Saturday, June 30, 2007

Warning:

Supercilious attitudes may be contained within, at least according to some.

For the information of them wot is less well informed as to the role and or purpose of Blogs I reference this official Government of Canada site. There are many more references on Blogs, but why should I do all the work?

Repeating myself I will briefly outline my purpose for Blogging. It’s covered in the official government site near the bottom, to wit, Blog - A web log: an on-line diary or frequently updated personal web page.

So I keep an online diary and present my views on life as I see it, add links to what I consider news worthy stories or views. I also like photography so selected pictures are put up for the enjoyment of who ever wants to view them.
No arm twisting or threats of retribution if you don’t log on 100 times a day, or once for that matter.

Many bloggers edit, delete or do not allow comments.

As is obvious to most I welcome comments, unedited and never deleted. I would love to receive more comments, but my readership is small and it’s a hassle for many to register with Google or Blogger.

I have no trouble with people presenting their views in the comments section, even when they clash with my views.

What I do have trouble with is entering into any protracted debate, exchange of views or ideas with people hiding under the umbrella of anonymity, no matter what their reasons for doing so.

If I have to explain why that is so to anyone, then that someone would be a fork short in the cutlery draw.
One would not want to end up in the bizzaro end of the comments world would one?

RDF Saturday.

The LCM people have released the “next ETD” of the Northern Ranger from Goose Bay to North as the 9th July.
Still lots of ice pushed up against the coast, so we will have to get some dramatic change of wind patterns for that to even happen. The map is upside down, but you get the drift.
The air temperatures can’t be helping rot the ice either, though all this wet should do something to it.

The long RDF spell has the birds relying a lot on bird feeders for food. I put some left over lamb and the bone with meat on it; the warblers are having a great time on that. The smaller birds seem to be willing to share the feeder, not so the gray jays, they just swoop in and take over.
The feeder located such that I am having trouble getting any photos, the main reason for it’s local is to keep squirrels off, seems to be working at moment, when I put food out in the mornings the squirrel gives me a ‘what for’ from up in a tree.

Seems the Premier of Nunavut had a hard week, at least in his words he did. Maybe ego had something to do with his comment.

An interesting insight into dealing with alcohol and other abuses from Greenland.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Visit.

The office of the provincial Minister for Works Services and Transport has offered up that the minister will be on the North Coast 4 and 5 July..............oh that's 2007

Four communities on the first day, two communities on the second.

Here is the long long range weather forecast for those days, just say’n.


Wednesday Scattered Clouds. High: 60° F. / 16° C. Wind SSE 6 mph. / 10 km/h.
Wednesday Night Chance of Rain. Scattered Clouds. Low: 51° F. / 11° C. Wind SSE 8 mph. / 14 km/h. Chance of precipitation 20%.
Thursday Scattered Clouds. High: 68° F. / 20° C. Wind SSW 6 mph. / 10 km/h.
Thursday Night Scattered Clouds. Low: 60° F. / 16° C. Wind SSW 6 mph. / 10 km/h.

Back late last century I spent some time in Ireland.

Just up from my digs in Dublin, and on the way to the best fish n chips in that part of the world, which was next to an OK pub, was this excavation going on. From memory the hole was going to be filled with a new council building, town hall and such. While digging down they came upon the most remarkable find, the first [again from memory] Viking or Norse community in that area.
All hell broke loose with a big cat fight between the developers and the archeological and historical communities.
After a protracted augment the developers agreed to allow the site to be excavated, but with a time line. Volunteers came in from all over the world to help salvage and catalogue as much as they could before the parochial city fathers crunched the find in the buckets of the excavators.

These two photos show just some of what was left of the accommodations, and you can make out what looks like a woven path.
One evening, when walking up for a nosh and a slosh, I looked down and there were about half a dozen people bending down scrapping and bagging away, hovered just above them was the arm and bucket of an excavator. After a little while the operator blew his horn, the people moved a little to the side, the bucket smash down on what had not been recovered. Barstards.










That summer [something like we are experiencing here today] I took off for a train and hiking trip on the west coast. Took these next two photos in Kerry.






Foggy….x2.


Looks and feels like fall out there today, without the fall colors. People around town are starting to wonder if our summer is over before it arrived.
I have great faith that the sun goddess will deliver, even if I have to go look for it.

Quite a bit foggier is this little report; bottom paragraph of first story.
I am quite sure that I have heard Minister of WST Hickey state that he had sent in proposals to the federal Government for funds to complete the hard surfacing of the TLH. The minister even stated that he had a “signed deal in front of him” of a commitment of federal funds; this was later denied by the minister.

Why do we let these people [politicians] play loose with the truth and our hard earned money? Don’t answer that, I already know.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Sod this, all we got was a fence.

Lots of sod turning [not the auditorium] yesterday, nice to see, and when completed these projects will benefit all though some more than others, but is it not always the way.
The president of Nunatsiavut looked happy looking on at the “long term care” sodding, though when interviewed by CBC he reiterated the NG position that more funds should be directed into “long term home care” for coastal communities, no argument from that this way I’d guess.

The talk back airways were blocked this morning with post sodding gloating, who is paying for what, he said she said he is a liar liar pants on fire we are going it alone you don’t care about Labrador more than I do nar nar nar, both from provincial and federal politicians. It’s a good thing we allow only adults to run for office, things might get out of hand if 9 year olds were allowed.

To date the only thing Nain has received from the Northern Strategic Plan is a security fence around the lay down area of the dock. Erected last year to most people’s perplexity, the ties that hold the mesh to the post could be removed by hand, as the second picture shows.



But I’m sure as the weather warms up, and the fish are running, some one will pop up to announce something or other; we wait with the usual patience.

On the contrary.

Anonymous gives lot’s of reasons [see below] to stay with diesel generated hydro. Very parochial reasons of half truths and unnamed government sources do not an argument make.

First up it is essential to get the facts out so the public can have a look at them.
Like exactly what is the rate of the subsidy? Is it direct government funds or is some of it from hydro clients in other jurisdictions?
How much would it be per kilowatt hour for wind generation?
How much is NLH paying for its fuel for the diesel generated plants?
What is the expected life span of wind generated equipment? Versus diesel generated equipment?

Alternative energy is not proposed to totally replace conventional forms at this stage; it is proposed to supplement the conventional forms. It is also proposed to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions caused by many conventional generation forms.
Seeing that we are in a community with a claimed long cultural relationship with the environment one could be excused for thinking wind generation would be greeted with open arms.
Unless of course this claim of relationships with mother earth is out the window with the new consumerism, everybody for themselves dog eat dog approach that anonymous seems to be espousing.

At the moment WE PAY 8.935 cents for the first 800 kwh, this is adjusted to 900 kwh in the winter months. The next 100 kwh costs 10.332 kwh. Everything over 1000 kwh cost 14.007 kwh. I believe commercial rates are higher, but can be corrected on that.

So if there is a subsidy, which there is, why can’t that subsidy be transferred to alternative energy too? Makes sense to me. We contribute to reducing nasty omissions, cut back on the ever depleting ever costly fossil fuel stocks.

Scare tactics of throwing out “oh it’s going to cost 20 cents a kwh” may work for the closed minded with big pockets and short arms. Trouble is it is not the whole truth, like I said, oil is finite and will cost more and more each year.

Another thing to consider, maybe Hydro generation of Hydro, the chief in Natuashish is broaching that topic again.

Finely, I would gladly pay a little more for alternative energy, and I think it makes sense for it to be done on a community level in conjunction with NLH.


Anonymous said...
There was a guy on the radio today discussing his wind energy business and the benefits of wind power and he was making the argument that as diesel prices approach the dollar a litre mark, wind energy becomes more and more viable, but unless I'm mistaken, doesn't the government subsidize NL Hydro to operate their generation plants in Labrador? So the dollar a liter argument is not an issue for the consumer. We pay about 8 or 9 cents a Kw hour here and to operate a windmill here would require us to pay more like 20 cents a Kw hour (numbers provided to me by a government official in the know) and they require just as much maintenance as the generation plant and they wear out and would need replacement periodically. As long as we can burn diesel cheaper than anything else, it doesn't make sense to invest in wind power here, unless you have the cash to build without borrowing and want to subsidize the rates we pay for the energy generated, then go for it!
11:46 AM

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

From the airwaves this AM, 740 in Nain..

The Lyubov Orlova did not make it into Makkovik yesterday on its run up the Labrador coast and around to Nunavik. Heavy ice made for slow going, so to keep to schedule the vessel headed straight for Hopedale, let’s see if it can get in there.
The folks in Makkovik had some events planed and food cooked for the ships passengers. The food did not go to waste; it was taken around to seniors in the community later that day.

At least some of the sod is to be spared exposure to the elements; the sodding sod turning event for the Mealy Mountain Auditorium is postponed today for some sodding reason. Why should we give a sod? Well because the Danny Government is more than slow in delivering promises to the Integral part of the NL mosaic.

Not much sod turning on wind energy projects in this province sure. With wind a constant presence, and with many communities dependent on fossil fuel for electricity production one has to wonder what the hell is going on in the minds of many people.
Or has it more to do with what goes into the pockets of a few people? Just asking.

Don Lockhart is going off on holiday again, most likely heading down to the Caribbean for a spot of cricket.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Wee bit of clearing.

The weather cleared a bit last evening, enough for some planes to get in, one an Air Inuit charter from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik taking two ministers from Nunatsiavut Government to a meeting of Inuit Tapiriit kanatami. Some people who had relatives in Nunavik were offered a ride over, not sure how many took up the offer.

Okalakatiget Society Nain staff and board members did not get out for their AGM in Postville yesterday, so they, along with others for Goose Bay got on the freight plane this morning, after the freight was off loaded of course.

Ice is still hugging the coast, so we wait for the first boat. The Nain area blue is surrounded by red B and orange F.

At one time it was a big deal, the first boat arrival, still is in a way, sort of marks the start of summer in a way. No band plays these days, just lots of people who go down to see here arrive.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Blues on a monday morning.

So the berries have enough moister for now already, sun would be nice for the berries and our complexions sure. But we won’t eat our berries yet on that.

So what is one to do about our honorable members of the House of Assembly I wonder? I have the answer, not sure enough of the electorate has caught up to me yet though.
This guy broke the story last week; msm is picking up on it here and here.

So we are expected to "trust me", yeah right.

Ice is still hugging the coast from north of here south to almost Lake Melville, Northern Ranger is on it's way to Goose Bay arriving this afternoon. Wonder how many tourists are hung up with plans to do the north run? Not much to be done about it, hope they find the time to come back some other time.

Friday, June 22, 2007

TGIF, or not.

According to this the Labrador 1935 census was done on 1945. Problems with transport them days too? More understandable too.
It’s not an official web site but interesting none the less.

See democracy and open communication is alive and well back in the old home town.

Going by this criterion the Sydney Metropolitan Area should be in lock down mode by now. Ban all guns, cars, trains, ferries [all have killed in last while]. Shut down the race tracks, casinos, TAB, restaurants [health issues in some], beaches. Shut down Kings Cross and Palmer Street, ban opera [those big boobs you know] no more pubs, clubs drive through bottle shops. What a fun place it would be eh?
Would receive a far louder bitch fest than this did me thinks.

Fog and drizzle over most of Labrador this morning, could be around for a few days looking at the forecast, won’t stop the meter readers though [wink wink], hardy lot they are, but any way the read is not due till next week.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

De bubble she burst.

So eleven days in the mid to high teens was not bad. Only up to about 8 today with cloud and light drizzle, in wind makes it cooler too.

Heat is good but the dust from the roads worries a lot of people, so the moister is a welcome respite from coughing up gray stuff and extracting same from the eyes, not to mention the cleaning of the house.

The National Aboriginal day do was moved from the ball field to the SportsPlex, going gang busters there with BBQ and speeches and events and music all day. My special ops is taking up more time than I’d like so won’t have time to drop in today, such is life.

Word has it that the Northern Ranger will be in Goose Bay for Sunday, it’s doing some sort of fund raiser trip up Lake Melville, no word yet as to when vessels will get up the coast.


There has been an ease up in sightings of black bear and moose, just some early spring. Now it’s the bird life that is getting lots of attention, some people only know the Inuktitut names for birds; some have not seen some of the ones that are hanging around at moment. I mentioned some in an earlier post, but there are several swallow hanging around between Okalakatiget building and the shore line. It looks like one of the swallows has a nest in the Ok building.
Some small hawks have been sighted but not ID’d them definitively yet.
I had a chickadee took a wrong turn into my greenhouse yesterday, got herself out with some gentle persuasion from me. Have chickadee, gray jay and even the warblers feeding at my now squirrel proof feeder [touch wood].

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Still here.

Have not written for couple days, been busy over Northern Point.

OK, ya got me, just a little fib, then, I’m not the only one.

The wave is off Shellharbour on the south coast of NSW, picture courtesy of the SMH. Surfed some good waves that way myself in days yon. Nice pub too overlooking the small harbor and beach, though my days the pub was more...... casual [down scale] I think the term was.
I have been doing some special ops stuff, plus walking, biking, sunning, watering the garden. Been taking advantage of the 11 days of temperatures in the mid to high teens, little cooler near the water but still nice.
People from away are asking “is it always like this in June?” We wish is the reply.
I can remember when Junes were more on these lines; last several years have been the pits for warm spells so it’s a nice reversal.

All the action was at the boat ramp near the dock yesterday morning. About five people with rods were hauling in the arctic char like you would not believe. One guy had over a dozen in no time at all, even had a rock cod. Some good size ones too.
Quite a few smoke houses are belching out the sweet smell of burning berry bushes; many smoke the char with them. You have never lived until you taste fresh smoked char.


So I guess Newfoundland’s Danny Boy will be sending in the mounted under employed fishers on there ponies on this one. Best place for an ambush would be the parking lot of the casino.

Can any one guess from which country of oil and blood soaked sand this guy is from?

Sunday, June 17, 2007

US Open Sunday.

No floods, pestilence or storm surges to report, but we did get an unusual thunderstorm last evening.
After a fine day with temperatures up to +15c it got a bit unruly. Heading up to six o’clock some high cloud moved in from the west. Then a sound like an empty dump truck driving over a rough road rumbled through the living room.
Strange indeed were the looks Fran and I gave each other. Then another rumble and then some distant flashes of light.
Light rain turned into heavy rain and thunder and lighting, this went on went on for several hours.
Most unusual was the thunder clouds were more north of us, other years we get them to the south. Also puzzling was that it was not overly hot here; it did get up to 20 later in the evening during the storm, but that is not hot by any standards.
But no damage and the moister will help the berries.

While shopping we noticed that the bread shelves were bare as a babies bum, and the fresh food department in one store was not that well stocked with new shipments. Also noticed was the fact that in same store there were plenty of prepared sandwiches, wraps and subs and chips and coke and the like.

Later in the day at least two freight planes came in, playing catch up maybe. Airlines can only do what they can with the equipment they have, throw in the weather, topography and small scattered communities and it becomes difficult to manage I’m sure.
But a little more honesty in communicating with clients and the public would go a long way in allaying people’s angst. Then that not only applies to airlines does it?

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Saturday report.

This little bit of Welsh coal should turn into a diamond very quickly. The Adjudicator on the left had a lot more egg on hid face than the other two sure.

I am inclined to go along with Ron Lewis [retired Staff Sergeant] on this. Me thinks the problems run very deep and need a real good look at by a full inquiry.

Not sure if my visuals had any great effect.

Five hours after I took a series of pics [4], of mostly empty shelves, they were full of ‘mostly fresh’ fruits and vegetablesand bread other than hamburger buns. People busily picking and choosing from a variety on a somewhat normal like Friday afternoon. It was sure different earlier in the day and yesterday, people coming in and walking out empty handed.

After hearing that the fresh and perishable goods were not going to be flown in yesterday I asked to take some photos, I sent them along to government officials at WST, local politicians and other folk involved it the process of making sure we on the north coast are an integral part of the province [Integral is the Premiers favorite word when talking about Labrador Newfoundland relations].

Also involved with communicating the situation were a number of other people via e mail, fax, phone and black berries. Something worked, to a point, still not a lot of bread in town, some did not get their full compliment of freight, but we thank Yahweh for small mercies. With fine weather today who knows?
Speaking of black berries, some English black berries came in, had some in a fruit salad on crêpes this morning.

Could this be a lesson for some people who have become reliant on store bought breads. It was not that long ago everybody was content with home made, either made by themselves or bought from a local. There are other lessons too, but most are not in a learning mood.

Friday, June 15, 2007

It's 25.2 c and rising baby.

Only thing of note, apart from the harbour being ice free [except a few little bits], is that people are going shopping for the usual fresh food supplies [usually comes in Thursdays] and there is nothing except wilted stuff from last week or the week before. No fresh bread in Norhtern for 2 weeks, only hamburge buns in Food Land. Still we have option of fresh arctic char, so one should not complain too much, at least that's what the powers that be hope for.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Fish n time.

The char are running, though in fits and starts and kind of small. But that’s not going to stop the action on the shore.
Some folks down at Northern Point and ‘Over Cross’ this morning.




Small fish but great eating.

Fig farydi porni

A recent visitor from Toronto bought with her some delightful and much appreciated goodies. Mostly cheese and wine and some fresh fruits, but one unusual and totally unexpected one was a punnet of fresh figs. I have not eaten fresh figs for longer than I care to remember, maybe back in Greece two decades + ago.
But they did bring back memories of my pre teen years; there was a huge fig tree that grew on the adjoining property but half the tree was over on our side of the fence. So we just waited for the figs to drop off, or climb up on the fence. I vaguely remember that figs were not the #1 choice for risking neighbor’s wrath, many other fruits and berries to choose from.

So any way Fran would not try the fresh figs, “looks like old worms” [does too]. was response when I opened one up for her to try.

So what to do with the figs? Just happened to have May issue of Delicious magazine near the radio, low n behold there was a recipe for fresh fig and hazelnut tart.
So with some substituting, to whit walnuts and almonds for hazelnuts and a couple of drops of Ducal Shiraz Tempranillo for Madeira all was a go. Boy did it turn out amazing IMHO. Visitor offered up that one “could not get better or fresher anywhere in the big TO”.


After the low fog lifts we are into the 6th day of sunshine, keep her coming baby.
Oh oh, just looked out the window again for weather check, low fog has turned into high fog and sunshine covered by cloud, great while it lasted.
Now [minutes later] would you know the fog has gone as quick as it came, just scattered cloud, I love the early mornings.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Mid week brief.

So how nice for St.John’s to be honored by the presence of the National Postal Service at a meeting, all the way out in the Atlantic yet.
I have to wonder if any of the Labrador politicians were present, both provincial and federal {I know our MHA was not there}. Why it was only a few weeks ago that the Labrador politicians were in Ottawa for a meeting with Canada Post officials, but no officials turned up.
Could it be we are being integrally ignored not only by provincial government officials?
There is a strong Aboriginal presence in the arts community of Labrador, so maybe Mr. Hill represents that section and one of the others represents the rest. But it is still a glaring hole in the integral claim of our esteemed Leader.

We are into the fifth day of the weather pattern, only a bit of in wind [E] is keeping it cool near the water, other than that it’s up to 11 and rising at the house.
The ice is thinning but still a lot of it. Lot’s of people fishing from the shore this morning so the char must be on the way out. Several speed boats have gone out in amongst the ice.

The Steel Workers local are having a ratification meeting and vote in Goose Bay tomorrow, the people from Nain were due to fly out for it, not sure if they got out as fog and other nasty stuff is south of us.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

4 in row boy.

We must be heading into some sort of a modern day record, looking good for four sunny great days in a row, like the good old days boy. Temperatures have been in the mid to low high teens at the house.
Been relatively calm too, ice is just sitting out in harbor going back n forth with the tide.
Supposed to get some drizzle tonight/tomorrow then get up to 24c on Thursday, get the bug juice out!

Friends down in Texas say that there is a shortage of many species of migrating birds this year, awful hot with storms too.
Up here we have an abundance of migrating and resident bird life this year. Beside the resident ravens, gray jays, sparrows and sea gulls we have a good population of robins this year. Some yellow breasted warblers have taken up residence along the burn at the back of the houses, very territorial they are. Also around are juncos, longspurs, chickadees, morning dove and I’m sure others that I have missed.

I rigged up a basic bird feeder and suspended it near the bedroom window. One reason for that was to try get some photo’s of the birds, second was to foil the bloody pesky squirrel. Alas the feeder was too close to the house wall, Carmen [the squirrel] climbed up to the window sill for leverage for the jump to the feeder. I disrupted her attempt, but she hit the feeder anyway, knocked some food out and calmly munched away at it on hitting the ground. Moved the feeder along out of harms way, now it’s too far away to keep an eye on it.

On a more mundane topic. Not surprisingly the Minister for Works Service Transport has yet again canceled his trip to Nain. Lost count of the cancellations, also cancelled was his presence at the Nunatsiavut Assembly meeting in Hopedale.
Not much use him coming up now as the purpose was to bring some news on the short and long term marine shipping issues brought to the department’s attention this past winter.
Belies the minister’s alleged strong commitment to working with and for all of Labrador.

Not heard any news on the striker’s [local 9508] negotiations, guess they are under way In Goose Bay. Speaking of strikes, some interesting stats here.

Upe-r-te-date.

Listen to CKOK radio [along the North Coast and Lake Melville region] from 1 to 3 pm today for the latest developments on the local 9580 situation.

So much sun must be getting to me, went out this morning to discover my bike was missing. OK I did leave it outside [my bad] chained to the front steps, slipped my mind to bring it in last evening. Thought for sure it was stripped or at the bottom of the harbor where lots end up.
Strange thing happened though while doing some shopping at Northern. While at the check out I noticed this short young guy looking at me through the glass of the entrance door. Second sense kicked in telling me something was up. On exiting the store the kid says to me “I know where your bike is”. “Oh really” I says, “how do you know my bike is missing?” Kids says “he saw somebody take it”.
Any way long story short, and with the casual intervention of a passing citizen, he tells me roughly where the bike was, he even went on ahead and helped look for it, glad he did as the area of swamp and willows is quite large. Any way he found it, I thanked him profusely and said I owe him one. He did know who took the bike and now I know.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Diakopto

or unterruptus.

I was not going to post anything on this very fine sunny weekend, two days in a row of fine weather is an anomaly that should not be forsaken.

But these two columns in the Telegram are must reads IMO. The replacement workers piece goes a long way in the argument for legislation, and as usual Mike J does a fine job of promoting the awes of Labrador.

Friday, June 08, 2007

Your wave mate!

Big momma nature shows whose boss once again. A brand new bulk ship gets popped around like a cork. Or in the recent case off the Labrador, encased in ice.

Not to make light of the situations, just to point out that man has no control over nature, much to some peoples chagrin.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Thursday non pics.

Well looky here. I’m not advocating anything, just pointing out that the proposed development of the so called Lower Churchill is on people minds still, yet no announcements of any industries being attracted to the area to precipitate all the hype of full and fair benefits to labradorians.
While Mr. Westcott does not advocate roads in Labrador ahead of the Avalon he has some good points here.

Or is the great entrepreneur, when he says “going it alone” means it literally.

Time for some of that openness/ transparency/accountability I hear so much about.

Thursday pics.

Today spics are: the Fire Hall, HQ of the Nain Volunteer Fire Brigade. Awhile back I was asked to get some photos of the fire fighting equipment, yet to do that.

Then we have the ball park. It has a basketball court one side and a kid’s playground the other side, nice setting too.

From near the ball park I took the shot of the RCMP complex. Large dark blue building is the office and lock up etc. Gray building at right is private residence.
The narrow two story is storage, then three buildings of 1, 2 and 3 residency.



The yellow building to the left is the towns Family Resource Centre.

While on photographs. The CBC’s here and now has a segment called the weather picture of the day. Each evening Karl gives the name of the town for the next nights show. People are asked to send in photos of the weather that day to be shown during the weather segment. Last night it was Nain, and according to Karl there were lots sent in, he apologized for not getting them all up. My one was the last shown in the sequence.
All were different angles and perspectives of the town, all had ice and snow capped hills, just no getting away from that at the moment.




Wednesday, June 06, 2007


Here is the Martin Martin hall as is today, a sad sight from its hay day. The hall was used for functions and showing movies when I first arrived back in 1978. It was since left empty for a time, then used as a youth centre for a period, and then left empty again. It’s used as storage shed now.

Best use IMO was as a youth centre, for various reasons it did not work out.
The hall was named after Martin Martin, who was a chief elder for years, and one of the initiators in forming the Labrador Inuit Association back in the early 1970’s.
Update:
I'm posting this from 'oldbrooktrout' comment below. It's an important question, what is going to happen to the OK building, and the Martin Martin building and several others of historic value. Now if this was St.John's I would have a better clue as to the answerer, but in Labrador??????????
Nain.
January 7
1952
Dear Mr. Smallwood,
Just a few lines to let you know what we think. We would like very much if you would kindly answer our questions. First we’ll let you know that up till now we have collected money for the fisherman union. It’s not very much we collected one dollar from each man here in Nain and we will now send the money to you.We would like to build a house for moving pictures and playing games in. We men of Nain will cut and saw lumber for the frame of the house. The house will be forty feet long and thirty feet wide and the wall will be eight feet wide. Meaning from bottom to top of house will be fourteen feet high. We haven’t got enough money to buy everything for the house and we would like for the government to help us in buying lumber and other things we need for the house. Please let us know if you will help us in buying the thing for the house.We the Elders and people of Nain would thank you very much if you will help us.
Martin Martin
Gustav Sillit
Noah Ikkiatsiak
Lurie Kujiak
Paulus Maggo

Visual tour time2.


Gray building is the Inuit Community Government office and chambers.
The building with the dormer windows is Okalakatiget Society HQ. Now that building has character, just needs some restorative work, sure hope it is forth coming when OK moves out.
The large red roof to the left is part of the Health Centre, traditionally called the nursing station, but since we some times get doctors in for a week now and then it’s a Health Centre now.

Then we have the gas station with the Hydro plant on hill.
Next is a shot of the idle fish plant. The white boarded up building, rear right of plant, is an old residence belonging to the Moravian Church. Another neglected building of character than would serve the community well if restored. To left of plant is the rear of the Northern store.




From a different vantage point one of the Church, most popular building for picture takes, also worse for wear. Some people have been doing some structural stabilizing of the spire area last couple of years, not sure where it will lead.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

A gentleman down in Hawaii wanted to know the temperature extremes/averages up here.

Kind of sorry I looked it up now, it does emphasis that we must be a hardy lot. No worries about bikini tans and getting heat stroke.
Would you believe that people are going around today saying, "nice day.... warm though"!
I answer, "it's all relative".
It's up to about +13c. No wind sure makes it feel warmer. But it is a nice day, cloudy, damp roads, great for biking.
But things are not as they should be, very quite, more on that tomorrow.

It’s visual tour time.

For the uninitiated, over the next little while I will do a montage of the commercial and service buildings in the community. Boring for some maybe, but I look at it as a community service.
This will be interspersed with whatever comes up on the day.

Most of the buildings exteriors are on the aging side, this comes with the topography and the high cost of replacement and maintenance.

First off we have what we refer to as ‘down town’. It is near the dock, church and part of the ‘original’ area of Nain.

Northern Stores was originally locally owned, it was purchased by Northern and expanded, and it is way too small both for adequate customer service and warehouse wise. There are rumblings of a new store being built, but no definitive word to date. Northern sells dry goods, some hardware, food and fresh food all the way to furniture and Bombardier ski doos by catalogue.

Then we have Haynes Store. Originally started by Mr. Haynes in one room of his house the whole building is now a store and office. It is now owned and operated locally. Very old style of store with a long counter behind which are shelves of food and other items along with the store clerks. In front of the counter there is a myriad of dry goods items, hardware; walls are blocked with all sorts of handy dandy stuff. It’s said if you can’t find what you are looking for lift a box or an item, it maybe underneath, or ask the clerks, it maybe in storage. There is a list of furniture items posted on the inside of the entrance door that is located on far end of building.

Across from Haynes is the post office and a bank agency. This is a very busy place some days. The bank operates in afternoons only and is staffed by post office personal. Post office boxes are inside the building separated from the main area.

Two lots up on same side is the Puff-n-snacks. Owned locally this store sells mainly snack type foods, ice cream, many little nick knacks for gift giving, and when stocks are in beer. It’s the only beer outlet in the community bringing in stock summer months only, usually runs out around March then the long wait until first boats.







About a kilometer up the road is the Food Land store. Operated by an outside entity it is the largest in structure and retail space. Sells everything from fresh food to hardware and furniture. Originally constructed from Federal Native Funding and operated by the Provincial Government it was sold to a private company some years back.

A little ways up the road and on the other side is Jacquie’s Convenience. Family owned it sells food the usual food items, snacks and fresh food. It opens most days except Christmas day. There is a large warehouse several hundred meters up the road for storage.




To be continued.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Monday morning duex.

CBC HV-GB had an interview with a guy who monitors the ice conditions around the province. Not a whole lot of good news, heavy ice all the way up the Labrador coast making it impossible for any commercial traffic for a little while yet, or maybe a little longer. Class 9 ice for 50 miles or so north of Grosse Water Bay.
If the temperatures do not get warmer it may be the end of this month before any freight/passenger boats get up here. The gentleman mentioned that not even with an escort could any ships get through at the moment and even if things do thin out ships would only be able to travel in daylight hours.

For this time of year we should not be seeing thick ice on the old dam, or so much ice out in the harbor.









It gets down into the minus temperatures in the evening and some days it gets up to 5 or 6, one day last week it got up to 11.
It’s a nice sunny day today but as soon as you get near the harbor you can feel the temperature drop, any little in wind just makes it even cooler.

Deftera proinos.

Some people just don’t have a sense of humor, others have a crafty one.

Suns out and temperatures heading into the plus any time soon.

Had a busy weekend with lots of spring type cleaning, bits of painting. I’m not happy with having to throw much of “my tuff” out, next time I’m looking for “some stuff” to fix something I won’t be able to find it.

"You have not converted a person because you have silenced them"

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Aspos pali.







By now all must be tired of images of fresh fallen snow from my window, so I will spare all from this mornings lot. I think I speak for most here that it is getting tiresome, it’s great in December, June2 is pushing the envelope.

While out yesterday I took this pic of the Nain Inuit Community Government {ICG} garage and most of the large equipment, not bad for a northern town of 1300.



Around the same time I took these of a chopper that was doing some unusual maneuvers on the periphery of town, then doing some low passes and a big u-e around the Hydro Plant before landing briefly. Pilot then took off and did a low pass over me at the ball park, then a run along the shore line, over some houses on his way to the chopper pad and re fueler at the northern end of the airstrip.

Why am I making a big deal of this, well there is a no fly zone around the community, and this guy was obviously inside that zone. Unless he was doing search and rescue, or here for an emergency situation, then he was breaching the no fly zone.
Not only are choppers noisy, it poses undue risk to the citizens unnecessarily.






Friday, June 01, 2007

Thinking positive tessera misos.

Just for information purposes, and if any one is interested. I have no formal or friendly association with the people at the Strikers web site. I have linked to them several times and they have a link to me. I have no problem with the link; I don’t know why they have though, could it be they are seekers of the truth, or just like a good laugh?
Any way perhaps the people in ivory towers can relax and go get some sleep.

Paul Piggott of CBC HV-GB [no link] had an interview with a representative of Fednav this morning. The discussion centered around why and perhaps how long the mv Umiak will be stuck in the ice.


Uppitydate:

I have good information [unless photo shopped] that says that the Umiak is stuck [moved about ships length in 24 hours] in ice up to 21 feet thick. It’s not land fast ice but drift ice that has rafted into great solid waves after it hits islands. The evidence is not in my possession so wont be posting any pictures.


Wally Andersen and Todd Russell have been on radio or issuing press releases about their latest failed attempts to get some justice on several issues on the Labrador. IE payments to fishers plus the high cost of parcel post into and out of the coast are just two of the on going issues.
Perhaps it’s time to re think about these annual pilgrimages [Todd is stationed there] to Ottawa to meet officials , or not, to be given the bums knees.

This is a follow up to an earlier post I made on another slaughter this year.
I think if the 70 year old can travel all those K on ski doo he can spend some down time in the slammer.


Took this picture of the dam while out riding this morning, would not recommend doing triple lutz on it.

Think positive tessera.

Struth and stone the bloody crows. Seeing as I’m in Canada I think I’ll have a few bob each way.
So have a nice day, and would you like a doughnut with your Tim’s? "Youthful things indeed".
Bloody awful coffee imo, but their iced cappuccino is not bad and some of the sandwich soup combos are passable as are some of the muffins.

The Umiak is still not at the loading dock, seems it is stuck in heavy ice pressed together by in shore winds.
The ice around Nain and over to Edwards Cove is not safe for travel, and things are quietened on the strike information front, talks at table are on holiday till second week in June.