BUYcott Israel Alert: Shop MEC Nov. 29
Date:
Sunday, November 29, 2009

Time:
12:00pm - 4:00pm

Location:
ALL MEC Stores in Canada

Description
Anti-Israel organizations are once again trying to politicize MECs sale of Israeli goods, and are attempting to overturn MECs rigorous sourcing policy.

These groups will be picketing many MEC stores on Saturday, November 28th.

Show your support for MECs ethical sourcing policy and opposition to boycott by participating in a national BUYcott of Israeli goods at MEC on Sunday, November 29th, between noon and 4pm (local time in all Canadian time zones).

Help us to defeat the propaganda war against Israel.

Become a MEC member by shopping with us on November 29th or on line before December 19th, 2009 by visiting the Mountain Equipment Co-op website.

Help us defeat this overt attempt to politicize one of Canadas most ethical retailers.

For a list of Israeli-sourced MEC products:http://www.mec.ca/Main/home.jsp?bmFor…

For MEC’s fantastic Ethical Sourcing Policy:http://blog.mec.ca/ethical-sourcing.html

To see the call to action to BOYCOTT MEC on November 28th:http://boycottisraeliapartheid.org/no…

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Do you support Israel? Are you fed up with calls to boycott Israeli goods and services?

Want to do something about it? Now you can!

Join BUYCOTT ISRAEL on Facebook today!

We’ll alert you when a boycott initiative needs to be countered, and we’ll let you know the results of every BUYCOTT action.

Visit us on the web and sign up for BUYCOTT Alerts at: http://www.buycottisrael.ca

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In this photo and video, Dan Schloss speaks about MECs ethical sourcing policy and opposition to boycott Israel

Daniel Schloss

Pacific Region Manager, Advocacy

Canada-Israel Committee – Pacific Region

Suite 801 – 1166 Alberni Street

Vancouver, BC V6E 3Z3

Web: www.cicweb.ca

This was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a Nokia N77 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media production through the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith Twitter.com/AprilFilms or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

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In this photo and video, Johnathon Narvey supports MECs ethical sourcing policy and opposition to boycott Israel

This was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a Nokia N95 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media production through the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith Twitter.com/AprilFilms or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

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In these photos and video, Jonathon Narvey supports MECs ethical sourcing policy and opposition to boycott Israel by buying a MEC membership

This was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a Nokia N95 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media production through the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith Twitter.com/AprilFilms or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

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In these photos and video, people are signing for MECs ethical sourcing policy and opposition to boycott Israel

This was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a Nokia N77 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media production through the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith Twitter.com/AprilFilms or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

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In this video and photo, Support for MECs ethical sourcing policy and Showing Made in Israel T-Shirt purchased from MEC.

This was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a Nokia N77 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media production through the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith Twitter.com/AprilFilms or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

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Dimanche, premier novembre, c’était une journée d’élections municipales à Montréal. Marie, fraîchement débarquée dans la métropole québécoise, est employée par la ville et nous explique, dans ces mots, les règles générales et les principaux candidats de cette campagne.

Image de Whistler par Steep&Deep - cliquez sur l'image pour en voir plus!

Toujours à Montréal, À la découverte de Montréal nous parle d’une auberge auberge sympa: une maison d’artistes qui propose aux gens d’y loger entre les expositions et ce, en plein coeur du centre-ville.

Amateurs de bières, Diabolomenthe nous emmène en banlieue montréalaise visiter la microbrasserie Hopfenstark, “la micro québécoise aux goûts du monde” qui a ouvert ses portes en 2006 à L’Assomption dans la région de Lanaudière.

Nouveau concept dans le monde angl0-saxon: on ne dit plus November, mais bien Movember. Du moins, si vous etes branche! Mo-vembre, alors? Oui oui. Avec un M pour… moustache! Ca vous intrigue? Life Is a Journey nous en dit plus par ici.

Toujours dans l’Ouest du pays, en novembre, vous savez quelle quantite de neige on trouve a Whistler? Pauline et Julien ont la reponse sur leur blog, et on espere des photos sous peu!

Finalement, Bliss, une des habituees de nos revues des blogs europeens, rentre tour juste d’un sejour au Quebec. Elle nous offrait recemment une balade dans le centre-ville de Montreal, en mots et en images.

Vous connaissez d’autres blogs sur le Canada qui valent le detour? Parlez-nous en dans les commentaires!

-Chloe

Wedding Vancouver BC Canada

I have to say the last time I made a demo reel was for my 2004 Vancouver Film School Demo Reel back in 2004 and it took three months with less sleep.  Today I would say my Fantasy Wedding Photography Demo Reel is taken me more than three months of the making;  I would proud to say my art work has taken another step forward.  As music goes I have chosen “Send me an Angel” by Real Life in the 84;  this is a song that I will never bore.  As you notice I do like angle in my photography (I’m a lucky guy;  I do have an angel at home that look after me) and that is why the song is selected.

I hope the slide show will inspire you folks out there as a lover, photographer, artist or just passer by.  If you do enjoy my work please leave me a comment how I can improve.

Thank you and enjoy

Wayne Lam

Traditional Artist meets Digital

http://www.fantasyweddingphotography.com/

It’ll be a dark and stormy night, and all the crew will be gathered in …

the suburbs????

Reading is Sexy back cover

Yes, join Lorraine Murphy, founder, president, and diva of the Shebeen Club along with other Vangroover literati for the launch of the first annual Reading is Sexy Calendar!

From the Facebook invite:

Eat, drink and be merry all in celebration of literacy and the fact that I AM MAKING MY DEBUT IN A CALENDAR!!!! (along with the sizzlingly sexy Monique Trottier, Lori & Richard Yearwood, Patrick Tubajon, Raul Pacheco, Ian A Martin, Rayne, Lorraine Murphy, Mark Leiren-Young, Monica Hamburg and Ian Ferguson). Special thanks to Robert Shaer and Tris Hussey, whose photography has made this calendar a piece of art.

And aside from using this as an excuse to convince my literary buds to peel off the layers for the camera, it was done in the name of literacy. Thats right, we shot this calendar to raise money for The International Dyslexia Association.

So come hang out with us at my favourite wine and cheese bistro, enjoy a drink and some nibblies, get your calendars signed by the models, listen to a few of our authors reading from their works, and for those of you that are a bit more daring, dance the night away with moi.

The event is free and everyone is welcome. The more, the merrier!

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Of course there is. More, even, than the chance to rub shoulders (and other body parts, if you play your cards right) with the sexiest writerly types in all of the Wild, Wiled West!

• Raul Pachecho-Vega
• Monica Hamburg
• Emme Rogers
• Ian Alexander Martin
• Monique Trottier
• Lori & Richard Yearwood
• Rayne
• Ian Ferguson
• Mark Leiren-Young
• Patrick Tubajon, our gracious host at Gudrun
• Photographer Tris Hussey
• Photographer Robert Shaer

So put on your best literary party duds, whether Baudelairian finery or spoken word funkitude, and join us:

Thursday, 03 December 2009 at 7pm
Gudrun Wine and Cheese Bistro
150-3500 Moncton Street
Steveston, BC

View Larger Map

Yes, it’s bus-accessable!

By the way, the super-sexy book I’m reading is a special calf-bound book of whiskies of the world, specially borrowed from the bartender for the occasion. I had a couple of Vanity Fairs in my bag, but they weren’t quite as posh and retro-looking as that book. Also, I highly recommend posing for calendars: the drinks are free!

A Whistler. Una cittadina canadese a circa 150 km nord di Vancouver. E’ dove ho passato il weekend; Whistler (leggi: uistle, map here), che tradotto in italiano significherebbe fischiatore, colui che fischia.

Il perche’ del nome lo leggo da wikipedia (link here) — io in modo abbastanza naif speravo che derivasse dal fatto che e’ un posto in cui ci si ritrova molta gente che beve molto (perche’ dal dialetto aquilano uno che fischia na frega e’ uno che beve molto — o almeno io l’ho sempre usato in questo contesto — amici aquilani doc sbaglio?) — ma invece deriva dal fatto che in quella zona ci sono molte marmotte fischiatrici, che pero’ non ho visto, forse sono animali estivi, in compenso tornando a Vancouver ho visto un aquila dalla testa bianca appollaiata su un albero. Leggo anche che la popolazione permanente si aggira intorno alle 9000 persone, che ogni anno sono circa due milioni i turisti che la visitano (di cui la maggior parte teenagers appassionati di sci e di sport invernali), che il design del piccolo villaggio ha vinto numerosi premi a livello architettonico e che quest’anno a febbraio vi si svolgeranno buona parte degli eventi delle olimpiadi invernali di Vancouver. (Questo lo leggo ma in realta’ lo sapevo — puntualizzazione irrilevante lo so).

In realta’ a me e’ sembrato un posto senza un anima e con poco carattere, un theme park per gli sciatori e gli snowboardisti di tutto il mondo (ma soprattutto ozzy ozzy ozzy — cioe’ australiani) che apparte il design dei palazzi e delle strade ha ben poco da offrire (e parlo da non sciatore, sicuramente per chi e’ che si diverte ad andare su e giu’ sulla neve con ai piedi strumenti piu’ o meno affilati ed indosso vestiti impermeabili di dubbio gusto — es1 es2 — o meno impermeabili — es3 es4 — e troppo spesso ispirati al mondo dell’hip hop il discorso e’ diverso). I locali sono pieni di teenagers il cui intento principale e’ quello di ubriacarsi fortissimo e trasmettersi STD (sexual transmitted diseases). Il cibo fa schifo. La bistecca da quaranta dollari magari era pure buona ma vaffanculo a mammeta in Canada si comprano intere lombate nei supermercati anche ben frollate a ottanta dollari e sono circa sei chili, quaranta dollari per una bistecca che poi se e’ mezzo chilo e’ grasso che cola (e quindi poi anche di meno…. se e’ colato il grasso…. perdonatemi la cazzata) mi sembra un furto. Anche perche’ quaranta dollari e’ il prezzo che abbiamo speso a testa in cinque persone per due notti in un appartamentino (ok da 4 persone ma comunque….)

Si. Eravamo in cinque. Io e quattro hooligans. Due dei quali (i miei amici londoners Toby e Sam — miei compagni di stanza) si sono svegliati la prima notte alle 7.30 e la seconda alle 5.30 per vedersi le partite della premiership. Fortuna che non sono durati molto. Era piu’ una prova di carattere da vero tifoso. Sveglia puntata dopo un’ora e mezza dalla messa in posizione orizzontale. Accensione del computer. Sintonizzazione su veetle.com (che per chi non lo conoscesse e’ meglio di rojadirecta). Roba di dieci quindici minuti poi il sonno ha ri-avuto la meglio e comunque devo dire che munitomi di appositi tappi per le orecchie non e’ che mi abbiano dato fastidio piu’ di tanto. Anzi. Se windows non avesse avuto un “allarme di accensione modello sirena antiaerea” credo che magari non mi sarei neanche svegliato. (Grazie Micro$oft, grazie Bill. Premere play sulla destra). Gli altri due invece, Travis e Sean, fratelli canadesi originari della Nuova Scozia, grandi appassionati di hockey e football americano che se non altro venivano trasmessi ad orari piu’ accessibili.

La decisione del weekend fuori e’ nata dal fatto che Toby e Sam stanno per rimettersi in cammino. Dopo piu’ di un anno in Canada e soprattutto causa problemi di visto, l’otto dicembre levano baracca e burattini e se ne vanno belli belli a Cancun, in Messico. Eh bravi! Poi da li dovrebbero separarsi. Sam dovrebbe rimanere li e lavorare per sei mesi, e’ un professore di inglese per stranieri, mentre Toby dovrebbe proseguire verso sud. Quindi weekend di addio all’isegna del wisky (n’altra volta) e del poker, roba da veri uomini….
Delle quattro partite giocate ne abbiamo vinta una ciascuno tranne Sam che si e’ incazzato parecchio e ce l’aveva con me perche’ mi e’ uscito un tris di tre e lui lo sospettava ma non ha resistito e allora ha sperato che bluffassi perche’ avevo rilanciato forte ma invece no ed ha perso quasi tutto. Niente. Molte risate. I soldi vinti poi sono andati comunque al contributo pagamento multa che ci hanno rifilato prima della partenza, quando ci siamo fermati a fare rifornimento al negozio di liquori (si in Canada e’ come in Svezia, alcohol solo nei negozi specializzati). Gran divieto di parcheggio e di fermata ma dai “fate una cosa veloce ragazzi che ce ne andiamo subito”. Io e Toby rimaniamo in macchina. A un certo punto l’homeless che suonava la chitarra proprio davanti a sto negozio attrae la mia attenzione e mi indica col pollice il vigile che ci stava a fa la multa. Il vigile che ci aveva visto si era infatti tenuto fuori dalla nostra visuale (bastard). Allora io dal posto del passeggero scendo e gli dico che sorry sorry ce ne saremmo andati subito.
Allora il vigile: “ma qui non ci potete stare”.
E Toby: “come on man have a fucking heart”, che effettivamente e’ una maniera abbastanza colorita per dire: perfavore abbi cuore.
E di nuovo il vigile: “ma qui non ci potete stare” neanche fosse stato il ritornello di una canzone, ripetuto fino a quando caccia lo scontrino dalla macchinetta sparamulte e me lo porge dallo sportello.
Sicche’ Toby: “Oh you fucking cunt” che se fosse stato in Italia il vigile probabilmente si sarebbe incazzato parecchio ed avrebbe cacciato la pistola. Questo invece si e’ riavviato calmo calmo da dove era venuto (la pistola i vigili non ce l’hanno e mi sembra una cosa sensata) e non ha manco multato quelli davanti a noi, cosa che in realta’ ci ha fatto rodere piu’ della multa stessa. Morale della favola l’homeless si e’ beccato due dollari di mancia. E’ stato un gentleman e noi non possiamo essere da meno.

Che dire di piu’. Anche niente visto e considerato il sonno perso. Ho intenzione di recuperare alla grande stanotte. Meglio dare due cazzotti al letto e fargli capire subito che non si scherza. Vi saluto e vi abbraccio tutti (e tutte) uno (una) ad uno (una).

A presto.

As it says I did the vfx. Nothing fancy some graphic design and some tracking.
Director:
Hesam Ghaemi

Editor:
Hesam Ghaemi

DOP:
Todd M Duym

VFX:
Aaron Mallin

by Sarah Mink with the Portland Mercury

DEMURE, BEARDED, middle-aged Metro Councilor Robert Liberty may have just become the hero for Portland’s rowdy anti-Columbia River Crossing activists. In early November, he quietly introduced an idea to the Metro Council that both critics and supporters of the new I-5 bridge say could effectively cut the legs out from under the controversial project.

The idea is an amendment to Metro’s Regional Transportation Plan that would set an expiration date on Metro’s support of the big bridge project. Metro signed off on the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project in 2008 and the CRC needs Metro’s support to move forward. But the amendment says that unless federal, state, regional, and local governments have committed to funding the $2.6-3.6 billion project by September 1, 2011, Metro’s support will sunset and all the CRC money will go toward “study of potential alternative investments in the corridor.”

Environmental groups and green leaders oppose the 10-lane bridge and light rail link planned to replace the current six-lane I-5 bridge because they say it will lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions, sprawl, and more cars on the road. On November 5, three days after Liberty pitched his expiration date plan to Metro, five green organizations including the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and Coalition for a Livable Future demanded the CRC staff go back to the drawing board and come up with a more sustainable fix for the congested corridor ["Throw it Out," News, Nov 12].

Liberty insists he introduced the amendment with “good intentions.” “It’s not to kill the project, it’s to force a discussion about the project. We don’t really think it’s realistic that we’re going to be able to fund it,” he says.

Liberty is frustrated to see “$1 million a month” spent on planning a project he believes will never materialize. “Even if it’s a $3 billion project, we’ll still need $700 million from the Oregon State Legislature,” says Liberty, noting that this past year, Oregon legislators balked at allocating any funds for the CRC.

In a straw vote taken on November 17, the idea received overwhelming support—six thumbs up and one thumb sideways from Councilor Rex Burkholder. Metro Council President David Bragdon was one of the supporters. “I think it’s an overdue question to ask what this project is going to cost. I think the timeline within Robert’s proposal is very reasonable,” says Bragdon.

But Environment Oregon advocate Brock Howell says that if Metro approves the idea, it could effectively kill the bridge project. Much of the money for the project’s light rail line is supposed to come from a sales tax increase in the Vancouver, Washington region—notoriously anti-tax Vancouverites will vote on it in 2012 at the earliest. That vote would not line up with Metro’s 2011 expiration date. “If Metro turns on the bridge, it’s basically dead,” says Howell.

Mayor Sam Adams spoke out against the expiration date measure at a Metro advisory meeting last week, saying a two-year deadline would make it difficult to get the facts he needs to make key decisions about the bridge. “There are a lot of legitimate concerns about the CRC project. Funding is one of them,” Adams told the group, saying he had not received enough good, solid facts about the project to date.

At the same meeting, Adams secured an assurance from Metro that it would study the carbon impact of all new roads proposed in the region, including the CRC.

While their support is slipping locally, bridge backers seem to be getting a more positive reception in Salem. Last Thursday, November 19, CRC leaders pitched a slimmed-down version of the bridge to the state transportation committee legislators who specifically erased CRC funding from the state budget last year.

“Here is a project, where if we make the investment, brings up to 20,000 jobs,” said Oregon Department of Transportation Director Matt Garrett. “It will be a gift that keeps on giving.”

“The question I get asked when I talk with my constituents about this is, ‘When are we going to start building?’” North/Northeast Portland Representative Tina Kotek told the committee.

The Oregon and Washington Departments of Transportation recently cut $650 million from the cost of the big bridge project, trimming the size of the planned bridge from 12 lanes to 10. Representative Nick Kahl, an outspoken CRC critic, seemed swayed by the reduction from a budget that formerly totaled $4.2 billion. “I’m becoming increasingly satisfied with the design of the bridge,” said Kahl.

Representative Mike Schaufler went further. “It is criminal to delay, obstruct, deny, and prohibit this project from going forward,” said Schaufler. “I’m done. I don’t need another public meeting.”

http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/crc-in-the-crosshairs/Content?oid=1881658

In this video I was responsible for the co-direction/editing of this project.
Directors: Hesam Ghaemi, Aaron Mallin.
Editors: Hesam Ghaemi, Aaron Mallin.

Director/Camera: Hesam Ghaemi.
Editor: Aaron Mallin, Hesam Ghaemi.

Quite the just-like-old-times performance for the Sharks in their 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. The Sharks roster finally looked like it should be with a couple exceptions. And with the added aspect of facing former Sharks, Christian Ehrhoff and Steve Bernier, it was a reunion of sorts.

Got to mention the injuries, returns and transactions. Devin Setoguchi and Rob Blake returned to the lineup tonight; Benn Ferriero and Jason Demers were sent down to Worcester because of that. Of course this was Torrey Mitchell’s second game back so he’s still getting used to NHL-level speed.

Jody Shelley and Brad Staubitz are still out with injuries, so Frazer McLaren played on the fourth line. Derek Joslin retained his spot on the defense upon Demers’ reassignment.

OK so the game — a slow back-and-forth game. One team would control for 10 minutes, then things would switch. Vancouver got on the board early in the first and controlled the play. McLaren scored his first NHL goal to tie things up before the first ended. He took a big hit behind the goal-line but stayed on his feet and kept his stick on the ice. Joe Pavelski found him and it was an easy tip-in. Glad to see Frazer add his name to the list of first-time scorers this season; Ferriero, McLaren, Demers, Logan Couture and Ryan Vesce all have scored their first NHL goal so far this season.

The Sharks dominated the second period, outshooting Vancouver 15-4; however, they only managed one goal, which came from Dan Boyle on the power play. It was a cool goal to watch on the replay because you saw how much Boyle moves on the man-advantage. One second he would be up high at the point, five seconds later he was down low. Always keeps his skates moving in a very fluid motion.

Captain Rob Blake made his return against Vancouver (From SJSHARKS.com)

San Jose backed off during the last frame but withstood a fierce Canucks forecheck. The Sharks capitalized on a counterattack, as Manny Malhotra deked — yes deked — goalie Roberto Luongo fairly easily. Thirteen seconds later Jamie McGinn notched his fourth goal of the season after Jed Ortmeyer battled beyond the goal line and sent the puck to the crease.

Let’s go back to the decision to send Demers down to Worcester. Coach Todd McClellan cited bad play in the defensive zone as the reason for the reassignment. Demers and Joslin were battling for the final defenseman spot with Rob Blake returning and T-Mac said Joslin played better over the last 10 games. Demers has definitely not played up to par lately. I think back to last game where Demers attempted a stretch pass only to have it intercepted and turned into an Edmonton goal.

T-Mac said before he likes how Demers takes risks, and now he’s going back on that? I don’t get it. Demers is clearly learning from Boyle how to be an offensive threat and doing a pretty good job at it. He has one goal and 12 assists in 27 games. He’s been one of the league’s most surprising rookies and you choose Joslin over Demers? I’m sorry, but this is a dumb move by T-Mac. Joslin is a joke of a player and isn’t going to amount to anything.

Perhaps it will help Demers not to play with Kent Huskins and actually someone good down in Worcester. Huskins was on the power play tonight again. Stop doing that T-Mac. Just stop. Demers needs to be on the power play and Huskins needs to be sent down. No one will claim him off waivers.

Other Notes

Hit-O-Meter: SJ 16  VAN 14; Jamie McGinn (4) and Devin Setoguchi (3) led the team.

The Sharks wrap up November with a 9-2-3 record and are the first team to reach 40 points.

All eyes will be on San Jose on Tuesday when the Sharks battle the Ottawa Senators. Dany Heatley versus his ex-girlfriend. Should be good.

–Ray

Rain prevented me from getting out yesterday but there was a break over Maplewood this afternoon that allowed me to get out birding for a little over an hour.

I decided to check out the feeders near the entrance first and I was rewarded with a sighting of a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk perched in one of the trees to the east of the path. The bird appeared to be preening when I first sighted him but I noticed the occasional glance in the direction of the birds at the feeders (who were aware of the hawk as they were giving alarm calls).

Small birds form a significant part of the diet of Sharp-shinned Hawks but they are also known to take small mammals and large insects (Bildstein and Meyer 2000). During the 19^th and early 20^th century thousands of these birds were shot annually; often for no other reason than the fact that they ate song birds (Bildstein and Meyer 2000). Carcasses were often left to rot (Broun 1949). Shooting doubtlessly still occurs in some parts of North America but thankfully the senseless killing of the past two centuries is now history.

I had just finished snapping a few photographs when the hawk darted from its perch into the bushes nearby the feeders. I heard an awful shriek and all of the chickadees, finches, and sparrows fled the scene making quite a racket when they left. The hawk quickly flew to the south west and I was not able to find it again and determine if it had indeed captured one of the small birds. After a couple of minutes most of the birds had returned to feed on the seeds.

It was high tide when I checked out the mudflats. A raft of at least two hundred Mallards were milling about on the water; many of them were resting or preening. This must have been a flock of migrants making their way to their respective wintering grounds as the species has the most prolonged fall migration of any other duck; meaning its not uncommon to find migrating birds in late November (Drilling et al 2002). Mallards often leave their breeding grounds only when water freezes and their food sources are covered with snow (Drilling et al 2002).

I’m glad the rain let up as I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get out birding this weekend. Happy Thanksgiving to any Americans who may be reading this!

References:

Bildstein, Keith L. and Ken Meyer. 2000. Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/bna/species/482doi:10.2173/bna.482

Broun, M. 1949. Hawks aloft: the story of Hawk Mountain. Dodd, Mead, Co., New York.

Drilling, Nancy, Rodger Titman and Frank Mckinney. 2002. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/bna/species/658doi:10.2173/bna.658

Blog #8 – November 29, 2009

Rudy Balasabas of the Balasabas Real Estate Team blogs about the Harmonized Sales Tax (which is set to take effect on July 1, 2010) and what it means for Vancouver Real Estate.

If you have any questions or would like more information on the HST or any other taxes concerning Real Estate, send your email to rudy@balasabas.com or visit http://balasabas.com/video-blogs.html for all of our Real Estate Video Blogs.

Elise & Derek present the “Samsung Top 5 Mobile Minute”, a collection of the best, worst, and most exciting parts of the Winter Olympic Games! It’s quick, fun, and will get you ready for Vancouver 2010.

Let Bruce & Jodi teach you all sorts of fun and interesting “Did you know” facts about the Winter Olympic Games. Puppet shows have never been this fun!

Elise & Derek hit the streets and ask YOU tough questions about the Winter Games! Let’s see if people are as smart as we give them credit for.

Today we joined family members for a trip out to Vancouver International Airport (CYVR), and then double back to River Rock resort for lunch. The occasion was to have a farewell lunch with Ake, Nan’s brother’s son, our nephew, who is returning to Thailand next Friday.

The lunch idea was nice plus it provided us with the opportunity to see what it was like to go from our condo in North Vancouver to the airport; this entailed taking the ferry (Sea Bus) across to Vancouver then the train from the ferry terminal to the airport.

The trip went very smoothly and on the weekend is very inexpensive, $2.50 for the Sea Bus and train ride! We took the 11:30AM Sea Bus which crossed the Burrard Inlet to Vancouver in fifteen minutes, you then walk to the train which takes six minutes – if you had heavy bags to take with you it would be a bit of a chore in as far that it involves an escalator and a flight of stairs to get you to the train. The train ride is underground until it breaks surface at Marine Drive, then stays on top through to the airport. The train arrived at 12:17PM for a trip total time of forty-seven minutes – not bad!

We met up with Steve, Pat and baby Connor at the River Rock and we all enjoyed a first class buffet there before heading home again. The Casino looked like Vegas! – I did not realize that the casinos in BC were so big!

Waiting for the ferry – Nan, Chalasin, Ake, Chenisa, Yalaporn and Numchoke.

On our way across the Burrard Inlet to Vancouver.

The Sea Bus is a first class mode of transport,spacious, nice seats and fast with super views of the city.

Approaching the Sea Bus terminal on the Vancouver side.

Up the escalator and along the skywalk to the main terminal

Down the steps and into the new Vancouver airport train

The train station at the airport is in close proximity to the terminal with luggage carts in evidence at the platform and elevators down to a skywalk which crosses the road to the departure points.

Back we go to River Rock

The River Rock resort has a large Casino and now that the Vancouver airport train drops off right alongside of it the Fairmont at the airport will be seeing stiffer competition.

A peep, from afar, into the Casino

Up the stairs we go to the restaurant for what turned out to be a first class buffet lunch!

We met up with my nephew Steve (..my brother Alan’s son), his wife Pattie and baby Connor

One last group picture (…Nan and I were taking the picture) and then off we go back to North Vancouver.

We wish you good luck Ake and a safe journey back to Thailand on Friday.

In less than three months the international gaze will be focused on Vancouver, when we host the 2010 Winter Olympics.

 While the majority of the population has a positive outlook, there are also some concerns.  

 One of the biggest is traffic in and around Vancouver.

Businesses that are not even in downtown Vancouver and normally receive shipments during business hours will have to make arrangements to accept deliveries in the middle of the night due to road closures. 

 If we had exceptional transit and it wasn’t the dead of winter, I think it would be less likely that eyebrows would be raised at the suggestion of taking transit, biking or walking to destinations for a couple of weeks.

 Here is the first phase of parking and road restrictions The City of Vancouver has presented:  http://olympichostcity.vancouver.ca/gettingaround/whattoexpect.htm

 A lot of businesses that are not involved in the tourism or hospitality industries may be forced to close either due to lack of access to their location or because no customers will actually show up. In times of economic uncertainty, the last thing a business wants to do is to have to shut down for any length of time.  Of course when Vancouver won the bid for the Olympics back in 2003, no one had predicted that the games would be preceded by a monumental global recession.

 One of the industries hit hardest in the months leading up to the Olympics has been the BC Film & Television industry. The BC government has decided to put all their focus on the Olympics and not offer incentives to production companies by way of tax credits. As a result companies have been finding other places with appealing tax credits to work, leaving BC workers out in the cold. 

 Regardless as to how people feel right now, I believe that by the time the torch reaches Vancouver on February 12, 2010, the city will be pulsing with energy and spirit. Because like it or not, the games will go on.

 There are still tickets available to some events:  http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-tickets/olympic/how-to-buy-tickets/

 The projected number of countries to participate in the 21^st Winter Olympics February 12-28, 2010 is 80. 57 nations have qualified as of November 12, 2009.

Hattip Pathfinder

WHO to monitor for flu outbreaks at Vancouver

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -The World Health Organization is sending a representative to the 2010 Winter Olympics to monitor for potential disease outbreaks, and organizers and health experts have taken steps to protect against the H1N1 virus.

Planning for any impact H1N1 could have on the games has been under way since April, when British Columbia health officials increased the stockpile of antiviral drugs available in the province, according to briefing notes released under an Access to Information request. The WHO declared an official global pandemic in June.

Most athletes, officials and spectators are expected to be vaccinated against H1N1 by the time the Winter Olympics begin in February.

“If the vaccination rate is high enough, I don’t think H1N1 is going to be a risk,” said Dr. Patricia Daly, chief medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health, the agency overseeing health services for the Olympics.

British Columbia’s provincial health officer said the original supply was boosted by 3 million doses, bringing the total amount available to 10 million.

About 250,000 spectators are expected at the games, and there will be about 10,000 media members, and 5,000 athletes and officials.

The expected high rate of vaccination doesn’t mean the virus won’t be present, just that drastic measures won’t likely be needed, said Dr. Perry Kendall.

“I can’t imagine levels of absenteeism from influenza – whether it’s seasonal or from H1N1 – being so high you couldn’t operate the games,” he said.

Even so, swine flu remains a top issue for security planners.

“Even with the injections and the boosters and everything else that comes with it, (H1N1 is) still probably one of the biggest things that concern me,” said Bud Mercer, assistant commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and head of the Integrated Security Unit.

The ISU will have 750 officers on standby in case of illness or another major emergency and VANOC, the organizing committee, has a pool of volunteers that could be dispatched in an emergency.

The committee is also asking its staff and volunteers to get vaccinated, with plans in the works to offer the shots when volunteers pick up their uniforms in December.

Vancouver organizers and the International Olympic Committee have also recommended to all of the national Olympic committees that their athletes and officials be vaccinated against both H1N1 and seasonal influenza.

Daly said international athletes will be offered the vaccine when they get to Canada, with some teams arriving as early as January to begin training.

Public health nurses at the athletes village will conduct tests and monitor for illness at venues, including hotels where officials and sponsors are staying.

It’s the convergence of people from all over the world in Vancouver that’s prompted the WHO to get involved, said Dr. Mike Wilkinson, VANOC’s director of medical services.

“They are there to help us in monitoring anything that may come from outside, any of the incidences from any of the areas where the athletes might be coming from,” he said.

Seasonal flu is always a risk at a Winter Olympics, but monitoring done during prior games has shown little danger of a major outbreak.

At the Olympic village during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, 188 cases of influenza were diagnosed out of the more than 2,000 visits to the clinic there, according to statistics from Utah health researchers.

During the 2006 Olympics in Turin the incidence of influenza-like illness was less than that recorded during the same period a year earlier, according to Italian researchers.

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135085

Even though the BOC rates have yet to rise, there is evidence of tightening from lenders. RBC recently increased terms on LOC loans (from prime +1% to prime +2% for many borrowers). This without a change in prime. Now comes news that may herald the beginning of hard times for speculators.

This from McLovin on robchipman.net 29 Nov 2009 12:29 pm -

“An interesting side-bar on “banks tightening up”… HSBC will [now] only finance 60% of the first $500K for a non-owner occupied [investment] (Rental unit), and 50% of the remainder. Even to a mega-bear like me that is excessive. Either they don’t really want to lend money, or they see bad things coming. This means that, for a non-owner occupied $1,000,000 property, HSBC is asking for 45% down.”

Booooooom

Twitter

I can’t believe I’m just stumbling upon this site now. The site is called Booooooom–with 7 “o” s. Booooooom’s bio on Twitter Reads:” art+photo blog with a soft spot for hand-made work by unknown people.”—

This is the exact page I stumbled on—A post about Claire Morgan, an amazing visual artist:

The blog covers Art, Design, Music, Photography, and Film… I’m so inspired.

Here’s a great photography duo I just found on Boooooom:

From the Booooooom Information Section: “

Hello friends! My name is Jeff Hamada, I am an artist from Vancouver. I created Booooooom in hopes of fostering a community of people excited to go out and be creative!

We have quickly become one of the largest blogs on the internet, with well over 1.9 million pageviews each month, and readers from all over the world. Incredibly, this is mainly the result of good old fashion word-of-mouth! So if you’ve told even one person about Booooooom hold your hand up to the monitor and accept this high-five! Did you feel that? That was no regular high-five, that was the highest-five in the history of highs and fives.”

On that note, I’m going to take the high-five creative energy and go shoot some photos.