Booklouse Recommendations for April

March 30, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Booklouse, Features, Main Content

 

My fellow insects,
 
Two extraordinary books, this time; one is fiction but has an amazing follow-up story in to-day’s world; and the other is a science based book which is very relevant to to-day’s world.
 
 
Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones.
 
This is the story of a little girl living on the island of Bougainville, to the North East of Australia. A revolution is in progress and all the whites have left the island except one man, Mr. Watt, who is married to a native girl. Mr. Watt decides to keep the school open for the children but has only a copy of Great Expectations from which to teach. You’ve guessed it, hence the name of the book Mr. Pip.
 
The story of the orphan Pip living in this mysterious city of London becomes so fascinating to the children, especially a 13 year old girl named Matilda, that all they want is to take shelter in their minds from the ravages of real life on the island and immerse themselves in Dickens’s story. But too much imagination can be a dangerous thing.
 
The story is well written in a very good story telling style that will keep you happily turning the pages. Lloyd Jones won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize Best Book Award and was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize for this one.
 
And now to the modern day part of this story. On your computer, (don’t tell me you don’t have one; if so, go to the library and use one there because you must see this follow-up to the book.) Once in front of the machine, go to Google and type in the words: ‘Coconut revolution’.  Up will come a page of listings on the top of which are the words: video results. Click on: Coconut Revolution (2001 50mins) and watch. What a fascinating story. You are now watching the BBC documentary        from the very same island where the people have managed to win back control of the south where a huge copper mine had been established by RTZ, the world’s largest mining company. They started their fight back by firing arrows at the helicopter gun ships and making fuel for their truck out of Coconut milk!! There is even another update from when elections were being held on the island and even the rumour of a referendum to decide if they should declare independence from New Guinea.
 
I went back and read the book again with the video in mind. An interesting experience, to say the least.
 
 
Under a Green Sky by Peter D. Ward Ph.D.
 
More than a couple of hundred million years ago, there was a cataclysmic event which caused the extinction of nearly 97% of all species on earth. This event was called the Permian Extinction. All through the 1990’s and into this century, scientists have been arguing over whether or not this happened due to something large dropping out of the skies or was it caused by something much more sinister happening here on earth.
 
Don’t worry. You don’t need to be a scientist to understand this book. It is a fascinating chronological discussion by an expert Paleontologist who himself wrote this book, being fresh from his research and subsequent explanation of how the dinosaurs became extinct due to a 10kms wide meteor hitting the earth.
 
In Under a Green Sky, Peter Ward explains not only the Permian Extinction but also four others of a lesser nature, but none the less, disastrous. The evidence for these ancient cataclysms show very clearly that global warming should not be ignored. Once the oceans start belching the poisonous gas, Hydrogen Sulphide, into a poisoned atmosphere under a sky that is always slightly green and hazy, there is little left but the same dire fate that has overwhelmed this planet several times before.
 
Some of you may remember a while back when a whole group of people and animals living in the bowl of a long extinct volcano on the west coast of Africa were found dead one morning after the volcano had belched out a cloud of Hydrogen Sulphide during the night, killing every living thing in the area.
 
Now, once again you have the opportunity to see the essence of this book on video. Go to cbc.ca and click on documentaries. Now look for One Ocean Episode One. This is a fascinating film about this subject and a lot of it is narrated by Peter Ward as he goes about his studies, including some beautiful underwater filming.
 
Even if you don’t believe in anything to do with global warming, I would urge you to read this book and watch the video. Personally, and for the sake of my grandchildren and their future families, I would rather do something about this now, than leave it for them to have to deal with, by which time it could be a lot more serious.
 
 
These two should definitely give you some good chewing till next time,
 
The Booklouse.

Booklouse Recommendations for March

March 6, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Booklouse, Features

 

My fellow insects,
 
As I write this on St.Valentine’s Day, I am hoping that you are not expecting a review of a book about a passionate love affair. Oh, yes, both these books revolve around love, but love in its more diverse patterns.
 
 
The Lady in Blue by Javier Sierra
 
This is another of those fascinating books where the author takes a piece of history, does a lot of research and comes up with an enthralling story of historical fiction. Make sure you read the notes at the end of this book which give the background, including an amazing interview which Sierra had with a monk shortly before he died, to this extraordinary story.
 
This is a novel based on the well known legend of a young girl dressed in blue who appeared to the native people of South West America in the 1600’s and told them of the coming of the priests who would be spreading the Gospel amongst them, and how they should prepare themselves for baptism. The Lady in Blue who appeared in New Mexico in the 1600’s, had never, during her life time, left either the village in which she was born, nor the monastery that she founded in Spain.
Moving from a young girl in California, to a journalist in Spain, to a monk and several priests in Venice, all in the 1990’s, and back to the legend itself in the 1600’s, Javier Sierra weaves a mystical thread of evidence as to why and how this legend could have possibly been created. The historical characters believe that uncovering the secret behind The Lady in Blue’s bilocations (the ability to be in two places at the same time) will get them closer to their goal, but when one of the priests suddenly dies and a rare manuscript containing the nun’s secrets is stolen, the plot thickens! The conclusion might surprise you.
 
Javier Sierra is a well known Spanish historian and author who wrote, among other books, The Secret Supper which has been translated into thirty-five languages.
 
 
 
 
Kenneth Grahame – An Innocent in the Wild Wood
By Alison Prince
 
In reviewing this book, I have to admit to a bias; my first, and without doubt my favourite children’s book was and still is Wind in the Willows.
 
This biography by Alison Prince is a remarkably perceptive biography in which she uses previously unpublished materials to uncover the many layers of Kenneth Grahame’s character, ultimately that of Toad of Toad Hall. In writing Wind in the Willows, which is the most famous of his stories, Grahame seems to transfer his very muddled desires into the characters of his novel. He always had this longing to live freely, romping around the English countryside with out a worry in the wonderful world of nature that he so loved. But here we see him as Alison Prince carefully exposes layer upon layer of his character and we can see how his various traits are transformed into the characters of Mole (his son Alistair), Ratty, Toad (himself), Badger and the Weasels who try to take over Toad Hall. It is one of the great ironic twists in the tale of this story that Alistair, his son known as the Mouse, should commit suicide under a train, considering that Grahame had always described trains as the scourge of the countryside.
 
An incredible love/hate relationship between Grahame and his son Mouse, is exceptionally well portrayed in this biography from the first time that Grahame tells his son a bed time story, through the continuation of those stories all the time that the boy was away from home to the point in time when it is suggested to Grahame that these stories should be published as a book. Adding to the feeling of the unreality of their marriage is the impression that I got that Grahame’s wife, Elspeth Thomson, is simply around because he reluctantly agreed to marry her, against many of his friends recommendations; but, having said that, she is the one who is always there for Alistair and enjoys an intriguing correspondence with him from his boarding school and University. But, as I have mentioned, Alistair was unable to withstand the unreality of his upbringing by these two fantasists.
 
This is a fine biography well described by the Times Literary Supplement as… “a thoroughly sensible new account of this much-loved, but curiously un-lovable author.”
 
Happy chewing till next time,
The Booklouse

Property Tax Hikes Here to Stay?

February 2, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Main Content, News

 
 
While many are trying to stretch their dollars and pinch their pennies to cope with a recession that is over according to the pundits and politicians, the City of Victoria has its own “Happy New Year” gift to its 78,000 residents.
 
 
This little bit of “lagniappe” comes in the form of a 4.3 percent hike in property taxes this year, (or roughly an extra $17 per 100,000 in assessed property values), in spite of the fact that there are no plans for new city programs or services.
 
But wait, there’s more belt-tightening news on the way for taxpayers. They can expect to shell out a compounded tax increase of 24 percent or more over the next five years to the City, which will likely dwarf the expected provincial and federal government tax dollars from individuals needed to pay for a ballooning public deficit and debt. And, word has it that the economists expect consumers to step up to the plate and spend like there’s no tomorrow, not to mention mortgage their futures in order to save an ark filled with termites. Sounds like a great plan eh?
 
The city currently operates on an annual budget of $190 million, of which close to half represent salaries and benefits for city staff and police, while the remainder is devoted to sustaining its physical operations.
 
The capital city of British Columbia is certainly a jewel in the eye of its many millions of tourists, but it desperately needs more funds to finance a host of infrastructure projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars such as seismic upgrades to city facilities, repairs to its century old sewage pipes, not to mention refurbishments of a blue bridge and perhaps the Crystal Pool.
 
How to finance operating expenses that continue to grow faster than inflation and that are quickly depleting the city’s reserve fund, is a dilemma that elected officials, city staff and taxpayers must grapple with during the month of March (which is when the city’s budget is reviewed).
 
Maybe it’s time to dust off those hair-brained ideas, you know the new diamond-studded downtown destination spot, yup, that 24-hour-a-day floating casino in the Inner Harbor? Perhaps Disney could help us turn Beacon Hill Park into a fun-filled “heritage” theme park, (plus one humongous map of BC)? Or, how about demolishing all those dilapidated apartments in James Bay and replacing them with multi-million dollar high-rise condos, that’s right the ones with those panoramic views minus the cruise ships for those folks fleeing from the blizzards, bears and badlands of Alberta? 

Movies n’ More!

February 2, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Entertainment, Main Content

Okay, so James Bay doesn’t have a super-sized cinema…but it does have a fun flick or two plus some unforgettable nummies to enjoy with your noir/naughty night out!

Wednesday, February 10, 6:00– 9:00 pm: A sinfully delicious menu inspired by the film"Chocolat" (which will be shown during this unforgettable entertainment event at The Superior Cafe, 106 Superior Superior Street). Reservations: 250.380.9515

Wednesday, February 24, 2:30 pm: Movie & Beef Stroganoff Supper – "An Affair to Remember" at James Bay New Horizons Activity Center, 234 Menzies Street. ($5.50 per person plus $35 annual membership fee). For more information contact: programsjb.nh@shawbiz.ca or tel: 250.386.3035.

Wednesday, February 24, 6:00-9:00 pm: Great meal followed by the David Lynch film, "Blue Velvet". Come dressed in the style of the film; prizes awarded for the best-dressed film buff; movie starts at 7:15 pm at The Superior Cafe, 106 Superior Superior Street). Reservations: 250.380.9515

Friday Movie Nights – hosted by VLSCS at James Bay New Horizons Activities Centre, 234 Menzies Street. For more information contact: programsjb.nh@shawbiz.ca or tel: 250.386.3035

 

Live Entertainment in James Bay!

February 2, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Entertainment, Main Content

 


 
 
 
Heron Rock Bistro
#4-435 Simcoe Street
(Corner of Croft & Simcoe Street in James Bay Square)
Tel:               250.383.1545         250.383.1545          Email: info[at]heronrockbistro.ca
 
Live Music & Wine Nights – Mondays & Fridays (7-10 pm)
 
 
 
Hotel Grand Pacific
1-463 Belleville Street
Victoria, BC V8V 1X3
Tel:               250.380.7862         250.380.7862          Email: reserve[at]hotelgrandpacific.com
 
Fridays & Saturdays  – 6:30-9:30 pm
Jan Stirling (Jazzy Tunes ) – free with dinner & drinks
 
 
James Bay Coffee & Books
"Friday Night Music" is back for a brand new season!
 
Friday, February 5,  – Open Mic  hosted by David Lowther
8:00 pm (Admission by donation)
Tribute to Johnny Cash by Steve Lezetc
 
 
O Bistro + Lounge
500 Oswego Street
Victoria, BC 
Tel:                250.294.7500  250.294.7500          250.294.7500          
 
Jazz Piano & Vocals every Thursday evening  - 6:30-9:00 pm
 
 
 
Ogden Point Cafe
199 Dallas Road
Victoria, BC V8V 1A1
Tel:                250.386.8080  250.386.8080          250.386.8080          Email: manager[at]ogdenpointcafe.com
 
Live entertainment returns in the Springtime.
 
 
 
Sips Artisan Bistro
425 Simcoe Street
(in James Bay Square)
Tel:                250.590.3519  250.590.3519          250.590.3519
 
Popular DJ Night — Sunday at 7:00 pm.
 
 
Swiftsure Lounge
Days Inn Hotel
427 Belleville Street
Victoria, BC
Tel:                250.389.0839  250.389.0839          250.389.0839          Email: swiftsurelounge[at]swiftsurelounge.ca
 
Saturdays – 4:00 – 7:00 pm (Free)
Randy Tucker Band performs.
 
 
106 Superior Street
(near Fisherman’s Wharf)
Tel:                250.380.9515  250.380.9515          250.380.9515          Email: info[at]thesuperior.ca
 

Tuesday, February 2 – 6:30 pm (By donation)
DJ Alephine & Lounge Grooves
 
Thursday, February 4 - 6:30 pm
Gareth Owen – (Flemenco Guitar)

 
Friday, February 5 - 6:30 pm ($4 cover charge)
Storm Nilson Trio (Kelby Macnayr, Storm Nilson, Sean Drabbit)
 
Saturday, February 6  – 6:30 pm ($4 cover charge)
Green Law
 
Sunday, February 17 – 6:30-9:30 pm
Bill Johnson (Blues Night)
 
 
  
Vic’s Steakhouse & Bar
(Harbour Towers Hotel & Suites)
345 Quebec Street
Victoria, BC V8V 1W4
Tel:                250.480.6585  250.480.6585          250.480.6585
 
Fridays  – 8:00-11pm (Free)
Skyla Jay & the Vibes (Classic Soul, Reggae & Jazz)
 

Happy Birthday to the Wackiest Water-Bearing Wunderkin in the World!

February 1, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Fun, Horoscopes, Main Content

 

 

This month it’s time for pucker-power people to capitalize on amusing arm candy, curious candy kisses, and oodles of cheeky chocolate chewies…so get rid of that godawful gum, kick up your heels and enjoy yourself for pity’s sake!

ARIES (21 March – 19 April)
Oh yoo hoo…"Ram-a-dama-a-ding", is anyone home? Get with the program will you! Okay, so goats can become a wee bit harsh and nasty if their fragile egos are threatened, are perhaps a tad jealous of other people’s abilities and achievements, and often have friends that don’t last too long. Get over it! Suck it up…cause this month it’s time to dress for success in your knightly armour (or powder puff outfit), jump on a trusty steed (or a Smart car), and find a fair lady/damsel-in-distress worth saving (or a frog worth kissing whatever the case may be).

TAURUS (20 April – 20 May)
The "Year of the Ox" means that you should probably avoid hanging out in china shops hoping to bump into a "Cowabunga Cutie" with disasterous consquences. Just accept with grace the fact that you’re a boring beast with a "bull-headed" nature, which is why you should wake up and smell the roses, put on your rose-colored glasses, crank up the melodious music and play on the back forty with the deer and the antelope!

GEMINI (21 May – 20 June)
Let’s face it, where would you be without your cell phone, two-way talking wrist-watch, or your twitter text messaging Blackberry? Up the creek without a paddle…a fate worse than death, that’s what. The consummate gabbing guru/goddess…you could sweet-talk that sassy serpent out of any apple you wanted. Quit complaining about having to bob for apples…just find someone who’s sweet as apple pie to keep you company on February 14th!

CANCER (21 June – 22 July)
So what if you’re a cranky, crab-faced crustacean with long arms and legs who dribbles food or drinks even when past babyhood. The good news is that you don’t like being in the limelight, enjoy your own company for hours on end, and adore inventing invisible playmates who never give you any grief. All of which means that your best bet for Valentine’s this year is to host a tea party for all your invisible friends, play a game of tiddlywinks, and toss that ridiculous bib…it doesn’t become you!

LEO (23 July – 22 August)
You may be thinking that Valentine’s Day entitles you to the lion’s share of all those dashing dudes or lovely ladies hanging out at your local watering hole. However, you might be well advised to rest, relax, and take a long cat-nap because this year it’s a Cowabunga Cutie who has center stage. Love may be a many-splendored thing, but you should take a pass this year…unless you adore stepping in a whole lot of cowpies!

VIRGO (23 August – 22 September)
Did you know that your Tarot card is "the hermit"? That probably explains why you’ll be spending Valentine’s Day home alone, probably enjoying a bit of platonic flirtation with yourself in the mirror, and leafing through your bedside library to find an informative book on sex because you dearly want to understand the finer details of self-improvement and fertility not to mention the pros and cons of getting involved with anyone who doesn’t appreciate your notion of duty with devotion.

LIBRA (23 September – 22 October)
Although you’re not overly-fond of vigorous sweaty exercises, terrified of being alone, and see yourself as the ugly duckling of the fairy tale, the good news is that your narcissistic, indecisive, and sulky disposition is unlikely to attract admirers, (unless they have deep pockets, good social or business connections and are willing to let you grow into a swan on the long-term installment plan). So, forget about being an "ugly ducking"…be a glow-worm instead and let your lovely light shine!

SCORPIO (23 October – 21 November)
Since Venus is in Aries, it’s time for Spunky Scorpion to strut their stuff rather than waiting for love to knock on your frigging door! In your case, that means taking a break from the rat race, indulging yourself in a bit of self-love, surrounding yourself with creature comforts, and pampering your Pluto self to smithereens! Make sure you stock your goody bag with your favorite melt-in-your-mouth liqueur-flavored chocolates!

SAGITTARIUS (21 November – 22 December)
Okay, so we know that Cupid is your idol. But let’s face it, you haven’t exactly been on target with your bow and arrow lately (especially in the love department). So Tin-Man, frankly it’s time to put your spurs on, get into the saddle again, and jump back up onto your hobby horse! Whatever you do, steer clear of any possessive people, conservative thinkers, and boldless bureaucrats, they will not make your heart go pitty-pat. Don’t forget to smile so your smooch-inclined soul-mate can find you!

CAPRICORN (22 December – 19 January)
The good news is that Venus is in your communications sector and Mars is in Capricorn, your "me" sector. All of which means that you have a winsome way with words (which means you won’t be making the same mistake as last year when you wrote that loopy love letter to that nerdy next-door neighbor). And, since firey Mars is sending up fireworks hailing the fact that there is no "I" in team, you’ll be glad to know that the coast is clear so now you can go out and find a honey-bun…just be careful of the sticky ones!

AQUARIUS (20 January – 18 February)
Okay water-bearer, it’s time to toss your wet-blanket, worry-wart friends and find the love of your life. Venus and Mars, planets more commonly known as cosmic lovers of the zodiac are in sync, thank goodness. All of which means that you’ll have more mad money in your pocket, more self-confidence to slay a dragon or two, and inner peace in your life so you can enjoy the merits of sleep-walking for a change. Now’s the best time to play "spin the bottle"; after all, it’s a great game of chance and a wonderful way to meet pucker-powered people!

PISCES (19 February – 20 March)
Pisces may be a wonderful water sign, but that’s no reason for you to hang out with funny fish all the time. In fact, since Neptune rules your sign, and your sign rules your feet, perhaps you’ll meet your soul mate while walking on water or dancing in a dinghy. On the other hand, if you like swimming, sailing, snorkeling and taking long walks along the beach, you may bump into your bosom buddy when you least expect it! Go for it you ripsnorting rudderless romantic!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE WACKIEST WATER-BEARING WUNDERKIN IN THE WORLD!

February: A month of fun & frolic!

February 1, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Events, Fun, Main Content, Misc. Mirth

 IT’S FREAKIN’ FUNKY FEBRUARY!

 

 
Compiled by Lady Beatrice Blitterlees (referred to in polite circles as the Duchess of Dither) and edited by Lord Earl Craboon (better known in the upper echelons of society as the Duke of Doorknobs)

Why is everyone so happy?

Because it’s festive, flirtatious and frolicking February of course — ahem …the shortest month of the year. Time to sample some frisky fortune cookies for a change.

So, without further adieu, here’s what you can do to keep yourself tickled pink for the entire month of February:

February 1: International Daydreaming Day (time to see who can gaze vacantly into space the longest while listening to a long-winded lecture or munching on molecules)

February 2: Hug a Hog Day (time to press the flesh with grunt and groan types who seem to spend most of their time in the barnyard of life chasing their own shadows)

February 3: Aquarius Heritage Day (beware of water carrying geniuses eating unusual food and are a tad independent, mentally odd, tactless, or eccentric for their own good)

February 4: National ‘Pass the Buck Day’ (a wonderful way to honor those who are forever delegating dirty jobs to other poor souls lower down the food chain of life)

February 5: Whoop-De-Doo Day (are you ready to build sandcastles in the air, draw outside the lines, and share your favorite wind-up toys with other grown-up kids at work?)

February 6: Ding Dong Appreciation Day (when was the last time you invited a bible-thumper or political candidate into your home to discuss the future of gaskets or grommets?)

February 7: National Tongue-Twister Day (Time to take the marbles out of your mouth and repeat after me, "Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled peppers…")

February 8: Elephant in the Living Room Appreciation Day (in honor of all sorts of big bogies or couch critters we ignore, and we’d just as soon others did too please!)

February 9: Cock-O’-The Walk Day (your frisky fortune cookie says it’s time to pay tribute to all the red roosters you know who are brave, motivated, proud, romantic, and a tad blunt …if truth be told )

February 10: Show & Tell Day (okay it’s about time to haul out your really neat travel slide show of your trip to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan with spell-binding commentary!)

February 11: The-Right-Way-to-Do-It Day (there’s only one way to install a roll of toilet paper roll so that falls correctly!)

February 12: First-in-Line Day (If your surname name doesn’t begin with "X", "Y" or "Z", step to the back of the line!!)

February 13: Free Lunch Day (time to collect all those outstanding IOUs – wow are you ever lucky!)

February 14: Slings & Arrows of Outrageous Fortune Day (how else do you expect to bewitch a beautiful beast or bag a box of chocolates?)

February 15: Fly Your Own Flag Day (now where did I put that "Jolly Roger"?)

February 16: Gonad Games Day (a.k.a. Potentate Pissing Contests)

February 17: Red Devil Awareness Day (time to sprout horns, wear red tights and carry a booming great pitchfork to scare the heck out of your favorite Nemesis)

February 18: Dr. Seuss Appreciation Day (you’ll need all the help you can get just to speak in rhymes all day long)

February 19: Hopscotch Awareness Day (time to go back to recess time; hope you can hop, skip and jump or at least down a few shots of scotch or suds); if you don’t like "Hopscotch" celebrate "Temporary Insanity Day" instead!

February 20: Finger Food Appreciation Day (great news for weight-watchers, picky eaters, or those wanting to ditch dishwashing duty)

February 21: Chocolate Ice Cream for Breakfast Day (in honor of taboo treats parents tell you not to eat for the first meal of the day)

February 22: Galoshes, Gumboots & Go-Go Boots Day (time to pay homage to forgotten footwear worn by damsels-in-distress or devil-may-care types)

February 23: Divestment Awareness Day (time to indulge in nothing but Naked Truths about an entertaining Emperor without not so much as a figleaf to his name)

February 24: Fake or Flaunt It Day (the only day you get to act any way you please, provided of course you’re willing to pay the consequences of your foolish little escapades)

February 25: Pity Pot Day (time to trade in or toss your troubles away?)

February 26: Mental Floss Day (the only occasion you can tell "Knock-Knock jokes" all you want without fear of harrassment)

February 27: Break Open the Piggy-Bank Day (whoopee no time like the present to splurge on a great cause…you!)

February 28: Small Planet Appreciation Day (ever wonder what the world would be like without Venus and Mars gumming up the works?)
 

Royal BC Museum Upgrade

January 28, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Main Content, News

The Royal BC Museum, a well-known tourist destination in the City and a prominent landmark in the neighborhood of James will be undergoing a multi-million dollar makeover.

Built in 1967, the museum has hosted more than 30 million visitors. Over the next year, the museum will undergo a six million dollar upgrade of its electrical systems to improve the temperature and humidity levels. These systems are critical to preserving the museum’s significant collections which focus on the human and natural history of British Columbia and temporary exhibits from other countries and cultures.

The Museum, located at 675 Belleville Street, will be open daily from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. It is expected that the construction project will be completed by March 2011 with mininimal impact on operations of the museum during the next 12 months.

 

James Bay Motorists Get Gas Break

January 28, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Main Content, News

 

Victoria motorists, including those living in the James Bay neighborhood got a gas break yesterday — below $1.00 a litre. 

Our local gas station located at 308 Menzies Street (t: 250.383.3612) posted 97.9 cents a litre for regular gas, a drop of 4.9 cents than the previous day.

Of course if you want to keep an eye of fares for fuel, you should probably check out Victoria Gas Prices. Aren’t you lucky you don’t live in Labrador City, Newfoundland & Labrador where the price at the pump reached $1.203/litre this week. Of course ex-patriots from Alberta who’ve flocked to Victoria to escape the rigors of the cold climate in winter, dearly miss the lowest gas prices in the country now — 88.9 cents a litre in Edmonton and Lloydminster!

It seems that crude il prices are likely to grow slowly and steadily as the global economy improves. The current recession has however reduced demand for gas, while we are experiencing a surplus in refining capacity. Inventories of wholesale gas appear to be strong suggesting that we may see some price stability at least over the spring period which should lift the spirit of drivers sorely in need of some upbeat news!

Now if you’re like Maxine, the mad maven in illustration above, you might want contact our City Councillor – Pam Madoff (City Hall Tel: 250.361.0221 or Home Tel: 250.384.6971) or the City Engineering Department (Tel: 250.361.0400) to request that they fill in the potholes and pave the streets properly so that we may enjoy a quality of life befitting those who live in the city’s oldest neighborhood. Remember, paradise is but a phone call away!

 

 

Public Perspective Sought on the Capital Regional District’s Growth Strategy

January 27, 2010 by admin  
Filed under Main Content, Miscellaneous, News, Place

 

The Capital Regional District (CRD), established in 1966, is a federation of 13 muncipalities comprised of Central Saanich, Colwood, Esquimalt, Highlands, Langford, Metchosin, North Saanich, Oak Bay, Saanich, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria, and View Royal, plus three electoral areas including Juan de Fuca, Southern Gulf Islands, and Salt Spring Island.
 
The CRD is conducting a public consultation forum here in James Bay on Thursday, February 4, 2010 to gather views on what individuals think makes a livable and sustainable region.
 
Designed as an interactive event, (using MetroQuest’s innovative planning tool), participants will have a hand in shaping the future of the region which is home to approximately 350,000 people.
 
Whether individuals wish to attend this session in person or participate online, they will have a chance to “vote” on options for managing regional issues such as transportation, housing, and future growth locations.
 
This might well be of interest to those who are looking for effective ways to gather feedback from residents on issues such as transportation and housing, as well as amenities and services for the City of Victoria as well James Bay both of which will be updating their Official Community Plans in the near future.
 
Those interested in obtaining additional information or registering for this session, please visit the CRD Regional Planning website at www.crd.bc.ca/rgs.
 
Date/Time:               Thursday, February 4, 2010
 
Time:                         5:30 pm – Doors open
                                    6:00-7:00 pm – Open House
                                    7:00 pm – MetroQuest Presentation
 
Place:                         Laurel Point Inn, 680 Montreal Street
 
 
 
 

Next Page »