Hot Air Balloon Crossing Planned
April 30, 2007

Another Atlantic crossing could begin from St.John's this summer, this one, a hot air balloon. British adventurer David Hempleman-Adams has a hot-air balloon team assembled, ready to cross the Atlantic. They want to do it from St.John's this summer. Last year, they used Calgary as a base to set an altitude record in a hot air balloon. One of his crew, Nigel Mitchell, says Adams is one of the world's greatest living adventurers and was the first person to achieve the Explorers Grand Slam, having climbed the highest mountains on each of the world's seven continents, including Mount Everest. The team has written St.John's City Council asking for information on the city.

( Maybe a launch from the eight floor window of the Confederation Building would give Adams the necessary lift with the hot air he needs )

Thanks Tom, you gave a 14% wage increase to help the minimum wage go up to $8.00 per hour in NL but no sign of giving an increase to thousands of home support workers whose wages are mostly $8.04 per hour.That slap in the face is of course compensated for by giving us free Death Certificates.

From the VOCM News SITE:

Ontario Must Work With Metis on Lower Chruchill Project; Montague
April 17, 2007

Labrador Metis Nation President Chris Montague says Ontario will see no power from the Lower Churchill without the involvement of the Labrador Metis. Montague issued the warning at the Opportunities to Develop Renewable Energy Projects with First Nations, Industry, and Government Partnerships conference in Toronto yesterday. He told the delegates Labrador Metis have to be "meaningfully included" in the project before it can proceed. Montague also spoke about what he called Premier Danny Williams' failure to honour commitments to the Metis in Labrador. He says Williams promised to honour harvesting rights and to work with the group to promote communities and culture. Montague also provided an overview of the proposed Height of Land Wind Park. The $2.5 billion proposed project involves a partnership between the LMN and Ventus Energy.

Recently Tom Rideout said Newfoundland and Labrador cannot deal with Labrador Metis Nation claims until Ottawa moves forward first. Im sure the majority of us here in the province don't really know what to make of it all at times. Most don't really know if the Metis have a legitimate claim on the lands or not. I do think in the pass the NL Government have negotiated with them on forestry and harvesting agreements along with certain rights to hunt on Crown lands.I guess if that was the case,they must of been recognized as a group with legitimate claims to the land in order to do that. Maybe if the province pushed the issue then Ottawa would step in and finally give them the status they want. Who would gain from this? We all would!

Finally a little Ray of light but don't forget a lot of us are still not unionized.

VOCM NEWS SITE
NAPE Presidential Candidate Seeks Help for Home Care Workers
April 10, 2007

A candidate in the running for the presidency of NAPE has some suggestions for government as they put the finishing touches on the provincial budget. Chris Henley told VOCM Back Talk with Bill Rowe, home care workers need some attention. Henley says they are the lowest paid group of unionized workers in the province, making barely above minimum wage.

Bill Matthews Calls It Quits
April 3, 2007
from the VOCM website:

After 25 years in public life, Random-Burin-St. George's MP Bill Matthews is calling it quits. Matthews announced this morning he will not be seeking a seat in the next next federal election. Matthews was first elected in 1982 in the provincial district of Grand Bank, and later switched to federal politics in 1997. He said following eight elections it's time for him to leave politics. Conservative MP Norm Doyle has already announced he won't be running again either.

Cynthia Downey who ran against Mr.Matthews in the lastFederal election has recently withdrawn from the Conservative nomination process here in the riding. Ms. Downey said she could not ask the people of her riding to support the Harper Government after he failed to live up to his promises on NL equalization. Maybe Cynthia Downey should seek the Liberal nomination here in Random-Burin-St. Georges.

New Provincial Motor vehicle plate.



The provincial government unveiled Newfoundland and Labrador's new motor vehicle license plates today. Government Services Minister Dianne Whalen and Business Minister Kevin O'Brien launched the new plates, featuring a design done by our own premier. The province's new brand signature since March 19/2007. The Premier said the new plates can be purchased for twenty bucks far less expensive than a vote bought in Quebec or Ontario.

Canadian Seal hunt. FACTS ..........

Made a short walk along the seashore this morning and shot a few dozen photos of the seal pups along the way. No sign of ice in the gulf near our community and it appears that the seals have pupped on the marshs here. They are gradually loosing their white coats and staying near the water. I doubt very much if there will be a hunt in our area this year. The mortality rate of seal pups will surely be higher then normal this year. A Helicopter swooped down to check me out then sped along the coastline probably counting seals. Some photos of this mornings walk.

Ya sneaky Bastard !



According to popular belief, a leprechaun possesses a treasure (usually a pot of gold) which a human may obtain if he succeeds in capturing one, which is extremely difficult. Even after capture, a person may not take his eyes off of him for an instant, for then he will vanish. Leprechauns are mainly found in Irish folklore or Canadian Parliament where their cheery smiles can deceive up to 500,000 people at any given time.

Andy Visiting Taiwan
March 18, 2007

St. John's Mayor Andy Wells arrives in Taiwan today as part of a delegation of big city Canadian mayors. They've been invited for a series of meetings with municipal and government officials to discuss urban issues. Wells says he's planning to promote the capital city and the province whenever he gets the opportunity. Wells says he's also prepared to talking about urban planning, ocean technology and environmental issues, which are a big concern in that country.

Big city Canadian mayors? Population wise or physical size of the mayors? Just kidding today. I remember Premier Zhu from China a few years back inviting Andy to China at the time because he protested China's occupation of Tibet since the 1950's. Andy tried to fly the Tibetan flag over city hall at the time. Premier Tobin at the time accused him of showboating but quite a few of us here in NL actually respected him for the act. Maybe the government of Taiwan might actually thank him for that during his visit.

On March 13/2007 we'll find out just what out migration and a declining birthrate have done to NL population. Population and dwelling counts statistics will be released from the 2006 census.
Will the information released show we have gone below the 500,000 mark? In the small community i live we'll stay just above the 300 plus mark. I'm sure since the 2006 count we have fallen below it. A few days ago on our community forum someone congratulated an expectant birth mother and it was something to be proud of community wise.We rarely see many and by the time they're of school age the family usually leaves. Our first Come Home Year event is scheduled for July and crowds are expected. Somehow i suspect this will be the first and last of its kind here. Declining population in the community causes removal of street lights because no one wants to pay higher fees for services. Services such as fire protection here may someday stop when the volunteers reach retirement age.Today if you want a position on the local council you just show up and tell them your interested. No need to get elected.We just can't see to find enough to have an election. Thankfully we still have a few volunteers here.

I noticed a new seal hunt forum has started. Some person comes in claiming to be a sealer from Bonavista and wants newfoundlanders to talk about the annual hunt. one visitor claiming to be a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Defense League has already endorsed it. The whole setup looks fishy to me. Anyone else run across this forum or see any links to it?

Posted March 6th, 2007 01:58 PM IP -New post- Hi all, I''m glad to see you have started a forum for this discussion. Hopefully it won't get bombarded by the anti-sealing crowd. I am with the Newfoundland and Labrador Defense League, (nldl.org) a member organization fighting for the future of our province. The seal hunt is a major concern for us and we congradulate you on your efforts in getting the truth out. I thought I'd make you aware that there is currently an online poll being conducted that asks the question, "Should the seal hunt be banned?" The Newfoundland and Labrador Defense League has been asking its members to go to the web site and vote NO on the issue. So far it's been working and the poll is swinging in our favour. I thought you and your members might also like to vote on the issue. Here is the link to the site:

oh drat ! Townies upset

Lunar Eclipse Difficult to See for Many
March 5, 2007

The lunar eclipse on the weekend was a mixed occasion for the island. In the St.John's area, skies were overcast Saturday night until just after the opportunity for viewing expired. Chris Stevenson of the Astronomical Society says it was frustrating, not being able to watch the eclipse and then see the skies clear up just after it was over. However, on other parts of the island residents were able to watch the first total eclipse in two-and-a-half years. Stevenson says the next lunar eclipse friendly for viewing in Newfoundland takes place February 21st next year.

Relax townies, you still have your very own moon man.

It's Sunday,the start of another week. First of all i would like to thank Mr. Lono for the nice award he gave me yesterday. Thank you! To the Nazi who put the filth in the blog, thank you, great post, really shows the true side of you. If you visit the province be sure to visit your friend in St. Johns.

TO THE LOW FORM OF LIFE THAT MADE THOSE THREATS. I HAVE IP #'S FROM MY SITE METER. YOU MAY BE BIG SHOT LAWYERS BUT THAT DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHTS TO SAY WHAT YOU SAID. YOUR SLIME AND I WILL REMEMBER IT!

Just ranting today.......

Surfing through the news today i saw that well-known theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking will take a weightless flight on April 26 aboard a modified Boeing 727. They call it the Vomit comet and i hope the man does not get sick. Hawkings April flight will be in preparation for a berth on Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic space tourist service when it launches in 2009. I have always admired the man and his work and here's one of my favorite Hawking's quote. Actually it's my only one. "I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." The more you think about it,the more you agree.

Back on earth here in NL our government is taking a look at the banning of incandescent light bulbs. Our government will be reviewing all the info before they proceed. which brings me to the question, how many politicians does it take to change a light bulb? Please submit your answers in the comment section. I actually don't know the answer but figure a few of them would double bill the electrical bill to us.

Roger Grimes has been served for comments he made to Transportation minister John Hickey. Roger has requested Judge Larry Seidlin to officiate the trial and strangely enough, so has John Hickey! May they both decompose during the trail !

Sue Kelland Dyer's blog seems to be off limits lately to local yokels like myself. If your reading Sue,"how do i get to peep in again?" Of course i still have Ed hollett and his sauciness but i do need a balance in my life.

Still waiting for a reply from Carol Furlong and Chris Henley from NAPE to respond to my previous blog. Might even offer a prize to the first one with the most guts to do so! How about a 8 by 10 portrait of former NAPE president Fraser March taking a pee along the side of the TCH after driving over 1,000 kilometres in a day?

Looks like Carol's job could be up for grabs.

NAPE Presidential Battle Heating Up
February 22, 2007

The battle for the top job at NAPE will soon be heating up. Carol Furlong currently holds the president's seat at the province's largest union. Furlong is being challenged by Chris Henley, who told VOCM Back Talk with Bill Rowe the nomination process will begin next week. Hhenley says Monday is the call for nominations, mail-in ballots will be delivered March 26th, and returned by April 26th, and the winner will be announced April 30th.

What will it mean to the hundreds if not thousands of Home Support workers in NL who are still not represented by NAPE? I remember getting a call during the last few days of the last great NAPE presidential battle asking me to vote for LEO ! Leo's the guy to vote for. The caller went on telling me if Carol Furlong got in we would never see the Home Support workers unionized. Carol Furlong did not want us unionized. In my case, the caller was right. So far we have not been unionized, nor have we been informed of any progress. Maybe Carol and Chris can comment here on my blog informing home support workers such as myself their intentions. You both are getting emails with my blog link today. Looking forward to hearing from you both.

Safety First, Service Always

Safety First, Service Always says the motto of our Canadian Coast Guard. I don't know the level of service all the employees put out but apparently the top executives perform very well. The Coast Guard gave 43 of its 44 top executives performance bonuses worth a total of $296,232. I wonder who the unlucky one was? It must be great in a line of work to know your being evaluated and based upon your performance, rewarded. I certainly wish we all had that option in our line of work. I wonder how much a home support worker in NL would receive in bonuses if that was the case? how would you place a monetary value on the performance of some of us? How much would we receive for a slap in the face from a client who has a mental disability? How much for a head butt that knocks you to the floor? How much for the worker who is accused of stealing by a senior with Alzheimer’s disease. How much for waiting year after year hoping each new provincial budget will give you a bit of hope in the form of a pay raise or a benefit such as a sick day? In March the provincial budget will once again be released and the home support workers will see how they are evaluated. Hopefully it won't be another slap in the face,we have received enough to last us a lifetime. This coming October we'll get to evaluate our employees and we might not be handing out bonuses.

Wood smoke gently rises gently from the wood stoves in my community this morning. From our lighthouse you can view the ice flowing through the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Peaceful little scene, great place to live! In about a month or so we'll get our Stars on Ice show when the seals appear. I wonder who will come this year? Lady Heather and Sir Paul will not be attending and send their regrets. We can always count on Capt. Paul and and a few of his ALF friends. Maybe Sneaky Crosland and her kids might appear for a fun and dance musical. Hopefully we won't be disappointed and let down.

The Premier has given us all a Valentines gift today. Looks like we won't get the shaft and foot the bill for for John Hickey's lawsuit against Roger Grimes. This may be even a bigger gift then what we expected. The way things have been going in NL the pass few years we might of gotten double shafted during the whole experience.


On another note it looks like a few Bloggers could really get screwed today or crucified by Easter.

Hickey Goes It Alone
February 14, 2007

Premier Danny Williams says taxpayers will not be footing the bill for John Hickey's lawsuit against Roger Grimes. Williams told VOCM Open Line with Randy Simms even though the Internal Economies Commission is willing to pay Hickey's legal bills, the Transportation Minister has decided to go it alone. The Premier says a line has to be drawn where public comments defame a person's character. Meantime, Roger Grimes remains adamant, saying there will be no apology. He says in fact, the Premier owes him an apology for using words on VOCM Open Line that color the situation.

Opposition Leader Gerry Reid, meantime, says it's unacceptable that the premier is threatening lawsuits, trying to intimidate the general public. Reid is also looking at trying to get the policy changed, that allows MHA's to hire lawyers for such matters. He's willing to go to the IEC to say enough is enough.

The report by Chief Justice Derek Green on MHA Constituency Allowances and other matters is in the final stages, but there's still no date given for its release. Last month, Green said he notified the premier that there would be delay and that he expected to have the report finished around mid-February, but his office says it won't be submitted this week. The chief justice has been examining MHA compensation, allowances, and pensions as well as financial management and controls in the House of Assembly.