Category: Environment


Fish by prohibited method

Filed under: Crime and punishment, Environment, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
March 13, 2014

So you just can’t catch a fish by any method at all.  A 50 dollar fine under section 63 for not fishing by an approved method is probably a reasonable action in conservation. Using tree pronged hooks or nets or barbed hooks on certain lakes or streams can get you in trouble.  When ever you break a regulation you put  your equipment at risk for seizure. People in the past have lost trucks and campers as well as the fishing rods  and tackle or even boats. Little points like only having two days limit when transporting or not leaving heads and tails on can get you into real dutch.

The conservation people encourage reporting of  poaching and other  infractions including illegal dumping and using deactivated roads.

Regulations are available when licencing and need to be heeded. http://www.britishcolumbia.com/fishing/?id=28

Today in History: March 13 1964

Research into the bystander effect is begun after Kitty Genovese is murdered in full view of her neighbours who do nothing to stop it.

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Fossils and more

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March 3, 2014

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The Nicola Naturalists are having their monthly public presentation this month on March 20th with Barbara Pryce. Titled the role of nature conservatories in the protection of ecosystems the event begins at 7 pm in the NVIT lecture theater.

April’s meeting is on the 17th and is by DR. Bruce Archibald from Simon Fraser University; Fossils of the BC Interior.

The Nicola Naturalists are an NPA, with an elected board headed by Dr. Alan Burger uvic, http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/2013/12/19/nicola-naturalist-evening-presentations-jan-apr-2014/

Free parking at the NVIT campus , 4155 Belshaw Avenue Merritt BC

Today in history: March 3rd 1875

The first organized indoor game of ice hockey is played in Montreal Canada

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Snow and cold

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February 26, 2014
Snow returns to the Nicola Valley: Photo KDG

Snow returns to the Nicola Valley:
Photo KDG

On Tuesday the temperature was by some accounts -14 C in the morning  but going to + 3C in mid afternoon. At 7PM it had already got to the overnight low of -9C.

While overnight lows will be in the double digits this week daily highs will be at or above freezing. Saturday lows will plummet to close  to -20s and highs will half that and stay in the cold  and freezing range. ( accu weather)

http://www.bing.com/weather/search?q=merritt%20weather&unit=C&qpvt=merritt+weather&FORM=DTPWEA

Daylight saving time is not this weekend but next, March the 9th sees clocks back at 2AM

Today in history: February 26th 747

The new Epoch of time begins the Ptolemy’s Nabonassar  ERA

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Tailing ponds

Filed under: Environment, Social Activism, Technology by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
February 13, 2014

 

The February 20th speaker at the Nicola Naturalists is Richard Doucette. Richard is a official of Tech/ Highland Valley Copper and his presentation is “reclamation of a Tailing pond”

The Nicola naturalists have their presentations in the Lecture Theater at the local Community college NVIT on Belshaw avenue Merritt. They are member and invitee driven but they post ” everyone welcome membership or donation requested.”

Their website is  Http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/  they are a member of the BC naturalists.

Today in History: February 13th 1931

New Delhi becomes the capital of India

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Cold weather

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February 5, 2014
Ducks on Nicola river, which way is south?

Ducks on Nicola river, which way is south?

The cold is back this week with temperatures dropping unofficially to near minus 20 celsius. There is little snow on the ground and we expect that frost is building in the ground.  The Nicola river that flows through town is building ice seemingly without  concern by ducks that remain here.

Today in history: February 5th 1919

Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, DW Griffith and Douglas Fairbanks launch United Artists.

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Kon-Tiki

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Environment, Fish, Flora by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
February 3, 2014

The Nicola Valley Film Society is putting on Kon Tiki on February 17th at 7:30 PM  in the Lecture Theater of the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology.

This is a Norway /Denmark/ UK “2012” . The film has a G rating.

The film is about  travel by raft by Thor Heyerdahl. The voyage  was used to document ability of migration of Polynesian people from South America in antiquity. The film will be with out violence and intrigue and should be a pleasant departure from some of the programing we are used to seeing.

The raft traveled an average of 42.5 miles a day and the voyage took 101 days.  The navigation was not aided by modern navigation and relied on currents such as the Humboldt current and winds. This film is based on a true story of naturalist endeavor.

The film starts at 7:30 and season ticket holders need to be there before 7:15 to make sure of seating. No food or drink in the lecture theater. There is free parking at the college. NVIT is at 4155 Belshaw Avenue Merritt BC Canada.

http://www.kontikidefilm.com/#expeditie

Today in history: February 3rd 1967

Ronald Ryan is hanged, being the last execution in Australia .

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Regular gas at $1.20.9

Filed under: Environment, Technology, Tourists by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
January 30, 2014
500 volt 120 amp quick charger

500 volt 120 amp quick charger

Most of the main gas stations here in Merritt are selling regular Gasoline at $ 1.20.9 cents a liter. This happened about a week ago .However the best gas price can also be made if you take part in the loyalty programs. Extra Food offers 7 cents a liter in  their trademarked super buck program.

The DC 500 volt quick charger is turned on Voght street this week. A Source says you need an adapter to your particular EV. Tesla has a proprietary one at about 25 dollars.

Gasoline in Kamloops is at $1.14.9 , and a low in Courtney at Coast co is $1.12.9 a liter.

Today in history: January 30th 1964

The Ranger program Ranger 6 is launched.

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Survey Stakes

Filed under: Environment, Public health, Technology by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
January 27, 2014

The Hydro authority has been busy with the construction of a third 500 kilovolt line to the lower mainland from t the Revelstoke dam. lost in the shuffle has been a relatively minor additional line  to the Highland Valley from the Merritt Substation. The huge Teck corporation open-pit moly and copper mine is there and has been having its mill expanded.

The line to a substation in the Highland valley will replace an existing one that follows Voght street in Merritt now. The line in the 60 thousand volt range  will be replaced with a 130 thousand volt range line.

It was also planned that a cogeneration plant from a local saw mill burning green wood waste would add to the electrical production going to the Highland valley.

There is no word on the cogeneration project however on the weekend it was observed that the survey stakes have been placed for the new branch line. The new line follows the Coquihalla highway 5 north for away then heads to the Highland valley. survey stakes go right through Extra foods and Coyote bluffs residential development to the Merritt substation site that is currently being upgraded.

The line also follows an existing  just outrside Merritt Telus fiber line and comes close to a high pressure pipeline to Burnaby before veering off north of Saunders field  the local airstrip outside Merritt city limits.

The province has put up signs saying that BC has 95 percent green energy at at least one EV charging site.

Today in history: January 27th 1961

The Soviet submarine S-80 sinks with all hands.

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Public hearings

Filed under: Climate, Environment, First Nations People, Government Works, Politics and Politicians, Public health, Social Activism, Workers Safety by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
January 17, 2014

The time to be heard at the public process for the Kinder Morgan  twinning project application is fast approaching. opening on Wednesday the 14th and ending on February 12th you must apply to the National Energy board to make a submission.

Here is the contact info according to Trans Mountain Pipeline; Kinder Morgans subsidiary and active agent in this application.

Grass seeding at a construction site in Merritt Photo KDG

Grass seeding at a construction site in Merritt
File: Photo KDG

Trans Mountain notes an error in the email notification that was sent to you this afternoon on behalf of the National Energy Board.

The correct email address for the National Energy Board’s Process Advisor, Reny Chakkalakal is transmountainpipeline.hearing@neb-one.gc.ca.

The National Energy Board (NEB) has issued an Application to Participate Notification about the hearing process for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project.

Those who wish to take part in the NEB hearing must apply to participate. The application to take part is on the NEB’s website at:

www.neb-one.gc.ca select Major Applications and Projects, then Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC – Trans Mountain Expansion.

Applications to participate in the NEB Hearing are due on or before noon on 12 February 2014.

If you need more information, the NEB has appointed Ms. Reny Chakkalakal as Process Advisor to give assistance.

Ms. Reny Chakkalakal Process Advisor, NEB E-mail: transmountainpipeline.hearing@neb-one.gc.ca  Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265

The notice is also posted on the Trans Mountain website. You can read the full notice here.
Sincerely, The Trans Mountain Expansion Project Team

Today in history: January 17th 1946, 2007

The UN security council holds its first meeting.

The doomsday clock goes to 5 minutes to midnight in response to North Korean nuclear testing.

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Archaeology from a First Nations perspective

Filed under: Environment, First Nations People, Social Activism by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
January 15, 2014

Mary Sandy is the presenter at the January 16th meeting of the Nicola  Naturalists. The First Nations people have a unique world view on the environment. Mary’s work has a focus on wildlife and ecosystems. She is an anthropologist with the Esh-km-am Cultural Resources Service. The service is based in the Nicola Valley and is used for gathering information on ecosystem.

The presentation begins a 7PM at the NVIT lecture theater. Free parking no food or drinks in the theater,admission by membership or donation requested all welcome.

Today in history: January 15th 1759

The British Museum opens.

Mary Sandy’s presentation was conditioned by a brief outlining of the first nations world view on environment and ecology. In a nut shell she defined western culture as seeing resources as  something to be possessed. She asserted that First Nations ideal is ” who do we share this with.” She contented that their view was holistic.

Sandy said her drive comes, believe it or not from Walt Disney’s methods of film making . She thinks that robust knowledge comes from tradition  and legends are based in some substance. Her father, she explains was born in 1903 and her grand mother  in 1886, her great grand mother whom she knew was born in 1861. They also were connected to two  living generations giving a legend of tradition that was even longer. Some legends based in stories: ie Coyote stole his long tail from rabbit.

Her discourse then went to the archeology of the local area and its climate and vegetation changes over 4 periods going back to pre glacier, 10.000 years bp ( before present.).

Mary is a member of the Coldwater Indian Band in Merritt BC Canada.

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ICE

Filed under: Environment, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
December 24, 2013
English: Thomas Nast's most famous drawing, &q...

English: Thomas Nast’s most famous drawing, “Merry Old Santa Claus”, from the January 1, 1881 edition of Harper’s Weekly. Thomas Nast immortalized Santa Claus’ current look with an initial illustration in an 1863 issue of Harper’s Weekly, as part of a large illustration titled “A Christmas Furlough” in which Nast set aside his regular news and political coverage to do a Santa Claus drawing. The popularity of that image prompted him to create another illustration in 1881. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The streets about Merritt are covered in ice this morning. Rain yesterday  and freezing temperatures overnight have joined to make it very slippery . By 10 am sanding was near complete in the city and no powerline problems are clear.

Last evening nearly 200 thousand people in Toronto Canada were still without power, do to ice , and were expecting not to have any through Christmas Day.

Editors note:Ice can fall from roofs and although large icicles arte pretty they can seriously hurt or maim if they fall on you.

Today in history: December 24th 1955

Norad begins its Santa Claus tracking program.

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Highland Valley Copper Mill expansion

Filed under: Collective bargaining, Enterprize, Environment, Technology by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
December 20, 2013
English: This is a logo for Teck Cominco.

English: This is a logo for Teck Cominco. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Teck, Highland Valley Mine operation near Logan Lake in BC has been under going an expansion. The mill building was the center of the upgrade as well as three domes that put some operations inside at the huge mine. A source says that the mill will be commissioned in February 2014.

Iron workers at  the project told us that they are in the process of removing the huge amount of scaffolding around the 80 foot tall mill structure.

Today in history: December 20th 1916

Micheal Chartrand , Canadian union leader born. (d 2010)

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