People First Organize LRT Symposium

People First Surrey organized a symposium on LRT at the Guildford Public library today. Daryl Dela Cruz from Skytrain for Surrey and Rajesh Jayaprakash from People First Surrey spoke against LRT in Surrey while Stuart Parker from Proudly Surrey and a former SFU student spoke for LRT in Surrey.

The young girl was polite and sincere. Her position was the more lanes you have the more traffic you have which was her rationalization for reverting a main road like 104th to a single lane of traffic. It's a romantic thought but it just isn't very realistic. Reverting the new Port Mann bridge to a single lane of traffic would be bad planning as is LRT on 104th.

Rajesh pointed out that this is an important decision that will effect the next 100 years. He said this isn't something we can change in ten years if it doesn't work. This is something we are going to be stuck with pernamenrly. 100 years from now there will be more traffic not less so as time goes on it will only get worse. Fixing this mistake now is crucial.

Hats off to Rajesh who invited the other side and let them have equal say. I like him. He is trustworthy. Stewart on the other hand came up with an analogy that basically said the federal and provincial government has already put up the money for LRT. To change it now to Skytrain would be childish which didn't sit well with the audience. I left shortly after that.

I saw Doug Elford from the Surrey Community Alliance there. I support Doug and I'm told his party, which has the backing of Bob Bose, opposes LRT. This is promising although I have yet to see anything in writing. The reason I like Rajesh from People First Surrey is because they put all their polices on paper. You know where they stand on the issues.

Surrey Health Expo

Rina Gill organized a Surrey Health Expo today at City hall. It was like a trade show highlighting local business in the health, wellness, beauty and fitness industry. I can relate to three out of four. It was actually well done. The first booth that caught my eye was Paul Nijar from the yoga dojo.



Paul is local and has written several books. One is called Yoga Warrior. I looked at the cover of the book, then I looked at him and the guy beside him and I said, normally we would consider yoga warrior to be an oxymoron but you guys could sell this. You guys look pretty buff. What's this all about? Paul introduces himself and explains how he has merged yoga with the martial arts to develop the indomitable spirit of a warrior within. I'm like did you just say indomitable spirit? He seems like he's onto something. His dojo is at 12682 82 Avenue in Surrey.

The guy beside him was Rob Yun a buff local entrepreneur who has organized MMA cards in the past. Today he is representing Vitapro21. They have a hang over health drink called When. It's kind of a funny idea but when you read the ingredients, it's loaded with healthy stuff. Hey is that him with Scotty Mac? I know that guy. I used to work with him. I just saw him today at the gym.

Next was a group called Creep Hunters Canada Society launching a new web site No Excuse for Abuse. I asked if they were affiliated with Creep Catchers and he said no. I said you don't sell drugs like Ryan? No we don't sell drugs he said. He sounded like a good guy. He rightfully said a lot of time domestic violence doesn't get reported.

On that note there was a group there called Moving forward Family Services that offers affordable counselling. Another group called Bounceback Today which is a branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association which helps people overcome anxiety and depression.

Representatives from a new boxing and weight gym opening up in Surrey called LV Fit were there. There was also a father there who had lost a child so Sudden Infant Death Syndrome organizing a walk to raise awareness for SIDS in memory of his son, Azaan Singh Gill. It will be held on the track at North Surrey Secondary August 19th 11 AM to 3 PM.

The 3 E Organization is about Engaging and Enabling Opportunities to Empower and Connect for the betterment of communities and especially focusing on women and youth in the mosaic community. Those are some of the booths that caught my eye. All in all a sucessful event. Since it was the first annual Surrey Health Expo we hope to see more just like it.

George Christie takes his story on the road

As I previously mentioned, George Christie is staring in a one-man show this weekend in Las Vegas. Outlaw will be performed at the Art Square Theater, 1025 S 1st St., Las Vegas, NV 89101 on Friday, June 22, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, June 23, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, June 24, at 2:00 p.m. KSNV News Las Vegas posted an interview on youtube.

His book, Exile on Front Street is available on Amazon. The epic DVD called The Last American Outlaw is available on his website. After the Hells Angels put George Christie out in bad, the producers of the DVD pulled their support for it. It is however epic. When the rebel yells.

Cannabis-Infused Beer - Buds in Suds

Bloomberg is reporting that "Another major beermaker is looking at ways to enter the marijuana business. Denver-based Molson Coors Brewing Co. is weighing whether to expand into the sector with Canada poised to legalize the drug for recreational use this October."

"The speculation comes the same week as Canada gave the final approval for recreational sales to begin on Oct. 17. While edibles, including beverages, won’t be legal initially, companies are already jockeying for market share due to the potentially lucrative opportunity."

"Last year, Corona beer seller Constellation Brands Inc. bought a minority stake in Canopy Growth Growth, the nation’s largest marijuana producer with a market value of C$8.8 billion ($6.6 billion). Rivals such as The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. plans to develop a product-testing and manufacturing center to explore using cannabis in everything from iced teas, juices and sports drinks." That brings us to Randy Jones' Dank.

New Cannabis Craft Beers, Cold Brews, and Teas Are Here

Pot growers look to drinkable weed

Cannabis-Infused Beer in Colorado

It's not something I'm interested in but I'm sure there's a market for it. We're looking at de-alcoholized beer infused with THC as well as regular beer and energy drinks infused with cannabinoids (CBDs) which doesn't get you high and can actually be good for you.

Personally I just see pot as being unhealthy. CBD is different than THC but the masses don't want to get healthy, they just want to get stoned and wasted. Yet, if Randy Jones can make some money off of Dank instead of selling crack, meth and fentanyl on the Surrey Strip, then more power to him. That would be a lot better for everyone involved. Rise up out of the toilet.

Charges dropped in rural shooting

The Canadian Press is reporting that "A courtroom erupted in cheers and applause Friday as all charges were dropped against a man accused of firing shots at suspected thieves on his rural property in southern Alberta." One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

Victoria PD bust fentanyl dealer

The Peace arch News is reporting that "A Victoria man is facing nine recommended charges from the Victoria Police after officers took him into custody during an investigation into the sale of illegal drugs, including fentanyl. The VicPD Strike Force and Crime Reduction Unit officers went to the 700-block of Johnson Street after hearing of man operating a “dial-a-dope” operation. After several days of investigation, officers believed the man was making hand-to-hand drug transactions. When officers used a search warrant on March 21, they took one man into custody and found drugs including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. They also found over $12,000 in cash, body armour, a shotgun and ammunition."

Imagine that. The Victoria PD observe hand-to-hand drug transactions on the street and get a search warrant which resulted in a fentanyl bust. That's how it's supposed to be done.

CBC is reporting that "A Winnipeg man previously convicted of running a pot delivery service has been handed a 10-year sentence in Manitoba's first case of fentanyl importation." Winnipeg impliments a 10 year sentence for a fentanyl dealer but Surrey RCMP won't even make a bust when they watch it happen on the Surrey Strip. What's wrong with this picture?

Salt that has lost it's flavor is good for nothing. Kinda like the police who won't enforce the law.

I will admit that I am astounded at how the BC NDP has cleaned up the Surrey strip. They provided housing for the homeless and the police moved them on. Problem solved. That was in everyone's best interest. It will require a consistent police presence to maintain but this is a big step forward. The people spoke and the NDP listened when the BC Liberals refused.

Now we just need to start zoning for rental units and Surrey will be great.

VSO to hold free concert at Sunset Beach

The Georgia Straight is reporting that "The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will kick off its 100th anniversary season with a free, outdoor concert at Sunset Beach Park on July 14. The board and the VSO said in the joint announcement today that it will be alcohol and smoke-free. Student ensembles from the VSO School of Music will give a preconcert starting at 7:15 p.m. The sunset concert performed by the VSO runs from 8:30 to 10 p.m., with the program spanning everything from music by Leonard Bernstein to excerpts from Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and John Williams’s Star Wars." Awesome. Now that's raising the bar.

Punitive Punishment and Equal Protection of the Law

I am a big fan of civil liberty and the US Constitution as well as the Irish Proclamation and the Canadian Charter of Rights. My free ebook which was released on the 10th anniversary of Gary Webb's murder was entitled "Stand True: Civil Liberty and the Hells Angles Drug Trafficking Network." It is interesting to see how civil liberty relates to drug trafficking throughout Iran Contra.

The US Constitution says "No State shall deny to any person within it's jurisdiction equal protection of the law." What a romantic concept. Imagine a judicial system where everyone has the same rights, rich or poor. That doesn't really exist in our current system. In our system a poor man and a rich man don't get the same representation. Not only that, but sometimes the police do not enforce the laws equally. That's exactly what I saw in South Seattle during the US Crack epidemic in the /80's. If a crack house opened up in a rich white neighborhood, you can bet the cops would shut it down in a hurry. We didn't see that in Rainier Beach.

We also don't see that in the incarceration of Clay Roueche. Not only is locking someone up for 30 or 300 years counterproductive, it also forces us to ask serious questions about who the real criminals actually are. Why is Clay in jail and not Sonny Barger or Randy Jones? Why did they use a slime ball illegal act to arrest Clay on US soil when they refuse to extradite Randy and Trevor Jones? That is unequal protection of the law.

People have asked me, why am I supporting Clay's art and his book? His art is awesome. All too often we see confused renditions of modern art that look like someone threw a bucket of paint on a canvas. Clay's art is colorful, talented and thought provoking. His book is along a similar theme as mine. Expounding on the Chinese virtues taught in the martial arts is what lead me to Zen. George Christie shares that ideal.

Although I have made it clear that I don't have beef with the entire club, it is no secret that I can't stand the Surrey girl chapter of the Hells Angels. When I read Clay's book, who do you think I'm going to support? The trailer trash Surrey Girls or the Terracotta warriors? One has honor, the other does not. Ricky Carmella is disgusting. The sordid tale of his pals bullying and sodomizing a hippie with a broomstick is all explained in chapter seven of my free ebook.

Don't get me started on Big Tony and Piggy's Palace. Anthony Terezakis sold drugs for the Hells Angels in the DTES. He filmed himself beating the life out of drug addicts who owed him money. These are the kind of people the Hells Angels have working for them in the drug trade. Like Larry Mizen on the Surrey strip. It is impossible for me to respect guys like that. Like the bikers and cops who gang raped Dianne Rock. So if Clay does something good, I'm going to recognize it.

When the police allow the Hells Angels to sell pot and the Black door and the bulldog cafe but arrest Marc Emery across the street, that is unequal protection of the law. I have a problem with unequal protection of the law because it implies corruption. I didn't find out about the police corruption in Brooklyn when I was in New York until a few years ago.

Clay deserves a prison transfer back to Canada.

GTA raids target Five Point Generalz street gang

The Toronto Sun is reporting that "Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders reveals details of Project Patton, an operation that targeted a notorious street gang known as the Five Point Generalz and saw hundreds of cops conduct pre-dawn raids across the GTA on Thursday, June 21, 2018."

The Rap dictionary claims that "The 5PGz first gained notoriety after one of its members was implicated in the shooting death of 11-year-old Ephriam Brown who was caught between what police describe as a gun fight between two rivals." One has to wonder if they were involved in the recent playground shooting in Toronto where two young girls were also shot in the crossfire.

Toronto is doing someone about gang violence. Why isn't BC?

Councillor Bruce Hayne quits Surrey First civic party

Global is reporting that "With just months to go before Surrey residents go to the polls for a civic election, there’s a major shakeup in the local political scene. Surrey Coun. Bruce Hayne has resigned from Surrey First, the civic party that swept the city’s council in the 2014 elections and which is led by sitting mayor Lind Hepner. Hayne will sit as an independent until the fall elections. He says he’s come to realize his goals don’t align with the party, and that he’s disappointed that there hasn’t been more consultation with the public on issues such as public safety, development and transit." Three cheers. Maybe he's a keeper.

Rats leaving a sinking ship. Did someone say train wreck?