Hamilton set to go boom!

An extraordinary $117 million in new development is set to transform the heart of Hamilton. Thanks in part to $14 million from the city's downtown residential loan program, 14 new projects will bring 700 residential units to the core.







A landmark car dealership will become a high-end hotel.









Historic buildings, such as the prized Foster-McKay building and Victoria Hall at 66, 68 King Street East, will be restored.







And infamous eyesores, like the Spallacci building east of Denningers, will no longer make you sick as you enter through the eastern archway. It will be burried and become affordable housing units.









Mayor Larry Di Ianni was grinning just as wide about the development boom on Hamilton's horizon. He used to tell people they wouldn't recognize the downtown in seven to 10 years. Now he's down to five.

This is vindication for the city's downtown loans program. Allegations of wrongdoing led to an internal investigation, outside audit and OPP investigation. The program was cleared on all fronts, letting staff focus on their original goals, said Ron Marini, the city's director of downtown renewal.

This is just the latest round of loans for the program which has already invested more than $18 million since its start in 2002. Some of its original projects are built and occupied with all or part of their city loans paid back. The first 14 projects added 952 residential units to the downtown.

The latest round of development is significant, said Marini, because it marks the first time developers are willing to not just renovate existing structures but build from the ground up. The biggest loan of $3.6 million will see a half block on King William Street, bound by Jarvis Street and Ferguson Avenue, converted into a massive 11-storey building, including retail space, four floors of parking and 198 condos.

Hamilton Motor Products, which closed this fall at the corner of Main Street West and Bay Street, will become a long-term stay Hilton Homewood Suites. The 10-storey hotel takes a stab at the city's shortage of quality rooms desperately needed to attract big conventions and tourists. Its location and proximity to nearby facilities will be a huge boost, said David Adames, executive director of Tourism Hamilton.

The city also gave a $1.6-million loan for redevelopment of the Royal Connaught. The bankrupt hotel will reopen to visitors, while also offering retail space and new residential units.










Councillors also moved ahead yesterday with a new loan program to encourage residential development in business improvement areas beyond the downtown. The program, worth $2.3 million, will provide development loans for smaller commercial cores like Barton Village. Projects like, the General hospital expansion which is already underway on the old Stelco Wellington Works property. Production of the mill stopped in 1984, since then it's been an abandon building and numerous fires. Demolition happened last the summer and currently their doing clean up.







This property will become a parking lot as the General hospital is expanding and will use their current parking lot as the Regional Rehabilitation Centre.







Further along Barton St there's a very important and historical property called the Smart-Turner building. It's a 129-year-old stone structure and an example of early industrial heritage in Hamilton. The plan is to convert the place into an adult version of a Ronald McDonald House an affordable place for families of critical care and cancer patients called the Mark Preece Family House. The project could derail if it is found that the site's soil is to contaminated.










Here are the rest of the projects.



At 119 King East, four units will come into the upper three floors of this building. Some work has already begun and, with the massive windows overlooking King, I suspect these will be sharp units in a very cool, slender building.

Not to get lost in the mix is the very important project announced by Hamilton Housing a couple of months ago of a new five storey apartment building geared to Mac students to be built just east of John on the north side of King.









The new 14 storey condo planned for 221 York Boulevard at Hess, the former sight of Premier Fitness. This project at Hess could be a catalyst to start transforming Hamilton's main downtown entrance into the vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhood it deserves.

The building at 4, 8, 14 Forest Avenue and James Street was purchased approximately one year ago and contains mixed-use buildings with a total of 12 residential rental units. The majority of the units are currently vacant and in disrepair. The intent is to renovate the buildings and create 25 residential rental units. The property is listed on the City’s Inventory of Buildings of Architectural and/or Historical Interest.

189 King William Street
This property is owned and operated by a not-for-profit
company known as the Children’s Learning Centre. The property is a semidetached
two storey retail building. The renovation will enhance the second floor
to accommodate one 1,000 square foot unit. The renovation will complete both
sides of the semi-detached buildings. The property is listed on the City’s Inventory
of Buildings of Architectural and/or Historical Interest.

53 King Street East: The developer plans to create 24 rental apartment units in
the vacant 3 upper stories. The ground floor commercial units are to remain (My
Convenience Store & The Salvation Army Thrift Store). The property is listed on
the City’s Inventory of Buildings of Architectural and/or Historical Interest.

12 Ferguson Avenue: The developer plans to convert the entire 3 storey building
to 12 apartment units. Presently, the ground floor is used as a pub known as
“AFB” and the upper floors are used as office space.

119 King Street East: This building will be converted to house 4 dwelling units on
the upper 3 floors of this existing 4 storey building. The ground floor will remain as a commercial use. The property is listed on the City’s Inventory of Buildings of
Architectural and/or Historical Interest.

267 King Street East: The 2 upper floors of this vacant building are being
renovated to contain 7 live-work dwelling units in loft style. The ground floor is
being renovated to contain an artist’s studio and a café.

275 King Street East: This property’s main floor has been renovated and is
currently owner/occupied by Brownie’s Downtown. The second and third floors are
currently vacant and in need of repair. Three units have been proposed which will
bring a positive effect to King Street East. The property is listed on the City’s
Inventory of Buildings of Architectural and/or Historical Interest.

Add these to the projects already in progress like the Downtown Arts Centre that will be at the corner of Rebecca and Hughson Street, the former Salvation Army building. Here is an artists rendering of the project,







A three storey addition is being built onto an old printing factory at King William and Mary. It will be residential space once complete.







Else where in Hamilton, back in January McMaster University unveiled a draft vision for its research park on the old Camco site, which is to become an eco-friendly community for scientists. The plan is to house labs, offices and classrooms for public and private research in eight to 10 buildings on the brownfield site straddling Longwood Road north of Aberdeen Avenue. The park will be 40 metres wide and 350 metres long.









If this wasn't enough downtown Hamilton is set to get a department store again. It’s called Hart’s, a name that means nothing in Ontario. But this Montreal based chain has been around since 1960 and now has more than 70 outlets in small towns across Quebec and the Maritimes. Now they’re pushing into this province. They’ve locked up close to 40,000 square feet — about half the space of a full-size Zellers — in the old Eaton’s Centre, right by the entrance to Jackson Square. The store opens this fall.

Later,
Kenaz

Hockey Cards: memories and financial gain

When you mention hockey card collecting, the people of my generation instantly conjure up warm childhood memories about hockey card collections from the late 1970s, early eighties. Since then, the affordable line of hockey cards has gone away, as the hobby today is tailored towards adults, rather than to kids with meager allowances. Instead of $0.10 to $.50 packs, which were the norm when I collected, card collecting is now a big memorabilia business with packs of glitzy cards costing in the high single digits. Despite the high costs of today's new generation of cards, what was a thoroughly enjoyable hobby for wide-eyed kids can still continue to produce endless hours of good wholesome fun.

The secret to amassing an affordable collection in today's market is two-fold: first, if you have a limited budget, the rule is to stay away from buying expensive packs of cards. Yes, you may be lucky and strike it rich when you gamble on high-end packs and manage to find a rare "insert" card, but there is no worse feeling then when you've ripped open a pack and discover that you've blown your hard-earned money on a bunch of "commons." Therefore, you are probably better off targeting single individual cards or save up and purchase "factory sets".

These cpmplete base sets are produced by the manufactures and an economical way of aquiring all of your heros. Most manufactures then release "special sets" through out the season in limited quantities. The limited amounts drive the price of these sets up, but this doesn't necessarily mean these sets will retain their value, so be careful. The same rules apply for these type of sets as it does for purchasing packs.

The third savvy rule in today's market environment is to stay away from card stores that sell individual cards at full Beckett price. Beckett is the universally referenced price guide that quotes the book value of individual cards. Since card stores usually have high overheads tied up in rent and wages, they normally charge customers the full Beckett price ( in Canadian dollars instead of US dollars). The important thing to realize is that you should generally not settle for any price higher than around 25 per cent to 75 per cent of the Beckett book value because this adjusted price range is usually within what the real market value lies.

To seek out the lower market prices, try to go to card shows or exhibitions on weekends. Another alternative is to find great deals on the internet, although the prices tend to be in US dollars and shipping costs will negate part of the savings.

However, you may find hidden treasures just by simply digging out your old dusty collection out of the basement. For instance, suppose you are from Hamilton and like to collect cards of local hero Tim Horton. Then, formerly non-descript common cards of Tim Horton suddenly have special meaning attached to them. A 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee AS Tim Horton card is listed at $15US in the Beckett guide, but locally you might get $20US. Just for the record his 1951-52 Parkhurst RC is listed at $600US but goes much higher.

I started collecting for fun about 1976-77 and stopped about 1982. In that time I poured every cent of my $3.00 a week allowance in to my "habbit". In that time I probably opened a couple hundred packs and when I sold my box of memories at the local card shop in 1989 and three partial sets on E-bay in 2004 , my treasure box amassed the grand total of $440. Not a bad return on my original $40.

I started collecting again in 1990 as my "allowance" for my hobby grew slightly. I have managed to find some great deals at the aft mentioned place on complete sets and individual cards. My hobby has grown into more of a gathering of insurable cards to add to my future retirement earnings, since I doubt there will be much of a Canadian Pension Plan left when I retire. Anyway, I've scrapped and scrimpt to put a decent collection together of mostly "O-Pee-Chee/Tops" brand sets and individual cards from 1969-70 up to 2003-04 with some "Parkhurst" individual cards from the 1950's.

Although not monitarilly rich, my favourite set is the 1980-81 "Super Cards" put out by O-Pee-Chee. This one year only 5"x7" set of 24 cards features the "Great One" and goes for about $40US. I remember running to the local variety store daily, asking the terrific store owner if she would search through the boxes she kept behind the counter for my "need it" cards. For what ever reason, she obliged and I finally got the set done.

As I remember each card went for about a quarter. Well jump ahead a decade and while I went searching through my parents basement for this set, to my disheartment a little, I found out that my mom had tossed out my neglected memories including this set. Oh well, my mistake, so a couple of years ago I repurchased this set online for a song. Now my childhood memories are intact once again.

Here are the photo scans I took of some my favourite cards from my sets.




























Later,
Kenaz

Judge's decision a win for freedom of the press

A judge has dismissed the first attempt by a Canadian police force to make a reporter hand over interview notes under a new Criminal Code provision.

Hamilton police filed a court application in January, seeking notes of interviews Spectator reporter Bill Dunphy conducted with the reputed head of a local crime family. Police argued Dunphy's notes on his talks with Paul Gravelle could help them investigate the 1998 murders of Ancaster lawyer Lynn Gilbank and her husband, Fred. But Superior Court Justice Stephen Glithero, in an 18-page written ruling released yesterday, tossed out the application.

He said the police had failed to prove to him that Dunphy's notes would provide any new evidence. Dunphy and The Spectator insisted most of the material had been printed in the newspaper between 2001 and 2005.

The judge also threw out the application because he was not satisfied police had made all reasonable efforts to obtain information from Gravelle, who had on five occasions between 1999 and 2001 offered to provide information on the murder of the Gilbanks. His offers were rejected or not believed by police.

"In my opinion, the applicant's suggestion that the notes will afford additional information relevant to the murders falls into the category of suspicion, conjecture or hypothesis and is in that sense a fishing expedition," Justice Glithero wrote.

"The information is not sufficient to satisfy me, on the standard of credibility ... that the notes will afford evidence in respect of the commission of these murders. Nor am I satisfied that the alternative source of any information that does exist has been investigated and that all reasonable efforts to obtain the information have been exhausted."


Police sought Dunphy's notes under a Criminal Code provision called a production order. It came into effect in September 2004 and allows a judge to compel a person not under investigation to turn over documents or data relevant to the commission of an offence. Refusal to comply is punishable by a $250,000 fine or up to six months in jail or both.

Spectator lawyer Brian Rogers, who had argued before the judge that granting the order would turn the media into an arm of the police, was pleased by the judge's ruling, including a notation recognizing the "important role and function of the media" in society.

"You shouldn't go knocking on the door of a journalist before you've looked everywhere else and sought out the alternative sources for the same information," Rogers said last night.

Spectator Editor-in-Chief Dana Robbins concurred.

"It's a terrific decision, one that is hugely encouraging to Canadian journalists," Robbins said.

"The judge was eloquent in articulating the vital role a free press plays, along with the court's responsibility for safeguarding that right."

I'm glad the criminal system still sees merit in protecting not only the reporters of this country, but their readers as well. Where would society be if we let the police dictate the contents of our newspapers? We would be characters in a George Orwell novel that's where. Long live free speech!

Later,
Kenaz

A little help at tax time

A couple of times out on set, I've been asked if I knew any quick and easy ways to prepare a personal income tax that didn't cost. This last point is expecially crucial considering we "background actors" work in special circumstances.

Extras and actors are considered by Revenue Canada as self employed, and are therefore entitled to some unique perks. Such as the ability to deduct much of their professional fees, utilities, and travel expenses. Many of whom I have talked to do not realize that we were entitled to these deductions or just the percentage of the gross sum on the T4A that was allowable.

Before 2004 I did my income tax the old fashioned method, trying to figure out all the calculations with my trusty HB pencil, ending up with a tax form that looked like swiss cheese. Last year I found out about a FREE online service designed for people in my position, short of funds and short on patience.

QuickTaxWeb is the convenient online solution for preparing and filing your personal taxes with accurate calculations. If you prefer the freedom of preparing your tax return from any computer connected to the Internet, QuickTaxWeb is the perfect choice.

QuickTaxWeb is designed to maximize your tax savings, and minimize the time you spend on tax preparation. QuickTaxWeb is an online tax preparation product from the makers of QuickTax, Canada's #1 best-selling software.1 Unlike software products that you purchase in a store and install on your computer, QuickTaxWeb resides on Intuit's secure Web servers and works without downloading the software onto your computer.

QuickTaxWeb is very user-friendly and net filing my return was simple and quick.
Marian Wong

Simplify tax preparation. Answer simple questions in plain language - QuickTaxWeb places your answers in the right forms and performs all the calculations automatically!

Save time. There's no software to download and on average QuickTaxWeb takes less than half the time to prepare your taxes than with pencil and paper.2

Work at your own pace. Access your tax return whenever and wherever you have Internet access.

Avoid hassles. FREE technical support means there's always help when you need it, 7 days a week.

Speed up your refund. Get your money in as little as 8 days with NETFILE (Please Note: For the 2005 tax year the Canadian Revenue Agency's on-line transmission process, NETFILE, will be available February 13, 2006.) 3

Maximize your Refund. The average refund for online tax preparers is 20% higher than the refund received by pencil and paper preparers.4
Online preparers: 83% received a refund; Average refund = $700
Manual preparers: 68% received a refund; Average refund = $585

Prepare and file your taxes in 4 simple steps!

Getting started with QuickTaxWeb couldn't be easier. Here's how it works:

1. Set up your account with a username and password that you choose, so it's easy to remember! Come back as often as you'd like to complete, review or change your tax return. Your information is securely stored on Intuit's servers, operating under strict security guidelines to protect your information and comply with CRA requirements.
2. Enter your tax information with the same EasyStepTM Interview in QuickTax CD-ROM products. Valuable tax tips will help you maximize your deductions as you work through your return.
3. Review your tax return one last time with Final Review. QuickTaxWeb even points out any deductions you may have missed.
4. File your return. File electronically using NETFILE, over the phone using TELEFILE, or print your return and mail it. Just $19.95 for an individual return created with the same account, and $10.00 for any additional individual returns, including a spouse. You may qualify for the QuickTax Freedom program if your individual gross income is $25,000, or less per year.

1 NPD data as of month ending July, 2005.
2 Ipsos-Reid Customer Satisfaction Study 2001.
3 Some restrictions apply. Visit www.netfile.gc.ca for details.
4 Tax Year 2004 Commins Wingrove Usage & Attitude Study, July 2005.

Account sign up

I am also including a sample step by step 2005 Canadian income tax return for the typical persons in the acting and background field, including the typical types of deductions one would have. All figures and names are purely made up, but are similar to one might have.

INTRO
Mr/Mrs Joe Average Canadian
Single filer in Ontario
no dependants

Personal Profile
self employed(extra work)
part time job
some RRSP'S

INCOME
Net employment earnings-------------------------11900.00
Pension income--------------------------------------0.00
EI benefits-----------------------------------------0.00
Dividends, interest and investment----------------100.00
--------------T5 - A Bank in Canada 100.00
Rental income---------------------------------------0.00
Taxable capital gains-------------------------------0.00
Taxable support payments received-------------------0.00
RRSP income-----------------------------------------0.00
Other income------------------------------------8,000.00
--(box 28)T4A - ABC Entertainment------1,500.00
----------T4A - DEF Entertainment------5,000.00
----------T4A - Pick Me Entertainment--1,000.00
----------T4A - ZEN Entertainment--------500.00
Net self-employment income--------------------------0.00
Social assistance income----------------------------0.00
Total Income---------------20,000.00

RRSP CONTRIBUTION SUMMARY
Some Canadian Bank (see maximum limit on your 2004 statement of return)
--------------------------------------------------500.00

DEDUCTIONS SUMMARY

Total Income----------------------------------- 20,000.00
Deductions
RPP/RRSP------------------------------------------500.00
Union or professional dues--------------------------0.00
Child and disability supports deductions------------0.00
Moving expenses-------------------------------------0.00
Carrying charges, support and OTHER-------------4,000.00
(all supported with receipts, a safe figure is between 30-50% of self-employment income although you can deduct up to 100% in special circumstances)
---------------Agent Fees-------------------------800.00
---utilities(gas,hydro,water)--------------------1200.00
---------------clothing---------------------------300.00
--------------telephone-------------------------- 500.00
other expenses(personal,home and auto insurances),1200.00
Deduction for CPP/QPP (self-empl.)---------------1000.00
Employment expenses---------------------------------0.00
Social benefits repayment---------------------------0.00
Net Income--------------------------------------14500.00
Other deductions------------------------------------0.00
Losses of other years-------------------------------0.00
Capital gains deduction-----------------------------0.00
Northern residents/additional ded.------------------0.00
Taxable Income----------------------------------14500.00

Federal Non-Refundable Tax Credits
Personal amounts--------------------------------8,648.00
CPP and EI----------------------------------------500.00
Other amounts---------------------------------------0.00
Allowable medical expenses--------------------------0.00
Amounts multiplied by 15%------------------------3000.00
Charitable donation credit--------------------------0.00
Total Federal Non-Refundable Credits-------------3500.00

Federal Credits
Federal political contribution tax credit-----------0.00
Labour-sponsored funds tax credit-------------------0.00
Federal logging tax credit--------------------------0.00
Total Federal Credits-------------------------------0.00

Refundable Tax Credits
Canada Pension Plan overpayment---------------------0.00
Employment insurance overpayment--------------------0.00
Refundable medical expense supplement---------------0.00
Employee & partner GST/HST rebate-------------------0.00
Tax deducted----------------------------------------0.00
Tax paid by instalments-----------------------------0.00
Total Refundable Tax Credits------------------------0.00

Ontario Tax and Credits Summary
Ontario Propertt Tax and Rental Credit----2000.00
the rest of your provincial tax credits are automatically calculated based on the rest of your calculations.

Total Refund $200-$500 average

Later,
Kenaz

The loss of two small screen ledgends

Actor Dennis Weaver, a regular on the television series Gunsmoke and McCloud, has died at age 81. Weaver died of cancer last Friday at his home in Ridgway, Colo. The actor was most memorable for his portrayal of slow-witted Deputy Chester Goode in the long-running western Gunsmoke, and a cowboy detective in New York City in McCloud.

Weaver was born in June 1924 in Joplin, Mo., where he performed in high school productions. He served in the U.S. navy during the Second World War and then enrolled at the University of Oklahoma. A gifted athlete, he placed sixth in the decathlon at the 1948 U.S. Olympic trials.

The budding performer studied at the Actors Studio in New York City and appeared in plays such as A Streetcar Named Desire. He headed to Hollywood during the 1950s, delivering flowers to survive when he was offered the Gunsmoke spot on CBS.

Weaver revealed in his 2001 autobiography that he found the Chester role "inane."

“With all my Actors Studio training, I’ll correct this character by using my own experiences and drawing from myself,” said Weaver, who gave his character a bad leg and a limp out of fear that he would not be noticed when playing scenes with the 6' 9" James Arness unless his character had an unusual trait that would call attention to him..

The role, which he played for nine years, won him an Emmy in the 1958/1959 season. In 1966, Weaver starred in another series, Gentle Ben, about a family that adopts a black bear as a pet. It lasted two seasons. He was later offered the character of Sam McCloud, calling it “the most satisfying role of my career.”

McCloud ran from 1970 to 1977, with Weaver playing the fish-out-of-water role of a New Mexico detective who brings his unique crime-fighting tactics to the streets of New York.

His film credits include Dragnet (1954), Seven Angry Men (1955), Touch of Evil (1958), and Way … Way Out (1966). He has more than 100 film and TV credits, making TV appearances until 2005. Most notably, he appeared as the lead character of David Mann in the 1971 television movie Duel, about a commuter who is terrorized by the driver of a tractor-trailer. The movie was one of the first ever directed by Steven Spielberg. Weaver's other TV series include Kentucky Jones, Emerald Point N.A.S., Stone and Buck James.

Weaver also was a committed environmentalist and combated world hunger. He headed Love is Feeding Everyone, which served meals to 150,000 needy people every week in Los Angeles. He also founded the Institute of Ecolonomics, focusing on solutions to economic and environmental problems. Weaver and his wife Gerry once built a solar-powered home out of recycled tires and cans dubbed “Earthship.”



Also passing away on Friday was Don Knotts, who won TV immortality and five Emmys for playing the bumbling Deputy Barney Fife on 'The Andy Griffith Show' with self-deprecating humor, was remembered by his friend and co-star as a comedic genius who wrote some of the show's best scenes.

''Don was a small man ... but everything else about him was large: his mind, his expressions,'' Griffith told The Associated Press on Saturday. ''Don was special. There's nobody like him.''

Knotts, 81, died Friday of pulmonary and respiratory complications at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center, said Sherwin Bash, his friend and manager.

His half-century career included more than 25 films and seven TV series, most notably playing the bug-eyed deputy who carried in his shirt pocket the one bullet he was allowed after shooting himself in the foot. The constant fumbling, a recurring sight gag, was typical of his self-deprecating humor.

The show ran from 1960-68, and was in the top 10 of the Nielsen ratings each season, including a No. 1 ranking its final year. It is one of only three series in TV history to bow out at the top: The others are ''I Love Lucy'' and ''Seinfeld.'' The 249 episodes have appeared frequently in reruns and spawned a large, active network of fan clubs.

Knotts, whose shy, soft-spoken manner was unlike his high-strung characters, once said he was most proud of the Fife character and didn't mind being remembered that way. He also played the would-be swinger landlord Ralph Furley on ''Three's Company,'' which he joined in 1979, and was an original cast member of ''The Steve Allen Show,'' the comedy-variety show that ran from 1956-61.

Knotts' G-rated films were family fun, not box-office blockbusters. In most, he ends up the hero and gets the girl -- a girl who can see through his nervousness to the heart of gold. In the part-animated 1964 film ''The Incredible Mr. Limpet,'' Knotts played a meek clerk who turns into a fish after he is rejected by the Navy and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) in which he plays a quirky typesetter for the town paper who aspires to move up from his basement office to be a full-fledged reporter. He also pines for town babe Alma.

Both of these films I remember seeing a decade later in a small single screen cinema here in Hamilton, and being thoroughly entertained. More than I can say for today's 'G' rated fare which rely on 'toilet humour and rarely develop any new comedic talent.

In 1998, he had a key role in the back-to-the-past movie ''Pleasantville,'' playing a folksy television repairman whose supercharged remote control sends a teen boy and his sister into a TV sitcom past.

film facts courtesy, IMDB, CBC Entertainment and the NY Times.

Later,
Kenaz

Canada at the 2006 Olympics in pictures

 

Later,
Kenaz 

Rune Reading For The Week Of February 27-March 5, 2006

Introduction to Rune Readings

Rune readings are arrangements of the 24 runes (letters) of the old Futhark alphabet. The layout of the runes is known as a spread, and determines what each rune refers to. For example, in the Three Norns spread, the first rune represents the past, the second the present, and the third the future.

Sets: In addition to each rune having a meaning, the material in which the runes are carved can color the reading. Most people consistently use runes made of ceramic, stone, or wood. In order to broaden your experience, we offer readings with Gold Runes (for questions about business, career, and property), Jade Runes (for questions about love, friendship, and relationships), Ice Runes (for questions about struggle, conflict, and achievement), Spirit Runes (for questions about mysticism, spirituality, and religion), and Stone Runes (for questions about the natural world and things beyond human control).

The question will remain the same: "Will this week be a successful one?"

Rune Alphabet



Spread:Cross(in order of reading)
The Cross spread is used to plot the arc of your life and the forces acting on it. It is the most popular spread, giving a very complete view of the situation. Ice Runes are most commonly used for questions about struggle, conflict, and achievement.




Here is the Reading Using the Ice Set.

1.


The left rune represents an important element of the past. Berkana represents the birch tree. The birch is frequently symbolic of renewal, rebirth, birth, growth and fertility. This rune is a joyous one, representing good outcomes from ventures undertaken. It is the rune of the family and of a good household.

2.


The middle rune represents a deciding element of the present. Eoh refers to the Yew tree. The Yew does not go dormant and therefore represents endurance. Even the wood of the tree is strong, resilient, and pliable - the Yew bends, but does not break. The evergreen nature of the Yew is present even in the rune itself, as it cannot be changed even by reversal. This rune is historically symbolic of death, but, as in the Tarot and as suggested by the nature of the Yew tree itself, death is seen only as a transmutation of something eternal and unchanging - the spirit.

3.


The right rune represents the critical element of the future, at the core of the final outcome. Nyd represents many things, most of them unpleasant - heed it well. Constraint, delay, loss, need, and sorrow are all frequently seen in this rune. Nyd speaks most strongly of pause, the hallmark of the both the timid and the patient, and is often interpreted as foretelling a delay in the effect of other runes that it accompanies. Fortunately, even where there is misery and danger there are valuable lessons to be learned - the trick is to learn them before you are overtaken by despair.

4.


The top rune represents a force that works for you. Raido means to ride. In this rune, the image is not so much the riding of a horse as in riding in a cart or as cargo. As such Raido may suggest a journey, but is much more indicative of communication. Alternate interpretations based on the use of Raido as a cognate in other words give it the meaning of council, judgment, and moral correctness. Therefore, this rune is the rune of wise advice and good leadership.

5.


The bottom Rune represents a force that works against you. Thurisaz the thorn represents barriers and senseless violence. Here we see the thorn overturned. This could mean that erected barriers will not hold, or that senseless violence can be avoided. Also, remember where thorns are found - perhaps this rune portends that a goal can be obtained easily and without interference. Grasp for the rose...

If you are further interested in Rune stones, please check out a script I wrote about three years ago. The story tells of a women's chance encounter with the towns rune reader and physcic. Her reading leads to a terrible discovery about her ex-husband.Click here to read 'Evil Of A Different Kind'

Later,
Kenaz

Did Canada live up to their expectations at the Olympics?

Day 16


I couldn't help shake my head when the Canadian Olympic Committee brazingly predicted a top-three finish and a minimum 25 medals at Turin. Like many, I too thought this expectation was to high and raised unrealistic expectations.

"The 2006 Olympic Winter Games have been a great success for Canada," COC president Mike Chambers said Sunday. "We set an aggressive goal of a top-three finish at these Games and we will leave Turin having achieved that goal."

Canada won 24 medals – seven gold, 10 silver, seven bronze – to shatter the previous record of 17 set at Salt Lake City in 2002. Only Germany (29) and the United States (25) had more in Turin, but 11 Canadians posted fourth-place finishes with seven others coming fifth.

For the first time in a long time, Americans feel Canadians breathing down their necks. A Sunday headline on the ABC News website noted: "Canada is emerging as an Olympic powerhouse."

"All of Canada's athletes turned in an exceptional performance at these Games and they've made all Canadians proud," Chambers said.


Canada would have reached its goal of 25 medals had:

* Short-track speed skater Eric Bedard not been denied by 4-1,000ths of a second in the men's 500.
* Skier Kelly VanderBeek not finished 3-100ths behind the bronze medallist in the women's super-G.
* Francois Bourque not missed the podium by 76-100ths in the men's giant slalom.
* Pierre Lueders not lost out on a medal by 9-100ths of a second in four-man bobsleigh.
*The biggest disappointment was the Canada's men's hockey who failed even to make it into the medal round.

A blink of an eye and who knows what could have been. Truth be told, Canadian's should be proud of the accomplishments of their athletes that represented them in Turin.

"The new program of the Canadian Olympic Committee 'Own the Podium,' which is supported on one hand by the government, but on the other hand the corporate world, has yielded already unbelievable results," said International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge.

Winnipeg's Cindy Klassen achieved unprecedented results, capturing five medals to give her six overall, both Canadian records. It also marked the highest total by a female speed skater, surpassing the four gold medals won by Lidiya Skoblikova of Russia at the 1964 Innsbruck Winter Games.

Klassen is all class. Eighteen years ago, Canada held high hopes heading into Calgary, only to suffer the indignity of failing to win a single gold medal – a rarity for a host nation. But a shift in attitude and focus by the COC, namely a commitment to win medals, and the inclusion of extreme sports such as freestyle skiing and snowboard in the Olympics, is reaping positive results.

Fast forward ahead to 2006, not only did we achieve our goal of a top-three finish, but we also increased our medal total and had a significant number of top-eight finishes by athletes who have their best years ahead of them. This bodes well for Vancouver 2010. The Vancouver Olympics will be the first in Canada since 1988, when Calgary hosted the Winter Games.

To answer the question, simply and then some. Oh, and last but least congradulations to Mat Sundin and the Swedish Men's hockey team on their gold medal win. Now hopefully Mat can crest the wave of emotion all the way back to Toronto and ride the Leafs into the playoffs.

Later,
Kenaz

Canada wins a gold, 2 sliver and a bronze on the track

Day 15


Medal Count
#---Country----------Gold---Silver---Bronze-----Total
1---Germany-----------11-----12---------6-------29
2---United States------9------9---------7-------25
3---Canada-------------7-----10---------7-------24
4---Austria------------9------7---------6-------22
5---Russia-------------8------5---------8-------21
6---Norway-------------2------8---------9-------19

Canadian Women Win Gold and Bronze in 5,000

Canada's Clara Hughes poured on the speed over the final lap to snatch the gold medal away from teammate Cindy Klassen in the women's 5,000 metres at the Torino Olympic Winter Games. With Klassen having set the time to beat, Hughes, 33, pulled away from three-time defending champion Claudia Pechstein to win Saturday's final pairing in six minutes, 59.07 seconds – and her first-ever gold medal.

"I just believed in myself until the last stride," a beaming Hughes told CBC Sports. "It almost killed me, but that's what it took to win the Olympics today."

It was a remarkably display of determination as Hughes trailed by nearly four seconds midway through the 12 1/2 lap marathon.

"The race started with five laps to go and that's when I knew it was going to hurt and that's when I knew I could fight," she said. "I just believed in myself and knew that my strength would be in the finish."

Hughes looked remarkably strong on the bell lap, powering her way around the Oval Lingotto to erase a 1.86-second deficit and win by 1.01 seconds.

"I just bided my time," she explained. "Every lap, I fought to keep my good technique and I knew the last lap I could outpace anyone."


Pechstein, from Germany, settled for the silver medal and bumped Klassen to bronze.

Interesting footnote: Hughes also nudged out Klassen to clinch the bronze in the 5,000 at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

"It was the same as in Salt Lake City, where I just felt like my body and brain went to a whole other planetary system," said Hughes.

Klassen set Canadian records with five medals at Turin and six all told, but so did Hughes as the first multiple-medallist in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.


Hughes claimed silver in last week's team pursuit, to go with two bronze she won in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games.

"My whole time here, I had to remind myself that I am a speed skater now," Hughes said. "And I should not be afraid to be the best in the world.

"If you dream and you allow yourself to dream, you truly can do anything. And that's what this gold medal represents."

Kristina Groves wound up sixth overall, but still leaves Turin with silvers medals in the 1,500 and team pursuit. Klassen, who clocked 7:00.57 was, unquestionably, the story of the Games, departing Turin as Canada's most prolific Olympian ever. She also won gold in the 1,500, silvers in the 1,000 and the inaugural team pursuit, and bronze in the 3,000. Klassen is the first Canadian athlete to win five medals in a single Olympics and the first with six overall. Her career total surpasses that of runner Phil Edwards and speed skater Marc Gagnon, who won five apiece over three Olympics. Klassen eclipsed the career mark over two Olympics and, only 27 years old, could add to her haul at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.

Canadians have won silver medals in the men's 5,000-metre relay and the men's 500-metre sprint.
The relay team finished second with a time of six minutes, 43.707 seconds on Saturday.

The powerful South Korean squad (6:43.376) won the gold and the Americans (6:47.990) claimed the bronze. When the Koreans and Canadians crossed the line, the Americans and Italians were trailing by a half-lap.

The Canadians set a world record (6:39.990) en route to victory at the world championships last March. The team has some of the world's strongest skaters, including Eric Bedard, Charles Hamelin, Francois-Louis Tremblay and Mathieu Turcotte, who is ranked sixth overall in the world. Jonathan Guilmette is also on the team but didn't skate in the final.

"We are six days a week all together, 11 months," Bedard said. "We do everything together – the parties, the dinners, the training, the travel, the competitions. Everybody wanted to be proud of themselves."

The Canadian men set an Olympic record (6:45.455) at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games and came home with the gold medal. South Korean team member Ahn Hyun-Soo collected his third gold medal of the Torino Games. He also won the 1,000 and the 1,500.

Men's 500

Earlier, Tremblay won the silver medal in the men's 500. Tremblay finished in a time of 42.002 seconds, just back of gold-medal winner Apolo Anton Ohno (41.935) of the United States. South Korean Ahn (42.089) was third, narrowly edging Canadian Bedard (42.093), who finished fourth.

"This is my own medal and I'm really, really happy to have it," said Tremblay. "The other one feels just as great but it's different. It's a team medal. I'm happy with both, I guess."

"When I won the 1,000 and the 1,500, I was very happy," said Ahn. "I felt the expectations from people for me to aim to be a quadruple champion, but in the 500, it's my weakest race. To have won the bronze gives me very much joy."

The race was expected to be a showdown between Ahn and China's Li JiaJun. Ahn is now ranked first overall in this event, while Li is ranked second. But Li was disqualified in the semifinal. Tremblay is the reigning world champion and is ranked fourth in the world, one spot behind Bedard. Ohno is ranked fifth in this distance.

Canadian speedskaters spurred to victory by 'lucky leaf'

Canada's athletic superstitions have once again paid off, with the lucky loonie giving way to the lucky leaf at Oval Lingotto in Turin, site of several speed skating medals for the national team at the Winter Games.

Canadian icemaker Mark Messer buried the solid gold maple leaf near the finish line in the oval ice, borrowing on the tradition that came to prominence after it was revealed a dollar coin was buried beneath centre ice for Canada's hockey teams at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

The maple leaf was dug up and presented to Clara Hughes after the Winnipeg skater raced to gold in Saturday's women's 5,000 metres. "I didn't know, but a couple of weeks ago my sports psychologist [Dr.] Kimberley Amirault and my coach Xiuli Wang had the ice technician, our master icemaker from Calgary, Mark Messer, put a little gold maple leaf in the ice for me," Hughes told CBC Sports after her victory.

"We knew about the loonie from the last time and what it brought for Canadian hockey, so we buried a solid gold maple leaf in the ice for the speed skaters here. . . hopefully it helped," Messer said.

Well it did, Canadians have raced to eight medals in long-track speedskating, with Winnipeg's Cindy Klassen in on five of them. The loonie has also made an appearance in Turin, a Canadian icemaker burying a pair of the coins in the championship ice sheet at curling, where Brad Gushue's rink won gold for Canada.

Later,
Kenaz

'Hortons looking to bring Tim Bits to Afghanistan

operation Timbit

Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan may soon be able to get their morning coffee and doughnut at a Tim Hortons coffee shop. The company, co-founded in Hamilton in 1964 by the famous NHL hockey player and local police officer Roy Joyce, is in talks with the military about setting up a store to serve soldiers on the front line of the war on terror in Kandahar.

General Rick Hillier, head of the Canadian Armed Forces, stepped up the negotiations yesterday by offering to personally take Tim Hortons president and CEO Paul House of Stoney Creek to visit soldiers in Afghanistan to help convince him the idea has merit. Hillier says soldiers pester him about when they might see one of the coffee shops open at the Kandahar base and he believes it would boost morale to have a Tim Hortons in the Afghan city that gave birth to the radically militant Taliban regime.

American troops serving in Kandahar have their own Subway, Pizza Hut and Burger King outlets.

Captain Tim Fletcher of the 31 Canadian Brigade Group in Hamilton, which oversees the operation of 14 army units in southwestern Ontario, said a Tim Hortons coffee shop in Kandahar would be well received by the troops. more from the Captain

"Ah, I love the smell of a 'fruit explosion' muffin in the Kandahar morning!"

If that story gave you the warm and fuzzies, than this cookie caper will make you sick. Not in the good way, like when as a kid you downed a dozen of moms home baked goodies and then layed on the couch groaning in a sugar induced happy coma. No, this story will leave you foaming at the mouth like the time your dog ate all your Christmas chocolates and pooped thunder for a week.

The defendant, Kathleen Rockingham, accused of illegal baking


The plantiff, the Hamilton cookie police









Exhibit A, the cookie










AND NOW THE CASE OF 'THE HALF BAKED COOKIE LAW' (cue 'The Peoples Court' music)

Mary Whitwell won't be baking for the Binbrook Fair this fall for the first time in nearly 60 years. The cookie police have already given her a warning. The city's public health inspectors cracked down on the 82-year-old's church table at last year's event. Her homemade cookies -- chocolate, spice and raisin -- aren't allowed at special events anymore. It's a matter of public safety.

City officials recently sent a notice to all church groups to clarify the rules around bake sales. It's fine for homemade goods to be sold at churches, service clubs or fraternal organizations because of an exemption in the health regulations. But if a group takes part in a special event away from their facility, like a festival, fair or carnival, the food must be made in an inspected kitchen -- and grandma's doesn't count.

"It's just to lower incidents of food poisoning," explained George Rice of the city's public health food safety program.

"We don't know what their kitchens are like because we haven't inspected them.

A public health official inspecting the event took exception to the homemade cookies being sold for a dollar with coffee at Knox Presbyterian Church booth. Local Councillor Dave Mitchell got a call and intervened, suggesting officials should educate first and enforce next year. He understands the rules, but wishes the city would use common sense to measure the risk to public health.

The Whitwell family has been part of the local church for six generations and every one of them has made sweets for the bake sales. Kathleen Rockingham, 85, has been making her famous shortbread -- 10 to 15 dozen a time -- for the sale in her own kitchen for years.

"I haven't had anyone die from one," she said chuckling. "This is absolutely ridiculous. Haven't they got anything else to do down at City Hall?"

Apparently not, I guess busting a cookie sale that brings in much needed revenue for this organization, so it can provide the services it does for the community is what the 'cookie monsters' at city hall concern themselves with today.

full story

Later,
Kenaz