Major Renovation of One of Canada's most Prestigious Golf Courses

Mike Weir to Redesign Blue Course at Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac

MONTREAL, June 28, 2011 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac is pleased to announce it will be partnering with Weir Golf Design to transform its Blue Course into one of the most challenging and prestigious golf courses in Canada.

"We're delighted to work with Mike Weir, the best golfer Canada has ever produced, and his partner, Ian Andrew, a respected Canadian course architect with whom we have collaborated for more than 15 years," said Paul Legault, Chairman of the Board of Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac, at today's news conference. "Mr. Weir brings his unique vision and experience to this ambitious project. Over the course of his remarkable career, he has played on some of the world's best golf courses, racking up eight wins on the PGA Tour, including a Masters' Tournament championship in 2003."

Founded in 1917 by a group of French Canadian businessmen, Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac was designed by the famous and celebrated Scottish architect Willie Park Jr., also one of the top professional golfers of his era. Over the years, the Club added two nine-hole courses (1968 and 1992), known today as the Blue Course. Today, Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac is considered a standard among Canadian golf courses.

"We want to make the Blue Course just as appealing as the Green Course," said Rémi Racine, Vice-Chairman of the Board and the project leader. "With the help of Mr. Weir and Mr. Andrew, we'll have a beautiful, modern course that will challenge players at any level," he added.

The team of Weir and Andrew

Mike Weir and Ian Andrew joined forces in the summer of 2009 to form a partnership.

According to Mr. Weir, "Ian and I both believe in developing courses where you need to use your mind as well as your skills to succeed. We both believe in presenting the golfer with multiple options and allowing the golfer the opportunity to take on as much risk as they feel comfortable with, but if they want to score they are going to have to take on all the hazards and attack the course which brings more of the danger into play. This is the main reason I wanted to team up with Ian. We share such a common vision on golf architecture and believe we can offer a style of architecture that is far more interesting to play. Ian has an outstanding reputation as a course architect, developed through his restoration and renovation of many of North America's best courses. The detail work that he has done on those projects will be brought into our new designs. Golfers will be impressed by the level of detailing in our greens and bunkers."

Outstanding environment

"The Blue Course at Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac boasts an outstanding property and we intend to take full advantage of it," said Mr. Andrew. "Twelve of the holes will follow the same basic configuration as the original holes. We will make modest changes to enhance each hole particularly at the green sites. The other six will tremendously improve after we re-route them to make much better use of the existing topography. Mike and I are being given the opportunity to build something very special at Laval-sur-le-Lac."

Mike Weir says he is inspired by courses whose main characteristics are in the greens. In addition to being higher and featuring more relief, the turf around the greens can be mowed to increase the level of difficulty for tournaments.

"We hope this new course will leave more room for players' creativity, whether they are amateurs or pros," he said.

Work will begin in the fall of 2011 and the golf course will be ready for the 2013 season.

About Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac

Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac is a private golf club that offers its members two beautifully appointed courses in an exceptional setting. The Club's philosophy is to offer a blend of traditional and modern features, which has produced a strong sense of belonging among its members, from one generation to the next.

Toronto Port Authority Announces First Ever Sail-In Cinema Event

TORONTO, June 27, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Toronto Port Authority (TPA), which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2011, announced that it is holding North America's first ever floating movie event, Sail-In Cinema. It will take place from August 18 to 20 in Toronto's Harbour at Sugar Beach.

"The Toronto Port Authority has played a big part at the city's waterfront and waterways for over 100 years," says Geoffrey Wilson President and CEO "We wanted to create an experience that would give something back to the community and allow us to create a closer connection with the people who enjoy it."

The free event will feature a 28 foot two-sided screen so that moviegoers can enjoy water-themed movies in boats or on the mainland.

Movies will start after dusk, at approximately 9pm on each of the three nights.

The TPA is asking the public to recommend movies they'd like to see at the event until July 22. Requests can be sent through Facebook ( www.facebook.com/theTPA) or via email to cinema@torontoport.com.

In late July, the TPA will announce movie titles and select one winning entry from these submissions. The winner will receive two airline tickets to anywhere in North America, courtesy of Air Canada. Details about ticketing information will also be available in late July.

The Toronto Port Authority is presenting Sail-In Cinema with the support of its lead partner and waterfront neighbour Redpath Sugar, and media sponsor Q107. Other supporters include Toronto Star, Pier 27 by Cityzen Development and Fernbrook Homes, and creative and media innovation firm, Birthplace Inc.

Price of Gas Hits Record Highs Across Canada in May 2011

Change to active transportation is needed

from EcoDriver.com and the Walkolution eNews June 2011

Last month, the price of a litre of gas reached an all time high in many parts of Canada; in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, it rose to $1.39 per litre, promoting outrage from consumers and cries of “what can we do about it?”

Many suggestions were given in the mainstream media, most of which are promoted in Green Communities’ popular EcoDriver program. However, the media paid scant attention to one of those strategies – active transportation!

The average Canadian family spends at least $9,000 a year per car, and about 13% of Canada's carbon dioxide emissions are due to cars and light trucks on our roads. The average car emits one tonne of carbon dioxide every 5,000 kilometres and for those of us who drive, about half our personal greenhouse gas emissions come from driving.

The good news is that there are many ways to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, through driving habits, vehicle maintenance, choosing a fuel-efficient vehicle and considering alternatives to driving.

And all these measures can translate into big savings at the pump. Reducing fuel consumption by just ten tanks a year can save you hundreds of dollars, and reduce your personal CO2 emissions by almost a tonne.

Let’s all do our part to spread the word that active transportation is a big part of the solution - walking and cycling and other forms of ‘human powered’ transportation for short local trips saves both money and the environment.

Donald Trump's Scottish Golf Course Becomes Mini-Golf

Photo: you've been trumped

from TreeHugger.com
by Bonnie Alter, London

The Donald is having a bad month. First his presidential campaign flopped and now his Scottish golf course development has too.

For environmentalists in Scotland who had opposed the development, there is a silver lining to the recession cloud: Trump has conceded that it is just too expensive to go ahead with the controversial plan to build a hotel and luxury villa development along with his golf course on the Scottish coast.

It's been a long and a lonesome road for "President" Trump.. He said that "the world has crashed" since he purchased the land and dunes in 2005. He has already spent £50 to £60 M of his own money to ensure the course itself was completed.

But the full development, a £750M complex covering 2,000 acres, with another 18-hole golf course, four blocks of 950 time-share flats, 500 exclusive houses, 36 villas, a golf academy and housing for 400 staff has been stopped by the recession.

The development has been controversial right from the start. He was proposing to build a billion pound golf course on the Scottish coastline; smack in the middle of an unspoilt natural habitat.

Relations with the local community were never good. He was particularly incensed at the one hold-out farmer who refused to sell. He said: "Forbes is someone who I would love to see clean up his property. It is a slum and a pigsty. His barn is rusty, rotten and falling down."

Despite opposition from residents and environmentalists, including the Chair of the local Council and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, it was approved because the First Minister of Scotland said "In tough economic times, substantial investment of this kind is at a premium."

Although he called himself a new-found son of Aberdeen, the locals never really bought it. A documentary called " You've Been Trumped" is playing an extended run in the local cinema. The documentary tells the story of the battle between the environmentalists, community and Trump's venture:

"Told entirely without narration, You've Been Trumped captures the cultural chasm between the glamorous, jet-setting and media savvy Donald Trump and a deeply rooted Scottish community. What begins as an often amusing clash of world views grows increasingly bitter and disturbing. For the tycoon, the golf course is just another deal, with a possible billion dollar payoff. For the residents, it represents the destruction of a globally unique landscape that has been the backdrop for their lives."

He has denounced the film as "a fraud".

More on Trump's Golf Course

Environmentalists Try to Trump Trump's Golf Course
Donald Trump Tees Off in Scotland
Has The Donald Been Trumped on the Links?

Pro Golfer Graham DeLaet Wants Canadians To Keep Their Eye On The Ball

Learn about eye health, test your skills online and enter for a chance to win a round of golf with DeLaet or a trip for two to the 2012 Transitions Championship

TORONTO, June 21, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Golf season is in full swing and so are the sun's UV rays and glare. While Canadians are outside perfecting their games, many don't realize these long hours in the sun could be jeopardizing their game and eye health.

2011 PGA TOUR® golfer Graham DeLaet and Transitions Optical have joined forces to educate golfers - both professionals and amateurs - about the importance of healthy, uncompromised sight for optimal sports performance and the value of properly protecting their eyes for overall healthy sight.

To encourage Canadians to learn more about eye health, DeLaet is challenging Canadians to enter a contest by playing Transitions Optical's online Mini-Golf Championship at www.transitions.com/minigolfchampionship.

When Canadians register and play the online game, they are entered for a chance to win one of two grand prizes: a trip to Toronto with two friends to play a round of golf with DeLaet or a trip for two to the 2012 Transition's Optical Championship in Florida and two pairs of eyeglasses with Transitions® lenses.

"I hope to drive home that properly protecting your eyes will not only help Canadians improve their game, but will help ensure an overall healthy lifestyle on and off the course," said DeLaet.

Golfers contend with varying light and playing conditions and glare, as well as extended, consistent exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. Less than three per cent of Canadians, however, know that UV rays can have long-term and irreversible damage to their vision and only 12 per cent say they wear sunglasses when heading outdoors.1 Glare, contrast, and squinting can all affect a person's golf game.

To preserve healthy eye sight on and off the course, golfers should ensure they have regular, routine eye exams and that they select lenses that block 100 per cent of the sun's UV rays and glare.

"Every time I set up a shot, I rely heavily on visual cues," said DeLaet. "Properly protecting my eyes with Transitions lenses, which adjust to the varying light conditions, not only improves the quality of my vision, making it easier to connect with the ball and to read the greens, but also protects my eyes from glare and UV rays."

...UV Rays and Your Eyes Taking simple steps to protect your eyes while outdoors can help prevent many long-term eye health problems, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in North Americans over the age of 50.

...Cataracts, a major cause of vision loss and blindness, affect nearly one in nine North Americans over the age of 40, growing to nearly one in two by the age of 80.
...UV damage is cumulative, and builds over time, so it is never too early - or too late - to start protecting your eyes.

About Transitions Optical

As the leading provider of photochromics to optical manufacturers, Transitions Optical, headquartered in Pinellas Park, Fla., offers the most advanced photochromic technology in the widest selection of lens designs and materials. Transitions Optical is driven by innovation to support the advancement of healthy sight and adaptive eyewear, and to providing its partners the tools and programs their businesses need to thrive. Transitions® lenses are the #1-recommended photochromic lenses worldwide. Transitions Optical's family of products includes everyday lenses, designed to be worn indoors and darken outdoors, and performance lenses, designed to be worn outdoors in place of sun lenses. Transitions everyday lenses adapt to light to provide more comfortable vision while protecting eyes from UV. Transitions performance lenses include the company's sunwear line, Transitions® SOLFX™ sun lenses, which enhance visual performance in specific outdoor activities by adapting to optimize colour and darkness in changing light conditions.

For more information about healthy sight and protective eyewear, visit transitions.com or eyeglassguide.ca.

TD Friends of the Environment Foundation donates $15,000 to help replant trees damaged in riot

VANCOUVER, June 17, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - TD Friends of the Environment Foundation today announced it will contribute $15,000 to the City of Vancouver to replace and rehabilitate trees damaged during the riots in downtown Vancouver earlier this week.

TD FEF makes this donation to support the City's clean-up efforts to restore the downtown area to its pre-riot condition by replanting and replacing affected trees.

"We were very concerned about the damage incurred during the riot in Vancouver on Wednesday night," said Mary Desjardins, Executive Director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. "We were inspired by the citizens who attempted to protect their city during the riot. Our contribution is part of the city's clean-up efforts, and will help replace planters and trees that were damaged or set alight."

The riot on Wednesday night touched many businesses in the downtown core, including TD. Several windows had to be replaced at the TD Canada Trust location at 700 West Georgia Street. The branch has now reopened and full services are available.

"We'd like to thank our customers for their support and understanding during the repair process," said Barb Stangoe, Branch Manager, TD Canada Trust. "We look forward to welcoming our customers back to the branch, as the city attempts to return to business as usual."

About TD Friends of the Environment Foundation:

Since 1990, TD FEF has provided more than $54 million in funding to over 19,500 grassroots environment and wildlife projects across Canada. Thousands of donors give to TD FEF on a monthly basis and TD Bank Group contributes in excess of $1 million annually. TD also covers the management costs of running TD FEF, which guarantees 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes directly to funding environment and wildlife projects in the community where the donation was made. For more information on how to donate and get involved in your community, visit www.tdfef.com.

Solar-Powered Car Charging in Rainy England (Video)

Image credit: Fully Charged

from TreeHugger.com
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA

With whole towns trying to go solar, and community-owned power stations springing up on brewery roofs, it's fair to say that solar is going mainstream in the UK. One of the latest people to take advantage of generous government feed-in tariffs is comedy legend and electric car advocate Robert Llewellyn, who walks us through the installation on his home, and explores the tantalizing possibility of zero emission transport.



With some folks arguing that solar power never makes economic sense, and others that solar feed-in tariffs are a rip off, it's clear that Llewellyn's argument for essentially "free" energy should be taken with a pinch of salt. As he runs through the numbers, it's also evident that much of the economics of pay-back he cites is heavily reliant on the feed-in tariffs.

Nevertheless, as he argues in his conclusion, solar panels and electric cars may be expensive—but then so are massive government subsidies to multinational oil giants. Sure, wind, conservation, insulation and bikes should probably all come before solar and electric cars. But this still feels like a step in the right direction.

More from Robert Llewellyn's Fully Charged

The Delta E4 Coupe. An Ultra-Efficient Electric Car (Video)
Do Electric Cars Still Suck? Fully Charged vs Cnet UK (Video)
An Electric Beetle Dragster, and the Finished E4 Electric Coupe (Video)

... read more story at TreeHugger.com

Are Cyclists Selfish and Rude? No, And We Have Video to Prove It

Stop signs every 266 feet on Toronto's Palmerston Avenue. Image credit Lloyd Alter

from TreeHugger.com
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto

It is the talk of Toronto right now, how cyclists break the law by blowing through stop signs, riding the wrong way on one way streets, and give the finger to anyone who complains. The Star gives a couple of column inches to a woman who says:

I am tired of cyclists purposely and chronically breaking the law....After they come flying out of a side street unseen into the path of my car, and my heart pounds because I almost hit them, I yell at them for being on a one-way street, and 95 per cent tell me to F-off. I stop at stop lights, (but) 95 per cent of cyclists don't.

Cyclist Emma Woolley writes in Spacing Magazine:

Why do cyclists feel that they're above the law in almost every single situation? Why the sense of entitlement and "because I can?" There's a widespread attitude that we don't have to follow the rules simply because we're not in a car. It's unsafe and quite frankly, stupid.

No, Emma, I don't go through stop signs "because I can", but because they are designed to regulate cars, not bikes, and the law that says I should stop for them is stupid. Four-way stops were introduced as a method of speed control that is not relevant to cyclists and that barely works for cars, and that It's Time To Rip Out The Stop Signs And Stop Blaming Cyclists.

Bike activist James Schwartz of the Urban Country has had enough of this, and writes:

The mainstream media in Toronto has resorted to name calling and hyperbolic generalizations about Toronto cyclists in an effort to shame cyclists into blindly obeying laws that were designed primarily for motor vehicles....Cyclists in North America already get the short end of the stick and there is already enough animosity on our streets. Instead of writing articles that breed hatred towards cyclists while ignoring the fact that motor vehicles kill several dozens of people every year in Toronto alone, we should be using that energy to change our laws to make cycling more safe and comfortable so that cyclists aren't tempted to bend the law to stay clear of danger.

But instead of just writing "another long-winded article in protest", he took to the streets with his video camera yesterday. It isn't as funny as Jaymi's post Cyclist Argues Against Bike-Lane Police Fine In Hilarous Video; it just shows lots of people following most of the rules, being polite, yielding to cars turning right, and not even swearing at the truck blocking the bike lane, just riding around it. That is the Toronto cycling scene as I know it.



More at the Urban Country

... read more story at TreeHugger.com

Interac Flash™ to be accepted at Petro-Canada locations across Canada

Interac Flash contactless debit technology to fuel speed and convenience

TORONTO, June 8, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Interac Association announced today that Suncor Energy will accept Interac Flash contactless debit transactions in store at its participating Petro-Canada locations across Canada toward the end of this year, with national rollout in early 2012. Interac Flash, which is an enhancement of Interac Debit, is the first contactless debit technology to be offered in Canada.

Canadians will soon be able to gas up quickly and conveniently by paying directly from their bank account with Interac Flash - all without having to insert their debit card or enter their PIN. With the flash of their card in front of an Interac Flash-enabled contactless reader, cardholders will be able to pay for gas and a variety of other products and services offered by Petro-Canada inside the store.

"With Suncor Energy offering the innovation of Interac Flash at Petro-Canada locations across Canada, cardholders can pay for everyday items using debit faster than ever before," said Mark O'Connell, President and CEO, Interac Association/Acxsys Corporation. "Interac Flash will deliver speed and convenience for both merchants and consumers at check-out, while offering the security features of chip technology."

Interac Flash enabled cards will start to be rolled out through participating financial institutions this year.

How Interac Flash Works

Interac Flash allows cardholders to make secure, contactless debit transactions at the point-of-sale. The card will continue to perform standard chip debit transactions, as it does today, but through the use of dual-interface microchip, the functionality of the card has been enhanced to allow cardholders to make contactless transactions, without needing to insert their card or enter a PIN.

At checkout, cardholders are prompted to place their Interac Flash-enabled card in front of the contactless reader to conduct a secure transaction. The purchase amount will automatically be debited from the bank account that is normally used accessing the chequing button.

If the purchase is above the limits set by the issuing financial institution, the cardholder will be asked to insert the Interac Flash-enabled card and enter the PIN to conduct a regular chip debit transaction. Transaction and card limits are set by financial institutions.

Interac Flash builds on the security of global EMV™ standards and chip technology while maintaining the level of protection Canadians can expect from the Interac brand. Cardholders are protected from unauthorized transactions under the Interac Zero Liability Policy* and merchants continue to receive the benefits of secure and non-refutable transactions associated with Interac Debit chip technology.

About Interac Association

A recognized world leader in debit card services, Interac Association is responsible for the development and operations of the Interac network, a national payment network that allows Canadians to access their money through 59,000 Automated Banking Machines and 727,000 point-of-sale terminals across Canada.

Interac Association was founded in 1984 and is comprised of a diverse membership that includes banks, trust companies, credit unions, caisses populaires, merchants, and technology and payment related companies.

Other related services offered by Acxsys Corporation, whose shareholders are the architects of the Interac network, include: Interac Online, for secure online payments made directly from a bank account; Interac e-TransferTM, for the transfer of money from one person's bank account to another person's bank account using an email address or mobile phone number**; and international services, which provide Canadian cardholders with point-of-sale access at nearly 2 million U.S. retailers, and PULSE, Discover, Diners Club International and UnionPay cardholders access to ABMs in Canada.

®, ™: Interac, the Interac logo, Interac Flash and Interac e-Transfer are trade-marks of Interac Inc. Used under license.

EMVTM is a trademark owned by EMVCo. LLC.

* Protection applies to losses resulting from circumstances beyond a cardholder's control. Some conditions apply. Read more about the Interac Zero Liability Policy at interac.ca.

** The Interac e-Transfer service is currently available to customers of over 25 banks and credit unions including BMO Bank of Montreal, CIBC, President's Choice Financial, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank and TD Canada Trust among others. Central 1, through participating credit unions, offers the option of sending Interac e-Transfers using mobile phone numbers. More information about the Interac e-Transfer service and a complete list of participating banks and credit unions can be found here.

Golf Industry Calls for Tax Fairness for Canada's Most Popular Sport

National Allied Golf Associations Reacts to Federal Budget

OTTAWA, June 7, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Today the National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA) brought golf industry representatives from across the country to Parliament in order to comment on Minister Flaherty's recent Budget and to advocate for tax fairness for the game of golf, Canada's most popular sport. NAGA held the industry's first federal golf awareness day to underscore the importance of the sport for the health of Canadians, and the significance of the industry for the Canadian economy.

"Canada is a golfing country," said Jeff Calderwood, NAGA spokesman. "There are an estimated 6 million Canadian golfers and there are more than 2,500 golf courses and practice ranges in Canada. It is the country's most popular sport. There are more golfers in Canada than there are hockey players, and the industry is worth more than $11 billion per year to the Canadian economy."

"Unfortunately the golf industry in Canada suffers from an outdated 40-year-old tax policy that singles out golf businesses in an unfair manner," continued Mr. Calderwood. "Yesterday's Budget did nothing to rectify this inequity."

Due to a 1971 tax reform, the Canada Revenue Agency does not allow deductions for expenses incurred by business people entertaining clients at golf courses. Canada's 2,500 golf courses, most of whom are small business operators, feel that they cannot compete fairly with all the other industries where CRA does support entertaining clients. Over time, the unfairness of this discrimination against the golf industry has become more and more significant.

"To Canada's 2,500 golf course operators, who are now facing the most competitive marketplace in our industry's history, this unfair tax legislation is no longer a tolerable disadvantage. NAGA and its member associations call on the federal government to close this loophole and establish tax fairness for Canada's golf industry," concluded Calderwood.

NAGA is a national golf organization comprised of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA), Canadian Professional Golfers Association (CPGA), Canadian Society of Club Managers (CSCM), Canadian Professional Golf Tour (CPGT), National Golf Course Owners Association Canada (NGCOA) and the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA), dedicated to improving all sectors of golf in Canada. Formed in 1999, NAGA's objective is to work cooperatively together as industry leaders ensuring a strong future for golf in Canada.

Stormy Weather

If the birds be silent, expect thunder.

from The Old Farmers Almanac

Hurricane season is upon us, and Almanac.com is the place to turn for everything you need to weather a storm.

Here’s the forecast for the 2011 hurricane season (between June 1 and November 30): Well above-average activity is predicted for the Atlantic Basin versus the historical average (based on 1950–2000 records).

The probability of landfall by a major hurricane is also above average. Factors influencing the hurricane predictions include warm and favorable tropical Atlantic conditions.

See more detail, including number of storms predicted, on our Hurricane Forecasts and Common Questions page.

The earliest breath of June
Blows the white tassels from the cherry boughs,
And in the deepest shadow of the noon
The mild-eyed oxen browse.

– Elizabeth Ann Allen (1832–1911)

Spearhead Brewing Company Pours Its First Pint

TORONTO, June 6, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Something new is brewing in Toronto: Beer Without Boundaries™. Unique, all-natural, unfiltered beer brought to you by Spearhead Brewing Company. On June 17, 2011, this family-run, craft brewery begins pouring pints at more than 30 establishments in Toronto, Guelph, London and Muskoka.

Spearhead Brewing Company was founded by Dimitri van Kampen, a Toronto-born beer geek and foodie who wanted to create bold, distinctive beer that would get people thinking differently about the world's most popular alcoholic beverage.

A lawyer by trade, van Kampen's true passion is craft beer and, in particular, the extreme brewing movement that has taken the United States by storm over the last decade. A few years ago, he discovered home brewing and started dreaming up beer recipes using non-traditional ingredients like fruit and spices to create beer with complex, unanticipated flavours. "We don't want to conform to expectations," said van Kampen. "We will always test our imagination and the imagination of our customers."

Also, unlike some breweries that filter their beer and carbonate it using CO2, Spearhead Brewing Company brews "real beer" meaning that it is unfiltered, non-pasteurized and naturally carbonated so that all of the beer's flavour remains where it's supposed to be—in your glass.

To make his dream a reality, van Kampen enlisted Tom Schmidt, a brewmaster with over 30 years' experience. "For our first beer," said van Kampen, "I wanted to come out with an aromatic, hoppy West Coast pale ale and brew it Hawaiian style—with pineapple. It's like aloha in a bottle."

About Spearhead Brewing Company

Founded by Dimitri van Kampen in 2011, Spearhead Brewing Company was born out of a passion for real beer and a dedication to brewing Beer Without Boundaries™. At Spearhead Brewing Company, we refuse to adhere to the limitations set by traditional style definitions. We strive to transcend the perceived boundaries of beer and explore beer's unlimited potential. Using non-traditional ingredients and brewing methods, we make all-natural craft beer that is so distinctive and delicious it cannot be judged by ordinary standards. Spearhead beer is currently available on draft at fine establishments. We hope you enjoy drinking our beer as much as we love dreaming it up and making it for you.



To find out more about Spearhead, visit:
spearheadbeer.com
Twitter: @SpearheadBeer
Facebook: Spearhead Brewing Company

The Weather Network's Summer Outlook: "Shifting" Summer Weather Patterns

Meteorologists share what to expect this summer and tips on how to weather the weather

OAKVILLE, Ontario, May 30, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Weather Network has just announced its summer outlook for the months of June, July and August. After a spring season which has seen flooding in parts of Manitoba and Quebec along with cooler and wetter conditions in parts of Ontario and British Columbia, Canadians can expect conditions to be changeable this summer due to weakening of the La Niña weather phenomenon. This means that that some places could see alternating spells of warm and cool weather, while other areas will experience a "typical" summer season.

So, what should Canadians know about the weather in their region this summer?

The Western Canada Summer Canadians living west of the Ontario/Manitoba border can expect temperatures that are above normal for the Northern Prairie provinces and below normal on the north/central coast of British Columbia. Elsewhere, we should average out near normal this summer. Unfortunately, wet conditions are expected to continue for Canadians living in Southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, near normal precipitation will dominate for the rest of western Canada. A large area of the Territories will see below normal precipitation this summer with Nunavut experiencing above normal temperatures.

The Eastern Canada Summer For Canadians living east of the Ontario/Manitoba border, the changing weather patterns means residents can expect alternating spells of warm and cool weather, more pronounced than usual at times, balancing out to be near normal. Those living in Northern Ontario and Quebec can look forward to above normal temperatures for the season. Precipitation for most of Quebec and Atlantic Canada will be near normal for the season, while a large swath of Ontario and Southern Quebec is expected to receive above normal precipitation due to a more active storm track.

Conquering the Changeable Canadian Summer After a particularly cold and stormy winter, Canadians long for a Canadian Summer. Following are five tips to enjoying the weather this summer. For more information, visit www.theweathernetwork.com, or your preferred WeatherEye application:

...Protect your skin and eyes. Fun in the sun also means exposure to damaging UV rays (strongest from April to August), that can cause sunburns, eye cataracts, skin aging and skin cancer. Take care by checking The Weather Network's UV Report, created to inform Canadians about the strength of the sun's UV rays. The higher the UV Index number, the stronger the sun's rays, and the greater the need to take precautions.

...Don't let traffic rain on your parade. Don't let traffic be a thorn in your summer travel plans. Before you hit the road, consult The Weather Network's Highway Forecast to avoid inclement weather on your route. Heading across the border? Check out the US Highway Forecast to determine the road conditions while you'll be on the road.

...Predict the future. The Weather Network's Hourly Forecast helps you plan your day down to the hour. Don't let stormy skies threaten your summer get together. The hourly forecast will help determine whether to dine indoors or bring the BBQ to the backyard.

...Breathe easy. Many Canadians suffer from the summer snifflies. Believe it or not, the weather - winds, temperature, rainfall and sunshine - has a profound affect on the type of allergy season we have. The Weather Network's Pollen Forecast, shows daily pollen concentration by source (grass, ragweed, etc.). Before heading into the great outdoors, check out the local Pollen Forecast so that you can take the proper precautions to enjoy your time outside.

...Don't be bugged. Black flies, mosquitoes and deer flies, oh my! Sharing a sleeping bag with a family of creepy crawlies isn't the average Canadian's idea of "getting closer to nature." Avoid summer swatting by referring to The Weather Network's bug report, a daily breakdown of bug activity by region.


About The Weather Network and MétéoMédia

The Weather Network and its French counterpart, MétéoMédia, are among the most popular media brands in Canada. They are the undisputed leader of weather information services in Canada across all mediums including cable, satellite, online, mobile and newspapers. The specialty television networks are among the most widely distributed and frequently consulted television networks in Canada. The websites, www.theweathernetwork.com and meteomedia.com, are among Canada's leading web services. All mobile carriers now distribute The Weather Network and MétéoMédia on their services. As the leading source of weather services in the commercial market, energy companies, municipalities, road services and numerous other commercial clients have their weather information needs met by The Weather Network and MétéoMédia. The growth of The Weather Network and MétéoMédia can be attributed to the continued focus and commitment put into providing the very best weather information to Canadians whose activities are dependent on weather.