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Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Top 10 Soft Skills to Master in 2011
Year-End Flurry of Food Recalls, Illness
Sprouts, Parsley, Cilantro, Pastry, Cheese in Separate Recalls
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
In the two most serious of these outbreaks:
- At least 89 people in 15 states fell ill with salmonella infections after eating contaminated Alfalfa Sprouts and Spicy Sprouts from Tiny Greens Organic Farm of Urbana, Ill. Many of those who fell ill reported eating sandwiches at Jimmy John's restaurants.
- 100 people became ill after eating pastries made by Rolf's Patisserie, a gourmet European bakery in Lincolnwood, Ill. Various desserts were shipped wholesale and repackaged by other retailers. Whole Foods has recalled gingerbread houses and a wide range of pastries, pot pies, and quiche originally made by Rolf's.
Parsley/Cilantro Recall -- Salmonella
In the latest recall, J&D Produce of Edinburg, Texas, has recalled its Little Bear brand curly parsley and cilantro. Tests of the products in Quebec, Canada and in Detroit detected salmonella contamination.The items were packed from Nov. 30 to Dec. 6. According to the Associated Press, the company is also recalling other produce that came through its production lines on these dates: arugula, leeks, collards, curly mustard, gold beets, kale, green Swiss chard, plain mustard, plain parsley, kohlrabi, rainbow Swiss chard, mint, methi leaf, beets, daikon, red Swiss chard, turnips, turnip greens, and dill.
No known illnesses have yet been associated with this recall. J&D promises a full refund of any affected product.
Alfalfa Sprouts -- Salmonella
On Dec. 27, the FDA warned consumers not to eat Alfalfa Sprouts and Spicy Sprouts (a mix of alfalfa, radish, and clover sprouts) from Tiny Greens Organic Farm.The preliminary results of a CDC/FDA investigation link many of the illnesses to sandwiches from Jimmy John's restaurant outlets. About half of the 89 cases reported as of Dec. 21 were in Illinois residents who ate at Jimmy John's. The restaurant has stopped putting sprouts on its sandwiches.
The sprouts were also distributed in 4-ounce and 5-pound containers to farmers markets, restaurants, and groceries in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and possibly other states in the Midwest.
Illnesses from salmonella with the same DNA fingerprint as the outbreak strain have been identified in Connecticut, Washington D.C., Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Pastries -- Staph Toxin
On Christmas Eve, the Lincolnwood, Ill., bakery Rolf's Patisserie recalled products made after Nov. 1, 2010.The products include tiramisu, cakes, cobblers, decorated cookies, tarts, pastries, and pies (including pot pies). Because these foods are sold wholesale, they may be repackaged by retailers under various labels.
The foods contain toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Poisoning occurs from ingesting these toxins, not from Staph infection. Illness onset is usually within one to six hours after eating the contaminated food. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Severe cases are rare but may include headache, muscle cramps, and changes in blood pressure and pulse rate.
Pastries -- Staph Toxin continued...
Whole Foods has removed the foods from its shelves. Included in the Rolf's recall are pre-assembled gingerbread houses sold in Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.Also included in the recall are the following products sold by Whole Foods in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin:
Items sold in Bakery:
| UPC Code | Product Desc | Item Size | Unit of Measure |
| 23691600000 | WFM 6 IN CHERRY CRUMB PIE | 12 | OUNCES |
| 23600700000 | WFM 6 INCH APPLE PIE | 20 | OUNCES |
| 23692300000 | WFM 6IN APPLECRAN CRMB PIE | 19 | OUNCES |
| 23693100000 | WFM 9 IN HOUSE KEY LIME PIE | 34 | OUNCES |
| 23654800000 | WFM 9 INCH CHOC SILK PIE | 48 | OUNCES |
| 23691800000 | WFM 9IN APPCHDR CRUMB/DBL PIE | 34 | OUNCES |
| 23692200000 | WFM 9IN APPLCRAN CRUMB/DBL PIE | 37 | OUNCES |
| 23659200000 | WFM 9IN BANANA DULCE D LCH PIE | 52 | OUNCES |
| 23650700000 | WFM 9IN BLACKBERRY CHRRY PIE | 60 | OUNCES |
| 23659800000 | WFM 9IN BOSTON CREME PIE | 40 | OUNCES |
| 23691500000 | WFM 9IN CHERRY CRUMB/DBL PIE | 40 | OUNCES |
| 23659600000 | WFM 9IN COOKIES AND CREAM PIE | 42 | OUNCES |
| 23650000000 | WFM 9IN CRML APPLE CHSCAKE PIE | 44 | OUNCES |
| 23690900000 | WFM 9IN PEACH CRUMB/DBL PIE | 37 | OUNCES |
| 23650500000 | WFM 9IN RASP PCH CRUMB/DBL PIE | 60 | OUNCES |
| 23611000000 | WFM CAKE CHOC MOUSSE 8IN 58OZ | 58 | OUNCES |
| 23182200000 | WFM CHOC FLOURLESS CAKE 6IN | 24 | OUNCES |
| 23610800000 | WFM CHOC FLOURLESS CAKE 8IN | 32 | OUNCES |
| UPC Code | Product Desc | Item Size | Unit of Measure |
| 23629500000 | WFM LEMON MERINGUE PIE 9 INCH | 1133 | GRAMS |
| 23184200000 | WFM MINI CARAMEL TART 1OZ | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23615900000 | WFM MINI CHOC FRESH FRUIT TART | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23173400000 | WFM MINI CHOC GANACHE TART 1OZ | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23129700000 | WFM MINI CHOC RASPBERRY TART | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23648700000 | WFM MINI CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TART | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23152700000 | WFM MINI FRESH FRUIT TART 1OZ | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23658200000 | WFM MINI GERMAN CHOC TART | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23121200000 | WFM MINI KEY LIME TART | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23618600000 | WFM MINI LEMON MERINGUE TART | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23185400000 | WFM MINI LEMON TART 1OZ | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23619600000 | WFM MINI MERINGUE TART | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23651200000 | WFM MINI ROCKY ROAD TART | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23167600000 | WFM STRAWBERRY & CREAM PIE 9IN | 24 | OUNCES |
| 23621700000 | WFM APPLE PIE 9 INCH 1/2 | 22 | OUNCES |
| 23621800000 | WFM 9IN CHOCOLATE SILK PIE 1/2 | 24 | OUNCES |
| 23614300000 | WFM TIRAMISU CAKE 6IN 22OZ | 16 | OUNCES |
| 23167100000 | WFM PUMPKIN ANGEL FOOD CAKE | 16 | OUNCES |
| 23187900000 | WFM LEMON CREAM PIE 9 IN | 40 | OUNCES |
| 23605700000 | WFM MINI COCONUT TART | 1 | OUNCES |
| 23612900000 | WFM TIRAMISU CUP 6OZ | 6 | OUNCES |
| 23625000000 | WFM CRANBERRY WLNT UPSIDE CAKE | 19 | OUNCES |
| 23642700000 | WFM TRES LECHES CUP | 6 | OUNCES |
| 23660100000 | WFM 9IN CRML APPLE WALNT PIE | 44 | OUNCES |
| 23669000000 | WFM CREME BRULEE | 5 | OUNCES |
| 23671700000 | WFM 9 INCH IN HOUSE PUMPKIN PIE | 32 | OUNCES |
| 23695700000 | WFM YULE LOG | 27 | OUNCES |
Pastries -- Staph Toxin continued...
Items sold in Prepared Foods:| UPC Code | Product Desc | Unit of Measure |
| 23773800000 | CHICKEN POT PIE 9INCH SPECIAL | 26 OUNCES |
| 23851300000 | BEEF & MUSHROOM POT PIE 9IN | 26 OUNCES |
| 23853500000 | CURRY CHICKEN POT PIE LARGE | 26 OUNCES |
| 23856300000 | FAMILY SIZE TURKEY POT PIE | 16 OUNCES |
| 23923600000 | TOFU POT PIE 9 IN | 26 OUNCES |
| 23928400000 | CHICKEN POT PIE 9IN | 26 OUNCES |
| 23928500000 | VEGETABLE POT PIE 9 IN | 26 OUNCES |
| 9948280244 | CHICKEN POT PIE LARGE | 26 OUNCES |
| 9948280320 | TURKEY POT PIE LARGE | 26 OUNCES |
| 23785900000 | CORN PEPPPER QUICHE WHOLE | 12 OUNCES |
| 23788900000 | SMSALMONLEEKGOATQUICHESLICE | BY POUND |
| 23789300000 | SMSALMON LEEK GOAT CHS QUICHE | BY POUND |
| 23789400000 | SPINACH MUSH QUICHE SLICE | BY POUND |
| 23807900000 | MUSHROOM QUICHE SLICE | BY POUND |
| UPC Code | Product Desc | Unit of Measure |
| 23808100000 | SPINACH QUICHE SLICE | BY POUND |
| 23808200000 | SPINACH QUICHE WHOLE | 12 OUNCES |
| 23808300000 | WFM BROC CHEDDAR QUICHE SLICE | BY POUND |
| 23808400000 | BROCCOLI CHEDD QUICHE 9 IN | 12 OUNCES |
| 23949900000 | WFM QUICHE TOMATO BASIL SLICE | BY POUND |
| 23950200000 | WFM QUICHE LORRAINE SLICE | BY POUND |
| 23950300000 | QUICHE LORRAINE 9 IN | 12 OUNCES |
| 23950700000 | LEEK GOAT CHEESE QUICHE SLICE | BY POUND |
| 23967800000 | TOMATO BASIL QUICHE 9IN | 12 OUNCES |
| 9948280061 | QUICHE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR | 12 OUNCES |
| 9948280063 | QUICHE LORRAINE 9 | 12 OUNCES |
| 9948280065 | QUICHE TOM BASIL 9 | 12 OUNCES |
| 75452 | CATERING QUICHE LORRAINE | 12 OUNCES |
| 75453 | CATERING QUICHE BROCCOLI CHDDR | 12 OUNCES |
| 75454 | QUICHE TOMATO BASIL | 12 OUNCES |
| 76009 | QUICHE SPIN AND MUSHROOM | 12 OUNCES |
| 72418 | QUICHE LEEK AND GOAT CHEESE | 12 OUNCES |
Soft Cheese Recall -- E. Coli
On Dec. 17, Sally Jackson Cheese of Oroville, Wash., recalled soft, raw milk cheeses made from cow, goat, and sheep milk. The cheeses were distributed nationwide.The cow and sheep cheeses are wrapped in chestnut leaves, while the goat cheese is wrapped in grape leaves. They may have an outer wrapping of waxed paper.
The cheeses may have been the source of E. coli O157:H7 infections reported by Washington State and Oregon health authorities.
Whole Foods Market carried some of these cheeses. Some carry the Sally Jackson label, but others were simply wrapped in clear plastic and sold with a Whole Foods Market scale label.
E. coli o157:H7 infection can be dangerous. It causes diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults recover, the infection can cause kidney failure. Consumers who develop symptoms of E. coli infection should immediately seek medical care.
© 2010 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
©2005-2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Golden, The Outdoor Sportsman's Paradise
By Margot B
Golden is a village of 10,000 population situated in the confluence of the
British Columbia and Kicking Horse rivers in a long deep valley between
the Rocky and Purcell Mountain ranges in eastern BC, at an elevation of
790 m [2591 ft] located at the heart of six mountainous national parks:
Yoho, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay Glacier and Mount Revelstoke. Yoho
National Park, the 'adopted' park of the community, is a half-hour drive
east of Golden. From May to September mountain biking, hang/paragliding, bungee jumping, and snowboarding are popular, and of course skiing during the winter.
Winter Activities:
Tobogganing, skating, or Nordic skiing through rolling windy trails
through woods. Downhill Skiing, Snowboarding, Heli-Skiing, Cat Skiing,
Snow mobiling, Dog Sledding, and Ice Climbing from mid-November to
the End of March.
Summer Activities:
Pilots from all over the world flock to the Mount 7 flying site to paraglide
and hang-glide. Horseback Riding, hiking, mountain biking, golfing,
fishing, and air tours. World class white water rafting, ATVing,
motocross, and rock climbing attract international thrill seekers.
Bird and wildlife viewing, slow floats, wetland scenic forest tours.
Boating and angling are common activities at recreation sites. Most
sites allow car top boat launching only. That means you can hand-launch
only canoes, kayaks and boats small enough to be carried on top of
your car. Trailered boats can be launched safely and conveniently from
those sites with ramp facilities. In most cases, the ramps are suitable
only for small and medium-sized boats.
A plane or helicopter ride will show you the Selkirk, Purcell and
Rocky Mountain ranges and their glaciers. You can even land on a
glacier for a closer look. Air tours are available year-round.
For local history there's the Golden Museum where you can learn about
the important role that Swiss Mountain Guides played in the birth of
Canadian mountaineering traditions. Or at Ray's Antique & Collectable
Museum you can browse through some old farm equipment and antique
tools. Take a guided hike way, way back [some 515 million years]
and visit the fossils of the renowned Yoho Burgess Shale or, if art is
your scene, there are many local art shops.
Tours:
Cruise the numerous small mountain roads. Tour season is [weather
permitting] from May to October.
Bird / Wildlife Watching:
The Rocky Mountain Trench is a major migratory path, and a
great diversity of birds also settles in the Columbia Valley. 265
transient and resident species have been counted in Golden so far.
Reflection Lake, the Edelweiss slough and Moberly Marsh are favourite
birding spots. You can do bird watching year-round, although there are
more species during migration in spring [April to June]
and fall [September to October].
Canoe / Kayak Tours:
At the Columbia River you can view birds of prey, herons and ducks.
Paddle the Blaeberry River for more action. The Kicking Horse River is the
place to be for great whitewater action. For very experienced kayakers
the lower canyon with its class IV rapids is ideal. Season: May to October.
Climbing:
In 1912 six Swiss Mountain Guides and their families moved permanently
to Golden. Canadian Pacific Rail had hired them as professional
mountain guides for the many tourists who wanted to explore the Canadian
Rocky Mountains. Today there are many ACMG certified mountain
guides who live and work in Golden and the mountains around.
Golden attracts climbers from all over the world.
Cross-Country Skiing:
Track-set trails are just minutes from town at the Golden Golf Course.
More challenging trails can be found at Dawn Mountain Nordic Trail
System at the base of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Many more
tracks set by XC-enthusiasts can be found in the Blaeberry and Columbia
Valley. The season is from December to April.
Cycling:
Golden is the centre for the 'Golden Triangle' Tour where you cross the
Continental Divide twice. You can go at your own pace or book a package
with one of the tour companies.
Dog Sledding:
Season lasts from late November to April.
Downhill (Alpine) & Cat Skiing / Snowboarding:
The new Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is being developed into a 250-
acre resort, encompassing 4005 acres of ski and snowboarding terrain,
with views of the Canadian Rockies. The new gondola rises to the
summit of the Dogtooth Mountain Range at an elevation of 7705
feet [2350 meters] where the new Eagle’s Eye Restaurant is located.
The excellent snow conditions will include a vertical drop of 4,133
feet [1260 meters] from the top lift, making it the second highest in
Canada. Ski season is from early December to the end of April.
Freshwater Fishing / Ice Fishing / Heli-Fishing:
The area's fishing opportunities are endless, ranging from early and
late rainbow trout, small cut-throat trout in alpine lakes to char in
the river and giant ling [turbot] and Dolly Varden in the hydro
reservoir. Guides can take you to the type of fishing you prefer and
provide all the equipment from boats to heli-fishing. One of the more
popular lake areas is south of Golden, near Parson and Brisco. Many
of the lower lakes open early in May, and more fishing can be found
at higher elevations as summer arrives.
A popular lake is Mitten Lake. Also excellent are the Cleland and
Jade Lakes, and to the west, the Blackwater Lake. Stocked rainbow
trout up to 24-inches can be caught in these areas. North/northwest of
Golden are the Susan and Jeb Lakes in the area of the Big Bend Highway
and are usually open by early July. These two lakes are renowned for
their Brook trout. Anglers should note that the waters to the north remain
cooler longer in the summer and often provide a more vigorous fish than
the lethargic ones of the southern waters. Many of the higher alpine lakes,
which open at various times later in the summer offer exciting and
picturesque fly and spin- cast opportunities. The more popular areas
include Gorman, Quartz and Silent Lakes - and all trailheads are
within 25 minutes of town. Hike-in distances range from several
kilometres to much longer.
For river fishing, the Columbia opens early in the spring providing
Rainbows and Char. With a red and white spoon or a wet fly you'll likely
nab one. Also available in the Columbia are Dolly Varden, Whitefish and
Kokanee. Creeks and streams open officially on June 14. and a lightweight
fly rod is recommended. In the Glacier and Yoho National Parks is superb
fishing but you must have a special permit aside from your regular license to
encourage catch and release in these areas.
Golfing:
The Golden Golf & Country Club is rated one of the top 10 is B.C., the
75th best course in Canada by Score magazine, with Golf Digest rating it
three-and-a-half stars. Whether you play pro or beginner there are complete
facilities and services at the 18-hole championship course. The
season is from mid April to October. The course ranges from 5,380 yards
to 6,818 yards long. One hole, the 11th, has such a fine setting that
wedding parties have utilized the spot for photographs. It is a par 4,
running 385 yards downhill from an elevated tee, with Holt Creek
running beside it. This course features a pro shop, which can completely
outfit all golfing needs. As well, there is a full-service restaurant,
lounge and outdoor patio.
Hangliding ~ Paragliding:
The Mount 7 hangliding site is one of the top ten sites in the world.
Mount 7 is year after year the site of National and International
Championships. If a novice you can take a tandem-flight with an
experienced instructor. The season is [weather permitting] from
May to October.
Heli-Hiking / Skiing:
The birthplace area of the sport and one of the best in the world.
Daily to weekly packages.
Hiking and Hiking Guides:
Take a stroll along the dike of the Kicking Horse River or along the
numerous trails to the alpine on your own or join a group at one
of the remote alpine lodges accessible by helicopter or a guided
tour to the world heritage site of the Yoho Burgess-Shale.
The day-hike trail at Gorman Lake is the most popular. Mammal
Activities and sightings of bear, muskrat, fox, and many others
are not uncommon just strolling in the woods. Some areas are
known to shelter abundant wildlife.
Back- country camping sites:
The lake affords excellent fly-fishing. You can find marmots and
pikas along talus slopes and goats on the cliffs above. The hike is
three kilometres in length, ending at the lake, and takes about 90-
minutes.
The Moonraker Trails at Canyon Creek are popular for hiking as
well as biking and horseback riding. There are some 45-kilometres
of loop trails stretching from the Cedar Lake area to Canyon
Creek. This is only minutes from town but home to wild mountain
goats and bears.
The Mummery Glacier Trail is three-kilometres in length through
old-growth cedar and hemlock and spectacular views of the glacier
for which it is named. After a short trek up an old creek bed and
across the creek by bridge you'll arrive at the immense moraines
left by the glacier. The trail ends at one of these moraines, near the
top where there is a view of the glacier and waterfalls above - but
look out for calving ice off the glacier! The Quartz Lake Trail west
of town is a five -kilometre hike and is recommended for the area's
pristine beauty.
The recent elimination of the Ministry of Forests' recreation program,
may have lead to the dismantling of signs, toilets, and picnic tables
at some recreation sites, but you may find a guidebook at Golden's
bookstore.
Horseback ~ Trail Riding:
You will find specially trained horses for the beginner to the expert.
Tours range from short rides to multiple day excursions. Riding
season is from mid-June to October.
Hunting / Guide Outfitters:
Although most people like to go hunting with their cameras, some take
a rifle and want to come back with a trophy. The BC Government
allows hunting of black bears, mountain goats and other animals within
limited quotas and led by certified guide outfitters. Hunting seasons
vary depending on species.
Mountain Biking:
With 7,700 feet of vertical terrain enthusiasts can ride the mountains
themselves or with guides, which are available at Kicking Horse
Mountain Resort where they launch their rides down the mountain.
For the price of a day's lift ticket you can bike down 4200 vertical feet,
accessed by the gondola. Mount 7 is the location of the legendary
Mount 7 Psychosis downhill race offering some 12 kilometres of
downhill drops, steeps and technical woodwork playgrounds. People
can pedal to the top, with several jump-off trails at three, five and six-
kilometres. Shuttling via truck 15-kilometres to the top is a popular
option.
Mountain biking cross-country:
Golden has an in-town trail system as well as a 45-kilometre trail
system on the west bank of the Columbia River along the Canyon
Creek trail along the narrow deep canyon, which is a steep climb up
with a long, rolling descent. Motocross racing comes to Golden in
late May.
Mountain Climbing:
Golden has been well known for its mountain climbing since the end
of the 19th century with the coming of the Swiss Guides to the Selkirk
and Rocky Mountains. Local climbers have developed several areas
around Golden over the last decades. The most popular area is Jubilee
Mountain near Spillimacheen, 45 minutes south of town. It offers over
70 climbs, mostly sport [bolted] ranging from 5.8 to 5.12. Another
popular area that is easer with low-angle climbs is up the Mount 7
road at the 6-kilometre parking lot, with most of the climbs slab in
nature with a handful of short, pumpy climbs. Difficulty ranges from
5.6 to 5.11, some bolted and some mixed. A 60-metre rope is
recommended for top-roping the longer routes.
A new climbing area is in the Kicking Horse Canyon, 10-kilometres
east of Golden called 'The Glen' after nearby Glenogle Creek. This is
a quartzite area and will provide a wide range of climbing, from slab to
severely overhanging and difficult routes. Another short, quartzite crag
is up the forest service road on the west side of the Columbia River near
Nicholson [five-kilometres south of Golden]. This is a steep sport
climbing wall with approximately 10 climbs from 5.10 to 5.11 plus.
Snowmobiling is popular with routes too numerous to mention.
Whitewater Rafting:
The Kicking Horse River originates from icy glaciers at the western
boundary of Yoho National Park and runs along 20-kilometres, has class
three and four rapids careening through a canyon and right into Golden.
There are roughly a dozen rafting companies in the canyon. These attract
thousands of visitors from May to September each year. Rafting begins
at the upper canyon through the first set of Class IV rapids known as
Shotgun and Portage followed by a dozen Class III rapids. It continues
into the lower canyon where Class IV rapids, Double Trouble, Riptide,
and the Nozzle spread over three-kilometres. Many guiding companies
offer a variety of trips from one-day to multi-day raft outings and even
heli-rafting, which takes advantage of other nearby rivers, one being the
Blaeberry River.
Flat-water excursions:
Available through the Columbia Valley Wetlands, a popular kayaking and
canoeing destination.
Before you leave Golden, the new pedestrian bridge is a must-see. This
was completed in the fall of 2001 by volunteer timber framers from
Golden, Europe, and the United States. Because of the high waters in
the fall, the installation of the bridge didn't occur until October 25, with
the help of Sterling Cranes from Calgary, which took three full days,
inching along and out onto a temporary footing, and finally onto the far
shore where it was fitted into its concrete abutments. The bridge is 150-
feet-long, with a 210,000-pound burr arch structure. The cost of the
bridge is estimated to be $250,000Science Articles, but considering the volunteer time
and the donated materials its value would be over twice that amount.
BACK to margotbworldnews.com
Golden is a village of 10,000 population situated in the confluence of the
British Columbia and Kicking Horse rivers in a long deep valley between
the Rocky and Purcell Mountain ranges in eastern BC, at an elevation of
790 m [2591 ft] located at the heart of six mountainous national parks:
Yoho, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay Glacier and Mount Revelstoke. Yoho
National Park, the 'adopted' park of the community, is a half-hour drive
east of Golden. From May to September mountain biking, hang/paragliding, bungee jumping, and snowboarding are popular, and of course skiing during the winter.
Winter Activities:
Tobogganing, skating, or Nordic skiing through rolling windy trails
through woods. Downhill Skiing, Snowboarding, Heli-Skiing, Cat Skiing,
Snow mobiling, Dog Sledding, and Ice Climbing from mid-November to
the End of March.
Summer Activities:
Pilots from all over the world flock to the Mount 7 flying site to paraglide
and hang-glide. Horseback Riding, hiking, mountain biking, golfing,
fishing, and air tours. World class white water rafting, ATVing,
motocross, and rock climbing attract international thrill seekers.
Bird and wildlife viewing, slow floats, wetland scenic forest tours.
Boating and angling are common activities at recreation sites. Most
sites allow car top boat launching only. That means you can hand-launch
only canoes, kayaks and boats small enough to be carried on top of
your car. Trailered boats can be launched safely and conveniently from
those sites with ramp facilities. In most cases, the ramps are suitable
only for small and medium-sized boats.
A plane or helicopter ride will show you the Selkirk, Purcell and
Rocky Mountain ranges and their glaciers. You can even land on a
glacier for a closer look. Air tours are available year-round.
For local history there's the Golden Museum where you can learn about
the important role that Swiss Mountain Guides played in the birth of
Canadian mountaineering traditions. Or at Ray's Antique & Collectable
Museum you can browse through some old farm equipment and antique
tools. Take a guided hike way, way back [some 515 million years]
and visit the fossils of the renowned Yoho Burgess Shale or, if art is
your scene, there are many local art shops.
Tours:
Cruise the numerous small mountain roads. Tour season is [weather
permitting] from May to October.
Bird / Wildlife Watching:
The Rocky Mountain Trench is a major migratory path, and a
great diversity of birds also settles in the Columbia Valley. 265
transient and resident species have been counted in Golden so far.
Reflection Lake, the Edelweiss slough and Moberly Marsh are favourite
birding spots. You can do bird watching year-round, although there are
more species during migration in spring [April to June]
and fall [September to October].
Canoe / Kayak Tours:
At the Columbia River you can view birds of prey, herons and ducks.
Paddle the Blaeberry River for more action. The Kicking Horse River is the
place to be for great whitewater action. For very experienced kayakers
the lower canyon with its class IV rapids is ideal. Season: May to October.
Climbing:
In 1912 six Swiss Mountain Guides and their families moved permanently
to Golden. Canadian Pacific Rail had hired them as professional
mountain guides for the many tourists who wanted to explore the Canadian
Rocky Mountains. Today there are many ACMG certified mountain
guides who live and work in Golden and the mountains around.
Golden attracts climbers from all over the world.
Cross-Country Skiing:
Track-set trails are just minutes from town at the Golden Golf Course.
More challenging trails can be found at Dawn Mountain Nordic Trail
System at the base of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Many more
tracks set by XC-enthusiasts can be found in the Blaeberry and Columbia
Valley. The season is from December to April.
Cycling:
Golden is the centre for the 'Golden Triangle' Tour where you cross the
Continental Divide twice. You can go at your own pace or book a package
with one of the tour companies.
Dog Sledding:
Season lasts from late November to April.
Downhill (Alpine) & Cat Skiing / Snowboarding:
The new Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is being developed into a 250-
acre resort, encompassing 4005 acres of ski and snowboarding terrain,
with views of the Canadian Rockies. The new gondola rises to the
summit of the Dogtooth Mountain Range at an elevation of 7705
feet [2350 meters] where the new Eagle’s Eye Restaurant is located.
The excellent snow conditions will include a vertical drop of 4,133
feet [1260 meters] from the top lift, making it the second highest in
Canada. Ski season is from early December to the end of April.
Freshwater Fishing / Ice Fishing / Heli-Fishing:
The area's fishing opportunities are endless, ranging from early and
late rainbow trout, small cut-throat trout in alpine lakes to char in
the river and giant ling [turbot] and Dolly Varden in the hydro
reservoir. Guides can take you to the type of fishing you prefer and
provide all the equipment from boats to heli-fishing. One of the more
popular lake areas is south of Golden, near Parson and Brisco. Many
of the lower lakes open early in May, and more fishing can be found
at higher elevations as summer arrives.
A popular lake is Mitten Lake. Also excellent are the Cleland and
Jade Lakes, and to the west, the Blackwater Lake. Stocked rainbow
trout up to 24-inches can be caught in these areas. North/northwest of
Golden are the Susan and Jeb Lakes in the area of the Big Bend Highway
and are usually open by early July. These two lakes are renowned for
their Brook trout. Anglers should note that the waters to the north remain
cooler longer in the summer and often provide a more vigorous fish than
the lethargic ones of the southern waters. Many of the higher alpine lakes,
which open at various times later in the summer offer exciting and
picturesque fly and spin- cast opportunities. The more popular areas
include Gorman, Quartz and Silent Lakes - and all trailheads are
within 25 minutes of town. Hike-in distances range from several
kilometres to much longer.
For river fishing, the Columbia opens early in the spring providing
Rainbows and Char. With a red and white spoon or a wet fly you'll likely
nab one. Also available in the Columbia are Dolly Varden, Whitefish and
Kokanee. Creeks and streams open officially on June 14. and a lightweight
fly rod is recommended. In the Glacier and Yoho National Parks is superb
fishing but you must have a special permit aside from your regular license to
encourage catch and release in these areas.
Golfing:
The Golden Golf & Country Club is rated one of the top 10 is B.C., the
75th best course in Canada by Score magazine, with Golf Digest rating it
three-and-a-half stars. Whether you play pro or beginner there are complete
facilities and services at the 18-hole championship course. The
season is from mid April to October. The course ranges from 5,380 yards
to 6,818 yards long. One hole, the 11th, has such a fine setting that
wedding parties have utilized the spot for photographs. It is a par 4,
running 385 yards downhill from an elevated tee, with Holt Creek
running beside it. This course features a pro shop, which can completely
outfit all golfing needs. As well, there is a full-service restaurant,
lounge and outdoor patio.
Hangliding ~ Paragliding:
The Mount 7 hangliding site is one of the top ten sites in the world.
Mount 7 is year after year the site of National and International
Championships. If a novice you can take a tandem-flight with an
experienced instructor. The season is [weather permitting] from
May to October.
Heli-Hiking / Skiing:
The birthplace area of the sport and one of the best in the world.
Daily to weekly packages.
Hiking and Hiking Guides:
Take a stroll along the dike of the Kicking Horse River or along the
numerous trails to the alpine on your own or join a group at one
of the remote alpine lodges accessible by helicopter or a guided
tour to the world heritage site of the Yoho Burgess-Shale.
The day-hike trail at Gorman Lake is the most popular. Mammal
Activities and sightings of bear, muskrat, fox, and many others
are not uncommon just strolling in the woods. Some areas are
known to shelter abundant wildlife.
Back- country camping sites:
The lake affords excellent fly-fishing. You can find marmots and
pikas along talus slopes and goats on the cliffs above. The hike is
three kilometres in length, ending at the lake, and takes about 90-
minutes.
The Moonraker Trails at Canyon Creek are popular for hiking as
well as biking and horseback riding. There are some 45-kilometres
of loop trails stretching from the Cedar Lake area to Canyon
Creek. This is only minutes from town but home to wild mountain
goats and bears.
The Mummery Glacier Trail is three-kilometres in length through
old-growth cedar and hemlock and spectacular views of the glacier
for which it is named. After a short trek up an old creek bed and
across the creek by bridge you'll arrive at the immense moraines
left by the glacier. The trail ends at one of these moraines, near the
top where there is a view of the glacier and waterfalls above - but
look out for calving ice off the glacier! The Quartz Lake Trail west
of town is a five -kilometre hike and is recommended for the area's
pristine beauty.
The recent elimination of the Ministry of Forests' recreation program,
may have lead to the dismantling of signs, toilets, and picnic tables
at some recreation sites, but you may find a guidebook at Golden's
bookstore.
Horseback ~ Trail Riding:
You will find specially trained horses for the beginner to the expert.
Tours range from short rides to multiple day excursions. Riding
season is from mid-June to October.
Hunting / Guide Outfitters:
Although most people like to go hunting with their cameras, some take
a rifle and want to come back with a trophy. The BC Government
allows hunting of black bears, mountain goats and other animals within
limited quotas and led by certified guide outfitters. Hunting seasons
vary depending on species.
Mountain Biking:
With 7,700 feet of vertical terrain enthusiasts can ride the mountains
themselves or with guides, which are available at Kicking Horse
Mountain Resort where they launch their rides down the mountain.
For the price of a day's lift ticket you can bike down 4200 vertical feet,
accessed by the gondola. Mount 7 is the location of the legendary
Mount 7 Psychosis downhill race offering some 12 kilometres of
downhill drops, steeps and technical woodwork playgrounds. People
can pedal to the top, with several jump-off trails at three, five and six-
kilometres. Shuttling via truck 15-kilometres to the top is a popular
option.
Mountain biking cross-country:
Golden has an in-town trail system as well as a 45-kilometre trail
system on the west bank of the Columbia River along the Canyon
Creek trail along the narrow deep canyon, which is a steep climb up
with a long, rolling descent. Motocross racing comes to Golden in
late May.
Mountain Climbing:
Golden has been well known for its mountain climbing since the end
of the 19th century with the coming of the Swiss Guides to the Selkirk
and Rocky Mountains. Local climbers have developed several areas
around Golden over the last decades. The most popular area is Jubilee
Mountain near Spillimacheen, 45 minutes south of town. It offers over
70 climbs, mostly sport [bolted] ranging from 5.8 to 5.12. Another
popular area that is easer with low-angle climbs is up the Mount 7
road at the 6-kilometre parking lot, with most of the climbs slab in
nature with a handful of short, pumpy climbs. Difficulty ranges from
5.6 to 5.11, some bolted and some mixed. A 60-metre rope is
recommended for top-roping the longer routes.
A new climbing area is in the Kicking Horse Canyon, 10-kilometres
east of Golden called 'The Glen' after nearby Glenogle Creek. This is
a quartzite area and will provide a wide range of climbing, from slab to
severely overhanging and difficult routes. Another short, quartzite crag
is up the forest service road on the west side of the Columbia River near
Nicholson [five-kilometres south of Golden]. This is a steep sport
climbing wall with approximately 10 climbs from 5.10 to 5.11 plus.
Snowmobiling is popular with routes too numerous to mention.
Whitewater Rafting:
The Kicking Horse River originates from icy glaciers at the western
boundary of Yoho National Park and runs along 20-kilometres, has class
three and four rapids careening through a canyon and right into Golden.
There are roughly a dozen rafting companies in the canyon. These attract
thousands of visitors from May to September each year. Rafting begins
at the upper canyon through the first set of Class IV rapids known as
Shotgun and Portage followed by a dozen Class III rapids. It continues
into the lower canyon where Class IV rapids, Double Trouble, Riptide,
and the Nozzle spread over three-kilometres. Many guiding companies
offer a variety of trips from one-day to multi-day raft outings and even
heli-rafting, which takes advantage of other nearby rivers, one being the
Blaeberry River.
Flat-water excursions:
Available through the Columbia Valley Wetlands, a popular kayaking and
canoeing destination.
Before you leave Golden, the new pedestrian bridge is a must-see. This
was completed in the fall of 2001 by volunteer timber framers from
Golden, Europe, and the United States. Because of the high waters in
the fall, the installation of the bridge didn't occur until October 25, with
the help of Sterling Cranes from Calgary, which took three full days,
inching along and out onto a temporary footing, and finally onto the far
shore where it was fitted into its concrete abutments. The bridge is 150-
feet-long, with a 210,000-pound burr arch structure. The cost of the
bridge is estimated to be $250,000Science Articles, but considering the volunteer time
and the donated materials its value would be over twice that amount.
BACK to margotbworldnews.com
Prayer, You ask?
1. Bless Yourself
The Journey begins Here
Take a moment to give Thanks
Thanks for your Health and your Life.
2. Bless the Earth
Thank Her for all Her Offerings
Thank Her for sustaining you
Thank Her for Teaching you so much openly
Thank Her for Who She Is
Thank Her for all Her Offerings
Thank Her for sustaining you
Thank Her for Teaching you so much openly
Thank Her for Who She Is
3. Bless the Sky
the One who Watches over you
the One who creates (tries to) Balance in your Life
The One who Allows us to Exist
the One who Watches over you
the One who creates (tries to) Balance in your Life
The One who Allows us to Exist
Is this not enough to be thankful for?
Luc Majno
The Empire Has No Clothes (Updated Edition)
|  |  | |
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Margot's News & Views: Preparing Your Sea Craft for Winter
Margot's News & Views: Preparing Your Sea Craft for Winter: "Organizing Routine Maintenance: The high priority tasks to organize are seaworthiness and safety. The first jobs are almost always the ..."
Preparing Your Sea Craft for Winter
Organizing Routine Maintenance:
The high priority tasks to organize are seaworthiness and safety. The first jobs are almost always the same and must be done as soon as possible after the boat is hauled out.
First check the bottom. This is easier when the hull is still wet. Scrub with an old broom dipped in sand and gravel, then hose off the loosened debris. A high-pressure water hose is ideal for this, but be careful to not wash away paint and wood fibres.
All boats, particularly those with varnished or painted topsides need to be covered and the awning should be properly secured so as not to work loose. Then clean the topsides and apply a coat of boat polishing wax for protection during the winter.
For boats riding at the moorings, place a marker at the hull. This will give you a reference point to determine the amount of bilge water.
Check the exterior for lifted varnish and exposed wood. Bare wood should be varnished with a thick varnish. Brush on or apply with a rag, working well into the grain.
Arrange an awning, with the help of a friend to watch the props for the first few minutes and to warn you if they move.
Many boat owners consider that a dry winter berth is unnecessary and haul out on alternate year, especially those who own fibreglass boats. A mud berth can provide a satisfactory winter berth for round and flat-bottomed boats but should be tidal, allowing the boat to float on an average high tide.
If the boat winters afloat, remember that corrosion and fouling will continue through the winter and early beaching and cleaning at the beginning of the new season may be necessary.
Before leaving the boat for winter, remove all items that might be stolen, including the propeller. Everything removable should be taken to ashore to allow maximum circulation of air.
Remove cushions, mattresses, curtains, carpets and any other movable and valuable pieces. Remove floorboards, drawers, etc. and pump the bilges dry. Stop holes in the hull after cleaning out any accumulated marine growths.
Shut all sea cocks and disconnect and drain water hoses, including the toilet, engine water jacket, heat exchanger, etc. Plug sea cocks or refit hoses for safety and wash all deck fittings, rigging screws, etc. with fresh, warm water and coat with petroleum jelly..
Disconnect the batteries and take ashore. Smear the battery leads with petroleum jelly. Empty water tanks, top up diesel fuel tanks. Remove the gas cylinder and brush paraffin over the jets and burner of the stove to protect the vulnerable brass and steel parts.
Don’t lock stale air in the boat.
Everything removable should be taken to ashore to allow maximum circulation of air. Open cabin and locker doors and wedge to allow air to circulate and prevent them from swinging. It is particularly important to arrange for air circulation at the ends of the boat. Lock the fore-hatch slightly open.
Winterizing the Engine :
When the temperature falls below freezing, if there is water inside your engine or gear case, the result can be a cracked block or housing and a repair bill that runs into the thousands.
Before hauling out: Drain oil sump, refill with recommended lubricating oil, which contains a rust-inhibiting additive if you are laying up a motor for very long periods. This will prevent condensation from forming inside the tank. Add antifreeze to the sealed water cooling system and run the motor to ensure that the antifreeze is thoroughly mixed. If the motor has been overheating, the cooling system should be drained and cleaned.
To protect cylinder head and valves, mix a small amount of petrol with oil [3-1] , feed into the fuel line to coat the carburetor and cylinder head. Pour a little oil into the air intake with the engine running. Clean or replace filter and strainers. Remove rocker cover, oil rockers and springs, and replace. Clean engine by wire-brushing rusty parts and then with a rag dipped into methylated spirits. Remove carburetor, plug inlet with an oily rag, remove spark plugs and pour about one teaspoon of oil into each cylinder. Replace plugs finger tight and rotate the flywheel several times to distribute oil.
Draining the cooling system:
Open seacocks and check valves, then drain. Release upper-most flexible hose and blow down it until air can be hear gurgling out of the water inlet and outlet. Shut seacocks to exclude the seawater. Open all other pet cocks and drain plugs completely. Close and flush with fresh water hose inserted into the water inlet.
Open all drain plugs to make sure they are clear. Poke with a stiff wire if necessary. If blocked, disconnect hoses and plug the exhaust , keeping the seacocks closed if the boat is to winter afloat.
If it is possible that water is trapped in the raw water cooling system, fill with a mix of water and anti-freeze poured into a top hose. Bleed drain plus and pet cocks and top up if necessary. Paint rusted engine parts.
Stabilize the fuel:
Some boaters prefer to store the tanks full to minimize the potential for condensation. A cupful of water in the tank in the spring is a lot smaller problem than 50 gallons of bad gasoline, but if you want to leave the tank full, pour in an appropriate amount of gasoline stabilizer to combat the formation of passage-clogging gums.
Store engine upright because laying the engine down risks water draining where it shouldn’t. An engine stand is easy enough to cobble together.
Source: The Boat Repair Manual by George Buchanan
Consultant Editors: Allan Boyd, Harry Spencer, and George Chandler.
By Margot B
Monday, October 18, 2010
The globalization of car theft
Monday 18th October, 2010
(Op-ed) Cesar Chelala - The Japan Times Monday 18th October, 2010
Every 24 seconds, a motor vehicle is stolen in the United States.
Contrary to popular belief, thieves target not only expensive cars but also, most frequently, those in the mid-price range.
Cars are stolen usually for the resale value of their parts, which become particularly valuable when they are no longer manufactured or are too difficult or too expensive to obtain.
Stolen cars transported across international borders have become a common, almost inevitable consequence of globalization.
Recently, in Albania, I was amazed at the large number of Mercedes Benz cars in Tirana, the capital city, until a friend explained to me that many of them were stolen cars that came from Germany. A similar sight can be observed in Central American countries, where many stolen cars stolen up north in the U.S. end up.
When I told a policeman recently that I lived in Soho, downtown Manhattan, and drove a leading Japanese model, he said, "You are a prime candidate to have your car stolen."
He explained that Japanese cars get a good resale price and that downtown Manhattan is near the Holland tunnel. This makes it easy for robbers to flee to New Jersey, out of reach of the New York police. From New Jersey, the car may be transported to other states. Since then, I've decided to use a parking garage rather than leave my car in the street, even though garage fees in New York can run into several hundred dollars a month.
Recent research from the Netherlands found that thieves are less likely to steal brightly colored cars because they have a lower resale value. They can also be more easily detected. Of 109 pink cars in the study, none were stolen.
In the past, if thieves didn't steal a car, they often might break a window and take the portable radio or CD player. For a long time, parking a car in the street could be annoying, particularly when one was liable to find a broken window and the car's interior vandalized.
My wife had this unpleasant experience when she left the car in a suburban parking lot. The car was stolen by adolescents for a joy ride, and when the police returned it, the interior had been practically destroyed — probably by the police looking for hidden drugs.
A physician friend of mine thought he had solved this problem. When he parked his car in the street, he used to put up a note in the window reading, "RADIO ALREADY STOLEN, NO CD PLAYER, NO VALUABLES INSIDE."
For a long time his car was safe and my friend was happy at having fooled would-be robbers. One day, though, he came back to his car and found a note in the back window: "NOW, NO SPARE TIRE."
(The writer Cesar Chelala, M.D. and Ph.D., is a writer on human rights and foreign policy issues).
BACK to margotbworldnews.com
(Op-ed) Cesar Chelala - The Japan Times Monday 18th October, 2010
Every 24 seconds, a motor vehicle is stolen in the United States.
Contrary to popular belief, thieves target not only expensive cars but also, most frequently, those in the mid-price range.
Cars are stolen usually for the resale value of their parts, which become particularly valuable when they are no longer manufactured or are too difficult or too expensive to obtain.
Stolen cars transported across international borders have become a common, almost inevitable consequence of globalization.
Recently, in Albania, I was amazed at the large number of Mercedes Benz cars in Tirana, the capital city, until a friend explained to me that many of them were stolen cars that came from Germany. A similar sight can be observed in Central American countries, where many stolen cars stolen up north in the U.S. end up.
When I told a policeman recently that I lived in Soho, downtown Manhattan, and drove a leading Japanese model, he said, "You are a prime candidate to have your car stolen."
He explained that Japanese cars get a good resale price and that downtown Manhattan is near the Holland tunnel. This makes it easy for robbers to flee to New Jersey, out of reach of the New York police. From New Jersey, the car may be transported to other states. Since then, I've decided to use a parking garage rather than leave my car in the street, even though garage fees in New York can run into several hundred dollars a month.
Recent research from the Netherlands found that thieves are less likely to steal brightly colored cars because they have a lower resale value. They can also be more easily detected. Of 109 pink cars in the study, none were stolen.
In the past, if thieves didn't steal a car, they often might break a window and take the portable radio or CD player. For a long time, parking a car in the street could be annoying, particularly when one was liable to find a broken window and the car's interior vandalized.
My wife had this unpleasant experience when she left the car in a suburban parking lot. The car was stolen by adolescents for a joy ride, and when the police returned it, the interior had been practically destroyed — probably by the police looking for hidden drugs.
A physician friend of mine thought he had solved this problem. When he parked his car in the street, he used to put up a note in the window reading, "RADIO ALREADY STOLEN, NO CD PLAYER, NO VALUABLES INSIDE."
For a long time his car was safe and my friend was happy at having fooled would-be robbers. One day, though, he came back to his car and found a note in the back window: "NOW, NO SPARE TIRE."
(The writer Cesar Chelala, M.D. and Ph.D., is a writer on human rights and foreign policy issues).
BACK to margotbworldnews.com
Major storm breaks in Philippines
Monday 18th October, 2010
Big News Network.com Monday 18th October, 2010
Thousands of people in the Philippines have fled their homes as a powerful storm approaches.
A man is believed to have died in the northern Philippines with Typhoon Megi sweeping in with heavy rain and strong winds.
Megi, is generating winds of up to 260 kilometres per hour in the strongest storm the country has faced in four years.
More than 30 provinces and islands in the north have been placed under a storm alert and many people have been evacuated as the fears of mudslides grow stronger.
The so-called super-typhoon reached the country early on Monday with the high winds damaging buildings, power supplies and agriculture.
The typhoon is forecast to move toward the South China Sea after sweeping the northern Philippines.
The last storm of this magnitude occurred in 2006, triggering mudslides, destroying villages and killing about 1,000 people.
Floods have already been reported in the north-eastern provinces of Cagayan and Isabela.
BACK to margotbworldnews.com
Big News Network.com Monday 18th October, 2010
Thousands of people in the Philippines have fled their homes as a powerful storm approaches.
A man is believed to have died in the northern Philippines with Typhoon Megi sweeping in with heavy rain and strong winds.
Megi, is generating winds of up to 260 kilometres per hour in the strongest storm the country has faced in four years.
More than 30 provinces and islands in the north have been placed under a storm alert and many people have been evacuated as the fears of mudslides grow stronger.
The so-called super-typhoon reached the country early on Monday with the high winds damaging buildings, power supplies and agriculture.
The typhoon is forecast to move toward the South China Sea after sweeping the northern Philippines.
The last storm of this magnitude occurred in 2006, triggering mudslides, destroying villages and killing about 1,000 people.
Floods have already been reported in the north-eastern provinces of Cagayan and Isabela.
BACK to margotbworldnews.com
China says US is using currency as a scapegoat
Monday 18th October, 2010
Big News Network.com Saturday 16th October, 2010
A spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry alleges the US is using the yuan as a scapegoat, despite ongoing criticism of China's restrictive financial system.
China has told the United States not to make the yuan, their national currency, a scapegoat for domestic problems with the US dollar, in a new twist to the deteriorating trade conflict between the world’s two biggest economies.
Yao Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry made the comments just hours before the United States decides whether to formally label their biggest trade competitor a currency manipulator due to allegations of China artificially depressing the value of the yuan.
Jian accused the US government of looking only at China’s trade surplus as evidence of currency manipulation, rather than considering whether that trade surplus was the result of China’s legitimate supremacy over the US in the current financial climate.
China offers a cheaper alternative to most developed countries, which makes it difficult to compete with the export giant, especially in a financial climate in which businesses and governments are seeking to save money wherever they can.
China remains under pressure from major economies such as Japan and the US to enact faster currency reforms in the Asian powerhouse, which is renowned for a financial system that remains restrictive compared to other major economies.
BACK to margotbworldnews.com
Big News Network.com Saturday 16th October, 2010
A spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry alleges the US is using the yuan as a scapegoat, despite ongoing criticism of China's restrictive financial system.
China has told the United States not to make the yuan, their national currency, a scapegoat for domestic problems with the US dollar, in a new twist to the deteriorating trade conflict between the world’s two biggest economies.
Yao Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry made the comments just hours before the United States decides whether to formally label their biggest trade competitor a currency manipulator due to allegations of China artificially depressing the value of the yuan.
Jian accused the US government of looking only at China’s trade surplus as evidence of currency manipulation, rather than considering whether that trade surplus was the result of China’s legitimate supremacy over the US in the current financial climate.
China offers a cheaper alternative to most developed countries, which makes it difficult to compete with the export giant, especially in a financial climate in which businesses and governments are seeking to save money wherever they can.
China remains under pressure from major economies such as Japan and the US to enact faster currency reforms in the Asian powerhouse, which is renowned for a financial system that remains restrictive compared to other major economies.
BACK to margotbworldnews.com
Explosion in Chinese mine kills 20, over 30 trapped
Monday 18th October, 2010
Big News Network.com (ANI) Saturday 16th October, 2010
An explosion in a Chinese coal mine has killed 20 workers and trapped over 30 underground in Yuzhou City.
According to Xinhua news agency, the blast happened at about 6 a.m. on Saturday morning.
Rescuers have retrieved 20 bodies, and are still searching for other miners.
The mine is owned by Pingyu Coal and Electric Co. Ltd., a company jointly established by Zhong Ping Energy Chemical Group and China Power Investment Corp.he China blast comes shortly after the world was riveted by the Chile's dramatic rescue of 33 trapped miners after they spent over two months in the collapsed San Jose copper and gold mine. (ANI)
Big News Network.com (ANI) Saturday 16th October, 2010
An explosion in a Chinese coal mine has killed 20 workers and trapped over 30 underground in Yuzhou City.
According to Xinhua news agency, the blast happened at about 6 a.m. on Saturday morning.
Rescuers have retrieved 20 bodies, and are still searching for other miners.
The mine is owned by Pingyu Coal and Electric Co. Ltd., a company jointly established by Zhong Ping Energy Chemical Group and China Power Investment Corp.he China blast comes shortly after the world was riveted by the Chile's dramatic rescue of 33 trapped miners after they spent over two months in the collapsed San Jose copper and gold mine. (ANI)
Sunday, October 17, 2010
‘Culture of Poverty’ Makes a Comeback
William C. Eckenberg/The New York Times
The study of urban blight has long been influenced by political fashions.
By PATRICIA COHEN
Published: October 17, 2010
For more than 40 years, social scientists investigating the causes of poverty have tended to treat cultural explanations like Lord Voldemort: That Which Must Not Be Named.
George Tames/The New York Times: Daniel Patrick Moynihan in his office at Harvard in 1971.
The reticence was a legacy of the ugly battles that erupted after Daniel Patrick Moynihan, then an assistant labor secretary in the Johnson administration, introduced the idea of a “culture of poverty” to the public in a startling 1965 report. Although Moynihan didn’t coin the phrase (that distinction belongs to the anthropologist Oscar Lewis), his description of the urban black family as caught in an inescapable “tangle of pathology” of unmarried mothers and welfare dependency was seen as attributing self-perpetuating moral deficiencies to black people, as if blaming them for their own misfortune.
Moynihan’s analysis never lost its appeal to conservative thinkers, whose arguments ultimately succeeded when President Bill Clinton signed a bill in 1996 “ending welfare as we know it.” But in the overwhelmingly liberal ranks of academic sociology and anthropology the word “culture” became a live grenade, and the idea that attitudes and behavior patterns kept people poor was shunned.
Now, after decades of silence, these scholars are speaking openly about you-know-what, conceding that culture and persistent poverty are enmeshed.
“We’ve finally reached the stage where people aren’t afraid of being politically incorrect,” said Douglas S. Massey, a sociologist at Princeton who has argued that Moynihan was unfairly maligned.
The old debate has shaped the new. Last month Princeton and the Brookings Institution released a collection of papers on unmarried parents, a subject, it noted, that became off-limits after the Moynihan report. At the recent annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, attendees discussed the resurgence of scholarship on culture. And in Washington last spring, social scientists participated in a Congressional briefing on culture and poverty linked to a special issue of The Annals, the journal of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.
“Culture is back on the poverty research agenda,” the introduction declares, acknowledging that it should never have been removed.
The topic has generated interest on Capitol Hill because so much of the research intersects with policy debates. Views of the cultural roots of poverty “play important roles in shaping how lawmakers choose to address poverty issues,” Representative Lynn Woolsey, Democrat of California, noted at the briefing.
This surge of academic research also comes as the percentage of Americans living in poverty hit a 15-year high: one in seven, or 44 million.
With these studies come many new and varied definitions of culture, but they all differ from the ’60s-era model in these crucial respects: Today, social scientists are rejecting the notion of a monolithic and unchanging culture of poverty. And they attribute destructive attitudes and behavior not to inherent moral character but to sustained racism and isolation.
To Robert J. Sampson, a sociologist at Harvard, culture is best understood as “shared understandings.”
“I study inequality, and the dominant focus is on structures of poverty,” he said. But he added that the reason a neighborhood turns into a “poverty trap” is also related to a common perception of the way people in a community act and think. When people see graffiti and garbage, do they find it acceptable or see serious disorder? Do they respect the legal system or have a high level of “moral cynicism,” believing that “laws were made to be broken”?
As part of a large research project in Chicago, Professor Sampson walked through different neighborhoods this summer, dropping stamped, addressed envelopes to see how many people would pick up an apparently lost letter and mail it, a sign that looking out for others is part of the community’s culture.
In some neighborhoods, like Grand Boulevard, where the notorious Robert Taylor public housing projects once stood, almost no envelopes were mailed; in others researchers received more than half of the letters back. Income levels did not necessarily explain the difference, Professor Sampson said, but rather the community’s cultural norms, the levels of moral cynicism and disorder.
The shared perception of a neighborhood — is it on the rise or stagnant? — does a better job of predicting a community’s future than the actual level of poverty, he said.
William Julius Wilson, whose pioneering work boldly confronted ghetto life while focusing on economic explanations for persistent poverty, defines culture as the way “individuals in a community develop an understanding of how the world works and make decisions based on that understanding.”
For some young black men, Professor Wilson, a Harvard sociologist, said, the world works like this: “If you don’t develop a tough demeanor, you won’t survive. If you have access to weapons, you get them, and if you get into a fight, you have to use them.”
Seeking to recapture the topic from economists, sociologists have ventured into poor neighborhoods to delve deeper into the attitudes of residents. Their results have challenged some common assumptions, like the belief that poor mothers remain single because they don’t value marriage.
In Philadelphia, for example, low-income mothers told the sociologists Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas that they thought marriage was profoundly important, even sacred, but doubted that their partners were “marriage material.” Their results have prompted some lawmakers and poverty experts to conclude that programs that promote marriage without changing economic and social conditions are unlikely to work.
Mario Luis Small, a sociologist at the University of Chicago and an editor of The Annals’ special issue, tried to figure out why some New York City mothers with children in day care developed networks of support while others did not. As he explained in his 2009 book, “Unanticipated Gains,” the answer did not depend on income or ethnicity, but rather the rules of the day-care institution. Centers that held frequent field trips, organized parents’ associations and had pick-up and drop-off procedures created more opportunities for parents to connect.
Younger academics like Professor Small, 35, attributed the upswing in cultural explanations to a “new generation of scholars without the baggage of that debate.”
Scholars like Professor Wilson, 74, who have tilled the field much longer, mentioned the development of more sophisticated data and analytical tools. He said he felt compelled to look more closely at culture after the publication of Charles Murray and Richard Herrnstein’s controversial 1994 book, “The Bell Curve,” which attributed African-Americans’ lower I.Q. scores to genetics.
The authors claimed to have taken family background into account, Professor Wilson said, but “they had not captured the cumulative effects of living in poor, racially segregated neighborhoods.”
He added, “I realized we needed a comprehensive measure of the environment, that we must consider structural and cultural forces.”
He mentioned a study by Professor Sampson, 54, that found that growing up in areas where violence limits socializing outside the family and where parents haven’t attended college stunts verbal ability, lowering I.Q. scores by as much as six points, the equivalent of missing more than a year in school.
Changes outside campuses have made conversation about the cultural roots of poverty easier than it was in the ’60s. Divorce, living together without marrying, and single motherhood are now commonplace. At the same time prominent African-Americans have begun to speak out on the subject. In 2004 the comedian Bill Cosby made headlines when he criticized poor blacks for “not parenting” and dropping out of school. President Obama, who was abandoned by his father, has repeatedly talked about “responsible fatherhood.”
Conservatives also deserve credit, said Kay S. Hymowitz, a fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute, for their sustained focus on family values and marriage even when cultural explanations were disparaged.
Still, worries about blaming the victim persist. Policy makers and the public still tend to view poverty through one of two competing lenses, Michèle Lamont, another editor of the special issue of The Annals, said: “Are the poor poor because they are lazy, or are the poor poor because they are a victim of the markets?”
So even now some sociologists avoid words like “values” and “morals” or reject the idea that, as The Annals put it, “a group’s culture is more or less coherent.” Watered-down definitions of culture, Ms. Hymowitz complained, reduce some of the new work to “sociological pablum.”
“If anthropologists had come away from doing field work in New Guinea concluding ‘everyone’s different,’ but sometimes people help each other out,” she wrote in an e-mail, “there would be no field of anthropology — and no word culture for cultural sociologists to bend to their will.”
Fuzzy definitions or not, culture is back. This prompted mock surprise from Rep. Woolsey at last spring’s Congressional briefing: “What a concept. Values, norms, beliefs play very important roles in the way people meet the challenges of poverty.”
Moynihan’s analysis never lost its appeal to conservative thinkers, whose arguments ultimately succeeded when President Bill Clinton signed a bill in 1996 “ending welfare as we know it.” But in the overwhelmingly liberal ranks of academic sociology and anthropology the word “culture” became a live grenade, and the idea that attitudes and behavior patterns kept people poor was shunned.
Now, after decades of silence, these scholars are speaking openly about you-know-what, conceding that culture and persistent poverty are enmeshed.
“We’ve finally reached the stage where people aren’t afraid of being politically incorrect,” said Douglas S. Massey, a sociologist at Princeton who has argued that Moynihan was unfairly maligned.
The old debate has shaped the new. Last month Princeton and the Brookings Institution released a collection of papers on unmarried parents, a subject, it noted, that became off-limits after the Moynihan report. At the recent annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, attendees discussed the resurgence of scholarship on culture. And in Washington last spring, social scientists participated in a Congressional briefing on culture and poverty linked to a special issue of The Annals, the journal of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.
“Culture is back on the poverty research agenda,” the introduction declares, acknowledging that it should never have been removed.
The topic has generated interest on Capitol Hill because so much of the research intersects with policy debates. Views of the cultural roots of poverty “play important roles in shaping how lawmakers choose to address poverty issues,” Representative Lynn Woolsey, Democrat of California, noted at the briefing.
This surge of academic research also comes as the percentage of Americans living in poverty hit a 15-year high: one in seven, or 44 million.
With these studies come many new and varied definitions of culture, but they all differ from the ’60s-era model in these crucial respects: Today, social scientists are rejecting the notion of a monolithic and unchanging culture of poverty. And they attribute destructive attitudes and behavior not to inherent moral character but to sustained racism and isolation.
To Robert J. Sampson, a sociologist at Harvard, culture is best understood as “shared understandings.”
“I study inequality, and the dominant focus is on structures of poverty,” he said. But he added that the reason a neighborhood turns into a “poverty trap” is also related to a common perception of the way people in a community act and think. When people see graffiti and garbage, do they find it acceptable or see serious disorder? Do they respect the legal system or have a high level of “moral cynicism,” believing that “laws were made to be broken”?
As part of a large research project in Chicago, Professor Sampson walked through different neighborhoods this summer, dropping stamped, addressed envelopes to see how many people would pick up an apparently lost letter and mail it, a sign that looking out for others is part of the community’s culture.
In some neighborhoods, like Grand Boulevard, where the notorious Robert Taylor public housing projects once stood, almost no envelopes were mailed; in others researchers received more than half of the letters back. Income levels did not necessarily explain the difference, Professor Sampson said, but rather the community’s cultural norms, the levels of moral cynicism and disorder.
The shared perception of a neighborhood — is it on the rise or stagnant? — does a better job of predicting a community’s future than the actual level of poverty, he said.
William Julius Wilson, whose pioneering work boldly confronted ghetto life while focusing on economic explanations for persistent poverty, defines culture as the way “individuals in a community develop an understanding of how the world works and make decisions based on that understanding.”
For some young black men, Professor Wilson, a Harvard sociologist, said, the world works like this: “If you don’t develop a tough demeanor, you won’t survive. If you have access to weapons, you get them, and if you get into a fight, you have to use them.”
Seeking to recapture the topic from economists, sociologists have ventured into poor neighborhoods to delve deeper into the attitudes of residents. Their results have challenged some common assumptions, like the belief that poor mothers remain single because they don’t value marriage.
In Philadelphia, for example, low-income mothers told the sociologists Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas that they thought marriage was profoundly important, even sacred, but doubted that their partners were “marriage material.” Their results have prompted some lawmakers and poverty experts to conclude that programs that promote marriage without changing economic and social conditions are unlikely to work.
Mario Luis Small, a sociologist at the University of Chicago and an editor of The Annals’ special issue, tried to figure out why some New York City mothers with children in day care developed networks of support while others did not. As he explained in his 2009 book, “Unanticipated Gains,” the answer did not depend on income or ethnicity, but rather the rules of the day-care institution. Centers that held frequent field trips, organized parents’ associations and had pick-up and drop-off procedures created more opportunities for parents to connect.
Younger academics like Professor Small, 35, attributed the upswing in cultural explanations to a “new generation of scholars without the baggage of that debate.”
Scholars like Professor Wilson, 74, who have tilled the field much longer, mentioned the development of more sophisticated data and analytical tools. He said he felt compelled to look more closely at culture after the publication of Charles Murray and Richard Herrnstein’s controversial 1994 book, “The Bell Curve,” which attributed African-Americans’ lower I.Q. scores to genetics.
The authors claimed to have taken family background into account, Professor Wilson said, but “they had not captured the cumulative effects of living in poor, racially segregated neighborhoods.”
He added, “I realized we needed a comprehensive measure of the environment, that we must consider structural and cultural forces.”
He mentioned a study by Professor Sampson, 54, that found that growing up in areas where violence limits socializing outside the family and where parents haven’t attended college stunts verbal ability, lowering I.Q. scores by as much as six points, the equivalent of missing more than a year in school.
Changes outside campuses have made conversation about the cultural roots of poverty easier than it was in the ’60s. Divorce, living together without marrying, and single motherhood are now commonplace. At the same time prominent African-Americans have begun to speak out on the subject. In 2004 the comedian Bill Cosby made headlines when he criticized poor blacks for “not parenting” and dropping out of school. President Obama, who was abandoned by his father, has repeatedly talked about “responsible fatherhood.”
Conservatives also deserve credit, said Kay S. Hymowitz, a fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute, for their sustained focus on family values and marriage even when cultural explanations were disparaged.
Still, worries about blaming the victim persist. Policy makers and the public still tend to view poverty through one of two competing lenses, Michèle Lamont, another editor of the special issue of The Annals, said: “Are the poor poor because they are lazy, or are the poor poor because they are a victim of the markets?”
So even now some sociologists avoid words like “values” and “morals” or reject the idea that, as The Annals put it, “a group’s culture is more or less coherent.” Watered-down definitions of culture, Ms. Hymowitz complained, reduce some of the new work to “sociological pablum.”
“If anthropologists had come away from doing field work in New Guinea concluding ‘everyone’s different,’ but sometimes people help each other out,” she wrote in an e-mail, “there would be no field of anthropology — and no word culture for cultural sociologists to bend to their will.”
Fuzzy definitions or not, culture is back. This prompted mock surprise from Rep. Woolsey at last spring’s Congressional briefing: “What a concept. Values, norms, beliefs play very important roles in the way people meet the challenges of poverty.”
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