What a Wonderful World

Before I dive back into the darkness and talk about the latest gang related murders, I just wanted to pause and post some pictures readers sent in after I requested readers send in some pictures of some of your favorite spots over Thanksgiving. Let’s start locally and branch out. First we have a wonderful sunset from Sooke on Vancouver Island.



Next we have some towers peaking out above the Vancouver fog. Although a reader submitted it, I can tell you where it was taken. It’s from the look out on Cypress during inversion at sunrise. I’ve seen that there before with about 20 other photographers taking pictures.



Next we have the 2009 Vancouver Toy run at the Pan Pacific.



Led by Santa and Mrs. Clause of course at the 2010 toy run.



And now the crème de la crème: Quebec. These two pictures a reader sent in are of North Hatley, Quebec on Lac Massawippi. That lake is huge. I thought it was part of the ocean at first. No doubt cleaner than the Great Lakes in Ontario.



Quebec has the best of both worlds. It has nature and history. Here on the west coast you’d be hard pressed to find a building that is a hundred years old. In Quebec you have a lot of historical sites. The stone wall in Quebec city looks like Old Jerusalem.



The next seven a blog reader took while visiting Cape Cod in Massachusetts. I had Cape Cod missed up with Cape Canaveral at first. Cape Cod looks wonderful. I love those wrap around porches. Just like in Eastern Canada. Tragically the Hells Angels were caught bringing crystal meth into Massachusetts. Evil bringing evil into a nice place. It’s a plague so it is. Yet notwithstanding the plague there are many nice places to see.















Finally the last two shots are when a blog reader was visiting Scotland. 7 foot tall Cardoom thistles and fence detail in Stirling, Scotland. The thistle is of course Scotland’s national flower for those of you that missed the movie Braveheart.





Keep the photos coming. There are a lot of nice places to see. Nature, old buildings and people. Hope in the Shadows is a calendar raising money for the Downtown East Side. Catching a photo of the eyes or face of someone living in the DTES can be magical. Hope in the shadows indeed.

Louis Armstrong, the legendary jazz singer was famous for singing a song called what a Wonderful World. Clearly the world is full of good and evil. We are free to choose what we support and what we see. Is the glass half full or half empty? Indeed, these are the best of times, they are the worst of times. Notwithstanding the darkness and evil, there will always be good. Some of our favorite places to revel in.

I took my father to a seniors camp, many years ago before he passed away. At the camp an old friend of the family sang What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. Hers was not an easy life. Her husband had an affair and left her for another women. Years later her daughter died a premature death and she was left alone to raise her granddaughter. Hearing her sing that song was very meaningful. Surely wherever there is evil, good is not far away. Britney Irving was quite the photographer so she was. Those are her pictures in the video tribute.



Imagine a society where there are no murderers, no drug dealers, no pimps, no liars, hypocrites or extortionists. That would be a wonderful world indeed. That is exactly where we are heading. Lead, follow or get out of the way.

Thanksgiving – send in your photos

Howdy pilgrims. While the turkey’s in the oven and I pause to reflect during thanksgiving, I’m going to make a request. I know everyone likes to hear the latest dirty laundry about the latest Hells Angels or organized crime figures committing murder or some other local outrage. My whole point is that there is more to life than that. I like snowshoeing, hiking, kayaking, sailing, these are the things I enjoy that take me away from the insanity of the inner city.

The website and blog has been getting a lot of traffic from across the country. I’ve been thrilled to hear word from small towns all over Canada especially on the eastern seaboard where some of my own ancestors are from. I visited there once when I was very young. I should return. I remember the covered bridges of New Brunswick and the lobster of Nova Scotia.

The purpose of the covered bridge was to prevent huge pile ups of snow on the bridge so cars could cross it during winter. That tells me they get a lot of snow in New Brunswick which would be prime snowshoeing or snowmobiling country. Nova Scotia, being on the ocean is a lot like here in Vancouver on the west coast. I know there are many beautiful spots out there too.

So here’s the deal. Along with sending in info about the local gangs and links to news clips about the latest gang arrests which I do greatly appreciate, how about sending in some pictures of some of your favorite spots in your own areas? I would love to see a picture of a covered bridge in New Brunswick, especially during winter or some shots of the eastern seaboard along with any scenes in nature from anywhere in Canada. This is our home. It’s something to be grateful for and something to be proud of that deserves our devotion and protection. Even if you’re not from Canada, I’d love to see some pictures of Denmark or any other country.

So next time you’re out and about, take a picture and send me a photo of some of your favorite spots so we can all see that there definitely is a lot more to life than what can be found in a bar or a crack pipe. Tragically, people joke about small towns in BC saying there is a great deal of alcoholism there because there’s nothing to do in those small towns. The hell there isn’t. Let’s prove it.



How to cook a turkey

For those bikers, gang members or even soldiers away from home this Thanksgiving, there’s no reason you can’t have a turkey dinner and inviter a few friends over. Unless of course they don’t sell turkey at the grocery store in Iraq. I can’t help with that. Nevertheless, cooking a turkey really isn’t that difficult and it is relatively cheap when you can revel in left overs for a week.

Superstore and Safeway both had turkey’s on sale for 99 cents a pound. So if you buy a fresh turkey you can start right away. If you buy a frozen turkey you have to thaw it out in the fridge a couple days before hand. If it’s too late for that and you have a frozen turkey you can put it in a clean sink with “running” cold water. It doesn’t have to be running and you can even add some warm water to speed up the process if you’re right there to expedite the process. Thawing it out in the fridge before hand is best. You’re not supposed to leave it out over night.

The fist thing to remember when cooking turkey or any poultry item is do not cross contaminate. If you cut or put a raw turkey on a cutting board, do not put the cooked turkey on that same cutting board without washing and sanitizing it first. Believe you me salmonella food poisoning is nasty.

So you have a frozen turkey thawed out and washed in your sink. Open up the gut and take out the neck. Then open up the other side and take out the paper wrapped innards and throw them out. You can boil down the neck if you want to make a turkey stock but there will be plenty of flavor from the drippings so you really don’t need it.

Put it in a roasting pan with a little oil and season salt. A covered roasting pan is best but if you buy one of those cheap tin foil ones, you’ll need some tin foil to cover the turkey when it’s cooking so it doesn’t dry out. I cook it at 350 degrees. How many minutes per pound? I have no idea. I just go by the way it looks when you baste it. When it’s golden brown and the meat is starting to fall off the thighs, it’s done. With any food it has to be brought to 160 degrees and held at 140 degrees if you are going to serve it in a restaurant.

You need to check on it regularly and baste it. You know, that giant plastic thing that sucks up the juices from the bottom of the pan. You put the juices from the bottom of the pan over the turkey breast and legs through out the cooking process. It’s that easy. You can peel potatoes and make mash potatoes and clean and prepare brussel sprouts or whatever vegetable you prefer but in today’s age you can get all of that stuff out of the freezer if you are a newbie at cooking.

Stuffing is different. I suppose you can get stuffing out of a box. It’s nice but it’s not the same. To make your own stuffing just dice just over a loaf of bread into large squares and put it in the top of your roasting pan or a large clean container. I always add fine diced onions and celery but this year we used onions and bacon because my daughter had it at a friends house once and asked if we could try it. Poultry seasoning would include rosemary, thyme and garlic. If you don’t want to use fresh garlic you can buy the stuff in a can peeled and diced already. The dry stuff sucks. Cranberry sauce you can buy in a can.

Add a cup or two of water to the stuffing and mix it up then cram it in the stomach of the bird and up it's arse before you put it in the oven. You can get some pretty good gravy or brown sauce from a package these days or you can take the turkey out of the roasting pan when it’s finished, drain off all the grease then fill it with cold water, put it on the burner under medium heat and cook it down to make your own gravy. You’ll have to add a white wash of flour and cold water mixed up well to the gravy to thicken it up. Once the white wash is in the gravy you have to cook it for quite a while to get the flour taste out of it.

So that’s it. There’s no excuse to not have a nice dinner if you’re alone this thanksgiving. I remember seeing a memorial to a gang related shooting in Edmonton the other day when someone remembered spending last thanksgiving with a guy who had been shot down earlier this year. Tragic. Life is too short not to cherish it.

Widgeon Creek

I finally got the kayak out today and paddled up Widgeon creek on Pitt Lake. I can’t believe the extended summer we’ve been having. Normally it’s just rain, rain, rain. This year has been awesome. A couple new stories from the east coast to catch up on. I just wanted to pause for Thanksgiving.

Vancouver is no better than anywhere else. Every place on earth has it’s own special spots that take your breath away. I remember jogging on the beach in Bray outside Dublin at Sunrise. That was magnificent. If you’re in Fredericktown, Dartmouth or Halifax, there’s a lot more out there to see that you can’t find in the bar or in a crack pipe. Life is too precious to diminish it like that. Today was another beautiful day so it was.

Vito Rizzuto arrives in Toronto

Well Vito Rizzuto has arrived under police escort in Toronto 11:00 PM last night. Where he goes from there we can only wait and see. The Hells Angels aren’t nearly as powerful in Toronto as they are in Montreal. The Calabrians are in Hamilton and working on smaller cities like Kitchener. I’m not sure how powerful the Calabrians are in Toronto but I think TO is more of a free for all. The organized crime isn’t as organized there as it is in surrounding areas or in Montreal. Time will tell. It always does.

QMI claims Greg Wooley is one of Vito’s potential allies. With friends like that, who needs enemies. Wooley is still with and still working for the Hells Angels. That’s what the big meeting was all about. The Hells Angels supply the Montreal Crips through Wooley. They wanted some of the Montreal bloods to work for them too. When one said no and publically humiliated him, he was shot dead. If Vito wants to supply the Montreal Crips , the Hells Angels already have that market. If he wants to supply the Montreal Bloods, then Greg Wooley is not his friend.

Kelowna HA Sergeant at arms makes bail

Brian Oldham, the Kelowna Hells Angels Sergeant at arms made bail Monday. He still faces charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking a controlled substance. Once again there are numerous over reaching publication bans stifling free speech and the freedom of information in this case.

David Giles and Kevin Van Kalkeren are still in custody and have been charged with conspiracy to import a controlled substance and conspiracy to traffic a controlled substance in association with a criminal organization. I wonder if Giles will be the first Hells Angel to be convicted of criminal organization charges in BC. It would be pretty hypocritical if he ordered John Punko’s murder to avoid that same conviction.

I am told Kevin VanKalkeren used to race in BC and that he stopped racing in BC 4 years ago and started racing in Wenachee and Euphrata, Washington but packed racing in last year because he had his pilot's licence and was too busy. Well, that's interesting. It has even been claimed that David Giles was one of his sponsors. Kim Bolan reported that the civil forfeiture director claims that Kevin Van Kalkeren laundered drug money through his company, KVK Enterprises Ltd.

Laura Szendrei’s murderer cops a plea

The 19 year old from Delta who was charged with the murder of Laura Szendrei has copped a plea. He was initially charged with first degree murder but has now pleaded guilty to second degree murder. No doubt that will be met with mixed feelings from the parents and the community.

First-degree murder is when the killing is “planned and deliberate”. It was premeditated. If it was a murder that involved a sexual assault, that is automatically defined as first degree murder. Those convicted of first-degree murder receive an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.

Second degree murder is an intentional murder that was not planned but took place in the heat of the moment. Like with first-degree, those convicted of second-degree murder receive an automatic life sentence. However, the judge can set their parole eligibility at anywhere between 10 and 25 years. A life sentence with parole after 10 years is not a life sentence. I’m not sure how mandatory statutory release applies to murder convictions.

Keep in mind that is the penalties in adult court. The 19 year old that has pleaded guilty to murdering Laura Szendrei was 17 when he committed the murder. That means he falls under the Young Offenders act, cannot be named and receives a lesser penalty. However, thanks to the advocacy of Chuck and Donna Cadman who lost their son Jesse to an act of senseless violence, young offenders can be charged in adult court. Can be. It has yet to be determined if this case will be. Obviously it should and the crown will no doubt make that application.

Anyways, ten years for murdering someone’s daughter is not closure. It comes with the knowledge that after ten years in prison, the murderer will walk away free and their daughter will still be dead. When you commit murder, you take away something that can never be returned.

Ten years for murder is not closure for the community either. Especially when this case is filled with over reaching publication bans. The purpose of a publication ban is to give the person charged with a crime the right to a fair trial. The purpose of a publication ban is not to hide the truth from the public indefinitely. This is what one blog reader referred to as the difference between freedom and license.

The Charter of Rights and the Freedom of Information act states the public has a right to know what evidence was presented at trial, after the trial is over. The only exception would be to protect the identity of the victim in a case such as sexual assault. Since we already know the name of the victim in this case that does not apply. If there was a sexual assault, then the case would automatically be first degree murder. No plea bargain to reduce that.

The problem we have with this case is that we have no motive and the over reaching publication bans on this case are a threat to public safety.

John Cummins survives leadership challenge

I missed this one but since it’s in the news again, I will cite it. There were some public rumblings about the new leadership of the BC Conservatives. I thought it was strange since John Cummins was newly elected and was doing such a great job. He was right on the money and it was the fastest growing party in the country as a result. Then we find out the source of the internal dissention was from a former member of Gordon Campbell’s liberals. Ah ha says I.

When John van Dongen crossed over and joined the BC Conservatives I said fair enough, let him in. He did a good job as AG. Losing that position because of his speeding tickets was dumb and he was keeping the pressure on the BC Rail scandal. However, I said draw the line there because the last thing we want is a plague of Gordon Campbell’s rats leaving their sinking ship only to infect the hopeful rising BC Conservatives.

Then we find out the source of all the drama and internal back biting was in fact the power hungery John van Dongen himself. After causing all that dissention he then tells the media it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to comment on the matter before a leadership review. Yeah right. He caused it. So after John Cummins survives the leadership review by a 71% vote, Johnnie come lately takes his ball and goes home. Only he’s burned bridges with Christy Clark so he has no home. He still says he will leave the BC Conservatives, which he just joined, because of irreconcilable differences with John Cummins. Well good riddance. That was more than enough drama for his short little grasp for power. Truth is, he wanted John Cummins job.

So now John Cummins gives the remaining few dissenters an ultimatum. Put up or shut up. Support the democratic decision of the party or leave the party. That is fair. Anyone who will persist with childish backbiting after a democratic vote was held, should leave. One bad apple can spoil a barrel. Remember, John Cummins is a true conservative. He supports small business and the free market. He opposes the HST and the gas tax. Let's take that ball and run with it and leave the sniveling little kids behind in the dust. We don’t have time for them and believe you me there will be a wave of Gordon Campbell’s rats wanting to jump on board only to destroy it like they destroyed the BC Liberals.

On Friday, Conservative byelection candidate John Martin defected to the B.C. Liberals. Sorry if I pause to roll on the floor laughing. He defected to the titanic as it’s sinking to show solidarity for John van Dongen and Gordon Campbell’s nightmare? Well he sure isn’t very bright now is he? Even Gordon Campbell’s own rats are jumping that sinking ship. Now he wants to jump in with them? That means he supports the HST and the gas Tax. Like I said, Good riddance. Let them form their own rat party.

The world according to U2

U2 is a popular Irish band that wrote a tribute to Martin Luther King in a song called Pride: In the name of love. Martin Luther King is a man I greatly respect and admire. The first verse of the song reads: One man come in the name of love One man come and go One come he to justify One man to overthrow.

The song isn’t just about Martin Luther King as it also makes reference to one man who came in the name of love who was caught on a barbed wire fence, another washed up on an empty beach and another betrayed with a kiss. The song is referring to martyrs who came in the name of love and gave their all.

In my mind, there is nothing more satanic then seeing a white man wearing a KKK hood. It doesn’t just represent lawlessness, it represents hate and intolerance. The song continues and states: Early morning, April 4 Shot rings out in the Memphis sky Free at last, they took your life They could not take your pride. U2 was obviously referring to the assassination of Martin Luther King.

U2 wrote another powerful song as a tribute to those who died in Derry Bogside in 1972 called Bloody Sunday. That was when the British Army used live ammunition on unarmed civil rights protesters. This didn’t happen in Russia. This didn’t happen in China. They weren’t shot by Fascists or Communists. They were shot by the British Army. It was a horrible stain on history and a reminder of the injustice of foreign occupation.

The song starts off with: I can't believe the news today Oh, I can't close my eyes And make it go away How long... How long must we sing this song It uses the metaphor: Broken bottles under children's feet Bodies strewn across the dead end street But I won't heed the battle call It puts my back up Puts my back up against the wall. They point out: And the battle's just begun There's many lost, but tell me who has won The trench is dug within our hearts And mothers, children, brothers, sisters Torn apart.

It makes a reference to a time when When fact is fiction and TV reality then concludes with a reference to another bloody Sunday when Christ was murdered and states: The real battle just begun To claim the victory Jesus won On... Sunday Bloody Sunday. It’s a positive non confrontational song about not one but two horrific events of murder and injustice. The latter event of course had a higher purpose. Derry Bogside didn’t. It was a senseless tragedy. Yet we will remember them because their innocent blood makes the quest for a free republic holy. Why it’s the 40th anniversary of bloody Sunday so it is.

U2 also has a passion for life. In their song Where the streets have no name they sing about: I want to run I want to hide I want to tear down the walls That hold me inside I want to reach out And touch the flame Where the streets have no name.

Then they refer to a time when: The city's aflood And our love turns to rust We're beaten and blown by the wind Trampled in dust I'll show you a place High on a desert plain Where the streets have no name.

U2 visited a small church in Harlem where they sang their song Still haven’t found what I’m looking for with a rousing African American choir. The remix is quite impressive showing us again that diversity makes us strong.

Take a look outside. It’s a beautiful day so it is. Don’t let it slip away.

Police raid mayor of Laval’s home and office

As the Montreal corruption trial continues, police raided the mayor of Laval’s home and office looking for evidence about city corruption accepting kickbacks from the mob in the construction industry. Laval has some past history. The Laval chapter of the Hells Angels were executed by their own people in what was referred to as the Lennoxville Massacre.

Laval is the site of the murder, betrayal and take over of the Death Riders that earned Mom Boucher and Biff Hammel their colours. Now Gilles Vaillancourt, who has been mayor of Laval since 1989 is under investigation.

This is starting to look a lot like the police raid on the BC Legislature. The whole scandal seems to revolve around the accusation that city hall officials were getting kickbacks from the mafia for awarding construction contracts.

Now when they say the “mob” that is pretty ambiguous. Which mob? That’s like saying a criminal organization. Which criminal organization? We know that there was a huge amount of press about the Hells Angels control of the construction industry in Montreal. That’s what sent Marvin put your shirt back on Ouimet into hiding. As well as his connection to 22 murders of course. Police believe he infiltrated Quebec's lucrative construction industry and was controlling several building firms used to launder money. It also involved a controversial renovation on Parliament Hill.

Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay’s party took 3% of ex-construction boss’s city contracts.

Did Domenic Violi and the Calabrians in Hamilton execute the Rizzutos in Montreal?

Freddy’s talk about Vito Rizzuto getting out of prison on Friday reminded me I better finally spit it out. Back when there was a rash of murders attacking the Rizzutos in Montreal, I said that I think the Hells Angels are behind it. Again people said I was crazy. Although the Hells Angels worked closely with the Rizzutos in the past, I pointed out that the D’Amicos in Granby were empowered to threaten the Rizzutos because they had the backing of the Hells Angels. People claim the D’Amicos in Granby are a small family. There was a kidnapping and confrontation between the Hells Angels and the Rizzutos around that time.

The rationale behind my theory was simple. The Hells Angels are compulsive liars and consistent betrayers. They are taking over the drug trade all over Canada. It was strange that no one was claiming responsibility for the Montreal murders. Back in Ireland, someone always claims responsibility for the murder. It is the Hells Angels that lie and deny every murder they commit. Why sometimes they even attend the funeral of people they have been accused of hiring the hit on.

The sniper in the bushes killing one of the Rizzutos in their home in front of their family was a red flag. That’s not a Sicilian hit. It almost looked military. Not to claim the CIA has been involved in any drug trafficking in Vietnam, Nicaragua or Mexico. Much. But if they were, they would no doubt chose sides like they did in Operation Fast and Furious.

The flaming red flag was the firebombing of a funeral home. I don’t know any Catholic that would do that whether they be Sicilian, Irish or French. It had to be someone else. That sounded more like the MO of your local 666. When I had mentioned to my author friend from Montreal when he was visiting about more Rizzutos being killed, he instantly said he thought it was the Calabrians working with the Hells Angels. Others have said similar things. Not an earth shattering theory since I am told it was the subject of one of the Godfather movies. The Calabrian part that is, not the Hells Angels.

So finally I recently heard from someone in the know in Quebec and I asked them who was killing the Rizzutos. Their answer was simple and concise, the Calabrians in Hamilton, namely Domenic Violi. They said Domenic Violi is now in power in Canada and is cleaning up. That is who the people in Quebec think it is. They said it was in retaliation for the murder of Paolo Violi and for pushing them out of Montreal in the first place.

“Sources told QMI Agency Dominic and Giuseppe Violi were seen in Little Italy and the city's downtown district just days before the Mafia don was felled by a sniper's bullet in the kitchen of his north-end home late last year.”

Since the Hells Angels have a huge control of the drug trade in Ontario, it would make sense that they would align themselves with the Violis there. It also makes sense that if the Rizzutos were supplying the Bloods and the Rock Machine cocaine, they would want to put a stop to that. After all, that is why they shot Chenier Dupuy from the Bo-Gars who are aligned with the Bloods in Montreal. The Hells Angels supply the Crips through Greg Wooley. Chenier Dupuy refused to work for the Hells Angels so the neo Nazis shot him dead. Or at least paid someone to do so.

Even Italian prosecutors claim that Ontario has become a base for the Calabrian Mafia, or 'Ndrangheta. It’s not that I’m choosing sides. I don’t support the sale of crack or crystal meth period. I just hate liars and betrayers and that is all the Hells Angels do in Canada.

Update: Police bust Hamilton crime group tied to Gambino family in New York