Ice on Golf Greens

Mild late-winter weather--including an entire afternoon of light rain Wednesday, January 14th, 2010--has led to a rather thick (5 mm, about 1/5 of an inch) coating of ice on Highlands' greens.

While the occurrence is relatively rare on this southslope property, low winter sun angle combined with virtually flat greens and mild temperatures, do create conditions that cause concern.

Nine years ago when the golf course was constructed, greens were seeded to Pencross bentgrass.  Over the years as the inevitable invasion of Poa annua occurred--via seed stuck into golf-shoe cleats--we've wondered how to eradicate the invader.

The current weather anomaly may just help us achieve that.

A turfgrass science study conducted in Alberta, Canada, concluded that--depending on duration of ice cover, up to 120 days--bentgrass is less susceptible to ice-damage than Poa.

"Only time will tell," suggests Kia, adding "I'll keep the deer off greens until then."

 

Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert "Gets It"

He really does! 

Wayne Lippert, mayor of Vernon, was recently quoted as saying "We're working very hard to try and not have a property tax increase this year as the economy has hurt a lot of residents." 

Downright refreshing.

But Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick and his council are going down a different path.
The path that leads to taxpayer disgust.

"Maybe we Coldstreamers should realign municipal boundaries...might be easier than trying to convince Garlick et al that they're way off base," sighs Kia.
 

Coldstream Council doesn't get it. B.C. Assessment does.

The 2010 property assessment notice arrived this week.

For the first time in recent memory, assessments have gone down.  Highlands' assessment saw a considerable decrease.  The Morning Star reports Coldstream's assessment roll declined from $2.18 billion last year to $2.13 billion in 2010.

Kudos to the British Columbia Assessment Authority.  They get it! 

They recognize that 10 to 15 per cent increases to property values, year after year, simply can not continue in any economy, let alone the present downturn.

So we'll save one-quarter of last year's tax bill?
Nope.
Why?

Because Coldstream Council doesn't get it!

In a complete dismissal of findings contained in the B.C. Municipality Spending Watch, Mayor Garlick and Council are drafting a budget that will likely include a five per cent tax increase this Spring.

They appear hell bent for leather on surreptitiously replacing the lost taxes from the Owens-Illinois (glass plant) in Lavington, closed last year.  Rather than cutting taxes for those of us who still reside here, this Council wants us to make up the difference...as though OI hadn't left.   

But what of all the NEW money that's been flowing in from the Federal Government's Economic Action plan.  A portion went to Coldstream to build roads and bridges.  Money also comes back to Coldstream from the Gas Tax Fund, as well as the Building Canada fund that includes water and sewer upgrades (the new Duteau Creek water treatment plant will be operational this year).

Local librarians got a 4 per cent increase...and Coldstream hired a CA (yup, a chartered accountant for a community with half of its land in the Agricultural Land Reserve and a population of 10 thousand, and who--by the way--advised Council that the Commercial Recreation category has been taxed too low...ahem!).

Then there's the North Okanagan Regional District (which is also part of the tax base) added on to their offices again (the second time in five years...how often do you renovate?).

At least Paramedics got a 3 per cent raise.


Wait a minute.
Paramedics received a smaller increase than Librarians?

"Can paramedics treat idiocy?", asks Kia.











4 governments, 1 taxpayer...

Foxtail Palm Seeds

They're not duck eggs...they're seeds of Wodyetia bifurcata, originally discovered in northeast Queensland.

Received Nov. 30/09 from the Central Florida Palm and Cycad Society.

A hot water cycle (inside pillowcases) in the washing machine is followed by removing all traces of fruit.  Then into hot water to soak for 2-3 days, with water changed daily.

Seeds were then placed horizontally in community pots of varying sizes, barely covered with 2-1 mixture of peat moss and perlite.   To retain humidity, pots were covered with cellophane.  Germination minimum 4-8 weeks.  Adjacent (versus Remote) germinators.

The little greenhouse-on-wheels is kept near the basement woodstove (it is winter in Canada, after all!).


One day, years from now, they'll begin to resemble the wonderful traits of this genus.



The following lovely picture is from "atree4me.com"

"I'll never be able to get the frisbee out of such a tree," worries Kia.

Butia capitata (Jelly Palm)

Another indoor palm behaves as if spring had arrived!...

Native to Brazil, this beauty, when older, can withstand -10 to -12C.

Also known as the Wine Palm, delicious dessert fillings can be made from its fruit.

A vigorous grower, each frond in the picture is newly emerged.
This palm hasn't quit growing since last summer when it was on the patio in a tub.  Now indoors in the foyer, it responds to care despite low light conditions.


"At this rate, it'll soon be a frisbee obstacle," warns Kia.

Indoor Palms

Brahea armata (Blue Hesper Palm) two seedlings, and Chamaerops humilis (Mediterranean Fan Palm) in foreground.

We should do some weeding," suggests Kia.

Palms indoors

For some palms, spring has arrived!

Shown is the new spear produced by Hyophorbe lagenicaulis--the Bottle Palm.

Palm Hut for Trachycarpus fortunei (Windmill Palm)

Finally planted in the ground after 32+ years, the Windmill Palm is enclosed in a hut for winter...

Minimum temperature so far this winter was on December 14th, 2009 when temp dipped to -20.6C (-5.1F). An electric Patton heater inside the palm hut maintained -2.0C (28.4F).

On mild days, the door is left open with the heater turned off.

"That's me guarding the hut," attests Kia.

Lawsuit against B.C. Hydro? Co-defendant B.C. Utilities Commission?

Is a group action lawsuit the only way to get their attention?...

Probably.

It's time to get serious.

Last October's implementation of the electric utility Step 2 Conservation Rate had onerous implications for folks in predominantly rural areas.

Why? Because natural gas isn't available in their area--or on their street.
Deregulation in other industries such as telecommunications has led to choice for consumers. Not so with customers of B.C. Hydro who have no access to natural gas!

It's impossible for this writer to ascertain just how many British Columbians have no access to gas but since the massive switch by consumers to natural gas over the last 20 years, we are undoubtedly in the minority.

Using my residence as an example--where natural gas is available both east and west of my location (but not at the roadfront)--Step 1 is billed at just shy of 6 cents per kilowatt hour to a maximum of approximately 1,376 kilowatt hours monthly. Usage beyond that is charged at one-third more...at .0827 cents.

This abuse of B.C. Hydro's monopoly, sanctioned by the B.C. Utilities Commission via their approval of rates, is tantamount to an abuse of authority. Not noble efforts to stem the impact on climate change!

You'll ask "have you contacted hydro and the utilities commission to resolve the issue?" Representatives either don't have the authority to even pass along a concern--or don't know to whom it should be passed to--or feel it remains a fair system in their opinion.

The little guy has never felt smaller than when wondering how to convince the big guys of such a travesty of procedural fairness and justice.

My contention is that Step 2 is an erroneously applied penalty rate because customers who have no access to natural gas cannot possibly keep electrical usage within the narrow confines of Step 1.

Now to find somebody to run the gauntlet...

Coldstream allows firearm discharge next to Golf Course!

Listening for more than where your golfball lands...

Coldstream Municipality's Weapons Regulation Bylaw 1550, 2009 is a fait accompli.

Highlands Golf--whose zoning is Commercial Recreation--is now located smack in the middle of two firearms zones.

The golf course's north and south boundaries are abutted by the new Green Zone, in which "...open to discharge of Weapons subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of this bylaw and any Provincial or Federal regulations or restrictions."

The golf course's east and west boundaries are abutted by the new Yellow Zone, where "...limited to the discharge of Weapons with a muzzle velocity less than 152.4 metres or 500 feet per second and a muzzle energy less than 5.7 joules or 4.2 foot pounds, shotguns with shot only, and archery equipment for target practice only."

...adjacent to a commercial recreation facility?

"Sounds like it's Open Season on golfers...maybe those rocket scientists can tell me what MY muzzle velocity is", muses Kia.

Coldstream Municipality "cherry-picks" data to support 5% tax increase

"Municipal operating expenditures in British Columbia continue to increase at an unsustainably high rate. This overspending comes at the expense of families, small businesses, and other commercial ratepayers through property tax increases, user fee hikes, and higher transfer payments from senior levels of
government."

Source: B.C. Municipality Spending Watch, 2nd Edition (Heather Tilley, Policy Analyst B.C.)

So, grab an air-sickness bag and settle into the Lazyboy for the spin, which even the local media can't seem to resist.

A Morning Star article December 16, 2009 headed "Coldstream braces for tax hike" stated the chief reason for the increase is "to fund infrastructure projects and the legal fees from the ongoing water devolution disagreement with the City of Vernon."

Seems road improvements top the list. "That will pay off in the long term not only in terms of road rehabilitation, but we won't have to spend money (in the future)," Coun. Pat Cochrane is quoted as saying.

So, before taxpayers can argue the point, we'll have to wait and see if Coldstream plans to spend money on roads in a year or two, or three. Hmmm, note to self...mark the calendar "no roads spending in future!"

Arguable now, however, is Coldstream's cherry-picking of data contained in the Canadian Federation of Independent Business report published in November, 2009, that noted Coldstream was the least-taxed municipality of its size.

What the CFIB reported in its entirety should be of concern to Coldstream's 10,218 inhabitants.

While Coldstream's per capita spending of $501 is the lowest of 25 similar-sized communities, its Fiscal Sustainability Gap of 2.28 indicates spending growth increased more than two-and-a-quarter times as fast as population and inflation. Note also that the $501 does not include spending on capital infrastructure, adds the CFIB.

But roads (see above) are capital infrastructure!

Where IS that incredulity smiley??

The Spending Watch document adds: By law, municipalities cannot run a budget deficit. In order to pay for the 43% increase in
operating spending between 2000 and 2007, municipalities across British Columbia have increased revenues 62% to cover both the growth in operating and capital spending.
Property taxes are up 42%, user fees up 95%, and transfer payments from governments are up 121% between 2000 and 2007. These increases are far above what would have been necessary had municipalities held operating spending to population and inflation growth.

Naturally the CFIB didn't tell Coldstream to stop cherry-picking its report, but they did have quite a few recommendations for municipalities in B.C.:

• Introduce taxation and expenditure limitation laws to constrain the growth in government operating spending to no more than population and inflation growth.

• Introduce zero-based budgeting with meaningful performance targets.

• Focus on core municipal services.

• Restrict full-time-equivalent employment and wage growth by limiting the growth in employees to the growth in population.

• Ensure that capital projects are fully financed up front by including lifetime operating and maintenance expenses in the initial cost estimates.

And didn't the Federal government's community infrastructure fund (your taxpayer dollars again) kick money into Coldstream's coffers for roads and bridges as capital improvements?

Four levels of government, one taxpayer...

"It makes me dizzy," intones Kia.

This Democracy...

Feeling guilty about global warming yet?

Reprint of an article by Mischa Popoff that appeared in Dec.09 issue of Okanagan Business Examiner

World leaders will soon meet in Copenhagen to take another crack at getting between you and a hot shower. If global warming science makes you feel guilty for keeping your home at room temperature and driving a car to work, fret not; it’s not science.

The bugbear of global warming began as a shameless political gambit. Maurice Strong, a Canadian living in China, wanted us to feel very guilty for our standard of living in the West so he worked with the United Nations to organize the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro that laid the groundwork for the Kyoto Protocol of 1997.

Here are Strong’s words from before the summit:
“What if a small group of world leaders were to conclude that the principal risk to the Earth comes from the actions of rich countries? ...So, in order to save the planet, the group decides: Isn’t the only hope for the planet that the industrialized civilizations collapse? Isn’t it our responsibility to bring that about?”

Instead of raising living standards in poor nations, the efficiency of Western economies would be undermined through cap-and-trade schemes and carbon taxation.

Still feel guilty?

During President Bill Clinton’s second term, the United States Senate voted unanimously to reject Kyoto on a motion made by a senior Democratic Senator to reject all such treaties in perpetuity. Canadians meanwhile have a hard time remembering the Canadian vote on Kyoto. I’ll come back to that.

We’re told the evil oil lobby killed Kyoto down south. Think about that for a second. A second-term Democrat in the White House with an idealogical environmentalist as his vice president, none other than Al Gore, and we’re supposed to believe oil companies killed Kyoto? It’s more likely the Democrats just didn’t feel guilty.

Guess where all the CO2 trapped in fossil fuels comes from? That’s right, the earth’s atmosphere, which once held ten times more CO2. Any farmer can tell you that increasing CO2 levels boosts agricultural yields; scientists estimate 15% of the earth’s population exists thanks to rising CO2 in the last century. (You’re supposed to feel guilty about that.)

The atmosphere stopped warming in 1998 in spite of rising CO2. In fact in 2005 the much-ballyhooed “hockey-stick graph”, which Al Gore claims shows we’re living in the warmest period ever, was shown to produce its hockey-stick shape even if random data were used. Now who’s guilty?

What if all computer models used to support Strong and Gore’s doomsday scenario were rigged? Surely the UN would never go along with something like that. Well yeah, they did.

Then it emerged that temperature records themselves are skewed because cities are naturally warmer than surrounding landscapes. Temperatures rise as cities grow, but (oops!) the UN’s scientific panel failed to take that into account.

Strong and Gore will never debate global warming. It’s more expedient to pitch this social-engineering agenda as a good versus evil battle that any elementary school kid can understand, or be brainwashed by, which brings us back to how Canada came to be a signatory to Kyoto.

Clinton and Gore stood by while ltheir Democratic allies united with Republicans to kill Kyoto. But what about the vote in Canada’s Parliament? Was it close? Do you remember?

There was no vote in Canada. Jean Chretien ratified the Kyoto Protocol at a brief ceremony in his office in 2002. That’s right ... in his office. Preston Manning and his Reform caucus criticized Chretien, but the media let him get away with it and has badgered the right ever since for not drinking Strong and Gore’s suicidal cool aid.

Forget elected members of Parliament. Never mind Chretien’s own cabinet or David Anderson, Canada’s longest serving Environment Minister, who was not even consulted. One man, a man who happens to be chums with Strong, signed us all up to do our part to bring about the collapse of industrialized civilization.

Go ahead and have a hot shower, keep your house at room temperature all year long and drive to your heart’s content. Guilt and Copenhagen are for losers.

Mischa Popoff is a freelance political writer with a bachelor’s degree in history.

So can we go for drives again?" begs Kia.

Six Months on, Six Months off

I always miss golfers over winter, but it's time for Time Off. The golf course closed for the winter on September 30th. October was a great month to rekindle my plant passion in earnest.

This zone-pushing devotee finally planted the 33+ year old Trachycarpus fortunei in the ground.

And there in the enclosure is the palm, finally planted where adventitious roots can develop in rich soil.

In the Okanagan? Yup, but winter protection was needed, especially if we have another winter like the last, where temperatures plummeted to -24C (-11F).

To meet other zone pushers, visit "http://palmsnorth.com/forum/"

That's Hugh doing a fine job of building the winter protection. One-inch friction-fitted styrofoam lines the prefab panels. Each vertical panel is connected to the adjacent panel with three screws. A clear plastic roof allows light in (but not direct sunshine, which could overheat the enclosure). A 1500 watt utility heater, on a 14 gauge extension cord plugged into a GFI plug, will protect the palm on the coldest nights.

Holy crow, I thought he was building a dog house," admits Kia, relieved.

Sadly, this little palm on Vernon's East Hill--photographed two weeks ago--will succumb before true winter even arrives unless serious effort is made to protect it for winter.


"I'm good at digging," offers Kia, ready for the rescue. I suggest we return next week to see how the palm is faring.

Season ends with fine weather

The season's last day at Highlands Golf Short-Game Excellence was Wednesday, September 30th.

Sunshine and warm temperatures greeted regulars, followed by lots of hugs and handshakes and wishes for a good winter.

Aeration of greens took place Friday.

"All that talk about curling made me cold," quips Kia, adding "...but I am going to miss all those pats on the head."

Liquor Primary licence received

An email from Victoria, B.C. at 4 p.m. August 18th, 2009, confirmed that the Liquor Primary Licence has now been granted by the B.C. Government.

At the same time, the 7-year old Food Primary Licence was cancelled as there was no need for two.

The last time I waited nine months resulted in a bouncing baby girl!

I could've had how many pups in that time?" quips Kia.