James Cuno, the president of the J. Paul Getty Trust, which is financing the event, noted the abundance of galleries, auction houses and money in New York.
On Tuesday, people worldwide will look to witness a subtle celestial event noted more for its rarity than its spectacle: For the first time in 122 years, Venus will be seen passing between Earth and the Sun.
Christina Parsons, a spokeswoman for the event, noted that Canada is "a very large country with a small population," and that the cost of air travel makes it expensive to fly here and move around.
The Continental Chess Association, which organized the event, noted on its Web site that the tournament is always held on those dates, "regardless of the days of the week".
A few lines in a memoir, a snatch of recorded conversation, a letter fortuitously preserved, an event noted in a diary: all become luminous with significance — even though they are merely the bits that have floated to the surface.
Debbie Landis, the leader of Anger Is Brewing, a Nevada Tea Party group and local sponsor of the event, noted that her group held candidate forums and legislative action alerts: "not one of those activities involves a brick," she said.
