City council has asked staff to look into drive-thrus. Why? Because councillors like Shirley Eggleton and Dean Pappas say they're bad for the environment.
I get miffed when I see people heading into buildings for whatever reason while their vehicles sits outside with the engine running. What's up with that? Definitely bad for the environment. (are you listening Bill Juby?)
And early in the mornings, when you see those long, long line ups at coffee shops of people getting their wake-up java, all their engines idling - fans of our air get positively put out by that.
At lunch time the exhaust belching line-ups are outside the fast food joints.
Still, I admit, I've been in some of those lines. Not nearly every day, as I think it's faster to go inside and get my iced cappucino.
I love our environment. It means the world to me. But there are times when my human-ness takes over all reason and says I'm too tired to get my lazy butt out of my car but I need by caffeine and I need it now!!!!
And then there's the fan of the fast food drive-thru. People need their fries!
And who's going to be the one to tell them the party's over?
Who knows what kind of damage a long line up of grease and caffeine deprived lazy bums could do if they drive to the window only to find it closed!
Good luck Dean and Shirley!
Friday, July 27, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
And so we meet again...
It's July 23 and Peterborough City councillors will be sitting tonight after a two week break. I admit, it's been nice having to last two Monday nights off, but heck I'm looking forward to seeing that kooky gang of go-getters again.
And Mayor Paul Ayotte will be back. You might remember our Mayor has had some time off to get over surgery he had a few weeks ago. I talked to him the other day and he seems genuinely happy to be back on his feet.
Now I'm sure a lot of you reading this are wondering why a man would choose to get off his sick bed to go back to work at City Hall and why I, a reasonably sane, journalist would be looking forward to another Monday night with these people. I have to say, though, that through all their wrangling and verbal grappling, through their grandstanding and postulating and vicious ripping apart of the English language, and all their merciless dragging out of even the most simple, basic item on the agenda, there is something really loveable about this specific group of councillors.
There's Patti Peeters and her rolling eyes and frustrated sighs.
Dean Pappas and his goofy laugh and horrible but heartfelt rendering of the national anthem.
Bob Hall who loves to stand up in front of the TVCogeco cameras but runs a heck of a well-paced meeting when he is chair.
And Len Vass, whom I watch closely and listen to every meeting for the new new word to be born from his lips. It will be hard to improve on "silo-ized", but I have faith that he will do it.
Ann Farquharson is a very smart lady who loves her smoke breaks and because of that when she chairs people at least get a few minutes to stretch before heading back into the fray.
Doug Peacock is a pleasure to watch when he talks about his work on the Mayor's Anti-Poverty Taskforce; the man really wants to help.
Shirley Eggleton, aside from criticizing stories before she's read them, has a demeanour you find yourself wishing would rub off on others in council. Shirley doesn't talk much.
'Nuff said.
Jack Doris, our council elder. We need this man not just because he is so passionate about his city, but because he speaks for seniors in our community, who are part of a constantly growing population.
And then there's Eric Martin, with his sweet smile and his desire to do good. He's a regular Joe and he never tries to be anything else.
Last but not least, Mr. Henry Clarke! The man with the military history. He loves this city and the people in it and he always shoots from the hip.
All in all, a likeable bunch. I don't know exactly why or how, but they have charmed me.
Unless it's 10:30 at night and the same people are asking the same question for the 50th time and I'm ready to scream at them and tell them for God's sake to grow up and get the friggin' job done!
Yep, overall, a likeable bunch.
And Mayor Paul Ayotte will be back. You might remember our Mayor has had some time off to get over surgery he had a few weeks ago. I talked to him the other day and he seems genuinely happy to be back on his feet.
Now I'm sure a lot of you reading this are wondering why a man would choose to get off his sick bed to go back to work at City Hall and why I, a reasonably sane, journalist would be looking forward to another Monday night with these people. I have to say, though, that through all their wrangling and verbal grappling, through their grandstanding and postulating and vicious ripping apart of the English language, and all their merciless dragging out of even the most simple, basic item on the agenda, there is something really loveable about this specific group of councillors.
There's Patti Peeters and her rolling eyes and frustrated sighs.
Dean Pappas and his goofy laugh and horrible but heartfelt rendering of the national anthem.
Bob Hall who loves to stand up in front of the TVCogeco cameras but runs a heck of a well-paced meeting when he is chair.
And Len Vass, whom I watch closely and listen to every meeting for the new new word to be born from his lips. It will be hard to improve on "silo-ized", but I have faith that he will do it.
Ann Farquharson is a very smart lady who loves her smoke breaks and because of that when she chairs people at least get a few minutes to stretch before heading back into the fray.
Doug Peacock is a pleasure to watch when he talks about his work on the Mayor's Anti-Poverty Taskforce; the man really wants to help.
Shirley Eggleton, aside from criticizing stories before she's read them, has a demeanour you find yourself wishing would rub off on others in council. Shirley doesn't talk much.
'Nuff said.
Jack Doris, our council elder. We need this man not just because he is so passionate about his city, but because he speaks for seniors in our community, who are part of a constantly growing population.
And then there's Eric Martin, with his sweet smile and his desire to do good. He's a regular Joe and he never tries to be anything else.
Last but not least, Mr. Henry Clarke! The man with the military history. He loves this city and the people in it and he always shoots from the hip.
All in all, a likeable bunch. I don't know exactly why or how, but they have charmed me.
Unless it's 10:30 at night and the same people are asking the same question for the 50th time and I'm ready to scream at them and tell them for God's sake to grow up and get the friggin' job done!
Yep, overall, a likeable bunch.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
When Two Become One
I was hit with a creative epiphany this morning!
In the spirit of joining two Hollywood names to create one, (Bennifer, Brangelina) I found myself pondering Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie and their history together and their lives apart.
Then out of the blue it came to me Paris and Nicole = Parole.
Coincidence?
In the spirit of joining two Hollywood names to create one, (Bennifer, Brangelina) I found myself pondering Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie and their history together and their lives apart.
Then out of the blue it came to me Paris and Nicole = Parole.
Coincidence?
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Mounties New Man
So there are some poo-pooers out there saying that putting former government security advisor William Elliot at the helm of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is a power grab by the feds, that Ottawa wants more power over the Mounties.
There are also those who say Elliot, having had no prior police experience, has no right to head the RCMP.
Well, nobody likes change right?
The Mounties have always promoted from within. And look how well that's been working for them lately!
Sure change is scary, but hey, what's been going on within the RCMP over the last few years reads like a Stephen King novel.
I say, give Mr. Elliot the same chance to screw up that some members of the RCMP have been given.
And so what if the government wants to take over running the Mounties? It's not like we've seen a ruling federal party ever do anything like misappropriate funds for things like, say, sponsorship programs.
Yes, there's a slight chance we could be flipping our mounted men and women from the proverbial frying pan into the proverbial fire, but like I say, let's give Mr. Elliot the same chance as his predecessors in the RCMP and in Ottawa to show what he can do with the public trust.
There are also those who say Elliot, having had no prior police experience, has no right to head the RCMP.
Well, nobody likes change right?
The Mounties have always promoted from within. And look how well that's been working for them lately!
Sure change is scary, but hey, what's been going on within the RCMP over the last few years reads like a Stephen King novel.
I say, give Mr. Elliot the same chance to screw up that some members of the RCMP have been given.
And so what if the government wants to take over running the Mounties? It's not like we've seen a ruling federal party ever do anything like misappropriate funds for things like, say, sponsorship programs.
Yes, there's a slight chance we could be flipping our mounted men and women from the proverbial frying pan into the proverbial fire, but like I say, let's give Mr. Elliot the same chance as his predecessors in the RCMP and in Ottawa to show what he can do with the public trust.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Prime Minister Potter?
In keeping with the Harry Potter mania that is being fueled to near hysteria by the opening of the fifth movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and the release of the seventh and last book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", I find myself pondering what it would be like if Harry Potter ruled the world. Or at least was Prime Minister of Canada.
On a national level, would he be a Progressive Conservative, a Liberal or an NDPer?
Personally, I think he'd probably lean toward the Green Party. Think about it, he's got to use all those natural herbs and things for potions, any magical student worth his or her salt has an animal and has to care for it, he flies around on a broomstick so air pollution would definitely be an issue, not to mention air quality when those Dementors start breeding and kick all that foggy stuff into the air.
Then there's Lord Voldemort and his gangs of marauders who have been rambling around, strafing chunks of land, generally laying waste to anything and anyone that gets in their way (law enforcement would obviously be high on the Potter platform as well). And there's no electricity use at all in the world of magic so he'd score big environmentally on that issue.
Of course it might be tough, a wizard trying to fit into a muggle (non-magic person) world. In fact, with all that power at his command, he could realize one day that he's got such an advantage over his constituents that maybe he doesn't need to ask their opinions about anything anymore, just flash that wand of his and everybody shuts up and quits complaining.
He could do whatever he wants. He could rule through fear and manipulation. He could use his powers to force people to accept his way whether they want to or not. Now that's a scary thought.
Good thing Harry Potter is just an imaginary character.
On a national level, would he be a Progressive Conservative, a Liberal or an NDPer?
Personally, I think he'd probably lean toward the Green Party. Think about it, he's got to use all those natural herbs and things for potions, any magical student worth his or her salt has an animal and has to care for it, he flies around on a broomstick so air pollution would definitely be an issue, not to mention air quality when those Dementors start breeding and kick all that foggy stuff into the air.
Then there's Lord Voldemort and his gangs of marauders who have been rambling around, strafing chunks of land, generally laying waste to anything and anyone that gets in their way (law enforcement would obviously be high on the Potter platform as well). And there's no electricity use at all in the world of magic so he'd score big environmentally on that issue.
Of course it might be tough, a wizard trying to fit into a muggle (non-magic person) world. In fact, with all that power at his command, he could realize one day that he's got such an advantage over his constituents that maybe he doesn't need to ask their opinions about anything anymore, just flash that wand of his and everybody shuts up and quits complaining.
He could do whatever he wants. He could rule through fear and manipulation. He could use his powers to force people to accept his way whether they want to or not. Now that's a scary thought.
Good thing Harry Potter is just an imaginary character.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Pains of Politics
There's a provincial election coming in October and all our elected and unelected politicos are buzzing around like busy bees trying to push all the right buttons so all the right boxes will be marked come ballot time.
Not too long ago Premier Dalton McGuinty was in Peterborough to announce a bunch of new money that would be made available to municipalities wanting to green up their operations. It wasn't all that much money when you broke it down. It wasn't that big a deal for Peterborough since the City has already done a lot of work to green itself up.
It was a fairly ho hum Hi-dee Ho from the Premier, although I must say he got my blood up when he refused to answer a question I asked about what, if any, Provincial plans are in the works to help our battered emergency shelter system, that has left the Brock Mission teetering on the edge of extinction.
But what really got my goat was after the formal news conference was over.
Our Peterborough This Week photographer for the event, Lauren Gilchrist came over to tell me the Premier was looking for me. I obliged and went over to talk to the man.
He told me he'd just learned of the plight of local veterans trying to get a wall of honour put up in Confederation Square across from City Hall.
"We will make it happen," he declared.
"Even if it means changing provincial law?" I asked.
"We will make it happen," he said again.
Now with an election on the way political stumping and promissory posturing are natural and indeed expected. But let's take a moment to reflect on political history.
Has there ever been a time when a politician has made a campaign promise that he or she can't keep?
Has there ever been a period on our planet when a politician has offered promises to some of the most vulnerable and fragile members of our society and then not followed through?
Did I mention there's an election coming in the fall?
The hardest thing to swallow about Premier McGuinty's statement is that it was a promise made to our veterans. These people have stared into the eyes of death and seen horrors most of us can't even imagine. They've laid their lives on the line for each and every one of us. I think that makes them worthy of every respect we can show them.
So for the sake of these women and men, many of whom have died while the wall debate dragged on and on and on and on, I hope the Premier was doing more than simply making another political promise that may or may not be kept.
But did I mention there's an election in October?
Not too long ago Premier Dalton McGuinty was in Peterborough to announce a bunch of new money that would be made available to municipalities wanting to green up their operations. It wasn't all that much money when you broke it down. It wasn't that big a deal for Peterborough since the City has already done a lot of work to green itself up.
It was a fairly ho hum Hi-dee Ho from the Premier, although I must say he got my blood up when he refused to answer a question I asked about what, if any, Provincial plans are in the works to help our battered emergency shelter system, that has left the Brock Mission teetering on the edge of extinction.
But what really got my goat was after the formal news conference was over.
Our Peterborough This Week photographer for the event, Lauren Gilchrist came over to tell me the Premier was looking for me. I obliged and went over to talk to the man.
He told me he'd just learned of the plight of local veterans trying to get a wall of honour put up in Confederation Square across from City Hall.
"We will make it happen," he declared.
"Even if it means changing provincial law?" I asked.
"We will make it happen," he said again.
Now with an election on the way political stumping and promissory posturing are natural and indeed expected. But let's take a moment to reflect on political history.
Has there ever been a time when a politician has made a campaign promise that he or she can't keep?
Has there ever been a period on our planet when a politician has offered promises to some of the most vulnerable and fragile members of our society and then not followed through?
Did I mention there's an election coming in the fall?
The hardest thing to swallow about Premier McGuinty's statement is that it was a promise made to our veterans. These people have stared into the eyes of death and seen horrors most of us can't even imagine. They've laid their lives on the line for each and every one of us. I think that makes them worthy of every respect we can show them.
So for the sake of these women and men, many of whom have died while the wall debate dragged on and on and on and on, I hope the Premier was doing more than simply making another political promise that may or may not be kept.
But did I mention there's an election in October?
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