Curiosity killed the cat...

Curiosity is perhaps one of the greatest traits we have, as humans. It is what propels us to learn, to explore, to discover. We expand our horizons and the borders of our perceived universe. But can something so positive ever be considered bad?

There is an old saying that "curiosity killed the cat". It is a proverb used to warn against being too inquisitive lest one comes to harm. As I was perusing through Facebook last night, I came across a message stating that one of my long-lost Navy friends had recently added me to his list of friends. This led to a perusal of both Coast's Canadian Navy pages, where I left some messages, hoping to touch base with even more of my old cohorts.

I suddenly had a mental image of an old friend of mine. I could see him clearly, standing in the the main flats onboard HMCS Fraser, right outside of Sick Bay. It was Bill Hagey. He was a PO1 Medical Assistant (M.A.) and everyone knew him as 'Doc' onboard ship. Bill outranked me by miles (I was only an OS/AB when I began my career at sea on Fraser...), yet he was always friendly and considerate with us younger lads. He was quite the runner to be sure and he liked his drink in foreign ports.

I recall one instance after returning from a run ashore, when I was passing by sick bay on my way forward to my bunk in 1 Mess. The door was open and there stood "Wild Bill", three sheets to the wind, singing away, bobbing and weaving as he sewed up the gash on his equally-drunk running mate. I sat there smiling, remembering when, as I did a Google search under his name. How good it would be to touch base with him, I thought. To see how he was doing, what he was up to... I found myself routed to the website for the Canadian Forces Health Services Group.

There, under the section for 2002 Bulletins, I read:

- CFMG regrets to announce the loss of PO1(ret'd) Bill Hagey, who passed away Jul 22, 2002. PO1 (ret'd) Hagey was a Physician Assistant who dedicated over 30 years to the CF Medical Service.

The smile faded from my face. I felt a wave of sadness and melancholy wash over me. Poor Bill... I have had friends in the military die before. I have attended enough military funerals. But they were normally as a result of a sudden event, or some malevolent disease. This was different. And I had never known. Here Bill has been gone these last 6 years and I had never had a chance to pay my respects, or express my sympathies to his kinfolk.

All of those who formed my world back then, we are all getting older. Time marches on... I had never been looking for any reminders of my own mortality, but there it was. It was a sad and sobering way to cap off a Thursday evening. I was almost afraid to look up anyone else from my past, lest I discover that they too, had shuffled off this mortal coil.

On tolerance....

We have often been told over many decades, by some of our less than stalwart pevious leaders, that our Canadian society should be one of tolerance. I not only dislike the sound of that word, I resent what it entails for us as a society.

Gilbert Keith Chesterton (May 29, 1874 – June 14, 1936) was an influential English writer of the early 20th century. His prolific and diverse output included journalism, philosophy, poetry, biography, Christian apologetics, fantasy and detective fiction. He was referred to as the 'Prince of Paradox'.

G.K.Chesterton was once quoted as stating: "Tolerance is the virtue of a man with no principles".
I believe this to be absolutely true. In our blind, headlong race to be recognized as the most 'politically-correct' nation on the face of the Earth, we have become conditioned to allow, accept and tolerate just about anything, to the exclusion of our own values, our own principles, our own culture and our own beliefs.

Does anyone remember the assinine: "Don't mention Christmas, it might offend someone...", phase we just went through??? Or hey, how about harkening back to the outlawing of the English language in the province of Quebec? For anyone who is even remotely familiar with history, Germany did the same thing in 1939, except their target was their country's Jewish population.

If someone is offended by 'Christmas' (and I'm pretty much an atheist...), I'd say it was time for them to get back on the fucking boat p.d.q. and find themselves another country that might put up with that type of lunacy! Because trust me, that will not happen here again!!

For those of us who reside outside of Quebec, if a certain brand of religion would mistreat a section of your population, would you allow for it to be practised? If a certain religion calls for the destruction of all others, or the eradication of your society, is it prudent to allow it's followers to take up residence in your country? If such was the case, and your immigration officials were not using religious profiling to decide who would be allowed to immigrate to your mainly christian, North-American mentality country, I'd say that you had a pretty large problem...

This would lead to religious fanatics and zealots setting down roots in your country, while being absolutely free to practise their brand of hate-mongering. Oh wait... That would be the Arars of Ottawa!! How silly of me...

We'll not discuss Quebec's immigration track record, as they have their own political agenda (50%+1), which drives them to accept anyone, so long as their native tongue is French. They also have possibly the largest enclave of Algerians in North America, most of whom call Montreal home... Many are on the lam from their own country, with several wanted in other countries as well.

This is the fare which is being allowed into our country? Any country that would compromise it's safety and freedom, simply to avoid being seen as 'unkind', deserves neither freedom nor security. We are playing into the hands of our enemies. A brutal and determined enemy, who suffers none of the false social graces that we seem to be afflicted by. If we are not up to the task of taking this country, rest assured that they are...

If any of you needs a reminder as to what type of individuals we are dealing with here, go view the beheading video of Nicholas Berg. Then stand there and tell me how melodramatic I'm being. No, don't even try to begin telling me that "this was an isolated instance". Are you retarded??? Have you any idea how many such tapes were made, of how many victims? Clearly, no. You don't...

It gives me hope that our present administration, is not inclined to buy into this particular brand of bullshit. Nor is it willing to follow the misguided notion that we are by any stretch of the imagination, simply a nation of rent-a-cop 'Peacekeepers'. Now if we can only get them to overhaul the entire CIC program...

Only a fool would attempt to keep the peace, where there is yet no peace to be kept. For many more years than our current generation can recall, we have also been a nation of peace makers. No doubt our gum-snapping youngsters are having a good look around nowadays, as the hearses bring back the bodies of our war dead. I hope they are properly horrified when the realization dawns on them that all of this, all they know and take so for granted, has a very hefty price tag indeed. None of this is free and it never has been. It's just been a good long while since this country has been asked to ante up and pay it's dues as a citizen of the Free World.

On riding and gravel...

Gravel... To most riders out there, the sight of this material anywhere along a curve or corner, will cause the audible, instantaneous and hermetic sealing of one's sphincter. Almost as fast as upon hearing the sound of dropping soap, in a federal penitentiary shower stall...

Let's face it, gravel is not our friend! The same can be said for sand, dirt, wet leaves and manure. Anything that will compromise the solid contact between tire tread and asphalt. Still, for as much as we loathe gravel we should all be able to ride on it, while maintaining a certain sense of comfort and confidence. Okay, to some folks, this might sound like a contradiction in terms. To those who will never ride outside the confines of their town or city, you might be able to get away with this. Just like those riders who believe that you can't ride at night and will do anything to make it home before sunset. No, you can't ride the same way that you do during daylight hours, but it can be every bit as enjoyable, if not more so. I will go on record as saying that I have had some of my most enjoyable rides at night.

When travelling far from our home turf (the very reason for owning a bike, in my humble opinion...), we will absolutely find ourselves in situations where we will have a choice to make. You hit a detour and all of a sudden it's either ride 5 or 10 miles down this country dirt and gravel road, or double back some 200 miles and find an alternate route to get where you're going. The American Mid-West is primo territory for this type of scenario.

Every now and then, I will find a gravel road and I will voluntarily take it. Our bikes are totally capable of doing this in all safety. Again, it's a matter of remembering that we can't ride the same way we would on asphalt. Once you get over your initial trepidation, there are simply a couple of things to remember and abide by:

a) Watch your speed! Keep the speed down and maintain a light touch on the controls. If you're pingin' gravel off your paint and chrome, odds are you're going a bit fast for the conditions. Slow it down... Anticipate any stopping or course alterations way ahead of time. Use the throttle and your brakes sparingly. Where possible, avoid using the front brake.

b) Relax and remember to breathe. A relaxed, neutral position in the saddle will keep your centre of gravity low and will aid in the smoothness of your other actions. Keep your feet on the pegs/boards. Learn to enjoy this part of the ride, just as you would any other.

You'll be surprised by how quickly you become accustomed to the feel of the ride and how much control you actually have. This will add to your skills and experience as a rider and will make you a more confident one to boot. Gravel on the roadside and in corners will always be a menace, but there is no reason why you cannot become comfortable riding on it, on your own terms. By doing so you will increase your confidence and become a more well-rounded rider.

About lighthouses...

Every now and then we get either phone calls or e-mails from people who want to know about lighthouses. People want to find out about working in them, or they want historical information on them and/or the people who tended them.

Lighthouses, real functioning ones, are considered Aids to Navigation. They are the responsibility of the Canadian Coast Guard, until such a time as they are decommissioned. The Aids to Navigation Program carries out the following activities:

- designs, installs, maintains, monitors and reviews marine aids to navigation (e.g. fixed aids, lighthouses, beacons, buoys and radionavigation systems, such as the Loran-C and the Differential Global Positioning System)

- provides expertise on the design and operation of private aids to navigation

- provides navigation safety information through the Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR), which gives on-line access to a list of lights, buoys and fog signals as well as their position and coordinates.

http://www.notmar.gc.ca/index.html

They also have a specific emergency telephone number for every region within Canada, for reporting the outage, failure or off-position of any aids to navigation.

http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/eng/Ccg/atn_Home

"My great, great grandfather used to work at such-and-such a lighthouse. Do you have any records of this?"

- Absolutely not, sorry. Once any federal employee has ceased working in their employment for a year or more, all their employment records are shipped off to the national Library and Archives Canada. The same applies for any Canadians who have served in the military. Their military records are located in the same spot.

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html

"There's a lighthouse that has been abandoned for several years now. It's falling into disrepair and looks a very sorry sight. I think the Coast Guard should do something to maintain these culturally important icons of Canada's sea-going and coastal heritage!"

- Noble sentiments, to be sure. However, once a lighthouse has been decommissioned and is no longer active, it no longer belongs to, nor is the responsibility of the Canadian Coast Guard. End of story! Lighthouses, as well as the land they occupy, are disposed of in the very same manner as any other federal surplus items. Through Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) - Crown Assets. It may be turned over to the province, sometimes the municipality or private developers. Across Canada, there are a plethora of private organizations, which fancy themselves as Lighthouse Societies. These are manned by people who are drawn to the romance of the lighthouse and it's close ties with the sea.

Some of these groups are bona fide lighthouse preservation societies, who make it their mission to restore and preserve our lighthouses, in cooperation with municipal, provincial and federal authorities. Besides being concerned with the physical preservation of these structures, they can also provide a wealth of historical information on the lighthouse itself and the people who kept the lights burning. The following links will provide examples of such societies across Canada:

http://www.gov.pe.ca/infopei/index.php3?number=66328&lang=E

http://fortress.uccb.ns.ca/louisbourglighthousesociety/

http://www.hlps.ca/

Many people will contact us looking for such historical information. Each province and territory keeps tabs on their own historical footnotes. By contacting your Provincial Enquiry Centre, they will be able to direct you to where you might find such information within your own province. Then again, by using any search engine on the internet nowadays, you can locate you own local lighthouse preservation societies.

Over the last few decades, lighthouses have become more and more automated. There are few remaining lighthouses which are actually manned by people. There is a waiting list of people who wish to take up this type of career and it goes without saying that it is not a career for just anyone. Lighthouse keepers are hired through Fisheries and Oceans Canada, just as those who want to serve onboard DFO/Coast Guard vessels.

Lighthouses have always been our link between land and sea. They evoke strong emotions in many people and I for one share this belief that our maritime history should be maintained and cared for, to the best of our abilities. I also know however, that this is not the responsibility of the federal government. Once again however, it's a matter of knowing whom to address our concerns to and realizing that the federal government is not always responsible for everything.

I still find it amazing that people who can sit down and use their computers to write us e-mails, have no ability to use these very same computers to find the information they are looking for. Many times they begin their search directly on the various websites for Fisheries and Oceans Canada / Canadian Coast Guard, rather than use any of the many search engines available. For all of you out there, here is a very good hint:

"If you can't find the information you are looking for on a DFO or Coast Guard website, it's probably because it has nothing to do with either one of these federal entities!!"

An unexpected nicety...

So this morning, I'm coming into work on the 94 Tunney's Pasture. I'm working the 0800-1600 shift so it was just 0634 when I stepped onboard it, less than a hundred feet from my front door. It's foggy out this morning, in a way that you rarely see inland. The fog softens the contours of just about everything there is to see and as we exit Blackburn Hamlet, it seems to intensify over the fields to our right.

Turning onto Blair Road, we begin heading towards the 174 and Blair Station. It's just bordering on 0700hrs. We slowly pass by the Pineview Municipal Golf Course, just as the sun's rays are piercing through the fog, backlighting it. The golf course with it's gently rolling, fog shrouded hillocks, trees and shrubs, presents a truly wonderful sight. Such a charming and unexpected view, for this early hour of the day. In my mind's eye, I could swear I saw deer silhouetted against the fog, in amongst the trees...

As I sit there taking in the view, sipping on the cofee from my travel mug, it occurs to me that not all my time spent on the Loser Cruiser, sucks the proverbial big one. I guess it all depends on your state of mind and being open to seeing the beauty in that which surrounds us. I know that I arrived at work in a better frame of mind, because of this experience, whether it was a Monday morning or not.

On pain...

"The biological purpose of pain, is to prevent the recurrence of stupidity..." - Unknown.

Yeah...I wanna be a pilot...

Every so often (at least once a week...) we receive e-mails from individuals who are interested in working as pilots with the Canadian Coast Guard. Probably less than half of these requests, are from individuals who have taken their pilot training and have amassed a minor amount of hours in the air. The bulk of these requests come from individuals who mistakenly believe that by signing up with the Canadian Coast Guard, they will actually receive their pilot training.

First of all, pilots employed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada / Canadian Coast Guard are on loan from Transport Canada. The same goes for the accompanying ground support crews (aeroengine/aeroframe techs). The Coast Guard does not train pilots. And just to avoid any confusion here, neither does Transport Canada!

Becoming a pilot is a long, tedious and expensive process. The only branch of the government which actually trains pilots, is our military. The Department of National Defence. You need smarts to be a pilot and/or to be accepted into the Air Force as an officer trainee. They don't just take any yokel who has a hankering to be "the guy in The Guardian".

So for anyone out there who wants to be a pilot with the Coast Guard, either fixed wing or rotary wing aircraft, find yourself a flying school and start shelling out them dollars. Then when you're all trained up, and if you're good enough, you can apply to work with the best in the business, so you can volunteer to put your life on the line, in order to save someone else's...