Saturday, September 20, 2014

Kinder Morgan Security agents Flip loaded coins in decision of Grandmother's guilt, or guilty.

Just Askin,    Lesslie ...... but your tanks are camouflaged desert sand and ... this next image is signed, and forest green


We Spy with our beady little eyes ....
Part I

We can almost understand Kinder Morgan's Westridge Marine Terminal attitude on security concerns towards terrorists, overseas, but when it comes to attacking a non-raging grandmother, a Burnaby citizen preparing for a presentation from the National Energy Board on a pipeline/tank farmer/shipper, does ..... her "drive-by" photography shooting, complete with her visible licensed motor vehicle ..... constitutes the corporation's right to target Grandmother with their security agents?

One word comes to mind:
 Idiots!

Did these highly trained security agents skip the first section in their training manuals: 'The Lost Art of Diplomacy'?

It's being reported that these agents were playing a game .... seriously.....  "I SPY with our little beady eyes  ..... in broad daylight, a parked car, grey haired intruder, holding a camera, just beyond the razor topped chain link fence ....  on public land".

In response to the 'threat', the agents flipped their loaded corporate issued coins into the air, to decide on the guilt or innocence of the intruder, and amazingly, the two coins landed: "GUILTY" side up.

Call the cops!


It was a moment wasted by Kinder Morgan officials, an opportunity lost to show diplomacy.  The officials could have stopped the security agent supervisors from taking the next step after the appearance of the 'terrorist'.  Call in the RCMP et al????, and they did, by screaming:
     
We are under attack!

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With their former corporate name being Enron (much distrusted by the public already), there should be more emphasis by those who run their gong show now, learn to turn their cheek, not ass cheeky, to be seen as a more understanding corp, a  'Kind    -   er Morgan' not the old Kinder Morgan/Enron.

Grandmother questioned after photographing (Kinder Morgan) oil tanks  - Vancouver Sun

..... The News Westminster citizen, who is doing research for an upcoming National Energy Board hearing into the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project, took the photos in early August.  The $5.4-billion pipeline would double the storage need for incoming Alberta bitumen oil.
Company security guards spotted her activity, and ten days later she got a visit from two RCMP officers at her home. .....
Those involved:

Grandmother
Kinder Morgan tank farm security forces
Kinder Morgan Supervisors
National Energy Board (NEB)
Integrated National Security Enforcement Team
CSIS
Canada Border Services Agency
TWO  RCMP  Officers
Burnaby-Douglas MP Kennedy Stewart
(Questioning the Conservatives for Targeting Opponents to the Kinder Morgan Pipeline)
House of Commons drawn into the debate
Hapless Harper ... no comment
Grandmother's children and their children

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Part II 

We can almost understand Kinder Morgan's Eastern division facility's concern about Askin's photographs because it could lead to a surprise ruling by the Government of Canada's Transportation department.  Cover up!!!!   Not in the sense you're thinking, but there was until August 2013 an open-hopper-top mentality for Kinder Morgan'ss Western division facility at Vancouver Wharves which accepts among others resources, Sulphur, which has a history, documented, of catching on fire.
August 30, 2013  Fair Incendiary Comment?

The hopper carloads are now COVERED!!

The thing is, that as much as Hoppers full of sulphur has been covered ... up ..... why hasn't the same been done for hoppers full of Coal?


Part III

CNR and CPR prefer to use Dust Glue, or other such products to stop the coal dust from being blown onto areas near their railines.

 The method they use, TWICE, once at the Coal pits and then again at say Tappen, near Kamloops is autmoatically done:

At the 40 second mark ......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx0semsQW_k 

and CP has their theory on what is clean....

Keeping it clean

After it has been mined and processed, the coal is loaded on CP rail cars at Fording River, Elkview, Line Creek and Greenhills, and departs for its destination from there.

“All the mines are equipped with what we refer to as railway loop track where the coal is loaded directly onto the rail cars of a coal train,” explained Hrysak. “All rail cars loaded with coal are sprayed at each mine and then again en route to the Coast at our Tappen re-spray facility, which is the midpoint between the mines and the port.”

The chemical sprayed on the coal is a glue-like polymer and Hrysak said that it acts as a crusting agent to keep the coal pack firm while in transport; it limits any potential of coal dust escaping as well.

As to the "crusting agent", residents of Delta beg to differ, eh:

At the begining there's just a hint of something coming off the Coal train, but at the One MINUTE position it's clear that something is amiss for the whole length of the train.


Sprayed coal doesn’t shed coal dust? How about this video of a coal train through Delta to prove that WRONG



Divide and conquer we say.  If the Kinder Morgans of this world don't approve of one person photographing their facilities, what would they say about more photos being posted online my many?

It could turn out worse than kicking a loaner dog in an elevator which is monitored by a camera, eh.

Friday, September 19, 2014

BC Hydro should know to Never, NEVER, mix electricity with water AND Children (or the children in us)

BC Municipalities practice due diligence when it comes to the safety of their communities, but why is it that Crown Corporation BC Hydro can run amuck like it's a Kinder Morgan / Enbridge corporation.

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Buried beneath busy  West Vancouver's Marine Drive, between 17th and 18th, there's Larson Creek salmon habitat complete with a mural-on-the-pavement camouflage to the north.


and this:

Grating covers reveal a free to flow Larson Creek below

and this:


Further downstream, between 17th and 18th, between Bellevue and waterfront, BC Hydro has their Cypress Transmission substation with it's own generating plant waiting for the moment when Rich Colman's Billion Dollar Smart Meter program is called upon because of the ever inevitable windstorm.

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BC Hydro has it's way of cordoning of their dangerous components like:

Barb wire topping a chain link fence:
A chain link fence separating Mother and Child from ..... in West Vancouver ..

Isn't there a required setback between pedestrians, motor vehicles (metal)?
that should look like this one in South Vancouver?
Vancouver: north-west of Knight and East 49th
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.... Plastic to keep the heavy oil from leaking out of the 45 gallon barrel drums, and onto, into, the gravel beneath. 

And then seeping into the ground water, to Larson Creek Salmon run. Why store it here at all?

A River Runs through Cypress Substation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Serene green setting?????  Guard rail separating sidewalk from .... Larson Creek
Looking to the South East
Looking South-ish
BC Hydro Cypress Substation to either side
There's a readily available pedestrian bridge, no guard rails, just north of the BCRail Right-Of-Way.    No guard rail either side of Larson Creek to stop children from falling in, not climbing out.  And what about those pesky trees ?????? ...... within a BC Hydro Facility?

According to BC Hydro's Pest Management Plan     report:



Page 7 of 61

Putting aside the missing razor topped chain link fence around the WHOLE facility, why is it still situated a half block away from a million dollar waterfront views, " blocked" by two privately held residences no more than two stories high, when it should be sitting in an industrial area or UP THERE near the Hillcrest Substation?

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


Copy Names from the list and put it into Google Earth

Friday, September 12, 2014

As Rick Mercer would say: If you happen to be in Vernon on Sept 13 & 14; Take in Allan Brooks Nature Centre all weekend Garage Sale fundraiser

We had a bit of spare time on our hands two weeks ago while visiting Vernon, so we took in what turned out to be one non "event".  "Non" because the heritage Mackie House was not open to the public, but we got a 20 minute tour thanks to onsite Manager C.  There are many unique features about this house, but three caught our attention straight away:

DumbWaiter from Kitchen to the Basement through the hardwood flooring!!
 
This shelving arrangement is adjustable every 1 1/2"

Root Cellar could double as a bomb shelter with it's convex/barrel ceiling/roof


Mackie House Jnr. (R) contributes to Nature


       *******************

The main event though, to use the pun, to 'copp' a hilltop view of Allan Brooks Nature Centre, turned out that the ABNC volunteers were getting ready for their Garage Sale in two weeks time.  But now it's Now!!!!  Tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday.
Disorganized ......  Spic and Span for tomorrow
Where is the Allan Brooks Nature Centre?

Barracks and Highway below

 Have you ever noticed while approaching Vernon from Kelowna, or leaving Vernon for Kelowna, looking to the west, the White, squarish, building flying the Canadian flag atop the highest hill which is still part of the Army barracks and parade grounds (Department of National Defence Camp)?

After the Wars I, II, Korea, Cold, a Government (of Canada) built a Meteorological building up there and continued existing until 2000 when MP Sheila Copps, Liberal Heritage Minister downsized it and with a Photo Op shovelful of dirt awaiting, Allan Brooks Nature Centre was born.  Copps' embossed name, not like the once polished politician, is almost readable, at the bottom right hand corner.




The Allan Brooks Nature Centre hours: Open Monday to Saturdays from 9am - 4 pm, Closed Sundays.  
Allan Brooks Nature Centre
There are warning signs aplenty, majority reserved for Nature crossings and exorbitant prices.....








Major Allan Brooks bio

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There was one treat in store for us after we left the Tourism Office in Vernon, their Museum which is the depository for over 70 original paintings/sketches on display by Allan Brooks!

Like these http://thecanadasite.com/art/art55_brooks.html

Monday, September 8, 2014

No Swimming in False Creek, but Dipping Dragon Boat paddles are OK

Amazing, Vancouver Coastal Health Officials can draw a line on a map below Burrard Bridge and the False Creek E coli is stopped in it's tracks.

Is Vancouver Coastal Health the same as VANCOUVER city hall?

Million Dollar High rise living overlooking False Creek's Cesspool.

September 4, 2014
Vancouver Coastal Health Beach Water Quality


Index for all reports:  https://www.vch.ca/your_environment/water_quality/recreational-water/beach-water-quality-report/


And:  Washington Marine Group sponsors:
WaterKeeper Swim Guide


Symbolic???? Rio Tinto, a sponsor of the Dragon Boat Festival, sits upon two waterfronts in British Columbia.  False Creek's cesspool and Douglas Channel at Kitimat which will never become a cesspool, wasted by a spill, create respiratory problems in their continued production of Aluminum:
A $2.7 billion rebuild of Rio Tinto Alcan’s aluminum smelter in Kitimat would reduce much of the pollution the smelter currently produces, according to a new technical report obtained by Business in Vancouver.

The one exception is sulphur dioxide (SO2), which would increase from 27 tonnes per day to up to 42 tonnes per day – something that would aggravate pre-existing respiratory problems in people with asthma and bronchitis and increase acidity in soils and lakes in the area.

The report concludes the increased emissions could result in 150 to 200 additional incidents per year of restricted airways among people with asthma, bronchitis or emphysema. .... May 14, 2013
Google Search Criteria:  rio tinto kitimat aluminum pollution



Do you think that the test results from Mount Polley is .....

Sunday, September 7, 2014

If Deas Island Tunnel is Too Small, not Deep enough; what of CNR's Lift Rail Bridge at Second Narrows

There's been talk that Deas Island four lane Tunnel is neither wide enough, nor deep enough to allow Coal Tankers upstream.  The answer from Premier Christy Clark is that her government (taxpayers) will have a new super high bridge, ten lanes wide, built within nine years.

The word on the street for the Burrard Inlet, at the Second Narrows, is that the Greater Vancouver Water District pipeline from the North Shore to Vancouver and Burnaby needs to go deeper into the narrow channel.

Then there's CNR's Thorton Tunnel, which exits from the headland parallel to the southern end of the Second Narrows as to whether it has the capability of allowing Kinder Morgan's east bound empty Oil Tankers to sail under it because of it's limited raised height.

Second Narrows Railway Bridge in Action (YouTube)
Caboose Coffee source for Video
With all the recent news coverage of oil pipelines, the threat of an oil tanker disaster on British Columbia's coast, and discussions around the movement of oil by rail, I was wondering how I might tie all of the above together in a story that would have a 'railroad' flavour.  Then..., along came Claude Prutton who sent me an email with some of his photos attached that gave me an idea.

Claude is a long-time resident of the Greater Vancouver area and has been hanging around the railroad properties and catching rides with obliging railroaders for many years.  Fortunately for you and me, Claude has also been taking photographs of railway life, not so much from the familiar 3/4 frontal roster-shot view, but instead, he's looked for the unusual shots.  Claude, like Andy Cassidy, Ray Farand and others searches out the photos that tell a story, or in the case of Caboose Coffee..., help me tell a story.  ........
In 2013 CNR made the grand announcement that there would no longer be a need to have an operator on the Rail Bridge to Lift the Bridge when a large vessel need the extra height.... it's now operated remotely out of New Westminster Offices of CNR.
Train movements within the tunnel and over the bridge are controlled by the Second Narrows Operator who, by law had to favour marine traffic over rail traffic because of the narrow channel, fast currents and the inability to steer a ship once it has lost it "way", or speed over the ground below.  In effect, a ship, like a shark, must keep moving or it becomes helpless. -  Caboose Coffee

How many vessels will Kinder Morgan need to export their oil products from Westridge Marine Terminal, that same terminal that has been causing the Corporation of Burnaby to not mince words with Kinder Morgan over their tactic of "slash and burn" of a designated Conservation Area, with the blessing of Harper's National Energy Board (NEB)?

Kinder Morgan says it will have one vessel per day leaving their Marine Terminal, and keeping in mind than it takes more than one day to fill one of these elephants in the room. Does it then mean that there will be always be SEVEN awaiting tankers moored east of the Second Narrows?


Will CNR replace the bridge with a non lifting bridge, as high as the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge, or will they opt to dig a tunnel, side by side with the Greater Vancouver Water Line?

Hey, why not make it three tunnels, one for a Sky Train?