18 July 2010
☚ Click Left For Municipal Election Forum
24/07/2010 06:48
$1.7 Million: Too Much For A Birthday Party
SINC SAYS:
David Climenhaga has an excellent column in yesterday’s issue of the Saint City News regarding the terrible spending plans of the birthday party committee. He calls it right on the money, as does every poll taken on the spending to date running 90 percent against the committee and its budget. If council thinks they’ve done the right thing here, they had better think again. They’ve lost the votes of thousands of local taxpayers:
Even if you’re a city of 60,000 people, and even if you’ve lasted 150 years,
$1.7 million is too much for a birthday celebration.
Even if all the money isn’t going to come out of the pockets of the taxpayers of St. Albert – as indeed appears to be the case with the birthday bash planned for 2011 by the St. Albert 150th Anniversary Celebration Committee – the optics are terrible.”
Read David’s column.
Following Up On That Whale Story
Don;
in a follow up to the story you ran about the whale landing on a boat in capetown, there is a video online of the incident that has been release by CBS. They have an imbed code to put the video image on websites.
If you go to this link you can download the imbed code. I am sure they are OK with folks posting it on their blogs. Use this if you think it is of interest to others.
Cam MacKay
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
Thanks for the heads up Cam, I’m sure other readers will appreciate it.
WEBBITS
24/07/2010 06:48
Casual Fridays Turning Into Lazy Fridays?
24/07/2010 06:47
We all remember the early days of casual Fridays when it became OK to toss that tie and wear a golf shirt.
But there is a new type of Friday looming called “Lazy Friday”.
And no, it doesn’t mean no work gets done.
It simply means you rush to get done by 3:00 p.m.
So you can head for the pub.
Beware Of Flying Icebergs
24/07/2010 06:47
It’s a warning not many folks heed, nor can they.
Just how does one protect oneself from flying blocks of ice?
But happen it does, about 20 times a year in the UK alone according to officials.
One of them crashed into a couple’s apartment and hit the guest room.
Good thing they had no guests.
Completely Edible Cake Art
24/07/2010 06:47
Which Child Is Witch Anyway?
24/07/2010 06:47
Imagine a tiny child being declared a witch.
How do rational adults believe such things?
Apparently it is rampant in Africa where children are routinely abused and even exorcised for being witches.
How silly is that?
☚ Click Left For Municipal Election Forum
23/07/2010 04:46
The Things That People Send Us
What A Wonderful World!
We all know that all time favourite by Louis Armstrong, but this video brings a whole new meaning to the title. Sit back for a couple of minutes and enjoy!
WEBBITS
23/07/2010 04:46
Taking Photos In Public Places Questioned
23/07/2010 04:46
Over the years I have shot thousands of pictures of people in public places.
But there are governments out there who are trying to make such shots illegal.
Thankfully to date, they have not made much progress in their haste to ban the practice.
Cops don’t like it at all, but really, if they are doing something wrong, shouldn’t they be exposed?
One US state has gone so far as to ban videotaping the police in the course of their duties.
And the debate rages on.
Whale Watching Right Up Close
23/07/2010 04:46
Many folks go out sailing in South Africa, that’s nothing new.
And some of them do some whale watching while out for that sail.
Then there is this guy who was sailing along minding his own business when it happened.
What happened you ask?
Well, let’s just say he saw a whale right close up.
Yep, he did so.
Poll: Guys Should Beware ‘Chick Flicks’
23/07/2010 04:46
We’ve all been there at one time or another.
You know, the night we want to go to the movies and the guy wants the action thriller fix.
But the gal wants to see that chick flick, the romantic comedy.
Turns out you young guys should be careful though.
It has been shown that chick flicks ruin more relationships than not.
Yep, it’s true.
☚ Click Left For Municipal Election Forum
22/07/2010 05:20
St. Albert In Pictures
Every sunny afternoon, the spray park is a favourite cooling off spot for local Moms and their kids. Photo by Sinclair.
Remember When With Spike Jones?
Many of our readers will remember the garish dress and awesome talent of Spike Jones and his band from back in the 40s and 50s. We thought you might enjoy this little ditty.
WEBBITS
22/07/2010 05:20
How Much Do You Spend On Lunch?
22/07/2010 05:20
Roman Abramovich (Russian oil tycoon and owner of Chelsea football club in case you didn't know) in the company of Dasha Zhukova and his son Arkadi and three business partners stopped over for lunch at Nello’s restaurant in New York.
Have a look at their tab:
The “Sending Me E-Mail” Rant Of All Time
22/07/2010 05:20
Well, this little guy is fed up and rants about it.
Just click here to watch.
Who’s The Real Dummies Here?
22/07/2010 05:20
When any group or business faces a budget shortfall, it seems the first thing they do is cut back on staff.
Such was the case at a prison in Argentina where they were then short of guards.
No problem, the mental midgets who run the joint said.
We’ll put a uniform on a stick with a basketball for a head and a guard’s cap on it in that third guard tower.
How many prisoners escaped, anyway?
☚ Click Left For Municipal Election Forum
21/07/2010 05:44
St. Albert In Pictures
This little gal and her grandpa are a regular team on our block with their daily walks. Yesterday, she spotted the neighbour’s cat and stopped to give it a pet. Photo by Sinclair.
One Cool Clock
A different way to display time on the green time line. This is a really interesting clock!
It comes from a Dutch web site. Don't do anything. It's automatically adjusted to your time zone. Just look at it and study it.
It gives you the EXACT TIME of the DAY in seconds, minutes, hours, the date, month and year. Just read the green line.
1st Line is Seconds,
2nd Line is Minutes,
3rd line is Hours,
4th Line is Dates,
5th Line is Months,
6th Line is Years.
Neat, eh?
Just click here to see the current time.
WEBBITS
21/07/2010 05:44
Just How Much Dough Is In An ATM Machine?
21/07/2010 05:44
You’ve likely walked right by them at various times in recent years.
You know, those guys with guns filling the ATM machines in malls.
Have you ever stopped to wonder just how much cash is in the darn things?
Neither did I until I read this story about someone in Winnipeg who stole from an ATM.
Almost $2 million bucks.
Jasmine The Extraordinary Greyhound
21/07/2010 05:44
In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a female greyhound, to the Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, which is run by a man named Geoff Grewcock, and known as a haven for animals abandoned, orphaned, or otherwise in need.
Geoff and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims: to restore the dog to full health, and to win her trust. It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved. They named her Jasmine, and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home.
Jasmine, however, had other ideas. No one quite remembers how it came about, but Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary. It would not matter if it were a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or, any other lost or hurting animal. Jasmine would just peer into the box or cage and, when and where possible, deliver a welcoming lick.
Geoff relates one of the early incidents. "We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line. One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell Doberman cross. They were tiny when they arrived at the centre, and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee. Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them."
"But she is like that with all of our animals, even the rabbits. She takes all the stress out of them, and it helps them to not only feel close to her, but to settle into their new surroundings. She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs, and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose."
Jasmine, the timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary's resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born. The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises five fox cubs, four badger cubs, fifteen chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray puppies and fifteen rabbits - and one roe deer fawn. Tiny Bramble, eleven weeks old, was found semi-conscious in a field. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster-mum role. Jasmine the greyhound showers Bramble the roe deer with affection, and makes sure nothing is matted.
"They are inseparable," says Geoff. "Bramble walks between her legs, and they keep kissing each other. They walk together round the sanctuary. It's a real treat to see them."
Jasmine will continue to care for Bramble until she is old enough to be returned to woodland life. When that happens, Jasmine will not be lonely. She will be too busy showering love and affection on the next orphan or victim of abuse.
Pictured from the left are: "Toby", a stray Lakeland dog; "Bramble", orphaned roe deer; "Buster", a stray Jack Russell; a dumped rabbit; "Sky", an injured barn owl; and "Jasmine", with a mother's heart doing best what a caring mother would do.
And, just in case you wondered, Snopes.com has verified the truth of this wonderful story and the reality of these photographs which accompany the story - so you can pass this story on, and help make someone else's day to be just a little brighter!
☚ Click Left For Municipal Election Forum
20/07/2010 06:47
Birthday Committee Meetings Raise More Questions
While doing some background research, I found that the Bylaw 21/2008 that gave birth to the 150 Committee laid out several rules, as all bylaws do.
One of them was Rule 13, that all meetings must be in public. Yet I see references to in-camera meetings within their minutes. Wonder what's going on there?
The original bylaw laid out that the Committee was comprised of 10 appointees, plus an overseer from City Council. (Carol What-a-maniac, no surprise there).
Not clear is how many are paid by the month, and how many are 'volunteers' who get honorariums. Or get nothing, which I doubt. I still haven't found the report that says what the Committee costs per month.
There are as yet un-contracted commitments for major items, like $40,000 for bringing the Mounties Musical Ride, and $75,000 for renting the Curling Club for a major ‘spiel. But they are proceeding as if it's a done deal.
I'm a big fan of the Musical Ride, so now I find my self in a quandary about its arrival. Never been in that dilemma before.
Kyym
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
Hmmmmmm, in-camera meetings you say? What the heck is going on? There is no reason for a public committee planning a birthday party to be holding in-camera meetings, is there?.
If This Doesn’t Move Ya, You Need A Laxative
On Saturday, April 24th, 2010, over thirty members of the Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus and principal cast members from the upcoming production of La Traviata converged on the Reading Terminal Market Italian Festival.
Wearing street clothes and blending in with the crowd, the artists swung into action as the first orchestral strains of the famed "Brindisi" were piped through the market, giving a rousing, surprise performance for hundreds of delighted onlookers who were there to enjoy the Italian delicacies and the everyday treats that the Reading Terminal Market has to offer.
The four-minute piece drew an overwhelming crowd, and won a thunderous ovation that included both laughter and tears from the audience.
WEBBITS
20/07/2010 06:47
The Lengths Politicians Will Go To For Voters
20/07/2010 06:47
We’re off to the UK to take a look at the antics of the Cornwall town council.
Like politicians everywhere, these people will go to any length to serve their voters.
Such was the case when a strip club law came into question and they had to vote on a new law.
Their research? Visit a strip club on the taxpayer’s tab.
All 13 of them, including the women.
Desperate Times For Food Banks?
20/07/2010 06:47
Times are tough for food banks everywhere.
One food bank in Florida found a solution to their shortage by giving out canned meat to seniors.
After all, it has a long shelf life and was labelled “Senior Holistic Superfood”.
Turns out it wasn’t such a good idea after all.
Bow wow anyone?
Times Are Tough For The RCMP
20/07/2010 06:46
We’ve all read those reports about the botched investigation in the case of that missing local couple.
But there are other things brewing with our national police force.
What things you ask?
Well how’s masturbating in a cruiser grab you?
Or surfing porn at work?
Yeah, they’ve got issues.
☚ Click Left For Municipal Election Forum
19/07/2010 06:21
The Things That People Send Us
How
Do These People Survive?
After the girl had scanned all of my items, she picked up the 'divider', looking it all over for the bar code so she could scan it.
Not finding the bar code, she said to me, 'Do you know how much this is?'
I said to her 'I've changed my mind; I don't think I'll buy that today.'
She said, 'OK,' and I paid her for the things and left.
She had no clue as to what had just happened.
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB’s Pub
and Don Marcotte
Don - Since arriving in Edmonton in '97, from Ottawa, Don has been an active bassist on the scene, playing blues, R&B, and pretty well any combo needing some solid bottom. Don co-hosted the jam at JR's for four years, and is seen at many clubs these days as 1/3 of the Lionel Rault Trio. His tempo and groove on stage really keeps the stage hopping and I have always enjoyed being able to sit in with Don. We have played a few sets at the Blues on Whyte and Don was a previous Moosehead featured guest.
Paul - is a respected blues musician who worked diligently in Calgary promoting the blues through his playing and hosting of the renowned King Edward blues jam. Also the called upon player when the bigger blues names hit town in need of local backup players. His blues guitar is a true to heart blues style with a really cool tone in his sound. Paul is first and foremost a very respected bass player, getting invites from some of Edmonton’s top notch blues musicians, as a fill in. He will come out as our frontman guitarist / vocalist on this night joining one of Edmonton/s best stand up bass players.This will be a cool mix of two true blues, R&B players.
Ammar’s Moosehead Tuesday Open Stage
Every Tuesday night from 9 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Hosted by Mark Ammar
Moosehead Beer Specials
Sponsored by Moosehead Beer
WEBBITS
19/07/2010 06:21
Gravel To Pavement To Gravel Again
19/07/2010 06:21
I know it’s hard to believe, but there was a day when highway travel meant doing so on gravel roads.
Other than a few gravel roads in rural areas, most drivers today enjoy the hard surface.
But is that about to change as cash strapped municipalities make spending cuts?
It’s been happening in Saskatchewan for many years now.
Pavement torn up in favour of gravel.
And it’s spreading across the continent.
Sipping The World’s Oldest Champagne
19/07/2010 06:20
Divers in the Baltic Sea have stumbled across a cache of 30 bottles of champagne made between 1782 and 1788.
They opened one and found it was still good, so the rest have been shipped off to France for analysis.
I can hardly wait until they auction off this stuff.
Wanna bet some fool will spend hundreds of thousand on this old stuff?
Maybe more.
Judge Finds Factory Installed Taillights Illegal
19/07/2010 06:20
For years now I have wondered about newer cars with clear plastic taillights.
You know the ones with no red at all showing as they drive down the street, unless the driver steps on the brakes.
Then a glimmer of red shows, but not nearly as bright as a car with a standard red lens.
I decided long ago they were unsafe and now a judge in Maryland seems to agree.
In fact, the judge declared them illegal.
☚ Click Left For Municipal Election Forum
18/07/2010 04:58
Polls Show Public Anger At Birthday Party
In a damning survey on public satisfaction with the money being spent on St. Albert’s 150th Birthday Bash, the public is rejecting the spending as unnecessary and wasteful. Poll results here on St. Albert’s Place were 92% against and a similar poll taken by the St. Albert Gazette at 90% against show citizens are against the party by a stunning nine to one ratio.
St. Albert’s Place poll results:
By comparison, St. Albert Gazette poll results:
Given the obvious rejection of this spending spree, we encourage readers to send in their comments to St. Albert’s Place. We will forward all comments to the mayor and council asking them if they would revisit the proposal and trim it down to a weekend celebration at a dramatically reduced cost. Please sign your name so council will know that as a voter, you want action on this issue.
Here’s what readers had to say on the birthday party yesterday:
* Oh, the other item that made me chuckle was the pipe dream by Ms. Plain to have a picnic in the Sturgeon Valley for 25,000 people to set a Guinness record. Well good luck with that, but the part that is bothersome is that she has already spent $8000 to register the attempt with Guinness.
* Where and when does all of this insanity end? I guess we have no choice but to dump Crouse and the entire council because, clearly, they've lost touch with reality.
* No, I don't think any of council has lost touch with reality. But there is a definitive need to have reality bite them so they keenly remember who controls them. They are there by our invitation, and they will be told to pack up and get out in October. Displease the landlord, you get evicted.
* Ridiculous! Hasn't Mrs. Plain or the other committee members ever hear the saying "less is more"! Have an extraordinary weekend of events and commemorative activities would stand out more in the hearts and minds of St. Albert residents than a year's worth of activities which will end up not standing out at all! Plus all of the extra $$$ that goes into continuously planning activities over the span of a year, no wonder administration costs will be going through the roof. They should revert to a weekend and cut their losses (ie: costs) NOW!
The Photography Of Al Popil
Hi Don,
Some snaps from Saturday's performance of the Boyle Rodeo.
Al Popil
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
Those are some action shots Al. Thanks for taking the time to send them along early this morning.
Thoughts
To Ponder On A Sunday
* Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?
* Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again
* All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
* In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.
* How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
* Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?'
WEBBITS
18/07/2010 04:58
* Woman urinates in yard, slaps child, police say.
* Old Spice: Nice ads, shame about the smell.
* ‘Lucky’ kitten saved by state trooper.
* Police: Teacher faked inoperable brain tumour.
* Pill ‘less effective in obese women’.
* Wedding from hell: A page boy fits, the groom's mother collapses, a guest learns his father has died and two children suffer head injuries.
The Shoot ‘Em Up That Wasn’t
18/07/2010 04:58
Coppers in London were asked for permission for a movie company to stage a scene for a new movie on a city block.
No problem said the coppers and the film company shot the scene.
They also sot off 1,700 round of ammo as part of the gangster movie scene.
Sounds normal enough, non?
But then the coppers did something quite bizarre.
What was that you ask?
People May Be Screaming For Ice Cream
18/07/2010 04:57
A move that shocked the ice cream world?
Well, perhaps that is a bit dramatic, but Baskin-Robbins has done something no one expected.
It seems they will no longer be know as thirty-wonderful flavours as they ‘retired’ five flavours.
The shocker?
One of them was French Vanilla.
18/07/2010 04:57
Were Mary and Joseph's surname Christ before Jesus was born?
If a bunch of cats jump on top of each other, is it still called a dog pile?
Do sheep get static cling when they rub against one another?
In libraries, do they put the bible in the fiction or non-fiction section?
How old are you before it can be said you died of old age?
