I WILL Vote Against Bill C-10 (Omnibus Crime Bill)

An ongoing campaign to encourage 'sober thought' on the Omnibus Crime Bill involved email letters to Canadian Senators & MP's. It was encouraging to receive a response back indicating a vote against this harmful Bill. Here's the Senator's Letter:



Feb 29, 2012


I would like thank you for your email regarding Bill C-10.

The government’s attitude towards crime fails to understand the fundamental connection between the challenges of addiction, mental illness, poverty, and that of crime. As a provincial judge wrote, “poverty is the first fuel that drives crime. It becomes mixed in with the destabilization of families, widespread substance abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse and domestic violence”

Instead of working towards programs that will help solve the root causes of crime, Bill C-10 targets those who need our help the most.

Currently, the bill is before the Senate and will be up for final reading this week. I will vote against C-10 because I remain committed to pursuing a crime and justice approach that is evidence-based, applies appropriate penalties, is cost-effective, and would tackle the root causes of crime like poverty.

Please continue to let all of the Conservative Party Senators know how you feel on this important issue before the final vote.

Yours sincerely,

Art Eggleton (Liberal Senator)

Black History Month - Celebration with music and songs - YouTube

While traveling through the USA last summer I made it a point to drive by Montgomery and Birmingham Alabama, two centers that played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement.

My knowledge about what took place at that time is limited to remembering watching the news on TV, in black and white, early 60's this was, and the images of the brutality unleashed by the police and army on the Black citizens was a crime against humanity.

Now through Google and the internet I've learned that we only saw the smallest of the injustices that took place in those dark times in the US history. Then last night on PBS I watched the Documentary, 'Slavery: by any other name' and was once again touched by the the plight of the blacks in America.

I highly recommend you Google PBS and Slavery: by any other name, and watch it.

Concert footage we shot at Rarearth Jazz, Blues and Gosspel Festival in Vernon BC, ft. Black Pioneer Heritage Singers and The Sojourners

Demolition Hard Rock Derby - YouTube

Salmon Arm Demolition Derby meets Danforth Grunge Rock...

Music by Danforth 04 - B. Side and 02 - Regrets

Morro Strand State Beach California Travel - YouTube

Did I mention how much I love the California. From Death Valley to LA and San Francisco and the spectacular coast, California is the BEST...

music by Offenbach Project 03 - Kahoona

California Travel - Discover a land like no other - YouTube

California is the BEST. I think most people think of California as being defined by LA, Hollywood, San Francisco etc. the big cities that have made a name for themselves on the world stage. But there is so much more to California and one of the best ways to see this is with a drive along Interstate 1 from LA to San Francisco.

The scenery is spectacular and can change often as can the weather. Small towns have hotels/motels and B&B for accommodations but an interesting option for this drive could be renting an RV.

No matter how you do it, this drive is worth doing and should be on your bucket list. Hint..allow lot's of time to stop and take in all the beauty...

Catherine Corelli - Sapho's Tears

Jamaica Travel - Unforgettable - YouTube

The natural beauty of Jamaica can be seen everywhere, from the mountains to the clear rivers.. The mountains are on the way to Bob Marley's home and the river is the iconic Martha Brae.

music by Natty I - Endless Dub

Jamaica Remembered - YouTube

Fantastic people, spectacular scenery, beautiful nature, delicious food and the ever present reggae music, Jamaica has many special memories for us.

Music by Mikey Roots - La nature nous regarde

Riviera Maya Mexico Winter Escape - YouTube

The permit that you see here are HUGE! I was snorkeling in about 3' of water and they swam into the bay and started feeding! They were over 2' in diameter! Was I surprised and a little nervous! Glad there were only 2!

Sun, sand and surf is closer than you think, even now in the middle of winter.

Music by Alexander Filippov 01 - Friday

Healthy, beautiful Caribbean Reef - Costa Maya Mexico - YouTube HD

The corals off Xcalak & Banco Chinchorro were beautiful! This is in the Costa Maya, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Three-quarters of world's coral reefs in danger of dying owing to pollution, overfishing and climate change.

The reefs are dying and finding pristine snorkeling and diving sites is becoming a challenge, this video is filmed on the Costa Maya about 3 hours from the Riviera Maya of Mexico.

Music is by Alexader Blu - Sea Song

lionfish, angelfish and squid at Bahia Principe Mexico - YouTube HD

lionfish, angelfish, squid, juvenile French Angel . . . at the Gran Bahia Principe Mexico - the great thing about snorkeling is that you never know what you are going to see.

This area is man made and lacks natural coral formations but there are still a surprising variety of tropical fish to see.

The lionfish has venomous spines and is an introduced species in this area, it has no enemies so they are spreading far and wide. They eat little fish and are decimating local species.

Music: Kamerer 'Blue Monday Jet'

Bahia Principe Snorkeling - Riviera Maya Mexico - YouTube HD

There are 3 places where you can snorkel at the Gran Bahia Principe in the Riviera Maya. This is near the pier where the water is quite shallow.

The video is filmed by Cindy with her Sony HDR-TD10 in a Sony Sport Pack at the Gran Bahia Principe Resort Hotel, Riviera Maya. Water is about 3 - 7ft (1 - 2 meters) in depth.

music by Chriss Onac 01 - Fun

Caribbean swimming with sea turtle

We started the day around 6:30am watching a spectacular sunrise off the beach at Barcelo Maya Tropical in the Riviera Maya. We had a quick breakfast and were on the way to Akumal Bay at 8am to see if there were turtles to see.
There were, we saw many of them and without disturbing them, we were able to get close and even swim with the turtles.
An all inclusive vacation can be what ever you make it, relaxing on a beach for a week or taking in some of the amazing excursions and sights, what ever you do, a lifetime of memories are created.

Music by Persson 02 - Last day of summer

Iberostar Tucan Quetzal in Playacar Mexico - YouTube

Iberostar Tucan Quetzal in Playacar Mexico: Review

Hello Argentina - actually we talked with people from Argentina at the Iberostar Tucan Quetzal and the Sandos Playacar so here is some more info on the Iberostar resort.

music by Alexandr Filippov 02 - Istambul
09 - Only you and 04 - Never

‎"When a government starts trying to cancel dissent or avoid dissent is frankly when it's rapidly losing its moral authority to govern."
Stephen Harper (as leader of the Opposition), Canadian Press, April 18, 2005"

"the harper Government threatened Vancouver-based charitable organization the Tides Foundation with shutting down all its charitable operations if it didn't cut off funding to ForestEthics - for its work opposing the Enbridge pipeline." 
(Jan 24, 2012)  
The Common Sense Canadian, Winnepeg Free Press

from backyard to parks we are surrounded by nature - YouTube HD

Mayan encounter cruise ship tour with Herraldo - Port of Costa Maya

Cruise ship passengers from the Port of Costa Maya heading out on a Mayan Encounter tour which includes a stop at a local school, Mayan ruins and a very special lunch...




Mayan Culture Reality Tour. We arrive at the first stop, a local school in Limones, Q. Roo, Costa Maya, Mexico.




The Mayan Reality Tour School visit.

Snorkeling at Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach

Snorkeling at the Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach all inclusive resort in the Riviera Maya, right of the beach at the resort, is the BEST that we have found in our travels around the Caribbean.

The clear water, beautiful and health reef create an environment that attracts a wide variety of tropical fish - if you want to experience great snorkeling from the beach, introduce kids to the wonders that lie beneath the sea and stay at a great all inclusive resort then the choice is easy, Grand Sirenis Mayan Beach.

We highly recommend this resort for families and couples of all ages.

Music: TEMPLO MAYOR by ENRIQUE DEL CARMEN http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Mahahual Mexico Bicycle Tour - Port of Costa Maya YouTube HD

Mahahual Cycling Tour - From the Port of Costa Maya, the cruise ship terminal, one of the tours offered is a bicycle tour to a beach in Mahahual, a kayaking experience with some time to swim and then the return bike ride.

The bike ride is easy for all ages as the terrain is flat and or the most part paved. Cindy filmed this basically while riding with one hand and filming with the other.

Music is by Carlos Miguel 03 - Marquise and 01 - Caricia del cielo

Benjamin Netanyahu - Most Dangerous Man in the World - YouTube

The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, described the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, as a "liar" in a private exchange with Barack Obama at last week's G20 summit in Cannes that was inadvertently broadcast to journalists.

"I cannot stand him. He's a liar," Sarkozy told Obama. The US president responded by saying: "You're fed up with him? I have to deal with him every day."

Israel could attack Iran as early as April: Panetta
Panetta report fuels concerns that Israel will attack Iran‎
Brent steady above $112 on Iran tension
Israel sees narrowing window for attack on Iran‎
US Foreign Policy: War, war and more war‎
ran helping al Qaeda? War "hysteria" builds‎

The world has changed, USA is no longer the king of the castle or the sole super power, Russia and China are now starting to assert their power and influence - Russia signaled a clear intention to prevent any "regime change" intervention in Syria; but Russia's deployment of its flagship aircraft carrier and escorts to Syria's port of Tarsus this month drew a starker than usual line in the sand.
Beijing views Tehran as a useful tool to divert US military force from Southeast Asia. India, too, looks reluctant to play along with the wider western strategy of attempting to strangle Tehran economically to push it from its nuclear program and is also seen as a rising regional player.

War is not an option...

beauty of nature close to home - YouTube HD

you don't have to go far to experience the beauty of nature and wildlife, the butterfly was in the back yard as was the hummingbird by the feeder. Parks are often close to homes and have a verity of birds and animals to see.

music by Bogusław Boguch Cysewski 09 - Early Spring Song (with birds)

Key West to Florida Driven - YouTube

There is constant construction taking place along this 100 mile stretch of interstate 1 which connects the Mainland of Florida to Key West, the southern most part of the USA.

We left Key West early in the morning, sunny and warm and didn't encounter any delays.

music by Daniel Bautista 12 - Progside Sessions 1 Ballad (Bonus Track)

Vancouver BC 2 - YouTube HD

From mountains to high rises, to beaches, to sunsets . . . Vancouver, BC is very pretty.

music by Emerson Antoniacomi 03 - Breeze

Vancouver British Columbia - YouTube HD

Beautiful but expensive, Vancouver British Columbia.

music by Emerson Antoniacomi 01 - Leo's Groove and 03 - Alvorecer com Esperanca

Barracuda, Squid, Turtles - Underwater Adventure - Akumal Bay Snorkeling...

Barracuda, Squid, Turtles - Underwater Adventure - Akumal Bay Snorkeling - it's all good in the Riviera Maya Mexico.

Music: Moderato by Alexander Blu http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Gulf of Mexico from 40,000 ft.

Gulf of Mexico from 40,000 ft.. From ships to oil rigs or platforms there is a unique perspective to the Gulf of Mexico from 40,000 feet. Our plane flew in over Alabama and seeing the coastline from this height, you get a real idea of the wet lands and marshes, waterways that the BP oil spill damaged. And now it's all quiet on the oil spill front like it never happened.

Music: Hawaii by Sentinel http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Cedar Waxwing [HD]

The Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) is a member of the family Bombycillidae or waxwing family of passerine birds. It breeds in open wooded areas in North America, principally southern Canada and the northern United States.

Outside the breeding season, Cedar Waxwings often feed in large flocks numbering hundreds of birds. This species is irruptive, with erratic winter movements, though most of the population migrates farther south into the United States and beyond, sometimes reaching as far as northern South America.

They will move in huge numbers if berry supplies are low. Rare vagrants have reached western Europe, and there are two recorded occurrences of Cedar Waxwing sightings in Great Britain. Individual Bohemian Waxwings will occasionally join large winter flocks of Cedar Waxwings.

In winter, these birds can be very confident and will come into gardens for berry bushes and trees and to drink from fountains or bird baths. Cedar waxwings fly at 25 miles per hour and fly at the altitude of 2000 ft. above ground

Hollywood Celebrities and TMZ Tour with Kieth - YouTube HD

What's your favorite movie, actor, singer or band? Many of them leastwise in spirit can be found on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and if that's not enough, perhaps a Hollywood tour with TMZ can take you to the hidden world of the celebrities.

music by Kammerer 07 - Sweet easy solipsism

BEE'S....MILLION YEARS OF EVOLUTION

For millions of years bee's have been crucial to the survival of our planet and all living things. Today bee populations have collapsed, bee colonies have vanished.

Plants are genetically altered; the round up resistant canola, plants with 'terminator' genes so the seeds are useless.
Modern technology is changing the planet for good, there will be no putting the genie back in the bottle.

Still there is something special about watching bees on a flower like it is meant to be.

All sequences were filmed on September 20 and 22 at the Summerhill Pyramid Winery in Kelowna, the winery is government certified ORGANIC. The bee's like it that way.

Music: by Elixirion http://www.elixirion.com

Oregon's Pacific Seashore - YouTube HD

Spectacular Oregon coast with birds and waves in 240fps smooth slow record.

music by Sentinel - 01 - in the world

between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the coast - YouTube

The Pacific Coast Highway . . . This is one of the most beautiful drives to take in the USA, be ready to take your time with many pull-outs to take in the spectacular vistas and photograph, this drive could easily take several days if you have the time with charming little towns, B&B's to take advantage of.
music by Keyn project 08 - cocaine

somewhere along the Oregon Coast - YouTube HD

Driving up from California we entered Oregon by the sand dunes which stretch for nearly 100 miles along the rugged coast. The scenery is rugged and has a beauty that is a must see.

music by 05 - zero-project - 05 - Irish wedding

Bellagio Las Vegas Fountain Show at Night in HD - YouTube

Bellagio Fountains Botanical Gardens art installation fresco masterpiece hot air balloons Las Vegas Fabulous Nevada resort hotel strip deal casinos shows discount tickets entertainer show girl video gaming gambling slots buffet Mandalay Bay bets bookie pool arboretum weekend getaway attraction Rving last minute cheap vacation family holiday golf package best scenic driving tour road trip planner YOLO JCVdude Sony 3D TD10 AX2000 HD nature tourism travel destination review videographer