The Tall Ships are coming to Halifax in July....and they are going to be sailing into a Halifax Harbour that will probably have lots of 'floatables' in it thanks to a failed Harbour Solutions Project" Yes, I said 'failed' because that's what it is a failure, despite the spin Mayor Kelly and others are trying to put on it. The project, at a cost of millions has failed...
Sewage doesn't seem to be the only thing the Halifax Regional Municipality is putting down the drain, it seems that a bunch of money is going down the drain too.
Yes I said 'failed' because that's what it is a failure, despite the spin Mayor Kelly and others are trying to put on it. The project, at a cost of millions has failed...$333-million is the number I believe. They had screens in place on the ends of the pipes, to try and catch some of the floatables before they entered the Harbour, but so far, four of the eight had to be removed, and I think the other four are going to come off soon. The screens haven't been able to handle the amount of effulent coming down the pipes.
The main sewage treatment plant in Halifax gave up in January of this year, and won't be fixed for a year, and the Herring Cove Plant isn't ready for action yet.
The politicians, Mayor Kelly for one, seem to be remaining optimistic, which of course is what I would expect of a politician who has essentially squandered a ton of money on a project that didn't work. The question now is, how much more are they willing to spend?
The Halifax Harbour Non-Solution Project
Halifax Police Cameras
I'm not sure how I feel about the news release that the Halifax Regional Police plan to install more cameras in specific "hotspots" to capture wrongdoers committing crimes.
While I can understand the value of cameras watching the action, and capturing what might be evidence for the prosecutors to use in court, and the importance of that to the prosecutors, I cannot help but feel this is too much "big brother" stuff for me.
The story in the Chronicle Herald says Police Chief Beazley announced the plan of "using portable digital equipment in the near future to record images at "hot spots" in the municipality and public gatherings like rock concerts."
Mayor Kelly, always a fan of the camera, (even tried hosting an interview show on the local cable channel) said he supports secret camera use. According to the Mayor, cameras are already tracking the public here and in other cities. While that maybe true, that doesn't make it right. The Mayor says law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear....
I dunno about you, but I think our society is gradually becoming one of cameras and tracking. These days they take your picture at the gas station, the bank, the Motor Vehicle office, many business offices, the corner store and at some intersections.
There is a subtle difference between those cameras and what the police are talking about, and that...is what bothers me. In the above examples, with the exception of the cameras at intersections, the cameras are not in the hands of the police until after a crime has been committed. In the new plan, there is nothing to stop the police from rolling the cameras long before a crime is committed, even if a crime isn't committed. However, the police will have you or yours on video. This could be used for 'profiling' or building a file on you whether you need one or not.
I guess I can avoid a gas station or a corner store if need be, but what about a public place, like a concert. I don't want the police taking my picture, even if I am not doing anything illegal. I just don't like the idea. For all intents and purposes, the tapes in stores and gas stations and the like are usually taped over after a certain period of time, and not used for anything unless a crime occurs. The police, on the other hand could single the person out. This to me is not unlike phone tapping, which as far as I know, requires a warrant from a judge. Taking your picture at a public gathering doesn't. If for some reason I don't want my picture taken at a rock concert, I can ask the photog not to take my picture, chances are, they will oblige, the police, on the other hand, will be under no obligation to stop, in fact, it may make them want to take more pictures.
I think we need to start telling our civic leaders, councillors and Mayor, that we aren't in favor of police attending public events to take pictures of the citizens of this city.
Instead of capturing pictures of rock concerts, why don't the police use the expensive digital cameras money to hire some additional detectives and try to solve some of the unsolved murders in this city? The last time I counted, the number of major unsolved crimes in Nova Scotia, mostly homicides, was over 50...some going back several years. Is this proving that in Nova Scotia you can get away with murder.....?
Your thoughts?
Paul McCartney In Halifax Concert
Before you go all ga-ga over Paul McCartney coming to Halifax to play a concert on the Common, remember McCartney and his wife were very outspoken and negative about the Canadian seal hunt, going on the ice for a photo op and so forth, bringing detrimental attention to the Newfoundland sealers, as well as Canada as a whole.
McCartney's concern for the seals apparently outweighed his concern for the maritime fishing industry, who were and are victims of a disappearing lifestyle. It was 2006 when he and his wife Heather went to Prince Edward Island in a visit arranged by the Humane Society of the United States, which wanted the media attention to put pressure on the federal government to end the hunt.
The seals, who decimate the fish population, have achieved record populations at an estimated 5.9 million, up from two million in the 1970s, tell me that doesn't have an impact on the fishery.
At that time, McCartney called on the Prime Minister to end the seal hunt, saying it was a "stain" on Canada's character...I guess he doesn't like our character, just our concert money.
McCartney wrote an open letter to then prime minister Paul Martin, asking him to ban the seal hunt, saying, "We wanted to put you on notice that if Canada moves forward with another hunt next year, we will do all we can to focus attention on this unjustified, outdated and truly horrific practice, including, potentially, visiting the seals and the ice."
It amazes me how soon we forget.....
Halifax Dartmouth Ferry
Here are two of the Halifax Dartmouth Ferries shuttling passengers back and forth between Halifax and Dartmouth. Click the pic for a larger view!
The "Dartmouth Ferry" as it was originally known, started service in 1752, taking passengers and supplies, as well as ice from Dartmouth to the British Garrison in Halifax. Today there are three ferries in operation, the Dartmouth III, the Halifax III and the Woodside I. They don't carry supplies or ice anymore, but they are much loved by everyone who rides them, and particularly the daily commuters who ride them twice a day to get back and forth from work.
You can find out the ferry schedule here Halifax Dartmouth Woodside Ferry Schedule
Oil Rigs In Halifax Harbour
This is one of the various oil rigs that come into Halifax Harbour for servicing and repairs. 
Today there were two of them in the harbour. I believe these are called 'jack-up' rigs because the platform is jacked up or raised on the legs over the drill spot. In the Harbour the legs appear well over the platform as the harbour is not very deep where they are moored. 
Halifax Traffic
I guess by the standards of a big city like New York, Halifax traffic would seem quite tame....but try telling that to a tired commuter at suppertime trying to get out of the downtown core and home for supper! This is the foot of George Street at 5:00 on a Monday. 
Halifax Harbour Boardwalk
The Halifax Harbour has lots of interesting views, and this one, taken from the upper plaza at the Halifax Ferry Terminal shows the Harbour boardwalk heading up the harbour toward the Casino. It's a wonderful place to stroll on a warm summer evening. The two towers in the distance are Purdy's Wharf. 
Theodore Tugboat
One of the sights of Halifax is Theodore Tugboat, an actual tugboat that was converted to match a tugboat from a local CBC Television show, "Theodore Tugboat"
These days Theodore doesn't work as a tug exactly, instead they do harbour tours and welcome the cruise ships upon arrival in Halifax Harbour.
You can see Theodore Tugboat in the harbour all summer, and tied up at the wharf along the boardwalk close to the Halifax Ferry Terminal. 
Who's A Nurse?
Would someone please tell me what the television advertisement from the Nurses Union is supposed to mean? I'm talking about the one that has several folks dressed in hospital style scrubs saying, "I'm not a nurse" and then another one, says "I'm not a Nurse" and finally one person, wearing almost the same clothes as the rest says, "I am a nurse." Then the ad goes on to say, "you need a nurse...."
Well I will be dammed if I can understand what that all means. I think it means that you need to be careful in the hospital because there are all kinds of folks from cleaners to kitchen help to technicians to nurses all walking around wearing the same clothes...hospital style clothes. Maybe it would be easier just to put a big sign on the ones that are nurses. Something like...I dunno...how about "NURSE"
It all goes back to the demise of the hat. Remember when nurses always wore the little nurse hat? Those were great, you could tell a nurse at the opposite end of the hall, there she was in her hat. Somehow nurses seem to have gotten into the habit of not wearing their hats and now look what's happened, confusion all over the hospital about who is a nurse. To make matters worse, there seems to be a shortage of nurses, because in the television ad, there are about 4 people that look like nurses who say they are not nurses before we find one who is a nurse....so that tells me that "not-a-nurse" staff outnumber "I-am-a-nurse" staff by 4 to 1....no wonder the hospital wait times are so long, nobody can tell for sure who the nurses are.
I think we need to get the nurses back in hats like this Deluxe Nurse Hat Adult
Now wouldn't that make things a lot easier? No need for expensive television commercials to say who is a nurse, just an $8 hat....
On the other hand....if our nurses wore something like this nurse outfit
OK...let the comments begin.....
Halifax Forest Fires
Well for once you could say the weather kind of cooperated and helped us out...sorta...today brought some rain to help fight the brush fires burning in Spryfield outside of Halifax. However, along with the rain we had some high winds as well, which fanned the flames, but there was some good news, in even the wind. Apparently the wind direction turned the fire back towards the areas that were already burned over, leaving no fuel for the fire to continue. That, plus the rain, plus the unceasing efforts of the brave fire-fighters and pilots dropping water helped to quell the fires.
Some residents are getting back to their properties and some, sadly, aren't finding much to go back to as several homes were ultimately lost.
This is the second major fire we've had in less than a year that has cost someone a home and more. Many factors go towards the creation and ongoing burning of a forest fire, one of which is dry fuel to burn and since Hurricane Juan, there apparently is lots of dry fuel left in the forests around the edge of town. I realize that this is not something easily dealt with, however, given the cost, not doing something about this is a problem as there is no doubt we will have more fires, the only questions are where and when.
I think it's time the HRM and the Province get together and discuss solutions to what is a dangerous situation. Perhaps we need to get crews in the woods where the hurricane damage left lots of dead and dry branches and trees and get them cleaned up. With unemployment always an issue in this country, here is a chance to offer some meaningful work, and probably lots of it. The wood could be cut up and used either for firewood, wood chips etc or whatever, as long as it gets cleaned up.
I realize that there are hectares and hectares of forest needing this kind of attention, but the areas around subdivisions, homes etc could be targeted first. Get in and get it cleaned up, the forests will be better for it as well, ane new growth will be encouraged. It's time to be proactive before more folks lose their homes or their lives.
What do you think? Could some of this be cleaned up?
