that if the Beckwith Street bridge is closed for a parade and they close the Abbout Street bridge to let a few really rich folks through .... there is only one bridge left for Smiths Falls between Kilmarnock and Rideau Ferry (30 kms)??
Seems they can't figure it out.
I happened to be stuck in the ensuing chaos on Hwy 15 S after they did this on Saturday .... praying hard emergency service vehicles didn't need to get through.
Geez.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Back in the fold ...
After a hellish two weeks at work and another spent doing about half of all those jobs at home I've been procrastinating about for the last two years ....
I'm back.
On the personal side, we hosted a party Saturday night for 60 of our closest family and friends .... the weather was great, drink was flowing and an exellent time was had by all !!! A special thanks in order to 2nd Smiths Falls Scouts for the use of the AWESOME tent.
Fortunately greivous injury was avoided after oil from the fryers spilled out all over both of my feet. Fortunately I was busy with other tasks and the temperature had dropped to 220 deg from the usual 350 ....
Friday, July 6, 2007
Commuter rail gathering steam !!
Word comes today that Ol'Dolt is interested in funding the venture ...
"This government is in the transit business," said Mr. Watson, who is also the province's health promotion minister.
"We're excited about the vision, and now we want to see the details. We're anxious to see a shovel in the ground."
Show us the money, Dolt .. and let's get this going.
On Thursday, Mr. O'Brien met with Smiths Falls Mayor Dennis Staples and Casselman Mayor Conrad Lamadeleine to discuss the issue. Mr. Staples and Mr. Lamadeleine estimated that between 5,000 and 8,000 people commute from each of their towns to Ottawa to work each day.
Following the meeting, Mr. Patton said it's clear there's a great deal of support for establishing the network, and that the municipalities need to act as a group.
Mr. Patton said the mayor sees the network as a true economic generator for the area, and that if political will for the network can be mustered at all levels of government, it wouldn't take too much work to get it running.
He said this is because rail lines already connect the towns with the city, stations are already built, no major studies need to be done and the cost of the network could be quite reasonable.
"This government is in the transit business," said Mr. Watson, who is also the province's health promotion minister.
"We're excited about the vision, and now we want to see the details. We're anxious to see a shovel in the ground."
Show us the money, Dolt .. and let's get this going.
On Thursday, Mr. O'Brien met with Smiths Falls Mayor Dennis Staples and Casselman Mayor Conrad Lamadeleine to discuss the issue. Mr. Staples and Mr. Lamadeleine estimated that between 5,000 and 8,000 people commute from each of their towns to Ottawa to work each day.
Following the meeting, Mr. Patton said it's clear there's a great deal of support for establishing the network, and that the municipalities need to act as a group.
Mr. Patton said the mayor sees the network as a true economic generator for the area, and that if political will for the network can be mustered at all levels of government, it wouldn't take too much work to get it running.
He said this is because rail lines already connect the towns with the city, stations are already built, no major studies need to be done and the cost of the network could be quite reasonable.
Monday, July 2, 2007
What's the native issue all about ?
Answers can be found in this superb opinion piece from Randall Denley of the Citizen.
Take as an example the Algonquin claim to ownership of pretty much all of Eastern Ontario, including Parliament Hill. It rests on the idea that the ancestors of today's Algonquins once roamed through this territory, although there was no concept of land ownership in the European sense.
The Eastern Ontario Algonquins know there isn't much good Crown land left in this part of the province. They will be perfectly happy to compromise and accept cash. And who are these Algonquins seeking fairness and justice? They are a group of about 5,500 people. Perhaps 10,000 will ultimately be identified. To qualify, one can have as little as one-eighth Algonquin blood.
Toronto lawyer Bob Potts, who represents the "Algonquins," says any money they receive will help to "maintain their Algonquin-ness." One might debate how much Algonquin-ness a person with one native ancestor three generations back has.
....we're paying to settle land ownership claims for people who didn't own land. If the key concept is taking aboriginal land without compensation, we should remember that the home territory of various bands fluctuated, depending on the aggressive tendencies of other Indian groups. When will we have a commission to investigate the inequity of the Iroquois taking land that once belonged to the Hurons and compensate the distant descendants of those Huron people?
Congratulations to the approximately 550,000 native people who live off reserve, just like ordinary people. They've realized it's the 21st century, not the 18th. Maybe they can spread the word.
Take as an example the Algonquin claim to ownership of pretty much all of Eastern Ontario, including Parliament Hill. It rests on the idea that the ancestors of today's Algonquins once roamed through this territory, although there was no concept of land ownership in the European sense.
The Eastern Ontario Algonquins know there isn't much good Crown land left in this part of the province. They will be perfectly happy to compromise and accept cash. And who are these Algonquins seeking fairness and justice? They are a group of about 5,500 people. Perhaps 10,000 will ultimately be identified. To qualify, one can have as little as one-eighth Algonquin blood.
Toronto lawyer Bob Potts, who represents the "Algonquins," says any money they receive will help to "maintain their Algonquin-ness." One might debate how much Algonquin-ness a person with one native ancestor three generations back has.
....we're paying to settle land ownership claims for people who didn't own land. If the key concept is taking aboriginal land without compensation, we should remember that the home territory of various bands fluctuated, depending on the aggressive tendencies of other Indian groups. When will we have a commission to investigate the inequity of the Iroquois taking land that once belonged to the Hurons and compensate the distant descendants of those Huron people?
Congratulations to the approximately 550,000 native people who live off reserve, just like ordinary people. They've realized it's the 21st century, not the 18th. Maybe they can spread the word.
Canada Day turns tragic ...
for a Smiths Falls family.
The Ontario Provincial Police say a 17 month old Smiths Falls girl is dead after being mauled by a dog last night.
Police say the youngster was apparently attacked after she approached the family dog, a 10 year old Rottweiler-German Shepherd mix who was chained in the family's back yard. Her parents rushed her to the Smiths Falls Hospital, and she was later airlifted to C.H.E.O in Ottawa, but she died of her injuries late last night.
The Ontario Provincial Police say a 17 month old Smiths Falls girl is dead after being mauled by a dog last night.
Police say the youngster was apparently attacked after she approached the family dog, a 10 year old Rottweiler-German Shepherd mix who was chained in the family's back yard. Her parents rushed her to the Smiths Falls Hospital, and she was later airlifted to C.H.E.O in Ottawa, but she died of her injuries late last night.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Happy Canada Day !
The annual Canada Day flotilla today .... an event on our lake that has grown to 25 boats in three years.... loads of fun !
Even the spectators get in on the action !
Now ... we won "best boat" last year, so the pressure was on to "retain the crown".... this years entry.
Did we win ??? Shit, no .... outdone by "little Miss Canada" .... BITCH !!! ;-)
Next year, I'm gonna have bikinis !
.... and Stompin' Tom.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
This man ....
...was born in Belfast in 1789. Somewhere around 1805 made his way to Glasgow. There he married and had the first of four children. In April 1820, driven by poverty and a bleak future, he and his young family took a very bold step and decided to make their way to the "new country". They boarded the good ship Commerce and a fortnight later landed at the Port of Prescott.
From there, they made their way up a newly formed trail to the wilderness of Northern Lanark County. For his efforts and loyalty, he received 50 acres of scrub bush from HMTK George V to build a new life. In the ensuing years he managed to acquire 500 acres from other settlers from the Lanarkshire area who "gave up" and went to greener pastures (namely the US & western provinces). So successful was he that the road leading into said property bears his surname.
Now, given that this man is my 3rd great-grandfather ....I'm wondering why I'm not considered native. There was nothing on this granted land ... nothing for miles around. Native sightings in the area were very rare. We know this as encounters with the "red man" were well documented, as the "society settlers" were deathly afraid of them after hearing stories of atrocities committed against settlers in the American mid-west.
With this in mind, I'm staking my own claim. Right here .... right now.
I even have the paperwork to support my claim. I hold the land grant which states that the land was to remain with "his heirs and successors forever". Given that I am his only male successor still breathing, I figure it's mine. And I want it back. I don't care what has happened in the ensuing two centuries with this property.... My family had a deal with the Crown... somebody screwed me.
Sounds ridiculous, right ??
So does this.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Impaired drivers making their mark
in a big way in Kingston last week.
A provincial police vehicle was struck by an impaired driver's vehicle Thursday.
The unmarked Tactics and Rescue Unit vehicle was stopped at the Odessa off-ramp from Highway 401 when it was rear-ended by a Chrysler Neon exiting the highway.
The driver was charged with impaired driving, careless driving, driving with open liquor and having liquor readily available. No one was injured.
AND THIS ONE
A 29-year-old Newburgh man faces impaired driving charges after a pickup truck smashed into a house in Stone Mills Township early yesterday.
Napanee OPP said the red 2004 Ford F150 pick-up hit a ditch, then a fence and then a wood pile before slamming into the house on Lake Road around 2:20 a.m.
The driver was arrested at the scene. Nobody was hurt.
A provincial police vehicle was struck by an impaired driver's vehicle Thursday.
The unmarked Tactics and Rescue Unit vehicle was stopped at the Odessa off-ramp from Highway 401 when it was rear-ended by a Chrysler Neon exiting the highway.
The driver was charged with impaired driving, careless driving, driving with open liquor and having liquor readily available. No one was injured.
AND THIS ONE
A 29-year-old Newburgh man faces impaired driving charges after a pickup truck smashed into a house in Stone Mills Township early yesterday.
Napanee OPP said the red 2004 Ford F150 pick-up hit a ditch, then a fence and then a wood pile before slamming into the house on Lake Road around 2:20 a.m.
The driver was arrested at the scene. Nobody was hurt.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
A controversy of Olympic proportions
Should there be an boycott of the summer games in Beijing ?
"If Israel will not speak out, it will be very hard to answer the question, why, when people were being killed by Nazis, the world did not speak about it"
So says Ottawa's Rabbi Dr. Reuven Bulka in an interview with Irish media.
He said that the issue of organ harvesting in China from live Falun Gong practitioners is "the most important problem today."
China's organ transplant website clearly labels the price for its wares: one liver costs between $98,000 to $130,000; while one kidney is sold at $62,000; $130,000 to $150,000 for a heart and $30,000 for a cornea.
Is cheap manufactured goods reason enough to keep trading with this barbaric bunch ?
I think not.
"If Israel will not speak out, it will be very hard to answer the question, why, when people were being killed by Nazis, the world did not speak about it"
So says Ottawa's Rabbi Dr. Reuven Bulka in an interview with Irish media.
He said that the issue of organ harvesting in China from live Falun Gong practitioners is "the most important problem today."
China's organ transplant website clearly labels the price for its wares: one liver costs between $98,000 to $130,000; while one kidney is sold at $62,000; $130,000 to $150,000 for a heart and $30,000 for a cornea.
Is cheap manufactured goods reason enough to keep trading with this barbaric bunch ?
I think not.
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