February 2010 Okanagan Edition - North of 50

An Independent Lifestyle Newsmagazine for a Grown-up Audience February 2010 Volume 8 Issue 2

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HEADING TO THE Paralympic Games

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NORTH of 50 February 2010

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NORTH of 50 February 2010

Okanagan Athlete Heads to Paralympic Games

The Famous Olympic Mittens “© VANOC/COVAN

I

n March 2010, approximately 1,000 athletes and officials from more than 40 countries will take part in five sports (alpine and cross-country skiing, ice sledge hockey, wheelchair curling and biathlon) at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler. The big international sporting event comes just 12 days after the region hosts the Olympic Winter Games.

“As the provincial host of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, British Columbia wants to welcome all Canadians to join us in the celebration and ensure they have a chance to be inspired and play a role in these historic Games,” said Mary McNeil, Minister of State for the Olympics and ActNow BC. Canada’s wheelchair curlers are the reigning world champions.

“On behalf of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, I would like to congratulate these extraordinary athletes on their success,” said Blair McIntosh, Chef de Mission. "These talented athletes have trained hard to make it to Canada’s first winter Paralympic Games.

All of Canada will be cheering for them this March as they go for gold.”

The Wheelchair Curling Team includes Brier veteran Jim Armstrong, who began wheelchair curling in 2007, and the Okanagan's own Sonja Gaudet. Gaudet was a member of the gold medal winning team from the Torino 2006 Paralympic Games with Paralympic rookies, Darryl Neighbour, Ina Forrest and Bruno Yizek.

“These athletes have trained tirelessly to earn a place on Paralympic Team Canada for Vancouver 2010,” said Henry Storgaard, CPC CEO. “Their performances will make all Canadians proud and inspire a generation of young people with a disability to get involved in sport.”

Born and raised in North Vancouver, Sonja Gaudet’s childhood was filled with sports including basketball, volleyball, swimming, tennis, biking, skiing, and softball. Considering her active childhood, it is not surprising that Sonja grew up in a family that valued sport. “I was definitely encouraged by my family at a young age to try any and every sport out there” she says.

Experimenting with different sports was not just limited to Sonja’s childhood years. When she was 31 years old Sonja suffered a T-56 spinal cord injury as a result of a fall from a horse. “The biggest challenge was raising 2 children while being paralyzed from the bra-line down,” she says. On top of raising her 3 and 6 year old children, Sonja had to learn how to accomplish the tasks of everyday life all over again. It was only three years after her accident when Sonja decided to

challenge herself further and pursue what she now calls a “part-time career in amateur sport”. She began participating in adapted versions of her favorite sports including wheelchair basketball, but it wasn’t until the age of 37 that Sonja began wheelchair curling and ultimately her Paralympic career.

Because wheelchair curling was a new sport at the time, Sonja began participating at the grass roots level with clinics and local competitions. Her participation quickly turned into national championships and finally individual athlete selection for Team Canada to compete at the 2006 Paralympic Games in Torino, a first for wheelchair curling. Sonja, after only 3 short years in the sport, and with the help of her teammates, claimed the Paralympic gold medal. Her other accomplishments include a silver, bronze and gold medal in 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively at the national level; and a gold medal in 2006 at the international level.

When asked about the Paralympic experience and representing Canada, Sonja responded, “It was a humbling and proud experience - definitely very surreal and overwhelming. It was an experience of a lifetime, no doubt about it. I was just proud to be competing for family, friends, and for Canada.” She added that it was extra exciting due to the fact that her team did so well and the stands were filled with cheering fans. “We did not expect that people would be so enthused about Paralympic athletes, but they were.”

Despite a grueling training schedule which most would deem a full time job on its own, Sonja has always made family her number one priority. “I got a lot of support from my family, both when I was recovering from my injury and while pursuing a part-time career in amateur sport” she says. According to Sonja, raising her family is her other part-time job. Sonja’s current training regiment to prepare for Vancouver 2010 includes daily physical strength and cardio training.

All of Sonja’s training is done with the following goal in mind. “Individually I aim to be at my best performance level so I can help the team with its own goal of winning each game one at a time and hopefully finishing on the podium; but we can only get to the podium by playing our best game shot by shot.”

Overcoming all the challenges of her injury positively changed Sonja’s outlook and approach to life.

“I now have the outlook that everything is possible,” says Gaudet. “Positivity is the best way to get through any negative situation. Never give up. Focus on ability and not disability. Instead of looking at the negative sides to a situation, I look for the positive. I look for what I still have the ability to do. This is the way that I will approach any challenge from here on out.”

Sonja first got involved with athlete leadership after

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her accident because she wanted to encourage other people with similar disabilities to pursue active living through sport and embrace a positive outlook on life open to all the many possibilities. “I first got involved with the Rick Hansen foundation as an ambassador, and then when I became an athlete on the wheelchair curling team I continued that leadership with the Paralympic Committee and their Heroes program which spreads the message to school aged kids about the Paralympic movement and sport.”

Sonja also does presentations on her own accord in her local community of Vernon. “After the success of the gold medal in 2006, I’ve done a number of presentations at local schools.” These presentations are some of Sonja’s favourite volunteer activities. “I love to go to the schools and share my story, motivate them, and inspire them to reach their goals - whatever they may be.” In addition, Sonja plays a key role in the creation of recreational activities for people with disabilities in her community. Recently, Sonja attended a conference for sport health professionals in Vancouver, where she introduced wheelchair curling to the sport doctors and informed them of the injuries that are involved with the sport.

When asked about special causes that she is particularly passionate about, Sonja said, “Living an active lifestyle, overcoming obstacles, and being real through all of that. Also, making the right choices and making healthy choices. Increasing awareness and taking the word disability and breaking it down to the ability. We all have a responsibility to acknowledge people’s abilities and not focus on their disabilities.”

She added that a key passion of hers is spreading the word of the Paralympic movement, which is to “empower people with a disability through the power of sport”.

Surprisingly, Sonja does not find it very difficult to balance her training with athlete leadership initiatives.

She explains, “I can usually get training in anywhere.

If I’m away, I just track down a gym or a rink or haul my hand bicycle around and do training wherever I am.” When a conflict does arise, training typically takes precedence for Sonja. To summarize her time management strategy, “You just have to learn how to say no at the right time.”

Sonja is a registered teacher’s assistant, a career currently on hold to make time for training for Vancouver 2010. However, she does various paid speaking engagements with VANOC which she considers to be another one of her many part-time jobs.

“Since Wheelchair Curling is still a fairly new sport, finding ways to grow in a positive direction is crucial. I would like to look at other Paralympic sports and how teams have developed over the years in terms of sport specific equipment, adaptations, and classifications.” Other points of interest for Sonja are tryout and qualification processes, gender issues, and creating more interest at the grass root level. Sonja adds, “Wheelchair Curling has already grown in leaps and bounds with the help of a lot of great people, so maintaining this momentum is my main focus.”

Winter Paralympic Games Quick facts: • Estimated Number of Countries: 40 + • Estimated Number of Athletes & Officials: 1,350 • Estimated Number of Media: 10,000 • Number of Sports: 5

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NORTH of 50 February 2010

Rick Hansen takes Centre stage at 2010 Cultural Olympiad

T

o those who know him, Rick Hansen—the Canadian wheelchair athlete whose 1985 “Man in Motion” World Tour inspired the world, raised almost one-fifth of a billion dollars for spinal cord research and helped make North American streets more accessible—is still just the down-to-earth kid from rural British Columbia.

But to everyone else, “he’s larger than life,” says celebrated Canadian-based and author Dennis Foon, whose play Rick: The Rick Hansen Story debuts during the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games as part of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad. So how do you bring a hero down to earth? “I realized that one way to approach the story of an immortal was through the eyes of a mortal,” Foon says.

The mortal is Hansen’s pal Don Alder, who was hitchhiking in the back of the pickup with him that fateful day in 1973 when the truck overturned.

Foon’s play follows the twinned fortunes of the two men—the “unlucky” Hansen, who was left paraplegic, and the “lucky” Alder, who walked away from the crash site unscathed in body but not spirit. Ironically, it was his fallen friend who helped raise Alder up again.

Hansen’s life falls into the category of “wish not

for a charmed life, but for the strength to conquer misfortune when it comes.” The accident changed him. “His dreams to that point were small, or at least kind of average,” says Foon.

That Hansen found a higher purpose is the work of fate. But what if there’d been no accident?

“I have no doubt he’d have become the town mayor, or maybe a successful businessmen,” Foon says.

“Whether he’d have had as highly developed a social conscience—that I don’t know.”

Hansen’s recovery from the crash was twofold.

First he made himself mobile; then he realized just how unfriendly the world was to others in his circumstance. He vowed to do something about it.

“In the 80s, curbs were curbs,” says Foon. “Rick’s work helped to change that. He’s really played a huge part of the transformation of North American cities.”

Something the world’s paralympians will no doubt appreciate in 2010…

Rick: The Rick Hansen Story opens at the Arts Club Theatre Company on Granville Island in Vancouver on March 12, 2010.

Photo courtesy of rickhansen.com

Winter Games History

The first modern Olympic Games were held in the summer of 1896. The organizers added skating to the Summer Games in 1908 (ice rinks could be kept cold even in the hottest weather) – but eventually decided that winter sports were perhaps best left to the winter. The first Olympic Winter Games were held in 1924, in Chamonix, France.

Armstrong Business Centre Your income tax specialists Serving Armstrong Spallumcheen for 8 years.

TJ and Stan look forward to helping you with your tax preparation again this year!

The Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) and how to claim it The HRTC is a 15 percent non-refundable tax credit for eligible renovation expenses incurred for work performed or goods acquired for your home, cottage or condo. The credit is based on renovations done after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2010. Eligible expenses for goods acquired during this period, even if they are installed after January 2010, will still qualify.

In other words, the materials must be bought and in your possession before February 1st. If the entire job is not finished by February 1, you may still be eligible to claim the portion of the work that has been completed and paid for.

The HRTC is based on family income. The claim can be split among eligible family members but the total amount claimed cannot exceed the maximum allowable. The credit allows taxpayers to get up to $1,350 in tax relief for projects worth between $1,000 and $10,000.

To qualify for the HRTC, renovations must be of "an enduring nature and integral to the dwelling."

So, renovating the kitchen or bathroom qualifies. Landscaping, fixing a retaining wall, resurfacing the driveway are all good. The in-ground pool you installed qualifies; the above ground you bought at Walmart does not. Regular maintenance, like carpet cleaning or cleaning your gutters do not count. Nor do new furniture or appliances.

How is the credit calculated?

The HRTC is only available for the 2009 tax year and applies to the total eligible expenses of more than $1,000, but not more than $10,000, resulting in a maximum non-refundable tax credit of $1,350 [($10,000 - $1,000) x 15%].

If you qualify for and take advantage of a grant under the ecoENERGY - Retrofit Homes program, you can receive the grant and claim the HRTC for the same expense.

Same goes for the medical expense tax credit (METC). If an eligible expense qualifies for the medical expense tax credit, you can claim both the METC and the HRTC for that expense.

What is the ecoEnergy Retrofit - Homes grant The ecoEnergy Retrofit - Homes grant is administered by Natural Resources Canada. The grant applies to host of measures that reduce energy consumption and provide for a cleaner environment. Home and property owners could be eligible for federal grants of up to $5,000 to offset the cost of making energy efficiency improvements to their home or property. Most provinces and territories have complementary programs that offer additional financial assistance based on the results of the ecoEnergy Retrofit evaluation.

A note about nonrefundable Tax Credits A non-refundable tax credit means that you can only take the credit in full if it does not reduce your liability to less than zero. Otherwise, you can take a portion of the tax credit. For example, if the credit is for $1,350 but your tax liability is only $750, you can only take a credit of $750.

Government tax credits or grants How to claim the HRTC Schedule 12, Home Renovation Expenses has been included in your 2009 tax package to allow you to list your eligible expenses and to calculate the amount you can claim on line 368 of your Schedule 1, Federal Tax. If you are filling a paper return, do not include your receipts or documents supporting your claim. Keep them in case Canada Revenue Agency ask to see them. You must however attach Schedule 12 to your paper return.

Box 100, 2516 Patterson Avenue, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 250.546.8910 or 250.546.8914 tjwallis@telus.net www.tjwallis.com

NORTH of 50 February 2010

Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

Chaired by Bob Cowden and Judy Armstrong, the planning committee for the 2010 World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships is now in its final planning stages. The six-day event, slated for March 1 to 6, will attract an estimated 3,000 visitors to the city.

A

s co-chairs of the 2010 World Masters Indoor Athletics Championships, Judy Armstrong and Bob Cowden epitomize the phrase stencilled on the posters advertising the March 1 to 6 event.

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Never comfortable with just dropping their children off at the field, or sitting in the bleachers, be it at the swimming pool, ski hill, basketball court, football field, soccer field or track, Judy and Bob’s long-standing service with local sport began with their children and blossomed from there.

Preferring to stand outside the spotlight, Judy and Bob have spent several decades working away in the background, doing whatever needed to be done.

“There’s so many hard-working background players in this community,” says Bob, who while working security at his son’s football game, crossed paths with Judy 20 years ago. “It’s the background players who make things happen.”

A competitive athlete in ice hockey and track and field as a youth in her native Saskatchewan, Judy’s relationship with the Kamloops Track and Field Club began two decades ago when her son Dylan, now an Olympic shot putter, joined the club. Her current involvement with the club is extensive and runs the spectrum from senior official to president.

A level five official with the Kamloops Track and Field Club, Bob, a 35-year principal/vice-principal/ educator who retired from School District 73 in 2007, also lends a hand with the Sun Peaks Alpine Ski Club.

By the time the Hillside Stadium lights were switched off at the close of the North-Central AmericaCaribbean Masters in 2000, Bob and Judy were certain Kamloops had the right stuff to pull off an international championship. There was just one problem. Missing from the city’s landscape was a venue of the calibre needed to host a major track and field event.

Fast forward to March 2008.

Judy, as president of the Kamloops Track and Field Club, travels with a City delegation to ClermontFerrand, France, the site of the last WMA Indoor Championships, to boast the newly constructed Tournament Capital Centre and to pitch a bid for the 2010 event.

“Securing the bid was gigantically significant,” says Judy, who works with the City at the North Shore Community Policing Office.

“This is the first time a Masters Indoor event has been held outside of Europe. Securing a track and field event of this calibre in Canada, let alone Kamloops, is cutting edge.

“Track and field in Europe, and the rest of the world, is huge in comparison to North America. Track and field has been present in North America for years, but nowhere near the level it is Europe.”

Politicking and organizational details aside, the true beauty of the athletic event lie in its superb demonstration that the human body, no matter what age, is capable of great things.

By definition, a master athlete is a man or woman who continues to train and compete, typically at a high level, beyond the age of 35 and into middle and old age.

Those competitors registered for the 2010 WMA Indoor Championships, roughly 2,000, are divided into five-year age brackets from 35-40 all the way up to 100 plus. The diverse mix of competitors, representing more than 50 countries, brings to the games a broad distribution of athletic competence, from enthusiastic beginner to former world-champion.

Master athletes compete in 16 indoor track and field events (running, jumping, throwing, race-walking) at the Tournament Capital Centre, in addition to six nonstadia (outdoor) events, which include javelin, discus,

5 story and photos by Sherry Bennett

hammer, half-marathon, eight kilometre cross-country run and a 10 kilometre race-walk on Schubert Drive.

Competitive by nature, a human being’s desire to set goals and topple them does not die after the so-called prime of life.

“Some of the athletes do travel around the world competing in the master’s athletic circuit and are very cognizant of the record book,” says Bob. “Some know exactly what the records are and have aspirations to shatter them. But despite the level of competition, novices experience just as much fun, excitement and satisfaction as internationally-known stars. This is an event where friendships are formed and renewed.

Camaraderie and competition can and do go hand-in-hand.

“This event encourages everyone, regardless of athletic ability. We’ve got local people registered who are just looking forward to the rare opportunity to participate in a world event in their own back yard. We’ve got a 60-year-old former Olympian who competed in the Pentathlon at the 1974 Summer Games.

“We’ve got a 90-year-old woman who is registered in six running and field events. That is so inspirational.

At a time when the spotlight is on seniors and dementia, that is truly inspirational. It stands as a testament that physical activity doesn’t have to stop once you reach a certain age,” says Bob. Founded in 1975, World Masters Athletics is an association that organizes world championships for masters in athletics. Championships operate in cooperation with the International Association of Athletics Federation which is the highest athletic World Federation. For 35 years, world track and field (stadia) championships have been held every two years, in various locations around the world.

In March 2004, the WMA added Indoor Track and Field Championships to the docket, with the first indoor event being held in Sindelfingen, Germany.

A fun way to foster a healthy lifestyle and meet people from all corners of the earth, participation in the master’s athletic movement is gaining popularity on a global scale.

Instead of dreading old age, the men and women participating in these events are making the golden years something to look forward to.

“The popularity stands as a testament that physical activity does not stop once you reach a certain age,” says Bob. “We are lucky nowadays because we’ve got lifestyles that can accommodate recreation. Unlike our parent’s generation, it’s not just about working anymore. We’ve got the opportunities and the facilities to do whatever we want to do.

“This is all about healthy living. Healthy living at any age,” he says.

That and ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Athletes from all walks of life, all corners of the planet will compete in a full range of track and field disciplines at the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships.

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NORTH of 50 February 2010

Haiti: Have a Heart

EDITORIAL

the intended recipients; that the funds are being used , for one, was heartened to see the whole world wisely?

Discussion and debate foster understanding of the spring into action after the devastating earthquake world around us. Without them how can we make in Haiti.

It warmed my heart to see Canadian television informed decisions or change policies and processes networks unite in their support for Haiti with a live, for a greater good. one hour commercial free special, Canada for Haiti, Drawing attention to issues is what the media does. featuring performances from top Canadian musicians Whether they are focusing on the devastation and abject poverty in Haiti and appearances by to encourage people A-list Canadian talent. to donate to a worthy More than 6 million cause, or revealing a people watched some scandal in a particular or all of that star-driven organization to telethon, donating discourage people from some 8 million supporting it, the media dollars, which will be is our window to the matched by the federal world. government.

That’s Asking questions is pretty impressive. I sometimes unpleasant; felt encouraged and but often revealing. The inspired by Canadian generosity. We are good George Stroumboulopoulos, Cheryl Hickey and Ben Mulroney old adage truly applies, host the Canada For Haiti Benefit. (George Pimentel/Canada for “There is no such thing people. as a stupid question.”

The world is full of Haiti/Getty Images) During a crisis just good people. And some might be the most important time to ask questions. not so good people, too.

As always with a crisis of such magnitude, While human tragedy brings out the best in most of controversy erupts over who should deliver aid, how it us, the same tragedy also attracts opportunists and con should be delivered and even whether some countries men, who are only to happy to use a crisis to advance are contributing enough. It will be no different in their own agenda. More than 10,000 non-government Haiti. After the initial shock of the horrific event organizations (NGOs) have been on the ground in subsides, critics will begin to question the motivation Haiti for decades. Despite their efforts, Haiti remains of governments and non-government organizations the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. To (NGOs). Stories of abuse and corruption will emerge. question what is going on in Haiti may not be popular, Because for all the dedicated people who truly want to but it is the right thing to do. help there are a few who will prey on the disadvantaged. Clearly, what is important today is to get aid to It won’t be long before the media starts to ask questions. people who so desperately need it. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions to ensure that is exactly what And so they should.

Transparency is key to ensuring that the world's happens. Just as we should not use the inevitable generosity helps the people who need it. Why wouldn't controversies as an excuse not to help, we should not we want to know that the funds raised are going to use the crisis as an excuse not to ask questions.

I

NORTH of 50 February 2010 FAIR COMMENT

Happiness Is...

H

appiness. A word we throw around often and loosely. Happy birthday. Happy new year. Happy meals. Happy anniversary. Happiness is a warm puppy.

Happy, happy, happy.

Unfortunately, though we have almost three times more income than we did 60 years ago, researchers tell us we are no happier – and maybe less. There are stacks of computer games in every den, a car in every garage, an iPod earphone in every ear, a TV in every room (and really gigantic ones in the living room), a chicken Don Sawyer (organic free-range ones for the more socially aware) in every pot. But we are no happier than our relatively impoverished grandparents.

What gives?

Whatever lack of happiness we experience, it’s not for lack of trying. The happiness industry is exploding. Pharmaceutical companies sell pills to take us from “sad to glad.” Ever more “extreme” amusements from 3-D movies to jet skis abound. “Positive psychology” snake oil salespersons flog books, videos and expensive seminars. On the academic side, there is a now a happiness research institute and even a journal of happiness studies. PhDs are churning out theses on all aspects of happiness. Scientists are exploring the biology of happiness, while sociologists have no end of fun developing happiness measurement tools and ranking nations accordingly.

If you can you can work your way through the clutter of happy faces and happy hokum, however, it appears we are beginning to actually learn something about what happiness is – and isn’t.

For starters, there is growing evidence that what makes us happy has little to do with, among other enduring assumptions, our personal or national level of wealth.

Eric Weiner, author of the splendid The Geography of Bliss, asks, “So, if it's not material prosperity, what makes us happy? Study after study has found that the answer is — in two words — other people. Warm, caring relationships; high levels of trust; strong families.”

Oh, those, I hear you say. Yep, those. Obvious as they may seem, somehow we have lost sight of the real substance of meaningful, happy lives. Over the past several decades, we have been led to believe that a healthy economy is one that is forever expanding and, by some trick, this ballooning economy, fed by unending consumption, leads directly to greater personal happiness. In this scenario, the only social measure that really matters is a country’s GDP, the wealth of a nation.

Obesity of the Mind

O

besity. Hardly a day goes by without some report on the obesity crisis facing us and what it means for our health and for our future taxes. I wish we could be alerted to another obesity crisis that is currently upon us the obesity of the mind. Of course, that's exactly why we don't hear of it. We might be too far gone.

Ever wonder how it is that things have become so crazy? We are living the reality of climate change. We Calvin White all recognize this. This winter so far is an example.

Pilots attest to the drastic changes in the Arctic ice caps. Industry rustles itself in readiness to exploit the melting polar regions. Terrified sea level nations anticipate the ravages of rising oceans. Yet, Canadian and American governments refuse to act. Our own M.P. doubts there is a concern.

Definitive data collection tells us that life in our oceans is coming to an end. The fish are disappearing. We know that here in B.C. after the disastrously low sockeye run this fall. There is a floating island of plastic in the middle of the Atlantic that is kilometers long. Yet, there is not a shred of intent to act on any of this. It's as if it has nothing to do with our lives.

In Canada, a man is tazered to death by the RCMP at the Vancouver airport and a never ending list of innocent others, (our own Christopher Klim of Vernon being one), are shot to death by those sworn to protect us, yet there is no meaningful accountability other than words.

Improperly regulated banks allow greedy bank executives to create a world wide recession which throws millions into unemployment, yet the same bankers get bonuses and the banks continue to rake in huge profits from us.

Now we are buying body scanners for our airports at exorbitant prices, despite the fact they don't do anything to stop air terrorism. Israeli experts who are the best in the world at air security tell us how to do it but we don't listen.

Geez, the list can go on and on.

And how come? What's wrong with us? Why isn't there a peasants revolt?

The answer lies in our increasing obesity of the mind. We are inundated with junk thoughts and fast ideas, fast facts. We get increasingly minimal intellectual exercise. Schools have no intention of teaching how to think, how to examine, how to behave decisively or actively. In short, we are fat on emptiness. The consequence is a level of complacency, withdrawal, and resignation as high as at any time in

7 That is beginning to change, even among the most stubborn, boneheads of all: economists. A recent article in The Guardian titled “Economists Start to Consider that Money Can’t Buy Happiness” encapsulates this new economic thinking, concluding that we need to consider both the “wellbeing and environmental aspects of human activity as well as the growth measure to determine whether economies achieve sustainable, happy lives for their citizens.”

And indeed that seems to be the case. In one of the more respected rankings of countries by level of “subjective well-being” (the official name for “happiness”), wealth turns out to be a pretty weak indicator of happiness. Of the top five countries (Costa Rica, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and – hooray! – Canada), none is in the top ten nations by per-capita GDP, and the winner, Costa Rica, with an average income of $11,600 (Canada’s per-capita GDP is about $39,000), ranks 75th. Qatar, the wealthiest country in the world, logs in at 79th happiest.

The tiny Buddhist country of Bhutan has taken things one step further. It has scrapped GDP entirely, replacing it with a new index, the GNH: Gross National Happiness index, based on the concept that true development of human society takes place when material and spiritual development occur side by side. The four pillars of GNH are the promotion of sustainable development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance.

Perhaps it’s a Buddhist thing. In the Dalai Lama’s bestselling book The Art of Happiness, he puts the case for happiness in the very first line: “I believe that the very purpose of life is to seek happiness.” Later he tells us how to do that: “If you desire happiness, you should seek the causes that give rise to it; and if you don’t desire suffering, then what you should do is to ensure that the causes and conditions that would give rise to it no longer arise.”

It may be, as the Dalai Lama insists, that happiness is our natural default position, but so much seems to get in the way. And while the antidote to all those feelings of anger, frustration and hatred is clear – growing kindness, compassion and caring for others – the process of “cultivating positive mental states,” requires us to “bring about a transformation in our outlook, our way of thinking, and this is not a simple matter.”

No kidding. But hey, let’s all work on it.

Don Sawyer is a writer, educator and former director of Okanagan College's International Development Centre. He lives with his wife in Salmon Arm. You can contact Don Sawyer by email at donsawyer@telus.net or by mail at Don Sawyer c/o North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0. For more information on Don's writing and development work, visit his web site at www.northerned.com.

human history. We are so gorged on pap we are missing the will to create resistance in any sustained fashion.

Fewer and fewer of us read serious newspapers or journalism. Our television programs, internet offerings, and daily discourse stay superficial and quick. We immerse ourselves in trivia. None more so than our young. And there is an infinite amount of trivia at our fingertips each time we click on the computer. We virally forward You Tube clips and funny emails. The marketplace and what we can buy fills our waking thoughts. We also fantasize or make plans on how we can get away from it all for a while, which resort or cruise offers the most for the least money.

Real conversation and debate has faded into an exchange of anecdotes, jokes, chatty news, and bitches. Never analyses. Never penetrating questioning. Never wrestling with complexity to get to the roots of an issue, an understanding of what is accurate, what sustains a dysfunctional phenomenon which is impacting us. The notion of seriously researching something to get a fuller understanding is seldom on the radar. Our habituation to speed and busy lives means no time for lengthy engagement. And should we attempt to dig deeper into an issue, well our technology has ensured that we will have so much crap to filter through we won't know what is fact and what isn't. So, we'll give up even that effort.

It's all pretty damn bleak. This is the era of broken and self-interested leadership.

The era of corporate dictatorship. No one is actively and efficiently looking after our best interests as a citizenry. We cross our fingers, close our eyes and look for better distractions. No wonder some turn to religion for solace!

But, there is an underlying bedrock within us. Each of us does have the power to think and in so doing to determine empirical truth. Each of us can turn away from the trivia, the easy answers, the routines based on shallowness and speed, the rising fear that lures us into denial. We can begin to talk about deep issues with each other.

We can look for ways to take to the streets as activists and demand things be done logically and fairly and wisely.

When I look at something as simple as how so many of us take care of our own homes and yards so well, it's obvious we have it in us to revolt and force the powers of the day to do their jobs as effectively, to take care of all aspects of their home the people, the land and the oceans.

Calvin White is a retired high school counsellor who lives in the North Okanagan. He has over 70 essays published in various Canadian daily newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun and Province. If you have any comments on this column, you can write to Calvin White at calvinwhite@northof50.com or to Calvin White c/o North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

8

NORTH of 50 February 2010

COMING EVENTS February 3 - February 13 Hamlet Abridged for length, Shakespeare Kelowna's production of Hamlet is set in a post apocolyptic world where no man can be trusted. Hamlet is directed by Cameron Gordon. Mary Irwin Theatre, 421 Cawston Ave, Kelowna, $25, shakespearekelowna.org 7 PM February 4 - February 7 Matt Andersen - New Brunswick’s Matt Andersen has a larger than life showmanship that has been earning him a fervent and steadfast audience wherever he graces the stage. A sure sell out show, don’t miss this one. A return visit to the Dream Café and a favorite of many, many people in this valley. 250-490-9012, www.thedreamcafe.ca,The Dream Cafe, $26 8 PM February 4 "Thursday Night Jazz"Admission by donation (suggested minimum $5) First and Third Thursday Night Jazz hosted by Sandy Cameron and Brian Pratt-Johnson. SAGA Public Art Gallery. www. sagapublicartgallery.ca February 5 Harry Manx -After honing his hypnotic live show on street corners, in cafes, bars and at festivals, it was Indian music that captured Manx and in the mid 80. $25 adults, $23 students /seniors Group of four tickets $84 www.creeksidetheatre.com February 6 Kelowna Singles Club Dance Held at Rutland Centennial Hall on 180A Rutland Rd. N. Kelowna, B.C.- Music By Glory Days.Doors Open : 7:30 p.m.

Dancing 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Bar and Refreshments Available - Light lunch at 10:30 p.m. Members $9.00 per person -- Non-Members $12.00 per person 7:30 PM February 5 & 6 2nd Annual Penticton Invitational Open Professional Bullriding 250-493-4055 1-877763-2849 Contact: SOEC or Visitor Centre www. valleyfirsttix.com Venue: Ticket: ADULTS $30 & $20, CHILD $15 (12 yrs. and under)!additional service fees apply! 7:30 PM February 5 - February 7 15th annual Canadian Home Builders' Assoc Home & Reno Show www.chbaso.org Penticton Trade & Convention Centr.e Proud producers of the South Okanagan's original Home & Reno Show. Friday 5-9 Saturday 10-5 Sunday 10-4 February 7 Jammers Dance - there will be a variety of music for a fine evening of entertainment. Bring your dancing shoes and cut a rug, or just pull up a chair to soak up the atmosphere and socialize with friends. Seniors Fifth Avenue Activity Center 170 5th Ave. S. E. Salmon Arm, 832-1065 7 PM February 7 Cirque Sublime will transcend its audience into a world of extraordinary beauty and mystery during two shows on Sunday, February 7th, 2010. At the Wesbild Centre in Vernon. ticketmaster.ca 3:00pm & 7:00pm February 9 Benefit Concert for Habitat for Humanity (South Okanagan) Penticton Concert Band, under the baton

of Gerald Nadeau, Assistant Conductor Myrna Coates, performs at the Bethel Pentecostal Church, 945 Main Street, Penticton. Variety of musical selections from classical to rock. Featuring Brian Hodson, Euphonium.

Guests: Kyle Anderson, lead guitar, Liz Harris, vocals.

Doors Open at 7pm. Admission by donation. www. pentictonconcertband.ca 250-809-2087 7:30 pm February 11 to March 10 Featuring a multi-talented cast, gorgeous vocal arrangements, sizzling orchestrations and inventive staging, this night is sure to be filled with humour, romance, drama, non-stop melodies and brassy, insightful lyrics celebrating the story of Broadway! Kelowna Actors Studio, 1379 Ellis Street, Kelowna, $32.00 - $66.00, Call 250-862-2867 info@ kelownaactorsstudio. 6 PM February 12 Pianist Milton Schlosser will perform in the Marie Fleming Hall at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre.ticketmaster.ca 7:00 PM February 13 - February 14 Jake’s Gift is an award winning Canadian play about a WW2 veteran’s journey back to Juno Beach to find the grave of a brother who never returned home. Jake’s Gift is a powerful comedy-drama about a cantankerous WWII veteran who reluctantly returns to Juno Beach for the 60th Anniversary of D-Day. Written & performed by Julia Mackey. www.juliamackey.com $22 The Dream Cafe www.thedreamcafe.ca 8 PM February 13 Yoko Influenced by the great rivers, valleys and vast mountains that surround her home, Yoko was inspired to integrate the peace that nature offers into her music.

Performing and writing her own songs since she was 13, Yoko has toured and sung with a number of bands, singing a diverse variety of musical styles: Disco, RnB, Spiritual, Ethnic, Jazz, World Beat and Hip-Hop. Opening for Jann Arden she performed her original songs to a packed arena of enthusiastic fans and received a standing ovation. General - $18 Students/ Seniors $16 Group of 4 tickets $56 Creekside Theatre, www.creeksidetheatre.com 7:30 PM February 14 Acoustic Delta Blues Guitarist KEN HAMM "In Concert" on his 10th Annual tour throughout the Okanagan Valley! Presented by Ken Smedley & The George Ryga Centre. Salmon Arm Art Gallery. Tickets @ Acorn Music – ph. 832-8669 8 PM February 17 Acoustic Delta Blues Guitarist KEN HAMM "In Concert" on his 10th Annual tour throughout the Okanagan Valley! Presented by Ken Smedley & The George Ryga Centre. Vertigo Gallery, Vernon. Tickets @ The BookNook, Vernon - Ph. 250-558-0668 8 PM February 18 Acoustic Delta Blues Guitarist KEN HAMM "In Concert" on his 10th Annual tour throughout the Okanagan Valley! Presented by Ken Smedley & The George Ryga Centre. Zion United Church Hall, Armstrong @ 8 p.m. – Tickets @ Final Touch Gallery, Armstrong, Ph. 250-5461941 8 PM February 18 "Thursday Night Jazz"Admission by donation (suggested minimum $5) First and Third Thursday Night Jazz hosted by Sandy Cameron and Brian

Pratt-Johnson. SAGA Public Art Gallery. www. sagapublicartgallery.ca February 20 & February 21 KEN HAMM is conducting his 10th Annual Guitar Workshop at The George Ryga Centre, Summerland.

Presented by Ken Smedley & The George Ryga Centre.

This workshop is open to guitar players at all levels and is a rare opportunity to work with a master of the Delta Blues style. There are still some openings in this prestigious workshop. Interested registrants should register by contacting Ken Smedley (Ph. 250-5469886). Cost of the Full Weekend Workshop is $200.

February 20 The Fab Fourever - Tribute to The Beatles The show takes the audience through 'A Musical History Tour' of the classic hits that made the Beatles famous.

Expect amazing costumes for each set, plus authentic stage gear! Tickets: $25 adults $23 students /seniors Group of four tickets: $84 Creekside Theatre. www. creeksidetheatre.com 7:30 PM February 20 Kelowna Singles Club Dance Held at Rutland Centennial Hall on 180A Rutland Rd. N. Kelowna, B.C.- Music By Vic & the Boys - Late Valentines Dance.Doors Open : 7:30 p.m. Dancing 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Bar and Refreshments Available - Light lunch at 10:30 p.m. Members $9.00 per person -- Non-Members $12.00 per person 7:30 PM February 20 The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan. Presnted by The Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Society and the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad The Ghost of Don Juan is summoned from Hell to repent for his sins, and to tell us the tale of his nefarious life so that we may avoid his fate. ticketmaster.ca 8:00 PM February 21 Jammers Dance - there will be a variety of music for a fine evening of entertainment. Bring your dancing shoes and cut a rug, or just pull up a chair to soak up the atmosphere and socialize with friends. Seniors Fifth Avenue Activity Center 170 5th Ave. S. E. Salmon Arm, 832-1065 7 PM February 27 Valdy Canadian folksinger, remembered for "Play Me a Rock and Roll Song," his bitter-sweet memory of finding himself, a relaxed and amiable story-teller, facing a rambunctious audience at the Aldergrove Rock Festival circa 1968, Valdy has sold almost half a million copies of his 13 albums, has two Juno Awards, a total of seven Juno nominations, and four Gold albums to his credit. Tickets: General - $18 Students/Seniors - $16 Group of four tickets - $56. Creekside Theatre. www.creeksidetheatre.com 7:30 PM February 27 Vienna Boys Choir Today there are around 100 choristers between the ages of ten and fourteen, divided into four touring choirs. The four choirs give around 300 concerts and performances each year in front of almost half a million people.ticketmaster.ca 7:30 PM Until February 27 "Wish You Were Here" at SAGA Public Art Gallery Continues Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm until Saturday, February 27. Admission to the gallery is by donation.Over 300 original art postcards from all over the world.

NORTH of 50 February 2010

COMMUNITY EVENTS Armstrong

Knitting Circle - We invite you to a relaxing evening of sharing, learning and meeting new friends. Bring a project - needles and yarn - or just yourself. Beginners always welcome. Now accepting yarn donations for local charitable projects. Judy at 546-9475 or Marlene at 546-6325. www.knittingcircle.ca Armstrong Toastmasters.

All ages welcome! Come try Armstrong Toastmasters – the best communication & leadership training you can get in a friendly, supportive atmosphere.

Every Tuesday, 7:20pm – 9:30pm.

Coffee, Tea & Snacks.

Armstrong Spall Chamber of Commerce (3550 Bridge Street). 250.5463276 or 250.558.8110 or visit www.freewebs.com/ armstrongtoastmasters/

Enderby

Enderby and District Wheels to Meals Society Luncheon held every Wed. at the Seniors Complex.

1101 George St. in Enderby.

Come for a home cooked meal and visit with friends.

Meals cost $6 and you must be 65 or older.

Enderby Cliff Quilters meet at the Enderby Evangelical Chapel the first and third Mondays of each month from 1 to 5 pm.

Call Sonia at 838-0685 or June at 903-1799.

Lorenzo’s Cafe - 901 Mabel Lake Road (8 km east of Enderby). Join the jam with Dan Engelland from the Hoo Doos every Sunday at 6:00 pm. For info call (250) 838-6700.

Kelowna

The Kelowna Newcomers Club Meetings 7pm, 3rd Wed. of each month at the Seniors' Centre on Water Street. Newcomers enjoy interesting and informative speakers at the meetings, and have a chance to join some of the many varied activities available. Coffee and goodies are served 250-764-9686.

Ballroom dancing to good music every Sunday evening . 7:30 to 10:30 P.M. at the Water Street Senior Centre, 1360 Water Street Kelowna.

Dress code: no jeans, runners, or sandals. Dance lessons 1/2 hour before the dance.

Cost $6.00 Tea, coffee and cookies included.

Mah Jong drop in every Wednesday 1PM at Branch #17 Seniors Centre 1353 Richter Street Kelowna.

Refresher sessions available. Contact # 250763-9410.

Central Okanagan Naturalist Club will meet on Tues Dec. 8, 7pm in the Evangel Church meeting room, 3261 Gordon Drive, Presentation by Eva Durance, basics of xeriscape gardening and landscaping,focusing on the importance and benefits of using plants native to the dry Interior of BC. Visitors welcome. info 250-7657410 or 250-769- 5907 Raging Grannies a group of concerned ladies who express their concerns with satirical songs, etc. Meet 2nd & 4th Mondays, 11 am, Kelowna Legion, 1380 Bertam. 860-1576.

Kelowna Singles Club Dances Bored - nothing to do? Why not come out to the Kelowna Singles Club' Dance Held at Rutland Centennial Hall at 180A Rutland Rd. N. Kelowna.

Doors open 7:00pm Dancing 8:00pm - 12:00am Bar and Refreshments Light lunch at 10:30pm Members $9:00 per person. Non-members $12:00. 250-763-1355 or 250-763-1867 Seniors Skate (Kelowna Recreation & Cultural Services) every Tuesday at Rutland Arena, 9 to 10 a.m. and every Thursday at downtown Memorial Arena, 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. $2 per sesson.

The Good Time Entertainers of Kelowna are looking for members!

This is a choir of men and women who sing all the popular oldies at Seniors' Residences on Wednesday afternoons.

Merilyn Schram at 250-826-8080 The Alzheimer Society of B.C. holds a support group for people in the early stage of Alzheimer Disease and related dementia on Tues. mornings at 865 Bernard Ave. 250-8600305 or mwasylyshen@ alzheimerbc.org.

Also a support group for caregivers of people with Alzheimer Disease and

related dementia on the 2nd Tuesday of the month in the evenings.

The Rug Hooking Circle meets every second Monday at 1pm in Room 204, Rotary Centre for the Arts, Kelowna. Practice a traditional Canadian art form in a group setting.

Angela at (250) 767-0206 www.rughookingteacher.ca WESTSIDE JAM. Bring your instrument and join in.

Open mike jam. Every 1st and 3rd Friday at 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. C & W, blues, jazz, pop, bluegrass, old time.

Meets in the Westside Seniors Hall in Westbank. Info call Carl at 707-1030 or Gerry at 768-4421

Lumby

Lumby Legion - Don’t forget to join us Thursday for darts, Friday for Pool, Saturday for our meat draws and keep your eyes open for out specialty dances and events! For info call 250547-2338.

Penticton

The Penticton Seniors Computer Club drops in days at the Leisure Centre, 439 Winnipeg Street, are: Monday 1 PM to 3 PM Wednesday 1 PM to 2 PM Friday 1 PM to 3 PM Mac Computer Support Monday 10 AM to 11 PM Members and visitors welcome.

Information (250) 492-7373.

The Penticton Concert Band rehearses under the leadership of Gerald Nadeau on Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30pm at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Hall in preparation for upcoming concerts and for the sheer enjoyment of playing a variety of music selections in concert band.

Intermediate to advanced players www. pentictonconcertband.ca or phone 250-809-2087 Penticton South Okanagan Seniors Wellness Society 696 Main St. Programs for the community - Volunteer Development, Friendly Visitor Program, Health Education, Elders Leading and Adopt-A-Grandparent.

487-7455.

Royal Canadian Legion, presents: the Following Special: Monday Night is Miser Monday: with chicken wings, and Baron/ Beef $3.00 each; bar specials; entertainment 5 9:00pm with different every

9

Monday. Friday Night: is Membership appreciation Night; with 5:30 6:30pm full course meal; 6:30 - 10:30pm different entertainer every Friday Night Wednesday: is Bingo Day; 1:00pm Bingo, and 6:30pm Bingo; Meat Draw, every Saturday and Sunday; 250-493-0870 The Franco 50+ group meets Thursdays to socialize in French, from 1:30-3:30pm. Call Lina at 492-2549 for info. salmon Arm

Salmon Arm Duplicate Bridge club meets at 6:45 every Tuesday at the downtown Activity Centre. and every Sunday at 12:45 pm at Branch 109. 8327454 or 832-7323.

Fletcher Park Seniors Resource Centre 320A 2 nd Ave., N.E. Salmon Arm. Meals on Wheels, Lunch With Friends, Monday Morning Market, Shop and Drop, Income Tax Service, Advocacy, Foot Care, Volunteer Drivers for medically related appointments, Day Away, Senior Advisor, Frozen Dinners at Home, Seniors Housing List, Home Services List, Good Food Box and Caregivers Group.

Call (250) 832-7000.

Sicamous

Senior Citizen’s Meals (Wheels to Meals) at the Eagle Valley Haven, in the C o m m o n R o o m .

Phone ahead: 836-2437, 836-4718, 836-4302 or 836-2031.

Sicamous Family Market at the Seniors Activity Centre, Saturdays 8:30 am to 2 pm 836-2587.

TAPPEN Carlin Hall in Tappen Bluegrass/Slowpitch Jam. Bluegrass instruments only.

For info call 250-835-2322.

Tuesday nights 7pm-9pm.

Vernon

North Okanagan Seniors Action Network Meetings at the Shubert Centre every 2nd Tuesday of each month.

Hosted by seniors resource bureau. Call 250-545-8572 for more info.

The Vernon Seniors Choir under the direction of Lyn Taron rehearses each Wednesday from 12:30 to 2:30 PM at the Halina Complex in the Vernon Rec. Centre. Our motto is " MUSIC IS OUR CONTRIBUTION". For

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more information call: 250-545-3119 OR 250542-2264 ELKS LODGE -3103 -30TH STREE -VERNON Every Friday Nite, Supper at 6:00 pm Cost $7.50 for Home Cooked meal and Mini Meat Draw 50/50 draw after Dinner.

Everyone Welcomemembers and non-members Vernon Singles ClubUpcoming Dances. Dances held at the Eagles Hall 5101-25th Ave., Vernon or Schubert Center - 350530th Ave., Vernon. For more information please contact Dawn 250-5589974 or Lottie 250-5492495 Fun Time Seniors 50+ Thursdays at the Schubert Centre from 10 to 11:30 am. Free event including games, entertainment, talks & videos. 545-5984 or 549-4201.

Oil Painting - Drop-in Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Vernon Community Arts Centre. Fee is $3.00 for members, $4.00 for non-members.

First Tuesday of every month the Vernon Placer Miner Club (gold panning club) meets at 7 pm,bsmt of Peace Lutheran Church at 1204-30 Ave. Guests welcome. Mem-berships for family, $20/yr. For more info contact: Donna Smith 250-545-3832 or mrspumpkin36@hotmail.

com or Jerry Stainer 250549-4395.

Brazilian Embroidery Chapter Stitching group gathers every second Thursday of the month, 7 pm. Call Pat at 549-2219 or Mary at 545-3939.

Sunshine Seniors meet 2nd & 4th Friday of the month, downstairs at the Peace Lutheran Church, 1204-30th Ave., at 1:30 p.m. All 55+ invited to fellowship, devotions, games and always excellent treats and coffee. Annual membership is $3.

The Vernon Lapidary and Mineral Club (Rockhounders) meet every 2nd Wednesday of the month, at 7:30 p.m. (except July and August) in the Art Centre, 2704A Hwy 6, in Polson Park. For info call 545-1274, or 542-0616.

Schubert Centre 3505 30th Ave. Shuffleboard, Monday to Friday at 8am 250-549-4201

Winfield

Cribbage Tournament at the Seniors Activity Center9832Bottomwoodlake Rd. Each 3rd Sunday of the month. Entree fee $12.00 Excellent lunch incl.

Games start at 10:00 am Play partners and meet new friends. John 250-766-3026 List your community event by calling tollfree 1-877-667-8450 or email details to info@northof50.com

10

NORTH of 50 February 2010

2010 Olympics

:

First the Party, Next the Hangover Marc Lee

T

he 2010 Winter Games are almost upon us. In Vancouver, banners are dropping down the sides of downtown buildings; huge tents are being erected anywhere there is open space; and advertising from anyone but Olympic sponsors has all but disappeared (I hereby challenge any Olympic athlete to eat McDonald's daily between now and your event). Whether you like the Games or hate them (personally, I find the lure of Olympic hockey irresistible), it's gonna be a huge party, and the world is coming.

Here in Vancouver, the Olympics are so big, so looming, it’s difficult to think of anything else. For years preparations have been underway, as planners have made their plans, and new, gorgeous facilities have been built. But it’s hard to say how much these activities have actually increased economic activity in BC. The province’s economy was already firing on all cylinders when most of the Olympic projects were under construction (i.e., before the 2008 crash). There is a case to be made that most Olympics projects have merely crowded out other public and private sector capital investments (and driven up costs for all projects). It’s possible that over the past year the Olympics spending smoothed out the harshest impacts of the recession in Vancouver, but unemployment still shot up to 8.4% in December, and is now about the same as the national average.

As for the two-week period of Games themselves — a lot of money is being spent on things like security, and there will be higher-than-normal tourism. Some economists foresee a 0.5 percentage point increase in GDP as a result of the Games. But it seems to me that, like the upfront capital investments, there is a lot of displacement going on — most regular business is being put on the backburner, as projects and offices close down due to concerns about traffic and security perimeters.

My real concern, though, is what happens after the Games. The provincial government will table its 2010 budget a mere two days after the Games end, and the big danger is that BC experiences a hangover of Olympic proportions. Outside the Lower Mainland, the province is in rough shape, where resource industries have been hammered by the decline in US market. Real estate is showing signs of recovery, but there is not much indication that new construction activity that creates jobs is returning to the highs of 2003-2008. Tourism may get an Olympic bump, but a high Canadian dollar and weak income growth are keeping a lot of Americans at home. It is hard to imagine what private sector forces could drive a resurgence of economic growth for the remainder of 2010.

So we need the BC government to step up to the plate in its 2010 budget. Last year, BC brought in very little in the way of stimulus spending, preferring to take a free ride on federal stimulus dollars. This is at least part of the reason why unemployment rates have doubled in the past 12 months. That situation could get a whole lot worse if the provincial government claims the cupboard is bare after the Olympics.

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Already the government has announced hundreds of layoffs in the Ministry of Forests and Range and the Ministry of Citizens’ Services, and school boards in Vancouver and Prince George are contemplating devastating cuts that could see hundreds of teachers lose their jobs and many schools shut their doors. Failing to adequately fund the public sector will only pile on to the post-Olympic pain that host cities typically experience.

But there is an, er, golden opportunity here. Since the 2008 budget that announced the BC carbon tax and a host of other climate actions, we have seen a whole lot of nada on the climate front. In fact, budget restraint in the past year has closed down some of those actions, like the LiveSmartBC program to retrofit homes to be more energy efficient. Anecdotally, this is drying up business for contractors who do retrofits. So now would be a perfect time to get back on the green file, and make some investments that will create jobs and meet our climate objectives.

BC has a legislated target of a one-third reduction in emissions by 2020 (relative to 2007 levels), but currently we do not have a plan that gets us there. Now is the time for that plan. Think transportation. Think household energy efficiency. Think green power. But also think about avoiding double-digit unemployment, and a potentially nasty post-Olympics hangover.

Marc Lee is the Senior Economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ BC Office.

“Spirit Of Gold” Anniversary Party Join us in celebrating ”50 years of Carnival Fun”. Bring the whole family to this event complete with FREE Anniversary Cake (1:30), Kids Activities, Concession, Special Sponsor Booths, Community Displays, FREE Public Skating (4:00), Entertainment, Door Prizes every ½ hour, Face Painting, Games, Bounce Hire, Clowns, Goody Bags & LOTS, LOTS More………

All at the Vernon Rec. Centre Auditorium & Gymnasium, Feb.7th. 11:00am - 6:00pm. Admission is by Donation.

Brought to you by the Vernon Winter Carnival Society.

Catch The Gold Carnival Spirit! "50 Years Of Carnival Fun"!

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201-2595 Pleasant Valley Blvd.

900A Belvedere St. P.O. Box 357 P.O. Box 69 Armstrong, B.C. V0E 1B0 Enderby, B.C. V0E 1V0 Phone: (250) 546-3188 Phone: (250) 838-9982 Fax: (250) 546-2677 Fax: (250) 838-9926 E-mail: blakely@junction.net

NORTH of 50 February 2010

11

Travelling Columnist I

n June of 2008, Calvin White was scheduled to leave on a 9 month mission to Darfur in Africa as a mental health specialist for Doctors Without Borders. A week before he was to leave, violence in that region forced his team to evacuate. After several other last moment postponements, the mission was finally cancelled altogether. Now, White is about to leave for a year long mission in Uzbekistan. Instead of working with victims of trauma and setting up a mental health system, he'll be working with victims of drug resistant tuberculosis and training counsellors to do the same.

Uzbekistan is a landlocked former part of the Soviet Union. It lies on the west border of Afghanistan and

stretches almost to the Caspian Sea. As such, to us in Canada it's an unknown country of little importance.

This central Asian dictatorship is rife with poverty and disease. Doctors Without Borders arrived there in 1997 to address a growing TB epidemic. The region where White will work is just south of the Aral Sea and is blighted with a multi drug resistant form of

the disease. The Aral Sea, once the 4th largest inland body of water in the world, has shrunk to a fraction of it's former size due to siphoning of its feeder water systems for irrigation of the country's cotton industry.

The consequence is the total annihilation of all life in the sea and terrible health problems for the area as sandstorms blow toxic dust from the exposed sea bottom, dust laced with pesticides, fertilizers, and salt.

While in Uzbekistan, White plans to continue his columns in North Of 50.

Elspeth Manning elspeth1@shaw.ca

Downtown Realty

Elspeth Manning 250-309-1500

DOWNTOWN REALTY

Offices in Armstrong and Vernon #2 - 3305 Smith Drive, Armstrong, B.C. V0E 1B1 Phone: (250) 546-8791 or (250) 545-5371 Fax: (250) 546-3004 Your referrals put $ in your pocket. Ask me!

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Play for Gold Get in the spirit! We’re giving you the chance to win a share of

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For Sale or Trade

2008 Roketa - Two Seater TNS HV 650cc 2WD and 4WD ATV with only 54 hours use. Loaded with options. Windshield with wiper, radio/MP3 player, snow blade, chains, winch, metal cargo box with hydraulic lift, custom exhaust, alloy wheels.

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NORTH of 50 February 2010

The Ice Bug

insects, Campbell made noble attempts to keep them alive in his Powers Addition neighbourhood.

Despite carefully placing the six bugs in separate

by Sherry Bennett cans outside in the -4.4 C evening, he awoke to find here is entomological gold in them thar hills.

The news of the ‘revolutionary’discovery of all frozen stiff. After a second trip to Mount Paul, nine ‘ice bugs’ on the southern slope of Mount Paul the amateur entomologist placed four new bugs in his in December 1937 spread quickly, racing through -5 C garage. Same result. After a third climb up Paul telegraph lines to newspapers pages around the world. Peak, Campbell hoteled his final specimens in his 5 C With an ancestry predating dinosaurs, the rare ice basement. Third time lucky. bugs were of intense interest to scientists. Because the Based on his unscientific research, Campbell insect had defied evolutionary change, its place in texts hypothesized the ice bug could not survive at a temperature below -4 C or above 5 C, adding that of the time lay under the heading rare ‘living fossils.’

The Grylloblatta campodeiformis was first discovered when the temperature got too hot or too cold, the bug in Banff in 1912. Prior to the Mount Paul discovery, burrowed itself into the earth’s surface to a depth where the insect had never been discovered at an altitude as the mercury in the thermometer rarely moved 5 C above low as 1,500 feet, or in an area where the sun sizzles or below zero.

As unscientific as Campbell`s research was, his all summer long.

Resembling a hybrid between an earwig and a findings were not that far off as entomologists have grasshopper, 14 specimens were plucked from Mount now shown experimentally that the GC species have a Paul’s talus slope by January 1938—12 by Kamloops’ preferred temperature of -3.5 C to +5 C. The Grylloblatta genus has 11 species that occur in entomologists Jack Gregson and G. Allen Mail and two by high school students.

Finding the prehistoric relic was one thing. Keeping Thinking about Facial it alive was an entirely different matter. Due to its extreme susceptibility to heat, the ice bug died within Cosmetic Surgery seconds of making contact with human skin.

Get all the facts Entomologist’s early attempts to keep the bugs alive in Trust your instincts refrigerators were unsuccessful with most speciments dying within hours of being collected.

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TERRITORIAL CLAIMS

by Jack D. Gregson Said a cricket to an ice bug as they sat on Mt. Paul's slide, "Don't you love my rocky talus - it's the topmost of my pride."

"But yours it's not,” the ancient bug reprovingly replied, "Three hundred million years I've lived, and you have just arrived."

Said an eagle to a ground-squirrel as it soared o'er peaks sublime, "Be careful how you dig the earth and spoil this land of mine."

But the rodent queried rightly, as the best he could define "You birds were not around at all when mammals had their time."

The moral of this issue is, as far as I can see, This land belongs to none of us, not even you and me!

We're all just lucky tenants on an earth that came to be.

Signed: Grylloblatta, the Ice bug

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North America. G. campodeiformis Walker, the species found on the talus slope of Mount Paul, has also been found in the Columbia Mountains and ThompsonOkanagan ecoregions.

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NORTH of 50 February 2010

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14

NORTH of 50 February 2010

Get outside:10 Fabulous Hikes in BC

by Malcolm Malcolm

Photo Source: Tourism BC

Here follows a sampling of fabulous hikes in British Columbia, where you’ll find plenty of views to inspire the soul.

The Grouse Grind Estimated time to complete: 1.5 hours A winding trail that scrambles up Grouse Mountain’s southern slope in North Vancouver, the Grind has become British Columbia's best-known hike. It’s certainly well named—with an average grade of 30 degrees, it’s a steep, thigh-burning trail boasting an elevation gain of 853 m (2,799 ft) as it climbs through the forest from the Valley Station to the peak plateau. (In all, there are 2,830 steps built into the trail.) The Grind was completed in the early 1980s, and it’s a must for locals and travellers alike. And though you probably won’t match the trail record of 24 minutes—for the average adult, it’s about an hour and a half—a trip up the Grind will give you a first-hand view of Vancouver’s unique urban and outdoor cultures. The best way down? Hop aboard the scenic Grouse Mountain Skyride, where a $5 one-way ride offers stunning views of the city.

The Trails of Garibaldi Estimated time to complete: depending on trail, can range from two to three hours (one way) As you drive north from Vancouver, you pass into Sea to Sky country. Just outside the town of Squamish, Garibaldi Provincial Park holds some of the province's most dramatic scenery; there are dozens of great trails in the Garibaldi area, but serious hikers will want to head for the Taylor Meadows and Garibaldi Lakes campgrounds. Departing from there, you’ll be able to access Black Tusk, the jagged remnants of an ancient volcano (note: taking on the Tusk can add, at minimum, four hours to your trek). There are also high trails like Panorama Ridge, where glaciers and striated ranges lead off to the far horizon. Garibaldi may prove a challenging place to hike—but it is one rife with rewards.

Schooner Cove Estimated time to complete: 45 minutes (round trip) An easy boardwalk that winds through thick rainforest to the beaches of the Pacific, the Schooner Cove trail is one of the many treasures of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island’s wild west coast. After a one-km (0.6 mi) walk, the trail emerges to the north of Esowista, one of the traditional homes of the Tlao-qui-aht First Nation. When the surf’s up, you’ll see huge waves rolling in from the west, each one trailing a mane of white in the wind. (Access to Schooner Cove may be non-existent during high tides.) There’s great tide-pool exploring at low tide, and a walk along the beach to the north takes you into a beautifully secluded cove. It’s the west coast at its picturesque best.

Carmanah Walbran – Grunt’s Grove and Three Sisters trails Estimated time to complete: 40 to 75 minutes (oneway)There are certain places where the natural scale of things is beyond compare. Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, an area of untouched old-growth forest on southwestern Vancouver Island, is one such place.

The park’s trails lead through lush stands of ancient cedar and Sitka spruce, with huge and magisterial trees reaching hundreds of metres in height. Walking the trails of Carmanah will give you a glimpse of the coast as it once was: a wondrously rich ecosystem that still exists as an intact and living thing. The park can be accessed from Port Alberni, Port Renfrew or Lake Cowichan, and a trip here should include a stroll through the Randy Stoltmann Commemorative Grove, a stand of giant spruces dedicated to an iconic outdoorsman and conservationist.

The Helliwell Bluffs Estimated time to complete: one hour to walk the trail; two to three hours to take in the scenery The Gulf Islands lie to the west of British Columbia’s mainland, and their bohemian cultures are as rich as the waters that surround them. Helliwell Provincial Park on Hornby Island is one of the hidden gems of the coast, with a pastoral five-km (3.1-mi) trail that winds through grassy fields and stands of Douglas fir and Garry oak forest. Just to the west is Tribune Bay, which harbours one of the province’s best beaches. As an added bonus, a stroll along the high sea bluffs of Helliwell will showcase fabulous views of the Coast Mountains and the Strait of Georgia.

The Divide Lake North Trail Estimated time to complete: 3.5 hoursRenowned for its vineyards and farmlands, the Okanagan is also home to a multitude of opportunities for backcountry hiking.

Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park showcases an extensive network of wilderness trails that provide access to the dry forests, canyons and grasslands that lie between Penticton and Kelowna. One of the park’s frequented hikes is the Divide Lake North trail, a serious 16-km (10-mi) round trip featuring views of Okanagan Lake and the Monashee Mountains. It’s also a unique chance to see forests that are coming back to life after fires swept through the area in 2003.

The Kettle Valley Rail Trail Estimated time to complete: varies on choice of trail and mode of transport; you can hike and bike along this trail.Built in the early 1900s, the Kettle Valley Railway in British Columbia’s lush Thompson Okanagan was the long and winding link that connected the southern interior to the coast. A century later, it’s been converted

Home into one of the province’s loveliest hiking and cycling trails. Part of the Spirit of 2010 Trail network, the Kettle Valley Rail Trail runs from Grand Forks to the Coquihalla Highway. The section of trail that passes through Myra Canyon, with its deep gorges and high trestle bridges, is an essential trip. With views of Okanagan Lake and some of the area’s renowned orchards and wineries, the stretch of trail that leads into Naramata is wonderful as well. In short, the Kettle Valley Rail Trail is a can't-miss experience for foodies and fresh-air fiends alike.

The Iceline Trail Estimated time to complete: four to six hours, depending on route.The Rocky Mountains are justly famous as one of the world’s most scenic mountain ranges. But despite all the fame, there are still countless places where you can find the solitude that greeted the area’s first explorers. Yoho National Park near the town of Golden in the Kootenay Rockies has hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails that lead into postcard-pretty landscapes. The Iceline Trail easily proves one of the park’s classics. Challenging as it may be for some, the trail offers close-up glacier views, crossings of streams and moraines, and unforgettable vistas of Daly Glacier.

As part of the Waputik Icefield, the Daly Glacier feeds Canada's second-highest free-falling waterfall, Takakkaw Falls, with its cascade totalling an impressive 380 m (1,247 ft). For those looking for something a bit gentler, there's a picturesque loop around the bright turquoise waters of Emerald Lake, with the first 1.6 km (one mi) being wheelchair-accessible.

The Painted Chasm Estimated time to complete: two to four hours.The Cariboo is a wild and expansive area of central British Columbia—a place of big views, big horizons and even bigger skies. Among its many geologic marvels is the Painted Chasm, a dramatic gorge where glacial waters cut a jagged path through ancient lava flows at the closing of the last ice age. Eight km (five mi) in length and up to 300 m (984 ft) in depth, the Chasm is one of the Cariboo’s most remarkable natural attractions.

A number of informal trails in Chasm Provincial Park, 20 km (12.4 mi) north of Clinton, offer great vantage points of the brilliantly coloured canyon walls and their surrounding forests of ponderosa pine.

The Crater Lake Trail Estimated time to complete: four hours.The town of Smithers is home to a dedicated outdoor community— which isn’t surprising, considering the access it offers to some of Northern British Columbia’s best mountain terrain. The Crater Lake trail is a well-known hike that serves as an inspired introduction to the area’s alpine environment. Leaving from the base of Hudson Bay Mountain ski area, the trail ambles upward through open meadows to the small lake that gives the hike its name. The views here are the real draw, with gracious vistas over the Bulkley Valley and its surrounding peaks. Remember that this is high country, and cold temperatures can be a factor at any time of year.

Courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission. The text has been modified from the original.

NORTH of 50 February 2010

and Away

T

he Canary Islands all have coastlines full of wonderful beaches. They range from areas with natural, dark, volcanic sand to golden sandy stretches that are maintained by the municipal councils with imported sand from the Sahara, that tourists tend to prefer. The coastlines that are washed by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean also have sections with steep, dramatic cliffs, especially on their western regions.

On Lanzarote there are two well known mountain ranges which both reach up to a height of over 600 meters, which may not seem that much but for an island that is only a few miles across at its widest point,

some of the tracks, roads and footpaths that lead to the summits can be very steep.

In the south of the island is the Ajaches mountain range. The Timanfaya National Park stretches from the middle of the island in the southern half to the western coast and is a designated UNSECO Biosphere area where public access is carefully controlled. It is also known as the red mountains due to the hue of the volcanic rocks that cover the area. There are roads across the park, but public vehicles are not allowed to use them, the only access being by official coaches.

Tourists who have experienced the 16 kilometre route

special someone, Valentine's Day is an important date to remember. For couples looking to make their Valentine's Day as memorable as possible, a weekend getaway to a romantic locale could make all the difference. The following cities are considered some of the most romantic the world has to offer.

- Paris, France. Few, if any, cities are as romantic as the capital of France. Known as the "City of Light," Paris seemingly has it all, from world renowned architecture to centuries of history to acclaimed cuisine. Wine enthusiasts will no doubt find Paris as pleasing as it is romantic.

E

ach year, February 14th marks an important day for the nation's couples. Whether you're married with children or yet to walk down the aisle with that

- New York, New York. Similar to Paris, New York City provides numerous opportunities for romance and culture. Couples can profess their love for one another atop the Empire State Building before taking a short walk to the city's famed theater district to take in a Broadway play.

- Venice, Italy. Known as "The Floating City," Venice's

15 rate the experience as one of the most memorable during their visit to the island.

Volcanic activity can still be measured and scientists have even created artificial geysers that show the volcanic heat that is quite close to the surface. Although there is still a slim possibility of volcanic eruption, the volcanoes have been very dormant since the last major episode in 1730 when 30 craters appeared across the island and many villages were covered with thick lava.

In the park an architectural point of interest is the Islote de Hilario Art, Culture and Tourism Centre designed

by Canarian architect Cesar Manrique. Here you can also dine in the El Diablo restaurant or Devil's Diner.

Almost a million tourists come to the park each year.

Further to the north of Lanzarote is the Famara Mountain range which also rises steeply from the west coast. Here is one of the island's most dramatic viewpoints, the Mirador del Rio, also designed by local architect Manrique. He originally designed the building to be a top quality restaurant that provided staggering views out to the island of La Graciosa. The Mirador sits at an altitude of 470m with views down to the Atlantic just over half a mile away. It really is an impressive sight, which is more than can be said for the cuisine offered by the restaurant which has never quite lived up to Manrique's ambitions.

On Gran Canaria the mountains reach even higher, three times higher in fact with the Pico de las Nieves being the high point at over 1900m where the Roque Nublo, a rocky outcrop, marks the peak of the mountain. If you have the strength to cycle to the top of the Pico de las Nieves then you'll enjoy an exhilarating downhill ride home of over 20 km back down.

Finally the Canaries highest peak and in fact the highest peak in all of the Spanish territories is Mount Teide on Tenerife. This mountain top is much higher than anything else in the Canaries at over 3700 metres.

It also ranks as the third highest volcano in the world as a whole. A cable car helps visitor's journeys to near the top of the peak, but if you want to complete the final trip to the very top on foot you'll need a special permit, arrangeable in a local tousits office beforehand.

The authorities have imposed this restriction to help keep visitor numbers and erosion down. The landscape up there is truly magnificent and anyone who enjoys remarkable views should make an effort to plan ahead and make the trip to this amazing place.

famed waterways make an ideal romantic getaway for couples. Couples looking for a uniquely romantic getaway might not find a more unique place to do just that than Venice.

- Monte Carlo. This jewel of the French Riviera offers breathtaking landscapes and idyllic beaches, making it a top choice of couples looking to soak in another city for Valentine's Day. For opera historians, the famed Salle Garnier will be sure to please, though the current company does not offer as many shows as it did during its heyday.

- San Francisco, California. Offering natural aesthetic appeal, San Francisco is among the western United States' most romantic cities. Golden Green Park or the city's waterfront is ideal for a romantic stroll, and couples who have never been to San Francisco will no doubt want to take in the wonder of the Golden Gate Bridge.

16

Arts and Entertainment

WORLD FAMOUS VANCOUVER CHAMBER CHOIR TO PERFORM IN VERNON

They have been called “as fine a vocal chamber group as any in the world”, they’re coming to Vernon, and single concert tickets are still available. The North Okanagan Community Concert Association proudly presents The Vancouver Chamber Choir. This event is part of the Windsor Plywood Spectacular Music BC concert series, a project of MusicFest Vancouver.

Concerts will be held at the Performing Arts Centre, Vernon, on Wednesday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, March 4 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets, available from The Ticket Seller, are $35.00 for adults and $17.50 for those 18 and under.

The Vancouver Chamber Choir, under the baton of Jon Washburn, always impresses audiences with their depth and range of repertoire as well as their interpretive skills. Their performances range from chant to folksong, traditional to avant-garde. The twenty professional singers love to acquire new language skills and have presented works in 38 different languages.

Canada’s outstanding vocal ensemble doesn’t stay nestled on the west coast. They have performed across Canada many times, visited a number of The States and have won awards and rave reviews in 14 other countries. Strong supporters of Canadian music

Kelowna Secondary School Music Department Shines a Spotlight on a Generation of Young Musicians Students of Kelowna Secondary School Music Department will be heating up the stage February 2nd and 3rd in the presentation of Encore! 2010, the vibe and jive of live music at the Kelowna Community Theatre.

More than 200 musicians from Kelowna Secondary School and the Night Owl Orchestra will be stepping out onto the stage for two-nights of musically charged entertainment.

Jam-packed with live music, guest artists will be joining the students on stage each night that includes Okanagan Symphony Music Director and Conductor, Rosemary Thomson on Tuesday, February 2nd.

On Wednesday, February 3rd, Jazz Café founder and vocal jazz sensation Anna Jacyszyn will be lending

and composers, the Vancouver Chamber Choir has commissioned and premiered more than 170 new works in the past 30 years.

Conductor and artistic director, Jon Washburn, is noted for devising innovative, fascinating programs and for unearthing hidden choral treasures. His own musical career began as a teenage jazz bass player and band leader. At university, he earned a degree in choral conducting at the University of Illinois and continued his music studies at Northwestern and the University of British Columbia. He has taught, been a CBC Radio 2 host and worked as a music engraver and librarian.

Amongst his many other awards, he is a Member of the Order of Canada.

In addition to touring and a busy season of concerts, broadcasts and recordings in Vancouver, the Choir offers an annual array of educational programs: the National Conductors’ Symposium for advance choral conductors, Interplay workshops for choral composers, Focus! for college and university music students, OnSite for elementary and secondary schools, Neverending Song for elementary students, and the biennial Young Composers Competition..

Centre Welcomes New Artistic and Managing Director

The Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre, now in its eighth year of operation, welcomes its second Artistic and Managing Director, Gordon Grant. He will be coming from the North Peace Cultural Centre in Fort St. John to take over the Centres operations on January 15th.

Grant brings with him a wealth of musical and artistic experience and his life in the arts has taken him from bands to orchestras, from technical work to directing and management. For the last eleven years, he has been the General Manager of the North Peace Cultural Centre, a vital component of Fort St. Johns arts community.

The Board of Directors and Staff of the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre welcome Gordon to Vernon and look forward to working with him in his new position.

her sultry voice to perform with the award-winning jazz ensemble from KSS. “The students have blossomed over the past year as they have worked hard to prepare for this event.

They rehearse regularly and have entered into competitions that has given them the edge in performance,” says Neil Wong, Music Director of the Kelowna Secondary School Music Department. “We’ve been putting these concerts on for well over 17 years. This program is designed to give the students an experience to perform on stage, to a live audience and to showcase their remarkable skill,” he says.

Competing in several competitions over the last year has prepared the students for the upcoming concerts. Placing first and bringing home gold medal standing in their respective categories, they received first place for their Jazz Combo, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Band 11 & 12, Combination Choir, Top Choir and Top Male and Female vocalists at the BC Interior Jazz Festival. In total, the students brought home 11 awards and an invitation to compete at Music Fest Canada.

Last spring, the Senior Concert Band brought home a gold medal at the Okanagan Concert Band Festival held in Penticton in addition to receiving a superior rating and invitation to compete at the National Music Festival in Ottawa.

“This year we’ve added the R&B ensemble and have invited two guest musicians to perform with the

NORTH of 50 February 2010

Okanagan Greens Society

Working together in our community for a healthy environment, happy people and a sustainable local economy.

The Event: Conduit Festival ‘Cakewalk Co-Op’ has partnered with ‘Okanagan Greens Society’ to bring the people CONDUIT; A live showcase of local and organic emerging and established Art, music, installation, sculpture, eco-activism, handmade crafts, Cake, literature, furniture, heirloom seeds, beer, wine, martinis, snacks, fire spinners, story tellers, slam poets, and speakers.

-Saturday Feb. 6, 2010 -4pm to 1am -Multiple galleries and spaces within the Rotary Centre for the Arts.

-Sliding Scale admission Venue donated by Cultural Services; The city wants to see more activity in the art district to hold interest for the 18-35 year old demographic.

Live Performers: We are committed to sourcing the most auspicious in local experimental, folk and Alternative Music.

List: Kevin Kane, Old Man’s Beard, Prarie Cat, Midnight, Leila Neverland, Uncanny Valley, The Capers, Time, Yoko, Sam Wilson, Alison Cociani, Nixie, Imaginary friend, Bradley Florent, Thom Bouman, Vanessa Eides, Lee Schurian, Timothy Fehr, Kinshira, and more…

students including Rosemary Thomson, Music Director of the OSO and Anna Jacyszyn, jazz vocalist to share their experience and a chance for the students to perform with industry professionals”, says Sheila French, Music Director of the Night Owl Orchestra. “We’re thrilled to have them both perform with us,” she says.

Audiences will be entertained with a musical tapestry differing each night from vocal jazz, rhythm & blues, concert choir, orchestral and classical repertoire that will showcase the panache of a new generation of musicians.

To soak in the talent and range of music, tickets for Encore! 2010, the vibe & jive of live music are affordably priced. Funds raised go towards purchasing equipment, music and festival fees to further the educational value for students at Kelowna Secondary School Music Department.

Join MCs Mike Roberts of CHBC on February 2nd and Marion Barschel, host of Day Break on CBC Radio One on February 3rd. To attend the two-day concert, tickets for adults are just $20 or $15 for one night. Tickets for students and seniors are $13 for two nights or $10 for one. Tickets are available at the Kelowna Secondary School office located at 1079 Raymer Avenue in Kelowna, or at the door night of the shows. For more information call 250.762.2805 ext. 264.

NORTH of 50 February 2010

17

News & Information HST on Parking Tax Hosed Again

submitted by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

P

eople have lots reasons to be upset about the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). For starters, it means the price of many goods and services will be 7 per cent higher. Of course, the government assures us this will only be at first. They claim businesses will pass cost savings along to consumers because they will no longer pay the provincial sales tax (PST) on their business inputs. Many citizens are skeptical about whether businesses will lower prices. However, what citizens should really be skeptical about is whether the prices for services the government provides will go down. So far it seems it will be government, not business, ripping-off consumers.

One example is the PST on liquor in restaurants, which will fall from 10 to 7 per cent. Will this mean a price reduction to hard-pressed consumers? No, the government will increase the wholesale mark-up on alcohol to keep its revenue the same. So tipplers will see no savings when the HST arrives -- no harmonizationinduced price reduction here, folks.

Taxpayers were also supposed to say goodbye to the 7 per cent parking sales tax that goes to TransLink, the Lower Mainland's public transit Leviathan. The government said that tax would be repealed with the implementation of the HST, and "options for TransLink

Improving Local Food Systems

Interior Health has recently invested $75,000 to build community food security in communities throughout the Interior region. The Community Food Action Initiative (CFAI) provides single and multi-year grants to support a variety of projects that will increase a community’s ability to influence and contribute to the positive growth and development of their local food system. A local food system strengthens the health of a community, while a healthy community contributes to improving the health of the individuals living in that community. It’s a win-win for everyone.

“Food security initiatives improve access to healthy foods in communities and also raise the profile of locally grown food, allowing people to buy fresh fruits and vegetables in their own community,” said Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport. “The Community Food Action Initiative promotes food security programs across the province and continues to help British Columbians make the healthy choice the easy choice.”

Supported with the most recent round of funding, 10 communities will be carrying out food security projects. Some examples include: Building raised garden beds at the Summerland Seniors Village, where Summerland Secondary students will learn gardening techniques from seniors; Creating/implementing a community food security plan in the North Thompson, and establishing a “food hub”—which is a place for the organization and provision of food programs and services – in the community of Kaslo.

“The end goal is to establish food security within each community”, says Heather Deegan,

related to the removal of the parking tax are being reviewed."

That not only led the naïve observer, but TransLink Chair Dale Parker to muse about what TransLink would do once it no longer had the 7 per cent parking sales tax to count on for revenue.

So imagine the shock and awe when the Ministry of Finance announced in December that the PST on parking in TransLink’s region would triple from 7 per cent to 21 per cent.

But, wait a minute! Wasn't the PST on parking supposed to be eliminated? Oh no, explained the finance ministry. The PST on parking isn't really a PST (even though it’s covered in the Social Services Tax Act, otherwise known as the PST legislation), it’s a tax collected by the province for TransLink, so it doesn't fall into the PST cuts originally announced, even though they in fact, did announce it.

If you are not already a bit befuddled by this, hold on to your wallet. According to federal GST legislation, if a sales tax in B.C. is more than 11 per cent, the 12 per cent HST will be charged on top of it.

That means the parking sales tax will not be 21 per cent as originally announced, but 23.52 per cent as of July 1, 2010. Paying HST on a tax? Can you say tax grab?

But not only will working stiffs and shoppers trying to park in the Lower Mainland pay HST on the parking sales tax, they will pay HST on parking as well, IH’s Manager of Food Security and Community Nutrition. “This is when all citizens are able to obtain a safe, personally acceptable, nutritious diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes healthy choices, community self-reliance and equal access for everyone.” At Interior Health, CFAI is a collaboration between communities and the health authority, supported to a large degree by the Community Nutritionists.

bumping up the total tax paid on parking to 35.52 per cent!

Theory says that consumer prices should go down once the HST is implemented. Experience tells that when government gets involved, prices go up. The government says it is bringing in the HST to lower costs and make the province more competitive for business investment. But forgetting facts when they are no longer convenient and arbitrarily increasing a tax is the mark of a government out of control. The government must stick with original plan and repeal the TransLink parking tax.

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Health Matters

Scientists Unlock Clues To Lymphoma

Scientists from the BC Cancer Agency have discovered a never before seen DNA spelling mistake, or mutation, in a gene called EZH2 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma, the two most common types of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

This groundbreaking discovery, which was published online on January 17 in the prestigious international science journal Nature Genetics, is of particular importance because cancer related mutations (DNA spelling mistakes) are often observed in different sites in genes associated with individual tumours while this mutation is found in exactly the same location in samples from different lymphoma patients.

Based on previous research, the mutated site is known to be one of the most important amino acids in the proper functioning of EZH2.

“Lymphoma is the fifth most common form of cancer and has the fastest growth rate of any common cancer in North America,” said Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon. “The breakthrough by the scientists involved in this study is an important step to better understanding the disease and gives hope that new treatments can be found.”

“While we know EZH2 is involved in certain types of breast and prostate cancer, it has never before been found mutated in any cancer and was not previously implicated in having a role in lymphomas,” said Dr. Joseph Connors, Chair of the Lymphoma Tumour Group and Clinical Director of the Centre for Lymphoid Cancer at the BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, and Clinical Professor, Medical Oncology, University of British Columbia. “The presence of this mutation can be considered a marker that will aid in diagnosing these lymphomas and identifying new therapies for their treatment.”

In addition to decoding thousands of genes in malignant cells from 31 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the entire genome of a patient with follicular lymphoma was decoded. When researchers found the EZH2 mutation in exactly the same position in many of the cases, they examined the malignant cells of additional patients and found it to be mutated the same way and in the same position in almost one quarter of the cases with a specific lymphoma subtype.

“Usually spelling mistakes are observed in different sites in individual tumours rather than affecting exactly the same part of the gene as we have found with EZH2 in this study,” added Dr. Randy Gascoyne, Hematopathologist and Research DirecHealth Canada is warning consumers not to use the unauthorized product “The Slimming Coffee,” which was previously sold as “Lose Weight Coffee,” because it was found to contain the undeclared prescription drug sibutramine and may pose serious health risks. This product is promoted as a natural coffee beverage used for weight-loss.

Benefits of Red Wine and Chocolate

Did you know that every part of your body responds favourably to the gifts of wine and chocolate?

“Red wine, with its concentration of polyphenois properties, is reputed to have anti-clotting, antioxidant, and relaxing benefit,” says David Long of the Canadian Craft Winemakers Association (CCWA), an organization that supports professional techniques for making wine at home. “At spas all over the world, Valentine sweethearts are trying such stimulating treatments as “red wine body buffs”, “berry wine pedicures”, and “flavanoid facial peels”.

And as you might have guessed, the properties of dark chocolate are similar to wine and deliver beneficial treatment to the skin as well.

“Cocoa's antioxidant compounds also stimulate healthy activity,” Long continued, “although it should be said that smearing chocolate all over one's body must pose quite a challenge to the nose and taste buds.”

Even so, you and your Valentine can now get a chocolate massage, chocolate facial, chocolate pedicure and more —and if that's not enough, you can also bring home chocolate lip balm, chocolate soap and chocolate massage oil.

And, Long adds: “You can also get what we call 'chocolate in a bottle'. Why resist the taste of such pleasures when in the past few years, the consumer-made wine industry has evolved into such luxurious dessert wines as dark Chocolate Raspberry or Chocolate Orange Port? These flavours are so seductive they are ideal for the finale of any Valentine meal.”

Chocolate varieties are often a 'limited release' but the kits and store locations are worth looking for at www.winemadesimple.ca.

NORTH of 50 February 2010

tor, Centre for Lymphoid Cancers at the BC Cancer Agency, and Clinical Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia. “This will allow for the development of medications that target only the cancerous cells and will be harmless to healthy cells.”

The discovery was made in collaboration with the BC Cancer Agency’s Genome Sciences Centre, whose next-generation DNA sequencing machines are able to decode billions of nucleotides at rapid speed and whose new computer techniques allow rapid interpretation of data.

“The technological advancements in DNA sequencing have allowed us to do in a matter of weeks what used to take years and at a fraction of the cost. The clear benefit to patients is the opportunity to design new approaches to treatment,” said Dr. Marco Marra, Director, BC Cancer Agency’s Genome Sciences Centre and Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia.

This year an estimated one thousand British Columbians will be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and 340 will die of it. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is an aggressive cancer that can only be cured in about two thirds of patients while follicular lymphoma is a slower growing cancer for which there is currently no cure but which can be kept in check for long periods of time with relatively mild chemotherapy.

“The generation of knowledge through research is an integral part of our mission,” said Dr. David Levy, President, BC Cancer Agency. “By investing in research to indentify the causes of cancers like lymphoma, we are able to find better treatments to give patients longer life, and a better quality of life.”

“I have been living with follicular lymphoma for more than seven years and have already seen firsthand the difference improvements in treatment can make,” said Paul McDonald, a patient in remission for more than five years. “I know I will probably have to deal with it again in the future and this discovery gives me hope that there will be a cure for this long-term chronic disease.”

The study was funded in part by grants from the National Cancer Institute Office of Cancer Genomics (USA), the National Cancer Institute of Canada, the Terry Fox Foundation’s New Frontiers program, Genome Canada/Genome BC funding, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Research conducted at the BC Cancer Agency is generously supported by donors to the BC Cancer Foundation.

Cervical Cancer Screening and Information

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women. The two groups of women with the highest rates of cervical cancer are those from ages 35 to 39 and those from ages 60 to 64. Early detection is the key to treatment and survival.

Understanding HPV Cervical cancer is a cancer of the cervix, or the organ that connects the uterus to the vagina. It is almost always caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which up until recently was a little-known virus. It has since become a household name. This is a sexually transmitted virus that affects the mucous membranes in humans. HPV is spread through sexual skin-to-skin contact.

Penetration is not necessary to spread the virus. Men and women can be affected by HPV, and there are different strains. HPV that causes genital warts won't necessarily contribute to cervical cancer.

PAPTests The only way to prevent HPV is to abstain from sexual contact. In recent years a vaccine has been approved for the prevention of HPV. Early detection of cervical cancer is also essential. This is obtained through a PAP test. The incidence of cervical cancer has decreased in developed countries around the world because of an increase in the use of screenings and appropriate follow-up treatment.The PAP test or PAP smear is named after Dr. George Papanicolaou who first developed the test. A sample of cervical cells are taken and observed under a microscope.A woman can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in the body and can lead to cervical cancer years after infection. There are often no symptoms of HPV or cervical cancer, therefore PAPs are the single best way to detect it. If there are any symptoms, they may include unexplained bleeding or pain.

Treatment If cervical cancer is caught early, it can usually be treated successfully.

A woman may still be able to have children even after the cancer is caught early enough. However, most treatments for cervical cancer make a woman unable to have children afterward. Depending on the stage of cancer treatments may include: Cone biopsy to remove the cancer, Simple hysterectomy to remove the uterus and cervix, Hysterectomy and removal of pelvic lymph nodes with or without removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes, Radiation therapy, using high-dose, X-rays or implants in the vaginal cavity to kill cancer cells, and Chemotherapy.

Regular pelvic examinations and PAPtests can save a woman's life and prevent cervical cancer from developing. Women with any unusual symptoms should not hesitate to speak with their doctor.

NORTH of 50 February 2010

Word Search & Crosswords E N U T R O F W E L T D D M C O M S N A I D A N A C W E I O E A W O L N E W E R R E N N I W G O E E L I I G O D T T O T C F N S E G P T D P U N P H I E Y Y E R T E R K S E P L S S V L H E D B A O E A C V V Y I H A O R N W L R I O N R U A I R O O P W O A C O U N B W O L N C O U I L M A H E C A V I E A A C T R K I S Y D R I Y R N K T D R O O S C O M W M L D L Y W S A E S U R E V G A I H P O F L Y N V R I V Y A N U E T E O I G R A L E R K E L O L N T W E N O C C I D Y M S R O C H I N E S E P S S E L C I C I O I L A N T E R N S H B R O N Z E C L O U D Y C T W E N T Y T E N S

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fABULOUS fEBRUARY award bronze Canada Canadians Chinese cloudy cold cool crisp crystal February fly fortune gold good gun hill ice icicle icy lanterns luck luge money new nippy

olynpics oval pole rain red shoot silver ski skiboots skis slide snow speed team teams tiger twentyten Vancouver victory white whoosh win winner winter year

Find the words in the grid. When you are done, the unused letters spell out a hidden message. Words can go left or right, top line to bottom line. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions. Answers to puzzle is on page 22.

Across 1 BB association 4 _____ moment 9 Christmas month 12 acorns dad 13 Informed 14 Time period 15 Boxer Muhammad 16 Small fruit 17 Atmosphere 18 Eastern religion 20 Tumbled 22 American Kennel Club (abbr.)

24 Battle of nations 25 Breed of horse 29 Car jewlry 33 Thyme 34 Arbiter 36 Pepper's pal 37 Confess 39 Teary (2 wds.)

41 Neither's partner 43 __bon (sweet treat) 44 Agreed with

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23 Coupe 25 Expression of surprise 26 ____Roses 27 Build up 28 Pristine 30 Key 31 Lager 32 Type of partnership 35 Valentine mo.

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NORTH of 50 February 2010

In our December and January issues, North of 50 held a contest called "Love is in the Air". We put out the call for readers to submit their personal love stories. Many heartwarming and heartbreaking stories were submitted and choosing the best three stories was a difficult task. We chose the best three stories to be published below. Our first place winner also won a Valentine’s gift basket.

Second Chance at Love

When Love Comes Calling

At age fifty, my first husband succumbed to a terrible and 1st Place virtually unknown disease.

One of my four children was in grade twelve, one in university and the others out on their own. My husband, my children and my home had been my life for thirty years. I’d never experienced much else and worried about the looming emptiness that naturally follows the loss of a partner.

After a lonely year, I decided to put widowhood on the back burner and do some things of interest. I’d always wanted to ski and Grouse Mountain beckoned.

Also, I thought night school might help fill the empty hours. At my first course, I struck up a conversation with a very nice, young man. During our conversation, the topic of skiing came up and I told him I’d recently taken it up.

A week later (arranged by my lovely young friend at night school) I received a call from a widower, Kas, asking me out. A blind date in your fifties? Unbelievable but true! And since I was up for new experiences, I said yes. (Ironically, the young man who introduced us turned out to be the son-in-law of my very first blind date in high school – what a small world!)

Kas and I met and had several dates and dinners then one weekend, he took me to his ski cabin at Manning Park. More ski lessons and several dates later, we both realized we’d been given a second chance at love.

We took our relationship to the ultimate level in June when we exchanged marriage vows and flew to San Francisco for our honeymoon.

At age 75, (probably some kind of record) I earned my level one ski instructor certificate. Kas and I taught skiing at Manning Park from Monday to Friday throughout the winters. We taught our children, our thirteen grandchildren, our neighbours’ kids and the numerous school kids who visited Manning Park. We felt fulfillment, knowing we contributed something to many by bringing some fun into their lives.

Our love for each other has been constant throughout the rich thirty-three years of our marriage. We’ve travelled the world, we’ve skied at dozens of resorts, and we’ve enjoyed the pleasure of family and friends.

The years have flown by and our lives have slowed to a quiet life in a retirement home in Penticton. Now in our eighties, we suffer from a few golden-age problems but we remain soul mates and feel blessed to have had a second chance at love.

It was the spring of 2000. My company was sending me to British Columbia to demonstrate our company products at home shows. I had never been to BC before and had heard that it was a beautiful province. The excitement of visiting new places was hard to contain and I packed and repacked my clothes several times.

My first stop–Kelowna. It would be a wonderful place to spend a few days just loafing and looking.

Who was I kidding? I wasn’t going to Kelowna just for the home show. I was going to Kelowna to look up an old high school-sweetheart, Linda. She and her family had moved away from Ontario back in 1964. I lost track of her over the years–tried to find her several times but with no success.

I ran into Hazel, her locker partner from high school, at the post office one day and casually asked if she knew where Linda was living now.

“In British Columbia,” she said.

“Do you know where in BC? “Yep,” was all she said.

“Well?”

“I don’t know the address but she lives in a place called, Kelowna.”

“Thanks.”

“Say hello to her for me, when you see her.”

“Will do. Gotta run.”

Joyce Martin

At the public library I fished out a phone book for Kelowna... got her address and phone number. Would she be surprised to see me.Should I phone her and tell I’m coming to Kelowna? Na, I’ll just show up? When I arrived in Kelowna I rented a car and stopped at a motel near her home. After lunch I decided to take a drive by. She was cutting the grass.Wow, she hasn’t changed a bit since high school. Well, maybe a little bit. She was wearing glasses... didn’t wear them in school–her hair was blond now... she was a brunette in school. Like I said, she hasn’t changed a bit.

“Let’s see 250-860-5555. Hope she’s in the house.”

“Hello.”

“Hi, Babe.”

“Babe? Who are you calling?”

“You, Babe.”

“No one’s called me that since school. Who is this?”

“Who called you Babe in school?”

“Is this Bill? It couldn’t be... could it?”

“It is.”

“Where are you? How did you get my number?

How....”

“One question at a time. I’m here in Kelowna at the motel just around the corner from you. May I come over?”

“Sure. How long will you be? I gotta clean up. Just finished cutting the grass.”

“I know. I drove by.”

I was at Linda’s place in less than ten minutes. I went up to the front door and knocked.

“Who’s there?” A sweet voice rang our from behind the door.

She opened the door laughing just the way I had remembered her laughing so many years ago.

Linda’s husband passed away several years ago and she was alone. But, not for long if I had my way... and I did. I moved to Kelowna in 2002 and we were married in 2004.

William S. Peckham

Happiness My hubby was a very thoughtful man. Knowing my passion for flowers, he created easily accessible planters out of the inner tubs of washing machines and he set the tracks from snowmobiles on their side and filled them with soil, too. My favourites though were and still are the hollowed-out tops of aged stumps with their roots still in the rich earth of our Lone Butte soil.

We did a lot of together-things, from entertaining and visiting with out-of-town relatives and friends, to shopping, to laughing and loving plus going to doctor appointments when necessary. Bad or good, we were there for each other.

Six months after his diagnosis with prostate cancer, we again had to drive to the Kamloops hospital for Willy to get the results of his last month’s PSA test, and his necessary shot, that hopefully, would keep his cancer in check. I would also find out if I needed more treatments for my veracious veins. We drove there with little conversation.

As it turned out, I did not need treatments for my veins, and the cancer nurse had helped ease his anxiety over the shot and the results of his test. Much relieved that that ordeal was over; we laughed and joked on our way home. By the time we got to Cache Creek, I was pleased when Willy suggested we stop at my favourite restaurant; “The Wander Inn,” which he seldom did.

We were both so busy worrying about the results of his check–up that we forgot it was Valentine’s Day. When we entered, we stopped and stared. Signs of the occasion were everywhere. Red, pink and white carnations sat in glass vases on the tables. Cupids and red hearts decorated the walls and the waitress had a red carnation tucked behind her ear. She greeted us with a "Happy Valentine's Day," and led us to a table for two in the corner by the window.

Outside the snow fell softly. My darling man reached across the table and took my hand. No words were needed.

We had a grand meal and when we were ready to leave, he pulled two carnations from the vase and tucked them into his jacket. I'm sure we both had goofy smiles on our faces as we left with our bootie. Outside, he presented me with them. “Happy Valentine’s, Ag,” he said, and we kissed.

In August of the following year, we learned the cancer had spread throughout his body. He passed away six months later and I hold that Valentine memory as close as he always held me.

Agnes A. Ramstedt

NORTH of 50 February 2010

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MOVIES & BOOKS THE BOOK SHELF from the publishers

NEW IN THEATRES - from the producers

EDGE OF DARKNESS

January 29, 2010 Cast: Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic, Shawn Roberts Suspense Thriller. "Edge of Darkness" is an emotionally charged thriller set at the intersection of politics and big business. Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is a veteran homicide detective for the Boston Police Department and a single father. When his only child, twenty-four year old Emma (Bojana Novakovic), is murdered on the steps of his home, everyone assumes that he was the target. But he soon suspects otherwise, and embarks on a mission to find out about his daughter's secret life and her killing. His investigation leads him into a dangerous looking-glass world of corporate cover-ups, government collusion and murder - and to shadowy government operative Darius Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), who has been sent in to clean up the evidence.

WILD BEAUTY

BOOK DETAILS: Heritage House 9781894974936 11.75 x 9 x .25 in 128 pages $29.95 CA; $26.95 US In this visually stunning, richly informative portrait of British Columbia, renowned photographer Al Harvey takes readers beyond the iconic landmarks of Canada’s westernmost province to its equally majestic, yet rarely seen corners.

With his discerning eye, adventurer’s spirit and conservationist’s respect for the natural world, Harvey captures in full colour British Columbia’s unique, wild beauty.

From the misty peaks of Haida Gwaii’s Queen Charlotte Mountains to the remote alpine tundra of the northern Rockies, from the source of the mighty Fraser River to its final Pacific destination, Wild Beauty beautifully expresses the geographic diversity of this land, all the while affirming the intimate connection between the physical terrain and the people who inhabit it.Part travel guide, part geography lesson, this breathtaking visual journey will inspire long-time residents and adventurous tourists alike to get out and discover British Columbia for themselves.

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VALENTINE'S DAY

Friday, February 12 An all-star ensemble cast comes together in "Valentine's Day," which follows the intertwining storylines of a diverse group of Los Angelenos as they navigate their way through romance and heartbreak over the course of one Valentine's Day. Couples and singles experience the pinnacles and pitfalls of finding, keeping or ending relationships in a day in the life of love.

Directed by veteran filmmaker Garry Marshall, the film stars Jessica Alba,Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Hector Elizondo, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer GarneR, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway , Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, George Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Roberts, Julia Roberts and award-winning singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, in her feature film debut.

FILM CLASSICS TO REV UP THE ROMANCE With Valentine's Day upon us, couples across the country have once again fixed their focus on romance. For those couples enjoying a romantic evening at home this Valentine's Day, the following films are some of the most romantic the silver screen has to offer.

"Casablanca" (1942) -- Few films are considered more romantic than this Humphrey Bogart classic. Co-starring Ingrid Bergman, "Casablanca" is today considered a film classic, despite the fact that no one considered the film to be anything out of the ordinary during its production. Bogart must choose between love and virtue when a former lover suddenly appears at his popular Moroccan nightspot amidst the tensions of World War II. "Roman Holiday" (1953) -- Another romantic film featuring a pair of screen legends, "Roman Holiday" stars Audrey Hepburn as a bored princess who embarks on a tour of European cities, only to fall in love with an American journalist in Rome played by Gregory Peck.

"Gone with the Wind" (1939) -- Also using a war as a backdrop for romance, "Gone with the Wind" finds Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler falling in love during the American Civil War. An added bonus is one of the most memorable lines in film history. When Scarlett asks Rhett what she should do if he leaves, Rhett replies, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

"True Romance" (1993) -- For those who prefer a little gore with their romance, perhaps no film is more suited to such enthusiasts than Quentin Tarantino's classic "True Romance," starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette as a couple on the run after a cocaine deal gone bad. Mayhem ensues throughout Tarantino's first screenplay as Clarence (Slater) and his girlfriend Alabama (Arquette) are chased.

"Titanic" (1997) -- The most financially successful film ever made, James Cameron's "Titanic" cost $200 million to make. A tale of love across social divides, the film is set on the backdrop of the most famous failed ship to ever hit the open seas.

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NORTH of 50 February 2010

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For Sale Banjo, Deering make, long neck, open back, new. Books bag included, great sound. $375.00 firm. ph 250-763-5674 For Sale One set Ladies cross country ski and boots size 7 - 7.5 in excellent condition $40.00 for both. 250453-9964 For Sale 5 horse rototiller and 3 horse rototiller both in good running condition $130.00 each

Wanted - Snowblower for parts any brand Call 250-429-8501 any time For Sale Hair dressing chair with dryer $50.00.

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Tax Tips Jerry’s Antiques and Things Spring cleaning, Moving, downsizing?

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Will buy whole collections, household and estate items.

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Over $1000 value or business / commercial ad: the rate is $12.00 for up to 25 words then each additional word @ 25 cents + GST ** Publisher reserves the right to refuse any ad.

• Personal amount: The basic personal amount has increased to $10,320.

Word Search Solution: Welcome World to the Vancouver Winter Olympics

• Age amount for persons 65 years of age or older: The maximum amount has increased to $6,408.

• Registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) and registered retirement income funds (RRIFs): If an unmatured RRSP or RRIF of a deceased person decreases in value after the person's death, and the final payment from that RRSP or RRIF is made after 2008, a deduction may be claimed on the final return of the deceased person for the decrease in value.

• Working income tax benefit (WITB): Tax relief provided by increased funding to the WITB has been enriched for 2009.

• First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit: If you are a first-time homebuyer, a person with a disability, or an individual buying a home on behalf of a related person with a disability, you may be able to claim this new nonrefundable tax credit [Footnote 1] of up to $750 for the acquisition of a qualifying home after January 27, 2009 (closing after this date).

• Home Buyers' Plan (HBP): As of January 27, 2009, the maximum amount you can withdraw from a registered retirement savings plan under the HBP has increased to $25,000.

Did you know North of 50 Lifestyle Newsmagazine has a website. You can find this entire issue - and over a year’s worth of past issues online at www.northof50.com

British Sweets, specialty chocolates, eductional toys, games and puzzles, jewelry and watches, glassware, special occassion gifts, handbags, hats, scarves & pashminas.

70,000 reasons to get involved!

This is your chance to make a difference for the more than 70,000 British Columbians who are living with Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. needs volunteers now to help organize the annual Investors Group Walk for Memories fundraising event in Kelowna, which will be held on January 31, 2010.

To learn how you can help, call Louise at 250-491-9404 or visit

www.walkformemories. com.

Got a Story Idea?

Heritage Creek Gifts &

Confectionary 2516 Patterson Ave. Armstrong!

(250) 546-3096

North of 50 Lifestyle Newsmagazine is about honouring folks who’ve made a contribution to their communities, professions and families.

Know someone who fits the bill?

Tell us about them:

1-877-667-8450

NORTH of 50 February 2010

23

Attention Home Buyers:

New Development in Kamloops!

Green-style homes for as low as

Backing onto park lands, 8 mins from downtown

Eagle Homes EagleHomes.ca

- Level Entry Crawlspace Home - 10 Year New Home Warranty

- Fully Landscaped - High Efficiency Systems

7510 Dallas Drive, Kamloops 250.573.2278 • 1.877.604.6637

Armstrong’s Best Kept Secret...

Unique Gifts, Specialty Chocolates, English Sweets and more!

• • • •

Books & Journals British Sweets Candy Gift Trays Childrens Clothing

• Daniel’s Chocolates • Toys & Games • Clocks & Wall Art • First Nations Art

• • • •

• Handbags Home Decor • Pashmina & Scarves Jewelry • And more great gift ideas!

Music Boxes Fashion Accessories

New Shipment of Daniel’s Valentine’s Chocolates See you soon!

2516C Patterson Ave, Armstrong 250.546.3096

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NORTH of 50 February 2010

G N I NT

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NO

LakesideManor RETIREMENT RESIDENCE

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