Get the full audio, and preview story,
http://www.archive.org/details/TheGreatCanadianTalkShowHighlight-April12010
*******************
From our mailbag:
Disraeli:
Every single politician at city hall has passed the buck on public consultation issues. The almighty Administration has them all on a short lease and could care less if the public is stiffed again and again.
They have the power, not the public.
Since no politician will take on these bureaucrats they are all complicit with what's happening.
AQ
***************
Bikes and Active Transportation:
Marty
I have to tell you about this. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. I was driving down Princess the other day in the afternoon. I was in the right hand lane behind several cars that were driving slower and then one by one they would dart out to the left as if to pass an obstacle. Yes they were passing an obstacle, a cyclist, all decked out in cycling gear.
Now you might think that this is no big deal but the fact there was a cycle lane on the other side of the street for her to use, you'd think she'd be using that! Nope. She was to content to bike to her own rules.
She seemed confused as I yelled at her about paying for a lane for her to use...
Mike
and...
Marty,
With all due respect to your guests today, some of the fear mongering
over the Berry Street Bikeway is a bit ridiculous. The point of that
particular route is to provide an alternative to using Route 90 for
people cycling to businesses in the airport area and to RRC's Notre
Dame Campus. I drive or cycle portions of that route nearly every
single day and it's a perfect candidate for incorporating bike lanes.
For starters, the road is 3 lanes wide from Silver to Saskatchewan.
But because there’s no lines painted anywhere, no one actually knows
where they’re supposed to drive. So in some places you have cars
driving two abreast headed south, while in other places they’re
driving two abreast headed north. It’s confusing and dangerous in its
current configuration.
Your guest suggested Ferry as an alternative route. Ferry is six
blocks further west, so it's not a great alternative to Route 90 for
anyone coming from the south or east (in my case, River Heights). It
also dead ends at Ellice. Continuing the pathway further north would
require rerouting to...Berry Street.
Your guest also said Ferry would provide better connectivity with
existing bike routes. Wrong again, as both routes will tie into the
Silver Avenue Parkway, and the bike routes along Assiniboine south of
Portage. The Berry route will also connect with the Sherwin Road
Pathway that will lead right into RRC's campus.
As for the need to remove streetlights and sidewalks, I couldn't tell
whether that was just speculation on your guest's part or something
that was actually mentioned at the open house. Either way, it's
completely unnecessary. There's also no need for additional traffic
calming, as traffic levels aren't that bad at all. Actually marking
bike lanes on either side of the street will reduce the occasional
car/bike conflicts that exist currently. In fact, the best part of the
Berry pathway is that it could be "built" for the cost of a few cans
of paint. No other changes are required.
There's definitely some goofy decisions being made as part of the
active transportation plan (like the million-dollar Omand's Creek
bridge), but the Berry Street route is a no-brainer.
C
*****************
Waverly West and geothermal:
Hey Marty, love the show! I just discovered TGCTS and KICK FM and am hooked.
We just moved into Waverley West this winter and love it. The place is humming with construction every day...except...there are dozens of unsold lots advertising geothermal heating as a supposed bonus feature. We left our money-pit house in Wolseley for this, and love the fact that our heating costs--which come from a standard gas furnace--are next to nothing now. I checked out the savings from the geothermal, and it would get me a whopping extra $25 a month, or $300 a year in energy savings. All you have to do is spend $35,000 up front for the privilege!
I worked it out: considering inflation, opportunity cost, and interest charges, and it would only take about 75 years to earn it back. All the other people shopping around here seem to have figured that out too. Another triumph of top-down environmental policy and feel-good corporate welfare.
Cheers
P
********************
Nurse practitioners:
Hey Marty.
Just in comment to the small segment on Nurse Practitioners. I've been seeing a nurse practitioner for the last 2 years as my primary medical care provider at the Four Rivers Clinic on Broadway. One of the reasons I ended up with a NP is because finding a doctor who was taking new patients who was anywhere near either my home or work locations was nearly impossible. My former physician was located out by Misericordia hospital, while I live in Garden City and work in St. Vital/St. Boniface.
I had called Four Rivers to book an appointment with my mother's physician who unfortunately was no longer taking new patients but they suggested that I see a NP. I have never regretted the decision to say yes. He's been really great. I go for my appointment and *gasp* get in at the time I'm booked for. I've heard horror stories of people having to take whole days off work just for a routine visit with their physicians because they invariably wait hours and hours to get in, only to be ushered through. My NP never rushes me out. Always has time to talk if something is up, even though I've never had an issue that took longer than 15minutes.
He can write prescriptions and order all manner of blood tests that any physician can. If there is a need, he can send me to a specialist for more in-depth care. Basically he is as good as a medical physician. In fact he's much better than my former doctor.
Nurse Practitioners are a blessing to the health community and more should be trained and hired in Winnipeg/Manitoba.
AD
****************
Police shooting of Eric Daniels:
What the "H" is wrong with Gordon Sinclair? Eric Daniels was the cause of his own demise. Now he (Gordo) has to bring up the J.J. Harper incident, something that happened 22 yrs ago. Does he think this is going to calm aboriginals by giving them what he thinks is support or is it going to agitate a long standing sore spot with them? Give your head a shake Gordon Sinclair, and if nothing intelligent falls out, hang up your pen!!
JC
****************
and lastly, regarding today's upcoming interview with Miss Whistle:
So pumped!!! You are the man.
Ace Burpee
