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Halifax Crime Survay 2007-08-01 16:26:00 5000 people in Metro will soon open their mailbox to a survey involving their thoughts on Halifax's level of violence. The information will be used by the Mayor during a conference in the fall which will address violence in general.There are constantly new stories popping up on how Halifax experiences the most violent crimes per capita in Canada. Even with a lower crime rate this year, the crimes classified as violent are on the rise.We have already installed cameras, hired new police officers and studied this issue to death. The municipality has already spoke with 1200 people by telephone and in focus groups so why is more public opinion needed? We already have enough data showing our current state.The only resolution is to start getting tough on offenders and stop giving out sentences like house arrest. The tougher the penalties the more likely it is that people will not engage in the actions in the first place. While more police do help it is also necessary that they are placed in ...

$2 Million For Jobs 2007-07-31 12:50:00 The federal government is investing in to the futures of Nova Scotians by handing over $2 million for employment related projects. $1.3 million will be given to The PeopleWorx Society who will assist in finding jobs for 1500 adults in the rural regions of the province. There will also be funding for training people with mental disabilities and for part time youth positions.This could give a big boost to the people outside of Halifax, but without creating new jobs it is pointless. We will now have more qualified people who will eventually have to move to the city in order to obtain a quality job. It is a great first step but I hope there are plans to take it even farther.Seeing that this is coming straight from the federal government, it is most likely Stephan Harpers way of saving face. After the media frenzy over the Atlantic Accord he has been dropping in popularity. Giving something back to the people directly is something he can use in the future when people claim he ignores our pr ...

Province Working With Dalhousie To Solve Doctor Shortage 2007-07-30 08:55:00 Starting in 2009 some graduates of the medical division at Dalhousie University may be required to sign a contract forcing them to work in rural areas of Nova Scotia. Dalhousie is asking the province to consider paying for as many as 20 new seats with the condition that the successful candidate will remain in the province for 3-4 years afterwards. The graduates would then be placed in rural areas where doctors are in short supply.While it would be an expensive program it would go quite a long way in placing doctors where they are needed the most. With so many great offers outside of Nova Scotia, there is little we can offer them to compete with the rest of the country. A cheep education may be just what the doctor ordered.The only concern is what would happen to people who do not finish the program. Would they be forced to reimburse the province afterwards or will it be considered a business risk. There are many first year students who change their major after the first year that it co ...

Inflatable Beach Toys 2007-07-27 15:46:00 Birtch Cove Beach in Dartmouth has created a new policy against inflatable toys during lifeguard hours. The lifeguards claim the size of these devices make it difficult to see swimmers on the other side. While the concern is valid, this policy is a little bit too extreme. While inflatable devices should not be used as a replacement for a life jacket, they can give confidence to those still learning. An inflatable arm band may not keep you above water but makes a great compliment for those who struggle to keep their head above water. If such an idea was necessary then why not put a size restriction on the devices? Anything more than two feet in length would not be allowed on the beach while everything else is fair game. Let kids have their fun while still taking safety measures for their protection. ...

Still Looking For Your Votes 2007-07-26 17:14:00 I am still looking for more input on what you want to see covered on this blog. There is a poll on the right hand side of my blog with a few options. You can also feel free to email me at bloggingnovascotia@gmail.com or use the comments thread of the post titles "What News Do You Want To Read?"I am looking to provide more content of what each of you wish to read so please help me out by providing feedback. ...

Halifax Parking Tickets 2007-07-26 13:45:00 Last week I got my first parking ticket in many years. Back in my University days it would not be uncommon for me to bring home one every month due to the lack of space available. Parking has always been in high demand in the downtown area and today has become even worse. The shocking part of this experience came when I saw the price changes. It used to be $15 with a small increase after a month or so. This new ticket is going to cost $20 within one week, $25 for the first 60 days and then a late fee of $57 afterwards. That makes the late fee 285% if not paid by September 17th. For most companies a late fee of this size would be illegal. $20-$25 is a fair fee for parking beyond the meters time length but what is the justification for such an exorbitant late fee? This would make the cost of being 20 minutes late at a parking meter $82. I will be paying it before it gets to that level of course but the fact that this charge exists is simply ridiculous. ...

Gas Price Prediction For July 27th 2007 2007-07-26 07:03:00 It is Thursday again which means gas prices change for the people of Nova Scotia tomorrow. Here is my prediction for gasoline prices on July 27th 2007.I predict gas prices will drop on average of 1-2 cents per litre.Gasoline Prices In New BrunswickJuly 19 2007 - 107.2July 26th 2007 - 105.0Difference - -2.2To find out which zone you are located in, check out the map provided by Service Nova Scotia. You can also get a copy of the latest gas prices across the province by viewing the official report release. This prediction is in no way official and should only be used as informational. Any decision to purchase or not to purchase gasoline on any given day rests with you. All prices are based on self serve regular unless otherwise specified. ...

Latest "Good News" Newsletter 2007-07-25 20:09:00 Rodney MacDonald released his latest newsletter to all the people in the province. This program is meant to show you how Nova Scotia is progressing and provide the news that traditional media has missed. Of course this is paid for by the tax payers since it is for their benefit If anyone actually read the newsletter they would have read article after article on the Atlantic Accord. Hardly something the media has missed. If only there was a way to get this information out to the people at little to no cost. The program is expensive at more than $200,000 per year which is being diverted from other more important programs. How about this...an online posting with printings in the newspapers. It may not reach everyone but would get to most residents. There is little point in spending our cash to hear the samething we have heard a million times. I agree we disserve the Atlantic Accord with the new equalization formula but I do not like having it shoved down my throat and then asked to pay fo ...

Buses Becoming Big Targets 2007-07-24 08:01:00 Metro Transit bus drivers have become the big targets recently as two incidents have occurred involving rocks being thrown. One rock crashed through a window causing minor injuries to a passenger last night. The other incident occurred over the weekend when the bus driver was struck. No one was one the bus at the time. The union for Metro Transit employees is calling for cameras to be installed on all buses and well as the stations.Cameras would have done nothing in either of these incidents and will do nothing to stop them from happening in the future. If Metro Transit did end up caving to the demands it would mean that any person or car who drives by a bus stop would be recorded and raises concerns over privacy.Bus drivers could learn from cab drivers by asking for stronger windows to be installed which would be less likely to be broken. If necessary the driver could even be enclosed in the casing to keep themselves and the rest of the passengers safe. It would be an extreme measure ...

Upgrading The MacKay Bridge 2007-07-23 08:04:00 Even though the MacKay Bridge is the newer of the two connections between Halifax and Dartmouth, it is also the least useful. While designed well for crossings and has relieved a lot of traffic from the aging MacDonald Bridge, it does not offer any options for people on foot. The old bridge currently offers both a bike and a walking deck at no cost. The new bridge has never had these options available which has frustrated many people including myself. There is not even a ferry crossing or a bus route available. People wanting to go to the North end of either city have only the option of taking a car. Why Metro Transit has not started using the MacKay bridge still surprises me. If you need to travel from Highfield Park in Dartmouth to Bayers Lake in Halifax, it takes two buses and over an hour of your time. Had there been a route over the MacKay it could be done in 20-25 minutes easily. There have been talks about upgrades coming for the MacKay bridge but nothing has been mentione ...

Seven Wonders Of Halifax 2007-07-22 13:24:00 The Halifax Daily News is running an interesting contest to find out what the people think are the 7 greatest wonders of Halifax itself. Email your submissions to sunday@hfxnews.ca with your top choice to get in a vote. If you include your name, email address and phone number you will also be entered in to a draw to win tickets to see April Wine on August 25th 2007. The contest will remain open until August 11th.http://www.hfxnews.com/index.cfm?sid=46683&sc=258 ...

First Copies Of Harry Potter In Atlantic Canada 2007-07-20 21:25:00 The first copies that can be legally sold in North America are available in Atlantic Canada. Thanks to our time zone being ahead of other places people here will know the ending an hour before those in New York and four hours ahead of San Francisco.The Chapters store at Mic Mac Mall had a full parking lot to celebrate the last novel in the popular children's novel. Advance copies of the book will run you $36 while those who did not book before hand will have to pay $45. The release corresponded to the fifth movie on the series which came out in theaters last week.Author J.K. Rolling has stated that this may not be the very end of the series but it will be the end for her. With two more movies expected though there will still be lots of Potter Panic in the future. ...

Camping Without Alcohol or Campfires 2007-07-19 08:42:00 Most of the provincial campgrounds have been banning alcohol consumption and campfires for a few years now. Fires are banned during the dry summer months to lower the risk of a full blown forest fire. Alcohol is not permitted due to complaints from other people trying to enjoy their weekend away. These policies point to the inadequate enforcement and facilities by the campground officials and campground itself. Going camping and not being allowed to have a campfire greatly lowers the enjoyment of a weekend away. If campfires are not allowed then there is no way I am going to spend my money to simply put up a tent. With the proper equipment a campfire can be contained easily and not be allowed to spread out of control. Above ground pits which are completely metallic would do the trick nicely. If needed there could even be a policy which does not allow the campfire to go above the rim of the pit for more protection. Any fire which reached this height would be extinguished immediately ...

Gas Price Prediction For July 20th 2007 2007-07-19 06:45:00 It is Thursday again which means gas prices change for the people of Nova Scotia tomorrow. Here is my prediction for gasoline prices on July 20th 2007.I predict gas prices will drop on average of 2 cents per litre.Cost of oil US per barrelJuly 19 2007 - $75.05Gasoline Prices In New BrunswickJune 12 2007 - 111.1July 19 2007 - 107.2Difference - -3.8To find out which zone you are located in, check out the map provided by Service Nova Scotia. You can also get a copy of the latest gas prices across the province by viewing the official report release. This prediction is in no way official and should only be used as informational. Any decision to purchase or not to purchase gasoline on any given day rests with you. All prices are based on self serve regular unless otherwise specified. ...

What News Do You Want To Read? 2007-07-18 10:52:00 I have been blogging for over a year on anything and everything about our province. On the right you will notice a poll which asks what type of news you want covered on this blog. I will continue blogging about anything on my mind but I want to start concentrating more on what you want to read, otherwise what is the point of this site?Here is a breakdown of the categories:Current Events - the top news stories of the day in traditional media. Politics - law changes, weird political decisions, budgets, etc...Sports - Halifax Mooseheads, Dalhousie, Saint Mary's and more. Scores and news.Special Events - the Tall Ships, Buskers or the jazz festival. Links - what other people are saying about us on the Internet. You can vote for more than one category and can even include your own by sending me an email at bloggingnovascotia@gmail.com ...