Saturday, March 29, 2014

For the birds....

In case anyone was wondering what I've been up to for the past five years.....this is my case:

Maple Lodge Farms ordered to


spend $1 million after chicken 


cruelty conviction


TORONTO — One of the country’s biggest chicken producers will have to spend at least $1 million over three years to ensure compliance with federal rules after an Ontario judge convicted it of causing undue suffering to the birds.
In a case closely watched by animal-rights groups, Ontario Superior Court Justice Nancy Kastner also fined Maple Lodge Farms $80,000 on two of 20 counts of failing to transport chickens humanely.
Kastner placed the company based in Brampton, Ont., on three years probation, suspending the other 18 counts for the duration.
Among conditions of probation, the company will have to make public the convictions, sentence and measures it is taking to avoid further offences by “prominent” website posting.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency charged Maple Lodge Farms under the Health of Animals Act with cruelty to chickens after 2,000 of the birds died on two trips to slaughter in the winter of 2008-2009.
One of the trucks was carrying spent hens — birds that have outlived their egg-laying usefulness; the other had broiler chickens — those raised for meat.
Evidence was that the birds succumbed after exposure to snow, frigid winds, and freezing temperatures during loading, transport, and unloading.
Kastner convicted the company in September 2013 on two of the counts, and Maple Lodge Farms pleaded guilty to 18 of the remaining charges this week in court in Brampton.
In her decision, Kastner said “lack of adequate training, personnel, or equipment” contributed to the high mortality rate of the transported birds.
The federal food inspection agency has described the company as an “animal-transport repeat violator.”
“It wasn’t humane transportation which governed the defendant’s actions but a near religious dedication to supplying its production lines,” the prosecution argued at trial.
Ensuring the company complies with the regulations formed a key part of Kastner’s sentence.
Maple Lodge Farms must spend the $1 million to modify its fleet of trailers used to carry broiler and spent hens and make other changes, Kastner ordered.
“MLF will establish policies, standards and procedures to reduce the likelihood of that organization committing a subsequent offence,” the judge said in her sentencing decision.
Activists said the case demonstrates that “just-in-time” deliveries of chickens to market is a problem.
“Just-in-time production serves the industry, while animals suffer and die during extreme hot and cold weather,” said Stephanie Brown, of Canadian Coalition for Farm Animals.
Kastner referred to economic factors when she convicted Maple Lodge.
“The evidence unfortunately supports the inference that economic factors tended to be placed above acts which were known, or ought to have been known, to reduce the effects of undue exposure to weather,” the judge said.
Other probation conditions require the company to report publicly if more than one per cent of the broilers or more than four per cent of the spent hens are dead on arrival.
Drivers will have to report weather conditions at time of loading to the company, and take and keep digital photographs of the loading.
Maple Lodge Farms, which kills about 500,000 birds per day, must also provide quarterly proof of compliance.
Liz White, of Animal Alliance of Canada, said improvements to chicken-transport trailers are badly needed.
“One critically needed change is mechanically ventilated, heated and cooled vehicles, to replace low tech systems with tarps and passive ventilation,” White said.

(Side note - I spent all day March 26 and 27 at the very busy Brampton courthouse....narrowly missing the fatal shooting incident between a suspect and Peel Police that occurred there and had the courthouse on lock-down for much of March 28) 

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Leaving Las Vegas

As the say, all good things must end. Just ask the cast of Degrassi.

We bid adieu to Nevada and steeled ourselves for a return to winter, hoping beyond hope that it had released its icy grip in our absence, but knowing from the weather reports that we could very well be heading home into yet another onslaught of flurries......or perhaps a flurry of onslaughts.

Our luck held - we flew BEHIND the latest storm and suffered only the aftermath. Flight and landing were smooth, as was the border crossing and drive home. Only the snow drifts that greeted us and a missing cat from an outdoor enclosure marred the triumphant return.

Pennywise had gotten so drifted in his shanty that a feline angel (thanks Cindy!) descended from above to rescue him back to the warmth and safety of her own house until our return. Of course, we didn't KNOW that until after a few minutes of frantic digging and yelling, followed by a panicked phone call......  

As they say, all's well that ends well. Just ask the cast of Degrassi....well, Drake, at the very least.

Tarmac at McCarron Airport

Jane's "disabled"

Rush hour on the runway

Here we go!

Rocky Mountain High....sans the rainin' fire in the sky

Ambassador Bridge border crossing from the duty free shop in Michigan

White welcome

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Sin City Nights

You know what they say - "What happens in Vegas......ends up on the blog".

We split our nights between The Flamingo and Harrah's, both Caesar's properties and both nestled snugly in the heart of The Strip and handy to everything. We did the CSI Adventure at MGM Grand, as I observed how kind it was of Jane to ask me to solve crimes on my vacation. It was all good fun though, great setup with mock crime scenes and mock labs. Geek.

We also saw a comedic hypnotist (as opposed to the sinister kind) at the V Theatre in Planet Hollywood, extremely entertaining to say the least.....and I can say that because neither one of us ended up on stage. Oddly, Jane still clucks like a chicken when I say the word "obtuse"......but I'm pretty sure she's always done that.

Enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Battista's Hole in the Wall, an Italian restaurant between The Flamingo and Bally's. One price for the scrumptious meal covers endless bread, salad, and wine (red AND white!). Even had an accordion player serenade us at our table with 'O Sole Mio'.....which never EVER happened in two visits to Italy.   :)

Visited with some friends who were also in town at the same time. Gambled a bit. Walked a lot. Took up second-hand smoking.

Oh, I could prattle on about a week in Vegas, but nobody wants to hear me talk anyway. Suffice it to say that the sights and sounds of Sin City were a much needed distraction from work. Of course, 20 C days and 10 C nights in March don't hurt either, especially THIS winter.

On with the show.....


No Flamingos were harmed in the making of that fuzzy pink bedspread...or WERE they???

Oldest casino still in operation on The Strip - thanks, Bugsy Siegel

Moved over to Harrah's on Day Three

Spent the days in Paris....

....and the nights in New York, New York

Volcano erupting outside The Mirage

New "High Roller" attraction opening soon

Gondola cruises the canals at The Venetian

The Fab Four get lots of Love at The Mirage....

.....Cirque de Soleil style!

The Strip at night - relatively quiet mid-week!

Here's lookin' up your address, James!
(don't be fooled by the fake sky ceiling - that's inside a mall)

Fountains at Caesar's Palace
(yes, I was tempted to climb the statue and poke my head up and make like Archangel Michael!)

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Viva Las Vegas!

Headed south last week for a much-needed break from work and weather. Given the particularly nasty winter we've had, even here in The South, the warm nights and bright lights of Las Vegas beckoned.

We also took advantage of some tips from a good friend, and made good use of the Caesar's Total Rewards program to nab some great deals on rooms. Not only did we get several nights "comped" (free) in Vegas, we also got a comped room in Windsor the night before our flight, putting us closer to the border and Detroit airport for morning takeoff. Sounds too good to be true, but in reality, they would rather have two potential customers in their establishment than a room sitting empty.

I must also highly recommend Southwest Airlines - good rates, bags fly free, decent legroom, direct flight from Detroit, and fun and friendly staff (similar to Westjet). There is no assigned seating, so you board in the order you checked in (starting 24 hours before your flight) and choose any seat, rewarding those of us that tend to be early anyway. It also helps that Jane's peanut allergy qualifies her as "disabled", as they still serve peanuts for snacks on US flights.....which means she boards in the first group anyway, along with one "caretaker", namely ME!

I must also acknowledge the unintentional irony that we flew Southwest to indeed fly.....southwest. Humour for the birds, no doubt.

Free room at Caesar's Windsor

Gateway to Adventure

Departures!

Above the clouds

The River Below

Touching down in Nevada