A Gabriolan.ca reader has asked for help in tracking down a 20-year-old Shaw cable show about Gabriola. It was made in March, 1990, and was about the hooking up the last pole to bring cable television to Gabriola. Are you the sort of person who tapes and keeps television shows about Gabriola? And, if so, do [...]

Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney from Alice In Chains stopped by 99.3 The FOX to chat with Neil Morrison on February 2, 2010. Filed under: music Tagged: 99.3 the fox, alice in chains, cfox, interview, jerry cantrell, music, neil morrison, photos, radio, sean kinney, studio, vancouver, video

The captain of the flight from Toronto pointed out Cypress Bowl, home of Olympic events, as we approached YVR this afternoon.

Poor Michael Campbell.  There he was, on CKNW repeatedly this week whining and complaining that too many British Columbians have been whining and complaining about the 2010 Olympic Games and their negative impact on the city and the province.  Michael just doesn’t seem to understand why everyone isn’t just dancing and singing, welcoming the torch, frolicking and [...]

Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. John Murtha dead at 77. John was best known for his pork he brought home to PA, including his airport that may now get more traffic from this link, than it does passengers. The John Murtha Johnston-Cambria County Airport got an estimated $150 million in federal funds that he steered to it. Citizens for Responsibility [...]

http://www.straight.com/article-286495/vancouver/cathy-wilander-and-eric-doherty-scrub-greenwash-freeway-games

Cathy Wilander and Eric Doherty: Scrub the greenwash off the Freeway Olympics

By Cathy Wilander and Eric Doherty

Many people are asking: Why protest the Olympics when the money is already spent and most of the damage is done?

The reason we will be out on the streets on Friday (February 12) to welcome the Olympic torch and opening ceremony is to highlight the real story and the real costs of the Games and related projects. An informed public is our best hope of stopping such multi-billion-dollar boondoggles in the future.

If the truth about these Games is not exposed, more destructive megaprojects will follow, and B.C. residents will be left paying off the debt, breathing the pollution, and watching global warming spiral out of control. But if we speak up loud and clear, public resources can be redirected toward making our province a better place to live instead of financing the destruction of our environment and communities.

The 2010 Winter Olympics have been branded the “Greenest Games”. But the Games are linked to a massive freeway expansion scheme which is already boosting consumption of tar sands oil and funnelling dirty money into the pockets of Olympic sponsors such as General Motors, Petro-Canada, the Royal Bank, and TransCanada Pipelines. The previous Winter Games in Italy were bad enough, but at least they included a pledge to avoid any major roadway expansion. The 2010 Games are a huge step backwards for environmental standards at the Olympics. [snip]

Full text and links at
http://www.straight.com/article-286495/vancouver/cathy-wilander-and-eric-doherty-scrub-greenwash-freeway-games

(If you like the article, you might want to click on recommend on the straight website or say so in the comments section)

932 Geocaches – 2346 km on foot – 88lbs – 342 Days!

The geocache diet has gone global.  I have to thank the fine folks at the podcacher.com who were kind enough to mention the geocache diet on their Feb 7 geocaching podcast.  I was introduced to podcacher.com just recently by local geocacher coast2coast2coast, the ...

Continue reading Geocache Diet – Day 23

I spent a great deal of time this weekend reading a practice management book for work so I could glean some ideas for our clinic. I came up with lots of great (if I do say so myself) ideas. This was supposed to be part of a big meeting with my boss to discuss the clinic, [...]

Big City Liberal has noted that Ezra Levant, who is facing a libel trial this week involving some very, very funny comments he made about one Giacomo Vigna – a lawyer with the Canadian “Human Rights” Commission – has backdated this “Correction” on his blog: My comments about Mr. Vigna were based on the public record, such [...]

… yep, that’s what it feels like — a sneak attack by the darkness of depression.   … Day after day we keep working and fighting the ‘good fight’ but it just seems to take a periodic turn for the worse. Recently it happened again — everything finally started to feel like it was coming [...] No related posts.

Oh noes!  It’s another poll. This time its from Nanos so it’s actually somewhat accurate. It has the Tories at 35.6%, the Grits at 33.9%, the NDP16.4% , and the Greens at a realistic 5.6%. Quick everybody!  Panic!   The Tory lead has evaporated!  Tories on razor’s edge of losing government  and “Will Canadians throw the bums out” shrieks Jane Tabor. The smell of [...]

The car is a new, preproduction demonstrator of GM’s latest plug-in hybrid car. That circular cover just below the mirror is where it can be plugged in to a domestic power source and be re-charged. In addition to its batteries, it also has a small conventional gasoline engine, which kicks in automatically after 64 kilometres. [...]

Infrastructure Bigs: To Compete, NYC Needs Congestion Pricing, Tolls

by Noah Kazis on February 1, 2010
At a panel put on by the New School last week, some of New York's biggest players in transportation and planning came together to discuss the future of the city's infrastructure. They all seemed to agree: The city can't keep up with its global competitors without new sources of revenue.
http://tinyurl.com/yeoyzhu

Here’s a fungus I come across now and again in the Gabriola woods. I’ve seen some small specimens, but most of the ones I’ve found are huge. The one I saw last week was bigger than the platter you use for serving Christmas turkey. Amazing. I’d love to know what it is, and I suppose I [...]

A whistleblower finally came forward (and was promptly sacked) for reporting on Amnesty International’s odd relationship with Cageprisoners, an organization that advocates on behalf of the “innocent victims” of the war on terror at Guantanamo — many of whom return to the battlefield to wage jihad as soon as they are released. It may [...] Related posts:

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Long before the redevelopment of the Woodward’s building was completed—to offer a mix of market and social housing reinvigorating Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood—there were skeptics of the plan; not least from the potential buyers: “I got a call from a guy who was from L.A. and who had expressed interest in buying a unit, and he was [...] Related posts:

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The mountain comes to Nanaimo, there is snowboarding at Bowen Park this February 22 from 10am to 4pm.  The snowboarding contest is open to riders 7 years and up, bring your helmet and board.   Also, there will be demos of tricks so it will entertaining to watch.   There is a $10 fee to register [...]

If you are looking to buy some antique or older furniture then there really is no better time than now. For those buyers who are wishing to furnish their home or their holiday hideaway there are some excellent bargains around. Equally, for sellers this is probably the worst time in twenty years. The forces of [...]

Have a great week – stand back and take it all in!

Also known as Charlie Brown's Kite-eating tree. Now well established in southern BC.









In Semiahmoo Park and Reserve.

Our friend John is an amazing float cabin construction engineer. Right now he's building Cabin #5 here on Powell Lake. Wayne and I know the workmanship and care John takes because we live almost full time in his Cabin #3.

John can see things in his head and make them come to reality. But he also gets a lot of help from his dad Ed. You can see how the talent for float cabin construction runs in the family.

Ed's a wizard at architectural designs. He spends hours on his computer creating the plans needed to construct Cabin #5 in precision detail. When he can, Ed comes out to the construction site with his binder of drawings to not only supervise, but lend an experienced hand.

In addition to his detailed plans, Ed also created an animated video of the construction process. I have uploaded that video to YouTube.



Thanks Ed for letting me share your exceptional work. You can see more about the construction of Cabin #5 by clicking here. -- Margy

I often hear people talk about this a way to say that giving people tips should be your choice and not an expected requirement. Usually, people use fast food restaurants as an example on how no one ever tips those people and make complaints about it. Just today, for the first time I [...]

The group We Are Change Vancouver tries to set off alarm about our terror threats. Call it the Canadian Alex Jones. Unlike 911 – THIS TIME WE WILL DEMAND A REAL AND PROPER INVESTIGATION NO MATTER WHERE IT LEADS !!! PLEASE HAVE RECORDING DEVICES and VIDEO CAMERAS ready at all times if your in Vancouver for the [...]

Olympic spirit is transforming the look of Vancouver’s downtown with some very neat public art and some excited onlookers. I took a few photos of the action. While I was wandering, I noticed a protest in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery for Iranians against the thuggish regime. Very pleased to see these people getting the [...] Related posts:

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From the Guardian: Founders of British obstetrics ‘were callous murderers’. They are giants of medicine, pioneers of the care that women receive during childbirth and were the founding fathers of obstetrics. The names of William Hunter and William Smellie still inspire respect among today’s doctors, more than 250 years since they made their contributions to healthcare. [...]

I’ll tell you what depresses me about blogging (and the internet) these days. It’s the group of people who call themselves social media consultants. They present themselves as technical mavens, able to make a product famous and popular on the internet. They brand themselves nicely, pass around their cutting edge business cards, and say that [...]

938 Geocaches – 2355 km on foot – 88lbs – 343 Days!

I had my third weigh-in this morning and unfortunately I was not able to repeat the 6 lbs lost last week.  I am only down 2 lbs since the last weigh-in for a total weight loss of 12lbs in 3 weeks.  I know ...

Continue reading Geocaching Diet – Day 22

A couple of quick Torch notes: the orange dots on poles along the Torch route are the spots where one Torchbearer passes the flame to the next Torchbearer. These are great spots to gather, as the Olympic Flame will pause briefly for photos.

And to watch the Torch Relay live on your computer, click here.

If you're out on the Torch route tomorrow taking pictures, I hope you'll be part of our effort to record the day for future generations by submitting photos to our Flickr site:

Thousands of picture perfect moments presented themselves when the Olympic Torch made its way through the Township of Langley on Monday, February 8, and local shutter bugs are encouraged to share their photos with the community and preserve those precious memories for generations to come.

A Flickr photo pool has been set up online and residents who captured the Olympic Torch Relay in Walnut Grove, Fort Langley, Aldergrove, or Willoughby, or took pictures at the Community Celebration, Torch Festival, or Slovakia vs Russia exhibition hockey game, are encouraged to upload their photos.

"This is an easy and effective way to preserve this once-in-a-lifetime event for posterity," said Township of Langley Councillor Jordan Bateman, Chair of the Township’s Torch Relay Committee. "I bet there were hundreds of amazing shots taken of this historic event by members of the community and it would be wonderful to share them and store them."

To load your photos on to the Flickr site, go to http://www.flickr.com/groups/langleytorch/. Create an account, upload the pictures to your personal photostream, then search for the Langley BC's 2010 Olympic Torch Visit group and add your photos.

Those who submit photos are asked to include details in their photo cutlines such as names of the people in the shot, where the photo was taken, and at what time.

The Flickr pool will be up until April 1, then the photos will be collected and digitally archived and used by the Township of Langley’s Corporate Communications Department and Langley Centennial Museum.

"Some people believe that museums are a type of glorified warehouse for old 'stuff,' and in too many cases they are awfully close to the truth," said John Robertson, Langley Centennial Museum Services Manager. "But Langley's museum is dedicated to telling the stories of Langley's people. We treasure our past, we're proud of who we are today, and we're looking forward to the future. That's what these photos represent: stories we are making today to be told in the future."

Langley Centennial Museum hopes to catalog and hold the photos in its digital collection, Robertson said, and the community shots will go a long way towards capturing this specific event and time.

"When Langley celebrates its 200th birthday – and 2073 isn't that far away you know - people will be able to look at these pictures with the same curiosity and wonder as we do at pictures from the 1940's and 50's and say, Didn't they dress funny back then?" he laughed.

"They'll probably wonder, Why was everyone in red mittens?" added Bateman.

unhealthy habits and demographic changes are combining to place an unprecedented burden on the health-care system that may not be manageable, the heart and stroke foundation said in its 2010 annual report on canadians' health. so says the CBC about an alarming increase in heart disease and the potential for heart ...

*** THIS NEW RESTAURANT IS WORTH CHECKING OUT *** I don't normally call out a restaurant in RED BOLD letters but this one excites me and is worth noting. It is common knowledge that Suanne and I get a lot of recommendations from our readers. These recommendations are the ones that we value a lot because these recommendations alerts us to what's new and what's good. We know that if it excites someone well enough to write to us, they are definitely worth checking out. It was just last weekend when Eliza commented (here) that we should check out what she calls the "Starry Night Restaurant Behind Costco". I thought it was kind of weird but I was intrigued with that location. I clicked over to the link on dinehere.ca and was pretty stoked reading the rave reviews.What do you think when you see review headings that says:

• Finally, a high-end restaurant that will make me go back to. Excellent food!
• Recommendation to all foodies out there! It's a must visit!
• Hiddden Diamond! A must see for everyone, inredible! Best looking restaurant in Vancouver!

It just so happened that we were going shopping at Costco that day. We drove over and saw it ... right in the middle of nowhere is just this one restaurant. We were curious and decided to come back. So, yesterday Suanne and I went for lunch at Starry Night. Starry Night is located on Beckwith Road. Forget about the street address. There is nothing on the street let alone anyone know where Beckwith Road is. The sign outside the restaurant says "Starry Night - Restaurant - Reflexology". I'll tell you more about that Reflexology part later on.

Minoo also made a Red Rice Pilaf in the Gilmore Park Community Kitchen. This dish is made impromptu as Lorna gave a bag of red rice to Minoo that morning.

A good man is grieving in Boston this week after a tragedy of the sort every parent fears. Brian Burke, former Vancouver hockey linchpin, lost 21 year-old son Brendan who crashed while driving with a friend in poor winter weather. Hockey people and many others across North America mourn with the Burke family.Born in Vancouver, Brendan grew up mostly in Boston. He played hockey until his final

This is a healthy cake. It has green power. It has the source of Popeye’s power. This cake is great for picky kids who defy vegetables. The whipping cream makes this Spinach Cake more attractive. Source: unknown Prep time: 30 minutes; Bake time: 30 minutes; Yield 1 loaf Ingredients 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 250g (1/4 pound) [...]

I had a very nice client in Vancouver who had a lovely garden in her yard. When I had the time at the end of the shift, I would go outside in her yard to take some pictures. To me it was a mini-Van Dusen Gardens. Last night, I created this collage of some of the photos I had taken over the years. Enjoy!

Is that the price we have to pay for the Games?  Loss of our freedom?  Curtailing of a free press?  Government control of reporting? If so, the price Canadians are paying to host the 2010 Winter Olympics is FAR too high! Admittedly all the facts are not yet known … because the possible culprits, federal government/immigration officials [...]

The salad we made in the Gilmore Park Community Kitchen is a warm or cooked salad unlike the usual raw and cold salad. This Broccoli and Kale with Mustard Currant Dressing is rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Have you seen the commercial on broccoli as a miracle food?

At 1 pm on Saturday, February 13, 2010, the West Coast Anti-Sealing Alliance and International Fund for Animal Welfare are welcoming Sparky - a giant inflatable seal pup – to Maffeo Sutton Park in Nanaimo to raise awareness of Canada's commercial seal hunt.

What's on your mind? Here's an open thread to share your thoughts with the world.

“When in doubt, mumble; when in trouble, delegate; when in charge, ponder.”

James H. Boren

A good sign I think that me brain has started to ponder. Could it mean that the great void of nothingness has been crossed and now once again the little grey cells will start to spend valuable resources thinking about things that maybe others who have a life wouldn't have time for?

But then maybe I am not doing those many people justice who can have a full time job, raise a family, go to the gym, have hobbies and still think about such things? Maybe it is because they are not having Dog Whisperer marathons, HGTV half marathons and catching up on all the recorded programs that are cluttering up the DVR cable box memory that they have a brain that is primed for thought action like trying to delve into the creation of chocolate...

Now I have to wonder was this gift from the gods invented to cool the savage breast of the hordes of prehistoric Aztec women suffering from PMS or did some South American dessert chef serendipitously discover that great amounts were sold at a certain time of the month? And maybe even a bigger question to ask is what the hell did all those women eat to quench the cravings and the crazies before Chocolate was invented!!!!

How did it come about that some drugs became bad when they have been used since the dawn of time to cure a variety of health troubles....but then it seems that the drugs we replaced them with have more side affects and maybe don't do the trick as good as those we say are not only bad, evil but illegal? Is it because they can be grown quite easily and so if we had our own home grown supply it would cut into the legalized government supported drug lords?

Oh I know that in this day and age we must have control after all you wouldn't want people driving around all hopped up on drugs or out and about mixing with the public after they have dosed themselves and heaven forbid working under the influence of drugs...but I would bet that 80% of us are doing just this and with a doctor's blessing and prescription!

Oh but those drugs are different for they help us in our pain, they help us concentrate, they help us feel happy...and these couldn't possibly be dangerous for us to be driving around in an automobile...and help us be normal. But do they? here is a couple of well prescribed drugs and some of their side affects

Gabapentin:

• drowsiness
• tiredness or weakness
• dizziness
• headache
• shaking of a part of your body that you cannot control
• double or blurred vision
• unsteadiness
• anxiety
• memory problems
• strange or unusual thoughts
• unwanted eye movements

Naproxen:

• Disturbed color perception

• Double vision
• Fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
• Halos around lights
• Headache
• Night blindness
• Overbright appearance of lights
• Troubled breathing with exertion
• Tunnel vision
• Coma
• Confusion
• Change in ability to see colors, especially blue or yellow
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Decreased vision
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Extreme fatigue
• Eye pain
• Fainting
• Seizures
• Slurred speech

Wellbutrin:

The most common side effects associated with bupropion are agitation, dry mouth, insomnia, headache, nausea, constipation, and tremor. In some people, the agitation or insomnia is most marked shortly after starting therapy. Some patients may experience weight loss. Uncommonly, patients may experience manic episodes or hallucinations. Four of every 1000 persons who receive bupropion in doses less than 450 mg/day experience seizures. When doses exceed 450 mg/day, the risk increases ten-fold. Other risk factors for seizures include past injury to the head and medications which can lower the threshold for seizures. (See drug interactions.)

Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in short-term studies in children and adolescents with depression and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of bupropion or any other antidepressant in a child or adolescent must balance this risk with the clinical need. Patients who are started on therapy should be closely observed for clinical worsening, suicidality, or unusual changes in behavior.

So it seems that we don't like people to be unbalanced, hallucinating, not in control of their behaviour or thoughts with nature's pharmacy and we criminalize the whole ball of wax but we think that the little pills brought to us by the huge multinational drug companies are our saving grace to helping people manage their ills and get back to work...and these little pills are so good that our governments will even pay for them...that is after our doctors give us free samples to get us hooked courtesy of the those big drug barons.

Not that I am supporting the use of drugs either man-made or nature made but I got to say that maybe just maybe sometimes what the hell...if some one is in so much pain and near death what the hell would a shot of heroin be terrible? What about some medicinal opium for those who are suffering from chronic conditions that has them so debilitated that they can't work and have no quality of life? Would it be terrible if grandpa in his last years of life was hooked but not in pain?

The state of affairs as it is now we ply on the drugs and because of their side affects we as my friend's husband says then have to take another pill so we can take a pill. Got joint/muscle pain take a gut eating liver/kidney destroying heart attack giving pill...then take others for the gut and then take another for the side affects of that one!.

And because we have outlawed many of these natural wonders we have now created a sub culture that is now controlled and marketed by outlaws who have become so rich and to protect their riches will do anything to make their riches and keep them...and this is really the big crime taking something that could be grown, harvested and controlled into an underworld funder of crime and mayhem.

“It is quite true what Philosophy says: that Life must be understood backwards. But that makes one forget the other saying: that it must be lived /forwards. The more one ponders this, the more it comes to mean that life in the temporal existence never becomes quite intelligible, precisely because at no moment can I find complete quiet to take the backward-looking position.”

Soren Keirkegaard

... as the Glen Burtnik song goes. When Wayne and I first came to Powell River BC, we immediately started listening to the local radio station.

We're a small town so there's only one. It was called CHQB at 1280 AM. The format was country with lots of local programming. That's where I got my theme song, The Truck Got Stuck by Corb Lund. I'd just purchased my GMC 4X4 and it made me think about driving in the bush. Reception up the lake wasn't great, but we listened for hours. My favourite features, other than the great tunes, were the local news and Telemarket. Call in with your items to sell and leave your phone number for prospective buyers. You learn a lot about a town on a show like that. Roo (now on JRfm in Vancouver) even interviewed Wayne about his first book, Up the Lake. I really miss that original format!

One day I was driving my truck into the bush towing my quad. I turned on the radio and to my surprise there was no country music. It was now the New Magic and the music was a mix of oldies, pop, easy listening and local information. John Stevenson was the morning anchor. In the evenings we still could listen to live broadcasts of the Kings home hockey games.

Then a little over a year ago the station "flipped." The word came through the reliable taxi driver grapevine. Now it's Sun and can be found at 95.7 FM. The music has improved and we get syndicated Ryan Seacrest on weekends (unless he really comes to hang out in our great little town!). You can even listen live on the Internet. But alas, no more Telemarket. Bummer! But we do get to hear His Worship the Mayor on the news quite frequently. He keeps us informed about local happenings along with Brittany King, the new morning personality from Red Deer.

So whether you are in Powell River listening live or out of town on the Internet, tune in to SunFM. You just might hear Wayne's Coastal BC Stories add on the Mainstreet Powell River feature. -- Margy

Tourism Langley's latest Fresh Sheet of activities can be found here.

About.com has its usual list of the week's best political late-night jokes, including the Top Ten Surprises In The $3.8 Trillion Federal Budget from David Letterman. I like #10: "$3.5 trillion given to committee fighting overspending."

It feels as if the World has gone topsy-turvy. El Nino has changed the weather in many areas...it has certainly changed ours.

I went to do errands in town yesterday.  At every stop, I was asked how I liked the weather. The people I spoke to about our warm temperatures looked confused...not sure as to how they felt about it.


Winter in the Cariboo is usually very cold.  Last year, temperatures dipped to -40C here on my deck...this year, temperatures are usually in the range of -5C overnight to 8C during the day. It's warm, folks!

I haven't worn my down jacket much this Winter. Warm hats and gloves...well, I'm not even sure where they are. I keep waiting for the Cold to hit...but each day is warmer than the last.


These record-breaking warm temperatures are not good news for the Winter Olympics down in Vancouver. They will be making Snow in large quantities before the competitions begin on Cypress Mountain within the next couple of weeks...Mother Nature does not look as if she will grace the Mountain with natural Snow, if the long range weather forecasts are correct.

Animals are confused as well, as is the Plant World. Bear, who is usually holed up in some warm and dry cave in January, has decided to awaken. And he smells really bad...even I, with a stuffed up nose, caught his scent the other day.

I hear crashing through the bush at night. Moose has decided the Willows must be ready for browsing, with the sudden, uncommon warmth. Every time I let the Dogs outside, there is something for them to chase...whether it be Bear, Moose, or Deer. It's a very good thing there is a fence. I doubt I would even have Dogs without it, considering the size of some of the Animals they chase. The fence gives them a very false sense of security.


There are many, many Birds about...far more than there are even on Spring days. With the nattering of the abundant Squirrel and the chirping of Birds, around here one could think one was visiting a Bird sanctuary.

And the Plant World has chosen to allow their buds to swell, has chosen to believe the unusual warmth will last. If I were a shrub, I'm positive I would want to believe Winter was over as well. Yet the temperatures at night go well below freezing, leaving Ice sheets behind.


But Sun, with its golden, loving rays, melts everything during the day...One can hear the dripping rhythm of melting Ice throughout the daylight hours.  It makes me think I am living close to an overflowing, babbling Brook.


I want to say Spring will be early this year, I want, at the very least, to start seedlings. But I feel convinced it is too early...it must be too early. Winter will not give up this easily...will he? I feel confused and convinced...a strange way of being.


The very oddness of the weather keeps me unsettled. Winter is not supposed to be this way. Yet, this year, it is.


To keep my mind off the should I's, will I's, can I's, I resolve to ignore the strangeness and go on with day-to-day living. I have applied for Hospice training, with an interview slated for next week. Wish me luck...not everybody will be accepted for the programme.


And then there are eye appointments, dentist appointments, etcetera, etcetera. I recently had my hair cut...this, in itself, keeps my mind off the weather as I try for some semblance of neatness and easy care.


Life.  It goes on regardless of odd weather patterns. What will be, will be...and all the angst in the World about freezing plant life will not change it.


But I have the need to wonder about something.


What will Summer be like in this El Nino year?

Minoo prepared four dishes in the Gilmore Park Community Kitchen. We made Chicken Patties, a warm salad, a Spinach Cake and a Red Rice Pilaf. The Chicken Patties are marvelous. They are fried to crispy. Kids will love the Chicken Patties in their lunch boxes.

Man, if the American relgious right saw this, there would be a lot of weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth over this commercial.

Never underestimate the power of the individual. In this case the individual in question is Silvia Pettem who tenaciously researched to find the identity of a Jane Doe who had been murdered over 55 years ago in 1954.  It took Ms Pettem over 10 years work but she was finally able to not only identify Jan3’s probable [...]

The crabs in my aquarium are used to me. They keep on with their busy work, digging tunnels under the rocks, pushing sand up into piles outside their doors, rearranging the stones and shells around the entrances, even with my face and lens a few inches away from the glass.

(They're incredibly efficient diggers. They scramble deep under a big rock, sideways, and a minute later slide out again, pushing a load of sand with their claws. Back in they go, and out with more sand, pushing it up the slope until it crests the rise and doesn't slide back. I have seen them create a pile a couple of inches high overnight. They don't stop for coffee breaks.)

They come out of their tunnels and burrows after dark, and sit waiting for me to arrive with food, a piece of dried minnow, crumbled into bite-sized pieces. (Crab and hermit bite-size, not mine.) I don't know if they would prefer another feeding time, but at night is when the big polychaete worms come out, too; I love to watch them creep out of their holes, ever so slowly, sniffing here and there, this way and that. Then, suddenly, they grab a choice bit of fish out of a crabs' pincers and whip it down into the sand before the crab can say, "Stop, thief!"

When I clean the tank, I fish them out with my hand, and put them in a bowl with the hermits and snails. They're ok with that. Afterwards, they go back to their digging, repairing the comfortable burrows that I filled with sand. No worse that the incoming tide would have done; that's life.

With that background, I thought that they really wouldn't mind a visit to my new underwater photo studio; they know me, they can trust me. I've never hurt them yet.

I was wrong. They panicked. They scrabbled around frantically, trying to hide under each other, under the stones, against the opposite side of wherever the camera was.

And lo, it was a lot of time later. I am working on the painting project of the last post, and may show my progress next time. But for now my mind has gone hounding off, jumping deadfalls, ditches and along old creekbeds, loping hard through distant wooded glens, all in pursuit of the intriguing mystery [...]

At least, don’t try to get here from the USA. You’ll be turned back (like this guy was) by border agents who seem to have been instructed that merely opposing the Olympics is a threat to public order. Remind me again, who cuts our border agents’ checks: the feds or the IOC? Related posts:Not Politically Correct About [...] Related posts:

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I had some very vivid dreams last night; maybe because it’s the first night that I’ve had decent sleep in awhile. My brain must have had a lot of junk to process though because they were weird.

I’ve read about eagles in other parts of North America getting sick on food they eat because of lead poisoning. Do eagles on the BC coast suffer from lead poisoning, too? Apparently. According to a Canwest article, two Vancouver Island eagles died from lead poisoning last year: Two Vancouver Island eagles that died last spring were [...]

VANOC is now in town, and has released a list of our local torchbearers. You'll see orange markers going up along the route tomorrow, which are Torch handoff points.

And yes, it's *that* Bill Good running in Willoughby.

Walnut Grove leg:
Hayley Shay of Ontario running for Coca-Cola
Valaree Braaten of B.C. running for RBC
Mandy Hadfield of B.C. running for RBC
Jesse Kaufman of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Alex Blaby of B.C. running for RBC
Brian Wilks of B.C. running for RBC
Brad Waugh of B.C. running for VANOC
Burt Burdett of Manitoba running for Coca-Cola
Rebecca Wyse of B.C. running for RBC
Janice Chisholm of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Christopher Brearton of California running for VANOC
Miro Bezjak of B.C. running for RBC
Rick Manuel of B.C. running for RBC
Elizabeth Hughes of B.C. running for RBC
Marlys Cory of Saskatchewan running for Coca-Cola
Claudia Bokel running for VANOC

Fort Langley leg:
Sarah Hannigan of B.C. running for RBC
Alaura Chantelle Collet of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Emily Ellis Collet of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Chantelle A Anne Collet of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Boulay LaFontaine Collet of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
McCormick Kelly Collet of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Victoria Collet of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Gordon Vitkay of B.C. running for RBC
Dan Voetmann of Washington running for VANOC
Joanne Thember of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Terri Orser of B.C. running for VANOC
Bernard Jaquier running for VANOC
Anne Martin-Lederrey running for VANOC
Bev Tennant of B.C. running for RBC
George Coucopoulos of B.C. running for RBC

Aldergrove leg:
Coleen Christie of B.C. running for VANOC
Debbie Armstrong of B.C. running for RBC
Keary Bott of B.C. running for RBC
Brian Johnston of B.C. running for VANOC
Gale Neumann of Manitoba running for Coca-Cola
Pascal Waeber running for VANOC
Sergio Grossi of B.C. running for VANOC
Doug Mossey of B.C. running for RBC
Rachael Lafreniere of B.C. running for Coca-Cola

Langley Township leg:
Robert Kerr of B.C. running for VANOC
Linda Pauls of B.C. running for RBC
Jim McGregor of B.C. running for Spirit of BC
Jerome Piovey running for VANOC
Lauren Barwick of Florida running for VANOC
Chris Lasher of B.C. running for RBC
Diane Askin of B.C. running for RBC
Fenton Davis of B.C. running for RBC
Jessie Anderson of B.C. running for RBC
Colleen Mathieson of B.C. running for RBC
Jennifer Watts of B.C. running for RBC
Dan Nugent of B.C. running for RBC
Patty Nugent of B.C. running for RBC
Keith Prefontaine of B.C. running for RBC
Patrick Watts of B.C. running for RBC
Philip Alalouf of B.C. running for RBC
Seanna Lasher of B.C. running for RBC
Lorne Malinowski of B.C. running for RBC
Brent Holliday of B.C. running for RBC
Robert Watts of B.C. running for RBC
Terry Prefontaine of B.C. running for RBC
Bill Jolly of B.C. running for RBC
Lee Anderson of B.C. running for RBC
Ryan Mathieson of B.C. running for RBC
Theresa Watts of B.C. running for RBC
Deborah Dickson of B.C. running for RBC
Bill Good of B.C. running for IOC
Taylor Briggs of B.C. running for VANOC
Jesse Briggs of B.C. running for VANOC
Andrew Walsh of B.C. running for RBC
Shawn Siak of B.C. running for RBC
Tracy Minor of B.C. running for VANOC
Quamar Jutt of B.C. running for VANOC
Steve van der Leest of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Jamie Nelson of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Matthew Gray of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Kurt Louie of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Teresa Hardie of Georgia running for VANOC

Langley City leg:
Romona McClymont of B.C. running for VANOC
James Pitblado of B.C. running for VANOC
Celia Pereira running for VANOC
Chris Steunenberg of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Pat Brethour of B.C. running for VANOC
Nancy Jensen of B.C. running for RBC
Margaret Langford of B.C. running for Coca-Cola
Richard Nilson of B.C. running for VANOC
Paul Winston of B.C. running for VANOC
Doug Jensen of B.C. running for RBC

Today I heard a person saying how he could get tickets to an event where for $250 dollars you could drink as much alcohol as you want. This made a lot of people enthusiastic where they started to say how they would get “hammered” for sure and all where it was such a good [...]

This year on February 14 we get two special days in one!  What do we do with our kids for Valentines Day and Chinese New Year?  We make crafts of course and since they land on the same day why not make a Chinese/heart themed craft.  Cut out hearts with chinese characters was too obvious and ...

Continue reading Chinese Paper Lanterns with Hearts

Dudecraft - Paper Cut Portrait Tutorial from Paul Overton.

I so want to give this a try.

Cathy and I both have iPhones and are seldom at the same place at the same time.  Each day, no matter where we are, we take a totally random photo and send it to the other person and title it “Me Now”.  Here are the ‘Me Now’s I sent her today: OK that done, I had

After a half day inside attending a workshop at the Filberg Lodge in Comox, BC I definitely needed a little fresh air and a nature break. The Filberg sits right down on the water in Comox, with a fine view of Goose Spit across a shallow muddy bay. The tide was low in the late [...]

When I first heard about the ten American “missionaries” ,who were arrested (Sat Jan 31st) as they tried to improperly remove 33 Haitian “orphans” from the country. My first reaction was to shake my head, geez the arrogance of these people… The misplaced missionary impulse to save the heathen children and impart “civilization” by loading a [...]

Leave your car outside for too long on Gabriola and what happens? It grows moss.

Lung cancer cell

“This image shows a single cell grown from a culture of lung epithelial carcinoma (cancer) cells. The purple area shows the formation of irregular bulges in the cell membrane, in a process called blebbing. Blebbing is important in a variety of cellular processes. The green area shows an area of the cell where the blebbing is not occurring or is not visible. “
~ The Most Amazing Medical Images of 2009

For years we have lived in the shadow of construction cranes towering over Columbia St., and this promised revitalization has not yet come. Yet I think this long-overdue hope will soon be realized, as we approach a critical mass of major development projects and an accompanying demographic shift that really will have the power to transform New Westminster's downtown. Possibly Related posts:

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4. Questions from readers: What’s the torch route? Today we asked our readers on Facebook and Twitter if...
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(Well, Rich, you sure know how to give a good quote ! )  ******* UPDATE – FEBRUARY 07th, 2010.  Last year I bookmarked a page from The Province’s Operation Phoenix series that I found to be particularly authentic, and   Several days ago, the link disappeared and ‘ this story was no longer available.’   To be honest, it [...]

My writing is seriously backlogged. Suanne and I had a lot of good eating lately and am so excited to write about them but I simply had no time to sit down at with a good stretch of time to write. You see, I am a slow writter. I take about 30 minutes to gather my thoughts and determine the story line. Processing the pictures is a laborious but necessary process. Processing picture is the easy part (but downright boring) but even that takes up another 30 minutes or so. Then the writing -- if I am on the roll, 1 hour max -- if not, it takes up to 2 hours. Oh that does not include responding to emails everyday, planning, and what nots. This blog is consuming our lives. Help!!

McDonalds and the Vancouver 2010 Olympics

Suanne and I are so excited. McDonalds is arranging media credentials for us and also a 1-on-1 interview with someone who is known as the Most Powerful Chef in America. He he he ... that is from the standpoint that more people eat his food than any other chef. I am talking about Dan Coudreaut, the Director of Culinary Innovation from Illinois. I really hope to be able to also see McDonalds operations in the Games Village and the Media Center. Exciting times! We had never done these sort of things before. We are really in for the learning and for fun. I think Chef Dan is going to be shocked with some of the dumb questions that we are going to throw at him. I need your help! I was hoping that you could help me identify some of the things you want to know about McDonalds, no matter how silly it may be. You can either send me an email (ben@chowtimes.com) or just comment on this post.

Notes from Langley Township Council's special budget meeting, Thursday. Feb. 4, 2010. Mayor Green and Councillors Richter and Dornan were absent. Coun. Long, as this month's deputy mayor, assumed the chair.

Staff opened the meeting with presentations on planted area maintenance costs and the 2010 budget.

After a series of amendments (detailed below) Council voted unanimously (moved by Bateman, seconded by Fox) to send the draft 2010 budget and 2010-2014 Long Term Financial plan out to the public for input.

Several amendment motions were made to the budget, some passing and some failing.

I made the following motion: "That staff be instructed to cancel this year's BC Rivers Day event and use $20,000 of that budget envelope for a low-flow toilet rebate program in rural areas, and return the other $20,000 to reduce the proposed property tax increase." This was moved by Bateman, seconded by Fox, but defeated 4-2 with only Charlie and me in favour.

The Rivers Day event attracts about a thousand people in a good year, but at $40,000 seemed too high a cost to continue in this form. Indeed, Township staff had flagged it as a "non-core service). I was disappointed that this motion failed, as I felt it would both provide more tangible results for water conservation, and reduce the property tax increase slightly. I plan to try this amendment again when a full Council is present.

Coun. Ward made the following motion: "That staff be instructed to close the Centennial Museum on Labour Day, and on Sundays and Mondays in the fall and winter/spring seasons, and that the $31,500 saved be used to reduce the proposed property tax increase." This was moved by Ward, seconded by Bateman; passed 4-2 with Long and Ferguson opposed. The Museum recieves an average of 21 visitors on these days, and the schedule chnage brings us into line with other municipal museums in the region.

Coun. Fox made the following motion: "That staff be instructed to consider other options and future plans for the Compost Demonstration Garden, and that this recommendation be brought forward in the 2011 budget cycle." It was moved by Fox, seconded by Bateman, and passed unanimously. I want to look at the future of this site in Murrayville.

I made the following motion: "That staff be instructed to put together options and cost estimates to complete 208th Street in Willoughby, and to bring forward a plan in the 2011 budget cycle focusing on the intersections of 72nd and 80th Avenues." This was moved by Bateman, seconded by Fox, and passed unanimously. 208th is a huge problem in Willoughby, and I want to be ready in 2011 to work on it. As part of the Albion Ferry decommissioning deal with TransLink, 208th will beciome part of the TransLink Major Roads Network, meaning the Township will be eligible for capital funding of up to 50% for the project in 2011.

A motion for a $15,000 upgrade to add a left-turn signal at 248th and Fraser, and to put a full intersection upgrade into the Five Year Financial Plan, was passed unanimously (moved by Fox, seconded by Ferguson).

A Coun. Kositsky motion to scrap the Fraser Hwy. widening project did not draw a seconder.

I made the following motion: "That staff be instructed to limit the Township Page to one newspaper group through a competitive bid process, and that the projected savings be used to reduce the proposed property tax increase." This was moved by Bateman, seconded by Ward, but defeated in a 3-3 tie (Kositsky, Long and Ferguson opposed).

I was disappointed this failed, as it could have saved the Township more than $100,000 annually, and it would leverage the competition between the papers and get us a better advertising rate. I plan to bring this back when a full Council is present. The three councillors opposed to the motion tried to muddy the waters by referring it to staff for a full communications study, but this would just cost more money and fortunately was defeated on the 3-3 tie (moved by Kositsky, seconded by Ferguson; Bateman, Ward and Fox opposed).

Later in the meeting, a list of pre-approved capital projects was passed 5-1 (moved by Bateman, seconded by Fox; Kositsky opposed).

The budget now goes to the public for their input, and will come back to us in bylaw form in March.

My wrist was throbbing mega today so I decided to sit a spell and review my prine photos of Vancouver. This is yours truly, John Prine and Mitchell.

John is getting ready to sign my Hatch Print. Good lord, I was all in-a-flutter. I still get that way when I look at the photos or chat about the upcoming Nashville concert at the Ryman.

I trust the Playbill Mitchell is holding is that of John Prine. Had my heart not have been throbbing to the beat of John Prine - you know if I had had my wits about me, I would have hoisted that Playbill right out of his hand. But oh no, I am dedicated to getting the Prine autograph with my new sharpie. See that finger tip of John Prine touching the sharpie - it's golden. I have not looked that naive for 45+ years.

Previous to the photo we were out in the back alley.

Now Mitchell - if you should ever prine on in to read my rural, simple blog - post dear man, post.
I want the Prine Vancouver Playbill. I will pay costs thereof.

Geez, does my left wrist look good there or what.

Credits:
Sharpie - thank you skunkeyejan
Photo/Hatch Print - thank you charlene stevenson

It’s amazing how much litter there is in the Gabriola woods, and it’s not just along the trail, either: some of it’s under a dense thicket of salal. I know this because I bush-crash through the woods fairly regularly, and discover lots of stuff in the process. Under salal I find plastic water bottles, juice bottles, [...]

What to do to celebrate our friend Jeanne's new job? Go to lunch, of course. Mom, my sister MaryLee, Jeanne and I decided to meet in Birch Bay for lunch.

We headed north on I-5 to Birch Bay-Lynden Road. Just a straight shot due west until you reach the ocean. Turn left and in a few short blocks you will see the Shores Restaurant in the Sandcastle at Birch Bay Resort.

The Shores is at 7854 Birch Bay Drive. We opted for an indoor ocean view window booth. The outside deck was a little too breezy even though it was a lovely sunny day. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Lunch has lots of northwest theme entrées, sandwiches, soups and salads to choose from. We had the homemade clam chowder, special prime rib sandwich, fish and chips, and fried oysters. The fries were great, with a thin crisp batter coating and piping hot. A cool dip of blue cheese dressing, yum. Warm comfort food for a cool Saturday afternoon.

Looking for a good place for a girls day out, a nice meal with an ocean view or local brew while watching your favorite game or Olympic event? Head for Birch Bay and the Shores Restaurant.

I'm always looking for good suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Bellingham area. Got any? -- Margy

I rolled over in bed this morning, groped for the radio and was treated to the voice of the B.C. Premier once again rah-rahing about the Olympics. He gets a weekly Saturday rant on the province’s biggest radio station and this is about the 32nd straight address in which he’s been jostling his pom-poms about [...]

Greenest Games or Freeway Olympics?

GatewaySucks.org is proud to partner with the Council of Canadians, Canada's largest public advocacy organization, to challenge the freeway building and corporate greenwashing promoted by the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

Together we will "greet" the Olympic Torch Relay when it arrives at Delta Municipal Hall on Feb. 9 at 3pm, and join the Take Back Our City festival and parade in Vancouver on Feb. 12, also at 3pm. Join us! We will provide signs and banners at both events.

Tuesday Feb. 9, 3 pm: Delta Municipal Hall - 4500 Clarence Taylor Crescent (5 min walk from Ladner Exchange bus loop) http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Ladner+Exchange,+Delta,+BC+(Ladner+Exchange+-+Bus+Loop)&daddr=Delta+municipal+hall&geocode=CcjU76QZyX7XFewE7QIdYjiq-CFdfAN4og-xiw%3BFWj47AIdz0iq-CGvtqd2AHjcAA&hl=en&mra=pe&mrcr=0&dirflg=w&sll=49.086122,-123.060312&sspn=0.013547,0.037894&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=17 [note that you walk through the parking lot, not around as Shown on Google Maps]

Friday Feb. 12 3pm: Vancouver Art Gallery - Georgia Street between Howe & Hornby (near Granville station & Vancouver City Centre station)

For more information see:

http://www.gatewaysucks.org/freeway-olympics

http://www.canadians.org/olympics/index.html

http://2010welcoming.wordpress.com/

Hello everyone! February 6th today. It is the anniversary date of my father's death. He was 48 when he died 34 years ago. Still miss him very much. I just celebrated another birthday, still in my early 50's, went to the Avenue Bistro in Comox to celebrate with my husband. The food was delicious and excellent service.My creations have not been happening as quickly as I would them to be. The

My heartfelt condolences go out to Toronto Maple Leafs president and general manager, Brian Burke, on death of his youngest son, Brendan(21). The death of a child before the parents always seems so unnatural. I simply cannot imagine the pain and anguish of Brendan’s parents right now.  May they be comforted amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Cedar Road LFG Inc. has completed phase one at its Nanaimo landfill methane gas utilization facility and is now selling electricity to BC Hydro. The company is a leader in its field and its progress is being closely watched by landfill operators around British Columbia.

By Tom Read One of the most frequent questions we hear from prospective Texada Island residents is “do you have high-speed internet access?” The answer is “yes,” and we’re fortunate that our island now enjoys a range of internet access technologies and service options. But this wasn’t true when we first moved here in 2000. Ten years [...]

I've a thing about the psychiatric industry's propensity to keep narrowing what it means to be normal by virtue of forever expanding the number of mental disorders any one of us might have. I've written quite a bit about that on this blog. That said, I just did this test, designed by psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen et al. It appeared in their paper "The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ): Evidence

Each and every Wednesday, Bar None presents RETRO ACTIVE - the best mid-week club-night in the city. DJ Feroz and Myles Bigelow play retro dance hits with live percussion. $4 Highballs and $5 green bottles help get you over hump day and smooth out the rest of the week.

Father and son

Heron and duck silhouettes, under a threatening sky:

I was very surprised to get this in the mail today. By the looks of it, this payment is from a company that I have tried awhile ago in regards to an affiliate program. The return didn’t seem that great and so I went on to other stuff. As it appears, I [...]

This is just a quickie post since I had already done an in-depth review of Chef Todd's 12B Underground Kitchen in this post here. My first visit to 12B was when I joined a group of Vancouver Chowhounds. That was back in December last year. That sitting was full and I was only able to make it after someone pulled out to make room for me. It was just me who went ... and poor Suanne had to stay at home. So, I offered to organize another one for Chowtimes readers so that Suanne could also have the chance to experience dinner at 12B. The response from chowtimes readers was overwhelming ... a total of 36 people responded! I truly had a problem on my hands! You see, 12B had always limited the number of people on each night to twelve guests only. I had several discussions with Chef Todd over the large number of diner. At one stage we were seriously exploring the possibility to do an unprecedented mega-sized group of 18! But one thing led to another, the group eventually whittled down to a nice size of 12. Two main factors were in play. The available dates were limited. Chef Todd is full booked for Friday/Saturday sittings right up till early June already. Although weekdays are available, it is very limited, So we were left with the less popular days of week. Not wanting to wait for a few months, we had to settle for a Sunday night -- which proved to be unsuitable for some. The other factor was the price ... the price increase. Back in December, the "minimum donation" for 12B was $50. Mid-way through the planning, Chef Todd informed me that the "minimum donation" is not longer $50, but $65. Understandably, that did not sit down well with some people. Frankly, I was really embarrassed about it having to go back to the group about this hefty 30% increase. Needless to say I was quite unhappy to be forced to deal with this. So, long story short ... twelve of us finally ended up attending the dinner.