Friday, May 25, 2012

Rich Coleman and Christy Clark are living together, hypothetically, just to prove that a family of five can reduce their $200 in Utility bills in Vancouver to $140

Update at the Bottom regarding "Dear Readers" contributions.....

Last year, BC NDP MLA  Jagrup Brar temporarily gave up his home, and salary, and lived on $610 welfare for one month.

What the BBC is suggesting here, is that two respected MLAs, Richard Coleman and Christy Clark, temporarily give up their residences, and salaries, and live in a 1946 home in Vancouver, for one month with their average Energy bills (electricity  and Natural Gas) totaling no more than $200.   I suppose the real challenge will be to find a home who's utility bills are really $200 in Vancouver, because that's the problem that the BBC is finding where the current Energy Minister and a previous energy minister says that the energy bills (electricity) have traditionally been less than $100!   Throw in the Natural Gas and the total is no more than $200!  Again, that last number is one that Energy Minister and BC Hydro have been using to sell their customers on how to make their Energy bills seem to almost disappear, almost by sleight of hand.



Back in 2010, the then Energy Minister, Steven Thomson said:

 An average residential electricity bill is about $71 per month. BC Hydro is currently forecasting an average monthly bill increase of about $7 each year for each of the next three years. However, these rate increases are only estimates and are subject to further BC Hydro review and approval by the BCUC.

Along comes Rich Coleman as Energy Minister and by 2012 he jumps on an ambitious program using as an example a home  built in 1946, needing sealing (windows and doors), retrofitting (insulation), is costing $200 per month, but then again who's to say that the numbers Thomson and Coleman are using is an average of only well sealed/insulated homes or all of the of the homes across the province of British Columbia.

For example the BBC home is a ten year old house, 2,600 square feet,  insulated to the hilt, sealed as well, 2 X 6 walls which means MORE insulation to insulate the home therefore lower energy bills.... and for owners of homes where the property building lot is only 33' Wide, their walls are a mere 2 X 4 thick construction.  You'd think the BC Liberal Government would modify the BC Building code to make changes that would ensure that the least amount of energy is lost.

The BBC home Energy costs are rounded up thusly to the nearest whole dollar:

BC Hydro $280 per month .... Fortis: $130, in other words $410 per month ..... just where does Coleman and BC Hydro get their numbers from........ if the 1946 home, 66 years old, in Vancouver, needs a lot of work done on it now..... LOL... they'd be better off not spending a dime to upgrade!   Wear sweaters in the winter!

Its been shown, with the recent implementation of Smart Meters, that there are some mighty high metering going on, and those bills are  no where near the hypothetical $200 per month that the BC Liberals speak frequently of. 

Energy Minister Coleman's Pays-BC shows how "he and she" can have their "cake and eat" it too scenario .... where a hypothetical Vancouver family, struggling with a monthly payment of $200 for the energy being supplied to their home....??????

Where did that number come from?

Does it matter?

Possibly.....

"Pay As You Save-BC program"

"Pays-BC Utility Program"

"The key to unlocking consumer savings"

PAYS_Document_Jan_28_2012_FINAL.pdf

Here's a page from the above link, we have to tell you though its a Fairy tale book, written by BC Hydro to assist "Rich and Christy" in their Families First purchased home, from just last year: (Note: a 1946 home is worth $1,299,000, purchased with 2012 Dollars)

To begin the Fairy Tale adventure:

John Rich and Susan Christy and their three children (Huey, Duey and Luigi) live in a home built in 1946 with an existing Natural Gas furnace, Electric hot water heating, limited insulation and draughty single pane windows. On top of their mortgage payments, Rich and Christy pay about $200 in energy bills every month. They are concerned about having a comfortable home to live in, and rising energy costs, as well as conserving energy to protect the environment. However, they don’t have the spare savings, or other sources of credit, to spend on major renovations or home upgrades. Also, with their growing children, Rich and Christy anticipate needing to move to a larger home within the next five years.

Looking for an understanding of the potential costs and benefits of various options for improving their home, family comfort and health – without “breaking the bank” – Christy finds a local provider of home energy assessments after seeing a news article in the local paper. The energy assessment costs $150 (which may be paid for through PAYSBC when  Rich and Christy decide to participate in the program).

Their independent assessor, Wendy El Gordo of IPP Fame, uses the established EnerGuide Rating System to determine the energy efficiency performance of their home, including an EnerGuide rating, and recommendations for energy retrofits that will reduce energy consumption. Reviewing the assessment report with Rich and Christy, El Gordo shows them where air is leaking out through their attic, basement, walls and around doors and windows – and notes that their water heater will soon fail or need to be replaced. The energy assessment report shows, based on modeled energy consumption of the current house and the same house after proposed upgrades, that if Rich and Christy improve their insulation, replace their windows and upgrade their water heater, they can save an estimated $60 per month on their energy bills.  (Editor Note:  $140 Total to be paid each month instead of $200.)

Rich and Christy decide to proceed with the renovations and arrange for a contractor approved by their utility to complete the work – with no up-front cost....... cont'd

Keep in mind here, the scenario offered above.... Rich and Christy are only going to stay in the house for FIVE YEARS and then MOVE OUT, and UP.
**************************************

Is this is where Energies Ministers Steven Thomson and Rich Coleman delved into for appropriate numbers that would match their spiel to the public? :

March 6, 2012

BC Hydro's rates are among the lowest in North America

Snip.....If you're a residential customer consuming about 1,000 kWh/month, your monthly bill is about $82 — or 8 cents per kWh — which is fourth lowest among the utilities surveyed...... Snip Rates comparison chart

Back to Rich and Christy Living together temporarily, hypothetically.

First they have to find a home that consumes 1,000 kW.h/month, was built in 1946 and is in Vancouver.

BC Hydro rates update, including a look at recent BCUC decision
Each year, BC Hydro is part of a survey that compares BC Hydro's rates with those in 21 other jurisdictions in North America. The results are included in the Electricity Rate Comparison Annual Report, which compares BC Hydro's monthly bills and average prices for residential, commercial and industrial customers against other utilities.
If you're a residential customer consuming about 1,000 kWh/month, your monthly bill is about $82 — or 8 cents per kWh — which is fourth lowest among the utilities surveyed.
Hydro-Quebec tops the list at $68 for 1,000 kWh/month, while 15 of the 25 jurisdictions on the list are at $100 or more. Two — Consolidated Edison in New York, and Pacific Gas & Electric in San Francisco — are over $200.
BC Hydro's rates for all customer segments continue to remain within the top 25 per cent of utilities for 2011/12. For the most part, the five jurisdictions that consistently rank the most favourably in the report are BC Hydro, Hydro-Quebec, Manitoba Power, Pacific Power and Light (Portland, Oregon) and Seattle City Light. View the comparison chart above or see the full, detailed Rates Comparison Report [PDF, 485 Kb]

The Rates Comparison Report  link above, check out page 14 of 17, it will look like this:

 Table 9 BC Hydro Monthly Bills Summary

Vancouver, BC April 1, 2007 1 April 1, 2008 2 April 1, 2009 3 April 1, 2010 4 May 1, 2011

Residential

625 kWh 42.97 45.09 41.19 45.00 47.24
750 kWh 50.81 53.32 50.44 55.11 58.06
1,000 kWh 66.49 69.78 71.32 77.93 $82.71
2,000 kWh 129 136 155 169 181
3,000 kWh 192 201 238 261 $280

Highlighted in Blue above is 1,000 kW.H for 2011

Highlighted in Red above is 3,000 kW.H for 2011
********************************************





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

To be absolutely fair here:

The BBC is a typical home on the North Shore, in other words the BBC $280 number from above, is calculated like this:

STEP 1 = 1398 kW.h @ $0.06670   $ 93.25

STEP 2 = 1592 kW.h @ $0.09620   $153.15

Plus Rate Rider at 2.5%

Regional transit levy: 63 days @ $0.06240/day
*HST BC HST Residential Energy Credit Total $279.41

Go for it Rich, Cristy, BC Hydro, tell us another tale about saving money when you can't even do it yourselves.

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

Rate Rider (explained in Google) and via BC NDP

The rate rider is applied to the total of all charges, before taxes and levies. Amounts received from the rate rider will be used only to pay down BC Hydro's deferral accounts. BC Hydro uses these accounts to record unexpected costs and prevent sudden rate fluctuations that could result, for example, from higher-than-forecast market prices for energy.

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

Dear readers,

Would you like to share the basic information of your Combined, or separate totals of your energy bills?

Would you also like to mention where in British Columbia, or nearby, that you live?

And for those who live near Prince George, and burn wood to heat your home, would you like to contribute your information as well?   Would you also mention your lighting system..... kerosene  perhaps
 *****************************************
 In this day and age of owning a home, a Secondary suite is a must.  For owners like John and Susan and/or   "Richard and Christy" with three children, living in a 1946 home in Metro Vancouver, its probably already been converted to having a secondary suite, legal or illegal.

Legal means that there is a firewall between the two; Legal means that the Smoke alarms are Hard Wired together to ensure that if a fire does break out in one, the other suite won't be sleeping through it!;  Legal means two cans of garbage picked up for each entity; Legal means Landlord (property owner) paying an increased rate for Water, Sewer and Garbage;  Legal means, in most instances, the Owner lives upstairs;  Legal means the owner gets to write off expenses and to declare the income.   Illegal means each cheque written by the tenant to the Landlord, isn't declared as income by the Landlord......no write offs, but they do get to go to Hawaii once a year; they do get to top up their RRSP by using the suite rent to pay for groceries; etc.......

Legal Tenant means you set your own thermostat and not dependent on whether the "guy" upstairs is warm enough.

Municipalities do NOT actively seek out illegal secondary suites unless there are complaints laid by nearby residences.

Word of warning to "Richard" and "Christy", if ever you decide to run for Office... make sure your track record on your basement suites have been above board, at all times!

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

Here's a Screen Shot of part of Page 14, Residential Monthly Bills Summary


e.a.f. is using approximately 1,000 kW.H for 2011
BBC is using 3,000 kW.H for 2012
Richard and Christy were using approximately 1,400 kW.H for 2011
Richard and Christy's uprgrade 1,200 kW.H for 2012
North Shore News example 600 kW.H for 2012
****************************************
Basic energy cost info contributed by Dear Readers:


Update  May 25, 2012

e.a.f. Home

1  Electrically heated
1200 sq. ft.
3  line dry laundry in the summer & in winter one out of 3 loads

4  use the dishwasher twice a wk
5  double windows
    Note:  keep 2 rooms which aren't used at 16; the others at 20
6  located north of Parksville
    Note: Lower rate because of a secondary backup heating system
7  Cost per month $88 yr round.
****************************

BBC Home

1  Primary, forced air furnace, Natural Gas
1  Secondary suite electric baseboard
1  Both have Gas fireplaces
1  Hot Water Tanks  Natural Gas
2600 sq. ft.
3  Primary, laundry twice a week
3  Secondary, laundry seems like daily.... they have children
4  Secondary, Dishwasher, three times a week
5  Double windows
6  North Vancouver
7  Cost per month $410 yr round 
8  Cost split between Primary and Secondary 
****************************

Rich and Christy's home

1  Forced air Furnace
1  Electric Hot Water Tank
2156 sq. ft.
3  Laundry, five times a week
4  Dishwasher, five times a week

5  Single windows
6  Vancouver (East) near Main Street
7   $200 per month yr. round 
*****************************

Rich and Christy's home  after renovation

1  Forced air Furnace
1  Natural Gas Hot Water Tank
2156 sq. ft.
3  Laundry, five times a week
4  Dishwasher, five times a week
5  Double pane windows
6  Vancouver (East) near Main Street
7   $140 per month yr. round
*****************************

From the North Shore News, Letters section, May 27, 2012,
 there is a retired BC Utilities Commission Secretary who is complaining about the Smart Meter

on-line Letter to the Editor NOT PUBLISHED yet, its Saturday

1 ?
2 4000 sq. ft.
3 ?
4 ?
5 ?
6  West Vancouver, north of Park Royal
$39 for electricity ONLY.... no mention of Natural Gas.

$39?
********************************************

2 Examples From CTV British Columbia

Carlo.....
Richmond Apartment

$93 before his smart meter was set up

to $172

and then $241 on his most recent bill.

                 *******************************
 Susan...... One Bedroom Condo


was $61 monthly before the Smart Meter

after the Smart Meter was installed... $745

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


BC Hydro Conservation Tips (below) & Electricity Rates (see page 2 ...

pendercommunitytransition.ca/.../Conservation-BC-Hydro-Tips-Rates...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
*from www.bchydro.com as of April 12, 2011. Conservation tip ... **Estimated net cost after incentives ... Currently, an average residential electricity bill is about $71 per month [$852/year – SEE NOTE BELOW]. BC Hydro is ... A few examples: ...

Bottom of the document is this.................


NOTE: Average residential Hydro bill for 2011:

is about $71/mth ($852/year) for about 12,100 kWh/year

(8100 kWh @ $.0627 = $507.87; 4000 kWh @ $.0878 = $351.20,
total $859 for 12,100 kWh per year

($71.58 for 1008 kWh/mth, plus 12% HST)

Thursday, May 24, 2012

42 years after BC Hydro boss, Dr. Gordon Shrum drank 2,4,5-T on TV Bill Bennett has this to say about pesticides.....

History is repeating itself:

2017-09-14 Updated link for  BC Hydro boss via WayBack Machine
July 16, 1970
BC Hydro boss .........Gordon Shrum says pesticides safe and drinks glass of diluted 2,4,5-T on TV. “ Our chemists told me the only problem I had was getting the taste out of my mouth. It was like dirty crankcase oil, but I found that vodka was good for rinsing out my mouth. In any case the exercise was good publicity for combating SPEC - that’s the Society for Promoting Environmental Crap- propaganda.


 42 Years later

May 17, 2012  
BC Liberal Government MLA Bill Bennett : ...... “Critics may say that myself as Chair and the majority members don’t care about human health, don’t care about children, don’t care about people that get cancer,” ..... adding that two of his grandparents, his mother, father and an uncle all succumbed to cancer.

Mr. Bennett suggested he was slightly pre-disposed to supporting a ban for health reasons, but wasn’t convinced it was needed after reviewing the evidence.   “If I was convinced that we needed to do this, I would definitely have been there,” he said. “From our perspective, the scientific evidence does not warrant preventing British Columbians from buying and using approved domestic-class pesticides.”   - Dirk Meissner  Globe and Mail


It appears as though Bill Bennett (not to be confused with Premier Bill Bennett who was the son of the Late W.A.C. Bennett) is using another "exercise for combating" the Opposition, only this time he's battling the polling numbers that have caught the BC Liberals in a downward slide  Going Down!!!!! Down, Down

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

Not to be outdone by Kevin Kreuger, Rich Coleman popped out with his "Socialist-communist" comment during Question Period........ line 1415 and he went so far as to say that the Late Premier, W.A.C. Bennett said it first.

Line 1415
"Snip.......I know the socialist-communist thinking is that everything should be nationalized and controlled.  ...... Snip"


The Globe and Mail's ROD MICKLEBURGH did his best to straighten out Rich Coleman by writing this:

"There are pinkos everywhere and Rich Coleman needs to broaden his attack on them"
"Snip  .....The Minister of Energy, Mines, Liquor Distribution, Housing, Horse Racing and Hula Hoops seemed to echo Tail Gunner Joe McCarthy by suggesting there were ‘Reds under the beds’ in British Columbia. ..... Snip".


It would appear that as much as Coleman sees himself as something quite different than the NDP, the Finance Minister, one Kevin Falcon, on the same day, said that he sees his Party, the BC liberals, as a "collective political.....interest...."


line 1445

"Snip .....That is just a brief overview and explanation of some of the critical steps that have to be required to get to this point and those that are still to come. But it is an important point, because as a government we have a responsibility — I would argue, a supreme responsibility — to act, not even in our collective political interest. Snip" - Kevin Falcon  May 16, 2012 on the Return of the PST
*************************************





Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Hyperthyroidism in Cats...... and dogs

You may have missed our Post on blood transfusions, for Cats and Dogs....... the BBC wrote that one just under a year ago.  Yes, blood transfusions.  Hopefully you won't need to be scrambling around to find this sort of information when you least expect it...... and to clarify, its really not supplied by the RED CROSS, but what the Vets need to do to save a "life" of a loved one, it's close enough to the truth.

"Red Cross Blood" transfusions for cats / dogs? Not only on the North Shore of Vancouver.

You may laugh, but when it comes to having pets, we have two cats in our household, and when I say "in", I mean exactly that, they're not the outdoorsy variety.   We want to keep them safe and not have them bringing any trophies back........ like one cat did......   38 years ago...... once it was a partial RAT and the next time it was a snake.


The Female had a slight problem, something called Hyperthyroidism.

She was always meowing for food (raw food - see the above Post), taking her share eagerly, and would have taken his as well if we didn't feed them separately.  The only problem, that the more she ate, the thinner she was getting.

Turned out, after the blood work was done at the Vet, it proved to be Hyperthyroidism.

Google Key Word Search       Hyperthyroidism     or rather, working backwards from the type of medication that is prepared at a Compounding Pharmacy (for humans)    it's      methimazole for cats


Fifth result down in Google is this:

Hyperthyroidism in Cats

maxshouse.com/Hyperthyroidism_in_Cats.htm
The major negative aspect of methimazole is that some cats are not the best pill takers. Rather than fight these cats, methimazole can be “compounded” by some ...

Snip....... Symptoms of hyperthyroidism
Each cat responds to his or her hyperthyroidism a little differently, causing observed abnormalities to vary from cat to cat. Among the most common owner observations are the following:
  • Weight loss
  • Increase in appetite
  • Patchy hair loss or failure to groom (some cats have been observed to pull their hair out)
  • Increase in water intake
  • Increase in urine output
  • Increase in activity level (some cats are persistently restless or nervous) ...Snip

The medication for our cat is Methimazole.  Its a liquid, and its added to HER meal, and we make sure HE doesn't get a chance to finish off HER plate, NOT bloody LIKELY.....! even with the medication.

What does she look like Now?  Or more to the point, how long did it take to put some "meat" on her bones,  about four months........  Now she looks, and acts, like a healthy cat.


As for dogs, this Google search for the same medication     Methimazole for Dogs

Monday, May 21, 2012

If the Late Len Norris had to say something about the F-35, it probably wouldn't be much different than what he "said" about the F-18


OTTAWA - Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore is all in favour of sex education for kids — just not at national museums, without prior parental consent.
The minister defended his criticism of a controversial sex exhibit at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in the capital, which prompted the museum to censor a portion of the show and raise the age limit for unaccompanied children.
He denied Opposition accusations that he's interfering with the independence of museums to impose a prudish 1950s attitude toward sex education.  - Winnipeg Free Press     Snip

 Prudish 1950's attitude, certainly not.   That sort of attitude started around the 1980's when James was just a lad of four! (Born June 10, 1976)


 The Late Len Norris, cartoonist for the Vancouver Sun, wasn't kidding when he said that "history repeats itself" (1980).

After listening to MP James Moore last week stating his personal opinion in the House of Commons on when a Museum should be ....... teaching / talking about SEX ...... and at what age....and .......in the same breath his Federal Government (Harper's) is cutting Pension benefits........ to the parents..........   I brought out a Len Norris ... The Best of .... from my "library"

Here's three year old MP "James" in 1980, sitting on his Father's right knee while his sister isn't quite sure whether or not Dad knows what he's talking about.    Meanwhile Mother is saying: "Skip the birds and bees .... what gives with our old age pensions?"    The headline in the newspaper is:
   "PENSION PLANS FACE FUTURE PERIL."   

Makes you want to get out the old newspapers microfiche for that particular week/month for the day of June 22, 1980, just to find out if it was Mulroney (Conservatives).  Certainly not the Liberals.

Update May 22, 2012
 Martin Brian Mulroney was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993  -  Wikipedia 

Pierre Trudeau .... 1980 to 1984 .... Wikipedia

Joe "Who" Clark  1979 to 1980

Pierre Trudeau    1968 to 1979

No wonder Norris had such a gift, just look at what he had to work with in Ottawa


On the page before the "Sex Ed" course above there's this:

 "You can't beat the old tried and true when it comes down to the ultimate final decision"
 (April 12, 1980)

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


The book, with Editorial Cartoons from September 19, 1951 to August 9, 1983, is available in the Vancouver Public Library
ISBN: 0-7710-6820-4   Cover Illustrations: Len Norris
These cartoons have been culled from a vast lode I have been accumulating at the rate of five a week for thirty years. (Incidentally, you might notice from the cartoons that history does repeat itself).   - Late Len Norris   1980
Update May 22, 2012
Comment section suggested reading links:

From  Theo there's this background link to More on Norris


Middle of the "pack"  is Norris, just below The Archives



From EdStock over at the Galloping Beaver:
 "Apparently Simon Fraser has his entire collection."    'which consists of 1500 original drawings by the cartoonist'

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

The SFU Library Editorial Cartoons Collection

Citing Cartoons

If you plan to use the cartoons for a published or unpublished document, we ask that you cite the image.

For the above image your citation would look like this:
Norris, Len. "Debate on the constitution has broken out in Ottawa ... what's new and exciting with you?". February 17, 1981. Accessed from the SFU Library Editorial Cartoon Collection on [provide the date image was accessed in the MM DD,YYYY format]. 

 And

The Norris Collection at Simon Fraser University

In 1996, Len Norris donated 1,500 of his original drawings to Simon Fraser University. Appraised at $150,000, but actually priceless, the collection consists of editorial cartoons created by Norris for The Vancouver Sun between 1952 and 1985.

The cartoons are available for research by faculty, students and members of the public in Special Collections and Rare Books at the WAC Bennett Library at SFU Burnaby.

The 23 drawings from the SFU collection in this exhibit were selected to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the opening of Simon Fraser University's Harbour Centre campus.

Featuring the unruly urchin Filbert Phelps, harried teachers and parents, activist students, staid academics and other legendary Norris characters, they take a whimsical look at education, from grade school to university. Highlighted are several images of Simon Fraser University's exciting early years, a glimpse of our origins as the university enters a new century.

Simon Fraser University conferred an honorary degree on Len Norris in 1995 for his lifelong achievement and for having "enriched our lives beyond measure through laughter". We invite you to enjoy the humour and genius of Norris!

Belzberg Library
April 1999
The Norris Collection Prototype home page
 

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Are you looking for this data "British Columbia (BC) Influenza Surveillance Update"

  
Now here's some data that will help you get over thinking that you have the flu, and the information isn't just current, it's historical too, going back as far as the "beginning" of the season of September, 2007.

September 30-October 20, 2007    Weeks 40-42  (Page 4 of 7)


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

This is the nuts and bolts of all the information:


or as Roy Orbison would say

"It's Over, Over, Over!"

Almost

    BRITISH COLUMBIA INFLUENZA SURVEILLANCE BULLETIN

2011-12: Number 16, Week 16

April 15 to 21, 2012

Page 2, 3, four, 5, Six

Page 2


Canada's Flu Watch

BC Liberals forcing BC Hydro into Long Term Acquistions of IPP appears to be the MO for the sale of the Liquor Distribution Branch!

The BBC especially likes this one:  The Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd. ( Kerr Wood) Run-of-River Resource Assessment for B.C. ( F5

121 pages long, but the number crunching of just how much BC Hydro customers will be paying for Run-of-the-River projects starts on Page 117!

And if you're worried about what Rich Coleman is doing about the price of your next drink, by his selling off the Liquor Distribution rights to a third party, look no further than APPENDIX M that says this:

 20.1 Privilege: BC Hydro may award an EPA to the Proponent(s) that in BC Hydro’s sole and unfettered opinion, offers the resource(s) that best serves the interests of BC Hydro and its ratepayers. The Proposal(s) having the lowest price(s) or lowest cost to BC Hydro will not necessarily be successful. BC Hydro may award no EPAs, or may terminate the procurement process at any time. BC Hydro is not obliged to provide to Proponents reasons for the award of EPAs or the rejection of any Proposal, or for termination of the RFP procurement process.

Modified to fit the sale of BC Liquor Distribution

20.1 Privilege: BC Liquor may award an EPA to the Proponent(s) that in BC Liquor’s sole and unfettered opinion, offers the resource(s) that best serves the interests of BC Liquor and its buyers. The Proposal(s) having the lowest price(s) or lowest cost to BC Liquor will not necessarily be successful. BC Liquor may award no EPAs, or may terminate the procurement process at any time. BC Liquor is not obliged to provide to Proponents reasons for the award of EPAs or the rejection of any Proposal, or for termination of the RFP procurement process.

Don't miss out on Powertech in APPENDIX E   CLEAN COAL POWER GENERATION BY CO2 SEQUESTRATION

BC Government Publications
Index for:
B.C. Hydro Long Term Acquisition Plan (... LTAP)

2009
2008
2008 Long Term Acquisition Plan Application - Revisions of August 19, 2008    PDF 2.34 MB
Appendix A Draft of the Requested Final Order - Revision of August 19, 2008 
Appendix B B.C. Government policy and regulatory documents:
The 2007 Energy Plan (B1)
SD 10 (B2)
Clean or Renewable Electricity Guidelines (B3)
Amended HSD#1 and HSD#2 (B4)

Appendix C Table summarizing the 29 BCUC Directives arising out of the 2006 IEP/LTAP Decision along with the status of each relevant Directive and a reference to the section where the Directive is addressed in the 2008 LTAP
Appendix D 2007 Load Forecast
Appendix E Direct Testimony of Dr. Ren Orans of Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc. (E3) concerning the elasticity assumptions in the 2008 LTAP
Appendix F ROU-related documents:
Resource Options Database (RODAT) sheets (F1)
The Powertech Labs Inc. (Powertech) Technology Summary Clean Coal Power Generation by C0 2 Sequestration: (F2)
BC Hydro's wind integration cost assessment (F3)
The BC Hydro Engineering report concerning Jordan River pumped storage ( F4a)
Powertech evaluation of the Jorvic Sewage Reclaim Pipeline at BC Hydro's Jordan River Hydroelectric Project ( F4b)
The Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd. ( Kerr Wood) Run-of-River Resource Assessment for B.C. ( F5)
The Garrad Hassan Canada Inc. ( GH) Assessment of the Energy Potential and Estimated Costs in B.C of Wind Energy ( F6)
The AMEC Americas Limited ( AMEC) Gas-Fired Combustion Turbine Power Plant Costs and Performance Update report ( F7)
Potential Large Hydro Project report ( F8)
Integrated System ( transmission) Planning Assumptions ( F9)
Calculation of Capacity Planning Reserves as filed in the 2007 Alcan EPA proceeding ( F10) – Revision of July 4, 2008
Estimated Unit Energy Cost ( UEC) Cost Adjustment Values ( F11)
Effective Load Carrying Capability ( ELCC) Firm Energy Load Carrying Capability ( FELCC) of Intermittent Resources report ( F12)
Comparison of the 2008 ROU to the 2006 Call ( F13)
The Risk Framework Explanation and Applications ( F14)
Resource Planning Models ( F15)
Portfolios and Analysis ( F16)
DSM Resource Options ( F17)

Appendix G Three Natsource GHG price forecast-related reports, as follows:
The 2007 GHG Offset Forecast Report ( G1)
An addendum to G1 to address the B.C. carbon tax ( G2)
Natsource's memorandum estimating the probability of the main GHG scenarios ( G3)

Appendix H Global Energy's Renewable Energy Credit Market Analysis of the Potential Renewable Energy Sale in WECC report
Appendix I Global Energy's Natural Gas Price Forecast for BC Hydro report
Appendix J Four Burrard-related reports, as follows:
AMEC's Condition Assessment and Alternative Configuration Study-Burrard Generating Station:
          Current Configuration ( J1)
          Alternative Configuration( J2)
RWDI Air Inc.'s ( RWDI):
           Burrard Consent to Operate Risk Analysis ( J3)
           Permitting Requirements for Rebuilding Burrard Thermal Generating Station ( J4)
 
Appendix K BC Hydro's DSM Plan – Revision of July 4, 2008
Appendix L Two Site C-related reports:
Summary: Stage 1 Review of Project Feasibility report ( L1)
The Stage 2: Project Definition and Consultation plan ( L2)
Site C Unit Energy Cost and Recent Orders in Council ( L3) – Revision of July 4, 2008

Appendix M Copy of the Clean Power Call Request for Proposals ( RFP)
Appendix N The Fort Nelson Resource Plan-Related and Long Term Acquisition Plan ( N1) – Revision of July 4, 2008
The Fort Nelson Generating Station Upgrade Report ( N2)

Appendix O BC Hydro's Base Plan and CRPs ( O1) – Revision of July 4, 2008
Appendix P Assessment of Puget Sound Area/Northern Intertie Curtailment Risk report
Appendix Q First Nations and stakeholder engagement report for the 2008 LTAP, the Clean Power Call, Mica Unit 5 and Mica Unit 6, Fort Nelson-related issues, and the draft Application workshop presentation and intervenor comments – Revision of July 4, 2008
Appendix R Glossary and Abbreviations

Friday, May 18, 2012

Extinguishment of Basi and Virk's Indemnity, the BBC already covered this back on February 10, 2011


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 May 18, 2012

What you are about to read at the Legislative Library was a Law written by the BC Liberals in October 2009, shortly AFTER they were elected in May of 2009 by promising NOT to bring in the HST.   It seems that some BC Liberals thought they were going to LOSE the election, so they started up their shredders, working over-time...... before the last ballots were being counted, just to ensure that anything related to the BC Rail deal, was gone.

June 30, 2010 precisely, according to the date time stamp on the document called simply "2009 Oct-pdf".  This is a time frame in which the BC Rail Trial was on vacation, and the costs were mounting, substantially for the lawyers involved.   By October of 2010, the deal was done.  The Trial was stopped dead in its tracks and it was this next bit that lays out the procedures that WEREN'T followed that makes you want to ask WHY.

A second and third WHY is .... why is a document date time stamped for June 30, 2010 in a folder for 2009?.... maybe because there were some amendments made to it..... or because that would be too easy......or why isn't the contents of the year just list off the title of the documents within?

Ahhhh, you wouldn't want to go to June of 2010 because there are two items.  The one for June 11 is a has been.......HST, and keep in mind here, we are talking about AMENDMENTS.   Someone seems to believe that the Second Indemnity for the $6 million BC Rail Trial buyout was an amendment to .......

We all would be excused from never finding this document, because its in the Legislative Library, hidden away like this:  http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/pubdocs/bcserials/368733/amendments/  ..... but at this point you have to ADD "2009" to it, just like down below on the next line, to make your browser look like this:

http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/pubdocs/bcserials/368733/amendments/2009   or to be more direct


http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/pubdocs/bcserials/368733/amendments/2009_Oct.pdf

Once you're at the Legislative Library copy of the BC Liberals documents, click on 2009, click on October.

Don't go there quite yet, keep on reading.


Source:

BC Government Publications
Index for:
British Columbia. Office of the Comptroller General
Core Policies and Procedures Manual - Amendments

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2010

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2009

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June

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2007

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September




In other words, to implement a second version of the first Indemnity, the first one HAD to be Extinguished.

No matter how much the Attorney General(s) of BC  or the Minister of Finance(s) may protest as to who actually did the deed, to allow the Deputy Ministers to do it on their "own accord", there's this, .... its clear in layperson language that the RESPONSIBLE minister must authorize the submissions for extinguishment.  Proposals must be forwarded (from the Attorney General) to the Minister of Finance through the Financial Management Branch, OCG, prior to submission to Cabinet

We know, or we have been told, that the Deputy Minister of Finance was advised by the Deputy Minister of the Attorney General's Office that it was okay for the two of them to kill the Indemnity and pay out $6 million to the two defendants (Basi and Virk) even though they had signed the First Indemnity that if they (Basi and Virk) were found guilty they would bankroll their own defense costs...... but that didn't happen.

(OCG =  Office of the Comptroller General)


Once you click on this next link you have to type into the FIND button "Extinguishment" and then search for it TWICE that will end up looking exactly like this:
7.3.13 Extinguishments

1. The responsible minister must authorize all submissions for extinguishment. Proposals must be forwarded for review to the Minister of Finance, through the Financial Management Branch, OCG, prior to submission to the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

2. The Minister or the Deputy Minister of Finance, or the Assistant Deputy Minister, Provincial Treasury, pursuant to BC Regulation 269/92, can conclude a settlement agreement or compromise settlement to forgive some or all of a debt or obligation not exceeding $100,000. In addition, the following CLMB officers have authority to conclude a settlement agreement to forgive some or all of a debt or obligation (principal plus interest) to the following limits:
the director – $40,000;
a manager – $20,000;
a collection officer – $10,000.

3. A ministry may accept a compromise settlement of a debt only after approval by Legal Services, Ministry of Attorney General. A portion of the original debt can be extinguished under the terms of an agreement.

4. Annually, ministries must submit statements of debts extinguished during the fiscal year, together with supporting documentation, to Financial Reporting and Advisory Services, OCG, for Public Accounts reporting purposes.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The Gazetteer is promoting Pedal Power; the BBC is speaking out on the Power of Flushing


 Over at the Gazatteer he's talking about trashed pedals on his bicycle, which means he's only reaching out to 1.7% of the population of Metro Vancouver, whereas I have a topic that concerns 100% of the population of British Columbia.   I'd even say, a 100% of Canadians.  Oh what the heck, the world!

In the Gazatteer's complaint today, he has focused on one specific component of his bike, TIMES 2, which has given up the ghost after only two months of his riding a total of 1,000 kilometres, BUT he doesn't mention what kind of bicycle it is.  It would help if he did, then we would all stay away from that manufacturer's product, or maybe he could narrowed it down to a particular model.   If he gave out that type of information, we could, the Friday Critical Mass riders included, could specify that a higher quality of pedals be provided that have a life-time guarantee.    Life being 25 years.



But I like the rest of my bike...I really do!...It's a Trek.   - The Gazatteer May 16, 2012


Our household buys bath tissue that is "Whitened without Chlorine bleach", is "Hypo-Allergenic and fragrance free" and its "100% Recycled"      ......it's called "365 Everyday Value" and we purchase it from Whole Foods.

We're doing our bit every single day to help our environment, one sheet at a time, but, I bet you, Christy Clark, while on her Second Trade Mission in less than six months hasn't signed any Memorandum of Understandings with countries on bath tissue aka toilet paper, products.  I'm not suggesting that she could sell a roll of toilet paper to everyone in Asia, but she should at least make an effort....  

Population of China1,347,350,000

Population of India:    1,210,193,422
Population of Japan:   127,650,000
Population of the Philippines:    92,337,852


While the BC Liberal Premier is away from her post, perhaps MLA Kevin Krueger, could find his feet and introduce a Private Member's Bill on the topic of Toilet paper.   Don't laugh, this is serious stuff.

For example did you know that there's a test, not yet legislated by the BC Liberals, to ensure that our precious water is not wasted by repeat offending flushers of toilets because by law, we are required to have Low Flow toilet bowls installed in all our new homes?  This is such a serious issue, even BC Hydro is getting into the act, even though one might suspect that Hydro's interest may be only in that they want the water to be used by IPP, and be paid for their electricity generation at four times the going rate we now pay BC Hydro just so the BC Liberals can open some more Deferral accounts ....... to better balance THEIR budget before the next election.

As it stands, there is no regulation on how consumers are to determine one toilet paper/bath tissue from another, except by word of ........ deed.   As I have stated above, you know our preference, there is another brand, however, that we have had dealings with, but only by a secondary avenue.    NOT IN MY HOUSE.

The product was manufactured by Charmin???? Double layered, now THAT should have been a dead give-away, but I suppose the selling point for the Charmin product was that it was manufactured from Mountain Pine, as in Pine Beetle type trees.


We didn't do a double blind study, it was a matter of urgency that inspired us to determine which product best served our interest.... the greater environment at large, and more so, the environment within the house from being damaged due to an excess amount of WATER.


The toilet, the low flow toilet, was suddenly over-flowing.   It had been fine for eleven years, through many tenants usage too.   What was the difference?   We, here at the BBC thought it was the Mountain Pine Beetle trees that created products such as bath tissue..... but lo and behold there was another reason.   We only discovered it because of a desperate search done on the Internet using these keywords     Clogged toilet     but all that did, was give us 580,000 results.

No, what we needed was advice from a MANUFACTURER ....... Low Flow Toilet Builders.... like Kholer.



I don't think you will ever find a super market, or a grocery store, or even Whole Foods, offering this little test... but who knows, maybe once YOU try this test, you'll demand it, just like when you buy that new bicycle with better designed pedals to last a life time, installed, like the Gazetteer did.... maybe... not.....for ....25 years.


Toilet tactics:     The clogged toilet.  


Test:
1. Put a single ply sheet of toilet paper in a quart mason jar with tap water.
2. Shake the jar moderately for 10 seconds; the duration of a typical toilet flush.
3. The paper that dissolves or shreds most will provide the best flushing performance and less opportunity for clogs to develop.

365 Everyday Value passed this test with flying colours!!!!!

Charmin, failed..... one layer dissolved/shredded, but the second layer remained as is, even after a DOUBLE  dose of shaking 10 seconds (20 seconds).

Needless to say, Charmin is not on our shopping list, it may be on yours, but not on ours!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Buzz words that covers BC Hydro's Smart Meter program: Pyramid Scheme

Probably when the BC Liberals read the RFP proposal for the Smart Meter they visualized a movie starring Judy Garland dancing down a yellow brick road..... especially when the bricks were assembled like this on Page 6 of 16:
















Most British Columbians see a Pyramid Scheme.

It should have been a clear warning to the BC Liberals to keep the taxpayers monies as far away as possible.... but oh no.... BC Energy's Minister Rich Coleman said:   YES SIR, HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU NEED AND WHERE DO I SIGN for these Smart Meters?

The SMART GRID is at the bottom of the Pyramid scheme, so too is the Smart Meters.

Wouldn't you just love to find out who's at the top?





Google Search:  Smart Sensors Workshops  BC Hydro

Source of the Pyramid BC Hydro Smart Meter program:

The Challenges in Achieving a Smart Grid: The BC Hydro Journey

icics.ubc.ca/...workshop/.../Zucker%20-%20Achieving%20a...Journe...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
UBC / IEEE Workshop on Future ... BC Hydro's Smart Grid Strategy. BC Hydro has ... Volt Var Optimization (VVO). – Sensors. – Real time monitoring and control ...