nephrus.net

All articles tagged ‘News’

A look back at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Frederick Linsmeyer • March 3, 2010 • Winter Olympics

The Olympic Cauldron

Two and a half weeks sure go by pretty quickly. The world had their eyes on the west coast of Canada as athletes from all walks of life competed in their respective winter sports. The streets of Vancouver were jam-packed with hundreds of thousands of fans cheering on their countries and taking in the sights and sounds of the various events throughout the city. So much happened in the 17 days the Winter Olympics that it’s almost impossible to go through it all, but here’s a portion of what made the list.

Highs

Joannie Rochette and her courage to overcome a tragic loss and capture the hearts of her home and the world
Sidney Crosby scoring the winning goal in overtime between Canada and the United States to take the gold medal
Ryan Miller helping his team beat all odds and prove they are a medal contender
Alexandre Bilodeau for ending the drought and his brother Frédéric for giving him the power to get there
Kim Yu-Na for delivering one hell of a performance
The Canadian women’s hockey team for their unstoppable play
The obnoxiously awesome pants worn by the Norwegian curlers
Lindsey Vonn for being the first American woman to win gold in downhill skiing (and with a bruised shin)
Having the mime electrician give Catriona Le May Doan the chance to light her portion of the Olympic Cauldron
Petra Majdič for continuing on despite painful injuries caused by an unfortunate fall
The awesome opening and closing ceremonies showcasing the real Canada (minus a small glitch)
The 14 gold medals Canada earned — our best ever and a record for the Winter Olympics
The hundreds of volunteers to help out and assist the many out of town guests
And the hundreds of thousands of supporters, visitors and fans who crammed downtown Vancouver and Whistler to deliver the best party this country has ever seen

Lows

The shocking loss of Nodar Kumaritashvili in an accident while training
El Niño for bringing unseasonable warmth and impacting a number of events on Cypress Mountain
The hooligans who had nothing better to do than showcase their idiocy for the world (fortunately for one day only)
The British media with their scathing criticisms on anything and everything
NBC for cutting short broadcasts of events, or skipping them entirely

As a resident of Metro Vancouver, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for making this possible. We hope you enjoyed the games and our city, and would love to see you all back here again soon!

Full article • No Comments • Top

Carry-on luggage allowed on US-bound flights

Frederick Linsmeyer • January 20, 2010 • Travel

Canadians flying to the United States are allowed to bring one bag with them into the cabin of the plane. After the foiled attempt to bring down a plane en route to Detroit last Christmas Day, CATSA, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, restricted carry-on luggage on flights into the US.

The carry-on restrictions are limited to 23 cm x 40 cm x 55 cm (9 in x 16 in x 22 in). In addition to the carry-on, passengers can bring a pet, coat, purse, musical instruments, laptop or camera bag with them into the cabin. Electronics, books, and medicine must be kept in the carry-on luggage.

Visit the CATSA web site for further information pertaining to carry-on luggage.

Full article • No Comments • Top

Olympic Road Closures

Frederick Linsmeyer • January 14, 2010 • Local

Olympic Clock counting down the days left

As the Winter Olympics draw closer, a number of streets in and around downtown Vancouver will be closed off or limited to authorized vehicles. The closures are expected to cause commuter headaches for those who live or work in the downtown core. Many streets will have parking restrictions in effect, so the best bet would be to take public transit. TransLink will have extra buses, run longer trains on the Expo and Millennium Lines and have increased frequency on the Canada Line and West Coast Express. More information on travel options and restrictions are available on the TravelSmart 2010 web site.

Closed Streets – No traffic or pedestrian access

Waterfront Road – Between the Vancouver Convention Centre and Crab Park
January 27^th to March 1^st, 2010
Dunsmuir Viaduct – Between Beatty Street and Gore Avenue
February 5^th to March 2^nd, 2010
Georgia Viaduct – Between Beatty Street and Gore Avenue
February 5^th to March 2^nd, 2010
Expo Boulevard – Between Smithe Street and Quebec Street
January 29^th to March 2^nd, 2010
Pacific Boulevard – Between Cambie Street and Quebec Street
January 29^th to March 2^nd, 2010
Renfrew Street – Between East Hastings Street and McGill Street
January 24^th to March 1^st, 2010
West 1st Avenue – Between Cambie Street and Quebec Street
November 1^st, 2009 to March 31^st, 2010

Olympic Lanes – Limited to public transit and authorized vehicles
February 4^th to March 1^st, 2010

Burrard Street – Between Burrard Street Bridge and Cordova Street
Seymour Street – Between Granville Street Bridge and Cordova Street
Howe Street – Between Granville Street Bridge and Cordova Street
Pender Street – Between Beatty Street and Howe Street
Cambie Street – Between Cambie Street Bridge and West 59th Avenue
Broadway – Between Arbutus Street and Commercial Drive
Georgia Street – Between Richards Street and Stanley Park Causeway
Hastings Street – Between Richards Street and Boundary Road

Pedestrian Streets – No traffic from 12:00 pm PST to 12:00 am PST
February 12^th to 28^th, 2010

Granville Street – Between Davie Street and Cordova Street
Robson Street – Between Beatty Street and Jervis Street
Hamilton Street – Between Drake Street and Georgia Street
Beatty Street – Between Smithe Street and Dunsmuir Street

Full article • No Comments • Top

Helping those in need

Frederick Linsmeyer • January 13, 2010 • News

In response to the earthquake that devastated the island nation of Haiti, nephrus.net is providing links to reputable organizations committed to helping those affected.

For the Red Cross, visit http://www.redcross.ca/ (Canadian Red Cross) or http://www.redcross.org/ (American Red Cross) to donate.
For Doctors Without Borders, visit http://www.msf.ca/ (Doctors Without Borders – Canada) or http://doctorswithoutborders.org/ (Doctors Without Borders – United States) to donate.

Full article • No Comments • Top

YVR Add Fare for Canada Line riders

Frederick Linsmeyer • January 7, 2010 • Trains

Canada Line at YVR-Airport

Starting January 18^th, 2010, passengers taking the Canada Line from the YVR-Airport, Sea Island Centre and Templeton stations, will be hit with an additional $5 when purchasing tickets. The fee, called Add Fare, will be added on automatically to all fares at ticket vending machines at these three stations. Passengers who are traveling to the airport will not be required to pay the additional $5.

The concept for the Add Fare was approved previously in 2004 to help fund the cost of constructing the new transit line, which runs from Downtown Vancouver to Richmond and Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Originally, TransLink had proposed to offer an additional $2.50 for passengers going to and from the airport and adjacent stations.

Commuters who hold pre-paid passes and cards, including FareSavers, monthly FareCards, Vancity U-Passes, and BC Government Bus Passes will not be affected by this.

Source: TransLink

Full article • 1 Comment • Top

Stricter security measures for U.S. bound flights

Frederick Linsmeyer • December 26, 2009 • News, Travel

If you’re flying to the United States anytime soon, be prepared for new security measures in light of Friday’s attempted destruction of a Northwest Airlines plane.

Passengers will undergo an additional search, which include a pat-down and inspection of carry-on luggage. The restrictions also include limiting carry-ons to one item only. Extra bags will be put on the plane as checked luggage.

Consider leaving earlier as there will be delays since the new processes will definitely slow everything down.

Source: News1130

Full article • No Comments • Top

Turnstiles in transit

Frederick Linsmeyer • December 17, 2009 • Local

SkyTrain at Waterfront Station

Starting next year, TransLink will be installing faregates at all SkyTrain, Canada Line, West Coast Express and SeaBus stations. At the same time, smart card technology, with reloadable cards, will be set up making it easier to take transit.

The smart cards will be the same size as a credit card and include a microchip that will contain the card’s total value. These cards can be loaded in person, over the phone or using the web. Similar technology exists in Seattle using the ORCA card or the Chicago Card/Chicago Card Plus in Chicago.

The project is expected to take request for proposals in early 2010, with work starting later in the year. TransLink expects the system to be fully functional in 2013. The Province of British Columbia, Government of Canada and TransLink will be funding the upgrades and installations, which has been given a budget of $171 million.

Currently, TransLink uses an honour system, where passengers purchase a fare and board without having to go through turnstiles. Fare checks are performed randomly on SkyTrain and the Canada Line by TransLink staff or transit police officers.

Source: TransLink

Full article • No Comments • Top

More taxes on parking and driving

Frederick Linsmeyer • December 7, 2009 • Local, News

Vancouver-area residents are expected to be hit with additional taxes starting January 1^st, 2010. Commuters will be paying extra for parking as well as filling up at the pump as TransLink tries to raise $150 million towards its operating budget.

The parking tax will remain until the new HST comes into effect on July 1^st, 2010. After that, the tax will be merged into the HST and then given back to TransLink. The gas tax will add three cents to the current price at the pump.

Source: The Vancouver Sun

Full article • No Comments • Top

Cell phone ban coming up

Frederick Linsmeyer • December 1, 2009 • News

In one month, it will be illegal to use a cell phone or any other portable device while driving in British Columbia. The only exceptions are if the phones are set up to use hands-free adapters, such as headsets, one touch or voice activated devices.

Starting January 1^st, 2010 drivers will face $167 fines and three demerits towards their license if caught using a cell phone, mobile device, or media player. Drivers in the Graduated Licensing Program will be prohibited from using any mobile device at all.

British Columbia will join Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador where similar laws are already in place.

Full article • No Comments • Top

CTA fare hike averted

Frederick Linsmeyer • November 12, 2009 • News, Trains

Your wallet won't feel as light when taking transit.

A sigh of relief is being heard throughout the Chicago region as state and transit officials reached an agreement that would see CTA fares stay at their current prices.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn worked with officials to use capital funds, which are meant for new projects, expansion, and equipment upgrades, towards paying employees and for day-to-day operations. This deal would mean that the $3 fare to ride the ‘L’ would be held off.

The CTA is facing a $300 million deficit for 2010 which would increase over the next few years.

Sources: MSNBC, Chicago Sun-Times

Full article • No Comments • Top