22Dec 2009 by R&O 1 Comment

Theft By Tribunal

People, Rants
The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has awarded an Enderby woman more than $12,000 after deciding she was discriminated against by a new employer based on her physical disability. The story behind this award is almost laughable. Read on... Carolyn Hurn injured her back in a car accident in 1989 and hadn't worked until securing employment with Salmon Arm's Healthquest Natural Health and Medical Supplies. She lasted a total of three shifts after complaining she had to alternate between sitting and standing. Fair enough but her employers, Hank and Margilla Berkenpas, hired her to do a job and she was obviously unable to do it and shouldn't have applied for the position in the first place. Mr. and Mrs. Berkenpas terminated her employment after the third shift but Ms. Hurn decided…
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21Dec 2009 by R&O No Comments

A KGB Christmas

Of Interest, Politics, Rants
So Vancouver's own ex-KGB agent Mikhail Lennikov has found himself on the front page of today's Province newspaper. Nice work Mikey. Perhaps our hapless bureaucrats will finally give in and let you stay even though you were once a member of The Soviet Union's Commitee for State Security, the same fun-loving guys that were responsible for the torture and deaths of countless perceived Soviet 'dissidents'. Yeah, that's the guy I want living next door or working in my office. I mentioned the story of Mikhail Lennikov back in June and it looks like his people are ramping up the coverage just in time for Christmas. The people that make decisions about people like Mr. Lennikov are more likely to decide in his favour if it's Christmas, right? Unfortunately, that may…
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19Dec 2009 by R&O No Comments

The Port Moody Nerd Park

Life in Port Moody, Observations
According to the Tri-City News, Port Moody is close to signing a partnership agreement with a city in China as it moves ahead with plans for a high-technology business park. The agreement with Tianjin, Port Moody's sister city near Beijing is to provide our city with information as local officials and business people create a proposal for the high-tech park. What does Tianjin know that we don't? Well they have a few of these parks of their own and they will "...show us how to get started and the difficulties they encontered because we don't want to repeat their mistakes." according to Mayor Joe Trasolini. "We want to be coached" he said. Fair enough but don't our American friends down south in Silicon Valley know a bit about this stuff?…
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17Dec 2009 by R&O No Comments

Muscular Mom

Of Interest, People
The following post is weird, disturbing and creepy. Enjoy! From today's Digital Journal: Elizabeth Poblete, a 22-year-old weightlifter from Chile who competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has given birth during a training session in Brazil, having been oblivious of the fact that she was pregnant. Ms Poblete was training at a gym in Brazil's largest city Sao Paolo on December 8, when she began to feel unwell. Unaware that she was expecting a baby Ms Poblete, understandably shocked at discovering her condition, proceeded to give birth to a son United Press International says she has called Eric Joseph, although another report calls the young boy Eric Jose. According to the BBC Eric Joseph, born three months premature, weighed in at 2.25lbs (1.2kg) and measured 14 inches (34cm). Yes folks,…
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