The Squamidian Report – Aug. 17/19
Issue ===>#899<===
Including:
From Russ
From Lorne
The Ontarion
Hi All,
This is certainly not what I wanted to write about in this, the last
issue before our big 900th. Its not something I’d even imagine writing
about but here it is, as unbelievable and mind boggling as it is……
Our beloved Gondola is down, out of business. Not by choice. We woke
last Saturday morning to the news that the main cable had broken and
the lines and cable cars were down. That just didn’t make sense or seem
possible as that cable is 4 inches in diameter and so over-built it
could carry many many times the load it is required to cary. It could
almost withstand a direct nuclear blast. Viewing from a distance did
indeed show the main cable down in places and dangling in others with
no cable cars in sight. This simply isn’t possible. For one thing, this
apparently happened at 4:30am when the system isn’t even running. Thats
when the alarm system alerted Gondola Operations Management that
something was wrong, and what they found upon arrival was devastating.
There were 30 cable cars on the line, 10 of them brand new. With the
exception of 1 or 2 at the top and bottom where they come off the main
and onto a secondary system, all the cars were smashed onto the rocks
and trees below. Total destruction. The media was immediately making
ridiculous statements like “the main cable had failed or there was a
structural or mechanical failure”. Before they even had the facts there
were trying to make a sensational story based on what they thought
might have happened.
Within a short time the whole area was cordoned off behind yellow
police tape and had be declared a crime scene. The cable had be cut. It
had not broken, there were no mechanical failures, it had been cut.
Theres no need to include the term ‘deliberately’ because it couldn’t
have been done accidentally. This had been beyond an act of vandalism,
it was sabotage. In a bazar way thats better than had it been some sort
of failure because had it been an equipment failure it would take years
to investigate and determine the cause and not just put the Sea to Sky
Gondola out of business for good but others like it around the world
until the failed components could be identified, re-designed and
re-certified then re-installed. As a person-caused situation it is much
simpler from a repair and rebuild aspect. That doesn’t change the fact
that the gondola is now out of business for untold months (early
estimates point at sometime next spring) and that the repairs will run
into the millions of dollars but at least repairs can begin once the
RCMP has released the site after their investigations are complete.
No one knows whether or not the person or persons will ever be found,
we can only hope so because until they are, they are still out there.
The sense of loss to the community is beyond words. Our gondola put
this town on the map and meant everything to so many people not just
here but from around the world. The sense of loss isn’t just for the
gondola itself but for all the people that worked there who are now out
of a job. The core management and upper level staff will asumabley
retain their jobs but the workers, those wonderful people we interacted
with daily will not. Many must move on in order to earn a living. Some
may be able to collect UI, who knows. All we do know is that our
personal loss includes so many of the incredible young people we know
and love. Many if not most we will never see again. Face it, no one
thought to say good by the day before because no one could have
foreseen such a mind numbing event.
And no one yet knows WHY this was done. We have more than our share of
Eco-terrorists out here, as well as some rather violent radical
professional activists that turn up by the bus load at all sorts of
projects and endeavors. We all have our theories, I have mine but until
the perpetrators are captured no one will really know why they did it.
The gondola has seen controversy right from its early planning stages.
There are locals who don’t want change, who see the mountains and back
country as their private playground and despise the fact that others
can go there. There have been individuals and groups fighting its
existence from the beginning and continue to do so for who knows how
many selfish reasons. So, we can’t know the WHY until they are caught,
and we sure hope they are, sooner than later.
As an aside, there my be a possible connection to a vandalism spree on
the North Shore where metal hydro transformer boxes, those big green
things on street corners that house transformers etc, have been cut
into, causing oil spill, fires, and short circuits. Currently the
‘connection’ is that metal structures are being cut, and at night. The
metal cutting is the only ‘connection’ so no one is actually expecting
this to pan out.
So, for now, we and this town are without our world class favorite
place and our favorite friends. I was talking with the general manager
and while he obviously wants to be back up and running as soon as
possible, there is no way of know yet when that may be. They must
replace a 4 kilometer long, 4 inch in diameter specialty cable and
there are only 2 places in the word that make those cables and they are
not simply ‘in stock’ and sitting on a shelf somewhere. Same with the
gondola cabins that must be replace, they aren’t exactly in stock
waiting to be sold, they must be pre-ordered then manufactured. As
well, all the equipment effected by the cable as it sprung when severed
must be replaced on the off chance of damage. This will take months,
many months. Hopefully, the special interest groups that not only just
fought the building of the gondola, but made life miserable for them in
the beginning will stay away during the re-build but who knows. The
world is full of nut-cases. In the mean time, the town and vast
majority of the locals are pulling for them and pretty well everyone
has already offered any help in any way we can give, not that there is
anything anyone could do but its the thought I guess.
Anyway, this is not what I had intended to write about. I was going to
write about a nice overnighter that we did on the bike this week.
Perhaps I’ll do that for next week, which will be our 900th addition of
this letter. Yes, the 900th. Many of you have been around from the
beginning and others have come in along the way. Many have dropped out.
Thats ok too. So, lets hear from lots of you, lets make it a memorable
900th. One of the requirements when we were trying to decide to carry
on or not way back at the 800th was that members of this letter would
be at least a bit involved. Many have stepped forward incredibly,
others have never been heard from. So, for next week, get those
personal stories, adventures, thoughts, whatever, sent in and be part
of this. Its a lot of work for Greg and Russ and Lorne and I etc so
some demonstrated support would be kind of nice.
doug
****
From Russ
Ticks, tarts, and honey bees - -
Ticks, tarts, and honey bees (and not necessarily in that order).
On Saturday, August 3rd I wrote a bit about those hated ticks we’re
experiencing this season, and due to the overwhelming interest shown by
you readers of this great Squamidian (LOL), I am going to ‘hit’ you
with Part Two.
Ticks are nothing but useless blood suckers. Right ? Let’s see if we can find some Earthly use for these ancient “arthropods”:
“Ticks serve an important role in the ecological system. Every organism
serves a purpose, and the lowly tick is no exception. It is believed
they were the bane of dinosaurs millions of years before they bothered
us. The oldest known fossil tick was discovered in a piece of amber
recovered from a vacant lot in New Jersey - - it was 90 million years
old, and may have come to the US by hitching a ride with a seabird that
migrated from South America. Despised though they may be, ticks are
clearly doing something right to have survived this long” (Google).
Surely they’ve lived long enough! Let’s extinguish them with “Raid”!
Burn them out! Send them to Asia!! Hold on. It seems there are three
reasons we should tolerate them; “first, and perhaps most obvious, they
are food for other animals. Reptiles, amphibians, and birds all consume
ticks in quantity. If we all raised our own chickens (as we did in
pioneer times), we could keep the tick population around our homes in
check.
And those opossums that have made their way up from the South, believe
it or not, eat a remarkable number of ticks (I still hate opossums).
“Second – and this may not help ticks gain your support – ticks host a
remarkable variety of other organisms, namely micro parasites. Ticks
carry viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and other microscopic life wherever
they go. While we prefer that they didn’t, since many of these
stowaways are the very source of our tick-borne illnesses, in the
grand, ecological scheme of things, these microorganisms are part of
the diversity of life on Earth. Ask the virus that lives within the
tick, why we need the tick!
And third – by virtue of their blood-draining disease-causing ways,
ticks help control the populations of their larger hosts. We understand
concepts like carrying capacity and population control when we study
predator-prey relationships, but we are less sympathetic to the tiny
parasites that serve the same purpose. Just as the owl keeps the
population of mice in check, ticks play a role in maintaining a balance
within the ecosystem. Regardless of whether a moose is taken down by
wolves or the blood-draining feast of 50,000 ticks, it’s still one less
moose in the over-crowded area, or when food is scarce.”
Note: Where moose and deer occupy the same area, moose get infected by
deer ticks – deer can apparently ‘abide’ them, but the can and do kill
moose.
“Don’t hate ticks, they’re just doing what they’ve been doing for tens
of millions of years. If you don’t want them feeding on you, be sure to
take precautions to avoid tick bites”.
We’re advised to wear boots, and long-legged pants with bottoms of
pant-legs tucked into your boots. Long sleeved shirts, closed at the
cuffs and neck. (mosquito repellents may be of little use against ticks)
After being in the bush or areas with long grass, carefully check
yourself for any ticks that may have bi-passed your security barriers.
“questing” is the term used to describe how ticks lay-in-waiting for
their victims. They have 6 legs so the can easily crawl up on low
shrubs or long grass. Look for them (if you’ve got good eyes),
generally 18 to 24 inches off the ground, where they basically ‘hang
out’, and when an animal or human walks by and brushes up against them
they dislodge, and now they are on us!
If you’re misfortunate enough to be bitten by a tick, you likely won’t
feel it, and if it’s a Lyme disease carrying kind, you won’t know it
for months. Yes, you may look for the tell-tail red ‘bull’s eye’
pattern on your skin, but what if it bites you some place where the sun
don’t shine!?
And here’s a cheerful thought; if not ‘caught’ or properly treated the bite can kill you!
I’ve not tried to discus Lyme Disease here as it is VERY complicated,
and the medical profession is not yet up to date on their ability to
recognize Lyme Disease or how to properly treat patients suspected of
being bitten by a Lyme Disease-carrying tick.
Note: I found an interesting/valuable website while researching this column; Lyme TV.org
Note: tarts and honey bees will have to wait until next time.
By your old Uncle Russ.
****
From Lorne
Sitting outside on the low deck on the driveway side as I do daily
among the squirrels, chipmunks, birds of many colors and sizes and
rabbits, a very large airborne something caught my eye as it
landed on the roof of the tractor shed. Said shed being about 100 feet
from where I sat. After watching for a while, I slowly rose to get a
better look then crept slowly and silently toward the shed stopping
often to see if it had not flown away. It hadn't until I was about 30
feet away then flew down a trail leading through the bush and landed on
a tree limb still in view. Having had the opportunity to see its
features, colors and wing span, I searched on Google to find that my
guest was likely a Falcon. They are coming back to Southern Ont.
Just went through a session with Estate Planers and lawyers. The
purpose is to assure that remaining assets go to where they should.
However, the pros have their own goals and make sure that they, first
come, first served, get theirs. Whats left, if any, goes to the
family. Enjoy.
Lorne
****
THE ONTARION REPORT
Hello everyone!
Well, the ranks of my co-workers are thinning out for sure. I just
received notice that another of my crewmembers has passed away
suddenly. His name was Blake Johnson and I can’t say enough about this
man’s abilities and dedication to the job. He was not only a very good
fire fighter but was a very easy going and kind person in life itself!
Blake lost his wife back in the early 90’s and never remarried but
retired after 32 years on the Department and moved to Fergus Ontario
where he lived out the rest of his life. I last talked to him at this
past spring’s Retirement banquet and he was happy and healthy by all
accounts. I guess his demise was just one of those things. He told me
he had been very healthy to that point and had really enjoyed his
retirement. He was 76 years of age and was looking forward to enjoying
many more years on the company pension! I guess it just wasn’t in the
cards for that to happen.
I also received notice that another one of my crewmembers lost his wife
on August 7th. I guess I’m getting to the point where age is catching
up with many of my friends and past coworkers and their spouses. That’s
just the way life (and death) happens! It seems unfair but Mother
Nature has control of things and there’s not much we can do about it
but try our best to look after our health and prolong the inevitable!
*
Speaking
of living, we were sitting in the family room the other night enjoying
a Pizza Hut pizza when a rather unappetizing article came on the news.
It was a story about a fellow who lives in Owen Sound Ontario that gave
up his career as a graphic artist to become the first “cricket farmer”
in Ontario. He decided to change careers after reading up on feeding
the world with insects. Apparently there are half a billion people
worldwide that have a steady diet of insects. The news article stated
that in the future with the world population increasing as it is, by
the year 2050 beef and pork production won’t be able to keep up with
the demand for conventional meat based diets. So, this person in Owen
Sound decided it was a good idea to get into the “insect for food”
market early and try his best to make a career out of raising crickets.
He has started his farm with 250,000 crickets and already has enough
orders for his end product of “Roasted Crickets” to carry his business
over the next two years production. He has set a goal of producing 1.5
million crickets per year and figures it’ll only go up from there. He
is at the moment roasting his product and bagging them like potato
chips in three different flavours. He bags “sour cream and onion”,
“salt and vinegar” and “Bar B Q” roasted crickets at the moment and
plans on many more flavours as the market picks up in the next few
years. It’s an interesting concept for sure but I think I’d rather
become vegetarian before switching to eating crickets. It just doesn’t
appeal to me to be munching on insects! LOL!
*
I
don’t remember if I mentioned my clutch problems in the MGB in columns
gone by so I’ll touch on it now. Two weeks ago the clutch friction
point was making the pedal movement become closer and closer to the
floor in the MG. I asked my mechanic friend from the Fire Dept to check
it out for me since he has worked on my vehicles for years now. I was
having trouble getting the car into gear and feared it might be a
faulty transmission. When Chris (my mechanic) checked it out, he
discovered that the problem was not the transmission but what is called
the slave cylinder and master cylinders that are part of the clutch
works on a standard shift vehicle. I managed to track down replacement
parts at a reasonable price and Chris then installed them both. The
result was a very smooth working clutch and a very easy shifting
transmission in the MG. Whew! I guess I dodged a bullet with that
repair. A new transmission would have been very expensive had I had to
replace it! For what amounted to a couple of hundred dollars the
problem was fixed and the MG is good for another 40 years! LOL! Too bad
I can’t say the same for myself, but then again I don’t have an
internal clutch! LOL!
Anyway, the MG is now running and driving great and we can continue to enjoy our cruising the countryside with confidence!
Guess that’s about all I have for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report!
Bye for now … Greg
PS: Something To Think About>
Enjoy your beef and pork dinners while they last! You could soon be dining on insects!
****
Have a good one..
the doug
The Fine Print!
The articles in these issues are the sole property of the persons writing them and should be respected as such.
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