Caledonia should say farewell to Fantino

Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino has a rather sinister track record, one that includes police brutality, racist policing, use of excessive force against protesters and bathhouse raids and other homophobic policing.

And now on the one year anniversary of the occupation of Caledonia by native activists protesting a housing development being built on what they claim is their land, the cries for Fantino to resign, once again rage with the ferocity of a banshee cry.

The latest storm of controversy to suck up the "Don of Commissioners" surrounds his bizarre e-mail sent warning the Haldimand County Mayor and councillors that he would hold them responsible for violence resulting from future anti occupation protests by a group known as "Caledonia Wake Up Call." The group is critical of the OPP's handling of the standoff with natives occupying a 40-hectare tract of land.

Fantino's e-mail rant was apparently triggered by one councillor's comments supporting the leader of that group, Gary McHale. The OPP boss then in true dictator fashion, took the sole initiative to villainize a man because he expresses a different opinion, calling him "a lightning rod for confrontation and potential violence."

The e-mail went on to say that if further violence resulted from a McHaleled protest, Commissioner Fantino would support any lawsuits filed by officers, would pass on the ensuing policing costs to the county and would recommend that the OPP not renew its contract with the county when it expires in September, 2008.

Caledonia tax payers need to wake up their city council and demand their voices be heard. Fantino needs to leave and a new police force brought in to restore public trust. The man is an out of control bully with way too much power, and before he does something completely stupid that could potentially cost lives he should be replaced.

Long live free speech.

Later,
Kenaz

Condolences for the 33 destined ones at Virginia Tech

Condolences to the friends and family of Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, the Nova Scotian French teacher who's life was cut way to short by senseless violence. Couture-Nowak was one of the 33 innocent souls who died on the campus of Virginia Tech on Monday, gunned down by a desperately woeful soul, Cho Seung Hui, who later took the cowards way out of life and killed himself.

I wish to also condemn all the "faceless" hate mongers who used the anonymity of inter net chat groups to condemn an innocent man minutes after this tragedy occurred. Instead of waiting for the facts to unfold, these cyber terrorists decided to target a man, who only crime was a similar name and similar heritage. In turn he was barraged by death threats, racial slurs and demoralized. When the real "devil" revealed himself, it was too late, the damage was done. Two crimes where committed, first the loss of 33 innocent people, then the loss of a mans dignity for no reason.

This kind of inter net terrorism will only stop when the owners of these chat type sights and blog sights put measures in place that bans anyone who spreads hateful messages. Stocking and threats on the web is no different than doing the acts in person, when will law makers get in step with the times.

Lastly, I find it appalling that Canadian and U.S media outlets decided to play the sickening tape of a ranting, delusional Cho Seung Hui. His so called "manifesto" was nothing more than pure fiction from a sick mind.

Later,
Kenaz

Congradulations Drew Lee

The kid with the iron will and the one who had every citizen in Hamilton last summer full of emotion after he was brutally beaten in an unprovoked attack has returned to school. A remarkable achievement for Drew Lee, considering he had to be induced into a coma for 12 days at McMaster Children's Hospital and had casts on both legs because of his injuries from the Aug. 5 assault.

Also, congratulations to Detective Constable Daryl Reid, the detective oversaw the investigation into the attack and charged an 18-year-old man in December with 16 criminal offences, including aggravated assault. Reid has already received a Crime Stoppers award. He was presented with a police award by Chief Brian Mullan and police board chair Bernie Morelli.

He may walk with a limp and speak like someone who had a stroke, but something tells me he will prove the doctors wrong and some day walk again. Good luck.

Drew was on his way home when he was grabbed and pulled into a parking lot near Main Street East and Sherman Avenue South by a man just after he had parted from friends. Police say the attacker repeatedly kicked and stomped on the boy's head. An elderly woman saw the assault and screamed at the man and he eventually fled as Drew lay motionless in the lot. The scum remains in custody and is awaiting trial dates.

Later,
Kenaz

Excuse me sir, is that a monkey in your pants?

Wildlife smuggling is a lucrative business for smugglers willing to take the risks.
the trafficking in illegal imports racks up $8 billion to $10 billion US a year in sales. Hot commodities for trade include rare butterflies, birds, fish, snakes and mammals. Some are bought by sleazy collectors or dealers in exotic pets. Other creatures, or their parts, are destined to be consumed as aphrodisiacs or food. Many animals die en route, of course, and even those that survive can rarely be returned to their homes.

One man arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after an 18-hour trip from Asia had two lesser slow lorises, or pygmy monkeys, stuffed into his underwear. When inspectors opened some of his luggage, birds of paradise flew out. His travelling companion had a pair of leopard cats in his backpack, Johns told the New York Times. Another man is accused of smuggling reptiles from South Asia in his prosthetic leg.

Later,
Kenaz

A plea to help find a son is not advertising

The mother of a missing Hamilton man says she was shocked. Bill Mason's mom had been ordered to take down hundreds of flyer's about her son, that she posted on hydro poles, because they violate a city bylaw. Donna Dixon says she got the order from police yesterday, after someone complained to city hall. But Councillor Sam Merulla says he's been assured by city staff, the posters will be allowed to stay. Merulla says the the purpose of the bylaw is to prevent cluttering of advertising, and trying to find your son isn't advertising.-posted on the CHML website

What uninformed or heartless person would have the cowardice to mistake or consider this type of flyer as junk advertising and worse report it. Around Gage Park, where these flyer's hang you will see junk flyer's promoting everything from roof jobs to pick up of empties on every poll. They are an eyesore to me, but one mans trash is another mans cash, so be it. Even if their offensive, it only takes a second to rip it down. So what idiot, assuming they are literate, mistook this plea as junk advertising?


They probably hate ads for cute kittens too. Joking aside I hope this man is found unharmed.

Now, from the shocking to the amusing, also from Hamilton.

Tongs a lot pal!

Turns out a set of barbecue utensils resulted in the closure of a main street in Hamilton for over 5 hours yesterday. Upper Wentworth was closed for the entire afternoon after a resident on the street came home to find a metal case in between his front doors. Police were called and shut down the entire area while the explosives disposal unit conducted an investigation. Before the bomb robot was sent in, a neighbour told police he had left a box of barbecue utensils between the doors of the home as a gift.

I think someone is bringing the beer to their neighbours BBQ's for the entire summer.

Later,
Kenaz

" Miguel Cervantes. He wrote Donkey Hote"

This is one of many humorous excerpts from actual student essays that I found on a crazy news sight. First, in timely Easter fashion I bring you some students (mis)take on biblical history.

Pharaoh forced the Hebrew slaves to make bread without straw. Moses led them to the Red Sea, where they made unleavened bread, which is bread made without any ingredients. Afterwards, Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the Ten Commandments. David was a Hebrew king skilled at playing the liar. He fought with the Philatelists, a race of people who lived in Biblical times. Solomon, one of David's sons, had 500 wives and 500 porcupines.

-yum straw bread, delicious and calorie free.

The Bible is full of interesting caricatures. In the first book of the Bible, Guinesses, Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. One of their children, Cain, once asked, "Am I my brother's son?" God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Montezuma. Jacob, son of Isaac, stole his brother's birth mark. Jacob was a patriarch who brought up his twelve sons to be patriarchs, but they did not take to it. One of Jacob's sons, Joseph, gave refuse to the Israelites.

-I often quote from the book of Guiness or two and then need to visit Mount Montezuma.

Now some other interesting historical facts that I wasn't aware of.

The nineteenth century was a time of many great inventions and thoughts. The invention of the steamboat caused a network of rivers to spring up. Cyrus McCormick invented the McCormick raper, which did the work of a hundred men. Samuel Morse invented a code of telepathy. Louis Pasteur discovered a cure for rabbis. Charles Darwin was a naturalist who wrote the Organ of the Species. Madman Curie discovered radium. And Karl Marx became one of the Marx brothers.

-That book Karl, Harpo and Groucho wrote "Communist Manifesto" was a real laugher.

In the Olympic Games, Greeks ran races, jumped, hurled the biscuits, and threw the java. The reward to the victor was a coral wreath. The government of Athens was democratic because people took the law into their own hands. There were no wars in Greece, as the mountains were so high that they couldn't climb over to see what their neighbors were doing. When they fought with the Persians, the Greeks were outnumbered because the Persians had more men.

-Did the Greeks invent the Olympics or the eating competition? Bloody unruly Democracy!

And lastly, a couple of prose that deal with royalty of sorts, a Knighted explorer and a Knight of the quill. Unfortunately these two nights of the round bowl must of conjured their masterpieces while sitting on the throne.

In one of Shakespear's famous plays, Hamlet rations out his situation by relieving himself in a long soliloquy. In another, Lady Macbeth tries to convince Macbeth to kill the King by attacking his manhood. Romeo and Juliet are an example of a heroic couplet. Writing at the same time as Shakespear was Miguel Cervantes. He wrote Donkey Hote. The next great author was John Milton. Milton wrote Paradise Lost. Then his wife died and he wrote Paradise Regained.

-No wonder Hamlet was such a dark brooding guy, he couldn't even relieve himself without being ridiculed!

Sir Francis Drake circumcised the world with a 100 foot clipper.

-Insert your own joke here.

Later,
Kenaz

Troubled bridge over the water

Artists sketch of the grand proposed arch bridge design.



Hamilton city councillors voted in favour to build a myopic eye-catching arched bridge over the Queen Elizabeth Way in east Hamilton. The plan is to lure Toronto-bound drivers who are slightly nearsighted and hopefully lacking a sense of smell into Hamilton using the bridge as a distraction from the odour enriched bay front smokestacks and slag piles.

The pedestrian bridge, as councilors like Sam Merulla laughingly envision would give east-end residents safe access to the waterfront, linking with the Beach Recreational Trail and the Bruce Trail through the Red Hill Valley. The view is not exactly inviting, unless your doing a photo documentary on industrial pollution.

It's no secret Hamilton is fighting a losing battle over its reputation and I welcome anything that could change the "grubby city" attitude of our 'Big Smoke' cousins but, we do not need a fancy bridge or Bratina's fountain in the harbour idea that is way too expensive. Maybe the fountain could lead 'patrons' into a red light district that the good councillor suggested as an answer to ridding the hookers and johns. Seven and a half million would go along way to the continuing effort to beautify Randle Reef in Hamilton Harbour or towards a new home for the Tiger Cats and Marauders at Mac to take advantage of the newly minted Go bus terminal.

My suggestion would to build a much simpler and less costly bridge and focus our tourism efforts on parts of the city that actually offer something to see. Not north end smoke stacks and the now covered Rennie Street dump to the south.

Later,
Kenaz

Dead wrong or creativity

Artists are often inspired by the most unusual objects and ideas but some inspirations border on the plane morbid and wrong. A project from Eindhoven's Design Academy in the Netherlands takes inspiration from funerals and ways of remembering the dead. Some of the exhibits like Bleeding 'till Death, borrow ideas from ancient cultures who's loved ones erect living memorials to the dead. The piece features flowers arranged like bed-ridden patients and attached to transfusion pouches filled with dye. Another piece consists of seeds for every person who has died in war, to be planted in their memory.

Then their is the truly obsurd, Merel Vantellingen turns ashes into pencils, and then prints the name of the deceased or an inspirational message on them, alluding to the idea of messages being written from beyond the grave. Vantellingen even envisions the pencil being used as part of a spinning top, that leaves mysterious messages after it starts spinning.

This is similar to a story I heard last year about a company called LifeGem who offers clients the opportunity to take their deceased loved one's ashes and have them pressed into a "memorial diamond" which can be turned into a piece of jewelry.

I couldn't fathom using a pencil made from a deceased loved one or wearing a diamond made from them. Call me wacky, put I think a picture is suffice or a tattoo if you wish something permanent. I dunno, to each their own.

Later,
Kenaz

Those who have passed in March 2007

In March 2007 the world lost another group of bright talents from all walks of life. Some famous for what they accomplished in the lime light. While others received notoriety for what they accomplished quietly away from the glare of scrutiny.

March 6-Ernest Gallo, 97, American co-founder of E & J Gallo Winery. Parlayed $5,900 and a wine recipe from a public library into the world's largest winemaking empire. He and his late brother and business partner, Julio, grew up working in the vineyard owned by their immigrant father who came to America from Italy's famed winemaking region of Piedmont. They founded the E.&J. Gallo Winery in 1933, at the end of Prohibition, when they were still mourning the murder-suicide deaths of their parents. Ernest and Julio rented a ramshackle building, and everybody in the family pitched in to make ordinary wine for 50 cents a gallon - half the going price. The Gallos made $30,000 the first year.

March 9-Brad Delp, 55, American lead singer of 1970s AOR band Boston, suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. Delp auditioned as lead vocalist for Boston, and got the job immediately. He also contributed back-up vocals, guitar, and keyboards on the Boston albums, and also played the harmonica. His partnership with guitarist Tom Scholz led to a string of hit songs. In fact, On the first three Boston Albums, Brad Delp's voice is the only one that is used. He did all of the lead and backing vocals.

March 10-Ernie Ladd, 68, American NFL player and wrestler, cancer. The American Football League's San Diego Chargers selected the Grambling State University standout with their 15th pick in the 1961 draft. At 6'9" and 315 pounds, Ladd was arguably the biggest and strongest man in professional football during his era: 52-inch chest, 39-inch waist, 20-inch biceps, 19-inch neck, 20-inch calf, and size 18D shoes. Ladd started wrestling in 1961. As a publicity stunt, some wrestlers in the San Diego area challenged Ladd to a private wrestling workout. Before long, Ladd was a part-time competitor in Los Angeles, during football's off-season. Ladd became a huge draw in short order. Ladd became one of wrestling's most hated heels during the 1970s, as well as one of the first Black wrestlers to portray a heel character.


Richard Jeni, 49, American comedian, apparent suicide by gunshot. Jeni regularly toured the country with a standup act and had starred in several HBO comedy specials, most recently "A Big Steaming Pile of Me" during the 2005-06 season. Another HBO special, "Platypus Man," won a Cable ACE award for best standup comedy special, and formed the basis for his UPN sitcom of the same name, which ran for one season. Jeni's movie credits included "The Mask," in which he played Jim Carrey's best friend, "The Aristocrats," "National Lampoon's Dad's Week Off," and "An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn." He had guest appearances in the TV shows "Everybody Hates Chris," "Married: With Children" and updated versions of the game shows "Hollywood Squares" and "Match Game." The comic first received national attention in 1990 with the Showtime special "Richard Jeni: Boy From New York City." Two years later, his "Crazy From the Heat" special attracted the highest ratings in Showtime's history. Jeni became a frequent guest on "The Tonight Show" during Johnny Carson's reign and continued to appear after Jay Leno took over as host. He also wrote comic material for the 2005 Academy Awards, which was hosted by his friend Chris Rock.

March 11-Betty Hutton, 86, American singer/actress (The Miracle of Morgan's Creek), complications from colon cancer. Hutton was at the top of the heap when she walked out of her Paramount contract in 1952, reportedly in a dispute over her demand that her then-husband direct her films. She made only one movie after that but had a TV series for a year and worked occasionally on the stage and in nightclubs. Unlike other actresses who have been called "blonde bombshells," Hutton had a screen personality that had more to do with energy and humor than sex. Time magazine wrote in 1950: "Betty Hutton, who is not remarkably pretty, by movie standards, nor a remarkably good singer or dancer, has a vividly unique personality in a town that tends to reduce beauty and talent to mass-produced patterns. Watching her in action has some of the fascination of waiting for a wildly sputtering fuse to touch off an alarmingly large firecracker." Several of her films were biopics: "Incendiary Blonde," about actress and nightclub queen Texas Guinan; "Perils of Pauline," about silent-screen serial heroine Pearl White; and "Somebody Loves Me," about singer Blossom Seeley. "Annie Get Your Gun" (1950) was the Irving Berlin musical biography of Annie Oakley, with Hutton playing the part Ethel Merman had made famous on Broadway. Hutton got the movie role part when Judy Garland dropped out of the production. Another notable film was "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek," the 1944 Preston Sturges satire that rattled the censors with the story of a young woman who gets pregnant after a spur-of-the-moment marriage and can't quite remember who the father is.

March 13-Arnold Skaaland, 82, American professional wrestler. Skaaland served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. After a short-lived attempt to make a living through boxing, he became a professional wrestler and debuted in 1946 as Arnold Skaaland. Though competing under his real name, he was billed early in his career as hailing from Norway. Skaaland gained the nickname "The Golden Boy" and was known as a small, agile wrestler who relied on speed, wits and toughness in the ring rather than size and strength. In the late 1950s, he wrestled in Georgia under the ring name Bobby Weaver. In the early 1960s, Skaaland unsuccessfully challenged both Pat O'Connor and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In 1963, Skaaland was a part of the newly created, New York City-based World Wide Wrestling Federation. On June 1, 1967 he collected his only title as one half of the WWWF United States Tag Team Champions, when Tony Parisi gave his half of the title to Skaaland. Skaaland and his partner, Spiros Arion, soon lost the titles to The Sicilians (Lou Albano and Tony Altimore).

March 15-Bowie Kuhn, 80, American Major League Baseball commissioner (1969–1984), respiratory failure. His 15 tumultuous years as baseball commissioner coincided with free agency and multimillion-dollar salaries. When Kuhn took over as commissioner from William Eckert on Feb. 4, 1969, baseball just had completed its final season as a tradition-bound 20-team sport with no playoffs, a reserve clause and an average salary of about $19,000.
During his tenure, the sport battled the rise of the NFL and a combative players' union that attacked him with lawsuits, grievances and work stoppages. By the time Peter Ueberroth succeeded Kuhn on Oct. 1, 1984, the major leagues had 26 teams in four divisions, a designated hitter in the American League, the first night World Series games, color-splashed uniforms, free agency and an average salary of nearly $330,000.

March 16-Carol Richards, 84, American actress and singer ("Silver Bells" with Bing Crosby).Richards won a Bob Hope talent contest in her early 20s, moved to Hollywood and made numerous TV appearances including I Love Lucy, Name That Tune, The Saturday Night Review, and variety shows hosted by Ralph Edwards, Dennis Day, Pinky Lee, Edgar Bergen, and Ezio Pinza. For four years (1953-1957), she was a regular cast member on the Bob Crosby Show. She was the movie singing voice for Vera Ellen in Call Me Madam, for Cyd Charisse in Silk Stockings, Brigadoon, Deep in my Heart, and It's Always Fair Weather, and for Betta St. John in The Robe. She worked frequently with Danny Kaye, Jerry Lewis, and Bob Hope, and sang with the Russ Morgan and Desi Arnez Bands.

March 23-Walter Turnbull, 62, American founder of the Boys Choir of Harlem, stroke. The Boys Choir of Harlem, founded with 20 boys in the basement of a Harlem church in 1968, has performed at the White House, at the United Nations and for Pope John Paul II. It has released albums and been heard on the soundtracks of films such as "Jungle Fever," "Malcolm X" and "Glory." Beyond its musical training, the choir provides educational and personal counseling each year to hundreds of inner-city children ages 9 to 19.

Later,
Kenaz

Backroom meeting raises the stench of corruption yet again

The only thing missing was the eerie violin music, the stogies and the dimly lit backroom, but all the characters of a scene straight out of the 'Godfather' where present. Sam 'The Bully' Merulla played the lead thug, trying to persuade Bob 'Red Light' Bratina and Brian 'Flip-Flop' McHattie into back tracking on their decision to agree with a transit fare hike. All under the cover of an off camera, extremely fishy out of chambers meeting.

Here's how the scene played out. Twenty four hours after Merulla had a tantrum worthy of cheap award show nod for best villain, calling McHattie a 'hypocrite' and heckling any other who dared oppose him, the three where huddled in Bratina's private office, off limits to the public and cameras discussing an alternative for the rate increase.

Merulla says Bratina was taking such flak from the public for voting for the increase, he offered to help the Ward 2 councillor "find a way out". Bratina said he only voted for the hike because he didn't want to seem "bullied or intimidated" He later recanted. Before the meeting was over, Bratina changed his position. He said the fare increase is "satisfactory and workable" because of attempts to mitigate the socio-economic impacts, but he still philosophically opposes all HSR increases.

"That's not to say that I voted for something that I don't agree with," he said. What does that mean? You either are for something or your not, there's no fence here or did the "bull" offer to shove the whole post up McHattie's, well, a very dark, smelly place, not unlike the whole gathering.

Here's where the grey area could have been crossed, turning this already sceptical meeting between two councillors into a potentially illegal gathering. Besides himself, Bratina named five councillors who were involved in the discussion -- Merulla, McHattie, Terry Whitehead, Chad Collins, and Robert Pasuta, who "wandered by." The magic number to keep in mind is nine. Nine members of city council congregating together to discuss city business without proper notification and clerical record-keeping would have constituted a quorum and almost certainly an illegal meeting.

Bratina identified six participants but McHattie says there was a "core" of four, with others sticking their heads in but not actively participating. Merulla says there were five or six. Whitehead said six, and others walked by who "would just stop, either join the conversation or walk through."

The meeting became so bizarre a fearful McHattie raised concerns about forming a quorum were. In typical sleazy fashion, Merulla laughed his concerns off as a joke. But they agreed to take a head count anyway.

Jokes aside, transit fares are an important issue worthy of debate in an adult way and should be held in public, not diluted in private backroom agreements. This was not a casual hallway discussion over a coffee, this a well cooked up and covered up attempt to deceive the public.

Everyone who took part at this meeting should feel ashamed and shouldn't wonder if anything they say from now on isn't believed by the people they say they represent. Openness and transparency at the grand hall downtown was nothing more than a cheap campaign slogan, the reality is city hall is rife with the stench of corruption and will only get worse until we get an independent integrity council that can't be corrupted, and willing to put an end to the shenanigans.

Later,
Kenaz

Sam Merulla, big man or big mouth

Hamilton Councillor Merulla hails himself as the self imposed deity of the elderly and poor of Hamilton. The truth is Mr. Merulla is a self absorbed "hypocrite" who rarely visits the neighbourhoods he claims to fight for in city council.

Yesterday, Mr. Merulla further added to his reputation of council bully when he verbally attacked the much smaller Councillor Brian McHattie. The verbal barrage started after Mr. McHattie took the chamber floor to address his approval of a 15 cent public transit fee hike.

Like myself any many working poor and economically disadvantaged Hamiltonian's, we may not like the idea of a substantial hit to our wallets, but we also don't like people like Merulla who misrepresent themselves to us as crusaders, when in reality they are mere self indulgent ego strokers.

In a side conversation that interrupted the meeting, Merulla called McHattie, a vocal transit advocate, a "hypocrite" for supporting the fare hike and warned "I'm coming after you."

The Ward 4 politician tried to cover his ass by saying he was referring to the debate, and further embarrassed himself by saying "We're big boys. We're in politics. If you can't handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen." Mr. Merulla, next time you try to bring the heat, don't bring a bick that doesn't flick.

While Mr. Merulla continued to act like a naughty five year old, insisting on yelling taunts at his fellow council members who supported the hike, and even the Mayor, the rest of the "kids" tried to bring some servility back to the voting public who try to make sense out of council meetings.

In the end, it was agreed, abet, with hesitation, that the cost of riding the bus will increase 15 cents this year to $2.25 for cash fares, a 10-cent increase in ticket fares, $6 on monthly passes, $40 for the annual seniors bus pass and 10 cents for DARTS tickets.

The increase will still mean a substantial sting to the wallets of the persons who can least afford it, but Hamilton will still have one of the cheapest transit systems in the Golden Horseshoe. And in a good turn, a proposal to continue increasing fares over the next several years was turned down.

The estimated $1 million in extra revenue will make up some of the Provincial shortchanging and hopefully lead to buying more new buses and pay for better driver training.

The debate lagged on with other councillors joining Merulla in his playpen to the point when Mayor Eisenberger had enough of the bar room heckling and asked for the councillor to leave the chambers. In response, Merulla asked to be thrown out on behalf of the city's "poor, disabled and seniors."

Mr. Merulla, you don't represent me, don't offend me by saying you do. I may be a working stiff, but I'm not a patsy for an egotistical, self-absorbed person like you.

Later,
Kenaz

Spring Tarot and Rune Readings

I haven't gone to a couple of my favourite Tarot or Rune reading sights in a very long time, so with Spring upon us I decided to return and share the very interesting results of my readings with you.

For each reading I used the general question: What does the Spring have in store for me? As well for each the Celtic spread was used.

Review of the ten card Celtic Spread.

The the deck is first spread out face down in the middle of the table and mixed up thoroughly. The cards are then gathered and played out one card at a time, face up as follows.

The Celtic Cross spread is one of the most common tarot spreads. There is a cross in the center, with a row of 4 cards along the side. This spread will provide a fairly in-depth look at a situation including past, present and external influences. Beginners may want to start with a spread with fewer cards.

This is a more advanced spread utilising ten cards (see diagram). It is unusual as card number two is placed sideways across card number one. This card should be read as dignified when interpreting the meaning. The cards should be turned over one at a time and addressed individually before being brought together to present a unified reading.

1. The Question: This card relates to the question that is being asked and also the motives behind it. It also indicates the emotions or issues on the seeker's mind.
2. Possible Obstacles: This card has an important influence on the seeker or the question that is being asked.
3. The Past: The background to the need for the requested question to be answered. The history that produced the question itself
4. The Present: The here and now. Present emotional states and feelings
5. The Near Future: That which lies just around the corner.
6. The Far Future: That which can be anticipated but not yet seen.
7. Personal attitudes: The Seeker's attitudes towards the question that has been asked. Also an indicator of how they see themselves.
8. An Outside Perspective: How those around the Seeker see or interpret the issue at hand.
9. Hopes and Fears: The positive and negative connotations of the question.
10. The outcome: The final result or answer.

Here is the spread:


Here is the translation:

_______________________________________________________________________________

Cover: General atmosphere
Ten Of Swords
YOU WILL BE FEELING SAD AND DEPRESSED, AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE A LOSS IN YOUR LIFE THAT WILL SOLVE AN ISSUE OR END A CYCLE IN YOUR LIFE.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Crossing: Opposing forces
Six of Swords
YOU WILL GO ON A TRIP OR WILL SOON BE MOVING TO A CITY OR A PLACE NEAR WATER
_________________________________________________________________________________

Foundation: Past basis
The Hierophant
A SITUATION WILL REQUIRE OF YOU AN OBLIGATION, CONTRACT OR COMMITMENT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE OR THIS SITUATION WILL COME TO AN END.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Behind You: Passing influences
Six of Pentacles
YOU ARE OR WILL BE GENEROUS OR KIND TO SOMEONE ELSE, THROUGH YOUR ATTENTION, EMOTIONAL, AND OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Crowining: Possible future
Three of Swords
YOU MAY FEEL BETRAYED, AND MAY DECIDE TO LEAVE A SITUATION OR RELATIONSHIP THAT NO LONGER IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Before You: Soon to come
Queen of Cups
YOU WILL MEET A NEW LOVE, THIS LOVE WILL BE NEAR YOU, OR YOUR HOME AND WILL SOON ENTER YOUR LIFE.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Hopes: Goals or aspirations
Ten of Wands
A SITUATION OR PROBLEM HAS LASTED A LONG TIME, AND YOU HAVE YET TO SOLVE IT, BUT SOON THIS WILL COME TO AN END.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Opinions: What others think
Temperance
YOUR PATIENCE AND DETERMINATION WILL BE TESTED BY AN UNEXPECTED EVENT THAT MAY CATCH YOU BY SURPRISE.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Feelings: Fears
Eight of Swords
YOU ARE FEELING TRAPPED OR BOUND BY A SITUATION, AND CAN'T SEE A WAY OUT OF IT
____________________________________________________________________________________

Outcome: Resolution
Queen of Wands
YOU WILL BE SPENDING A GREAT DEAL OF TIME SOCIALIZING WITH OTHER PEOPLE AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY ALSO FIND YOURSELF AMONG PETS OR ANIMALS.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Quintessence:
The Wheel of Fortune
RECOGNIZE YOUR PURPOSE, AND DEDICATE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THE POWER AND SKILL TO MASTER ANY SITUATION.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction to Rune Readings

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

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

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

The reading:


The Interpretation:

The left rune represents an important element of the past. Fehu represents cattle the Norse symbol of wealth. This rune has some interesting implications based on the fact that cattle, unlike land, move about of their own accord. Cattle also reproduce, so this rune often speaks of wealth that renews or perpetuates itself. Wealth takes many forms, but this rune generally represents the value that is purely material or monetary in nature. Alternatively, this rune is deeply associated with Frey, and hence can be the harbinger of fertility and children.

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

The top rune represents a force that works for you. Uruz symbolizes the Auroch, a member of the ox family that became extinct long ago. This rune represents the strength, bravery, and endurance of this animal of old. Uruz portends the ability to meet problems head on and to overcome them. When the world was new, warriors used to test their strength against the Auroch. Hence, this rune has come to represent the masculine principle and the capacity to meet a challenge.

The bottom Rune represents a force that works against you. Sowelu is a strong symbol, for it represents the sun. Unlike equatorial cultures that may see the sun as a harsh and imperial force capable of causing droughts, in the cold north the sun is a purely feminine force that gives life and allows crops to grow. In dark times, this rune represents clarity of sight and the victory of good over evil. Sowelu is irreversible, as the cycles of the sun and seasons are perpetual.

The right rune represents the critical element of the future, at the core of the final outcome. Hagalaz is the rune of hail. Hail is a destructive and elemental force, so one can expect this rune to represent the disruption of one's life. In the harsh northern winter there is a halt to activity, and so delay or hindrance is frequently associated with this rune. The opposite of chaos is yet more chaos, as illustrated by the fact that this rune cannot be reversed.

Later,
Kenaz

Hamilton landlord plays the victim card

Anthony Di Cenzo, a Hamilton landlord, portraying himself as a totally innocent patsy in his role in a sophisticated criminal operation after a massive marijuana grow operation was discovered in his east end apartments is totally unbelievable.

On Wednesday, Hamilton police found 11,000 plants worth about $11 million in 48 units in three high-rise apartment buildings owned by Di Cenzo Management Inc., one of the Steel City's biggest residential landlords.

This was the biggest story to come out of this troublesome apartment complex, but not the first. A stabbing and a shooting had brought unwanted attention to residences in the area before.

Councillor Chad Collins shed light on the history on the buildings when he said "they have been problem spots for years and suggested the landlord should be more vigilant in screening tenants." Mr. Di Cenzo, immediately took a familiar posture amongst area landlords who have been caught with their pants down, and accused Mr. Collins of "pandering to the media".

If Mr. Di Cenzo feels he's being unfairly villanized and made part of a witch hunt by the media than he needs to do his own exorcism. Find a media outlet he feels comfortable with and set the media straight and quell the fire of the citizens. If as he says, his apartments where safe for his tenants and he had never heard of any complaints of illegal activity, he has nothing to worry about.

I have strong reservations about Mr. Di Cenzo's pleas of innocence. The smell of pot is unmistakable even for a novice, and on this scale the stench of his buildings inside or out would have been horrible. Plus, Di Cenzo states that he never saw any suspicious activity on the hydro bills or any signs of tampering. That ones tough to swallow if you saw the pictures of the re-wiring that went on.

Being fair to Mr. Di Cenzo, yes many of the tenants where probably scared to come forth to complain, in fear of retribution, but I'm sure many did, what happened to those complaints? More absurd, Di Cenzo states that he saw no commonality amongst the 48 individuals who rented the apartments, but yet the cops where able to connect the dots and go from apartment to apartment. Di Cenzo says he runs credit checks on each renter, maybe he should try a police background check instead.

This drug bust was an accident waiting to happen and it's up to Mr. Di Cenzo to come up with a better excuse than the deplorably it wasn't my fault stance.

Later,
Kenaz

Hamilton Falconwatch is back!

The above picture is from the Falcon cam perched a top the Sheraton Centre. The cool part occurs when you right click on the picture and select reload image, this will bring up the up to date photo with curent date and time. Or if you don't like to reload please visit http://www.hamiltonnature.org/hamfalcam.html and view their cam shots which reload automatically.

Last year I wrote a post about the Falcon program, you can read it here, http://theeternalkenaz.blogspot.com/2006/06/hamilton-falcon-program-has-earned-its.html

Hamilton Falconwatch is a great program run by the Hamilton Naturalists' Club. Their goal is re-introduce the once extinct Peregrine Falcon back into Ontario. Peregrine Falcons, although never common, were once widely distributed in Ontario. Their population declined drastically between the 1940s and the 1960s and they disappeared completely from Ontario in 1963. This was due to reproductive failure caused by exposure to the pesticide DDT. Concerns that the species could become extinct led to a breeding program in which 600 captive-raised young were released in Ontario from 1977 to 1996. Peregrine Falcons have adapted to life in cities, where food is plentiful and tall buildings provide high perches and nest sites. Volunteer Falcon Watches are established in many cities to keep an eye on chicks as they learn to fly above busy streets. Peregrine Falcons are also returning to formerly occupied wilderness areas in Ontario.

The adult Peregrines spent the winter of 2006-2007 roosting on signs on the CIBC and Standard Life buildings in downtown Hamilton. They have been active at the Sheraton nest site on and off. The Hamilton Community Peregrine Project confirmed that the adult female present this spring is Madame X and are working to confirm that the male is again Surge (the new male that appeared last year).

In 2006 Madame X and Surge hatched three chicks - all female: Albion, Sherman and Webster, named for local waterfalls. All three fledged safely and left the area later in the summer.

Click on the title link to read more about the organization, read previous Falcon watch updates and view an extensive liabrary of web cam galleries.

Later,
Kenaz

Possible new slogans for Hamilton

Hamilton is in the midst of a search for a catchy new slogan. Seems everyone from politicians and reporters to business professor's have their idea to what catch phrase encapsulates Hamilton's unique character.

Together Strive - Together Achieve was boring. Reach, dream, rise, shine sounded like a ad campaign for a workout video. And The Ambitious City? Not exactly new.

Some of the lame slogans being offered include, Hamilton, Your Future's Calling (probably collect), Little Mountain, Big Heart(talk about alienating everyone in the rest of the city). City By The Bay? (isn't that San Francisco's motto?)

Failed Mayoral candidate Mark-Alan Whittle offered this bell ringer to the Hamilton Spectator sponsored slogan contest, Hamilton: Get Used To It. It may not win but it got me thinking, so here's my list of slogans.

Hamilton:Come smell the winds of change.
Hamilton:A different shade of green (giving Hamilton credit for the amount of green space we have for an industrial city, albeit the polution has turned it all grey)
Hamilton:Grittiness that gets under your skin.
Hamilton:At least we don't suck!
Hamilton:We do trailor trash well (just take a walk downtown any given summer day, beer guts, tatoos and tube tops, and that's just the women)
Hamilton:Toronto light.

and one last one, a slogan that speaks for our cities attitude, Hammer Time is anytime we damn well please.

Later,
Kenaz

A Winter's Tale from Hamilton

This picture is taken from outside my house on Sherman looking north at what is normally the smoke stacks of the industrial core. Friday's snow storm turned the neighbourhood into a rather appealing Winter postcard.


To prove how freakish weather in this neck of the woods can be here are two photos of my budding tulips taken one day apart. I've decided to keep a digital diary of my flower bed which includes tulips and later on roses. I plan to take the photos and create some sort of online album, tracking the birth and death of the flowers throughout the season.



Later,
Kenaz

`This Thing of Ours` that is Hamilton Ward 3

Hamilton city council and the Mayors office continues to fumble their chances to help the city grow and attain new levels of prosperity and optimism. Instead they let it continue to decay with rampant pollution, poverty, corruption and scandal.

One of the biggest contributors to Hamilton's woes is Bernie Morelli, the head rat in the sewer that is the troubled and impoverished Ward 3. Lets look at Mr. Morelli`s apathetic record for each of the issues.

First a couple of maps of the most heavily populated Ward in the city and one of the most economically and socially diverse. Ward three runs from the industrial North end to the historic brick works and homes that line the escarpment in the South, East from the shopping opportunity rich Ottawa Street, West to the heath service centres on and near Wellington.



The first reaction of anyone driving down Barton Street is rightfully, to put blinders on as they pass the decades of neglect that hang off the eyesore drug dens, junk shops and bars that cater to crime. These black holes suck the life out of the jewels that passerby`s don't notice, the family owned Polish delis and restaurants, the Italian shoe and clothing stores that offer elegance on a budget and the myriad of other ethnic offerings. These don`t get the football fans stopping by or the people who are sick of the headaches of shopping downtown. Bernie Morelli says he supports the small business owner and the vision of a Ward that you can raise a child in, but you wouldn't know by the two to one percentage of vacant store fronts to business and the prostitutes hanging out in front of the children's library.

Bernie Morelli, who, has said he "supported" the work of the Good Shepherd. Whether his support is strictly by the purchase of a ticket to a fund raiser function or he actually visits these shelters on his own time and sees the need of this wonderful charities people is open for debate. The truth is the truly needy, the blue collar working poor don`t see a dime in aid that Morelli promises every election. Instead, every housing and financial program that once helped Ward 3 electors fix up their aging homes or afford day care so they could become a contributor to society has been scrapped. In turn when you try to communicate with Mr. Morelli you get a terse response from a secretary and a form letter saying he can`t help.

The councillors "influence" over the new mayor couldn`t have been highlighted better than how council and the mayor dealt with the harassment complaint made against Councillor Bernie Morelli. Even though the investigator concluded that Mr. Morelli had indeed harassed a city employee, council simply gave Mr. Morelli a get-out-of-jail-free card. A arrogate Mr. Morelli said he had nothing to apologize for and he justified his "passionate" and "assertive" actions on behalf of fighting for his constituents. I wonder if this constituent was a financial or moral contributor to Mr. Morelli.

Mr. Eisenberger, looking like a patsy, reluctant at even having to discuss the issue with the media, tried to wash his hands of it, saying it wasn't "my doing." Wishing the whole affair would just go away, a terse Mr. Eisenberger then fumbled around barely mounting an effort to defend city staff, who have had to sit on the sidelines fearful now of what will happen if they have a similar incident with a councillor.

Mr. Morelli agreed to apology with the tact of a fifth grader with his fingers crossed behind his back. The counselor turned face and the apology never materialized, and even had the gall and gumption to demand Stoney Creek councillor Dave Mitchell to apologize for a comment he made that called Mr. Morelli on the issue.

The story going around at City Hall sounds like a page ripped from a script of the Soprano`s. It goes something like this, Fred Eisenberger was sandbagged when he went along with the rest of council to let Bernie Morelli off the hook for allegedly harassing a city employee. According to the buzz, the mayor was given assurances that if he stayed onside, Morelli would, if not offer a full bore apology, at least express regret for the incident.

Rightly or wrongly, Eisenberger accepted the proffered half loaf of remorse and opted to invest his political capital into pushing for an integrity commissioner to monitor future council conduct. But when the voting was over, Morelli did the opposite of what was expected. He demanded an apology from the employee who levelled the accusation against him. And the only regret he expressed was for how the controversy had hurt him and his family. Morelli crossly denies the tale.

An ethical watchdog is sorely needed at City Hall to handle this kind of underhandedness. But don`t count on it, shady and squeaky clean councillors alike would easily go after the cost of the office as a means of getting in the way without being seen as obstructionist.

The Hamilton ethics Detective McGruff`s job would be to investigate a wide range of complaints against councillors, including mistreatment of staff, discreditable conduct to the public, using city resources for campaign purposes, disorderly behaviour at council meetings, receiving improper gifts or benefits and inappropriately using city resources.

My first choice for the job of laying the `Smackdown` in city chambers would be Joanna `Pitbull` Chapman, the little old lady from Dundas who went after illegal campaign donations given to Larry Di Ianni and other members of council with all the resolution of a dog on a bone.

As attractive as this snake charmer is, she'd be a hard sell among councillors who ultimately have to give their stamp of approval. She would be seen as too biased for the job. So how will the commissioner be chosen once council gives the green light? Staff is expected to recommend the normal hiring process.

That means the position likely will be advertised to a select group of friends. A drawn out application process will pursue. A selection committee or panel will make a recommendation based solely on a most favoured bases.

Who ever is given the post, the most important question is how much authority that person will be given. Because of loop holes in the amended Municipal Act, it's an open question whether council can invest an integrity commissioner with the power to actually order punishments, or will he or she merely be able to recommend a course of action for council to follow or not, as it pleases. In plain language, a lot of money and time will be wasted on an attempt by city council to shore up a sagging reputation. Money that Ward 3 could badly use.

Sources,
The Hamilton Spectator, The Hamilton Mountain News, The Dundas Star News and Raise the Hammer.

Later,
Kenaz

Essential Tips To Avoid The Daylight Savings Headache

Daylight Savings Time is like the in laws at Christmas, it causes a lot of headaches and no ones certain who invited them. This year,the pain in the ass is even greater! Great news, DST is coming three weeks earlier than usual this year, thanks to a law passed by the U.S Congress in 2005 and Canada`s follow `Big Brother`attitude. The idea: Extra daylight will conserve energy by curbing the need for electric light.

So in the early morning hours of Mar. 11, clocks must move forward an hour. That means we all can enjoy more outdoor activities on Sunday as the sun will now stretch into the early evening, but of course that means it`s time too go to bed an hour early. This also means we are back to getting up for work in the dark. Of course, these not the only inconveniences inherent in springing forward this year—computers and electronics of various stripes have long been programmed to change the time according to a schedule that has been in place for decades.

No big deal right, wrong! It`s not just the alarm clock that has to be set, your computer might need a patch update to reset the time if your using an older platform, if you have a Palm, Trio or Blackberry device, that needs a download, ditto for your mobile, and if your old VCR actually has the time set correctly, that will need to be addressed.

So, feel like going to bed and hiding under the covers and calling into work Monday saying you have DST flue (not to be confused with a STD).If your boss falls for it let me know. For the rest of us, here's a quick rundown of what you need to know from
BusinessWeek.com

Managing Microsoft

If your PC is running the most recent version of Microsoft (MSFT) Windows, known as Vista, you don't need to do anything. The new operating system was programmed with the new time-change schedule in mind. Prior versions, however, need an update, which can be downloaded.

See Microsoft's Daylight Saving Time Help & Support Center for more information on versions of Windows going as far back as Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 4. Versions of Windows that are even older, including Windows Me, Windows 98, Windows NT, and Windows 95, need a little more help. Your best bet is to use a utility called tzedit.exe, which can be found either on the Windows installation CD or downloaded from Microsoft's Web site.

Managing Macintosh

If you're an Apple (AAPL) user, most Macs bought during the last two years and running Mac OS X should be fine, provided you've been regularly updating your software. Updates have already been issued for Mac OS X version 10.3 (Panther) and 10.4 (Tiger).

Not sure if you're appropriately updated? While connected to the Internet, pull down "Software Update" from the Apple menu. If they're needed, the required updates will install automatically. If your Mac runs any version of OS X prior to 10.3, you'll have to adjust the time settings manually. In "System Preferences" find the "Date and Time" icon, and deselect the option to automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time. If your Mac runs Mac OS 9.2 or earlier, you'll have to find the "Date and Time" control panel and uncheck the option to change to Daylight Savings Time automatically. Then set the time yourself.

Handling Handhelds

Most mobile phones automatically set their own clocks based on the time settings of the nearest cell-phone tower. But this year, smartphones including BlackBerrys, Treos, and those running Microsoft's Windows Mobile aren't quite as sharp as they should be. BlackBerry devices from Research In Motion (RIMM) all need an update to their internal software, which you can get either from your wireless service provider or from RIM's Web site: Using your BlackBerry's Web browser, go to www.blackberry.com/dst2007/patch and follow the prompts to download and install the patch. The process requires a reset, so it's worth backing up the contents of the device to your PC before starting.

Palm (PALM) devices like the Treo line of smartphones—including those running the Palm OS and Windows Mobile, as well standalone PDAs such as the LifeDrive, Zire, and Tungsten—all need an update that must be downloaded to a PC and then installed on the device while it's connected to the computer. The update can be found at the Palm Web site.

On other Windows Mobile devices, you can use the device's Web browser and go to the Windows Mobile site and follow on-screen instructions for installing the necessary update.

Retro-Fitting

Now, for those of you who still own a VCR—assuming you managed to set its clock in the first place—there's a good chance it's too old to have an updated, preprogrammed Daylight Savings Time schedule. So you'll have to break out your owner's manual and change it manually. (If like many machines, your VCR is still flashing 12:00, the time change won't make much difference).

Some models that support VCR+ will automatically be updated. But if you do a lot of timed recording and aren't sure, it's worth checking in with the vendor by calling the support phone numbers in the owner's manual—lest you miss that recording of Battlestar Galactica by an hour.
For Your Consideration

Finally, you may not think it's necessary to change the clock settings in a digital camera or camcorder—but these devices have small computers in them too, many of which were programmed before Congress mandated the time change. And don't forget the time stamp in the corner of photos and videos. Having that off by an hour can foul up organization later. Most will let you set the time manually.

Later,
Kenaz

Compassion for Matthew Daly`s Grandparents

This is a letter to the forum section from today`s Hamilton Spectator written by the grandparents of slain teenager Matthew Daly. It is re-posted in its entirety and without edit and without prejudice.

Our grandson's killers got off lightly
By Fred and Eileen Bergman, Burlington

Matthew Daly was our grandson. He was an outstanding young man, loved by all who knew him. He had a great future ahead of him.

On May 19, 2001, he was ambushed and beaten to death by a gang of six to eight men armed with clubs and bats. You, the public, have read the details over the years. All five individuals charged, plus three others, allegedly were members or affiliates of a Hamilton gang, the Oriental, or Original, Blood Brothers. The four who attended the private party were recognized by their clothing and were asked to leave by the hostess and, later at her request, by some of the male partygoers.

Legal proceedings began shortly after the October 2001 arrests and continued for almost five years until the trial began. Over this period, our family had to listen to the details of Matthew's horrible death dozens of times. It was emotionally draining. The victim seemed to be forgotten during all the tactics, manoeuvres and grandstanding employed by some of the defence lawyers. Most of them showed little or no empathy for the victim but were totally absorbed in beating the system and in obtaining lenient sentences. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is clearly there only to protect the accused, not the victim.

The action of one juror in hugging a defence lawyer in front of our family, after the client received a lenient sentence, was disgusting and reprehensible. Some lawyers need to learn there are only losers in such trials, and that grandstanding is deplorable.

Ten defence lawyers were in court almost every day court was in session, over almost five years. Most of the defence lawyers used everything they had to delay and extend court proceedings with useless rhetoric and vitriol, a lot of it aimed at law enforcement witnesses. It would last for days without accomplishing anything, except run up the lawyers' fees. We are all paying these fees through legal aid.

The two-for-one law -- two days counted for every day served before sentencing -- for those convicted of manslaughter after being charged with murder, is ludicrous. It must be changed. Matthew's killers received almost minimum sentences; their jail times range from a minimum of time served before sentencing to a maximum of another 7 1/2 years. One of those convicted was two months younger than 18 years old at the time of the attack; he can only serve a total of 7 1/2 years before release.

A murder conviction is supposed to be a life sentence. Is this justice, or a slap on the wrist? We all must get involved in repairing a broken system.

We must acknowledge the tremendous effort by Halton and Hamilton police, led by then-Sergeant Martin Power, and the Halton Crown's office, led by Brian O'Marra, in bringing the killers to justice. The first thing some defence lawyers do is to put the police on trial with vitriol, disrespect and unending questioning. They don't play fair.

We have great admiration and respect for the manner in which the police and the Crown conducted themselves with dignity when facing unfair, malicious attacks by the defence. We sincerely thank them for their efforts.

Peace,
Kenaz

Updated news from Bartonville

As I briefly mentioned yesterday, a massive fire lit up the north end of Hamilton yesterday that could be seen as far away as Dundas. The blaze broke out around 1 p.m at Baresa Kitchens, located at 65 Biggar Ave, between Lottridge and Sherman Ave North just north of Barton Street East.

Hamilton Spectator Photos



The fire was started by a handyman trying to melt snow from the roof with a blowtorch. Nobody was injured thank god, though the building is a complete write off. The worker on the roof tried to put out the fire himself, but eventually was overcome by the fire and was rescued by firefighters. Early estimates peg the damage in the area of $1 million.

Fate struck again this morning just after 6am further on Biggar Ave. I heard the trucks responding as I was shaving and shook my head in disbelief, not again? This time it was a house fire, again god was looking down and all five occupants of the home got out.

Some good Bartonville neighbourhood news, a documentary film crew is moving in tomorrow to take over the Bell Air Grill, located at Barton Street East and Sherman Ave North. The "History Channel" project is entitled "The Underground". No doubt the authentic fifties dinner feel of this little gem of an eatery that gives life to its bleak surroundings is what attracted location managers. The diner is home to some of the best Polish food you can get in this city. For location info click on the link in the side bar.



Later,
Kenaz