Interruptions, childish out bursts, insults short of "your mother!". A local playground? No, a meeting of Hamilton council. The playpen squabble? Extending local calls to the suburbs. The answer so obvious; to borrow a phrase from a popular info-commercial "so easy, even a child could do it!"
And to further my allegory to info-mercials, "for just a penny a day" on your phone bill you can have the "privilege" of phoning to the burbs for free. Since 2001, Hamilton has been "one" city officially, long before that we have all lived with the conundrum that is the "905" area code.
Here's the argument that my councillor and other inner city councillors offer, "it's not fair for the whole city to pay the cost of reducing phone rates for the suburbs when they enjoy the benefits of area rating, in which they don't pay the full costs for services such as transit and recreational facilities."
This is so ridicules it's not even funny even if it was a joke. Benefits? You can't take a bus to Binbrook or most of the sub-burbs from Hamilton and there are few recreational facilities in these areas to begin with. What the hell benefits are these councillors talking about?
To prove my point, Sam Merulla, inner city councillor, delivered an eloquent and impassioned speech that's so far over the top, I wonder if he was smelling burnt toast at the time.
Merulla says the 30 cents a month would impact the most marginalized residents to subsidize the wealthiest in the suburbs. If council does this, then they have to revisit area rating to ensure everyone pays equally for all services, regardless of where they live. He says the proposal is a "catalyst" that underlines the hypocrisy of past support for reducing business taxes.
Merulla is surprised by some of the councillors who support the motion. They are, "voting in favour of the hypocrisy and inconsistency, the unpredictability which basically are the characteristics of a dysfunctional environment."
What thesaurus did Merulla swallow? If he's so concerned about the impoverished in his riding, he'd realize most of his constituents either can't understand him or see through his paper thin mirage of deceit. Two can play his game.
Councillor Jackson tries to talk about removing irritants, Merulla becomes one himself, repeatedly interrupting with audible mumbling, something along the lines of "I could'va been a contender" or something like that.
Mayor Eisenberger called Merulla on it, urging a respectful debate, a few more minutes of childish taunts before the good Mayor hands out the "soothies" in the way of an altimatum for the debate to stop getting silly and demands a vote.
In the end council agreed to add an amendment, asking the CRTC to reconsider the 30 cents a month price structure. Then they all voted to support going forward with the request to make all calls within Hamilton local calls. Well, two meetings down in 2007 and the pampers are already full. I hope a new shipment is on its way or its going to be a long four years.
Later,
Kenaz
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
$12 million will never be enough
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is announced the government has reached a legal settlement in the lawsuit filed by Maher Arar over his 2002 deportation to Syria, where he was detained on suspicion of being a terrorist and tortured. The deal is reported to be around $10.5 million plus an additional $2 million for court costs.
Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian, was detained by U.S. authorities at a New York airport in 2002 and deported to Syria, where he was imprisoned and tortured. In his lawsuit against the federal government, the former Ottawa engineer alleged negligence, negligent investigation, defamation, false imprisonment, assault and battery and abuse of public office.
Last fall, a public inquiry report by Justice Dennis O'Connor found RCMP mislabelled Arar as an Islamic extremist with suspected ties to al-Qaida. The report also concluded the sharing of that misinformation with U.S. authorities likely led them to deport him.
The shock waves of O'Connor's report were immediate. Then-RCMP commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli resigned over the case and apologized and so has Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Yet, American officials refuse to apologize and continue to see a wrongfully accused man as a criminal.
His deportation was the most sickening example of the dangers of ''rendering'' individuals suspected of terror links to third countries for interrogation. Furthermore, Bush continues to stick to his guns; ones from another century and another time. When Americans saw those from foreign lands as a threat to their values.
This week, the issue heated up and threatened to cause a rift in Canada-U.S. relations. U.S. ambassador David Wilkins scolded Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day for insisting that Arar be taken of the the U.S. watch list. Speaking to reporters in Edmonton on Wednesday, Wilkins said the U.S. administration's decision to keep Arar on the list was none of the Canadian government's business.
The decision is absurdly based on personal associations and travel history. Visiting family? Just because they live in Syria? While Washington concedes these points may not warrant Arar's presence on a Canadian security roster, they meet the thresh hold for the American list.
I'm sorry Mr. Wilkins, the mistreatment of our people is Canada's business even if it is by our 'friends'. The U.S can close their border permanently for all I care, but treating this man the way they did is smack right out of Orwells' '1984'. Americas' shady practice of 'extraordinary rendition,' whereby terrorism suspects are sent to regimes with spotty human-rights records for interrogation is criminal, despite what the U.S federal system thinks.
To rub salt in Mr. Arars' wounds the judge ruled legislative precedent showed the Torture Victim Prevention Act, under which Arar was seeking redress, didn't apply to non-U.S. citizens. He determined the court couldn't hear the case on constitutional grounds either.
Elections in the U.S couldn't come sooner, the day Bush and his draconian cronies are gone, the better the world will be. Long live democracy.
Later,
Kenaz
Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian, was detained by U.S. authorities at a New York airport in 2002 and deported to Syria, where he was imprisoned and tortured. In his lawsuit against the federal government, the former Ottawa engineer alleged negligence, negligent investigation, defamation, false imprisonment, assault and battery and abuse of public office.
Last fall, a public inquiry report by Justice Dennis O'Connor found RCMP mislabelled Arar as an Islamic extremist with suspected ties to al-Qaida. The report also concluded the sharing of that misinformation with U.S. authorities likely led them to deport him.
The shock waves of O'Connor's report were immediate. Then-RCMP commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli resigned over the case and apologized and so has Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Yet, American officials refuse to apologize and continue to see a wrongfully accused man as a criminal.
His deportation was the most sickening example of the dangers of ''rendering'' individuals suspected of terror links to third countries for interrogation. Furthermore, Bush continues to stick to his guns; ones from another century and another time. When Americans saw those from foreign lands as a threat to their values.
This week, the issue heated up and threatened to cause a rift in Canada-U.S. relations. U.S. ambassador David Wilkins scolded Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day for insisting that Arar be taken of the the U.S. watch list. Speaking to reporters in Edmonton on Wednesday, Wilkins said the U.S. administration's decision to keep Arar on the list was none of the Canadian government's business.
The decision is absurdly based on personal associations and travel history. Visiting family? Just because they live in Syria? While Washington concedes these points may not warrant Arar's presence on a Canadian security roster, they meet the thresh hold for the American list.
I'm sorry Mr. Wilkins, the mistreatment of our people is Canada's business even if it is by our 'friends'. The U.S can close their border permanently for all I care, but treating this man the way they did is smack right out of Orwells' '1984'. Americas' shady practice of 'extraordinary rendition,' whereby terrorism suspects are sent to regimes with spotty human-rights records for interrogation is criminal, despite what the U.S federal system thinks.
To rub salt in Mr. Arars' wounds the judge ruled legislative precedent showed the Torture Victim Prevention Act, under which Arar was seeking redress, didn't apply to non-U.S. citizens. He determined the court couldn't hear the case on constitutional grounds either.
Elections in the U.S couldn't come sooner, the day Bush and his draconian cronies are gone, the better the world will be. Long live democracy.
Later,
Kenaz
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Saying Goodbye to a Canadian Ledgend:Denny Doherty
Denny Doherty, a founding member of the 1960s folk-pop band the Mamas and the Papas, died yesterday at his home in Mississauga, Ontario. He was 66. The cause was not immediately known, his daughter Emberly said. But she said her father had recently suffered kidney failure after surgery for a stomach aneurysm.
With rich, meticulous harmonies that could be tinged with darkness, the Mamas and the Papas where one of the most popular and influential American bands of the era between the Beatles’ arrival and Woodstock. Even for later generations like mine who missed their brilliance, their enduring hits, like “California Dreamin’,” “Monday, Monday” and “Dedicated to the One I Love,” that mixed the gentle jangle of folk with a rock backbeat and sweet, layered pop vocals, will forever be remembered.
Though John Phillips was the group’s principal songwriter, Mr. Doherty sang most of the male leads, in a clear, friendly tenor that he occasionally punctuated with rock ’n’ roll growls. In “California Dreamin’,” the group’s first hit, the singers harmonize about being stuck among the brown leaves and cold gray skies of winter, and pining for sunny respite. But Mr. Doherty’s lead on the verse suggests that his wishes may go unfulfilled:
The Mamas and the Papas, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, were one of the first major rock groups to include both women and men in equal performing roles, with Mr. Doherty, Mr. Phillips, Michelle Phillips and Mama Cass Elliot striking an image of casual, collegiate friendship. In reality, they were a destructive tangle of love affairs, accompanied by plenty of drugs and alcohol.
In 1993 Doherty took on not just the VO role of the Harbour Master but all the VO roles in Theodore Tugboat, a children's television show chronicling the "lives" of vessels in a busy harbour loosely based upon Halifax Harbour.
For more of his early solo career in Halifax and Montreal please click on the title link.
Later,
Kenaz
With rich, meticulous harmonies that could be tinged with darkness, the Mamas and the Papas where one of the most popular and influential American bands of the era between the Beatles’ arrival and Woodstock. Even for later generations like mine who missed their brilliance, their enduring hits, like “California Dreamin’,” “Monday, Monday” and “Dedicated to the One I Love,” that mixed the gentle jangle of folk with a rock backbeat and sweet, layered pop vocals, will forever be remembered.
Though John Phillips was the group’s principal songwriter, Mr. Doherty sang most of the male leads, in a clear, friendly tenor that he occasionally punctuated with rock ’n’ roll growls. In “California Dreamin’,” the group’s first hit, the singers harmonize about being stuck among the brown leaves and cold gray skies of winter, and pining for sunny respite. But Mr. Doherty’s lead on the verse suggests that his wishes may go unfulfilled:
Well, I got down on my knees
And I pretend to pray
You know the preacher lights the coals
He knows I’m gonna stay
The Mamas and the Papas, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, were one of the first major rock groups to include both women and men in equal performing roles, with Mr. Doherty, Mr. Phillips, Michelle Phillips and Mama Cass Elliot striking an image of casual, collegiate friendship. In reality, they were a destructive tangle of love affairs, accompanied by plenty of drugs and alcohol.
In 1993 Doherty took on not just the VO role of the Harbour Master but all the VO roles in Theodore Tugboat, a children's television show chronicling the "lives" of vessels in a busy harbour loosely based upon Halifax Harbour.
For more of his early solo career in Halifax and Montreal please click on the title link.
Later,
Kenaz
New Playlist at The Eternal Kenaz:Dragnet part 1
Dragnet was a popular, influential and long-running radio and television police procedural about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a dragnet for any system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects.
Actor and producer Jack Webb’s aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting. He achieved both goals, and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media.
The show's cultural impact is demonstrated by the fact that even after five decades, elements of Dragnet are known to those who've never seen or heard the program:
The ominous, four-note introduction to the brass and tympani theme music (titled "Danger Ahead") is instantly recognizable (though its origins date back to Miklós Rózsa's score for the 1946 film version of The Killers).
Another Dragnet trademark is the show's opening narration: "Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent." This underwent minor revisions over time. The "only" and "ladies and gentlemen" were dropped at some point, and for the television version "hear" was changed to "see". Variations on this narration have been featured in many subsequent crime dramas, and in satires of these dramas. On radio, Dragnet ran from June 3, 1949 to February 26, 1957.
Dragnet was created and produced by Jack Webb, who starred as the terse Sgt. Friday. Webb had starred in a few mostly short-lived radio programs, but Dragnet would make him one of the major media personalities of his era.
Dragnet had its origins in Webb’s small role as a police forensic scientist in the 1948 film, He Walked by Night, inspired by the actual murder of a police officer in Los Angeles. The film was depicted in semidocumentary style, and Marty Wynn (an LAPD sergeant) was a technical advisor on the film. Webb and Wynn became friends, and both thought that the day-to-day activities of police officers could be realistically depicted, and could make for compelling drama without the forced sense of melodrama then so common in radio programming. Webb frequently visited police headquarters, drove with police patrols, and attended police academy courses to learn authentic jargon and other details that could be featured in a radio program. When he proposed Dragnet to NBC officials, they were not especially impressed; radio was aswarm with private investigators and crime dramas, such as Webb’s earlier Pat Novak for Hire. That program didn’t last long, but Webb had received high marks for his role as the titular private investigator, and NBC agreed to a limited run for Dragnet.
With writer James E. Moser, Webb prepared an audition recording, then sought the LAPD’s endorsement; he wanted to use cases from official files in order to demonstrate the steps taken by police officers during investigations. The official response was initially lukewarm, in 1950 LAPD Chief William H. Parker offered Webb the endorsement he sought. Police wanted control over the program’s sponsor, and insisted that police not be depicted unflatteringly. This would lead to some criticism, as LAPD racial segregation policies were never addressed, nor was there a suggestion of police corruption.
Dragnet debuted inauspiciously. The first several months were bumpy, as Webb and company worked out the program’s format and eventually became comfortable with their characters (Friday was originally portrayed as more brash and forceful than his later usually relaxed demeanor). Gradually, Friday’s deadpan, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop's cop, tough but not hard, conservative but caring." (Dunning, 210) Friday’s first partner was Sgt. Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a longtime radio actor. When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio’s top-rated shows.
Webb insisted on realism in every aspect of the show. The dialogue was clipped, understated and sparse, influenced by the hard boiled school of crime fiction. Scripts were fast moving but didn’t seem rushed. Every aspect of police work was chronicled, step by step: From patrols and paperwork, to crime scene investigation, lab work and questioning witnesses or suspects. The detectives’ personal lives were mentioned, but rarely took center stage. (Friday was a bachelor who lived with his mother; Romero was an ever-fretful husband and father) "Underplaying is still acting," Webb told Time. "We try to make it as real as a guy pouring a cup of coffee.” (Dunning, 209) Los Angeles police chiefs C.B. Horrall and (later) William H. Parker were credited as consultants, and many police officers were fans.
Webb was a stickler for accurate details, and Dragnet used many authentic touches, such as the LAPD's actual radio call sign (KMA-367), and the names of many real department officials, such as Ray Pinker and Lee Jones of the crime lab or Chief of Detectives Thad Brown.
Episodes began with an announcer describing the basic premise of the show. "Big Saint" (April 26, 1951) for example, begins with, "You're a Detective Sergeant, you're assigned to auto theft detail. A well organized ring of car thieves begins operations in your city. It's one of the most puzzling cases you've ever encountered. Your job: break it."
Friday offered voice-over narration throughout the episodes, noting the time, date and place of every scene as he and his partners went through their day investigating the crime. The events related in a given episode might occur in a few hours, or might span a few months. At least one episode unfolded in real time: in "City Hall Bombing" (July 21, 1949), Friday and Romero had less than 30 minutes to stop a man who was threatening to destroy the City Hall with a bomb.
At the end of the episode, the announcer (George Fenneman) would relate the fate of the suspect. They were usually convicted of a crime and sent to "the State Penitentiary, San Quentin or Folsom" , a state mental hospital, but other occasions the cases had ambiguous, unusual or even disappointing resolutions. Sometimes, criminals avoided justice or escaped, at least on the radio version of Dragnet. In 1950, Time quoted Webb: "We don’t even try to prove that crime doesn’t pay ... sometimes it does" (Dunning, 210)
Specialized terminology was mentioned in every episode, but was rarely explained. Webb trusted the audience to determine the meanings of words or terms by their context, and furthermore, Dragnet tried to avoid the kinds of awkward, lengthy exposition that people wouldn’t actually use in daily speech. Several specialized terms (such as "A.P.B." for "All Points Bulletin" and "M.O." for "Modus Operandi") were rarely used in popular culture before Dragnet introduced them to everyday America.
While most radio shows used one or two sound effects experts, Dragnet needed five; a script clocking in at just under 30 minutes could require up to 300 separate effects. Accuracy was underlined: The exact number of footsteps from one room to another at Los Angeles police headquarters were imitated, and when a telephone rang at Friday’s desk, the listener heard the same ring as the telephones in Los Angeles police headquarters. A single minute of "A Gun For Christmas" is a representative example of the evocative sound effects featured on "Dragnet". While Friday and others investigate bloodstains in a suburban backyard, the listener hears a series of overlapping effects: a squeaking gate hinge, footsteps, a technician scraping blood into a paper envelope, the glassy chime of chemical vials, bird calls and a dog barking in the distance.
Scripts tackled a number of topics, ranging from the thrilling (murders, missing persons and armed robbery) to the mundane (check fraud and shoplifting), yet "Dragnet" made them all interesting due to fast-moving plots and behind-the-scenes realism. In "The Garbage Chute" (15 December 1949), they even had a locked room mystery.
Though rather tame by modern standards, Dragnet--especially on the radio--handled controversial subjects such as sex crimes and drug addiction with unprecedented and even startling realism. Dragnet broke one of the unspoken (and still rarely broached) taboos of popular entertainment when a young child was killed in "A Gun For Christmas" (aired December 21, 1950). The episode followed the search for eight-year-old Stevie Morheim, only to discover he’d been accidentally killed by his best friend while they played with a rifle his friend had received as a Christmas gift. Thousands of letters were mailed to NBC in complaint, including a formal protest by the National Rifle Association. Webb forwarded many of the letters to police chief Parker who promised "ten more shows illustrating the folly of giving rifles to children." (Dunning, 211) "Big Betty" (November 23, 1950) dealt with young women who, rather than finding Hollywood stardom, fall in with fraudulent talent scouts and end up in pornography and prostitution.
The tone was usually serious, but there were moments of comic relief: Romero was something of a hypochondriac and often seemed henpecked; though Friday dated women, he usually dodged those who tried to set him up with marriage-minded dates.
Due in part to Webb’s fondness for radio drama, Dragnet persisted on radio until 1957 as one of the last old time radio shows to give way to television’s increasing popularity. In fact, the TV show would prove to be effectively a visual version of the radio show, as the style was virtually the same. The TV show could be listened to without watching it, with no loss of understanding of the storyline.
source:Wikipedia
(click on the title link or on the radio located in the side bar to go to my station page)
Later,
Kenaz
Actor and producer Jack Webb’s aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting. He achieved both goals, and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media.
The show's cultural impact is demonstrated by the fact that even after five decades, elements of Dragnet are known to those who've never seen or heard the program:
The ominous, four-note introduction to the brass and tympani theme music (titled "Danger Ahead") is instantly recognizable (though its origins date back to Miklós Rózsa's score for the 1946 film version of The Killers).
Another Dragnet trademark is the show's opening narration: "Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent." This underwent minor revisions over time. The "only" and "ladies and gentlemen" were dropped at some point, and for the television version "hear" was changed to "see". Variations on this narration have been featured in many subsequent crime dramas, and in satires of these dramas. On radio, Dragnet ran from June 3, 1949 to February 26, 1957.
Dragnet was created and produced by Jack Webb, who starred as the terse Sgt. Friday. Webb had starred in a few mostly short-lived radio programs, but Dragnet would make him one of the major media personalities of his era.
Dragnet had its origins in Webb’s small role as a police forensic scientist in the 1948 film, He Walked by Night, inspired by the actual murder of a police officer in Los Angeles. The film was depicted in semidocumentary style, and Marty Wynn (an LAPD sergeant) was a technical advisor on the film. Webb and Wynn became friends, and both thought that the day-to-day activities of police officers could be realistically depicted, and could make for compelling drama without the forced sense of melodrama then so common in radio programming. Webb frequently visited police headquarters, drove with police patrols, and attended police academy courses to learn authentic jargon and other details that could be featured in a radio program. When he proposed Dragnet to NBC officials, they were not especially impressed; radio was aswarm with private investigators and crime dramas, such as Webb’s earlier Pat Novak for Hire. That program didn’t last long, but Webb had received high marks for his role as the titular private investigator, and NBC agreed to a limited run for Dragnet.
With writer James E. Moser, Webb prepared an audition recording, then sought the LAPD’s endorsement; he wanted to use cases from official files in order to demonstrate the steps taken by police officers during investigations. The official response was initially lukewarm, in 1950 LAPD Chief William H. Parker offered Webb the endorsement he sought. Police wanted control over the program’s sponsor, and insisted that police not be depicted unflatteringly. This would lead to some criticism, as LAPD racial segregation policies were never addressed, nor was there a suggestion of police corruption.
Dragnet debuted inauspiciously. The first several months were bumpy, as Webb and company worked out the program’s format and eventually became comfortable with their characters (Friday was originally portrayed as more brash and forceful than his later usually relaxed demeanor). Gradually, Friday’s deadpan, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop's cop, tough but not hard, conservative but caring." (Dunning, 210) Friday’s first partner was Sgt. Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a longtime radio actor. When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio’s top-rated shows.
Webb insisted on realism in every aspect of the show. The dialogue was clipped, understated and sparse, influenced by the hard boiled school of crime fiction. Scripts were fast moving but didn’t seem rushed. Every aspect of police work was chronicled, step by step: From patrols and paperwork, to crime scene investigation, lab work and questioning witnesses or suspects. The detectives’ personal lives were mentioned, but rarely took center stage. (Friday was a bachelor who lived with his mother; Romero was an ever-fretful husband and father) "Underplaying is still acting," Webb told Time. "We try to make it as real as a guy pouring a cup of coffee.” (Dunning, 209) Los Angeles police chiefs C.B. Horrall and (later) William H. Parker were credited as consultants, and many police officers were fans.
Webb was a stickler for accurate details, and Dragnet used many authentic touches, such as the LAPD's actual radio call sign (KMA-367), and the names of many real department officials, such as Ray Pinker and Lee Jones of the crime lab or Chief of Detectives Thad Brown.
Episodes began with an announcer describing the basic premise of the show. "Big Saint" (April 26, 1951) for example, begins with, "You're a Detective Sergeant, you're assigned to auto theft detail. A well organized ring of car thieves begins operations in your city. It's one of the most puzzling cases you've ever encountered. Your job: break it."
Friday offered voice-over narration throughout the episodes, noting the time, date and place of every scene as he and his partners went through their day investigating the crime. The events related in a given episode might occur in a few hours, or might span a few months. At least one episode unfolded in real time: in "City Hall Bombing" (July 21, 1949), Friday and Romero had less than 30 minutes to stop a man who was threatening to destroy the City Hall with a bomb.
At the end of the episode, the announcer (George Fenneman) would relate the fate of the suspect. They were usually convicted of a crime and sent to "the State Penitentiary, San Quentin or Folsom" , a state mental hospital, but other occasions the cases had ambiguous, unusual or even disappointing resolutions. Sometimes, criminals avoided justice or escaped, at least on the radio version of Dragnet. In 1950, Time quoted Webb: "We don’t even try to prove that crime doesn’t pay ... sometimes it does" (Dunning, 210)
Specialized terminology was mentioned in every episode, but was rarely explained. Webb trusted the audience to determine the meanings of words or terms by their context, and furthermore, Dragnet tried to avoid the kinds of awkward, lengthy exposition that people wouldn’t actually use in daily speech. Several specialized terms (such as "A.P.B." for "All Points Bulletin" and "M.O." for "Modus Operandi") were rarely used in popular culture before Dragnet introduced them to everyday America.
While most radio shows used one or two sound effects experts, Dragnet needed five; a script clocking in at just under 30 minutes could require up to 300 separate effects. Accuracy was underlined: The exact number of footsteps from one room to another at Los Angeles police headquarters were imitated, and when a telephone rang at Friday’s desk, the listener heard the same ring as the telephones in Los Angeles police headquarters. A single minute of "A Gun For Christmas" is a representative example of the evocative sound effects featured on "Dragnet". While Friday and others investigate bloodstains in a suburban backyard, the listener hears a series of overlapping effects: a squeaking gate hinge, footsteps, a technician scraping blood into a paper envelope, the glassy chime of chemical vials, bird calls and a dog barking in the distance.
Scripts tackled a number of topics, ranging from the thrilling (murders, missing persons and armed robbery) to the mundane (check fraud and shoplifting), yet "Dragnet" made them all interesting due to fast-moving plots and behind-the-scenes realism. In "The Garbage Chute" (15 December 1949), they even had a locked room mystery.
Though rather tame by modern standards, Dragnet--especially on the radio--handled controversial subjects such as sex crimes and drug addiction with unprecedented and even startling realism. Dragnet broke one of the unspoken (and still rarely broached) taboos of popular entertainment when a young child was killed in "A Gun For Christmas" (aired December 21, 1950). The episode followed the search for eight-year-old Stevie Morheim, only to discover he’d been accidentally killed by his best friend while they played with a rifle his friend had received as a Christmas gift. Thousands of letters were mailed to NBC in complaint, including a formal protest by the National Rifle Association. Webb forwarded many of the letters to police chief Parker who promised "ten more shows illustrating the folly of giving rifles to children." (Dunning, 211) "Big Betty" (November 23, 1950) dealt with young women who, rather than finding Hollywood stardom, fall in with fraudulent talent scouts and end up in pornography and prostitution.
The tone was usually serious, but there were moments of comic relief: Romero was something of a hypochondriac and often seemed henpecked; though Friday dated women, he usually dodged those who tried to set him up with marriage-minded dates.
Due in part to Webb’s fondness for radio drama, Dragnet persisted on radio until 1957 as one of the last old time radio shows to give way to television’s increasing popularity. In fact, the TV show would prove to be effectively a visual version of the radio show, as the style was virtually the same. The TV show could be listened to without watching it, with no loss of understanding of the storyline.
source:Wikipedia
(click on the title link or on the radio located in the side bar to go to my station page)
Later,
Kenaz
Friday, January 19, 2007
Storm of confused thoughts leads to a flow from the mouth
I would like you to read the following about the 'big' storm that hit Hamilton back on December first.
Did Councillor Ferguson and Carrie Le Roy; writer of this piece of over exaggeration; lose their senses? I had to think back to what storm they where talking about. That "fateful" December day, was definitely nothing close to what the story tells. I went to work that Friday like any day, and not once was I concerned with a little rain. The bus home didn't need to navigate it's way through any sea of flood water, no persons or animals where forced from their homes. I live in an old home and even a little heavy rain causes the tool room to flood. That night nada!
So where does Mr. Ferguson get off using such a careless metaphor, he should be ashamed of comparing 66 mm of rain to what they experienced in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and does The Spectator need a proof reader so that this kind of quote never makes print, maybe?
At least 1,300 people died in New Orleans. About 6,600 people, including 1,300 children, are still missing. At the worst in Hamilton, some homes would have sustained damage -- certainly upsetting and costly, but compared to thousands missing and dead? I think not. Shame Mr. Ferguson, I hope this kind of slip never happens again.
Later,
Kenaz
Pounding December rains pushed Hamilton dangerously close to a devastating flood that would have overwhelmed up to 3,000 waterfront properties. Officials were so worried about the rising waters they also took emergency precautions to protect the downtown. It could have been the "New Orleans of the North," Councillor Lloyd Ferguson declared yesterday as staff outlined how close the city came to a disaster Dec. 1. The Woodward Avenue water treatment plant ran at its highest level ever during the storm that dumped up to 66 millimetres in parts of the city. It was the first time the plant was forced to use all eight of its pumps.
"Staff work avoided a potential catastrophe," said Jim Harnum, director of water and waste water. Workers reinforced portions of the operation to prevent a sewage leak that could have shorted out the entire system. That would have flooded downtown Hamilton.
Did Councillor Ferguson and Carrie Le Roy; writer of this piece of over exaggeration; lose their senses? I had to think back to what storm they where talking about. That "fateful" December day, was definitely nothing close to what the story tells. I went to work that Friday like any day, and not once was I concerned with a little rain. The bus home didn't need to navigate it's way through any sea of flood water, no persons or animals where forced from their homes. I live in an old home and even a little heavy rain causes the tool room to flood. That night nada!
So where does Mr. Ferguson get off using such a careless metaphor, he should be ashamed of comparing 66 mm of rain to what they experienced in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and does The Spectator need a proof reader so that this kind of quote never makes print, maybe?
At least 1,300 people died in New Orleans. About 6,600 people, including 1,300 children, are still missing. At the worst in Hamilton, some homes would have sustained damage -- certainly upsetting and costly, but compared to thousands missing and dead? I think not. Shame Mr. Ferguson, I hope this kind of slip never happens again.
Later,
Kenaz
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Saying Goodbye to a Hamilton Ledgend
Bill Sturrup was Mr. Hamilton. As a reporter, he was everywhere. He was the voice of CHML, the Ticats, Bulldogs and others. His legacy will echoes on. Anyone who has attended a Bulldogs game can atest to the sheer excitement his voice drummed up when he belted out the trademark Hamilton BUULLL-dogs call that shook the walls of Copps Coliseum every time the team hit the ice. Bill Sturrup passed away Tuesday morning after a bout with cancer.
Full story,
Hamilton Spectator
Later,
Kenaz
Full story,
Hamilton Spectator
Later,
Kenaz
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
The Tao of Pooh
Hoff uses the British children's story Winne-the-Pooh to explain the concepts of Taoism. It's a simple and effective approach.
Pooh is a small bear whose one love in life is eating honey. Pooh is not cleaver but, rather, bumbles along in the stories arriving at the answer to riddles or problems without meaning to or through little effort or, even, without knowing he has arrived at the answer. He is contrasted with a self-proclaimed purveyor of knowledge, the owl, and a busy body rabbit as well as other animals of the 100 acre wood.
Hoff sets up his thesis of Pooh as Taoist master by first introducing the reader to a few background principles of the religion. He tells of a painting called "The Vinegar Tasters" with three men who have tasted a particular vinegar. The first is un-bending Confucius and he finds the vinegar sour. For him, life was ruled by rituals and reverence for ancestors; hence, the sour vinegar. The second taster is dreamer Buddha and, for him, the vinegar is bitter. He sees life as filled with attachments and desires for this world which lead to suffering and pain. Only by escaping these desires and attachments (thereby escaping this world completely through nirvana) may a person cease the suffering. The last vinegar taster was realist Lao-tse, the founder of Taoism. He is laughing as he finds heaven to exist on earth.
As Pooh as the perfect Taoist, Hoff explains the concept of the "uncarved block" (called "P'u" in Taoism). Hoff states the concept as follows:
The essence of the principle of the Uncarved Block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.
Pooh is able to accomplish what he does because he is simpleminded. As any old Taoist walking out of the woods can tell you, simple-minded does not necessarily mean stupid.
Hoff then quotes the Tao Te Ching: "The wise are not learned; the learned are not wise." This is so because the learned individual is restricted by his own learning.
Simply, using the character Owl from Winnie-The-Pooh as an example of a learned individual who lacks wisdom. In the story, Owl's knowledge and education never assist the characters in performing the task at hand. Time and again, it is Pooh's way (simple, slow paced approach) that wins the day.
I believe the point is to Know one's self leads to believing in one's self which leads to self-reliance. To emphasis the point, Hoff reminds us of the story of the Ugly Duckling who later turns into a swan. The duckling had already turned into a swan but still suffered with low self-esteem. It was not until the swan looked at her reflection in the water that she realized who she really was (i.e., saw her true inner self, an inner self that is hidden in us all).
The next principle presented is Wu Wei. Meaning, "without doing, causing, or making." This is exemplified by how Pooh goes about life. Pooh operates on the simple principle of minimal effort and working within his limitations.
These are the main points of the book. The book reinforced the ideas that I had, that being that we don't need to shift our responsibilities onto the shoulders of some deified Spiritual Superman, or sit around and wait for Fate to come knocking at the door. We simply need to believe in the power that's within us, and use it.
Loa-tse wrote: "To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day." All things come from Nothing. This empty-mindedness (or clear-mindedness). The best example of this concept is a small child who's mind is free of prejudice and judgement.
Later,
Kenaz
Pooh is a small bear whose one love in life is eating honey. Pooh is not cleaver but, rather, bumbles along in the stories arriving at the answer to riddles or problems without meaning to or through little effort or, even, without knowing he has arrived at the answer. He is contrasted with a self-proclaimed purveyor of knowledge, the owl, and a busy body rabbit as well as other animals of the 100 acre wood.
Hoff sets up his thesis of Pooh as Taoist master by first introducing the reader to a few background principles of the religion. He tells of a painting called "The Vinegar Tasters" with three men who have tasted a particular vinegar. The first is un-bending Confucius and he finds the vinegar sour. For him, life was ruled by rituals and reverence for ancestors; hence, the sour vinegar. The second taster is dreamer Buddha and, for him, the vinegar is bitter. He sees life as filled with attachments and desires for this world which lead to suffering and pain. Only by escaping these desires and attachments (thereby escaping this world completely through nirvana) may a person cease the suffering. The last vinegar taster was realist Lao-tse, the founder of Taoism. He is laughing as he finds heaven to exist on earth.
As Pooh as the perfect Taoist, Hoff explains the concept of the "uncarved block" (called "P'u" in Taoism). Hoff states the concept as follows:
The essence of the principle of the Uncarved Block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.
Pooh is able to accomplish what he does because he is simpleminded. As any old Taoist walking out of the woods can tell you, simple-minded does not necessarily mean stupid.
Hoff then quotes the Tao Te Ching: "The wise are not learned; the learned are not wise." This is so because the learned individual is restricted by his own learning.
Simply, using the character Owl from Winnie-The-Pooh as an example of a learned individual who lacks wisdom. In the story, Owl's knowledge and education never assist the characters in performing the task at hand. Time and again, it is Pooh's way (simple, slow paced approach) that wins the day.
I believe the point is to Know one's self leads to believing in one's self which leads to self-reliance. To emphasis the point, Hoff reminds us of the story of the Ugly Duckling who later turns into a swan. The duckling had already turned into a swan but still suffered with low self-esteem. It was not until the swan looked at her reflection in the water that she realized who she really was (i.e., saw her true inner self, an inner self that is hidden in us all).
The next principle presented is Wu Wei. Meaning, "without doing, causing, or making." This is exemplified by how Pooh goes about life. Pooh operates on the simple principle of minimal effort and working within his limitations.
The Wu Wei principle can be understood by striking at a piece of cork floating in water. The harder you hit it, the more it yields: the more it yields, the harder it bounces back. Without expending energy, the cork can easily wear you out.
These are the main points of the book. The book reinforced the ideas that I had, that being that we don't need to shift our responsibilities onto the shoulders of some deified Spiritual Superman, or sit around and wait for Fate to come knocking at the door. We simply need to believe in the power that's within us, and use it.
One of the most important concepts in Taoism is compassion ("Tz'u"). From it comes courage and, without it, one cannot achieve wisdom.
Loa-tse wrote: "To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day." All things come from Nothing. This empty-mindedness (or clear-mindedness). The best example of this concept is a small child who's mind is free of prejudice and judgement.
On his way back from K'un-lun Mountains, the Yellow Emperor lost the dark pearl of Tao. He sent Knowledge to find it, but Knowledge was unable to understand it. He sent Distant Vision, but Distant Vision was unable to see it. He sent Eloquence, but Eloquence was unable to describe it. Finally, he sent Empty Mind, and Empty Mind came back with the pearl...Chuang-tse
Later,
Kenaz
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Cottleston Pie
"The Tao of Pooh" is a new incarnation of Lao-Tsu, the ancient Chinese sage from whom Taoism first arose. Benjamin Hoff's tells of the teachings of the Toa in a fun and enjoyable manner. Each principle is explored through the eyes of the lovable characters of A.A Milne. Hoff's book makes it quite clear: "Eeyore frets, and Piglet hesitates, and Rabbit calculates, and Owl pontificates. Pooh just is." Pooh doesn't fret or hesitate or calculate or pontificate: He is blessed with an indefinable something, a grace that gets him past all the anxiety-driven craziness of those about him. he doesn't think very far ahead, maybe not beyond breakfast. He redeems every situation. He lives in the present. He goes for the sweet stuff, the honey. Blessed are those who go and do likewise.
Pooh's nonsense songs are songs of uncommon sense, though it may seem hard to get at, like the honey in the very bottom of the honey pot. In "Cottleston Pie" Benjamin Hoff gives us a "Tao of Pooh" interpretation of the three riddles in the song. May I remind you how it goes?
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly.
Ask me a riddle and I reply ...
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
A fish can't whistle and neither can I,
Ask me a riddle and I reply ...
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
Why does a chicken, I don't know why.
Ask me a riddle and I reply,
Cottleston, Cottleston, ..."
you know what.
First riddle: "A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly." Nonsense or uncommon sense? People are forever striving to be what they are not because they ignore "the clear reality of Things As They Are." The Cottleston Pie Principle says: Know your Inner Nature. Do not be alienated from yourself, forever in tension, trying to make yourself into something you are not. Accept that you are acceptable at the deepest level of your being. Come as you are. Cherish your integrity. Be attentive to your spiritual life. Seek your center, the place where your freedom resides. Take time, at regular intervals, to relax into yourself and appreciate your Inner Nature.
As yourself, when you need reminding, How could I ever have not known that "a fly can't bird but a bird can fly"? Let yourself laugh at yourself sometimes. And you'll begin to enjoy other people more, too. You'll know that they have Inner Natures of their own, and you'll enjoy the differences between you rather than being distressed by them. Let go of control sometimes. Rather than joining in Rabbit's clever scheme to drive Kanga and Roo out of the forest because they are different, you'll join in creating a community of mutual respect and enjoyment -- and compassion for the thorn-pierced foot.
Second riddle: "A fish can't whistle and neither can I." According to Benjamin Hoff, "Coming from a wise mind, such a statement would mean, 'I have certain limitations, and I know what they are.' ... There's nothing wrong with not being able to whistle, especially if you are a fish. But much is wrong with blindly trying to do what you aren't designed for."
In "Winnie the Pooh," Tigger and Roo are walking through the forest one morning and Tigger is talking about all the things Tiggers can do: " 'Can they fly?' asked Roo. 'Yes,' said Tigger, 'they're very good fliers, Tiggers are, 'stronry good flyers.' 'Oo!' said Roo. 'Can they fly as well as Owl?' 'Yes,' said Tigger. 'Only they don't want to.' " A little later, Christopher Robin and his friends have to rescue Tigger from the limb of a tree onto which he has climbed, letting him drop into a blanket, ker-plop!
Maybe you have known people like that. Or maybe you've had to be rescued from a limb or two you've climbed out on yourself. People who care will cushion your fall. Here's another way the personal side of life is linked to the community: We are forever bumping up against our limitations in unexpected ways; but with the caring concern of others, we can learn from these bumps. Knowing that "a fish can't whistle and neither can I" does not deny the possibility of learning and growth; owning your limitations is the basis of spiritual learning and growth.
Pooh's third Cottleston Pie riddle asks: "Why does a chicken, I don't know why." Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side. Why does he want to get to the other side, or wherever a chicken might want to go? We don't know, and I suppose the chicken doesn't fully understand it, either. Instinct is the scientific-sounding answer; but appeal to instinct really means: We don't know, and probably nobody else does, either. We could as well say: The chicken is acting in accord with its Inner Nature and its Limitations. But then we'd need to add: Even these do not determine what it will do, for the chicken does what it wants to do, we know not why. In the end it is unlimited, at liberty. And so are we who live within the Unlimited, a reality that is mysterious and transcends us absolutely. Lao-Tsu calls it the Tao. The freedom to choose what we will do and what we would become is our clearest link to ultimate reality.
Pooh's nonsense songs are songs of uncommon sense, though it may seem hard to get at, like the honey in the very bottom of the honey pot. In "Cottleston Pie" Benjamin Hoff gives us a "Tao of Pooh" interpretation of the three riddles in the song. May I remind you how it goes?
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly.
Ask me a riddle and I reply ...
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
A fish can't whistle and neither can I,
Ask me a riddle and I reply ...
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
Why does a chicken, I don't know why.
Ask me a riddle and I reply,
Cottleston, Cottleston, ..."
you know what.
First riddle: "A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly." Nonsense or uncommon sense? People are forever striving to be what they are not because they ignore "the clear reality of Things As They Are." The Cottleston Pie Principle says: Know your Inner Nature. Do not be alienated from yourself, forever in tension, trying to make yourself into something you are not. Accept that you are acceptable at the deepest level of your being. Come as you are. Cherish your integrity. Be attentive to your spiritual life. Seek your center, the place where your freedom resides. Take time, at regular intervals, to relax into yourself and appreciate your Inner Nature.
As yourself, when you need reminding, How could I ever have not known that "a fly can't bird but a bird can fly"? Let yourself laugh at yourself sometimes. And you'll begin to enjoy other people more, too. You'll know that they have Inner Natures of their own, and you'll enjoy the differences between you rather than being distressed by them. Let go of control sometimes. Rather than joining in Rabbit's clever scheme to drive Kanga and Roo out of the forest because they are different, you'll join in creating a community of mutual respect and enjoyment -- and compassion for the thorn-pierced foot.
Second riddle: "A fish can't whistle and neither can I." According to Benjamin Hoff, "Coming from a wise mind, such a statement would mean, 'I have certain limitations, and I know what they are.' ... There's nothing wrong with not being able to whistle, especially if you are a fish. But much is wrong with blindly trying to do what you aren't designed for."
In "Winnie the Pooh," Tigger and Roo are walking through the forest one morning and Tigger is talking about all the things Tiggers can do: " 'Can they fly?' asked Roo. 'Yes,' said Tigger, 'they're very good fliers, Tiggers are, 'stronry good flyers.' 'Oo!' said Roo. 'Can they fly as well as Owl?' 'Yes,' said Tigger. 'Only they don't want to.' " A little later, Christopher Robin and his friends have to rescue Tigger from the limb of a tree onto which he has climbed, letting him drop into a blanket, ker-plop!
Maybe you have known people like that. Or maybe you've had to be rescued from a limb or two you've climbed out on yourself. People who care will cushion your fall. Here's another way the personal side of life is linked to the community: We are forever bumping up against our limitations in unexpected ways; but with the caring concern of others, we can learn from these bumps. Knowing that "a fish can't whistle and neither can I" does not deny the possibility of learning and growth; owning your limitations is the basis of spiritual learning and growth.
Pooh's third Cottleston Pie riddle asks: "Why does a chicken, I don't know why." Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side. Why does he want to get to the other side, or wherever a chicken might want to go? We don't know, and I suppose the chicken doesn't fully understand it, either. Instinct is the scientific-sounding answer; but appeal to instinct really means: We don't know, and probably nobody else does, either. We could as well say: The chicken is acting in accord with its Inner Nature and its Limitations. But then we'd need to add: Even these do not determine what it will do, for the chicken does what it wants to do, we know not why. In the end it is unlimited, at liberty. And so are we who live within the Unlimited, a reality that is mysterious and transcends us absolutely. Lao-Tsu calls it the Tao. The freedom to choose what we will do and what we would become is our clearest link to ultimate reality.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
A step closer towards closure for Matthew Daly
Edin Hodzic, 24, was the last of five Hamilton men to be tried for first-degree murder in the death of Matthew Daly on May 19, 2001. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his role in the beating death, thus avoiding a long trial and the risk of a conviction for first- or second-degree murder.
On Dec. 14, a jury convicted Fadil (Neil) Mujku, 23, Vuthy Chak, 23, and Sam Nop, 24, of second-degree murder and Stephen Papadopoulos, 26, of manslaughter in Daly's death. They will be sentenced Jan. 29.
During the trial of his four accomplices, Erin Keller testified she was walking home from the graduation party with her boyfriend Daly, 19, about 3 a.m., May 19, 2001, when they heard somebody running up behind them on Woodland Park Drive in Burlington. She glanced back at a tallish "Italian-looking" man whom the Crown suggested matched Hodzic's description. He stopped briefly after making eye contact with her. Moments later, the stranger crashed into them from behind and forced their hands to break apart. He then grabbed Daly in a kind of headlock and dragged him across the street to a lawn where he was attacked by four other men and left unconscious.
After being arrested and charged on Oct. 10, 2001, Hodzic spent more than 4 1/2 years in jail awaiting his trial until he was released on bail in May 2006. By that time, the court had agreed to sever his case from the other four. He was called to testify against the other four men but refused and was cited for contempt and has been in custody since. He will be sentenced Feb. 12.
Later,
Kenaz
On Dec. 14, a jury convicted Fadil (Neil) Mujku, 23, Vuthy Chak, 23, and Sam Nop, 24, of second-degree murder and Stephen Papadopoulos, 26, of manslaughter in Daly's death. They will be sentenced Jan. 29.
During the trial of his four accomplices, Erin Keller testified she was walking home from the graduation party with her boyfriend Daly, 19, about 3 a.m., May 19, 2001, when they heard somebody running up behind them on Woodland Park Drive in Burlington. She glanced back at a tallish "Italian-looking" man whom the Crown suggested matched Hodzic's description. He stopped briefly after making eye contact with her. Moments later, the stranger crashed into them from behind and forced their hands to break apart. He then grabbed Daly in a kind of headlock and dragged him across the street to a lawn where he was attacked by four other men and left unconscious.
After being arrested and charged on Oct. 10, 2001, Hodzic spent more than 4 1/2 years in jail awaiting his trial until he was released on bail in May 2006. By that time, the court had agreed to sever his case from the other four. He was called to testify against the other four men but refused and was cited for contempt and has been in custody since. He will be sentenced Feb. 12.
Later,
Kenaz
Thursday, January 04, 2007
What's new in the New Year
This is the first time I've had all week to sit down and write, so I guess I better get to it. I spent a quiet New Years at home, a little wine and really enjoying seeing Dick Clark still showing young punks like Ryan Seacrest how its done. The throat cancer hasn't slowed the old fox that much. Keep going strong Dick. The rest of the show sucked, I don't care about Xtina and I wish Fergie would keep her London Bridge shut. I hate that song!
This weeks has been a mix bag really, for Christmas I bought my self EA Sports NHL 2007 for my PC. This is the only video game I can achieve some respectability at. In the past I've had some bad luck with with games on disk, I bought NHL 2005 at a "Cheepie" second hand place and the damn thing never worked, it would load and then freeze up my computer. On Christmas past I got NBA 2000 it worked until it was taken out by a crash caused by Windows ME (stop laughing, I know this was the worst Windows platform ever). I tried to reload the game the other day, but it must have gotten damaged. Damn! The only games I have that work are Duck Hunt and Who Wants to be a millionaire (Regis' annoying voice drove me insane). So I notice EA Sports has a program called EA Link in which you download a small program that allows you to download the game after you purchase it online. Great, I cough up my credit card(securely of course), start the first of three parts to the process. The 2.5GB took four hours and several restarts of the program to complete. Here's the fun part, the next step requires you to shut down all running programs, including all anti- virus programs and even your screen saver to give the program exclusive link to the internet. Of course they don't tell you that. After five times to complete the download, I get a rude popup saying that I've maxed out my attempts for the week! Did some digging through the EA forums and tech support(?) found out I needed to waite 48hours for my attempts count to reset. Fine, last night I shut everything down, gave EA big brother complete control of my PC and started part two and three, the actual install of the game. Crossed fingers and staying up until 6am I finally have the game installed. A little blurry eyed on afternoons at work, but feeling happy. Note to self, read the damn instructions first!
Watching the news Wednesday morning and I had to start laughing when I heard about the theft of the bronze statue from a park in Oakville. Christ, where do you get a few hundred pounds of metal melted down? A back alley foundry? Psst, hey buddy wanna buy a statue? Apparently it was that easy, nobody knew the statue was missing for three days! Good news is, they found the head. I've never shyed away from a cheap pun so here goes, I guess the crooks couldn't get a head in life.
Some other good news in Hockey, it was nice see Stevie Y's number retired in Detroit. Total class act and humble almost to the point of annoying. The Canadian Juniors keeping rolling, defeating the U.S 2-1 in a shootout. Carey Price will have to keep standing on his head in the net as the kids head into the gold metal game.
Finally, did someone cross a Golden retriever with the DNA of B.T Barnum and get Donald Trump? The "Donald" is a modern equivalent to the best snake oil salesman of all time. Yes he is smart, ruthless and could sell you your own watch. What he spent and made on building his empire, he could have included a personality in the deal. He shows he has no class, by continuing to carry on like a child, hurling fat jokes at Rosie O'Donnell. For the fourth time yesterday he went on a talk show and unloaded his useless name calling and then tossed in the my buddy(Barbara Walters) thinks so too. Donny sure looked stupid when his friend said publicly that she never regretted hiring Rosie and backed up the point with the Time article called The Views newest host, the "Best hiring of the Year". I think the "King of Bling" has his weave in too tight and it effecting his judgment. If he's just trying to drum up interest in the next installment of his reality show, starting on Sunday, this stupid stunt could backfire.
Later,
Kenaz
This weeks has been a mix bag really, for Christmas I bought my self EA Sports NHL 2007 for my PC. This is the only video game I can achieve some respectability at. In the past I've had some bad luck with with games on disk, I bought NHL 2005 at a "Cheepie" second hand place and the damn thing never worked, it would load and then freeze up my computer. On Christmas past I got NBA 2000 it worked until it was taken out by a crash caused by Windows ME (stop laughing, I know this was the worst Windows platform ever). I tried to reload the game the other day, but it must have gotten damaged. Damn! The only games I have that work are Duck Hunt and Who Wants to be a millionaire (Regis' annoying voice drove me insane). So I notice EA Sports has a program called EA Link in which you download a small program that allows you to download the game after you purchase it online. Great, I cough up my credit card(securely of course), start the first of three parts to the process. The 2.5GB took four hours and several restarts of the program to complete. Here's the fun part, the next step requires you to shut down all running programs, including all anti- virus programs and even your screen saver to give the program exclusive link to the internet. Of course they don't tell you that. After five times to complete the download, I get a rude popup saying that I've maxed out my attempts for the week! Did some digging through the EA forums and tech support(?) found out I needed to waite 48hours for my attempts count to reset. Fine, last night I shut everything down, gave EA big brother complete control of my PC and started part two and three, the actual install of the game. Crossed fingers and staying up until 6am I finally have the game installed. A little blurry eyed on afternoons at work, but feeling happy. Note to self, read the damn instructions first!
Watching the news Wednesday morning and I had to start laughing when I heard about the theft of the bronze statue from a park in Oakville. Christ, where do you get a few hundred pounds of metal melted down? A back alley foundry? Psst, hey buddy wanna buy a statue? Apparently it was that easy, nobody knew the statue was missing for three days! Good news is, they found the head. I've never shyed away from a cheap pun so here goes, I guess the crooks couldn't get a head in life.
Some other good news in Hockey, it was nice see Stevie Y's number retired in Detroit. Total class act and humble almost to the point of annoying. The Canadian Juniors keeping rolling, defeating the U.S 2-1 in a shootout. Carey Price will have to keep standing on his head in the net as the kids head into the gold metal game.
Finally, did someone cross a Golden retriever with the DNA of B.T Barnum and get Donald Trump? The "Donald" is a modern equivalent to the best snake oil salesman of all time. Yes he is smart, ruthless and could sell you your own watch. What he spent and made on building his empire, he could have included a personality in the deal. He shows he has no class, by continuing to carry on like a child, hurling fat jokes at Rosie O'Donnell. For the fourth time yesterday he went on a talk show and unloaded his useless name calling and then tossed in the my buddy(Barbara Walters) thinks so too. Donny sure looked stupid when his friend said publicly that she never regretted hiring Rosie and backed up the point with the Time article called The Views newest host, the "Best hiring of the Year". I think the "King of Bling" has his weave in too tight and it effecting his judgment. If he's just trying to drum up interest in the next installment of his reality show, starting on Sunday, this stupid stunt could backfire.
Later,
Kenaz
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Second Annual Kenaz Awards
The awards for those who made the headlines in 2006 in the spirit of this site. The nominees where taken from the many posts I made this year and cover local, canadian and international persons that made headlines.
Welcome to the second annual "Kenaz Awards". Still no glitz, no glamour, no expensive bling. Just a cold beer and some cheese to celebrate the stories that made you cheer,jeer,get angry,cry or say 'Good lord!".
Missed The Boat Award
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Celebration for Democracy comes early
The world and the people of a fledgling democracy where given an early New Years gift yesterday when dictator and convicted mass murderer Saddam Hussein was marched to the gallows and hanged at approximately 10 p.m. last night.
Saddam was executed for crimes against humanity -- particularly for the mass murder, torture and imprisonment of residents from Dujail after his motorcade was fired upon during 1982.
congratulations again to Iraqi leaders, long eager to dispense with Saddam and the trials that have given him a platform before the world, seemed intent yesterday on ending his life as quickly as was legally possible after his conviction in November. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said the preservation of human rights required Saddam's execution after his final appeal was rejected Tuesday.
The location of the gallows was not disclosed.
This quote from one of thousands of former victims of Saddam's brutal regime sums up the tide of relief that awashes the community. Apparently Lionel Richie was a favourite of Saddam. How ironic, I can almost hear the chorus of "Celebration" emanating from every Iraqi home.
Later,
Kenaz
Saddam was executed for crimes against humanity -- particularly for the mass murder, torture and imprisonment of residents from Dujail after his motorcade was fired upon during 1982.
congratulations again to Iraqi leaders, long eager to dispense with Saddam and the trials that have given him a platform before the world, seemed intent yesterday on ending his life as quickly as was legally possible after his conviction in November. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said the preservation of human rights required Saddam's execution after his final appeal was rejected Tuesday.
The location of the gallows was not disclosed.
"We are happy he has been killed. He put fear into everyone. We had to have a picture of him hanging in the house and, if you were caught without the picture, you didn't know what was coming to you."
This quote from one of thousands of former victims of Saddam's brutal regime sums up the tide of relief that awashes the community. Apparently Lionel Richie was a favourite of Saddam. How ironic, I can almost hear the chorus of "Celebration" emanating from every Iraqi home.
Later,
Kenaz
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Ripped from the headlines
Well, another Christmas is in the books and it's back to work tomorrow. I hope everyone had a great hollidays. I'm looking forward to a great 2007. I offer today a series of highlights from the world of news, sports and entertainment. As well as the links to the full story.
Saddam could hang next month.
Iraq’s highest appeals court upheld the death sentence for Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s national security adviser said Tuesday.
"The appeals court approved the verdict to hang Saddam," the official, Mouwafak al-Rubaie, told The Associated Press.
On Nov. 5, an Iraqi court sentenced Saddam to the gallows for the 1982 killings of 148 people in a single Shiite town after an attempt on his life there.
The decision of the appeals court must be ratified by President Jalal Talabani and Iraq’s two vice-presidents. Talabani opposes the death penalty but has, in the past, deputized a vice-president to sign an execution order on his behalf, a substitute that has been legally accepted.
Once those steps have been taken, Saddam and the others would be hanged within 30 days.
more...
Bedard makes court appearance
Canadian athlete Myriam Bedard made a brief court appearance on child abduction charges Tuesday and was remanded back in custody until Friday.
The Olympic gold medallist, who faces extradition to Canada on charges of abducting her 12-year-old daughter, was sent back to the detention centre where she has been held since the weekend.
Friday's hearing will determine whether Bedard should remain in custody until her extradition hearing. more...
Canadian kids start their quest for gold with a shutout
Goaltender Carey Price stopped 31 shots for the shutout in Canada's 2-0 win over host Sweden to open the world junior hockey championship Tuesday.
Price extended the country's shutout streak at this tournament to 211 minutes 50 seconds, as Canada hasn't give up a goal since its final round-robin game of the 2006 world junior tournament in Vancouver.
more...
Two major upsets at the juniors
The world junior hockey championship opened with major upsets Tuesday as Germany defeated the U.S. 2-1 in overtime and Belarus edged Finland 4-3.
more...
Saying goodbye to 'King' James
The James Brown statue on Broad Street, his hometown, was draped in an American flag and a red scarf as several dozen people gathered Tuesday to pay their respects to the late singer.
Flowers were left at the base of the statue in tribute to Brown, who died Monday in Atlanta. He was 73.
more...
Ripped from the back pages, "STFU!"
The way Kirsten Norman tells it, the vanity license plates on her Volkswagen Jetta were meant as a tribute to a friend who died from cancer. The Commonwealth of Virginia, however, had a different interpretation of "STFU-PLS." Acting on a September e-mail complaint that the acronym stood for "Shut The Fuck Up Please," more...
Later,
Kenaz
Saddam could hang next month.
Iraq’s highest appeals court upheld the death sentence for Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s national security adviser said Tuesday.
"The appeals court approved the verdict to hang Saddam," the official, Mouwafak al-Rubaie, told The Associated Press.
On Nov. 5, an Iraqi court sentenced Saddam to the gallows for the 1982 killings of 148 people in a single Shiite town after an attempt on his life there.
The decision of the appeals court must be ratified by President Jalal Talabani and Iraq’s two vice-presidents. Talabani opposes the death penalty but has, in the past, deputized a vice-president to sign an execution order on his behalf, a substitute that has been legally accepted.
Once those steps have been taken, Saddam and the others would be hanged within 30 days.
more...
Bedard makes court appearance
Canadian athlete Myriam Bedard made a brief court appearance on child abduction charges Tuesday and was remanded back in custody until Friday.
The Olympic gold medallist, who faces extradition to Canada on charges of abducting her 12-year-old daughter, was sent back to the detention centre where she has been held since the weekend.
Friday's hearing will determine whether Bedard should remain in custody until her extradition hearing. more...
Canadian kids start their quest for gold with a shutout
Goaltender Carey Price stopped 31 shots for the shutout in Canada's 2-0 win over host Sweden to open the world junior hockey championship Tuesday.
Price extended the country's shutout streak at this tournament to 211 minutes 50 seconds, as Canada hasn't give up a goal since its final round-robin game of the 2006 world junior tournament in Vancouver.
more...
Two major upsets at the juniors
The world junior hockey championship opened with major upsets Tuesday as Germany defeated the U.S. 2-1 in overtime and Belarus edged Finland 4-3.
more...
Saying goodbye to 'King' James
The James Brown statue on Broad Street, his hometown, was draped in an American flag and a red scarf as several dozen people gathered Tuesday to pay their respects to the late singer.
Flowers were left at the base of the statue in tribute to Brown, who died Monday in Atlanta. He was 73.
more...
Ripped from the back pages, "STFU!"
The way Kirsten Norman tells it, the vanity license plates on her Volkswagen Jetta were meant as a tribute to a friend who died from cancer. The Commonwealth of Virginia, however, had a different interpretation of "STFU-PLS." Acting on a September e-mail complaint that the acronym stood for "Shut The Fuck Up Please," more...
Later,
Kenaz
Monday, December 25, 2006
Christmas 2006 Photo
Just got back from my sisters. She took this photo of me using her new digital camera and once looked at it I thought it would look much better in black and white. I love vintage clothes, eye wear and hats. Both the hat and glass frames are period 1930's replicas.
Later,
Kenaz
Later,
Kenaz
Saturday, December 23, 2006
'Celebrity' looks didn't help this loser
You can't make this stuff up.
E.T should have stayed home!
Police in Hamilton made a quick arrest in connection with a robbery, after the suspect was described by his victims as resembling a character from a movie. A couple was robbed of cash inside an apartment on Wellington Street South early by a pair of men, 1 of whom was armed with a hand gun.
The victims, in their words, told police the primary suspect resembled ET -- The Extra Terrestrial. Once the description was put out by police, a cab driver called to say he'd just dropped off a man resembling ET.
A short time later police found a man, matching said description, and found a hand gun in a nearby garbage bin. 24-year-old Patrick Hoover of no fixed address has now been charged with robbery.
Later,
Kenaz
E.T should have stayed home!Police in Hamilton made a quick arrest in connection with a robbery, after the suspect was described by his victims as resembling a character from a movie. A couple was robbed of cash inside an apartment on Wellington Street South early by a pair of men, 1 of whom was armed with a hand gun.
The victims, in their words, told police the primary suspect resembled ET -- The Extra Terrestrial. Once the description was put out by police, a cab driver called to say he'd just dropped off a man resembling ET.
A short time later police found a man, matching said description, and found a hand gun in a nearby garbage bin. 24-year-old Patrick Hoover of no fixed address has now been charged with robbery.
Later,
Kenaz
Friday, December 22, 2006
Kenaz's Twelve Days of Christmas (on the cheap)
Booming commercial construction is sparking demand for ornamental trees, leading to a 44 percent increase in the price of a pear tree, which helped push the price for buying all the items in the "The Twelve Days of Christmas," up 3.1 percent to $18,920.59 US according to a CNN study.
With the cost of gift giving ever on the rise and for those like me who don't think Christmas giving should place you in the poor house. I offer you my rendition of the popular carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" for working stiffs like me. All the gifts are legitimate items that I found on E-Bay. Total cost $65.67 + $50.00 Shipping! (I'm serious)
On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
The Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
The Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine lady bears dancing ornament
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping Christmas glass for your tooth brushes,
Nine lady bears dancing ornament
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven year old WWE Rowdy Roddy Piper T-Shirt,
Ten lords a-leaping Christmas glass for your tooth brushes,
Nine lady bears dancing ornament
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve neon drummers ear plugs,
Eleven year old WWE Rowdy Roddy Piper T-Shirt,
Ten lords a-leaping Christmas glass for your tooth brushes,
Nine lady bears dancing ornament
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds!
Happy Hollidays,
Kenaz
With the cost of gift giving ever on the rise and for those like me who don't think Christmas giving should place you in the poor house. I offer you my rendition of the popular carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" for working stiffs like me. All the gifts are legitimate items that I found on E-Bay. Total cost $65.67 + $50.00 Shipping! (I'm serious)
On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
The Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
The Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine lady bears dancing ornament
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping Christmas glass for your tooth brushes,
Nine lady bears dancing ornament
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven year old WWE Rowdy Roddy Piper T-Shirt,
Ten lords a-leaping Christmas glass for your tooth brushes,
Nine lady bears dancing ornament
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds.
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve neon drummers ear plugs,
Eleven year old WWE Rowdy Roddy Piper T-Shirt,
Ten lords a-leaping Christmas glass for your tooth brushes,
Nine lady bears dancing ornament
Cow Milk Maids 1000 Piece Jigsaw,
Seven swans cell phone face plate,
An ugly silk six geese flying tie,
Five golden onion rings from Harvy's, sorry I'm getting kind of hungry.
A how to call hunting birds video ,
Three styrofoam hens covered in feathers,
A two turtle dove coin from the Isle of Man,
And the Partridge Family Christmas CD and a pack of Bradford pear tree seeds!
Happy Hollidays,
Kenaz
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Kenaz's naughty and nice list
This my list of the people and businesses that I've personally had the pleasure or displeasure of dealing with in 2006. I've included a letter grade and all the documentation that led me to create this list. I've deleted from the emails certain information that I do not wished to be published for obvious reasons.
Kelly Temporary Services
11/07/2006
Back on June 7, 2006 I filed a claim with the Ministry of Labour against your Hamilton, Ontario branch of Kelly Services because of their illegal refusal to pay overtime.
I currently work at Cadbury Adams and have since April 24. The pay structure is as follows: one week 57.5 hours, the second 22 hours.
I have always filled out my time card in accordance to Kelly Service guidelines, which states that for week one I would be entitled to 44 hours paid at the regular rate and then 13.5 hours overtime. Up until the May 28 pay week I was paid properly.
Since then Kelly wrongfully has decided that I was only entitled to 57.5 hours straight time, no overtime. When I confronted the branch manager here in Hamilton, I was told that there pay structure falls under the category "averaging of weeks". In which then I would be paid no overtime.
On further contact I was told that I had been filling out my time card wrong and trying to be paid for hours I didn't deserve. This is totally a lie. The Cadbury Manager looks over and signs my card and when I asked if it was correct I always receive a yes. I wouldn't assume a company wouldn't willingly send a temp service more money then they had to?
Talking to the ministry I have been totally assured that Kelly is in the wrong for assuming that they would be allowed to average work weeks without any agreement from the employee(me) and the ministry. On that point I asked the branch manager to fax me the agreement that she said I signed that said that they could average. They haven't (because it doesn't exist, and if it did I have the right to veto it).
As I mentioned above at one point I was being paid correctly, last weeks pay showed a deduction (unauthorized) classified as an overpayment for this earlier sum. I again confronted Kelly on this point, at this time I was told if I went ahead with my claim against them and won (which at this time is set at $238.80 for the $47.76 underpayment in overtime x 5 pays and growing) Kelly Hamilton would be forced to cancel my contract and anyone else who has filed at Cadbury and replace them (I'm assuming with people who will agree to there illegal terms of employment).
Kelly Services Canada has a great reputation and provides many people the opportunity to work, so I assuming this Draconian approach to employer and employee relations is a local problem. Thus, I assume this can be handled in an appropriate manor by either setting this branch manager and her employees straight or removing them.
I would love to see this matter end with the appropriate resolution of Kelly reimbursing me the money owed and correctly paying me for overtime on all pays in the future. I have had no problem with my current work placement and wish to continue working for Kelly once this contract ends. But as is, because of a couple rouge managers, that possibility looks tough.
08/08/2008
To:The Regional Manager for Kelly Services
Hi,
I am currently a temp working for your Hamilton office and have a couple of concerns about your managers at this branch.
Back on June 7, 2006 I filed a claim with the Ministry of Labour against your Hamilton, Ontario branch of Kelly Services because of their illegal refusal to pay overtime.
I currently work at Cadbury Adams and have since April 24. The pay structure is as follows: one week 57.5 hours, the second 22 hours.
I have always filled out my time card in accordance to Kelly Service guidelines, which states that for week one I would be entitled to 44 hours paid at the regular rate and then 13.5 hours overtime. Up until the May 28 pay week I was paid properly.
Since then Kelly wrongfully has decided that I was only entitled to 57.5 hours straight time, no overtime. When I confronted the branch manager here in Hamilton, I was told that there pay structure falls under the category "averaging of weeks". In which then I would be paid no overtime.
On further contact I was told that I had been filling out my time card wrong and trying to be paid for hours I didn't deserve. This is totally a lie. The Cadbury Manager looks over and signs my card and when I asked if it was correct I always receive a yes. I wouldn't assume a company wouldn't willingly send a temp service more money then they had to?
Talking to the ministry I have been totally assured that Kelly is in the wrong for assuming that they would be allowed to average work weeks without any agreement from the employee(me) and the ministry. On that point I asked the branch manager to fax me the agreement that she said I signed that said that they could average. They haven't (because it doesn't exist, and if it did I have the right to veto it).
As I mentioned above at one point I was being paid correctly, last weeks pay showed a deduction (unauthorized) classified as an overpayment for this earlier sum. I again confronted Kelly on this point, at this time I was told if I went ahead with my claim against them and won (which at this time is set at $238.80 for the $47.76 underpayment in overtime x 5 pays and growing) Kelly Hamilton would be forced to cancel my contract and anyone else who has filed at Cadbury and replace them (I'm assuming with people who will agree to there illegal terms of employment).
Kelly Services Canada has a great reputation and provides many people the opportunity to work, so I assuming this Draconian approach to employer and employee relations is a local problem. Thus, I assume this can be handled in an appropriate manor by either setting this branch manager and her employees straight or removing them.
I would love to see this matter end with the appropriate resolution of Kelly reimbursing me the money owed and correctly paying me for overtime on all pays in the future. I have had no problem with my current work placement and wish to continue working for Kelly once this contract ends. But as is, because of a couple rouge managers, that possibility looks tough.
Your speedy reply would be most valued,
10/08/2006
I'm sorry Eilyne I haven't been able to return your calls. Kelly has placed me down at the other Cadbury plant and I am currently working afternoons this week.
I would like to thank you for anything you have done for me in getting the overtime that the Hamilton Kelly reps where not paying me.
Of the original $389.84 ($64.94 x 6 pays) that they owed I received $254.92(4 pays) today. I hope the remaining will come in the next day.
This will go along way in keeping my relationship with Kelly Services perfectly happy.
Thanks again,
26/08/2006
Christina,
I will try to make this brief, but let me say I am extremely disappointed with both Cadbury and Kelly.
The manager of Cadbury, Green Rd. Showed total lack of professionalism by terminating my employment.
I hope I can clear up the sketchy details Christine eluded to in her cell phone message. I had an altercation with one Cadbury's 2nd tier machine operators, not supervisors as indicated. I'm not sure this strictly a wording problem, but I take "supervisor" to mean Geg? This was not the case.
The problem started on Tuesday when I placed on the Aqua 1-4 machine. This brought me contact with a particular machine operator, and three other Cadbury employees.
While working there doing what was required, plus more. More meaning questioning the work ethic of the people working there. In question was the sharing of the cleaning duties. When candy that is coated in sugar is being packaged as was on Tuesday, the bi-production is an accumulation of sugar in bins under the machines as well as in vacuums occurs. I cleaned this any time it was my turn to do so. All other persons did not or did an inadequate job of doing so. A point that is easily substantiated by looking at the waste report. I.E myself-30kg all other persons combined less than 20kg.
When I brought this to the attention of the machine operator, I was told this was my job and the others didn't have to. I let this slide.
For the other two days, I worked under the conditions that included many rude and hurtful comments that included being referred to as stupid, a couple of times in a foreign tongue (stupid in most languages is the same). Other times my mental state was questioned, without reason and leaving me with no recourse.
This continued until Friday morning around 3:30am when in an attempt to wrap a skid, I first had to motion too this machine operator to remove her arm from the packaging wrap. At this time I was told to go back to my machine, rather rudely.
At this point I became angry, I asked firstly in a stern matter if this person could be quiet and do something. A culmination of three days of verbal abuse from someone who I saw do little work.
At this point her and one of the other Cadbury employees stormed off taunting(laughing) that they would have me fired. I met in a civil manor with Greg and explained each point. At the conclusion I went back to my job (at another machine). I was assured not to worry about my job.
Later, while dropping off my time card, I witnessed this machine operator sitting next to Greg in his office. Her(machine operator) demeanor in a matter of seconds changed from laughter to a scared look.
It was implied by Greg this was because I had threatened her. I was shocked and again hurt by such a lie.
I feel a need to know why Greg has decided to treat me this way, when he knows my work ethic is never an issue. This can be verified by Frank and the other supervisors at the Ewen Rd sight.
The right thing for Kelly to do would have phoned me at home on Friday, not my cell phone. Which I in fact have told you was my number of contact ONLY during work hours. I didn't check my phone until Saturday.
Having said that, the problem now is I am out of a job because of a lie, I request Kelly to immediately find me another long term position with another company or talk some sense into Cadbury.
Of note I will be contacting both Cadbury Canada head office and/or the labour board if I feel my rights do not get respected. I feel justified in saying I was terminated without cause. Voicing a complaint is not justifiable for termination. I would be interested if you could fill me in on these "sketchy" details that you have agreed with and decided to grant Cadbury's termination request.
This termination will cause me hardship and I hope you have a conscience and decide to do what is right and stand up for your employees.
29/08/2006
Hi,
I wish to update my claim by saying that Kelly Services has in fact re-paid me all of the money they owed in overtime and I no longer need to have a claim against them. Thank you for the attention.
*My tenure with Kelly was full of mistrust, lies and deceit. I do give them credit for doing their part in giving me the long term employment but treating me in this fashion was completly in excusable. I've happily moved on to another temp agency (Trebor Personnel) and another long term placement with Tomco Steel. I've been with Tomco for three months now, and enjoying it and hope to be hired soon.
definitely on my naughty list: Overall Grade C-
Hamilton Street Railway
22/07/06
Today was the first time I used your brand new "trip finder". According to your schedules I should have gotten on the 5C Deleware at Ewen Rd tonight at 7:15pm. In fact it arrived at 7:25pm. That was fine it's Saturday, it only took 10 minutes to arrive at McNab. Here is where the problem starts. I should have been able to catch the 7:45pm Barton. No 7:45pm, no 8:00pm. In fact your driver never showed up until 8:15pm. A gentlemen boarding in front of me beat me to the question "How often do the Barton buses run on Saturday? Your driver answered what I already knew, "15 minutes". This man had been waiting since 7:30! The kicker came when your arrogant driver answered the mans lengthy wait concern with an "Oh really"
Even better when an obviously intoxicated man smelling of booze got on your driver had the time to great his buddy with a handshake. It makes me wonder where your driver was.
I don't expect much to be done as the HSR seems to take a rather arrogant approach to their "customers" and main source of revenue as evident by many of your drivers, especially on these routes.
24/27/2006
Reply:Hi Kendall,
There were two buses that should have arrived at Main/MacNab at the times you specified. There should have been a 7:45pm bus as you indicated and unfortunately I am unable to see any tracking for that bus so I will file a complaint with our operations team on your behalf listing a "No Show" so they can investigate that bus' whereabouts.
The 8:00 pm bus was running 13 minutes late as per our tracking and didn't arrive at Main/MacNab until 8:13 pm. The tracking reading on this bus was accurate which means the bus passed the bus stop pole node at that time and the system registered the late arrival at that location. Not sure what caused this delay so I will ask operations to investigate that as well.
The 8:15 pm bus arrived there at 8:17 pm and was running two minutes late. This is also an accurate reading as per our tracking. Buses are permitted to run one minute early or 3 minutes late and still be considered on time.
The process at HSR dictates that our operations team investigate and respond to a complaint within 10 business days at which I will let you know the outcome.
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
27/07/06
Good Morning:
Our operations team has now completed this investigation. They report that appropriate action was taken at the time they interviewed the operator.
7/12/2006
Hi,
To say the least today was not a good day for bus travel for me. I have only made one complaint to the HSR this year and that was because a Barton 2 bus heading east did not show up at all. This was confirmed by the HSR after they checked the route information from the transponder and a satisfactory reply by email was received.
I rely on the bus every day to go back and forth from work and up to this month have not had many problems. Unfortunately this month I have had to make three phone calls regarding the 55A bus from Bell Manor heading East at 3:24pm not showing up at all or leaving earlier than scheduled, and before the 5 minutes allotted. I had to wait until the 3:53pm bus that doesn't get me to Arvin Ave until 4:03pm. Both times causing me to be late for work as I start at 4:00pm, I have an understanding boss, but it is my character to hate being late. Neither call was replied too.
That brings me today. I was late again, this time it was the 10 Beeline that didn't show up. Like clock work I arrived at Main and Sherman at 2:45pm to catch the 2:54pm Beeline to Levi Loop. Between that time two Beelines passed heading to King and Jones. I asked the second driver who arrived just before 2:54 which usually happens, if that 10 went to Levi Loop as it wasn't marked either on a card in the front window or on the side sign, she shook her head and stepped off. No other 10 Beeline arrived until 3:27pm which again arrived at my destination at 4:05.
That brings me to the bus problems I encountered coming home. I caught the 55 to Bell Manor at 12:39am like usual, on time. It arrived at Bell Manor by my watch perhaps just after 12:44 by seconds. The Barton 2 usually waits for this bus and then departs. I believe the Barton bus either left early or didn't show up at all. Oh, the 1:12am didn't show up until 1:17am as can be confirmed by my call to the HSR overnight dispatch who wasn't any help at all. First, one dispatch transferred me to another operator who said I was wrong and that both Barton where on time.
As a suggestion, when you phone the bus check information line, the last option is to press zero to get an operator to discuss problems with bus check, this is not the same as customer service apparently as you then are transferred to another answering machine that tells you that no one is in at customer service? To elevate the problem I suggest including a link to a bus route customer service who is in.
I'm sorry if this e-mail is long but I had a lot to say. I'm not for complaining but when you rely daily on public service and the weather is turning cold, these type of occurrences without reason are more than annoying.
*No reply was ever offered
*My feelings about the HSR are a mixed bag. As for their drivers 99% of them are friendly, on time and careful to detail, the other ones like these ones should look for other employment. The same could be said for their operators who man the 24 information service. Most are courtious and even humerous, considering the amount of wackos who must phone to complain about stupid things. One nice women made my day when she told me about a guy who phoned to ask if the King St bus heading downtown was still being detoured because of the Santa Claus parade. He was kindly told that all buses where back on their original routes because it was Sunday and the parade has been over for a day.
The biggest problem for the HSR is one of not enough buses to handle the increasing ridership numbers, especially during peak hours thus causing severe delays. Dedicated bus lanes and more "Beeline" routes (ie Barton St, in which during the rush hours these buses would only stop at key intersections). This would speed up travel times significantly.
Some grinches may work for the HSR but the everyday elves do a pretty good job keeping the shop flowing. Overall rating: B
Muskoka Herritage Place
25/07/06
Through some correspondence with and digging around at Library and Archives Canada I landed on your site that pertained to my Grandpas WW1 Battalion the 122 which became the Canadian Forestry Corps. I would love to attend the exhibit but unfortunately work obligations prevent me from traveling up from Hamilton.
So I was wondering if at any point their will be pictures from the exhibit posted? Or if you know of a site where I could find such? I am trying to put together an online diary of my Grandpa Gilbert Bells war participation and any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
From the original correspondence with the library.
"Muskoka had an important role to play with its own Battalion, the 122nd,"
Said Bev Easton, curator of a new exhibit at Huntsville's Muskoka Heritage
Place. "Before this battalion formed, a number of Muskoka men did go and
Fight overseas under many different regiments and battalions."
Thank you,
15/08/2006
Reply:Dear Mr. Oliphant:
It is wonderful to hear that you are researching into your family’s past and sharing your discoveries on the world wide web. At this time our temporary exhibit plan does not have an online web component. Many of the items on display are on loan from private owners and as such we do not have any legal right to share these images. Your inquiry has opened a discussion on the feasibility of obtaining permission for such a project in the future so perhaps at some time Muskoka Heritage Place will be able to post images of its exhibits online.
If there is any other way I may be of help, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sara White
Museum Assistant
Muskoka Heritage Place
website: www.muskokaheritageplace.org
*Wonderful organization that was truly helpful and informative
Rating: A+ and a big happy face sticker
YH Acting
27/09/2006
I phoned YH two days ago and have not received any reply so I will try again in this form.
I would like to have the matter of apparent charges that you say I owe cleared up. You sent to collections a bill for some $180.00 for unpaid yearly fees and other charges that date as far back as 2004.
First of all, not once have I received any type of communication from YH detailing these charges. If I did you would have been reminded that I expressed to you many times that I no longer wished to be represented by YH.
On a couple of occasions YH continued to book me for work and every time I reminded you of the fact that I was not resigning with you. Every time it was communicated that I only had to pay the 15% royalties fee, which each time I did.
My account should read a zero outstanding balance and considered closed permanently. I wish you to communicate to CRS (the collections company) this error in order to save my credit rating and bring this all to an end.
Thank you,
10/10/2006
I am still waiting for you to reply to my numerous queries as stated below. I have been patient. I have not received anything from you in a way of a bill outlining these charges and as I stated you where told I no longer wished to be part of YH, so these charges are errors. I have contacted Dan Mackenzie of ACTRA and if you haven't already heard from him I'm assured that you will.
I wish for you to reply in a timely matter.
5/10/2006
Only form of reply:GOOD DAY
YVONNE HAS BEEN AWAY AND WILL BE BACK TO ANSWER YOUR CALLS MONDAY. SORRY FOR THE DELAY.
LUCY
*This company can be likened to fruit cake. It tasted great at the time, but it will eventually bite you in the ass. "Caveat emptor" Rating:D-
ACTRA
12/10/2006
Good Day Dan,
We had a conversation earlier in the week concerning YH Acting and them sending an account to a collections agency for money that I don't owe. I was wondering if you had a chance to talk to Yvonne. The collections agency has sent we a written notice dated Sept 29 looking to collect or threatening court action. I hope with your help YH will realize their error and call of the "dogs". Hope to hear from you soon.
20/10/2006
Reply:Kendall,
Yvonne has assured me that she has, for the time being, called off the collection agency. I understand that she has mailed you a detailed account and reasoning for her billing. I would suggest that you review it and see if you can come to a mutually acceptable agreement.
Sincerely,
Dan Mackenzie
Manager of Communications, Organizing & Membership
ACTRA Toronto Performers
*A nice guy with a tough job Rating A
*It boggles my mind that the Ontario government has no intention of ever regulating the acting industry. Thus allowing these type of companies to continue thumbing their noses at the most basic of rules that govern fees and other charges a company is entitled to charge.
*My seven years in the background performing business was full of laughs but it ultimately ended in misery. I was riding high at the beginning of the year, looking forward to getting my few last hours in and finally obtaining my ACTRA apprenticeship. I did a commercial late in 2005 and thought I was in control of my destiny. Was I ever wrong. The commercial was canned by the client and as far as I know was never produced. The check for the shoot ended up taking four months to arrive. That agent never gave me an further work and never gave me any feed back. Another agent LCA closed up shop and moved to PEI, without any kind of notice, some people had paid their yearly fees already and where never repaid.
Once I got my required 2000 hours and sat on the cusp of ACTRA membership I watched my bookings dwindle to to a trickle. Even in the lean winter months I usually did pretty good, but something had changed dramatically. Directors where looking for younger extras so thirty something males where becoming endangered. This caused a change in the attitudes of Casting Directors and Agents who where forced to trim their rosters of their older clients and frantically try to replace them with younger untrained clients. In the end sets where full of "kids" who couldn't understand the simplest of directions or where their for a quick buck. Basically I was tired of the drama and the attitude. Sets where ramped with gang members, unskilled Assistant Directors (usually promoted third A.D's) who turned a blind eye, causing an unpleasant work environment.
The worst example of an AD gone mad was the one on Cinderella Man. Mr. Brown is a failed actor with complete contempt for extras, even though he moonlights as a bit part actor (a step above a good extra). Any shoot he was part of, you where assured that someone would be belittled, treated like a child; forced to almost beg to leave to use the restroom or get water. Even for medical reasons. Worst yet forced to endure conditions of extreme cold or heat for extended periods without relief. In one incident a shoot required all extras to reenact an event that took place in winter. Heavy period coats, scarves, the works. Mr. Brown frowned upon asking the director to relieve the extras, in consequence after three hours in this condition one elderly man passed out. I believe a strip of Mr. B's hyde is still under the finger nails of one of the EMT's. The man was fine after getting some fluids.
By April it was apparent that my time was over. The number of shoots where picking up but my work and many others where not. It was fun while it lasted, I'm just sorry it ended the way it did.
Overall Rating:Experience gained A
Ministry of Employment Standards
28/08/2006
Hi Kendall, further to your email inquiry of June 28, 2006, re: status of claim filed June 7, 2006. Claimes are investigated in the order in which they are received. We are currently working on files filed on May 15th and you will be contacted once the file is assigned to an employment standards officer.
While I understand the time it takes for a process like this must be frustrating, please be assured that although the Ministry receives a high volume of claims annually, the Ministry is committed to protecting the rights and entitlements of employees in Ontario by strictly enforcing the Employment Standards Act, 2000.
My apologies for the delay in responding, as your inquiry got lost in numerous emails.
Thanks for your patience.
*As stated above in an email to Kelly Services I did in fact receive all the money I was owed, within days of receiving notification that my claim had been processed and was ready to proceed.
Overall Rating: A
Tomco Steel
Looking ahead to 2007
Later,
Kenaz
Kelly Temporary Services
11/07/2006
Back on June 7, 2006 I filed a claim with the Ministry of Labour against your Hamilton, Ontario branch of Kelly Services because of their illegal refusal to pay overtime.
I currently work at Cadbury Adams and have since April 24. The pay structure is as follows: one week 57.5 hours, the second 22 hours.
I have always filled out my time card in accordance to Kelly Service guidelines, which states that for week one I would be entitled to 44 hours paid at the regular rate and then 13.5 hours overtime. Up until the May 28 pay week I was paid properly.
Since then Kelly wrongfully has decided that I was only entitled to 57.5 hours straight time, no overtime. When I confronted the branch manager here in Hamilton, I was told that there pay structure falls under the category "averaging of weeks". In which then I would be paid no overtime.
On further contact I was told that I had been filling out my time card wrong and trying to be paid for hours I didn't deserve. This is totally a lie. The Cadbury Manager looks over and signs my card and when I asked if it was correct I always receive a yes. I wouldn't assume a company wouldn't willingly send a temp service more money then they had to?
Talking to the ministry I have been totally assured that Kelly is in the wrong for assuming that they would be allowed to average work weeks without any agreement from the employee(me) and the ministry. On that point I asked the branch manager to fax me the agreement that she said I signed that said that they could average. They haven't (because it doesn't exist, and if it did I have the right to veto it).
As I mentioned above at one point I was being paid correctly, last weeks pay showed a deduction (unauthorized) classified as an overpayment for this earlier sum. I again confronted Kelly on this point, at this time I was told if I went ahead with my claim against them and won (which at this time is set at $238.80 for the $47.76 underpayment in overtime x 5 pays and growing) Kelly Hamilton would be forced to cancel my contract and anyone else who has filed at Cadbury and replace them (I'm assuming with people who will agree to there illegal terms of employment).
Kelly Services Canada has a great reputation and provides many people the opportunity to work, so I assuming this Draconian approach to employer and employee relations is a local problem. Thus, I assume this can be handled in an appropriate manor by either setting this branch manager and her employees straight or removing them.
I would love to see this matter end with the appropriate resolution of Kelly reimbursing me the money owed and correctly paying me for overtime on all pays in the future. I have had no problem with my current work placement and wish to continue working for Kelly once this contract ends. But as is, because of a couple rouge managers, that possibility looks tough.
08/08/2008
To:The Regional Manager for Kelly Services
Hi,
I am currently a temp working for your Hamilton office and have a couple of concerns about your managers at this branch.
Back on June 7, 2006 I filed a claim with the Ministry of Labour against your Hamilton, Ontario branch of Kelly Services because of their illegal refusal to pay overtime.
I currently work at Cadbury Adams and have since April 24. The pay structure is as follows: one week 57.5 hours, the second 22 hours.
I have always filled out my time card in accordance to Kelly Service guidelines, which states that for week one I would be entitled to 44 hours paid at the regular rate and then 13.5 hours overtime. Up until the May 28 pay week I was paid properly.
Since then Kelly wrongfully has decided that I was only entitled to 57.5 hours straight time, no overtime. When I confronted the branch manager here in Hamilton, I was told that there pay structure falls under the category "averaging of weeks". In which then I would be paid no overtime.
On further contact I was told that I had been filling out my time card wrong and trying to be paid for hours I didn't deserve. This is totally a lie. The Cadbury Manager looks over and signs my card and when I asked if it was correct I always receive a yes. I wouldn't assume a company wouldn't willingly send a temp service more money then they had to?
Talking to the ministry I have been totally assured that Kelly is in the wrong for assuming that they would be allowed to average work weeks without any agreement from the employee(me) and the ministry. On that point I asked the branch manager to fax me the agreement that she said I signed that said that they could average. They haven't (because it doesn't exist, and if it did I have the right to veto it).
As I mentioned above at one point I was being paid correctly, last weeks pay showed a deduction (unauthorized) classified as an overpayment for this earlier sum. I again confronted Kelly on this point, at this time I was told if I went ahead with my claim against them and won (which at this time is set at $238.80 for the $47.76 underpayment in overtime x 5 pays and growing) Kelly Hamilton would be forced to cancel my contract and anyone else who has filed at Cadbury and replace them (I'm assuming with people who will agree to there illegal terms of employment).
Kelly Services Canada has a great reputation and provides many people the opportunity to work, so I assuming this Draconian approach to employer and employee relations is a local problem. Thus, I assume this can be handled in an appropriate manor by either setting this branch manager and her employees straight or removing them.
I would love to see this matter end with the appropriate resolution of Kelly reimbursing me the money owed and correctly paying me for overtime on all pays in the future. I have had no problem with my current work placement and wish to continue working for Kelly once this contract ends. But as is, because of a couple rouge managers, that possibility looks tough.
Your speedy reply would be most valued,
10/08/2006
I'm sorry Eilyne I haven't been able to return your calls. Kelly has placed me down at the other Cadbury plant and I am currently working afternoons this week.
I would like to thank you for anything you have done for me in getting the overtime that the Hamilton Kelly reps where not paying me.
Of the original $389.84 ($64.94 x 6 pays) that they owed I received $254.92(4 pays) today. I hope the remaining will come in the next day.
This will go along way in keeping my relationship with Kelly Services perfectly happy.
Thanks again,
26/08/2006
Christina,
I will try to make this brief, but let me say I am extremely disappointed with both Cadbury and Kelly.
The manager of Cadbury, Green Rd. Showed total lack of professionalism by terminating my employment.
I hope I can clear up the sketchy details Christine eluded to in her cell phone message. I had an altercation with one Cadbury's 2nd tier machine operators, not supervisors as indicated. I'm not sure this strictly a wording problem, but I take "supervisor" to mean Geg? This was not the case.
The problem started on Tuesday when I placed on the Aqua 1-4 machine. This brought me contact with a particular machine operator, and three other Cadbury employees.
While working there doing what was required, plus more. More meaning questioning the work ethic of the people working there. In question was the sharing of the cleaning duties. When candy that is coated in sugar is being packaged as was on Tuesday, the bi-production is an accumulation of sugar in bins under the machines as well as in vacuums occurs. I cleaned this any time it was my turn to do so. All other persons did not or did an inadequate job of doing so. A point that is easily substantiated by looking at the waste report. I.E myself-30kg all other persons combined less than 20kg.
When I brought this to the attention of the machine operator, I was told this was my job and the others didn't have to. I let this slide.
For the other two days, I worked under the conditions that included many rude and hurtful comments that included being referred to as stupid, a couple of times in a foreign tongue (stupid in most languages is the same). Other times my mental state was questioned, without reason and leaving me with no recourse.
This continued until Friday morning around 3:30am when in an attempt to wrap a skid, I first had to motion too this machine operator to remove her arm from the packaging wrap. At this time I was told to go back to my machine, rather rudely.
At this point I became angry, I asked firstly in a stern matter if this person could be quiet and do something. A culmination of three days of verbal abuse from someone who I saw do little work.
At this point her and one of the other Cadbury employees stormed off taunting(laughing) that they would have me fired. I met in a civil manor with Greg and explained each point. At the conclusion I went back to my job (at another machine). I was assured not to worry about my job.
Later, while dropping off my time card, I witnessed this machine operator sitting next to Greg in his office. Her(machine operator) demeanor in a matter of seconds changed from laughter to a scared look.
It was implied by Greg this was because I had threatened her. I was shocked and again hurt by such a lie.
I feel a need to know why Greg has decided to treat me this way, when he knows my work ethic is never an issue. This can be verified by Frank and the other supervisors at the Ewen Rd sight.
The right thing for Kelly to do would have phoned me at home on Friday, not my cell phone. Which I in fact have told you was my number of contact ONLY during work hours. I didn't check my phone until Saturday.
Having said that, the problem now is I am out of a job because of a lie, I request Kelly to immediately find me another long term position with another company or talk some sense into Cadbury.
Of note I will be contacting both Cadbury Canada head office and/or the labour board if I feel my rights do not get respected. I feel justified in saying I was terminated without cause. Voicing a complaint is not justifiable for termination. I would be interested if you could fill me in on these "sketchy" details that you have agreed with and decided to grant Cadbury's termination request.
This termination will cause me hardship and I hope you have a conscience and decide to do what is right and stand up for your employees.
29/08/2006
Hi,
I wish to update my claim by saying that Kelly Services has in fact re-paid me all of the money they owed in overtime and I no longer need to have a claim against them. Thank you for the attention.
*My tenure with Kelly was full of mistrust, lies and deceit. I do give them credit for doing their part in giving me the long term employment but treating me in this fashion was completly in excusable. I've happily moved on to another temp agency (Trebor Personnel) and another long term placement with Tomco Steel. I've been with Tomco for three months now, and enjoying it and hope to be hired soon.
definitely on my naughty list: Overall Grade C-
Hamilton Street Railway
22/07/06
Today was the first time I used your brand new "trip finder". According to your schedules I should have gotten on the 5C Deleware at Ewen Rd tonight at 7:15pm. In fact it arrived at 7:25pm. That was fine it's Saturday, it only took 10 minutes to arrive at McNab. Here is where the problem starts. I should have been able to catch the 7:45pm Barton. No 7:45pm, no 8:00pm. In fact your driver never showed up until 8:15pm. A gentlemen boarding in front of me beat me to the question "How often do the Barton buses run on Saturday? Your driver answered what I already knew, "15 minutes". This man had been waiting since 7:30! The kicker came when your arrogant driver answered the mans lengthy wait concern with an "Oh really"
Even better when an obviously intoxicated man smelling of booze got on your driver had the time to great his buddy with a handshake. It makes me wonder where your driver was.
I don't expect much to be done as the HSR seems to take a rather arrogant approach to their "customers" and main source of revenue as evident by many of your drivers, especially on these routes.
24/27/2006
Reply:Hi Kendall,
There were two buses that should have arrived at Main/MacNab at the times you specified. There should have been a 7:45pm bus as you indicated and unfortunately I am unable to see any tracking for that bus so I will file a complaint with our operations team on your behalf listing a "No Show" so they can investigate that bus' whereabouts.
The 8:00 pm bus was running 13 minutes late as per our tracking and didn't arrive at Main/MacNab until 8:13 pm. The tracking reading on this bus was accurate which means the bus passed the bus stop pole node at that time and the system registered the late arrival at that location. Not sure what caused this delay so I will ask operations to investigate that as well.
The 8:15 pm bus arrived there at 8:17 pm and was running two minutes late. This is also an accurate reading as per our tracking. Buses are permitted to run one minute early or 3 minutes late and still be considered on time.
The process at HSR dictates that our operations team investigate and respond to a complaint within 10 business days at which I will let you know the outcome.
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
27/07/06
Good Morning:
Our operations team has now completed this investigation. They report that appropriate action was taken at the time they interviewed the operator.
7/12/2006
Hi,
To say the least today was not a good day for bus travel for me. I have only made one complaint to the HSR this year and that was because a Barton 2 bus heading east did not show up at all. This was confirmed by the HSR after they checked the route information from the transponder and a satisfactory reply by email was received.
I rely on the bus every day to go back and forth from work and up to this month have not had many problems. Unfortunately this month I have had to make three phone calls regarding the 55A bus from Bell Manor heading East at 3:24pm not showing up at all or leaving earlier than scheduled, and before the 5 minutes allotted. I had to wait until the 3:53pm bus that doesn't get me to Arvin Ave until 4:03pm. Both times causing me to be late for work as I start at 4:00pm, I have an understanding boss, but it is my character to hate being late. Neither call was replied too.
That brings me today. I was late again, this time it was the 10 Beeline that didn't show up. Like clock work I arrived at Main and Sherman at 2:45pm to catch the 2:54pm Beeline to Levi Loop. Between that time two Beelines passed heading to King and Jones. I asked the second driver who arrived just before 2:54 which usually happens, if that 10 went to Levi Loop as it wasn't marked either on a card in the front window or on the side sign, she shook her head and stepped off. No other 10 Beeline arrived until 3:27pm which again arrived at my destination at 4:05.
That brings me to the bus problems I encountered coming home. I caught the 55 to Bell Manor at 12:39am like usual, on time. It arrived at Bell Manor by my watch perhaps just after 12:44 by seconds. The Barton 2 usually waits for this bus and then departs. I believe the Barton bus either left early or didn't show up at all. Oh, the 1:12am didn't show up until 1:17am as can be confirmed by my call to the HSR overnight dispatch who wasn't any help at all. First, one dispatch transferred me to another operator who said I was wrong and that both Barton where on time.
As a suggestion, when you phone the bus check information line, the last option is to press zero to get an operator to discuss problems with bus check, this is not the same as customer service apparently as you then are transferred to another answering machine that tells you that no one is in at customer service? To elevate the problem I suggest including a link to a bus route customer service who is in.
I'm sorry if this e-mail is long but I had a lot to say. I'm not for complaining but when you rely daily on public service and the weather is turning cold, these type of occurrences without reason are more than annoying.
*No reply was ever offered
*My feelings about the HSR are a mixed bag. As for their drivers 99% of them are friendly, on time and careful to detail, the other ones like these ones should look for other employment. The same could be said for their operators who man the 24 information service. Most are courtious and even humerous, considering the amount of wackos who must phone to complain about stupid things. One nice women made my day when she told me about a guy who phoned to ask if the King St bus heading downtown was still being detoured because of the Santa Claus parade. He was kindly told that all buses where back on their original routes because it was Sunday and the parade has been over for a day.
The biggest problem for the HSR is one of not enough buses to handle the increasing ridership numbers, especially during peak hours thus causing severe delays. Dedicated bus lanes and more "Beeline" routes (ie Barton St, in which during the rush hours these buses would only stop at key intersections). This would speed up travel times significantly.
Some grinches may work for the HSR but the everyday elves do a pretty good job keeping the shop flowing. Overall rating: B
Muskoka Herritage Place
25/07/06
Through some correspondence with and digging around at Library and Archives Canada I landed on your site that pertained to my Grandpas WW1 Battalion the 122 which became the Canadian Forestry Corps. I would love to attend the exhibit but unfortunately work obligations prevent me from traveling up from Hamilton.
So I was wondering if at any point their will be pictures from the exhibit posted? Or if you know of a site where I could find such? I am trying to put together an online diary of my Grandpa Gilbert Bells war participation and any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
From the original correspondence with the library.
"Muskoka had an important role to play with its own Battalion, the 122nd,"
Said Bev Easton, curator of a new exhibit at Huntsville's Muskoka Heritage
Place. "Before this battalion formed, a number of Muskoka men did go and
Fight overseas under many different regiments and battalions."
Thank you,
15/08/2006
Reply:Dear Mr. Oliphant:
It is wonderful to hear that you are researching into your family’s past and sharing your discoveries on the world wide web. At this time our temporary exhibit plan does not have an online web component. Many of the items on display are on loan from private owners and as such we do not have any legal right to share these images. Your inquiry has opened a discussion on the feasibility of obtaining permission for such a project in the future so perhaps at some time Muskoka Heritage Place will be able to post images of its exhibits online.
If there is any other way I may be of help, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sara White
Museum Assistant
Muskoka Heritage Place
website: www.muskokaheritageplace.org
*Wonderful organization that was truly helpful and informative
Rating: A+ and a big happy face sticker
YH Acting
27/09/2006
I phoned YH two days ago and have not received any reply so I will try again in this form.
I would like to have the matter of apparent charges that you say I owe cleared up. You sent to collections a bill for some $180.00 for unpaid yearly fees and other charges that date as far back as 2004.
First of all, not once have I received any type of communication from YH detailing these charges. If I did you would have been reminded that I expressed to you many times that I no longer wished to be represented by YH.
On a couple of occasions YH continued to book me for work and every time I reminded you of the fact that I was not resigning with you. Every time it was communicated that I only had to pay the 15% royalties fee, which each time I did.
My account should read a zero outstanding balance and considered closed permanently. I wish you to communicate to CRS (the collections company) this error in order to save my credit rating and bring this all to an end.
Thank you,
10/10/2006
I am still waiting for you to reply to my numerous queries as stated below. I have been patient. I have not received anything from you in a way of a bill outlining these charges and as I stated you where told I no longer wished to be part of YH, so these charges are errors. I have contacted Dan Mackenzie of ACTRA and if you haven't already heard from him I'm assured that you will.
I wish for you to reply in a timely matter.
5/10/2006
Only form of reply:GOOD DAY
YVONNE HAS BEEN AWAY AND WILL BE BACK TO ANSWER YOUR CALLS MONDAY. SORRY FOR THE DELAY.
LUCY
*This company can be likened to fruit cake. It tasted great at the time, but it will eventually bite you in the ass. "Caveat emptor" Rating:D-
ACTRA
12/10/2006
Good Day Dan,
We had a conversation earlier in the week concerning YH Acting and them sending an account to a collections agency for money that I don't owe. I was wondering if you had a chance to talk to Yvonne. The collections agency has sent we a written notice dated Sept 29 looking to collect or threatening court action. I hope with your help YH will realize their error and call of the "dogs". Hope to hear from you soon.
20/10/2006
Reply:Kendall,
Yvonne has assured me that she has, for the time being, called off the collection agency. I understand that she has mailed you a detailed account and reasoning for her billing. I would suggest that you review it and see if you can come to a mutually acceptable agreement.
Sincerely,
Dan Mackenzie
Manager of Communications, Organizing & Membership
ACTRA Toronto Performers
*A nice guy with a tough job Rating A
*It boggles my mind that the Ontario government has no intention of ever regulating the acting industry. Thus allowing these type of companies to continue thumbing their noses at the most basic of rules that govern fees and other charges a company is entitled to charge.
*My seven years in the background performing business was full of laughs but it ultimately ended in misery. I was riding high at the beginning of the year, looking forward to getting my few last hours in and finally obtaining my ACTRA apprenticeship. I did a commercial late in 2005 and thought I was in control of my destiny. Was I ever wrong. The commercial was canned by the client and as far as I know was never produced. The check for the shoot ended up taking four months to arrive. That agent never gave me an further work and never gave me any feed back. Another agent LCA closed up shop and moved to PEI, without any kind of notice, some people had paid their yearly fees already and where never repaid.
Once I got my required 2000 hours and sat on the cusp of ACTRA membership I watched my bookings dwindle to to a trickle. Even in the lean winter months I usually did pretty good, but something had changed dramatically. Directors where looking for younger extras so thirty something males where becoming endangered. This caused a change in the attitudes of Casting Directors and Agents who where forced to trim their rosters of their older clients and frantically try to replace them with younger untrained clients. In the end sets where full of "kids" who couldn't understand the simplest of directions or where their for a quick buck. Basically I was tired of the drama and the attitude. Sets where ramped with gang members, unskilled Assistant Directors (usually promoted third A.D's) who turned a blind eye, causing an unpleasant work environment.
The worst example of an AD gone mad was the one on Cinderella Man. Mr. Brown is a failed actor with complete contempt for extras, even though he moonlights as a bit part actor (a step above a good extra). Any shoot he was part of, you where assured that someone would be belittled, treated like a child; forced to almost beg to leave to use the restroom or get water. Even for medical reasons. Worst yet forced to endure conditions of extreme cold or heat for extended periods without relief. In one incident a shoot required all extras to reenact an event that took place in winter. Heavy period coats, scarves, the works. Mr. Brown frowned upon asking the director to relieve the extras, in consequence after three hours in this condition one elderly man passed out. I believe a strip of Mr. B's hyde is still under the finger nails of one of the EMT's. The man was fine after getting some fluids.
By April it was apparent that my time was over. The number of shoots where picking up but my work and many others where not. It was fun while it lasted, I'm just sorry it ended the way it did.
Overall Rating:Experience gained A
Ministry of Employment Standards
28/08/2006
Hi Kendall, further to your email inquiry of June 28, 2006, re: status of claim filed June 7, 2006. Claimes are investigated in the order in which they are received. We are currently working on files filed on May 15th and you will be contacted once the file is assigned to an employment standards officer.
While I understand the time it takes for a process like this must be frustrating, please be assured that although the Ministry receives a high volume of claims annually, the Ministry is committed to protecting the rights and entitlements of employees in Ontario by strictly enforcing the Employment Standards Act, 2000.
My apologies for the delay in responding, as your inquiry got lost in numerous emails.
Thanks for your patience.
*As stated above in an email to Kelly Services I did in fact receive all the money I was owed, within days of receiving notification that my claim had been processed and was ready to proceed.
Overall Rating: A
Tomco Steel
Looking ahead to 2007
Later,
Kenaz
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