Category: Technology


Rivers Day, water festival

June 8th there is a rivers day celebration at Rotary park. 100

 Dollars for the best dress up , fish water , environment. music and photo/ painting contest.

Displays and PR come as you are if not a fish.

Today in History, May 10, 1924

J Edgar Hoover is made the director of the FBI and stays on till 1972 and his death.

Xeriscape interest

There is interest in the dynamic of Xeriscape landscaping here. with water restrictions and some metering and a sence that more may be coming  people are looking for less maintenance of yards. Using rocks and natural plants and ground cover is taking hold.

The naturalists had a recent presenter on natural plants for British Columbia and eastern Washing ton .Something she referred to as the the great basin desert. The natural plants or those from this area take less water then the ones from the coast.And beyond. as well a yard looks good in ground cover whether its plants such as Bear Berry plants or rocks and crush.

On Saturday the 12th there is another workshop one by Gwen Steele, a Director of the Okanagan Xeriscape Org. It is endorsed by the city but cost 35 dollars you can register by calling the City of Merritt at 250-378-1050

The session is 6 hrs 10 am-4 pm.

Today in history, May 7 1915

A passenger liner is sunk by a German submarine to bring the US into WW 1

Cameras

The regional district recycle facility is being upgraded to have a camera system today. Workers from the city say its because people that dry wall take their scraps there and put them in the bins.

The cameras are being mounted on a pole a city worker says there will be a fine for putting recycle that does not meet the criteria of the Regional District.

Editors note: what is acceptable for recycle is posted with signage at the site, or on brochures and calendars published by the authority.

Today in history: May 1 1989

Disney MGM  studios opens at Disney world in Florida.

Run off

 The junction of the Nicola River  and the Coldwater River at Highway 8 has three high water dynamics today, someone planted a shovel in the soil in a stand up position as an apparent gauge for the water level, and a knotted rope is suspended over the flow of the river  by a thin appendix of board tied off in a tree. A worker was seen to be putting a pizometer down a river side well on the south slope of the river.Pizometers are used to measure flows of water.

Last year there was a large snow pack and visible snow could be seen into August. Mid May through June is characterized by high water in the local rivers.

There is a Dam at the ouflow of Nicola Lake that regulates the Nicola River.

Today in history April 18,1912

705 survivors of the Titanic land at New York Harbour.

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.

Self checker

The local Thompson Nicola District Library, self checker has been being used for a matter of weeks and is expanded into the general collection from the function of signing out holds. When asked a confirmed source said that there are no plans for signing items in on the machine.

We used the equipment and it works well and it frees library staff to spend more time with people that need more help.

Self checkers are used in some grocery stores but not any in the community of Merritt.

Opinion:

Electronics are every where.  We wonder when the market will have respite from them in some sort of sanctuary. Or free zone. A connected world is certainly a different  world.

 

Today in History;February 16,2006

The last MASH , Mobile Army Surgical Hospital is taken from duty in the US.

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.

Furnace upkeep

Spoke to a person at Nicola Plumbing, a long time second generation family business here in Merritt. He recommends to have your furnace serviced at least every two years to prevent a cold house from a failure. Filters, cleaning, thermal coupler and gas leak scan is all included. sometimes a carbon monoxide test in the house is appropriate.

Every year is optimal and the biggest thing is the check for issues. A froze up house is a terrible event and it takes a lot to fix something that can be prevented. Fall or early spring is the time to do it as the construction season is somewhat wound down.

Natural gas furnaces are very efficient for gas usage these days and are compact , especially when equipped with a heat exchanger.

Things can escalate when failure happens in cold weather.

Today in history, January 19, 2006

The New Horizons Probe takes off for Pluto.

MInus 22

Pictograms of Olympic sports - Field hockey

Image via Wikipedia

The temperature outside is about 20 degrees below celsius maybe up mid 20s were it has a wind chill. A long way from the 30 degrees farenheit from my time here as a young man.  It is still cold for people and without clothing dangerous as a frost bite warning  is in effect.

Remember that things can escalate in cold weather and danger come out of simple mechanical failures, so be a critical thinker and stay safe.

And do some warm up exercises before going out to shovel snow..

Today in history, January 18, 1886

The modern game called field hockey is born in England.

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

Electronic check out

Today the Merritt public library started using their automatic check out machine. The librarian is busy coaching the patrons on the self activated system.Scan your card , check your account, scan out your books of films and your away.

A source says that they will have a posted instruction eventually.

Today in history, January 10, 1870

John D. Rockefeller incorporates standard oil

Horse that eats power poles

Rondane

Image by Anatoly Kraynikov via Flickr

There is an unconfirmed report that a horse is chewing on a power pole in the Highland Valley. A worker has yet to investigate the allegation. And an observer asked how old is the horse ,as it may be a midlife crisis and he thinks he missed out by not being a beaver.

Today in history, December 21,1962

Rondane National Park becomes Norways first national park