The Squamidian Report – Oct. 3 / 15
 
Issue #697

Including:
From Wayne


Hi All,

I trust some of you were able to view the lunar eclipse last Sunday evening. It was definitely a cool thing to see. Because of how early the moon was rising, and because of how far north we are, and because of the fact that our eastern horizon is mountains, the moon was already eclipsed by the time it came into view. When it did, it was a big dull-red ball. Slowly, the lower left section started to brighten as the Earth's shadow moved along. By the time half the moon was out of the shadow, it was almost too bright to look at. Two sets of neighbors took advantage of our front deck to watch the show. Both their homes are lower than ours and their view to the east is obscured by tall trees as well as the terrain. This was a 'super moon', meaning it looked bigger because its about 12% closer to the Earth than normal, and the 'blood' aspect come in of the color of the refracted sunlight that illuminated the shadowed surface.

We enjoyed a wonderfully clear sky, and the weather was cool enough and dry enough that the air was clear making for great viewing. The stars were incredible during the eclipse. Once the moon started out of the shadow the sky became washed out from the light and we were back to a normal full moon type of night. It was all good.

And speaking of clear skies, we've had some nice R/C flying conditions and to that end I was down at the ball park, again, to fly my little plane. I like to work on flight maneuvers at low speed and low altitude, low altitude meaning about 4 ft off the deck. That way you have to keep it under control and you must recover instantly if it goes out of control. Basically, its more fun that way than flying around at 40 ft or so where you can fly very sloppily and it really doesn't matter. Anyway, I was doing some figure 8's when all of a sudden the plane was being chased by a dog. It was perhaps a pit bull, bull dog type cross, very compact and muscular with a jaw that was so big it split its head right in half when its mouth opened. It already had a ball in its mouth but it had spotted and then decided that it wanted that yellow flying thing. It followed the figure 8's around, at times leaping up to catch the plane. So, I pulled up and climbed. The dog sat down and watched the plane, then took off after it when I brought it back toward me. I figured that if this dog were to catch the plane, there would be nothing left of it within about half a second. Not from maliciousness, but from sheer fun of chasing and catching things.

If the plane were to land or even come close enough to the dog to be caught in the air, it would be done for. Dogs are fast and this one was having the time of its life. I set up a couple of practice runs where I brought the plane directly toward me on a gentle down-slope so I could try to catch it myself. But, the dog caught on and came and sat right beside me, waiting for that same opportunity. So, that wouldn't work, the dog would simply jump up and snatch the thing if I tried to catch it. I started to climb out and as the plane was gaining altitude, I heard a whistle and a ball came flying by. The dog took off after the ball, caught it and then headed back to its owner. They headed over to the other end of the field and none too soon. My flight battery expired and I brought the plane in toward me. Couldn't quite make the nice smooth sandy infield, it landed just shy of that, in the grass which was fine. What I hadn't noticed because my attention was on the plane was that the dog actually had 2 balls in its mouth and it was after a 3rd one when its interest in the plane was diverted. In chatting with its owner, he said the dog will chase anything that looks fun and yes, if it had gotten ahold of the plane, there would have been one chomp and a mouth full of Styrofoam. We had a good chat about dogs and balls and stuff and the whole time we were talking, the dog was trying to get him to try to take 1 of his balls away. The gleam in its eyes said everything.

Oh, guess what? At approximately 8:28am Thursday morning, as I was cruising along on my Harley, enjoying the old highway that runs from Merrit BC to Spence's Bridge, following along the Nicola River, surrounded by incredible scenery and abundant wild life, the bike's odometer turned 100,000 kilometers. And most of those hundred thousand were just as pleasurable. I had headed out on Wednesday morning to hook up with a friend who lives in the Kootenay's. He and another rider rode in from there, I from here and we met up in Kamloops. From there we rode the old 5a down to Merrit where we spent the night. The ride up through Whistler and Pemberton, then over the Duffy was spectacular. We were having crystal clear sunny days and while the mountain streams were rolling, the mountain lakes were mirror smooth and still. We don't have the eastern hard wood trees with their reds and oranges but we do have trees that turn yellows and light oranges as well as silvery. We have lots of low shrubs that turn red and orange so mix that all in with the grey-silver lichens and mosses and the evergreens and you have a lot of colour. Another cool thing is, and it helps to be on a bike rather than in a car, is the smell of the forests and the mountains and the grassy hills this time of year. On a bike, you get the full effect. I'll quote a line from one of my own songs that fits very well, “The scent of the forest drifts gently aloft”. Anyone who follows my music will probably recognize that and perhaps even know the song.

On Thursday morning we scraped the frost off our bike seats and headed out, along the Nicola River as it winds through some very interesting country side. When we had gassed up before hitting the road I had checked my odometer and so knew the 100k mark was coming up fast so I was watching for it. It happened where the road made tight curve, hemmed in by the river below and a steep high slope above, sparsely treed with scrub pines between the rocky outcrops. At Spence's Bridge we joined Highway 1 at the bridge over the Thompson River and rode on down to Lyton where we stopped for a coffee and then split up, they heading south to Hope and then east on #3, I headed north on #12 up to Lillooet and then back over the Duffy. The ride home was as spectacular as the ride out. And of course seeing this country from the seat of a bike somehow makes it special. One thing about touring the countryside on a bike, one must always be aware of and watching for wildlife. That becomes even more pressing this time of year, and even more so during early morning and late evening. At one point I had to brake for a bear that decided to stroll out onto the road right in front of me. Another time I needed to slow for a deer that jumped out of the ditch and bounded for the other side of the road. I saw lots of deer off to the sides and numerous times there were cows and horses wandering unfenced along the lesser roads, the roads that are the most enjoyable to ride. Its a hard life. :)

And don't forget, we are quickly closing in on #700...., only 3 issues away. So get working on those stories.
doug
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Wayne Brubacher

1911     ---    ELECTION   ---     2015

I just finished reading a book called CANADA 1911, The decisive Election That Shaped The Country, by Patrice Dutil and David MacKenzie, ISBN 978-1-55488-947-1.
We need another book called ‘How Canada Changed in a Century’ to chronicle the reversal of roles between the incumbent Liberals, under Wilfrid  Laurier and the Conservatives led by challenger Robert Borden. Laurier went down in defeat. Laurier’s Liberals were pro-American. They recognized the reality that we were neighbours. Trade and commerce was so much easier across a land border than with England, the country many Canadians considered the Motherland.

The Liberals had negotiated a Free Trade Agreement with the USA, strongly supported in the US Congress and only needing confirmation by the Canadian Parliament. Laurier, in response to England’s request to build some capital ships for use by Canadians in England’s wars, preferred and promoted that Canada should build its own Navy for its own protection, which could assist the Motherland if needed, but under Canada’s command.

The Conservatives were staunchly opposed to all three pillars of Liberal policy which led to the game-changing election of 1911. The Conservatives openly feared American influence on our culture, our moral values, our thriving industry and ultimately our independence. Some even feared annexation, a not outlandish possibility as the USA began its Empire-building in the mid-twenties and Canada was on its list of seven countries that it intended to invade. Accordingly, they bitterly opposed a Free Trade Agreement as that would usher in all the evils mentioned above.

They objected to the idea that Canada should have its own Navy since Canada had no enemies that would be a threat by sea. Furthermore, the Conservative Party was dominated by English emigrants or second generation British stock and felt that if Canada was to wage war, it should be under England’s command. Every issue in that fateful election was related to foreign affairs but today the issues that threaten the whole world are seldom mentioned by the contenders in the 2015 election. Harper and the Conservatives are, nevertheless very active in foreign affairs and indeed, continue so during the campaign period, signing agreements without consultation of the other parties in contravention of election guidelines but the world-shaking issues are not identified, indeed, minor “adjustments” to the status quo dominate the political discussions. So now a century later, what has changed?

The liberals make up their foreign affairs strategy as they go along but that could be because of their unlikely choice for leader. The Liberals who had promoted free trade opposed the NAFTA late in the last century. The Conservatives welcome annexation by the USA, not physical annexation, but the implanting of the exact copy of the American culture, morals, militarized police, aggressive military and criminal financial community. In support of the World Trade Organization, The International Monetary Fund, NATO and US hegemony, Canada is relinquishing its sovereignty to the bullies on the planet. They have committed us to about ten Trade and Security Agreements (without any citizen input) which include a Security Agreement with Israel so that we have to fight if they start a war, and the recent Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TTPA) that allows foreign corporations to sue the Canadian Government. And now we have enemies because we are committing aggression against foreign sovereign countries that did nothing the provoke us. Harper demands regime change. Both of these actions are identified as war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Nuremburg Principals. But what has changed the most?

In 1911 crowds numbering in the thousands stood in the cold and rain to hear leaders, real leaders promote their platforms and political party. Today, what incentive is there? Leaders? In most cases they are the prettiest horses in the glue factory! And as for programmes, where do we get an opportunity for input other than to make financial contributions? And the programs are all domestic, some are important, but, in my estimation, nothing worth having an election over!
Wayne Brubacher

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Have a good one..
the doug
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