An opening of one's knowledge,capabilities, vision and guidance. The Kenaz is about creating a relationship,learning and allowing room for interpretation. When you are in the darkness,an opening with light is the best and most gracious thing to have bestowed upon you. This is a great time for putting energies into new opportunities. Come share my world as I see it.
This is a new era- Hamilton councillor Bernie Morelli, who used to work as a senior manager at Dofasco.
And quite frankly, it's about time that ... (companies) started to spend some of their huge profits on speeding up their environmental necessities to improve air quality in this city.
December 2006
The ministry blamed Columbian, Dofasco (now ArcelorMittal Dofasco) and Stelco (now U.S. Steel Canada) for much of the carbon black(scroll to bottom of page for facts), coal, coke and soot found in samples collected from east Hamilton homes in the preceding year, but couldn't tie them to specific incidents. October 31, 2007 U.S. Steel Corp. completed its acquisition of Stelco Inc., turning Canada's largest steelmaker into U.S. Steel Canada Inc. Hamilton-based Stelco was snapped up by the Pittsburgh-based company in a US$1.1-billion deal announced in August 2007. June 07, 2008 The Ontario Environment Ministry is investigating reports of more sooty, black dust falling on east Hamilton, the latest in a string of such incidents over the last two years. As in past instances, officials point to Columbian Chemicals, U.S. Steel Canada and ArcelorMittal Dofasco as potential sources. Jun 25, 2008 Columbian Chemicals is the target of an Environment Ministry investigation into the latest incident of black fallout over east Hamilton. Laboratory analysis revealed a significant amount of carbon black in samples taken from homes near the bayfront industrial area June 5-11, prompting the investigations and enforcement branch to focus on Columbian's Parkdale Avenue North plant. The same three that week, while denying they're to blame, sent $250 money orders by registered mail to 25 people who complained about the fallout on June 5, 6, 7 and 11. Their letter says it's possible hot, humid weather "prohibited particulate matter from dispersing normally." July 04, 2008 The Ministry of the Environment, as it investigates whether Columbian Chemicals was the source of recent black fallout, is ordering the company to study whether its monitoring equipment is adequate to detect small releases of powdered carbon black into the air over east Hamilton. July 05, 2008 A sudden, dramatic increase in black smoke from U.S. Steel Canada's Hamilton coke ovens earlier this year resulted in Environment Ministry orders that have already led to a sharp reduction in visible emissions. U.S. Steel Canada's manager of government and public relations, says emissions were visible for an average of 11 minutes a day in June, down from 42 minutes in February and 75 minutes in March, the months that prompted ministry action. The company said it will install electronic monitors to continuously measure opacity, or blackness, in place of a video system the ministry declared unacceptable. July 14, 2008 Black dust bunnies falling from the sky. That's how one resident described the fallout from a large plume that blew over the city's North End. Commodore of the Hamilton Bay Sailing Club, said members had returned from sailing and were having a barbecue at their Pier 4 Park compound when the saw the large plume approaching from the east at sunset Friday. The sailors were just tucking into some vanilla ice cream. Ten minutes later, they looked around to find themselves and their ice cream covered in soot. U.S. Steel Canada, which took over Stelco Inc. last November, reported a one-minute smoke emission at 9:21 p.m. Friday that it said was caused by a problem with a blast furnace. The environment ministry has issued U.S. Steel with a compliance order following a sudden, dramatic increase in black smoke emissions earlier this year. The company's manager of government and public relations, contends visible emissions have been decreasing. August 09, 2008 Though most of the crowd at Ivor Wynne was watching the Tiger- Cats trounce the Toronto Argonauts 45-21 Thursday night, many fans wondered where the ominous black cloud overhead came from. Now U.S. Steel Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Environment are working to find the cause of a blast furnace pressure release that sent a cloud of black particulate drifting over the stadium and northeast parts of the city. The ministry believes there are enough similarities between the incident Thursday night and others July 11 and July 31 to order U.S. Steel to provide a detailed report on the cause by Aug. 29 and recommendations on how to prevent them by Oct. 31. August 14, 2008 ArcelorMittal Dofasco and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment are probing the cause of a black plume that came from a company smokestack late yesterday afternoon. The plume is being linked to what the ministry says was an "upset" in the company's No. 2 blast furnace, but what caused the upset still has to be determined. There had been three incidents in the past month from U.S. Steel Canada, which led the ministry to order the steelmaker, formerly Stelco, to provide a report on the cause and a plan on how to prevent the emissions by Oct. 31. Several months ago, ArcelorMittal was found to be the source of visible airborne emissions from its No. 2 blast furnace and melt shop. The company spent $300 million on maintenance, including enhancements in environmental areas. August 15, 2008 A Hamilton councillor says industrial fallout incidents in the North End are too frequent and companies need to pony up cash from big profits to fix environmental problems faster. Ward 3 Councillor Bernie Morelli's comments come on the heels of two highly visible releases from ArcelorMittal Dofasco within 24 hours. On Wednesday, a black cloud rose from the blast furnace of the facility after it was restarted following a week-long shutdown. Yesterday, an iron-oxide cloud wafted out from the company around 3 p.m. The Ministry of the Environment said the release was somehow caused by molten iron going into a slag pit. The company said the incident was moisture-related and had to do with the same blast furnace. The release was the 11th incident between ArcelorMittal Dofasco and U.S. Steel Canada brought to public attention by the media. There have been five since July 11. The MOE said neither ArcelorMittal Dofasco nor U.S. Steel Canada has ever been convicted of any charge relating to black fallout emissions. Since Feb. 7, area media has reported on seven releases from ArcelorMittal Dofasco.A spokesperson for the MOE, said the company is under investigation for two release incidents. The first was related to the beaching of iron, which resulted in a fallout along the Beach Strip in early 2007. The second is for failing to immediately notify the MOE of an incident in March. Growing concern in Hamilton, and the number of fallouts, spurred the ministry to institute a 24-hour response procedure in the city's northeast in late 2006. U.S. Steel Canada has also had several fallouts recently, with three clouds coming from the facility from July 11 to Aug. 7. The company also had a blast furnace release March 21. It has been ordered by the MOE to provide a report on the cause of the three latest incidents by Aug. 29 and recommendations on how to prevent them by Oct. 31. If a company is convicted of failing to notify or having an adverse impact on air quality, it carries a minimum fine of $5,000 and a maximum of $4 million for a first offence. August 16, 2008 Last week, a crowd at Ivor Wynne Stadium watched as a U.S. Steel Canada blast furnace belched out a black cloud. On Wednesday, another black cloud containing coal and iron ore emissions floated over the city's north end, one more product of a pressure release from an ArcelorMittal Dofasco blast furnace. And Thursday afternoon, two thick red clouds filled with iron oxide spewed in nearly as many hours in another release from ArcelorMittal Dofasco's blast furnace. ArcelorMittal Dofasco officials say the rain has contributed to the increased emissions. On Aug. 6, in an unprecedented move, the company shut down a blast furnace because of the impact the wet weather is having on operations. The raw materials sitting in piles outside the plants -- mostly coal and iron ore -- soak up rainwater. This excess moisture is causing more volatile reactions when these materials are heated in the blast furnace to make iron, the principal component of steel. ArcelorMittal Dofasco shut down the blast furnace in a move that hasn't been made in the past quarter-century. A blast furnace being restarted can take 10 days to become fully operational again, resulting in higher emissions. The MOE is reviewing how ArcelorMittal Dofasco stores and handles raw material, it would be difficult to cover the piles of raw materials to protect from the rain since they take up about 49 hectares. ArcelorMittal Dofasco has flown in company technical experts and they are trying to use material that's not exposed to rain in the furnace. ArcelorMittal's spotty record elsewhere March 09, 2008 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been investigating emissions from ArcelorMittal's steel mill in Cleveland and is trying to decide whether enforcement action is needed. The investigation focuses in part on one of two blast furnaces that operate on the east bank of the Cuyahoga River. In a blast furnace, iron ore, coke and limestone come together in a fiery mix to create molten iron. The iron is then shipped a short distance by rail car to a basic oxygen furnace where it's combined with metal scrap to create steel. Advocacy group Ohio Citizen Action filed a complaint about the blast furnace, known as C-5, with the EPA in Chicago last year. It claims former owner LTV Corp. nearly doubled the blast furnace's capacity during the 1980s without installing proper environmental controls.
The company's worldwide profits, $10.4 billion in 2007, and the personal wealth of Chief Executive Lakshmi Mittal, one of the richest men in the world, to suggest that paying for new and improved controls would be easy.
U.S. Steel's Problems the same elsewhere November 14, 2007 PITTSBURGH -- It's black, it's grimy and it's coating everything in sight at the Mapleview Terrace housing development in Braddock. The black soot is from the nearby Edgar Thompson plant. A spokesman for U.S. Steel said the particulate was released Tuesday, when they tried to restart a blast furnace that was down for repairs. Something went wrong and the furnace emitted large plumes of smoke. When the smoke cleared, the dust settled. Black Soot Covers Houses, Cars In Braddock In suburban Detroit, the cities of Ecorse and River Rouge have filed suits against U.S. Steel Corp., alleging pollution from one of the company's plants is harming the health of residents and eroding real estate values. A U.S. Steel spokesman says the company has spent millions to correct environmental problems it inherited when it took over the bankrupt plant in 2003.
Fact Sheet:
WHAT IS CARBON BLACK?
Carbon black is the general term used to describe a powdery commercial form of carbon. Carbon black is a lot like graphite.
Carbon black can form as an air-polluting particle when fuels (like gasoline, diesel fuel and coal) are not completely burned. These carbon black particles are often coated with other chemicals making them more hazardous than commercially produced pure carbon black. The particle coatings may include "polyaromatic hydrocarbons," also called PAHs.
HOW ARE PEOPLE EXPOSED TO CARBON BLACK?
Breathing: Most exposure to carbon black occurs when people breathe contaminated air. This type of exposure usually occurs in the workplace. However, outdoor air can sometimes contain traces due to its release by industries.
Drinking/Eating: Carbon black does not dissolve in water, so people are not likely to drink it in contaminated water.
Touching: Carbon black particles are heavy and drop quickly out of the air. The dust is a nuisance because it is black and sticky. It’s difficult to wipe off skin or other objects. Touching carbon black is not likely to cause serious health effects.
WILL EXPOSURE TO CARBON BLACK RESULT IN HARMFUL HEALTH EFFECTS?
Inhaling carbon black particles can irritate the lungs and cause coughing. Carbon black can also irritate the eyes, nose and throat.
When people are exposed to high levels of carbon black over many years, the particles may lodge deep in their lungs. If it stays in the lungs, the condition may lead to bronchitis and eventually to a chronic condition called "obstructive pulmonary disease."
Cancer: Animal studies suggest long-term exposure to very high doses of pure carbon black may increase a person's risk of cancer.
Carbon black that comes from incomplete burning of hydrocarbons is more likely to contain cancer causing chemicals than pure carbon black.
Reproductive Effects: There is no evidence that carbon black causes reproductive or developmental problems.
Other Organ Systems: The most likely effect of exposure to carbon black is lung disease.
Later, Kenaz
UPDATE:July 21,2009
U.S. Steel promised to employ an average 3,105 workers and increase production by 10 per cent at the former Stelco in exchange for Ottawa's approval of its $1.9-billion takeover, according to court documents filed by the federal government. The federal government is taking U.S. Steel to court to force it to live up to those 2007 commitments, which Ottawa says were violated when the steel giant temporarily idled its Canadian plants and laid off workers.
The men’s eight rowing team finished the job they started four years ago by winning a gold medal on Sunday. Canada led wire-to-wire in the final race in Beijing. Canada finished in a time of five minutes, 23.89 seconds. The reigning world champions were seeking redemption for their crushing defeat in Athens in 2004, when they entered as medal favourites and finished fifth. The men's team consists of Ben Rutledge of Cranbrook, B.C., Kevin Light of Sidney, B.C., Malcolm Howard of Victoria, Andrew Byrnes of Toronto, Wetzel of Saskatoon, Dominic Seiterle of Victoria, Adam Kreek of London, Ont., and Kyle Hamilton of Richmond, B.C.
Canada's Ryan Cochrane swims to bronze.
Canada's medal drought in the pool is over. Teenager Ryan Cochrane won Canada's first Olympic swimming medal since 2000, taking bronze in the 1,500-metre freestyle Sunday in Beijing. The 19-year-old from Victoria finished third in a time of 14 minutes 42.69 seconds. It was Canada's first Olympic swimming medal since Curtis Myden captured bronze in the 400 individual medley at the 2000 Sydney Games. The last time Canada won an Olympic medal in the 1,500 free was in 1920, when George Vernot took silver in Antwerp.
Women's double sculls win bronze in photo finish.
Canadian women's lightweight double sculls rowing pair Melanie Kok and Tracy Cameron clinched the bronze medal on Sunday in a photo finish at Shunyi Olympic rowing park. Kok and Cameron finished in six minutes, 56.68 seconds, behind Kirsten van der Kolk and Marit van Eupen of the Netherlands, who won the gold, and Sanna Sten and Minna Niemenen of Finland, who took silver. The race came to such a close finish that the result was in doubt for several seconds before the Canadians realized they had beaten the Germans by 0.04 seconds.
Men's lightweight four win Canada's 2nd rowing bronze of the day.
The Canadian lightweight men's four won Canada’s second rowing bronze of the day in Beijing Sunday. The crew of Iain Brambell, Jon Beare, Mike Lewis and Liam Parsons finished in five minutes, 50.09 seconds at Shunyi Olympic rowing park. Canada used a late surge to grab a medal, and almost moved into second place in the final leg. The Canadian crew has had an emotional week, with their coach Bent Jensen fighting pancreatic cancer, and receiving chemotherapy treatments from the team doctor while in Beijing. The Canadian men won the bronze less than an hour after Canada's women's lightweight double sculls crew Melanie Kok and Tracy Cameron claimed the bronze.
At 4:30 p.m. Beijing time Saturday - while Canadians back home were losing sleep over Canada's medal production - Canada's men's pairs team of David Calder and Scott Frandsen sat on the water, awaiting the start of their race. Canada had zero medals at these Olympic Games. Suddenly, in a span of less than 60 minutes, Canada went from three goose eggs to bronze, silver and gold. And nobody felt better about it than the men's rowing pair, and wrestlers Carol Huynh and Tonya Verbeek.
GOLD - Carol Huynh, 48-kilogram freestyle wrestling
Canadian freestyle wrestler Carol Huynh won a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, defeating Chiharu Icho of Japan in the women's 48-kilogram final Huynh posted a 4-0, 2-0 win for her first career Olympic medal. The 27-year-old from Hazelton, B.C., won gold at last year's Pan American Games and a bronze medal at the 2005 world championship. She also won silver in the 46-kilogram division at the 2001 world championship and bronze at the 2000 event.
SILVER - Dave Calder and Scott Frandsen, Men's Pairs, Rowing
Canadian rowers Dave Calder and Scott Frandsen captured a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics. Calder, from Victoria, and Frandsen, from Kelowna, B.C., clocked a time of six minutes 39.55 seconds, nearly five seconds ahead of the bronze medallists from New Zealand. The Canadians were about two seconds behind Australia for gold. Calder rowed in the men's pair four years ago in Athens. That crew was disqualified from the semifinal for leaving their lane.
BRONZE - Tonya Verbeek, 55-kilogram freestyle wrestling
After Carol Huynh's gold medal win the women's 48-kilogram final, Tonya Verbeek added a bronze medal about 25 minutes later by beating Sweden's Ida-Theres Nerell 1-0, 1-0 in the 55-kilogram category. Verbeek, from Beamsville, Ont., won silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
"barrel-chested kind of guy, the kind you'd like to sit down and have a beer with."-Chief Warrant Officer Chris White, who knew Doyle for five years. I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course. A burly "mountain of a man" nicknamed the Friendly Giant became the second Canadian combat death in three days when insurgents attacked a remote outpost in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar province Monday. Master Corporal Erin Doyle was the 90th Canadian soldier to die since the Afghan mission began in 2002. A second soldier was seriously injured in Monday's attack. As many as 10 insurgents targeted the small base just before 6 a.m., taskforce commander Brigadier-General Denis Thompson said. Canadian soldiers returned fire and called for artillery and air support, he said, adding several insurgents were killed, others were injured. Thompson said the outpost is strategically located in the heart of Taliban country and its soldiers engage insurgents daily. Doyle was a member of the 3rd battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based out of Edmonton. Monday's attack happened just two days after Master Corporal Josh Roberts was killed in a firefight in neighbouring Zhari district.
"a no-nonsense kind of guy who lived like people dreamed; he was a fun-loving and genuine individual who was totally dedicated to the Army and held his section together. He looked out for his guys in ways they probably didn't realize," Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, Canada's commander in Afghanistan." I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course. A Saskatchewan-born soldier has died of a gunshot wound suffered in a firefight with Afghan insurgents in the volatile Zhari district. Master Cpl. Josh Roberts belonged to 2nd Battalion, the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Shilo, Man. The soldier was involved in a joint operation designed to disrupt Taliban activity in the farming area west of Kandahar City when the incident occurred early Saturday as a private security company's convoy passed by. The military is investigating the possibility that personnel in the security company's convoy may have accidentally fired on the Canadian soldiers.
Leif Pettersen died this week at only 57, the victim of an apparent heart attack. What a shocker. He appeared to be in very good shape. Pettersen joined TSN as a game analyst for the CFL in 1986, the first year the network began televising CFL games. A former CFL receiver, Pettersen was drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1974 and played in the CFL for eight seasons. In 1976, Pettersen's Roughriders lost one of the most memorable Grey Cups when Ottawa's Tony Gabriel caught a long touchdown pass in the last minute to give the Rough Riders the win. However, even in a losing cause, that game was still a career highlight as Pettersen caught seven passes that day and received the game ball from then CFL Commissioner Jake Gaudaur. Traded to the Tiger-Cats in 1978, Pettersen played four more seasons in Hamilton and had another Grey Cup appearance in 1980. Pettersen had his most productive year in 1979, when he led the Eastern Conference in pass receptions, was an All-Star, and was runner up for the Schenley Award as Most Outstanding Canadian. In addition to his role at TSN, Pettersen worked at RBC Sports Professionals & Private Client Group as Director of Business Development, managing banking and investments for more than 800 athletes, coaches and sports executives across North America. Pettersen, a Toronto native, was a founding Governor of the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame.
"Clearly, he was a dedicated soldier with a very promising career ahead of him," Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, Canada's commander in Afghanistan.
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
A Canadian soldier was killed by a roadside explosion, the military announced on a violent day that also saw a suicide bomber blow himself up just outside the gate of the main Canadian base in Kandahar. The suicide attack outside Kandahar Airfield occurred just moments before the Canadian Forces held a solemn news conference there to announce the death of Cpl. James Hayward Arnal. Only the bomber was killed in the suicide strike. Canada's top soldier in Afghanistan lauded Arnal as a fearless fighter who had left a lucrative career in information technology to join the army. He was on his second tour of Afghanistan and had already volunteered for a third. Arnal was struck by an explosion Friday night during a foot patrol in Panjwaii district near Kandahar city. The Shilo, Man.-based Arnal was the 88th Canadian soldier killed in the Afghan mission, and the first to die in two weeks.
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
July 3,2008
Brendan was the type of guy who would have given you the shirt off his own back," said his friend, Dave Duckworth of Edmonton. "He joined the CF to make a difference.
Downey, a 36-year-old military police officer from 17 Wing Detachment Dundurn, was found dead of unknown circumstances in base living quarters in the Persian Gulf. Downey was serving at Camp Mirage, a base at an undisclosed Gulf location used to stage Canadian airlifts to Afghanistan. His death is now the subject of a military investigation.
He quickly marched in to see his Regimental Sergeant Major to indicate he was eager to serve in Afghanistan,” said Brigadier-General Denis Thompson, the top Canadian commander in Kandahar. “He was selected to fill a vacancy soon after, because he was motivated, he was skilled, and because he was eager to make a difference in the lives of ordinary Afghan people.
Private Colin William Wilmot was serving with a field ambulance unit in Edmonton and was not originally scheduled to deploy to the battlefield, but he lobbied for the job and eventually got attached to the Canadian battle group. Wilmot died while on night foot patrol. The blast happened around 1 a.m. local time on Sunday and did not immediately kill the medic. He suffered critical injuries and his comrades gave him emergency first-aid, lifting him onto a stretcher and moving him in an armoured vehicle to the nearest Canadian outpost. A helicopter later took him a military hospital at Kandahar Airfield but he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The words are the same seven words the brilliant mind of the recently lost George Carlin made us laugh nervously at so many years ago and will never be uttered on this blog. That is where the comparison between the mother f*!@er a!#$oles at the Mayors office, City Hall and Liuna Station ends.
Lister Block is dead
This week has been a cornucopia of lies, ineptitude and border line corruption down at Hamilton City Hall. Lets start in reverse order, on Friday it was revealed that on this Monday Hamilton will return a $7-million cheque to the province after failing to reach a deal to save the Lister Block and restore dignity to a joke of a downtown.
LIUNA and partner Hi-Rise have decided to cry like babies and take their ball home after the city rightfully accused them of dropping the ball way to many times. LIUNA served official notice to the city yesterday that their compromise in the $25-million negotiations is off the table. LIUNA also advised the city that its other planned developments on King William, including replacing the fallen Balfour building, are on hold. Plus, they said they will fight an attempt to put a heritage designation on the Thomas Building beside the Lister on James Street North.
Why is LIUNA saying they've had enough making compromises?, even though the city has had to walk on egg shells trying to get a working deal together. The Lister deal fell apart this week after both sides couldn't agree on the terms of a $1-million guarantee on the second phase of the project.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger appealed to the province yesterday morning for another extension of the hefty grant, which was intended to make the deal more affordable for the city. He was flatly refused. Rightfully, the province had already extended the deadline twice.
The stymied deal,
Councillors want the additional development to offset the cost of buying the Lister. It will cost taxpayers an extra $1.3 million a year for city offices compared to existing leases.
The developers proposed they would get their guarantee back if they built a commercial building or seniors home of at least 65,000 square feet, or 130,000 square feet of residential space. Either development would generate $550,000 a year in taxes for the city -- just $50,000 less than originally requested by council.
But LIUNA also wanted a sliding scale if they built a smaller development. The union would only lose the entire $1 million if they built less than 40,000 square feet. If they were between 40,000 and 60,000, they would only give back a part of the guarantee.
Think about how that looks to Hamilton taxpayers, to developers with an interest in downtown redevelopment, and to Queen's Park. It looks like our local government is so dysfunctional, so parochial, so short-sighted and outright ineffective, it couldn't find adequate common ground, even for a $7-million grant.
This is unfair to the hardworking people of Hamilton. There is adequate blame to go around all parties in the Lister negotiations. The developers have been inconsistent about project components and their willingness to commit to guarantees. And the childish rhetoric emanating from LIUNA on the subject in recent weeks hasn't been helpful.
In a reasonable world outside the vacuume of council chambers, the parties involved would realize what's at stake and work right through to the Monday deadline to find compromise and salvage the grant money. Sadly, that's probably not going to happen, which raises the unfortunate question: Now what? Try your spin on that one Mayor Fred.
Eisenberger leaked tape scandal(see video at the bottom of the post)
If this story wasn't so pathetic it would be funny. Stoney Creek Councillor Brad Clark admits to circulating the stolen tape that landed Mayor Fred Eisenberger in hot water for leaking confidential information, but stops short of admitting to stealing the tape himself.
Clark says he gave a digital file and transcript of the tape to a Hamilton Community News reporter and his best buddies councillors Sam Merulla and Scott Duvall out of what he says is "compelling public interest."
"The mayor is the gentleman who admonished city council for breaching codes of conduct for talking about personnel matters ... and then I get this package (showing) that he had clearly done what he had admonished people for doing."
Eisenberger, who has asked for a police investigation of the missing tape and a city review of his apparent code of conduct violation. Meanwhile, Duvall kept his big mouth shut, on the other hand Merulla known famously for his run off at the mouth if you ever catch a city council meeting in person or on the local public access station, pathetically tries to cover his ass arguing, if that was the goal to distribute the tape as a way to "whistleblow", he(Clark) wouldn't have distributed the file and transcripts so selectively.
Merulla believes Clark wanted to politically embarrass the mayor for his own purposes and tried to use him to do it. Right!(sarcasm) Wanna buy some real estate right for development, needs a little fixing up.
Here's where it sounds like another episode of the Sopranos, Clark tells Merulla the story of the mayor's presumed code violation should be told as soon as possible and suggests Merulla should pass the files on to reporters. Clark refuses to say who provided him with the files. But it's clear from his e-mail that he had been in contact with someone who allegedly had access to the mayor(Who's Deepthroat?).
A friend of both councillor's regularly recorded the mayor's interviews Clark said in the e-mail to Merulla but does not want his name mentioned because he is suing the city for wrongful dismissal. The newspaper crack team of investigative reporters(if you want to know where the best place to eat is) learned that Ian Dovey, Eisenberger's former communications adviser who taped some of the mayor's media calls, is suing the city for breach of contract. Eisenberger let Dovey go last summer after five months on the job.(the man in the shadows is revealed! Is this just a ruse!)
Meanwhile, council has directed city staff to hire an outside investigator to review whether Eisenberger broke council's code of conduct by revealing in-camera information in an off-the-record interview with reporter Andrew Dreschel. Any off-the-record conversation is strictly confidential. God! haven't we learned yet from these dumb celebs who get caught doing something they shouldn't have on tape. Get rid of the evidence!
It gets better, Clark brushes off any suggestion he himself may have violated the code of conduct by circulating the Eisenberger interview. The code forbids councillors from disclosing any confidential information to the public. Clark believes he's clean because he merely distributed a transcript of an interview.
Media in this city is becoming more like a gossip column every day. It's no secret they are hurting for revenues so they rely on this type of crap. "Leaked" or down right stolen information that finds it's way into the media hands is rarely divulged for compelling public interest. More than enough it's released to serve a personnel agenda. Both Eisenberger and Clark, who have been banging the integrity drum louder than any other members of council and now both their hands are dirty.
Politics is the dirtiest legal profession their is. Clark was not playing the part of whistleblower he nothing more than a political opportunist, his actions are bound to revive the distrust and suspicion that descended on council in the wake of Councillor Dave Mitchell's code of conduct troubles.
To be squeaky clean and above suspicion, Clark would have served his own and the public interest better if he had openly put the tape before council or the city's legal department rather than indulging in this backroom crap.
Just outside Makuan village here, Noor Mohammed, deputized as a security guard at a radio tower, goes to work in plainclothes. "If I wear a uniform, they will kill me," he tells Canadian army Capt. Jonathan Snyder, 24, who is patrolling the area two days after a Canadian convoy was ambushed nearby. Snyder is exasperated: "You shouldn't fear for your life," he tells the frightened man. "They should be fearing for their lives because of you."-Capt. Jonathan Snyder, trying to quell the fears the Afghan have for the Taliban. source 6/20/2006 article in USA Today.
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
"He believed in the mission and he wanted to do what was right."-Father of slain soldier.
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
I also found this video tribute to our fallen soldiers.
Canada's latest casualty in Afghanistan is a Brantford native who married his high school sweetheart and was looking forward to having children. Captain Richard (Steve) Leary, 32, was shot while leading a foot patrol involving Canadian and Afghan soldiers that was ambushed in the Panjwaii district yesterday morning. He is the 84th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan.
Leary was born and raised in Brantford, where he met Rachel. They married there in 2002. He attended Brantford Collegiate Institute and played on its football team. He later attended McMaster University, where he received an undergraduate degree in history and religion, working for a bricklaying company on the side.
Leary was with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., where he lived with his wife, Rachel.
"Rich Leary - Steve as he was known to his family - was a very stoic individual, very solid leader, extremely loyal and renowned for his loyalty to his troops," Lieutenant-Colonel Dave Corbould told reporters afterwards. "It was always the mission and his men. more
Four new baby falcons hatched on the ledge atop a bay window high above King Street West adding too the growing Hamilton Peregrine Falcon population. Two were female and two male, ranging from 23 to 27 days old. The chicks where named Blashill, Duncan, Elstone and Miles, for four now-deceased club presidents, Betty Blashill, Bruce Duncan, Robert Elstone and John Miles.
The Hamilton nest is one of 16 urban sites being monitored in southern Ontario. To date it has been one of the most successful, in use since 1995. Three adult females and four adult males have nested there over the years, producing 38 chicks, 36 of which have fledged and flown away.
The above picture is from the Falcon cam perched a top the Sheraton Centre. When you right click on the picture and select reload image, this will bring up the up to date photo with curent date and time. Or if you don't like to reload please visit http://falcons.hamiltonnature.org/ and view their cam shots which reload automatically.
The Celtic Cross spread is one of the most popular Tarot spreads, providing varied insight into many aspects of a complex situation and your role in it. The Cat People Tarot paints a picture of faraway lands trod by mystical archetypes and their feline companions. This deck is a perfect tool for dreamers and idealists, and is a great choice for divining the nature of human imagination.
The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. The Wheel of Fortune, when reversed: Failure. Ill luck. Broken sequence. Unexpected bad fate. Interruption or inconsistency due to unexpected events. Outside influences not contemplated.
The card visible at the center of the cross represents the obstacle that stands in your way - it may even be something that sounds good but is not actually to your benefit. Knight of Pentacles: A mature and responsible person. Reliability. Methodical and patient person. Persistence. Ability to conclude a task. Laborious, organized, capable and dependable person.
The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Page of Pentacles, when reversed: An unrealistic person. Failure to recognize obvious facts. Dissipation of ideas. Illogical thinking. Rebelliousness. Wastefulness. Loss. Unfavorable news.
The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Eight of Wands (Swiftness), when reversed: Thorns of dispute. Jealousy. Harassment. Discord. Stagnation. Domestic quarrels.
The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Queen of Pentacles, when reversed: False prosperity. Suspense. Suspicion. Responsibilities neglected. Vicious person. Untrusting person. Fear of failure.
The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Knight of Swords: Bravery. Skill. Capacity. The strength and dash of a young man. Heroic action. Opposition and war. Impetuous rush into the unknown without fear.
The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. The Sun: Satisfaction. Accomplishment. Contentment. Success. Favorable social relationships. Love. Joy. Devotion. Unselfish sentiment. Engagement. A happy marriage. Earthly happiness. The contentment derived from extending oneself toward another human being. A good friend. High spirits. Warmth. Sincerity. The rewards of a new friendship. Pleasure derived from simple things. Liberation.
The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Ace of Swords: Great determination. Initiative. Strength. Force. Activity. Excessiveness. Triumph. Power. Success. Fertility. Prosperity. Deep emotional feeling love. Championship. Conquest.
The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Four of Cups (Luxury): Wariness. Aversion. Disgust. Disappointment. Unhappiness. Bitter experience. Stationary period in one's life.
The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. The Moon, when reversed: A minor deception recognized before any damage is done. Trifling mistakes. Overcoming bad temptations. Gain without paying the price. Taking advantage of someone.
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.
The left rune represents an important element of the past. Wunjo is the rune of Joy. Since joy is least frequently a solitary emotion, this rune often represents mutual or communal bliss. Wunjo is also seen as a rune of the gods and a rune of perfection, carrying with it the elation that blazes from the creation of a perfect work - perhaps this is the true joy of the gods, that they can create perfection. That aside, this rune does not focus on the struggle for perfection or on our inevitable imperfections, but rather on a job well done and the satisfaction that comes from it.
The middle rune represents a deciding element of the present. Uruz symbolizes the Auroch, a member of the ox family that became extinct long ago. This rune represents the strength, bravery, and endurance of this animal of old. Uruz portends the ability to meet problems head on and to overcome them. When the world was new, warriors used to test their strength against the Auroch. Hence, this rune has come to represent the masculine principle and the capacity to meet a challenge.
The top rune represents a force that works for you. Laguz is the most strongly feminine of runes, representing water. Deep sexuality is suggested by this rune. Through Laguz, water is seen as the ocean - vast, uncontrollable, ever-changing, and vital. When interpreted as the returning tide, Laguz can also predict the inevitable return from a long journey.
The bottom Rune represents a force that works against you. Othila is the homeland. Land was the purest form of immovable wealth in Norse civilization, distinct from the movable wealth represented by Fehu. This rune speaks of stability and safety stemming from inheritance, both material and genetic. With respect to the question asked, consider the background of the people and families involved...
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.
"Like the judge said, he has three years and after that if he behaves himself, then he's free to go," Kelly said outside the courtroom. "I'll be suffering with this forever."
Some solace was delivered this week for the victim of a vicious swarming that left him without the ability to perform music. The last of three young men tried for their role in beating local musician Eugene Kelly will serve three years in a federal penitentiary.
Bronson Vinerskis, 20, was sentenced yesterday in the Ontario Court with his parents present. He was given credit for 114 days in pretrial custody on a two-for-one basis. Vinerskis earlier pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in adult court.
Earlier this month, two teens were found guilty of aggravated assault and additional charges and sentenced to 12 and 18 months. Kelly, 46, was beaten in the Pizza Pizza parking lot at Fiesta Mall on Highway 8 on Nov. 12, 2006.
Travis Carter defined bravery
In sad news this week, the boy who captured the Hamilton area's attention while he fought a terminal illness has died. Travis Carter died this week at the McMaster Children's Hospital. He was 10. Travis, who was in Grade 4, died from complications of Batten's disease. Travis was diagnosed with the rare degenerative brain condition in 2002. It usually takes a child's life after age seven or eight.
No this isn't a reveal for a new line of gay and lesbian GI Joe toys, yup you’re looking at the newly unveiled Canadian Olympic uniforms.
Opinions are like rear ends, everyone's has one, just some are better than others. Some liking the styles, some not, I have to say I’m on the ‘definitely not’ side.
At first glance they remind me of Hugh Heff's hand-me-down pajamas or some late period Jackson Pollack painting. The only thing I am sure of is that they certainly don’t appear to be fitting for the national Olympic team, but rather more in line with a Saturday morning jaunt to the surplus store.
Suddenly, I'm having vivid memories from my childhood. I see visions of the bargain basements at the BiWay, Kresge’s and Giant Tiger. Remember those terry cloth jumper suits? Anyway I regress back to the present, but the designer of these fashion travesties sure hasn't. What’s with the 80's aerobics instructor headband on the one guy?
These are, apparently, eco-friendly and organic. Why mess with success? Our bold red and white Canuck Maple Leaf combo is known and respected world wide, why give us this? The clincher to this madness has to be that the materials used in these leisure suits. Apparently to help keep out the Chinese smog.
“Designers have incorporated an element into the gear, called a B-Tube, which could help protect athletes from Beijing’s pollution. The sun-blocking polyester tube can be worn as a head cover, hair band or mask to filter out the particulate matter in the air.”
How about a mini, portable oxygen tank?
Our Canadian athletes’ suits also use materials such as bamboo, organic cotton, and cacona, which is, so I’ve read, derived from coconut. When the suit gets wet can you ring it out and make a fruit drink out of it?
How eco-friendly is this crap if its made in China and shipped into Canada? But that’s not to be spoken of. It’s a far better marketing strategy to con everyone with the eco-everything adverts and remove as much cash from today's consumers, and forget the real-time pollution and environmental costs behind the vendors’ ‘green’ claims.
I applaud the designer for trying to continue Canada's trend setting ways at the Olympics. Remember the backwards Roots cap? But the new Canadian outfits are embarrassing. The German team will wear to Beijing a uniform that is conservative, maybe a little boring, but at least their athletes will look professional.
"He died helping Afghans build a better future for themselves and their children. His dedication and sacrifice will not be forgotten."-Brig,-Gen. Guy Laroche, the commander of Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
Taliban militants unleashing an ambush that killed a Canadian medic on a goodwill patrol in a hotly contested district west of Kandahar. Cpl. Michael Starker, of the 15th Field Ambulance Regiment, was pronounced dead in a military hospital after his Civil-Military Co-operation team (CIMIC) patrol came under fire in the Pashmul region of Zhari district, about 25 kilometres outside the city. A second, unidentified soldier was wounded. He is reported to be in stable condition, and well enough to be able to call his family at home.
Starker was born and raised in Calgary, where he worked as a paramedic for three years. The death brings Canada's toll in Afghanistan to 83 soldiers and one diplomat since the mission began in early 2002.
Plans for a concert at Ivor Wynne Stadium by country superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have been shelved in response to a city staff report predicting it would cost $400,000 to bring the venue up to safety code for the event.
Last Wednesday, the community services department recommended to a city council committee that the Aug. 23 concert be allowed to go ahead if upgrades were made. However, that was reversed Friday when department staff decided the cost would be too high.
"I'm awaiting a full report on where the $400,000 comes from, what it is for, and what options there might be," Duncan Gillespie, CEO of HECFI, the city-owned corporation that wanted to rent Ivor Wynne for the show, said yesterday. "They said apparently the stadium is safe for almost 30,000 people to watch a football game, but not 25,000 people to watch a concert, if 3,800 of them are (seated) on the field."
Gillespie said city staff were chiefly concerned about added fire safety problems created by the 3,800 people sitting on the stadium field. He also said he wasn't sure if city staff had taken into account "the economic impact on the city of 25,000 people coming to see a concert and whether that could have offset some of the costs."
The country double-bill would have been the first major concert to be held at Ivor Wynne in almost 30 years. The city has been reluctant to allow concerts there since some 55,000 rock fans filled the stadium in 1975 to see Pink Floyd. City officials were flooded by complaints about noise and rowdiness.
Hamilton officials insist on living in the past, Hill/McGraw fans are not the same as Pink Floyd fans. They wouldn't be there to rip up and burn the field, gimme a break. We have come along way, proper precautions to protect the turf and adequate police enforcement would have turned the old dump on Lottridge into a palace for one night and the money spent would have brought in further investment. Instead Hamilton officials once again show they have no love.
"Private Street served his country with pride and selfless dedication. He will forever be remembered as an example of bravery and outstanding dedication."-Prime Minister Stephen Harper
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
Pte. Terry John Street, 24, of Gatineau (formerly Hull), Que., was killed at about 6:15 p.m. local time (Friday) in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar province, Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche told reporters early Saturday at Kandahar Airfield. Street was a member of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., said Laroche, commander of Canadian forces in Afghanistan. The soldier and his colleagues were redeploying for the evening following their day's activities in the area when the device detonated, Laroche said. The death brings Canada's toll in Afghanistan to 82 soldiers and one diplomat since the mission began in early 2002.
This is a new era- Hamilton councillor Bernie Morelli, who used to work as a senior manager at Dofasco. 
