Here is a strange story that I read today.

The Saint John Police are spending $13,000 on a T3 personal mobility vehicle. This is a three-wheeled electric vehicle. The device can travel at speeds up to 40 km/h and has a siren and high beams.

What gets me is the following:

The T3 will allow police to quickly and easily manoeuvre through crowds and hard-to-reach parts of the city, Hanley said.

“It just allows our officers to get from point A to point B quicker,” Hanley said. “If he’s running, he’d be tired when he got there. This will allow him to save his energy. Plus it’s a green vehicle.”

The device will likely be used in the Harbour Passage area along the Saint John waterfront and at parades and other community events, Hanley said.

“We’ve had some robberies there, some people have been beaten up along here, so this allows an officer get along through here,” Hanley said. “It can get in and out of traffic and crowds easy, and we’re looking forward to purchasing more of them.”

Police are undergoing training now to drive the vehicle, he said, and it will begin to be used in the summer.

What I would like to know is - wouldn’t a bicycle work?

They are: fuel-efficient, cost effective, and they don’t require any training!

Heck, it’s even good exercise, and it would keep our officers in great shape.

I could see upwards of $1,500 for a bicycle; but, that’s really pushing it. $13,000 for this vehicle seems like an awful lot to spend.

Is it worth it? Well, I’d like to hear more.

Call me crazy; but, I can’t be the only one thinking this!

I read an interesting story on the CBC today.

A Tim Hortons cashier, in London, Ont, gave away a Timbit to a customer with a fussy child. She was later confronted by three managers and fired. They said she was giving away free food which violated company policy.

“I was crying,” she told the newspaper. “I was like, ‘I’m a single mom with four kids and you are going to put this on my record? You should bring all the staff in here and fire them all and yourselves, too.’ People give out Timbits to dogs in the drive-through all the time.”

Company spokeswoman Rachel Douglas said Wednesday the company regretted the action and had rehired Lilliman. “With an apology from management, Ms. Lillian has been rehired by the franchisee at another location.”

I wonder how much time and effort has been wasted over that sixteen cent Timbit.  She also makes a valid point about giving them out to dogs.  Is that a company policy, or are the employees just being nice?

I just saw this story on the CBC and had to write about it:

A stabbing attack in a Brampton, Ont., shopping plaza on Wednesday left two people dead, including a passerby who attempted to intervene and the woman he tried to protect.

Peel Regional Police said they received a 911 emergency call just after 12:30 p.m. saying there was an altercation between a man and a woman in the plaza on Red Maple Drive.

The two fought, and then the man began stabbing the woman and the passerby, police said.

Police said the woman and the passerby died as a result of their injuries. The male suspect also stabbed himself, but is receiving treatment in hospital.

The investigation is now in the hands of the province’s Special Investigations Unit, which investigates cases of serious injuries and deaths involving the police.

As a result, Peel Regional Police said they can no longer comment on the case.

I just can’t believe what happened.

This person, who gave their life to try and save another person, truly deserves our respect.

“Cowards die many times before their deaths
The valiant never taste of death but once.”

William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

April, the baby monkey stolen earlier this week, was found by police after receiving an anonymous tip and returned to the zoo.

The caller told police to look for it in the East Side of Saint John (around Bayside Drive). Police later found April in a blue plastic box behind a building near a gas station. The baby monkey was returned to the zoo around 12:30 a.m. Friday.

“Everybody breathed a sigh of relief,” said zoo official Len Collrin. “As soon as we let it out, it chirped and everything seemed all right.”

The small animal, which is about 30 centimetres tall and weighs less than half a kilogram, was fed a hearty meal after being returned, Collrin said, and was allowed to rest inside a zoo office for the remainder of the night.

“We’re just totally amazed that it is here and very thankful,” Collrin said. “Deep in the back of our mind, we kind of wondered if we’d ever see or hear from this monkey again.”

Police are still investigating the case, said Sgt. Pat Bonner. He said police will be focusing on the anonymous telephone call, which came from a payphone, to see if the voice provides any clues to the theft.

I only hope they can catch those responsible. It’s a sick crime that should not go unpunished!

It’s a sad story; but, a baby monkey was stolen from the Cherry Brook Zoo on Tuesday night.

The monkey, a marmoset from South Africa, was less then a year old and part of an international breeding program.

The zoo is asking for the monkey back and does not plan to press charges, “We will not give a name, just please, please bring this animal back”.

A Facebook group has also been started to show support for the baby monkey.

One comment on the group is quite troubling, “We were told they baby would not survive long away from it’s parents and is on a strict diet and feeding schedule.”

Anyone with information should contact the zoo immediately at 634-1440!

It’s hard to believe; but, the Saint John Sea Dogs are heading into the QMJHL semi-finals in only their third year as a franchise!

They have been playing solid hockey and it’s been great to watch.

While tickets for games 3 and 4 against the Rouyn-Noranda Hukies go on sale tomorrow, I thought I would share a video montage for our team heading into the semis:

Playoff Round One Intro Video

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Ladies and Gentlemen

Hockey Night In Saint John

As I had mentioned in my previous post, I did a CBC radio interview on Information Morning the day after the Aliant Business Pitch Competition.

It was really early in the morning actually, I got up at 5:30am so that I would be awake enough for the interview at 6am!

Now, thanks to Megan MacAlpine at CBC, I have copy of the interview which you can now listen to below:

Again, another reason I haven’t been blogging is due to the Aliant Business Pitch Competition that took place last night. I had been revising my business pitch at home and practicing it with co-workers during the day. All of this work paid off after successfully pitching my idea to judges inside of two limousines while driving around uptown Saint John!

The Telegraph-Journal has a story in todays newspaper (in the Business) section, you can read the full story here:

Thursday evening’s event was a new twist on what has become something of an institution in Saint John.

Aliant’s business plan competition, held for the past three years in an elevator, emerged this time around in the back seat of a stretch-limo. The evening was charged with the tension of a Donald Trump-style boardroom drama, without the in-fighting.

The stakes in this case were a little more modest, with sponsors investing a total of $1,000, which may be divided among several competitors.

Beyond the gimmick of Thursday evening was an underlying effort to support the development of small business in the city.

And that effort stretches province-wide, as economic development agencies and universities continue a long-standing campaign to identify New Brunswick’s up-and-comers, provide them with mentorship and find them capital.

…

There was an expectation Thursday evening that this ongoing effort to provide exposure to small business in the province will reap some rewards.

“It’s that whole concept of picking yourself up by the bootstraps and, as we go along, there’s going to be more stories of successes here,” said Oland, a judge and the executive chairman of Moosehead Breweries Limited. “And that success breeds success.

I had competed during last years event, the Aliant Elevator Pitch Competition, and finished outside the top three; however, I took what I had leaned last year to improve my pitch this time around.

It was a very well run and organized event, where I was able to make contact with several key people who can really help move this idea forward with their experience and contacts. I look forward to using this success to open more doors in getting this idea from the idea stage to a working product!

Let me first say - I love the idea of having another holiday. Now let me explain why I think Jack Layton should not be suggesting that Family Day be a national holiday.

The NDP leader forgets that there is already a day that is not recognized as a holiday across the country. This is an important day that should be - it’s called Remembrance Day. It’s a the day remember the sacrifices made by those in the military who have fought in past and present conflicts.

I do understand what Family Day represents. It’s a great idea; but, it is the wrong one to fight for right now. Jack Layton should be fighting for Remembrance Day to be recognized across the country - both federally and provincially.

I was in Toronto for Remembrance Day in 2007 and it was sad to see how few people were in attendance. That is a national shame and it should be corrected before creating new holidays.

The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick will choose it’s new leader on October 18th, 2008.

The main convention will take place at the Aitken Centre at UNB in Fredericton with several satellite voting stations around the province.

So far there are no confirmed candidates; however, there are many great potential candidates

Robert MacLeod, the party president, says “I am optimistic that we will have some great candidates and am looking forward to a great race, a great convention and of course, I am also looking forward to the next leader who will help bring the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick back to government.”

I am very excited for the party to select a new leader that can take on this incompetent Liberal government. I am so fed up with Shawn Graham and his gimmicky marketing campaigns. People wanted change; but, we need to be living within our means - we can’t raise taxes every time a government want to bail out a badly run company.

I think the next leader needs to focus on the core items that will move this province ahead the most. The main items I will be looking for in the campaign include: promoting and encouraging small business, boosting our eduction systems, and dramatically increasing immigration (all cultures and languages).

Keep watching here for more news!