tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79240199848393912942024-03-13T17:55:24.588-07:00C.J.'s Opinions on the WorldHere are my views and opinions on the world, well, mostly Canada. This is how I've decided to express my Section 2.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-48656611550224347002013-08-29T14:31:00.000-07:002013-08-29T14:31:21.509-07:00I Need a New Home<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've decided I need a new home so I've moved to</span><a href="http://www.islandofbob.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Island of Bob</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It's still really new and certainly a work in progress. It'll get better as time goes on. I'm not taking this blog down, it just won't become... well... more.</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-3220ca81-cbfb-453f-57a6-d6ef6695166d" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I intend on continuing what I've started here, just over there and maybe a little differently. This is simply a blog,</span><a href="http://www.islandofbob.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Island of Bob</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is part website, part blog. Somehow, that'll make what I'm doing different. I'm just not sure how yet.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://www.islandofbob.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Island Of Bob</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a place to go to escape progressives and liberals. It's a place of opinions and free speech. I intend on promoting freedom for all on</span><a href="http://www.islandofbob.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bob Island</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am the Boss of Bob. I rule Bob but I am open to the opinions of others, whether they're the same as mine or not! I like differences of opinions. It's no fun if we're all the same. It's more fun if there are comments on the</span><a href="http://www.islandofbob.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Island of Bob</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that differ. Start debates and maybe, occasionally, a good old fashion verbal fight! But keep it respectful. I know how the keyboard can get away from you on occasion, though that's never ever happened to me. - looks around *cough* -</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, come over, sit back and enjoy my new</span><a href="http://www.islandofbob.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Island</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the Internet.</span></span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-32862567371887310362013-08-26T09:11:00.000-07:002013-08-26T09:11:08.016-07:00Cyclists Are People Too!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">My husband has been a cyclist for a number of years. He, like many others started cycling for his own reasons but in his endeavour to become fit, he has experienced a lot of hateful people on the road and on paths. He has even been hit by a car. </span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-6a8c4d00-bb61-1b90-e867-c5c5f8a860b8" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">He began cycling for physical rehabilitation. He has disc degeneration in his lower spine. For six years, the only way doctors dealt with it was to put him on various types of addictive pain killers and nerve drugs. He was even told by one neurologist that every day he woke up still walking would be the best day of rest of his life. Finally, he received spinal surgery that did work to some degree but not 100%. He's off all the drugs which is nice and now he cycles to make sure he doesn't suffer the same pain as before. He now, however suffers something different. As a cyclist, he's treated like a non-person and we don't understand why.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">To be clear, my husband and I are not avid cyclists that insist everyone should get on a bicycle, that cars are not required, that cycling is more environmental and so forth. If you chose to cycle, go for it, we'll even help you. If you don't, that's cool too. The choice is yours. Just please respect those who choose it as their mode of transportation or method to get healthier or what-have-you.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">It's not just drivers that treat my husband like a non-person, it's also police. When he was hit by the car, my husband was riding legally. He was stopped at a red light and when it went green, he was riding straight through. A car turning left turned directly into him. He was wearing bright orange and white and he's 6'2” tall. How do you miss that? Off his bike he kind of stands out. Anyway, my husband was stupid and didn't let me call an ambulance, instead having me bring him to the Urgent Care Centre. When we got to the Urgent Care Centre, they didn't take his injuries too seriously. They gave him a muscle relaxant and sent us on our way. When we reported this incident to the police, they brushed him off and asked “well really, how much damage could have been done?”</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Okay, my first problem with this is, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my husband was hit by a car</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If a pedestrian were hit by a car, this would have been taken a little more seriously but he's a cyclist so they went straight to potential damage. Second, the wheel on his commuting bike is $300. That'll give you an idea of how much the bike is worth. I don't even want to get into the cost of his road bike. SO, why was he brushed off? Oh right, because for some reason cyclists aren't taken seriously and a bicycle, any bicycle no matter how much they're worth are considered worthless. Bikes range from the $120 you can get anywhere to the high end built to specifications $10,000+ that you have to special order and both ends of the spectrum are treated the same. That's not right. The insurance company that has to replace the bike might have something to say about that.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">In Chestermere, I had two separate incidents at two separate times. The first one was on a nice sunny day. I was wearing a white helmet and a white and light blue jersey. A woman driving a minivan hit me with her passenger side mirror and sent me flying into the ditch. When my husband caught up to her and banged on her window, she was startled but opened it. He asked her what she had against me and she didn't know what he was talking about. She had no idea she clipped me. I was fine but still, my heart was going about 300 bpm. I know, I was wearing a heart monitor. Do people have a blind spot for cyclists?</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">The second incident was less dramatic. Riding through Chestermere again, I maintained 30km/h. I was in the playground zone and a line of cars decided to pass me, that is until the cop following the line put on his lights and the cop off to the side put on his lights. They let me continue on but the line of cars, the entire line that passed me had to stop. From what I understand, they were ticketed for speeding and passing in a playground zone. The reason I know that is because I was with three other cyclists and one of the people following heard what was going on as they caught up to me.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A friend of my husband had a couple of incidents of his own. One day, after work he went to get on his bike to head home. Like my husband’s, his bike is a decent bike, not a bike-shaped object, and someone had changed out all of his good components for cheap ones. The only thing he had to say was the thieves were at least polite enough to leave him his ride home. A few weeks later he was in a bike lane on 10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Street and a car came into the bike lane and he jumped off his bike just in time to watch his front wheel end up under the car. The driver stopped and said “oh, I didn't see you. I was trying to cut off the bike behind you.” The cyclist phoned 911 but they didn't take him seriously because he was only a cyclist and wasn't hurt.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">In England, a woman hit a cyclist then bragged about it on twitter. Her tweet read “Definitely knocked a cyclist off earlier - I have right of way he doesn't even pay road tax! #bloodycyclists. ” I don't know what the laws are in England so I can only reference from what I know here. Cyclists have the right to be on most roads. Deerfoot Trail, I believe is the only road bicycles aren't permitted. What made this woman think she's so special that she could not only hit and run but tweet about it and move forward with her day? To watch her subsequent interview, she's more sorry about the tweet than about hitting the cyclist. I get the impression she'd take the tweet back more because her career suffered damage, not because she hit a person with her car and left the scene. If she didn't leave, this tweet wouldn't be half as bad. Have your opinion, dislike whoever you want, but a hit and run then saying something like this makes the hit appear deliberate.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I can go on and on about accidents involving cyclists all over the place but there is another article that makes their own points and it's a good read. This article also talks about how police don't take cyclists seriously or even justify crimes against cyclists. Take a read, it’s worth it.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2013/08/22/sending-a-message/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sending a Message</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - What do drivers learn from bicycle accidents?</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">A couple of the arguments I've heard against cyclists is that they pay no taxes or insurance. These are easy arguments to debunk, at least from my husband's perspective and many others as well. We own two vehicles and two properties. Oh ya, and he works and owns a business. That's a lot of taxes and insurance that he pays. Next!</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">There are arguments that bikes need to decide whether they are vehicles or not. According to Alberta Transportation, a bicycle that is being ridden is a vehicle. A cyclist must follow the rules of the road like drivers of other vehicles. A bike should never be ridden on the sidewalk. It's not legal unless the person is 14 or under. Do you know how many times a “cyclist” has tried to mow me down when I'm on a sidewalk? I'm not talking the double wide sidewalks but a regular sidewalk. I don't care if kids are on sidewalks, I mean adults that should know better and the best part is, they get angry at me and really, it's in the name, sideWALK. Cyclists are guilty for deciding if they’re vehicles or not as well, so read the rules. On the road, bicycles are vehicles. Be predictable, responsible and respectful.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Also, there are some bike paths next to roads and there are some good points and not so good points to these. The speed limit on a bike path is 20 km/h. I know cyclists that maintain 25km/h and above. That means they'd be speeding on the path and for this, one can get a ticket. The road is more appropriate for these cyclists. So then why do drivers yell at cyclists to get on the sidewalk or bike path when the cyclist is appropriately on the road?</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Pedestrians need to respect the paths as well. There are some dedicated paths for walkers and joggers and some marked for bikes. A cyclist can get ticketed for riding on the dedicated walking path but walkers and joggers don't get ticketed for walking on the cycling path. This is a double standard that needs to be fixed. Either these paths are dedicated or they're not and ticketing just cyclists is discrimination. It would be like ticketing only Mustang drivers because to buy that car means you obviously speed. Not only that, it's as rude to walk on the dedicated bicycle path as it is to cycle on the walking path. Multi-use paths, well we all have to get along. Even when I ride on those I get frustrated then think to myself “suck it up Buttercup, you chose this route!” (Don't any of you call me Buttercup or it's on!)</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/2047.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alberta Transportation - Driver’s Guide</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Cyclist Section</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Pages/Cycling/Cycling-introduction.aspx" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cycling in Calgary</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - The City of Calgary’s site is pretty good. Take a look.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Currently in Calgary, there is an increased problem with bike theft and vandalism. My husband's commuting bike was vandalized twice and several bikes were actually stolen from a secure parking lot. It's taken a while, but now the building has security guards down in the “secure” parking lot. We found out after all this that there are no cameras. The people who park their cars down here must be so pleased. The secure parking lot is now a little more secure. I hope it works. Baby steps and all that.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">In one article about these bike thefts, it says “invest in a decent bike lock.” That didn't stop the vandalism or the theft of the good bike parts I talked about. Somehow, a cyclist is supposed to protect all the parts that are (somewhat) easily removable. That's not exactly an easy proposition. The only way to guarantee that when you're away from home, is to have a box to lock your bike in. That's not realistic. If something is removable, there is very little you can do to keep it on your bike, and there are a lot of removable pieces on a bike. Maybe if people can bring their bikes up to their office... no. Building managers would hate that.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Looking at various comments about bike theft, people are saying things like “instead of getting a new bike, ride a used bike...” or “People with too much money and wanting to show off with outrageously priced bikes combined with the greed of others, things like this happen...” Does that go for cars, homes, clothing? Say I want that new tablet I've been eyeing? Can we have anything new and awesome, or is it all showing off? There is a purpose to that multi-thousand dollar bike and just because someone doesn't understand why a person would pay for it doesn't make it showy or pretentious. But then again, we could live in a gray world, have the same hairstyle, no tattoos or piercings, drive the same cars and have no definition in our lives. That's what I always think when someone goes off about something expensive, not just bikes. I wonder how much these same people paid for their smart phone? A line from a book I read a long time ago comes to mind when thinking about people who complain about the “excessive” price of an item. “You're broke, aren't you.”</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cyclists need to be taken more seriously and need to be treated like everyone else. I almost feel like I have to start some kind of “equality” campaign. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cyclists Are People Too!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Their bikes are actually things worth money and cyclists love their bikes like you love your iphone/ps3/car! Cyclists are actual living breathing people! They could be your husband, or wife. They could even be your own child! You don't know it but your neighbour could be a closet cyclist. You're best friend could be a cyclist. It's too often that I read how a cyclist has to justify their existence.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">In all seriousness, the injustice towards cyclists is confusing. It's too often that I read about cyclists being killed on highways because someone ran them down. Cyclists don't get taken seriously when their bike is stolen or damaged. However, when the cyclist is at fault, justice should be comparable to his crime.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I am a cyclist but I don't ride as much as many others. In general, when I'm with cyclists, I'm the support driver. We're in the beginnings of building a team for the purpose of teaching and training. The cyclists for whom I drive ride for charity marathons. Being that I'm responsible for carrying water, Gatorade, tools, a bike rack, first aid stuff, I don't ride with them. This stuff would be way too heavy and I'm just a girl.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Don't get me wrong, I'm not an activist and I don't want to sound all activist-like. I really just want to make sure my husband is safe when he's riding his bike. I don't want him and our infant team to be one of these “5 people hit on the highway in Alberta” headlines. I'd like cyclists and drivers to get along and be respectful towards each other. I don't want another story of “before you got here, someone threw a bottle out his car window at us... again.” Please know cyclists are out there and are respectful taxpaying, insurance paying guys like my husband. Also know that when they're not cyclists, they're drivers or pedestrians, they are actual people under those helmets. Trust me, I get how you can mistake them for non-people. I've taken enough photos at marathons to think they're all one person wearing different jerseys, or better yet... clones!</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">No, not clones, can't think that way... CYCLISTS ARE PEOPLE TOO!</span></span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-88897171413163102222013-08-21T14:03:00.000-07:002013-08-21T14:03:16.294-07:00MS Bike Tour: Waterous, SK<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Events/Marathons/MS-Bike-Tour-Watrous-2013/i-36m75gg/0/O/MS%20Bike%20Tour%20SK%202013%20003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Events/Marathons/MS-Bike-Tour-Watrous-2013/i-36m75gg/0/O/MS%20Bike%20Tour%20SK%202013%20003.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">2 months ago, James decided that he wanted to do the MS Bike Tour in Watrous, Saskatchewan. I thought he was nuts for a couple of reasons. He’d already done the MS Bike Tour Airdrie to Olds this year and Watrous is in Saskatchewan, but I encouraged him anyway. Then I found out we'd be staying on Little Manitou Lake. I saw a show about it years ago so that was exciting. It’s supposed to be a mystical healing lake don'tcha know. The natives say it's true so it must be true. I know this to be true - I am after all native.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">We stayed in the Manitou Springs Hotel and Spa. They advertise the heck out of the spa but never seem to have an appointment open. I think they have exactly one person working in that spa. So I didn’t get to experience the spa, that's not really the point anyway. I really wanted a mani/pedi though, and maybe a relaxation massage. A facial wouldn’t have been too much to ask. Okay, I wanted some spa time dammit!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, in the last 2 months, James gets on it and raises $2,001 for the MS Society Regina chapter. His goal was $5000+, but the flood so rudely interrupted his fund raising capabilities. Even we donated a whack of money to the flood so it’s all good. Not the flood, the donation choices.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Events/Marathons/MS-Bike-Tour-Watrous-2013/i-KNqwGS6/0/M/MS%20Bike%20Tour%20SK%202013%20190-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Events/Marathons/MS-Bike-Tour-Watrous-2013/i-KNqwGS6/0/M/MS%20Bike%20Tour%20SK%202013%20190-M.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Boss</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">I decided to volunteer as a SAG driver and a photographer for the first time so I was responsible to Gord. Gord has been responsible for safety for the rides for the past 24 years and I can see why. He has no doubts about anything and he knows his stuff from the first minute to the last.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">6 rides, first actual signed form volunteering. Actual official volunteering was a little weird. I’m generally a team or support driver for specific cyclists, but as I only had one cyclist to support, it seemed a little redundant. I could have driven with him, pulled ahead, waited for him, and repeat. SAG driving seemed more interesting. Oh, I’m wrong, I was the driver for a media photographer for the cancer ride in 2010! Driving a Dodge truck in 1800 cyclists was a little intense!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Events/Marathons/MS-Bike-Tour-Watrous-2013/i-T6TJTL8/0/L/MS%20Bike%20Tour%20SK%202013%20054-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Events/Marathons/MS-Bike-Tour-Watrous-2013/i-T6TJTL8/0/L/MS%20Bike%20Tour%20SK%202013%20054-L.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Sweetie on Day 1</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">For the Watrous ride though, they seemed to want pictures from point & shoot cameras and not me so I'll keep my photos, but the driving was cool. For First-Aid, this chapter uses the Canadian Ski Patrol. This is my first experience with them and they are awesome people. Very personable, like to answer questions and even when I said this SAG stuff is boring (and in all reality, you want it to be) they took it in good humour. As a team driver, I'm used to being out on the road all the time with my cyclists, not sitting around hoping nothing will happen but it was good. I got to see a marathon from a different point of view.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">The Regina MS Society was also very helpful. They didn't mind 1001 questions and didn't treat their cyclists like a burden. They wanted the cyclists to be involved. The more the merrier! The only problem (un-problem?) was day one of the bike tour was on game day. Everyone was trying to finish so they could watch the 'Riders smack some other team down. I understand that other team was Montreal so that's okay. I could cheer for the green team this weekend. I may have to change my team of choice, Riders fans make Stampeders fans look like Sunday churchgoers.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Events/Marathons/MS-Bike-Tour-Watrous-2013/i-b26JpFw/0/M/MS%20Bike%20Tour%20SK%202013%20342-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Events/Marathons/MS-Bike-Tour-Watrous-2013/i-b26JpFw/0/M/MS%20Bike%20Tour%20SK%202013%20342-M.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Jeep looking all official</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 2 was very laid back. The cyclists were tired (and some were very hung over) but they got out there. Day 1 was 100km but day 2 was 50km so not as intimidating. James finished day 2 in 2 hours so not a bad day riding. We thought flat would be a nice change of pace. OMG was he ever wrong. Flat terrain is like riding on a trainer, there is no mercy. On hilly terrain you know you get to rest on the descents. The hills that are in Saskatchewan are half percent grade but 50 km long, in both directions! I wish I was kidding. AND the wind! It is always windy! And no light wind either! The trees don’t move, so it fools you, so you look off into the distance, then you get on your bike and move at a nice brisk 15 kilometers per hour!</span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">After all was said and done, we went back to the hotel and decided to take a dip in the lake. They say you can't sink and it's true. I went to the deep part and just stayed there. It was pretty awesome! James doesn't usually go into water (no interest) but I got him into the lake. He was having some fun. The water tasted just awful though! I mean it was just gross. The chemical content of the water will tell you why:</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salts): 308.38 grains/gram or 4,410 milligrams/litre</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Magnesium Bicarbonate: 63.42 grains/gram or 907 milligrams/litre</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Sodium Sulphate: 50.92 grains/gram or 728 milligrams/litre</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Potassium Sulphate: 116.62 grains/gram or 1,670 milligrams/litre</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Sodium Chloride: 1405.6 grains/gram or 20,100 milligrams/litre</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Calcium Sulphate: 104.96 grains/gram or 1,500 milligrams/litre</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Iron Oxide and Aluminium: .28 grains/gram or 4 milligrams/litre</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Silica: .69 grains/gram or 9.9 milligrams/litre</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Sulphur – some</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Specific Gravity – 1.06</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Tap Water – 1.00</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Little Manitou Lake is called the Dead Sea of Canada. This lake is so chemical intensive because it doesn’t drain anywhere. Creeks and streams drain into it then the water just stays here. Due to the geology under the lake, it also doesn’t seep into the ground. I think there are only 2 lakes like it in the world. All kinds of beauty products are made from the lake too. The pool water in the hotel is straight from the lake, just heated up. You can tell, the water is very “golden” as they put it. I even got James into the pool for a short time, mostly because our room wasn't yet clean at 3:30pm. Yes, we have one or two issues with this hotel. Either way, we enjoyed our stay and the Bike tour.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">Comparatively, the Regina chapter of the MS Society is much more accommodating than the Calgary chapter. They are nicer (and not fake nice, truly nice), far more approachable, and appear to be far more organized. There is no doubt about who does what. They have an answer for everything or knows who can answer your questions, even people who are first timers. They don’t fake their way through it. It was fantastic. The dinner was edible, more than edible, it was tasty and seconds were offered once everyone was fed. After dinner, they talked about the fundraising and what it actually provides for people with MS. This is the first time I’ve heard this. I only knew before this ride because I looked it up myself but I still appreciated that they spoke about it. I did have a minor issue with the 2 hour long speech. When the speaker was talking about the people who raised more than $2000 she gave a bio of everyone except the last 4 or so people. I felt like the last few people were insignificant comparatively. I am married to a professional speaker so I pick up on things like this.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;">All in all, going to Watrous was a fantastic experience. I'm glad we went out. It certainly gave me a different perspective on how things are different between the chapters. Given a choice, I'd give to this particular society year after year even if we can’t make it out for the ride. The Calgary chapter will still benefit from us but Regina, given their organized, accepting, and friendly attitude will certainly benefit from our fund raising as well. </span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">MS Society Regina, SK: good job!</span></span></span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-21242272480273262612013-07-31T19:54:00.001-07:002013-07-31T20:37:53.798-07:00The $52... $104 Million Question?<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">So the City did it. They took our money citing the flood as the reason. I am unimpressed. I am impressed with Big Red but not Calgary City Council in general. Once Alderman Colley-Urquhart heard from us in Ward 13, she changed her tune about what should be done with the money. Who knew? We have a representative who listens! Exciting stuff.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">I am seriously starting to feel Mayor Nenshi sees himself as Prince John and we his subjects. We are nothing but dollars signs to him, so why not tax us to death. The flood was nothing but a God send of money in the bank, gold to take from his subjects and a reason to raise next year's taxes beyond his forecast. It seems the decision has already been made that next year's tax break, if there is one, is going straight into the city coffers. Why not, last year's did. How much is that now? $90 million? $100 million that the city has taken from us? I would prefer the province no longer goes through the city for taxes. I know it's for their convenience, not mine.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">I, like everyone else, knows the flood was unprecedented but that's what the emergency fund is for. The province has said they'll help pay for flood damages. The federal government has said, they'll help pay for flood damages, so why does the city need to keep money the province has allocated back to us? There is absolutely no reason for it especially since the city intercepted it long before the flood ever happened. How did this become “flood money” all of a sudden? As I've heard so many times before, it rained, use the rainy day fund.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Mayor Nenshi, it appears, wants to replenish the rainy day fund before it's spent. City Council doesn't even know how much of the city's rainy day fund will be spent. Not only that, it's not even known exactly how much flood recovery will cost. You know, the stuff the provincial and federal governments said they'd cover. Even if the city's rainy day fund has to be tapped, it's supposed to get replenished from future taxation, not current or in this case, past taxation. It's not like “oh look, we've been hit by a hurricane, use 100% rainy day fund AND increase taxes to fill it back up tomorrow.” We don't expect another emergency that quickly, that's why it's called an emergency.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">If this is how the City of Calgary has decided to operate, this worries me. In essence they have raised taxes due to an emergency. What happens in the next emergency? There will be a next one. Will they have an emergency session, find some law that states they can raise our taxes effective immediately and we're hooped? The province won't always provide the city with our money as a windfall.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">With the farcical poll that was held, Mayor Nenshi says “the results don't add up to a whole lot.” I beg your pardon? 5 simple questions, click here, get simple answers. “Give it back” got the most votes. Why, why, why does that need a lot of thought? What I see is Mayor Nenshi trying to reframe the poll into “keep it for city hall.” But that doesn't matter anymore, city council has already voted to keep it.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">If Mayor Nenshi actually cared what we thought, the money would have been put back into our bank accounts. It would never have been a question, but he doesn't care about us. Before the flood, it was all about the biggest, newest, shiniest project. How many hundreds of millions of dollars can be spent right now. City council would complain about how they have no money for infrastructure maintenance but that's okay, they'd just raise taxes next year. Now, it's about how quickly they can screw us and make us like it. I also didn't like the argument “well the previous council spent a billion dollars on their project!” So what? It has been time for fiscal responsibility for so long. City Council is borrowing money for projects as it is. We have to stop spending! Play catch up for a few years! No more $500 million dollar projects! We should not be spending on public art, ever, but especially when tapping into the rainy day fund for an emergency is a cause for concern. This is stupid.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve also heard it said that taking this money </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IS</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> giving it back to Calgarians by using it for maintenance, projects, flood recovery or what have you. Then why not tax me at 100% and give me my daily rations, room and board. Wait, I believe that was called Twentieth Century Motor Company.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">I watched City Council for a short time and I was rather disturbed by some of the things the Aldermen were saying. Unfortunately, I didn't record who said what.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">One alderman said we are a collective as a municipality. No, really, we're not. Yes, we all live in Calgary and speaking for infrastructure needs, we pay into the same pot and expect the city to do its job. Saying we're a collective makes it sound like we live in a communist dictatorship. I don't work in the best interest of some guy in north east Calgary. This is certainly not a reason to keep the refund the province meant for us.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Another Alderman did make the point that there is only one taxpayer, but then went on to say that the city can only tax property. This was the reason to take the $52 million. Again, no. He explained that after taxing property, they have to go with their hand out to the province and the federal government. And? Calgary is in Alberta which is in Canada and guess what, this one taxpayer has to pay municipal, provincial and federal taxes. I don't have a choice so saying that they have to steal my money in order that they don’t have to “beg” the province or the feds does not make me any happier. Hiking my property taxes 30% over the last 3 years really makes me unhappy, my bottom line doesn't like it. The city is still saying “please sir, I want some more!” Then the so called experts say “people aren’t spending as much on goods and services.” I wonder why?</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">If the city is so short on funds, maybe they should start running properly. I will repeat myself - fiscal responsibility - and there is a reason. No private company could run like this city runs, it would be out of business in no time. City council continually approves billion dollar projects, they borrow for the next huge project and each division gives themselves raises every year whether they deserve it or not - and they almost never deserve it. The only city workers that deserve it this year are emergency services. The Calgary First Responders did fantastically.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">We need to restart plebiscites. If the city wants to do a $500 million project, do a real vote. They should never again do some poll that'll be outright ignored. When they do a vote, they need to include an honest cost/benefit and if the there are massive cost overruns, there needs to be an external investigation and audit as to why. It seems every project that runs through the government, there are massive cost overruns. That needs to end. Again, no private enterprise can run like that. The project manager would be fired. Things need to change. No more stealing of our money, no more mismanagement of our money. Enough is enough.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">These last number of years should teach people something. Don’t forget the last few years because of a couple of good weeks of leadership. Don’t allow these politicians to continually steal, pillage and plunder from us. Make them responsible. Politicians, do your job. You work for me, my neighbours, their neighbours. You do not work for your own self interest. My memory is long, your term is short. Never forget, you only care about my opinion once every few years, but I show up, every single time, unlike your current power base. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-43546663158132915112013-06-13T13:14:00.000-07:002013-06-13T13:14:26.300-07:00Calgary Property Tax Farce<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">I was initially going to write on the issues I have with the impending green bin fiasco that I see coming but I think I want to do something a little different. Not so much different but change my tactics because really, what's bothering me about the green/blue/black bins is not so much the bin but the lie.</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-1e50f2ec-3f2a-195d-eb8c-3e63a9605d94" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Calgary, we currently have a city council that does nothing to protect the taxpayer. This city council is quick to spend. They love their legacies, good or bad. The rebuild of 16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Avenue North is a good example.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calgary has been my home most of my life but I moved away for a couple of years. During that time, 16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Avenue got torn apart. When I decided to visit, I learned (by driving down it) to stay off 16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I had no idea why it was being torn up but friends were telling me it was to expand it and make it easier to get through the city. I thought “fantastic”! I used to go to Crescent Heights High School, so I used 16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a lot in my teenage years. Traffic has only gotten worse, go for it.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I move back to Calgary after four years and 16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Avenue is still under construction. My God this is taking awhile! The Brick closes, the dry cleaner moves under protest, but the construction moves forward. Awesome. Then, those planter boxes get put down the middle of the road. Traffic is as bad as ever, very little changes and the lights are synchronized to go red no matter how fast or slow you drive. I mean seriously, have you driven down 16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Avenue? I still avoid 16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Ave like its plague. So how many millions went into space for really big, ugly planter boxes?</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Okay, I can deal, not a problem. I don’t own a home yet, I haven't noticed too much. Why does my rent keep increasing? I lived in Tofino FREAKIN' BC for God sake and I think this is nuts! I'm not kidding. I rented a house in Tofino for cheaper than my tiny apartment here in Calgary! I'm having serious issues with this.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">I'm sorry, how much for an LRT expansion? I'm not going to hyperventilate. I'm... okay. I'm still standing. The world is a little fuzzy, I'm feeling a little woozy. What else is happening? Oh, that Glenmore upgrade thing? Well, that's cool, it's needed that for awhile. What else? There are how many construction projects this year? I did notice I can't drive anywhere without running headlong into construction. This is crazy even for Calgary.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Okay, I own a house now. That's nice. I find I'm paying a lot more attention to stuff. I don't know if that's better but I'm paying attention. A lot of stuff the city and province do give me a headache. The tunnel is one of them. It was suppose to replace Barlow but it follows Mcknight and Country Hills Blvd. and costs how much and ends where? Oh look, my property taxes just increased. That's why my rent kept increasing. You want to build 4 rec centres with money you don't have. Oh look, my property taxes increased. You introduced blue bins and black bins, with a fee... but my property taxes went up. How does that work? You can't control Calgary Transit or its costs so you now include them in my property taxes and now my property taxes increase. I'm seeing a trend that I don't like.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">City Council says time and again that they're dead broke, no money for years to come. The province doesn't know what they have to give but you want to build a composting facility, so you are probably going to increase my property taxes. You want to build a new library with money you don't have, guess you want more of my money right. You have this fantastically fabulous idea for green bins, that will come with a fee but you're going to not only take the tax break the province gave me, you're going to increase my property taxes. OH, and you've already decided that next year's is at least a 6% increase.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Are you seeing a pattern? Are you happy with the pattern because I can certainly say, I'm not. I'm very unhappy with this pattern and I'm very concerned. Not only am I concerned, I'm angry. Why can this city council not control its spending. Why can it not stop spending? Why can it not get its fiscal house in order? This has to stop and it has to stop 5 years ago. There are only so many “only's” left in us. It's “only” $6/month. It's “only” $126/year. It's “only” 6%. It's “only” my hard earned money. It's “only” my husband's hard earned money. It's “only” my neighbour's hard earned money.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">The effort of earning a living, the effort of earning nice things, the effort of putting food on the table does NOT give this city council a right to take it. Public art is about the stupidest thing I have ever heard. No public money should ever go to art! I'm sorry but I will stand by that and I'm a photographer.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">I also don't like it when I read that Calgary has the lowest level of taxation across the country, so be happy with the increases. No, I will never be happy with increases unless I can agree with why I'm being taxed to death. When taxation is over 40%, I’ve got a problem with that. When the mayor is taking a tax break given to us by another level of government, and then tells us there is due process to potentially get it back, I’ve got a problem with that because Calgary city council interrupted due process in the first place.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">As far as this $52 million is concerned, the province taxed it away from us, the province decided to give it back. The only thing the city did, was take it for the province. City council should have NO right to keep it once the province decides to give it back. It was NEVER theirs. Same with last year’s $40 million. The city made their budget, it should be their responsibility to stay within their spending means. They did not find $52 million laying around, it's not a windfall. It's theft, from either the provincial coffers or from us. Plain and simple.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">The politician that puts the word “only” in front of an increase or dollar amount has immediately lost my respect. That politician certainly has no respect for me. Just because it's “only $$” to him, doesn't mean it's only $$ to someone else. That could be a meal for someone's children or a bus ticket to work. I put value into every dollar I have. There was a time I had very little. I'm by no means rich yet but I'm no longer poor. $126 could be groceries for a week for some family. My family used to be one of those. I can thankfully say I'm no longer in that boat but it's still my $126 to do with as I please. It's not City Council's to take out of my pocket because they've overspent and now they're screwed.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Mayor Nenshi does want to add some sort of municipal tax to keep up with the city council's out of control spending. He would like to put upon his subjects a tax of “only” 1% above GST or a gas tax or whatever else he had in mind. He does not wish these taxes put to a vote. We're being gouged enough though. As landowners, I want a Magna Carta signed!</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Maybe we should be writing up a new Magna Carta. We have one but it's being ignored, so perhaps the Magna Carta 2013 is required. Our current “leaders” are certainly acting like Kings of the land so I don't see why not. We're certainly being treating like subjects. We're being taxed like subjects. When does the tax collector knock at my door to collect his gold? I won't be surprised when he shows up.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">The Magna Carta was written to limit the powers of the King. City council and the province are way too liberal with our money. That’s because it's not theirs. I do want to limit the spending powers of the Federal government as well, but we can argue with them some other time. Governments should be worried about protecting us in various ways, not about their legacies. They should be worried about infrastructure, water & sewer, roads, not public art and bridges we never wanted. That bridge is less than 100 m from one and I can see another bridge not far on the other side. However I had to ride my bike 7 km to find one when I was at 17 St SE. I could have thought of another place that required a bridge, even an eyesore like that one. Governments should be worried about bylaws and how to enforce them, not shark fin soup bans. That's a federal deal in my opinion, if it's an issue at all in Canada.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">If city council actually got its priorities in order, actually did what city council was suppose to do, we wouldn't have this spending problem. Our city council could, in theory have money. But they want to go the easy route, they'd rather continually increase taxes. They'd rather give themselves yearly raises and pat themselves on the back. Do you know who should vote whether they get a salary increase or not? Us. Even I would vote myself a salary raise - anyone would. Why not if you could? It's not their money, until it is. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Enough useless spending. Enough unwarranted salary increases. Enough abusing taxpayers. They seem to forget, there’s only one taxpayer for all levels of government. Don’t say you respect the taxpayer, show it. As far as I’m concerned, we’re being treated like ATM’s. The wallet’s empty, time to make another withdrawal. It’s “only” another twenty bucks.</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-43894740989531140202013-04-30T10:07:00.001-07:002013-04-30T10:07:14.556-07:00The Canada Firearms Centre, A Positive Experience<b id="docs-internal-guid-447193aa-5be8-9d53-8c1f-fbf341c63b92" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-447193aa-5be8-9d53-8c1f-fbf341c63b92" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-447193aa-5be8-9d53-8c1f-fbf341c63b92" style="font-weight: normal;"></b></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-447193aa-5be8-9d53-8c1f-fbf341c63b92" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-447193aa-5be8-9d53-8c1f-fbf341c63b92" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So this year my husband had to renew his PAL (Possession and Acquisition License) and his long term ATT. The long term ATT (Authority To Transport) allows licensed people to move restricted firearms to ranges, gunsmiths and border crossings for a period of 5 years. Last October, he sent in all his information and his PAL came through just fine. Somewhere along the way, my husband, me, the RCMP, all forgot about the ATT. We haven’t gone shooting for a few months so it hasn’t been an issue and even so, I have my ATT, so it still wouldn’t have been an issue. I would have been travelling with him. Even so, he needs his own.</span></b></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-447193aa-5be8-9d53-8c1f-fbf341c63b92" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The issue came in when we were at the Calgary Gun Show and he purchased a handgun (a restricted firearm). Life was good, he and the seller called the Canada Firearms Centre and the RCMP were very helpful. The officer even said “Well, your short term ATT has been approved so I assume your long term was already sent out, all is well.” My husband pointed out he has yet to receive his long term ATT. So the very nice lady on the other end of the phone changed the date of the short term ATT. (A short term ATT is a one trip ATT with specific ‘from-to addresses’ that basically let the RCMP know a restricted firearm has been picked up, and by whom. It’s part of the registration process for restricted firearms. We all think it’s a pain but it’s law.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This morning my husband re-submitted his application for his long term ATT thinking it would take awhile. Well it did. It took a mighty, now get this... </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">27 minutes!</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Canada Firearms Centre is certainly getting their ducks in a row! Alls I can say to that is wow. That is awesome! The Canada Firearms Centre gets more pleasant to deal with as time goes on! Keep it up guys!</span></div>
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</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-30973759144800128032013-04-05T15:05:00.000-07:002013-04-05T15:05:19.462-07:00Firearms, CFO's and Rights of All<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9659824133850634" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So passes another successful Calgary Gun Show. The first day of the show, I helped my in-laws man (woman?) their booths and there was quite the crowd. It was great and a little overwhelming! Of course, I ditched the booth to do my own shopping which is always fun. People always have the most interesting displays. Like last year, we sold a couple of long guns (no registrations, win!) and again, my husband purchased a handgun which he’s still waiting for (registration complications, it was misregistered as a prohibited firearm which is a whole huge discussion that needs to be had.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It wasn't all fun and happiness though. Right before the gun show, the Alberta CFO decided to enact some new rules. These rules are not law nor are they federally mandated, but they were enacted - in the opinions of law abiding gun owners - to scuttle the Calgary Gun Show. It was done maliciously and to make life difficult for the vendors of the Gun Show. Again, like I have asked so many times, why punish the law abiding gun owner? Should we not be the closest ally to the police and those who make laws?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For those who don’t understand how gun shows operate, guns are generally disabled, and even if they are not, a vendor does not have the ammunition for the firearms they are selling. It is okay and legal to disable a gun with a zap strap, trust me, it works. I've cursed many a zap strap holding down a trigger in a removal attempt! I swear, you can lift trucks with some of those damn things! Anyways, vendors follow safety rules and regulations because in every walk of life there are idiots, and we don’t want to meet them at our table - or if we do, we’d rather our firearm be no more useful than a club.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What the Alberta CFO demanded was every gun be trigger locked. Now, if we knew that even 6 months ago, it wouldn't have been a big panic. We believe that the Alberta CFO was hoping to scuttle as many of the sales as possible at the Calgary Gun Show with this rule thinking we couldn't find enough trigger locks. It was close, but the vendors did find all the trigger locks they needed. I swear we were all looking in couch cushions near the end but we got thousands of trigger locks on thousands of guns when zap straps were enough (and legal). I maintain when you can hold two cars together with plastic zip ties, it’s enough to secure a firearm. They use them to secure criminals, you've seen it on TV, don’t lie, I know you have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another rule that we were told to follow was all (unloaded, trigger locked) firearms had to be pointed inward so as not to be pointed at people. I actually have to say, huh? When I pointed my gun that I wanted to sell inward, it was pointed at me! I think I’m people. I don’t know, I should check on that. Also, I was in aisle Q. That means there were people walking all around me so even pointing the gun “inward”, it was still pointing at people walking up aisle P (well, aisles A through P.) I </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">did</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have a rifle on the table. If the CFO was serious, he would have said the guns must be in a rack pointed at the ceiling. Wait, maybe I shouldn't say that. I don’t want to give anyone any ideas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, the firearms needed to be secured down to the tables. We didn't own the tables so it’s not like we can modify them or anything. So what? Do we bring really long cables and secure all of the guns to our wrists? God help us if we needed to use the washroom! Most of us just secured the guns to each other, if at all. It’s never been a problem before, why is it now? Oh ya, because the CFO decided to be difficult and he wanted to scuttle the gun show.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the rules weren't so arbitrary, I could almost stomach them. If I felt there were for the safety of the public, I could tolerate them. If they were to stop actual honest to God crime, I could accept them, but they’re not. The police and politicians can’t stop criminals so they punish the law abiding, licensed gun owner, and that just irks me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We get frowned upon for just wanting to get together to buy, sell, and trade firearms, ammunition, brass, gun parts, T-shirts, USB sticks, jewelry, and the like. For the love of God, WE ARE NOT CRIMINALS! If we were, we would not be going to all this effort, jump through all of these ridiculous hoops to stay on side with the law and with power tripping CFO's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What would make me happy is if the Federal government would step in and protect us. Why aren't they? What's the deal? Why are our rights not being protected? Why are the CFO's being permitted to walk all over us? The rules are there, the regulations are there, the law is written. The CFO's have learned they can bypass them and nothing happens to them as long as it's just the gun owners, gun nuts, and gun fanatics that are being harmed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The thing is I'm not “just a gun owner” nor is my husband. It is our hobby, our collection. We’re business owners, home owners, car owners, cat owners. He’s a cyclist and I’m a writer. He’s an accountant and I’m a photographer and the list goes on. But for those who wish to take our rights away, they simply see “gun owner” or “gun nuts” or whatever other term you wish. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Gun owner” is only one facet of who we are and it's the one facet of our rights that are being stomped on. If this was a gay rights issue, all kinds of people, gay, straight, men, women would be fighting for equality, but not for us. The problem is, once our rights are gone, it'll be time for the next group. We’re just a good target right now. Not only that, we're big into free speech. That seems to be bad and I don't know why. People are fighting us on that front as well. “You can say what you wish as long as it fits the party line.” Free speech doesn’t work that way, but that’s a whole other fight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CFO’s in general are not a good idea. That’s being proven time and again. Province after province, CFO’s are creating rules (not laws - a cop can’t create a law) that we have to follow. And technically, they’re not allowed to create these rules. The problem is, if we as gun owners don’t follow the rules set out by the provincial CFO, we lose our property, our rights, and have little to no recourse. With that, the federal government really needs to step in and get the CFO’s in line with the law or get rid of the CFO’s completely. I would prefer the latter. The CSSA (Canadian Shooting Sports Association) of which I am a member, has put out a petition that I think you should read. Also, write your own letter to your MP and Garry Breitkreuz, a Saskatchewan MP who is on our side. Written letters are far better than emails. It gives them something physical to put in front of others are taken far more seriously.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CSSA Petition - </span><a href="http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/2013/03/CFO_petition_release_en.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/2013/03/CFO_petition_release_en.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Garry Breitkreuz - </span><a href="http://www.garrybreitkreuz.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.garrybreitkreuz.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The fact that the police are controlling us to this extent should scare the hell out of people. It’s starting with the gun owners but who’s next? I know a lot of people are thinking it’s “just those gun people” but what’s going to happen when they realize how many more rights the police have taken from you, and you just didn't notice because it started with the gun owners? It could be something innocuous like police acting as judge and jury at the roadside. Without medical education, your car can be confiscated and your license revoked, and there’s nothing you can do and all because you have asthma and can’t do the breathalyzer. If they’re wrong, it costs YOU money and time to prove otherwise. It’ll be better to plead guilty and carry on with your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rights are disappearing, some have noticed, others have accepted it because “why do I care, I don’t own a gun anyways.”</span></div>
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</b><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-20370254690613763092013-03-15T11:08:00.003-07:002013-03-15T11:09:46.489-07:00Be Popular, Be Disrespectful<b id="internal-source-marker_0.7087655134964734" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A couple of months ago, I gave up the news because I went from being passionate about my opinions to being angry about the decisions the governments are making. MLA’s, MP’s, Aldermen and our “leaders” don't care about us. They’re very good at pretending but in the end, it's all about their legacy. The problem is the legacy they are leaving is not a good one. However feeling personally insulted by one particular minister has caused me to write again.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since when has it become okay to bash the rich? It's been going on for a while, but since when is it okay? Really, that's not what's bothering me right now. The bashing has expanded beyond "the rich." The definition of "rich" is different for everyone anyway. My husband was called rich by a very nice man a little while ago, and it was a man my husband helped. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We're not yet rich but we are well off. I call people who have their homes, all of their debts paid off and are still expanding their wealth rich, as well as people who have TONNES of money, own big businesses and the list goes on. Others feel simply having a good "cushy" job makes you rich but I digress.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It seems now if you don't have a job that's "worth having" you are worth bashing. If you live in the wrong place, you're worth bashing. If you own the wrong vehicle, or OWN a vehicle, you're worth bashing. If you don't donate to the right charity or don't donate every cent you make to charity, well... you get the idea.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But what got me on this topic is Alberta's Minister of Municipal Affairs, the "Honourable" Doug Griffiths. His retort of "urban Albertans who sit in high-rise condos and don't necessarily contribute to the grassroots of this economy..." seems counter-intuitive. He of all people bashed those who choose to live in cities. Why? Because it's popular? He's out to lunch! Apparently us city dweller types who do in fact contribute a fair chunk to the economy of CANADA are no longer worthy and should pay more taxes. I beg HIS pardon?!?! He seems to have missed that part where it says Calgary contributed to 24% of Canada's economic growth with 3% of the population of Canada, or the entrepreneurship that comes out of the cities OR the sheer amount of taxes we unworthy city types do in fact pay.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My husband both runs a business and is an employee of another business... AT THE SAME TIME! He's doing this successfully. Sometimes it keeps him hopping but he enjoys it even though he acts as though his head is about to spin off his shoulders but in reality he wouldn't have it any other way. So, with the fact that he pays over 40% in taxes and owns a house in Calgary and an acreage north of Edmonton, is he unworthy? There are so many people like him, hell, he works for some of them!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why does our own government feel it okay to spout this tripe off? The Minister of Municipal Affairs guarantees the provincial Tories will not get our vote again but Mr. Griffiths doesn't care, does he? We don't matter. We're only two - count them - 1, 2 votes.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, we are staunch conservatives, but our own conservative party isn't. They're big spenders and controllers of people. They have a poor opinion of us and don't care what we have to say. That is so obvious. If they cared, our Ministers would NEVER say things like this.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With this, my faith is lost in our government. My husband wrote a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs. Read it, I think you'll like it. Please write your own. Our ministers MUST know how you feel or at least get the idea that we are paying attention and what they are doing and saying are unacceptable.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James McCullough, CGA</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*** ********* ***** SW</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calgary, AB T2* ***</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">March 7th, 2013</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honourable Doug Griffiths</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Minister of Municipal Affairs</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#104 Legislature Building</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10800 – 97 Ave.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edmonton, AB T5K 2B6</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Sir:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has been brought to my attention the comment that you made in the legislature yesterday about “…urban Albertans who sit in high-rise condos and don’t necessarily contribute to the grassroots of this economy.” I feel as a small business owner in Alberta who provides corporate-level accounting and controllership functions that this is meant as a personal insult to all working Albertans, not just the group you intended to single out.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The economy of this excellent province is driven by an entrepreneurial attitude undertaken by residents of all walks of life, from the gentleman I know who started a gutter cleaning business, to the gentleman who runs one of the top 50 fastest growing companies in Alberta. Both of these men – and their businesses – are clients of mine. Your comment, which appears to be based in the popular media notion of “rich-bashing” diminishes not only my own accomplishments, but since both of these people live in Calgary, you are tarring their accomplishments as well.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For a publicly elected official to fan the flames of economic discontent as you have is unacceptable. As the Minister of Municipal Affairs, you represent all municipalities, not merely the ones that you have selected for your own personal agenda.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please approach your statements with more respect in mind for all Albertans.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James McCullough, CGA</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please write your own letter. Here is some contact information. Put it on paper, sign your name to it. It’s hard to ignore us when our MLA’s are inundated by real mail instead of email.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honourable Doug Griffiths</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Legislature Office</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#104 Legislature Building</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10800-97 Avenue</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edmonton, AB</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Canada T5K 2B6</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phone: 780-427-3744</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fax: 780-422-9550</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To call toll-free within Alberta, please dial 310-0000.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alberta Municipal Affairs</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Communications Branch</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">18th floor, Commerce Place</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10155-102 Street</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edmonton, AB </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T5J 4L4</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Canada</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Constituency Office</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#201, 1006 - 4 Avenue</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wainwright, AB</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Canada T9W 2R3</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phone: (780) 842-6177</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fax: (780) 842-3171</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-27731843776431896042013-01-25T14:16:00.000-08:002013-01-25T14:16:08.111-08:00Honour: What does it matter now?<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9470032379031181" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What you’re about to read I didn’t write, a friend of mine did. Ken is a proud American who’s taught me a great deal about American politics and he’s VERY opinionated and passionate about his views. I think that’s great! I have a great deal of respect for him and what he has to say. Here’s why:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Honor: What does it matter now?</span></span></b></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has become painfully obvious to me that "Honor" is a concept all but lost on our nation's "leadership" and equally amiss amongst at least half of our nation's general population. When the Secretary of State, in an investigation involving the needless death of four good men and asks "What does it matter now?" we can be sure that honor has become nothing but an empty word.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So I thought I would take a moment to try and explain what honor is. Pardon my impertinence.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the movie "Rob Roy" there is a scene where Rob is explaining to his son what honor is and he says "Honor is the gift a man gives himself." For a long time, I thought this was a very apt and poetic way of describing it. Poetic it is, but it is a flawed statement.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Self Respect is the gift a man gives himself. Honor is how he earns it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honor is doing right even when no one will ever know.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honor is doing right even when it will hurt you to do it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honor is doing right even when doing otherwise would be more profitable or pleasing.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honor is not a garment to be donned and discarded when you find it expedient to do so. Honor must be served with every breath you take.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honor is not a "secret password" to be bandied about in order to gain entrance to the company of those who truly hold honor as their highest virtue.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Occasionally, because none of us are as perfect as Jesus Christ, we will err. We will do the less than honorable thing. Perhaps even the dishonorable thing. Those without honor will try at that time, to convince you that honor is lost, that you should abandon your high and mighty principles and admit you are as shiftless and double-dealing as they are. This is a lie, never believe it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honor is sometimes doing the wrong thing and then, when you realize your error, paying the price without flinching. Accepting the shame you have earned, realizing it is your debt to carry that shame for the rest of your life, and then going forth and making every effort in your power to undo the damage of your ill-conceived actions.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In short, admitting you have failed and beginning anew, with greater determination than ever before, to work and attempt to regain enough of that honor that one day, you may look in the mirror and view the one you see there with some quantity of Self Respect, even if that respect is somewhat dimmed. As long as you are willing to pay the price though</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The one thing Honor will never allow you to do, is to give up. Honor requires your lifetime commitment. Honor requires your unflinching and steadfast effort. Honor offers the reward of Self Respect, but it also offers the punishment of great shame.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sadly, our "leaders" have lost the capacity for shame. They have so muddied their souls they are beyond redemption. There is no honor within them and they know it well. Their failure burns within their heart forever and they will hate and despise any who possess the slightest shred of honor or self respect.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is why you are their prey.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do not abandon that which makes you their better. Regardless of what degradations they heap upon you, never, ever, let them take your honor from you. For if you do, you will be no better than they.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that is truly, a fate worse than death.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, Eric Holder, Bill Ayers, and all your cronies and sycophants, I am your better. I always will be. And you know it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Death before Dishonor.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Semper Fidelis</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-32626943655714084032012-12-26T09:56:00.001-08:002012-12-26T09:56:29.009-08:00Capitalists Are Not the Root of All Evil<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9583480230066925" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Guilt makes for a good story but doesn't solve anything.</span></span></b><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9583480230066925" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christmas is here and it's been awhile since I've expressed myself. Like everyone else, I've been busy but not on Christmas shopping as I would have liked. My husband lost both his grandparents this year so I've been out on the coast helping his mother. I cleaned out a 3000 square foot house in November and I'm still tired. But, I digress.</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's no secret that I'm a capitalist. In so being, some of the news I've seen from the United States has made me shake my head. Watching a union activist punch a political commentator</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: grey; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.818181991577148px; line-height: 12px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">was eye opening. I know liberals and left wing activists can be... vocal, but this was insanity. It made me sit back and consider what's been going on over the last number of years. I've asked with other incidents, if a conservative did that, it would be called assault/racist/blame throwing. Why is it when a liberal does something like this, there isn't a witness in sight and the conservative is blamed or the incident is justified away, like Benghazi? I then asked the questions why the outrage about this union law change? Why the protests? Why the demands of eat the rich in general?</span></span></span></b><br />
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<a class="yt-uix-sessionlink" data-sessionlink="ei=CIWox7jOuLQCFSgTIQodLQissg%3D%3D&feature=plcp" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w_ze-2r9c4" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(62, 31, 160) !important; cursor: pointer; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">UNEDITED UNION ASSAULT FOOTAGE!</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> - </span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I subscribe to Steven Crowder's YouTube channel. Go take a look.</span></span></b></h3>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also saw a picture online that actually made me laugh. The picture shows a protester holding up a sign that says “you can still be rich, just not that rich.” So many questions came to mind with this one picture. How rich can I be? Who determines the limit? What happens to MY money if I make too much? And so forth. One more question did come to mind: has this person ever held a real job in her life?</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I begin to wonder about the mindset of so many of these people with an entitlement complex so big it doesn't fit into the average gymnasium. Why is it okay to demand money be taken from those who make it to be given to those who don't wish to work? What right do they have to say “you have more than that person therefore you should give more, pay more, lose more because you can?” I don't mind giving to those who </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">truly</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> need it, I resent being forced to give to those who simply want it, or those who feel I should have less just to have less.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From what I've experienced, so many of these demanding, self-entitled individuals feel the rich are exploiting them in some fashion and should be punished. Why on Earth would capitalists want to exploit the type of person who demands higher taxes for him for no other reason than he has more money? Why would a capitalist want to exploit someone who wants more for doing less? The feeling of exploitation is imaginary because this person would have nothing the capitalist wants.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A capitalist wants someone who is willing to work for their salary. A capitalist wants, shockingly, a budding capitalist in their employ, not someone who will do as little as possible to earn their way to their next paycheque then complain they didn't get a Christmas bonus.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now don't get me wrong, my husband and I don't fall into the category of “rich” yet. We're still working on it. I wish to become a world famous photographer, the likes of Yousef Karsh... so I built my husband's website and did some of his simpler IT stuff. I also do the occasional bit of research for him. I go to business conferences and talk to people. Not one of them do I talk to about photography.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My husband works hard for his success. To achieve his success (present and future), he doesn’t take away from anyone, in fact, he’s increasing the wealth of those around him. Not only that, he's raised money for, and ridden in, the “Ride to Conquer Cancer” and I drove as his backup. Many years now, including the upcoming year, he's ridden in the MS Bike Tour. Much money and effort has been raised for the MS Society between my husband, his friends and his colleagues. He also shows newcomers how to raise money for their rides. How is this all a bad thing? It's his capitalistic mindset that have granted him these abilities and achievements. Wanton exploitation of the poor would do him no good, it would lose him time and money in the long run and he knows it. Any good capitalist knows this.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The irony here is, Adbusters exploited the poor when they began “Occupy Wallstreet.” With “We are the 99%” they used so many images of homeless people and the underprivileged, I was amazed. The only thought that came to me was “instead of using all this time to show me all of this destitution, why not do something about it?”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then the occupiers tried using the poor as a way to force governments to change and to steal money from those who had it. The time and effort the occupiers put into it was wasted. What the occupy movement accomplished was millions of dollars in destruction, assault, and lots of crying about how the sky is falling. In Calgary, the Occupiers wanted access to free electricity to use their laptops! No change was made except to show me that activists, the poor, and unsuccessful would rather camp in the park and complain about how much their life sucked than do something about it. Guilt makes for a good story but doesn't solve anything. It seems easier to hate those who work for their happy lifestyles and try to have the government take it away from them, than to try to become one of them. The problem they faced was, the actual working class didn't want to give their stuff up, nor should they have to; they earned it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a lot of complaining about how the poor get poorer as the rich get richer. I found a perfect quote to describe why. “The only difference between a rich person and a poor person is how they use their time.” Robert Kiyosaki said this and it's so true. My husband and I both spend a lot of time working on his company. He works with his clients, I do some of the administrative/IT bits. He has meetings, I put together marketing. We don't have time to protest the inequities of the world. When he's not making contacts/consulting/analyzing, we're on vacation. Even then, we find things that would work in his businesses. Our last vacation felt like 70% vacation, 30% “you know what I could do with that in development?”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who knows, maybe the poor are getting poorer. I could be wrong about the whole thing. I just have a really hard time believing this sentiment, especially after I passed a beggar on the streets of downtown Calgary a couple of weeks ago who had a better smart phone than me.</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-19853389457404955042012-11-04T19:42:00.000-08:002012-11-04T19:42:42.458-08:00Socialist Country of Calgary<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8779219125863165" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our government has no respect for us. We are nothing but dollar signs in their eyes. That’s obvious when they talk about taxes and what they spend taxes on. Our representatives love to talk about respect for the taxpayer but in reality they’re only concerned with how much they can squeeze out of us. I wish I felt our representatives respected or felt some regard toward us but lately I’ve only been hearing “higher taxes” and “more taxation power.” It’s very disheartening.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let's take the City of Calgary as an example. The city council loves to spend money but they don't like to ask Calgarians if we agree with their decisions on how the money is spent. Not only that, the council feels that since we elected them, we elected every single one of their ideas. It has become fifteen people speak for one million on all topics all the time. Because of this, projects are being approved that the majority of Calgarians may not want. We don't know, we haven't been asked - we’re being told.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the last election, Naheed Nenshi was elected mayor and the Airport Tunnel was one of his promises. Fine, but it wasn’t his only promise and a great deal of Calgarians did not vote for him. Instead of taking this mega project to referendum, it was decided in council in an 8-7 vote. Now, let me point out a discrepancy with the Airport Tunnel. When Dave Bronconnier was mayor of Calgary, the tunnel was going to cost at least half a billion dollars with roadway extensions and other stuff, and in his opinion would be prohibitive. He also called it a “nice to have.” Now Mayor Nenshi says it'll be no more than $295 million and it's a must. Where did the $200 million go?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There's a problem with Mayor Nenshi's “no more than $295 million.” It's wrong. Once the interchanges, roadway extensions, insurance and other stuff are added in – $42 million + $3 million + ... carry the one, um... ya, double check... - $528 million, oh, the other $200 million. Well, that looks an awful lot like half a billion dollars. Why is half a billion dollars acceptable now? I don’t understand.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The city has also decided on a new central public library. The cost for this project is $250 million and they don't even have a design yet. I beg your pardon? More spending on what, for when, and why? Why can't they look at renovating the current Central Library? What are they going to do with the current Central Library when the new one is built? AND, I don't remember being asked. I've used the Central Library. I like it, the location rocks. So, city council is going to build this new shiny thing at the inconvenience of the people who use the current one (and who are paying for it.) Thanks, I appreciate it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then there are these four rec centres. I understand that new communities want or even need rec centres but what I don't want is for the city to go into debt to build anything. It's bad enough that money coming in from the province is spent for the next 6 years, but borrowing? Why is it we should have the ability to continue borrowing past a current council's term? I know the arguments for the rec centres, I know there aren't enough hockey rinks or soccer fields but I also know there aren't enough coaches. They'll be great for a couple of years and then will we face millions of dollars spent on maintenance when small amounts should have been spent on preventative maintenance all along? But wait, this city council doesn't think that way. They want a big new shiny legacy, forget about actually keeping this city running. By the way, these rec centres come at a cost of $480 million.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hey, why don’t we talk about Calgary Transit. The West LRT, well, that was decided while I was living in BC so all I can say to that is *</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">beeeeeeeep* </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">but I can speak to public art. I have lived in Calgary most of my life, I just cheated on it for a short time. I'm sorry. Okay, first, I have an issue with the idea of public art. If an artist can't make it on their own, this in itself is a problem. I am a photographer so I can say that, actually, anyone with any business sense can say that.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next, taxpayer paid for art... ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME! There are better places for tax money to go. $8 million (looks like now capped at $3.5 million but still) could better be spent on road maintenance, police, firefighters, how about library renovations. There is a policy in this city that 1% of all capital projects must go towards public art. I'd be happier with zero. I've seen some very nice architecture, beautiful stuff that's art in and of itself. We don't need fish carvings on Glenmore Trail or anywhere else paid for by my money! I have art in my home, that I paid for or created myself. I would never, ever expect government paid for art in my home so why would I expect government mandated art on anything else?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also have to ask how Calgary Transit runs (itself straight into the ground.) If a private company ran the way Calgary Transit runs, it would be out of business. Calgary Transit needs to get its house in order. It bothers me that part of my property taxes goes towards Calgary Transit. We already have to pay fares to ride and for a while, to park. Now, simply to live in my house, I have to pay for Calgary Transit, that's wrong. Even with a portion of our property taxes going to Calgary Transit, they still say they have a $2 billion shortfall? Guess what, they then have a spending problem, a budgeting problem or something. My husband is a professional accountant. If he were the financial controller for Calgary Transit, he'd never work again. No one would trust him - but he’s a competent accountant, his companies run well because he’s private sector. Oh, sorry, that was my out loud voice.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve mentioned all of this outrageous misspending because Mayor Nenshi is demanding increased taxation powers within Calgary. For the municipality he wants a “penny” tax, tax on fuel, vehicle registration tax, a breathing tax. I really, desperately don’t want this. What I want is actual, honest fiscal responsibility and I don’t see this in city hall whatsoever. Mayor Nenshi at one time said on a radio show that Calgarians are not ATM’s, but he sure sees us as an infinite money supply.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will never accept another tax as long as there is uncontrolled spending and spending on things I really don’t agree with, ESPECIALLY when these things were not voted on. We no longer live in a democracy. If we did, I would have had a choice, a voice, but I don’t. The government dictates to me and on more than one occasion I feel that Mayor Nenshi has demanded I like it. The last property increase was “just a few dollars a month” but that was MY few dollars and the next increase will be more of MY money walking out the door for what? More art, and a tunnel to nowhere?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The last thing the City of Calgary needs is more power, more ways to take money from Calgarians. First they need to learn real respect, actual fiscal responsibility and they need to involve us in the decision making. The way they’re running now isn’t working, I don’t like it, and I’m not alone. I’d rather hear about how city hall is lowering it’s spending, not shark fin soup bans, running golf courses or how cool it is to hang out with protesters.</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-19904945661249246832012-10-04T07:50:00.000-07:002012-10-04T07:50:06.670-07:00Legal Firearms Ownership and It's Risks<b id="internal-source-marker_0.04830124042928219" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The long gun registry has been in the news a lot in the last few years. We’ve heard bits of firearms law, and in some cases we’ve seen how firearms owners are perceived by police. Lots of information is now easily available for anyone to read. The problem is, not a lot of people are seeing it. I didn’t realize quite how bad it was until very recently. My husband has to renew his firearms license and his friend was confused about a few very basic things. His friend couldn’t believe I had to sign my husband’s application or it wouldn’t be processed, and a huge conversation ensued.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For anyone who’s never seen a Possession and Acquisition form (app or renewal), the spouse of the gun owner must sign it, in essence giving the gun owner permission to continue owning his firearms. A couple of things bother me about this. First, it makes the spouse an agent of the Federal Government. Second, after the gun owner goes through a course or two, has owned guns for so many years, has had previous police checks and has just gone through another, it simply takes the lack of a spouse’s signature to deny a PAL renewal. The gun owner loses his collection and may never be able to get it back. The sad thing is, this could happen because the spouse is angry and for no other reason. The stupid thing about me having to sign his PAL renewal is that I too have a PAL. Nowhere on the renewal form does it ask that. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*I’m so pleased.*</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another topic that came up was warrantless searches. Of course, the person on the other side of the debate, the person that does not own guns immediately said police searching one’s home without a warrant goes against due process. Yes, in most cases it does - unless it’s under the Firearms Act. There are other cases where police conduct warrantless searches, but it seems the Firearms Act is a good excuse as any. Just ask Jesse Sansone. His daughter simply drew a figure holding what appeared to be a gun on a white board, and he was arrested and strip searched. His family was taken and separated from each other. No one but the teacher saw the drawing and heard his daughter say he shoots bad guys and monsters. The school and family services still feels they did nothing wrong, even when no gun was ever found. Correction, I’m wrong; a toy gun was found. The police have apologized for what they did to him and his family, but that doesn’t undo what the trauma they caused.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are also a number of people that get charged under the firearms act for various reasons who are law abiding citizens, have never had a criminal record, but catch the attention of police for some reason. The people below are a tiny few whose rights are taken from them simply because they own guns.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ian Thomson is a man from Port Colbourne, Ontario. He’d been having problems with some specific neighbours but there wasn’t much he could do about it since the closest police were about 30 minutes away. There were mostly yelling and bits of vandalism of his property until one unfortunate night. Some men decided to firebomb his home as he slept. Mr. Thomson defended himself accordingly. He flew out of bed, ran to his safe, got a revolver and ammunition and went outside. He let off a few shots but deliberately didn’t hit anyone. His intention was not to harm anyone but to scare them off his property. It worked so well he was arrested for defending himself and his home. Mr. Thomson even provided the police with evidence that these men were throwing molotov cocktails at his home. That didn’t seem to matter. They even heard one of the men yell “Are you ready to die?” Initially, Mr. Thomson was charged with dangerous use of a firearm and pointing a firearm but eventually these charges had been dropped. He’s still fighting the other charges, two counts of unsafe storage of a firearm. Part of the problem, though, is that safe storage laws are written such that interpretation can be different between jurisdictions, lawyers, cops, me and my husband. The fun part is that they were </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">deliberately</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> written in such a way that charges were easy to make, because no matter what a law abiding citizen did, they were wrong. There is one good thing that stems from law abiding citizens ending up in court for ridiculous reasons: the laws become easier to follow for all of us.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lawrence Manzer is another one who got charged because of a self defense incident. He is another law abiding person with no charges to his name - at least until he decided to use his firearm to protect himself. The best part is, it was unloaded.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There had been vandalism problems in his neighbourhood and one night he got a phone call from his neighbour, Brian Fox, saying he’s spotted prowlers nearby. Mr. Manzer got out of bed, grabbed his shotgun, and headed outside when he heard yelling between the prowlers and Mr. Fox. Mr. Manzer stayed on his porch with the unloaded gun, because Mr. Fox got the teenagers sitting on the ground by himself. Police were called and charged the teens with underaged drinking. The next week, the police came back to the neighbourhood and arrested the two men that stopped the teens from vandalizing their property. Mr. Fox was charged with assault (charges later dropped) and Mr. Manzer was charged with possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace. It took quite awhile but the trial against Mr. Manzer ended in a mistrial. Paperwork was not filed properly and the courts decided not to retry him as it would have been a public relations nightmare. This, to me, still does not bode well for law abiding firearms owners. The decision to retry Mr. Manzer seems more like a coin toss than common sense. He was simply protecting himself and his friend (with an unloaded shotgun.) He’s not a menace to society.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In British Columbia, James Buck’s home was searched, and his firearms seized because of a non-issue of a domestic dispute that happened years before. Apparently his wife was drunk and accused him of threatening her but she dropped the charges... because she was drunk and angry. Then one day, RCMP arrived at his house with a warrant, arrested him, seized his guns and he ended up in court. Mr. Buck pled guilty but thankfully he appeared before a smart judge. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The judge basically said:</span></b><br />
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.04830124042928219" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the police didn’t provide anything that proved Mr. Buck to be a threat to public safety,</span></b></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.04830124042928219" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is said to be inaccurate, incomplete and misleading,</span></b></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.04830124042928219" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">if the police did their job, they’d have known they arrested him for a non-issue,</span></b></li>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.04830124042928219" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the police should have checked previous court records, they’d know the case had been dropped (“sloppy at best and deceitful at worst.”)</span></b></li>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.04830124042928219" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it goes on! The judge was not being nice to the police, about how Mr. Buck’s rights were being stomped on, and how the police were making up their own rules. This is one of the few times I can say the courts worked quickly and in the best interest of the law abiding firearms owner.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many other examples of law abiding gun owners get trampled on by our court system and the police. I would figure that the police and courts would want to go after real criminals, not made up ones. The scary thing is, in a lot of cases, the charges are far reaching just to take their guns away. Now this is of great concern because there are collectors with thousands of dollars worth of guns in their collections. If the government seizes our property, there isn’t much we can do to get them back. I’ve heard people argue that this is okay. It seems as long as gun owners are the target, all is fair. But what if the government starts going after someone’s house or car just because they don’t like their opinion? I’m sure they can make up some charge to seize that property too.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m generalizing here, I did have some really good experiences with some RCMP officers regarding firearms issues. My husband’s father was a truly avid gun collector. He passed away a couple of years ago, and through one thing or another, the RCMP in Morinville stored the guns for us. They told us they’d keep them for as long as we needed (until we got all the paperwork in order and all that jazz) and they were not hostile about this issue at all. A few months later when we were finally ready to pick the firearms up, they helped us lock them up, put them in boxes, sort them out, pack them up AND they learned some stuff about the guns they were unfamiliar with. It was great fun! When we returned with a few firearms for destruction, that was kinda fun too. My husband actually brought a handgun frame to the station, double locked, in a locked case. They took pictures of that one before the locks came off. (That was - believe it or not - a legal requirement to have it double-locked. The law dictates that a restricted firearm - by which definition means the frame - must be transported double-locked. The firearm itself was missing the barrel, the receiver and the firing mechanism, yet it still had to be double locked.)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are risks to owning firearms legally, it’s just become a matter of managing them. In most cases, firearms owners just don’t let people know they’ve got them. In my case, I keep them well out of sight. There seemed to be a time where we were not even permitted to speak against the firearms act, that seems to have changed. We’re at least allowed to have opinions as long as we follow the law. I’m hoping as time goes on, people will realize that vilifying law abiding firearms owners is the wrong way to deal with this situation. I don’t mind most of the current laws, I just don’t like the ones that make it almost impossible to breathe. We are not a dangerous bunch. Honest.</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-24545056935534917752012-09-28T11:18:00.000-07:002012-09-28T11:18:34.911-07:00Gay Activism Makes Me Tired<b id="internal-source-marker_0.6903037582524121" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This particular topic has been bothering me for some time. I chose not to say anything because I felt this topic - over others I’ve written about - might somehow make me or my husband a target of hate. I felt by expressing my opinion about this would trigger threats or attacks more than any other that I’ve made public to date. I was also worried it would harm my husband’s business or reputation, and then it occurred to me: I was falling for the same rhetoric that a lot of others were falling for. I stayed quiet out of fear; that meant the liberal side of this debate was winning. Well, I’m quiet no longer, I understand what I’m about to say is unpopular.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every time I look at the news, the LGBT community is up in arms or trying to make front page news about something. Gay activism makes me tired, I don’t want to hear about it anymore. Fifteen years ago, I would have helped, I would have made the posters, I would have written my MP. But now, they’ve won their acceptance. Same sex marriage is legal, companies cannot discriminate against homosexuals, so I ask, what more do they want? Not everyone is going to be accepted for everything all the time. Being a vocal conservative woman, I get that.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I believe in freedom of speech, freedom of expression and equality but there is a limit. I am not for shoving ideologies down the throats of those who don’t agree with me. Make your point, make yourself heard, fight for the same rights as everyone else and accept the win gracefully. Don’t demand respect, don’t demand tolerance for your chosen lifestyle, not everyone is going to agree with it. Let me be clear, I have no issue with sane, rational, gay people who don't feel their sexuality is the focus of their identity. I do have a problem with people who throw their homosexuality in my face and expect me to respect them because of it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There appears to be a group of people out there trying to change the definition of “normal.” It seems though when one does not live an alternative lifestyle (anything LGBT) that person is immediately wrong. If we dare speak against alternative lifestyles, we’re homophobic or transphobic. I find this to be a ludicrous concept. I like this word “debate.” It’s a good word. I also enjoy other words and phrases, like “personal opinion” but we’re not allowed to have those anymore unless they follow the party line. I’m finding my personal opinions don’t follow party line. At times I’m not sure where the party line is.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most examples of this Liberal psychosis right now seems to be in the Toronto District School Board. Not only do they call themselves a gay straight alliance, they promote gender bending to elementary school children, as well as homosexual and polygamist lifestyles. What happened to public schools teaching things like reading, math, and science? Family values and morality, as far as I can remember, wasn’t in the curriculum. So many argue religion doesn’t belong in public schools, so why do LGBT initiatives or alternative family lifestyles? If one can argue for, one should be allowed to argue against but that simply isn’t the case.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are also people that promote the idea of raising children as “gender neutral” stating gender is a stereotype. Gender is not a complex or stereotype, it is physiological. Women and men are built differently. We do different things, like, for example, women can get pregnant, men can’t. Men who “identify as female” should try PMS once or twice. They would never “identify as female” ever again!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Ontario anti-bullying law is a confusing one to me. It says anti-bullying but somehow it’s become another win for the LGBT community. All schools, public, Catholic, whatever, must permit gay straight alliance clubs. How did an anti-bullying law turn into a political forum for homosexual lifestyles for teens? Apparently when this law was created, they missed the part that said sexuality was low on the list of why kids get bullied. Kids get bullied because of their looks, their weight, their grades. So, since looks are the top of the bullying list, why aren't uniforms mandatory in all schools? Then they need to create a fitness regimen so everyone weighs relatively the same, and so forth. Gay straight alliance clubs should be very far down on the list for methods to prevent bullying.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This liberal psychosis is not limited to Ontario. Earlier this year, the education minister in Alberta was trying to put through the Education Act. All teachers, including home school teachers, per the act, would have had to change their curriculums to conform to Alberta Human Rights. My issue with this is that human rights are very subjective. What this means to me and most others is Christians are no longer permitted to teach Christian values to their children. The easiest example to pick on is Christians would not be permitted to teach the biblical view that homosexual acts are wrong or sinful. Again, this was done in the name of diversity and tolerance... just not tolerance of Christians. This is a common, regularly occurring, disturbing view now. TOLERANCE FOR ALL (unless you’re a conservative, white, Christian, then keep your opinions to yourself, oh, and change.)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Education Minister said it was not his intention, nor the intention of this bill, to limit what parents or teachers could teach with respect to religious morality. The same thing was said about section 13 of the human rights act and it became known as the “hurt feelings” law. The Education Act came scarily close to being law which would have become an issue in the long term. If the Education Act had passed, I could see parents getting sued by some liberal activist for teaching home schooled children intolerance or hate outside of school hours. It would be some innocuous thing like parents debating the daily news such as “Love has no gender” around the dinner table, and they end up in the Alberta Human Rights courts for indoctrinating children. It’s one of the many reasons I’m glad it didn’t make it through third reading.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In our new and interesting world, the trend has become disturbing. If something is changed in the name of diversity or tolerance, Christians, anyone with traditional values, or opposing views are told they are bigoted or phobic. Apparently only select diverse differences are tolerated; others are, well, wrong. Either one is tolerant of differing view and opinions, or they should man up and realize how truly intolerant they are. The hypocritical “if you disagree with me, you’re racist/homophobic/transphobic/bigoted” crap is as good an argument as “that’s offensive.”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even strange changes like gender inclusive washrooms happen because of this so called “inclusive,” “tolerant” attitude. It happened at the University of Victoria. These washrooms were created for transgendered people who don’t know what washroom to use. Either gender can use these washrooms. If anyone speaks out against this, they’re simply told they’re missing the point. Forgive me but there are not so many “gender benders” out there that we need to start modifying public spaces for them. My personal thought is, if a person doesn’t know what washroom to use, they’ve got bigger problems. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What irritates me is that changes like this happen for such a tiny minority. People who fight for LGBT rights would like us to believe it's for a large percent of the population. Most reliable demographics models that I find show no more than 1%-4% of the population identify as homosexual or transgendered (two spirited?). So why do we bend over backwards for this group? It’s gotten bad enough that they want gender removed from our passports! Give me a break!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don't think that these topics should be forced on children or anyone else for that matter. Why is this still an issue? Same sex couples have the same rights has male/female couples so what's the problem? Continuing this fight only causes resentment, which is exactly what's happened with me. I was for gay rights, I know a lot of gay people that are quite personable. None of them are “activists.” None of them make me feel like a second class citizen because I'm married to a man and none of them wear their sexuality on their sleeve for everyone to see.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maybe the LGBT community and gay activists will regain my respect when they don’t expect tolerance from every corner of every household in the known universe. They need to give me a chance to forget they’re around and realize they’ve blended into society. Then the LGBT community has truly won. Right now, I find them to be a joke and bunch of self righteous bullies.</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-56471723411241901552012-09-17T13:21:00.000-07:002012-09-17T13:21:36.543-07:00What's Wrong With Us?<b id="internal-source-marker_0.37274028919637203" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s been awhile since I’ve written anything. Between having pneumonia in July and planning my awesome vacation to Chicago, I back burnered this for awhile. Now I’m ready again and it seems I’ve waited to long. I’ve been paying attention and various topics have been on my mind, stewing, boiling, waiting! </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First however, I’d like to point out some differences between Calgary and Chicago in terms of service. I’ve been to the USA a number of times but I’ve never stayed in any one place for very long. Chicago is my first one-stop vacation south of the border so I got to experience these differences.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First, the service almost everywhere I went was better than almost anything I’ve received here in Canada. I was wondering about that until a friend of mine said it’s because we’re too polite to mention it. First I laughed, then I got serious. I was going to argue that point until I realized he was right. In most circumstances, we Canadians take the bad service, the bad attitudes, the mixed up orders with a smile and still tip the waiter. We rarely complain and may even go back. Even my husband and I are guilty of it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For example, here in Calgary, my husband had us go back to the same White Spot over and over and every single time (I wish I was kidding) something went wrong. Either my chicken was underdone (I sent that back) or they gave him a beef patty instead of a veggie patty (again, sent back, he’s allergic to beef) or we got someone else’s order and the list goes on. It was to the point where we’d make bets over what would go wrong this time. The owner, shift managers and staff knew us very well, would even make an effort to get our order correct! The western divisional manager didn’t believe that our curse was true until he was in the restaurant at the same time as my husband and sure enough, something went wrong. My husband got his meal comped (again) and they tried to give him a $25 gift certificate as an apology. Why is it, when a restaurant messes up, the first thing they do is “hey, come back!” He said “keep it.” We don’t go there anymore. My question is, what’s up with us? Why did it take so many mix ups, screw ups, and mess ups before we finally said no more?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In most restaurants in Chicago, our water glass was never empty, I always had tea, our order was right every time, we never had to send it back (a regularity in almost any restaurant here) and service was fast. They had enough staff! Did you know places hire enough staff? I didn’t! The service everywhere we went was so exceptionally good that my husband actually said “and they call Canadians the land of the polite? We got nothing on these people!” In each of the restaurants we went to, the servers never asked us - my husband and I - if we were going to split the bill, another weird regularity here. The servers also expected him to pay the check, not me. We went to a varying degree of restaurants, from fast food to 4 star.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we went to the Field Museum, we got there a few minutes early so the guard told us some history on the place. We were there with a few other early birds. When she found out this was our first time in Chicago, we got some Chicago history as well. The guard (nice lady) then gave us some advice on some good places to eat when she found out where we were staying.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In our hotel, we went to the restaurant only once. This was our exceptional bad experience. The server decided to judge us based on our clothes (a bad idea) made us wait (there was only one other table of people and they had their own server.) When we finally got our order in, we waited some more. My husband got spilled coffee and when we got our food, the server proceeded to dump half my plate into my lap. He didn’t even apologize for it. For the record, that was Lockwood Restaurant, I don’t recommend it, unless you like wearing your food. This experience was a little shocking considering every other restaurant put most Canadian restaurants, in terms of service, to shame.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most of our cab drivers were fantastic, and we took a lot of cabs. I had to laugh at a T-shirt we saw that said “I survived a Chicago cab ride” but those guys can sure drive when they think you’re going to be late for a show. *ehem* Don’t believe the concierge when they say “no more than 12 minutes!” Scariest drive of my life but I survived a Chicago cab ride.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calgary could really learn a thing or 117 about the cab industry from the Chicago model. I get that Chicago is much larger but there are issues with the Calgary model. We need a different one especially now with the our new .05 law. Obviously the current one doesn’t work. I’ve heard and read waiting for a cab in Calgary is no more than 15-30 minutes, which is a big lie. On a good day, I’ve waited upwards of 2 hours. Once it snows, waiting is more like 8-20 hours. Does that sound like enough taxis on the road?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The regulating of taxis is not entirely to blame, the companies are also to blame. When my husband pre-orders an Associated Taxi for a 4:30 am pick-up to go to the airport, I expect it to be at my home. I don’t expect my husband to miss his flight because it doesn’t show up. I don’t expect the answer of “we don’t have a taxi in the area” when I called the night before to arrange the pickup. I also don’t expect the cab company to phone his cell while he’s at the airport waiting for the next flight because they showed up at 8:00 am, and I don’t expect the cab company to feel put out when the fare isn’t there to be picked up three and a half hours late. But that’s what happened.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Chicago, most of the time either the door man got our cab for us with nothing more than a blow of the whistle, or there were cabs outside of the various places we visited. The couple of times we needed to flag a cab down, we waited on the sidewalk for no more than 30 seconds. None of the drivers were ever on the cell phone and most of them recommended places to visit when they found out this was our first time in Chicago. Every cab had the same city plaque in the back that explained the fare as well as “for compliments or complaints call ###, your cab number is ####.” They encourage calling in a compliment, I like that. My husband lost our little camera in one of the cabs, even though it still hasn’t been found, the company called yesterday to tell us that they’re still looking for it. That impressed me. That one is Checker Cab in Chicago.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What I take from my experience in Chicago is:</span></b><br />
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.37274028919637203" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the people who provide the service in the USA want to provide high quality service, give the best and have an excellent reputation</span></b></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.37274028919637203" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Americans expect a higher quality of service so complain when they don’t receive it or don’t go back to the various places that provide poor service; this results in most places providing a high quality service, because everywhere wants everyone’s business</span></b></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.37274028919637203" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the people who provide the service in Canada feel they are nothing more than service people, don’t really care about their job, and provide just enough service to keep their job; Canadians are pushovers and will accept the poor service, we may or may not complain, hope the service will get better, accepts status quo and go back anyway</span></b></li>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.37274028919637203" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So I have to ask again, what the hell is wrong with us?</span></b>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-8975921269613441572012-07-23T21:00:00.005-07:002012-07-24T07:32:29.692-07:00Firearms Education, not ProhibitionFirearms politics has come to the forefront of my mind yet again. With the recent shooting crimes in Toronto, people have once again blamed the wrong thing. The gun has been blamed for the violence, not the criminal holding the gun. Not only that, I've seen a few articles from gun control advocates who want stricter gun control for the law abiding. They state violence against women and children as the reason.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2012/06/20120612-201048.html">Ban Bullets and Guns in Toronto, Councillor Says</a><br />
<a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2012/07/12/toronto-councillors-to-consider-pursuing-bullet-ban">Toronto council shoots down Vaughan bullet ban</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/featured/news/868018287001/get-your-head-out-of-the-sand-on-guns/1745258739001/page/2">GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND ON GUNS</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Ban Something, That’ll Work</i></span><br />
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In Toronto, using the Eaton Centre Shooting as the catalyst, a city councilman brought forth the idea of a bullet ban within his city. If he had his way, law abiding licensed individuals and companies permitted to sell ammunition to this point would no longer be permitted to have ammunition on premises, ever. I would like to ask, how is stopping the lawful buying and selling of ammunition going to stop criminal acts? Was the ammunition the shooter used in the Eaton Centre legally acquired, and if he couldn't acquire ammunition legally, would that have stopped him from acquiring ammunition illegally? Is banning ammunition and having it confiscated from stores and citizens within Councillor Vaughan's purview, or is this a great soundbite for the leftist crowd?<br />
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In listening to Councillor Vaughan, I find he’s focused on the wrong issue. Listening to him, guns are going off constantly in that city! If I believed Councillor Vaughan and no one else, I never ever want to go to Toronto - it’s a violent place! Everyone is shooting in some random direction all the time! Or, I can think logically and believe it’s criminals on occasion; it’s not nearly as bad as he portrays and recent history is an anomaly.<br />
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Councillor Vaughan, in his argument to ban bullets in Toronto, said it would help suicide rates, make police officers safer, help curb domestic violence - prevent women from ending up on the wrong end of long guns. That argument makes me so angry being that I’m a woman with a firearms license who advocates firearms education! Councillor Vaughan also said in his argument, most handguns used are smuggled across the border. That’s a whole different issue. Those guns were never legal to begin with. How do illegally smuggled guns warrant a bullet ban from legal sellers of guns and ammunition?<br />
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Earlier this week, 24 people were shot, again in Toronto, involving 2 deaths. I feel for everyone of these people and every family affected. It involved an altercation between two people that ended in gunfire. Again, this is a very unfortunate incident that involved criminals performing criminal acts. I was glad to see Mayor Ford’s response was initially “war on gangs” and not “punish the law abiding.” That time has now passed.<br />
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With the recent violence we’ve seen in Canada, the idea of gun bans has once again reared its ugly head. One of the arguments I’ve heard is yes, this punishes the law abiding and “inconveniences” sport shooters but sport shooters can take up another hobby. The lawfully acquired guns can be stolen by criminals and used for illegal purposes. They pose a threat to everyone’s safety. First, why should we take up another hobby due to someone else’s fear? We enjoy this hobby and it hurts no one. Second, a car, a knife, a smuggled in firearm can be used for illegal purposes just as well. How is banning my ability to acquire a handgun lawfully going to stop a criminal? Prohibition is never the answer. A criminal doesn’t care about bans and prohibitions. They will always find a way to accomplish their end goal, be it with a gun, car, knife, polonium-210, or some new and inventive way I've not thought of. Denying me the right to own a gun will NOT stop them.<br />
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My car was broken into once, the doors were locked but that didn’t stop the thief. There were a couple of things in there apparently worth stealing. My first thought was “effen junkies!” If my assumption is correct, I inadvertently and indirectly supplied drug addicts the means to purchase more illicit drugs. Does that mean I’m no longer permitted quality items because a criminal stole these items to benefit themselves or someone else in a harmful way? What if that criminal stole my car and ran someone over? I am a law abiding Canadian who lawfully purchased a vehicle. That vehicle could be stolen at some future point and be used to harm other Canadians and cause thousands of dollars of damage. Should we ban cars?<br />
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I remember when I was about 5 or 6 years old, the neighbourhood bully was playing street hockey by himself. I was playing in my yard and thought nothing of him but he decided he wanted my bike and I didn’t give it up. He hit me in the face with the hockey stick - I remember it well. Do we ban hockey sticks? The list goes on.<br />
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Why is it when the left wing decide they want gun control, the first thing they do is bring forward ideas to punish the law abiding? I see or hear about desired bans, restrictions or prohibitions but they fail to mention other forms of violence such as knife violence, physical violence, and so forth. They are so focused, their vision so narrowed that they only see the gun. It’s almost like they want to forget about the guy pulling the trigger. <br />
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According the Statistics Canada 2006, 75% of violent crime was committed without a weapon. Knives, clubs, or blunt instruments were the most common weapons used making up roughly 18% of the violent crimes. In 2.4% of those violent crimes, a firearm was used. I have to wonder, how exactly is it firearms get the bad reputation?<br />
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<a href="http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2008002/article/10518-eng.htm">Firearms and Violent Crime</a> from Statistics Canada<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Gender Equality and Security</i></span><br />
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Then you have these groups out there saying that there has to be greater gun control because without it, women and children are in danger. They’re even trying to make it a constitutional fight saying it’s a gender equality issue. As a woman, I want the ability to carry a firearm for protection, and why not? Any woman, with proper time and training, could be taught how to shoot from a holster in an emergency situation. Every person should be taught this and not only that, if every person has this skill, it’s no longer a gender issue is it. It does become truly equal.<br />
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My mother-in-law used to be a fabulous sport shooter. No matter the competition, she was a top 10 shooter, top woman (usually losing out to the same woman). Then she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. She lost fine motor control and strength of her dominant hand and subsequently lost confidence. Then she came to Calgary and my husband and I took her and her husband out. Her husband is a sport shooter as well, very good, and enjoys it very much. He’s my main instructor and my husband’s mentor. She initially didn’t want to pick up a gun then her darling son said “so use your left hand doofus!” They’re such a loving family. It took time, and coaxing, but her accuracy was coming back. That was 2010.<br />
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Then earlier this year she did it. She entered her first competition in years. My mother-in-law had a blast and she placed as a top 5 shooter, with Parkinson’s Disease and using her off-hand. Confidence, friends, her family, time, training, and practice is what it took to have her pick up a gun safely and with precision. I would bet she could out-shoot any criminal, and most police. So I have to ask - how, in anyone’s mind, could this be a gender inequality issue? <br />
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<a href="http://ywcacanada.ca/en/media/press/58">“End Dangerous Reductions in Gun Control” YWCA Annual Meeting</a><br />
<a href="http://www.canada.com/Women+groups+outraged+over+exclusion+from+Senate+hearings+long+registry/6412364/story.html">Women's groups outraged over exclusion from Senate hearings on gun registry</a><br />
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In a hand to hand fight, I would lose to most men, even with some of the skills I have - most women would. Men in general are naturally bigger and stronger than women. I would think masculine physique alone would cause gender inequality, not firearms law. I can be threatened by a man verbally or physically, but a gun, as they say, is an equalizer. Very simply, if my 11 year old nephew can shoot a .9mm handgun consistently, confidently, and without fear, after training from myself and my husband James, any adult woman can. I would encourage it. Too bad it’s illegal in Canada to carry a gun as protection.<br />
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The most recent action that grates on me is Toronto city council’s decision to interfere with a lawsuit against the Federal government to keep the gun registry data. They wish to support The Schlifer Clinic’s attempt to re-establish the long gun registry. The Schlifer Clinic says the long gun registry is required for the safety of police and women in cases of domestic violence. Police apparently require the long gun registry to know what weapons are in a home before they enter. I would argue that police should approach all domestic violence calls as though a firearm is involved whether the individuals are licensed to own one or not. The Schlifer Clinic states destruction of the long gun registry is unconstitutional, the reason being gender security for women. So I ask, does that mean, the handguns my mother-in-law and myself own shouldn't have be registered being that we're women with firearms licenses and legally acquired guns? Do we even require licenses by The Schlifer Clinic’s own arguments?<br />
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<a href="http://www.thestar.com/printarticle/1185244">Toronto legal clinic seeks to save federal long-gun registry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2012/07/13/toronto-council-votes-to-intervene-in-gun-registry-suit">Toronto council votes to intervene in gun registry suit</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Education</i></span><br />
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The only guns gun control lobbyists see are the Ruger Mini 14 or AK-47. The Ruger Mini 14 was used in the École Polytechnique Massacre. Since then, the gun, not the shooter has been vilified. To me, it is the shooter that is evil, it is the shooter that should be vilified, it is the shooter that should be remembered with contempt. I have a Mini 14. It’s never turned on me or tried to kill me or turned on anyone in the surrounding neighbourhood of its own volition. Not only that, James has another gun in the same calibre that’s far more accurate and way cooler.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Family/Derriens-Day-at-the-Range/i-ck2GJsm/0/X2/IMG7791-X2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Family/Derriens-Day-at-the-Range/i-ck2GJsm/0/X2/IMG7791-X2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Nephew with the Mini 14</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-zkb6zKK/0/L/i-zkb6zKK-L.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-zkb6zKK/0/L/i-zkb6zKK-L.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Husband with a different gun in the same calibre</td></tr>
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With the AK-47, it appears in many movies, it appears on posters, and it’s a prohibited weapon in Canada. Very few people are permitted to own this one legally. The closest gun myself or James has to the AK-47 is the SKS or the Mini 30. They are the same calibre but not the same gun. The AK-47 is a full automatic firearm whereas the SKS and Mini 30 are semi-automatic firearms amongst some other differences. I would hazard a guess, in most cases, I could hand any of these guns to a gun control fanatic and they wouldn’t know what they were holding. I’ve found most guns are called AK-47’s by people who don’t really know what they’re talking about, or Glocks, handguns are all Glocks.<br />
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<a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-xZzwcWK/0/M/i-xZzwcWK-M.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-xZzwcWK/0/M/i-xZzwcWK-M.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWYY625jkrK0TDhP7qrIOoYI86iTn6bgIG_5hgqa_76cser86aibgRIWYKbSVeXtW-qd5iPFAvgRnBXtnSqNIcopBgARtbGxUqJY7WjIkdqZO3ikpbTtaUay4M3L510V66Sytd5SHv_vH/s1600/Not+an+AK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWYY625jkrK0TDhP7qrIOoYI86iTn6bgIG_5hgqa_76cser86aibgRIWYKbSVeXtW-qd5iPFAvgRnBXtnSqNIcopBgARtbGxUqJY7WjIkdqZO3ikpbTtaUay4M3L510V66Sytd5SHv_vH/s320/Not+an+AK.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOT an AK-47</td></tr>
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Late in the spring, I had the opportunity to teach my nephew about many different types of firearms and firearms safety. Here’s a little background on him. Derrien is from Inuvik, NWT. He’s been around guns his whole life. He’s gone hunting and he’s told me he had the opportunity to shoot a caribou with his grandfather’s hunting rifle. He brought it down properly and in one shot after being told how to do it. *insert green eyed jealousy monster here* I got MY hands on him just after he turned 11 and man is he ever a smart cookie!</div>
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<a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-jrjdvcV/0/L/i-jrjdvcV-L.jpg"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Photography/Random-Photos/i-tc2pVsj/0/XL/IMG6849-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/Photography/Random-Photos/i-tc2pVsj/0/XL/IMG6849-XL.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof Derrien is my sister's child</td></tr>
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A few days before we went to the range, James and I started with THE talk and we got the eye roll and kid groan: how many 11 year old boys want to hear THE talk from their aunts? Every 11 year old boy wants to hear those famous magic words... gun safety. BORED! But he sat there and he took it like a man. He listened, he memorized and he even told ME what it all meant. Okay good, part one done. THEN we unlocked the ever so exciting door and he didn’t go rushing in. Success in small steps!<br />
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Now he gets to touch the firearms, learn what each one is and how they work. He learned how to check if they’re loaded and did so with each one and he did NOT fall for the trick question (which James answered incorrectly and called me a nasty name for!) Rockin’! We’re doing good. T-minus two days before we actually go outside. For the next two days, I grill the kid, he does well. I even make him check and double check the marshmallow gun we play with (and yes, shoot my husband with. Mini-marshmallow ballistics are awesome!)<br />
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<a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-jrjdvcV/0/L/i-jrjdvcV-L.jpg" style="background-color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-jrjdvcV/0/L/i-jrjdvcV-L.jpg" width="239" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-gLvrKdd/0/L/i-gLvrKdd-L.jpg" style="background-color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-gLvrKdd/0/L/i-gLvrKdd-L.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">11 year old excitement! Learning how to hold the gun!</span></div>
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It’s now the night before, time to start choosing what firearms we’re taking to the range and time to start packing, locking and prepping. This does take a long time. Not only do I have a brand new never fired handgun that I got for my birthday that MUST come out, James made a couple of new purchases for himself and we have Derrien make a few picks of his own. 19 firearms get packed - MY GOD! Because I’ve been teaching Derrien gun safety for the past few days, I have him help me pack up the guns. James is sitting in one inconvenient spot. The guns are never to point at any of us and with Derrien being in charge of in-home safety, they never do. He successfully has me move guns and cases around until they’re all locked and packed. He even learned that the restricted’s needed to be multi-locked. I had to help him with what was restricted and what wasn’t. He’s 11, the fact that he got the safety part down was good enough for me.<br />
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My husband helped Derrien pack the ammunition. James decided one day he likes weird Russian calibres. I like .308, he likes 9mm Makarov. I actually wrote down the firearms we were taking so we didn’t miss any ammunition. Then the morning finally arrived. We went for a nice breakfast and for a boy who said he wasn’t hungry, he sure snarfed back his breakfast (then ate half of mine!) A friend of ours came to the range with us. She’s come out a number of times. She has a lot of fun shooting smaller calibres which is great! She and Derrien were having shooting competitions. I bought them Zombie splatter targets. In a zombie apocalypse, Derrien is set! Zombies don’t have a chance.</div>
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I had him shoot rifles, a shotgun, and a couple of different handguns. Now they're not a mystery to him. When we got home, Derrien was made to clean the guns he used. He did very well at every step and he did so because we was given the opportunity to do so. He learned how to disassemble and reassemble the handgun he used most often. He needed a little help but did most of it himself and he cleaned it well. He also cleaned the shotgun and a rifle.</div>
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He had fun at the range, he had fun doing the work. He carried the cases, he carried the ammo boxes, he cleaned and put away the firearms and now he’s familiar and comfortable with them. Derrien (who’s perfect stance should be an embarrassment to most professionals) now doesn’t think a gun is a toy, a thing to kill people with, a so called modern gangster’s weapon, or something one just picks up and points at people for fun or to cause fear. It’s no longer a simple movie prop.<br />
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If more people, even the hardcore gun control crowd would educate themselves about guns, they would realize they are not something to fear. A gun is a tool or sports equipment, but unlike a fishing rod, a gun requires more care (unless you’re around my sister who’s not paying attention and she hooks you square in the thigh!)<br />
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I want people to realize that with adequate firearms education, the chances of an accident is reduced. With the experience Derrien received with me, his goal has become to get his Possession and Acquisition License when he turns 18. He’s also told me that he wishes to join the Canadian Armed Forces as soon as he possibly can. How is any of this negative? I didn’t make a little criminal by giving him this education, I helped him create goals. He’s not sure what he wants to be when he grows up, but he now knows some of what he wants to achieve.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Criminals Don’t Care About Law</i></span><br />
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I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, stop punishing law abiding Canadians. More laws won’t stop criminals; they don’t care about law or they wouldn’t be criminals. Guns are not the only tool or method used in crime. There are drug related crimes, home invasions, assaults, drinking and driving, stabbings, but guns get most of the bad press. <br />
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I’ve never commited a crime, I simply own guns, and I own them lawfully. I am not a threat to my neighbours or my community. To look at my house or even in my house, the average person wouldn’t know there are firearms here, let alone more than the 19 described above. They are all legally acquired and legally stored per storage laws. So tell me, what is more law going to do to stop criminals? Criminals haven’t been stopped yet. Will criminals be stopped in the future because some bureaucrat decides he wants a good soundbite? The right thing is said, a new tougher law is enacted and the only ones punished are those who already follow the law.<br />
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Actually put criminals on trial, don’t let them off on some stupid technicality. Punish the criminals, make them work their time. Once they’re caught, keep them in jail. There shouldn’t be shortened sentences for good behaviour or chances of early parole. Time in jail shouldn’t be easy. Why is there concern for creature comforts for inmates? It currently costs taxpayers $113,000/year/inmate. It’s time inmates lose their comforts and start suffering for what they have done, perhaps pay for what they have done. Why does there always seem to be an easy way out for a lot of these criminals? There are “slap on the wrists” or plea bargains, these need to end. Maybe if a good chunk of that $113,000/year/inmate were put into the court system, there would be more money for more prosecutors. Punish the guys who need the punishing, not the guys who didn’t do anything wrong to begin with.<br />
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Instead of more laws for the law abiding or banning guns and ammunition, I vote we ban theft, ban abuse, ban assault, ban illicit drug use, ban murder...</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-30222032168456643662012-06-26T12:54:00.001-07:002012-06-26T12:54:43.569-07:00No More TV Censorship<b id="internal-source-marker_0.5074847049545497" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To whom it may concern,</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">re: Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and Censorship of Canadian Television</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Television and radio should be as free as newspapers, magazines and the internet. Why is there still the ability to silence TV and radio broadcasters in Canada? Please abolish the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council. I wish the choice to hear the opinions of various Canadian TV and radio broadcasters of my choice, not hear the same opinions on every station and channel.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the CBSC has the ability to force an apology or a retraction from a TV broadcaster, then they are a censor, as such, they have no place in Canada. When stating an opinion, TV broadcasters should be subject to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and should not fear being judged and subsequently silenced for said opinion. Complaints from a few Canadians should also not be enough to have any TV broadcaster investigated. I could almost take the CBSC seriously if they investigated a TV broadcaster after receiving hundreds or thousands of complaints, not six. Does that mean that if Canadians agree with - or are ambivalent to - the TV broadcasters’ opinion, we too have to write to the CBSC to ask that they not be investigated for their opinions?</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The federal government has repealed Section 13 of the Human Rights Act which is a step in the right direction. Now people can state their opinions publicly and within reason, without fear of court time and judgement. With this, it’s time to abolish the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council for the same reason. As far as I understand it, most of the TV broadcasters on Canadian TV are Canadians, with personal opinions and should be subject to the same laws as the rest of us</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regards,</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C.J. McCullough</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calgary, AB</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've sent this by email to <u>pm@pm.gc.ca</u> and <u>james.moore@parl.gc.ca</u>. I encourage anyone who agrees with getting rid of the CBSC to do the same. Censorship of any kind in Canada is unacceptable. I have a problem with one group telling another what they may and may not say, hear, see, and read. That's exactly what the CBSC is doing. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Write your own or copy and modify my letter as long as the spirit is still there.</span></div>
</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-32797998106452129252012-05-28T18:01:00.000-07:002012-05-28T18:02:26.843-07:00A Message for Fanatical Protesters<b id="internal-source-marker_0.15710344212129712" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From my first article on, I've talked about protesters and my dislike of them. In general terms, I've described why. I feel they have an entitlement complex so large it doesn’t fit into most stadiums. I've taken some time to specifically figure out why. It appears these new breed of protesters feel it is their right to step on my freedom without any responsibility or duty to anyone but themselves. All responsibility lies on those they don't like or they disagree with.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only word they know is rights, and these protesters and rioters have forgotten or never learned the rest of the idea. Canada has a Constitution which codifies our system of government and law. WITHIN that Constitution is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is not a stand alone document.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law:</span></b><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.15710344212129712" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guarantee of Rights and Freedoms</span></b></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.15710344212129712" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rights and freedoms in Canada</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is how the Charter begins. The problem is, the protesters of which I speak are quick to go beyond reasonable limits but use specific pieces of the Charter in the hopes of protecting themselves. They cry "Freedom of Speech”, "Freedom of Expression”, or "Freedom of Peaceful Assembly" without understanding the context of what they're demanding. They don’t seem to care that in an effort to “express” themselves, they are contravening other parts of the Constitution Act at the same time, in other words, breaking the law. They use the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a gun and hope no one notices.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why do protesters use Charter of Rights and Freedoms to break law? As I said previously, it is only one part of the Constitution Act. Apparently, they only like the “good parts” version and the parts that pertain to what they are doing. The protesters (gone rioters in some cases) ignore the parts that can prove what they’re doing is wrong such as trespassing or disturbing the peace. If these laws are used against them, they say it’s “unconstitutional” simply because it stops how they promote their cause. They’re more than happy to use the Constitution or Charter against those with whom they disagree, whether or not the other side is breaking the law, as long as it works to the protesters’ advantage.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps these liberal idealistic protesters need to take some real time and figure out what it is they're asking for. They do so much in the name of democracy while trying to avoid it at all costs. Democracy takes time, democracy means the will of all people, democracy means due process. It does not mean the will of a bunch of whiny twenty somethings trying to hold the government hostage and making demands to suit their idea of the perfect country.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do these entitled people realize that because of the work and sacrifice of others, they have the freedom to protest? They have the freedom to attend post secondary education and to take any course they wish. They have the freedom to move throughout our country, to go to school in any province, in any city they wish, or even apply to schools out of country.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of those freedoms, they have rights. These rights and freedoms are intimately intertwined. It appears to me that they feel their rights and freedoms come to them at no cost. What these protesters are not understanding is, they cannot demand rights without doing their duty. Protesting and rioting are not duties. Protesting is okay to a point. Protesting lets the government and the people know there's a larger issue at hand, but once the message is lost, it's time to go home. Protesting should not step on others rights. Extended rioting is anarchy, there's no excuse for it. The Vancouver riots, while inexcusable, is one thing, it had a catalyst. What's happening in Quebec is deliberate and planned, and the planners as well as the rioters should be charged with a crime.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Responsibilities that come with their rights include being a good citizen and to uphold the law, neither of which most protesters do. Another responsibility or duty would be to vote. What right does anyone have to make demands of a government if said person or group didn't even have the time of day to vote in the last elections? If these protesters want to make change in the government, they should talk to their representatives or join a political party, get noticed and get involved.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the government began bending to the will of these protesters and stopped following due process, said government would be given the power to change law at will. The country would eventually become a tyranny, and why wouldn't it? Once a precedent is set, it would be used time and again. The more power a government is given, the more it will use, and not just on the people the liberal left-wing protesters dislike. It's happened before. A previous Canadian government did it, enacting the Firearms Act in fact. The government in power at the time used "Order in Council" to force the law through instead of due process because it was “for the good of the people.” The problem is, the long gun registry didn't prevent crime, cost 10 times what it was suppose to, didn't work as stipulated and was finally abolished. Alberta just recently used the provincial equivalent called “power of closure” to put through three laws for the good of all Albertans. We were never asked, we were just told any sensible, reasonable Albertan would want these laws. Ask us first, I’ve been told that I live in a democracy.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People who want instant change and make demands of the government forget that when they're trying to persecute people based on class, religion, ethnicity, or whatever new imaginary evil will themselves get persecuted in the future. They don’t think very far into the future though. The liberal types don’t realize there will be no one to defend their rights because they are themselves responsible for having all of our rights and freedoms taken away through their protesting and demanding.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If protesters didn't come across as whiny self important children, I might have more respect for them. Here's the thing though, protesting the world’s inequities has become a fad. There's even a clothing style. They turn 18 or 20, see something they don’t like and join some fanatical group that start the debate at “no”. With all this, I feel they don’t do any more research than reading the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and hope that’ll keep their cause running and them out of jail. Hopefully, one day, the courts will begin to uphold the law. I, as a law abiding citizen, must follow the Firearms Act to the letter or be left with a criminal offense on my record even if I’ve done nothing else wrong in my life. I would like to understand this double standard of the damage they cause to property and people and not be charged with anything, even a misdemeanor? The “good intentions sentiment” shouldn’t be the only thing keeping them from acquiring a criminal record.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maybe, hopefully, these protesters will grow up and become respectable members of society and contribute something to it. Who knows, it could be wishful thinking, or one of them could become the next conservative Prime Minister!</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-26838763759882462732012-05-24T17:56:00.000-07:002012-05-24T17:56:08.202-07:00Protesting Is Not The Way<b id="internal-source-marker_0.911628934321925" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don't understand the idea of mass protests. I do understand disagreeing with something or wanting to change government policies but I don't understand how protesting would do that. It seems if you don't like the colour of your neighbour's house, protest! I don't understand riots either. From what I've been seeing in the news, riots break out when the protester’s idea of democracy doesn't work. The image I currently have of protesters is “Hey wait, the government didn't bend to my will, break stuff!”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here are the protests that currently stick out in my mind. The Occupy Movement and the Quebec student protests. What do these people expect from their actions? Why is their idea of democracy more important or more valid than anyone else’s? I vote, I participate in government decisions as often as I can. I speak to my representatives as I need to. I don't go out onto the street, march in large groups and light vehicles on fire when things don't go my way.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Occupy Calgary was active, they showed liberal hypocrisy at it’s finest. Occupy Calgary decided their movement would camp in a downtown park, which is not legal in this city. When they were told they could not do this, and were even fined for it, they whipped out the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The occupiers stated it was their Charter right to camp in the downtown park for as long as they wished. They had “Freedom of Peaceful Assembly” since they were a protest movement (just with no tangible message). What this section doesn’t mention however, is camping. It does talk about people coming together collectively to defend a common interest, so why couldn’t the occupiers do this during legitimate park hours? Next, in the name of democracy, the occupiers said they would stay in the park until the government met their ridiculous list of demands. I’m sorry what? What government, democratic or otherwise, bows to force like that? I also have to question why they think their democratic right is more important than mine? Ah yes... They have an entitlement complex so big it doesn’t fit into most stadiums.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What started the Quebec student protests was a tuition increase to post secondary education. Their tuition is to increase by $325/year for 5 years. It was then changed to an increase of $1800 over 7 years which works out to about $260/year. The Quebec student protesters believe the tuition either remain the same or be struck all together. I question while they rage against the tuition increase, how many of them have smart phones? How many of them pay the bill, and what would they do if their monthly rate increased?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has become well known that tuition in Quebec is lower than anywhere else in Canada. The rest of the tuition cost is paid for by Canadian taxpayers. If tuition is to stay where it is now, it means the equalization payments they currently receive (which is also the highest in Canada by more than twice as much as the next province) would have to be budgeted to subsidize the schools, yet be taken away from something more important like health care. Taxes would also have to increase in Quebec by a substantial amount for the working class to subsidize the entitled class. If these protesting students were ever to become working class, they may no longer feel increasing taxes is an acceptable solution.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some of the protesting rioting students want free post secondary education. They truly believe it should be fully subsidized by the government. I have an even bigger issue with this. Where do these small minded, highly entitled rioters think the government’s money comes from? I personally don’t want my taxes to increase to allow them free access to university. If, by some weird chance they did get their way, I would want course availability be ones that create productive working class citizens to be paid for by the government. I don’t only mean trades, other examples would be business applications, nursing, and so forth. “Psychology of the Exceptional Human Experience” or “Learning from Youtube” should not be tax payer subsidized as they would be useless in the real world. If someone wants to learn “Philosophy of Star Trek” (</span><a href="http://courses.georgetown.edu/index.cfm?Action=View&CourseID=PHIL-180&AcademicYear=2007"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">honest to God</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) they can do that on their own dime.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As it stands, I truly believe Quebec’s equalization payments should decrease by a substantial amount. They need to get their house in order, so to speak. As long as Quebecers are willing to destroy their own cities, they should not be deserving of the rest of Canada’s money except for food, clothing, health care and police. Why should they get more, they’ll only burn it. The protesters and rioters are of the age of majority, and as it stands, we in this country believe that those over 18 years old should be responsible members of society. That also means they need to learn to live with the consequences of their actions and right now, what they are doing is affecting their entire province. The protesters are getting out-of-province union money, they don’t need anyone else’s. Perhaps they can use that money to fix the damage that’s been done.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These protesters, all of them, not just the Quebec students or the occupiers, have not considered what they’re asking for when they demand a fully socialist government. These people say hate the rich, take from the rich, tax the rich. What happens if the socialist protesters win? There will be no more rich in their perfect world as capitalism will no longer exist and everyone will be on equal footing. The currently rich will only exist for so long then the money is all gone. The evil capitalist corporations they hate so much, that support the system they decry but pay the taxes they love will be nationalized in said perfect world and their money is gone. People who were rich or working to become rich no longer have anything to work towards. There would be no point. They would only lose it all to entitled socialist brats who have never had to work for anything more than a passing grade. And even that is slowly disappearing from our educational system in the name of “self-esteem.”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even through all of this, what troubles me most about these protesters/rioters is their hypocrisy and the fact that they can’t see it. In a lot of cases, when their own hypocrisy is pointed out to them, they simply ignore it. If you even try to tell one of these protesters that what they are doing is not democratic, they tell you that you are wrong. They don’t debate, they dictate. Giving a government an ultimatum in any other country is called a coup or terrorist act. Here, they call it freedom of speech, only with burning cars and injured officers. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope one of these days these useless and damaging protests and riots end. Maybe these people who are so eager to yell at the world will realize that protesting every little inequity doesn’t change anything. I also hope that the entitled class realizes that just because they don’t get their way, they can’t throw a temper tantrum and break their neighbour’s toys in retaliation. The rest of us stop listening to them and will never take them seriously. Attacking or injuring a police officer may seem cool today but tomorrow we’ll all see it on TV and guess what, we’re the ones that might see your resume on our desks.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We could go out and protest about the evils of the world... Wait, no we can’t. We’re too busy working for a living.</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-71796070001495007232012-05-01T11:25:00.000-07:002012-05-01T11:25:15.996-07:00Recent Riots and the Entitlement Complex<b id="internal-source-marker_0.268756159581244"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lately as I read the news, I get more and more depressed about the future of the world. I wonder how children are raised as I see and infer the values of teens and 20 somethings. Are they raised so poorly, or are they in fact less intelligent? Where did this massive entitlement complex that I've been witnessing come from? I did a lot of reading on various protests during the height of the occupy movement, and it’s forefront on my mind again with the protests and riots in Quebec.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There have always been and will always be protests and riots. In 2003, I was part of an aquaculture rally. Environmentalists showed up to protest fish farming with their little signs and we were prepared with our own. What I noticed though is ours didn't have derogatory words and vile comments on them. Because of this, we were using our signs to cover theirs up - not because we felt our message was more important, but because there were children in the crowd. The so called pro-environmental anti-fish farming protesters got quite upset by this. We got physically threatened by the environmentalists, so I just stood close to my professional accountant husband who just happens to be 6'2” with 52” shoulders. Why did the environmentalists/protesters believe they had a right to threaten us in any manner or for any reason? I would never think to physically threaten anyone.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the occupy movement last year, the protesters took over parks in all kinds of cities maintaining it was their right. The one overriding message I received from the movement was money should be given to everyone who has never earned it as long it's taken forcibly from all those who did. I saw millions of dollars of damage caused by the occupiers in these cities, including my own, justified by them as a consequence of the occupation. I saw people hurt, assaulted and killed in various places due to the occupation. The occupiers wanted rules changed to suit their wants and desires, and they wanted anyone who worked for a living to be harmed economically. I question where this attitude of money for nothing comes from. When did this attitude of physically harming each other consequence-free spring forth? I also ask why due process is good for occupiers, but should be thrown out the window for anyone with more than two cents to rub together? I wished for the occupiers to be removed from my city park using lawful means. The occupiers on the other hand felt it was their right to break the law as long as they were protesting some non-issue.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In England last year and Greece this year, there were anti-Austerity protests turned riots. In both cases, during the riots cars and buildings were damaged and vandalized, and looting was rampant. Arson attacks were also common in both cases. There were many injuries and arrests. The damage was so excessive that the countries are in economic crisis. I'm having a problem understanding the mentality that says “the government is doing something I don’t like, quick, destroy something!” In the videos that I watched, most of the people throwing things, screaming, marching down the street appeared to be in their twenties.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From what I read, the countries are in trouble and are in a situation where they MUST borrow money. The creditor countries gave them terms and conditions, as I would expect. In an effort to save their economies, the troubled countries agreed to the terms and conditions, but the citizens said no, they want status quo. It was status quo that was killing their countries in the first place. So, to make their respective governments do exactly what they wished, the citizens trashed their own backyards. Apparently money can be invented from nothing, but what do I know - I've only gone to school, on my own dime, for business and finance related topics.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Montreal, students began protesting over a tuition increase proposal of $325 every year for 5 years. Considering Quebec resident students have the lowest tuition of any Canadian, that isn't bad. Our tax dollars pay the rest of their school costs. Quebec students on the other hand think this is a total slap in the face, and have actually stopped going to school to protest this increase. At first the protests were peaceful. The striking students went from peaceful protesters to violent rioters in no time flat. Rocks have been thrown, bank windows have been broken, cars have been attacked and lit on fire, journalists have been pepper sprayed, and officers have been injured. The damage they’ve caused so far is probably far more than the proposed increase. That, to me, would mean all taxes in Quebec should increase to cover the cost of the riot. I've read of about 85 arrests so far, but who knows what else is happening. Now, here's the best part: in at least one of the schools, the striking students are contemplating a class action lawsuit against the school to prevent the school from penalizing them for boycotting classes or missing exams!</span><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://bit.ly/K4y48X"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://bit.ly/K4y48X</span></a><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I beg your pardon? Did I actually read that correctly?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In each of these examples, the protesters seem to be demanding something for nothing or want life to be easy. When it's not, the peaceful protest becomes a violent riot. That is one severe entitlement complex and it's not contained by one city or even one country, it seems to be everywhere. I have my own theories on why the younger generations are affected by this “little emperor” complex. (I do realize I'm making sweeping generalizations.)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm 35 years old so I'm not really that much older than those of whom I'm speaking, but I seem to have a very different attitude. The twenty-somethings today and those younger seem to have grown up completely differently than I have, with a different value set. I've been told that comparing to myself isn't fair as I did part of my growing up in Inuvik, NWT, but I disagree.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I believe that the generations just younger than mine have not been given any rituals. I'm not only talking religious rituals, I'm talking </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">any</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Families don't generally sit down together for supper, kids don't have chores, there is no game night. If a family tries to do any of this, a lot of times, the children try to rebel against it because it's not viewed as “cool”. They’d rather be texting, facebooking, gaming, what-have-you.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only consistent ritual that younger generations were raised with today is political correctness. Very few other rituals were introduced to them or if they were, it was not consistent They were not taught religion, or given chores, or even taught they had to work for their toys. If they played team sports, everyone was given a participation certificate and no one won, because everyone was a winner. In school, no one could fail. Children are even taught how to speak correctly so as not to accidentally offend anyone. This is their ritual. Any other morals and ethics are left out because it might be some kind of secular teaching and that's not good for them.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The problem with this type of teaching is, it does not prepare children for the real world. It gives an entire generation an entitlement complex so big, deflating it becomes near impossible. With this, they learn that if the whine, cry, and paint a banner, they too can change the world. If they were given any other ritual - be it family or religious - I believe they’d have another moral and ethical basis to work from. But because family is an inconvenience and religion is not politically correct, they were not taught there are in fact real world consequences to their actions, and not everything is easy. There is actual work involved in world-changing situations, so when things don't go their way, they have an emotional melt down. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only things they have ever been taught is “power of positive students” and they can't fail no matter what. Being truly denied is not something they are equipped to deal with. When all out denial or opposition happens, and they're in large groups, they go off the deep end and feel a violent rampage is well within their right, as their lives have never before had anything except for positive consequences.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instead of protesting or rioting, these people need to realize that they need to work at change. Things don't happen all at once and all actions - positive or negative - have consequences. I'm hoping that something is learned from these riots before something more severe happens. People have already been hurt and killed; personally, I don't want those numbers to increase.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I just had the advantage to sit and talk with my husband’s grandmother. She’s 92 and said something very interesting to me about these protests and riots by entitled twits who want something for nothing. “This is what I gave 5 years of my life for?” is all she had, and all she needed to say. She served during World War II and she’s disgusted with protesters and rioters today, and I don’t blame her one bit. She can’t believe why people start massive protests and what causes riots. She served so we could have freedom and she sees it being squandered. The entitlement complex is working us towards severe socialism and dictatorships when we should be working towards more freedoms.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My dad escaped East Germany for freedoms and the entitlement complex of these people is causing government to create laws that control us more and more. I have a big problem with this. He came here because it’s a free and democratic country. What these highly self-entitled protesters and rioters don’t realize is, with their wanting something for nothing, we’re slowly losing our rights and freedoms.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Due process doesn't always work in my favour, but it is there for a reason. I don't wish to live in a world of anarchy, nor do I wish to live in a socialist dictatorship. I work within the laws, and use them. I try to change them if I don't think they're right, but try I'll never burn down the buildings the laws are written in.</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-63191151288606446582012-04-07T22:14:00.000-07:002012-04-07T22:15:42.107-07:00The Battle is Won but the War is Just BegunApril 5, 2012 was a great day as tonight the long gun registry was done away with. It's no longer available to authorities and we don't need to go through this useless process for buying and selling non-restricted rifles and shotguns anymore! Well, everyone EXCEPT gun owners in Quebec which is unfortunate. I'm seriously hoping they win with the rest of us.<br />
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<a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-9SPBhmF/0/L/i-9SPBhmF-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-9SPBhmF/0/L/i-9SPBhmF-L.jpg" width="320" /></a>This is a big deal because I'm currently helping out at the Calgary Gun Show. It was a very different show from last year. I've been seeing many more people buying, trading, and selling rifles because the process is that much easier. It's nice. Everyone who has a gun, has a license. It's a room full of lawful people doing lawful things lawfully and NOT being punished for simply wanting to own a firearm.<br />
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What I don't think the left wing liberal crowd realizes is we won this step through due process. Gun owners didn't protest in the street. We didn't scream and yell or get ourselves arrested and call that a win. We didn't damage public property and stop traffic or feel entitled and put upon when we didn't get our way. For 17 years, we fought to have the laws changed so that law abiding people didn't get punished for simply wanting to own a gun. We also didn't expect this change to happen overnight simply because we wanted it. We fought for this step tooth and nail.</div>
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As much as I would like to say the fight is over, it really isn't. This is just a step in the right direction. So many other things about the Firearms Act must change. How lawful firearms owners are viewed needs to change. Gun control advocates have to stop vilifying law abiding citizens and realize it is the actual criminals that require punishment, not us.<br />
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There are changes that need to happen in the criminal code. For example, there needs to be a repeal of Section 91 and 92 of the criminal code. These two sections are:<br />
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<li>Section 91 – Unauthorized possession of firearm;</li>
<li>Section 92 – Possession of firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized.</li>
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Both of these sections were written specifically to punish law abiding citizens. For example, if a firearms license expires, and the person is in possession of any firearm, they are immediately deemed a criminal. This person could then be jailed for up to four years.<br />
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If the person leaves their home, with their restricted firearm but forgets the registration certificate at home, they are deemed a criminal. Again, this person could be jailed for up to four years. What bothers me about this is, if actual criminals are caught with unregistered or stolen firearms, the first thing they try to have removed from their case is the firearms offence and they are successful a good deal of the time. Not only that, actual criminals have lesser sentences for actual crimes. Law abiding citizens, who have never done anything wrong in their lives however are raked over the coals for paper crimes. How can anyone think this is okay?<br />
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What I have JUST learned is the firearms license is the ONLY document that keeps law abiding citizens from being convicted under the section 91. This is scary for so many reasons. There is this person called Governor in Council that can revoke any and all licenses under section 119 as long as a letter of explanation is presented to Parliament. So in one fell swoop, all law abiding Canadian gun owners could be made criminals because this person decides it. The best part, the Governor in Council is another name for the Minister in Charge of the Firearms Act.<br />
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There are a number of worries with section 91 and 92 but what everyone should concern themselves with is this: if/when there is a conviction under these sections, there was never a threat, intimidation, robbery, injury, violence, murder, or a victim. The once law abiding citizen can go to jail for up to 10 years for a paper crime and there is almost nothing they can do about it.<br />
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Something else that I've learned about is Clause 69 and Clause 70. A Chief Firearms Officer can refuse to issue a license, registration, or ATT as long as you are provided notification. The owner has a right to appeal but I don't actually know the process or why a CFO would refuse or revoke these for anyone. Then again, I don't know why anyone would write such spiteful laws against law abiding people. Personally, I would write laws to punish criminals, not honest people. But, that's just me.<br />
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The Federal Liberal Party put so many laws in to punish the law abiding so many years ago and over time it's gotten worse. Not only that, the police and the government have actually punished lawful people using the firearms act. The ONLY advantage that's come of this is to tighten up the laws and make them more understandable. They were written vaguely so that they could be interpreted any way authorities wished at the moment. This is not a good way to treat a population of any country, especially a group of people that should be the biggest advocates for police and safety of a country.<br />
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What I hope left wing gun control advocates realize is punishing lawful people will get them no where. Blaming us or blaming the tool for tragedies is never a good idea. If so, then cars should be blamed for crashes, fast food restaurants should be blamed for overweight people, knives should be blamed for stabbing, and bombs should be blamed for war.<br />
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Royal assent of Bill C-19 is merely a step in the right direction. We need to keep fighting for our rights and freedoms. As long as we keep at it, keep speaking with those in power and keep using due process, we will win. We can't stop, ever. If we're quiet for even a minute, they'll think we've gone away. The world is changed by those who show up.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-14124959592149218832012-04-03T20:01:00.001-07:002012-04-03T20:01:49.885-07:00Follow-Up Meeting on the Landfill Fire<b id="internal-source-marker_0.43551774811930954"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On March 29th, my husband and I went to a follow-up town hall meeting put together by Alderman Colley-Urquhart regarding the Tsuu-T'ina landfill fire that started on February 8th, 2012. There weren’t nearly as many people at this one as at the first. You’d think it would be quieter but it wasn’t. She had invited a panel from the Alberta Health Services to explain to us their role during that time. It was quite the interesting meeting.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the first five minutes, Alderman Colley-Urquhart explained her position on the media attack of her first meeting. As Alderman, it is not her in her purview to invite Chief Big Plume to anything as he is the band leader. That would be the responsibility of the mayor to do so and once she said it, it made a lot of sense. Personally, I never thought it was her responsibility to invite him as she made it clear to us that she wanted the perspective of the residents in her ward before she moved forward. Having him there would have been a detriment to what we were trying to accomplish that first night.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The panel that addressed us was a five member panel from Alberta Health Services and Environmental Monitoring. I’m not going to go into a lot of detail because I didn’t record it, so most of this is from memory. Each person explained what they did and who they spoke to. They did explain in great detail how air quality was measured (I found out from their map that one of the monitors was very close to my home). They also explained why it took so long for the process to start.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The doctors that were there explained that as information came to them, they called schools and media to tell them what they needed to know about the situation. They also told us each of the departments wrote reports on their responsibilities. These reports are being studied and compiled so that they can come up with a better response if something like this were to happen again. This is reactionary, but like everyone else, AHS needs to learn as well. I’m hoping an incident such as this doesn’t happen again but being this is the third incident from the reserve that people remember, we all worry.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For environmental monitoring, Alberta right now only has one very specialized vehicle and it was in Edmonton. From the time it was determined there was this massive fire to “we need to know what people are breathing in” it took 3 hours to get the vehicle down here. It's a little scary but I'm glad to know. We also learned that the Tsuu T’ina used 3 separate volunteer fire departments to help put the fire out and never did call the Calgary Fire Department.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the doctors did explain that the schools were told to close their fresh air intake. A gentleman in the crowd brought up that for homes this isn’t an option as gas furnaces require the fresh air intakes to run. That’s when I learned (like many others) that furnaces have two intakes; a fresh air intake and a combustion air intake and we should have closed the fresh air intakes to our homes as well. Again, stuff I would have liked to know but never found and was never told until long after the fact.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some of the questions that the panel could not answer were:</span></b><br />
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.43551774811930954"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When did the fire actually start? (though based on our estimation, it was probably at about 11:00 pm)</span></b></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.43551774811930954"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why was the Calgary Fire Department not ultimately called to the landfill fire?</span></b></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.43551774811930954"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does the Tsuu T'ina Nation intend to do about the landfill?</span></b></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.43551774811930954"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How is it possible or legal for <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>the Tsuu T'ina Nation to run an unlicensed landfill?</span></b></li>
</ul>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.43551774811930954"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To me, the panel was there to address their participation in “the incident” as they called it. They were not there to address their participation in other incidents or tell us “should have beens.” I believe they described what they did very effectively. Not only that, they described to my satisfaction the next steps to be taken. Obviously, it's not helping us out for the this fire but I would like to have had this information at the time. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I really did feel alone and helpless. I heard a couple of times (from my husband as well) that they didn't hear about the air advisory until it was all over. The only reason I knew about it is because I looked for it. To me, that means Alberta Health Services didn't let the media know how truly important this was. If AHS needs to stand out on the street and yell it at the neighbourhood, then do so! It did affect asthma sufferers and from what I've understood, some people are still suffering some ill effects. At least one person had to stay in a hotel and it was a very real possibility for my husband.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I did a quick estimate of the number of people that were affected by this fire and I know that this number is low. I believe it to be roughly 100,000 people yet I feel we were not taken very seriously. I understand now that a few different services were involved in making sure we were safe but we weren't told. I had to search hard for the smallest amount of information and I am good at finding almost anything on the internet.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A lot of questions came up here that did come up at the previous meeting. Some general complaining happened as well but that's to be expected at anything like this. I didn't mind that so much. That way I knew I wasn't the only one feeling helpless. What I didn’t appreciate was the one woman who spoke up, sitting in front of me. She said she was hearing a lot of racism towards the Tsuu T’ina Nation. Apparently we were at different meetings. I had to disagree with her. I myself am aboriginal (I’m not from the Tsuu T’ina Nation) and if I felt any racist comments were being made, I would have been the first to speak up. She wanted those at the meeting to show respect and compassion for those on the reserve. Just as I was about to speak up, another woman sitting just to my left said very loudly “Do you want us all to leave then!” and that pretty much summed it up for me. I had nothing to add to that. I loved it! We were there to discuss how this fire and any potential future disaster would affect us and what the city could do and this woman was taking offence on behalf of someone else. Not only that, she didn't even take the time to see if there were other aboriginals in the room. That just annoys me, that does!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What I knew that morning was I woke up at 4am with my house full of smoke. When I discovered it wasn’t my house or my neighbours house that wasn’t on fire, it took hours to find anything on what it was. I had to search the internet hard to find one small paragraph at 9:30 am that told me there was a fire on the Tsuu T'ina reserve. I didn't find reference of the air advisory until 5pm that evening and I was one of the lucky ones to know that much. After a while, I knew the Calgary Fire Department wasn't going out to help. Other than that, I didn’t know much. I saw a lot of conflicting reports on what was going on. It was a controlled burn, it was accidental, it was underground, it was above ground and they drilled the boreholes to bring it under control and it goes on. I’m glad in this case, no one was harmed or killed but with the lack of information, who knows what will happen next time.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope with this, Alberta Health Services, The City of Calgary and the Tsuu T’ina Nation work together to find an amicable solution so a cross jurisdictional problem doesn’t stop anyone from helping anyone else again. That seems like such a silly excuse. Of all things for my tax money not to be used for, why a disaster that affected the health of myself, my husband, and my neighbours?</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0Calgary, AB, Canada51.045 -114.057222250.885273000000005 -114.37307919999999 51.204727 -113.7413652tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-58898459350555030542012-03-29T17:32:00.000-07:002012-03-29T17:32:05.530-07:00When My Mind Plays With Me<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Early this morning, I'm sitting at home, listening to music, editing some of my new photos, when I hear a big thump in the basement. What happens when a girl is home alone, she starts to think about monsters. At first I was just going to willy nilly go downstairs and see what fell then something occurred to me... my firearms are stored downstairs and now the monsters are armed.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-Cb8rPTp/0/O/i-Cb8rPTp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-Cb8rPTp/0/O/i-Cb8rPTp.jpg" width="148" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my cat minions</td></tr>
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<a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-v7d2nNz/0/S/i-v7d2nNz-S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><span id="internal-source-marker_0.9883625737857074"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, I have my cat minions and they are quite capable. My cats are Anubis, 9kg and all muscle, Phaedrus, 8kg strong and sarcastic (yes, cats can be sarcastic), and Bettie Paige, 2 kg and feisty! I'm just not sure what they can do against monsters armed with my husband's AR15 and a 12 gauge shot gun or two.</span><br /><b><br /></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now it took four seconds for my mind to come up with this scenario. The monsters quietly tunnelled up under my house straight into the locked room so they don't need the first set of keys. This is an amazing feat as my basement, like most others is concrete. Being monsters, they get into the safe (that was the thump you see.) They now have my guns. I'm not sure why they need them but they have them. Unfortunately, I heard the thump of the safe cracking so I interrupt their escape armed only with cat minions. Of course this is where all my problems would begin!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-v7d2nNz/0/S/i-v7d2nNz-S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://nekocanada.smugmug.com/photos/i-v7d2nNz/0/S/i-v7d2nNz-S.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See why firearms laws need to change! If I had a place to store firearms upstairs or could store them a touch differently OR was even allowed to defend myself against basement tunnelling gun stealing monsters with firearms, this wouldn't be a problem. Well, it still might be as the really cool guns would still be downstairs but at least I would have a fighting chance. Next there could be spiders, I mean really big ones, like the one in my sink in Tofino that made me scream so loud that my neighbour thought I was being murdered and did in fact come to my rescue. It had facial expressions and I'm pretty sure if I went at it with a baseball bat it would have taken it from me but I digress.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span id="internal-source-marker_0.9883625737857074"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In all seriousness, gun storage safety is always a top priority in any household and self defence with or without a firearm should be taught, especially to women. I was by no means in danger today but there is always that “what if” in the back of my mind. Being that I'm in Canada, I have some of that female self-defence-kick 'em-and-runaway training. I have a very protective husband so I've never had to use it. He's got this amazing advantage over most people, he just stands there and looks menacingly big! We don't get bothered much, anywhere, ever. It's just too bad I didn't have him here this morning to go face the tunnelling thieving monsters in my basement.</span></span><br />
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><b><br /></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-69981647829848939272012-03-18T19:00:00.000-07:002012-03-18T19:00:19.090-07:00Privacy is not Secrecy<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8569645478855819"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the last few months, I've been paying attention to the scrapping of the long gun registry. The one common argument that keeps coming up to keep the long gun registry is violence against women and it's really beginning to annoy me. I have never been victimized by a family member and my husband is good to me, but listening to these victims advocates groups, I'm either lying or it's only a matter of time. Why, when debating the long gun registry, is it only female victims that seem to matter?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My husband and I both have possession and acquisition licenses but I only got mine last year. That means for the years prior, he had some mystical power over me because only he had a firearms license. The guns were still in our house and personally I never feared them - but until I listened to the senate hearing debates, I should have. Someone should have told me.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Victims advocates groups seem to work from the idea that everyone (men) are going to break the law. They are going to hurt women, they will control and abuse us and we need to be afraid. I have never feared my dad or my husband.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These victims advocates groups also work from the idea that the more personal data they have on people before a crime is committed the better. Why is that? If someone is law abiding, why do police need access to any of their personal data? It's bad enough that to get a firearm's license, I have to provide some really private information to the police, but after that, what else do the police need? They get my vital stats, medical information, two personal referrals, it's a little crazy. I understand it's for safety but they also do a background check of their own on me. I have an easier time getting into and out of countries.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have every respect for anyone who has been victimized. They need help, they need due process, they need protection, however, that shouldn't mean victims rights overrules the rights and privacy of law abiding Canadians. As far as I know, Canada is still called a democracy.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I do believe that criminals need to pay the price for what they have done. Criminal laws need to be directed at them. General laws should not be written to punish the law abiding, but that is what's happening. I can understand that once a crime is committed, that person has forfeited their right to privacy. But if a person has not committed a crime, I believe privacy is very important. Having to forcibly supply personal data to the police is tantamount to warrantless searches. I question again, why is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms even there?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help victims, punish criminals, protect the law abiding and as long as the government can keep that in mind we'll all be happier. Victims rights are important, the rights of the law abiding are just as important and privacy does not mean secrecy.</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-44525612369519435632012-03-04T21:37:00.000-08:002012-03-04T21:40:33.095-08:00Stop Warrantless Searches<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9986737906001508"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When did this idea of warrantless searches in Canada become okay? When did they start? How can we make them stop? How can we make sure every Canadian know this is happening and that they can be the next victim of a warrantless search of some kind? I have not personally been a victim of a warrantless search, nor do I wish to be. What concerns me is, it seems only to be a matter of time.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's been known for a long time that licensed law abiding gun owners were not subject to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We have very little recourse but have been fighting this all along. Finally, a step in the right direction has happened with the scrapping of the long gun registry, although laws regarding licensed gun owners still need to change. The firearms act as a whole must be changed so that licensed gun owners once again fall within the Charter. Below is a site I found that explains how the Firearms Act violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.brucemontague.ca/html/0080.html"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.brucemontague.ca/html/0080.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At any given time, for almost any reason, a licensed gun owner must submit to a search of their home if an authority deems it necessary. “Necessary” can be a neighbour saw the gun owner in their car with a black case, maybe even a gun case and makes a call to authorities. During that call, the neighbour says they feel unsafe. Authorities are allowed to enter the home according to the firearms act and there isn’t a thing that gun owners can do about it. Odds are fairly high the case was empty anyway, but it doesn’t matter. The best that’s happening is, parts of the act are being tested in court because of violation of gun owners rights.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, it appears it's not just licensed gun owners that fall outside the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Constitution. The imagination of a small child is cause for a warrantless search of a home, presumption of guilt until proven innocent, a family separated, and children interviewed without parental supervision. The picture the child drew is now gone so whether it ever existed is now based on the word and imagination of the teacher that saw it and listened to the child’s little story in the first place. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/01/government-has-no-place-at-family-table"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/01/government-has-no-place-at-family-table</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why is this okay? Where was the danger, or perception of danger? How is “my daddy shoots bad guys and monsters” a danger to any child and why were the parents not spoken to about it before it ever escalated to this level? Occam’s Razor would indicate that TV or video games would be the answer. How did this go from a white board drawing of a four year old to “the parents MUST be allowing the children to play with a real gun?” Common sense would dictate that with so many levels of authority, the teacher, the principal, the police AND child services, SOMEONE would consider another explanation would be more feasible. Instead they went straight to violating the parents rights, traumatizing the children, and overstepping their authority. The best part is, they would do it again. Maybe if they had to go to court and stand before a judge to secure a warrant for the search and separation of the children from the parents, this situation wouldn’t have been so blown out of proportion.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The SPCA can go onto private property under the auspice of investigating animal safety. The problem here is, the people doing the investigation may not have experience with the animals they are investigating up close. They then make a judgement and decide on fines based on visual assessments of the situation - as various Amish farms found out in Ontario. Again, these are warrantless searches, no one went to court, due process not sought. Those not directly affected by this allow it to happen. Charges are then laid such as “Animal in Distress” when the animals are perfectly healthy. I believe animals do need to be protected from cruelty but the people doing the investigations shouldn’t be permitted on private property without purpose. Yes, stop puppy mills, no, don’t interfere with a farm with perfectly healthy animals because it doesn’t meet with your idealistic view of what a healthy animal looks like. Again, if these people need to stand before a judge for a warrant and state that they believe there are animals in distress on a specific farm, actual proof may have to be provided for charges to be valid. But pesky things like due process get in the way of moral self importance, I suppose.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.torontosun.com/videos/featured/featured-tor/1213592864001/bureaucrats-bust-the-amish/1485861708001"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.torontosun.com/videos/featured/featured-tor/1213592864001/bureaucrats-bust-the-amish/1485861708001</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In British Columbia, warrantless searches happen based on power consumption in the home. If personal power consumption is too high, police officers and BC Hydro employees show up and demand entrance to the residence within 48 hours of initial notice. This happens because the home that uses “too much” energy is a possible marijuana grow operation, and for no other reason. The fact that it could be an old drafty home, or it’s large, or it runs a legal business notwithstanding. When I lived in BC, I had an outdoor hot tub, and let me tell you, that was not cheap to run. That could account for high power usage in a lot of cases, one would think. Again, if it were an actual grow op, go get a warrant. But it must be more fun and interesting for authorities to embarrass people by arbitrarily accusing them of being drug dealers.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, there is this thing called the Lawful Access bill. I know it's gone to committee but it's scary. When it was first presented to the public, it was presented as “you’re either for Bill C-30, or you’re with the child pornographers.” It is quite the statement, very black and white. It is really too bad the world doesn’t work like that. This bill, if brought into law is another one of those ways the government will be able to access our information and lives without a warrant. It is being put forth with the argument “well, other countries are doing it.” Why does that give my government the right to invade my privacy without due process? I have NO problem protecting children, and want them protected. Will this bill in fact protect children the same way the gun registry didn't prevent gun crimes though? So far, there has been nothing said about why this bill is needed except that it’s needed. It’s like saying I’m right because I’m right.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like most, my family has been heavily affected by the past. My dad escaped from East Germany as a young man and moved to Canada for it's freedoms; my mom was in a Residential School. Yay me, I got it from both sides! It seemed for a time Canada was getting better. Residential Schools have been eliminated and as an escape from a dictatorship, what better place was there to go?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now however, Canada is seeming like a scary place to live. The government is trying to raise our children, tell us what morals to live by, and convince us that contravening the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is the right thing to do, it’s for the good of all Canadians you know. I’ve seen people say “that law is fine, what do I have to hide.” Privacy is not secrecy and the desire for due process is not wrong. Why are the current government officials creating law and methods to circumvent due process, and why are so many Canadians okay with it?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To me, only those who do not wish to think for themselves would want the destruction of freedom. I, on the other hand, wish to maintain my privacy, wish to maintain my rights and freedoms, and wish to live in a democracy. I don’t like how Canada is changing. I don’t like that I’m afraid to have a child because a mis-speak could land myself or my husband in jail. I don’t like that warrantless searches have become okay among so many people. Why do we have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms? It certainly looks good on paper.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This all looks so familiar, I’m sure this has happened somewhere before. If it has, if history has taught has anything, why are we letting it happen again?</span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924019984839391294.post-66251194807251258802012-02-22T12:03:00.002-08:002012-02-22T12:03:49.389-08:00The Landfill Fire & Its Effects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.9326460985466838"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last night, my husband and I went to the Ward 13 town hall meeting held by Alderman Diane Colley-Urquhart regarding the landfill fire 2 weeks ago. It appears she's been wanting to deal with the fall out and has been getting some push-back because of jurisdictional issues. I don't understand this. Yes, the fire was on Tsuu T'ina land, but my house which is in Calgary - in ward 13 - was filled with thick smoke for a long time. There wasn't a thing I could do about it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I live about a kilometre and a half from 37th street S.W. I woke up at 4:00 am, the morning of February 8th after dreaming my house was on fire - thinking all of a sudden, my house is on fire! After determining everything was okay, I thought a neighbours' house was on fire. Great, I still have to evacuate. No, that's not it. So, what is it? I even called a friend of mine in Parkland to find out if she was smelling this smoke and sure enough, she was. Good start; I'm not having a stroke.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It took me searching the Internet and making phone calls until after 10:00 am to find out what was going on and it was in one small paragraph, but at least I knew. What I didn't know was how long this was going to last. The only saving grace was my husband was downtown. I don't have any respiratory issues but my husband does. I called my dad that day and he thought I was sick, that's how much this “5/10, moderate air quality” advisory was affecting even me.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I found what the air quality scale means. Moderate is suppose to be “Consider rescheduling strenuous activities” for the population at risk. Are you kidding me? When that smoke was at it's thickest, stairs caused </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">me</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a problem. Why didn't the Tsuu T'ina call the Calgary Fire Department? The fire may have lasted only hours instead of days.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://environment.alberta.ca/images/AQHI-Health-Messages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://environment.alberta.ca/images/AQHI-Health-Messages.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the time, and even now, it appeared the band administrators didn't take this fire very seriously. They seemed quite dismissive about the whole thing. When it was finally confirmed, the band said it could burn for upwards of 48 hours and it started spontaneously. They said it was controlled, it was just underground and hard to put out. To me, they should have called in more help than they did as a number of communities were covered in thick smoke. I, like many others sealed up my house as best I could. My husband went to work smelling of smoke. If it had burned for any longer, he would have had to get a hotel room. It was very close as it was.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tsuu T'ina quite often talk about wanting to be good neighbours and they want us to be good neighbours. This fire and how it was handled is not by any means neighbourly. It was not merely inconvenient. It was a serious health and environmental hazard. Many people had to take precautions just so they could breathe. When even I feel the dry-lung, hacking, weeziness, I get very concerned for those who even have the slightest respiratory problem.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Calgary Herald, it said today that no Tsuu T'ina member was invited to the meeting. To me, if they were concerned and wanted to deal with this issue, they would have just shown up. Why do they need an invite? On Alderman Colley-Urquhart's site, it does say join us to talk about the Tsuu T'ina Landfill fire. I feel that's an implicit invitation. A woman from the reserve did show up. She said she wasn't sent nor was she invited. She spoke a little about the landfill, how it's not reserve garbage, how it's used by the city for materials not permitted in municipal landfills and how we need to cooperate. I know what she's trying to say but to be honest it should have come from someone else.</span><br /><a href="http://environment.alberta.ca/images/AQHI-Health-Messages.jpg" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From what I understand, the landfill is suppose to be a Class III landfill, inert items only. That is hard to believe because of the smell that was emanating from the fire. Not only that, people who have used the landfill said they have witnessed companies dumping hazardous chemicals into that landfill. I personally don't have names because there is no absolute evidence, no photographs. I'm only repeating what others have said. Maybe if enough people say this, Environment Canada will go in and test for hazardous materials. If there isn't any, my bad for spreading rumours; if there is, something can be done about illegal dumping into a class III landfill.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This landfill hasn’t been licensed for three years. So with that, how would one stop any kind of illegal dumping since it is a class III landfill? According to what I've read, it's currently unlicensed because of unresolved issues and fees owed. What's sad is, this isn't the only unlicensed on reserve landfill. There are many throughout Canada. My question then becomes, what can we do about that? If anyone else anywhere did this, it would be shut down, fines owed, clean up, court time and things I can't even think of. I'm tired of Aboriginals getting away with so much. I'm Inuvialuit so I have no problem saying that. I myself have moved into the 21st century at the beginning of the 21st century. Maybe others should too.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some people at the meeting came up with some good ideas. Since most people around here are familiar with the oil and gas industry, they took ideas from that industry. An Emergency Response Plan (or ERP) is obviously required so why not take from ones that have been created for the most extreme cases. That would also mean that a different ERP would need to be created for each part of the city and for different circumstances. Why not? I think it would help to have something printed in the home for different cases. Designing ERP’s for Calgarians is tax money better spent than on mandatory art projects or an Airport Tunnel to nowhere.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is not the first time a fire has happened on the reserve, this won't be the last. We do need to be good neighbours but a lack of communication, finger pointing and screaming about the past is not the way to go about it. If the Tsuu T'ina would take responsibility for what happened and be honest about it, then we could move forward and try to prevent this in the future, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">together</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Being adversarial is going to get us nowhere. Get over the “us versus them”, get over the “reserve versus the city” and fix the problem, the symptoms and start on solutions.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11219663293385689065noreply@blogger.com0