BC Hydro can't fix a Power Cut

BC Hydro (The main electricity provider for British Columbia) suffered a power cut today at one of its offices, in Glenlyon, near Burnaby today. Six hours later they told staff to go home. This office in particular masterminded and implements the new 'Power Smart' metering programme, designed to smartly power the province. But it seems they can't even power their own offices.

Oh the irony of it all...

BC Hydro Glenlyon:


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Top tips for visiting Dublin

So a colleague of mine told me his father would be travelling to Dublin on a golf trip with some friends all the way from BC, Canada. I said I'd give him a few tips to get him set on the right track. He was only going to be in Dublin for a short break so below is some of my top tips:

From: ****
Sent: 2011, September 01 11:54 AM
To: Me
Subject: RE: Dublin info

Thanks Craig, this is awesome! Now I want to go!

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From: Me
Sent: 2011, September 01 11:50 AM
To: *****
Subject: Dublin info

Hi *****,

Here are some tips and places to consider for your Dad’s trip to Ireland.

Pubs in Dublin City (some of my favourites):

• O’Donoghues on Baggott Street (near Merrion Square)
• The Long Hall on Georges Street
• Keohes on South Anne Street
• Johnny Foxes (not in the City, up the Dublin Mountains). It’s the highest pub in Ireland and is great for some trad music, good food and atmosphere.
• Donnehy’s and Nesbits (Baggott Street)
• Ron Black’s on Dawson Street (smallest pub in Dublin)

Restaurants: (I’m always anxious recommending food, but I’ll thrown in a few names)

Tip: Ireland has tonnes of ‘early bird’ options in restaurants. One of the perks of the Credit Crunch. Generally they’re served until 7pm and the majority are three courses for 20 Euro, or in fancier places 30 euro. A lot of Pubs have great food…from Bangers and Mash, Guinness Steak Pie and Irish Stew to the usual pastas and burgers etc. They’re always a good place to go for a soup and sandwich during the day too. Food and drink revolves around the pubs, so you really can’t go wrong if you find a pub you like.

• The Chatham Brasserie on Chatham Street.
• Gourmet Burger Kitchen, there’s a few, but there’s a nice one on South William Street.
• Pebloes on St. Stephen’s Green
• Shanahan’s on the Green (St. Stephen’s Green). Very fancy, but amazing steaks. Bill Clinton’s favourite Steak.
• Roly’s in Ballsbridge. Home made food with silver service. Can be pricey but the early bird is a great deal. 4 courses for 30 Euro.
• L’Escargot on George’s Street.
• The Original Dublin Chipper: Leo Burdocks, just off Dame Street near Dublin Castle. Best Fish and Chips in the City. Eat them on the street and head for a pint of Guinness afterwards. It is a must do.
• Avoca Handweavers. The original is in Wicklow (he’ll find it easily – it’s off the main road going down to Wicklow and is in a nice spot with great food). Or there’s a small store and food hall in the City Centre on Suffolk Street.

Places to tick off the list:

• Glendalough in Wicklow. Early Christian Monastic site with a Round Tower, ancient ruins, beautiful valley setting with a couple of lakes.
• Killiney, Wicklow. (You can see the bays around Dublin and Enya’s and Bobo’s mansions). It’s the Beverly Hills of Dublin down there.
• If in Greystones in Wicklow, go in to Homestyle Country Cooking café and get a pot of tea with a fresh made scone with Irish Cream and Jam.
• Powerscourt House and Golf Club down in Wicklow, followed by a pint or preceded with a tea or coffee in nearby village Enniskerry.
• Go to Sandycove and walk to Dun Laoghaire…this is where Leo Bloom’s journey starts in Ulysses and the Martello Tower is still there. (Also you can jump off the ’40 foot’. A classic spot for skinny dippers back in the day, but now it’s for non skinny dippers too to take a dip in the sea).
• Bewley’s on Grafton Street for coffee and cake. Joyce wrote some work here while sipping on coffee.
• Trinity College and the Book of Kells.
• The Guinness Store House.
• Newgrange (if they can). Oldest building in the world. Old Stone Age burial Chamber where the sun lights up the tombs via a small box at the entrance on the Winter and Summer Solstice. Very cool place and only an hour from Dublin.
• Viking Tour of old Dublin.
• City Bus Tour is good to catch all the sites and brings you out to the Phoenix Park. Europe’s biggest Urban Park. The President resides there.
• The Irish National Gallery has a fantastic modern collection of paintings if your Dad is in to art. There is also a great Caravaggio there. It’s on Merrion Square so not far from where he’ll be staying.
• Head out to Howth, Malahide and Portmarnock…great seafood and golf out there (by the beach).

That’s off the top of my head, but if your Dad has any specific interests and schedule to stick to let me know and I can help out.

--
Images of recommended places:

The 40 Foot, Dun Laoghaire with Howth headland in North Dublin in the distance.

Martello Tower, Sandycove

The Round Tower at Glendalough.

Skyping with an 85 year old.

I just Skyped my 85 year old Nana back in Dublin all the way from Vancouver. It's at times like this that I really get to appreciate this kind of technology by explaining to my elderly Nana how exactly she's seeing my face in a different country and at an entirely different time of day. The ease at which we can communicate these days is taken for granted and often just expected. But for a brief moment, I was grateful and in awe at where technology is taking us.

My Nana is in a geriatric home in a small suburb of Dublin, eight hours ahead of me. As we chatted, the music to the credits of 'Eastenders' was audible in the background and I could hear the jostle of the tea trolley as the nurses go around dispensing the pills for the evening to the other old folks. As I sat in Vancouver, just about to finish my morning coffee, I found myself looking at the small screen on my iPhone looking at my Nana's gorgeous face as she blew kisses at me for about 10 minutes. She left me beaming with smiles and it made my day. How amazing is it that I could have a video chat with my 85 year old Nana halfway around the world, for free and not only hear her voice but see her face also? The distance between us was cut in half and the precious time we share together was heightened just for a moment. 

Sometimes technology and expectations shift so fast that we forget how far we've come. I now see why Microsoft over valued this magnificent tool. It is invaluable.    

Vancouver lights up like a Firework.

'Fire Shower'. Fireworks display for the Celebration of Light, Vancouver, 2011. View from Kitsilano towards English Bay.

Celebration of Light - Vancouver, August 2011.

When Summer hits Vancouver, it lights up like a firework. Literally. The infectious atmosphere that is embellished by the beaches, the sun, the people and that irrepressible stark summer sunlight lifts a city that is drowned for so much of the year, by more that its fair share of rain. The Fireworks display this week have been phenomenal, but even more so was the strong turn out of people, families, children and old friends gathering on picnic rugs, munching on snacks and sipping on drinks looking at the show.

Well done Vancouver. Very well played. Tip of the cap to you.

Vancouver at dusk...with a partially blood red sky.

Nothing like a delicious BBQ topped off with a nice sunset...A great end to a Sunday.

The Harbour Centre, Vancouver, Canada, May 2011