Category: Government Works


Snow

Filed under: Politics and Politicians by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
January 26, 2012
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.

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Sensitive information

Filed under: Crime and punishment, Politics and Politicians, Technology by Kevin Griffiths — 2 Comments
January 16, 2012

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

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NVIT

Filed under: Crime and punishment, First Nations People, Government Works, Social Activism by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
December 14, 2011
Monument to aboriginal war veterans in Confede...

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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.

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BC Hydro, power and authority

Filed under: Environment, Fauna, Government Works, Social Activism by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
December 13, 2011

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)

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Lay off

Filed under: Politics and Politicians, Workers Safety by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
November 22, 2011

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.

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pellet plant

Filed under: Crime and punishment, Enterprize, Government Works, Technology, Workers Safety by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
November 4, 2011
Inside a woood-pellet heater

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I went by the new wood pellet plant today and took a picture of the a man supervising a bagging operation.
A source says that there may be some hiring when the dryer is finished in about 6 weeks.
The wood pellet plant seems new and modern and clean without clutter or grease. On the way over I upbraided a child that was playing between the wheels of a parked logging truck. He agreed it was a danger and took his plastic gun and played elsewhere. The truck had nothing to do with the pellet plant however; people should pay attention to their own children.

Today in history, November 4,1970

Genie a thirteen year old feral kid is found after being locked in her bedroom most of her life.

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All Candidates forum

Filed under: Politics and Politicians by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
October 31, 2011

 The local chamber hosted an all candidates forum last night at the NVIT lecture theater,  the afternoon saw the school trustee hopefulls answer questions and the evening the town council .

The two Mayoralty candidates sat at different ends of the long panel table answering questions posed by the new manager of the Community Futures organization the Government access point to business and self employment services located on the corner of Garcia and Quilchena Avenue.

Questions were addressed to incumbants and challengers as prescribed on a written form collected  by  the Chamber. There was also a limted number of questions posed by a press table.

The forum will be broadcast on the local shaw community channel.

Today in history, October 31,1517

95 theses nailed to the church door at Wittenburg to start the protestant reformation.

1959: Lee Harvey Oswald attemps to renouce his US citzenship at the US Embassy in Moscow.

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Election events

Filed under: Government Works, Politics and Politicians by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
October 24, 2011

Here in Merritt British Columbia , the local civic election is on November 19th 8 am to 8 Pm . There is an all candidates forum on October 30th 5:30 PM and advanced polls Nov 8th and Nov 16th 8 to 8.

There are 10 councillor contenders and 2 mayoralty. one of the three seats for Regional district rep is filled already by acclamation. that is by Herb Graham a long time rep.

Today in History, October 24, 2003

The super sonic concord makes its last flight.

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Mid week activities

Filed under: Environment, First Nations People, Flora, Politics and Politicians, Public health, Social Activism by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
October 20, 2011
The Sydney Opera House, designer, architect an...

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There are some significant activities this week in Merritt, tonite the Alexander the Great Seminar continues at the library, presenter al Horne and his wife coördinate the slides and the talk.An Academic venture,in progress as the credits for photos of antiquity are yet to be published.

The Nicola Naturalists also have and AGM tonight  at 7 o’clock at NVIT about 3 kilometers from the 6-8 presentation at the library.

There is also a member picture presentation after the expected brief business meeting.

Last evening there was an eco health forum that featured such speakers ad Scotty Holmes the chief o the Upper Nicola Indian band  and others including representation from the Community round table at evening it was sparsely attended and  coming to a conclusion in its second day of presentations and discussions.

Today in history, October 20th 1973

The Sydney Opera House opens.

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Election

Filed under: Politics and Politicians by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
October 19, 2011

There off, on the hustings today, the first election signs appeared on Voght Street. A councilor candidate named Polmans has some small stenciled 2 by 3 foot signs out .

There are two candidates for mayor 2 ex mayors running for councilor. Kroker and Norguard.Candidates  include incumbent Alastair Murdock, Shelly Sanders,  H. Kroeker.  There is  a neophyte Harvey Keys and others…..

There was an increase in the money paid for the civic duty around the time of the last election it seems not to have made much of a difference to the motivation of the people to run. a former liberal Prime minister says that the animosity should be lessened to encourage the young to run. There is no one under thirty running and some well into their 7th decade are still running.

A politician becomes a public figure when elected limiting their claim to privacy. that will not change.

Today in history October 19th, 2003

Mother Teresa of Calcutta  is beautified by Pope Paul the second

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Smart meters

Filed under: Government Works, Politics and Politicians, Technology, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — 2 Comments
October 17, 2011
Elster A3 ALPHA type A30 single-phase kWh smar...

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The  provincial hydro authority is going to be installing smart meters around the province. This will give them the ability to better manage power. As well the customer will also be able to do the same .No word on the thought that there will be two rates, one for off-peak and one for on. There was a proposal for an energy project that took water out of our own Nicola Lake and stored it till peak usage time. The marriage is more than obvious and we will be listening for the re-emergence of that project here in the future.

The local library has a meter for you to borrow to test where you are using your power the smart meter will build on that principle.

Today in History, October 17,2010

Mary Mckillop is canonized to be the first Saint of Australia.

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RCMP

Filed under: Government Works by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
October 3, 2011

There are negotiations on here for the renewal of a contract with the province to supply municipal police services from the Federal Police Force.
The press is reporting that a take it or leave it offer is on the table from the feds for March 2012 renewal. The feds are also tendering 30 plus billion in navy ship building contracts and a proposal is in their hands for work to be done in BC shipyards by an eastern shipbuilder.

The BC Provincial Police force was used even up past the end of the second world war in BC and this renewal for the RCMP comes after the completion of a 20 year contract with the province for its 6000 members that the feds supply to municipalities here.

Two police officers were murdered in this community in the 1930s a BC Provincial Police officer and a Dominion Police Services of Canada officer , their killers, surname George, were hung at the New Westminster penitentiary for the killings.

The second war era RCMP were responsible for national security today that task is done by a civilian agency the called CSIS….

The Justice Institute of BC trains police and jail guards for civil police and authorities in BC.

Today in History, October 3,1952

United Kingdom tests nuclear weapon to become the worlds 3rd nuclear power.

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