Oldest wood trestle in NA saved by public

Years of campaigning and private fund-raising has saved the Kinsol Trestle of the CNR and turned it into a pedestrian bridge on the Trans Canada Trail. The Kinsol is on Vancouver Island and is the oldest free-standing timber structure in North America. Hundreds of people raised $7.5 million to restore the derelict railway trestle from decay and neglect. It runs across the Koksilah River in the Cowichan Valley The timber trestle was built in 1929 to link Victoria to Nootka Sound to transport timber. The last train crossed the crossed the trestle in 1979. More history: In 1911, the Canadian National Pacific Railway dedicated a line on Vancouver Island to connect Victoria to Nootka Sound. By 1918, only 6 km of track had been laid. The Federal government took over the line as part of the CNR and work continued. The steel was finally laid in April 1920. The completed trestle, at 187.6 m long and 38 m high, is the largest Howe truss, bent pile trestle left in the world. The line passes through the Cowichan Valley, which was a bonus for the local logging industry, but never reached Nootka Sound. The last train across the trestle was in May 1979 and the rails were removed in 1983. Neglect and vandalism made it necessary to block access to the trestle even though the trestle is part of the Trans Canada Trail system.

Gov't not responsible for tobacco damages

The big tobacco companies like Imperial are groaning today because the Supreme Court of Ccanada has ruled that the Federal Government has no responsibility for damages which may be assessed against the tobacco makers. The various actions have been linger for years. Big tobacco insists that the government knew about the risks and was instrumental in getting them to make so-called light and mild brands. CBC.ca story.

Should Kate Middleton have been a teacher?

Handwriting expert says Kate Middleton should have been a teacher rather than a duchess. Nothing personal but are you kidding? Here

Let's all go to the Malt Shop (for a beer)

A majority of people want to be able to buy beer in the corner stores. That's the take from a new survey done for the Ontario Convenience Store Association. It says that 60 per cent of Ontario residents want the province’s alcohol retail system opened up for competition. Support for the idea was highest in eastern Ontario, at 71 per cent. It was at 61 per cent in the Greater Toronto Area, and 55 per cent in Hamilton and Niagara.ccording to a new survey done for the Ontario Convenience Store Association, 60 per cent of Ontario residents want the province’s alcohol retail system opened up for competition. Support for the idea was highest in eastern Ontario, at 71 per cent. It was at 61 per cent in the Greater Toronto Area, and 55 per cent in Hamilton and Niagara. Hamilton Spectator.

EdgeWalk being finished by workers

Basketball inventor James Naismith honoured

Picture kindly provided by photographer John Fowler and The Millstone (www.millstonenws.com) Copyright John Fowler 2011

This month has seen an unveiling of a statue in Almonte, Ontaroo in honour of James A, Naismith, the man who is credited with inventing the game of basketball in 1891. In this picture kindly provided by photographer John Fowler and The Millstone (www.millstonenws.com) two of Naismith's grandsons, Stuart and James, pose with their illustrious ancestor's statue. The two men are cousins and traveled to their grandfather's hometown to participate in the ceremony. Naismith was born in 1861 and found himself, in 1891, the physical education teacher at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. The story is picked up by Wikipedia, which has many anecdotes for those who wish to know more. "At Springfield YMCA, Naismith struggled with a rowdy class which was confined to indoor games throughout the harsh New England winter and thus was perpetually short-tempered. Under orders from Dr. Luther Gulick, head of Springfield YMCA Physical Education, Naismith was given 14 days to create an indoor game that would provide an "athletic distraction": ... Naismith noticed the hazards of a ball and concluded that the big soft soccer ball was safest. He saw that most physical contact occurred while running with the ball, dribbling or hitting it, so he decided that passing was the only legal option. Finally, Naismith further reduced body contact by making the goal unguardable, placing it high above the player's heads. In the first games, actual peach baskets were used. After a basket, a ladder was used to retrieve the ball. It was only a little later that it was decided to cut the bottoms off. The hoop and webbed "basket" came later. To score goals, he forced the players to throw a soft lobbing shot that had proven effective in his old favorite game duck on a rock. Naismith christened this new game "Basket Ball" and put his thoughts together in 13 basic rules. He lived to see it grow incredibly quickly and become an Olympic sport.

NBC calmly notes $10 trillion mark in 2008

Kate in museum before honeymoon is over

There no point in wasting time when there's money to be made. So, as Buckingham palace opens for the summer tourist season, many of articles of clothing and wedding items from Kate and William's big day are on display.

Small town girl and the hit "Big Town Boy"

She was a girl from a small town in Ontario who recorded a huge hit, and then quietly gave up music for home and marriage. Shirley Matthews was born in Harrow, near Windsor. She came to Toronto as a teenager and got a job as a telephone switchboard operator with Bell Canada. It was the 60s and Shirley could sing a bit. She and her sister Joyce did a little warbling for fun at the Bluenote Club. From these casual occasions Shirley Matthews was invited to New York and ultimately recorded the million seller Big Town Boy and a number of other hits. The tune is below.

Bulldog Best Of -- Kissing the Pumpkin

This amusing sequence was taken October 30, 2010 on South Bayview. A young Bull Terrier was with his two friends (the ones who feed him etc) when his friends stopped on South Bayview to talk. They put down the pumpkin on the sidewalk. The appeal of the pumpkin to the pup is apparent in the shots above. He smells it (Mmmm good) and then begins to nibble. Finally (lower right) a big slurpy kiss.