Monday, November 18, 2013

Selected Glossary of the Forest Practices Board with FREE Supplements from WorkSafeBC and ATV Mud-Bogging Don'ts

There's Plugging and Mud Bogging, neither is acceptable, however when the Logging outfits get into their Tree Farm Licenses using heavy duty ATV... well, there's a law for the Public and no law for them.

A Good Start ....... to dealing with out of bound ATVs:
...... But it’s not the getting there; it’s what happens when the hard-pack road peters out and the soft, loamy ground of the alpine meadows begins.

At this point Easterday puts his Jeep in park, shoulders his pack and strides out across the mosses and heather. However, he can’t say the same for all motorized back country enthusiasts. In the last five years, Easterday says he’s encountered more and more swaths of deep, rutted tire tracks in the mountains.  .....
..... To make matters worse, if enough heavy vehicles have punched through the fragile habitat, the ruts are so deep the next rider may worry about getting bogged down. To avoid this, ATVers often veer off existing tracks and make fresh lines through the alpine. Over time the entire area can become covered in tracks.

Easterday got so concerned about the damage being created by motorized vehicles that he started the Outdoor Recreation Alliance.

The group is led by eight directors who love the back country, but who use a variety of non-motorized and motorized methods to access it in both summer and winter.  ......

Executive Board of Directors

Members of the Executive Board of Directors are elected at the Annual General Meeting.  The maximum number of current directors is eight. To be eligible for election they should have been either nominated by one of ORC’s Provincial Group Members or have been appointed as an Advisory Member.

Name
    Executive Position
   
Affiliation
Dennis Webb            Chair     Quad Riders ATV Association of BC
Robert Gunn     Past Chair     Fish & Wildlife Program, BCIT
Rose Schroeder     Director     Back Country Horsemen of BC
Don Reid              Director     Trails Society of BC
Kim Reeves         Director     Four Wheel Drive Association of BC
Penelope Edwards  Director     BC Nature
Dave Wharton     Director     Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC
Erin Hart             Director      BC Snowmobile Federation
Roxanne Rousseau Director     Sea Kayak Association of BC
David Lock          Director     BC Off Road MotorCycling Association
Gordon Weetman     Advisory Member     UBC Faculty of Forestry


Advisory Members
Mark Angelo          BC Rivers Chair     BC Rivers Institute (Chair Emeritus)
Ray Pillman           Senior Advisor     Sea Kayak Association of BC
Gordon Weetman   Former Chair     Faculty of Forestry, UBC
Ken Farquharson   Environmental Assessments     Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission

Mel Turner     Park advisor                   Formerly with BC Parks


Northword ATVs and the Alpine


A Forest  Practices Board - What we Do

Glossary of Board Terms

Bigger the Symbol (Icon) used by the Forest Practices Board to educate the public, the more important, and dangerous, is the work involved:

BLOWDOWN (WINDTHROW) Uprooting by the wind. Also refers to a tree or trees so uprooted. 


BROWSE   That part of leaf and twig growth of shrubs, woody vines, and trees available for animal consumption, or, the act of consuming browse (browsing).

CABLE YARDING  A yarding system employing winches, blocks and cables.

CLEARCUT An area of forestland from which all merchantable trees have recently been harvested


COMMUNITY WATERSHED  The drainage area above the most downstream point of diversion on a stream for which the water is for human consumption, and which is licensed under the Water Act for (i) a waterworks purpose, or (ii) a domestic purpose if the licence is held by, or is subject to, the control of a water users’ community as incorporated under the Water Act.

CROSS-DITCH   A ditch excavated across the road at an angle and at a sufficient depth, with armouring as appropriate, to divert both road surface water and ditch water off or across the road.




CUTSLOPE The face of an excavated bank required to lower the natural ground line to the desired road profile.



GEOTEXTILE FILTER FABRIC A synthetic material placed on the flat, under road fill, with the primary functions of layer separation, aggregate confinement, and distribution of load.



NOTE: This photo shows the material placed vertically, stopping road fill, for separation, aggregate confinement, ...... FAILURE



 HELICOPTER HARVESTING  An aerial harvesting system whereby logs are removed vertically from the forest and flown to a roadside landing or drop zone. 

 MECHANICAL HARVESTING The process of harvesting timber using mechanized means.



MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU)   An agreement between ministers defining the roles and responsibilities of each ministry in relation to the other or others, with respect to matters over which the ministers have concurrent corrupt jurisdiction.

NOXIOUS WEEDS  Any weed designated by the Weed Control Regulations in the Weed Control Act and identified on a Regional District noxious weed control list.

NOTE: Noxious Weeds BBC Post

PARTICIPATING MINISTRIES The Ministry of Forests and Range (MFR), Ministry of Agriculture and Lands (MAL) and the Ministry of Environment (MOE).

PARTICIPANTS All those directly involved in a complaint including complainants, subjects, parties and adversely affected persons, but not other interested persons.

PERFORMANCE PENALTY Created by Bill 47, 1997, but is not yet in force. It is an administrative penalty in addition to a contravention penalty, imposed where the licensee did not exercise due diligence.

PHREATOPHYTE A deeply-rooted plant deriving its moisture from subsurface sources.


PREVENTION All activities that interrupt the dispersal of new invasive plant species into a geographic area or specific location where they were not previously found. 

NOTE: Noxious Weeds BBC Post

PROPER FUNCTIONING CONDITION The ability of a stream, river, wetland, or lake, and its riparian area, to withstand: normal peak flood events without experiencing accelerated soil loss; channel movement or bank movement; filter runoff; and, store and safely release water (Forest Practices Code definition).
NOTE:  Enbridge and Encana and Kinder-Enron-Morgan could be hit with an unenforced Penalty.
 
PUGGING Deep hoof prints left by large ungulates on moist, fine-textured soils of streams and wetlands.


NOTE:  Deep Tire Tracks prints left by ATV  is called Mud-Bogging in British Columbia

NOTE:  Mud-Bogging

What Can I Do?

Violation tickets for mud bogging are $575, and other penalties may include towing or impoundment of vehicles, jail time and expenses related to habitat restoration.

The public are encouraged to report suspicious activities and environmental damage to the province’s toll-free, 24 hour Report All Poachers and Polluters – RAPP line at 1-877-952-RAPP (7277) or from a cell phone *7277.
RED LIST SPECIES Indigenous species that are extirpated, endangered, or threatened in British Columbia.

RILL A small channel created on steep slopes by water erosion.



RIPARIAN An area of land adjacent to a stream, river, lake or wetland that contains vegetation that, due to the presence of water, is distinctly different from the vegetation of adjacent upland areas.



RIPARIAN LEAVE STRIP An unharvested border of forest around a riparian feature.





SOIL DISTURBANCE Disturbance to the soil in the net area to be reforested resulting from the construction of temporary access structures or gouges, ruts, scalps or compacted areas resulting from forestry activities. Without rehabilitation, disturbed sites often have reduced soil productivity and may not provide optimum growing conditions for new trees. For that reason, maximum allowable amounts of soil disturbance are set in regulation.


NOTE:  This is different than Pugging and Bogging
Allowed and Encouraged by Forest Practices Board


TREE FARM LICENCE (TFL TFLs are privately managed Sustained Yield Units. TFLs are designed to enable owners of Crown-granted forestlands and old temporary tenures or the timber licences, which replace them; to combine these with enough unencumbered Crown land to form self-contained sustained yield management units. These licences commit the licensee to manage the entire area under the general supervision of the Forest Service. Cutting from all lands requires Forest Service approval through the issuance of cutting permits. TFLs should not be confused with Certified Tree Farms under the Taxation Act; though some Certified Tree Farm land (Crown-granted) may comprise a part of the TFL. A TFL has a term of 25 years.
NOTE:  Tree Farm Licence (TFL) and Pine Beetle Harvesting @ BBC

Correction from scotty on denman ...

Correction: TFLs are long term forest tenures which include both private and public (Crown) lands---in fact, one must have private land contiguous to crown land to qualify. TFLs are intended to encourage the licence holder to manage their privet portion to the same standards as the Crown portion. Private forest land holders may also put their property into a Managed Forest Unit, where the owner is similarly encouraged to manage to Crown standards, this time in return for a land tax break instead of cutting rights on Crown land.


MANUAL TREE TOPPER  A professional climber who ascends trees to prepare them for helicopter harvest as part of the process of single stem harvesting.

NOTE:  Manual Tree Topper and Tree Monkey   same video   two different job descriptions

 TREE MONKEY  A professional climber who ascends trees to prepare them for helicopter harvest as part of the process of single stem harvesting.

X
Y
Z

*******************

Randomly selected Audits performed by Forest Practices Board

    Audit of Fire Prevention Practices  BC Hydro and Power Authority  Occupant Licences to Cut  L48655, L48700, L48750, L48751




**********************

Two BC Government Resources
on
ORV
Off-Road Vehicles

Off-Road Vehicles

Sunday, November 10, 2013

British Columbia Noxius Weed Act (1916) and 2013. ‘Don't sow your wild oats’ here, please

Immigrants, and their yearnings to bring their weeds (marijuana too), into our fine, pristine, country.

By 1916  there were 12 Weeds in British Columbia.

By 2013 there are still five from the original list.

2013  hit list of worst weeds: 39

Is there a database that links weeds to their country of origin to Canadian soils, by date of introduction?  eg. Scotland's Thistle 1249.
Control measures include Trichosirocalus weevils, but a problem with this approach, at least in North America, is that the introduced weevils may affect native thistles at least as much as the desired targets.
Hawaii 106 listing of the most invasive horticultural plants

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not on the BC List is Hedera helix aka English Ivy

 British Columbia:

1916 Link Updated 2023-02-05
1916

 
The following are the weeds classified as noxious under the "Noxious Weeds Act" (chapter, and verse, 66, 1915) of the Province of British Columbia : -

Annual sow-thistle    native to Asia and Europe

Ball mustard
Blue burr or stickseed
Canada Thistle   native throughout Europe and northern Asia

Dodder   native to Europe


Ox-eye daisy
Perennial sow-thistle  native to Caucasus, Asia Minor, Afghanistan, West Siberia

Ragweed
Stinkwood

Tumbling mustard

Wild mustard and charlock
Wild oats  native to Scotland




2013

Weeds classified as Noxious

The following weeds are classified as noxious within all regions of British Columbia:

    Annual Sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
    Bohemian Knotweed (Fallopia x bohemica)
    Bur Chervil (Anthriscus caucalis)
    Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)
    Common Reed (Phragmites australis subsp. australis)
    Crupina (Crupina vulgaris)
    Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)
    Dalmatian Toadflax (Linaria dalmatica)
    Dense-flowered Cordgrass (Spartina densiflora)
    Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa)
    Dodder (Cuscuta spp.)
    English Cordgrass (Spartina anglica)
    Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus)
    Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
    Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
    Giant Knotweed (Fallopia sachalinensis)
    Giant Mannagrass / Reed Sweetgrass (Glyceria maxima)
    Gorse (Ulex europaeus)
    Himilayan Knotweed (Polygonum polystachyum)
    Hound's-tongue (Cynoglossum officinale)
    Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
    Jointed Goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica)
    Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)
    Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)
    North Africa Grass (Ventenata dubia)
    Perennial Sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis)
    Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
    Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus)
    Rush Skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea)
    Saltmeadow Cordgrass (Spartina patens)
    Scentless Chamomile (Matricaria maritima)
    Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora)
    Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea maculosa)
    Tansy Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)
    Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti)
    Wild Oats (Avena fatua)
    Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
    Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)
    Yellow Starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis)

There are weeds classified as noxious within the boundaries of corresponding regional districts:

Weeds are responsible for reductions in crop yield and quality and they lead to environmental degradation through destruction of native plant and animal habitat. Weeds also harbour insects and diseases of crops, create unsafe conditions, reduce property values and the aesthetics of an enjoyable landscape and many can poison humans, livestock and wildlife.  Weed-Guide

Blueweed
Burdock
Cleavers
Common Bugloss
Common Tansy
Field Scabious
Green Foxtail
Hoary Alyssum
Hoary Cress
Kochia
Marsh Plume Thistle
Meadow Knapweed
Night-Flowering Catchfly
Orange Hawkweed   
Oxeye Daisy
Perennial Pepperweed
Plumeless Thistle
Puncturevine
Purple Loosestrife
Quackgrass
Russian Knapweed
Russian Thistle
Scotch Thistle
Sulphur Cinquefoil
Tartary Buckwheat
White Cockle
Wild Chervil
Wild Mustard

Saturday, November 9, 2013

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory: "Yeomans' Top Ten Asteroid Factoids"

Factoid was coined by Norman Mailer in his 1973 biography of Marilyn Monroe. Mailer described a factoid as "facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper" 
 
Just so you know that you're not alone in the universe:  world or words:
Don Yeomans, a senior research scientist at JPL, keeps a watchful eye on near-Earth objects -- asteroids, comets and other space rocks. Yeomans heads a group charged by NASA to watch for objects whose orbits bring them close to Earth. He's pulled together his top ten asteroid factoids.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 The top factoids about asteroids    Today Tech

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Qualitative Testing Factoid Sheet by Adrian Dingle's Chemistry Pages
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Should seniors get genetic factoid tests for unproven theories regarding choice?   There's now a genetic test for the ability not to make the same mistake twice, or rather the same unhealthy choices. DNA testing for ancestry may also offer genetic testing for various types of "factoid tests" based on numerous genetic studies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 DNAFactoids
       Have some fun with your DNA Factoid Complete Bundle Pack      $149.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 FTDNA's autosomal test is now the same price as both AncestryDNA and 23andme. However, you can do an autosomal transfer from 23andme or AncestryDNA for $69. FTDNA does regular discounts and there are discounts for surname, region, and haplogroup projects. Once a customer, some upgrades qualify for a large discount. It is also one of the few companies to offer individual SNP, STR, and other tests. It offers Factoid tests, but most of them are included in 23andme's test. Not sure they test the same genes or rely on the same research. FTDNA also offers a full range of Y-DNA and mtDNA that are great for genealogy.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Factoid tests should generally test only the major facts. Even the worst of worst English teachers do not tell you to memorize a pointless line or a minor character. Don't skip lectures. The lecturer should indicate what factoid he wants you to memorize if he's really doing it that way.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Factoids Part 1

Explore the world of color with these amazing "factoids" about color. You'll find unusual snippets of information from the world of nature, vision, psychology, business, and from all dimensions of our lives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 From the Top's Facebook Wall
Here's a neat factoid about Mozart. Do you hear colors in music?

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3BL Media:
 Trish:  Let me bring up another little factoid from the NAHB:  Women directly purchase or have controlling influence in the purchase of 91% of all new homes.   So women (who are twice as likely to want green products) are dependent upon men (who largely don’t buy into green) to build their homes.  Are the odds are stacked against a woman getting the green home of her dreams?

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 NOTE:  Militarily speaking, the USA sees FACTOIDS as "Good" and "BAD" mixed in with the Correct bits........... 
West Point Academy 
The goal of the organization is to identify a terrorist attack based on bits of information distributed around the organization. After ten minutes of the one hour experiment, all of the correct information has been issued to the organization. Among the correct bits of information, or factoids, are also distributed false factoids. Each entity receives four factoids, and they must corroborate within the organization to come up with the correct arrangement of who, what, where, and when.

Snowden, where are you on West Point's interpretation?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 FACTOIDS:"Models and Tools for Analysis and Secure Exchange of Sensor-Collected Data"
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In this paper, we study the problem of automatically annotating the factoids present in collective discourse. Factoids are in formation units that are shared between instances of collective discourse and may have many different ways of being realized in words. Our approach divides this problem into two steps, using a graph-based approach for each step: (1) factoid discovery, finding groups of words that correspond to the same factoid, and (2) factoid assignment, using these groups of words to mark collective discourse units that contain the respective factoids.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We present a new approach to intrinsic summary evaluation, based on initial experiments in van Halteren and Teufel (2003), which combines two novel aspects:  comparison of information content (rather than string similarity) in gold standard and system summary, measured in shared atomic information units which we call factoids, and comparison to more than one gold standard summary (in our data: 20 and 50 summaries respectively)

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100  Chevy Factoids
History of Chevy 
1. Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant co-founded the Chevrolet Motor Company on November 3, 1911. Chevy celebrates its 100th birthday on November 3, 2011.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An interesting thing to notice in this example is that allocation order is quite different from JIT compilation order. In fact, the first thing to be allocated is the Exception object for out of memory errors! Many delightful factoids can be gleaned by examining execution traces.
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Diabetic Factoids
Please feel free to post questions for The Neuropathy Association and Dr. Levine that you'd like as relates to the focus of this Facebook chat: DIABETIC NEUROPATHY. You can also comment on other participants’ posts and comments. Dr. Levine will be asking questions and sharing factoids on diabetic neuropathy too. And, be sure to chat with each other as well, make some new friends. 
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Sunday, November 3, 2013

Myth Buster: Kinder Morgan (CEPA) Facts or Factoids

Kinder Morgan, supposedly, doesn't believe in "Myths" because they have their own way of explaining to the Public the "Facts" on the benefits and movement of their resources.

Fact is, Kinder Morgan and twelve of their brethren Petroleum giants, along with their Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA), believe strictly in "Factoids".  Factoid files are neatly stacked on their Library shelves:

Fact:                  http://www.cepa.com/library/factoids

For your reference, one definition of a "Factoid"  is in the Compact Oxford English Dictionary:
"an item of unreliable information that is repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact"  

Fact:               Factoids defined by Wikipedia:
A factoid is a questionable or spurious (unverified, false, or fabricated) statement presented as a fact, but without supporting evidence. The word can also be used to describe a particularly insignificant or novel fact, in the absence of much relevant context.   The word is defined by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary as "an item of unreliable information that is repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact".

Factoid was coined by Norman Mailer in his 1973 biography of Marilyn Monroe. Mailer described a factoid as "facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper", and created the word by combining the word fact and the ending -oid to mean "similar but not the same". The Washington Times described Mailer's new word as referring to "something that looks like a fact, could be a fact, but in fact is not a fact".

Factoids may give rise to, or arise from, common misconceptions and urban legends.

A Kinder Morgan Website asks "Did you know" (without a question mark) and then proceeds to lay the "Facts" out cold,      hard, and fast.

3 million

Approximately three million barrels of crude oil travel through Canada’s crude oil pipeline network every day, enough to fill more than 475 million one-litre milk cartons or almost 200 Olympic-sized swimming pools.   Learn More

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URL Fact:   Top LEFT corner:

http://www.cepa.com/library/factoids

 Facts   

$83.5 billion

Value of Canadian crude oil and natural gas exports in 2012 — most of which was transported by pipeline

94%

Percentage of transportation demand in Canada supplied by petroleum products

4,200

The number of rail cars needed to transport the 3 million barrels of crude oil transported each day by pipeline in Canada

More than half

The homes in Canada are heated by natural gas

5.5 litres

The amount of liquid spilled per million litres transported by pipeline in Canada between 2002 and 2011

3 million

Barrels of crude oil transported by transmission pipelines in Canada every day — the equivalent of 200 Olympic sized swimming pools  (other mediums using Olympic Sized Pools)

97%

The percentage of Canadian natural gas and crude oil production transported by transmission pipelines

More than two thirds

Of Canada’s energy demand is met by natural gas or products made from crude oil

2.5

Number of times Canada’s natural gas and liquid transmission pipelines would circle the earth if laid end-to-end

30 – 35

Number of days it takes for oil to travel by pipeline from Alberta to southern Ontario

More than 60%

Percentage of Canadian natural gas production transported by pipeline to US markets in 2011

Up to 40 km per hour

Speed natural gas moves through a pipeline

99.9994%

Percentage of liquid product transported safely by pipelines between 2002 and 2011

3 teaspoons

The liquid spilled from pipelines in Canada over the past ten years is equivalent to three teaspoons dripped out of a gasoline nozzle over the course of 50 fill-ups of 50 litres each

75 kilometers

The length of train that would be required to transport the 3 million barrels of crude oil transported by pipeline in Canada every day

18 metres

The size of the permanent right-of-way for a large diameter transmission pipeline

500 BC

The first recorded use of pipelines to transport natural gas — the pipelines were constructed of bamboo

830,000 km

Estimate of Canada’s underground natural gas and liquids pipeline network (gathering, transmission and delivery lines)

Fact:        Google Search Criteria:   factoids  CEPA

Fact:   CEPA Membership:

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Nestle Quik-Wins: Bottled free water: Will Nestle Battle Kinder-Morgan over Polak's $Zero value if goods are damaged?

According to BC Water Resources Atlas (BCWRA) it's easy to see the proximity between Kinder-Morgan's Compressor Station and that of Nestle Water's bottling plant, both on Othello Road.   In amongst them are the water wells, highlighted with Red Stars.  SEVEN beside Kinder-Morgan Compressor Station.

Note: BCWRA has no record of any Artesians or spring water in the area of Hope or the Coquihalla Valley.

Nestle Water's Bottling Plant is almost on top of their deep well to Free Water

Kinder-Morgan Compressor Station is to the right with water wells towards the Coquihalla River

Kinder-Morgan Chain Link Fence keeps oil "inside" compound if there's a leak
Note Curbing around drain beyond the Chain Link Fence
Kinder-Morgan has a recent history, this past summer, of their pipeline fracturing twice, at differenct locations, between Merritt and Hope, north side of the Coquihalla Summit.

Earlier this month Kinder-Morgan completed a 35 kilometer long Hydrostatic Test of the two-timing fracturing pipeline between Larson Hill and Hope, with the pressure raised 3psi higher than the 780 psi which is used to shunt the dilbits from Edmonton to Burnaby


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CBC  - October 22, 2013  Pipeline Safety Incidents  - Interactive Map

Have there been incidents near you, have the leaks been duly reported lately, like the two leaks.... which haven't been reported.
2009-139
12/12/2009
Hope, British Columbia
Company: Westcoast Energy Inc. (as Spectra Energy Transmission)
Facility: Compressor Station 8B
Raw Summary

On Saturday, 12 December 2009, for 5 hours starting at 12:38 MST, the 8B-L1, 30 and the 8B-L2, 36 sweet natural gas lines downstream of Hope, BC Compressor Station 8B, operated at 783 psi; 3 psi over operating Pressure (780 psi) . The company changed the set points and reduced the Pressure to operating limits. Spectra is investigating why the lines operated for 5 hours over Pressure before being corrected. There were no injuries and no danger to the public. 
No danger to the Public, but what about other Corporations, like Nestle Water which is just one kilometer down hill from the Compressor Station.

Downhill to Residential homes.

Downhill to Kawkawa Lake.

Downhill to Hope.

Downhill to the Mighty Fraser.

Downhill to the Salmon.


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Nestle

Wikipedia

Controversy and criticism

 Chocolate Price fixing

Marketing of formula

Ethiopian Debt

Melamine in Chinese Milk

Greenwashing

Zimbabwe Farms

Palm Oil Use

E. coli

Child Labour

Bottle Life

Horsemeat Scandal

We Feed The World

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3BL Media take on Nestle

Nestle Waters' Hit and Miss

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Just ask BC Hydro Apprentices how many Vehicles are in the Fleet. 2,500? or 3,300? (800 Dif.)

Mike has been taking issue on the subject of how many top-heavy managers there are directing the workers (ratio) at BC Hydro.

Has anyone asked how many cars motor vehicles are provided to the managers compared to trade workers (ratio)?

How many SUVs are in the fleet and how many are operated by the Managers?

Yes, there are SUVs and you didn't know that?

Does every motor vehicle in the BC Hydro fleet have their scheduled 5,000 Kilometer visit to their local in-house mechanic or is it returned to the Dealership mechanics who charge way too much 1 - 5 (ratio)?

Question:  If BC Hydro Mechanics work on EVERY vehicle in the Fleet, how many vehicles would you expect a Refinishing Prep Technician to work on?  More or Less than a Mechanic?

Would you expect to find that there are more vehicles going in for touch-ups, and/or full body advertising panels, and/or Smash up repairs, than a visit to a BC Hydro Mechanic?

Are records of accidents available through ICBC via an FOI?

How many Mechanics and Prep Technicians are there?


Here's how BC Hydro encourages Apprentices to join their work force:

As a Vehicle Tradesperson (Truck & Transport Mechanic) at BC Hydro, you maintain, inspect, diagnose, repair, modify and outfit BC Hydro vehicles.

The BC Hydro fleet consists of 2,500 vehicles including passenger vehicles (e.g. cars, SUVs, passenger vans), light vehicles (e.g. pick-up trucks, commercial vans, flat deck trucks), heavy vehicles e.g. man lifts, digger derricks, crane trucks), mobile machines (e.g. fork lifts, self-propelled man lifts) and trailers (e.g. pole trailers, reel trailers, utility trailers).
Passenger Vehicles:
Cars
SUVs
Passenger vans

Light Vehicles:

Pick-up trucks
Commercial vans
Flat deck trucks

Heavy Vehicles:
Man Lifts
Digger Derricks
Crane trucks

Mobile Machines:

Fork Lifts
Self-Propelled man lifts

Trailers:

Pole trailers
Reel Trailers
Utility Trailers
As a Vehicle Tradesperson (Automotive Refinishing Prep Technician) you learn to prep, paint and refinish vehicles in BC Hydro's fleet. It's a diverse fleet of 3,300 vehicles ranging from passenger vehicles to pick-up trucks, vans and heavy vehicles such as man lifts, digger derricks, crane trucks and trailers.

Passenger Vehicles:
Cars
SUVs
Passenger vans

Light Vehicles:
Pick-up trucks
Commercial vans
Flat deck trucks

Heavy Vehicles:
Man Lifts
Digger Derricks
Crane trucks

Mobile Machines:

Fork Lifts
Self-Propelled man lifts

Trailers:

Pole trailers
Reel Trailers
Utility Trailers

Same categories in the two trade fields but somehow there's a difference of 800 vehicles!


As to other endeavours that BC Hydro treads in, like it's somehow the duty of BC Hydro to purchase, at full price, to experiment in the field testing of hybrid vehicles?  Why are BC Rate Payers' monies being spent on something that should be borne solely by the manufacturers of the cars?

Why have a car like this, to string lights from one pole to the next? Why even have it sporting the Power Smart logo referencing the Billion Dollar Smart Meter program?  All that Spray Booth energy to create a bunch of ferns on the side of the BC Hydro car.

What a Waste!



Every year car manufacturers improve their vehicles.  BC Hydro doesn't want to be seen driving in last year's models when a new one is just down the street waiting to be purchased.  They are continually replacing vehicles based upon two criterias: more efficient models and Right Sizing, where possible.

How long has BC Hydro been in operation, and how many vehicles has it purchased and why haven't they figured out the right criteria for purchasing a new vehicle when the ONLY reason being given is that it's one year old.   Vehicles come with Warranties guys, minimum of Five years. 
Page 6 of 11:
BC Hydro’s Fleet Greening Strategy adopts the following approach supported by continuous monitoring of results and new technology developments.

1.
Support Business Groups for Work Planning:
Encourage teleconferencing, carpooling, and route optimization

2.
Idle free and Driver Training Programs:
Support with equipment such as cab heaters, telematics

3.
Improve Fleet Efficiency:
Continue to replace vehicles with newer, more efficient models Right sizing where possible

4.
Biodiesel (B20) Implementation:
Limited by manufacturers warranty coverage

5.
Deploy New Technology Vehicles:
Place hybrid vehicles where appropriate
Evaluate new technologies, Electric Vehicles (EV’s), Plug in Electric Vehicles (PHEV’s
Just how much time is spent on testing the waters to determine if the NEXT vehicle is good enough, and then finding out that BC Hydro Managers GOOFED, then all they have to do is buy a NEW vehicle and auction off the old one.  No Problem!

Back in the early days of British Columbia's infatuation with Electricity uses, it never involved spending thousand of dollars on such a frivolous trinket as an Electric car, unless it was a fur coat the sky was the limit.




 Clean burning Natural Gas is "an Emancipation from the tyranny of coal" **** China???


The gas holder is a crucial landmark in Cop To Corpse. Most of us had no idea what that was; the exception was our British-born member Pauline, who recalled having seen many of them in the UK.  Wikipedia defines a gas holder as “…a large container in which natural gas or town gas is stored near atmospheric pressure at ambient temperatures.”

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Actions Towards Carbon Neutrality
The actions listed below contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from sources for which public sector organizations are responsible under the carbon neutral government regulation of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Act.

 2010      Page 6 of 20

The BC Hydro fleet currently consists of 2,390 vehicles. In Fiscal year F11, 95 Light and Medium (L&M) duty vehicles were ordered. Of these, 54 were diesel powertrain instead of gasoline in order to take advantage of better fuel efficiency and enable the use of biodiesel. Five of the 7 sedans ordered were hybrids along with 2 hybrid compact SUV’s.

There are now 130 hybrid vehicles in BC Hydro’s fleet. Of these, 128 are L&M vehicles and 2 are Heavy Duty line trucks with aerials. Three Toyota Prius’ have been upfitted with an aftermarket Plug-in kit and 2 fully electric Mitsubishi sedans were added to the fleet in 2009 on a trial basis. BC Hydro also owns 2 hydrogen-powered pickup trucks
BC Hydro Misubishi Outlander
 Fit for a Premier Premier to drive

2,390

2,500

3,300

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Only
Passenger vehicles
and
NOT
Service Vehicle/Manager Vehicles

27 Pages of Colour Photos
Including all the Statistics

There's this Document:
Coast Mountain BC (CMBC)

Skilled employees

CMBC has more than 5,200 employees, which includes 3,350 bus operators and approximately 1,000 maintenance staff working out of seven transit operating centers in Metro Vancouver.

Bus operators undergo an intense, six-week training program before they are allowed on the road and are closely monitored during a probation period. A two-day refresher course is held to keep drivers sharp and to share any updates about company plans.

CMBC only hires certified red-seal mechanics, and they receive further training in order to familiarize them with specific technology related to the industry.

"Our mechanics are licensed vehicle inspectors who follow a very high standard for safety and skill," says Clements. "We also have 54 apprentices who are required to complete a four-year training program where, upon successful completion, they will be fully certified commercial transport mechanics."

Most of CMBC's staff retires before the age of 65 with the company's pension plan, at a rate of 200 employees per year. Only one to two percent of employees quit, so the company is able to retain its staff. It plans to hire a total of 600 new employees this year and has already found 350. "We really care about our employees' wellbeing," says Clements. "Six of the operating centers have gyms with state-of-the-art equipment. The investment in employee wellness is worthwhile as it has a significant impact on retention."

CMBC also has a state-of-the-art call center which others in the industry have used as a model for their own. One of the company's call center employees was recently named in the top three workers by the American Public Transit Association (APTA), representing the company in the US.

Monday, September 30, 2013

Steven Spielberg's "War Horse"??? How about "The Cyclist" Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion's Nelson A. Zettergreen?

The Cyclist

Nelson A. Zettergreen
 Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion

Date of Birth: June 17, 1897
 Age at enlistment: 18
Age at Death: 21
 April 7, 1919

Vancouver's Mountain View Cemetery

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Federal Minister Clifford Sifton, who coined the phrase of "Stalwart Peasant" to bring European immigrants to northern farm lands, was also responsible for creating the Brutinel Brigade:
Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel In 1918 Brutinel's force consisted of 1st and 2nd Canadian Motor MG Brigades (each of 5x8 gun batteries), Canadian Cyclist battalion, one section of medium trench-mortars mounted on lorries (plus an assumed wireless and medical support). This totalled 80 machine guns and about 300 cyclist infantry.

Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion was part of a force during the "Last 100 Days" called "The Independant Force" , also known as "Brutinel's Brigade". Under the command of Brig.Gen. R. Brutinel this group was comprised of the 1st & 2nd Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigades , Trench Motors , Cavalry and the Cyclists.

Google Search Criteria: Condensed History of the Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion

cefresearch.ca/
  Dedicated to the Study of the Canadian Expeditionary Force The Great War of 1914 - 1919

Cyclist Summary

Page 2 of 5
 Moran, John E. (Secretary) Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion Association 1914 – 1918. Handbook, Toronto, Ontario, November, 1941
Author of Cyclist Summary Document:  Wendy Kimmel


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Mounted Troops
Recruiting poster for the 48th (South Midland) Division Cyclist Company



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The movie, "The Cyclist" should be made here in Hollywood North, Metro Vancouver where there's plenty of Moonbeam cyclists available as extras.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Caligraphy "Letter F" for "Farmers, in general, are more familiar with horses than other classes of farm live stock."

This may sound like a lead up to "Animal Farm"or "Oklahoma", but why oh why are BC Government Reports so plain jane, spun off from a computer, when there's the Real Thing, hand crafted from the early 1900s.

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Horse Raising
ARMERS in general are more familiar with horses than with any other class of farm live stock.  They are kept on almost every farm either to perform work, to breed from, or both.  They furnish the motive power that operates the various farm implements and machinery.  It is impossible to farm successfully under present conditions without them.  There have been men in recent years who have endeavoured to eliminate the horse entirely from farming operations, and to perform all their work by machinery.  These men have failed to accomplish what they set out to do.  The power outfits are good in their place, but they have not as yet supplanted, and are not likely to supplant, the horse for general farm work.



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F is for "Farmers, as a whole..."
".............and in some case enabling them to market their produce."

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D is for "During the Summer of 1920 ... "

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