The Manitoba Government subsidizes strippers

It's true. Just ask Finance Minister Stan Struthers.

Struthers has been the Government's point man in a very public battle with the Manitoba Jockey Club over the future of the Assiniboia Downs race track. The government intends to cut what it calls "subsidies" to the Jockey Club by "at least $5 million". To the jockey club, this could mean the end of horse-racing in Manitoba. To the government, this is just cost-cutting:

"We understand that the MJC is disappointed with the government's intentions, but we have a duty to spend public funds responsibly."

You see? The government is just being responsible in this time of austerity.

Except ... hang on to your seat ... that's not exactly true! I know .. I am sorry to have shattered your faith in our elected officials. I will make it up to you somehow.

More than one person has pointed out that what the government is calling "subsidies" or "funding" is actually the venue's share of VLT and other gaming revenue collected on-site. One of those people is Wayne Anderson:

"If these funds are grants, then so are the funds flowing to the hotels, legions, aboriginal casinos and the Jets from VLTs, slots, etc."

The places receiving this so-called funding includes strip clubs like Teasers, which in addition to featuring "Sleek & Sheek, Sexy, Exotic & Erotic, Applebottom babes, Big bang bootys, MilkJugs, Curvy, Mind Melting Hourglass figures, Long Legged Ladies, Big Bouncing boobs, Shocker Knockers & fun all the way around" also offers VLTs for your gaming pleasure. Each VLT could net Teasers up to $50,000 per year in revenue, thus the government is likely funding "nipple popping snow shows" to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

Thank you, Stan!

The government's decision to cut revenues to the Manitoba Jockey Club is peculiar, given that the government had only just negotiated a new agreement with them less than two years ago. This agreement allows the MJC to retain a much larger share of their VLT revenues than most institutions. The actual percentage is hard to know without more information, but it's greater than 75% -- probably in the 85-90% range*

It is fair to question whether the MJC should get such a large cut of the revenues. The rationale (in the government's words) was to "strengthen the Assiniobia Downs as a key component of the Manitoba’s diverse tourism, agricultural and thoroughbred industries". The $5 million drop in revenue would essentially put Assiniboia Downs on the same footing as hotels and bars, which get to keep only 20% of the revenue that they generate from VLTs.

Why should the jockey club get a more generous deal? Well for one thing, they may not be able to survive without it. Indeed, the Jockey Club accuses the government of trying to bankrupt it with this move, paving the way for the Red River Exhibition to take over the property. I haven't figured out what vested interest the provincial government has in seeing the Ex control the Assiniboia Downs property, but that appears to be the goal.

Also, horse racing is a small but unique part of the entertainment fabric of this province, and as such it would be hypocritical of the province to not give them a special deal. After all, Manitoba Lotteries is building a dedicated casino, er ... gaming centre, to provide financial support to the Jets.

As an aside, Manitoba First Nations get to keep 90% of their gaming revenue -- everything less a 10% fee to cover administration costs. This increased amount is "provided as a contribution to promote sustainable social and economic benefits and opportunities with the First Nations communities" ... like a vacation to Rome for the Chief, the Chief's wife, and 5 friends. (The government's position in that particular case was that the band can spend the revenue however they wish, but I think most people would prefer that VLT revenues stay within the province to support local communities and institutions, like for example Teasers, where you can see "one of the wettest shows on stage, where the girls take hot steamy wet showers, bathe and washing every succulent curvy part of their sexy moist soft bodes.")

Where was I? Oh yes ... the Mantitoba Jockey Club.

If the government wanted to reduce the Club's share of the revenue for what appeared to be legitimate reasons, I wouldn't be writing this post. If, for example, the government felt that gambling at the Downs was cannibalizing gambling at venues where the government gets a bigger slice of the pie, and could therefore generate more revenue through this action. If that's what they have in mind they've done a poor job articulating it.

In actuality, the government has an interest in supporting gaming activity at Assiniboia Downs because there is money to be made there. Common sense tells you that VLTs are likely to do particularly well at a horse race track where the primary activity is synonymous with gambling.

The numbers support this: VLT revenues at hotels and bars, both inside the city and in small towns, has been on the decline since 2009; while gambling at the Downs has been increasing...

Whatever the government's intentions, it is not going to go as smoothly as they planned. If the Jockey Club is going down, they're going down swinging. This past weekend they printed a half page ad in the Winnipeg Free Press and have launched a lawsuit against the government. Never mess with a Jockey, my mother always told me.

Whether horse racing will survive when all is said and done, I don't know. I suspect it will, even if the Red River Exhibition takes over the race track. The government will ensure that there is some sort of funding through some means.

If not, we have other things in these parts to entertain us. Like strippers.

*MJC's take of VLT revenues in 2010 was $5.5m or 75% of $7.3m total revenues. The current agreement provides the MJC with up to $6.5m, which would be 89% of total revenues if total revenues were to remain steady. source.

Around This Town: Safety, PechaKucha, blogs and other stuff

Downtown safety
I'm not sure what brought this on, but a big discussion among the on-line community about downtown safety emerged recently. I guess it started with this article in the Spectator Tribune ...

Winnipeg’s most perpetuated myth: Downtown is dangerous

"Get downtown.  Break the cycle of lies and misdirection that our local media outlets propagate.  See for yourself what is going on.  And remember, just because someone is brown doesn’t mean that they are going to gut you."

... which spawned this response in the same alternative media outlet ...

Winnipeg’s most perpetuated myth: A response

"saying that Winnipeg’s downtown is safe simply because I haven’t experienced violence, or so that my family isn’t worried about visiting in my ‘edgy’ neighbourhood doesn’t cut it if we are going to be real about the problems of race and class in the city."

... and this blog post ...

 Entry number "I've lost count" re: safety in downtown Winnipeg

"Men don't have the same fear complex as women because in a purely physical sense, it is MUCH EASIER to physically intimidate a woman. As a woman, I know we're a much easier target than the average male. We carry giant purses and vaginas everywhere we go. We have much more to lose on very, very extreme levels.
...
Here is the discussion. It's so simple. Downtown Winnipeg has a crime problem, but it's also a great place with a lot to offer. How do we reconcile the two? How do we make people feel safe to be here, and how do we deal with what makes people afraid to come down here?"

... and an on-going twitter conversation. The Winnipeg Internet Pundits will carry on the conversation on Wednesday with the author of the previous blog and some of the usual pundits.

I worked downtown for 14 years and never had a problem, but I also know people who have been assaulted, including somebody who was shot in the head and killed, although those incidents were a while back.

It's a complicated discussion and one I should probably stay out of ... actual safety vs perceived safety; safety of women vs men, safety during the day vs at night, et cetera. And what is safe? Is there some metric of Assaults per 1000 People Hours that defines the threshold of "safe"? Everybody agrees that more safe is better than less safe, but how safe is safe enough?

Oh look, somebody got stabbed.


Community centre funding

Arenas and swimming pools are crumbling all over the city. When Southdale Community Centre launched it's $9.4 million expansion, some accused it of queue jumping. Some accused elected officials of buying votes in a swing riding. Some complained about preferential treatment for a relatively affluent part of town.

But what's done is done. The expansion was completed one year ago, and now it's time to focus on spending scarce tax dollars on those other facilities that are in dire need of attention in areas of town were kids rely on ...

Wait... What's that? Southdale needs another half mil? Sure, here you go!

Oh stop complaining. They did have a Bud Spud & Steak to raise some of their own money you know.


PechaKucha

PechaKucha is kind of like a mini Ted talk with shorter presentations. Volume 13 of PechaKucha Winnipeg is taking place this Thursday at the Park Theatre.

There is an interesting and diverse group of speakers. Should be a good evening. Maybe see you there.


New blog

Somebody named after my favourite Thanksgiving meal has started a new blog called Winnipeg Spends. He or she is monitoring the contracts that the city is awarding and all money that is being spent, and summarizing on the blog with bar charts and analysis.

Did you know that the city just spent $95,000 on gloves? Well I do, and that's because I read Winnipeg Spends !


Audience participation blog

As far as Winnipeg bloggers go, James Hope Howard is about as famous as they come (second only to Winnipeg Cat). If you're a fan of Slurpees and Murder, now is your chance to find out more about the author, because ... March is Ask James Anything Month at Slurpees and Murder!


Random act of heritage

Another one of Winnipeg's top local bloggers, Christian Cassidy, held a Random Act of Heritage this Sunday. It was a presentation and tour of the intrepid Arlington Bridge, which is really much more interesting than it sounds. The Arlington Bridge is the second oldest bridge in Winnipeg and was built using surplus parts from the Eiffel Tower.

That might not be true. I didn't actually make it to the event. I took advantage of the nice day to go for a big long bike ride up the Seine River instead, however I do have a picture from somebody else who was able to go:

This random act of heritage thing is a great idea. It is encouraging to see that the media picked up on it, and hopefully Mr.C does more of them. He needs to schedule them around my bike rides though.


Well, that's it for this week's edition of Around This Town. Tune in 3 months from now for next week's edition.

*****
RIP Nick Ternette. Very few people worked harder to make their city a better place than him.

The Great Outdoors: Gunn Lake

I've almost forgotten how to create a blog post, it's been so long. Just to get Blogger loosened up and moving again, I'll share my weekend hiking experience.

I've hiked before, but never overnight. Never having to carry all my provisions on my back. Last weekend me and two friends decided to give it a try, and picked the Baldy Lake / Gunn Lake trail in Riding Mountain National Park as our testing ground.

Riding Mountain is a great place to try out back-country camping, for a few of reasons:

1. The trails are very clear and well marked. It is impossible to lose the trail. Perhaps after a few decades of federal funding cuts the trails may get to be more ragged, but as it is, if you lose your way in Riding Mountain then you shouldn't be allowed outside of your house without a tether or GPS chip embedded in your skull.

2. There is lots of wildlife. (For some people this may be a con rather than a pro ..)

3. Firewood. The campsites and well stocked with dry chopped firewood. This is a HUGE bonus.

The trail we picked was very easy to hike. Mostly flat and grassy with only a few muddy spots or steep areas where you have to watch your footing. The 16.5 km hike each way is supposed to take 4-5 hours depending on who you talk to, but we did it in slightly less. Still, it's a long walk with 25 lbs on your back.

It rained for about 4 hours Saturday afternoon/evening, making for a nice green (and wet) campsite:

The rain sucked, but when the clouds broke you could walk down to the lake to catch a nice sunset

The final 1.9 km Gunn Lake portion of the trail is the most interesting, with some hills and a nice view of a swampy valley ...

... but it was the longer Baldy Lake / Central part where we saw most of the wild life, including two bears, a moose, a deer, rabbits, this weaselly thing ...

... and these salamandery things ...

Isn't he just precious? I googled Manitoba salamanders, and figure this guy is an eastern tiger salamander, or some sub-species thereof.

You can get an idea from the weasel picture of what the trails are like. See what I mean? Even the most incompetent hiker can't lose their way here, unless maybe they do bat spins and forget what direction they're headed in.

Unfortunately it was too cloudy to witness the Perseids meteor shower, if we could even stay up that late after driving for 3.5 hours and hiking 16.5 k, but the sunset and the wildlife gave us enough highlights to make us not regret the pain we were in afterwards.

If you do this trail, I highly recommend stopping in at the Olha General Store for an ice cream bar on the way home.

Olha Manitoba. Population: three old people sitting in a general store. It is a very well-kept little hamlet, actually.

Would I do this trail again? Probably not. I would look for something maybe a little shorter but more scenic and technically challenging, but it was a nice trip. That pre-chopped firewood at the campsite sure makes back-country camping a lot less painful.

Off the Beach and Path

There is a great, original fundraising activity being run by an associate of The Peanut: Off the Beach and Path.

You may have heard about it already, but here's the deal: you show up at one of the scheduled locations, donate some money, and you get to ride in his baby:

The rare amphibious car will take you off the land and into the water for a unique little cruise. You can even have an opportunity to drive the car.

The tour is traveling all over Manitoba. It's in Winnipeg Thursday and Friday, before hitting the road again this coming weekend. Check the schedule here for locations and details.

Turnout so far has been great, with thousands of dollars already raised for Parkinson Society Manitoba. I haven't been in the car but I've heard it's a lot of fun. It's a good cause and an interesting way to support it.

New Conservatory for Assiniboine Park

Winnipeg's largest park is getting quite the make-over. The Lyric theater was upgraded, the duck pond was expanded, a children's play area was expanded, the Qualico Family Centre was built, the polar bear enclosure is being expanded and reconfigured as part of a whole zoo revamp, and a sign is being moved for the mini train.

Next up: a new Conservatory. A Request For Proposals was just released to solicit a conceptual design for the new venue. The existing conservatory is over 100 years old and is falling apart, therefore a new conservatory will be built and the existing one will be torn down. You may lament the loss of another century-old building, but the Assiniboine Park Conservancy argues that any historical value was lost due to repeated alterations and repairs over the years.

source: http://www.assiniboinepark.ca

The new Conservatory must be a unique "signature piece of architecture" according to the RFP. The design will cost $5+ million, with the final cost of the project probably in the $45 million range, and expected completion in 2017. Sometime next year expect to see some fancy conceptual drawings of a pristine new conservatory featuring well dressed white people mingling around in front of it, to be used to assist with fund raising.

So far the improvements to Assiniboine Park, both completed and proposed, seem to have been very well received. If this new Conservatory follows that trend I don't anticipate that fund raising will be a huge problem. By that I mean it won't be a huge problem as far as the Conservatory is concerned. It could be a concern for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, if you figure that there's a fixed pool of potential donations out there, and every million going to the park is another million that's not going to the struggling CMHR. I sense a growing lack of enthusiasm for donating to the museum, while Assiniboine Park seems to be gaining momentum.

But enough about fundraising .. if the old conservatory is going to be torn down after the new one is built, where is the new one going? We don't know precisely, but we do know it will be somewhere in the south east part of the park. They want to keep the attractions spread out, and this one is going to anchor the SE quadrant.

I'm going to speculate on the exact location ...

The formal gardens take up a large chunk of the SE area of the park. I am sure those will not be touched, so there aren't too many other options. The area circled in green is a little-used picnic area that is easily accessed from the main entrance, and is close to an existing way-underutilized parking lot. I would bet money this is where the new Conservatory is going.

Assiniboine Park was neglected for many many years, so it's great to see this revitalization of one of Winnipeg's best features, and this is one more piece. I'm looking forward to the conceptual drawings. Our expectations are high ... don't let us down!

Yurts, Spruce Woods & Cacti

Camping is one of the many things that white people like. You may not know this, but even some white people don't like camping. For people who don't like camping but still want to "camp", God gave us yurts.

Actually, according to Wikipedia, Turkic nomads gave us yurts. For those who are unfamiliar with this ingenious invention, it is a round soft-walled structure that provides actual shelter from the elements, and is able to contain actual furniture like beds and tables.

The variety that you'll find in Manitoba campgrounds more like a rustic hotel room that's missing its bathroom. It has electricity, a locking door, a heater for those cool nights, track lighting and a covered porch with a stainless steel counter. There is no air conditioning however. You will have to make do with the plug-in fan that is provided with the yurt.

A few people have asked me about these things, so this post is for you. The cost is higher than a normal camp site, but it's perfect for small families .. or people who don't like camping.

*****

Did you know that Manitoba has cacti? I have photographic proof. Here's a little pincushion cactus in full bloom that I found while hiking at the Spruce Woods spirit sands.

Some more pics:

Winnipeg radio: FM station correlation

Have you ever experienced one of those times when it seemed like every radio station was playing Aerosmith?

Winnipeg FM radio is very predictable and lacking in diversity. If it seems like you're hearing the same stuff over and over again, it's because you are. I would estimate that we get exposed to 5-10% of the popular music spectrum, but there is a whole world of awesome music out there that we're missing. When was the last time you heard The Cribs on Winnipeg radio? Of Montreal? (seriously, have you heard a better bass line than that?) Gigi d'Agostino? Black Flag? Neko Case? The Rakes? Texas? Winnipeg's own Grand Analog?

Curve 94 showed some promise when it first came online, playing some things that you didn't heard elsewhere like Metric and MGMT. However Curve is now gone, opting instead for a sorry mix of classic light rock retreads. I don't for a second believe that 94's ratings went up after this change. The rating system is seriously flawed. Every comment I've heard about 94 echos my own sentiment: 94 is dead to me now.

But alas, there was hope on the FM horizon! A new station was coming! Evanov Radio Group bought that last remaining FM slot in town -- 106.1 FM. It was one last chance for something new. Something different. Would the heavy metal/hardcore hole be filled? Maybe it will be worldbeat? Would we finally get some interesting alternative radio here?

Nope ... the new format was released this month, and instead of breaking new ground and drawing in a new audience, the risk-adverse cowards at Evanov decided to fight over the exact same radio real estate that Hot 103 occupies with Energy 106. It's a lower risk approach, I suppose, but it's a loss for the Winnipeg radio audience because it brings no new choice in music.

(click to enlarge..)

The graphic above is based on a sample of the playlists only. In reality, there is probably much more overlap than I show here.

Now, to make matters worse, 99.1 Groove FM has decided that it can't make a go of it as a Jazz station and wants to change it's format to (buckle your seat belts...) "a variety of today’s pop and rock hits, mixed with songs from the 80’s and 90’s". (a tip of the hat to Kevin McDougald for noticing that.) If that goes through there will be still less choice on the radio dial, and one more station fighting for the exact same radio turf as all the others.

.. and one more station playing Aerosmith.

Impact of festivals on downtown

I was on Winnipeg Internet Pundits today talking about the impact of festivals like Fringe on Winnipeg's downtown. You can (and should!) listen to the show's pod cast, but I thought I would type out the gist of what I talked about.

This came about because I opened my twitter yap last week suggesting it as a topic for the regular insightful WIPs gang to discuss, so of course I end up having to talk about it instead. That's okay though. Good excuse to get back down to the 101.5 studio, meet the gang (and Paul Hesse) and torture the air waves with my broken muffler-esq voice.

From an economics perspective, you can put a dollar value on things like festivals. You can google it and find lots of examples. I have some experience valuing things, having worked as an RA in University on a government-funded project to value Manitoba's wilderness, and I also at one time surveyed studies on the value of a human life for reasons that I don't recall (varies widely depending on methodology, but median was around $6-8 million at the time. Less if you're left handed. Just kidding.)

Right, so let's get down to it: looking at Fringe , in 2010 there were 86,717 tickets sold plus additional attendance at free events for about 150,00 total. Ignoring the freeloaders (though they spend money too) let's just ball park $15 per person -- $9 for a ticket plus a couple drinks each. This may be high, but the freeloaders will make up for that. That works out to $1.3 million in direct spending downtown.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation estimates that with large-ish festivals like Fringe, about 10% of the attendees come from other provinces. Let's say 10% x 86,717 = 8,671 tickets @ one show per night = 8,671 tourist nights in Winnipeg; at $150 per night = $1.3 million in tourism spending downtown.

Plus, the budget for the Fringe festival itself was about $650,000, for a sub-total of $3.2 million.

Why just a sub-total? Because you forgot the multiplier! The multiplier says that each dollar spent reverberates around in the economy like a wave, creating additional impact until it fades away. Economists like multipliers because it lets them make numbers bigger without doing any additional work. Again, there are varying estimates but they seem to gravitate between 1.2 and 1.5. This detailed Scottish study puts the local multiplier at 1.25, which works out well for me because it gives me a nice even number: $3.2 million x 1.25 = $4.0 million economic impact.

The Jazz Winnipeg Festival does not seem to like publishing ticket sales, but I phoned them and the lady I spoke to estimated that there were about 40,000 sold. That's about half the Fringe total, but average cost is much higher. Without better information, let's be lazy and say another $4 million there.

Those two downtown fests alone bring something close to $8 million in annual economic impact to the area. That's what we in the biz call a "gee whiz" number. Nice and big. Looks great in a tourism brochure.

Economic impact is great and all -- it means some pay cheques are bigger and some businesses are more profitable -- but that's only part of the story. Maybe more important is the long term impact on the vitality and image of downtown Winnipeg.

The Fringe and Jazz fests both started around 1988. Back then the exchange district was known mostly for it's hookers and Chinese food. The hookers are now gone and the area has cleaned up substantially, and I submit that the festivals were one of the keys to giving the area that nudge in the right direction.

When I was 18 I recall going to Old Market Square and watching the Jazz Fest and thinking "this is really cool." It changed my impression of the area. It is not just a place where weirdos and johns go. It's a place where you and other normal people can go and enjoy yourselves. And when you go there, you see unique businesses like Hoopers or The King's Head or Hillary Druxman, and you go back and check them out sometime and discover other places and become a fan of the area. All because you went to a Fringe play.

This happens bit by bit. It is a slow transformation but a sure one that has helped drive the growth momentum in Downtown Winnipeg and especially in the Exchange. I think that, moreso than the actual festival spending during those few weeks in the summer, is the most important impact, because it's cumulative and lasting.

2nd annual Afghan Film Festival

The second annual Afghan Film Festival & Mini Market is scheduled for Saturday, March 5 at 2:00pm - 9:00pm

I enjoyed last year's festival and plan on attending this one. I know that the films last year were well done and left an impression ... one in particular, and not the one I would have expected before hand. The mini market part of the festival features jewelry, soaps, other things that I can't remember but are made in Afghanistan, as well as desserts, tea, and an opium bar. I'm kidding about that last one.

The event is run by the Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan and proceeds go towards initiatives to help girls and women in Afghanistan. Find out more on their Facebook page, or read the article in your community newspaper.

Some movie posters:




(If anyone else out there in the media wants to cover this, you can email CW4WA, or email me and I can likely put you in touch with one of the organizers.)

Le Réveillon, a Christmas tradition

One of my favourite memories from Christmases past is réveillon -- a French Christmas eve celebration that involves staying up late, eating and drinking -- all of the the key ingredients of a worthy tradition. The catch was that I had to endure midnight mass first, but since that was the only time I went to church all year, that was an acceptable sacrifice.

The payoff was a late night meal of tourtière, including a little glass of Baby Duck wine. As a kid, this was exciting because I never got to drink alcohol except at my grandpa's house where he would slip me a shot glass of Tia Maria every now and then. If I remember correctly, we also got to open a small present that night. It was like a mini late night Christmas with booze.

I highly recommend réveillon as a tradition. You may already have Christmas traditions, which is fine, but how do they stack up against réveillon? Maybe your current tradition is boring. Maybe your current tradition involves trying to read Polar Express to your over-sugared kids who can't stop screaming and fighting as your intoxicated spouse is farting on the couch and yelling at the TV screen because the Canadian Junior team missed a chance to go 12-up on Belarus. If so, then maybe it's time for a new tradition. Or simply add this one on top of the others. The choice is yours!

FAQ

Q: But what if I'm not French Canadian? Can I still celebrate réveillon?

A: Yes! We're not Ukrainian, but that doesn't stop our family from having perogies and holubtsi at our get-togethers.

Q: Do I have to make my own tourtière?

A: No. You can buy them all over the place, especially in St.Boniface. The Dutch Meat Market on Marion is one such place.

Q: What is that funny little line over the "e" in réveillon?

A: That is an accent. Specifically, an accent aigu. It makes the "e" sound like an "a".

Q: If they wanted the "e" to sound like an "a", why didn't they just spell it using an "a"?

A: Oh for fuck sakes, why are you asking such stupid questions? Next...

Q: Can I give my kids grape juice instead of wine?

A: No. Don't be a pussy. Give them wine.

Q: If I give them wine, won't that stunt their growth and make them retarded?

A: You shouldn't use the word "retarded". I used the word "retarded" in a post once, and somebody commented and gave me shit for saying "retarded" and said that it was offensive to retards ... or something like that. The proper phrase is "cranially sub-optimal". And no ... one glass of wine will not hurt your kids. All it will do is get them accustomed to the taste of alcohol at a young age so that they start drinking earlier and become alcoholics who beat their wives and/or whore themselves out for tequila shooters. Haha. I'm kidding. They'll be fine. Give them the booze.

Q: I can't pronounce "réveillon" without a piece of spit jumping out of my mouth from the back of my throat. What do I do?

A: This is normal, but if you wish you can call it something else, like "late night Christmas eve dinner", or "Yay, time to drink wine!"

Q: Can I go now?

A: Yes. Merry Christmas!

Jon's great adventure

Jon Montgomery, Manitoba's own beer swilling Olympic gold medalist, had a good summer. He was flown all over the world by companies that wanted him to give a motivational talk to their employees, or cut a ribbon, or pose for a picture; and in the process he swam with great white sharks, golfed with Retief Goosen, travelled to Africa with Right To Play, and got engaged to his girlfriend Darla while vacationing on a tropical island.


He did more in one summer than I have in all of my summers combined. Somewhere in that whirlwind "off" season he cobbled together six days to film a television pilot for the Discovery Channel: Best. Trip. Ever. Here's a preview:



Go to the website to view bonus video and other features, but more importantly set your PVR to the Discovery Channel, Saturday at 6:00 pm ... because I know the kind of people who read this blog have way too much going on Saturday nights to watch TV.

(also on at 10:00 PM, according to the Discovery schedule.)

Arenas and splash parks

Contratulations to Pinawa Manitoba for winning the Kraft Celebration Tour show down with Steinbach for $25,000 to redevelop the local arena. Pinawa is a remarkable little deer-infested town that has produced doctors, musicians, a successful author, an MMA fighter, and two of your favourite bloggers, but alas ... no NHL stars. Perhaps a star will be crafted in the renewed Orville Acres Arena?

So while the people of Pinawa rallied together, campaigned, and prostituted themselves out for crucial votes to keep their arena functional; the village of Lorette was just handed $350,000 for a splash park.

I have nothing against Lorette. I have personal connections to that town, but it is a town of only 600-2000 people (depending on where you look). I can't find the census data for the town, but based on the data for the municipality, that works out to about 400 or so kids. That's a lot of money per kid -- for something that will only be used on nice days for about three months a year. What ever happened to setting up a sprinkler in the front yard? You could buy 400 sprinklers for $4,000 at Canadian Tire!

I'm all for spending on recreation -- it's important to keep families active and to give kids something to do besides drinking in the bush and learning how to steal cars. It will benefit us all in the long run. But I'm not for randomly spending huge chunks of cash (unless that cash is benefiting me personally).

Why Lorette? Why a splash park? Why not, say, a basketball court in Melita or an indoor soccer pitch in Dauphin? I don't understand ...

The province has a whole pool of this money: $16.5 million dollars deep. I would like to believe that they will spend it wisely and with careful consideration of the benefits, versus the apparent process of throwing a dart at a map of the province, followed by a roulette wheel with different kinds of recreational equipment. (Flin Flon needs vibrators? Ok ... make it so Number One.)

Somebody out there knows how these things are determined. Speak up, man.

Local film hits Cannes, Al Jazeera hits Winnipeg

Produced by Winnipegger Merit Jensen Carr's Merit Motion Pictures, the film Tu Tu Much follows a group of girls as they try out for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. It was shown for a few days in January at Silver City here in Winnipeg, and now is making it's rounds around the world. According to it's Facebook page, it will be at Cannes Market May 19th and 20th, followed by a number of viewings in New Zealand. You can read more about the movie here.

Tu Tu Much is not Merit's first film about the RWB. I saw 40 Years of One Night Stands at Cinematheque a couple of years ago. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would enjoy a ballet-related film.

****

You may notice an Al Jazeera news gadget on my right sidebar. I put that there recently because I like to check out AJ for an international perspective on the world events. Anyhow, I went to the AJ home page yesterday morning to see what was going on around the globe and found a video from here in Manitoba about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission:

Yay! We made the international news!

Afghanistan Film Festival Reminder

Hi. Quick reminder that the first annual Afghanistan Film Festival & Mini Market will be held this Monday, March 8, at the University of Winnipeg. It starts at 4:00, but you don't have to show up right at 4. You can get there later for the second or third movies. DriveGoddess calls the third film, Afghan Star, "a great documentary" ... so there you go.


More information on my previous post or on facebook.

Afghanistan Film Festival

Anybody Want A Peanut? wishes to make you aware of the first annual Afghanistan Film Festival & Mini Market. Three films will be shown, Afghan treats & tea will be sold, and all proceeds go towards good causes. Some details:

Date: Monday, March 8, 2010
Time: 4:00pm - 9:30pm
Location: Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall @ University of Winnipeg
Cost: $12.00: Regular Admission; $ 7.00: Student Admission (with I.D.)

The Manitoba Chapter of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan in partnership with Global College are proud to present this film festival to mark International Women's Day 2010 and to educate Canadians on the struggle for justice and human rights in Afghanistan. Our goal is to honour the women and children of Afghanistan and raise funds to support our various projects that enable better educational opportunities for women & children in Afghanistan. Women in Afghanistan continue to face grave poverty, gender inequlity, discriminatory laws and negative social stigma. Domestic abuse, rape, forced prostitution and trafficking remains a sad reality for many Afghan women. We are committed to improving the conditions of human rights, ending women's oppressions and improving the lives of Afghan women so that they can lead lives of dignity, safety, and opportunity.

All proceeds from this event will go towards our various initiatives such as funding the Omid-e-Mirmum Orphanage and the Omid Girl's Scholarship fund.

-----TICKET SALE LOCATIONS-----
(1) McNally Robinson, Grant Park Shopping Centre
(2) University of Winnipeg Info Booth
(3) University of Manitoba Answers Booth
(4) Red River College
(5) Any of the following contacts:

on Facebook: First Annual Afghanistan Film Festival & Mini Market

note: this blog is not affiliated with this festival or any of the related organizations.