Out And About

Are Distracted Driving Laws Enough?

2014-04-17T10:00:00.001-06:00

Since Bill 16 was brought into and passed through legislation in Alberta there are still flagrant violations occurring on a daily basis. Distracted Driving is as deadly as impaired driving whether through alcohol or spontaneous health problems. But people still believe that they can maneuver a 4 or 5000 pound vehicle through traffic, school zones and on Alberta's busy highways while talking or texting on their phones.

Obviously the fine of $172 isn't enough because folks are still doing it. I've witnessed Moms with Kids in the vehicle zooming (120 Kph plus) down the Queen E 11 highway between Calgary and Edmonton with, yup you guessed it a Cell Phone stuck to their ear in bumper to bumper traffic. Maybe the name of the law should be changed to Dumb Ass Driving and the fine increased to $500 minimum and removal of said electronic device for at least 6 months. Oh and perhaps a safe driving course thrown in for good measure. (those are presented in the oil patch safety meetings all the time.

How privileged do these people feel that they just have to yak on the phone while driving. It smacks of arrogance and small thinking. I remember at a PC conference in Calgary where a discussion about a new distracted driving law was floating around. Former Premier Stelmach was on the main stage taking questions from the audience and this young lady stood up to ask the Premier why the caucus would even consider putting forth such a draconian law. Another law to control the people and that she thought it was wrong to burden the public with another control. The Premier responded (and I'm paraphrasing here) that it has been proven that reaction time while driving is slowed even more when conducting other activities in the vehicle. Also that multi-tasking severely increased the possibility of causing a driver to become further distracted and creating the potential for a vehicular accident. The young lady was still miffed and said " I'm young and I have no problem multi-tasking so the law should be scrapped! Obviously here was a person that wasn't prepared to listen to reason but believed that it was her right to drive and phone at the same time. HOW then do we break that chain of thought?

Unfortunately the costs of enforcement via our police forces is prohibitive in that you would need a huge squad of officers, to check and stop and write up ever violator and deal with all the other criminal activities and highway violations. Perhaps its time to place the place the problem squarely in the lap of other citizens of the province. Not that we should have them stopping and charging violators but perhaps a hotline number that could be called to report licence numbers and activities of the offenders. From that phone in a 1st notice could be generated and sent to that individual stating that they were observed violating the Distracted Driving law on the date in question and that if a second report came forward that demerits would be applied to their licence. The potential threat of losing their licence could prove to be a much stronger reinforcement method than the $172 fine.

There are certainly a few wrinkles with a plan like that such as chagrined spouses reporting their mates just to get back at them but they could have their day in court to explain or plea bargain. The inconvenience of it all might be enough to start changing some attitudes.

It could be an interesting discussion amongst the powers that be. And, it just may work. Your thoughts?

Don't Believe me? Check this link for more stats.Think it doesn't happen?

The Rockie Mountains & Evelyn's Coffee are Amazing

2013-09-13T23:31:00.000-06:00

We actually managed to get away for a few days this past summer and I've felt the beautiful Rockie mountains calling for some time. Our granddaughter was up visiting from Ontario and she'd never seen them so we started looking at accommodations and mountain towns we'd like to visit.

Lake Louise

The most popular destination for many are the Jasper and Banff National parks that join together close to the Columbia Ice fields to form a huge mountain playground with amazing views, wonderful campsites and thrilling highways to drive. We were only able to take a three day weekend so we had to make it within comfortable driving distance and for some reason the town of Canmore came up.

I did a couple of online searches using www.booking.com and found a great deal on a condo-style villa with enough beds for the four of us and the plans were in place. Well sort of, the Missus, our son and his daughter were able to leave a day earlier on a Thursday and I had to stay behind to finish up some business. Its too bad I couldn't get to witness our Granddaughter's first look at the mountains. She actually didn't notice them at first and kept saying "look at the big valleys Grandma" not realizing they were the bottoms of those big rocks all around.

In any case, I caught up the next day and it was a fantastic trip. Mountain air seems to have a slight scent of pine and just seems to be more clear than at home. Canmore is a great town with lots of services and dining establishments and sits in a valley among the first mountains you see as you travel westward from Calgary on Trans Canada Highway #1 . Its four lanes all the way from Calgary and you really have to move because there doesn't seem to be a speed limit even though the signs said 110 Km/hour I don't think anyone was actually going that slow.

Inn Of The Rockies

Our weekend domicile was the Inn of the Rockies which is on Harvey Heights road just west of Canmore. Part of the facility is undergoing some major renovations by the new owners and is just a half a mile from the Banff National Park gates. Our unit was a two story with two large bedrooms a nice bathroom and even a washer and dryer. The main floor featured a living area with fireplace, a flat screen TV, a hide-a-bed couch and a recliner, the open concept had the dining area right next in line adjacent to the nicely equipped kitchen. This alone saved us tons of money on dining as we prepared our own breakfasts and lunches for the day and popped the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Ah, all the conveniences of home.

Banff Upper Hot Springs courtesy Travel Alberta

The weekend was spent driving into Canmore to explore and then Banff to take in the Gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain and a soaking in the Hot Springs at the base of the mountain. A great way to sooth those aching bones. The water was at 41 degrees celcius which is about 106 degrees farenheit and it takes a moment to get used to it. Once you're in though it is heavenly.

Another great pass time is walking the main thoroughfare called Banff Avenue. Its lined with shops of all sorts and restaurants and an amazing coffee outlet called Evelyn's Coffee Bar. This coffee emporium is so popular that there are three of them. Two along the avenue and one on Bear Street. One even features live entertainment each evening. I also spent a while with one of their large coffees just people and busker watching. There is every nation under the sun represented here so its a great mix and great watching. There's lots of comfortable benches along the avenue and the weather was perfect. I let our group go "shopping" and enjoyed my respite.

Parking hint: Go early in the morning and stake out a place by at least 10 a.m. or you'll drive around for a while trying to find a parking space. There are meters on main street so you'd have to keep coming back to plug it. So unless your athletic and like to run or walk, find off street parking where you can. The lots are free and located one block either side of the main thoroughfare. Most lots have access to the shops from the lots so its very convenient.

It was a great little mini holiday and I will take another one. Talk again soon.
Dave

Our Garden has Exploded

2013-06-10T01:05:00.000-06:00

Even though I know that Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin have been overexercising their expense allotments and there are likely others among them, I won't dwell on the negative. I'm going to share something positive that helps me to relax and enjoy. While gardening is not my usual fare on this blog, I just had to do a little horn tooting for the spectacular garden we have growing in our yard right now.

Over the past several years we have been doing a lot of soil amendment to bring it back to life. The former owner used a 50/50 crop and summer fallow or just kept one half black on a rotation basis. The only trouble is there didn't appear to be anything added to maintain the soils breathability (strange word but) it was just dead and would pack hard if you walked on it too much.

Straw bed potatoes

Year after year, we saved every green scrap from the kitchen, all of our leaves (my missus even purloined bags of leaves from the neighbors waste bin one evening) and straw that we used for a couple of growing experiments I'll talk about later. Finally after six years we opened up the garden this year to a beautiful soft, diggable (another strange word) piece of ground that was a pleasure to work. There was lots of humus in the soil, the big lumps were gone and if you held a handful to your nose, it smelled clean and fresh and full of life. It just smelled healthy!

The Missus had attended a spring gardeners day workshop locally and the guest speaker there
suggested that we were better to plant in small squares (3 x 3 feet or 4 x 4). This keeps the plants closer together and they support each other and some plants that self pollinate can more easily do that whereas, long rows just string them out too far. (Maybe there's an analogy there about how you and your partner can grow together in life's garden). Always being

Straw Bed Spuds After.

willing to experiment (in the garden) we set about marking out loose plots in a random pattern throughout the garden. Nice neat little plots with four or five or six rows each about 4 or 5 feet long parked side by side. It looked a little weird at first but now that the veggies are up it looks pretty neat. There are little pathways in between so we can still walk and reach with a hoe or by hand to weed. We did this with nearly every plant set except the potatoes (I'm coming to this new idea). The germination appears to be nearly 100 % of every thing we've planted so far except for the lettuce and we've reseeded that. In any case, everything else is doing extremely well and we're excited to harvest the bounty.

It might have been something to do with the fact that we planted on the May long weekend and the weather was hot and dry. There's an old

Last years bounty!

saying that goes "Plant in the Dust and your graineries will bust". Here's hoping.

Now to the potatoes. We've planted them in straw beds to success and dismal failure. To plant them in the soil has been disappointing because of the little black bugs or worms that get to them before we can so we've been looking for alternatives. Voila, the potato bag! Someone has invented a bag made of plastic tarp material with appropriate drain holes. The premise is that you add four to six inches of soil (we used an 80-15-5 % ration of black dirt, peat and steer manure (aged) to the bag. We then placed five seed potatoes in the mix and covered them with another 4 inches of the mix. You just roll the sides down to the level of the top of the dirt plus a bit above then water them. Within two weeks we had little spuds poking their plant heads above the dirt with 100% germination. We've also planted some in the dirt beside them in a traditional planting using the mix to fill the holes and they are all up as well. With the potatoes in the bag we'll add more dirt to keep the stems covered and just the leaves sticking out. As they grow, we'll unroll the bag some more and add more dirt until we reach the top. We'll hill the others with our dirt mix so they are all receiving the same nutrients. Once the bag is completely unrolled, we'll let the potatoes mature and blossom. Once they've died down, we can harvest (we might sneak a few new ones for an early treat because once the blossoms come on, the potatoes are about the size of an egg. How do we get into the bag you ask. Well, this inventor made a handy trap door with velcro closers so you can just open it up, and go prodding gently in the earth for a few spuds. Then close it up stuffing the dirt back inside so the spuds can grow some more.

potato bags

There now wasn't that more cathartic than me ranting about some folks who feel self-entitled.
Watch for more about our gardening progression in the up coming weeks. Like how we kept the aphids at bay and how we repaired a worn patch in the lawn using our amazing dirt mix. Might even share my grape adventures - there's a least four bunches growing on the vines as we speak.
Till then, keep on gardening. Dave

Is Alberta's Premier Redford Sliding into the Abyss?

2013-04-13T09:20:00.001-06:00

Recent polls list Alberta's Premier Redford as only having a 29% popularity rating with those who answered the survey and that is considerably less than the 53% plus rating for her chief competitor Danielle Smith of the Wild Rose party. According to the most recent Angus Reid Poll, Redford even

placed behind Brian Mason of the NDP and Raj Sherman of the Alberta Liberals who each garnered a 34% rating.

Redford's survival over the summer into the fall leadership review is all hinged on the success of her many trips to the power corridors of Washington, DC and New York city to promote the Keystone XL pipeline. In the meantime, budget woes and push backs from those affected most by the 2013 budget are keeping Finance Minister Horner and Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk busy, responding too and defending the home front. Will they all be successful? Will any of them still be there following the fall convention of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Association this November? The way competing camps are gathering for the leadership review there could be an early exit from the seat of power for Ms Redford and her executive team.
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On another note, the winter snows seem to be retreating and the garden spot is starting to peak out from under a significant pile of snow. Warmer temps are still a bit down the trail and a large dump is forecast for this weekend in places around and west of Edmonton. Any way you look at it this has been one long winter. It needs to end soon. Our gardening tools are calling and we're anxious to experiment with our new potatoe bags.
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Finally, this is one of the funniest stories I've heard in a long time.
A fellow was laying in his hospital bed with an oxygen mask on while a young nurse trainee started to give him a sponge bath. As she progressed down his chest the man asked her this question through the mask "are my testicles black?" The young nurse looked up in surprise and said "Excuse me?". Through the mask the man once again asked her "are my testicles black?" She said " I'm just starting my training and I don't believe I'm prepared to handle that situation." As she continued to bathe him, she summoned up the courage and thought to herself "I am training to be a nurse and these types of things are going to occur so here goes."
She rolled the sheet down and lifted the bottom of his gown and picked up both "boys" in her hands. She looked them over thoroughly and then placed the cover over the man and said "they seem to be fine sir." The patient then removed his oxygen masked and said "that was very nice miss but one more time I'm asking; Are My Test Results Back?"
Enjoy your week.
Dave

Hockey Is Done In Our Town

2013-03-24T17:21:00.002-06:00

Yes, Hockey is done in Our Town. Just for the AJHL (Alberta Junior Hockey League) season folks. Our ever-loving Bonnyville Pontiacs gave it a good run but lost out in the second round to the Whitecourt Wolverines who won the last four games in the best of seven series. They will now move to take on the Spruce Grove Saints in the North Division Semi-Final. Its really excellent hockey folks so regardless of who you might be cheering for, get out and support these young men.

Better than the performances of our overpaid glory boys in the NHL. Geez, there must be a fortune in first round draft picks in the Oilers pen but they have a hard time putting together anything that even resembles a string of wins. They are sitting in the middle of the pack in the trailing Vancouver by 1 point and just ahead of Calgary. Can we expect them to show in the stretch. Here's hoping but they need to win at least the next six or seven games to show that they are contenders.

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A friend of mine passed this bit on to me recently and I thought I'd share it with you. I presume its reference to a book written by Professor Ian Plimer called "Heaven and Earth"
It's got some interesting information but I'll let you be the judge.

Okay, here's the bombshell. The volcanic eruption in Iceland, since its first spewing of volcanic ash has, in just FOUR DAYS, NEGATED EVERY SINGLE EFFORT you have made in the past five years to control CO2emissions on our planet - all of you.

Of course you know about this evil carbon dioxide that we are trying to suppress - it’s that vital chemical compound that every plant requires to live and grow and to synthesize into oxygen for us humans and all animal life. I know, it's very disheartening to realize that all of the carbon emission savings you have accomplished while suffering the inconvenience and expense of: driving Prius hybrids, buying fabric grocery bags, sitting up till midnight to finish your kid's"The Green Revolution" science project, throwing out all of your non-green cleaning supplies, using only two squares of toilet paper, putting a brick in your toilet tank reservoir, selling your SUV and speedboat, vacationing at home instead of abroad, nearly getting hit every day on your bicycle, replacing all of your 50 cents light bulbs with $10.00 light bulbs ...well, all of those things you have done have all gone down the tubes in just four days.

The volcanic ash emitted into the Earth's atmosphere in just four days - yes - FOUR DAYS ONLY by that volcano in Iceland, has totally erased every single effort you have made to reduce the evil beast, carbon. And there are around 200 active volcanoes on the planet spewing out this crud at any one time - EVERY DAY.

I don't really want to rain on your parade too much, but I should mention that when the volcano Mt Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991, it spewed out more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than the entire human race had emitted in all its years on earth. Yes folks, Mt Pinatubo was active for over one year - think about it. Of course I shouldn't spoil this touchy-feely tree-hugging moment and mention the effect of solar and cosmic activity and the well-recognized 800-year global heating and cooling cycle, which keep happening, despite our completely insignificant efforts to affect climate change.

And I do wish I had a silver lining to this volcanic ash cloud but the fact of the matter is that the bush fire season across the western USA and Australia this year alone will negate your efforts to reduce carbon in our world for the next two to three years. And it happens every year. Just remember that your government just tried to impose a whopping carbon tax on you on the basis of the bogus “human-caused” climate change scenario. Hey, isn’t it interesting how they don’t mention “Global Warming” any more, but just“Climate Change” - you know why? It’s because the planet has COOLED by 0.7 degrees in the past century and these global warming bull artists got caught with their pants down.

And just keep in mind that you might yet have an Emissions Trading Scheme - that whopping new tax - imposed on you, that will achieve absolutely nothing except make you poorer. It won’t stop any volcanoes from erupting, that’s for sure.

But hey, relax, give the world a hug and have a nice day!

The Hockey Gods Have Smiled on Edmonton

2013-01-24T23:03:00.001-07:00

Frankly, I was surprised by the outcome following the Edmonton City council vote to get into the arena business again. Yes, again because they are already part owners of an arena or would be in line to inherit the building if Northlands, the current operators should ever shut down then Rexall Place title would revert back to the City of Edmonton. Would they then turn over use to the Edmonton Oil Kings?

You're probably wondering where I came up with this notion. Its really quite simple. Northlands is the child of the Edmonton Exhibition Association and prior to that it was the Edmonton Agricultural Society who used to operate a race track or course as they called them in the good old days, down in the river valley where Renfrew Park - oops Telus Field sits today. The founders of that original Ag Society decided they needed more room to build things. Things like a livestock show palace where local producers could show off their animals and their grains and produce because the Edmonton area used to grow amazing crops. (It now only seems to grow more subdivisions and acreages and big box malls. (I digress). Oh,. And, perhaps a place to play hockey indoors.

Beginnings (1879-1899)

The roots of Northlands Park took hold when various individuals assembled themselves to create an organization through which the town of Edmonton and its surrounding communities could make their agricultural and horticultural capabilities visible to the public.
The preceding paragraph was borrowed from Northlands own historical website: Early Northlands History

With plans in hand they trudged up the hill from the river valley looking for a level piece of land to build on. Strange thing, developers had already beaten them to it and had most of the land tied up for new housing developments for a growing city. Not to be deterred they found a bargain piece of land just northeast of the Rat Creek Ravine on the western edge of the Highlands and Ada Boulevard already contained some pretty posh mansions overlooking Edmonton's spectacular river valley.

With a burgeoning population, comes garbage and where do you suppose they put it? Into a low piece of and just north of what is now 111 avenue east of 82nd street. Aha the Ag board thought we can pick land up cheaply, add some fill, level it out and we can build our fair grounds and Agricultural Emporium. This was in 1910 and the City administration not wanting to miss out on an opportunity to promote the area to new Canadians purchased the land and "the City of Edmonton set out terms for a lease whereby the land would be rented by the EEA (Edmonton Exhibition Association) at a nominal fee of $1 CDN a year. The association, which undoubtedly benefited from this open-ended arrangement, accepted the generous terms. With the stability of land tenancy, the organization could now strive to expand without inordinate risk." (from Northlands history Edmonton)

(At this point I must let you know that I'm paraphrasing this story to move it along. Exactness of detail is not relevant because, well, this story is just to give you an idea about how the area was developed and how the City became a partner.)

Edmonton Gardens from City of Edmonton Archives

Now to continue. the Ag Board had grand ideas and hatched a plan to build a grand arena for the display of all things farmey. The final outcome was the Edmonton Gardens an amazing building for its time that stood for many years and served the public well. In fact, it was so well built that when they brought in a demolition company to bring it down, the dynamite set in strategic locations in the building went off as planned and it only ruffled the feathers of a few pigeons who had nested in the higher regions of the building. It took quite awhile for the company to bring the old girl down and I'm not sure they made any money on the deal.

Northlands Coliseum (Rexall Place) courtesy of the Edmonton Journal

To quickly conclude this story, the Coliseum was built and hockey was moved from the Gardens to the new building north of Alberta Avenue. Through all this time the City has had representation on the board of the Northlands so should be well aware that they are competing against themselves with the New Downtown Arena. No matter though because we have to appease the developers who have a dieing city centre after dark and a billionaire plus needs a place to park his hockey toys.

Oh, and there was talk that the Province of Alberta might throw some money into the deal after all and yet our Premier Allison Redford and our Minister of Finance Doug Horner is telling us that the budget they gave us not that long ago is just not going to meet expectations and that there should be a tightening of belts all round. As has been said, basing a budget solely on the vagaries of the petroleum market place is shaky science at best. It will be interesting to see where this extra 100 Million comes from because it sure isn't coming from the main beneficiaries of this new edifice.
Have a lovely week. Dave

Will the NHL Agreement Meet Your Needs?

2013-01-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

At 5 a.m. this morning, January 6, 2013 the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) finally concluded their 113 day discussions with an agreement to end the lock-out/ strike that has affected more people than all of them put together can even count.

Oh, each of these partners in the negotiations will survive, and go on to live lives of luxury most of us can only dream about. The travesty here is that it was all about lining their pockets and ensuring that they will be looked after in their dotage or should I say doughtage (my word) where they'll now have a defined pension. You would think that after making XXX millions of dollars each year that they would have put together some sort of plan to build their own nest egg. Hell, the average citizen manages to do that on a lot less annual income, why can't they.

I got off track a little bit there because the real story here is that over the past 113 days plus/minus, who has the NHL lock-out/strike hurt? Directly, it has affected the many people who work in the arenas where these folks play! Think about the young people who have some ambition to get ahead and take a job working in the parking lots, or the gates or the concessions or food services or security to name a few. Not just young people but maybe single parents or seniors who are trying to make ends meet with a part time job. What have they lost, never to get back with a fancy new contract for 10 years or eight if your just not happy. Give me a break.

There are others in the widening circle of support for these playboys and their billionaire owners that are affected as well. There's the suppliers to these arenas for food, cleaning supplies, signs, and toilet paper. Or how about the people who put the ice in and paint the markings and maintain the ice in pristine condition so these darlings have the best.

The good will that has been destroyed will take a long time to repair. How will the new product (tic) be any better than the old one? Will youngsters still gaze with starry eyes on their heroes? Will dad or mom even be able to afford to take them to the rink and then afford the expensive food when they get there? These are questions that will soon be answered as these princes of the puck make their way back to their respective rinks in a much shortened season.

Another question begs to be answered. When are they going to get rid of Gary Bettman which many media pundits are saying should have happened a long time ago. Here is a guy that was so dictatorial that they had to bring in another mediator to get the job done. Here is a guy that has spent so much time building markets in marginal hockey territory where hockey takes a back seat to baseball, football and basketball that other teams in real hockey territory have to support them with a $300 Million dollar equalization payment. I think its time for him to go.

I think its also time to think about the value of what they are presenting and start to care for the folks that pay for the tickets that keep them in business. I don't deny them a very good salary after all they are the elite of their sport, the best of the best.

I'm thinking though that all these folks could take a lesson from the proving ground where they all started - Minor hockey, where they play for the love of the game.

Will Common Sense Return in the NEW YEAR?

2013-01-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

An Obituary printed in the London Times - Interesting and sadly rather true (this was passed on to me by and old friend and I thought I'd share it with you.)

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority.

For Resolution ideas just click on the greeting below. Enjoy!
Happy New Year 2013!

Moon Fever Captures The Hearts of Many

2012-11-26T08:38:00.003-07:00


photo from www.planetsforkids.org

Moon Fever while not a medical malady is certainly a feeling that comes over many observers and fans of our great grey orb. Recent proof of that is the hundreds of space-fan tourists who flocked to the northeast coast of Australia to observe full eclipse of the sun caused by our moon. Weather patterns prevented many from getting a clear view but they took the time and expense to travel a great distance just for a chance to see this phenomena. This event was followed not long after by a partial eclipse of the moon.

Of all of the celestial bodies that capture our attention and fascination as astronomers, none has a greater influence on life on planet Earth than it's own satellite, the moon. When you think about it, we regard the moon with such powerful significance that unlike the moons of other planets which we give names, we only refer to our one and only orbiting orb as THE moon. It is not a moon. To us, it is the one and only moon.

The moon works its way into our way of thinking, our feelings about romance, our poetry and literature and even how we feel about our day in day out lives in many cases. It is not only primitive societies that ascribe mood swings, changes in social conduct and changes in weather to the moon. Even today, a full moon can have a powerful effect on these forces which we acknowledge even if we cannot explain them scientifically.

The most obvious physical phenomenon that is directly affected by the gravity of the moon are the tides of the ocean. The tides are an integral part of how maritime life is regulated and the comings and goings of the fishing world in coastal communities. But not very many people know that at certain times of the year when the orbits of the earth bring the sun and moon into right alignment, there can even be tidal effect on inland bodies of water and even on the solid earth. Eons ago, when the moon's orbit was closer to the Earth, it was the effect of the moon that caused massive changes in the topography of the land and on continental drift as well. This reflects the powerful effect the moon has had on both human history and on global geographical history as well.

You may sometimes wonder where the moon came from. Was it a planet that traveled too close to Earth and was captured in our orbit? Actually, the prevailing theory of modern science is that the moon was the result of a large scale collision with the still developing Earth early in its development which caused this large chunk to spin off into an orbiting body. This explains the similarity in composition as has been confirmed by many of the moon exploratory space missions that were conducted by NASA.

But this background also highlights another important influence the moon has had on Earth's development that is seldom recognized and that is the stabilization of Earth's orbital pattern. Most know that Earth is not round but more of an egg shaped orb. To be blunt, the Earth would wobble. Without the moon's stabilizing influence, this shape would shift dramatically so the tilt of the axis, that is the polar caps would shift dramatically with each seasonal rotation producing climacteric, changes much more violent and drastic than we are used to. It is possible that life as we know it could not have developed here had the moon not been there to keep the Earth in line and continue to stabilize the orbital position of the Earth so our climate could remain stable and mild.

A third significant influence of the moon comes from the theory that a collision ripped the body of the moon from the developing core of the Earth. Because of this disruption in how the core of our planet developed, the metals that are usually intact in the core of the planet are actually scattered up and down the geography of the earth in diverse ways. Usually the metals of the planet are all concentrated deep in the core. But because of the collision which took the moon out to orbit, metals that have been crucial to the development of our industrial and technological cultures are readily available and easy for us to mine. This again, is something we can thank the presence of that lovely moon in the sky for.

Whether its for gazing, exploration, minerals or maybe future habitation, the moon has an amazing draw on man kind.

The Skys Are Alive!

2012-09-05T12:40:00.001-06:00

Perseid Meteor Shower 2011 - Photo by CNN

I can't believe I missed the whole month of August and didn't put up one post. Couple of reasons - First of all, I emceed Haying in the 30's once again and that took care of the long weekend (Aug 4 & 5th). We raised $197,000 bucks for people undergoing treatment for cancer. Then I got a rogue upper chest infection and that lasted until just yesterday (Sept 4). Then it just happened to be my busiest month ever with the printing business and the next thing you knew it was fall.
I did take a little time while I was sick to visit a region of our universe that has always intrigued me and that is outer space. I spent a few evenings out on the deck wrapped in a blanket to catch the Perseid Meteor shower. According to CNN's blog August 11 "Hundreds of shooting stars and fireballs will fill the skies over the northern hemisphere on Saturday and Sunday night as Earth passes through a stream of debris from the Comet Swift-Tuttle - otherwise known as the Perseid meteor shower."

Looks like Drumheller but it's Mars courtesy of the JPL

Well, I waited and I watched and waited and watched and finally caught a couple of streaks of light in the northeastern sky. For two or three nights I followed the same routine but the space stuff wasn't cooperating. I did get to see Jupiter and Venus and they were quite bright but without a telescope, they were merely brighter lights in the sky. Fortunately I was able to use an Iphone app called Night Sky that is pretty cool. It shows the night sky features even if its cloudy or you are blocked by trees or other buildings. It shows all the major constellations and even some I'd never heard of. It also shows all the satellites that are roaming around out there providing communication and cool satellite tv service and world wide telephone communication. It even pointed out the Hubble Telescope and the Cosmos space station. I could go on and on but you have to try it for yourself. At last look it was .99 cents in the App Store.

Here's some more cool thoughts on space and the darkness that surrounds us.

Asteroids

From the Hubble Telescope courtesy of the Discovery Channel

There is a lot of exciting stuff going on in the stars above us that make astronomy so much fun. The truth is the universe is a constantly changing, moving, some would say “living” thing because you just never know what you are going to see on any given night of stargazing.

But of the many celestial phenomenons, there is probably none as exciting as that time you see your first asteroid on the move in the heavens. To call asteroids the “rock stars” of astronomy is simultaneously a bad joke but an accurate depiction of how astronomy fans view them. Unlike suns, planets and moons, asteroids are on the move, ever changing and, if they appear in the night sky, exciting and dynamic.

Like rock stars, asteroids have been given their fair share of urban myth and lore. Many have attributed the extinction of the dinosaurs to the impact of a huge asteroid on the earth. This theory has some credibility and, if it is true, it evokes some pretty startling images and foreboding fears in the current reining species on earth, the human race.

The fact that asteroids are fast moving space debris only makes their movement and activity more interesting and exciting. Unlike a moon, planet or star, the odds that an asteroid could hit the earth are entirely reasonable and in fact, there are many documented cases of small asteroids making it through our atmosphere and leaving some pretty impressive craters in the earth’s surface.

Popular culture has happily embraced the idea of an asteroid impact. The idea has spawned many a science fiction story adding the idea that alien life forms may ride asteroids to our world and start a “war of the worlds” situation. But by far, the most talked about concept that has captured the imagination and the fears of science fiction fans and the general public is of another asteroid hitting the earth that could wipe out life as allegedly happened to the dinosaurs. In fact, the movie “Armageddon” was based on this idea and the concept that somehow mankind could avert that catastrophe with technology.

But probably the best way to calm our fears and replace science fiction with science is with understanding and knowledge. The truth is, there has been a lot of study of asteroid activity and the serious scientific community has gained significant knowledge of these amazing celestial bodies. A number of probes to asteroids have been conducted which have given us a wealth of information about their composition and how we might predict their behavior.

We now know that the majority of asteroids we get to witness come from an asteroid belt that exists between Mars and Jupiter. It is from this community of asteroids that many of the notable asteroids emerged. Scientists have gained significant knowledge about the composition of asteroids and separated them into classes including class S which comes of the part of the belt that is closest to Mars, classes C, D and V which are classified by composition and a class called “Centaurs” whose flight patterns take them closer to Jupiter and Uranus.

Ida and it's moon Dactyl from Discovery Channel.

Some of the probes NASA has conducted on near flying asteroids have performed some pretty amazing studies of these eccentric celestial bodies. In 1994 the Galileo probe got within 1000 miles of the asteroid Ida and discovered that Ida actually had its own moon.

Other probes have fired impactors into asteroids and even landed on an asteroid to produce some amazing scientific data for us. There is much to learn about asteroids in our love of astronomy and that knowledge only makes our enjoyment of seeing them in the cosmos even more exciting.

Until our next space adventure, have a great week. Dave

Bonnyville Chuckwagon Races Final for 2012

2012-07-23T12:36:00.002-06:00

It's all over but the planning for next year's event. Great Weather, Excellent crowds of people and a new track record capped off an exciting four days of racing in north eastern Alberta.

Kirk Sutherland established a new fastest time on the the track with a final day run of 1:15:20 besting the previous record set by Mike Vigen in 2011 by just 1/100ths of a second. That run along with two other first place finishes and a second place finish on the first night gave him the best aggregate time of the race meet. His total time of 5:11:49 beat that of John Walters who posted a total of 5:12:75 over the four days. Close behind was wiley veteran "The Bashaw Flash" Reg Johnstone with an aggregate time of 5:13:47.

Sutherland and his outriders - Dustin Gorst and Chance Flad, picked up a championship George Normand Memorial buckles for the win plus Kirk got to drive away in a 2012 GMC diesel courtesy of a few of the main sponsors including; Tercier Motors, B & R Eckel's Transport, CSI Safety, Sign Solutions and MoKo Transport among others.

For a complete wrap up of the weekend's activities just follow this link http://www.halfmileofhell.com/results_display.aspx?seasonID=37#.

The driver's have a week off and will take advantage of the rest before they head for Strathmore, Aug 3 to 6th. Best Wishes for the rest of the circuit to all.

A big thanks to Billy Melville for all the great information.

Some of the other entertainment this past weekend. The Extreme Stunt Team.

Discover some great new tools for your Iphone
Click Here!

Opening night at the Bonnyville Chucks was Huge

2012-07-20T09:46:00.003-06:00

The day dawned clear and sunny following a short but intense rain storm that saw a few gardens suffer from hail damage. That little storm made for slightly muddy conditions around the chuckwagon camps on the Bonnyville race track grounds. A slight breeze helped tremendously to dry the ground as the day progressed and by show time the track was ready to go.

Cora Croteau of the Young Guns

The show opened first with the thrilling spectacle of two guys on motorcycles making spectacular leaps from ramp to ramp in front of the grandstand. Many of their jumps were as high as the top row that's at least 40 feet in the air. That's as tall as a four story building! Next up were the Young Guns trick riders with performers on horseback ranging from 7 to about 10. These kids were fantastic and brought great cheers from the capacity crowd. Finally the Ghost Riders equestrian team took to the arena and performed their intricate patterns and again wowed the crowd with their colorful costumes and precision riding.

A celebrity with local connections joined us for the singing of our national anthem as Clayton Bellamy of The Clayton Bellamy Band and the Road Hammers opened the event with O' Canada.

Chanse Vigen

As the first wagons rolled in for heat one the crowd came alive and welcomed the drivers with thunderous applause setting the trend for the evening. The father son duo of Chanse and Mike Vigen along with rookie driver Dave Galloway and experienced hand Darcy Flad were the first four wagons up. After a minute, 19 and 20/100ths of a second Chanse bested the rest including his father with what would turn out to be the fast time of the night of all the 36 wagons.

As the races progressed times seemed to be running a bit long but that was likely due to the damp ground from the previous evenings storm. The times were all fairly consistent though with no one running much past 1:22 except for a few that had troubles with barrels and a few penalties.

Rae Croteau Jr.

Our local wagon masters - Doug Irvine and Rae Croteau Jr. picked up second place in each of their respective races. Doug, driving the B & R Eckel's Transport wagon had a winning time of 1:21:03 in the 2nd heat but was assessed a one second penalty for starting ahead of the horn. Croteau driving the Tomco Group of Companies outfit was running in a later race - heat # 6 and posted a time of 1:23:47 to take second place and gather 9 points. His slower time as well as that of the other racers in his heat were likely attributed to the heavier track.

For a complete summary of all the results, visit the WPCA official web site at http://www.halfmileofhell.com/results_display.aspx?seasonID=37 you'll find each heat's results and the aggregate scores of each wagon. You can also tune in to hear all the info each evening on 99.7 the Wolf with Billy Melville and the broadcast crew. Or, you can be in the stands to catch it live.
Don't forget, the gates open at 5 p.m. tonight and tomorrow and at Noon on Sunday. The pre-show starts at 6 and racing starts at 7 p.m. with a pre-show at 1 p.m. on Sunday and racing at 2 p.m.

And don't forget to wear green on Friday to support 4H and the pancake breakfast at Brosseau's Dept Store Saturday morning and at Sobey's on Sunday.

See you at the Chucks. Dave

The World Pro Chuckwagons Are Coming

2012-07-18T13:45:00.004-06:00

The Storey From LaCorey

The WPCA Chuckwagon racing season returns to Bonnyville this Thursday, July 18, 2012 for what will no doubt be an exciting four days of racing and meeting old friends. Racing action continues through the weekend winding up with the Dash For Cash on Sunday afternoon.

Rae Croteau and the Rainbow Wagon

Our two local drivers, Doug Irvine and Rae Croteau Junior are primed and ready and will likely be challenging themselves and their teams to perform at the top of their game for the home town crowd. Doug had an outstanding run in Calgary competing in the final four dash for cash and was only beaten out of the money by one hundredth of a second by Troy Dorchester. What a race. Unfortunately for Jason Glass, the judges added 2 seconds in penalties onto his run which dropped him down to fourth. I know he'll be here to take a dash at Bonnyville's cash so don't count out the "Checkerboard Wagon"

The first performance starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday and here's hoping the weather will cooperate. I'll be there everyday either as a spectator or working at our Ag Society Raffle booth. We're raffling a nifty little John Deere yard tractor complete with front end loader and rototiller and our second prize is a John Deere Zero Turn Mower. Tickets at $20 each or you can buy a six pack for $100. We've only printed 4000 tickets in all so your odds are pretty good. We'll make the draw in September unless we sell out before then and then we'll get permission from Gaming to hold the draw earlier.

See you all at the Chucks!

2012-05-23T09:06:00.001-06:00

May! It's a busy month with Rodeo's, Spring dances, Crop planting, gardening and a whole list of things to do. Yes, May, the month of flowers and spring and rebirth and all that cool stuff outside. Did I say cool. Yes, it's been a bit on the cool side and that has slowed all that growth and rebirth and flowers but its coming along. We've had everything from snow to bone dry forest fires in our area and now two days of rain that will help put out the fires and replenish ground water and make the grass grow. Now all we need is a little warmth. Let's hope the farming community can get a break to get some crops in the ground now.

Bonnyville from the south west

Here's what's coming up in the Bonnyville area. This weekend -May 25 to 27th will see the Pro-Rodeo move into town with some of the top cowboys and cowgirls competing for prize money and points to qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton this fall. Of course Shane Franklin's bucking string will be doing their best to see that none of them get very far toward that goal. The Franklin ranch on the big hill south of town breeds some of the best with many world champion trophies to show for it.

The rodeo starts Friday with slack at 11 a.m. at the grounds (no charge admission) a chili cook-off on main street at noon and then the evening performance "Kid's Night" at 6 p.m. with a new beer garden with entertainment following the rodeo. Saturday kicks off with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. followed by the parade at 11 a.m. , the Heavy Horse pull at 1 p.m. the 2nd rodeo performance at 6 p.m. then the Rodeo Dance at the Centennial Centre with music by the Opry Boyz band. Doors open at 8:30 and admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the door. to order your tickets in advance, go to the C2 front desk or call them at 780-812-3400 or toll free 1-877-812-2740 if you're from out of town.
Sunday it's back to the grounds for Cowboy Church at 10 a.m. and the final performance at 2 p.m.
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Don't forget to support your local 4H members at their Show and Sale on Monday, May 28 over at Western Pride Auction. The show begins at 11 a.m. and the Sale follows at 7 p.m. in the evening. These young people have worked hard to care for and raise the livestock and you can help by purchasing an animal in the sale.
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Lenore Picray tells me they'll be holding their annual Spring Dance up at Sandy Rapids Hall on Hwy 55 west of Iron River on Saturday, June 6th. In fact, the live band is called Hi Way 55 and they'll start playing at 9 p.m. The doors open at 8 and admission is $15 per person and there's a midnight lunch. Call Lenore for more info at 780-826-5407.
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If you see a lot of Jet action, say Welcome to all participants in Maple Flag!

Have a great week and we'll talk again soon. Dave.

Bonnyville News & Events

2012-03-25T12:02:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd get off the world stage and get back to all things Bonnyville and surrounding area. Here's an early warning for the annual garage sale and flea market up at LaCorey.

More immediately, The APEGGA Science Fair is coming up on Wednesday, March 28. Its open to all students from grade 6 to 9 and is sure to bring out all the budding scientists with their experiments and projects. Thanks to Devon, APEGGA, Lonkar Services, CNRL, Bonnyville Oilmen's Society and Northern Lights School District.

And while we're on the science of things, LICA is presenting their speaker series with Oil & Gas, the Environment and You on Tuesday, March 27. Guest speakers include; Cohl Robertson - Senior Environmental Scientist and Chelsie Klassen - Community and Aboriginal Relations from Imperial Oil. I've had the pleasure of meeting Chelsie and her enthusiasm is worth taking in the session alone. There is no charge for the event and food and refreshments will be available. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the presentation starts at 6:30 p.m. It takes place at the Fort Kent Hall just 5 miles east of Bonnyville. For further information you can contact Lakeland Industry and Community Association at 780-812-2182 or check their website at www.lica.ca

If you love acoustic music, you might want to take this next event in. A few of us got together and formed the Bonnyville Acoustic Circle Jam group and our first get together is on Thursday, Mar 29 starting at 7 p.m. If you play an acoustic instrument such as a fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro or bass and would like to jam in a friendly atmosphere you are welcome to attend. From 2 to 102 all talents are welcome. As I said its going to be relaxed with no ego's in the way. Refreshments will be available. We expect to be playing country, old time, blue grass, folk and pretty much everything else. There's no charge just a small donation to cover the cost of refreshments. Location is in the Ag Society meeting hall at 52ll-47 Street. You can check us out on Facebook at The Bonnyville Acoustic Music Jam group at this link http://www.facebook.com/groups/249671595127794/

Oh and one final note, We might be into a provincial general election come Monday morning. This will be an important election so you need to make yourself aware of the issues, talk to the candidates, ask them all the tough questions you want because they are applying for a job to work for you. Their pay comes from the tax dollars you pay out of your pocket so make sure you choose wisely. If you don't vote then qwityerbellyachin. See you all down the road. Dave

Kony, Vaccine Shortage, Questionable Politics

2012-03-08T11:24:00.001-07:00

The recent spate of Facebook postings and YouTube clips have been spreading Joseph Kony's mug all over the world and I doubt that it is helping to bring him to justice to pay for his crimes. This former altar boy has denigrated into a modern day terrorist of the people in Uganda and should be silenced as soon as possible. This is all I will say about this person as I don't believe he warrants further exposure that only swells his ego. Enough of the right people know about him and his murderous ways and he will be dealt with.
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On another note, a critical vaccine shortage is rearing it's ugly head and it will have an effect on the medical profession and service to patients across north America. Specifically here in Alberta our hospitals and oncology units there is a pending shortage because someone didn't pay attention to an earlier warning.
See article below from the Edmonton Journal's Jodie Sinnema.

Anesthesiologists across the province are taking contingency measures for surgical patients as Alberta hospitals are hit with shortages of painkillers, anesthetics and other injectable drugs.
No elective surgeries such as knee replacements or endoscopies have been cancelled, but drugs such as morphine, Fentanyl, hydromorphone and a blood-pressure controller called norepinephrine are being shifted between hospitals that are becoming critically short so that none run out completely. Doctors aren't giving anti-nausea drugs prophylactically, but only when the nausea hits. Anesthesiologists are also drawing fewer medications into spare vials to have handy during operations to avoid the need to throw them out if they aren't used.
"We have been quite concerned," said Dr. James Silvius, the Calgary-based medical director for pharmacy services for Alberta Health Services. He said he learned mid-February that Sandoz, a Quebec-based manufacturer, was shutting down part of its plant to upgrade after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration raised concerns. The slowdown is expected to last between one year and 18 months and will affect drug supplies to hospitals across Canada.

And this report from CBC...

A hospital drug shortage which could lead to the cancellation of surgeries appears to be much worse than Alberta health officials let on earlier this week.
On Tuesday, a senior health official said while work is underway on a contingency plan, Alberta Health Services had adequate supplies of the drugs for now.
But CBC News has obtained a leaked Alberta Health Services memo which paints a different picture. The memo, which was sent to doctors on Feb. 23, states that hospitals are already experiencing "significant outages" of these drugs.
A second memo sent on Thursday discussed how seven "significant" injectable drugs are now at "critical" levels.
On Friday, Health Minister Fred Horne said he wasn't aware of any critical shortages that could threaten patient safety or the quality of care.
"There may be some impact on elective surgeries and we certainly hope that's not going to be the case," he said. "But some people may be inconvenienced because of that."
Horne says as far as he knows the shortage affects about 40 drugs used in hospitals. But CBC has been told that the number is more than 100.
The shortage is a result of a decision by Quebec-based manufacturer Sandoz to stop making some painkillers, antibiotics and anesthetics while it improves standards at its plant in Boucherville.
The plant is undergoing the upgrade to address concerns raised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Alberta physicians believe the looming shortage could result in cancelled surgeries.
"Some of these things are very powerful injectable painkillers, for example," said Edmonton anaesthesiologist Dr. Douglas DuVal.
"And so you wouldn't want to have a surgical procedure — leaving aside what happens in the operating room —if you're going to have a couple days' worth of surgical pain afterwards."
The problem affects hospitals across Canada and DuVal says every province is scrambling to find back-up supplies.
The slow-down is expected to last from a year to 18 months.

Just thankful I'm not scheduled for anything.
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Finally, some of our politicians don't know what committees they are on. Some are even paid for committee meetings even though there haven't been any. Committee members have received around $870,000 for the past three years even though they haven't done anything.

(excerpt from Rick Bell's column in the Edmonton Sun)

In 2008, provincial politicians voted to change committee pay from a per-meeting rate of a modest $135 for short meetings, $224 for longer ones.
Instead, they made it a flat monthly pay rate of $1,000, regardless of how often the committee met. The chair and vice-chair of the committee earned a higher rate.
Then the biggest MLA committee -- the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing -- promptly stopped meeting. The group hasn't held a meeting since 2008.
That despite an annual committee payroll of $261,000 for the entire committee, including $15,000 a year for the vice-chair, Independent Vermilion-Lloydminster MLA Lloyd Snelgrove, and $18,000 a year for chair PC Lacombe- Ponoka MLA Raymond Prins.
And the cushy committee has representation from every party.
Genia Leskiw, PC MLA for Cold Lake-Bonnyville had no comment on the purpose of the committee or if it should be axed. It all runs together, she said.
"I sit on so many committees and it seems like I'm working from seven in the morning to 10 or 11 at night," said Leskiw.
"One committee runs into another committee, and a person just sort of loses track of what they're doing ... I can't even remember all the committees I'm on."
Little Bow MLA Barry McFarland, PC, said people in his riding are satisfied with his work and pay.
"They look at the public disclosures, they see that I made $123,000. You can call it whatever you want, committee work or MLA pay, and they think I've earned it," he said.
Prins was brief, referring reporters to a judicial review of MLA salaries that's underway.
NDP MLA Rachel Notley said she has tried to give the committee -- which she sits on -- work to do in the form of "points of privilege."
Those are carefully researched items raised in the chamber, one on the inappropriate use of legislative authority, and one about the conduct of a former health-care minister about what he knew with respect to a plan to privatize health care, she said.
"Had the Speaker or the majority of the legislature chosen to accept my points of privilege, then that committee would have met and done the work it's designed to do," she said.
The fact that her points died on the floor reflects "a function of the government not wanting itself to be held accountable," Notley said.
Other committees meet a little more often.

The Standing Committee on Member Services is a workhorse in comparison, having met twice in 2011, four times in 2010, twice in 2009, twice in 2008 and three times in 2007.

The Trough just keeps getting longer and no party should be safe from having their hands slapped.
We'll Talk again soon. Dave

Have You Planned Your Year?

2012-01-27T23:52:00.000-07:00

How do you go about planning your year? What are some of your favorite tools? Do you plan month to month or do you take a look at the entire year? Whatever your method, and even if you haven't started to plan its not too late.

Set aside an hour at a time and think about where your business and personal life needs to go for you to get the best results. Yes, I said personal life. Too often we concentrate only on business planning but your life should be about more than work. You need to consider your own well-being along with that of your spouse or significant other, your children and your extended family as well. You need to take occasional breaks from business to rejuvenate, reward or renew personal relations, refresh your physical body and mind along with your spiritual connections.

Don't fill your days with work, work, work. Plan some time away even if it's a staycation. (stay at home vacation.) You'll feel better about attacking your work load if you know there's a life at the end of the tunnel. Yes, I said life not just light. Enjoy your work, but also enjoy your life because you can accomplish both with a plan.

Here are some of the tools I use. Enjoy.

Global Warming - Is It Real?

2012-01-08T13:57:00.003-07:00

I can't believe how lucky we've been over the past few months with winter weather here on the prairies. Perhaps it's Global Warming. Oh I know it was a little weird to have a brown Christmas but sometimes you have to sacrifice to enjoy others.

It's just passed 6 degrees c on the thermometer and we're not sure where its going to stop. I'm sure that the Global Warming pundits are rubbing their hands gleefully and uttering I told you so but folks you need to start doing a little research and check your historic weather patterns.

I'm not talking last year or even 10 years ago, lets go back even further. It was just a short 12,000 years ago that we had an ice age with ice piled a mile deep as far south as central USA. It of course warmed up and has been gradually warming more and more ever since.

Think about this for a moment. Environmentalists blame this Global Warming trend on man and his machines. We are the great polluters with our fume spewing cars. Granted the smell isn't pleasant and there are likely better things you want to be breathing but that's why we have wide open prairies and huge forests to filter this crap out. Strangely the CO2 content in the air back in 700 to 1100 AD was higher than it is today. What's up with that. I'm pretty sure there were no cars or factories or oil wells or combustibles other than oil lamps, Chinese fire works and maybe cattle dung fires. Oh wait a minute it must have been the manure from all those Roman chariot horses.

Scientist have shown us through studying ice cores, ocean bottom samplings and high mountain samplings that the earth has cycles that range from 1100 to 1500 years where temperatures rise and fall according to the sun's relationship to earth and the output of CO2 from our oceans. It's rythmic and has followed these patterns for more that 250,000 years.

Don't take our word for it though. You might want to read this book.

Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years by Fred S. Singer and Dennis Avery (available on Amazon or just click here: http://amzn.to/w3WGno)

There are several other related books and more by these authors but start with this one. The first one I bought came with a DVD and was very impressive and convincing.

Here are a couple of review comments from noted scientists:
Singer and Avery skillfully present their case for the existence of a solar-induced 1,500 year cycle that generates warming and cooling of the Earth's temperature irrespective of the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. The authors even more skillfully argue the implications of their findings to the ongoing heated debate regarding the human contribution to observed and future changes in climate. (Robert C. Balling, Jr. )

Fred Singer and Dennis Avery highlight the many fallacies associated with the hysterical claims of dangerous climate change and unsubstantiated computer projections surrounding the theory of human caused global warming. They have managed to lay out, dissect, and expose the facts in a thoroughly readable style. Unstoppable Global Warming is a ‘must read’ for everybody who is interested in the real issues surrounding climate change. (William Kininmonth )

In any case I do hope you enjoy your winter wherever you are and that you will take the time to look at this global warming which is really Climate Change, seriously. Your descendants will thank you. Till next time. Dave

Christmas Party Entertaining

2011-12-03T00:44:00.001-07:00

The Month of December has opened its doors and with it comes the festive season and the urge for all to start their Christmas party entertaining. While many of you will attend your staff or company Christmas party many of you enjoy inviting friends and neighbors over for a little Christmas cheer and nothing builds the cheer like tasty tidbits from the kitchen.

A few tips here.
Make your snacks light and bite size. There's nothing worse than a huge hand-full of a tasty bit that drips on not only your guest but also on the carpet you just cleaned.

Spread the goodies throughout the evening. Loading the tables right from the get go will have everyone thinking its a meal and cause them to load up. If they do, the goodies will soon be gone, the guests will be stuffed with rich, high calorie food and they will hate you in the morning. (Diet shot to hell if you know what I mean - not to mention their increased cholesterol count.) Remember you're entertaining so keep it light and it will be easier on you.

Balance the type of goodies you put out. Don't make it all crackers and cheeze, or sausage bits in a blanket. Intersperse the salty crunchy with some true crunchy in the form of fresh veggies including mini carrots, bite size celery chunks, pickled asparagus, even fruit pieces like grapes or melon and cubed pineapple chunks. Complement them with some tasty dips of spinach and cream cheese or even a couple of varieties of melted chocolate for the fruit.

Don't get your guests loaded. As in tipsy, with too much booze. Have an assortment of wines, and a few liqueurs and basic bar drinks with lots of ice. Here's a tip to save on mix - use medium size cocktail glasses that hold up to 6 or 8 oz. Big mugs tend to drain the mix larder in a big hurry. Remember its all about entertaining not creating a drunken binge.

Finally, here's a recipe you can add to your Christmas party entertaining that is sure to keep them coming back and likely begging for the recipe.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
1 pound large mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon−style mustard
6 1/2 ounces crabmeat
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400F. Remove stems from the mushrooms, retaining the caps.
Chop the stems. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Brush the mushroom
caps with melted butter. In the remaining butter, cook and stir the chopped
mushroom stems and onions until tender. Gradually mix the cream cheese and
mustard into the saucepan. Continue stirring until smooth. Stir in the
crabmeat, water chestnuts and pimentos. Heat until warm. Stuff the mushroom
caps with the crabmeat mixture. Sprinkle the stuffed caps with Parmesan
cheese. In a shallow pan, bake the caps at 400F for 10 to 15 minutes or
until hot. Let these little beauties cool for a few minutes and then serve on large platters with colorful little side plates available to catch the drips. They can even be disposable but make sure they are colorful.

Celebrate Christmas in style but make sure you are prepared to ensure your guests get home safely or perhaps even spend the night if they've had a little too much cheer. By winding down the flow of alcohol and bringing out some tasty coffee or specialty coffees you'll still be providing beverages and just maybe prevent someone from having an accident or worse.

Another idea that can pump up your party is to Give to Others.
Plan a party to benefit the needy. Your job will be to get everything organized. You and your guests might make things, such as blankets, toys, or socks. Or collect things as admission to your party, like canned food items or toys to give to the needy or a food bank. Or do a craft project and share it with residents of a retirement home. Put together food baskets and distribute to a shelter for the homeless.

Keep the joy in your Christmas entertaining, keep your friends safe and help others who are less fortunate. Till next time enjoy life! Dave

Quick Kitchen Tips

2011-11-22T21:22:00.003-07:00

Take Time to Enjoy Real Food!
With today's crazy schedules, most families opt for a quick trip to the fast food haven on the corner, rush home, throw it on the table, nosh it down and then feel guilty for consuming all those carbs and fats. We've found that cooking at home saves us money, its an activity we can do together and the taste is superb. This week I'm going to share a few secrets and tips that will save you time in the kitchen and just perhaps, a little money along the way. I'm also going to include a recipe for Hot Crab Dip just in time for those Christmas get-togethers. There will be a new one each week so check back often and share them with your friends.

Cranberry Glazed Meatballs

*Time Savers and Cool Tips*

− You can buy frozen chopped onion or green peppers for a quick recipe shortcut, or since they freeze so well, chop a whole bunch at once and freeze them in single servings.

− When making many meatballs a fast and simple way is to shape the meat mixture into a log and cut off slices. The slices roll easily
into balls. Another option is to pat the meat into a square and cut
it into cubes which again easily roll into meatballs of uniform size.

− Stop tomato stains on your Tupperware by using a nonstick cooking
spray before pouring in tomato−based sauces.
− Strawberries will stay fresher when kept in a colander in the
refrigerator. Don't wash until just before using.
− Freeze ripe bananas for later use. First peel, and then wrap tightly
in plastic wrap and store in freezer bags.
− Corn on the cob will be simple to shuck if you wash them with cold
water, place in a plastic bag and freeze for an hour or so
before shucking.
− Freeze lemon peel. Use when a recipe calls for fresh lemon rind.
− Whole lemons will yield much more juice if stored in a tightly
sealed jar of water in the refrigerator.
− Dissolve 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in a little bit of water and
beat it into whipping cream to keep it from turning watery.
− Grind up or dice leftover roast beef, stew meat, etc. Add to scrambled
eggs along with cubed leftover potatoes for an easy breakfast.
− Make your own "instant" oatmeal by running regular oatmeal in a
blender. Blending makes the oatmeal the same as "instant."

Recipe Time

Hot Crab Dip
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 pinch garlic salt
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 lb. crab meat
paprika for color

Remove cartilage from crab meat (MST*). In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour
cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and garlic
salt until smooth. Add enough milk to make mixture creamy. Stir in 2
tablespoons of the grated cheese. Fold crab meat into cream cheese mixture.
Pour into greased 1−quart casserole. Top with remaining cheese and dust with
paprika. Bake at 325F until mixture is bubbly and browned on top, about 30
minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and/or crackers.

* Money Saver Tip: You can used packaged crab or imitation crab. It'll save you money and time.

We'll see you soon. Bon Appetit! Dave

Tassimo vs Regular Coffee Brewer

2011-11-08T07:59:00.001-07:00

Imagine the convenience of just getting up, grabbing a cup, plopping in a disc, pushing down a handle and turning on a switch to have your perfectly brewed morning beverage. Sounds great, convenient, very handy and most of all tasty.

T65

We got a chance to find out the other day when our eldest son bought us a new Tassimo Coffee Brewer by Bosch. This one is a Cadillac. It's got lots of buttons and lights and brews a heck of a cup of coffee. Except, I find the brew a bit strong. The Missus loves it, the boy loves it and one thing for sure it wakes you up in the morning.

My trouble is I've always liked a mellower taste to my coffee. Even when we make it in our regular brewer I've always had to take a little less coffee and then add hot water from our water station that has both hot and cold taps. The only time I've ever been able to drink it directly from the brewer is if I make it myself.

You see, we've got an 8 cup Sunbeam with a stainless steel carafe that we really liked after trying about 4 or 5 other units. No, we didn't just buy and try, we bought and used each one for a year or two until we couldn't stand the taste anymore then washed them and sold them in our garage sale. Getting back to our Sunbeam for a minute, I've experimented with different measures of coffee and finally found the right combination just the other day. Yes, I know that sounds like a long time but I don't always make the coffee. In any case the correct combo in my books is using really cold water, tap or cooler style. I fill the pot right to the top and then use four level scoops (teaspoon size) and let her rip. Result - Excellent - for me that is. The Missus accuses me of feeding her brown water although the other day she thought it was fine. Who'd a thunk.

Now, back to the Tassimo. It's a model T65 which is I believe the top of the line. There's a basic T20 and a mid range T46. Prices on the street range from around $100 for the T20, the T46 is around the $150 mark and the T65 is nearly $250. Now that's a pretty nice gift but our lad is crafty and scours ads and stores for deals all the time and he found a dandy with the T65 he bought for us. A local store had them on for $99.89 but I'm thinking somebody made a big mistake. You see the sign and sample machine was a T20 but the display was all T65s. Enough said but there are two of them in the family now.

T20

What's the difference between the bottom and top model? Quite a bit. the base model T20 (comes in black or white) appears to be a bit smaller and holds about a litre and a half in the removable tank. It has a simple on off button and an automatic cleaning and descaling system. The bar code on the patented T Discs is where the secret lies and it builds a great cup of coffee all be it a bit on the small side, even the T65 puts out only about half a mug of coffee so they are made to brew a smaller cuppa Joe.

T46

The T46 (comes with red accents or chrome) is a bit larger, with a 1.8 litre tank and a re-sizable cup stand and a water filtration system. It still uses the same T Discs as the T20 and just has an on off switch.

The T65 (comes in black or white) comes with an innovative LCD read out that walks you through the whole brewing process. It also has the 1.8 litre tank, water filtration system and a way to add extra water to the cup at the end of the brewing cycle.

A couple of disadvantages are that you just build one cup at a time so if you've got company over they might have to wait a bit but they'll enjoy the results and they'll have options like - latte's, tea, hot chocolate, espresso, chai tea latte and quite a few more. The second disadvantage is adding the water to make a bigger cup of coffee or mellowing it out. Other than that, the T Discs are available at any retail grocery outlet and prices vary quite a bit so shop wisely. An average cup of coffee will cost anywhere from .35 to .50 cents each which is far cheaper than the corner drive through.

You can learn more by clicking here Tassimo

For us, we are also keeping our Sunbeam for when visitors come a calling and first thing in the morning when several cups get consumed in our house.
Until next time Enjoy Life. Dave

Halloween's Over, Thanksgiving is up next then it's Black Friday

2011-10-31T21:37:00.003-06:00

What? It's still October 31 and the little ghouls and goblins are busily noshing their way through the mountain of candy they collected in the neighborhood and from the local merchants and you're talking turkey!

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. This represents the "Horn of Plenty", which was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.

But, if you live south of the 49th then you've still got another kick at the bird as they say. (although I'm not sure who they are.) This year, Canadians celebrated back on the second Monday in October while the American Thanksgiving takes place on the fourth Thursday in November. The Friday following this holiday is called Black Friday and its an extremely busy shopping day and a holiday in many states.

Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days in the USA. There are two popular theories as to why the day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday. One theory is that the wheels of vehicles in heavy traffic on the day after Thanksgiving Day left many black markings on the road surface, leading to the term Black Friday.

The other theory is that the term Black Friday comes from an old way of recording business accounts. Losses were recorded in red ink and profits in black ink. Many businesses, particularly small businesses, started making profits prior to Christmas. Many hoped to start showing a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving Day.

Regardless, they are holidays that are enjoyed by the entire family and lets face it any day off work is a bonus.

Just make sure you don't get too caught up in the shopping buzz because even if its a bargain, it still has to be paid for eventually. Better to shop with cash and when you run out, you're finished shopping.

Happy Holiday and remember to give Thanks!

Halloween Safety Tips

2011-10-21T10:43:00.001-06:00

It's nearing that fun time of year when every little one and not-so-little one, starts thinking about which character they are going to dress as for All Hallows Eve. There's likely thoughts of huge bags of candy and treats to last them through the next couple of months of winter as well. It's a fun time but can be a dangerous time too. Here's a few tips from my friends at Avery labels that are sure to help you and your young'uns to enjoy the festivities.

Halloween Safety Tips from Avery

Some of you have years of experience with the parental rigors of Halloween, some of you may be facing the waltz around the neighborhood with your little ninjas and princesses in tow for the very first time. Whether this is your family’s swan song or your inaugural ball, Avery offers up some timeless safety tips to help keep this year’s Halloween safe and fun for parents and children alike.

Costume conundrums

Let’s start at the very beginning. It all starts with a child’s imagination; little Suzy runs to you with eyes wide open with excitement and inspiration. A fairy princess is what she wants to be—for the third year in a row! Johnny is indulging in his fascination with superheroes, and Robbie comes out of nowhere with a desire to be a piece of fried bacon.

Whatever the artistic evolution of your children’s inner id, make sure they steer clear of injury and harm by keeping these costume guidelines in mind.

When buying costumes, make sure the clothes are fire proof or treated with flame retardant. Scrutinize outfits to avoid ill-fitting shoes and long hemlines that could cause trips and falls. Masks have long been a staple of Halloween outfits, but since they often limit or block eyesight they might not be the best choice, particularly at night. For safer options, try non-toxic face paints or fanciful hats that won’t obscure vision as substitutes.

Should you let your ghosts roam alone?

Wondering whether you should allow your kids to trick or treat alone? Take advice from the experts. The Mayo Clinic advises parents to accompany any children under twelve, so don’t let your younger children trick or treat without a trusted adult. For the older ones: establish a route, set a curfew and have them carry a cell phone to enable check-ins. Here are some guidelines to give them:

- Stay in a group
- Pick only the houses with porch lights on
- Never enter a home
- Never cut across yards or use alleys

Treats and eats

The zombies, robots and witches have come back successful from the hunt, and they’re anxious to compare their loot and chomp on some candy. Before the sugar explosion, examine their stash for choking hazards and any signs of tampering. Any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious treats should be thrown out immediately. Homemade treats are deliciously tempting, but make sure they were baked by someone you know very well. For younger goblins, weed out gum, peanuts, hard candies and other choking hazards.

Don’t forget the pets

Pets may be forgotten in the melee of little monsters, but the constant knocking and doorbell ringing, the strangers at the door and the tempting bowls of candy can easily whip Fido into a fine frenzy. Take any pets away from the action to prevent them from chasing or biting a neighbor. Also keep in mind that chocolate is no friend to dogs and take care to hide the candy high enough to prevent your canine’s covert candy stealing.

Some final do’s and don’ts for a safe Halloween

DO:
● Get crazy with reflective tape. It might not go with the Yoda costume or ladybug ensemble, but liberally applying reflective tape to costumes or bags means instant visibility for your little goblin.

● Remember and obey traffic laws. In the excitement and festive spirit of the holiday, grown-ups and children alike can forget street safety. Use crosswalks whenever possible, look both ways before crossing, and stay on sidewalks as much as you can.

● Check your porch lights for burned out bulbs so visiting ghosts and pirates won’t trip or fall.

DON’T:
● Let your children get too close to luminaries or candles. While the kids are angling for the quickest route to the candy; it’s your job to make sure that the Jedi costume isn’t straying into the flickering flame inside your neighbor’s pumpkins.

● Allow kids to carve the pumpkins. Have them draw their design in marker or use Avery Sticker Paper to decorate their pumpkin. These stickers allow your child easy creativity without all the mess of a disemboweled pumpkin. If you choose to go old school with your pumpkins, leave the carving to the adults.

Phew! You’ve completed your primer on Halloween hazards, and you’re ready to take on one of the funnest holidays ever invented. Safe and fun wishes from your friends at Avery!

Hope you enjoyed the information. Happy Halloween. Dave

I met Scrapbooking the other day and its pretty cool.

2011-10-08T10:45:00.002-06:00

I had known about scrap booking for some time now but thought oh that's cute. It's a nice pass time for ladies with an artsy crafty leaning to while away their spare time. How wrong was I? The industry is huge and has evolved from simple cut and paste paper, letters, pictures to sophisticated pieces of artwork in both real or hard copy and lately digital form and there are 1000's of people doing it.

For those of you unfamiliar with the hobby you need to understand a bit about it. Here's a brief description from http://www.scrapbooking101.net

What is a Scrapbook?

A scrapbook is simply a decorated photo album that also preserves the stories behind the photos (called journaling), it can also hold memorabilia (tickets, certificates, letters, etc.). You might have a family album as well as smaller theme albums for vacations, home improvement or a baby’s first year. Some scrapbookers create an album for each family member.
By using acid-free and lignin-free papers and adhesives, photos can be preserved beautifully and safely. The papers and accessories available now give us lots of creative options for doing more than just filing photos in an album—scrap booking is a creative hobby!
It’s really all about getting those photos out of shoeboxes and attics and into albums where they can be seen and shared. Best of all, no experience or expertise is required—it’s as simple as cutting and gluing.
Are you looking at those big boxes filled with photos, wondering how you’ll ever get around to all of them? Where to start? It’s best to begin with your most recent photos.
If scrapbooking seems like a monumental task, don’t worry—it’s really not. All you need are a few basic materials and some ideas.

I believe its much more than this. It is an avenue to let your creative juices flow, armed with all manor of tools and resources that are available from craft houses, shows and conferences, other scrap book fans and on the internet of course.

By Mathew Anderson

I was introduced to it by Marlie, one of my daughters, who has been participating for a number of years. She is big time into digital and now my grandson Mathew has taken it up as well. He's into music in a big way and expressed that interest by creating this piece on the right.

Marlie has done some really cool stuff and has one entered into a contest to see who of the designers gets to stay in a virtual Granny's Attic Survivor. She did a beauty about autumn. Hope she gets to stay in. You can find more about it at http://forums.gingerscraps.net/forumdisplay.php?485-Scrapping-Survivor-Season-3-*Grandmas-Attic*

Another cool thing I found was that there is a local celebrity living not far from where I am in north-eastern Alberta. Her name is Jackie Ludlage from Elk Point and she's a co-founder and editor in chief of the magazine Canadian Scrapbooker available in hard copy or online. http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca She and her co-founder partner Kathrina Doyle who is the publisher have an amazing resource for anyone who scrap books or is contemplating getting into it.

In fact, here's a web video from the folks at Canadian Scrapbooker about using rub ons featuring Jackie Ludlage. Enjoy.

Over the next little while I'm going to bring you examples and contact links that will provide you with a huge list of resources so that you can experience the fun and creativity of scrap booking or scrapping as many call it. Hope you'll find it interesting. Enjoy. Oh, by the way, I'm hooked on scrapping now.
Dave

New Premier Designate Alison Redford will be on a Fast Track

2011-10-02T17:20:00.001-06:00

Premier Designate Alison Redford

With the promises made leading up to her selection as leader of the PC party of Alberta, Ms Redford will have to fast track to provide the changes that the voters are expecting.

Doug Horner

The first of course is to select a caucus that supports her ideas and policies and will follow through on those promises. A little carry over isn't too bad so I see Doug Horner being at the table. Not so sure about the likes of Snelgrove or Danyluk who are considered part of the old boys group. Morton would be political disaster while Orman if he can win a seat might be a interesting addition and would add a businessman's sense.

$100 Million in Cash!

She 's also going to have to dig deep in the treasury because she promised to give back the $100 million bucks back to education. Within 10 days! Maybe that can be extended to start from the time she's sworn in because if its from the time of the declaration that she won at two a.m. this morning then the clock is running.

Here's a little side bar, now that Premier Ed's security detail has switched over to look after AR, who's looking after Ed? Do they just cut him loose and hope nobody bothers him or is there still a watch dog to keep the crazies away. Sure hope so because there are lots out there.

Vote/Info/Vend Kiosk

Another side bar. How best to speed up the voting and counting process? This province is supposed to be full of innovators who bring new technology to the market every day. How about electronic voting - on line or at mall kiosks. Buy your membership on-line or in person. Each membership has a unique number. Use that number as a pass word to cast your vote, once you're done, the number is recorded and prohibited from casting another vote until the switch is flipped for the next one. This would eliminate a number of problems to wit:
1. Allowing members to vote no matter where they are. (We turned people away from our polls because they didn't reside in this constituency. They had a card but rules said NO). Think of the people who live in Edmonton but work up in Ft Mac -- couldn't vote there. Thousands of votes lost.
2. Would eliminate the need to find volunteers to spend all day staffing a poll. Not a problem in the city but tough in rural areas.
3. Would eliminate local association having to foot the bill for rents, food and refreshments, signage, stress.
And finally, the terminals could remain in situ after the elections for people to use to find direction in the malls, email their government reps with questions, suggestions or complaints, register as voters or download memberships and it could be all financed by selling ads on the screens or pay per click or pay per action links to sponsor web sites. A little bit of blue skying there but I believe it is possible. You might even be able to make a 3B partnership out of it to get the system financed and operational.

In any case Alberta politics as we know it or knew it is about to change. When the election shoe drops in the next 12 months or so we'll have two intelligent, articulate female leaders going head to head and Dr. Raj as the spoiler. Oh yes and we'll have Mr. Mason and Ms Notley in the mix as well. By God it'll be fun to watch. The media will have 100s of story lines a day and hopefully we'll have something that's good for the people of Alberta.