Hats Off to the 'gutsy' business woman in Blairmore

In this week's Promoter, I see a letter to the editor from a woman in Blairmore who not only has the guts to run her own business, but the balls to stand up and fight for it too!

'Hats Off' to the lady!!!


note: For those who do not get the Promoter:

Small business not brought down by complaints

River Run, on the Run, or here to stay?

This week's Pass Herald interview with Bill Bradley has a lot of tongues wagging, and rightfully so, because there is a lot on the line not only for its investors but for this community as well.

Personally, I'm hoping everything is on the up and up, because if it is then that means growth and prosperity for all, rather than a piece of land sitting for years in the center of our community growing weeds, and being a constant reminder of what could have been.

Now, with respect to some of Bill's quoted comments about our community being fragmented and not believing in ourselves, while at the same time lacking vision and a plan. Get in line Bill, because some of us have been saying that for some time. Tell us something new! But bear in mind, many of us are pretty fed up with more 'pie in the sky' promises filled with hot air that blow away with the wind upon the first gust. Give us something 'concrete' and this community will be behind you. Until then, don't tell us about our failings when it is obvious to all concerned that you have plenty of your own.


First there is a time when we believe everything, then for a little while we believe with discrimination, then we believe nothing whatever, and then we believe everything again - and, moreover, give reasons why we believe.

Local boy, waiting in the wings

Hillcrest man waiting in the wings to perform
Lethbridge Herald - Written by Delon Shurtz
Saturday, 25 July 2009

Growing up in the small community of Hillcrest in the Crowsnest Pass, no one would have been surprised if Dan Rossi had developed a career in mining.
But instead of working far below the ground, he’s working high above it, as a captain and pilot with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds Demonstration Team.
It’s a dream come true for the southern Albertan, and even though he’s not actually a performing member of the team yet, he’s doing the next best thing as a co-ordinator. And it may only be a matter of time until he’s performing in the skies while family and friends watch far below.
“It’s my ultimate goal,” he said Friday.
Rossi, who has been with the Canadian Forces since 1996, was accepted to the team in March.
His first assignment as team co-ordinator will be at the air show in Abbotsford, B.C. Aug. 7-9. So while he wasn’t in Lethbridge when the Snowbirds performed Saturday, with any luck, he’ll co-ordinate the next air show in Lethbridge, and eventually perform at one of the Lethbridge shows, perhaps in two or three years.
“It would be fantastic.”
Rossi first dreamed of becoming a pilot when he was about 10 years old and his family — his parents and other relatives still live in Hillcrest — attended an air show. He was fascinated with the F-18s and from that moment he wanted to be a pilot. Not just any pilot, but a military pilot.
“I knew I was hooked.”
And even at that young age, he knew it wasn’t just a kid’s dream.
“I knew I was serious about it.”
From 1999 to 2001, Rossi flew Sea King helicopters, and for the last six years he’s been flying Dash 8 Gonzo transports with the 402 squadron in Winnipeg. But three years ago, he took an interest in the Snowbirds, and because he was getting close to accumulating the required minimum of 1,300 hours flying time — and he’s small enough to fit the jumpsuit — he thought he’d give it a shot.
“I wanted to move on to something different in my career.”
And something more challenging.
In addition to the technical requirements, individuals applying to be a Snowbird are also evaluated on their personal attributes.
“We interact with the public on a daily basis, so while flying skills are critical, one's personality also plays a large role,” said Cpt. Jennifer Jones, public affairs officer for the Snowbirds
“To be selected for the team, candidates must prove that they have friendly dispositions, are diplomatic and are able to efficiently and pleasantly work as part of a team.”
As one of the team co-ordinators, Rossi acts as narrator or safety pilot on the ground while the nine aircraft are in the air. Because of the team's hectic schedule, show pilots don't have many opportunities to meet the spectators and interact with them, so that’s also where Rossi comes in, as the face of the team.
For Rossi, making it into the military as a pilot is like a young hockey player making it to the NHL. And making it on to the Snowbirds team, is like making it to the Olympics.

Too much of a good thing can never hurt anybody

The other day during the Rum Runners parade a group of us volunteers met at the golf club for lunch, as we always do at this time of the year.

It turned out the mayor was playing host to various dignitaries at the same time at the clubhouse too. I couldn't help but notice that Menzies, our local federal MP, and Berger, our local provincial MLA, and Irwin, our local mayor, are all Conservatives, in a Conservative run province.

Now some people might say too much of a good thing can never hurt anybody, but I question how true that statement really is. Where is the diversity that is so important for bringing new ideas, fresh perspectives, bold initiatives, when one is 'totally' governed by the same old, same old, 'old boys club'?

All one has to do is look around our community and one can plainly see that 'over the years' these guys (and even Irwin's good buddy Dave Coutts and 'local boy' Jim Prentice) have not delivered. They might be delivering elsewhere and to each other, but they certainly missed the postal codes of TOK OCO, TOK OEO and TOK OMO.

When it comes to our local scene, with all these Conservatives, it begs the question... What are these guys good for?... ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!


note: Just read the Promoter today and see a group photo-op with Menzies and Berger handing Irwin cheques. Boy, these guys sure act fast when Joe Public puts the pressure on, don't they? :-)


Those who are strong enough struggle. Those who are not strong give up and turn to religion, nationalism, democracy, or some other means of escape.

Tasers need stricter control, B.C. inquiry finds

Much stricter controls are needed over the use of Taser stun guns by police in B.C., former judge Thomas Braidwood says in the first phase of findings from his inquiry into stun guns...

Tasers need stricter control, B.C. inquiry finds

________________________________

Falls short of a moratorium on the use of this dangerous, lethal weapon that has been improperly used and misused by our law enforcement people (see Land of the Taser, Home of the Slave). The ready reliance on the Taser stun gun (that in too many cases does more than that) with no controls or safeguards has led to countless inhumane deaths. At least now those numbers will dwindle... but will still continue!

So what has this judge done but merely 'slowed down' the death count. But death counts there still will be! I and and so many others were hoping for so much more.

An outright ban of this barbaric weapon is what is needed here. We are not cattle!!!

I read today that the Federal Conservative Justice Minister is in B.C. promoting his Law and Order Bill, which is geared to strike at the little guy while leaving the big guys alone. Yes, the Conservative Government is again pushing a Bill to suppress ordinary people's rights and freedoms, while giving police even more powers to oppress and subdue the masses to their will and liking (using Tasers), while at the same time turning a blind eye to the carnage being perpetrated by white collar criminals. In addition, they let loose the Whores of Babylon (Corporations) to run amok freely raping and pillaging with impunity.

This is not my idea of living free in a 'Just Society', that they constantly bombard us with using their various media propaganda machines. Who are they kidding? They are knowingly and willingly turning our country into a Fascist State with Passports and/or Visas coming soon as a requirement to cross provincial boundaries. Think I'm kidding? Try crossing into the States without one of those these days.

But what do Conservatives (Alliance/Reform) know about justice? They only know Law and Order. Or, as I have put it before... 'The Law for the Poor and Justice for the Rich'.

A two-tiered Justice System is what we have here in Canada.

Oppressive laws breed contempt and hatred in people towards their oppressors, their slave masters, which ultimately leads to the 'revolt of the masses'... and violence. More violence... when will we ever learn?


Violence is random it comes from nowhere and leads to nothing. Who can fight nothing from nowhere.

Big crooks hang the little crooks but don't hang each other, do they?

Lately, Real Estate has been getting hot (like the weather) in more ways than one.

As a Realtor, I have been extremely busy this month and I am glad to see things are starting to get back to normal again, after what has been an unusually dismal first half of this year, in our local market. It is a relieve to have robust activity again. This despite the fact we are in the midst of a community's worst nightmare, with the potential failure of a major land development. Which so far, has only succeeded in digging a big hole that some people now wish these guys were put in prior to its being filled in again... some day.

From the amount of comments on my last two posts with respect to Bridgegate and their River Run development, it is quite evident that many people are concerned.

Makes me think of ancient Rome and the coliseum with the masses wanting blood from their white collar vipers, only to be fed their own kind instead. Wasn't it Helmsley (The ‘Queen of Mean’) who said, "only poor people pay taxes".

White collar crime is running rampant in this country and people are fed up paying the bill and being treated as suckers by a system that has corruption entrenched in every pore and fiber of its collective body. The big crooks hang the little crooks, but obviously don't hang each other. Do they?


Corruption is merely a nasty word for the autumn of a people.

What have we learned in two millennia?

So what have we learned in two millennia?

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest we become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." --- Cicero, 55 BC

Evidently, nothing....


Thanks to my Belle Aimee in Coleman for the above. :-)

Investors question Bridgegate development near Crowsnest Pass

CHQR Newsroom
7/9/2009

Questions are being raised about whether a proposed massive condo and hotel development in Crowsnest Pass announced with great fanfare back in 2005 will ever come to fruition.

Investors in Bridgecreek Development's Bridgegate Resort say they are no longer receiving any return on their investment, and building has not started at the proposed site in southern Alberta.

A group calling themselves the "Bighorn Investors" have filed a 10-page long complaint with the Alberta Securities Commission.

Attempts by QR77 news to reach Bridgecreek and its vice president Bill Bradley by phone and email have been unsucessful.