Tuesday, August 28, 2012

SPrKLE News - Spirit Paddle


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The Brigade Trails to Wine Trails - Debbie.

The Brigade Trails to Wine Trails - Okanagan Falls to Vernon canoes arriving at Kal Beach yesterday.
 

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Forest fire at Aberdeen Lake - Castanet


by Trevor Rockliffe -  Castanet Story: 79740
Aug 27, 2012 / 8:38 pm

A 50 hectare forest fire is burning at Aberdeen Lake. The fire is torching the forest in a strip that is about 1.5 kms long.
Forestry was pounding the fire from the air and ground crews are working on the perimeter. The fire is several kilometres from the nearest structure.
Fire Information officer Kevin Skrepnek says, "It is burning in some heavy timber and it will be burning for a while. The wind will be blowing some of the smoke down to Lavington and Lumby."
Skrepnek says four people from the Nicklen Lake Resort and four people, who were at a forestry service site, decided to self evacuate.
There is no evacuation alert or order on any properties. The lodge is approximately five kilometres away from the fire.
"We had eight airtankers on it today as well as helicopters," says Skrepnek.
He says there are more than 30 personnel working the blaze.
"The fire is heading north to south and it is heading in the direction of the lake, so it is working in our favour."

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Monday, August 27, 2012

Kal Lake Fire


A multi agency response around 10 last night as a grass brush fire erupted in the area south of the Kal Lake lookout, between Kalavista Drive and the lake.

Forestry crews backed up by Vernon, Coldstream ground crews and the Lake Country fire boat hit the blaze, and at one point RCMP went door to door for about 6 residences with an evacuation alert, though none was required.

Crews have remained on the scene through the night.

There's no word on a cause or just how much was burnt.

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From my vantage point,  the fire appeared to originate south of the so called "nude beach". People often build a camp fire in that area and it is likely that one of those camp fires got carried away.

The residents affected are outside of Coldstream in Electoral Area "B".

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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Firemen are at work south of the Coldstream lookout.

Firefighters are currently battling an interface fire south of Coldstream between Kalamalka Lake and Highway 97There is some traffic control on the highway. There is some traffic control on the highway.

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Friday, August 24, 2012

Artist Samuel Silva's Incredible Photorealistic Ballpoint Pen Drawings (PHOTOS)


The Huffington Post  |  By Hallie Sekoff

Look closely... it may be hard to hard to believe but the images below are actually drawings made by Portugal-based attorney, Samuel Silva. Silva, who describes his art as a “hobby," uses standard ballpoint pens for many of his drawings, sometimes working on a piece for over 45 hours. Scroll down for more images.

For his “Redhead Girl,” based on the photograph by Russian photographer Kristina Taraina, he used seven different colored ballpoint pens which took some 30 hours to finish. To create such vibrant colors, Silva “cross hatches” in layers to give off the illusion of additional hues and depth.


                        L: Silva's drawing;                                                        R: Taraina's photo
For Silva, ballpoint pens are just one of the many mediums he is attempting to master. However, he writes on his DeviantArt page: ““It’s not about what you use, it’s about how you use it.”

His work bears a resemblance to Paul Cadden's astonishing drawings; both artists display incredible attention to detail which challenges even those images captured by the click of a camera.

More Samuel Silva's Incredible Ballpoint Pen Drawings


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Thursday, August 23, 2012

Republicans Move Convention to Seventeenth Century

The New Yorker Online Only

The Borowitz Report

August 22, 2012
Republicans Move Convention to Seventeenth Century

Posted by Andy Borowitz

TAMPA (The Borowitz Report)—With the threat of Hurricane
Isaac hitting Florida next week, the Republican National Committee took the extraordinary step today of moving their 2012 National Convention to the seventeenth century.

While the decision to send the convention four centuries back in time raised eyebrows among some political observers, R.N.C. spokesperson Harland Dorrinson downplayed the unusual nature of the move.

“After exploring a number of options, we decided that moving to the seventeenth century would cause the least disruption,” he said. “We’re not going to have to change a thing.”

Mr. Dorrinson added that despite recent controversy involving the U.S. Senate candidate Representative Todd Akin (R., Miss.), there would be no modification of the Party’s official platform: “After we ban abortion in cases of rape and incest, we’re going to focus on America’s spiralling witch problem.”

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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Landing firefighters prepared to walk instead of accepting city model

August 22, 2012 5:00 PM

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: August 22, 2012 5:00 PM 
Okanagan Landing firefighters say they are being forced to retire. It appears that most of the 30 volunteers will retire instead of accepting an invitation to join the Vernon Volunteer Firefighters Association and integrate into the Vernon department's command structure. "It's a majority," said Todd Montgomery, Okanagan Landing Volunteer Firefighters Association president, who would not reveal the specific vote results taken Tuesday. City council recently decided not to renew a fire service agreement with the Landing. The association, which was formed in 1975, has provided fire services under contract since Okanagan Landing was annexed into Vernon in 1993. "We feel council made a narrow, one-sided decision. It's a slap in the face to us," Montgomery told The Morning Star.
 
City officials have stated integration of the departments is required to ensure training levels. "It's insulting because we're trained to an ongoing level," said Montgomery. Another concern regards public safety and specifically the Aug. 14 grass fire at The Rise. A release from the Landing association states that after the initial call, Vernon firefighters were dispatched to the blaze. "After seeing the smoke, several Okanagan Landing firefighters headed to the Okanagan Landing fire station and waited 16 minutes and 58 seconds to be paged to the fire by Vernon dispatch while members of the public stopped and asked why the firefighters were not responding to the fire that spread quickly as the firefighters sat and watched," states the release.
It goes on to say that Landing firefighters are not allowed to respond to a blaze unless their assistance is requested by Vernon, something that was automatic in previous years. "A reason that was noted as to why many members will not join the VVFA is they cannot support a response model that puts the public at greater risk." Look for more details in Friday's Morning Star. 
 

Monday, August 20, 2012

Coldstream firemen at work! - Photos by Debbie.

Around 7:30 last night [Monday] fire broke out on Stoneridge Drive.  My sympathies go out to everyone involved. Watching the fire brought up sad memories for both of us.


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Saturday, August 18, 2012

Readers write - Bear Quints - once in a lifetime photo!





Black bears typically have two cubs; rarely, one or three. In 2007, in northern New Hampshire, a black bear sow gave birth to five healthy young. There were two or three reports of sows with as many as 4 cubs, but five was, and is, very extraordinary. The photographer learned of them shortly after they emerged from their den and set a goal of photographing all five cubs with their mom - no matter how much time and effort was involved. He knew the trail they followed on a fairly regular basis, usually shortly before dark. After spending nearly four hours a day, seven days a week, for more than six weeks, he had that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and photographed them. He used the equivalent of a very fast film speed on his digital camera. The print is properly focused and well exposed, with all six bears posing as if they were in a studio for a family portrait.






The photographer stayed in touch with other people who saw the bears during the summer and into the fall hunting season. All six bears continued to thrive. As time for hibernation approached, he found still more folks who had seen them, and everything remained OK. The photographer stayed away from the bears because he was concerned that they might become habituated to him, or to people in general, and treat them as approachable friends. This could easily become dangerous for both man and animal.

After Halloween, no further reports and could only hope the bears survived until they hibernated. This spring, just before the snow disappeared, all six bears came out of their den and wandered all over the same familiar territory they trekked in the spring of 2007.




The photographer saw them before mid-April and dreamed nightly of taking another family portrait, a highly improbable second once-in-a-lifetime photograph.

On 25 April 2008, he achieved his dream. 



When something as magical as this happens between man and animal, Native Americans say, "We have walked together in the shadow of a rainbow." And so it is with humility and great pleasure that I share these exhilarating photos with you.

Do pass  them on!

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Friday, August 17, 2012

Welcome Michael #4!


Contrary to rumours, having been named Michael is not a prerequisite to be employed by Coldstream (but may help?)!

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Monday, August 13, 2012

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Saturday, August 4, 2012

The Borowitz Report - Jenna Jameson endorses Romney!


Fake news and political satire.

August 3, 2012

Jenna Jameson Clarifies Her Endorsement of Romney

Posted by Andy Borowitz

NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report)—Concerned that her endorsement of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for President would lead to “cheap, easy jokes and innuendo,” porn star Jenna Jameson held a press conference today to explain her headline-making decision.

When asked what initially appealed to her about Mr. Romney, Ms. Jameson said, “He’s the only person who’s assumed more positions than I have.”

The actress said that she researched Mr. Romney’s career thoroughly, and was particularly impressed by his tenure at Bain Capital: “There’s nothing more American, I think, than screwing people you don’t know for money.”

While Mr. Romney’s recent foreign trip drew jeers from his critics, Ms. Jameson hailed his performance: “I respect someone who opens their mouth without thinking.”

The actress, who appeared as the character Holly So Tightly in the film Dirt Merchant, seemed unconcerned by the controversy swirling about Mr. Romney’s bank accounts in Switzerland and the Caymans: “I’ve put my assets in plenty of foreign places.”

Ms. Jameson concluded her presser by reiterating her fulsome support of the G.O.P. candidate: “Mitt Romney will do to all of America what I have already done to half of America.”

The Borowitz report

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Friday, August 3, 2012

Readers write - A puzzle for you!

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS?
I guarantee you won't believe it!

Can you get it on the first picture or second or third or, do you have to wait till the fourth?



























IT IS . . .
Canada's NEWEST prison just outside of Toronto


 
 
And yeah, they can also choose from the menu !

Let me see now ..Which government is responsible for this beautiful
"punishment center"?


Oh yes, our current government!!!!

Compare this to all Residential Care and Nursing Homes for our Seniors!


PLEASE PASS THIS ON!

MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THIS

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Coldstream Ratepayers News! All Coldstream residents are ratepayers!

The opinions expressed by "Coldstreamer" are strictly his own and do not represent the opinions of Coldstream Council!

Because I value your thoughtful opinions, I encourage you to add a comment to this discussion. Don't be offended if I edit your comments for clarity or to keep out questionable matters, however, and I may even delete off-topic comments.

Gyula Kiss
coldstreamer@shaw.ca;

***Coldstreamernews***

***Coldstreamernews***
We must protect our rights and freedom! (Photo courtesy of D. Gibson) Click on eagle to watch EAGLECAMS

About Me

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I have been a resident of Coldstream since 1976. I have had 15 years of experience on Council, 3 years as Mayor. As a current Councillor I am working to achieve fair water and sewer rates and to ensure that taxpayers get fair treatment. The current direction regarding water supply is unsustainable and I am doing all I can to get the most cost effective water supply possible.