What, no major debated started yet? Everybody on holidays or something?

On the subject of pot holes and bad roads I was wondering about something, maybe I have missed the boat on this one. The past 2 springs have brought huge uproars about the conditions of our roads, the worst we have ever seen. I asked myself what is different than other years, what has changed? I think one thing has, is it causing a problem?

The anti-icing compound the city now sprays on the roads when they expect a snowfall. As I understand it the process is done to stop a build up during the snowfall and allows for easier cleanup. But what else does it do? Does it allow the snow to return to a liquid state faster than plain snowfall? If so does that allow the treated snow to penetrate inperfections in pavement easier and create more artificial freeze thaw cycles which are murder to the roads?

This is pure speculation, I was wondering if anybody has looked into it? Time for a new study by the city :-)

They apply allot of salt out here in Ottawa prior to snowfalls to accomplish the same thing (snow basically melts on contact) and I haven’t seen where it causes issues at all . . . other than making my truck always dirty, LOL.

Happy Friday everyone!!!!

One thing I have noticed is that due to the way the snow is cleared or rather not cleared, is a lot more people are using studded tires, and then don’t remove them in the spring and continue to drive with them into the summer and possibly all year your. I live on a section of 15th and can hear the sound of the studded tires going by at least 4 -5 times an hour.

The main cause, in my opinion, is that the streets are gettoing older and this City does not practice preventative maintenance. They should. Any long time owner of infrastructue should know that preventative maintenance is the least costly option and has the side benefit of not going from wonderfully new conditions to deplorable conditions and having to put up sith such half-assed conditions for so long.

Gus,

combine the deteriorating roads with a new process which possibly allows more moisture to penetrate the cracks in the pavement during cold weather and you may have the “perfect storm”

Just a theory, but it made me go hmmmmmm.

Driving to Vancouver there were two highways contractors doing Hot-in-place Recycled paving on the way. One on HWY 1 between Cache Creek and Kamloops, the other on the Coque between Hope and Merrit.

That is the standard now on highways, it seems and BC, I think, was one of the pioneers of this some time ago. Works like a hot dam with little new material needed. I notice that the City spec is still only accepting 15% or so recycled material. It would seem to be the first area to look at for some savings.

The city should also look at the practice of grinding off the top layer and leaving it for days or weeks before paving. Accumulated dust and debris soaks up the oil laid down right before paving and causes poor bonding between layers.

Before talking about a new tax or tapping into some other reserve fund the city should be making sure they are following best practices within existing budget.

Like the idea of hot in place…has this idea been explored?

I really hate driving past restaurants where the service entrance’s are visible i.e. Boston Pizza (peden) and our new Original Joes and seeing half the staff smoking and spitting on the sidewalk and throwing there butts on the ground.. The should be a policy for this at restaurants. These are the people who prepare our food. It’s not classy in any sense of the word.

If you are a married couple with two school aged children, and both working, how will you be able to be involved in the following.

1. Enbridge Pipe Line
2. Smart Metres
3. Salmon Farms on the West Coast
4. Natural Gas Plants in Kitimat and Pr Rupert.
5. Site C Dam
6. ICBC insurance rate program
7. City of PG Core Review

Im sure there are many others that I have missed, however my point is that people do not have the time to delve into all the various aspects of Government to give their view on what is taking place.

The Government is asking for our input into these issues, to give the impression that we have had some input. To me, this is nothing more than a diversionary tactic and in effect keeps most people from being involved at all. Mainly because they do not have the time.

We elect Government to do the work of the people, they then come to us and say, **What do you think we should do?**. Then they do what ever the hell they want.

Have a nice day.

Good Morning everyone.

Just a reminder to those folks who eat out at fast food restaurants or places like the food court at Pine Centre. Please clean up your mess when you are finished. It does not take a lot of effort to scoop everything into your tray and go and put it in the trash can. And if you can, please wipe the table top with the handful of napkins you have.

Yes I know there are employees who will do it for you, but try to show a little courtesy for them and for the next person who will sit at that table.

FYI.. the Conservation Officer Service and
the Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resources have combined efforts to deal with the black bear incidences within the city. They are targeting high incident areas before problems occur. They now have the authority to issue a DWPO (Dangerous Wildlife Protection Order)for ANY attractant which could bring wildlife into a neighborhood,a short amount of time is given to clean the attractant,noncompliance faces a fine of just over two hundred dollars.

The news that the City is actually looking at a demonstration of the Python 5000 automated pothole patching machine is very welcome news! There are several different outfits which make and sell these. One of the most important features is the one that before patching the pothole is cleaned of all debris by a blast of hot compressed air. Hopefully this particular make has this feature. The video claims that pothole patching can be done by this machine in very cold temperatures using either hot or cold patch materials. Just what we need here!

Just a reminder for all of those that eat at fast food restaurants and food courts….if you clean the table and dump your trays your taking a job away from a minimum wage worker! I hate coming to a table that some well meaning person has done a half baked job of cleaning, leave the mess so they know it needs a proper cleaning!

I have talked to some guys who have been doing snow removal for the city for 20+ years and they think it is the chemical that is doing the damage. More water on top of the roads to increase the damage of a freeze thaw cycle would ruin the roads. Makes sense to me. The first step in science is to observe, the boots on the ground at City Hall have observed something. Maybe now it is time for the upper managers to earn their pay and figure it out. At the very least they should leave some parts of the city unsprayed adn see what happens in the spring.

Cops are out in force collecting taxes this morning. Must have solved all the crimes already.

Just a reminder to all those who eat at fast food/ food courts: the food there will cause chronic illness such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Please try to eat something a little healthier, I can’t afford to pay for anymore of your healthcare. :)

Saw a letter in the Free Press by Eric Allen where he takes a strip off Vic Bowman on an article that Vic wrote . What I found interesting is a statement made by Allen and I quote, “ what Bowman forgot to mention that it was Preimier Campbell who decided to have a referendum on the HST issue and that a simple majority of 51 percent would be sufficient to kill the tax.” end of quote.

I don’t reca;ll that Campbell decided to have the referendum but I do recall that he lied to us during the election that there would be no HST but it was one of the first things he did after the election was to implement the hated tax.
Cheers

A food court debate? Thats what I love about the free for all – one never knows what direction it will head. LOL
Have a great weekend everyone, I am off to watch my first born graduate today :)

More on the great food court debate:

Jim: “Just a reminder for all of those that eat at fast food restaurants and food courts….if you clean the table and dump your trays your taking a job away from a minimum wage worker! I hate coming to a table that some well meaning person has done a half baked job of cleaning, leave the mess so they know it needs a proper cleaning!”

I hate going to restaurants where the slobs have left their mess behind and there is nowhere to sit.

I wouldn’t refer to the Ecoli Court as a restaurant.

Went for a boat ride at Cluculz Lake last week end and was shocked to see that some inbred turd dumped a old electric stove on the shore accrose from the Lake side resort. Who does that? Its obviously a cabin owner and it must have taken some effort. Unbelievable.

My understanding of the Vanderzalm Initiative on the HST is that his initiative would require the Government to reimburse all the taxes collected if he won., The down side was that he would have to get 50% of the **registered voters** in two thirds of the 85 ridings in BC. This would be no easy task.

Premier Campbell rather than run the risk of losing the Vanderzalm Initiative, and having to pay back the money etc; decided to have his own referendum on the issue, and decided that a simple majority of the 51% of the total vote would carry the issue. As we all know he lost the referendum.

Would he have lost had he stayed with Vanderzalms Initiative?? Who knows. Its all history now, and as a result the Liberal Party is in tatters, and is facing decimation in the next election, unless they can somehow convince people they deserve to stay in power. No easy task.

Fix the damn light at Ospika and 15th. Drivers in PG are too retarded to know what to do at a flashing red light at this size of an intersection. Fix it before someone gets hurt.

Clean up after yourself is what I was taught. If all the person has to do is wipe the table maybe they will do a better job.

Hello gas is down to 86$ a barrel.
No price fixing in P.G. eh!
Everybody gets to enjoy it low, but not us just held hostage at 133.9
It’s not a long weekend!

That light on ospika has been dysfunctional for some time now. And I believe that is one of the highest accident intersections in the city. If this is an example of how long it takes to get things done by our city staff, it’s no wonder the roads are in shambles etc etc. You can’t hide incompetence in our town. The City makes sure its visible for everyone to revel in.

Johnnybelt, if the tables are a mess it’s because of bad management, they are probably trying to save ten bucks an hour for little Johnny to keep things cleaned up! McDonalds had the right idea with staff on ‘lot and lobby’ over forty years ago! With the traffic the food courts get there is no excuse for them not cleaning the table, chairs, and floors for their customers! :-)

If only the food court at the mall was unionized. The contract would read that only a union brothers or sisters would be allowed to clean your table. Every one would then be happy, eh?

Well Pal its not history yet. We are still payng the HST. Thanks for your idea.

When will people realize there is no connection between the proce of oil and the cost of gasoline that we buy. “THE STOCK MARKET SETS THE PRICE OF OIL PER BARREL.” THE PRICE OF GAS IS SET BY THE REFINERIES.
Cheers

Hello tax collectors if you sit on Domano, East Austin for two examples, you could make quite a haul with all the trail bikes and quads blasting up and down those roads.

Here is a very interesting map

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/05/31/stunning-map-of-noaa-data-showing-56-year-of-tornado-tracks-shed-light-on-the-folly-of-linking-global-warming-to-severe-weather/

Jim: “Johnnybelt, if the tables are a mess it’s because of bad management…”

I don’t care how you justify leaving your trash behind, but I prefer to clean up after myself.

The anti-icing liquid compound works on the streets differently than salt. A couple of years ago the City stated that they thought that the liquid was causing the break down of the roads, but it was better to have the break down than have major accidents. So did some one have an accident and sue the City because of winter conditions?

Regarding saving costs for the City parks department. At he 5th & Ospika fire hall a outside city worker was watering the plants. I remember when the firemen use to look after the gardens and lawns at their hall and were proud of the fact that they had some of the best landscaping in town.

Seeing as we are paying fireman to sit in the halls to wait for fires, etc. they should look after the landscaping, clean the own halls, etc.

Before you say that you can’t ask firemen to do manual work, I will tell you that my dad was a fireman and they did all the work around the hall, cleaning, cooking, weeding gardens, etc. They said it kept them from being bored.

It’s a Union issue graymare. Looking after flowers is not in the firemans job description. Ask the flower person to wash the fire truck and see what happens.

“Everybody gets to enjoy it low, but not us just held hostage at 133.9”

Add the P.G. 6 cents BS tax and you will be held hostage at 139.9 making you a much more *important* hostage!

;-)

Why is it that we pay almost the highest Gas price in BC yet, the roads are not getting fixed.

“THE STOCK MARKET SETS THE PRICE OF OIL PER BARREL.” THE PRICE OF GAS IS SET BY THE REFINERIES.
Cheers

Then will someone enlighten me as to why Prince George is in the twilight zone.
How come everywhere else the gas goes up and down but not US.

I don’t want to be an IMPORTANT, I want lower gas JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE PROVINCE GETS TO ENJOY!

There will be a backlash if P.G. goes for 6 cent raise!

Congratulations to the Regional District for putting a gate on the Williow River transfer station. Anyone want to place bets on how long it takes for the illegal dumpers to fill the ditches along the Beaver FSR?

Hammy: “I want lower gas JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE PROVINCE GETS TO ENJOY!”

Why are we entitled to low gas prices? Want low gas prices? Buy a fuel efficient vehicle or drive less.

Hammy: “There will be a backlash if P.G. goes for 6 cent raise!”

Maybe for a week or two. Then they’ll buck up and pay.

jim: “Congratulations to the Regional District for putting a gate on the Williow River transfer station. Anyone want to place bets on how long it takes for the illegal dumpers to fill the ditches along the Beaver FSR? “

Wait a second. Based on your previous argument, why not leave the garbage on the side of the road so it can create a job for someone to clean up?

We’re entitled to lower gas prices because we have an exportable surplus of oil.

And if we had a government that was actually acting for us, there’d be a tax collected on oil exports, with the proceeds being used to reduce the cost of gasoline to us here.

That way the oil companies couldn’t claim they were being victimised by having to sell product in Canada for less than they could get for it abroad. They’d get their price, cover their costs, and hopefully make a profit. But we’d get gasoline at a lower price, (a rebate on what we pay at the pump now), to make up for what we are actually losing in the export of real wealth from our country.

People that pioneered in this country came here to have life more abundantly. Not to pay ‘world price’ for what was here. They could’ve done that wherever they came from, where resources like oil weren’t abundant and needed to be imported, or have something they had substituted for it. When are we going to wake up and stop trying to create for ourselves a financial poverty in the midst of a physical plenty?

I agree Palopu. The govt keeps the sheep running in circles chasing BS in order to allow them to continue with their raping and pillaging of the taxpayer.

“Just a reminder to those folks who eat out at fast food restaurants or places like the food court at Pine Centre. Please clean up your mess when you are finished. It does not take a lot of effort to scoop everything into your tray and go and put it in the trash can. And if you can, please wipe the table top with the handful of napkins you have”

This must be the winner of the comedy post of the month contest.

Customers pay for the restaurants employees to clear tables etc. Why do their work and allow them to stand there and watch?

Absolutely ridiculous!

So the condition of the roads (which we all complain about) is the result of wanting better snow removal in the winter by using the de-icing agent?

When they first started to use the de-icing agent on select roads, I noticed in the Spring that the surface of the asphalt was deteriorating at those locations.

“I have talked to some guys who have been doing snow removal for the city for 20+ years and they think it is the chemical that is doing the damage. More water on top of the roads to increase the damage of a freeze thaw cycle would ruin the roads. Makes sense to me. The first step in science is to observe, the boots on the ground at City Hall have observed something. Maybe now it is time for the upper managers to earn their pay and figure it out. At the very least they should leave some parts of the city unsprayed adn see what happens in the spring”

A lack of crack sealing is the major cause of our pothole disaster.

Johnny–because they won’t clean it up, that is how they figure there will be savings because they dont have to clean up the dump site anymore. At this time they clean it up at one site, after the gates are locked there will be old appliances all over hells half acre. Who is going to clean up the mess then? The ministry of Forests? HA

So everybody in Kamloops drives a fuel effiecient vehickle jonnybelt!

“Johnnybelt, if the tables are a mess it’s because of bad management, they are probably trying to save ten bucks an hour for little Johnny to keep things cleaned up! McDonalds had the right idea with staff on ‘lot and lobby’ over forty years ago! With the traffic the food courts get there is no excuse for them not cleaning the table, chairs, and floors for their customers! :-)”

Thats right Jim. Many employers would just as soon fire all their employees and have their customers work for free to serve and clean up after themselves!

Well Dragonmaster, I guess I just don’t understand economics as much as you do.

I do understand courtesy though and not leaving a mess is considered courteous behaviour which seems to be lacking today.

When I coach kids, they are told they will leave a positive impression wherever they go, which includes not leaving restaurant tables in a unnecessary mess for the staff. Always prided myself on restaurant folks complimenting me on my teams behaviour.

That feeling of pride in me wouldn’t buy me a cup of coffee, but it felt good knowing I’d taught and modeled courteous behaviour to at least 17 young people.

Uh…. the food court is NOT a restaurant. Clean up your damn mess.

What weaksauce and Howard said. Don’t be a oblivious slob, clean up your mess!

jpg: “So everybody in Kamloops drives a fuel effiecient (sic) vehickle (sic) jonnybelt!”

More than here, I would guess. Every second vehicle around here seems to be a pick up or a dually.

Cleaning your table issue.

At a full service restaurant, the servers/busboys take care of table cleanup, no matter how bad you left it in. And, hopefully, you pay them a tip for the service they gave of cleaning up the table you were seated at and serving you with food/drink.

At a self serve location (you go up to order and receive the food, seat yourself and typically give no tip) the principle I have been working with is the same as going into the woods and camping …. leave it the way you found it.

Last time I looked Johnny Belt this WAS a free Country in which a person could drive which ever vehicle suited to that person!
Maybe Johnny belt you should take your argument to Ford and Chev who actually make these gas guzzler’s!

More than here, I would guess. Every second vehicle around here seems to be a pick up or a dually.

Most people usually drive vehicle’s that either suit their jobs, or jobs they enjoy doing around their home’s which requires a truck. It is very ODD that our gas price’s do not go down, nor up when every other station IN OUR PROVINCE does!

I would still rather have people leave their fast food mess at the food court instead of throwing it out the car window, as so many people in this town do. Range Rd. seems to be a favourite place for people to throw stuff out the window.

Good Day everyone.

Just a reminder to those folks who eat out at fast food restaurants or places like the food court at Pine Centre. Please DO NOT clean up your mess when you are finished.

You probably do not carry around cleaning agents capable of killing bacteria. The person sitting down at the table after you may appreciate an empty eating area, but this is not a clean eating area. Workers who watch for dirty tables with a cursory glance will not wipe down a table covered in crumbs, and patrons sitting will find themselves leaning into boogers, fallen scabs, pooh, pee, breast milk, and anything else you can imagine.

If you see there is not a clean table to sit down at, flag an employee and ask them to clean a table for you so you have somewhere clean to sit and eat, or find a manager and let them know. This is hygienic, and will send a message to managers they either need to hire more floaters to clean tables, or examine their processes.

Eating in a food court or fast food restaurant is convenient, but it is not more economical than many sit down restaurants. Convenience should not come at the expense of health or well being. If you are expected to do the duty of an employee of an establishment, it should be reflected in the price paid, and clearly explained for all.

If there are twenty clean tables and one dirty table, how come people sit at the single dirty table? You may be on to some perfect thinking, Pojeb_sa.

It becomes annoying when people’s solution to gas prices is to buy a smaller car. We drive a crewcab because that is what pulls our trailer and boat when we spend our money in bc instead of travelling to Mexico for vacations. This truck has also carried many hockey, soccer and basketball teams to tournments throughout the city and province. We are getting gauged at the pumps here in PG. Plan and simple!!

Oh yeah and You don’t hear us truck drivers complaining about snow removal either. A week without seeing a snow plow. No problem.

Littlebird: “We drive a crewcab because that is what pulls our trailer and boat when we spend our money in bc instead of travelling to Mexico for vacations.”

Great. Since you can afford a crewcab, boat, and trailer, you clearly must be able to afford the gas.

pojeb: “Just a reminder to those folks who eat out at fast food restaurants or places like the food court at Pine Centre. Please DO NOT clean up your mess when you are finished.”

If I go to such a place, the meal is served on a tray, is it not? I guess I would consider myself a neat eater who doesn’t slop my food all over the place. For those who can’t contain their meals to their immediate area, wait for assistance. Maybe they’ll dab your face with a napkin too.

“Last time I looked Johnny Belt this WAS a free Country in which a person could drive which ever vehicle suited to that person!
Maybe Johnny belt you should take your argument to Ford and Chev who actually make these gas guzzler’s!”

No argument from me. I drive a pickup. I also don’t complain about gas prices, because I knew what I was getting into when I bought it.

In regards to the double murder in the sushi restaurant and attempted murder of his former landlord…..

“Forensic examination has now confirmed that the weapon seized from Mitchell was indeed the weapon used in the double homicide and also the one used in the attempted homicide of the Burnaby shooting victim,” Sgt, Jennifer Pound, of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said Friday.

In a related development Friday, Victoria police revealed that its officers had seized a weapon from Mitchell under the Mental Health Act in February, but had returned it to him several weeks later”

The Victoria Police Dept is led by this guy,

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/02/22/bc-graham-gun-victoria.html

It appears the VPD has some serious issues regarding firearms.

Littlebird is correct. The fact of the matter is the gas companies in Prince George are gouging us. This has been going on for years. The fact that we have a refinery here, and therefore transportation costs are a lot less just makes it worse.

It doesnt matter what type of vehicle you drive because you are getting gouged at the pump. There is absolutely no way that people in Prince George should be paying higher gas prices than those in the Southern Interior, or on Vancouver Island.

The same thing applies to vehicles. We can buy them cheaper in Quesnel, or Vancouver than we can in Prince George. Again this is a direct result of gougers.

Pr George citizens are being suckered, pure and simple. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just kidding themselves.

We have One (1) Mayor Eight (8) Councillors, Two (2) MLA’s and Two (2) MP;s, that represent us in this area, and not one of them can make a comprehensive statement explaining why we pay a higher price for gas. Why?? Answer: Because they dont five a S..t.

How come when underage children that are seen or caught operating M/V,s on roads or water their parents are not charged with child endangerment.

Good question seamutt.

How come Cottonwood Park is a leash area for dogs, but the place is over run by off leash dogs, with the attendent feces all over the paved trail etc;. Why doesnt the City enforce its bylaws??

So our city is short of cash to repair the roads but they can afford nearly half a million to build a foot bridge in “Doggy doo” park. They can toss 75,000 a year toward poison in our water. They can also afford to buy an old hotel and and lose yearly revenue from that. The old Norgate Auto Body probably brought in a tidy amount on property tax as well but the city decided to buy it and help the owners with the tax problem. There are a number of buildings in town that have been purchased by our elected idiots and those properties no longer bring in any tax money. Sadly, the rest of us pick up the tab. Nearly every city in BC is fluoride free but our Council has been informed by one dentist that the rest of the province is wrong and they believed it. Dumb asses they are that we elect.

Old white man I think your suggestion about the melted snow allowing water into the cracks is a legitimate hypothesis.

Personally though I think its the size and shape of the rock in the asphalt. Large round marbles don’t hold together well. A smaller crush rock flake would be far superior for long term integrity IMO.

I believe you pack out what you pack in and that also applies to self serve restaurants.

When I was overseas a simple thing like taking your tray to the bin was greatly appreciated. To them it showed a level of respect that we are all equals, and when you respect the dignity of others not as fortunate as yourself that is all that matters. Its a simple thing that I think applies here in Canada as well.

For the absolute truth about why PG city council gets away with such a poor job. Look no further…

http://naturalsociety.com/fluoride-lowers-your-iq-a-debated-truth/#ixzz1vtIWhZCf

They want to keep us all dumb.

“Just a reminder to those folks who eat out at fast food restaurants or places like the food court at Pine Centre.”

While chowing down on the fare, watch your back for food court nazis and opinion 250 readers.

It’s not paranoia if they really are watching you. Lol.

“Littlebird is correct. The fact of the matter is the gas companies in Prince George are gouging us. “

This statement and approximately $1.50 will get you a medium coffee at Tim Hortons.

“We have One (1) Mayor Eight (8) Councillors, Two (2) MLA’s and Two (2) MP;s, that represent us in this area, and not one of them can make a comprehensive statement explaining why we pay a higher price for gas. Why?? Answer: Because they dont five a S..t.”

Either that, or none of them have any control over gas prices. One of the two.