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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leonardo da Vinci produced some of the world’s most iconic art, but historical accounts show that he struggled to complete his works. 500 years after his death, King’s College London researcher Professor Marco Catani suggests the best explanation for Leonardo’s inability to finish projects is that the great artist may have had Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

In an article in the journal Brain, Professor Catani lays out the evidence supporting his hypothesis, drawing on historical accounts of Leonardo’s work practices and behaviour. As well as explaining his chronic procrastination, ADHD could have been a factor in Leonardo’s extraordinary creativity and achievements across the arts and sciences.

Professor Catani, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s, says: ‘While impossible to make a post-mortem diagnosis for someone who lived 500 years ago, I am confident that ADHD is the most convincing and scientifically plausible hypothesis to explain Leonardo’s difficulty in finishing his works. Historical records show Leonardo spent excessive time planning projects but lacked perseverance. ADHD could explain aspects of Leonardo’s temperament and his strange mercurial genius.’

ADHD is a behavioural disorder characterised by continuous procrastination, the inability to complete tasks, mind-wandering and a restlessness of the body and mind. While most commonly recognised in childhood, ADHD is increasingly being diagnosed among adults including university students and people with successful careers.

Leonardo’s difficulties with sticking to tasks were pervasive from childhood. Accounts from biographers and contemporaries show Leonardo was constantly on the go, often jumping from task to task. Like many of those suffering with ADHD, he slept very little and worked continuously night and day by alternating rapid cycles of short naps and time awake.

Alongside reports of erratic behaviour and incomplete projects from fellow artists and patrons, including Pope Leone X, there is indirect evidence to suggest that Leonardo’s brain was organised differently compared to average. He was left-handed and likely to be both dyslexic and have a dominance for language in the right-hand side of his brain, all of which are common among people with ADHD.

Perhaps the most distinctive and yet disruptive side of Leonardo’s mind was his voracious curiosity, which both propelled his creativity and also distracted him. Professor Catani suggests ADHD can have positive effects, for example mind-wandering can fuel creativity and originality. However, while beneficial in the initial stages of the creative process, the same traits can be a hindrance when interest shifts to something else.

Professor Catani, who specialises in treating neurodevelopmental conditions like Autism and ADHD, says: ‘There is a prevailing misconception that ADHD is typical of misbehaving children with low intelligence, destined for a troubled life. On the contrary, most of the adults I see in my clinic report having been bright, intuitive children but develop symptoms of anxiety and depression later in life for having failed to achieve their potential.’

‘It is incredible that Leonardo considered himself as someone who had failed in life. I hope that the case of Leonardo shows that ADHD is not linked to low IQ or lack of creativity but rather the difficulty of capitalising on natural talents. I hope that Leonardo’s legacy can help us to change some of the stigma around ADHD.’

Kratos is one rad dude. When not slaying the Gods of Olympus or beasts of epic proportions, the Ghost of Sparta spends his free time stomping the Blades of Chaos directly into some unfortunate Cyclops’ eye. Such activities are proudly flaunted in Ready at Dawn’s God of War: Chains of Olympus for the PlayStation Portable, though the big question remains — does this portable prequel live up to its namesake?

For those of you who have yet to experience one of Kratos’ journeys, shame on you. In all seriousness though, five years prior to Chains of Olympus, Kratos was tricked by the dastardly Ares into slaying his wife and daughter. In order to rid himself of past sins, Kratos pledged servitude to the Gods of Olympus. Chains of Olympus finds the world covered in the darkness of dreams, as the mysterious Morpheus has placed a spell upon the land. Kratos will ultimately be forced to choose between his own personal redemption and saving the world and the slumbering gods from assured obliteration. The plot is captivating and provides several dramatic twists that kept us enticed until the full-circle conclusion, which veterans of the first two titles will surely appreciate.

These fans will also appreciate the authenticity of Chains of Olympus to the look and feel of the God of War universe. The title begins with a battle in Attica against invading Persian forces and their massive basilisk and never goes downhill from there. The pacing of the title, like the other God of Wars, is perfect. The amount and difficulty of enemies is spot on, always tough enough to provide a suitable challenge, but never overly frustrating. Hero (Normal) mode is recommended for series newcomers, while Spartan (Hard) mode provides the most appropriate challenge for experienced players on their first play-through. It will also lengthen the title, which unfortunately took us God of War pros only a mere six hours on Hero. The ridiculously difficult Challenge of the Gods and God (Very Hard) mode are unlocked upon completion of the game. You’ll absolutely want to complete both of these modes, as they undoubtedly add some replay value to an otherwise concise title.

Ready at Dawn discovered and implemented several clever techniques to circumvent the control limitations of the PSP, which in some cases work even better than the previous control mechanics. The drastic changes involve the rolling and magic mechanics. With the lack of a right analog nub, dodging is now handled by holding both L and R simultaneously while moving the analog nub in any direction you desire. Magic has entirely ditched D-pad switching, instead opting for a more approachable system. Hold R and press square, triangle or circle to activate one of the game’s three magic spells, which include an area attack, ranged attack and semi-ranged individual attack.

Even with these new improvements (especially to the magic system), combat is almost identical to the PS2 games. All your favorite combos — with one exception; L and X is no more — remain either untouched or tweaked for the better. Chains of Olympus doesn’t venture outside the proven formula, but we can’t really complain, as the series still has the most fluid combat system seen in any game to date. We’re a bit disappointed Chains of Olympus didn’t decide to bring swinging mechanics seen in God of War II though. What they did include however was a weapon outside of the Blades of Chaos worth using. Other God of War games have generally failed in that department. There’s only one side weapon, but it’s unique, useful, and a bit badass.

Unsurprisingly, quicktime events return for this installment, and for the most part, they’re just as captivating on the small screen. It’s still remarkably satisfying to rip off a gorgon’s head or cut a foe in two with the press of a few buttons, but we had one recurring issue with the analog nub. Any quicktime event that required rotation of the nub was generally more difficult than those with only button presses, as the tiny nub is no replacement for an analog stick. Outside of that irritating issue, quicktime events feel right at home on the PSP.

This begs the question, how does it look when that head pops off or that torso is cut in two? The answer is incredible, as there’s no other way to describe how this game looks. This title does not look like a PSP title; it looks like it belongs on the PS2 or even the Wii. Ready at Dawn has not only crafted the best looking PSP game thus far, but likely the finest looking title the system will ever see during its lifetime. Making full use of the PSP’s processing power, the title sacrifices nothing in its transition to the handheld console. From the incredible polygon count to the sharp texture work and the expert lighting, we couldn’t stop drooling over how outstanding the game looked.

It doesn’t run like a slideshow either; we only noticed minor framerate drops during the heaviest of action. Little touches like the self-lighting Blades of Chaos or the excellent blood effects added even more to the atmosphere. We can’t stress it enough; this game is a technical showcase for the system, includes the stunning vistas and epic set pieces the console versions are known for. This is the closest we’ve seen to graphical perfection on a platform in a long, long time.

The cutscenes, outside of Crisis Core’s CG scenes, are the most cinematographic on the PSP. With extraordinary choreography and execution, the story hasn’t been slighted for the portable audience. The voice acting within game is also fantastic, perfectly on par with that of the console versions. Accompanying the cutscenes, and in fact the entire game, are the musical compositions that we’ve come to know and love. Although there was only 15 minutes of new music recorded for Chains of Olympus, old tracks have been remixed to feel fresh once again.

Ready at Dawn Studios launched their first game, Daxter, in 2006. The title brought the PS2 franchise to the portable scene with style. Showcasing the PSP’s incredible graphical prowess, the game remained markedly enjoyable. We don’t know how they did it, but Ready at Dawn has outdone itself, creating a true console experience on the go. God of War: Chains of Olympus isn’t bound by the typical restrictions of the PSP, as the developers have craftily sidestepped the handheld’s control limitations and somehow managed to push visual fidelity through the roof. As a result, God of War: Chains of Olympus is one of the best games the PSP has ever seen. Well done Ready at Dawn, well done.

Instagram model Brittany Renner has been accused of mocking Islam after she posted a video wearing a hijab.

Renner, mostly known for her past romance with NBA star PJ Washington, sparked anger on social media with her new look, which is a miles away from her usually provocative wardrobe.

The 32-year-old, who has not announced whether she has converted to Islam, first showed off her new style as she spoke of trusting ‘signs’ from the universe in a video message she titled, ‘Trust your wings.’

In a later video posted to her Instagram, Renner discussed her wardrobe update, writing: ‘I am going to enjoy every moment of this walk of mine.’

Renner said she’s not sure how her new look will work with her contractual obligations, given she is paid to model clothing from stores marketed as ‘sexy,’ such as Fashion Nova.

The influencer also said she is looking into Botox under her arms to prevent sweating because she has been struggling with the modest look amid the hot weather.

‘Manifesting a new wardrobe… Inshallah,’ she said, using the Arabic sentence for God willing’ and offending many commentators.

One angry comment read: ‘Girl u not Muslim don’t piss me off.’

Another added: ‘I feel like she is making a mockery…’

A third said: ‘STOP DISRESPECTING MY RELIGION!!!!!!!! Islam isn’t a marketing strategy, a way to get in the blogs or a way to gain attention!!! It’s a way of life and I would appreciate if you wouldn’t disrespect the hijab. If you were serious you would delete or archive your photos uncovered!’

Renner rose to prominence after her relationship with Washington and has landed herself in several headlines over a number of scandalous statements.

She and NBA star Washington, 25, started dating sometime in 2020 before breaking up the following year, with the NBA player writing a vague tweet about someone ‘faking it all along.’

The pair share a child, and Renner, who has been linked in the past with James Harden, Lil Uzi Vert and a slew of other celebrities.

Renner told Akademiks that she and Washington met when she was 26 years old, while he was playing at the University of Kentucky.

Washington has made over $17million to date in his pro career and signed a three-year, $48million extension with the Hornets last summer.

Renner was also in the news back last year when she was spotted out for dinner with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal in Beverly Hills.

The pair were caught by paparazzi entering a restaurant, where they dined together and were seen laughing and joking.

While the internet was buzzing after the video and photos of the two leaked, TMZ was told that ‘there was nothing romantic going on’ between the pair.

Elizabeth Taylor was known for Cleopatra and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf was known for her violet eyes, but were they real?

The actress Elizabeth Taylor is primarily remembered for her passionate performances in numerous films, such as 1963’s Cleopatra and 1958’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as well as her marriage to Richard Burton and her love of diamonds. Due to her immense talent as an actress, she was a captivating screen presence and audiences often found themselves hypnotized by her famous violet eyes. But did Elizabeth Taylor really have violet eyes?

Elizabeth Taylor was born on February 27th 1932 and made her film debut in 1942’s One Born Every Minute before achieving stardom with 1944’s National velvet, according to Biography.com.

One of her most famous roles was as Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, in the 1963 film of the same name. The film earned Taylor a Guinness World Record for Most Costume Changes in a Film, according to ABC.

However, Celopatra would also impact Taylor’s life in another way as it brought her close to the actor Richard Burton and the two would begin an obsessive love affair. Burton would present Taylor with some of the world’s most famous jewels as tokens of his affections, including the 33.19 Carat Krupp Diamond, according to Vanity Fair. They made several films together, including 1966’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? For which Taylor won one of two academy awards. However the couple had a troubled marriage, they would divorce in 1974 only to remarry and divorce again a year later.

Taylor was also an important activist who used her fame to shine a light on the HIV/AIDS pandemic, curtailing some of the ignorance surrounding the virus, according to the Elizabeth Taylor site.

Taylor remains “one of the world’s most iconic women, renowned for her independent spirit, enduring strength and unwavering compassion, she has captured the hearts of millions,” the official Elizabeth Taylor site states.

These days, thanks to colored contact lenses, anyone can have violet-colored eyes . Taylor didn’t come by her purple peepers that way; the first tinted contact lenses weren’t commercially available until 1983. Taylor’s eye color was the real deal.

The appearance of the iris, the colored ring that’s around the eye’s black pupil depends on how much of the natural pigment melanin it contains. The more melanin in your iris, the darker your eyes will look (melanin levels are determined by your genes ). For example, the irises of a person with dark brown eyes have more melanin than the eyes of a green-eyed person. Taylor’s eyes had a very specific, and rare, amount of melanin, according to The List.

“There are various shades of blues and grays, with many in-between. Violet may have been her typical pigmentation,” Norman Saffra, chairman of the ophthalmology department at the Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., told Live Science . “It’s possible to have that eye color; it all depends on the amount of melanin.”

Eye color can also appear to change based on the eye’s light absorption, Saffra said. For example, wearing a white shirt will reflect light off of the iris and make its color look slightly lighter.

Makeup can also “bring out” certain colors in the eyes. Taylor was often photographed wearing blue or purple eyeshadow to compliment her eyes’ naturally violet hue, or dark brown eyeshadow and black eyeliner to contrast against and play up their unique color.