Category: Government Works


TGIF

Merit of Merritt

Its good that it is friday....

A source with on of the contractors for the 500 KV line says there are 850 towers to build, for the project. He thinks that regular BC Hydro, IBEUW workers will build the towers.The source says that the joint venture is putting in the bases and they belong to the Christian Labourers Union.

There are only a few people at the yard leased by Hydro and shared with the joint venure partners Flatron Graham. Early June  is expected by a source to be a time of gearing up.

Today in History April 20,1534

Jack Cartier starts his voyage ending in the finding of Canada.

TGIF

The oh wells, a charming group of young people called the oh wells played at Brambles bakery last evening 2 women and three young men, charmed and soothed about 60 people in a bakery on the 2100 block Quilchena
Avenue. They had just finished a cross Canada tour and were ending it in Merritt before returning to their home in Vancouver.

Merit of Merritt

Its good that it is friday….

Today in history, April 13. 1941

Merritt in winter

Merritt in winter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pact of neutrality is signed between Russia and Japan.

 

 

Smart meter

On the 1900 block Quilchena Ave, in Merritt there is a couple of businesses in the same building. Around the back are two hydro meters one an analog one a digital.(more later)

At this time there are complaints about higher bills then before the utility put in digital meters. The Hydro in BC operates as a not for profit business and lower rates are mandated by law. When the production and distribution of power is efficient, there becomes a benifit to consumers. They can not take retained earnings from year to year except for projects. If people have been not fairly metered in the past by old analog meters then eventually a rate decrease will come through fairer and less defeated metering.

We know of a couple of techniques  the utility is employing to ensure that complaints are legit. Remember that taking any unmetered power, is theft and subject to criminal prosecution.

Today in history, April,10 1983

Born Haig Sutherland Canadian Actor.

ILM

The Interior Lower Mainland project,a third 500 kilo volt line is gearing up, and today, Janis Brooks and Cheryl Brooks are available at the local college takeing  job applicants.

A new 250 kilometer line is going from the Revelstoke Dam site to the lower mainland.

For information on job opportunities call 604-846-1011 ext 215 and leave a message with Kate Fitzer. No man camp is planned.

BC Hydro is looking for a January 2015 in service date for the project.

Today in History: March 12 1947

The Truman Doctrine is proclaimed to stop the spread of Communism.

 

 

Garbage

The regional government here; The Thompson Nicola Regional District gave out calendars at new years. This month the calendar picture is of garbage cans , two; one blue and one grey. They are buying a new truck and it will eventually pic up household garbage and recycle at the curbside. The City took out and add asking for a contractor to scan serial numbers and deliver these cans to households in Merritt. The cans will belong to the city and there is a list of maintenance demands published about them, including where to place them how to clean them and where not to put them in regard to snow. One of the chief demands is to keep the serial number in good condition and cleanliness.

A source said they will be collecting solon green to make into oil as a quip that’s  funny however there is getting to be a lot of this with smart meters and  wireless chip cards every where. We can remember when the district started running a landfill here it was completely fenced and had limited hrs. Numbers of people took garbage out to the dump about 6 miles to the west and when confronted with a locked gate they neatly piled  there bags oot side the gate. We think that they had hoped that there neighbours that worked a t the landfill would do the rest as this was new to the rural folks of this valley.Not so the Conservation officer was dispatched and garbage taken apart for evidence and some tickets for littering given. Some were challenged in court but to no avail.

The district conditioned was with a sponsored docu drama The Clean Bin Project  .  The film chronicled a couple that lived on minimal garbage for a year, they had no other point of view and had many awards, however no cautions about propaganda. It was a good public relation film and presented a view point that will lend heavily into compliance to a new waste pick-up system coming on board here.

Opinion :Be ready for similar action over this take nothing for granted as once occupied by the system it robs a big part of your emotional health.

The government takes garbage seriously.

Today in history,February 23, 1903

Cuba leases Guantanamo bay to the United States in perpetuity.

The Whistle Blower

The Nicola Valley Film Society is presenting the film: The Whistle-Blower. White slavery amongst the free enterprise alluding remnants of the Soviet Unions security and military establishment. Not that kind of free enterprise; the corruption of Eastern Europe in the transition to western institutions  is documented in a dramatic film.The presenters are a warning of a rape scene that may be difficult for some people.

The film starts at 7:30 PM, in the NVIT lecture theater, no food or beverages allowed.

Today in history,February 21,1952

The British Government under Winston Churchill abolishes Identity cards to set the people Free.

There is a small airstrip here in Merritt, Saunders Field. It is on a nice little bench just north-west of town. The local city council was inviting people who would be interested to be on the airport committee to contact the city. The strip is 634 meters at 500722 North,1204450 west. It is a public airfield and yes operated by the city.

About two decades ago a premier visited it in a whirlwind working tour and a 600 thousand dollar grant was given to put night landing lights on it. The money was never used and was returned to the Cabinet. However in the last year there has been a new hanger building built and there is a going concern helicopter company at the field.

The Merritt Flying Club operates a website that updates weather every 5 minutes as well as almanac and moon phase.However the last reading shows 29/1/12 and there is a registration offer from ambient weather.

The airstrip has had scheduled  passenger service in its history never lasting long as small planes are not comfortable to use as passengers and there is commercial jet service in both Kamloops and Kelowna, about an hour and a quarter away.

A city committee is usually chaired by a councillor and is a good precursor to running for elected office.

Every now and then the Federal government lands one of its four engine search and rescue aircraft and gets fuel adding to the legitimacy of the strip.

Today in History: February 13,2008

 The Australian Prime Minister makes a historic apology to the aboriginal people ; the indigenous Australians and the stolen generations

Editors note: tomorrow  February 14, 2012, afternoon 12-1, Dr.Cora Voyageur at the local college will be giving a presention open to the public on trends in aboriginal communities: there is also and evening session.

Snow

afghanistan

Image by The U.S. Army via Flickr

Overnight there was about 2 inches of fresh snow dropped on the town of Merritt. Sources say that more like 6 inches were the experience in Diamondvale in the east end. A distance of  about a mile. It is possible to be on the perimeter of a snowfall. Some people were late for work as they had to shovel out driveways and be concerned over some neighbours that were less able to cope. It is all over now. And sun and warmth are coming and we can expect the snow to abate to runoff within days as the highs are all above freezing in the coming week. We enjoy the freshness while it lasts and hope that people would take a moment to enjoy the fleeting beauty of the symbol used for the medal ” “The order of Canada” remembering that fame is fleeting and fortune fickle, in some people’s observation .

Today in history, January 26, 2004

A new constitution is signed for Afghanistan.

Sensitive information

Opinion: 

The world has changed in the last few decades and the need to have secrets abated. Shared security and its value to the planet  with projects such as the international space station give pause to think. The whole concept of stolen ideas and patent fraud as it were; on the back burner.

The interdependence of the business world and a mature attitude of the good business sence of an interdependent outlook, means that thugs and mugs are not using angles to lever knowledge. Rather in our post war age people understand that their interest will be served better by a defined relationship ( our part in your discovery) as it comes to a market that consumers drive, the demise of the exclusive business relationship has a demonstrative effect as patent holders licence out and do not hold ransom new technologies but try to realize reasonable profit margins on huge volumes serving many human beings.

We find it sad to see that there is a remaining attitude with the RCMP in BC and wish that Spy Vrs Spy would stay a cartoon spoof.

Today in history, January 16,2003

 The Space Shuttle Columbia takes off on the mission that will see its destruction on re-entry 16 days later

NVIT

Monument to aboriginal war veterans in Confede...

Image via Wikipedia

The Nicola Valley Institute of Technology is in Merritt BC Canada and has a Campus in Burnaby BC as well . Its roots are in Merritt with a Grand Chief Gordon Antoine who had a vision to educate his people in a way that would keep their culture.

The school is for the  First Nation in Canada and has a policy of admiting others as well.

There is an element of North American Indian Culture in all the courses and it promotes the Thompson and Okanagan language. A confirmed source says that he took a 2 year college university transfer credit in biology, a 4.5 course from a PHD instructor and for a cultural investment of a day also had instruction from some native elders in traditional plant usage including making a pine needle baskets and string from Indian Hemp.

The perseverance of the founders came after the school had been located in store fronts at a distress rental time of the resource community of Merritt . Showing them self serious they eventually got a multi million dollar building that is able to expand to about twice its size .Small in the stature of many universities and colleges; the effort is unique to the way that natives can pursue education.  The institution can give credit’s up to an associate degree. It often has agreements to grant Bachelor of Social Work Workers from chartered universities and colleges such as TRU. Many graduates find work in their own aboriginal communities after completing their degrees. It is also culturally enriching to take Native studies and English courses that include another culture then your own. However the bulk of their student s come from the First Nations Community.

A source estimates that there are about 1200 students between the two campus’ and that most of them are Aboriginal. The source also says  that the new crime bill is a step backward for the aboriginal community that although having a about four percent of the national population they have a huge, out of proportion population in jails in Canada.

NVIT has a number of trades and technical courses offered from time to time. As well as law enforcement  pre seletion courses. The school encourages student democracy and civil harmony.

Accomidateing the local issues of first nations peoples in Canada.

http://www.nvit.ca/programsandcourses.htm?RD=1

 Today in History December 14th,1994

Construction begins on the Three gorges dam in China.

Today in History, December 14, 1903

The Wright brothers make first attempt to fly the Kitty Hawk.

BC Hydro, power and authority

Lots of no trespass signs about and some on old hydro meters. Dell from Coopers says they were by and changed his. Some people say they don”t want them because of health issues. Other say they wanted a choice for no wireless connection. The fact is they are being installed and adds in the papers are asking for clear access.

The hydro has worked since it was nationalized in BC as a  monopoly and  as socialism goes it was considered  draconian. However the lower rates we are supposed to get from the monopoly are supportive of the vision of Canada being a mixed economy. As a Non profit crown corporation it is not allowed to have retained earnings and must lower rates for efficiencies it gets. Still you have to watch that the government does not raid it for revenues like raising water licence fees, to accommodate good water levels for the utility.

The off-peak time dynamic will be the next issue us consumers will be watching as we still want it to be an under girding of our economy and not go to profits.

BC Hydro has the rights to all water in the province for generation purposes and a lot of power.  When good snow packs occur the next year should see rate reductions, as they have in the past.

The lines and poles are public property and that always raises an issue when they talk about co generation ; recently the utility has replaced a lot of poles and  is working to have a third 500 KV line to the lower mainland from the interior.

Today in history December 13 ,2003

Saddam Hussein is captured in Iraq. ( The Ace of Spades)

Lay off

A unconfirmed source says that the crew they work on is being layed off till spring complete the sidewalk upgrade and storm sewer  work on Garcia and granite.  A white hat seemingly in charge later confirmed “we are out of here”

When I gave him a Diamond  saw blade, I found he commented I will behave as they do. Some of his crew were seen tossing tools about a day before.

He also seemed unsure who would be finishing the project.

The site had the benefit of a Federal Government Funding credit sign for over a year before any construction began and when it did it was coordinated with the local civic election and a flurry of other work.

Also an announcement that there was no way of accounting back in the job creation projects for the 46 billion spent on the recession fighting  program “The Canada Action Plan by the federal an auditor general may make for interesting applications for laid off job creation workers. 

Today in history, November 22 1995

Toy Story the first computer generated feature film is released.