Anne Applebaum, author of Red Famine: Stalin’s War on Ukraine, gives a deep, balanced interview on the Holodomor, the forced famine/genocide in Ukraine perpetrated by Stalin and the Soviet regime.
Category Archives: Society
South Burnaby Snow Day = Sledding Action
Ron McLean Park in SE Burnaby, BC. had lots of happy people out sledding in the sun.
Gates to sledding paradise : -)
Dangerous Driving Getting Out of Hand in BC’s Lower Mainland
I’d like to add a few observations and experiences to the recent conversation about pedestrian deaths and dangerous driving. More people are driving badly in BC’s lower mainland, and we need significantly stepped-up education and enforcement to modify behaviour.
In the last year or two I’ve experienced the following:
- Nearly getting T-boned, not once, but twice, at T intersections in south Burnaby, when drivers blew stop signs. In both cases, they didn’t even slow down.
- Nearly getting rear-ended on a regular basis all over the lower mainland because I am apparently one of the few drivers left who actually stops at stop signs.
- In a follow-up to the above comment, I estimate that over 90% of drivers who approach the stop sign on Rumble St. in south Burnaby at the intersection with Griffiths Dr. do not come to a complete stop.
- Coming to a complete stop before turning right on a red light? Oh, please, might spill the coffee, eh?
- In the only accident that I’ve been involved in in the last 40 years, I was rear-ended when I stopped at a crosswalk for a pedestrian. The driver who hit me had time to blow her horn, but strangely not enough time to hit her brakes, though the pedestrian was well off the curb and onto the road.
- I have been passed several times in school zones during school hours when I had the temerity to slow to the 30km/hour zone limit.
- I have had folks honk at me when I have stopped and clearly indicated with my turn signal that I am going to parallel park.
- What about speed limits? What speed limits?! I’d say the average speed in some 50km/hour zones in Burnaby like the Royal Oak hill, the Southridge hill, etc., is likely around 75km/hour. If you do less than 65km/hour, you’re a hazard.
Some time ago I noted in a FB post that I used to enjoy driving, but it’s becoming stressful. I’ve driven Canada from coast to coast, I’ve driven much of the US, I’ve driven in major metropolises like Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto, Madrid, Barcelona, Sydney, Melbourne. . . And never felt as unsafe as I now do here at home.
I wish folks would wake up, wise up, take responsibility, and realize that driving is a privilege that requires practice, skill, and concentration.
Where’s the Vision for BC? For Canada?
In an awesome display of visionary thinking, our Canadian federal and British Columbia provincial governments have approved two multi-billion dollar megaprojects in BC that both rely on 19th C technology.
Massive dams and oil pipelines are so, uh, 1880s.
Small Wins. . .
I am so proud of myself.
I had two watches that needed new batteries, and I drove to Crystal Mall in Burnaby and had them replaced.
I drove into the underground parking, I parked, I walked up several floors, I walked around and around the mall (it’s circular so you can do laps) while I waited for my watches.
I walked back down into the underground parking — and my car was RIGHT THERE! I didn’t need to go looking for it. SCORE! 
Event Photographer at Edmonds Festival of Lights
I was the event photographer again this year at the Edmonds Festival of Lights in SE Burnaby, BC. Great fun!
You can see my Flickr album here.
Nikkei Matsuri 2017
Fun festival at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre just up the hill from our place in south Burnaby, BC. The main draw for me? Japadog . . . : -)
It was also great to run into a gal pushing 100 years old that we met at a party about three years ago. She was out and about at the event with her walker, since she lives in the Japanese seniors’ residence there, and we had a good long chat in Japanese, mostly Yumi and Yuki, with me following along as best I could.
Here’s a post about that convivial, multilingual, multi-generational potluck.
You Don’t Have to Hit a Homer for a Sense of Accomplishment
Chipping away. . .
People often set big goals. While laudable, I’m not sure that’s always the best way to get things done, chalk up accomplishments, and just plain feel good about yourself, particularly when it comes to projects that take less than a month, a week, or even a day.
Recently I’ve been trying smaller steps, in greater frequency, and it feels good.
Today after work I:
- cleaned and organized my desk in my home office and can now see 2/3 of the surface
- cleaned and organized my side desk and can now see 2/3 of the surface
- got rid of stuff that had sat untouched for years in several desk drawers
- shredded about 1/3 of a legal-size filing-cabinet drawer of financial records that were well past the date of potential interest to the authorities
- filled a banker’s box to overflowing with old magazines and put it in the garage to place in recycling
- filled another banker’s box with books to donate
- did a load of laundry
- . . . and so forth.
None of these activities took more than 15-20 minutes each, but it all added up. I could have gone further into the filing cabinets, but why kill myself? Lots more shredding in there to feel good about over the next several days : -).
Completed Standard First Aid for Industry
I completed a St. John Ambulance (Burnaby branch) Standard First Aid for Industry with CPR/AED course and certification over the weekend.
Thanks to Danni, a superb instructor, who was very knowledgeable, down to earth, and fun.
I’m zonked now — it was an intense two days, but also happy to have refreshed my first-aid knowledge. I hadn’t taken a formal first-aid course since my youth, in Red Cross swimming classes and Boy Scouts, several decades ago.
MLA Chouhan, MP Julian Summer BBQ in Edmonds
Fun shooting photos at the annual summer BBQ put on by local MLA Raj Chouhan and MP Peter Julian.
