Toronto Star

I have been cut TWICE in that park. Once by string with pieces of glass on it, the other time by a really fine but hard wire.

chrix

You guys have no idea what the problems are

Do you guys even live in the area to understand what the problems really are? The problem is that kite flyers tend to cut other kites off which then fly off to far flung area with the strings. These runaway kites are the targets of loafers who run after them in streets of Markham, grab the kites and leave the plastic strings all over the place. I live in Markham right next to park have seen my property being over run several times. I have lost two grass cutting machines due to strings left in my backyard, have seen kids fall off their bike because leftover strings entanglement, have rescued three wounded sea gulls whose wings were entangled in the strings. Hoodlums running after the kites endanger their safety as well as those of other drivers. The problem is not kite flying, it is the utter carelessness of those who fly and engage in sporting battles to cut others lines off. Please drive on Steeles between McCowan and Middlefiled and see for yourself how many webs of plastic stings are stuck on utility poles,

Toofan

Few bad apples spoil the fun.

I work near this park and I can tell you first hand that there are a lot of people that are not cleaning up after themselves in this park. Have had 3 instances this summer alone where we needed to call the humane society to pick up injured birds tangled in kite string. Its too bad that some of these people have ruined it for everyone else, but I wont miss the kite string littering the area.

spicoli

I frequently walk at Milliken Park and have been tangled up in discarded kite line. It is not pleasant and is a safety hazard. In another local park by my house I have met two kite flyers from Afghanistan who used glass covered kite line. Once their kites were lost they simply walked away, leaving the dangerous kite line on the school grounds. This kite line then got caught in my bicycle wheel.

If this is the attitude of the South East Asian and Afghan kite flying community, then Canada will certainly ban kite flying in Toronto. Unfortunately this penalizes all local kite flyers such as myself.

Race often comes up when discussing the ban of kite flying in Toronto. New immigrants are very welcome to Canada and to Toronto. If a new immigrant has a cultural norm or pastime that they did back in their native country they are welcome to practice it here in Canada, but not at the expense of the safety of fellow Canadians. Using glass covered or metal kite line is both illegal and dangerous. Expect a backlash against such practices here in Canada. You come to a new country you follow our rules. If one of your cultural norms hurts fellow Canadians this must stop.

Someone jumped into the viewfinder without looking. Oh well. There's further learning required.

He goes to summer camp without a care in the world, smiling to the world. There’s no grumbling about the heat, that the mosquitoes are out, that there’s sand in his shoes. Eager to leave the house, he repeatedly asks me to get to camp early. I do not complain that it’s simply too early and the camp will not be open. His happiness is the fruits of our parenting skills, and we are glad it is working out for him. We would not have it any other way.

As single and a newly married couple kids were the furthest issue from out minds, as it is for the vast majority of couples. You have so much freedom and happiness to do whatever, meet whomever and go wherever you wish. The constraints of time, money and effort were the only limiting factors.

Kids change everything. It is an innate feature of animals to take care of their young, and humans are not exception. There’s a stage where you wonder if you, the parent, are training and nurturing your young, or that your young are training you to take care of them. The distinction may be blurry, but nevertheless there: In the former you are in control and in the latter you are not. Nurture or nature. While no one likes to be taken advantage of, who is there to blame?

Eventually the parent gets the hint that the kid and nature is in charge. We have a role to play and are preprogrammed to follow. There are highlights throughout a typical day that make the journey and effort worthwhile. You do overcome the really bad days that we all experience

Whatever the cost, we give it up for the kids. It’s not that we give the kids whatever they want, but they get whatever they need. Sometimes they do not understand, but in time they do get the message. This is part of their life education.

Personally, parents do give up a lot for their kids. If it was not for kids, many would be off to other countries, experiencing the vitality of travel and fun. Sacrifice for the future is our watchword. We can only hope that our sacrifice will be duly noted in the sub cortex of our progeny, such that the favour will be returned when we are frail and falling apart. Even if it is not I still feel I did my duty and ask for nothing in return.

As a parent you try your best to teach your kids. you do this for near two decades and beyond. After an indeterminate time the reigns of responsibility slowly shift from the parent to the child. When this shift occurs really depends on the child, but also on the parent. Some parents hang on for as long as they can, somewhat smothering their kids. Whether it retards their upbringing is in question, but no doubt that the kids knows he is loved. Maybe too much.

Letting go of kids, allowing them to venture into the big and bad world is a scary process. There are many nasty things that can happen in the world, from getting hit by a car to internet luring. With proper coaching and a slow release of responsibility, the process does occur. It must, no matter the opinion of the parents.

For better or for worse, parenting is certainly not a straight journey. What will happen down the road is as undetermined as the journey of the individual child. To all parents, through all the trials and tribulations, keep up the good work.

There is no real rush or sense of direction for the Doju. Really, life unfolds day after day, all with its own trials and tribulations. He puts one foot before the other, wags his head and tail asynchronously, looking around as the world glides by. Food and water are plentiful, so once the necessities of life are taken care of, the mind can wander, abstracting from reality to a dream world of make belief. Worries are banished from his little head, as they are beyond his control anyway, so there is little he can do to change the passage of time.

Did the chicken come before the egg? If one cannot hear a tree fall in a forest did it really fall? Can an evil eye really cause the receiver harm? All these and more can be debated by the Doju, for it is better to occupy the mind than to slothfully pass through the day sleeping, not that the Doju has anywhere specific to go, oh no.

A tree approaches, creeping up on Doju and getting larger with each step. It is a tree with white bark. Who would take the trouble to partially strip the bark off this lovely tree, leaving the bark still attached? This is most puzzling. Maybe it is an odd type of bird that likes the ripping nose of taking white bark off the tree, but gets alarmed when the bark actually falls off? Is there some use for this partially stripped bark? Perchance the bark is used in winter to make ice cream cones, as in winter it could certainly hold ice cream in cone form. That must be it, as the ice cream would be held upright by the bark. Someone is so clever, but who would want an ice cream cone in the middle of a large white tree? I cannot think of a soul who would do this.

Maybe it is the same being that put those holes in the middle of the tree? And why would someone want to dig holes in such a manner? Again the Doju did not have much of answer. The questions keep popping up in his head though. Do others ask themselves and busy themselves with so many issues? Issues they are, and only of Doju could answer them all the would would be a much more orderly place, I guarantee it.

And so the Doju walks on, observing as he goes. His discovery of self continues undetected by himself or others. He has been walking all his life and still has a long way to go.

This program, which is large in scale, cannot come cheaply. Funding must come from somewhere. What is odd about this program is the little information available about the leaders and sponsors of this program. When sending your child to day camp it is always important to research the leaders, so you know who are minding your kids. Odd is the fact that there is very little sent to parents and near nothing about them on the internet. This omission is not necessarily indicative of a bad omen, just an oddity in this age of online information. These sponsors are: Boys 2 Men Institute (B2M), TDSB Focus on Youth and the Cabbagetown Youth Centre (CYC).

The program seems to be run by the Boys 2 Men Institute. I can only find 2 references to this name on the web. The first reference describes a youth development program, but does not indicate country or other location. I cannot really say that this web page is even connected to the youth All Day Sports Camp that is run in Scarborough.

The Boys 2 Men Institute has been developed to challenge the current image, perception and low expectations for at-risk males grade 3 through grade 12.

… B2M Institute chapters promote the principles of Pride, Dignity and Respect. The Boys 2 Men Institute will comprise a detailed curriculum that affords at-risk (all) students the opportunity to get extra support, volunteer in their community, gain social skills, improve self-esteem and learn about proper nutrition.

This web page is not linked for further information, is undated and there is no contact information. Of course there is no web site for this group.

The second link is from the Cabbagetown Youth Centre (CYC), which mentions the Boys 2 Men program, but without description nor link. At least I can verify that the Cabbagetown youth Centre does exist in Toronto, Canada. There is a phone number and contact information. Here’s the reference:

I invite you to take some time to visit CYC’s site – read about our successes like our Performing Arts Program and our Summer Camp and Youth and After-Four programs; CYC’s involvement in programming across the City to help youth through the Boys 2 Men Institute; our fundraising successes and challenges and so much more!

In the Programs section of the CYC there is mention of an All Day Sports Camp:

The All Day Sports Camp is a non-competitive activity program. The philosophy of the camp is to expose children to a wide variety of sports and to develop fundamental physical movement skills, while they gain an appreciation for personal fitness through the joy of activity. A variety of activities are offered, including; cooperative games, ball hockey, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, tennis and recreational swim. Children are asked to bring their own healthy lunch and two snacks daily; however, CYC can provide lunch for those who otherwise cannot. Special features include weekly off site trips and an end of year BBQ for the whole camp.

Surely this must be the camp held in Scarborough, though there is no mention of the camp’s location. The camp description does not mention anything about the Boys 2 Men Institute. Perchance I must triangulate logic: The CYC holds an All Day Sports Camp. The CYC has involvement with the Boys 2 Men Institute, therefore the Boys 2 Men Institute is managing the CYC All Day Sports Youth Camp in Scarborough. Then again, maybe this logic is simply incorrect.

The third sponsor, the Toronto District School Board, is much clearer. Their Focus on Youth Toronto (FOYT) program provides free summer school space to certain child and youth based organizations:

The objective of Focus on Youth Toronto is to enhance high quality summer program opportunities for children and youth in Toronto’s urban inner city areas by offering free use of school space for organized community-based programs, and by providing employment opportunities and leadership activities for the youth of these communities. The FOYT program for the second year will promote learning through play, healthy lifestyle and positive self-image for children and youth of these communities, and that this will have a positive impact on student achievement and well-being during the school year.

Of course the TDSB site does not mention the Cabbagetown Youth Centre nor the Boys 2 Men Institute. Maybe I am asking too much?

This is not to say that these programs are suspect in any way. They are legitimate programs. I have verified through real world experience that this summer camp exists and is well run. The youth are great with kids and the kids are treated well and have fun. The program runs out of a TDSB high school, in complete cooperation with TDSB staff. The kids get to use the high school equipment such as balls, gym and pool. I merely question the lack of information about these programs to parents. Am I the only parent that seeks questions about the organization that is taking care of my child for the summer? I hope not.

Then again maybe publishing the program on the internet is simply not a high priority for these grassroots organizations. Still, if you are doing such good work for the youth and kids of Toronto, publishing something might be a good idea.

If you have any further information about Boys 2 Men or the All Day Sports Camp please leave a comment and fill me in. I will be more than happy to update this document to the relevant links. Clear communication on the internet can only be good for all concerned. Transparency is simpler to achieve if all parties are public and well known.To those that work in the All Day Sports Camp, whomever you are, you’re doing a great job. Keep up the good work.

Note: I’ve found an article about B2M from 2008 that provides more information. A possible link to the program is Hugh Keane, Camp Director.

McDonalds recalls Shrek glasses over fears of toxic cadmium levels

Fear not the monster Shrek, for he is not to blame. But if not Shrek then whom? The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned consumers early Friday to immediately stop using the glasses available for purchase from McDonalds, on concerns about toxic levels of cadmium. Twelve million glasses are recalled. Who is to blame? There are at least three parties involved: McDonalds, ARC International, of Millville, NJ, and presumably the Chinese factory that produced the glasses. So common is the fact that China makes most of our products and the fact that so many toxic products have been traced back to China in the past makes this a very good educated guess.

Certainly we will not knowingly poison our children by giving them drink in toxic glasses. Certainly McDonalds or supplier ARC International would not knowingly supply toxic glasses to their loyal customers. Recalls are a body blow to a business’ reputation, expensive to rectify and very bad for business. Certainly the Chinese factory would not knowingly use toxic cadmium paint on glasses, risk their own health and factory reputation? Yet somehow this situation came to pass and now has come to light. Who is at fault and how can we prevent this from happening so often?

Let’s play the blame game.

Blame McDonald’s Corporation: McDonalds is a vile and immoral company bent on extracting the maximum amount of profit out of their addicted customers. They want to cut costs at all expense to health or quality. They gouged their supplier ARC International, who eventually buckled under the intense pressure. What could ARC do but supply what the customer wanted? What could the Chinese factory do but follow the specifications of the contract and fulfill the order with toxic cadmium paint, knowing full well it poison that will be shipped.

Blame ARC International: McDonalds drive a hard but fair deal, expecting a fair price for their order. ARC took the McDonalds order, and to increase their profit margin, twisted the arm of their Chinese factory to use the cheapest paint, even though the factory knew that toxic cadmium paint can harm people. What could the Chinese factory do but fulfill the order?

Blame the Chinese Factory: McDonalds and ARC International drive a hard but fair negotiation. The Chinese factory thought that no one would know the difference and that testing of the paint would never occur. The factory has done this before and no one noticed. They substituted the toxic cadmium paint to save costs. What the difference anyway? It’s only a small change to the specifications? Cadmium has been around for such a long time and we’re still Ok?

Further investigation needs to be done. You can be sure that the blame will be passed around like a hot potato. Certainly it is clear that the world has a problem with many products made in China. It is not possible to test all products that we import. Customs cannot even spot inspect all import shipments for contraband drugs, much less test products for toxic substances. The Chinese know this and so do everyone else.

I do not have the solution to this massive problem, but for sure quality control and penalties need to be implemented. The problem is so clearly identified. There should be a huge disincentive to whichever company is at fault here, because our health depends on it. China is a relatively uneducated country with a very different culture, moral system and standard for consumer products. Their standard is by far much lower than ours, largely because it is unregulated by the Chinese government. Factories can be unscrupulous by choice or inadvertently and benignly ignorant. Either way the result is the same: dangerous products are imported from China with little chance of being caught. As someone who is fluent in Mandarin, has a minor in East Asian studies (China/Japan) and has lived in China for a couple of years, I know enough to take nothing for granted.

One of the reasons I have stopped buying inexpensive products from Walmart and Canadian Tire is that I cannot determine the risk that these products have on my family. It seems too easy for unscrupulous companies to use toxic paints and too easy for me to be deceived. If I have the choice I will not take the risk.

Maybe I am naive, but I expect my government to protect me. Is this too much to ask?

Note: Comments to various news agencies are quite funny. Many state that McDonald’s food is by far more harmful to children than the toxic cadmium paint on the glasses. One needs to shake one’s head at their wisdom. Warning: Do not eat the food.

1. I bought a Singer sewing machine, which was made in August 1958. How old is it?
2. Bag one is 15 lb of potatoes and costs $1.99. Bag two is 10 lb of potatoes and costs $1.33. Which bag is cheaper per pound and why? Show your work.
3. A 5 lb bag of tangerines costs $3.77. A 12 lb box of oranges costs $4.99. Which one is cheaper per pound and why? Show your work.
4. You want to borrow the book “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, vol 2 from the library, so you place a hold on it. You are 473d out of a total of 701 holds. Each hold can be borrowed for one week. How long do you have to wait? Answer in years, months and weeks. You are 8 years old. How old will you be when you can borrow this book.
5. Your Big Sister sells Girl Guide cookies. She has 2 cases. Each case has 12 boxes. Each box has 12 cookies. How many total cookies does she have? She then sells 4 boxes. How many cookies does she have left? Show your work.
6. Heinz ketchup in a fancy bottle is on sale at $2.99 for 1.25L. No Name ketchup costs $1.99 for 1L. Which ketchup brand do you get more ketchup for you money. Do not base your answer on which ketchup tastes better. Show your work.
7. I bought 3 bottles of Gummy vitamins that contain 190 vitamins in each box. There are two kids in the family that take one vitamin each day. How long will the three vitamin bottles last?