H1N1 -- The Facts

Health is politics: How much of our money goes directly into the health care system?

Know the Difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms

Fever
Fever is rare with a cold.
Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the H1N1flu.

Coughing
A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.
A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the H1N1flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches
Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.
Severe aches and pains are common with the H1N1flu.

Stuffy Nose
Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.
Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.

Chills
Chills are uncommon with a cold.
60% of people who have the H1N1flu experience chills.

Tiredness
Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.
Tiredness is moderate to severe with the H1N1flu.

Sneezing
Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.
Sneezing is not common with the H1N1flu.

Sudden Symptoms
Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.
The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The H1N1flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache
A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.
A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of H1N1flu cases.

Sore Throat
Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.
Sore throat is not commonly present with the H1N1flu.

Chest Discomfort
Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.
Chest discomfort is often severe with the H1N1flu.


The only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is to spread the awareness.

The previous was sent to me by a friend, TMS, who has been a community health nurse on the North shore for 44 years.

Translink Mayors Vote to Adopt $130 Million Plan to Fund Transportation Improvements

CKNW reports that the 130 million dollar plan will fund transportation improvements, with funding for the plan coming from a three cent gas tax increase, an increase in transit fares, and an increase in the parking sales tax.

However, from the $130 million figure mentioned in news reports, it appears the mayors have approved a version of the 10-Year Transportation Plan dubbed the "Funding Stabilization Plan" that requires $130 million each year in new funding just to maintain the transportation services available today without any new services". Not quite the ambitious "On Track to a Sustainable Region (Supplemental Plan)" that called for $450 million in new revenue annually, but included new investments in transit, rapid transit, roads and bridges as well as cycling and greenways.

The Translink Mayors Council contains representatives from each of the 21 municipalities in Metro Vancouver, including North Shore representatives West Vancouver Mayor Pam Goldsmith-Jones, District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton, and City of North Vancouver Councillor Craig Keating.

More details on the plan can be found on Translink's website:

http://www.translink.ca/en/Plans-and-Projects/10-Year-Transportation-Plan.aspx

Olympic Game Plan: North Vancouver

VANOC brings its organizing message to North Vancouver tonight.

According to the District of North Vancouver website:

Game Plan 2009 will help people better understand the daily operations leading up to and during the Games in an open-house setting with stations focused on areas such as venue and transportation operations, security and public safety. The open house will provide an opportunity for those living or working in a Games-venue neighbourhood to learn more, ask questions and find out how they can get involved in the Games.

This afternoon the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be joined by "the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, TransLink and the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit for an update on 2010 Winter Games planning and a look ahead to the daily operations of the Games."

Game Plan North Vancouver
Thursday, October 22, 2009
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Centennial Theatre
2300 Lonsdale Avenue

Old News...Nothing has been accomplished

I have spent many hours going through the DNV Council candidates' websites, answers to questions by FONVCA, and have attended
all-candidates meetings. They are all saying the same things. The incumbents are talking about affordable housing, homelessness, and
green sustainability... but when they voted...they voted against the issues they are now so adamant that they stand for.
Examples:
1) Couns. Nixon, Little, and Hicks voted in favour of the Whiteley Court project (Branches) and evicted 46 low income families in favour of
"market housing." The public hearing regarding this development was well attended and more residents spoke against it than for it,
however it was approved.
2) Couns. MacKay-Dunn spoke in favour of the Hynes Development which will only introduce more (over 1000) automobiles a day into an
already congested area and produce more traffic and pollution.
3) They all talk about "sustainability" however not one incumbent has done anything about it. All re-zoning (higher density)
applications have been approved over the last three years despite public meetings being fully attended and against them.
4) Current Council voted against the BC Rail Lands re-development to form a bus depot (barn). Couns. Nixon recused himself because of
conflict. Therefore we are let down regarding public transportation and all the incumbents are blaming this on senior levels of government.
5) Current Council has "allowed" the recreation facilities to deteriorate. Most especially Couns. MacKay-Dunn and Couns. Muri. Where
were they when the rec commission requested funding from the DNV? It was paid by the CNV, but the DNV denied their requisite funding.
It takes years to deteriorate, not even one term of office. Now they want to sell off our precious district assets...at the expense of seniors
and low income people. If the rec facilities are privatised the hours will go down and the services will go down, and the prices will go up.
I could go on and on, however these are the main issues.
DNV Council Hypocrisy.

Olympic Disruptions

I returned to school this year, to study (despite my left-leaning qualities) Accounting and Business. For convenience as much as anything I have enrolled at Capilano College University.

I was looking over the 2010 Olympic transportation plans today to see how those of us on the North Shore would be inconvenienced when I saw that Cap is listed as a parking lot for the Olympics.*

Uh-oh...

Imagine my surprise today to find out that next semester I will see my University shut down for two and half weeks - eighteen days! That will be no small imposition.

Just how far should those of us in BC bend over backwards for this event?

• Restrictions on freedom of speech?
• Large chunks of Vancouver placed off-limits?
• A near-demand that traffic to downtown Vancouver be reduced by 30%?
• Many institutions shut down for weeks to be used as parking lots?

Just what does VANOC and the IOC do to merit so much power? And why do so few of our politicians seem disinterested in saying anything critical of the mighty IOC machine?

* Sorry - Cap is more than just a 2010 parking lot - it's offering "a once-in-a-lifetime global learning experience" for students and "the chance to gain the kind of real-life experience that could not be taught in a classroom."

Why, "Capilano University Students are currently being recruited for positions on campus during the reading break in February 2010. Gain valuable experience to enhance your resume. Working for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and being a part of an internationally recognized event will enhance your employabilty in the future."

Yes - you too can be a 2010 Parking Lot Attendant!

Local politicians spend our tax dollars in tough times

My apologies to Ms. Qureshi for blogging before the midnight rule had lapsed as is suggested by blog protocol. I thought the following letter from N.V.C. Councillor Rod Clark on page A8 of the North Shore News published on Wednesday, Oct.14th, 2009 was too good to pass up.

Good for Rod calling the kettle black.


Twinning trip not worth cost

Dear Editor:
Hi ho, Hi ho, It's off to Chiba they go. . . .
Think times are tough? Taxes got you down? Well you can take solace in the fact that a majority of City of North Vancouver council is off to Chiba, Japan on a twinning visit.

This little junket is in honour of the 40th anniversary of the twinning relationship.
Not one nickel of economic development has ever flowed between these "sister cities." So the trip is merely a "cultural" exchange. More like a political junket at taxpayers' expense. A little tough to take in these tough economic times, don't you agree?
Oh, but there's more. . . .
In the interests of efficiency, after the Chiba trip, Mayor Darrell Mussatto along with Couns. Bob Fearnley, Craig Keating and Mary Trentadue will be flying in to Huizhou, China on the initial visit of another "sister city" twinning. Seems the City of North Vancouver needs a second port of call in order to justify these junkets. We can well expect that not one nickel of economic development will ever flow between the new Chinese twin and North Vancouver.
Should be a great party for the politicians in both ports of call though. It would have shown great leadership to say no to this type of foolish waste of taxpayers' money in these uncertain times and with budget deficits looming.
I guess these four have proven that they are just not leaders.
Coun. Rod Clark
City of North Vancouver

Message to the Press: Get the kids involved!

In Europe children are taught early about politics and even have their own parliaments and vote people in. So, when they leave school they are familiar with the process. Here in Canada the kids are bored with the idea of politics. The Press assumes that the kids know this and the children certainly do NOT know all the acronyms, i.e. NGO, for example which is used all the time. It means Non Governmental Organization. How do our kids know this?

Our kids don't know about what democracy really is. And hence they don't bother to vote. How many more generations will it take before democracy as we have known it will be no more? An example is the 17 percent of District of North Vancouver municipal voters voted in the last municipal election.

The HST, it makes my blood boil, how about yours?

$1.9 Billion a year will be raised by the HST, with the revenue going to big business, not to public services.

How much more will you personally pay if the B.C. sales tax on previously exempted goods and services jumps from the 5% GST to the 12% HST?

If you spend $100 a month at restaurants, prepare to pay $84 more per year.
Watch TV? On a $60 cable bill, prepare to spend $50.40 more per year.
For an Internet connection at $50 a month, add $42 a year.
Two tickets to a Canucks game for $142.00 will be $9.94.
Gym fees of $40 a month will mean an extra $33.60 annually out of your pocket.
Golf anyone? 8 rounds at U.B.C. will cost you $39.20 extra.
Got a phone? And cell phone? At a very conservative $100 per month for both means an extra $84 a year.
Pay strata fees? These will get an added 7% as well. Such fees are usually at least $200 per month so add $288 per year.

Wow! So far that's $631 per year.

Massage Therapy? Add 7% to that too.
Oh and don't plan on dying any time soon - funeral expenses go up an extra 7% too!

There are many more basic examples and none of the above are large ticket items.

This regressive tax will slow down the economy and discourage consumer confidence. It will in fact hurt all consumers except for the very wealthy but, it will hurt in particular senior citizens, students, and low income earners, and those just barely struggling to make ends meet of which there are plenty these days.

It will be very hard on the restaurant business because when you end up paying $6-$700 more per year on various basic needs, something has to go.

I asked my barber about the HST. I suggested it is supposed to be good for business owners who can pass on their savings to the consumer. He scoffed and suggested that instead of the $15.75 ($15.00+$.75 GST) he currently charges for a trim going up to $16.80 ($15.00 +$1.80 HST)he will round it off to an even $17.00. And there's another $10 a year.

So much for his tip and so much for the consumer.

Home Sweet Home Business

Today's North Shore News reports on West Vancouver's attempts to rein in home-based businesses. As usual the complaints center on traffic and noise.

"It's been intolerable," one woman said. "Clients are coming every 55 minutes. There are drop-offs right outside the house . . . we're talking amplified guitars, drums. . . . There's also singing lessons that go on, there's the slamming of car doors, there's the beeping of cars being locked and unlocked, there's litter being thrown around."

I'll admit that I don't know this specific music teacher, but guitars, drums, and vocals, all from one home based teacher, sounds kind of unlikely - most teachers stick to one instrument, and what's more are pretty considerate of their neighbors. My guess is that she's hearing some neighbour's kid practicing in his garage with some buddies.

What regulation should we have on home-based business? The District seems to have good sensible rules, and certainly asks specifically about parking when you apply for a licence.

This is likely to become an even bigger issue if, as is reported, much of the growth in employment right now is in self-employment. As the idea of a long term, full-time job disappears, there will be more and more people going their own way and working from home.

North Vancouver Schools Need Upgrades worth $200 million

Readers of this morning's Vancouver Sun were greeted with the headline: Vancouver schools need repairs worth $500 million, report says

The report, conducted by Vancouver School Board staff, comes in the wake of Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid’s surprise announcement in late August that she was canceling the $110-million annual facility grant to school districts.

The VSB report concludes that "putting off fixes could bring ‘staggering costs down the road’..."

Here in North Vancouver the School District has identified $200 million in repairs and school replacements (some of the NVSD's schools are over 50 years old and in need of seismic upgrades and renovations). This does not include the loss of NVSD's annual facility grant of $3.1 million, which is traditionally used to cover such annual facilities maintenance work such as mechanical and electrical upgrades, roof replacements, site improvements, and building modifications to provide disabled access.

While North Vancouver School District staff continue deliver exceptional classroom programing for our students, you can only imagine what will happen over time, if the adequate funding for building maintenance and upgrades is shelved for too long.

North Vancouver now on Google Maps with Street View

Google has now added North Vancouver to their Street View service (part of Google Maps (maps.google.ca)). It is said to be a boon to realtors who are able to show clients what any given street in their service area - which now includes us - looks like. Plenty of more useful applications come to mind without difficulty.

Is this good news or bad news? Real people are being shown across the Internet on their own streets and on private property. (In my own case in my own driveway just outside my own door. My dog is seen through my window)

The public interest question is that while people have a right to use the public roads freely does that right extend to driving around with cameras and putting the resulting pictures on the Internet? (For profit in Google's case) If these images are used by a criminal to cause harm to individuals or property should Google be held legally responsible for resulting damages?

For those interested in seeing for themselves click on the link and then click "Try Street View on Google Maps". To see your own home drag the yellow stick man to the right location. You may need to zoom the map a few times to get the right location.

For instance most of the regulars here will probably recognize the following Google location: Mystery Location

The law is fuzzy here and it's up to us to let our leaders know what we think about it.

So what do you think - boon or bane?

City and District win UBCM awards

The City and District of North Vancouver each won an award at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention last week.

The city won the 2009 Community Excellence Award for Leadership and Innovation in the large municipality category. The recognition was for the city's 100-year sustainability vision, a document that guides day-to-day planning decisions in the context of long-range goals such as achieving carbon neutrality by 2107.

The District claimed a Community Excellence Award for best practices in annual reporting. The District's 2008 annual report provided residents with financial information, department updates, overall municipal goals and priority actions.

Coach Houses back on the agenda in CNV

Coach Houses will again be discussed in City of North Vancouver. Council on Monday night will be reviewing three proposed options for moving forward with their introduction in the City.

In all three scenarios, they would be limited to one-and-a-half storeys or 22 feet and a maximum floor space of 1000 square feet, including a minimum allocation of one parking spot.

Council is being asked to decide on choosing one of the following options for further public discussion:

1. A Development Permit process that would limit the ability of City staff to direct development or to solicit public input. Applicants would be required to adhere to a published set of Design Guidelines but would otherwise be able to move relatively quickly and freely.


2. A Rezoning process that would provide the opportunity for maximum public input via public hearings but would increase the uncertainty and cost for applicants.


3. A hybrid "Graduated Approval Process" where units up to 800 square feet and 15 feet high would be able to apply for a Development Permit as per option 1. Units up to 1000 square feet would go through a Development Variance Permit process where public hearings could be called.

In a separate, unrelated agenda item, Council will be considering looking into instituting paid on-street public parking for 36 new parking spots that will soon become available near the historic Shipyards development.

Future Quest not so FUTURE

I attended the DNV Parks Future Quest workshop in Lynn Valley on Monday. I was very impressed with the protocol and the DNV staff's friendliness and interaction as I walked in. However, there was a major problem. It was inaccessible to people with disabilities.

Many people in the DNV, especially in Lynn Valley, are disabled. They use wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers to navigate through our community. The room in Lynn Valley was very crowded, all the tables had chairs around them, i.e. a mobility-challenged person could not move to the table without removing a chair and this is a major issue for these people.

The voting places were placed high up on the walls and were inaccessible to people who cannot walk.

These people must be given a higher priority in the DNV. They simply DO NOT attend these meetings because they have no independence and are further and further marginalized in our community.