Saturday, June 14, 2008
No Bail...Lock Him Up and throw....
Gary Webster Webster might be a flight risk, a U.S. court is told
BY STAFF The Guardian
Gary Webster could be a flight risk and has been warned by a U.S. judge not to leave the country. The former UPEI professor is being held in custody on a $100,000 US bail. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of reckless endangerment of a minor.The Hartford Courant newspaper reports that jailhouse chats between Webster and a Canadian phone number indicates he’s trying to post bond and leave the country, a prosecutor said Friday. A judge warned Webster that if he posts bond he must surrender his passport to authorities and not leave the country. Webster, 67, has also been found eligible for representation by a public defender. He’s back in court July 22. In 1994, Webster was convicted in P.E.I. of five counts of indecently assaulting three young men, two counts of assault with the intent to commit buggery and two counts of gross indecency.The victims ranged in age from nine to 11 years old.
Friday, June 13, 2008
How about another holiday...
Canadian tax freedom day is Saturday, Fraser Institute
The Canadian Press
Tax freedom day — the day average Canadians have paid off the year’s tax load and begin working for themselves — arrives Saturday, according to the Fraser Institute.The free-market-oriented think-tank said today that governments are letting the citizenry keep four days’ worth of earnings more than last year.Niels Veldhuis, the Fraser Institute’s director of fiscal studies, says Canadians spend almost half the year working to pay all the various taxes levied on them by federal, provincial and local governments.Effectively, “every dollar they earn before June 14 would be required to pay the taxes owing to all levels of government.”The computation of tax freedom day includes income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, profit taxes, health, social security and employment taxes, import duties, licence fees, taxes on alcohol and tobacco, natural resource fees, fuel taxes, hospital taxes and an array of other levies.
I claim "There Are No Rules" as my parade song...
I can't help but think when I read this article in the Guardian that the parade committee have been hanging around with the City too long and they want to enforce a bunch of "rules". My favourite part of the parade is the marching band that wear all the funny shirts and hats and don't really have any formation and the next thing you know they will have a rules committee who'll want to boot this band out because they don't conform to "band standards". A parade is about fun, not about rules, that's why we take a day off - to get a break from the rules.
Hallow's Eve was an Atlanta, Georgia power metal band which was formed in 1983 by Tommy Stewart and Stacy Anderson. The band had a following within the under ground scene, one only enlarged with the appearance of their song Metal Merchants on Metal Blade's Metal Massacre IV album. Follow the link below to "There Are No Rules" by Hollow's Eve and there is also a link for a ringtone to use on parade day.
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/hallows_eve/there_are_no_rules.html
Say It With Music selected as theme for 2008 Gold Cup Parade in Charlottetown DOUG GALLANT The Guardian
Summer does not officially begin until June 21 but if you plan to enter a float in this year's Gold Cup Parade the chair of the parade would like you to start thinking about it now. Bill Chandler said Tuesday it's never too early to start thinking about the float you want to create and how to create it. He said they've already had a number of inquiries. "We had our first inquiry just after New Year's and averaged one or two inquiries a week right through January and February," Chandler said. We expect the floodgates to really open up any day now" The biggest parade in Atlantic Canada goes Friday, Aug. 15, and the theme of this year's parade is Say It With Music, which Chandler believes will open the door to all manner of creative expression. "Take a song like Old MacDonald Had A Farm, you could take the lyrics of a song like that and build a float around them. You could take a musical instrument and build a float around that instrument. You could take a style of music like swing and build a float around that style of music. You can have a lot of fun with this theme. "Chandler urges those planning to enter a float to discuss their ideas with parade co-ordinator Nicolle Bradley as soon as possible. "Nicolle can discuss your ideas with you," Chandler said. "She can also tell you if somebody else has already contacted our office with the same idea you have." Rules for floats can also be discussed. And there are rules. One, for example, specifies that a float must in fact be a float. "You can't simply take a service vehicle with your logo on the side, put a couple of balloons on it and call it a float, that's not allowed."
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Grazing at "gio"...tops in Halifax
Hope Springs Eternal...
Former Sharks coach named head coach of Leafs
THE CANADIAN PRESS TORONTO Ron Wilson said he was the happiest person in the NHL on Tuesday.After being named head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 53 year old Wilson said he was fulfilling a dream.“This is an unbelievable day for me,” he said during a news conference at the Air Canada Centre. “The last couple weeks have been very exciting.”Wilson was fired last month by San Jose after the Sharks lost to the Dallas Stars in the second round of the playoffs. He succeeds Paul Maurice, who was fired in May after missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.“Obviously if you lose your job in the league you often wonder if you’ll get another opportunity,” said Wilson. “The furthest thing from my mind at any point in my hockey career was that I would have an opportunity — ever — to coach a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs with their incredible history.”Wilson travelled to Toronto on Monday to finalize the four-year deal. The Maple Leafs finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 36-35-11 record last season, missing a playoff spot by 11 points.“I view the Leafs as a team in transition,” he said. “It’s going to require a lot of work and a lot of attention to detail.”Wilson was joined by interim GM Cliff Fletcher at the news conference. The Leafs are still searching for a permanent general manager and Wilson is confident he’ll get along with the person the team eventually hires.“It’s putting the pieces of the puzzles together,” he said. “There’s no exact way to do it.”Wilson is hoping to turn the Leafs into playoff contenders within two years.“As a coach, you just want to put yourself in a position to knock on the door,” Wilson said. “And if we can be knocking on the door in two years, I think that will be a tremendous accomplishment. Then we’ve just got to knock the door down.”Wilson, who was born in Windsor and raised in Fort Erie, Ont., before moving south of the border, has a career NHL coaching record of 518-446-127 in stints with the Sharks, Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals. The former U.S. college player spent parts of three NHL seasons with the Leafs in the late 1970s.Rumours persist that Wilson’s hiring will set the stage for Anaheim GM Brian Burke to enter the picture once his deal expires with the Ducks next summer. Burke and Wilson played together at Providence when they were younger.Wilson, who is a dual citizen, played for the U.S. in three world hockey championships and has coached the Americans in various events, notably the 1996 World Cup of Hockey title and 1998 Olympics.Unlike his stops in Anaheim, Washington and San Jose, Ron Wilson finally gets to coach in a hockey-mad market. He feels he’s up to the challenge.“I’ve coached three teams in the National Hockey League and each team I’ve had to come in and kind of start underneath the radar and work my way up,” he said. “I feel I’ve accomplished those things.”
Monday, June 9, 2008
Members no more...
Nobody wants you Clifford...
'I don't think the city of Charlottetown is wanted at the federation.' Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee
Charlottetown reps a no-show, municipalities federation says
Monday, June 9, 2008
CBC News
The Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities says Charlottetown's complaints that it hasn't had much of a voice in the umbrella group could be because city reps haven't been attending many meetings lately.
Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee has said his city will cut all ties with the federation at the end of this month, mostly because the provincial body has historically done a poor job of representing the provincial capital's interests.
"The city of Charlottetown has had a voice for years with the federation and the voice has never been heard," Lee said.
"And the truth of the matter is I don't think the city of Charlottetown is wanted at the federation. What's really wanted is the $40,000 that the city gave them [in fees], year after year."
However, the president of the federation said it's pretty hard to fight for the capital city if its representatives don't show up for meetings.
Bruce MacDougall told CBC News that the city's official rep, Coun. Cecil Villard, has been to just one of eight federation meetings held in the last year — and neither he nor Lee has been to any meetings in the last six months.
MacDougall said Lee should look at his city's attendance record before publicly condemning the job the federation has done.
"I feel bad that that statement was made because you know, really, you have to be at the meetings in order to put your input for your community there, right?
"It's to their benefit that they be there at the table."
Villard couldn't be reached for comment on his attendance record.
MacDougall said he's talked to Lee about the city's lack of participation, and he hopes a meeting between the two sides later this month will result in a change of heart.
Despite that planned meeting, Lee insists that Charlottetown council's May 12 decision to walk away is final.
Guardian Winning Electronic Media War...
Sunday, June 8, 2008
A Nice Evening....but no ass kicking
Dylan backs Obama for change...no surprise here
Dylan's friend, Tony Glover, recalls visiting Dylan's apartment in September 1963, where he saw a number of song manuscripts and poems lying on a table. "The Times They Are-a Changin'" had yet to be recorded, but Glover saw its early manuscript. After reading the words "come senators, congressmen, please heed the call", Glover reportedly asked Dylan: "What is this shit, man?", to which Dylan responded, "Well, you know, it seems to be what the people like to hear".
A protest song, it is often viewed as a reflection of the generation gap and of the political divide marking American culture in the 1960s. Dylan, however, disputed this interpretation in 1964, saying "Those were the only words I could find to separate aliveness from deadness. It had nothing to do with age." A year later, Dylan would say: "I can't really say that adults don't understand young people any more than you can say big fishes don't understand little fishes. I didn't mean ['The Times They Are a-Changin'] as a statement... It's a feeling."
In 1996, "The Times They Are a-Changin" created some controversy for Dylan when he allowed Canada's Bank of Montreal to feature it in its advertising campaign.
Bob Dylan says Obama is redefining U.S. politics, says he's hopeful of change
The Associated Press LONDON
Bob Dylan believes Barack Obama is redefining politics in the United States and could deliver change to a country in upheaval, according to a British newspaper interview published Saturday. In an interview with the Times of London, the musician is quoted as saying that Obama has changed politics in the United States, though Dylan does not specifically endorse the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee "Well, you know right now America is in a state of upheaval. Poverty is demoralizing. You can’t expect people to have the virtue of purity when they are poor," Dylan is quoted as saying. "But we’ve got this guy out there now who is redefining the nature of politics from the ground up ... Barack Obama," he was quoted as saying. "He's redefining what a politician is, so we'll have to see how things play out. Am I hopeful? Yes, I'm hopeful that things might change. Some things are going to have to." The newspaper said the interview took place in Denmark during Dylan’s current tour of Scandinavia."You should always take the best from the past, leave the worst back there and go forward into the future," Dylan said, apparently referring to Obama's campaign.The 67-year-old singer has an exhibition of his art work opening in London next week.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Park this Investment Here....Great News
Deal on parking opens door to build hotel
DAVE STEWART The Guardian
It appears that Dyne Holdings might break ground soon on a new hotel in the downtown core of Charlottetown.The City of Charlottetown completed agreements Thursday guaranteeing Dyne 175 parking spaces.The company told The Guardian Wednesday that it couldn’t move forward with an 85-room hotel on top of the Confederation Court Mall until the city and Charlottetown Area Development Corporation (CADC) finalized plans for new parking spaces.A spokesman with the city corporation said Thursday CADC is comfortable enough to move forward.That could mean a new parking garage or adding on to one of the existing three garages.However, the city won’t budge on those parking spaces until Dyne Holdings formally secures a foundation permit to build the hotel.The agreements the city signed on Thursday, worth an estimated $35 million, include the new hotel, renovations to the Confederation Court Mall and a new office tower on Fitzroy Street that would connect to the Queen Street Parkade. Council gave the OK to the new office building in late April.
Call the Cops...no more "dumping"....
No more flushing for fishermen
Friday, June 6, 2008
CBC News
Starting July 1, when shell fishermen use the toilet at sea on P.E.I.'s oyster and mussel grounds, they will have to take the waste home with them.
While there is little argument with the new rule, some are wishing there had been a little more notice.
Gary Rogers, who has been growing mussels in Malpeque Bay for years, just installed two new toilets on his boat, the old type that flush into the sea. Now he says he'll have to replace them with chemical toilets, and find somewhere to dump them.
"That's not a very nice job for people at the end of the day, to be hauling that stuff home in the back of your truck," Rogers told CBC News on Thursday.
The new rule is being implemented at the insistence of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which says harvesters who want to export shellfish to the United States must ensure its harvested from clean waters.
"These shellfish are filter feeders and can uptake bacteria and viruses, and we're looking to improve the program to address that issue," said John White of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
P.E.I.'s Aquaculture Alliance supports the change.
"They're always looking at opportunities to identify ways to ensure safe food, and it would be important for us to comply," said Linda Duncan, executive director of the alliance.
The food inspection agency says it isn't necessary to spend a lot of money on a holding tank for sewage waste. Even a bucket will do as long as it has a secure lid.
Big Brown: Hooters... 2 to 1 favourite
Unlikely sponsor for Big Brown: Hooters
Jockey to wear logo during Belmont, but girls won’t be in winners circle
NEW YORK - Delightfully tacky, yet unrefined.
It’s not just the slogan of Hooters. It might well describe the sponsorship deal in which Big Brown’s jockey will wear the restaurant chain’s logo when the horse goes for the Triple Crown in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.
Hooters joined UPS as a sponsor of Big Brown, owners IEAH Stables and jockey Kent Desormeaux on Wednesday. Its logo, an owl whose eyes are seen in the word Hooters, will be stitched into the side of Desormeaux’s pants.
A UPS logo also will be visible, as it was when Desormeaux guided Big Brown to victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. The horse was named in honor of UPS, a client of original owner Paul Pompa Jr.’s trucking business.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., meanwhile, was amused when a bevy of Hooters girls in tank tops and tight orange shorts appeared at Belmont’s Barn 2 for a photo shoot with Big Brown and Desormeaux on Wednesday.
“I’ll tell you, this horse is so cool,” Dutrow said Thursday. “There are these five girls lined up looking away and he walked right up and put his head in between all of them. He didn’t move his head. Every time I see this horse do something, he absolutely amazes me.”
Dutrow described the scene as “cool.” Was it cool for Big Brown, too?
“It’s not bad,” Dutrow said. “He likes the women.”
IEAH Stables co-president Michael Iavarone said others may look at the sponsorship “oddly,” but added: “I think that you can cross the line a little bit. The regulatory side of racing will start to be a little more stringent. I can’t say I have a problem with Hooters.”
When the deal was first reported, Hooters’ vice president of marketing Mike McNeil was quoted as saying Hooters girls and company executives would be in the winner’s circle when Big Brown wins.
“That’s not going to happen,” Kelly Wietsma, the president of Equisponse, which represents IEAH Stables, said Thursday. “The sponsorship deal calls for Kent to wear the Hooters logo on his pants, for Hooters to celebrate Big Brown on Belmont day in over 450 restaurants and to benefit a foundation for Kent’s son, who has Usher syndrome.”
Desormeaux’s 9-year-old son, Jacob, has the genetic disorder that stole his hearing at birth and is slowly robbing him of his sight. There is no known cure.
The New York Racing Association, which operates Belmont Park, said Thursday that “reports of a corporate presence on the grounds of Belmont Park are in error.”
UPS and NYRA announced a sponorship deal Thursday that will allow the logo of the world’s largest package delivery company to be displayed on the starting gate, and signage will be seen along the stretch on Belmont day. The UPS logo also will be on Big Brown’s saddle cloth as well as on the jacket of the colt’s outrider.
Sponsorship deals involving racehorses and jockeys are rare. At the Derby, NetJets, a private aviation company, sponsored the jockeys in the race.
“We think corporate America is realizing there’s value in horse racing,” Wietsma said. “Big Brown has been on the national news, the morning shows and all over the media. There will be 40 million people watching to see of this horse can win the Triple Crown and if he does he’s going to be one of the most celebrated athletes in 30 years. And UPS and Hooters will ride the publicity wave with him.”
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Is Tiger Watching Tonight?
Tiger Woods zings the Stanley Cup finals
The Associated Press
Published: June 3, 2008
Don't count Tiger Woods among those glued to their TVs during the Stanley Cup finals.
The world's top golfer appeared via teleconference on Monday, promoting August's PGA Championship at Oakland Hills in suburban Detroit.
Woods was asked if he was rooting for Detroit or Pittsburgh.
Woods started to laugh, then landed a zinger.
"I don't really care. Let's talk about the Dodgers," the California native said. "I don't think anybody really watches hockey any more."
But the improved television ratings for this year's finals doesn't seem to match Woods' assessment.
The Penguins' victory over the Red Wings on NBC drew the best overnight rating for a Game 3 of the Cup finals in six years. Pittsburgh's 3-2 win on Wednesday night earned a 2.8 national rating and an 18.2 rating in Detroit, beating out the 15.9 rating for the Pistons' matchup with the Boston Celtics in the NBA's Eastern Conference finals. The combination of Games 1, 2 and 3 have made this the highest-rated and most-watched opening games of the Cup finals since Detroit faced Carolina in 2002.
Good News Story, by Heather Reisman
Indigo funds literacy in 2 P.E.I. schools with $120K gift
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
CBC News
Two schools on Prince Edward Island are receiving $120,000 from an Indigo Books charity to fund literacy programs.
Prince Street Elementary in Charlottetown will be receiving $71,000 and Belfast Consolidated in South Pinette will be receiving $49,000 from the Indigo Love of Reading Fund over the next three years.
Heather Reisman, CEO of Indigo Books & Music Inc., created the charity. She says its mission is to encourage a love of reading in children.
This year 20 schools in Canada will receive a donation from the Indigo fund.
'Unmitigated Disasters'... big words Mitch!!
Garbage piling up across capital grabs city council's attention
DAVE STEWART The Guardian
Ward 4 Coun. Mitchell Tweel says council will be looking at the issue of non-domestic garbage piling up across the city.This comes after residents on Desbrisay Crescent complained when a massive pile of debris started forming on their street recently. Const. Philip Claybourne, bylaw enforcement officer with the city, said Wednesday he was talking to the public works department about having the mess on Desbrisay cleaned up and Tweel said it could happen as early as today.Tweel said council met to talk about the issue of non-domestic garbage a week ago, hinting that a resolution may be forthcoming when council meets on Monday for its regular monthly public meeting.'This issue is not new,' Tweel said, noting that big piles of garbage, including old furniture, washing machines and appliances, have been forming across the city since Waste Watch began.'Waste Watch did not allow for effective and efficient non-domestic garbage pickup. The current program is not conducive to residents in the city.' Tweel said residents just don’t have access to vehicles big enough to transport large amounts of waste to the Waste Watch depots.The Ward 4 councillor said the city met with the former Pat Binns government numerous times on the issue but got nowhere and he’s hoping things will be different with the Robert Ghiz administration.He’s asking for the co-operation of MLAs who represent Charlottetown.About two years ago, the city paid for a second blue bag pickup. Now, Tweel is suggesting it may be time for the city to get back in the garbage business since it usually has to respond to matters like the mess on Desbrisay Crescent anyway.Tweel said the problem on Desbrisay isn’t the only example of problem garbage in his ward, describing situations on Connolly Street and Douglas Street as 'unmitigated disasters'. 'Waste Watch has to take responsibility.'
Welcomed "Hot" News!!
National weather office predicts hot summer
THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — After an exceptionally cold and snowy winter, there’s finally some good news in the national weather forecast. Environment Canada is predicting it’s going to be a hot summer from coast to coast.The federal agency says temperatures will be above average for June, July and August. The only exceptions are the Far North and some coastal areas.Experts say this doesn’t bode well for efforts to limit energy consumption.This is especially true in southern Ontario, where temperatures are supposed to skyrocket above 30 degrees Celsius this weekend.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Penguin's clip Wings...hockey in June you say!!!
Sykora's triple OT goal keeps Penguins alive
NEIL STEVENS THE CANADIAN PRESS
DETROIT — The Pittsburgh Penguins hit the jackpot Monday night. Petr Sykora's goal 9:57 into the third overtime gave them a 4-3 victory and shaved Detroit's lead in the NHL's championships series to three games to two. Sykora planted a wrist shot into a top corner of the Detroit net 36 seconds after Red Wings forward Jiri Hudler took a seat in the penalty box for high-sticking. Evgeni Malkin assisted the winner for his first point of the series, while goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 55 shots to keep the Penguins alive in the game — and the final. The Penguins' good fortune all started just before the game when a winning number in the Pennsylvania Big Four Lottery came up as 7171 — Malkin's sweater number repeated twice — and it gained momentum when Detroit defenceman Niklas Kronwall scored into his own net to put Pittsburgh up 2-0 in the first period. After a furious third-period Detroit rally that gave the Red Wings the lead, Maxime Talbot scored the tying goal with 35 seconds left and with Fleury on the bench for an extra attacker. In taking the early lead, Pittsburgh's Adam Hall got credit for the goal Kronwall scored on his own goalie and Marian Hossa also scored for the Penguins. Darren Helm, Pavel Datsyuk and Brian Rafalski scored for Detroit, which outshot Pittsburgh 58-32 in the four-and-a-half-hour marathon. While Malkin’s scoring drought continued, the draw represented a great pre-game signal that the Penguins could avoid elimination. Now, after this solid Pittsburgh team effort and some great goaltending by Fleury, the teams return to Pittsburgh to go at it again Wednesday (CBC, 8 p.m. ET). This exciting marathon left both teams exhausted, and there isn't much time to recover.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Letter to the Editor...by Garth Staples
We Need Less Governance
The Guardian
Garth Staples, a letter writer from Charlottetown, says we should get rid of excessive governance. Here's his letter, which will be featured in Tuesday's Guardian
Editor:
There never was a more opportune time to reform how we Islanders govern ourselves than now; property taxes are frozen, the municipal federation is in array, small villages are having financial troubles and the search for people interested in elective office is yielding fewer results. The burden of future taxation increases and growing inefficiencies in the delivery of government services is worthy of deep thought by our Island leadership. Seventy-five municipalities governing the ‘million acre farm’ with 138,000 souls is, putting it mildly, excess governance. Seventy-five governments running off in all directions leads to stagnation, and a growing inertia akin to Eastern European states in the 1960s.The solution is neither complicated nor extreme but rather easily achievable once egos are set aside.The following recommendation will set elected tongues wagging as they see their positions disappear and, in some cases, their entitlements.Seventy-five governments would be reduced to five, namely: Municipalities of Kings, Queens and Prince headquartered in Montague, Hunter River and O’Leary respectively.Municipalities of Charlottetown and Summerside (Stratford, Cornwall and Charlottetown would be amalgamated; Summerside, Kensington, St. Eleanors and Miscouche would also see amalgamation).The people deserve a modern and efficient system of governance. Let the leadership required step forward. Garth E. Staples, Charlottetown
Hard Work Pays Off...All the best Kara!
P.E.I. athlete heads to Olympics
Monday, June 2, 2008
CBC News
A Prince Edward Island pentathlon athlete will be going to the Olympic Games for the second time.
Kara Grant, from Stratford, will travel to Seoul, South Korea on Aug. 8 for eight days of training. She will then travel to Beijing to compete in the modern pentathlon on Aug. 21.
During a recent competition in Madrid, Grant, 28, received one of the best scores of her career in fencing, which is one of the components of modern pentathlon.
In 2004, Grant competed in the Olympic Games in Athens, where she placed 22nd.
Grant first became involved in pentathlon after years of equestrian training. In 1996, she won the Canadian Junior National Pentathlon title. Since then Grant has won five Senior National Championships.
In 2006 Grant had her best result at the World Championships, where she finished 9th. She said her goal is to achieve gold at the upcoming Olympic Games.
In modern pentathlon, athletes compete in five different events — fencing, shooting, swimming, riding and cross-country running.