Read About W-N NP story on W-N Contact W-N and Map Invite to Wed1316 Wednesday Night Salon #1316 23 May 2007 Page 2 Desirée McGraw imgs Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:28 Introduction It appears odd in the face of almost total disregard for this and other biblical rules of behaviour and prohibitions, that the increasing population of the earth seems to have reached the point where not only are other species disappearing because of our unbridled quest for technology, but that the measures we have taken appear to threaten our own existence. We are denuding our forests, depleting our marine food supplies, warming our planet, polluting the air we breathe and robbing future generations of sources of clean air, clean water and carbon-based energy sources. On the day after the International Day for Biological Diversity (Biodiversity), few Montrealers are aware of the importance of Biodiversity, or even know what it is, and even fewer are aware that their city hosts the Secretariat of the Convention on Biodiversity ; moreover, at least 1/10th of the Secretariat staff live in Westmount. The relationship of biodiversity and economics is poorly understood by most, but is cogently argued by, among others, Sigmar Gabriel, the German Federal Environment Minister The Westmount Turf Wars google Canada has been blessed with arable land and abundant fresh water, qualities that have attracted increasing numbers of humans to the shores of its oceans, lakes and rivers. In so many cities in the world, green space has yielded to increasing populations, advancing technology and easy transportation. Unlike most cities within the Montreal metropolitan area, the City of Westmount has resisted the temptation to increase the density of its population for the sake of internal growth. Green space on the mountain and parks has been maintained. Westmount Park, inspired (although not planned) by Frederick Law Olmstead, renowned American Landscape architect, remains one of the gems of parks in North America. Surrounded by space-consuming high rises of Montreal, Westmount Park provides a haven for beauty, reflection and recreation for its citizens. Unfortunately, the adjacent urban area of downtown Montreal appears neither to share Westmount’s concern for conservation nor to have provided adequate areas for its citizens' recreation and relaxation. It appears that increased use of the soccer fields in Westmount Park that has caused their deterioration over recent years is largely due to residents of nearby downtown Montreal. Westmount Municipal Council has proposed artificial turf as a solution to the problem. A group of citizens opposes that solution as being toxic and dangerous. Although in use elsewhere on the island, artificial turf is made from used rubber tires, hence toxic. There is said to have been no testing on the toxicity of the product, but infra red satellite photos have indicated that synthetic turf fields elsewhere in the metropolitan areas are over twenty degrees hotter than the asphalt surfaces in their vicinity. The group opposing the synthetic turf emphasizes the integrity of the park, the possible toxicity of the material used, and proposes the removal of the field to a more suitable site and has prepared an extensive, well-researched brief on the topic. The Westmount Municipal Association, while remaining neutral in the current debate, has urged the City to consider "a broader problem-solving process [including] 1) clearly define the problem to be solved; 2) identify a broad range of possible sustainable solutions; 3) eliminate solutions that are not feasible; and 4) analyze the remaining possible solutions to rank-order them, taking into account initial and ongoing costs, lifetime of fields, safety, health, environmental impact, aesthetics, impact on other city programs, and preferences and priorities of city residents". Westmount torn over turf You might want to consider sending the Council to Vancouver where they play soccer all year and kids up to the age of 14 play on gravel On a 28 degree day the temperature of the artificial turf goes up to 65- small children are very susceptible to heat I think the present Council members have created so much antipathy that those who have been acclaimed in the past election will face seriously mobilized opposition In the fall, the Council will be presenting proposals for the renovation of the Arena and other recreational facilities; what is needed is a master plan for recreational facilities that is submitted to the citizens and allows Council a face-saving exit strategy from the current debacle At a time when in North America it is the cities that are responding creatively and responsibly to the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation, it is shocking to see a city with Westmount's traditions and high level of education embarking on quite arbitrary, untested and questionable solutions. It does not bode well for poorer communities with less educated and/or involved citizenry Another gem is Summit Park, left to the City of Westmount in perpetuity as a bird sanctuary. Little consideration is being given to the effects on the bird population of planning changes to make it more attractive as a tourist spot. There is also some fear that continued use as a dog run will have a deleterious effect on the bird population, with a loss of up to one-third of the resident birds, unless visiting dogs are kept on leash, a proposal inalterably opposed by dog lovers and owners of larger dogs that require space for free runs. Civic Alert: Let's protect the good ideas for the Park! Article online since May 30th 2007 ) By Don Wedge The dispute over the future of Westmount Park ? and the recreational programmes that have been dragged in to it ? is a positive thing for Westmount. It has caused hundreds of citizens to think a lot more about their city than they normally do. A long-time de Maisonneuve Boulevard resident... Olmsted expert has mixed feelings about synthetic turf Article online since May 29th 2007 ) By Martin C. Barry An American expert on Frederick Law Olmsted ? the famed 19th century landscape architect who is said to have inspired the design of Westmount Park ? has given a mixed review to the idea of installing artificial turf in the City's largest park. In a lecture last week to members of les Amis... Grass or artificial: Westmount caught up in turf war Battle lines drawn over plan to upgrade two sports fields JAN RAVENSBERGEN, The Gazette Published: Thursday, May 31, 2007 Last September, more than 900 soccer buffs in Town of Mount Royal registered a quick victory after they petitioned for artificial turf to replace their perpetually beaten-up playing field. The required $1.5 million of spending for that cozy enclave's recreation centre was promptly earmarked for 2008, without a peep of opposition. In Westmount, though, a similar process that started about a month later has taken a dramatically different - and often catty - turn. www.westmount.org | .savewestmountpark.com | lesactualites.ca | W-N Westmount Local news : City imposes overnight curfew in parks Article online since May 30th 2007 As a result of an escalating number of incidents involving vandalism, substance abuse and other forms of public mischief in municipal parks, the City of Westmount has decided to impose a midnight to 5 a.m. curfew in all its parks. Announcing the measure during city council's monthly public meeting last Monday evening,... Local news : Westmount green thumbs dig in for Communities in Bloom contest Local news : Preparing the decision Residents speak their mind at lengthy, lively turf consultation meeting By Martin C. Barry Article online since May 18th 2007, 9:03 Comment this article Residents speak their mind at lengthy, lively turf consultation meeting By Martin C. Barry It was long, often loud, and charged with controversy throughout — but in the end, no concrete decisions came out of Wednesday's public consultation meeting on the City's proposal to install synthetic turf on the playing fields of Westmount Park. Before deciding on their course of action, City of Westmount officials will spend the coming weeks examining feedback provided by many of the several hundred residents who crowded into Victoria Hall to hear a panel of environmental landscape architects and playing-field specialists answer questions and provide information on the controversial project. A show of hands at one point indicated that the vast majority of those in attendance were against the synthetic turf proposal. more Climate Change More bad news this week as the American Academy for the Advancement of Science released its Proceedings Alarming acceleration in CO2 emissions worldwide www.flickr.com More of davidnicholson's photos tagged with Wed1316 Wed 1316 slide show Stanford, CA -- Between 2000 and 2004, worldwide CO2 emissions increased at a rate that is over three times the rate during the 1990s—the rate increased from 1.1 % per year during the 1990s to 3.1% per year in the early 2000s. The research, published in the early on-line edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences* May 21-25, also found that the accelerating growth rate is largely due to the increasing energy intensity of economic activity (the energy required to produce a unit of gross domestic product) and the carbon intensity of the energy system (the amount of carbon per unit of energy), coupled with increases in population and in per-capita gross domestic product. “No region is decarbonising its energy supply,” states the study. The research showed that the increases in energy and carbon intensity constitute a reversal of a long-term trend toward greater energy efficiency and reduced carbon intensities. Alarming acceleration in CO2 emissions worldwide Biofuels – the answer to fossil fuels? As time grows short and humans continue to selfishly deprive our descendents of the limited supply of fossil fuels and tend to believe in the concept of biofuels, it becomes more evident that the use of crops to create fuel constitutes a mixed blessing, as it tends to increase the cost of food beyond the reach of the poor . It is increasingly evident that Kyoto targets will not be met, that carbon-based fuels are contributing to climate change and are in limited supply. Alternative energy sources are discussed but the measures implemented fall short of the objectives of Kyoto and contribute nothing to the post-Kyoto period. Nuclear energy appears to be the mid-term answer but takes time to develop. The Stratfor Public Policy Intelligence Report this week supports the perception that nuclear energy is again becoming a popular choice – at least among governments: "Energy planners in China, the United Kingdom, Finland and elsewhere recently announced they either are embarking on a major nuclear initiative or are beginning the process of major policy changes that could lead to the construction of new power reactors. Even the United States is clearly turning toward a new energy policy that addresses both oil consumption and climate change -- and also includes nuclear power generation. At the center of this new policy, which will evolve over the coming years, will be a cap-and-trade system that encourages conservation and the development of new energy technologies." Concurrently, Tony Blair has announced his government's commitment to a new generation of nuclear power plants Is a recession inevitable if we attempt to meet Kyoto targets? While, as contended by the Minister of Environment and Mr. Harper's government that meeting the Kyoto targets "next year" would plunge Canada into an extreme recession, their case may well be overstated , Furthermore, the consequences could very well be minimized - even completely eliminated - by the employment created in developing and selling the new technology. [Editor's note: examples of 10 noteworthy new Canadian developments were highlighted in an April 2 National Post story: "Ten who think green: Canadian companies among the hunt for energy-efficient alternatives" In the same vein is this item from Planet Ark, "General Electric Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt said his "green" ecomagination unit was gaining steam and it launched 11 new products and services Thursday, including a hybrid locomotive and a carbon offset company. ] Kyoto, thus, represents an opportunity. By adhering to the Kyoto Protocol we will encourage new technologies. The attitude of this philosophy is that we may not make it but let’s see how close we can get. China, not a signatory to the Kyoto accord, is pointed to as a major polluter, but plans to build close to forty nuclear plants there in the next ten years, believing it to be to their economic advantage to do so. Brazil is developing aircraft fuelled by bio-fuel. What is required is that a credible nation such as Canada move and having taken the necessary steps, co-opt other nations into following. [Editor's note: We received the following reminder and contribution to the ongoing dialogue from Douglas Lightfoot: It is clear that most people do not know what Canada's commitment to Kyoto means. We are legally liable for punishments of billions of dollars annually for failing to meet our commitment. This is a legally binding commitment. Where does this money go? It goes to undeveloped nations that do not have large emissions of carbon dioxide… It would be useful if some Canadian economists would look at exactly how much we are committed for and where the money will go. Do we have any say in how the money will be spent? These are key questions for Canadians and which are not being addressed. …The situation is serious because we are not going to meet our commitment - and no amount of "we must try harder" comments will reduce the amount we have to pay.] The Nicholas Stern Report , though controversial and, in the opinion of some, inaccurate, concludes that an investment of two percent of the G.D.P. would be required to avoid the worst effects of climate change but doing nothing could result in Global G.D.P. being twenty percent lower than its potential, with potentially disastrous results. Pop goes the Met Inspired by pre-television radio broadcasts of Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, and armed with a brad mandate from the Board, the new General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera Company, Peter Gelb, former head of Sony Classics, has instituted a twenty-first century version. Gelb's first season as general manager of the Met will be remembered for his innovations to revitalize opera all over the globe, transmitting six operas live around the world in high-definition as part of a series that reached over 300,000 people, and will expand to eight productions next season. Tickets sold for eighteen dollars, making the Met far more accessible to the public. This initiative appears to have been extremely successful, not only with full theatres for the live broadcasts but also with a full house for the live presentations. Indulging in the sincerest form of flattery, the San Francisco Opera and London's Royal Opera are preparing to follow suit. Hi-definition telecasts at centre of Met opera's plan under Peter Gelb Thursday 21 May 2007 To day NYT Podcast | Menu Radio Like the report of Mark Twain's death, reports of the death of radio –at least FM – are greatly exaggerated. Private clinics and Québec healthcare It is unfortunate that the Québec health care system which is excellent in quality, lacks adequate access. The failure of the government to provide timely access to the system has led to a small but expanding number of private clinics, which, if left unchecked, will ultimately erode the public system. It is to be hoped that the message will become clear to the government and that steps will be taken to provide us with the accessible, quality medical care that we expect, deserve and pay for. It is indispensable that we learn how to harness ideas and practices from the private system to make the public sector work better (something that the McGill Faculty of Management is addressing). Patient-centered collective bargaining would contribute to an efficient system. There is much to be learned from both the British and Australian systems. Medi Care Real estate Bulletin Board Canadian dollar is expected to decline against its U.S. counterpart. The economy See also JACQUES CLEMENT: Pages ON THE ECONOMY Previous Videos Notes by Herb Bercovitz OWN Editor: Diana Thébaud Nicholson OWN Radio, the long-lasting treasure intro Wed1316 | Wed1316 slide show Oil DTN OWN more Louise | DTN Diana Nicholson OWN slides | hands | all | & Louise 3-M slides | albums | all Jacques Clément OWN slides Gerald Ratzer OWN Note Wednesday-Night creates charts and follows stocks, including timely related financial news items, in which Wednesday Nighters are interested and in order to demonstrate a service that could eventually be developed and marketed. Wednesday Nighters are invited to participate and help to test the service. see Wednesday-Night.com Flip charts QUOTES of the EVENING from recent Wednesday Nights 2007 From #1316 invite It’s not a Bush problem, it’s an American problem. He is playing double or nothing. He is trying to shift the responsibility from the Coalition to the Iraqis New York City has more police officers than Iraq has troops More Quotes Short | Full List www.flickr.com This is a Flickr badge showing public photos from davidnicholson tagged with diananicholson. Make your own badge here. Diana Nicholson Past Quotes Best or All Mouse bio see Diana show hands | RJG | Album Herb Bercovitz OWN Galbraith imges his page See slides | Album and Art slides | Album W-N Links for #1316 a NewYorker Cartoon every 30 sec. see w-n Right Menu => Harper's Home 2007 Notes for #1316 Rex Murphy's Point of View index Menu to mitworld.mit.edu/ on-demand videos of significant public events at MIT. in RealPlayer Ex Thomas L. Friedman. While you were Seeping The World IS Flat Video length is 1:15:04. Stephen S. Poloz VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary Exports More Diversified in 2006 - March 7, 2007 The final numbers are now in for Canada?s trade in 2006. Many exporters will remember 2006 as a tough year, but there are some rays of sunshine between those clouds. Canada?s total exports of goods and services were worth $524 billion in 2006, of which $459 billion were goods and $65 billion in services. This was an increase of only 1% over 2005, after growth of 5.1% in 2005 and 7.1% in the boom year, 2004. 2006 was slow, it is true, but it is worth recalling that Canada?s exports saw an extended period of decline just a few years ago: during 2001-2003, Canada?s exports fell outright three years in a row, cumulatively by about 6%. Past issues | his WN page Commentary podcast. Wednesday-Night.com on Privacy Canadian dollar vs euro | Dow 30 w-n chart | TSX Fed Parties Stéphan Dion | Stevie Harper see also Wednesday-Night.com MedicalNotes Would you like to the Computer Box Click Here To Add Wed1316page2.asp To Your Favorites More Info About... Read Cookie for Site Michael Judson Wed1316 23 May 2007 and very nice to have Michael Judson back and Patrick Bonard back after so many years who intro Gillian O'Driscoll also returining Susan Eyton-Jones [singing video] along with her man Shem Guibbory without his violin Douglas Lightfoot and his son Brian with talk about Global Warming then also Louise des Trois Maisons , and Danny van Gelder on camera Climate Change – Can we afford Kyoto? and then Frank Kruzich mines & metals Gerald Ratzer OWN, and & Wed1316 flickr | Jacques Clément OWN. -Report.asp | Notes by Herb Bercovitz and see click for Wed1316Report | show with the good photos by © Robert J Galbraith NYT Podcast Fri 25 May | Thur 24 May | Wednessday 23 May 22 May | 20 May Sat | 19 May Fri 7:53 | 18 May Thur 7:56 | Menu www.iedm.org/ coming Events Wed1315 report Wed1316 invite Wed1317 invite The views above are neither those of the authors nor the owner of the website, but merely reflect discussions that took place on this evening