I found the following quote this week and thought it made an excellent point most Opinion250 readers would agree with....

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When I look at the world of politics or strategy, I do try to be as analytical as possible. I remember as a child looking at a photo in a magazine and reading the caption. The photo and caption has stayed with me for decades. The photo was of a Japanese temple inner courtyard. The temple was two story and rectangular in shape, with the courtyard having a sculptured rock garden (you know the type with large rocks and smaller rocks on a bed of gravel raked in a swirled pattern). A novice monk was taken, as part of his studies to become a full fledged monk, to say the middle of the second floor North end and told to sit on the porch that surrounded the courtyard and "observe". After a few hours of this, the next time the novice monk would be told to sit on the ground floor porch on the East side and "observe" the rock garden. After several days of this the novice would be called in to answer what central lesson of life that he had learned while studying the rock garden. If the poor novice did not answer correctly, he was sent back to the rock garden for more hours of study and reflection.

The correct answer is that one's perspective limits one's ability to know the whole truth. You see, when looking at the rock garden from one side/level, you would only see part of the rocks and the pattern in the gravel ~ the larger rocks would block some of the pattern/view. The more different perspectives that one would view the rock garden from, the closer to knowing the full truth that is the rock garden

I look at rocks and politics differently. I look at some odd shaped rocks and wonder which politicians� head they fell out of.

Good morning everyone,

I hope everyone had a good week, and this next week will be even better!!

My comment to start?? I took part in the memorial ride for Val Enders on this past Saturday! The weather was not great, but I wouldn't have missed it for anything! May she rest in peace!

I only hope, that the driving public will finally, start paying attention to what they are doing on the roads, so that Val's drive for safety on our roads, is not forgotten!

Unfortunately, I think not. I spend between 10 and 12 hours a day on our city streets, 6 out of 7 days a week, as a professional driver! Prince George, your driving habits are horrible! You should be ashamed of yourselves!! Get off your damn cell phones, and start paying attention to what is going on around you. And please, when you cut me off, or blow a stop sign, and I honk my horn, do not give me the bird, as it is you that has messed up, not me!!

STOP means STOP, it doesn't mean slow down!!! STOP, damn it.

And for the rednecks that want to tailgate me with there big or not so big trucks/cars, @@#$%&^% off!! I will not go faster, because you want to break the law!! And, when I'm on my Harley, you make me really nervous!! Do you know how fast I can stop??? If you don't like the speed I am doing, by all means, pass on by you FOOL.

The rules have to be tightened up!! Unfortunately, in our "FREE SOCIETY", we still have to spell it out for certain individuals, because they JUST DON"T GET IT!!

I'm sure getting tired of this rain. Seems it has rained a bit everyday for the past two weeks. Must be Pr. Rupert.

Last monday, Sept.1,2008 We road our motorcycles to Mackenzie, for the annual toy run. We joined forces with Chetwynd, and all met at the Mackenzie junction! It was quite a sight, as we road into Mackenzie, two a breast!! As far as you could see down the highway, we were lined up like two rows of ants, going for some raspberry jam!!LOL

Congradulations to all that participated, bringing gifts for the children of families that are up against hard times right now!! May these gifts make a childs Christmas, a happy one!!

My Point, we road into Mackenzie, and paraded through the town to a point across from the Alexandra Hotel. We strolled across the street and into the hotel, to place our gifts in a storage room!

There was no welcoming committy, no one to say thank you, and not even a snack, for people that had road about 120 miles, in less than favourable conditions!! Not to mention, that we had another 120 miles to go, to get home1!

We had come from both Chetwynd and Prince George!!

Mackenzie, show some appreciation for some folks, that not only brought gifts for your children, but took a day out of their lives, to make a difference in a childs world!!

Merry Christmas Mackenzie, and I truley hope things turn around for you folks!!


taxinapothole

Hey taxinapothole,

I agree that we have terrible drivers here in PG. What's up with that? We live in PG not Vancouver. It's takes very little time to get ANYWHERE in this city (except the drive from College Heights to the Hart) you can add a few more minutes for that.

Also, about 2 years ago my wife and I decided to try to recycle as much as possible in our household, even plastics. We have been able to reduce our city garbage container from the extra large one down to the smallest one and it's only half full on grabage day. I'm very happy about that BUT one thing I noticed is that when recycling plastics it has always been said to "clean" them out before recycling them. Does anyone know if this is an absolute must??? Ever since we started to recycle all of our plastics (numbered from 1 to 7) we have been using an excessive amount of WATER, and I'm not happy about that. My parents currently live in an Okanagan city and they are NOT required to clean any of their plastic containers prior to recycling. They have been told by their recycling company not too bother.

So... is this an absolute neccessity? Does anyone really know.

I've been feeling pretty good about recycling and pretty bad about wasting water.

Hope all is well with everyone here.

NTG

I followed some guy in a little silver car this morning up Domano. His head disappeared like he was kissing the passenger side floor and his speed dropped by half. I went around him and saw him drinking his coffee from a regular household coffee cup that was filled the the brim.

Idiot you get todays MORON award.

Whats with Gas Prices? Oil goes from $149 a barrel to $105 and gas goes from $1.42/ litre to $1.38/ltr Something stinks!!

Oil down another buck on the NYMEX to under $107.00 a barrel.
Natural gas down to $7.50 USD a million btus at the henry Hub. In Canada gas is quoted in giga-joules which is quantity about 5% smaller in btu value than the US equivelant. It mean our gas is just over $7.00 a GJ. I guess with falling natural gas prices our city councillors will think the community energy plant is even more viable.
BC Hydro has even got in the act with the new 2 tier pricing. It will cost over 8.5 cents per KW for some power next April. Spot prices for power in the US are 6 cents a kw today.

Now with oil near a 6 month low and natural gas off 40% from its high this year as consumers we should see some relief at the pumps and on home heating costs, or will as has been the past practice in PG see the price of gasoline rise as the price of crude drops. Reminds me of a board game. MONOPOLY. Maybe some of the names should be change, i.e. boardwalk to Chevron, etc.

Anyone interest in current energy cost can go to the Bloomberg energy site. WWW.Bloomberg.com/energy/

Just back from holidays!! and it is supposed to be a great weekend!! hope you all get a chance to enjoy it!! because winter is a coming!! we left Calgary to snow, all the way to the Jasper turnoff!!

Have a great one people!!

Sure is a wonderful job they've done of painting new lines on our city streets this year.
They've turned many streets into solid lines by filling in the blanks and many look like the driver was drunk.

Whats really nice is, after they finished painting new lines including crosswalks down Ospika, they came along and did crack sealing right over the new paint.

It appears we have city managers that have no sense of work organization and Line painting crews that are drunk and blind.

Gas in Terrace has jumped to $1.48 a liter from $1.38 on the heels of oil dropping as a commodity by about 26% in the past few weeks, and gas going down everywhere else in the province.

Anyone who says the cost of gas is simply supply and demand needs to be dragged out into the street and shot.

The truth is they charge what they want, because we have no choice. Our public transit only good for those who don't have jobs to go to. If our consumption of gas were cut in half, the cost would probably increase because of a "revenue requirement" (the argument used by Pacific Northern Gas here to hike their natural gas rates here two years ago in the face of Methanex, their biggest local customer, closing down).

It's amazing how people are blamed for simply consuming things they need in order to live, as if that justifies overcharging or under-performing. We are not citizens, we are serfs to greedy business.

Allow me to illustrate a story. In many Eastern European countries, the water companies decided to start charging high rates for water delivered to the home, because supply was running out, we have to conserve, think of the kids of the future, Brittany Spears shaved her head, war in Iraq, etc... Water meters like what we are now getting in new homes, except nearly everyone there lives in apartments. People heeded the call to conserve, people wouldn't flush their toilet, choosing to pee in the same pot repeatedly until it smelled so bad they could not avoid having to flush it. They collected rain water, and turned the water pressure down to a trickle to save money, chinese baths, the whole nine yards. What did the water company do?

THEY INCREASED RATES LIKE CRAZY, saying people weren't using enough water to make it profitable. So, now they made insane profit on a renewable resource which falls from the sky, and they only provide a fraction of what they used to before.

In fact, they now export water to other countries for even more profit.

What do you think is going to happen here?

Good morning People!!

Anyway, I have a rant about our nice PG roads as well. They pave Peden Hill up to Domano and then put gravel all over the new pavement?? What is with that??

How about the nice dotted line painting on that stretch of new pavement, where the lanes aren't even straight and you feel like you're heading into oncoming traffic by the intersection??

And last but not least....does anyone else notice that nice big speedbump on the exit to Southridge from Hwy. 16?? In the spring it was a big dip, then they decide to fill it with pavement, well when the frost came out of the ground it pushed the indent back out and guess what?? And why wasn't it fixed when the paving crew were right there?? Driving over that bump in a 3/4 ton truck feels like you're actually airborne for a moment or two; and to avoid it you have to swerve sharply to the left....

I agree with lostfaith...these crews and the city managers are drunk & blind!

At least the moron never broke the speed limit Lostfaith! That would mean he was truly driving dangerously!

;)

You're bang on today, the painting of the lines, especially all along Foothills is absolutely atrocious. Why had no one tried to fix the problem before the job was "completed."

Dear lostfaith,

Didn't you hear? The city has implemented a new "bring your kids to work" day.

That explains it...

LOL...

NTG

Ok I have a rant...I love PG, so there! A few days ago I lost my cell phone. I was horrified. By the time I got home there was a message waiting for me from a young man announcing that he had found my phone. I met the fellow a short time later. He was quite young and drove one of those very big pick up trucks. I offered him a small token of my appreciation and we actually fought over it. ( I did win that battle.)He did not want a dime. He was gracious and kind. He is a son that any one would be proud of. He is what makes this community a fine place to live. Folks please stop compaining about how "bad" we have it here and start counting your blessings how what we do have here. PG has some of the finest folks ever.
Have a great Friday!

Money being spent on improving hwy 97, long time coming. Hixon bridge to be replaced with a four lane bridge, great about time. But what is the point when on the other end of town there is a narrow railway underpass. What about the other underpasses, most of which are darn right dangerous. Anyone hear anything about them being replaced?
Nice weather, everyone enjoying global warming. I read where UNBC got a chunk of change to help perpetuate this money making scam.

Yes, it is indeed a money making scam:

"Soaring temperatures have led to the collapse of several huge ice shelves in the Canadian Arctic over the past few weeks.

One 50 sq km ice shelf on the northern coast of Canada's Ellesmere Island simply "vanished" over three days, exposing a coast that lay buried under ice for at least 4,000 years.

At the same time, the Arctic's thick, year-round sea ice cover has declined to near the 2007 record of 2.6 million square kilometres less ice than the summer average minimum. This year's ice loss is still huge -- an area that's far larger than the states of Alaska and Texas combined."

etc. Some scams are scarier than others.

I don't doubt the climate change (or whatever you want to call it) exists, I do doubt that human activity has anything whatsoever to do with it.

How many billions of years old is the earth? Showing me temperature data from the last 75 years does nothing for me.

Exactly MrPG
What about the ice ages? They lasted for thousands of years. There was noone there to see how long it took for the ice to develop or for it to melt away.
Simple money grabbing scam.
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Opinionated
It's great to remind everyone how beautiful things in life are I agree.
If noone ever complained about the BS that some people deal us on a daily basis then these MORONS would completely take over. As it is there are way too many MORONS out there in positions of what some would call authority that already have too much of a hand hold on what happens in our daily lives.

Here's another one for you , Sledhead, I heard the other day that the next push will be to change the pavement to gravel within 500 m of any fishbearing stream. This is because of the oil in the pavement washing into the streams as the pavement breaks/wears down over time. That oil has to go somewhere. Makes a lot of sense considering how tough the MOE is on anyone who leaks a little hydraulic fluid etc out in the bush. Anyway, get used to a little more gravel.

I heard Kelly Ellard is getting her fourth trial. Betcha the parents signed over their house to the lawyers quite a while back. What a world, eh? Sigh!

Said in the paper this morning some tourists near Williams Lake were attacked by a lot of "non-white" males and were told they were not welcome. I just can't picture some Asian or black youths telling folks they ain't welcome. Lotsa damage, folks. Real or imagined. What is the penalty going to be for these "men"? After all, "the best place in the world" is gonna have to do some serious damage control after this hits the international news.

A politician (who ain't in power) accuses the government in power of trying to buy votes. Well, duh! If people are stupid enough to sell their vote irregardless of the policies they believe in, then they deserve the government they get. Even the politicians who are not in power sure think the electorate are dumb as posts too. Ever notice when you have a conversation with a politician, they talk to you as if you are not there? Their mind is elsewhere and they are so patronizing and shallow. They don't conversate with you like real people do. It feels like they wanna give you the brush-off cause they got better things to do. Or maybe it's me. Ha ha ha .

I read in the paper recently that the Chief of Police in Prince George gets to keep his job and that the boys club in vancouver have total faith in him. I'm surprized Mr. Meisner hasn't weighed in on this one? How come? At any rate, this guy may be capable of running a detachment but it shouldn't be in prince george. I personally know that this issue isn't over and there is the matter of remark made to a first nation's constable that still has to be dealt with. New blood is needed at the Prince George detachment, an officer in charge who the boys want to work for, not fear.

Those tourists attacked by "non-white" males". So I guess its okay to say white male, but of another race non white, what a double standard. Now when I first heard this on the news it was reported the "non whites" said your kind is not welcome here. Now I read in the all encompasing Citizen they only said you are not welcome here. Very interesting.

I wonder if this will be seen as a hate crime, but seeing that it was "non whites" doing the crime I think not. Hey Hiedi Fry here is a hate crime in the wild north, oh sorry it was "non whites" so its not a hate crime after all.

When I have to debate the global warming theory I dont rely on temperature data because, as some of you state, mean temperatures are always in a state of flux.

What I do point out is that the human race has been releasing carbon trapped in oil and coal at an alarming rate. It took nature billions of years to store this carbon. This storage may be responsible for the fact that the earth can support life. We have released the majority of this in the last 125 years.

I do not point to climate change as evidence of global warming. I suggest that the consumption has to have repercussions.

Its like how I hear stories of when you could walk across the Nechako during the salmon run by stepping on the backs of the fish from oldtimers. Due to overfishing and dams there is virtually no salmon run left in the Nechako. That is evidence of mans ability to negatively impact the enviroment through thoughtless actions. One day statements like "global warming doesnt exist" will be regarded as just as ridulous as "dams and overfishing will never impact the salmon run." Then what?

These young men seem to have the fortress mentality, but in reverse. I suspect they will soon become good and valuable members of the most venerable society of inmates.

Well diplomat ice shelves have always been cracking off and if you check the maps 50 square miles is not very big. The vanishing act of the ice shelf was caused by wind blowing it towards the atlantic. It did not vanish in three days, it took a lot longer than that, and it changed locations slowly melting in warmer water to the south where it was blown. Most of the ice melt in 2007 was caused by wind blowning the ice toward the atlantic. Also the cold has returned to the north earlier than usual this year.

Climate has always been changing and man only has a very tiny part to play if any. Al Gore is saving the planet at $200,000 a speech and the tens of millions hes making off carbon trading. Hes not saving the planet for free. How come he won't debate so called man caused climate change. How come alarmists never mention the antarctic, could it be the huge ice and snow build up and declining temperatures.

I hate middle aged, tax paying, white males. It's all their fault.

Just wondering what happened to the article on the worst hotels in town being deemed "heritage"...was it removed? Was it a joke? I sure hope it was a joke and not real...

I appreciated your contribution on differing perspectives Eagle One. Reminds me of Ghandi when he was trying to help his country look at religious differences. He said, in part, "I am a Hindu, I am a Muslim, I am a Christian, I am a Jew, . . . . .".
Opinionated: We do have some great people in Prince George, I, too, had lost property returned yesterday!

Born in BC

What about all the carbon released into the atmosphere from the forest fires that used to rage unchecked around the world for millions of years.
There had to be incredible amounts of carbon released during those times when forest fires were not fought.
It is only recently in history that humans started fighting forest fires to protect the forests for increased corporate profits.
Now that forest fires are put out very quickly and efficiently there must be incredible amounts of carbon that are no longer being released into our atmosphere.

A little bit of a trade off I think, but hey I'm no Al Gore.

Hey Robichal, bad news, it is no joke. I saw the posting on the ctiy website this morning. About the European couple who were assaulted? As I understand it, they were camped at the campground that the Indians own, the one North of Williams Lake, across the highway from the independent gas station. Is it fair to say that it was a bunch of liquored up first nations persons that roughed up the visitors? Or can I say Indian? I am sorry, but it seems like there is a constant reference these days to "non aboriginal persons", is that not discrimination?
I have stated repeatedly that I do not consider myself a rascist, but that I do react strongly to unfairness in any form. Reporters: if you must refer to race in order to add zest to your story, be fair, call a spade what it is, a round nosed shovel with a long wooden handle that is used as a leaning device by city workers, who tend to be white or 'caucasian'
metalman (fat, middle aged, tax paying, carbon wasting opinionated white guy)

So
Buddy up the Hart bought a condo a few years ago. Recently all the stucco has been peeling off all the walls.
Buddy and all the rest of the owners are stuck with $30,000.00 bills for each unit.

The cause of this stucco peeling off is due to it being applied when the outside temperature was too low. The applicators questioned the general contractor about it but were told to finish the job.

Apparantly from what I am hearing absolutely nothing can be done to get these people their money back. The have no legal recourse.

You local contractors who are responsible for this know who you are, (as do many people around the north)and you should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves, you should have your licences pulled and your names made public to protect others from other fly by nighters.

You make me sick.

Maybe call Mike Holmes on this one lostfaith!!

Thanks for your twist of humour Metalman. I had a good laugh! Totally agree with you!!

(another, fat, middle aged, tax paying, caebon wasting, opinionated WHITE guy)

If you have a pick up truck, a ladder and a business license, you too can be a home inspector! My buddys brother bought a house fer almost a quarter million (big deal these days) anyway they had an inspection done on it before it sold. I am not sure who hired the inspector. I'm sure it wasn't my buddys bro. Anyway my pals kin is on the hook for a lotta dough to replace the roof. Seems the "inspector" didn't check off any squares in the roof part of his work sheet. If the homeowner/real estate lady hires the inspector, how do you suppose the inspection is gonna come off? Every fault means fewer bucks fer both homeowner/real estate lady. Maybe my pals bro should have hired his own inspector. At what price? Now my buddys brother in is stuck for a new roof. Or a lawyer. But not both. This kinda crap deserves a more serious look from any regulatory agency. Too many holes in it. Or just say to yourself, " This sure has been a lesson to me." Any similar tales out there?

home inspectors = a**holes :(>

There is ONE building inspector in town that refuses to work for any realtor. It has cost him some business but he sticks to his guns. He also is the only one North of 100 mile with certain accreditations. I dont want to blatantly plug him but it rhymes with "clown and monkey" ;-)

you guys are all on a roll today! certainly driving and the conditions of our roads are something we all can relate to.

and good people in PG? ABSOLUTELY! I've had stuff returned, and help offered by total strangers.... this is a good place to live. If only the weather didn't feel so much like Prince Rupert!

You are bang on people about house inspectors. Anyone can call themselves a certified home inspector. Truth be known, there is no credible certification for this group of people. A few initials behind a name that some special interest group dreams up does not make one an expert. How can someone with a carpentry background pass judgement on the plumbing or electrical of the residence? Or visa versa. I'm told that the real estate board frowns upon agents recommending certain home inpectors but apparently it still ocurs on a regular basis. I think most homeowners/buyers could do just a good of a job as most home inspectors. Buyer beware!

A friend of mine spent 6 months in a home inspectors course in Campbell River. You wouldn't believe the number and size of the books he had to go through during it. He also had so much homework that no one saw him for months at a time.
When he is done the rest of the other training required by the govt he will carry the tag "Govt Certified Home Inspector"

Potholes...atrocious! New blacktop a welcome reprieve but more needs to be done. Totally agree with the line painting..it is either lacking or done by monkeys!

Home inspectors: Home owners READ ALL the FINE PRINT! Always prudent to get legal advice before buying a home. Just my 2 cents.

Found this tidbit from Kitimat:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/northernsentinel/news/27407934.html

Thought it was pretty cool! LOL